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Home , Ashish Nehra, Brendon McCullum, Dale Steyn, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mohammad Mithun, Rohit Sharma

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016 SPORTS

Rohit Sharna Andre Rusell Suzie Bates and . Nissan welcomes stars as new global ambassadors

YOKOHAMA: Nissan is proud to announce a this illustrious line-up to the Nissan teamas social media across the tournament, support- Sharma, Russell and Bates join South game both internationally and on home soil.” new line-up of cricket talent in support of its ambassadors,” said Roel deVries, corporate vice ing other fan focused initiatives such as Nissan African legend and rising The eight-year sponsorship deal with the with the International Cricket president and global head of marketing and Play of the Day and sharing great cricket con- star in the Nissan cricket family, ICC comprisesall tournaments for the period Council (ICC). brand strategy for Nissan. “As genuine per- tent. Rohit Sharmasaid, “I’m thrilled to work who were recently announced as Nissan crick- 2016 to 2023. It builds upon Nissan’s sport star Rohit Sharma, West formers in the shorter form of the game, these with Nissan on their partnership with the et ambassadors in their home country for the sponsorship portfolio that already includes Indian all-rounder and New players consistently deliver on the big stage. International Cricket Council. The ICC World next year. the UEFA Champions League, City Football Zealand Suzie Bates will all help the We look forward to working together to bring T20 is very special to me and takes a tremen- “I am thrilled to be among some of the top Group and the Rio 2016 Olympic and Japanese car manufacturer bring cricket cricketing excitement to fans worldwide, start- dous amount of hard work and innovation to athletes in the world that are associated with Paralympic Games, not to mention an array of excitement to fans, starting with the ICC World ing with the ICC World T20”. win. It remains one of the most exciting cricket Nissan as a brand ambassador,” Dale Steyn talent from Olympic champion and world in India from March 8th. In addition to an advertising campaign, competitions in the world and I’m looking for- said.”Nissan’s partnership with cricket will record holder Usain Bolt to FIFA World Cup “Nissan is absolutely delighted to welcome Nissan’s cricket ambassadors will be active on ward to sharing that with the fans.” expose and inspire more young players to the winner Andrrs Iniesta. Sharma sets up crushing win for India

DHAKA: Rohit Sharma made a half- runs, India began to feel the pressure once as India crushed Bangladesh by 45 runs to for 13 get their campaign in the to leave the visitors struggling at 42-3. Twenty20 tournament off to a flying start in Sharma and steadied the yesterday. Big-hitting opener innings with a 55- fourth partner- Sharma smashed 83 off 55 balls to help ship before Pandya, who scored 31 off 18 India overcome a shaky start to score 166-6 balls, joined the opener to provide India a before some excellent bowling by left-arm much-needed impetus. pacer and other medium pac- Sharma was dropped by ers restricted hosts Bangladesh to 121-7. on 21 off and he promptly One-down made the high- made Bangladesh pay dearly as he hit two est 44 off 32 balls for Bangladesh after an fours and a six in the next three balls of the early innings jolt saw the home side lose over. He struck seven fours and three sixes both their openers for his 10th half-century in a Twenty20 (one) and (11) for 15 runs. international. “It’s important for me to start Bangladesh could never recover from the afresh and not look back too much,” said damage and kept losing at regular man of the match Sharma. intervals as experienced Nehra finished “This is a perfect platform for us before with 3-23. Indians , Hardik the World Cup (World Twenty20),” he said. “I Pandya and claimed was focusing on my basics on this kind of one wicket each, and all conceded 23 runs. the pitch, use the pace of the bowlers. It Bangladesh earlier opted to bowl first on was a good wicket and the ball was carry- a rain-soaked pitch and made good use of ing.” Skipper MS Dhoni, who passed a late the conditions to put India in trouble early fitness test to play the game, reserved some in their innings at the packed Sher-e-Bangla praise for young all-rounder Pandya. National Stadium. Al Amin Hossain bowled “Batting fearlessly is Hardik (Pandya)’s opener for two before strength and that’s why we want to give skipper got rid of an in- him more matches, he’s a good fielder too form , who offered an easy catch and a useful third seamer,” said Dhoni. to Mahmudullah at mid off for eight, put- Sri Lanka will face the United Arab ting India’s formidable batting on the back Emirates in the second match of the tourna- foot. With the first six overs yielding just 31 ment at the same venue today. — AFP

SCOREBOARD : Australian captain (Bottom C) holds the Trans Tasman trophy with his team after winning the 2nd Test during day five of the second cricket Test match between and Australia at the Hagley Park in Christchurch yesterday. — AFP DHAKA: Scoreboard of the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament opening match between Bangladesh and India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka yesterday. India Bangladesh Australia’s return to the R. Sharma c Soumya b Al-Amin 83 Soumya Sarkar c Dhoni b Bumrah 11 S. Dhawan b Al-Amin 2 Mohammad Mithun b Nehra 1 V. Kohli c Mahmudullah b Mortaza 8 Sabbir Rahman c Dhoni b Pandya 44 S. Raina b Mahmudullah 13 c Yuvraj b Ashwin 14 top hit by controversy Shakib Al Hasan 3 Y. Singh c Soumya b Shakib 15 16 H. Pandya c Mahmudullah b Al-Amin 31 Mahmudullah c Sharma b Nehra 7 MS Dhoni not out 8 Mashrafe Mortaza c Jadeja b Nehra 0 CHRISTCHURCH: Australia sealed a 2-0 series R. Jadeja not out 0 Taskin Ahmed not out 15 victory over New Zealand to reach the top Test SCOREBOARD Extras (b1 lb2, w3) 6 Extras (lb4 w6) 10 ranking yesterday but captain Steve Smith was Total (six wickets; 20 overs) 166 Total (seven wickets; 20 overs) 121 forced to defend their aggressive style as he was Scoreboard at close of play on the fifth and final day in the second and final Test between New Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Dhawan), 2-22 (Kohli), Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Mithun), 2-15 fined over a row with the umpires. Zealand and Australia yesterday in Christchurch, New Zealand. 3-42 (Raina, 4-97 (Yuvraj), (Soumya), 3-50 (Kayes), 4-73 (Shakib), With Smith smacking 53 off 46 balls, Australia 5-82 ( Sabbir), 6-100 (Mahmudullah), 7- New Zealand 1st innings 370 (B. McCullum A. Voges not out 10 5-158 (Sharma), 6-158 (Pandya polished off the 131 runs they needed on the 100 (Mortaza) 145, C. Anderson 72, B. Watling 58) Extras (lb-4 nb-2) 6 Did not bat: R. Ashwin, J. Bumrah, A. last day to reach their 201 target just after lunch Did not bat: Al-Amin Hossain, Mustafizur in what was New Zealand captain Brendon Australia 1st innings 505 (J. Burns 170, S. Total (for 3 wickets, 54 overs) 201 Nehra Rahman McCullum’s final Test. Smith 138, A. Voges 60; N. Wagner 6-106) Fall of wickets: 1-49 D. Warner, 2-113 U. Bowling: Taskin 3-0-22-0, Al-Amin 4-0-37- Bowling: Nehra 4-0-23-3 (w1), Bumrah 4- The match had no sooner finished than Smith New Zealand 2nd innings 335 (K. Williamson Khawaja, 3-179 J. Burns 3, Mustafizur 4-0-40-0 (w2), Mortaza 4-0- 0-23-1, Pandya 4-0-23-1 (w3), Ashwin was charged over Tuesday’s profanity-laced con- 97, M. Henry 66; J. Bird 5-59, J. Pattinson 4-77) 4-0-23-1, Jadeja 4-0-25-0 (w2). To bat: M. Marsh, P. Nevill, J. Pattinson, J. 40-1 (w1) Mahmudullah 2-0-9-1, Shakib frontation over an lbw decision that had already Australia 2nd innings (Overnight: 70-1; : India won by 45 runs. Hazlewood, N. Lyon, J. Bird 3-0-15-1. seen fast bowler Josh Hazlewood fined 15 per- Target: 201 runs) Bowling: T. Boult 17-1-60-1, T. Southee 7-2-30- cent of his match fee. J. Burns b Boult 65 1, M. Henry 9-1-33-0 (nb-1), N. Wagner 18-4- The ICC later said Smith was fined 30 percent D. Warner c Watling b Wagner 22 60-1 (nb-1), C. Anderson 3-0-14-0. of his match fee after he admitted showing dis- U. Khawaja c B. McCullum b Southee 45 sent by questioning the decision that batsman S. Smith not out 53 Result: Australia won by 7 wickets. was not out. finished on 10 not out, while the only wickets to fall on day five were those of Joe ‘NOT THE IDEAL’ EXIT ty good position.” McCullum’s rollicking 145, in Burns for 65 and Usman Khawaja for 45 as For New Zealand the drubbing by their arch- which he also reached a record 107 career sixes, Australia closed on 201 for three to win by seven rivals put a cloud over the much-loved was not enough to save New Zealand. After wickets. The victory confirmed Australia’s superi- McCullum’s farewell, as their captain made his resuming Wednesday at 70 for 1, with David ority after they won the first Test by an innings bow on the world stage after 101 Tests. Warner (22) out late the previous evening, and 52 runs, and allowed them to overtake India “We’re obviously disappointed to lose the Australia took 34 overs to score the remaining as the world’s top Test side. Test match and the series but the right team 131 runs required. “It’s always special when you get to number won,” McCullum said. “We threw everything at Khawaja took his overnight 19 to 45 before one in the world. That’s our goal as a team to be them at key times but they were able to with- giving his first wicket of the Test number one in the world in every format of the stand us. It’s not the ideal way to go out but at after 29 overs. Southee had bottled up Khawaja game,” Smith said. the same time, I’ve had a great time.” for eight consecutive deliveries before getting However Smith also had to dispute sugges- The animosity throughout the series, which an edge with a ball angling away outside off tions that Australia, often controversial over came to a head on Tuesday, was put aside the stump which went to McCullum at first . their uncompromising play and habit of sledg- moment Voges hit the winning runs with a four. Man-of-the-match Joe Burns, having laid the ing (insulting) the opposition, were cricket’s Smith immediately searched out McCullum foundations for victory with his 170 in the first bully boys. “I don’t think we’re not nice guys. We to shake his hand and congratulate him on his innings, scored his fourth Test 50 before being play a good hard, aggressive brand of cricket,” career, which included a record 54-ball century bowled by for 65 just before lunch. Smith said. “For us it’s about knowing where in the first innings. The series sweep made Australia world num- that line is and myself and Josh Hazlewood “The way he played in the first innings to ber one and earned them a US$1 million prize at have crossed that line in this Test match and score the fastest-ever Test 100 is testament to the end of their cricket year. DHAKA: Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma plays a shot during a Twenty20 cricket match that’s not what we’re about. “Hopefully we can the guy’s character,” Smith said. This was the last Test before cricket’s atten- between India and Bangladesh for the Asia Cup T20 cricket tournament at The Sher- learn from that and continue to develop as a “They were under the pump and he came out tion turns to the World Twenty20 championship e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka yesterday. — AFP team and get better.” and took the game on and got them into a pret- in India next month. — AFP Captain Smith fined for dissent over umpire row

CHRISTCHURCH: Australian captain elled at the umpires during their seven- is and myself and Josh Hazlewood have ing technology used to determine if the who retired from international cricket Steve Smith was fined 30 percent of his wicket win in Christchurch to sweep the crossed that line in this Test match and ball has hit the bat. at the end of the Test, maintained there match fee for dissent yesterday after a series was the latest in a series of inci- that’s not what we’re about, and hopeful- “That’s deemed to be dissent and I’ll was a good relationship between the confrontation with the umpires in the dents involving Australia. ly we can learn from that and continue to cop that on the chin and I need to be bet- two sides. “This series has been played in second Test against New Zealand. But Smith defended Australia as a develop as a team and get better.” Smith ter as a leader, I need to set the example great spirits, I think, and the one back in Australia won the Test by seven wickets team who play the game hard and push said he believed at the time he was act- and that was not good enough. “For me Australia. I think Steve Smith has been a to move to the top of the world rankings, the boundaries but don’t mean to offend. ing correctly to question the umpire’s it’s about trying to learn from my mis- catalyst for that,” he said. “He plays the but celebrations were marred by Smith’s “I don’t think we’re not nice guys. We play decision. takes and improve and try and get this game for the right reasons as well. He summons before the International a good, hard, aggressive brand of cricket,” team going forward in the right direction plays with his heart on his sleeve but he’s Cricket Council match referee to explain Smith said, admitting he and Hazlewood ‘NOT GOOD ENOUGH’ and playing the good aggressive brand a very respectful guy and a wonderful his actions. He was later fined in connec- were wrong in how they approached the “I thought I was well within my rights of cricket that we play so well and know cricketer. “They’re number one in the tion with the same obscenity-laden rant umpires after Australia were denied an to go up to the umpire and ask him why there’s a line there that we can’t cross.” world now and a lot of that is to do with that had already cost Josh Hazlewood 15 lbw decision against Kane Williamson. we didn’t use the real time snicko,” he said Despite the on-field dissent, New his leadership and (Australian coach) percent of his match fee. The abuse lev- “For us it’s about knowing where that line referring to the ‘snickometer’ heat-detect- Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, ’s as well.” — AFP