Sport SUNDAY 17 JANUARY 2021 SLS fight back after Root’s double century HopefullyH we can come back tomorrow and get some early wickets and makem inroads, and drive home this advantage we have built up. When you ccome and play at this ground, things can change quickly, and it is always ddifficult to start your innings as a batsman. We need to harness that and tthink about it when you are at the end of your mark (and ready to bowl). Joe Root Sport |06 QVA SENIOR MEN'S LEAGUE: Police beat Al Shamal 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-19); Al Khor beat Al Sadd 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-22) Handball World Championship: Asian giants look to maintain top spot in Group C Upbeat Qatar ready to take on Japan THE PENINSULA – DOHA Coach Valero Rivera addressing the Qatari players during a practice session held in Alexandria, Egypt, on the eve of their IHF World Championship Group C clash against Japan. YESTERDAY'S RESULTS After their emphatic victory over Group E Angola in the opener, Asian champions Austria 28-35 France Qatar will be looking to continue their Group F winning form as they clash with Japan Morocco 33-20 Portugal Group G in their second Group C match at the IHF World Men’s Handball Champi- Egypt 38-19 North Macedonia onship Egypt 2021 in Alexandria, today TODAY'S FIXTURES (Qatar Time) In what was a sweet revenge of Group C their past two defeats to Angola Qatar vs Japan (5:30pm) including a loss in the previous World Group A Championship, Qatar defeated the Cape Verde vs Germany Central African nation 30:25, with (8:00pm) Ahmed Madadi claiming the ‘Player of Group B the Match Award’. Tunisia vs Brazil (8:00pm) Qatar coach Valero Rivera was Group C happy with the way the team started Angola vs Croatia (8:00pm) their campaign despite losing a number Group D of his regular players to injuries during Argentina vs Bahrain (8:00pm) the opening match. Group B “We achieved a great victory over the absence of more talented players recently defeated their Asian rivals Poland vs Spain (10:30pm) Angola after losing in the previous thanks to the current squad’s effort 36:28 at the 2020 AHF Men’s Asian Group D edition,” said Rivera after the game. during the game,” he added. We achieved a great victory over Championship. D.R. Congo vs Denmark “We succeeded this time despite Madadi said after gaining Angola after losing in the previous But, Japan have also shown a (10:30pm) Group A edition. We succeeded this time golden form in their opening match, Qatar players celebrate after beating Angola earning a 29-29 draw against European Hungary vs Uruguay on Friday. PIC: HANDBALLEGYPT2021.COM despite the absence of more talented giants and one of the pre-event (10:30pm) players thanks to the current squad’s favourites Croatia. effort during the game: Qatar coach Japan coach Dagur Sigurdsson said Valero Rivera his team has taken tremendous confi- Angola and Croatia will play today’s dence after a historic performance other Group C match. against the Europeans. Meanwhile, Qatar Handball Fed- “I’m really happy and satisfied. eration President, Ahmad Mohamed confidence from the win, Qatar was That was historical for us and I’m just Al Shaabi congratulated the Qatar focusing on the upcoming matches. incredible happy and hope that we can national team for their win in World “I am happy with the victory espe- continue like this. It was extremely Championship opener. cially it comes despite losing six tal- important for the team and I’m very “It was an important victory that ented players due to injuries,” said proud of all of them,” said will boost team’s confidence in the Madadi. Sigurdsson. event. The team deserves the praise “We will do our best to improve “Of course I would have liked to for their performance despite losing performance in the coming games as see my team win this game but you key players in the match,” said Al we did well and managed to claim the can’t forget who we have faced. They Shaabi. victory,” he added. are a really strong team and that’s “We hope Qatar will continue their Qatar have enjoyed an upper hand why it really feels like a victory for form in their remaining group matches against Japan over the years and most us.” against Japan and Croatia,” he added. Australian Open arrivals hit by positive cases Zango sets new AP – MELBOURNE indoor record Three coronavirus cases have been detected among charter flights in triple jump carrying tennis players, coaches and officials to Melbourne ahead of the REUTERS – AUBIERE, FRANCE Australian Open, health authorities and tournament organizers said Hugues Fabrice Zango became the first yesterday. athlete from Burkina Faso to set a world A total of 47 players from the two record when he posted the longest ever affected flights - arriving from Los indoor triple jump with a leap of 18.07 Angeles and Abu Dhabi - are now in metres at an event in Aubiere in France a strictly enforced 14-day quarantine yesterday. without the ability to leave their hotel Zango, who won bronze at the World rooms - even to practice. The Aus- Championships in 2019, added 15 centi- tralian Open is scheduled to start Feb. metres to the previous record, set by his 8. own coach, Frenchman Teddy Tamgho, Health authorities said two pos- in 2011. itive COVID-19 cases emerged from The 27-year-old Zango started with a charter flight from Los Angeles, and a foul but warmed up with a leap of 17.33 later Saturday, Tennis Australia said metres before steadily increasing his best there was a third positive case from to 17.61m and then 17.70m. a flight from Abu Dhabi. With his final effort he floated beyond The cases from Los Angeles 18m to break his own previous lifetime involved an aircrew member and a best by 30 centimetres. Naomi Osaka arriving at Adelaide Airport ahead of the passenger who was not a player. The Australian Open. LEFT: Novak Djokovic arriving at Adelaide third positive test - also not a player - was from a flight from Abu Dhabi in Airport . the past 24 hours, Tennis Australia Olympic champ said. that flight will not be able to leave positive on arrival have not been pub- Five-time finalist Andy Murray’s Authorities earlier said that all their hotels rooms for 14 days and licly identified. status for the tournament was put in denies doping passengers from the Los Angeles flight until they are medically cleared. Azarenka, who won the tour- doubt after he tested positive for would go into the 14-day hotel “We are communicating with eve- nament in 2012 and 2013, tweeted on COVID-19 only days before his quarantine. ryone on this flight, and particularly Friday: “Made it to Melbourne! Thank planned flight to Melbourne. allegations “An aircrew member and Aus- the playing group whose conditions you everyone so much for making it Also, Americans Madison Keys tralian Open participant who is not a have now changed, to ensure their happen. I can only imagine how many and Tennys Sandgren returned pos- REUTERS – NEW YORK player have been transferred to a needs are being catered to as much hours of work and compromise it took itive tests, but Sandgren was given health hotel following positive test as possible, and that they are fully for us to be here! Thank you.” permission to fly. American Olympic 100 metres hurdles results for coronavirus (COVID-19),” appraised of the situation,” Tiley said. She included what appeared to be Sandgren originally tested pos- gold medallist Brianna McNeal has denied Victoria state’s health department said Later yesterday, Tennis Australia a selfie next to a window with itive in November, and Victorian state testing positive for any banned substance in a statement about the Los Angeles said 23 players were among the 64 downtown city views. Azarenka has not health authorities determined he was in a statement released by her flight. people on the flight from Abu Dhabi. tweeted again since. no longer contagious though still management agency yesterday. “All remaining 66 passengers on Kei Nishikori, the 2014 U.S. Open The 15 charter flights and the early shedding viral particles. The 29-year-old, who won gold at the the flight have been determined to be runner-up who tested negative for arrivals are all part of Tennis Australia’s The charter flights to Australia 2016 Rio Olympics and was world close contacts. Any players and COVID-19 after having two positive attempt to hold the tournament despite were restricted to 25% capacity, and champion in 2013, was charged with support people will not be able to tests, and two-time Australian Open a general ban on international arrivals arrived over a 36-hour period ending “tampering within the results man- leave quarantine to attend training. champion Victoria Azarenka were into the country. Australia has done a early Saturday. agement process” and provisionally sus- The remaining flight crew all tested reported by local media to be among good job of containing the coronavirus, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and pended by the Athletics Integrity Unit negative and were permitted to fly a group of players who arrived on the with 909 deaths nationally. Victoria Serena Williams are among a group (AIU) earlier this week. out without passengers directly to flight from Los Angeles. state, which has as its capital Mel- of players involved in an exhibition McNeal led a U.S.