SUNDAY-APRIL 25, 2021 Sport 05 Bernd Leno own goal compounds David Bedingham hits Tiger Woods 257 for Durham; pictured for miserable week for under-fire Gunners out cheaply for Yorkshire first time since

Everton ended their 25-year ber, when Nketiah started up front vert-Lewin not far from nodding end a turbulent week on a high, high speed car wait for a win at Arsenal and with Pepe in support, and the in the rebound. and they were soon awarded the moved to within three points of young England striker made his Arsenal sat 15th in the table, chance to score from the spot accident the Premier League's top four af- presence known on the quarter- 12 points behind their opponents, when Richarlison caught Ceballos ter Bernd Leno's calamitous own hour mark when challenging God- when they lost at Everton before inside the box. Smith said on com- Tiger Woods has posted a goal secured a 1-0 victory amid frey from another Chambers cen- Christmas, but a win would have mentary duty for Sky Sports: "It's photo of himself smiling on a golf supporter protest at the Emirates tre, with the loose ball falling to taken them level on points. Arte- one of those careless flicks of the course - the first time he has been Stadium on Friday Night Football. Bukayo Saka, but his shot was ta's side were fortunate not to fall boot from Richarlison. There's the pictured since he was seriously Richarlison's cross flashed straight at Jordan Pickford. behind, however, when Gylfi Sig- slightest touch on the shin pad injured in a car accident in Febru- through the Arsenal goalkeeper's Arsenal made six changes. urdsson grazed the crossbar with that convinces Ceballos to go ary. legs with 14 minutes remaining as The Gunners drew 1-1 with rele- a sublime free-kick from 25 yards down. He certainly catches him, The 15-time major champion a tumultuous week at Arsenal - gation-threatened Fulham last out six minutes before the break. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt." underwent surgery on open frac- which began with the club's in- Sunday and boss Mikel Arteta Both sides mustered just two But Everton would earn a re- tures to his lower right leg and tention to join a European Super responded with alterations as shots on target between them by prieve from Stockley Park as VAR further injuries to his foot and League - ended in a home defeat. Bernd Leno returned in goal with the start of the second half - one David Coote deemed Pepe was ankle following the crash. The hosts thought they had Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari apiece - underlining the recent fo- fractionally offside in the build- Woods had a big smile on his been awarded a second-half pen- recalled in defence. Thomas cus both Ancelotti and Arteta up. The incident visibly enlivened face as he stood on the course next David Bedingham hit Danny Briggs (32no) and Craig to his dog. alty when Dani Ceballos was Partey came back in while Nico- have placed on greater defensive both sides, and it was Everton's Durham's second-highest individ- Miles (32no) means the Bears are fouled by Richarlison, but Nico- las Pepe started and Eddie Nketi- solidity, but the visitors showed turn to feel a sense of injustice "My course is coming along ual score of all time with a superb now 243-8 and trail by only 52 faster than I am," Woods wrote las Pepe was deemed offside in ah led the line having equalised in their attacking intent minutes into when Richarlison's appeals for a 257 against Derbyshire in the LV= runs. the build-up upon VAR review. stoppage time after coming off the the restart. penalty for a perceived handball on Instagram. County Championship. Also in Group 1, Worcester- "But it's nice to have a faith- Everton remain in eighth po- bench last time out. James Rodriguez combined by Pablo Mari were ignored. The 27-year-old's career-best shire's tail wagged against Not- sition but move to within a point It took nearly half an hour for well with Seamus Coleman down Mason Holgate took his ag- ful rehab partner, man's best innings - which is behind only tinghamshire as the Pears rallied friend." of sixth-placed Tottenham and are the visitors to carve open their the right and - despite a hint of gression a step too far when wip- Australian Martin Love's 273 for from 216-7 to 436 all out at New now six points clear of Arsenal in first chance. Allan spotted the run offside - the Everton captain's low ing out Pepe on the byline, and Woods' car left the road at Durham against Hampshire in Road, thanks to Ed Barnard (58), about 84-87mph and flipped sev- ninth. of Richarlison, and nimble foot- cross was met by Sigurdsson but from Saka's ensuing set-piece, 2003 - featured 33 boundaries and Alzarri Joseph (61) and skipper Everton: Pickford (8), Cole- work from the Brazilian drew a his swept shot deflected just wide Chambers hammered his volley eral times during the accident in helped his side to 475 all out at Joe Leach (84). California. man (6), Godfrey (7), Holgate (7), fine save low down from Leno, of Leno's left-hand post. into the ground and wide of Pick- Emirates Riverside. Lancashire's tail also wagged Digne (7), Rodriguez (7), Allan (7), with the returning Dominic Cal- Arsenal were determined to ford's goal. The former world number Bedingham was eventually in their Group 3 tussle against one, 45, and 2019 Masters cham- Andre Gomes (6), Richarlison (8), dismissed from the 410th ball he Kent, with Danny Lamb (125) Calvert-Lewin (6), Sigurdsson (7). pion, who the LASD said was faced - Sam Connors (5-83) the hitting a maiden first-class centu- "fortunate to be alive" following Alan Smith labelled Arsenal's bowler - before Chris Rushworth ry - and the highest score by a owners as "ignorant" on Sky the incident on 23 February, was took four , including his Lancashire No 9 - and Luke Wood the sole occupant in his vehicle Sports earlier this week over their 500th in the Championship, as (119) a second career ton. involvement in a breakaway and was wearing his seatbelt. Derbyshire slumped to 148-5. Wood (3-23) then impressed bbc league, for taking an initial deci- Rushworth struck three times with the ball as Kent stumbled to sion that was indicative of Stan inside the first seven overs as 85-4 by stumps, with 60 of those Kroenke's distant handling of the Derbyshire tumbled to 26-3 be- runs coming off the bat of En- club, and Friday's contest was fore Wayne Madsen (76no) and gland's Zak Crawley, whose un- played out throughout the con- Matt Critchley (40) repaired some beaten 64-ball knock has included stant backdrop of disgruntled of the damage with a fourth-wick- 11 boundaries. home supporters heard letting off et stand of 106. Yorkshire were skittled for fireworks outside the ground. Rushworth, though, then de- 150 on day one and then saw Sus- It was clear from Mikel Arte- nied Critchley a fifth successive sex reach 168-3 - only for the ta's team selection against Fulham score over 50 and Ben Raine hosts to to collapse to 221 all out last weekend where his priorities bowled Ben Aitchison (2) late on after losing seven wickets for 53 lie when it comes to securing a as Derbyshire closed with a defi- runs, with Steven Patterson bag- Champions League berth for next cit of 327 runs. Durham vs Der- ging 4-26, 4-61 and season. By some distance, that byshire scorecard England spinner bowl- now resembles winning the Euro- Reigning County Champions ing Sussex's top-scorer Tom pa League, but the hosts came out Essex - who beat Durham by 44 Haines (86). the traps fast as Ben Godfrey was runs last week - were frustrated Yorkshire reached 90-0 in their well placed to flick Calum Cham- by lower-order resistance from second innings - (66) bers' cross off the head of Eddie Warwickshire at Edgbaston after passing fifty for the fifth time in Nketiah inside the opening two overseas duo Simon Harmer and six Championship innings - but minutes. Peter Siddle had starred with three had slipped to 163-5 by stumps, The only other league game wickets apiece. Warks vs Essex with Root caught behind off spin- Arsenal have started with neither scorecard ner Jack Carson (3-35). Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang nor Warwickshire were 193-8 in England's Rory Burns (54no) Alexandre Lacazette in their side reply to Essex's 295 but an un- struck his second half-century of was at Goodison Park in Decem- broken stand of 50 between the season after former South Af- Reflections on sports Japan issues third COVID fandom and the European Super League emergency ahead of Olympics Before their English Premier League game against Chelsea this week, players from the small coastal club Brighton and Hove Albion Japan has declared a third short of the lockdowns seen in Officials insist the situation feel it can be held safely, and makes Friday withdrew from the Diving wore t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan, “Earn it; football is for the state of emergency for Tokyo and some parts of the world. will not affect preparations for the them want it to be held,” said World Cup scheduled for May in fans.” three western prefectures as the Authorities want bars and res- Games, with Tokyo 2020 chief Hashimoto. But the spike in in- Tokyo, saying it was “not safe” That sentiment proved to be far more than an empty platitude country struggles to contain a re- taurants to stop selling alcohol or Seiko Hashimoto telling reporters fections is already disrupting ev- to travel to Japan. Japan’s vac- over the following days. The plan for a dozen gigantic European foot- surgent coronavirus pandemic just close, and to shutter main com- on Friday that “we’re not think- erything from the Olympic Torch cine programme is moving slowly ball clubs to break away and form their own lucrative continental three months before the Olym- mercial facilities like malls. ing about cancellation”. Relay – which has been forced off with just more than 1.5 million competition imploded in spectacular fashion. Widespread fan rejec- pics. Spectators will also be barred “We’re thinking about how public roads in several regions – people given a first shot and only tion catalyzed the colossal collapse. For American onlookers, it seems Prime Minister Yoshihide from sports events, which can we can prepare in a way that pri- to test events and qualifiers. about 827,000 fully vaccinated. odd that fans would take a position on how their teams generate Suga announced the emergency on continue behind closed doors, and oritises safety and makes people Australia’s diving team on aljazeera revenue and downright bizarre that the same fans would have the Friday for Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto remote working will be encour- wherewithal to oppose and even prevent such brazen money grub- and Hyogo from April 25 through aged. bing. May 11. Although the measures start For those who have not followed the European Super League The step is largely intended from Sunday, Tokyo Governor developments, I will start with a brief synopsis. Twelve of the richest to be “short and intensive” to stop Yuriko Koike urged residents to teams in Europe, spread between England, Spain, and Italy, agreed to people from travelling and spread- start taking precautions immedi- form a pan-European tournament that would run concurrently with ing the virus during Japan’s Gold- ately, including avoiding drinking domestic competitions. Such a competition already exists — the UEFA en Week holidays from late April in the street after bars and restau- Champions League. This tournament would differ in that the twelve through the first week of May, rants close early. founding members would control the rules and media rights for the Suga said. She urged businesses to turn competition. These clubs would be less financially beholden to other Japan has reported more than their lights off in the evenings to European clubs than the Champions League is due to its affiliation 550,000 coronavirus cases, in- encourage people to stay away. with the European football federation (UEFA). Crucially, the Super cluding 9,805 deaths, as of Fri- “After 8pm, we ask that League members would not have to qualify for the competition through day, since the start of the pan- bright signage on streets, neon domestic success, so the financial incentive would shift from winning demic. But a recent uptick in cas- signs and illumination be turned their own leagues to competing in this Super League. es has worried officials and medi- off,” she said. “It will be dark at To outsiders, this difference might seem neutral or slightly posi- cal professionals as the govern- night, with only street lights on,” tive because it would mean more games between recognizable global ment and Olympic organisers in- she added, to “curb the flow of “brands” and fewer against the likes of the aforementioned Brighton. sist the Games will go ahead in people.” The blowback gets to a critical difference between our American sport- July and August this year. On Friday, Tokyo logged 759 ing model of “franchises” and the European “club” model, in which Earlier, Japan’s minister for cases, while Osaka recorded 1,162 fans position themselves as active participants in team development. virus response, Yasutoshi Nish- new infections, slightly down on The English Football Association (“FA”) includes 96 teams spread imura, warned of a “strong sense record numbers earlier in the between four leagues, as well as hundreds of lesser clubs spanning of crisis”, saying current restric- week. professionals, semi-pros, and small neighborhood clubs. Teams who tions were not sufficient. Authorities in Osaka have said finish at the top of their competition can earn promotion to the next The measures will be tougher health facilities there are already level and those who finish at the bottom are relegated to the lower than Japan’s last state of emer- overwhelmed and beds for serious- division. Theoretically, a team could work its way from outside the gency, imposed in parts of the ly ill patients are running short. English Football League (“EFL,” the top four divisions), all the way country from January, but still far to the English Premier League.