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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2014 SPORTS

Pochettino: Aguero is best striker Australia rugby coach quits Pakistan A beat Australia LONDON: Sergio Aguero is the best striker in the world and conducts SYDNEY: Australian rugby was plunged further into crisis a year out from SHARJAH: Australia test captain Michael Clarke flopped for the second suc- Manchester City’s attack like Mozart, fellow Argentine Mauricio the World Cup yesterday when under-fire coach Ewen McKenzie resigned a cessive time as Pakistan A romped to a 153-run victory on the last day of its Pochettino said. “When he plays it’s like classical music, he’s unbeliev- few hours before the Wallabies were beaten 29-28 by New Zealand in four-day warm-up match against Pakistan A yesterday. Clarke, who scored able, the best striker in the world,” Pochettino told reporters. “I think Brisbane. 10 in the first innings, could make only 5 runs in the second innings before he was dismissed by fast bowler Rahat Ali with Australia dismissed for 185. seriously, like Mozart. Mozart is positive and Beethoven is a little more McKenzie, who took over from Robbie Deans in July last year, had come The warm-up game was the only opportunity for Clarke to prepare for crazy.” Pochettino will hope though that his side can keep the South under pressure for his role in the row over offensive text messages Kurtley Beale allegedly sent to a team official in June. the two-test series, starting Wednesday, after he missed the one-day series American maestro quiet, unlike last season when he scored twice in Beale faces a Code of Conduct hearing into the affair next week but it due to a hamstring injury sustained against Zimbabwe in August. Needing City’s 6-0 drubbing of the north London club in the corresponding fix- has already caused two weeks of turmoil which have made Australian rug- 339 runs for victory in a minimum 90 overs on the last day, Australia’s top ture. He also scored in the 5-1 victory at White Hart Lane and by a laughing stock around the world. order crumbled to 49-3 before opening batsman Phillip Hughes (65) and Pochettino, who says those two heavy defeats will have no McKenzie informed the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) of his decision Mitchell Marsh (35) added 68. Opening batsman Chris Rodgers was run out bearing on Saturday’s meeting, is well aware of the threat he yesterday and announced his resignation after the last-gasp defeat to the in the first over, Clarke departed in the third while Glenn Maxwell (18) hit poses to Tottenham’s unbeaten run away from home this world champions at Lang Park. “My intention was win, lose or draw tonight, three boundaries before Mohammad Talha (3-32) found the out- season. “For me he is the best. (Lionel) Messi is not a striker to announce my resignation tonight. I’ve just told the team,” he told a news side edge inside the first hour. Australia’s middle-order col- striker, (Cristiano) Ronaldo is not a striker striker, Aguero is a conference in Brisbane. “It’s been a disappointing time I think for many rea- lapsed against left-arm spinner Raza Hasan (3-60), who struck off successive deliveries by getting edges off Marsh and James classical striker, he has everything a striker should have. “I’m sons, I won’t even go into the detail, you guys can work it out. Faulkner to the slips. Hasan brightened his chances of not biased, it’s just because he’s the best. “But we need to “I’ve written to the board and I’ve been unhappy with a bunch of things so the easiest thing for me is to exit stage left and I’ll leave you guys to making his test debut in the absence of the sus- make the game difficult to avoid him having the possibility ponder, speculate and I’ll write a chapter of my book and you will know all pended Saeed Ajmal when he had Peter Siddle to score against us.” —Reuters about it.”—Reuters (41) caught behind.—AP Panthers maul Sabres

BUFFALO: Roberto Luongo stopped 26 shots for his 67th career shutout, leading the Florida Panthers to a 1-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL on Friday for their first vic- tory of the season. Luongo moved past Patrick Roy into sole possession of 13th place on the career shutouts list. Luongo also extended his shutout streak against Buffalo to 183 min- utes, 19 seconds. Sean Bergenheim scored in the second period for the game’s only goal, sending a wrist shot between Mike Weber’s legs and past Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth. Enroth fin- ished with 34 saves for Buffalo.

CANUCKS 2, OILERS 0 Ryan Miller made 28 saves to record his 30th career shutout and improve to 9-0 in his career against Edmonton. Radim Vrbata and Daniel Sedin scored for the Canucks, who got their season-opening third straight win. The Oilers are winless in five games for their worst start in club history. The Canucks got on the scoreboard with four minutes left in the second period as Sedin made a nice pass through the goal- mouth to a wide-open Vrbata on the other Dwayne Bravo side of the net for his third goal of the season. Sedin then added an empty-netter in the final minute. Oilers goalie Ben Scrivens also Angry India may scrap finished with 28 saves. PREDATORS 2, JETS 0 2016 West Indies tour Pekka Rinne made 31 saves for his 33rd NHL shutout and Nashville spoiled MUMBAI: India may scrap their tour of said. “We have suffered huge losses and Winnipeg’s home opener. Predators newcom- West Indies in 2016 after the Caribbean the ICC is our parent body and we are er Mike Ribeiro scored in the first period, and team’s abrupt pullout on Friday, said an going to ask them to ensure that this James Neal connected in the third for angry Indian cricket board (BCCI) which never happens in the future,” Patel Nashville. Ribeiro redirected Seth Jones’ shot is also considering legal actions and added. The ICC is headed by Indian past Ondrej Pavelec. Neal, another offseason seeking intervention of the game’s industrialist N. Srinivasan, often acquisition, beat Pavelec through traffic with world governing body. The tourists described as the most powerful man in a puck that appeared to glance off a couple of Jets. Rinne played only 24 games last sea- abandoned the series with another one- the sport. SUNRISE: Aaron Ekblad No. 5 of the Florida Panthers skates prior to the game against the dayer, a Twenty20 international and Confusion reigned on Friday as the son because of a hip injury. Ottawa Senators at the BB&T Center. —AFP three test matches left to play over a WICB issued a statement denying it had BLUE JACKETS 3, FLAMES 2 Cogliano’s goal was the first allowed all protracted payment dispute between withdrawn the team after the BCCI DUCKS 2, WILD 1 season by the Wild and goalie Darcy the players and their board. announced that the visitors would fly Jack Skille, Ryan Johansen and Matt Calvert scored goals and Sergei Bobrovsky Andrew Cogliano ended Minnesota’s sea- Kuemper, who set the club record for consec- The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) home after Friday’s one-dayer in son-long shutout streak with a short-handed utive scoreless minutes. Perry then put the said it had been left with no choice but Dharamsala. stopped 29 shots. Calgary trailed 3-0 when Mason Raymond broke up the shutout early goal early in the third period, and Corey Perry Ducks ahead when Jason Zucker’s pass went to abandon the tour of India, an action The West Indies board later apolo- got the tiebreaking goal with 8:25 left to lift off rookie Matt Dumba’s skate and straight to that angered the world’s richest cricket gised to its Indian counterpart as well as in the third period. Josh Jooris narrowed the lead with a goal in his NHL debut, scoring off Anaheim. Frederik Andersen made 27 saves the former NHL goal-scoring champion, who body, who swiftly roped in Sri Lanka as sponsors, broadcasters and fans in a in the fourth consecutive victory for the eventually scored his fifth goal in five games replacements to play a five-match ODI statement. It said it had offered to pro- a pass from Mark Giordano with over eight minutes left. The Flames, five games into a Ducks, who made a dynamic rally to win their on a rebound. Zucker scored and Kuemper series next month. vide a replacement team but India had home opener. stopped 24 shots for the Wild. —AP “It will be very difficult to play West declined that offer. The WICB said it had six-game road trip after opening at home, Indies in bilateral series in future. They spoken to team management and been threatened to tie until the end. Calvert had an have to demonstrate the willingness informed that “the players have taken a assist to go with his goal. Mark Letestu had NHL results/standings that such situations never happen decision to withdraw their services for two assists as the Blue Jackets wrapped up a three-game homestand. The Blue Jackets Florida 1, Buffalo 0; Columbus 3, Calgary 2; Detroit 4, Toronto 1; Nashville 2, Winnipeg 0; Vancouver 2, Edmonton 0; again,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told the remainder of the tour of India.” Anaheim 2, Minnesota 1. Reuters yesterday. “I would say that The WICB and West Indies Players’ were 4 for 4 on the penalty kill to stay perfect India’s next tour of West Indies is highly Association signed a new agreement last this season in nine attempts. Western Conference Eastern Conference Pacific Division Atlantic Division unlikely to go ahead in the current situa- month covering pay and conditions but RED WINGS 4, MAPLE LEAFS 1 WLOTLGFGAPTS 4 1 0 17 18 8 tion.” The Indian cricket team is sched- it was rejected by the senior players, Anaheim 4 1 0 18 13 8 Ottawa 3 1 0 11 8 6 Johan Franzen scored twice and Henrik Tampa Bay 2 1 1 13 8 5 San Jose 3 0 1 16 9 7 uled to tour the Caribbean for three including one-day captain Dwayne Detroit 2 1 1 10 8 5 tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 match Bravo who said they were kept in the Zetterberg had four assists. Gustav Nyquist Los Angeles 3 1 1 13 9 7 and Justin Abdelkader also scored and Jimmy Toronto 2 3 0 15 18 4 early in 2016. dark. Vancouver 3 0 0 11 6 6 Boston 2 4 0 11 17 4 “Whatever the dispute, they should The players subsequently issued a Howard stopped 23 shots for Detroit. Calgary 3 3 0 15 16 6 Florida 1 2 1 4 9 3 After scoring his first two goals of the sea- Arizona 2 1 0 12 12 4 Buffalo 1 4 0 8 18 2 have honoured the bilateral agreement,” strike threat but eventually took to the Edmonton 0 4 1 11 25 1 Metropolitan Division Patel said. “We thank our friends Sri field and were playing the match when son, Franzen left the game late in the second NY Islanders 4 0 0 19 12 8 period with a lower-body injury and did not Central Division Columbus 3 1 0 13 9 6 Lanka who agreed to the tour on a short the BCCI announced an abrupt end to Nashville 3 0 1 11 6 7 return. Nyquist’s fourth goal in four games New Jersey 3 1 0 15 12 6 notice but unfortunately we couldn’t fit the tour. The WICB is to hold an emer- Chicago 2 0 1 10 6 5 Washington 2 0 2 16 10 6 in the tests as there was not enough gency meeting on Tuesday to “conduct a made it 3-0 with 1:44 to go in the second Dallas 2 1 1 10 11 5 Pittsburgh 2 1 0 13 9 4 period. Mike Santorelli scored for Toronto, Minnesota 2 1 0 9 2 4 NY Rangers 2 3 0 13 20 4 time.” The BCCI was considering legal thorough assessment of all the ramifica- Philadelphia 0 2 2 11 16 2 St. Louis 1 1 1 6 5 3 ending Howard’s shutout bid in the opening Carolina 0 2 2 10 15 2 actions against WICB and has called an tions of the premature end to the tour” Colorado 1 3 1 7 17 3 emergent working committee meeting and decide what action if any should be minute of the third period. James Reimer fin- Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the Winnipeg 1 3 0 7 11 2 standings and are not included in the loss column (L). on Tuesday to discuss the issue, Patel taken. —Reuters ished with 31 saves for the Maple Leafs. Golovkin eager to extend KO streak against Rubio

CARSON: has stopped Rubio (59-6-1, 51 KOs), the longtime title been uninterested in taking on the intimi- weight title fight. his last 17 opponents while rising to the contender who has won six straight fights. dating Golovkin, even with HBO’s money While Golovkin’s eagerness to fight has top of the division. When he “My style is great with his style,” said behind him. been his trademark, Donaire candidly takes the outdoor ring Saturday night, the Golovkin, who has never fought a Mexican Rubio missed weight Friday, losing acknowledges his disenchantment with sellout crowd fully expects Golovkin’s West boxer. “Just fighting. Not a lot of technical. $100,000 and his WBC belt when he came boxing after his lengthy list of accomplish- Coast debut to end with his 18th straight Not a lot of moving and dancing. Just pow- in nearly 2 pounds above the 160-pound ments. The Filipino-born, Bay Area-raised . er and boxing.” limit. Both titles will be vacant if Rubio champion struggled for motivation before Golovkin (30-0, 27 KOs) hasn’t disap- That’s music to Golovkin’s promoters wins, but Golovkin can still claim the WBC losing his 122-pound titles to Guillermo pointed anybody during his climb to star- and fans, who have watched his ascent interim strap and the resulting promotional Rigondeaux in April 2013, ending his 30- dom, but he knows Marco Antonio Rubio is through steadily improving opposition. He leverage. fight winning streak. tough enough to force Golovkin to work has stopped four top-level “I want unification fights,” Golovkin said. “The toughest test is motivating myself,” harder than ever before to get his next in the last 16 months alone, culminating in “I want to prove who is the best in the mid- said Donaire, who has won two fights and a stoppage. With his ever-present smile, his third-round victory over former champi- dleweight division.” Rubio wants to be featherweight belt since his loss. “I know I Golovkin welcomes the challenge present- on Daniel Geale at Madison Square Garden more than a footnote on Golovkin’s rise to have the power and the intelligence to ed to him under the stars at the StubHub in late July. “He doesn’t go out there put- stardom, and he was encouraged by keep fighting, but when a boy accomplish- Center on HBO. ting pressure on himself to knock out moments of success for Geale and other es his dream, he looks for another dream. “I know it’s going to be a big drama everybody he meets, but that’s what hap- recent Golovkin opponents. But the That’s where I was, and when I lost, I real- show,” Golovkin said. “For who, I don’t pens,” trainer Abel Sanchez said. “He’s Mexican veteran realizes he must figure out ized I didn’t want to walk away from this know. Everybody agrees it’s a big fight.” The trained to go 12 rounds if he has to, and he a way to negate the aggression that has dream. I wasn’t finished.” Kazakh-born, California-trained WBA mid- knows it’s a possibility. But he also knows doomed everybody who stepped in the Walters has talked a brash game before dleweight champion’s 12th title defense what the fans came to see.” ring with the Kazakh champion. his biggest fight, promising a stoppage. has been advertised with the title “Mexican Golovkin is eager to claim Rubio’s inter- Golovkin and Rubio aren’t the only rea- Donaire laughs at it. “This guy has never Style” - the phrase Golovkin created to im WBC title to put pressure on regular sons for the record crowd coming to experienced this quality of fight,” Donaire describe his favorite way to fight. WBC titleholder Miguel Cotto for a unifica- Carson. In the co-main event, four-division said. “He’s a hard puncher, but I’m one of Golovkin’s aggression and skill have made tion bout. Cotto, Sergio Martinez, Julio champion (33-2, 21 KOs) those things that just disappears right in him into a star, and he intends to keep his Cesar Chavez Jr. and most of the world’s takes on Jamaica’s Nicholas Walters (24-0, front of you. If he can punch that, then we’ll career momentum going against ’s elite fighters at 160 and 168 pounds have 20 KOs) in a much-anticipated feather- see.” —AP Gennady Golovkin