MONDAY, JUNE 16, 2014 SPORTS

BADMINTON Lee and Li win

TOKYO: World number-one as usual and I have come here in very had not expected such a result before put his heartbreak over bad condition.” the tournament.” “Chong Wei was awe- Malaysia’s narrow defeat in the Thomas But Lee, who has has already won some with his speed and attack.” Playing Cup behind him yesterday to win the three events in the top-flight World in her first Japan Open, the 23-year-old Japan Open for a record-stretching fifth Superseries so far this year in Malaysia, Li scored her second victory in the 12- time. The 31-year-old Malaysian took England and India, said he had tried to leg World Superseries so far this year. only 35 minutes to stop ’s play his best as the Japan Open was sup- She has taken the Malaysia Open but fin- veteran Hu Yun 21-14, 21-12 in the ported by his major sponsor. Playing ished runner-up in three other events. men’s final and lift the title for the third with an unusually aggressive flair, he led Tai, 20 years old and ranked seventh straight year. the first game all the way with a cushion in the world, took an early lead but Li In the women’s final, ’s Olympic of up to eight points. At 20-14, eighth- caught her at 6-6. Li surged ahead after champion and world number-one Li seeded Hu returned a high lob into the swopping the lead to 15-all. Xuerui struggled in the first game but net. After leading 7-4 in the second Li jumped to 6-0 in the second game regained composure to beat Taiwan’s Tai game, Lee was tied by Hu four times. But and scored seven straight points from 9- Tzu Ying 21-16, 21-6. In the Thomas Cup after 12-all, Lee took nine straight points, 2. She steadily piled up points to win the final three weeks ago, Lee beat Kenichi smashing in a shot past a stunned Hu at match in 34 minutes. “I could refocus TOKYO: Malaysia’s Lee Chong Wei returns a shot against Hu Yun of Hong Kong Tago but Malaysia allowed Japan to lift match point. myself after I struggled to take the first during their final match of the Japan Open badminton championship in Tokyo their first ever men’s team championship “It was an unexpectedly easy match game. My opponent probably became yesterday. — AP by 3-2. His badminton-crazy country had for a final,” Lee said. “I had not played desperate after dropping the hard- aimed for a first Thomas Cup victory in aggressively in the Japan Open. But I fought first game,” Li said. “The second know how many events her coach would also aimed to triumph at the worlds in 22 years. “I was depressed for two or studied Hu in video last night and decid- game went very smoothly for me.” Li was let her play. Li, the runner-up to August in Copenhagen and at the Asian three days after losing the close game,” ed it would be better if I play aggressive- set to take part in the next Superseries Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon at last Games in the South Korean city of Lee said. “I could not have solid training ly.” Hu, 32, said: “I feel happy because I event in Indonesia next week but did not year’s world championships, added she Incheon in September. — AFP India beat Bangladesh

DHAKA: India defeated Bangladesh by sev- India started their chase with aplomb as en in the rain-curtailed first one-day Uthappa (50), making his one-day comeback international in Dhaka yesterday powered by after nearly six years, and Rahane punished confident fifties from openers Ajinkya the loose deliveries and scored at more than Rahane and Robin Uthappa. The visitors run a ball. Uthappa lofted Ziaur Rahman for a reached the revised target of 150 runs off 26 massive six over mid- to race to his overs with seven balls to spare after heavy sixth ODI half-century. He was eventually out downpours stopped play for more than two leg before wicket although TV replays sug- hours in the day-night clash at the Sher-e- gested a huge inside edge onto his pad. Bangla stadium. Bangladesh, batting first, India, who were 100-1 off 16.4 overs when made 272-9 off 50 overs with valuable half- the downpours started, started tentatively centuries from skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (59) when play resumed but managed to reach and Shakib Al Hasan (52). the target with ease in the end. — AFP SCOREBOARD

DHAKA: Full scoreboard of the rain-curtailed opening one-day international between Bangladesh and India at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka yesterday: Bangladesh: Patel 10-0-59-1, A. Mishra 10-0-55-2 (1w), Tamim Iqbal c Saha b Yadav 0 P. Rasool 10-0-60-2 (1w), Raina 5-0-24-1 Anamul Haque c Rayudu b Rasool 44 (Note: Sharma was taken off after bowling Mominul Haque c Saha b Yadav 6 four balls of his sixth over. Mushfiqur Rahim c Rahane b Rasool 59 Uthappa completed the over) Shakib Al Hasan c and b Raina 52 India: Mahmudullah b Mishra 41 R. Uthappa lbw b Shakib 50 Nasir Hossain c Rahane b Mishra 22 A. Rahane c Ziaur Rahman b Mortaza 64 Ziaur Rahman c Raina b Yadav 2 C. Pujara lbw b Shakib 0 Mashrafe Mortaza b Patel 18 A. Rayudu 16 Abdur Razzaq not out 16 S. Raina not out 15 Al-Amin Hossain not out 1 Extras (w8) 8 Extras: (lb3, w8) 11 Total (for 3 wickets, 24.5 overs)153 Total: (for 9 wickets, 50 overs) 272 Fall of wickets: 1-99 (Uthappa), 2-100 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Tamim), 2-35 (Mominul), 3-87 (Anamul), 4-134 (Pujara), 3-135 (Rahane) LONDON: Sri Lanka’s bowler Shaminda Eranga (right) celebrates with teammates after clean bowling England’s Ian Bell on the fourth day of the (Mushfiqur), 5-199 (Shakib), 6-229 Bowling: Mortaza 5-0-25-1, Al-Amin first match between England and Sri Lanka at Lord’s cricket ground yesterday. — AP (Mahmudullah), 7-234 (Ziaur), 8-235 Hossain 5-0-32—0 (w2), Shakib 6-0-27-2 (Nasir), 9-267 (Mortaza). (w1), Razzak 5-0-34-0 (w2), Ziaur 1-0-9-0, Bowling: M. Sharma 5.4-1-23-0, U. Yadav Mahmudullah 2.5-0-26-0 (w3) 9-0-48-3 (6w), R. Uthappa 0.2-0-0-0, A. India won by seven wickets (D/L method) Gary Ballance ton turns Test in England’s favor

LONDON: Gary Ballance came to England’s rescue Test. But when the wicketkeeper played his favorite four to go to 94 before reaching his century in the with a maiden Test hundred after Sri Lanka threatened cut shot off Nuwan Kulasekara, he guided the ball grand manner with a swept six off the spinner. to seize control at Lord’s yesterday. England were 267 straight to gully and was out for 16. Ballance’s hundred came in 184 balls, including 12 for eight in their second innings at stumps on the Sri Lanka reckoned they had Ballance caught fours, with the batsman needing just 54 balls for his fourth day of the first Test, a lead of 389 runs. The 24- behind off Eranga for 36 as the Yorkshire batsman second fifty. Sri Lanka resumed yesterday on 415 for year-old Ballance, entrusted with the key number went to cut. However, Paul Reiffel ruled not out. Sri seven, having avoided the follow-on thanks mainly to three position in only his second Test, was 104 not out Lanka challenged the former Australia seamer’s deci- Kumar Sangakkara’s 147 on Saturday. Sri Lanka cap- after going to his century in the last over of the day sion but, with replay technology inconclusive, tain Angelo Mathews, 79 not out overnight, went to a with a six off spinner Rangana Herath. Left-hander Ballance survived. Meanwhile Jordan drove Nuwan well-deserved century when he cover-drove a James Ballance had earlier added 78 for the seventh wicket Pradeep down the ground to take the lead past 300. Anderson full-toss for four. But one ball after reaching with debutant Chris Jordan after a top-order collapse. Jordan though fell for 35 when he was deceived by three figures, Mathews was lbw to fast bowler Liam Sri Lanka now needed to surpass the highest Herath and got a leading edge to mid-off. Ballance Plunkett for 102. He batted for just under four hours fourth innings total to win a Test at Lord’s — 344 for then struck two resounding boundaries, a cover-drive and faced 172 balls, including 12 fours, with Sri Lanka one, requiring 342, by the West Indies against England and a pull, in successive Eranga deliveries to enter the eventually all out for 453 to give England a first- in 1984 - if they were to go 1-0 up in this two-match 90s. He then then cheekily reverse-swept Herath for innings lead of 122. — AFP series. Things looked very different for England as they MONTMELO: Estrella Galicia 0,0’s Spanish rider Alex Marquez (12) leads after the slumped to 121 for six after Shaminda Eranga took start of the Moto 3 the Catalunya Grand Prix at the Montmelo racetrack near three quick wickets and left-armer Herath followed up SCOREBOARD Barcelona yesterday. — AFP with a quick double strike of his own on the way to figures of four for 95 in 23 overs. It was a collapse witnessed by Kevin Pietersen, LONDON: Scoreboard at stumps on the fourth day of the first Test between England and Sri Marquez makes it watching from a sponsor’s box at Lord’s, with the Lanka at Lord’s yesterday: South Africa-born batsman, England’s all-time leading England 1st Innings 575-9 dec (J Root 200 no, M 1 (1w); Jordan 27.4-4-102-3 (1w); Plunkett 32-2- run-scorer across all formats, ditched after the 5-0 Prior 86, I Bell 56; N 116-2 (2nb, 3w); Ali 16-2-56-1; Root 3-1-7-0 Ashes drubbing in Australia. But two more players Pradeep 4-123, S Eranga 3-163) magnificent seven originally from overseas in Ballance (Zimbabwe) and England 2nd Innings Jordan (Barbados) kept Sri Lanka at bay. Both attacks Sri Lanka 1st Innings (overnight: 415-7) S. Robson b Eranga 19 in this match had been frustrated by a docile Lord’s MONTMELO: Spaniard Marc Marquez won were too fast in the final laps. “However, I D. Karunaratne c Prior b Jordan 38 A. Cook c P Jayawardene b Eranga 28 pitch. Eranga though defied the sluggish surface with his seventh straight race yesterday as he battled really well and so I can be satisfied K. Silva c Prior b Anderson 63 G. Ballance not out 104 a spell of three wickets for three runs in 21 balls. took the honors in a thrilling Catalunya with that,” said the flamboyant nine-time K. Sangakkara c Prior b Ali 147 I. Bell b Eranga 9 England captain Alastair Cook was caught behind M. Jayawardene lbw b Broad 55 J. Root lbw b Herath 15 MotoGP ahead of Italian Valentino Rossi world champion. for 28 before Australia-born Robson completed an L. Thirimanne c Robson b Anderson 2 M. Ali b Herath 4 and Honda teammate and compatriot Dani The final laps of the race were run under unsuccessful England debut on his Middlesex home A. Mathews lbw b Plunkett 102 M. Prior c Thirimanne b Kulasekara 16 Pedrosa. The runaway championship leader thunder and lightning although race offi- ground by being bowled off the inside edge for 19. P. Jayawardene c Bell b Plunkett 6 C. Jordan c Sangakkara b Herath 35 and defending world champion survived a cials declined to halt the race. It was a fasci- Eranga dismissed Bell in similar fashion to leave N. Kulasekara c Prior b Jordan 9 S. Broad c and b Herath 24 furious onslaught from Pedrosa over the nating battle between the three men with England 69 for three. Joe Root walked out, having R. Herath b Anderson 2 L. Plunkett not out 2 final two laps after seizing the lead from Pedrosa taking the lead from Rossi with made an unbeaten 200 in England’s first innings 575 S. Eranga not out 5 Extras (b3, lb4, w2, nb2) 11 Rossi who had led for much of the middle four laps remaining before swapping the for nine declared after coming in at 74 for three. But N. Pradeep hit wkt b Jordan 4 Total (8 wkts, 69 overs, 310 mins) 267 part of the race. He extends his points tally lead with Marquez several times only to let this time Root was lbw for 15 to a clever Herath ball Extras (b7, lb5, w6, nb2) 20 To bat: J Anderson to a perfect 175 while Rossi stays second his advantage slip as the riders went wheel that skidded on and hit him on the back leg. Total (all out, 138.4 overs, 646 mins) 453 Fall of wickets: 1-46 (Cook), 2-51 (Robson), 3-69 on 117 after going past Pedrosa on the to wheel. “I don’t care whether it was 16 or (Bell), 4-98 (Root), 5-102 (Ali), 6-121 (Prior), 7-199 Clean-bowled final lap when the Spaniard touched 25 points today it was more about my per- Fall of wickets: 1-54 (Karunaratne), 2-151 (Silva), 3- (Jordan), 8-256 (Broad) Moeen Ali, one of three England debutants along wheels with Marquez. formance and I am delighted with that as it 277 (M Jayawardene), 4-289 (Thirimanne), 5-385 Bowling: Kulasekara 15-2-65-1; Pradeep 13-3-37-0 with Robson and Jordan, confidently drove Herath Pedrosa is third in the standings on 112 is my best one of the year,” said Pedrosa. “I (Sangakkara), 6-400 (P Jayawardene), 7-413 (1nb); Eranga 18-7-63-3 (1nb, 2w); Herath 23-2-95-4 straight back over the bowler’s head for four. But next but will be disappointed to have lost sec- was surprised by Valentino’s pace. Then on (Kulasekara), 8-430 (Herath), 9-442 (Mathews), 10- Match position: England lead Sri Lanka by ball Herath, spinning one out of the rough, clean- ond spot when victory was within his the final lap Marc closed the door and we 453 (Pradeep) 389 runs with two second-innings wickets bowled Ali after the left-hander went to drive. Matt grasp. It was the 62nd podium for Marquez almost came together but in the end it was Bowling: Anderson 31-7-93-3 (1w); Broad 29-8-67- standing. — AFP and the 100th MotoGP win for Honda. “It’s fine.” added the former 125 and 250cc Prior had made 86 in the first innings of his comeback so nice to win in front of my home fans,” world champion. Marquez told BT sport, after kicking several The next race is set for June 28 at Assen yellow footballs into the crowd. “The last in the Netherlands. Esteve Rabat of Spain, laps I made a comeback after nearly clash- on a Kalex, won the Moto2 race with anoth- Algieri claims WBO welterweight title ing with Valentino early in the race and felt er Spanish Katex rider, Maverick Vinales, really strong. It was a great tussle on the coming second, with France’s Johann Zarco NEW YORK: Chris Algieri survived two first- Provodnikov, who fell to 23-2, landed a first shot.” Although his right eye was a final lap first with Valentino then with Dani. (Caterham Suter) third. Rabat, who started round knockdowns to claim a surprise split crushing left hook to Algieri’s eye in the first bruised and swollen mess, Algieri said he This is special.” from pole position, won for the fourth time decision late Saturday over Ruslan round and it began to swell immediately. could still see out of it through the eighth While Marquez makes it seven from sev- this season and consolidated his lead in the Provodnikov and take the Russian’s World Later in the round Algieri had to take a knee round, although by the 12th, he said, “I was en, the first time since Rossi in 2002 that a world championship. His main rival for the Boxing Organization light welterweight title. after another punch, but again rose to con- blind.” On the undercard, Demetrius Andrade rider has achieved that feat, he remains title, Finland’s Mika Kallio, could only finish Algieri improved to 20-0 with eight wins tinue. “The shots I was getting hit with the retained his WBO light middleweight title well short of the all time record of 20 con- fourth and now trails Rabat by 34 points. In inside the distance. He couldn’t match first four rounds, they were few and far with a seventh-round technical knockout of secutive victories set by legendary Italian Moto3, Alex Marquez, the younger brother Provodnikov’s power, but even with his right between,” said Algieri, a native New Yorker England’s Brian Rose. Andrade improved to Giacomo Agostini between 1968 to 1969. of Marc, took victory on a Honda with eye swelling shut in the later rounds he put who was fighting in front of home fans at 21-0 with 14 wins inside the distance while “I’m very happy as we modified the bike Italian Enea Bastianini second on a KTM. On on a display of precision boxing that gave Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. Rose, who was knocked down twice in the overnight and it worked very well in the a weekend dominated by Spanish riders, him the nod by scores of 114-112 from two “They were big, but they were lunging first three rounds, fell to 25-2-1. Rose was tak- race,” said Rossi. “I never made a mistake Efren Vazquez took third spot to make six judges, while the third judge saw it 117-109 shots-he caught me on the end of the shots. ing a pounding with the referee stepped in to and it ran really smoothly and I thought at podium places out of nine on offer at the for Provodnikov. Really the only shot that hurt me was that stop the bout 1:19 into the seventh. — AFP one point I would win but then the Hondas Montmelo circuit. — AFP