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THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

IAAF hails ‘clarity’ Root and Paine’s different Real Madrid’s pre-season struggles 25after Semenya ruling 26 routes to Ashes captaincy 27 continue with loss to Tottenham

BIRMINGHAM: England’s Joe Root (L) and Australia’s captain hold the urn containing the Ashes on the eve of the first Ashes test match between Australia and England at Edgbaston. — AFP Cricket’s oldest rivalry: Ashes begins today England seek a ‘double’ as Australia eye Ashes history

BIRMINGHAM: England return to ‘Fortress Edgbaston’ chance to keep those new followers on board, even if week before winning the first Test between the countries to be at premium while the bowlers hold sway, England for the first Test against Australia today looking to round none of the five Tests are on free-to-air television. For tells its own story of ongoing top-order woes. England will hope all-rounders such as Ben Stokes, restored to the off an already memorable season by completing a World Australia, an Ashes series win under the dignified leader- captain Joe Root plans to move back to number three to vice-captaincy, can again make valuable contributions Cup and Ashes double. If the World Cup remains the pin- ship of Tim Paine would help draw a line under the ball- help shore up a top order featuring novice Surrey open- with the bat. Australia have not won at Edgbaston in any nacle of the 50-over game, for England and Australia tampering scandal in South Africa that led to long bans ers Rory Burns and Jason Roy. James Anderson, England’s format since 2001, a run that includes their recent World there’s nothing quite like a renewal of ’s oldest for former captain , and all-time leading Test -taker, is set to return from a Cup semi-final loss to England, when Roy made a rivalry. But now there’s arguably more at stake for both . calf injury to lead an attack that could feature World Cup sparkling 85. sides than the series result. All three batsmen are likely to feature at Edgbaston, hero Jofra Archer. England, by contrast, have won their last 11 interna- For England, a home season billed as the most impor- with Bancroft set to hear the same booing that greeted tionals at the raucous Birmingham ground. But a congest- tant in a generation started brilliantly with their impres- Smith and Warner during the World Cup. Australia have ‘Keep the energy going’ ed schedule, the result of officials cramming an Ashes into sive run to a first men’s World Cup title. International not won an Ashes in England for 19 years, with their bats- Australia, meanwhile, are poised to put their faith in a the same season as a lengthy World Cup, could have a cricket in Britain emerged from behind its satellite televi- men struggling against the heavily stitched Dukes ball on rapid four-man attack featuring James Pattinson and Pat bigger bearing on the series, the first in the ICC’s new sion paywall for the first time since the celebrated 2005 pitches that offer seam movement. Yet the first Test will Cummins. Several of England’s World Cup winners World Test Championship. “I really believe it’s a big ask Ashes so that millions could watch England’s nerve- be Australia’s opening first-class match of the tour, appeared jaded against Ireland but Anderson, who no for the fast bowlers on both sides to play five Tests in six shredding Super Over win against New Zealand at Lord’s although the likes of Bancroft, who has been captaining longer plays one-day internationals and so was not involved weeks,” said Australia great Steve Waugh, the victorious earlier this month. English county side Durham, have recent experience of in that success, hopes he can revive any flagging spirits. captain in the 2001 Ashes, who is mentoring the current Building on that groundswell of support is a key part local conditions. “For some of us this is the start of our international squad. “Depth in the squad will be important but I hon- of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s post-tourna- The way an England side featuring several World Cup summer and it’s our job to keep the energy going as a estly think if I was a betting man I wouldn’t back either ment strategy. Regaining the Ashes represents an ideal stars were dismissed for just 85 by Ireland at Lord’s last team,” said Anderson, 37 on Tuesday. With runs expected side because I don’t know who’s going to win.” — AFP

keen to show he can bring his swashbuck- number three to boost England’s strug- Matthijs de Ligt (NED/Ajax/Juventus); Eden The Ashes: ling style into the Test arena. gling top order. Since Root dropped a Klopp, Salah Hazard (BEL/Chelsea/Real Madrid); Harry But Australia paceman place during the India series last year, Kane (ENG/Tottenham); Sadio Mane has warned him that Test cricket is a dif- several options have been tried, including (SEN/Liverpool); Kylian Mbappe (FRA/Paris Three key ferent ball game from the frenetic limited- Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and Joe Denly. head nominations Saint-Germain); Lionel Messi overs format. “We’ll see how Roy goes in But none has settled the debate and now (ARG/Barcelona); Mohamed Salah battles Test cricket,” said Hazlewood. “He has Root is ready to return to a position from for FIFA Best (EGY/Liverpool); Virgil van Dijk only played one Test match and it’s a lot which he scored his Test-best 254 against (NED/Liverpool) LONDON: World Cup winners England different opening the batting in a Test than Pakistan in 2016. awards are switching their focus to regaining the a one-day game, that’s for sure.” The Best FIFA Women’s Player Ashes, with Australia desperate to beat English guile v Australian pace PARIS: Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp and Lucy Bronze (ENG/Lyon); Julie Ertz their oldest enemy away from home for Smith v Root England have a new weapon in pace- three players — Mohamed Salah, Sadio (USA/Chicago Red Stars); Caroline Graham the first time since 2001. AFP Sport looks When Australia and England last met, man Jofra Archer but the key to their Mane and Virgil van Dijk — headed nomina- Hansen (NOR/Wolfsburg/Barcelona); Ada at three key battles in the five-Test series in Australia in 2017-18, Steve Smith and Ashes attack will be veteran tions released released for the FIFA Best Hegerberg (NOR/Lyon); Amandine Henry that starts at Edgbaston today: Joe Root were the opposing skippers. opening bowlers James Anderson and awards that will be presented in Milan on (FRA/Lyon); Sam Kerr (AUS/Chicago Red Since then, Smith has been stripped of . Anderson and Broad, with September 23. Klopp led Liverpool, and that Stars/Perth Glory); Rose Lavelle Warner v Roy the captaincy and he is preparing for his more than 1,000 Test between vital trio of players, to the Champions League (USA/Washington Spirit); Vivianne Miedema Both England and Australia have bats- first Test outing since being banned over them, lack the sheer pace to frighten bats- trophy and also second place to Manchester (NED/Arsenal); Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando men at the top of the order with the abili- last year’s ball-tampering incident. Smith, men but are masters of exploiting English City in the Premier League. Pride); Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC); ty to dictate the pace of an innings and like Warner subjected to some rough conditions with swing. Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo and Wendie Renard (FRA/Lyon); Ellen White with something to prove. Australia’s David treatment from the English crowds dur- Australia, on the other hand, have a bat- Barcelona’s Lionel Messi also make the short- (ENG/Birmingham City/Manchester City) Warner, who had an impressive World ing the World Cup, will feel he has some- tery of fast bowlers who could inflict real list for the men’s award along with PSG’s Cup campaign, is resuming his Test thing to prove. damage on England’s fragile top-order. Kylian Mbappe, Tottenham’s Harry Kane, The Best FIFA Men’s Coach career after serving a ban for his part in Averaging an eye-catching 61.37 in 64 “Australia have bowlers who can blast you Belgian Eden Hazard and Dutch duo Frenkie Djamel Belmadi (ALG/Algerian national last year’s ball-tampering scandal in Tests, with 23 centuries, Smith is still the away — , , de Jong and Matthijs de Ligt. American Alex team); Didier Deschamps (FRA/French nation- South Africa. main man for Australia and he scored a James Pattinson and Josh Hazlewood,” said Morgan and coach Jill Ellis will be favorites al team); Marcelo Gallardo (ARG/River Plate); Warner, 32, who has scored 21 Test total of 687 runs when the teams last met, former England paceman Steve Harmison. for the female player and women’s coach Ricardo Gareca (ARG/Peruvian national centuries, has the knack of quickly taking hitting three centuries in five Tests. Root’s “But if they don’t get it quite right they can awards after spearheading the USA to the team); Pep Guardiola (ESP/Manchester City); the game away from the opposition and Test average has dipped below 50 but he go at six an over. Broad and Anderson will women’s World Cup title in France last month. Jurgen Klopp (GER/Liverpool); Mauricio England will be desperate to get him ear- remains one of most feared players in the very rarely go at six an over. “They’ll be Pochettino (ARG/Tottenham); Fernando ly.Jason Roy, 29, has played a single Test, game and England’s finest batsmen, with down on pace compared to the opposition, The Best FIFA Men’s Player Santos (POR/Portuguese national team); Erik against Ireland last week, after 84 one- 16 Test centuries under his belt. but they’ll have total control of what Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Juventus); ten Hag (NED/Ajax); Tite (BRA/Brazilian day internationals for England and will be The Yorkshireman is moving back up to they’re doing.” — AFP Frenkie de Jong (NED/Ajax/Barcelona); national team). — AFP