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THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016 SPORTS Bayliss says English batting places up for grabs PRETORIA: Coach Trevor Bayliss has said bats- remained fragile. Alex Hales is the latest opener and that will take some time,” said Bayliss, an told reporters. The county season starts on ual performances. Those included an unforget- men who impress in the early matches in the to fail convince as England seek a reliable part- Australian who took charge last year. “I think that Sunday, April 10 and the first test against Sri table innings from all-rounder Ben Stokes in English county season could force their way ner for captain Alastair Cook, while Nick is a sign to everyone else in county cricket that, Lanka is at Headingley in Leeds on May 19. Cape Town when he scored the fastest double into the team for the home series against Sri Compton and James Taylor need to produce ‘If I come out and score runs early in the season, England finished the series on a low note century by an English batsman in test history. Lanka starting in May. more consistent performances to cement their there are possibilities there’. “There are four or when South Africa bowled them out for just Stuart Broad produced another of his match- England beat former world number one places. “We’re by no means the finished article. five rounds of county matches before that first 101 to clinch a consolation victory by 280 runs. winning performances when he took six wick- South Africa 2-1 in a four-test series that ended There is some very good talent in the team, but test against Sri Lanka. Those matches will be Bayliss called England’s success in South Africa a ets in the second innings of the third test at the on Tuesday but their top order batting there are a few rough edges to knock off as well very important for some of those players,” Bayliss collective effort despite some stunning individ- Wanderers. — Reuters Controversy over Smith’s T20 live chat SYDNEY: The use of on-field microphones test. Smith wasn’t comfortable and Kohli by players in Twenty20 matches came knew it,” one Twitter user wrote. Another under fire yesterday after star Australian tweeted: “Kohli’s message to Steve Smith batsman Steve Smith lost his wicket while was pretty clear there. commentating during a game against This is a cricket game not a television India. interview. Thanks, Channel 9.” T20, a quick- Smith was answering questions from fire, high-octane format, was designed to broadcaster Channel Nine’s commentators draw crowds to tournaments amid fears while he was in the middle with Aaron that spectators were tiring of longer for- Finch as Australia chased down India’s 188 mats such as five-day Tests. runs during Tuesday’s match at Adelaide Sports writer Robert Craddock said Oval. Shortly after speaking, Smith Smith’s dismissal raised the question of chipped Ravindra Jadeja and was caught at whether the T20 short-form structure was mid-off by Virat Kohli for 21, with the star meant to be a carnival or a contest. “Did it Indian batsman making a “chatterbox” cost Australia the game? Possibly. If it hand gesture at the Test captain. happened in a Test match I would be Australia fans slammed Channel Nine on punching a hole in my keyboard protest- Twitter, blaming the commercial station for ing at the farce of it all,” he wrote in distracting Smith, while others said Kohli’s Brisbane’s Courier Mail. “But it was T20 gesture was a criticism of live chat during a international and like the rest of the game. “Whilst we try to bring the viewer world, I am still trying to work out what into the contest. We can’t forget it is a con- these games actually mean.” — AFP HONG KONG: Bob Arum (L), promoter to Hong Kong boxer Rex Tso (R), attends a press conference at Def Gym in the Sheung Wan district of Hong Kong yesterday. Veteran boxing promoter Bob Arum believes Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao may reconsider retirement after his final fight against Timothy Bradley, and declared yesterday he would “love” to see a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch. — AFP Never say Never! Arum hints at Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch HONG KONG: Veteran boxing promoter Bob “Will it be Manny’s last fight? I’m not ready to an Asian regional title. A high-ranked contender Arum believes Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao guarantee that,” added Arum, who also hinted at would follow in September and, if successful, Tso may reconsider retirement after his final fight a rematch for the Filipino against Mayweather, would get a shot at becoming Hong Kong’s first ADELAIDE: Steven Smith (L) and James Faulkner of Australia are pictured during the against Timothy Bradley, and declared who himself retired after their mega-fight in Las boxing world champion in December against first Twenty20 cricket international between India and Australia at the Adelaide Oval Wednesday he would “love” to see a rematch Vegas last May. the WBA super flyweight champion, currently in Adelaide on Tuesday. — AFP with Floyd Mayweather. “I’d love to see a Mayweather-Pacquiao sec- Japan’s Kohei Kono. Pacquiao insists he will step away from the ond fight, of course I would,” said Arum. “The first The deal signals the end of Arum’s tie-up with ring after the third and final instalment of his fight was by far the most lucrative in the history the nearby resort city of Macau, where he has rivalry with Bradley in April. The 37-year-old is of boxing. “But Mayweather has to un-retire, promoted eight casino-based shows in the past David Warner wins planning to run for a seat in the Philippines’ sen- Manny has to decide whether or not he’s elected three years, including two multi-million dollar ate later this year after already serving as a rep- to the senate and he’ll do the rematch, so we’ll Pacquiao fights. Macau has been hit hard by resentative in the country’s congress. have to see. “You know, I’m done predicting China’s high-profile corruption crackdown which Allan Border medal “I’m so happy to be hanging up my gloves what athletes are going to do.” has kept high rollers from the gaming tables and after this fight,” Pacquiao told a press conference saw casino revenues in 2015 fall to a five-year SYDNEY: David Warner was named year was named Test vice-captain, powered in Los Angeles a week ago. But Arum thinks that MACAU TO HONG KONG low. “We thank Macau for hosting boxing and Australia’s Test player of the year yesterday, his way to his 16th Test century this sum- could all still change. Bradley’s WBO welterweight title will be on bringing it on a tremendous basis to this part of beating captain Steve Smith for the Allan mer. In a man-of-the-match performance “Once that bell rings for that final round, the line in the April 9 bout at Las Vegas’s MGM the world,” said Arum. “But we know there is not Border Medal. against the West Indies earlier this month Manny Pacquiao’s going to rethink it and who Grand, in the third meeting of the two fighters. the same appetite for events there as in prior Warner won Australian cricket’s highest he reached 100 off 82 balls to achieve the knows if he decides to return?” he told AFP in Top Rank guru Arum was in Hong Kong to years,” admitted Arum. individual prize-judged on performances in faster Test century at the Sydney Cricket Hong Kong. “I’ve been in this boxing business announce a three-fight deal to promote local “If you’re not going to get that type of sup- Tests and one-dayers over the season-with Ground. for 50 years and I know that fighters retire and super flyweight and world title prospect Rex Tso. port from the casinos in Macau, it is logical to 240 votes, 21 ahead of Smith and 57 more And in the earlier series against New other than, say, Rocky Marciano, they come Arum confirmed that Tso would fight South bring the events to where the people are-and than Mitchell Starc. The prolific run-scorer Zealand, he scored 163 and 116 in the first back,” said the 84-year-old Arum. Korea’s Young Gil-Bae in May in Hong Kong for that’s Hong Kong,” he added. — AFP totalled 30 votes for Test player of the year, Test in Brisbane, before scoring 253 in the six more than Smith with Starc again in second Test in Perth. Fellow players, the third position (18). “My heart is racing. I media and umpires vote for their choice of honestly thought Smudge (Smith) had a Allan Border Medal winner. England, S Africa have work ahead terrific year and he would have taken this Previous recipients include Ricky out,” Warner said. “People said to me I Ponting, Glenn McGrath, Steve Waugh, CENTURION: Both England and South Africa all-rounder. Stuart Broad was the match-win- highlights for South Africa. Rabada, who might could have been one of the greats of the Adam Gilchrist, Shane Watson, Michael have work ahead if they are to climb the Test ner in the third Test in Johannesburg. not have played had long-time stalwarts Dale game but I just sat there and let it go Clarke and Smith. All-rounder Glenn rankings following the series in South Africa England’s bowling was less effective in the Steyn and Vernon Philander been fit, took 22 through my ears.