TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 SPORTS New Zealand dismiss downside of record win

WELLINGTON: New Zealand have line-up with only one match left before this month New Zealand lost four wick- the record was nice but winning was and Williamson who were only separat- weighed up the impact of their record the world T20 championship starts in ets in the first match and only one in the better. “You can’t have everything,” he ed in the first match by a run out. “There win over Pakistan in Sunday’s India in March. second, meaning limited opportunities said. “It was a really good performance was a good combination between and concluded the benefits far outweigh Guptill said Monday that winning was for their middle order batsmen. from the team all round. “An improved Guptill and Williamson because they’ve the downside. Martin Guptill and Kane better than making sure everyone had effort on a pretty good batting got a different style of game,” he said. “I Williamson’s unbroken 171-run stand to batting time. “You don’t really want to ‘Good for us’ track first, and then for Gup and myself think maybe from a coaching point of win the match and level the series set a get out to give other people a go, do “It can only be good for us that we’re to put a big partnership together was view we can develop more variation in new record for the highest Twenty20 you?” he said. Guptill scored an unbeat- winning, not many down,” pleasing. “If you do things well then our bowling, a bit more smart fielding partnership. They eclipsed by one run en 87 from 58 deliveries as New Zealand Guptill said. “Probably only three of us guys don’t get bats, but they’ll be positions. That’s the only thing. “If you the previous best of 170 set by South beat Pakistan by 10 wickets in Hamilton. have had good long innings in the last preparing and training for the next can get one or two wickets, then it’ll be Africa’s Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman Pakistan won the opening match by 16 three or for four games. It’s disappoint- game just as normal and I’m sure they’ll a different ball game. It doesn’t matter if against England in 2009. However, their runs in Auckland, meaning the series is ing for the middle order but it can only be ready to go.” you get 180 or 200 runs on the board, if dominance at the top of the New set for a decider in the third and final be good for New Zealand .” New Pakistan spin bowling coach you don’t pick (up) wickets then the Zealand innings meant no time in the match in Wellington on Friday. Against Zealand skipper Williamson, who scored Mushtaq Ahmed said his bowlers were game will always be in the opposition middle for anyone else in the battling in two Twenty20 wins earlier 72 off 48 in partnership with Guptill, said unable to find a way to break Guptill hands.” —AFP Under-pressure Dhoni gets board’s backing NEW DELHI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s job the team under him in the last eight-nine as India’s limited-overs is safe years, I think it’s unfair to question his lead- despite the team’s third successive one-day ership after just one series,” Thakur told series defeat, the country’s cricket board reporters. “Dhoni is one of the most suc- (BCCI) said yesterday. Speculation has been cessful captains of the country. Under him, swirling over the future of the 34-year-old we won the World Cup in 2007 (T20) and who quit tests in late 2014 but remains in 2011 (ODI). Team India rose to number one charge of the team in shorter formats. The both in tests and ODIs under his leadership. recent results, however, have not really “Unfortunately we lost all three match- enhanced the reputation of the man who es so far, and we’ve noticed our bowling led India to virtually every honor across for- limitations too, not being able to defend mats. Under him, India lost their first ODI big totals. “It’s a concern and the selectors series in Bangladesh in June last year and and team management would assess the went down to a visiting South African team performance keeping the Asia Cup and in October. On Sunday, Dhoni’s men suc- the Twenty20 World Cup in mind,” Thakur cumbed to their third successive defeat in said. Dhoni himself felt more than his cap- Australia who took an unassailable 3-0 lead taincy, the team needed to look at the in the five-match series, chasing down big grey areas and how to fix them. “It’s not totals in Perth, and . about the leader. I’m there (now), some- While some pundits believe test captain body else will come later,” the stumper- Virat Kohli should take over the limited- batsman said after the loss in Melbourne. overs duties as well, BCCI secretary Anurag “What is more important is to see the Thakur insisted Dhoni was the right man to areas we are lacking in, the departments lead India in shorter formats. “The kind of which have to improve when it comes to performance we have had from Dhoni and shorter formats.”— Reuters

BOSTON: Dominick Cruz celebrates with the title belt after his win against TJ Dillashaw in a UFC bantamweight title match on Sunday, Jan 17, 2016. — AP Cruz regains the UFC bantamweight title

BOSTON: Dominick Cruz regained the UFC ban- tamweight title Sunday night, outpointing T.J. Dillashaw by split decision at the TD Garden. Cruz (21-1) received winning scores of 48-47 and 49- India’s captain MS Dhoni 46, and the other judge scored the five-round bout 49-46 for Dillashaw (13-3). Forced to relin- quish the title because of a series of knee injuries, Cruz fought for the first time since 2014 and the Ledecky smashes 800m free second time since 2011. Dillashaw was making his third title defense. “There’s no such thing as world record; Phelps wins rust,” said Cruz, from San Diego. “Rust is only something you get when you don’t train hard. LOS ANGELES: Katie Ledecky crushed her ple more meets before (Olympic) trials. I’ve seen fighters do what TJ does, but he’s faster.” own women’s 800m freestyle world record Hopefully I’ll be better than this,” said Cruz took down Dillashaw, from Denver, in on Sunday, clocking a stunning 8min Phelps, adding that the lower-key meetings each of the first four rounds and used his foot- 6.68sec to win at the Pro Swim meeting in are a chance to assess not only his speed work to control the distance for most of the fight. Austin, Texas. The 18-year-old American but also technical details such as turns as “I’m very disappointed,” Dillashaw said. “I felt like I obliterated the previous record of 8:07.39 he continues a comeback aimed at adding was the aggressor and landed the bigger shots. that she set at the 2015 World to his Olympic legacy in Rio. I’m not a fan of his antics, but congratulations to Championships last August 8 in Kazan, Ledecky, who was the youngest mem- him.” Cruz took down Dillashaw once in the first Russia. “It was exciting,” said Ledecky, who ber of the US Olympic delegation in round, grabbing a leg while Dillashaw was beat the water in triumph when she saw London four years ago, is on course to build throwing a kick. Toward the end of the round, her time. “It’s always exciting when you can her Games legacy as well. She now owns Cruz fought off a takedown attempt from get pushed along by a crowd like this in the eight fastest performances ever in the Dillashaw. Austin.” 800m free and nine of the top 10. She also Cruz used his foot speed in the second round, She upstaged superstar Michael Phelps, holds the world record in the 400m free moving in and out of range to land punches. In who blazed to victory in the 200m individ- and the non-Olympic women’s event of the final minute of the round, he downed ual medley to notch his first win over rival 1500m free. In Rio, Ledecky could line up Dillashaw twice with double leg shots. Dillashaw Ryan Lochte in the event since the 2012 in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyles- landed two kicks to the head in the third, open- London Olympics. Phelps, whose 18 and perhaps even the 100m free, in which ing cuts on Cruz’s lips and next to his left eye. Olympic gold medals include three in the she finished second in Austin this week. Cruz still stayed out of range for most of the 200m individual medley, powered through “I was feeling good going into it,” said round and scored another double-leg takedown. the final 25 meters of the closing freestyle Ledecky, who romped home with Becca Dillashaw sustained a cut along the left eye in leg to win in 1:58.00sec. Lochte, the current Mann a distant second in 8:24.49. the fourth, but scored his first takedown of the world record-holder in the event, held a “Whenever I get going like that, I get into a fight, slipping behind Cruz and forcing him to the narrow lead at every turn but settled for good rhythm with my freestyle. My stroke mat. second in 1:58.43. just feels good the whole weekend once I In the fifth, Cruz kept circling. Late in the “Ryan and I have had a lot of great have one or two really good freestyle round, Dillashaw landed a knee to the midsec- swims with one another,” Phelps said. swims.” In other finals on the last night of tion. In the co-main event, Eddie Alvarez out- “Joking around with him beforehand, I kind the meet, Hungary’s “Iron Lady” Katinka pointed former lightweight champion Anthony of knew we were going to try to battle it Hosszu pulled off a tough double, winning Pettis in a three-round fight. All three judges out. I knew it would come down to the the 200m medley in 2:10.69 shortly after scored it 29-28, two for Alvarez (27-4) and one BOSTON: Dominick Cruz is upended by TJ Dillashaw in their bantamweight bout during UFC touch.” Phelps finished the three-day meet triumphing in 100m backstroke in 59.91. for Pettis (18-4). Both fighters spent the entire Fight Night 81 at TD Banknorth Garden 6 in Boston, Massachusetts. — AFP with two victories-including his 100m but- Singapore’s Quah Zheng Wen won the second round on their feet with Pettis defending terfly win on Friday-and a fourth place fin- men’s 200m fly in 1:58.07, coming from fifth two takedown attempts. In the first, Alvarez took times. Also on the main card, heavyweight Travis mous decision over Ross Pearson. Browne ish in the 200m freestyle. “We have a cou- at the halfway mark to triumph.— AFP down Pettis twice, once with a double leg and Browne stopped former NFL player Matt improved to 18-3-1, and Mitrione dropped to 9- once with an inside triple. Bleeding from his Mitrione in the third round, and lightweight 5. Trinaldo improved to 17-4, and Pearson fell to nose in the third, Alvarez took down Pettis three Francisco Trinaldo won a three-round unani- 20-10 with one no-contest.— AP Australia pick powerful T20 squad to face India

SYDNEY: Australia yesterday named a powerful Australian colors through a combination of his ted not being able to find places for George 17-man squad for the three-match Twenty20 experience, especially in short-form cricket, the Bailey and Mitchell Marsh but noted that the international series against India this month, all-round package he offers and the fact he is door remains open to the World Twenty20 with an eye to the upcoming World T20. bang in form at the moment, having put per- squad. “We know what both those players are However, Test captain and his formances on the board for the Sydney Thunder,” capable of, and both have significant experience deputy will play only in the open- said Marsh. “Shaun Tait returns on the basis that of playing Twenty20 cricket in India,” Marsh said. ing match in on January 26 before sit- he is the quickest bowler going around in “But we want them to continue to press their ting out the other games to prepare for the first Australia at the moment and he offers us that cases for inclusion while we take this opportuni- ODI against New Zealand in Auckland on explosive option if we choose to use it. “Chris ty to look at other contenders.” The second T20 February 3. “Our choice of 17 for the KFC T20Is Lynn, Travis Head and Andrew Tye have made takes place in Melbourne on January 29 while gives us a chance to look at some options ahead irresistible cases for inclusion off the back of the final game will be in Sydney on January 31. of the ICC World Twenty20 in India,” said national individual excellence in the KFC BBL and we are Australia squad include; Aaron Finch (capt), selector Rod Marsh. The tournament starts delighted to offer them the opportunity to push Scott Boland, Cameron Boyce, James Faulkner, March 8 with the April 3 final in Kolkata. their claims for inclusion in the ICC World John Hastings, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Chris Australia have opted for experience and form for Twenty20,” Marsh added. Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Kane the India series, picking the stars of the Big Bash “In terms of leg-spin, Cameron Boyce has Richardson, Steve Smith, Shaun Tait, Andrew AUSTIN: Katie Ledecky swims in the Women’s 800 meter freestyle final during the league with big-hitting Aaron Finch as captain. once again impressed in domestic action and Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Shane Arena Pro Swim Series in Austin, Texas. — AFP “ has earned his recall to deserves his spot.” The selectors said they regret- Watson.—AFP