THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2014 SPORTS ‘Million-pound’ Pietersen gets T20 call

LONDON: Kevin Pietersen was yesterday Pietersen has been rested for the handed a berth in England’s provisional series against Australia, but he 30-man squad for the ICC World took to Twitter last week to declare his Twenty20, which begins in Bangladesh in “strong desire” to remain an England March. The 33-year-old batsman’s inter- player. Flower was forced to deny media national future has been the subject of reports that he had given the England speculation since England’s humiliating and Wales Board (ECB) an ultima- 5-0 loss to Australia in the Ashes, with tum about Pietersen’s place in the squad, British media reports suggesting his describing the rumors as “totally inaccu- place was at risk. However, while he has rate”. Test Alastair Cook, mean- been called up for the World Twenty20, while, said that England would make no he is not guaranteed to play in the tour- major decisions about resculpting the nament as the squad will be cut in half squad before they return home from following the forthcoming three-match Australia. Twenty20 series against Australia. Giles revealed yesterday that the final England limited overs coach Ashley composition of the World Twenty20 Giles dismissed suggestions that squad will be announced before England Pietersen’s presence in the squad could leave Australia in early February. Steven prove problematic, describing him as a Finn was included in the squad despite “million-pound” asset. Asked if he had being allowed to leave Australia early to discussed leaving Pietersen out of the work on technical aspects of his game. squad with team director Andy Flower, The Middlesex fast bowler was the only Giles replied: “No. There was no discus- player in England’s initial 17-man Ashes sion about leaving Kevin out. “He’s squad not to play in the Test series and another million-pound asset at least. He he has not played a game since. “At the might be worth a bit more than that. He’s moment Steven needs a bit of space,” a fantastic player and he’s shown that in Giles said. “In the very short term he T20 cricket. Kev has been a fantastic play- probably needs a couple of weeks away er for England for many years.” from cricket full stop.” —AFP WELLINGTON: New Zealand celebrate their win over West Indies in the series in the second T20 International cricket match at Westpac Stadium. —AP NZ heap misery on West Indies

WELLINGTON: New Zealand inflicted a fur- ther defeat on the West Indies in their second yesterday to bring a dismal end to the visiting team’s tour. The four- win gave New Zealand the Twenty20 series 2-0 to go with their 2-0 win in the Tests. The one-day internationals were shared 2-2, the West Indies’ only success on their six-week tour. After New Zealand won the first Twenty20 by 81 runs, they were strug- gling at 79-5 in the second match before a 68- run between and turned the innings around. Taylor played the anchor role with 39 off 41 balls while Ronchi belted an unbeaten 51 off 28 deliveries in an innings that included four fours and two sixes. The pair were particularly harsh on West Indies skipper Dwayne Bravo in Kevin Pietersen the 15th over when they took 17 runs to reduce the target from 54 off 36 balls to a more manageable 37 off 30. They then took 15 off the 17th over by Jason Holder and although Taylor gave his wicket away with a Bangladesh tour mistimed slog-sweep to Chadwick Walton at deep midwicket New Zealand were then in a position to coast to victory. still on: Sri Lanka The outcome could have been different WELLINGTON: New Zealand’s Luke Ronchi (left) hits a over the head of had the West Indies been more alert with bowler West Indies Jason Holder in the second T20 International cricket match. —AP COLOMBO: Sri Lanka is to go ahead with a lation that the 50 over Asia Cup and the their fielding. was dropped twice tour to Bangladesh later this month after Twenty20 World Cup, which are both due as he raced to a quick 23 in nine balls, and carrying out its own security assessment in to be hosted by Bangladesh in the coming Brendon McCullum received a life on his way SCOREBOARD the violence-plagued country, cricket weeks, could be shifted. Ranatunga reject- to 17. But the biggest bungle was missing two board officials said yesterday. “We are very ed reports that Sri Lanka had been sound- chances to remove man of the match Ronchi WELLINGTON: Completed scoreboard in the second Twenty20 international between New Zealand positive about playing in Bangladesh,” Sri ed out by Asian cricket authorities about on the first ball he faced. Andre Russell and the West Indies in Wellington yesterday: Lanka Cricket (SLC) secretary Nishantha the possibility of hosting the Asia Cup dropped a and bowled opportunity West Indies R. Ryder c Simmons b Holder 23 Ranatunga said. “We look forward to play- which will also include India, and and when Ronchi scampered through for a L. Simmons c Neesham b McClenaghan 29 B. McCullum lbw Narine 17 ing there.” Confirmation that the tour is Afghanistan. “There is no such thing. No quick single Tino Best was astray with his run J Charles c Guptill b Milne 7 R. Taylor c Walton b Narine 39 going ahead comes after SLC vice president one has asked us to host the Asia Cup,” out throw at the stumps. A. Fletcher run out (Munro/Milne/Ronchi) 40 C. Munro c Miller b Russell 5 Mohan de Silva and the board’s former Ranatunga said. “The original decision of The West Indies, who won the toss and D. Bravo b N. McCullum 12 C. Anderson c Charles b Russell 6 chief executive Ajith Jayasekera travelled to the ACC (Asian Cricket Council) stands.” elected to bat first, appeared to have lost their C. Walton c Ronchi b Milne 0 L. Ronchi 51 Bangladesh earlier this week. The Asia Cup is due to begin in way when reduced to 67-4 in the 11th over D. Ramdin not out 55 J. Neesham not out 14 Ranatunga said the pair were joined by Bangladesh on February 25 and the finals before and Andre Taylor A. Russell not out 10 Extras (lb3, w4) 7 Sri Lankan diplomats as they held discus- will be on March 8. The Twenty20 World breathed life into their innings. They put on Extras: (lb2, w4) 6 Total (six ; 20 overs) 163 sions in Dhaka about player safety for the Cup, which features all of the major teams 70 for the fifth wicket which ended when Total: (5 wickets; 20 overs) 159 Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Guptill), 2-36 (Ryder), 3- tour. The first of two Test matches begins in in international cricket, is to run from Fletcher (40) opted to sacrifice himself after Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Charles), 2-37 (Simmons), 3- the capital on January 27 and the two March 16 to April 6. The three venues cho- he and Ramdin ended up at the same end in a 66 (Bravo), 4-67 (Walton), 5-137 (Fletcher) 49(McCullum), 4-69 (Munro), 5-79 (Anderson), 6- teams are also scheduled to play three one- sen for the T20 tournament-Dhaka, running mix up. Ramdin carried on through to Did not bat: J. Holder, N. Miller, S. Narine, T. Best. 147 (Taylor). day internationals and two Twenty20 Chittagong and Sylhet-have all experi- the end to be unbeaten on 55 off 31 balls in : McClenaghan 4-0-29-1, Milne 4-0-22-2, Did not bat: Nathan McCullum, Mitch matches. Bangladesh has been rocked by enced violence over the past month. In an innings which included three sixes and Neesham 4-0-39-0 (2w), Anderson 4-0-50-0 (2w), McClenaghan, , . some of the deadliest political violence in 2009, during a trip to Pakistan, the Sri three fours. New Zealand next host India N. McCullum 4-0-17-1 Bowling: Holder 3-0-34-2 (1w), Best 3-0-37-0 (1w), its history in recent weeks, with the opposi- Lankan cricket team was ambushed by starting with the first of five one-day interna- Bravo 3-0-31-0 (2w), Narine 4-0-18-2, Miller 3-0- tion trying to derail a January 5 general armed gunmen in an attack that wounded tionals next Sunday to be followed by two New Zealand: 24-0, Russell 3-0-16-2. election which was marred by boycotts. a number of players and killed at least six M. Guptill c Ramdin b Holder 1 Result: New Zealand won by four wickets. The violence has also prompted specu- policemen. —AFP Tests. —AFP Kubica back in familiar surroundings for WRC MONTE CARLO: Robert Kubica apart from the recce in 2010 but I Kubica, who won the govern- faces the biggest challenge of his didn’t start the rally. I haven’t driv- ing FIA’s inaugural Personality of rally career in Monte Carlo this en on snow,” he said. the Year award in December in a weekend when the former Formula On Ferrari’s radar, Kubica’s vote of media covering all the One driver makes an icy start to his Formula One career came to an world championships, will not be first full season in the world cham- abrupt halt when he crashed and alone in the limelight. There are pionship. The Pole, who won the suffered near-fatal hand and wrist plenty of changes in a 13-race European Championship opener in injuries in a minor rally in Italy in championship that is eager to Austria this month after clinching 2011 and underwent extensive move on from the days when the second tier WRC2 title in 2013, surgery. Since then he has rebuilt Sebastien Loeb racked up a will be closely watched as a man his career with a new focus on ral- record nine titles in succession whose fame extends well beyond lying, always his passion, and will before taking his driving skills to the world of rallying. “This year will be driving an M-Sport prepared the World Touring Car be a big challenge, participating in Ford with a reconfigured gearshift Championship. the WRC with the top drivers and and handbrake mechanism Another French Sebastien is the new rallies coming,” said the for- because of the limited strength in defending the title, Sebastien mer Renault F1 driver, who was a his right hand. Ogier with Volkswagen, but the grand prix winner with BMW- new Hyundai team are making Sauber in 2008. REALLY STRONG their competitive debut with ris- He twice stood on the Monaco The British-based team have ing Belgian star Thierry Neuville Formula One podium, racing been highly impressed by the 29- and experienced Spaniard Dani around the principality’s tight and year-old’s commitment. “Some of Sordo. Citroen have shaken up twisty streets to finish second the times he was doing in WRC2, their line-up, with Norwegian with BMW-Sauber in 2008 and nobody has got that close to Mads Ostberg partnering Britain’s third with Renault in 2010. But World Rally Car pace in a regional Kris Meeke. Finland’s Mikko the rally, on winding Alpine roads car before,” team boss Malcolm Hirvonen, a 15 times rally winner, with sheer drops to the side and Wilson said at the Autosport has returned to M-Sport Ford sheets of black ice to beware, is a International show last week. “In from Citroen after a disappointing very different affair. Cars use slick the second half of the season 2013 season. “I think VW will be and studded tyres with some with the Tarmac events he’s the team to beat,” he said. “Ogier stages run in the dark. “I have nev- already done, he’s going to be and Jari-Matti (Latvala) will be er been in Monte Carlo (the rally) really strong.” strong as always.” —Reuters Robert Kubica