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Sunday, March 6, 2016 Jumada I 26, 1437 AH India take on GULF TIMES confi dent Bangladesh in Asia Cup fi nal SPORT Page 6 By Jorge! Rayyan are the champions Fossati’s men thrash Al Wakrah 5-1 to win Stars League after a gap of 21 years with five matches to spare

By Sports Reporter It was Al Rayyan’s fi rst title win since the division title the following season and won a seemingly praying with his hands folded but Al by a yellow card by referee Abdulrahman Abdu 1994-95 season. Coached by shrewd Uruguay- promotion to QSL. Rayyan players ensured a straight forward win who otherwise had an easy game to offi ciate. an Fossati, they relied on goals from ace strikers Since September last year, it has been Al would be the order of the day. Tabata, who was benched in the 87th minute, and Sebastian Soria to launch Rayyan all the way with just one blip against Al With thousands of Al Rayyan of fans present hugged coach Fossati before celebrating with l Rayyan are the their goal-scoring spree. Sadd almost three months ago. After a slightly at Jassim Bin Hamad , the visitors put his teammates in the dugout. Minutes later, the champions, and the way they did Spain’s Sergio Garcia scored the third goal cagey start to the round 21 clash at Jassim Bin up an impressive show in front of audience that talismanic who has been the standout it would be etched in the country’s in the 57th minute as Al Rayyan moved towards Hamad Stadium, Al Rayyan got their act to- also included Qatar national coach Daniel Car- player for the Lions lifted the falcon shield much sporting folklore for long. completing a comprehensive win. South Korean gether to put pressure on Al Wakrah. reno. to the delight of the Rayyan fans in attendance. AJorge Fossati’s men swept aside all comers to midfi elder Koh scored the fourth for Al Rayyan In the 8th minute, Hamid Ismail chipped in a Jose Mauricio, coach of Al Wakrah, made “It was a fantastic tournament for us and the sweep the title with fi ve matches to spare and in the 67th minute. neat lob from the fl ank but Soria failed to con- several changes on the fi eld of play but a de- boys have really showed what they are capable lay a marker for all future champions to emu- Victor Javier Caceres joined in the fun to nect from close range, missing power on his termined Al Rayyan were not to be denied their of,” Fossati said. “We were determined to win late. score Al Rayyan’s fi fth goal in the 72nd minute. fl ick. Soon afterwards Al Rayyan discarded the QSL crown. the league at the start, but we never thought we The only problem is they probably won’t, at After 21 rounds, Al Rayyan have an unassailable iff y game and played to their potential with slick In the 57th minute, Soria found an unmarked would win it so convincingly,” the Uruguayan, least for a few years to come. tally of 60 points. moves. Garcia in the Al Wakrah box and the former Es- who previously has also coached the Qatar na- Yesterday, playing their 21st match of the In the on-going season, Al Rayyan’s only Infl uential striker and captain Tabata opened panyol striker curled one past goalkeeper Has- tional team, said. league, they only needed to draw with Al Wak- defeat has come against Al Sadd when the two the scoring in the 37th minute while Soria san Idriss Dicko for his side’s third goal. Fossati, however, said Al Rayyan will not rest rah to ensure enough points and nail the title. sides clashed on December 10. fl icked one home from close range to give Al Within a space of fi ve minutes, Garcia and on their laurels. But a draw was not in their plans and they did It has been a remarkable journey for Al Rayy- Rayyan the 2-0 cushion going into half time. Caceres also added their names to the goal- “We have the and the Emir Cup it in a manner that has become their trademark: an who were relegated to the second division at Seconds before the kick-off Fossati was scorer’s list. Perhaps the only blemish came coming up. We will celebrate hard but after a they coasted to a 5-1 win. the end of 2013-14 season. They won the second shown on the large screen inside the stadium when Al Rayyan’s Tahir Zakariya was slapped few days it will be back to football.” Gulf Times 2 Sunday, March 6, 2016 SPORT

PREVIEW Al Rayyan’s big day Lekhwiya aim for second

By Sports reporter Champions League this season. Doha We will look to do well in all these competitions,” said Bel- madi. ith Al Rayyan win- The Algerian was also look- ning the Qatar Stars ing at the next two matches League with plenty as preparation for his team’s of spare, defend- next Champions League match Wing champions Lekhwiya will be against Al Nassr. “Playing Umm hoping to fi nish a distant second Salal and Al Khor will be good as the tournament hits its fi nal preparations for our games straight. against Al Nassr in the Champi- Coming off a huge 5-0 loss ons League. The better we play to Al Rayyan, Lekhwiya will be against these teams, the better keen to get back to winning ways we do in the Champions League when they take on Umm Salal, in tie,” said Belmadi. their next match. Umm Salal are currently in “We are now back to the QSL fi fth place at the moment with 31 after our Champions League points and will harbour dreams outing. Our last result (against of fi nishing the league in the top Al Rayyan) wasn’t good. We 4. They are currently four points want to erase that picture. We off Sadd in fourth. Also snapping want to come back and will look at their heels are Al Arabi (30 to play a good game and take points) and Al Sailiya (28 points). all three points,” said Lekhwiya In their last match they ended Head Coach Djamel Belmadi up with a 4-4 draw against Al during his pre-match press con- Gharafa and Umm Salal Head ference yesterday. Coach Bulent Uygun wants his Belmadi was happy with the team to do better in this match. performance of his players dur- “In our last game against Ghara- ing their Champions League fa, we had a good game but Al Rayyan captain Rodrigo Tabata receiving the Qatar Stars League Falcon Shield from Qatar Football Association President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani match against Iran’s Zobahan couldn’t get the three points. We after they defeated Al Wakrah 5-1 at the Al Sadd Club yesterday. It was Al Rayyan’s eighth league title, which came after a gap of 21 years. which they draw to collect one will try to do well in this match away point. and get a better result,” said Uy- “We didn’t have time to com- gun. plain about our loss against Umm Salal will miss the serv- Rayyan. We had an immediate ices of their strikers Mounir El Al Rayyan’s South American stars Rodrigo Tabata Champions League match. It’s Hamdaoui and Yannick Sagbo of Brazil (L) and Sebastian Soria celebrate one of very diffi cult when you have to but Coach Uygun is confi dent their team’s goals against Al Wakrah yesterday. Pics: play in Iran. I would like to thank that his bench will be able to step Noushad Thekkayil and Shemeer. my players for the good reaction up. “We will miss the strikers they showed in that game,” said but we will use the appropriate the Algerian. strategy to put forward our best With the QSL title wrapped off ence. I have confi dence in my up, defending champions Le- players,” said Uygun. khwiya will have to look at the As for their top 4 dreams, Uy- Cup competitions to grab some gun said that they were still in silverware this season. the hunt. “Our ambition is to be “For me the end of the season among the top 4 teams and we is very exciting. The League is will do our best to realize that already over. But the second play target. We know that the teams is important for the next Asian who are in front of us are strong. Champions League campaign. But we will continue to get max- And then there are the two Cup imum points to help us to get competitions. We also have the there,” he said.

Mesaimeer facing QSL chop

Doha: With just four points that has two wins in the Asian from their 20 QSL matches, Champions League. We will Mesaimeer will be relegated go with a defensive approach. to the Qatar Gas League at We will block their play in the the end of the season if they middle of the pitch and look to don’t defeat El Jaish today. Me- get a draw out of this match,” saimeer Head Coach Rodion said Gacanin. Gacanin said that his team Mesaimeer were promoted would have to find the fighting last season but were unable spirit to play in the remaining to retain their position in six games this season, starting QSL. When asked what his with their match against El advice would be to teams that Jaish. are promoted next season, “We now know that mathe- Gacanin said teams have to matically we are in the second invest in players a lot. division. It is most important “You must invest in players. that we find the fighting spirit QSL is a very professional for the six matches that we league. You have to buy good have left,” said Gacanin during players. The solution is really his pre-match press confer- simple,” he said. ence. Mesaimeer’s opponents, Jaish, With the attacking prowess are currently in second place that Jaish possesses, Me- and have a two-point gap to saimeer are hoping to play de- Lekhwiya in third. They would fensively and eke out a draw. want to ensure that they finish “We are playing against a team this season in that position.

TENNIS Murrays edge Great Britain closer to victory

DPA after the Australians saved a pair of match points in the pe- Birmingham nultimate game. “The level was incredible on both sides of the net,” US cap- tain Jim Courier said. “Grass court doubles can sometimes be ndy Murray joined his big brother Jamie on the dou- a little bit messy because it’s so quick, tough to return. bles court and produced a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 defeat of “But the level from fi rst ball was extremely high and obvi- Yoshihito Nishioka and Yasutaka Uchiyama to put ously it got very complicated there after the second set. Bob holders Britain into 2-1 command over Japan in their and Mike lifted in the fi fth set and really put a stamp on it ADavis Cup World Group fi rst-round tie yesterday. early.” The 32-time champion US are hoping to avoid a fi rst- Italy became the fi rst team to qualify for the quarter-fi nals round loss for a third consecutive season. with a 3-0 sweep of Switzerland which was missing Roger Fe- Hewitt’s appearance on court as captain was all but unprec- derer and Stan Wawrinka in Pesaro. edented for the tennis powerhouse nation, which has had only Simone Bolelli and Andreas Seppi combined to hammer seven Davis Cup captains in more than a century of play. Marco Chiudinelli and Henri Laaksonen 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 and will Australia came into the tie without top hope Nick Kyrgios, play either Argentina or Poland. down with a virus and unable to play. Hewitt has not ruled out The Murray brothers rolled over the Japanese minnows af- a singles appearance in Sunday’s reverse singles if necessary. ter the team chose to sit out Asia’s top player Kei Nishikori, Novak Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic left Serbia with work likely with an eye to keeping him fresh for reverse singles. to do after going down in the Belgrade doubles to Kazaks An- The tie is only the second between the two nations, with the drey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5. last being played in 1931 when the Brits swept 5-0 on grass. In Hanover, the Czech Republic took a 2-1 lead over Germa- Murray, playing for the fi rst time in fi ve weeks since the ny as Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepane beat Philipp Kohls- birth of his daughter, extended his Davis win streak in singles chreiber and Philipp Petzschner 7-6 (9-7), 7-5, 6-4 while and doubles to 13 straight matches. in Gdansk, host Poland earned a fi rst point from victory by In Melbourne, the Bryan twins unleashed their fi repower half hours on grass. After trailing two sets to love, the Hewitt-Peers team began Lukasz Kubot and Marcin Matkowski over Argentines Carlos for a 2-1 US lead over Australia as Lleyton Hewitt came off the Hewitt, 35, came out of a fi ve-week retirement to replace to jell, with the pair running off two consecutive winning sets Berlocq and Renzo Olivo 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. captain’s bench for the hosts. Sam Groth, but the gesture was too little, too late. to push the match into a deciding fi fth. Croatia lead 2015 fi nalist Belgium in Liege 2-1 after Ivan Bob and Mike Bryan defeated Hewitt and 27-year-old Davis It took the Aussie nine tries to fi nally break the Bryans, with The Americans broke in the second game of the fi nal set, Dodig and Franko Skugor combined for a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 6-1 debutant John Peers 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 in two-and-a- the success coming in the seventh game of the third set. running to a 5-2 margin before fi nally closing out the victory win over David Goffi n and Ruben Bemelmans. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 3 FOOTBALL

PREMIER LEAGUE Video trials, law changes approved by Sanchez frustrates lawmakers

Reuters Cardiff

occer’s lawmakers approved the use Spurs, City rout Villa of video technology to aid referees Sduring matches yesterday, with a two-year trial run to start no later than the ‘I am proud of the spirit, but going down to 10 men was the big regret for the day’ season after next. In the most significant rewriting of the laws of the game for more than 100 years, they also changed the rules on penalty- Results & Standings kicks, the so-called triple punishment for Tottenham 2 ...... Arsenal 2 denying goal-scoring opportunities and 1 ...... Norwich 0 the match kick-off itself. Chelsea 1 ...... Stoke 1 Referees also now have the power to red Man City 4 ...... Aston Villa 0 card players for fighting in the tunnel or on Everton 2 ...... West Ham 3 the pitch before a match starts. Newcastle 1 ...... Bournemouth 3 With the changes coming into force on Southampton 1 .....Sunderland 1 June 1, any players involved in that kind Watford 0 ...... Leicester City 1 of behaviour at this summer’s European championships in France now face being Teams P W D L Pts sent off before the ball has been kicked. The International Football Association Leicester 29 17 9 3 60 Tottenham 29 15 10 4 55 Board (IFAB), the game’s lawmaking body Arsenal 29 15 7 7 52 founded in 1886 and some 18 years before Man City 28 15 5 8 50 FIFA, comprises four members from the West Ham 29 13 10 6 49 world body and one from each of the four Man United 28 13 8 7 47 British associations. Stoke City 29 12 7 10 43 The use of video technology will be al- Southampton 29 11 8 10 41 Liverpool 27 11 8 8 41 lowed in four questionable cases: to deter- Chelsea 29 10 10 9 40 mine if a goal has been scored, sendings Everton 28 9 11 8 38 off , penalties and mistaken identity. Watford 29 10 7 12 37 “We have taken a really historic decision West Brom 28 9 9 10 36 for football. IFAB and FIFA are now leading Bournemouth 29 9 8 12 35 the debate and not stopping the debate,” Crystal Palace 28 9 6 13 33 new FIFA president Gianni Infantino told Swansea 29 8 9 12 33 Sunderland 29 6 7 16 25 reporters at a news conference. Norwich 29 6 6 17 24 “We have shown we are listening to Newcastle 28 6 6 16 24 football and applying common sense. We Aston Villa 29 3 7 19 16 have to be cautious but are taking con- crete steps forwards to show a new era has Alexis Sanchez celebrates started in FIFA and IFAB.” after scoring the equaliser As well as approving the long-debated for Arsenal in their crucial trials of video technology, the board also north London derby against agreed a widespread revision of the laws, title challengers Tottenham editing the rulebook from 22,000 to Hotspur, in the Premier 12,000 words. League yesterday. (Reuters) One of the most significant changes regards the so-called triple-punishment of sending off , penalty and suspension for the denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity within the penalty area. Now, if the defending goalkeeper or defender makes an obvious challenge for the ball the punishment is downgraded to a yellow card rather than an automatic red one. Another change concerns the penalty kick so that if a kicker tries to deceive the goalkeeper by stopping and starting AFP remaining and Wenger was quick to minute and Raheem Sterling added over the crisis-torn Magpies at St non’s clinical 56th-minute fi nish. in his run-up, the right to have a retake London hail their character after it was ques- the fourth six minutes later before James’ Park. But, crucially, Lukaku saw a penalty is removed. Instead, the defending team tioned following successive defeats Aguero squandered a chance for After a week that featured reports saved by Adrian midway through the are awarded an indirect free-kick and the earlier in the week. a hat-trick when his penalty hit a of a dressing room rebellion against half and Michail Antonio reduced attacking player is yellow carded. If goal- lexis Sanchez ruined Tot- “I am proud of the spirit, but go- post. McClaren, who also became em- the defi cit in the 78th minute. keepers move off their line they will also tenham’s bid to take over ing down to 10 men was the big re- Manuel Pellegrini’s fourth placed broiled in an angry exchange with a Diafra Sakho equalised three be yellow carded. at the top of the Premier gret for the day and it was hard to side are now seven points behind journalist on Friday, Newcastle fell minutes later and French midfi elder As well as conducting experiments with League as the Arsenal for- take,” said Wenger. Leicester, while woeful Villa are slip- behind in the 28th minute through Payet completed a remarkable vic- video technology, IFAB have sanctioned ward’sA late equaliser rescued a 2-2 Although they wasted a chance ping closer to playing in the second Steven Taylor’s own goal tory in the 90th minute. further trials allowing a fourth substitute draw for the 10-man Gunners, while to go top for the fi rst time in seven tier for the fi rst time since 1988 after Josh King increased Bourne- Southampton defender Virgil van in extra time. The use of sinbins is only Manchester City kept their slender years, Tottenham boss Mauricio Po- their fourth consecutive defeat. mouth’s lead in the 70th minute and Dijk dented Sunderland’s bid for continuing in minor age-group matches title hopes alive with a 4-0 thrash- chettino, whose side are two points Chelsea warmed up for their cru- although Ayoze Perez got one back survival as his last-gasp equaliser and not at the higher, senior level. ing of Aston Villa yesterday. behind Leicester, was still satisfi ed. cial Champions League showdown in the 80th minute it was too late salvaged a 1-1 draw at St Mary’s David Elleray, the former In the evening’s late match, lead- “I am pleased. It’s true, when it against Paris Saint Germain with a for second bottom Newcastle, who Saints defender Jose Fonte was sent referee who is now the head of the English ers Leicester City downed the spir- was 2-1 I am little bit disappointed disappointing 1-1 draw against Stoke are one point from safety, because off in the 79th minute for fouling Fabio FA’s Referees Committee and the author of ited challenge of Watford 1-0 to ex- with the result, but we have to be at Stamford Bridge. Charlie Daniels added the visitors’ Borini and Sunderland the new edition, explained that the existing tend their lead at the top of the table happy we keep the three-point gap With Diego Costa rested ahead of third deep into stoppage-time. stabbed home six minutes later laws had to be refreshed as they no longer to 5 points. to Arsenal,” Pochettino said. the last 16 second leg against PSG, West Ham staged a superb fi ght- But fourth-bottom Sunderland applied to the modern game. Arsene Wenger’s side were in At Eastlands, City bounced back who hold a 2-1 advantage, Burkina back to remain in the hunt for a were frustrated when van Dijk struck “We wanted to bring some common danger of being cast adrift in the from their midweek mauling at Liv- Faso forward Bertrand Traore bagged Champions League berth with a 3-2 three minutes into stoppage-time. sense to the laws, to reflect what football Premier League title race when Tot- erpool by sweeping aside bottom of his fourth goal in his last fi ve appear- win at 10-man Everton. Swansea climbed nine points clear expects the referees to do today and elimi- tenham led 2-1 in the second half at the table Villa to end a run of three ances in the 39th minute. Romelu Lukaku extended his su- of the relegation zone as Gylfi Sig- nate the confusion in the game,” he said. . With Francis Co- successive league defeats. But Chelsea were pegged back perb record against the Hammers urdsson’s 61st minute goal secured a “We are giving referees the licence to quelin sent off after ’s Ivory Coast midfi elder Yaya Toure fi ve minutes from full-time when with a 13th minute strike, but Ever- vital 1-0 win over third bottom Nor- be closer to the understanding and spirit opener, Arsenal surrendered the lead broke the deadlock in the 48th Stoke forward Mame Biram Diouf ton were reduced to 10 men in the wich at the Liberty stadium of the game. We have to move forward. when Tottenham hit back through minute and Sergio Aguero doubled headed home. 34th minute when Kevin Mirallas In today’s matches, fi fth-placed Everyone believes we have been talking Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane. the League Cup winners’ lead two Bournemouth piled more pressure was sent off . Manchester United travel to West too long about these changes and now we But Arsenal recovered to equalise minutes later. on beleaguered Newcastle man- Roberto Martinez’s side scored Bromwich Albion while Crystal Pal- have to see what benefits they will bring.” through Sanchez with 14 minutes Aguero struck again in the 60th ager Steve McClaren with a 3-1 win again through winger Aaron Len- ace will host Liverpool.

LA LIGA Four-goal Ronaldo silences critics in Celta rout

AFP end’s 1-0 defeat to Atletico in the a warning shot to his critics. Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Madrid Madrid derby. More was to come from Ronaldo celebrates his Iago Aspas had a huge chance to as he then curled home a brilliant hat-trick against Celta de Vigo during put Celta in front when he headed free-kick into the top corner to their Spanish league match in Madrid ristiano Ronaldo silenced against the bar before Keylor Na- bring up 250 La Liga goals in just yesterday. Real won 7-1. (AFP) his critics with four goals vas smothered his follow-up eff ort 228 appearances. in Real Madrid’s 7-1 maul- from point-blank range. Ronaldo hit the bar with another ing of Celta Vigo yesterday Ronaldo didn’t make his pres- free-kick before Aspas capitalised afterC being jeered by certain sec- ence felt until 20 minutes in when on the huge amount of space in tions of the home support. his fi erce strike from distance was behind the Madrid defence to pull Ronaldo wheeled away in cel- beaten to safety by Ruben Blanco. a goal back with a neat chip over ebration with hand cupped to his The Celta ‘keeper also denied Navas. ear after smashing home Madrid’s Isco and Casemiro, but the visi- However, Madrid duly replied second after Pepe had headed Zin- tors were struggling to deal with with a further three goals in 13 edine Zidane’s men in front before cross balls and Pepe powered home minutes. half-time. the opener fi ve minutes before the Firstly, Ronaldo completed his The three-time World Player of break from Isco’s cross. 30th La Liga hat-trick with a tap in the Year added three more to sur- Ronaldo had controversially from Isco’s unselfi sh low cross. pass Telmo Zarra as the second claimed Real would be top of the Bale then made his entrance highest scorer in La Liga history. league if the rest of his teammates with the Welsh star’s return to fi t- And there was further good matched his exacting standards af- ness a huge boost for Zidane ahead news for Real as Gareth Bale scored ter the Atletico game. of Madrid’s Champions League Madrid’s seventh on his fi rst ap- And the Portuguese was met last-16, second-leg clash with pearance after six weeks out with a with a few whistles from the crowd Roma on Tuesday. calf injury. early in the second-half after los- Ronaldo headed home his fourth Victory moved Real back to ing possession twice in quick suc- of the afternoon before substitute within nine points of leaders Bar- cession. Jese Rodriguez smashed home Ma- celona, who travel to Eibar today. However, he responded instant- drid’s sixth after a fi ne solo run. There was little evidence that ly with a dipping strike from 25 And Bale showed what Madrid Ronaldo or Real were about to yards that fl ew past Blanco. were missing last week against burst into life during a quiet fi rst Ronaldo immediately headed Atletico when he drove at the Celta half played out in front of a frus- towards the stand behind the goal defence before fi ring in his 14th trated home crowd after last week- with his hand placed over his ear as goal of the season off the post. Gulf Times 4 Sunday, March 6, 2016 FOOTBALL

FOCUS Infantino wants WC-2026 bid to be ‘bullet-proof’ Reuters legations of corruption and bribery. congratulations on winning the election. have to take a private plane, if I have London Infantino further reiterated his po- “I briefl y talked with him, to receive his no other way to go somewhere, if it’s sition that the 2018 and 2022 World congratulations, and that’s it,” he said. too complicated or I need to go to three Cups needed to go ahead, regardless of countries in the same day. IFA must make the 2026 World investigations. Infantino’s FIFA reign “I will not now start travelling only Cup bidding process “abso- “I am a pragmatic person,” he said. easyJet. I will always take the best op- lutely bullet-proof” because “FIFA needs to deliver two World starts with budget flight tion. Everyone in FIFA should be work- the entire organisation’s credi- Cups, one in two years and one in six The new FIFA president wants to slash ing to optimise the costs. bilityF is at stake, new president Gianni years, for decisions which have been costs at football’s world governing “This was my job at UEFA when I was Infantino said yesterday. taken six years ago. There has been a lot body, so he started his reign by taking general secretary. I will give the philos- Infantino, elected FIFA boss last of speculation and a lot of allegations a budget fl ight to his fi rst signifi cant ophy from the top. One of my priorities week, hopes to start 2026 bidding but not one single fact, in six years. meeting. Infantino, 45, fl ew to Bristol has always been to optimise the costs within three months after it was de- “At some stage we have to say ‘let’s from Geneva on the low-cost easyJet because we have to be responsible what layed by the wide-reaching corrup- focus on working’. I want to work and airline on Friday ahead of the week- we do with the money, which is not our tion scandal that rocked the governing help Russia and Qatar host the best end’s International Football Associa- money. It is football’s money.” body last year. World Cups ever, as we always say.” tion Board AGM in Cardiff . For former UEFA secretary-general “We have to get the 2026 bidding Infantino is aware that the awarding FIFA have been criticised for their Infantino, the visit to Bristol was par- process absolutely right,” Infantino told of the 2006 World Cup to Germany and lavish expenditure in the past, but In- ticularly emotional. the BBC. “It’s certainly the commit- the 2010 edition in South Africa have fantino, recently elected as successor When he was born in 1970, his life ment that I want to give; that I will do also courted controversy leading to a to the disgraced Sepp Blatter, said they was saved by a blood transfusion when everything I can to make sure that this series of investigations and reports. Just must look after their cash because it he was fi ve days old with blood coming happens because I think that the cred- hours before Infantino met the media does not belong to them. from Bristol and Belgrade. ibility of FIFA is, as well, at stake here. in the Welsh capital, an independent “I came with easyJet today because And the Swiss-Italian lawyer is keen “We need to make sure that we do inquiry reported that it was unable to it was the best option to Bristol and to meet the person from Bristol who everything we possibly can, not only rule out Germany having bought votes then Cardiff . I always take the easiest helped save his life all those years ago. to prevent strange things to happen to secure the 2006 World Cup. and best option. I had to go to UEFA to “It’s important to me because I tried around bidding processes but also to Infantino knows that the awarding ment that I want to give, because I and its image. “Everyone at FIFA must say goodbye to the executive commit- to fi nd out who these two people were. prevent the perception that strange of the 2026 World Cup—with the likes think the credibility of FIFA is at stake work to optimise costs—that was my tee,” Infantino said. Unfortunately it was not possible at that things could happen. We need to make of the United States and Canada ex- here and we have to get the 2026 abso- job with UEFA. It is not our money, it’s “The traffi c was terrible from Bris- time, I was told there are no archives,” sure that bidding process that we put pected to make hosting bids—must be lutely right,” he stressed. football’s money and I’m very serious tol to Cardiff which meant I was a little he said. “It’s quite a coincidence the in place is absolutely bullet-proof.” seen to be above board and clean. For the new man in charge, it is a about this,” said Infantino. late. We are normal people and we have fi rst trip I make from Switzerland is to Every World Cup bidding process “An absolute guarantee on every- case of everyone inside FIFA being He also said that Blatter, who had to behave like normal people. Bristol. From that airport, 46 years ago since 1998 has been the subject of al- thing—that is certainly the commit- responsible for cleaning up the game ruled FIFA since 1998, had off ered his “There will be occasions when I almost, the blood left to save my life.”

Rampant Rangers cruise into It’s 7-in-a-row Scottish Dortmund hold Cup semis as Roma rout

angers demolished Dundee 4-0 in their Fiorentina 4-1 RScottish Cup quarter- final clash at Ibrox as the AFP ing in the Champions League Championship leaders booked Bayern goalless Rome again next season. a place in the semi-finals. “Can we hope for more than The Gers got off to a perfect third place? We’ll see, we go start against their Scottish Draw helps Bayern protect their five-point lead at the top of table oma clinched a sev- step by step,” he said. “Tonight Premiership opponents as enth successive Serie we’ve done the job against a Harry Forrester fired them in to stay on track for a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title A victory on Friday good team. It was a beautiful front after just 13 seconds as when a 4-1 mauling Roma and we have to keep going ofR title rivals Fiorentina also like this with the same enthusi- he scored for the third succes- sive game. boosted their Champions asm and the same rhythm.” The second half started in League qualifi cation campaign. Salah was at the heart of similar fashion as Jason Holt On-loan striker Stephan El Roma’s opener after 21 min- headed home to make it 2-0 Shaarawy, Mohamed Salah, utes when his cross from the only 85 seconds after the break. with two goals, and a Diego right was stroked home by El The fallen Glasgow giants, Perotti strike allowed Luciano Shaarawy. who are 14 points ahead Spalletti’s third-placed side to It was a fi fth goal in six of Hibernian in their bid to cut the gap on leaders Juventus games for El Shaarawy since he gain promotion back to the to fi ve points. joined on loan from AC Milan. Premiership, added a third in Francesco Totti, who has Three minutes later, Salah the 54th minute through Andy been locked in a bitter dispute was on the scoresheet when a Halliday’s fantastic free-kick. with the club over a contract long-range shot took a huge Lee Wallace then scored extension, almost completed defl ection off Davide Astori a fine solo goal in the 84th a perfect evening at the Sta- and ballooned over goalkepeer minute as Dundee’s eight- dio Olimpico. As time ticked Ciprian Tatarusanu. match unbeaten run came to down, the 39-year-old substi- Perotti added the third on an end. The result sets up a tute just brushed a post with a 38 minutes after being put potential Old Firm semi-final long-range free-kick. through by El Shaarawy be- with rivals Celtic, who take on The defeat left Fiorentina in fore Fiorentina pulled one back Championship side Morton at fourth spot, three points be- from the penalty spot. Josip Parkhead today. hind Roma but eight off the Ilicic converted the spot-kick Rangers manager Mark pace being set by champions after Lucas Digne had brought Warburton said it had been a Juventus. down Cristian Tello. pleasing performance. Victory was Roma’s second Salah scored Roma’s fourth “It was a big challenge and in the league over Fiorentina just before the hour mark and we knew the danger they this season but they had lost to with the points wrapped up, posed but from the outset. their rivals twice at home in the Totti was summoned from the We wanted to start fast and Europa League and Italian Cup. bench to the raucous applause maintain our tempo and our Roma midfi elder Miralem of the fans as the veteran intensity and obviously we Pjanic said the victory will played his 593rd Serie A game got the early goal which was boost their confi dence of play- for the club. tremendous,” Warburton said. “I thought in the first 35 min- utes we played super stuff and the challenge was to into the second period and I thought we did that.” Dundee manager Paul Hart- Montpellier hold ley was understandably disap- pointed with his side’s start. “We have got to be honest PSG to goalless draw with ourselves and say Rang- Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola discusses with Medhi Benatia and after the goalless draw against Borussia Dortmund. (Reuters) ers totally deserved to win AFP tie with Chelsea in London on today and we didn’t perform,” Reuters made the save of the game on the striker Claudio Pizarro scored Jan Huntelaar opened the scor- Paris Wednesday, into which they Hartley added. Dortmund hour, tipping a thunderous Vidal his 100th goal for the club with ing for Schalke from the pen- take a 2-1 lead. Dundee had held Scottish shot on to the bar. a superb second to leave belea- alty spot after a foul by Dominic Blanc rested a host of key champions Celtic at bay for the The result lifted the Bavar- guered Hanover still four points Maroh. ith numerous stars players to keep them fresh and full 90 minutes on Wednesday ayern Munich protected ians, who lost 2-1 to Mainz 05 in adrift at the bottom. It was soon 2-0 after Max rested, Paris Saint- Zlatan Ibrahimovic was on the but it took just 13 seconds for their fi ve-point lead midweek, to 63 points from 25 Fin Bartels gave Bremen the Meyer was coolness personifi ed Germain settled bench alongside David Luiz their defence to be breached at the top of the ta- games with Dortmund on 58. lead on 18 minutes after Hiroki in the box to fi re home and al- for an uninspir- and Thiago Motta while cap- ble yesterday, drawing Earlier, basement side Hanover Sakai’s tackle fell into his path. though Leonardo Bittencourt’s ingW goalless draw at home to tain Thiago Silva was not in- by Championship leaders B0-0 at second-placed Borussia headed closer to the drop after Peruvian Pizarro, 37, became header reduced the defi cit, Montpellier yesterday ahead of volved at all. Rangers. Dundee midfielder Kevin Dortmund to stay on track for a meekly surrendering 4-1 at re- the oldest player to score a Bun- Schalke added a third through their crucial Champions League While Marco Verratti and Holt lost possession soon record fourth consecutive Bun- surgent Werder Bremen in the big desliga hat-trick in Wednesday’s Franco Di Santo and now have a return clash with Chelsea. Blaise Matuidi were not fi t, after the kick-off and Forrester desliga title. Bundesliga battle at the bottom. 4-1 thumping of Leverkusen and two-point cushion in the Cham- PSG’s enormous lead at the there was a return for Angel Di seized on the opportunity to The game, broadcast to 208 All eyes were on the top- he again did the business by pions League playoff spot. top of Ligue 1 and determi- Maria but the home starting glide past a couple of chal- countries, lived up to its big bill- of-the-table clash between fl icking the ball over a defender’s Gladbach slipped up at im- nation to progress in Europe line-up also featured 20-year- lenges before rifling a power- ing with a frantic pace and a goal Dortmund and leaders Bayern head and unleashing an unstop- proving Wolfsburg after clever meant this game was never old defender Presnel Kim- ful right-foot strike past Scott was the only thing missing from later but in other early results, pable drive in the 26th minute. play inside the box allowed Ju- the priority for coach Laurent pembe and midfi elder Christo- Bain at his near post. an entertaining encounter. Schalke rose to fourth after a Hanover did pull one back just lian Draxler to open the scoring Blanc, although things could pher Nkunku, who was making The explosive start for Bayern wasted a golden 3-1 win at Cologne and Borussia before the break when Kenan before Max Kruse rifl ed in from have been very diff erent had his fi rst start in Ligue 1 at the Rangers continued as James chance early on when Thomas Moenchengladbach fell to fi fth Karaman prodded in but it was an awkward angle against his Edinson Cavani found the net age of just 18. Tavernier forced Bain into a Mueller’s eff ort went narrowly after losing 2-1 at VfL Wolfsburg. another limp display from Tho- former club. rather than the bar early on. Montpellier, meanwhile, will save with a fierce strike before over. Arturo Vidal also came Bayer Leverkusen came back mas Schaaf’s side against his Raff ael scored from an even The draw allowed the defend- be pleased as they continued Holt headed Forrester’s cross close for the visitors while Dort- from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 long-time former club as Theo- tighter angle with a rasping drive ing champions to restore their their revival since the January against his own post. mund’s Pierre-Emerick Au- at Augsburg with a last-gasp dor Gebre Selassie and Zlatko into the roof of the net for the 23-point lead at the top over appointment as coach of Fred- Rangers will be joined in bameyang was denied by keeper Hakan Calhanoglu penalty after Junuzovic netted for the hosts in visitors but it was not enough. second-placed Monaco, who eric Hantz. today’s semi-final draw by Manuel Neuer after charging Koo Ja-Cheol’s hat-trick had the the second half. South Korean Koo was the drew 2-2 at Caen on Friday, and Monaco could only draw in Dundee United who, despite through on goal. hosts cruising. Hanover have now picked up star of the show for Augsburg means they could still secure a Caen despite twice taking the being reduced to ten men, The best scoring opportunity Second-bottom Hoff enheim just one win in 11 games while as his goalpoaching skills badly fourth straight title when they lead, as Ivorian forward Chris- twice came from behind to fell to Bayern’s Douglas Costa are now three points from safety Bremen have powered up to 13th. exposed Leverkusen’s defensive host the principality club at the tian Kouakou scored a minute claim a dramatic 3-2 win over who raced clear with only keeper after a 5-1 battering at VfB Stutt- “This was a very important frailties. Parc des Princes on March 20. from time to secure a point for Ross County at Victoria Park. Roman Buerki to beat but the gart and third-bottom Eintracht win,” said Pizarro. “Now we can But the visitors conjured up a By then they will hope to the home side. Liam Boyce headed home Swiss stood his ground to deny Frankfurt’s 1-1 draw at home to take a deep breath and concen- remarkable recovery in the sec- have confi rmed their place in Lyon, who ended last week- the opener in the 24th minute the winger. Ingolstadt. trate on the job ahead.” ond half with Karim Bellarabi the last eight of the Champi- end in third spot after infl ict- before Henri Anier grabbed a Bayern, chasing three trophies Bremen moved three points There were a fl urry of early netting before a Paul Verhaegh ons League for the fourth year ing a fi rst domestic defeat of 57th-minute equaliser. this season, kept up the pressure above Eintracht in the relega- goals in the Bundesliga, not own goal and Calhanoglu’s spot running, but all depends on the season on PSG, entertain in the second half and Buerki tion playoff spot after evergreen least in Cologne where Klaas kick earned the draw. the second leg of their last-16 Guingamp today. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 5 CRICKET

TRIBUTE Crowe’s curiosity made him the thinking man’s cricketer Greg Chappell pays tribute to Martin Crowe, who made as great an impression on the former Australian captain off field as his sublime batting did on it

By Greg Chappell The Guardian

t was Martin Crowe’s insatiable curiosity that struck me on our fi rst meeting. He embodied the old African prov- erb, which stated, “The one who asks questions does not lose his way”. IMartin was 19 years of age and playing well before he was ready for it against a strong Australian pace at- tack. He had managed to get run out for 9 in his fi rst and only innings for the Test and, without being unkind, he was lucky to get that many. It was off the fi eld that Martin made the big- gest impression on me. As was the tradition at the time, the two teams would get together at the end of each day for a few cold drinks and a chat. When Martin came into our room at the end of day one he made a bee-line to where a few of us were sitting and joined the group. After a respectful wait while the conversation went around in circles, Martin started asking questions of myself, Dennis Lillee and Rod Marsh. He asked good, insightful questions and was rapt as he listened to the answers. When it happened again in Auckland and again in Christchurch, I began to take notice of the young man whose work had totalled 20 runs in his fi rst four Test innings. It was obvious that he possessed immense talent and ath- New Zealand cricket great leticism, but it was his intelligence and his desire to succeed Martin Crowe died last week, at the highest level that had me convinced that he would fi nd after a battle with terminal a way to express his potential; sooner rather than later. It took double hit Lymphoma. him until his fourteenth Test innings - back in - to make his fi rst Test century. It was achieved with the hallmark elegance that we came to expect from him. That he went on to make another 16 Test tons and fi nished with a Test average of 45.36 did not go close to telling the full story of his dedication, determination, courage or his talent. Martin was the outstanding New Zealand batsman of his era that length only to see a slightly under-pitched ball brutally This was one of the many of his innings which epitomised cricket. I had many conversations with Martin during his and is arguably the best that they have ever produced. dispatched through the off side with a dismissive fl ash of an Peter Roebuck’s comment about him: “Crowe could soar like illness and he was always unfailingly positive and upbeat. It John Reid, Bert Sutcliff e and Glenn Turner were all good amazingly vertical blade. an Eagle”. The 299, ironically, was his biggest disappoint- was during this time that he revisited his autobiography. The players and each had their own strengths. Reid had power, I didn’t play against Martin again after his fi rst series, but I ment. He would love to have made a 300 in Test cricket. result was “Raw” which was as uncompromisingly open and Sutcliff e was classy and Turner was exceedingly patient, but did keep an eye on him from a distance as he carried New Zea- Always a lateral thinker, Martin showed his nous and disre- honest as the title suggested. Martin was a composite of the three of them with a dash of land batting on his broad and deceptively powerful back for gard for convention when, as captain during the 1992 Cricket His writing for ESPNCricinfo was another place where he fl air and an arrogance that all the best players have. Had Mar- over a decade. In coalition with Richard Hadlee he made New World Cup, he pushed hard-hitting Mark Greatbatch up the explored the deep recesses of his creative mind to seek solu- tin been born in Australia, or anywhere else for that matter, I Zealand a formidable opponent during their time. Crowe av- order to attack and opened the bowling with off -spinner Di- tions for some of the problems besetting the game. One al- believe his record would have better refl ected his talents and eraged 55 in the 16 Test match victories in that period, which pak Patel. Both moves had a huge impact on the success that ways walked away from reading these pieces thinking a little would place him in the highest pantheon of batsmen from all is a much better refl ection of the massive talent that he was. the team achieved under Martin’s leadership. diff erently about the game. countries. Once Martin became comfortable at the highest level, he Martin wasn’t always comfortable in his own skin and of- I am profoundly sad that Martin’s life was cut so cruelly New Zealand pitches in his time were tough to bat on. Of- played some memorable innings, of which his two Test cen- ten made life more diffi cult than it needed to be during his short at a time when he had so much for which to live. I feel ten damp, always covered with grass, they were challenging turies at Lord’s and his 299 against Sri Lanka at Wellington playing days. Ironically, it took retirement and his subse- deeply for his wife and daughter who have lost a loving hus- as the ball darted off the seam disconcertingly. It needed were among his favourites. quent illness for him to explore and fi nally discover who he band and father who still had so much to off er. a great deal of patience, a well-honed method that got one His second Test century at Lord’s in 1994 was probably his really was. He actually quite liked the person that he uncov- Martin was always highly regarded by his peers, but he close to the ball and an unerring eye to fi nd the middle of the crowning achievement. Troubled for much of his career with ered. hasn’t been as well recognised by the wider population as he bat consistently in those conditions. knee problems, Martin had been out of Test cricket for some After his playing days, Martin began a media career with should be. Wherever he travels in the next life I am sure they Martin was renowned for his front foot play, but I re- time and approached the Test with some trepidation. He Sky Sports in New Zealand. Once again his penchant for lat- all will be aware that they are in the presence of someone spe- member his back foot shots through the off -side as a great need not have worried. Even though well short of full fi tness, eral thinking was seen with his invention of Cricket Max, cial. Perhaps in death he will get the recognition befi tting the strength. It is well known that he drove anything that was he made a masterful 142 on a ground he held in high regard which proved hugely popular with audiences and players champion player and human being that he was. slightly over-pitched. This forced bowlers to pull back from because of its place in the history of the game he loved. alike and, in many ways, was the forerunner to Twenty20 Rest in peace my friend.

RISING STAR Mustafi zur Rahman: the statistically freaky bowler with an even freakier gift

By Barney Ronay inside knowledge whatsoever, no whispers, no It is interesting to imagine how Mustafi zur The Guardian Bangladesh’s bowling sensation hard facts, states that Bangladesh are instead might have got on in , where the un- . (AFP) preparing to unleash their Agent X on the un- orthodox and the quirky - key elements of the witting batsmen of Ireland, Netherlands and - fast-twitch game of bluff that is white-ball ould you like to hear my totally most likely - New Zealand and Australia. cricket - have never really been embraced in baseless World Twenty20 -related A World T20 in India is a serious opportunity. sport. A few years back the super-fl exy doosra conspiracy theory about Bangla- Why risk the mystery man? “We are expecting bowler Maurice Holmes was warned and regu- desh’s “mystery” medium-pace he will make a quick recovery,” Bangladesh’s lated out of county cricket , when another ap- Wbowler Mustafi zur Rahman? The answer to this physio said this week. Me too, old chum, me proach might have been to nurture and culti- question is almost certainly: too. Once again I must emphasise this theory is vate. “No, no thank you, I’m fi ne thanks.” But I’m based on absolutely no information, research or More happily, Jos Buttler has thrived as the going to tell you it anyway. inside knowledge. It is instead wishful thinking. most successful mildly unorthodox English So: how about that Mustafi zur Rahman? I don’t want him to be injured, or normal. I want cricketer of the new age, feet clamped in leg A shy, skinny left-armer from a village near him to be special. In his own way - or rather in irons while those beautifully destructive hands Satkhira on the south-west border, Mustafi - the way I’m so keen to force upon him - Mus- whir away, with something nobly doomed in the zur has enjoyed a sensational eight-month tafi zur, the Mustafi zur of the imagination, is way he simply stands there swatting magnifi - rise. Check out the stats, stats fans. To date the player I’ve been waiting for since it became cently as another innings subsides, like some Mustafi zur has bowled a total of 824 balls in clear T20 cricket really was opening up a new frock-coated lieutenant propped up against the international cricket. Including consecutive kind of fever to play and watch. sandbags, a bayonet through each knee, still fi ve-fors in his fi rst two ODIs, his cross-format Those who are evangelical about the shortest brandishing his sword-stick as the Boers come wicket haul now stands at 43 at 14 runs apiece. form often talk about a lack of due analytical at- swarming over the blockade. At last month’s IPL auction he was bought for tention for its skill levels and innovations. And It will be fascinating to see Mustafi zur close £150,000 by the Sunrisers Hyderabad. yet even as someone who loves watching T20 it up when he turns out for Sussex this summer So far it is a rare kind of cricketing pop-star- is still a puzzle that the game remains, despite in very diff erent conditions. Before then the dom, an embodiment of the T20 dream: kid its altered tempo and texture, the odd crowingly Jump-Ball Kid gets to infl ict his delicate mys- from the village enters the franchise stellar- received ramp or scoop, basically a high-speed tery in front of the watching world in India. No sphere. The boy from Tetulia is currently the version of the orthodox, a tinkering with what doubt the numbers will drop off a bit, the cutter most Googled person in Bangladesh. MS Dhoni it a deeply everyday statistically freaky medi- wrong foot. It works too. His highlights reel is we had. fi nding itself unpicked (already there is talk of a even deigned to jostle him during the India se- um-pace tyro. He does, though, have his own already stuff ed with batsmen spooning drive- Batting strike rates have rocketed sixes, and telling change in his grip at the end of his run: ries last year. Despite the fact I’ve never actually superpower in the shape of a subtle and appar- length balls to cover before trudging off swing- fours are swatted to unusual areas. But there stop it, stop that). seen him play live, or understood anything he’s ently devastating mystery variation. ing their bat helplessly through the line of some could be so much more. Where are the real in- Probably the signifi cance of the Mustafi zur said in his interviews on YouTube , or seen him Blessed with a freakishly supple wrist that imaginary half-volley. novators, the T20 babes, kings of the new fron- Supremacy is the nature of his rise. The change do anything other than take wickets and awk- can snap through 90 degrees at the point of And now with the World T20 in India only a tier? Bowling in particular is still essentially here is simply opportunity and interest, never wardly high-fi ve his team-mates in highlights release, Mustafi zur has found he can make the week away, it turns out he’s injured. On Mon- the same as it was 60 years ago: pace, swing, mind the search for new forms. If cricket can packages, he is undoubtedly my favourite inter- white ball jump and stop alarmingly without day, Bangladesh announced their most devas- seam, leg-spin, off -break. Some have tried. The make an instant star of a tennis ball cricketer national cricketer right now. any change of action once the shine has scuff ed tating bowler had a strained rib, enough to keep doosra looked like something new but it has with a fl appy wrist who not so long ago was rid- Mainly this is down to his method. Mustafi - and there’s a bit of grip about. It is a home- him out of this week’s Asia Cup games. been redefi ned as cheating in pretty much any ing his brother’s bike 30 miles just to get a game, zur isn’t quick. He doesn’t swing the ball much made skill, a cutter he learned in the nets while My own theory: they’re holding him back. form, never mind the extreme skill and fl exibil- you get the feeling something, somewhere is or have a snorting bouncer. He is on the face of also weaning himself out of hopping off the This theory, which is based on absolutely no ity required even to chuck it properly. heading the right way. Gulf Times 6 Sunday, March 6, 2016 CRICKET

PREVIEW FOCUS Russell set India meet confi dent for WT20 despite doping Bangladesh in title clash violation Dhoni’s men won all their league matches and have seemed virtually unstoppable in the tournament Reuters Kingston

IANS Mirpur ndre Russell looks set to play in the World Twenty20 after the nbeaten in the tournament with four Jamaica Anti-Doping consecutive wins, India will be wary of CommissionA said on Friday the slipping up at the last hurdle when they West Indies all-rounder would meet hosts Bangladesh in the fi nal of the not be suspended pending a UAsia Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament at the hearing into his “anti-doping Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here today. whereabouts” rule violation. The Indians have seemed virtually unstoppable The 27-year-old, named in the in this tournament. The batsmen have done well on West Indies squad for the World the green wickets while the bowlers, especially the Twenty20 in India that starts pacers, have exploited the favourable conditions next week, has missed three well. With the youngsters proving their mettle and doping tests within a 12-month a few veterans making successful comebacks, Ma- period and faces a possible two- hendra Singh Dhoni’s men will take away several year ban from cricket if found positives from this tournament ahead of the World guilty. “The Jamaica Anti-Dop- Twenty20 at home. ing Commission has referred Among the bowlers, veteran pacer Ashish Nehra the matter regarding Mr. Andre has been in superb form. The 36-year-old has tak- Russell to the Independent An- en fi ve wickets in three matches, but the statistics ti-Doping Disciplinary Panel,” does not do full justice to his performance. Fellow JADCO executive director Carey opening pacer Jasprit Bumrah has also chipped in Brown said in a statement on with eff ective performances. Friday. “The Commission is Young all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been the awaiting a date for the hearing. most successful among the Indian bowlers with Mr. Russell has not been provi- seven wickets in four matches. sionally suspended.” The excellent performance by the bowlers has Precedent would suggest been backed up by the batsmen with Virat Kohli that the panel, chaired by leading the pack. Opener Rohit Sharma has also Pantry, is unlikely to set a hear- been in good knick while Yuvraj Singh, 34, cel- ing date until long after the ebrated his comeback with a crucial knock against World Twenty20 is concluded arch-rivals Pakistan and bettered it with a crucial on April 3. Russell, who helped West Indies win the 2012 World Twenty20, is therefore likely to be available for the opening Su- per 10 match against England in Mumbai on March 16. Athletes must tell their local anti-doping agency where they will be for at least one hour each day to facilitate drug tests, World Anti-Doping Agency rules state. If an athlete misses three drug checks within a 12-month peri- od, that counts as a positive test. Russell, who last month helped Islamabad United win the Pakistan Super league and was named man of the tourna- Bangladesh’s (left) and (centre) during a practice session in Mirpur yesterday. ment, also plays for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Pre- inning against Sri Lanka. The only point of con- a habit of punching above their weight and are ex- ing as kings in their own continent will give the mier League. cern is continuing poor form of opener Shikhar pected to put up a spirited fi ght in front of a capac- title winners a major boost before they set out to Dhawan. ity home crowd. Apart from the sole loss against take on the world. Harbhajan Singh, Pawan Negi, and Bhuv- India, they have won all their group matches, de- SQUADS neshwar Kumar were allowed to come off the feating highly rated opponents Sri Lanka and Paki- India: MS Dhoni (capt, wk), R Ashwin, Jasprit Bum- bench in the last group match against the United stan and minnows UAE. rah, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Arab Emirates (UAE) and performed admirably. Pacers Taskin Ahmed and Al-Amin Hossain Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pawan But they are unlikely to retain their spots, with have been excellent with the new ball while Sabbir Negi, Ashish Nehra, Hardik Pandya, Parthiv Patel, Nehra, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja Rahman and Mahmudullah have put in vital con- Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, expected to return for the fi nal. tributions with the bat. , Moham- Yuvraj Singh. Placed at the top of the International Cricket mad Mithun, and Shakib Al Hasan have performed Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Abu Hider, Council (ICC) rankings, India are overwhelming well on occasion, but have been somewhat incon- Al-Amin Hossain, , , Mah- favourites on paper against the 10th ranked hosts. sistent. The hosts will take inspiration from their mudullah, Mohammad Mithun, The group stage match between the two teams saw 2-1 One-Day International (ODI) series victory (wk), Nasir Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Sabbir Rah- India complete 45-run victory. But the fi nal will over India last year. man, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, India captain MS Dhoni. be a diff erent matter. Bangladesh have developed With the World T20 starting next week, emerg- Taskin Ahmed.

SPOTLIGHT OPINION India’s Shastri avoids comment on England have good chance to win World Taskin-Dhoni picture controversy T20: Collingwood Agencies at it, Bangladesh was a very good win to IANS the good things they’ve been do- Mirpur start off the tournament. First game, we London ing the past year, the way they’ve were under pressure, and in the last ten played their cricket, these guys overs we bounced back. But every game are very much athletes now. If ndia cricket team director Ravi is a tough game. It’s how you balance ngland’s powerful bat- they play like they did against Shastri yesterday chose to avoid the things out in batting and bowling de- ting line-up will give Australia or New Zealand they Taskin Ahmed-Mahendra Singh partment at the end of it. And I thought them a strong chance of can beat anyone,” the 39-year- Dhoni picture controversy saying he we did an excellent job. But the fi rst game winning the forthcom- old said. Idoes not “read newspapers”. was a tough game.” ingE World Twenty20, according Batsman Vince is also confi - On Friday, two days ahead of the Asia Shastri also played down the pitch to former captain Paul Colling- dent that England have the tal- Cup fi nal between India and Bangladesh, factor that has been discussed quite a bit wood (right). Collingwood was ent to be strong challengers. a picture of right-arm pacer Ahmed car- during this tournament. skipper of the national team The 24-year-old did not fea- rying the severed head of the Indian lim- “Pitches are not in our hands. I was when they lifted the World T20 ture on the recent tour of South ited-overs captain Dhoni had gone viral asked before the start of the tournament trophy in 2010, beating Australia Africa, but he was part of the Ka- on social media. Reportedly the picture that you are going to get a green top? So in the fi nal in Barbados. rachi Kings team which reached was posted by a Bangladesh fan. be it. So whatever track is on off er to- T20 specialists Eoin Morgan, the semi-fi nals of the Pakistan When asked about it at the pre-match morrow, we are ready to play,” he said. Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Alex Super League in February. media conference, Shastri said: ”I don’t “Our job is to go play in whatever con- Hales, Joe Root, Sam Billings, “Although the South Africa read newspapers. You people should read ditions we are off ered. Because you re- Jason Roy and James Vince, who series didn’t quite go to plan, the the papers, we should go and play crick- alise very quickly that it is not one team are part of the T20 squad that way the guys have been playing et. I don’t have a habit of reading when playing there, both teams have to play on will fl y to India have been part their one-day cricket and T20 there are matches around. You read, that surface. So it is fair play.” of successes recently and coach cricket over the last 12 months think about what is written and make On how the Indian team has trans- Trevor Bayliss will hope the or so gives us a real chance. We’ll your assessments on that. We will only formed since he took charge in England, young team delivers well in spin- just go out there and play the go out there and play cricket.” Shastri said he would save that answer ner friendly pitches. way we can do, and if we do that This is not the fi rst time a Bangladesh for a longer interaction with the media. “With players like that, you’ll we’ll go somewhere,” Vince said. fan has targeted India on social media. “I will have to sit here for 10 hours if I always have a chance to win ma- Earlier in 2015 when India struggled to have to tell you all that,” he said. “We jor tournaments. The fi elding is cope with pacer Mustafi zur Rahman, a are the No 1 team in T20 cricket. It has world-class, the batting line-up Bangladesh newspaper had published a India cricket team director Ravi Shastri. (AFP) been a gradual process but an enjoyable is powerful right down to nine or picture of half-shaved heads of the In- one. Let’s hope we can show that kind of 10. There are good things hap- dian players, in order to show the after- The only time India were in a spot of “I was asked before the start of the cricket in the fi nal too tomorrow.” pening in this team,” Colling- eff ects of Mustafi zur’s ‘cutters’. bother in the Asia Cup was in the fi rst tournament that you are going to get a He also refused to name any particular wood was quoted as saying by “We are experienced players. We just match of the tournament when their bat- green-top – so be it. Whatever track is on player who has done exceptionally well in the BBC on Thursday. treat it as another game. Why treat it ting stuttered till Rohit Sharma teed off off er tomorrow, we are ready to play,” said his opinion. The former all-rounder will as a fi nal? You approach it like you’ve towards the end to take them to a com- Shastri. “Our job is to go play in whatever “I don’t like to single out any player. travel to India with the England approached every game in this tourna- fortable win. That game was played on a conditions we are off ered. Because you When the team is doing well, let’s talk team as a batting consultant. ment,” Shastri. “For us, every game is a green-top against Bangladesh, and the realise very quickly that it is not one team about the Indian cricket team. That’s “Everybody has seen the way knockout; we’ve approached it in that pitch for the fi nal was also quite green on playing there, both teams have to play on more important. This is not a game of white-ball cricket has been go- fashion. And we’ll approach tomorrow’s match eve, though whether it will look that surface. So it is fair play. individuals. This is a game of a team that ing over the past year, it’s been game in no diff erent manner.” the same 24 hours later is another matter. “That was a good game. If you look goes out to play,” he concluded. very exciting. We need to realise Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 7 SPORT

NBA Raptors trim Trail Blazers for record 12th straight home win ‘It was one of those games we had to fight until the end. We have to take advantage of home court’

DPA Los Angeles

ot-shot Damian Lillard put up the big numbers, but the Toronto Raptors got the one that mattered most. DeMar DeRozan scored 38 points, Hincluding 24-of-25 free throws and the Raptors withstood Lillard’s 50-point eff ort Friday, to es- cape the Portland Trail Blazers 117-115 for their franchise-record 12th straight home win. “It was one of those games we had to fi ght until the end,” DeRozan said. “We have to take advantage of home court. We want to make it a tough place to play when teams come in.” Kyle Lowry had 28 points, and Jonas Valan- ciunas fi nished with 17 and 10 rebounds for To- ronto (41-19), which swept the two-game sea- son series. Lillard became the fi rst Blazers player to score at least 50 points twice in one season since Geoff Petrie in 1972-73 following a career-high 51 in a February win over Golden State. But his heroics fell short, this time. “I’m just trying to go take the game, that’s the bottom line,” said Lillard, who was snubbed from last month’s NBA All-Star Game. “Noth- ing matters but going and trying to take the game. And that’s all I was trying to do.” The Raptors led 90-77 heading into fi - nal quarter before Lillard torched them for 22 points. His triple pulled Portland to within 111- 108 with 20 seconds left. Lowry split a pair of free throws before an Alan Crabbe layup at the other end. After DeRozan sank two free throws, Lillard nailed his sixth triple of the game with 2.2 seconds left, making it 116-115. But DeRozan made 1-of-2 free throws with nine-tenths of a tick left to wrap up the win. CJ McCollum added 24 points for Portland (33-30), which fell to 3-2 on its six-game road trip. “You just continue to give him the ball,” McCollum said of his backcourt partner. “Obviously, we didn’t get enough stops to win the game, but he kept us in it for long stretches throughout that game and in the fourth quarter. He gave us a chance to win at the end.”

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 108, WASHINGTON WIZARDS 83 Kyrie Irving scored 21 points, while LeBron Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (centre) is fouled on his way to the basket by Toronto Raptors’ Cory Joseph (left) and Bismack Biyombo at Air Canada Centre. (USA TODAY Sports) James had 19 with 13 rebounds and seven assists, as the East-best Cavs (43-17) whipped the visit- 16 decisions. ing streak after making the Magic (27-34)disap- Brook Lopez scored 20 points, including the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 94, UTAH JAZZ 88 ing Wizards (30-31). pear. game-winning tip-in with four-tenths of a sec- Zach Randolph scored 25 points, including four CHARLOTTE HORNETS 108, ond left in overtime, sending the visiting Nets free throws in the fi nal 21 seconds, and the Griz- BOSTON CELTICS 105, INDIANA PACERS 101 MIAMI HEAT 112, (18-44) past the Nuggets for the fi fth straight zlies (37-24) held off the visiting Jazz for their NEW YORK KNICKS 104 Kemba Walker scored 33 points, Frenchman PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 102 time. Emmanuel Mudiay topped Denver (24-38) third straight win. Isaiah Thomas scored 32 points, and Avery Bra- Nicolas Batum added 31, leading the Hornets Dwyane Wade dropped in 21 points, Hassan with 25 points. Gordon Hayward scored 18 points in Utah’s dley hit a go-ahead layup with 17.7 seconds left, (33-28) past the visiting Pacers for their ninth Whiteside added 19 with as many rebounds, and (28-33) fi fth straight setback. as the Celtics (38-25) ran their home win streak win in the last 11 games. Paul George paced In- the visiting Heat (36-25) beat the Sixers for its MILWAUKEE BUCKS 116, to 13 games after rallying past the Knicks. diana (32-30) with 35 points. fourth straight win. Ish Smith tallied 26 points MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 101 ATLANTA HAWKS 106, LA LAKERS 77 Carmelo Anthony had a shot at the win but and Robert Covington had 25 for the league- Khris Middleton scored 32 points, while Giannis Germany’s Dennis Schroder scored 16 points his 3-point try banged off the backboard at the PHOENIX SUNS 102, ORLANDO MAGIC 84 worst Sixers (8-54), losers of 11 in a row. Antetokounmpo had 27 with 12 assists and nine off the bench to pace six players in double fi g- buzzer. Anthony had 30 points for the Knicks Alex Len had a career-high 31 points with 15 re- rebounds, helping the Bucks (26-36) top the ures, and the visiting Hawks (34-28) handed the (25-38), who blew an eight-point lead with four bounds and the sliding Suns (16-46) snapped BROOKLYN NETS 121, visiting Timberwolves. Minnesota (19-42) was West-worst Lakers (12-51) - minus Kobe Bryant minutes left en route to their 13th loss in the last their franchise-record-tying 17-game road los- DENVER NUGGETS 120 (OT) led by Karl-Anthony Towns’ 21 points. (sore right shoulder)- their 10 loss in 11 games.

NHL FOCUS Rangers edge past Capitals on Falcons coach asks Stepan goal early in third period college player if he is gay

By Steve Zipay AFP staff and I want to apologise to Eli for this even Newsday Atlanta coming up. This is not what the Atlanta Falcons are about and it is not how we are going to con- duct ourselves.” he Capitals have had the Rangers’ - tlanta Falcons coach Dan Quinn has Apple described the meeting Friday in an in- and it seems everybody’s - number apologised to college standout Eli Ap- terview with Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. this season, with an NHL-best ple after a member of his staff asked last “The Falcons coach, one of the coaches, was 98 points. They won three of four week during the NFL Scouting Combine like, ‘So do you like men?’” Apple said. Tagainst the Rangers this season. ifA he was gay. “It was like the fi rst thing he asked me. It was But Friday night, the Rangers turned the Neither Apple, a 20-year-old cornerback for weird. I was just like, ‘No.’ He was like, ‘If you’re tables with a gutsy 3-2 win. Ohio State who helped the Buckeyes win a na- going to come to Atlanta, sometimes that’s how it After the Capitals squared the score at 2 tional championship for the 2014 campaign, nor is around here. You’re going to have to get used to with two goals in the second period — one Quinn identifi ed the Falcons assistant coach who it.’ “I guess he was joking, but they just ask most in which a review reversed a no-goal call on asked the question not allowed under NFL rules. of these questions to see how you’re going to re- the ice — Derek Stepan put the Rangers ahead “I am really disappointed in the question that act.” The NFL is expected to look into the incident 17 seconds into the third period, curling be- was asked by one of our coaches,” Quinn said. “I and could impose disciplinary action against the tween the circles and fi ring a low shot off have spoken to the coach that interviewed Eli Ap- coach since the question is against league policy. Brooks Orpik’s skate past Braden Holtby. ple and explained to him how inappropriate and Quinn went 8-8 last season in his fi rst cam- Antti Raanta, who was lit up for fi ve goals unprofessional this was. paign guiding the Falcons after serving as defen- in the Blueshirts’ last visit here, made 32 “I have reiterated this to the entire coaching sive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. saves stepping in for Henrik Lundqvist, who sat out with neck spasms. The second period had been a crusher for the Rangers, some of whom were battling the fl u. Atlanta Falcons head With the Blueshirts ahead 2-0, a scramble coach Dan Quinn. in front of Raanta, with the puck obscured under him, was determined no goal on the New York Rangers center Derek Stepan (right) celebrates with teammates after scoring a ice at 10:58, but a lengthy review by the war goal against Washington Capitals in the third period at Verizon Center. (USA TODAY Sports) room in Toronto reversed the call. Coach Alain Vigneault challenged that, the period and Verizon Center went wild. any of the four previous games against the claiming goaltender interference, and lost After having few bodies in front of Marc- Capitals, at 15:33, and the Rangers capitalized that one, which was reviewed by game of- Andre Fleury in the 4-1 loss Thursday in on the power play. First Mats Zuccarello hit fi cials. Jay Beagle, who took a shot into the Pittsburgh, the Rangers had traffi c galore a post, then Derick Brassard struck iron be- pile after Kevin Klein had cleared the puck off in the fi rst period. Some determined play fore Keith Yandle’s point shot sailed through the goal line, was awarded the goal, and the in front led to a turnover and Jesper Fast’s Chris Kreider’s screen at 16:37. It was his fi rst Capitals halved the lead. wrister zipped past Holtby’s stick at 5:47 for goal in 13 games. When Tanner Glass went off for a slash a 1-0 lead and his fi rst goal in 10 games. With 17 games left, the Rangers return with 1:41 left, Stepan tried a long lead pass A very aggressive penalty kill broke up home Sunday at Madison Square Garden that missed in front of Holtby and three Caps neutral-zone entries when Marc Staal with the Islanders, who are fi ve points behind Rangers were caught down ice. T J Oshie went off for tripping Andre Burakovsky at the them for second place in the Metropolitan raced up the left side and beat Raanta top eight-minute mark. Karl Alzner stuck his leg Division at 38-21-6, 82 points. The Islanders, shelf from the circle with 40 seconds left in out to upend Stepan, who had not scored in with 77 points, have three games in hand. Gulf Times 8 Sunday, March 6, 2016 RUGBY

SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Basson hat-trick helps defeat Rebels Bezy error costs AFP Full-back Pretoria booted an attempted clearance kick into the backside of a duck- ing centre , much ormer Springbok Bjorn to the amusement of the players Basson scored three tries and the crowd. as Northern Bulls de- “It was a misunderstanding,” feated Melbourne Rebels was the explanation of national Toulouse victory 45-25F in a 10-try under-20 star Gelant. match yesterday that failed to Rebels loose forward Adam produce a bonus point. Thomson was equally embar- ‘It was up to me to take it back a bit to try to get it over (the charging defenders)’ The South Africans looked set rassed when he crossed the try- to collect an extra point when line early on only to drop the ball they led the try count 6-0 after and throw away fi ve points. Basson completed his hat-trick “It was good to win and put Clermont’s French scrum-half Morgan Parra kicks the ball out six minutes into the second half that heavy loss at the of a scrum during the French Top 14 match against at . behind us, but we let ourselves Grenoble at the Stade des Alpes in Grenoble. (AFP) But a Rebels revival yielded down in not securing a bonus four touchdowns, depriving the point,” admitted Bulls skipper three-time champions of the and hooker Adriaan Strauss. three-try advantage they needed “This is a young team that has under a rule change introduced a lot to learn and we did have soft in the opening round last week- moments in each half that need end. to be eradicated.” Offi cial man-of-the-match Bloodied Rebels loose forward Basson scored the opening try and skipper Sean McMahon, before a small, sun-drenched sporting a badly swollen left eye, Pretoria crowd and struck twice said a shocking fi rst-half show- within fi ve minutes early in the ing cost his team any chance of second half. The lone blot on his victory. copybook was a poor attempted “If we had performed in the tackle on Rebels full-back Jonah fi rst half the way we did in the Placid as he went over the try- second it could have been a dif- line to ignite a revival by the ferent story. The failure of Adam Australian outfi t. (Thomson) to dot down was a big Bulls saw a 42-3 advantage blow,” he said. dwindle to 42-20 before a penal- Basson (three), fl ankers Nick ty from fl y-half Francois Brum- de Jager and and mer brought relief. winger Travis Ismaiel scored Another Rebels try, the sec- tries for the Bulls, who led 28-3 ond of the match from scrum- at half-time. Brummer kicked half Ben Meehan, completed the six conversions and a penalty. scoring in an open, loose match Meehan (two), Placid and staged in muggy 30-degree cel- hooker James Hanson crossed sius (86 fahrenheit) heat. the try-line for the Rebels while It was also a game that pro- fl y-half Jack Debreczeni man- duced a comical moment during aged only one conversion and the fi rst half with the home side one penalty from six shots at 14-3 ahead. goal.

Parker steps up to seal nervy win for Otago Highlanders

Replacement flyhalf Hayden five minutes later to edge them Parker slotted a late penalty in front. goal to secure the Otago High- The Highlanders regrouped and landers a nerve-jangling 17-16 after mounting a desperate as- win over the Wellington Hur- sault on the line, centre Malakai ricanes in Dunedin yesterday in Fekitoa stretched out an arm a re-match of last year’s Super under a pile of tacklers to plant Rugby title-decider. the ball at the base of the right The 25-year-old’s angled kick post with 11 minutes left. But lo- from just outside the 22-metre cal fans were left howling in dis- line at Forsyth Barr Stadium may when the television match gave the champion Highland- off icial disallowed the try. ers their first win of the season, The crowd was baying again a AFP pressure against 14 men looked nax later, into fourth while Brive kickers have a 90-second time There was still time for McAl- while leaving last year’s run- minute later when substitute Paris set to earn a crucial victory jumped over Castres, who travel limit. Toulouse went back in ister to go over and set up a win- nersup 0-2 and under pressure back-rower Liam Squire had for the visitors, with a simple to Montpellier on Saturday front 10 minutes into the sec- ning kick for Bezy, but scrum- after two rounds. “It was a good another try cancelled after conversion to follow. But Bezy night, into seventh. Toulouse ond half as Maxime Medard half Pejoine had other ideas. game, wasn’t it? Just lucky we receiving a forward pass by eplacement Jean-Bap- placed the ball too close to the opened up an early 6-0 lead af- zig-zagged through the Brive On Friday night, France wing managed to pull through at the scrumhalf Aaron Smith. But tiste Pejoine charged posts, allowing an alert Pejoine ter two penalties from scrum- defence from close range, with Noa Nakaitaci scored a hat- end there,” Highlanders captain Parker stepped up five minutes down a last-gasp Se- the chance to dart forward and half Bezy as fi rst Fiji fl anker Do- Bezy converting from in front of trick as Clermont went top with Ben Smith said pitchside. later to put the Highlanders bastien Bezy conver- leap into the air to palm the ball miniko Waqaniburotu and then the posts. a 45-12 win at Grenoble. “It was pretty hot in here season on track after they were sionR from under the posts to down one-handed. prop Damien Jourdain were But Fijian wing Sevenaia It was a third straight win for tonight.” pipped in a high-scoring thriller earn Brive a draw in a 21-21 “It was up to me to take it punished. Galala did brilliantly to gather Franck Azema’s team, for whom The turned the ball by the last week. Fekitoa stalemate with Toulouse yes- back a bit to try to get it over Brive struck back with a pen- and ground an Iribaren grubber former England wing David over in the final minute and scored the Highlanders’ only terday. (the charging defenders),” ad- alty of their own on 23 minutes kick on the dive to restore the Strettle, centre Jonathan had one last chance to mount try in the ninth minute, while It was the second week run- mitted Bezy. from Gaetan Germain after a home side’s advantage. Davies and replacement scrum- a raid from deep in defence Barrett slotted three penalties ning Toulouse had missed a “When you get that close, sweeping passage of play saw Germain converted, having half Enzo Sanga also scored, but replacement back Jason in an 11-point game for the Hur- crucial conversion with the last everyone’s disappointed.” the hosts drive up to within 10 earlier closed the gap with a while Morgan Parra went six Woodward inexplicably booted ricanes. kick of the match as Jean-Marc It was a comical and surreal yards of the Toulouse line. penalty. from six with the boot. the ball to touch to guarantee Doussain’s failure cost them a fi nish to a tight match that ap- Brive continued to press and Bezy was then sin-binned for Grenoble dominated in terms defeat. draw in a 31-29 defeat at home peared to be in Brive’s pocket 10 following a line-out deep in dragging down a maul and when of possession and territory but The visitors trailed 11-6 at to Montpellier. “I don’t know if minutes from time until Aus- the Toulouse 22, hooker Fran- Germain kicked his third pen- were punished three times for half-time and were eight points it’s better to laugh,” said Tou- tralian Alfi e Mafi ’s sin-binning. cois Da Ros burrowed to within alty of the match with just over turnovers in the fi rst period as adrift after a Lima Sopoaga louse coach Ugo Mola. inches of the line before scrum- 10 minutes left, Toulouse were Clermont clinically scored fi ve penalty in the 49th minute, but “Last week, you could say Pivotal Bezy role half Teddy Iribaren swung the two scores behind. tries before the break. Hurricanes captain TJ Perenara (Doussain) rushed it. The angle Bezy was off the fi eld at that ball left for South African lock Medard’s dancing feet took Racing 92, who host second pulled them back into the was tight for a left-footer. point having also seen yellow, Johan Snyman to fl op over the Toulouse deep into the Brive 22 bottom Agen later on Saturday, game, lunging over the line “But here, it could not have but returned to the fray to play a line. before wing Mafi was yellow- or European champions Tou- from the back of a ruck for their been more in front of the posts.” pivotal role in failing to give his Germain had troubles with carded for being off side, giving lon, who travel to La Rochelle only try in the 56th minute. New Zealand international side victory. the wind, though, and skewed fl y-half Jean-Marc Doussain on Sunday, could both displace Flyhalf duly fl y-half Luke McAlister’s last- Toulouse moved above Bor- his conversion attempt wide the chance to kick Toulouse Clermont at the summit before converted and booted a penalty minute try after late Toulouse deaux-Begles, who host Oyon- under time pressure—in France, back to within a score. the weekend is out.

REPORT Fiji stunned by Samoa in Vegas Sevens opener

Reuters Nayacavou scored a late try to seal a 24- wayward passes as he initially strug- Las Vegas 14 win in the fi nal action of the day to gled to adjust to the shortened format. Myler rocks Saracens but Lawes limps off put the English out of contention for Another “no look” pass failed to go the Cup. to hand in the later 33-5 victory over Stephen Myler scored 15 points as Northampton stunned Wasps, with New Zealander fly-half Jimmy Gopperth adding eavyweights New Zealand, New Zealand, who won the inaugu- Japan but Cooper did notch his fi rst Premiership leaders Saracens yesterday, but the 20-15 win a conversion and penalty, before Gopperth sent a drop-goal South Africa and Australia all ral Sydney Sevens earlier this month, points with four conversions. came at a cost as England second row Courtney Lawes suf- attempt narrowly wide with the final act of an absorbing went unbeaten on day one of were in cruise control in front of 18,441 Carlin Isles, the “fastest man in rug- fered a potentially serious leg injury. Lawes limped off late in game. came off the bench to help Sale over- the Las Vegas Sevens on Fri- fans in the desert gambling capital as by”, and fellow speedster Perry Baker the first half with an ankle problem and will now be a ques- turn a half-time deficit and defeat Harlequins 29-23 at the AJ dayH but reigning World Series champi- they powered past Portugal 42-7 and both showed off their raw pace as the tion mark for next Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Wales. Bell Stadium. Joe Ford scored three penalties as the ons Fiji suff ered a shock defeat by Sa- Russia 38-0 to take a stranglehold on United States notched a 19-12 win Northampton scored the only try of the first half, with Myler took a 9-3 advantage after 27 minutes, but the visitors moa in their opening game. Pool A. against Wales followed by an error- the man to cross, but two penalties from Ben Spencer, and responded to lead by the interval. New Zealander Ben Botica A last-gasp try by Savelio Ropati Prolifi c winger Bryan Habana, South prone 26-26 draw with Canada in pool another from the impressive Alex Goode gave Saracens a kicked a pair of three-pointers and converted Tim Visser’s earned Samoa a thrilling 28-24 victory Africa’s leading try-scorer in tests with D. 9-7 half-time lead. Lee Dickson went over early in the second try as they held a 13-9 buff er at half-time. over their Pacifi c rivals in the most en- 64, made a successful return to sevens “Silly mistakes hurt you in the game half for his fifth try in four games, to give Saints the lead Sale regained the lead through Samoan flanker TJ Ioane’s tertaining encounter at Sam Boyd Sta- after a 12-year absence as the Spring- of sevens, and we made a few of them,” once more, with the sides trading penalties thereafter as converted touchdown before Botica levelled matters off the dium, just off the Las Vegas Strip. boks recorded lop-sided wins against U.S. head coach Mike Friday said after Saracens failed to come back. Third-placed Wasps suff ered tee. Cipriani had been dropped following a string of missed England had a poor day and came Canada and Wales in pool D. his team had squandered a 12-point a first Premiership defeat for two months as Gloucester kicks but he managed a 100 percent record, which included perilously close to being on the receiv- Australia launched their title bid in lead over Canada. continued an impressive push towards the play-off places two penalties and a conversion of Will Addison’s try. ing end of an upset when they trailed pool B with a 26-0 demolition of Scot- The Las Vegas event is the fi fth stop with a 13-10 success. Gloucester’s fourth win in their last five Sam Egerton crossed the whitewash late on for the visitors Japan 19-5 with less than two minutes land that included the long-awaited on the 10-tournament World Series league starts was achieved against the odds after they lost but that could only give them a losing bonus point. left in their Pool B opener. sevens debut for fl yhalf Quade Coop- circuit. The teams then head to Van- four players to injuries as Rob Cook, Henry Purdy, Paddy Bath put daylight between themselves and the relegation They battled back with two tries, er, who has represented the Wallabies couver, Hong Kong, Singapore, Paris McAllister and Billy Burns all went off . zone with their first bonus-point victory at the Recreation however, the second converted after 58 times in the 15-man version of the and London over the coming months. Gloucester captain Greig Laidlaw’s second-half penalty Ground this season as they defeated London Irish 25-17. Matt the buzzer by Tom Mitchell to secure a game. The World Series is providing a secured the victory, which came after an earlier penalty and Banahan got two tries for Bath and their others were scored dramatic 19-19 draw. Cooper, 27, came on as a substitute showcase for sevens as it prepares for his conversion of Welsh hooker Richard Hibbard’s try. by Semesa Rokoduguni and Leroy Houston, while Welsh fly- There was to be no comeback in their with just under fi ve minutes left, but his its debut at the Olympics in Rio de Ja- Wing Christian Wade scored a memorable solo try for half Rhys Priestland converted one and kicked a penalty. second match against Scotland and Joe fi rst few touches of the ball resulted in neiro in August. Gulf Times Sunday, Match 6, 2016 9 SPORT

GCC GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

The Qatar Senior and Junior teams emerged champions in the GCC Golf Championships, hosted by Qatar Golf Association from March 2-5, at the Doha Golf Club. PICTURE: Jayaram

SPOTLIGHT Brit sailors ready ‘protection package’ for Olympic Games ‘That is a bit of worry for us, but it is just going to be part of the Rio Olympics unfortunately’

Reuters Assuming they stay healthy there is then If rubbish does get tangled in her RS:X London the danger of getting plastic bags and other windsurfer’s fi n the board comes to a com- USOC forms medical group to guard against Zika in Rio garbage, which washes into the bay along plete standstill, Shaw, a bronze medallist at with the fl ows of raw sewage, tangled with Beijing in 2008 and current world number The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Besides establishing best practices for Team USA, bsessive hand washing, mouth- their boats. one, told Reuters. on Friday announced the formation of a medical the advisory group will help the USOC develop washes, downing cola after races “That is a bit of worry for us, but it is just The mosquito-borne Zika virus, which has advisory group to protect US athletes and staff educational material for athletes and staff , moni- and popping garlic tablets are just going to be part of the Rio Olympics unfortu- been linked to thousands of birth defects in against infectious diseases, including the Zika tor and share updated scientific literature and some of the precautions Britain’s nately,” said Scott, who is taking a break from Brazil, is just one of many preoccupations for virus, at this year’s Rio Games. help support care should an individual become ill. OlympicO sailing team will be taking for the Ainslie’s America’s Cup team to concentrate Shaw, 32. She will be taking garlic tablets, in “The health and safety of our athletes, and our “All three doctors are world-class physicians and Games in Rio. addition to using insect repellent as part of a entire delegation, is our top priority,” USOC CEO experts in the field of infectious disease,” said With the polluted waters of Guanabara Bay “protection package” to stay fi t in her quest Scott Blackmun said in a statement. USOC Managing Director of Sports Medicine Dr. a concern and the Zika virus also a worry, the for a gold medal. “I’m grateful to the diverse group of medical Bill Moreau. athletes are taking no chances as they seek to Rio’s varied and challenging conditions experts that have agreed to provide Team USA Moreau said having access to the “outside exper- improve on Britain’s 2012 home tally of fi ve will mean that “the person who wins in Rio with the information and resources necessary to tise represented by this advisory group” beyond medals and regain the advantage they lost to will be the most versatile sailor, the most stay healthy and compete successfully.” their in-house medical staff was another way to Australia. adaptable sailor,” Shaw added. A growing number of international athletes in re- ensure US athletes and staff have what they need Giles Scott, who has taken over the men’s For Hannah Mills, 28, and Saskia Clark, cent weeks have expressed concern about Zika, to be well and compete at a high level. Finn single-handed class mantle from sail- 36, who won silver in the 470 dinghy class a virus that has been linked in Brazil to more than The doctors in the advisory group, who are ing’s most successful Olympian Ben Ainslie, at London 2012, it is also important not to be 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly. participating on a volunteer basis, each has said the focus is on getting as much time on distracted by health concerns or the hazards Much remains unknown about Zika, including experience with the management of infectious the water as possible in Rio to help conquer of trash. whether the virus actually causes microcephaly disease in patient populations that frequently the vagaries of complex tides, fl ukey winds The pair were mugged at knife point while in babies, a condition defined by unusually small travel internationally. (Reporting by Larry Fine; and fl oating garbage. on the “personal battles” he anticipates at training in Rio in 2014 and are still “not com- heads that can result in developmental problems. Editing by Nick Mulvenney) However, one of the main concerns for Rio. Scott is expecting to see strong compe- fortable” about security but now take greater Brazil said it has confirmed more than 640 cases Scott, who will be competing at his fi rst Ol- tition from New Zealand, French, Croatian, precautions. They are confi dent the authori- of microcephaly, and considers most of them ympics, and other British sailors is making Dutch and Slovenian rivals with Britain hav- ties will do all they can to make it safe for ath- to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. sure that they avoid getting ill from the wa- ing a less experienced team than the one that letes during the Games. Brazil is investigating more than 4,200 additional ter and they have a strict regime to limit the competed in 2012. Their main focus is on factors they can suspected cases of microcephaly. risks. control and getting “on top of the podium” The Infectious Disease Advisory Group will be “(It’s) really simple stuff ...like bathroom MOSQUITOES AND MUGGERS in what they told Reuters will be their last chaired by Dr Carrie L. Byington from the Univer- hygiene but all the time. We get that nailed Windsurfer Bryony Shaw said avoiding the Olympics together as Rio will be Clark’s fi nal sity of Utah Health Care, who will be joined by Dr and then we can focus in on the sailing,” the debris which can be found fl oating below the Games. Randy Taplitz of the University of California, San 28-year-old, who is world number one in the surface in parts of the sailing zone in the bay “We want to give it absolutely everything Diego, and Capt. Martin S. Cetron of the Centers heavyweight Finn, told Reuters ahead of the “could be the diff erence between winning these last six months to make sure we go there for Disease Control and Prevention. the RYA Dinghy Show. medals or not”. and give it our best performance,” Mills said.

EMIR CUP AND QATAR CUP BASKETBALL

Under the supervision of Qatar Basketball Federation’s (QBF) assistant secretary-general Mohammed al-Subaei, the draws of the Qatar Cup and the Emir Cup were held at the QBF headquarters yesterday. The Qatar Cup is due to begin on March 9 and will conclude on March 29. The Group A consists of Al Rayyan Club, Al Shamal, Qatar Sports Club, Al Ahli and Al Khor. The Group B teams are Al Gharafa, Al Wakrah, Al Arabi, Al Sadd and El Jaish. The prestigious Emir’s Cup, the season-ending domestic event, is scheduled to start on April 3. The final will be played on April 22. The 10 participating teams have been divided into two groups. The Group A has El Jaish, Al Gharafa, Qatar Sports Club, Al Khor and Al Arabi, while the Group B features Al Sadd, Al Ahli, Al Rayyan, Al Shamal and Al Wakrah. Gulf Times 10 Sunday, March 6, 2016 SPORT

GOLF WGC Halfway leader Adam Scott riding Jang edges ahead momentum at Doral aft er another bogey-free day The 23-year-old made history in January when she became the first golfer on the LPGA to score a hole-in-one on a par-four in the Bahamas and followed that up with her first win on the circuit in Florida early last month. Adam Scott of Australia plays a shot Reuters on the 18th hole at Singapore Trump National Doral Blue Monster Course on Friday. ang Ha-na will take a one-shot lead into the fi nal round of the HSBC Women’s Champi- ons after the in-form Korean edged ahead of her playing partners yesterday to remain onJ course for a second LPGA title in her last four starts. Jang shot a four-under-par 68 to move to 12-under for the tournament, one ahead of Thai- land’s Pornanong Phatlum and two clear of joint overnight leader Lee Mi-rim and Amy Yang as Koreans fi lled three of the top four spots on the leaderboard. Ariya Jutanugarn, Brooke Henderson, Stacy Lewis and Suzann Petterson are in a group of six players four shots off the lead but they will most likely need to shoot in the low 60s on Sunday if they are to overhaul the supremely consistent Reuters thanks to a scorching, fi ve-under Jang. Miami tour of the back nine. “I may try and be a little more aggressive to- “I’ve been playing really well,” morrow,” Jang said in a post-round interview. said Johnson, who opened with a “But I need to stay confi dent and comfortable and ive days after clinching 72. “I just never really got out of be proud. I talk to myself on every hole, say ‘keep his 12th PGA Tour vic- position.” going, don’t think about it, just play golf’.” tory, red-hot Adam Scott World number three McIl- The 23-year-old made history in January when charged into the second- roy required only 23 putts in his she became the fi rst golfer on the LPGA to score roundF lead at the WGC-Cadillac second-round 65, using 10 fewer a hole-in-one on a par-four in the Bahamas and Championship in Miami on Fri- putts than on Thursday. followed that up with her fi rst win on the circuit in day. The Northern Irishman al- Florida early last month. The Australian, who won the tered his putting grip earlier this Jang secured two top-10 fi nishes in the sub- Honda Classic last Sunday, bird- week from conventional to left- sequent events and has gone bogey-free on the ied three of his fi nal four holes at hand low and the move reaped testing Serapong Course since the 14th hole of the diffi cult Blue Monster course dividends in the second round. her fi rst round with an exemplary display of ball- at Trump National Doral Resort “It’s felt really comfortable, striking from tee to green. to complete a six-under-par 66 it really has,” McIlroy said. “I’ve One a day of low scoring despite windy condi- for a 36-hole total of 10-under done it before in my rookie sea- tions, the fi nal group of Jang, Lee and Pornanong 134. son on the European Tour in matched each other shot-for-shot on the front Scott is two shots in front of 2008. nine to stay ahead of the chasing pack at the $1.5 fellow long-hitters Rory McIlroy “In my mind it couldn’t have million restricted-fi eld event. and Dustin Johnson. gotten any worse,” he said about The pivotal hole of the day was the par-four “There is momentum and it’s his putting. “So why not make 13th when Jang’s exquisite approach led to a rou- a huge factor,” Scott told Golf a change? The change is feeling tine birdie as Lee paid the price for a wayward sec- Channel. “The trick is to fi gure very comfortable at the minute ond shot, with her bogey leaving her two adrift of out how to use it, how to main- and I’m willing to stick with it.” the leader as the pair parred the last fi ve holes. tain it and keep it going from American Phil Mickelson was Pornanong was scrambling to stay in touch and week to week. in the lead at nine-under with rebounded well after a bogey on the 11th with two “So far this week I’ve done a four successive birdies from the birdies coming in, including on the par-fi ve 18th, good job. Now the weekend is fi fth hole, but he gave those shots to move within a shot of the lead as the Thai chases a diff erent animal. The leader- back with two bogeys and a dou- a fi rst LPGA victory since joining the tour in 2009. board looks great. It’s going to be ble-bogey in his fi nal six holes to “I need to prepare mentally for tomorrow be- exciting and at the moment the register a 72 to sit at fi ve-under fore I head out on the course,” the 26-year-old course is producing good scores. tied for seventh with England’s South Korea’s Jang Ha-Na in said. “I have to be ready and like today, try not to I might have to keep it going at Paul Casey. action at the HSBC Women’s think too much out there.” this same pace.” Englishman Danny Willet was Champions golf tournament Yang stormed into the fi nal group on Sunday, Scott, 35, made eight birdies alone in fourth place at seven- at the Sentosa Golf Club in at Lee’s expense, when she went on a back-nine and two bogeys and saiid he fed under after a 69, one stroke Singapore. birdie blitz after a disappointing start, the two- off the terrifi c play of playing ahead of double Masters win- time tour winner registering fi ve birdies over the partner Johnson. The American ner Bubba Watson and Charley last eight holes to rocket up the leaderboard. posted the low round of day at 64 Hoff man.

CYCLING Dominant USA win maiden team pursuit title AFP out being a special group. We’re a team The second of their three rides, in London in every sense of the word.” which they recorded 4 minutes The emphatic USA success was 14.806 seconds, was the fastest largely unexpected, although rivals time of the competition for the he USA completed a dominant Canada knew that their fellow North 4km and, while they slowed in performance throughout all Americans had improved greatly in re- the fi nal, their ride of 4:16.802 was three rounds to win the wom- cent months. still nearly three seconds faster en’s team pursuit at the track “We race the Americans a lot,” said than Canada TWorld Championships in London on Canada’s Allison Beveridge. “We al- Friday, the nation’s fi rst ever world ways knew they were strong over 2km Italy’s Filippo Ganna, 19, won an medal in a team pursuit. and really strong over 3km, so if they exciting individual pursuit fi nal, pull- The quartet of veteran Sarah Ham- could put it together, they could defi - ing ahead of Germany’s Domenic mer, Kelly Catlin, Chloe Dygert and nitely be a team to contend with. Weinstein only in the closing stages Jennifer Valente easily defeated Cana- “The way they got it right this week to post an impressive winning time da in the fi nal after posting the quick- was still a bit of a shock all the same. of 4:16.141. In the all-British bronze est times throughout two rounds of We just tried to ride our own races and medal ride, Andy Tennant beat Owain qualifying, including twice breaking while it’s disappointing, the Olympics Doull by 0.174sec to add to the silver their national record. have always been our goal. Credit to medals the pair won in the team pur- The second of their three rides, in the Americans, though, they put to- suit 24 hours earlier. which they recorded 4 minutes 14.806 gether three really strong rides.” Anastasiia Voinova of Russia won seconds, was the fastest time of the Reigning Olympic champions Great her second gold medal of the champi- competition for the 4km and, while Britain, who surprisingly only fi nished onships as she successfully defended they slowed in the fi nal, their ride of fi fth in qualifying, recovered to take her 500-metre time trial title, her time 4:16.802 was still nearly three seconds bronze against New Zealand, hav- of 33.736 edging out surprise silver faster than Canada. ing set a new national record in their medallist Wai Sze Lee of Hong Kong, “I’ve been waiting my whole ca- semi-fi nal and riding faster than the who had led for most of the event. reer to get a world championship with USA in their fi nal ride with a time of An exciting Points race was only de- a team,” said Hammer, 32, who has USA’s Jennifer Valente, Sarah 4:16.540. cided on the fi nal sprint of the 40km won fi ve individual pursuit and two Hammer, Chloe Dygert and Kelly “It’s defi nitely satisfying,” said Brit- distance when Britain’s Jon Dibben omnium titles at previous champion- Catlin on their way to gold in the ish star Laura Trott. “It was about soared away to win the fi nal sprint and ships. Women’s Team Pursuit final during putting a good time in after yesterday the gold medal. “For some of the girls, it’s the start the 2016 Track Cycling World and the disappointment of fi nishing The 8,000-plus crowd roared on of their careers but it’s the winding Championships at the Lee Valley fi fth. Dibben as he sprinted to win the fi ve down of mine. It’s the fi rst medal ever VeloPark in London on Friday. “Our old national record was set at points available on the line, tying him for the USA in the men’s or women’s altitude so to beat it twice here was with Austria’s Andreas Graf, whom he team pursuit so it’s a very special night great. It felt like we rode round as a beat by virtue of crossing the fi nishing for us. team today and though we didn’t win, line ahead of him. Kenny De Ketele of “This is a special group and you we set our stall out and put our foot Belgium trailed a further fi ve points don’t do what we did this week with- back in the door for Rio.” behind. Gulf Times Sunday, March 6, 2016 11 SPORT

PORSCHE GT3 CUP CHALLENGE MIDDLE EAST Qatar-based Frijns fi nishes third in fi rst race

Agencies endured some anxious moments as the from second on the grid Ashkanani Manama Charlie Frijns drives during the opening two teammates battled for suprema- dived into the lead on the tight right- race of the fi nal round of the Porsche cy at the front. But it was exactly the hand corner and proceeded to control GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East outcome the team champions would the race from the front despite Schmidt atar-based Charlie Frijns have dreamt of. Both drivers eventually putting him under intense pressure in enjoyed another outstanding safely returned their cars ahead of rivals the fi nal stages. day of racing at the Bahrain and Ashkanani starred to claim a well- Speaking after the race win, a de- International Circuit as he deserved fi rst race win of the season. lighted Zaid Ashkanani said: “I am re- fiQ nished third in the opening race of Despite the slight disappointment of ally happy with my performance today, the fi nal round of the Porsche GT3 Cup not adding another race victory to his it’s my fi rst win of the season and it has Challenge Middle East Season 7. tally the result means Schmidt’s strong felt like a long time coming. In dramatic afternoon of world-class performance in second sees him take “It was a very tough battle with my motorsport involving the region’s lead- one step closer to the overall driver’s team mate Jeff ery, he was really putting ing drivers, the penultimate race of the title. With only one race remaining the pressure on me from behind but I acclaimed series witnessed the top two the young driver in his debut season in managed to retain my position and fi n- steps of the podium dominated by Al the series remains a healthy 24 points ish in fi rst. Nabooda Racing team’s dynamic duo ahead of Ashkanani in second and Ryan “It was the fi rst time this season I of Zaid Ashkanani and Jeff rey Schmidt. Cullen third in the standings. qualifi ed ahead of Jeff ery which gave For fans of the championship the The result means Schmidt will be me a lot of confi dence at the start of the sight of drivers from Al Nabooda Rac- third pole position of the season. Yet ings but his podium fi nish in Bahrain the car to hold on to the speed, Jeff ery crowned champion tomorrow regard- race, I had a strong start and managed ing occupying the podium is a familiar despite best eff orts Frijns found him- takes him within seven points of fourth put a lot of pressure on me and man- less of what happens ahead of him if he to hold on to the speed throughout one this season. However on this oc- self in second place as early as the fi rst placed Abdulaziz al-faisal. aged to get past me late on, from there I can avoid disaster and fi nish anywhere the 12 laps. I am hoping for the same casion is was former champion Zaid corner after failing to hold into his slim Speaking at the end of the race, Fri- just had to concentrate on keeping the in the points in the fi nal race. tomorrow and another win would be Ashkanani who out-qualifi ed and out- advantage off the line. As the race worn jns said: “I had a really bad start to the car on the track and fi nishing in third. Entering the fi nal weekend the Ku- amazing for me.” shown his teammate Schmidt for the on Frijns was eventually reeled in and race and lost a position early on, I tried “Tomorrow I need to prove myself waiti star Ashkanani held only a slim After a long, competitive and en- fi rst time this season to claim maxi- overtaken by championship leader to close the gap on Zaid (Ashkanani) again in qualifying to start at the front chance of overcoming the odds and thralling season the fi nal outcome of mum points, with Schmidt second. Schmidt before fi nishing a credible but he had a very fast start and contin- of the grid and then hope for a better his teammate Schmidt. But right from the driver’s championship across all Again Frijns showed a glimpse of third. ued to pull away in the fi rst couple of performance in the race to stay at the qualifying and the opening corner of three individual categories, gold, sil- his prodigious talent by recording the The result means Frijns remains fi fth laps. After 4 or 5 laps my tires were re- front.” the race, the former champion showed ver and bronze will now be decided quickest time in qualifying to land his in the overall championship stand- ally wearing out and I was fi ghting with Ahead of Frijns Al Nabooda Racing his fi ghting qualifi es. After starting tomorrow.

MOTOGP TESTING SPOTLIGHT QBF and QSports to host 3x3 basketball Champ Lorenzo leads from March 10 to 12 crash-fi lled fi nal day Movistar Yamaha’s rider in control as Losail pre-season test concludes

Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo in action during MotoGP pre-season testing in Doha.

By Sports Reporter Doha

Sports and Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) will host a 3x3 basketball tournament from March 10 to 12 on a special portable basketball court inside the 01 Mall in Ain Khalid. QThe three-day tournament - The 01 Mall Novo Cinemas 3x3 Basketball Tour — has been created as part of series of Doha 3x3 tours that will be organised throughout the year. The tournament will feature 32 teams in each of the three divi- sions — Open, Classic and Women’s. The Open division is for the competitive players while the Clas- sic division has a height restriction of 5’ 11”. Players from the Qatar National Women’s basketball team are also participating with one professional women player allowed in any women’s team. Games are expected to begin at 7:00pm on March 10 with the fi nals to be held on March 12 at 8:00pm. “With technical assistance from the QBF, the tournament news will be uploaded on the FIBA 3x3 Planet and teams will be ranked based on their participation levels”, says Issam al-Sarout of the QBF. By Sports Reporter Not only was the current Mo- corner as a result. After this Dovizioso who set his fastest lap was not able to get above 13th The tournament’s popularity is growing as over 30 teams have Doha toGP World Champion Lorenzo’s crash it was a matter of rebuild- on lap 47, his last lap of testing. place but having consistently already registered in the fi rst week of registrations. Plenty of ac- one lap pace near untouchable, ing his confi dence until a fi nal Suff ering two falls on the fi nal done the most laps of any rider tivities and surprises await the spectators, especially kids and his race simulation was demonic fl ying lap dragged him to fourth, day, Hector Barbera still man- across all three tests, the Brit has families, with prizes and special discounts at the 01 Mall. On amaha’s world cham- with the majority of laps in the Honda riders having struggled aged to end as the fourth fastest ample data to work with. Friday lookers can compete in free throw and short competitions and pion Jorge Lorenzo low 1’56s and several in the 1’55s, outside the top fi ve for much of Ducati in ninth with a 1’55.733. also saw Smith test a set of win- win gift vouchers from Mall shops such as Dominos, Kebabs N fi nished MotoGP pre- even towards the end. Few other the test. The Spaniard was only able to glets on his Yamaha. Curries, Mega Mart and Suleiman Jewelers. Kids and families season testing in scin- riders managed a run of 22 con- In fi fth on the fi nal day was manage 23 laps on the closing Loris Baz ended the test in One of the highlights will be 3 exhibition games on Saturday tillatingY style, fi nishing the fi nal secutive laps, none able to touch Valentino Rossi with a 1’55.429 day. 14th and ahead of Aleix Espar- that will feature kids from the QSports Basketball Academy, QB day in Doha half-a-second clear. Lorenzo’s pace. completed on his 36th lap of 55. After three successful tests, garo on the Suzuki, Espargaro Hoops Academy and BE Basketball Academy. Coach Yusef Aziz The Spaniard went to the top 0.516s behind Lorenzo on the All of the top fi ve were able to Barbera heads into the fi rst was once again unable to match of QSports Basketball Academy said: “It’s a great opportunity for with a lap of 1:54.810s, a full 0.725 second day, and in the overall go faster than Viñales’ best time round of the championship con- the pace of his teammate. young basketballers to witness such competitions for motivation seconds faster than the rest of the times, was Scott Redding. The from Thursday. fi dent of battling for the top ten. It was a strong day for Michele and learn valuable skills by being a part of such tournaments.” fi eld at that stage. That lap was satellite Ducati rider was able to The Qatar test has seen Rossi All of the top nine were within a Pirro, replacing the injured Wassim Soubrawa, chief operations offi cer of 01 Mall said: “We also 0.457s better than the fastest produce a great lap of 1’55.326 focus on gathering data, putting second of Lorenzo’s lap. Danilo Petrucci, after his crash are excited to promote grass roots sports in Qatar and are delight- lap of last year’s Qatar Grand Prix, aboard his Octo Pramac Ya- in a total of 144 laps across the After a diffi cult pre-season, on Thursday as the Ducati test ed to host the 3x3 basketball at 01 Mall.” set by team-mate Valentino Rossi. khnich GP15, the year old ma- three days in the desert. Frus- Dani Pedrosa concluded the fi - rider managed 16th and com- For many riders it was a diffi - chine still proving competitive tratingly once again Rossi was nal test as the tenth fastest rider pleted a staggering 63 laps. cult fi nal day as they pushed for a at the Qatar circuit. over half a second behind his due to his 1’55.857 from Thurs- Pirro’s time was 0.436s better fast lap, a number of falls occur- Aside from being the leading teammate, though no doubt his day. The Repsol Honda rider was than the best of Tito Rabat, who ring as a result. satellite bike, Redding was also hard work testing settings will visibly frustrated when talk- leaves Qatar as the 17th fastest After a slow start to the ses- the leading Ducati with a com- assist him in the long run. ing to the media after the Qatar rider. sion with only Stefan Bradl ven- fortable 0.2s margin over Andrea Sixth on both the fi nal day and Test and will need a signifi cant Alvaro Bautista continued to turing out in the opening hours, Iannone at the end of the third overall, Andrea Iannone was one change of fortune before the sea- progress well on the Aprilia, just Valentino Rossi suff ered his day. of only a handful of riders who son starts. 2.233s back on Lorenzo’s best second fall at Turn 10 midway Improving his Thursday best did not improve their time on the Pol Espargaro ended the test in time and ahead of Australia’s through the session. The Mov- by 0.103s, Maverick Viñales fi nal day. 11th and ahead of teammate Bra- Jack Miller in 19th. Eugene Lav- istar Yamaha MotoGP rider was continued to shine under the The Italian’s 1’55.508 stood dley Smith. Espargaro was just erty ended the test in 20th, now unhurt and was able to return to desert floodlights. A 1’55.333 as his best single lap of the test, 0.025s behind a fi nish inside the feeling much more at ease with his box and resume testing. saw the Team Suzuki Ecstar but like Lorenzo he turned his top ten. 0.012s back on Esparga- his GP14.2. Later in the evening the Es- man third on Friday and third attention to a longer run on the ro was Yonny Hernandez in 12th. Stefan Bradl was the last of the trella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS man overall. As with the previous fi nal day. Under a tenth back on After an initially diffi cult start, full time MotoGP riders, ending suff ered another fall, again un- days, Viñales continued to fo- Iannone was Cal Crutchlow who the Colombian has found his feet ahead of Hiroshi Aoyama and hurt. Both Aleix Espargaro and cus on shorter runs. was able to improve his Thursday with the Aspar MotoGP Team Takuya Tsuda. Loris Baz fell with over two hours With less than half an hour best time by over half a second to and was able to fi nish ahead of The MotoGP World Cham- remaining; Espargaro’s a fast of the test to go, Marc Marquez end the day and concluded the Bradley Smith. pionship now have several days off at turn three. Neither rider set his best time of the test with test in seventh. Smith, who had been saving off before practice for the fi rst was injured. There were further a 1’55.402. As on Thursday, the With Dani Pedrosa again hav- his tyres for the fi nal day, com- Grand Prix of the year begins on falls for Hector Barbera and Cal Repsol Honda Team rider had ing a diffi cult time on the factory pleted 62 laps. This was just one the March 17 is almost here and Crutchlow, the latter heading to left the pits early and began to bike, Crutchlow was the second lap less than Michele Pirro and with four diff erent manufactur- the Clinca Mobile for checks and push from the start of the ses- fastest Honda rider. Crutchlow the most of any full time Grand ers in the top four, it looks set to was deemed fi t. sion, suff ering a fall at the last was 0.108s ahead of Andrea Prix rider. Unfortunately Smith be another incredible season.

Sunday, March 6, 2016 GULF TIMES SPORT

CHI AL SHAQAB Beerbaum is star of the night as Germans make a clean sweep of Grand Prix podium ‘The way she jumped was really nice. I went last and that was definitely was an advantage. I am very pleased because I beat a strong field. To come back and sit here is a special feeling. My horse came from a two-month break. To come back like this, so clear, is a great feeling. It is a special feeling’

By Sahan Bidappa Ali Yousef al-Rumaihi (Gunder) came Doha 28th and 29th respectively. Bassem Hassan Mohamed riding California fi nished 33rd. ermany’s Ludger Beerbaum won his second CHI Al Shaqab Grand Prix title last night, Kittel triumphs in riding his trusted 13-year-old Dressage GGrey Mare Chiara to another triumph. The four-time Olympic gold medal- Sweden’s Patrik Kittel and his 12-year- list (thrice team and once individual old Mare, Deja claimed the top spot in champion) clinched the CSI5* Grand the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music at the Prix Two Rounds with Jump Off 1.60m CHI Al Shaqab last night. on the concluding night of the event at At the Al Shaqab arena, Kittel and the magnifi cent Al Shaqab arena. Deja combined to score 82.55% to clinch The 52-year-old Beerbaum led the the Dressage title and pocket €25,000. German sweep on the podium, with his The Swede was favourite going into compatriots Daniel Deusser on First the event, as he had won on Friday and Class van Eeckelghem and Christian also in the preceding CDI5* GP - Grand Ahlmann on Codex One coming second Prix. Kittel and Deja lived up to that and third respectively. billing. The pair’s beautiful Freestyle Beerbaum called it a ‘special feeling’ routine was rewarded as Kittel achieved after beating a ‘strong fi eld’ to take the the horse’s best ever score. “It’s a spe- crown. cial horse,” a delighted Kittel said after “The way she jumped was really nice. the victory. “She (Deja) was fantastic I went last and that was defi nitely was today. The music just fi tted into our an advantage. I am very pleased be- rhythm today. The mare that we have cause I beat a strong fi eld. To come back these days are really good. I couldn’t be and sit here is a special feeling,” Beer- happier,” he added. baum said. “Today the presentation was done at “My horse came from a two-month the main arena and I was like ‘wow’. What break. To come back like this, so clear, really clicked was the music and how is a great feeling. It is a special feeling,” everything turned out,” the Swede said. Beerbaum added. Irish rider Judy Reynolds set a score Beerbaum set the track for 42 com- of 79.700% on her way to a runner-up petitors that qualifi ed during the week fi nish on Vancouver K. Reynolds and to compete for the mega event. Twenty the gelding had previously set an Irish riders then qualifi ed for the second record of 77.425% at Lyon in France last round with Beerbaum, Deusser, Ahl- October. mann, Luciana Diniz and Nicola Philip- An incredible performance saw Rey- paerts jumping clear to advance to the nolds boost her hopes of gaining an in- jump-off . dividual place for Ireland at this year’s Beerbaum was the last to go in the Rio Olympic Games. A pleased Reynolds jump-off , as he had to clear Deusser’s said: “It was absolutely brilliant, by far time of 49.02 seconds, and the veteran the best presentation. He (Vancouver K) rider used all his experience to scoop was so with me and on the music. It was another win in Doha. mega, the best weekend ever.” It was the sixth show for Chiara in The third place went to Germany’s Qatar Olympic Committee President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani (third from left) presents the trophies to the winners of the CHI Al Shaqab Grand Prix at the Doha. Berbaum earlier had fi nished Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who with Al Shaqab Arena yesterday. Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum won the title, his second in Doha after 2014, followed by compatriots Daniel Deusser and Christian Ahlmann. second in the Global Champions Tour Zaire aggregated 79.475 points. fi nal at the same venue in 2014 before a third place in the Grand Prix at Chi Al Germany’s Ludger Shaqab 2013. Almobty wins in Beerbaum en route The Global Champions Tour and Doha Tour first leg to winning the title last week’s HH The Emir’s Sword win- ner Luciana Diniz riding her champion In the Doha Tour fi rst leg show jump- Mare, Fit for Run 13 had to settle for ing, Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty of fourth place. In fact, at one point Diniz Saudi Arabia won the CSI3* Final - Ta- looked to top the table but she commit- ble A (238.2.2) 1.45m. Almobty riding ted a fault, which proved costly for the Dona Evita came home in 34.70 sec- Portuguese. onds to pocked €11,880 Qatar’s Sheikh Ali bin Khalid al-Tha- The second place went to Egypt’s ni riding his Stallion Imperio Egipcio Saed Saad (Triple S) and the third to Milton fi nished 21st, while Khalid Mo- Saudi’s Ramzy Hamad al-Duhami (Ba- hamed A S al-Emadi (Tamira IV) and yard van de Villa Theresia).

A Qatari rider in action

CONCLUDING DAY RESULTS Show jumping to Music (GP FS) Porsborggaardens Donatello. 71.833, Faust. Points: 74.083/ Prize money: CSI5* Grand Prix Two Rounds with 1. Patrik Kittel (Sweden) Deja. Points: €880 €1,200 Jump Off 1.60m 82.900. Prize money: €25,000 2. Pepo Puch (Austria) Fontainenoir. 1. Ludger Beerbaum (Germany) 2. Judy Reynolds (Ireland) Vancou- CPEDI3* Freestyle IV (IV FS 74.000, €1,000 Chiara. Time: 48.81. Prize money: ver K. 79.700, €20,000 20x60) 3. Céline Gerny (France) Flint. 67.917, €165,000 3. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Ger- 1. Carolin Schnarre (Germany) del €800 2. Daniel Deusser (Germany) First many) Zaire. 79.475, €15,000 Rusch. Points: 71.417. Prize money: Class van Eeckelghem. 49.02, €1,400 CPEDI3* Freestyle II (II FS) €100,000 CDI5* GP - Grand Prix (GP) 2. Camilla Christensen (Denmark) 1. Rixt van der Horst (Netherlands) 3. Christian Ahlmann (Germany) 1. Patrik Kittel, Deja (Sweden) Points: Oestergaardens Deleight. 68.417, Caraat. Points: 76.333. Prize money: Codex One. 47.84, €52,500 77.100. Prize money: €10,000 €1,200 €1,200 2. Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (Ger- 3. James Dwyer (Ireland) Fleurette 2. Caroline Cecilie Nielsen (Den- Doha Tour CSI3* Final - Table A many) Zaire. 75.560, €8,000 van de Kreungel. 67.833, €1,000 mark) Leon. 74.083, €1,000 (238.2.2) 1.45m 3. Judy Reynolds (Ireland) Vancou- 3. Angelika Trabert (Germany) First 1. Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty ver K. 74.320, €6,000 CPEDI3* Freestyle Ia (Ia FS) Lady Melody. 70.750, €800 (Saudi Arabia) Dona Evita. Time: 1. Rihards Snikus (Latvia) King Of 34.70 seconds. Prize money: €11,880 CPEDI3* Freestyle III (III FS The Dance. Points: 73.917. Prize CDI5* GPS - Grand Prix Special (GPS 2. Saed Saad (Egypt) Triple S. 35.03, 20x60) money: €1,300 1. Alice Oppenheimer (Great Britain) €7,200 1. Philippa Johnson-Dwyer (South 2. Jens Lasse Dokkan (Norway) Headmore Delegate. Points: 72.431. 3. Ramzy Hamad Al Duhami (Saudi Africa) Lord Louis. Points: 73.500/ Cypres. 73.750, €1,100 Prize money: €5,000 Arabia) Bayard van de Villa Ther- Prize money: €1,280 3. Elke Philipp (Germany) Finnbar, 2. Marina Mattsson (Sweden) Beck- esia, 35.06, €5,400 2. Susanne Jensby Sunesen (Den- 68.500, €900 ham. 67.627, €4,000 mark) Thy’s Que Faire. 73.000, 3. Julie Leytens - De Deken (Bel- Dressage €1,080 CPEDI3* Freestyle Ib (Ib FS) gium) Kingsley Lucky Dance. 66.725, CDI5* GP FS - Grand Prix Freestyle 3. Ann Cathrin Lübbe (Norway), 1. Nicole den Dulk (Netherland) €3,000