TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2015

Warne still spinning World Cup headlines

SYDNEY: From blokeish TV commentary to contro- porter of mine and is a good friend,” said Clarke, Day Test in , when was the row, attributing the controversies to Warne’s versial jibes at the present day Australian team to whose planned return to the team was delayed standing in for Clarke. outspoken nature. flogging boxer shorts on his Instagram account, it’s when Saturday’s game against in “He’s got to be a little bit careful-he’s got to stop When he’s not acting as an ad-hoc team selector hard to ignore at the World Cup. was washed out. “I think Shane might have walking out on the MCG and declaring,” Warne said at the six-week tournament, Warne is making a The master leg-spinner, who retired from inter- been taken out of context. I think what he was try- on radio station 2GB. “He’s got to remember that name for himself up in the TV commentary booth national in 2007 with over 1,000 in ing to say was the medical staff have pushed me to that’s the ’s job and not the coach’s job.” with off-the-cuff, blokeish asides. Tests and one-day internationals, is rarely far from the limit, which is a great thing.” But Smith denied that Lehmann had too much “He looks like he’s swallowed a couple of wheelie the headlines. The 45-year-old has been at the cen- Despite Clarke attempting to play a forward influence and insisted he had decided when to bins,” was Warne’s description of a former adversary tre of almost daily criticism of the Australian team, defensive stroke for the sake of team unity, Warne declare, not the coach. “I think ‘Boof’ (Lehmann) was who is not as slender as he once was in his playing accusing officials of trying to “break” close friend, was soon back on the attack. sitting on the sideline where he tends to sit to days. Meanwhile, on everyday things to dislike: and national captain, Michael Clarke by rushing him Over the weekend, as the four-time champions watch the match,” Smith said. “Third new ball...queuing...holding hands..” The back from his long-standing injury. kicked their heels before their next match against “I was up the top trying to call the guys in but World Cup has also provided Warne with the chance Coach , a team-mate of Warne’s New Zealand in on Saturday, Warne they couldn’t see me. I think he said ‘look up there, to market his new range of black, boxer shorts with when Australia won the 1999 World Cup, described accused Lehmann of trying to usurp the authority of he’s calling you in’. I think they showed him on the the word SPINNERS emblazoned on the waistband. the comments as “absolute rubbish”. Clarke, howev- the captain. TV doing it but I was up the top calling them in-it “Bad boy,” is his confident description of his branded er, raced to the defence of his friend. He suggested it was Lehmann who had decided was me.” , the game’s governing underwear. Lehmann, Smith and Cricket Australia “I have always supported Warney, he’s a big sup- when Australia declared against in the Boxing body in the country, has refused to get dragged into may be thinking the same about Warne. — AFP Federer sorry for India ‘bleed blue’

DUBAI: Roger Federer has apologised for getting caught up in the bitter rivalry between Indian and Pakistani cricket fans after he was pictured admiring the blue shirt of World Cup champions India in a marketing photo-shoot. The 17-time Grand Slam title winner shares the same sponsor as the Indian team and on the eve of the two sides’ World Cup clash in Adelaide last weekend, Federer posted a picture on his Facebook page of him admiring a blue playing jersey with the caption “Dressing up for a Gentleman’s game today. #BleedBlue.” “It was more of a Nike thing to be quite honest,” said the Swiss star on the eve of the Open. “It was a Nike campaign they had because I met some of the Indian players and I had just spent some time in India so they presented the shirt to me. “I support South Africa, and everybody knows that. The idea wasn’t to spark any fire and I’m sorry if it did that.” The photograph certainly irritated Federer’s legion of fans in Pakistan. One, a student at Cambridge University in England and writing in the Express Tribune, an English language newspaper in Pakistan, claimed he had deleted all his Federer photos and taken a brief opinion poll in which ten out of 12 Pakistanis apparently felt hurt or betrayed. Federer has certainly gone public in his support for the Springboks rugby team in the past, and has strong Rodger Federer posing with the Indian cricket team jersey. South African connections. His mother Lynette is from Whether or not he followed cricket, “really depends known to be close with the ‘Little Master’ a regular visi- South Africa and the Roger Federer Foundation has where you are,” he added. tor to Wimbledon each year to see the Swiss play. raised large sums to help disadvantaged children in the “When I’m in America definitely not. When I’m in , who made a for India in the country. Nevertheless, Federer sought to clarify his atti- Europe definitely not. But then when I’m in Australia and World Cup win over Pakistan, also met Federer in tude to cricket which is currently being showcased at here (in the UAE) a little bit sometimes. So it really Sydney in January, describing the tennis player as an the ongoing World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. depends where I am in the world which sport I follow.” “absolute legend” in a captioned picture he posted on The Indian team, he said, he supported “a little bit.” Federer and India legend are his Twitter site. — AFP Finch backs rusty Australia to shine in New Zealand

AUCKLAND: In-form opener shrugged World Cup. Southee recorded the best-ever one-day India’s avoids a raising in this file photo. —AP off concerns that a rusty Australia will be caught cold “We’ve been training well during the week and figures by a New Zealander when he took 7-33 in the by high-flying trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand on had a pretty solid session on Saturday when we were comprehensive eight- win over England in Saturday in what will be their first World Cup match in meant to play. We’re feeling good and ready to go.” Wellington on Friday. Dhawan making two weeks. Surprisingly the 28-year-old Finch has never played a “Myself and are going to have to The Black Caps have won three games while one-day international against New Zealand despite play as well as we can to negate that,” added Finch Australia, who started their campaign with a thump- making his debut in January 2013 and having who said the team will not be doing too much home- ing 111-run victory over England on February 14, saw notched up 42 games. work on their rivals. up for lost time their scheduled second match against Bangladesh That is due to the fact that Australia’s last one-day- “You do see a lot of cricket and you have access to abandoned due to heavy rain without a ball being er against New Zealand was in the 2011 World Cup, probably too much footage sometimes-it can wear in Brisbane last weekend. Finch, who scored while a game in the Champions Trophy in England you down a little bit. “There’s probably not going to be MELBOURNE: India’s World Cup batting two, one, eight and 38 in the tri-series one- 135 in the Melbourne romp against England, said the two years later was called off as a no- due to any surprises from either team... there’s no real mys- hero Shikhar Dhawan is an unconventional day series that also featured England. two-week break will not be an issue when the two rain. Finch, who was not in the side then, praised New tery spinner from to worry about. “The Kiwis swing the cricketer who met his wife, an amateur box- Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the Pool A rivals meet at Auckland’s . Zealand’s new-ball pair of Tim Southee and Trent ball right at the start, left and right arm, so we just er, via Facebook and splits his time hard work Dhawan had put in the nets was “We came off a good game against England and Boult. “Their bowling at the top of the has have to play it on merit.” The game will probably between New and Melbourne. Long paying off. we’ve had no problems really,” said Finch of the game been outstanding with Tim Southee and Trent Boult decide who tops the pool and meet a relatively weak- before he played two match-winning “He has worked as hard as anybody and on February 14 — the opening day of the six-week and guys chipping in,” said Finch. er team from Pool B in the quarter-finals. — AFP innings of 73 in India’s tournament opener the result is there for all to see,” the captain against arch-rivals Pakistan in Adelaide and said. “Against South Africa he batted the 137 against South Africa in Melbourne on way he usually bats. Not afraid to play his Sunday, Dhawan was a flamboyant bats- shots and rotating the strike at the same man waiting to explode. time. He made it easier for the other bats- Playing in the shadow of his Delhi team- men by staying there till the 44th over.” mates and established international stars, The moustache-twirling Dhawan, who and , it was often looked down upon as a carefree took Dhawan nine years of first-class cricket man who did not take his cricketing career to break into the Test arena. The left-hand- seriously, is clearly desperate to make up ed opener was picked for the Test for lost time. His unconventional approach against the touring Australians in 2013 on the field is matched by equally untradi- aged 27 and was handed his India cap by tional choices off it, but which he has often batting great Sachin Tendulkar just before said have strengthened him both as a per- play. “We have known you as a very gutsy son and a cricketer. player in domestic cricket, now we hope to A few months before his Test debut, see you as a gutsy player in international Dhawan married Melbourne-based Ayesha cricket, so show us some guts,” Tendulkar Mukherjee, a mother of two daughters told the excited debutant. from a previous marriage and 12 years his Dhawan did not let Tendulkar down, senior. Dhawan was introduced to Ayesha, smashing a belligerent 187 off 174 balls an amateur boxer with a keen interest in all with 33 boundaries and two sixes against sports, on Facebook by former team-mate an attack that comprised , Harbhajan Singh and soon the friendship , and Xavier blossomed. Doherty. His 100 off 85 balls was the fastest He shrugged off family reservations to by a debutant and steered India to a six- marry her and the couple now have a son, wicket win even though the opening day Zoravar, who was born last year in of the Test had been washed out. Melbourne. He then played a key role in India’s Ayesha and the three children spend as Champions Trophy triumph in England in much time in Dhawan’s home city of New 2013, returning as the player of the tourna- Delhi as in Melbourne as her husband trav- ment and also its leading scorer with 363 els around the world playing cricket. runs at an average of 90.75. With his wife watching from the packed Dhawan has now bounced back after stands on Sunday, Dhawan repaid the trust lean pickings on the current Australian tour with a superb century in a city which is where his best Test score was 81 and made now his second home. — AFP BRISBANE: Australia’s Aaron Finch signs his autograph for a fan. Pakistan chief selector in casino storm

KARACHI: Pakistan’s World Cup campaign Shaharyar Khan told the media in Lahore. facts are known,” Khan said. losing a one-day series in New Zealand. ing they had let the people down. “The play- hit another snag after the Pakistan Cricket Reports in Pakistan have said that Moin, a Moin, who was removed as the team The defeats have increased calls for the ers have promised a turnaround in remain- Board (PCB) said yesterday it was probing former test captain, had visited a casino on manager before the World Cup, was sent PCB board and management to be changed. ing matches and they can still qualify for the media reports that chief selector Moin Khan the night of the match against West Indies in with the team for the World Cup-a surprise Even before the tournament began the man- knockout stage,” he said. “Right now we are had visited a casino before the loss to West which Pakistan were hammered by 150 runs- move as in the past the PCB never allowed its agement had fined some players for violat- fully supporting the team. And the media Indies. their worst ever defeat in a World Cup. There chief selector to accompany the team on for- ing curfews, including senior squad mem- should also support them by not overly criti- “I have spoken to Moin and we have was no suggestion that Moin would be asked eign tours. bers and Ahmed Shehzad. cising them. “Any inquiry would be held after sought an explanation from him. It is inap- to return. “Right now we have not thought The Pakistan board and team has come Khan said that the board was also disap- the team returns home to find out what propriate he should be at a casino at a time about it nor taken any decision to call him under fire after losing its first two matches to pointed with the team’s showing so far but went wrong.” Pakistan face this when our team is not doing well,” PCB chief back. We will make a judgement after all the fierce rivals India and West Indies and also that the players themselves were hurt know- weekend. — Reuters