TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2016 SPORTS French minister fumes at Euro 2016 song in English

PARIS: A French minister yesterday renamed “I Was Made for Lovin’ You, My described as “incomprehensible” the choice Team” for the tournament. Skip The Use’s of a song in English as the official anthem lead singer Mat Bastard said the group was for French supporters at Euro 2016. Andre asked to record the song ahead of others Vallini, the secretary of state for by French singers Charles Trenet and Jean- Francophony, said the French Football Jacques Goldman “because it was the song Federation’s decision to choose a cover of “I which meant the most to us”. Was Made for Lovin’ You” performed by Vallini also bemoaned the fact that French group Skip The Use was “very con- France’s entry in this year’s Eurovision Song cerning”. “Euro 2016 will be a great festival Contest, “J’ai cherche” by Amir, features a of sport which is taking place in France and chorus largely in English. “At a time when will therefore project the image of our we are defending the place of the French country abroad. And our language too! It is language in international institutions, and therefore incomprehensible that the especially European institutions... it is anthem of the French national team should incomprehensible that for these two big be in English,” Vallini said. popular events, the French language has The song, originally performed by lowered its guard,” he added. Euro 2016 American rock veterans Kiss, has been takes place from June 10 to July 10. — AFP

Pakistan drop Afridi, Akmal Shehzad from England tour

LAHORE: ’s new selectors yester- domestic matches,” Inzamam said at a news day dropped star players Shahid Afridi, conference in Lahore. As for Shehzad and Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal from Umar, he said, “the selection committee will next month’s tour of England, stressing not compromise on discipline”. there would be no compromises after the Shehzad was declared best batsman of country’s disastrous exit from the World the Pakistan Cup one-day tournament in India. Former Afghanistan which ended on Sunday, scoring 372 runs, coach Inzamam-ul-Haq, who is heading up but along with Umar has been involved in the newly formed selection committee as various disciplinary breaches. Former Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis - who resigned in early April - had also recom- mended dropping Shehzad and Umar. SHEFFIELD: England’s Mark Selby plays a shot during the third session of the World Snooker Final against China’s Ding Junhui yesterday.— AFP Spot-fixing convict Salman Butt was also not selected. “Butt has not played four-day since his ban was lifted so we need to assess him in longer formats before Selby maintains lead selecting him,” said Inzamam. Butt is also likely to face issues with obtaining a visa to England - though another spot-fixing convict, , was included in the squad as he is over Ding in worlds expected to get the visa after pleading guilty in a UK court. Butt, Amir and Mohammad Asif were caught in a spot-fix- SHEFFIELD: Mark Selby continued to frus- city’s football club will be crowned champi- ahead. Breaks of 52 and 68 then assured ing case on Pakistan’s last tour of England trate Ding Junhui’s bid to become Asia’s first ons of England if nearest challengers Selby would lead going into the concluding in 2010, taking money for no-balls during world champion by maintaining his three- Tottenham Hotspur don’t win their Premier session. Ding pulled one back to close to the Lord’s Test. Their five-year ban ended in frame lead in the World Championship final League match away to Chelsea yesterday. within two before Selby ended the session September last year. Pakistan will play four yesterday. At the end of yesteray’s first ses- Ding needed a good start to the day’s snook- with a break of 55. Tests, five one-day internationals and a sion world number one Selby - world cham- er and got one by winning a 50-minute Impressed six-times world champion LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket’s chief selector on a two-month pion in 2014 - led 14-11 after the match opening frame before taking the next on the Steve Davis, commentating for the BBC, said: Inzamam-ul-Haq speaks during a press long tour of England. resumed with the Englishman 10-7 ahead black to cut Selby’s lead to 11-10. “Mark Selby is an animal on the table, he conference in Lahore yesterday. — AP Squad named for boot camp: overnight. Now Selby will need just four However, the Englishman won three of took that last frame by the scruff of the neck. Mohammad Hafeez, Sami Aslam, Iftikhar more frames for victory when the best of the next four frames to stay in front with a “He can grind frames out but he can also part of wholesale changes following last Ahmed, Azhar Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Khurram 35-frame contest was to resume later yes- healthy, but by no means decisive, lead after attack them. How do you approach the final month’s tournament humiliation, Manzoor, Shan Masood, Younis Khan, terday at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre in he went 6-0 up at the start on Sunday. In an session? It’s like another day in the office announced 35 players would attend boot Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Shoaib Malik, northern England. attritional match - Sunday’s evening session apart from the fact it’s the most important camp starting in Kakul from May 14 to June Haris Sohail, , , Leicester-born Selby will hope to be did not finish until 2323 GMT - the pair then session of your career. Ding knows he’s up 4. He said Afridi - who announced he would , Akbar-ur-Rehman, Asif Zakir, involved in a notable sporting double as the exchanged centuries to leave Selby narrowly against a rock of a player.” —AFP continue playing the Twenty20 format after Anwar Ali, Bilawal Bhatti, Mohammad Amir, resigning as in the wake of the Rahat Ali, Imran Khan, Sohail Khan, Wahab event - needed to perform in domestic Riaz, Junaid Khan, Hasan Ali, Sarfraz matches. “Since we are playing only four Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Adnan Akmal, Twenty20 matches this year we want to Yasir Shah, Zulfiqar Babar, Mohammad give new players a chance, and that will Asgher, , Bilal Asif, Zohaib also allow Afridi to rest and perform in Khan. — AFP Kaushik reprises Adams’ frog-in-blender action

NEW DELHI: When Paul Adams burst onto changed,” the spinner said after claiming 3- the scene with his bizarre way of delivering 20 against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday. the ball, many were convinced they would “Batsmen found it a bit difficult because my never see anything like it again. Two action was a bit different. I got a lot of sup- decades later, India’s Shivil Kaushik has port from all my coaches. They’ve not tin- emerged as the proud heir to the South kered my action and been backing me.” African spinner’s “frog-in-a-blender” action. Heads, including Kaushik’s own, turned at Spinner-Contortionist ’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Seeing him bowl is like watching a con- Stadium when the left-arm chinaman tortionist perform - straining every muscle bowler made his (IPL) in his torso but the spinner assures his body debut for on Friday. can cope with it. “It’s something which Pressed into attack in the eighth over, the comes naturally to me so my body doesn’t 20-year-old ambled slightly wide of the take much of a load.” Kaushik went - crease when a spirit seemed to enter his less in his IPL debut but bounced back body as he bent his knees, twisted his torso against Punjab, dismissing rival skipper and sent down the ball rotating his left-arm Murali Vijay and the Australian duo of Shaun around his head. “Shivil Kaushik. Wow!! Marsh and Glenn Maxwell. Wouldn’t have thought we’d ever see that “The first three balls, I didn’t understand action again. #Gogga #PaulAdams what was happening,” Vijay, who opens for #FrogInABlender,” tweeted former India in tests, said with a smile. It was very Zimbabwe cricketer Pommie Mbangwa. difficult for me to pick whether it’s going in He was not alone. For many, it brought or coming out. I did my video analysis back memories of Adams’ outrageous action before the game and I saw a bit of his bowl- which got him a bagful of , especially ing, but it was still difficult. Maybe the next in his debut home series against England. time I face him, I will be better equipped.” Adams, now coaching Cape Cobras, himself Once the element of surprise wears off, appeared amused. “Remind you of some- Kaushik will need much more than just an one! Wow #Kaushik ! Great to see the art of unorthodox bowling action to graduate to #Chinaman bowling alive,” tweeted ‘Gogga’, international cricket. The youngster is now who played 45 tests and 24 one-day interna- focusing to get his line and length right tionals for South Africa between 1995-2004. and refuses to look too far. “It feels really Kaushik thanked all his coaches for not nice that a lot of people (are) talking about forcing him to dump the action, however me but I think it’s more important to stay weird it maybe. “I was eight-years old when I focused and look at our future matches BANGALORE: Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Virat Kohli (right) runs between the wickets while Kolkata Knight Riders bowler Umesh started playing cricket and the first ball I and all I look to do is to contribute to our Yadav looks on during the 2016 Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight bowled was this way and I have not team.” —Reuters Riders at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium yesterday. — AFP Injured Marsh out of IPL, Bailey joins Pune

NEW DELHI: Australian batsman Shaun Marsh series starting June 3, which also involves who had captained the Punjab team in the has been ruled out of the rest of the Indian South Africa. Marsh picked up the injury dur- previous edition, went unsold in the February Premier League with an injury, while another ing the game on April 19 against Kolkata auctions only to make a late entry into the Kangaroo player George Bailey made his sea- Knight Riders and seemed to have carried the cash-rich league. son entry with Team Pune, Australia’s cricket back niggle ever since, the Cricket Australia “We lost four crucial players, but we are board said yesterday. Marsh, who played six website said. looking ahead,” said Pune chief executive matches for IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab this Meanwhile Bailey signed up for the Raghu Iyer. “Bailey has tremendous experience season, is set to join national teammates John Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Pune to give some and had a very successful season before last. Hastings (Kolkata Knight Riders), Mitchell hope to the team’s stuttering campaign, He can contribute to the leadership group. Marsh and Steve Smith (Rising Pune which was further hit by a string of injuries to Smith’s (injury news) been a bummer. He was Supergiants) back home. its foreign recruits. Englishman Kevin just coming into his own and this happened. It Marsh though - unlike Hastings, brother Pietersen and South Africa’s Faf du Plessis is a challenging time. Before we could settle RAJKOT, India: Gujarat Lions bowler Shivil Kaushik bowls during the 2016 Indian Mitchell and Smith - is not part of the 16-man were two early casualties before Mitchell and down we lost the core group of players around Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Gujarat on Sunday.— AFP Australia squad named for the West Indies tri- Smith also pulled out due to injury. Bailey, whom you build a team.” —AFP