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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2014 SPORTS

Cook’s captaincy in doubt Bjerregaard reels in Grace Warner, Dhawan and Kohli fined LONDON: Alastair Cook’s role as England captain for next year’s World Cup MALELANE: Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard shot the best round of the day ADELAIDE: Australia’s David Warner and India’s Shikhar Dhawan and Virat was cast into doubt when head coach Peter Moores said his position would with a 66 at Leopard Creek Golf Course yesterday to close within one shot Kohli have been fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for ill-tem- be reviewed after the team’s current one-day series in Sri Lanka. Cook was of tournament leader Branden Grace after three rounds of the European pered incidents during the fourth day of the first test in Adelaide. Warner and last week named as skipper of a provisional 30-man squad for next year’s Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Championship. Dhawan were fined 15 and 30 per cent of their respective match fees for a tournament in Australia and New Zealand but has continued to cut a belea- Grace, who won all four of his previous European Tour titles in 2012 confrontation after the Australian opener was bowled by a no-ball. guered figure at the helm of the one-day side. before going off the boil, had started the day comfortably ahead after India paceman Varun Aaron had celebrated after rattling Warner’s stumps, The 29-year-old has averaged under 18 with the bat opening rounds of 62 and 66. only for the batsmen to retaliate towards the bowler after his let- as the tourists slipped to a 4-2 series defeat in Sri Lanka But the 26-year-old had to battle hard for a third round 72 to remain on off. Dhawan was involved in a heated exchange with the fiery with one game remaining. “We review everything at that mark, with the little-known Bjerregaard slashing his five shot Australian after the next delivery. the end of every series, we’ve always said that,” overnight advantage down to one. India captain Kohli, deputising for the injured MS Dhoni, Moores told Sky Sports when asked if Cook would Winner last week in the Nedbank Challange, Danny Willett stayed in was docked 30 per cent of his match fee after an argument be captain at the World Cup. “We make no bones touch in third place on 14 under after a round of 67. Ryder Cup player with Australian bowler Steven Smith following a rejected lbw that we’re passionate to try and get our best side to go Francesco Molinari, who had the best round of the day on Friday with a 65, appeal against Rohit Sharma. “The three players admitted the out and win a World Cup. Cook needs runs but he’s also was a shot further back in fourth following a round of 70. offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by Jeff Crowe had some great times as an England player. He’s in a Grace bogeyed the long second, but swiftly birdied the third from 25 of the Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees. As such, there was no tough patch at the moment but that’s something he’s feet and picked up another shot at the next. Another dropped shot at the need for a formal hearing,” the ICC said in a statement yester- working hard to get out of.” Cook’s performance during sixth was again swiftly wiped out as the South African holed from 15 feet at day. The match was Australia’s first since the death of England’s 90-run defeat in the sixth one-dayer on Saturday the next. Grace’s approach to the 11th spun back off the green and led to a their former batsman Phillip Hughes, who was typified the form that has led to a growing number of critics bogey, but a birdie from tap-in range at the 14th following a superb pitch struck on the head by a bouncer during a first- question his captaincy and his place in the team.—Reuters kept him four ahead.—AFP class match in Sydney two weeks ago. —Reuters

Vincent Trocheck in action in this file photo. Panthers maul Red Wings NHL results/standings Pittsburgh 3, Calgary 1; Montreal 6, Los Angeles 2; Florida 3, Detroit 2 (SO); Anaheim 4, Edmonton 2.

DETROIT: Vincent Trocheck and Brandon Pirri eighth straight time. Pittsburgh’s last loss to Doughty scored for the Kings, who have lost Western Conference Detroit 17 6 7 91 75 41 had the only shootout goals to lift the Florida Calgary was on Dec. 3, 2005. three of their last four. Back-up goalie Martin Pacific Division Montreal 19 10 2 83 79 40 Panthers to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Johnny Gaudreau had the only goal for the Jones finished with 14 saves. Jones, coming WLOTLGFGAPTS Toronto 169 3958135 Wings on Friday night. Flames, who have lost four in a row. The off shutouts in his previous two starts, gave Anaheim 20 6 5 91 82 45 Florida 12 8 7 61 70 31 Vancouver 18 9 2 88 81 38 Roberto Luongo made 29 saves through Penguins played without defending NHL up three goals on the first eight shots he Boston 15 13 1 74 75 31 overtime and stopped Pavel Datsyuk and scoring champion Sidney Crosby, who also faced. At the other end, Price made save after Calgary 17 12 2 94 83 36 Ottawa 11 12 5 73 79 27 Gustav Nyquist in the tiebreaker to give the will miss Saturday’s game at Columbus while brilliant save until Muzzin finally got the San Jose 16 11 4 88 82 36 Panthers their second victory in two meet- he awaits results from medical tests for an ill- Kings on the scoreboard at 3:35 of the third Los Angeles 15 10 5 79 69 35 Buffalo 11 16 2 52 88 24 ings against the Red Wings this season. ness that caused the right side of his face to period. Arizona 10 16 3 67 95 23 Metropolitan Division Tomas Fleischmann and Jonathan Huberdeau swell. Though there have been more than a Edmonton 7 18 5 65 102 19 Pittsburgh 19 6 3 91 65 41 scored in the first period for the Panthers. dozen cases of mumps around the NHL, DUCKS 4, OILERS 2 Central Division NY Islanders 19 10 0 93 85 38 Riley Sheahan and Nyquist also scored in Crosby doesn’t believe he has that illness. Sami Vatanen and Ryan Getzlaf each had Chicago 20 8 1 91 57 41 Washington 13 10 5 81 77 31 the first for Detroit and Jimmy Howard fin- a goal and an assist as league-leading Nashville 19 7 2 78 55 40 NY Rangers 12 10 4 77 76 28 ished with 24 saves. The Red Wings fell to 1-5 CANADIENS 6, KINGS 2 Anaheim won its sixth straight and ninth in St. Louis 19 8 2 86 68 40 New Jersey 11 14 5 69 87 27 Winnipeg 15 9 6 72 70 36 in shootouts this season. Jiri Sekac scored two goals and Cary Price 11 games. Kyle Palmieri and Nate Philadelphia 10 13 5 74 86 25 Minnesota 15 11 1 77 67 31 stopped 44 shots to help Montreal win its Thompson also scored for the Ducks. Tyler Columbus 11 15 2 67 92 24 Colorado 10 13 6 76 95 26 PENGUINS 3, FLAMES 1 second straight.PK Subban had a goal and Pitlick and Jeff Petry scored for the Oilers, Dallas 10 13 5 81 100 25 Carolina 8 17 3 60 78 19 Blake Comeau and Kris Letang scored early two assists, David Desharnais and Andre who have lost three in a row and 14 of their Eastern Conference Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the first period to lead Pittsburgh past Markov each had a goal and an assist, and last 15. Edmonton also dropped to 1-15-4 Atlantic Division in the standings and are not included in the loss Calgary. Rob Klinkhammer also scored to Sven Andrighetto also scored for Montreal. against Western Conference opponents this Tampa Bay 19 8 3 103 78 41 column (L). help the Penguins beat the Flames for the Defensemen Jake Muzzin and Drew season. —AP Marquez NBA opens floor to social activism LOS ANGELES: When a wave of the playoffs, issued a statement on Monday percent, according to research by defends NBA’s biggest stars donned “I can’t saying he respected the players for Nielsen. That is three times higher than breathe” shirts - the rallying cry of “voicing their personal views on impor- the NFL. James, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ demonstrators against US policing tac- tant issues, but my preference would be MVP forward; Bryant, the Los Angeles tics in black communities - it highlight- for players to abide by our on-court Lakers’ prodigious scorer; and Rose, the move to ed the power and influence wielded by attire rules.” Silver declined to fine play- Chicago Bulls point guard, are also part today’s professional basketball stars. ers for attire violations that are in place of the NBA’s ultra rich. James and Bryant The pre-game actions this week of to ensure exposure for the NBA’s appar- will earn more than $20 million in salary Andorra LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Derrick el brands. this season while Rose will make $18.9 Rose, observers say, spring from their James, the league’s biggest star, said million. Unlike pay 30 years ago, today’s SPAIN: Spanish MotoGP world champion Marc outsized celebrity, enormous wealth he wore the black shirt with “I can’t larger salaries are enough financial Marquez has defended his decision to move to and shared sense of social activism. breathe” written on it as a message to insurance for most players to withstand Andorra and said he will still pay taxes in Spain Behind the scenes stands a new com- the family of Eric Garner, an African- the loss of endorsement contracts over next year. missioner who has let players mix sports American man who died from a police controversial public gestures or state- “I’m 21 now and I’ve always been living with and social issues so far without conse- chokehold in July. A New York grand ments, says Sports Illustrated media my parents, so like many young people I’ve quence. Adam Silver, who has been on jury’s decision last week not to indict writer Richard Deitsch. decided to create my own space and my own the job as National Basketball the white officer in Garner’s death But the players are also such big home,” the official motogp.com website quoted Association commissioner less than a sparked demonstrations across the stars, Deitsch adds, that it would not the Catalan as saying. “I’ve picked Andorra year, has gained a measure of trust with country. matter. “LeBron James has more lever- because I’ve been there many winters and many the players for his swift decision in April age than every corporation that he times during the year...who knows what will hap- to ban former Los Angeles Clippers ‘NO GRASS, NO COW’ works for,” Deitsch said. James and pen in the future. I pay my taxes in Spain and will owner Donald Sterling for racist Garner’s final words - “I can’t breathe” Bryant have apparel contracts with Nike, still do so next year.” remarks, says Howard Bryant, a colum- - have become a new rallying cry in a which is known as one of the most loyal Andorra, a principality in the eastern Pyrenees nist for ESPN the Magazine. protest movement that started with the companies to its high-profile endorsers. mountains between Spain and France and within Silver, he says, is repaying that trust killing this summer of an 18-year-old The NBA’s main attractions are also easy reach of Marquez’s home town of Cervera, is by letting players take their own social unarmed African-American in Ferguson, well aware of how they fit into the also known for its favourable tax regime towards stand in the workplace - and in front of Missouri, by a white officer. league’s business structure, said John residents. Marquez, the youngest ever MotoGP millions of fans. “There are important issues out Carlos, the Olympic bronze medalist world champion who successfully defended his “He’s aware that the NBA more than there, and for athletes to recognize sprinter and activist who along with title this year, recognised there had been criti- any other league is a players’ league, and they’re citizens as well as entertainers, Tommie Smith protested inequality cism of him in Spain but said some of it had been the players are going to drive it,” he said, and they’ve got a voice that’s legiti- for African-Americans during a medal harsh. adding that individual stars more than mate,” President Barack Obama told ceremony at the 1968 Summer “As a sportsman, you never know how long teams help the league’s popularity. “You ESPN Radio on Friday. A handful of NFL Games in Mexico City. “I’m the grass your career will last,” said the Honda rider. have to trust where they go with it.” players have demonstrated but none the cow has to eat to get the milk,” Britain’s Formula One world champion Lewis Silver, who allowed teams like the with the public stature of James, Bryant Carlos said about a professional ath- Hamilton, who drives for Mercedes, lives in Clippers and Miami Heat to turn their and Rose. The NBA has the largest com- letes’ thinking in today’s multi-billion Monaco and has also been criticised in British warm-up shirts inside-out in protest position of African-American fans, more dollar industry. “If there’s no grass, media for his choice of residence.—Reuters Marc Marquez in action. against Sterling during last season’s than any other U.S. sports league at 45 there’s no cow.”—Reuters