SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2014 SPORTS Afghan women’s crushed by threats : The story of Afghan cricket is a rare bright that women should not leave home unescorted, or women’s squad if he is to achieve his goal of mak- ment at the cricket board, and it meant skilled spot in the troubled country’s recent past, full of be given the chance to learn the sport. ing a full member of the International sportswomen from across the country do not get a unlikely successes and glory that have helped unify “Afghanistan’s cricket board does not support Cricket Council by 2025, since a national women’s chance to play, limiting the talent pool. a divided nation. Unless you’re a woman player. cricket for women, even though I have 3,700 girl team is one of the criteria for joining. “Every day, every week there are bombs, when A national women’s cricket team formed in 2010 cricketers across Afghanistan,” said Barakzai, who, He drew a sharp breath, however, when asked these security problems are happening, how can with some fanfare was quietly dissolved this year like many other Afghan cricketers, learned the about developing the sport for women, which he the families deal with it? They don’t let their daugh- amid Taliban threats, insecurity and conservative game as a refugee in and says her mission insists he supports fully. ter come and play cricket,” said Sangar. beliefs that led to a shortage of players. is to teach more women to play. “(The Taleban) said ‘you should not develop She says the board has been supportive of her “It does not exist,” said the newly appointed “I hope their attitude will change,” she said. women’s cricket, it is not in Islam, it is not in attempts to revive the team, but that the lack of chairman of Afghanistan’s cricket board, Nasimullah Danish is dreaming big for the men’s game. He Afghanistan culture. If you do so, we will not be players and coaches means it will take time before Danish, when asked about the team. “The situation wants to make Afghanistan a top cricketing nation responsible for your players’,” Danish said, describ- Afghan women are ready for cricket internationals. is not very much prepared for developing women’s within 10 years, from having next to no base a ing a threatening phone call from the militants. Heather Barr, Human Rights Watch’s senior cricket in Afghanistan.” Activists say the fate of the decade ago. Since 2000, when the Taliban ended a Resistance from conservative families who don’t researcher on women’s rights in Asia, said the com- squad is indicative of a wider lack of institutional ban on the sport, cricket has developed rapidly, want their daughters to play adds to the challenge, mitment of the government to women’s sport was support for women in sport in a country where with an Afghan league and a men’s team that has he said in his bustling office in Kabul Cricket “cosmetic” and aimed at pleasing aid-donor nations. many men are deeply uncomfortable with the idea made its mark internationally. Stadium. Danish accused Barakzai of running the “Unfortunately, it’s part of a broader pattern of the of their sisters and daughters competing in public. When the men’s team qualified for the 2015 team, which included members of her family, for Afghan government promising the moon on It is also a reminder of the ambiguous results of World Cup in Australia, street celebrations broke personal interest. Barakzai laughed at that sugges- women’s rights ... while making little effort to follow millions of dollars spent by donors on women’s out across Afghanistan, highlighting the power of tion and accused the board of misusing U.S. aid through and sometimes sabotaging efforts from development in Afghanistan - a problem detailed in sport to unite the fractious country. For many money. Danish said he was investigating the admin- behind the scenes,” Barr said. a December report by a U.S. watchdog on spending young Afghans, sports stars are the first heroes they istration of the board under the former chairman he The collapse of the squad has not ended foreign in the country (http://bit.ly/1wOLDzX). have known that are not carrying Kalashnikovs. took over from last week, but that he had not donor support for women’s cricket. In June, the US The founder of the national women’s team, uncovered evidence of corruption. Embassy announced a $450,000 grant to promote Diana Barakzai, resigned in April. She said the crick- TALIBAN THREAT Insecurity adds to the problems for women, said the sport through a training exchange with players et board obstructed the team because of a belief But Danish will also have to help build up the Tuba Sangar, who now heads the women’s depart- from and Pakistan. — Reuters Cleveland reaches 50 years of sports futility

CLEVELAND: For this golden anniversary, World Series, we were so close,” he said. “Then there won’t be any gifts exchanged or cham- LeBron and them went to the championship, pagne-sipping celebrations. There’s no reason but it wasn’t even close. But it’s Cleveland.” to party or toast these 50 years, a half- But on Dec. 27, 1964, when LBJ was in the of sports suffering and failure best forgotten. White House and the Beatles had invaded This Saturday will mark the 50th anniver- America, the Browns ruled. Facing a high-scor- sary of Cleveland’s last pro sports champi- ing Baltimore squad favored by double digits onship when the Browns beat the heavily and loaded with future Hall of Famers like favored Baltimore Colts 27-0 to win the NFL Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore and Raymond title, the last for the franchise and the city. Berry, the Browns won their first title since Since then, the Browns, Indians and Cavaliers 1955. Wide receiver Gary Collins caught three have gone a combined 141 seasons without touchdown passes in the second half from winning it all. That’s five decades. That’s 18,262 Frank Ryan, Lou Groza kicked two field goals days. That’s a long time. and Cleveland’s defense pitched an unlikely “It’s hard to believe,” Hall of Fame running shutout in front of 79,544 fans. back Jim Brown said. “Because when you look When he reflects on a game most back at 50 years, something’s wrong, because Cleveland fans know only through black-and- somebody should’ve figured out something. white footage, Brown, who rushed for 114 ... We’ve got money and we’ve got a new yards, remembers one play vividly. building and we’ve got green grass and we “My greatest memory of the game is Galen can draft players, and we can’t do any better Fiss breaking through the line and tackling than that?” Lenny Moore for about a 7-yard loss,” the 78- Cleveland’s title drought is the longest for year-old Brown said. “Galen was a real fine any North American city with three pro fran- linebacker, but he wasn’t a great linebacker. chises. San Diego has gone 51 years since the But that day he played fantastic. When you Chargers won an AFL title, but the California can tackle Lenny Moore 1-on-1, you’re doing a city no longer has an NBA team and it’s a little hell of a job. And so when I let my mind go easier to handle misery when it’s sunny and blank and I think of these things, that comes 70 most of the year. up almost like No. 1. After that I think, boy, In Cleveland, generations of fans have only what a great team effort. known what it’s like to finish second or third This is what team sports are all about.” The or worse, which is why superstar LeBron Colts, coached by Don Shula, came in averag- James’ decision to come home last summer ing more than 30 points per game. They were and re-sign with the Cavs was cheered as if he expected to bulldoze the Browns, who went had delivered that elusive championship. 10-3-1 in the regular season under Blanton Around here, “wait until next year” is Collier and had nearly cost themselves a PORT ELIZABETH: South Africa drives the ball for his century during the second day of the second Test against West Indies. — AP engrained in the population’s collective psy- chance at the championship with a late-sea- che. It hasn’t all been bad. There have been a son loss at St. Louis. few magical seasons, they just didn’t end However, they recovered by beating the Rain dampens SA chances magically but with heartbreak. The Browns New York Giants 52-20 to get to their first title made it to three AFC title games from 1987- game since 1957. As kickoff approached, the 1990, but lost each time to Denver and quar- Browns were given little chance by odds mak- PORT ELIZABETH: Faf du Plessis completed his terback John Elway. Two of those defeats ers. “They were just supposed to wipe us off fourth Test century and was dismissed immedi- SCOREBOARD have been given lasting nicknames: “The the mat,” Brown said. “They didn’t give us no ately afterwards on a rain-hit second day of the Drive” and “The Fumble.” The Indians, who kind of chance, made them a three-touch- second Test between South Africa and the West PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa: Scores at close of play on the second day of the rain-affect- haven’t won a world championship since down favorite, no respect. The game wasn’t Indies at St George’s Park yesterday. ed second Test between South Africa and the West Indies at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth 1948, ended a 41-year drought by getting to going to be anything because we just couldn’t Only half an hour’s play was possible in Port yesterday. the World Series in 1995 only to lose to hold up against that team. So it was tremen- Elizabeth, during which six overs were bowled South Africa, first innings Bowling: Taylor 22-4-74-1 (2nb, 1w), Peters 15- Atlanta. Cleveland returned two years later dous to overcome that and to turn it around and South Africa moved from their overnight but lost Game 7 in extra innings to Florida. in such a dynamic way, because we had no 270 for two to 289 for three. (Overnight 270-2) 6-44-1, Holder 16-5-34-0 (1nb), Gabriel 15-0- With All-Stars Mark Price and Brad expectations.” “It was a very frustrating day,” said Du Plessis A. Petersen c Johnson b Gabriel 17 52-1 (3nb), Benn 25-3-81-0 (1nb), Samuels 1- Daugherty, the Cavaliers had some title-wor- An end to the drought could be in sight. after play was finally called off more than four- D. Elgar c Ramdin b Peters 121 1-0-0 thy teams in the 1980s that were stopped by When he returned from Miami, James brought and-a-half hours after the stoppage. F. du Plessis c Ramdin b Taylor 103 To bat: S. van Zyl, T. Bavuma, V. Philander, D. Michael Jordan. They made it to the NBA with him something dearly needed: hope. “We had a very good day one and were exact- H. Amla 23 Steyn, M. Morkel, Imran Tahir Finals for the first time in 2007, but were The four-time league MVP understands he ly where we wanted to be.” With more rain pre- A. de Villiers not out 9 West Indies: D. Ramdin, K. Brathwaite, D. swept by San Antonio. may be the best chance to end Cleveland’s dicted for today, Du Plessis admitted it might be Extras (lb4, nb7, w5) 16 Smith, L. Johnson, M. Samuels, S. Chanderpaul, It’s enough to sour the biggest optimist, futile run. “I guess it’s hard to believe it’s been difficult for South Africa to force a series-clinch- Total (3 wkts, 94 overs) 289 J. Holder, J. Taylor, S. Benn, S. Gabriel, K. Peters and the title-less decades have led to theories that long, but hopefully we can change that,” ing win to follow their victory by an innings and Fall of : 1-47 (Petersen), 2-226 (Elgar), 3- Match situation: South Africa are 289 for three that a curse has been placed on the city’s James said. “It shouldn’t take away from the 220 runs in the first Test in Centurion. 274 (Du Plessis) in the first innings. three teams. good things that this city has done for its “ut there?s still quite a lot of time left,” he said. Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer grew up sports teams, though. People get so wrapped “We will just have to do what we plan to do a lot in Cleveland, where sports pain is part of up into that, hopefully we can fix this real quicker. We?ve got a very good bowling etkeeper and the bowler cele- unbeaten on 23. West Indian opening batsman every kid’s upbringing. “I lived through the soon.” — AP armoury but on the St George’s Park it brated. Kraigg Brathwaite said patience would be the does take a bit longer.” The West Indians sought a review and Reiffel key when the tourists eventually batted. Du Plessis, on 99 overnight, flicked Jerome was forced to change his decision when ‘Snicko’ He said the West Indian players had been Taylor’s first ball of the day for four runs to raise revealed the tiniest of scratches off the bat. It encouraged by the way they bowled on the first his century off 229 balls. He hit 13 fours and two was the first wicket of the series for Taylor. day but wanted to get on the field to make up sixes. But he was out to the next ball, a perfect AB de Villiers joined Hashim Amla for the chances they had missed during a 179- outswinger which found such a faint edge that and hit two handsome drives for four off Jason run second wicket partnership between Du umpire Paul Reiffel remained unmoved as wick- Holder. He was on nine not out and Amla was Plessis and . — AFP Ajmal withdraws from World Cup

KARACHI: Ace Pakistan spinner The suspended bowlers need to Saeed Ajmal announced he will not remodel their action after which feature in next year’s World Cup they undergo reassessment to get after he failed to completely correct clearance. Ajmal did remedial work his bowling action which led to his under former Pakistan spinner suspension three months ago, an Saqlain Mushtaq who also advised official said yesterday. him to take some more time. The 37-year-old Ajmal appeared Mohammad Akram, head coach before a Pakistan Cricket Board at Pakistan’s national cricket acade- (PCB) committee on Saturday before my, said Ajmal has taken an honest taking the decision. “Ajmal has taken decision. “Ajmal wants to play as this decision all by himself as he has world number one bowler and not not been able to completely correct someone who wants to hide for his his action and he will hold a press action,” Akram told AFP. “Saqlain conference in a couple of days to advised him to concentrate on crick- announce his decision,” PCB chair- et after the World Cup which he has man Shaharyar Khan told media. accepted and withdrew from the Ajmal’s bowling action was World Cup,” said Akram. reported during the Galle Test in Sri Pakistan face another race Lanka in August. His action was against time on all-rounder found illegal on a bio-mechanic Mohammad Hafeez whose action assessment a month later which led was also reported last month. PCB to his suspension. has decided to send Hafeez to “The remedial work on his action Chennai, India for unofficial tests will take some time so we are not before applying for reassessment sending him for an unofficial test,” with the ICC. said Khan. Under the International Ajmal’s absence will badly ham- Cricket Council (ICC) rules all per Pakistan’s chances in the World bowlers are allowed to bend their Cup to be held in Australia and New elbow by 15 degrees beyond which Zealand in February-March next Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James the action is deemed illegal. year. —AFP Saeed Ajmal