SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2019 16 Halep clinches maiden Wimbledon crown

Simona Halep thwarts Serena• Williams’ history bid with Wimbledon KNOW WHAT final triumph

Halep captures her The result denied second• Grand Slam title Serena Williams from equalling Margaret Romanian storms Court’s all-time record to• 6-2, 6-2 victory of winning 24 Grand on Centre Court Slam singles titles shot into the net. AFP | London Williams -- who has let slip opportunities to equal Court’s imona Halep torpedoed record in last year’s Wimbledon Serena Williams’ latest bid and US Open finals -- appeared Sto capture a record-equal- to at last get fired up in the first ling 24th Grand Slam yesterday game of the second set. when she stormed to a sensa- She let out a long yell at the tional victory in a 56-minute ground when she won a point Wimbledon final. on her serve and another on the The 27-year-old Romanian next point. captured her second career ma- However, that was a rare show jor with a 6-2, 6-2 victory adding of her fiery side as Halep broke a maiden Wimbledon -- the first her to lead 3-2. for her country in both men’s Halep rubbed in her superi- and women’s singles -- to her ority to break her again for 5-2 2018 Roland Garros triumph. -- two powerful serves earlier Defeat for 37-year-old Wil- in the game had Williams saying liams, a seven-time Wimbledon why was I not able to do this champion who won the last of Romania’s Simona Halep (L) poses with the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy (L) and US player Serena Williams poses with the runners up trophy earlier -- and took the match and her 23 Slam titles at the 2017 the title with aplomb with the Australian Open, meant her at- “I said at the start of the tour- Williams may have kept Halep court set the tone and she broke Halep served to lead 4-0 Wil- first of her three match points. tempt to equal Margaret Court’s nament that one of my motiva- waiting to go on court but if she her in the first game. liams had won just six points. She sank to her knees a broad all-time record for major wins tions was to win and become a hoped that would upset her op- She broke again to lead 3-0 She finally got on the board smile on her face before rising to was put back on ice until at least lifetime member of the club.” ponent it did quite the opposite. -- things clearly not going Wil- with her next service game but hug Williams. the US Open. Williams bluntly admitted she Indeed the Halep fan who liams’ way when a Halep shot Halep had little trouble in seal- Her victory also gave Halep’s “My mom said when I was 10 had not been at the races against burst into song -- waving a Ro- clipped the net and went over ing the set which included an- favoured royal Kate, Duchess of that if I want to do something in a superior opponent. manian scarf from the 2015 Rug- but the American’s shot also other remarkable point from the Cambridge, bragging rights over tennis I have to play in the final “She played out of her mind. by World Cup -- singing “We clipped the net but failed to go Romanian. sister-in-law Meghan, Duchess at Wimbledon,” said Halep. I was like a deer in the head - love you Simona, we do!” served over. The 27-year-old raced to re- of Sussex -- they were sitting be- “I had lots of nerves, my stom- lights,” said Williams. to give her the boost to rattle Already 3-0 down after eight trieve an incredible get which side each other in the Royal Box. ach wasn’t very well. I have nev- Williams was undone by 26 Williams from the start. minutes, Williams was com - sneaked over the net and Wil- Meghan is a close friend of er played a better match. unforced errors to Halep’s two. A flashing forehand cross - pletely at sea and by the time liams was only able to put her Williams.

England WORLD CUP FINAL New Zealand

England have now won six of their last eight one-day interna- New Zealand have nine wins and three losses in their last twelve tionals and the eight-wicket win over Australia the other day one-day internationals. After suffering defeats in three matches at Birmingham was their third consecutive win in the 50-over on the bounce - against Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand - the format. Incidentally, their last ODI defeat came against Australia Black Caps ended their losing streak in style with a convincing just a couple of weeks ago - by 64 runs at this very venue during 18-run victory over India in the semi-final at Manchester. After the league phase of the ongoing World Cup. England were clinical Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson smashed fifties and took the with both bat and ball in the semi-final, knocking the Aussies over team to a respectable total of 239, Trent Boult and Matt Henry for 223 before chasing their target inside 33 overs. spat venom with the ball to knock the two-time champions out of the tournament. Probable XI England vs New Zealand Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Probable XI Morgan (c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Lords Cricket Ground –London Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Jofra Archer, 12:30pm Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Kane Wil- Adil Rashid, Mark Wood liamson (c), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wk), James Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Trent Boult Joe Root Kane Williamson Ross Taylor Jason Roy England have the psycho- New Zealand have Head to Head logical advantage as they never lost an ODI crushed New Zealand by against England at England have won 41 while New Zealand have won 43 out 119 runs when the two the Lord’s; the Kiwis To be involved in a World Cup and be of the 90 one-day internationals that have been played teams met earlier in the have won both their representing your country, let alone to between them. Two of those have resulted in ties while four tournament. matches against the turn up here at home of cricket and be have ended in no results. England have won four of their hosts at this ground. involved in a final is pretty special last five ODI encounters against New Zealand including the KANE WILLIAMSON comprehensive 119-run victory at the Chester-le-Street England are carrying PITCH CONDITION last week. New Zealand have never lost to England at the plenty of momentum The Lord’s has hosted four matches in this World Cup and the team batting first has posted 280+ on three Lord’s in the game’s fifty-over format. The two countries with them into this final occasions. The pitch has been very good for batting but has tended to slow down as the game progresses, have faced-off twice at this ground with the Kiwis emerging after having registered and a similar surface can be expected on Sunday. A pleasant weather with no rain threat has been forecast victorious on both the occasions - by 51 runs in June 2008 comfortable wins in their for the World Cup final on Sunday. Temperature is expected to be between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius and and by 5 wickets in May 2013. last three matches. humidity around 63% during the day.