Sports Thursday, January 17, 2019 19 Awesome Attiyah on verge of his 3rd Dakar Rally triumph But he failed to get going in Qatar’s rally ace the dunes and needed about wins Stage 9; Final 20 minutes to resume his charge. stage in Lima on As if the first setback was not enough, another mechani- Thursday a formality cal failure had him trapped in for him now the dunes with 33 kms to go in the 309-km timed section. Tribune News Network Soon Despres also had his DOHA dream of winning a stage gone up in smoke as his car over- Qatar’s sporting icon turned at 288 kms. He had to Nasser bin Saleh al Atti- wait for other drivers to come yah has virtually sealed his and rescue him. third Dakar Rally title as he This unexpected oppor- grabbed the ninth and pe- tunity suddenly opened the nultimate stage in Pisco in whole passage in front of Atti- a dramatic turn-around on yah to charge through, win and Wednesday. defend his overnight overall The tenth and final round lead of 46 minutes. The twice in Lima on Friday will thus runner-up in the past three be a formality to complete for Toyota’s driver Nasser bin Saleh al Attiyah of Qatar and co-driver years and his French co-driver Attiyah given his 51-minute Mathieu Baumel of France compete during the Dakar Rally. (AFP) Matthieu Baumel drove cau- overall lead. Qatar’s Nasser bin Saleh al Attiyah thumbs up at a checkpoint during the Dakar Rally. (EPA-EFE) tiously and claimed the stage. The 48-year-old Gazoo always try to do our best be- beginning. We’ve been lead- Attiyah is now at the top Racing driver, who earlier X-Raid Team) was fourth 14 rally giant and barring any I hope he’s okay. Today was cause it’s not easy. The Dakar ing since stage 3 and building of the general classification won the ultimate test of man minutes adrift of the stage last-minute surprises on the very difficult, not easy, with a is really difficult. Every day up the [gap] every day, we’re with 51 minutes and 27 sec- and machine in 2011 and winner Attiyah and Benedik- morrow, the overall leader lot of soft sand, but we took it we work very hard to be fast quite happy,” he added. onds lead over Roma and has 2015, posted his third stage tas Vanagas Sebastian (Gen- will stand on the top step of easy and did a good job. I’m and not make mistakes. After a flying start in pri- opened a big gap of two hours, victory for Toyota 4’58” ahead eral Financing Team Pitlane) the podium. quite happy. “Me and Mathieu, the vate Peugot and opening over two minutes and 37 seconds of X-Raid Team’s Nani Roma completed the top five 15 min- Attiyah after the day’s “Yeah, until now every- team, work very hard every nine minutes gap on Cyril De- on Loeb. Przygonski has fall- in Mini and 7’15” ahead of utes and 45 seconds behind thrilling action, said, “We saw thing has gone very well and day to keep our car fit every spres (X-Raid Mini) and Atti- en two hours and 33 minutes teammate and 2009 winner him. Sebastien and I didn’t know tomorrow, we just need to day. The car is good, the bug- yah by WP4, Spaniard Sebast- behind and is followed by Giniel de Villiers. Overall, it was the 34th about ‘Peter’, we just got the bring everything together in gy is a good car. We’ve fol- ien Loeb (PH-Sport) looked Despres two hours and 55 Jakub Przygonski (Orlen stage victory for the Qatari information on the finish line. Lima. I’m quite happy. We lowed our strategy from the strong for his fifth stage win. minutes adrift. Souq Al Wakrah to host MERC Windies recall Kohli wants India to be superpower in Tests Bravo, Joseph IANS the game. “I wouldn’t say goal Kohli however, also said for England Melbourne but I would rather speak of a the shorter formats of the game opening round in March vision, which is for India to be are equally important. series Virat Kohli added another a superpower in or “If we focus too much on feather to his cap after becom- a very, very strong side in Test shorter formats – yes, they’re QMMF offers free AFP ing the first ever India skipper cricket in the years to come,” important – but if we solely Bridgetown (Barbados) to win a Test series on Austral- Kohli was quoted as saying. focus and look at them as an shipping from ian soil. However, the 30-year- “I think if Indian cricket re- escape or an excuse to not Oman, Kuwait to Darren Bravo could play his old wants to take Indian cricket spects Test cricket, and Indian be in the kind of situations first Test for the West Indies to much greater heights. players respect Test cricket, that Test cricket presents to competitors in over two years after the ex- Kohli has shared his vision then Test cricket will stay at the you, then there’ll start be- perienced top-order batsman for the Indian team, saying he top because of the fan base that ing a mental problem with was recalled Tuesday for next wants his nation to be a super- we have all over the world,” the the cricketers coming up,” Tribune News Network week’s series opener against power in the longest format of Indian skipper pointed out. expressed the skipper. DOHA England in Barbados. Bravo hasn’t featured in a The Manateq Qatar Interna- Vojtech Stajf on his way to winning the Manateq International Rally of Test since a tour of the UAE in tional Rally will kick-start the Qatar last year. October 2016, but the 29-year- FIA Middle East Rally Cham- old returned to the interna- England women’s football team trains at Khalifa pionship in 2019 and has The QMMF is also sup- The Qatari duo of Adel Ab- tional fold late last year as part moved back to a traditional plying free shipping on the dullah and Nasser al Kuwari of the one-day squad. date at the start of the season Oman-Doha-Oman and Ku- won the MERC 2 category in Fast bowler and will open the series on wait-Doha-Kuwait routes and Qatar in 2018 and regional also earned a recall ahead of the March 14-16. five nights accommodation for MERC 3 champions, Henry three-match series, although The Qatar Motor and Mo- the driver and co-driver as a Kahy and Musa Djiyerian, fellow quick Oshane Thomas torcycle Federation (QMMF) generous concession to com- wrapped up an excellent sea- was named as cover as the for- has also announced that the petitors. Teams have been in- son with two-wheel drive hon- mer continues his recovery from event’s rally headquarters vited to the event from Jordan, ours in their Škoda Fabia 1.6 a stress fracture in his back. and service park will remain Kuwait, Oman and several Eu- This year’s rally will be John Campbell, a 26-year- at Lusail Sports Arena but the ropean countries. held under the chairmanship old left-handed opener from pre-event press conference, Nasser bin Saleh al Attiyah of QMMF President Abdul- Jamaica, received his first call- ceremonial start and prize is currently competing on the rahman al Mannai and senior up along with the 30-year-old giving ceremony will move to Dakar Rally in Peru, but he has committee members. Portu- Shamarh Brooks, who cap- an exciting new location at Al dominated the Qatar event in gal’s Pedro Almeida will act as tained the West Indies at the Wakrah, south of Doha. recent seasons and has taken Rally Director and is working Under-19 World Cup in 2008. The ceremonial start will 13 victories in 17 years. alongside Qatari Clerk of the take place on the beach in The multiple regional Course Rashed al Sulaiti. Squad: Jason Holder (capt), Kraigg front of the Souq Al Wakrah champion missed out last The event last visited the Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Hotel on March 14 and this November, however, with a Al Wakrah area in 2012: the Al John Campbell, Roston Chase, Shane venue will also host the prize surprise win falling to Czech Wakrah Stadium hosted rally Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, giving ceremony and start and driver Vojtĕch Štajf. He be- headquarters and the QMMF Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, finish media facilities. came the first non-Arab driver ran stages in the south of the Jomel Warrican, Oshane Thomas (cover for The competitive action to win the event since the late country and to the west of Joseph) will then take centre stage on Björn Waldegård’s success Doha. Schedule a series of timed gravel surface with co-driver Fred Gallagher Regulations will be open 1st Test: Jan 23-27 at Bridgetown specials through the Qatar de- in a Toyota Celica Turbo way shortly and entries will open 2nd Test: Jan 31-Feb 4 at North Sound The England women’s football training held a training session at the Khalifa International Stadium on serts on March 15 and 16. back in 1986. in due course. 3rd Test: Feb 9-13 at Gros Islet Wednesday in preparation for the World Cup in France.

Receding Waves claims Umm Al Afai Cup Mosanda down City Exchange by a run in Qatar Airways T20 cricket

Tribune News Network DOHA brief Scores Division A Mosanda rallied spiritedly Mosanda beat City Exchange by one run Mosanda: 142 for four in 20 overs (Kamran Khan and scripted an exciting one- 49 in 50 balls, Imran Ali 35 in 34 balls; Shafiq 2/13, run victory over City Exchange Rayees 1/27) in a Division A match in the City Exchange: 141 for eight in 20 overs (Shafeeq Qatar Airways 39 in 41 balls, Jackson 35 in 18 balls; Imran Ali Javed (left) of Gulf Colours 2/15, Ahmer 2/10) Cricket Tournament. Man of the match: Imran Ali (Mosanda) After Kamran Khan Lagaan and Sherin of Selex cracked 49 out of Mosanda’s Gulf Colours Lagaan beat Bangladesh Seniors by 142 for four in 20 overs and Javed’s 58 in just 36 34 runs Gulf Colours Lagaan: 156 all out in 18.1 overs Imran Ali chipped in with 35, balls were supported well by (Javed 58 in 36 balls; Ziku 2/25, Ronny 2/22) the latter joined hands with Ameen and Saeed as Gulf Col- Bangladesh Seniors: 122 all out in 17.5 overs Ahmer to restrict the rivals ours Lagaan easily defeated (Haleem 23 in 21 balls; Ameen 3/16, Saeed 3/17) at 141 for eight in a pulsating Bangladesh Seniors by 34 Man of the match: Javed (Gulf Colours Lagaan) finish. runs in another match. Selex beat Doha Falcons by four Khan’s 50-ball knock had Javed hammered a six Doha Falcons: 135 for eight in 20 oves (Iftikhar 55 Receding Waves defeated Top Face by a length to win the Umm Al four boundaries and Ali also and nine fours to lay the base in 55 balls, Kashif 42 in 40 balls; Sherin Afai Cup, the feature event at the 22nd Race Meeting on Wednesday. hit four shots to the fence in of his team’s 156 in 18.1 overs. 4/18) At the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club Racecourse’s dirt track, the Selex: 136 for six in 16.2 overs (Sherin 21 in 19 his 34-ball innings Shafiq Ziku and Ronny shared four balls, Asif 21 in 18 balls; Muhammad 4/16) Khalifa bin Sheail al Kuwari’s six-year-old bay colt, with JP Guillambert picked two wickets for 13 and wickets. Haleem battled the Man of the match: Sherin (Selex) astride, registered his first win of the season, taking his overall tally to Rayees had one for 27. longest for Bangladesh Sen- five in 22 races. City Exchange got stuck iors and got 23 with a six and Iftikhar’s 55 not out with The victory for Mohammed Jassim Ghazali’s ward also completed a after Shafeeq hit two sixes two fours. Ameen and Saeed a six and three fours and 42 superb treble for jockey Guillambert. and as many fours in 39 and grabbed three scalps each to by Kashif took Doha Falcons The rider earlier piloted Rahibah (Injaaz Stud) and Lo De Nalane Jackson blasted a six and six send the opponents crashing to 135 for eight. But Selex (Khalifa bin Sheail al Kuwari) to wins for trainer Jassim Ghazali fours in his 18-ball cameo of all out at 122 in 17.5 overs. made light of the target, get- in the day. 35. Ali’s two wickets for 15 In the third match, Sher- ting the required runs in 16.2 Harry Bentley also helmed Caid De L’Ardus across the line in the first with one maiden over and Ah- in’s all-round display (four overs. Sherin and Asif (21 in place, helping owner Kuwari and trainer Jassim Ghazali to land three mer’s two for 10 in two overs wickets for 18 and 21 runs) 18 balls) saw the team home victories. (TNN) enabled Mosanda to pull off was the highlight as Selex beat despite a four- haul by the close victory. Doha Falcons by four wickets. Muhammad.