14 Established 1961 Sports Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Photo of the day Toronto Wolfpack withdraw from 2020 Super League LONDON: Toronto Wolfpack announced on Monday they were withdrawing from Super League for the rest of the 2020 season due to financial problems. The Canadian side have been playing in English rugby league’s top flight for the first time after winning promotion from the Championship. Just hours after the Toronto announcement, Super League chiefs revealed there would be no relegation from the top-flight in the 2020 campaign. “There will be no relegation from the 11-team Betfred Super League in 2020, for reasons of integrity, player welfare and also to protect the solvency of clubs,” an RFL statement said. “The Betfred Championship and League 1 seasons will not resume in 2020. “These clubs will be invited to play in a competition this autumn, with a theme of celebrating the sport’s 125th anniversary - and with a prize pot of £250,000, thanks in part to financial support from the Betfred Super League clubs. “There will be no automatic promotion to the Betfred Super League from this competition.” Wolfpack, who have dual-code star Sonny Bill Williams in their squad, had been due to resume the season against Hull Kingston Rovers on August 2 and their move drew a strongly word- ed joint statement from Super League and the Rugby Football League. The league’s only transatlantic club cited “overwhelming financial challenges” as a result of the coronavirus pandemic for the decision to temporarily withdraw from the competition. “Toronto Wolfpack can confirm that the club has informed both Super League Europe (SLE) and the Rugby Football League (RFL) that the team will not be restarting the campaign as scheduled on August 2nd,” the club said in a statement. “The Wolfpack will not participate in the conclusion of the 2020 Betfred Super League season, or in the remain- der of the 2020 Coral Challenge Cup. “This decision has Competitors perform during Red Bull Jump and Freeze at Mzaar Ski Resort, Kfardebian, Lebanon. —Photo taken from www.redbullcontentpool.com not been taken lightly, and in consideration of a range of factors specific to the club as the only transatlantic team in the league.” —AFP T20 World Cup postponement was ‘inevitable’, say Australia ‘We just want to see two great events go ahead’

SYDNEY: Australian organisers said postpon- due to be played in March-April 2023, will be ing the men’s T20 World Cup cricket was pushed back to October-November of that year, “absolutely inevitable” yesterday after the with the final on November 26. Hockley said CA coronavirus pandemic forced the tournament to did not have a preference for hosting the T20 be delayed by a year. tournament in 2021 or 2022. After months of uncertainty, Cricket Australia “We just want to see two great events go welcomed the International Cricket Council’s ahead, whether it’s ‘21 or ‘22 in Australia I’m sure decision, saying it provided clarity ahead of an we’ll put on a fantastic event,” he said. upcoming home season which includes a block- buster Test series against India. ‘CHALLENGING TIME’ Delaying the T20 World Cup also frees up a ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said mov- October-November slot in this year’s cricketing ing back the 2023 World Cup avoided a fixture calendar which could be used to stage the Indian pile-up, which would have seen two major tour- Premier League, possibly in the United Arab naments played within a few months of each oth- Emirates. er. “It now just gives you a very clear gap However, it is not clear between the various whether the T20 World things, plus it helps us Cup will now be held in also make sure that we Australia or India, who can plan the events... were originally slated to Ensuring the ensuring the health and hold the following edition health and safety for all the people in 2021 — which has concerned,” he said. been shifted to 2022. safety for all Hockley downplayed COVID-19 has played the impact of the KOLKATA: (File photo taken on April 03, 2016 West Indies’s players celebrate with the trophy after vic- havoc with international changes on CA’s tory in the T20 World Cup cricket tournament final match between England and West Indies at The sport and CA acting chief finances, saying this Eden Gardens Cricket Stadium in Kolkata. The men’s T20 World Cup due to take place in Australia executive Nick Hockley year’s T20 World Cup from October has been postponed until next year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International said there was no way Australia could host a 16- had merely been postponed, not cancelled. “It’s Cricket Council announced on July 20, 2020. —AFP nation event with the pandemic still raging. been a challenging time for everyone... thankful- “I think the decision to postpone was ly, we’re not talking about losing any events at comes down to risk and giving ourselves as undergo a shortened quarantine after arriving in absolutely inevitable,” he told reporters. “It all,” he said. “It’s really a case of them being held much certainty as possible.” Hockley said the country, rather than the standard fortnight. allows us to focus with real clarity on the sum- off until we can stage them successfully.” He said Australia’s Test schedule remained unchanged, “I think that two-week quarantine period is mer ahead.” Under the new arrangements the decision to allocate hosting duties between with a one-off match against Afghanistan in pretty well defined,” Hockley said. “What announced on Monday, either Australia or India India and Australia in 2021 and 2022 would be Perth late November followed by four Tests we’re working on is that even within that will host the next T20 World Cup in October- made on health grounds and depended on the against India in December-January. quarantine environment the players will have November 2021, then the other nation will hold status of the pandemic. But he was doubtful the Australian govern- the absolute best training facilities, so their it in 2022. “It goes back to safety and working with the ment would accommodate India cricket chief preparation for the matches is an optimal as it The 50-over World Cup in India, originally latest and best available information,” he said. “It Sourav Ganguly’s suggestion his superstar team can possibly be.” —AFP

so emotionally deep, I just think it forms Bryant looming bonds, strengthened our group,” Vogel Simmons puts Windies told reporters in Orlando. “You never want large for LeBron, something like that to happen, but I do think that’s the effect of something like batsmen on notice Lakers at restart that. We always, even prior to this happen- ing, we wanted to embody what he stood after England defeat MIAMI: LeBron James said on Monday for and even more so now with what hap- memories of Kobe Bryant are still looming pened. We want to honor his memory.” MANCHESTER: West Indies coach Phil Simmons bemoaned his bats- men’s failure to convert promising starts into major scores during the 113- large for the Los Angeles Lakers as the Vogel said the sense of shared purpose run defeat by England in the second Test at Old Trafford on Monday, as he team steps up preparations for the NBA’s amongst the Lakers squad could serve the warned of possible top-order changes for the series finale. relaunched season in Florida. team well once they enter the playoffs Whereas England built a first-innings total of 469-9 declared on Six months after Bryant, his daughter determined to honor Bryant’s legacy. the back of hundreds from Ben Stokes and Dom Sibley, no West Indies Gianna and seven other people died in a batsman has yet made a century in a three-match campaign now all helicopter crash in Los Angeles, James HONORING TOUGHNESS square at 1-1. said he still thinks of the late Lakers leg- “I think there’s going to be a daily Only opener Kraigg Brathwaite among the tourists’ top three has so far MANCHESTER: England’s Ben Stokes (L) fist bumps with West end every day. “A day doesn’t go by mindset of honoring the work and having passed 28 in either of the first two Tests, with both John Campbell and Indies’ Jason Holder on the pitch after England wrap up the Test on where I don’t think about him,” James that toughness about us,” Vogel said. Shai Hope struggling. “They haven’t fired, so we’ve got to take that into the final day of the second Test cricket match between England said when asked about Bryant. “A day “When we get into the playoffs, there will consideration over the next couple of days,” said Simmons, with the third and the West Indies at Old Trafford. —AFP Test set to start at Old Trafford on Friday. doesn’t go by where our organization be opportunities and situations where West Indies batsmen Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer both does not remember him and think about we’ll refresh our mindset of things that he declined invitations to tour England for a series taking place against the tionals but that figure plummets to 26.35 in Tests. “Yes, I am con- not only Kobe, but Gigi, (wife) Vanessa, stood for and what his approach was from backdrop of the global coronavirus pandemic. But reserve wicketkeeper cerned,” said former West Indies batsman Simmons when asked about and the other girls. “They’re part of this a competitive spirit standpoint. “I think Joshua da Silva, who made an unbeaten century in the second intra-squad Hope’s recent form. family. Just as big as anybody in this will help us in our mission this year.” The warm-up match, could now come into consideration, with back-up opener “He’s gone four innings without a score (in this series) — in contrast to organization’s history, so we still wear 24 Lakers enter the NBA restart having Shayne Moseley another option for the tourists. how we played over the last five or six months in the other formats, I am and 8 and No. 2 with pride and remem- already assured themselves of a playoff Although they hold the Wisden Trophy following a 2-1 success over concerned now about his form.” Another frustration for Simmons during brance of how great they were.” berth. When the season was halted due to Joe Root’s men in the Caribbean last year, you have to go back to 1988 for the second Test was that while Brathwaite (75), Roston Chase (51), the coronavirus pandemic on March 11, the last time the West Indies won a Test series in England. Jermaine Blackwood (55) and Shamarh Brooks (68 and 62) all passed fifty, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said he none of them got to three figures. believed Bryant’s death, which sent shock- the Lakers led the Western Conference Much of the focus heading into this tour was on the talented Hope, whose two career Test hundreds both came during the West Indies’ “We’ve had five or six fifties and no one has converted to a hun- waves around the world of sport, had standings with 49 wins against 14 losses, shock win over England at Headingley, Root’s Yorkshire home ground, dred,” said Simmons. “It’s something that we’ve been talking about a bound his team closer together. “Any time 5.5 games ahead of the second-placed three years ago. lot, and no one has taken up that opportunity in this game yet again, so a group like ours goes through something Los Angeles Clippers. —AFP The 26-year-old averages an impressive 52.20 in one-day interna- it is disappointing. —AFP