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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2014 SPORTS Rain washes play

PALLEKELE: The ground is covered in plastic sheets as rain interrupts play during the fifth cricket match between Sri Lanka and England. —AP

KANDY: England will start their one-day international a modest 239 in the fifth of seven ODIs in the series, reserve day after the second half of Wednesday’s play threatened to open up during the latter stages of the innings against Sri Lanka today after rain ended play in which the hosts lead 3-1. Although it is an ODI, the rules was washed out. England must reach their 240 victory Sri Lankan innings caused a steady shower at the Kandy yesterday. The tourists had restricted Sri Lanka to allow England to start their innings on Thursday’s target to stay alive in the series. Dark clouds which had innings break. —AFP Pakistan on edge as Kenya arrive in Lahore

KARACHI: Kenya’s national cricket team Gaddafi stadium for a test match. arrived in Lahore amid tight security yester- day for the most high-profile series in SECURITY CONCERNS Pakistan since a March 2009 attack on the This time the PCB has housed the Kenya Sri Lanka team. team at the NCA residential quarters. With The Kenyan players and officials were a bustling commercial food street operat- whisked away under police escort to the ing outside the stadium, the board has National Cricket Academy adjacent to the even asked those businesses to close for Pakistan board headquarters at the Gaddafi two weeks. stadium. Pakistan have had to play all their Kenya, who will play five one-day “home” games in the United Arab Emirates matches against a Pakistan A side, are only because of security concerns, losing out on the second team to play international crick- significant revenues, but Khan hoped that et in the country since tours were suspend- would change. ed after militants attacked the Sri Lankans “Once this tour goes smoothly then we in Lahore. will be in a position to start more concerted Six Pakistani policemen and a van driver efforts to invite other teams to play in were killed in that attack while some Sri Pakistan,” he said. Kenya Shem Lanka players and a Pakistani , Ngoche and coach Steve Tikolo told a news Ahsan Raza, sustained injuries. conference they were not worried about Although Afghanistan have played a security. couple of low profile series in Pakistan “We have no apprehensions about play- since 2009, a senior PCB official told ing in Pakistan. We know we will be taken Reuters the Kenyan visit was much more good care off. This tour for us is all about significant. cricket and gives us a great opportunity to “We are doing everything to ensure we give exposure to our new players,” said don’t have a repeat of the 2009 incident. Ngoche. We are coordinating closely with the police Kenya, once regulars at the ICC World and government to provide top security to Cup, have struggled in recent years and the visitors,” PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan failed to qualify for the 2015 tournament. said. The Sri Lanka team was attacked while They play their opening game in Lahore on travelling by bus from their hotel to the Dec 13. —Reuters Palmer hopes for helping hand on Tour debut ADELAIDE: Australia’s Steve Smith plays a reverse sweep against India during the second day of their cricket Test match. —AP

CAPE TOWN: As anybody who has hacked can think he is joking around. their way through 18 holes will tell you, “Fellow pros know how the yips can golf is a hard enough game with two hands have a devastating effect on your game Clarke defies pain on the club so why would you try and play and I know I wouldn’t be on the European with one? Tour if it wasn’t for the change that I made. Briton Jason Palmer knows as he pre- “I do get some strange looks at pro-ams pares to make his European Tour debut at where some amateurs don’t think you are the Alfred Dunhill Championship at taking things seriously, but I have taken to for brave century Leopard Creek Country Club in South Africa warning them now before I play a shot.” on Thursday where he will put on display his unusual chipping game. NOVEL ADAPTATION ADELAIDE: Captain Michael Clarke defied a and his running between the was con- He jogged away from the and pointed The 30-year-old said he would not have Palmer believes his career can be a les- back injury and grief over the death of Phillip strained. But he and Smith gradually took con- towards the ‘408’-Hughes’s Test cap number- reached this level had he not made one key son in how to adapt to something outside Hughes to post an inspirational century as trol, hitting out late in the day as India faltered. painted on the playing surface, before raising his change to his game-he chips using his right the norm if it helps you to be successful. Australia took charge of the first Test against Clarke brought up his ton with a single off his bat and looking skywards in his own salute to hand only anywhere within 50 yards of the “There are countless examples of play- India yesterday. pads, taking off his helmet and kissing its the batsman. green. “I was battling with my short play ers who have struggled with a particular Clarke, who was supported by Steve Smith’s emblem in a subdued celebration, to the acclaim “I had that long (rain) break on 98 and I into the greens with two hands, I just aspect of golf,” he said. “If you look at put- unbeaten 162, retired hurt on 60 on day one but of an admiring crowd. thought if I got the two more runs it would be couldn’t get the feel right. I dreaded miss- ting, there are a variety of different grips after painkilling injections he returned to com- nice to go over there to the 408 and stick my bat ing the greens and it was affecting me bad- and so many ways to get around that. pile 128 in one of his bravest knocks. ‘SIGNIFICANT INJURY’ in the air and say thanks to Hughesy for being ly,” Palmer told Reuters in a telephone inter- “Chipping is a bit different in that your The skipper’s 28th Test ton, on a rain-disrupt- The captain played a leading role in the days with me all the way out there,” Smith said. view yesterdayday. options are a lot more limited. I’ve seen ed second day in Adelaide, came in his first after Hughes’s death, in which he read a tearful He then shared another long hug with bat- “I made the switch while on the Alps players try to play left-handed or cack- innings since Hughes was tragically killed by a tribute at the funeral and was one of the pall- ting partner Clarke, who also was there to Tour in 2010, just really to try something handed even... this is what works for me.” blow to the head while in last bearers. embrace Warner when the opener reached his different. As soon as I did I went on a great Palmer putts with both hands and said month. The Australian skipper has earned a reputa- century on day one. run of form and I’ve stuck with it. It’s freed was the strongest part of a game that was The centuries by Clarke and Smith, together tion for his batting heroics in adversity. Last Smith’s assured century again highlighted the me up and I enjoy my short game again. “I built around hitting fairways and greens in with ’s ton on Tuesday, left the March he batted on with a fractured left shoul- rapid development of the 25-year-old right-han- used to get a sinking feeling when I missed regulation with the hope of avoiding chip- hosts on 517 for seven and in command against der in an unbeaten 161 to help his team to a 2-1 der. He took 23 Test innings to reach his maiden the greens, but now I quite enjoy it. I get to ping altogether. a bedraggled Indian attack. series victory over South Africa in Cape Town. century, but has had four more in his past 15 show what I can do.” “I’m quite a short hitter from the tee so Clarke was out late in the day for 128 off 163 Clarke, who has a long history of back trou- innings. Palmer does not get much reaction from therefore I need to be straight and accurate balls with 18 fours, and he put on 163 runs for ble, only made the Adelaide Test after passing a “I’m not sure if it’s my best innings... but his fellow professionals, with course eti- with my irons,” he said. “My strength is my the seventh wicket with Smith. Smith enhanced late fitness test for recurring hamstring trouble. every hundred’s nice and hopefully I’ve got a quette suggesting you do not comment on putting. You wouldn’t look at my long his growing stature in the Australia set-up with Team physio Alex Kountouris said the captain few more this summer,” Smith said. India’s field- an opponents’ technique, but he does game and say, ‘He’s a tremendous ball strik- his highest Test score, his fifth Test hundred and was struggling with a “significant back injury” ing deteriorated late in the day with Smith dread pro-am tournaments where people er’.”—Reuters his fourth in his last 15 Test innings. but he did not think it was “directly related to his dropped three times and a mis-stumping by “We’re all good mates with Hughesy us three hamstring”. Wriddhiman Saha, while Clarke was also put (Clarke and Warner), so I was sort of hoping all Smith sealed his determined century off the down before he was caught by Cheteshwar three of us would get runs. It’s nice to be in that first ball after lunch, clipping off his pads for two. Pujara. —AFP position with 517 on the board in the first innings,” Smith said. SCOREBOARD “I know that’s what Hughesy would have wanted, all of us to be out here doing the job SYDNEY: Scoreboard at the close on the second day of the first Test between Australia and and he was with me, Pup (Clarke) and Warner all India at yesterday: the way this innings.” It was tough going for the tourists in the Australia 1st innings (354 for 6 overnight) M. Johnson 0 gloom with only 30.4 overs possible in between C. Rogers c Dhawan b I. Sharma 9 Extras (lb4, w9, nb2) 15 the day’s three lengthy rain delays. D. Warner c I. Sharma b K. Sharma 145 Total (7 wickets; 120 overs) 517 S. Watson c Dhawan b Aaron 14 Clarke made his surprise return to the crease Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Rogers), 2-88 (Watson), 3-258 M. Clarkec Pujara b K. Sharma 128 at the outset and despite batting in discomfort, (Warner), 4-345 (Marsh), 5-352 (Lyon), 6-354 he provided dependable support for Smith after S. Smith not out 162 the clatter of three wickets in the last five overs M. Marsh c Kohli b Aaron 41 (Haddin), 7-517 (Clarke) Bowling: Shami 24-2-120-2 on day one.The captain grimaced and yelped in N. Lyon b Shami 3 (1w), Aaron 23-1-136-2 (2nb, 3w), I. Sharma 27-5-85- pain as he twisted his torso to play some shots, B. Haddin c Saha b Shami 0 1 (1w), K. Sharma 33-1-143-2, Vijay 13-3-29-0. Jason Palmer