Sports FRIDAY, JUNE 6, 2014 Gatlin aiming to run even faster in Rome ROME: Not content with setting the best 100- who is looking for points to defend her Diamond meter times in the world this year, American Race title in the event, has never won at Stadio sprinter Justin Gatlin is aiming to run even faster in Olimpico and will face two athletes who have Rome. The Diamond League returns to Europe late beaten her before in Rome - compatriot Kerron yesterday, and the 100 will again be one of the Stewart and Murielle Ahoure. highlights of the Golden Gala, the fourth event of However, Fraser-Pryce has beaten Stewart in the league. Last month, Gatlin ran the 100 in 9.87 their past 11 meetings, and Ahoure finished sec- seconds in Beijing and 9.92 in Shanghai, before ond to her in both the 100 and the 200 at last running a wind-aided 9.76 in the Prefontaine year’s world championships in Moscow. Classic. “My whole motto this year is just go,” the Also contending will be American Torie Bowie, 2004 Olympic gold medalist said. “I’ve got Rome the surprise 200 winner in Eugene. Another high- now and I want to go even faster.” Gatlin edged light of the Golden Gala is the high jump, which Usain Bolt on the line by 0.01 seconds last season. features five men with personal bests of 2.40 Bolt, the world and Olympic champion, will not be meters or better. Olympic champion Ivan Ukhov of at Stadio Olimpico this year, but the likes of former Russia cleared a world-leading 2.41 in Doha, which world champ Kim Collins, Jamaicans Nesta Carter was also a Diamond League record. and Kemar Bailey Cole, and world indoor 60 cham- He faces world champion Bohdan Bondarenko pion Richard Kilty will be aiming to take Gatlin’s of Ukraine, who jumped the same height in title. In the women’s event, Shelly-Ann Fraser- Moscow, where he narrowly failed to set a world Pryce will be looking to bounce back from a disap- record. Derek Drouin, Mutaz Essa Barshim and pointing 200 in Eugene, where she finished last. Aleksey Dmitrik have also cleared 2.40. In the 100 Fraser-Pryce is the most titled sprinter in history hurdles, Australia’s Olympic champion, Sally in the 100, with two Olympic gold medals and two Pearson, will race world champion American world titles. The Jamaican won the 100 in the sea- Brianna Rollins, who is making her Diamond son-opening Diamond League meet in Doha, and League debut, and compatriot Nia Ali, who edged the race in Bellinzona on Tuesday. out Pearson on the line in the 60 hurdles at the “In Eugene, my body did not respond. I felt a world indoors in March. Attention will also be on left leg problem,” Fraser-Pryce said. “I have not had two-time Olympic champ and world record-holder a perfect start to the season but it’s not a champi- Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic, who will onship year. I executed the race better than in my compete in the javelin for the first time since the EUGENE: Justin Gatlin (left) wins the men’s 100 meters at the Prefontaine Classic track previous 100-meter race in Doha.”Fraser-Pryce, birth of her son last year. — AP and field meet in this file photo. — AP Robson set for England debut against Sri Lanka Australia to import LONDON: Australia-born Sam Robson was Ben Stokes deemed not to have had Stokes, Bairstow, former Ireland seamer soil to prepare in line to make his England debut after the enough bowling following injury, also Boyd Rankin and leg-spinner Scott Middlesex opener was named yesterday in included Warwickshire’s Chris Woakes in Borthwick. for Indian spin the squad to play Sri Lanka in next week’s their squad for the first of a two-Test first Test at his Lord’s ‘home’ ground. series. ‘EMERGING TALENT’ SYDNEY: Cricket Australia will import soil from India to build Robson was one of three uncapped play- Robson is set to open alongside Whitaker, speaking of the 12 picked for sub-continental style pitches to help their batsmen prepare ers named by national selector James England captain Alastair Cook after the Sri Lanka opener, said: “We believe for playing against spin, a report said yesterday. Whitaker in a 12-man group along with Michael Carberry was dropped in what that this group of emerging talent will be The outdoor pitches will be laid near the National Cricket Barbados-born all-rounder Chris Jordan, was Peter Moores’ first Test squad since he very well complimented by the estab- Centre in Brisbane to create low-bouncing tracks that will who impressed during the recent 3-2 one- returned to the job of England coach. lished core of experienced players that allow batsmen and bowlers to prepare at home for tours of day series defeat by Sri Lanka, and Moeen “We would also like to acknowledge have been selected.” India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Ali, who provides England with their lone the contribution of both the County and Robson, whose Middlesex boss Angus The top-ranked Australians have traditionally struggled spin option. Meanwhile Yorkshire seamer England Performance Programme coaches Fraser is now a Test selector impressed on against spin on the sub-continent, and team performance Liam Plunkett was recalled having last in helping to develop the talents of Sam recent England second-string tours of manager Pat Howard said CA wanted the pitches in place by played Test cricket seven years ago. Robson, Liam Plunkett, Moeen Ali and Australia and Sri Lanka, making five hun- the end of the Australian summer using Indian soil. Matt Prior, who has been struggling Chris Woakes,” said Whitaker in an ECB dreds in six matches during those trips. “A third of all our matches are on the sub-continent, so with an Achilles injury, was passed fit to statement. An Australia Under-19 international you’ve got to be able to deal with it,” he told Fairfax Media, keep wicket. And that meant there was no “All four have carried their exciting win- who also played for Sydney’s Eastern adding the imported soil idea had been long under discus- place for Jos Buttler, who made a blister- ter form into the domestic season to earn Suburbs club, Robson headed to London sion. “Whilst we do practise here against spin, we know it’s ing century for England against Sri Lanka well deserved recognition.” Six players soon after leaving school. not as real as being there. We’re never going to make it in the fourth one-day international at who featured in England’s last Test, a Last year, Cricket Australia brought in exactly the same but we’re going to try to get as close as we Lord’s on Saturday or Jonny Bairstow, the crushing 281-run defeat by Australia at the so-called ‘Robson rule’ allowing dual can,” Howard said. man who replaced Prior during England’s Sydney weren’t included-Kevin Pietersen, passport-holders to play domestic match- “Some players in our system are fantastic at using their 5-0 Ashes series loss in Australia. whose international career was terminat- es in more than one country. feet and playing against spin, but our collective experience England, with pace bowling all-rounder ed by the ECB after the Ashes, Carberry, But Robson, whose Middlesex captain has got to get better.” is Australia opener Chris Rodgers, insisted Australia’s next Test assignment is against Pakistan in the in April he felt no conflict of loyalties. United Arab Emirates in October, when they will come up “Middlesex is where I’ve learnt to play first- against off-spinner Saeed Ajmal trying to expose old frailties. class cricket,” he explained at the time. Australia’s batsmen were all at sea on last year’s Test tour of “I’ve been here for a long time now. I India where they lost the series 4-0. love London, I’ve been here since I fin- Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly at the time labelled ished school and I haven’t given it too Michael Clarke’s team as the worst-ever Australian side to much thought. “I committed simply by tour India. “We didn’t play well in India,” Clarke conceded coming in the first place, signing up and this week. “I don’t know, but I am guessing the wickets in giving up opportunities in Australia when I Dubai will be similar. I am guessing they will prepare wickets was very young. So from then on my focus that spin and they will have two or three spinners in those has always been here.” teams. “We have to find a way to get better. That is one of our great challenges as a Test team.” England squad When Australian chief selector Rod Marsh was head of the Alastair Cook (Essex, capt), Moeen Ali International Cricket Council’s academy in Dubai, they recre- (Worcestershire), James Anderson ated conditions from all over the world on a series of pitches (Lancashire), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Ian so students would be ready for international cricket. Bell (Warwickshire), Stuart Broad Most of Australia’s contracted players are at the Brisbane (Nottinghamshire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), centre for the next fortnight for a fitness camp. Clarke will Liam Plunkett (Yorkshire), Matt Prior lead the side to the UAE for the matches against Pakistan, (Sussex, wkt), Sam Robson (Middlesex), hoping to protect the team’s number one Test and one-day Joe Root (Yorkshire), Chris Woakes ranking.—AFP (Warwickshire).