p17 2_Layout 1 11/9/14 10:16 PM Page 1 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2014 SPORTS Volleyball federation sanctions Iran for barring women fans TEHRAN: The international volleyball fed- take action against Iran following the eration FIVB yesterday said it will not allow arrest of Ghavami, who was detained June Iran to host international events as long as 20 after she tried to attend a World women are banned from attending the League volleyball match between Iran and game. Italy. The announcement comes a week after At the time the female fans were barred a British-Iranian women, Goncheh from attending the match at Tehran’s Ghavami, was jailed by a Tehran court, five Azadi (Freedom) Stadium. The decision months following her arrest in the city was contested by the government of after trying to attend a volleyball match. President Hassan Rouhani, who advocates The FIVB will “not give Iran the right to more social freedoms, while conservatives host any future FIVB directly controlled want to strengthen measures to prevent events such as World Championships, men and women from mixing. National especially under age, until the police chief General Esmail Ahmadi ban on women attending volleyball Moghaddam said in June “we cannot matches is lifted,” a spokesman for the allow the presence of women in stadia” international federation told AFP. “This because gender mixing “is not yet in the does not include other volleyball tourna- public interest”. ments or next year’s World League tourna- Women are also banned from attend- ment because the fixtures are already con- ing football matches in Iran, with officials firmed,” the spokesman added. saying this is to protect them from the The secretary general of the Iranian lewd behavior of male fans. No reason was federation, Mahmoud Afshardoost, con- given for the jailing on November 2 of firmed to AFP that the FIVB had already Ghavami, but following her arrest in June informed Iran it would be able to organise she was accused of spreading propagan- the under-19 championships in 2015. “We da, a broad charge used by Iran’s judiciary. received an email from the FIVB announc- Ghavami, a 25-year-old law graduate ing a change of plan,” he said, adding that from London, has been on hunger strike no reason was given for the decision. since the verdict was pronounced against “We are waiting to find out the real rea- her, according to her brother. FIVB presi- son (behind the change) and we will then dent Ary Graca in a statement posted on decide what to do,” he added. Argentina the international federation’s website says ABU DHABI: Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shahzad plays a shot during the first day of the first Test match between Pakistan and Newealand Z at has been asked to take over from Iran and “women throughout the world should be the Zayed International Cricket Stadium. —AFP organise the 2015 under-19 games. allowed to watch and participate in volley- The FIVB spokesman said the reason to ball on an equal basis.” Iran’s volleyball sanction Iran was taken after the federa- team is one of the best and very popular tion held a meeting in October with a del- at home. It finished 6th in this year’s World Shehzad flays New Zealand egation from Human Rights Watch. Championships in Poland and 4th at the The rights watchdog asked the FIVB to World League. —AFP ABU DHABI: Opener Ahmed Shehzad hit a bril- “I have worked hard on my batting,” said 22- his tentative push off Sodhi was caught by Ross liant hundred to steer Pakistan to 269-1 at close year-old Shehzad. “I love to prove myself in Test Taylor in slip-but after one bounce. Watling also on the opening day of the first Test against New cricket which is the real test of a player’s skill and dropped Azhar on 31 off a luckless Craig who Zealand in Abu Dhabi yesterday. I am happy that I have done that.” failed to get a wicket in his 17 overs. Anderson Shehzad was 126 not out for his third Test Ali, who scored twin hundreds against has figures of 1-31. hundred-all made this year-but fellow opener Australia last week, has so far hit three bound- Ross Taylor admitted it was hard toil for Mohammad Hafeez missed his by four runs as aries in his patient knock. Hafeez though failed bowlers. “We expected the pitch to be flat,” said New Zealand’s pace-cum spin attack toiled hard to reach his sixth hundred when he gave a Taylor. “We toiled hard but Hafeez and Shehzad on an unresponsive pitch at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh return catch to Corey Anderson. He hit ten batted patiently and comfortably and its going Zayed Stadium. boundaries during his 212-minute stay at the to be another tough day for us tomorrow but we Azhar Ali was unbeaten on 46, having added crease. will try to get wickets.” 91 for the unbroken second wicket stand with New Zealand were unlucky in the first session Pakistan kept the same side which won the Shehzad. It was another batting domination by as they missed two good chances. Off-spinner second Test against Australia for their 2-0 win Pakistan after Brendon McCullum called wrongly Mark Craig almost succeeded but wicket-keeper last week while New Zealand entered the Test at the toss and his counterpart Misbah-ul Haq B.J. Watling missed a stumping chance with with two seamers and as many spinners. The took no time in opting to bat, as he did in the Shehzad yards out of his crease after his forward remaining Tests will be played in Dubai 356-run mauling of Australia in the second Test push failed to connect. He was on 16 at the time. (November 17-21) and Sharjah (November 26- at the same venue last week. Hafeez, on 35, was also lucky to survive when 30).—AFP Shehzad ensured he did not miss the three- figure mark, taking a single off seamer Jimmy SCOREBOARD Neesham to reach his hundred off 221 balls with 12 boundaries. ABU DHABI: Scores at close on the opening day of the first cricket Test between Pakistan and In all Shehzad hit 14 boundaries during his New Zealand at Sheikh Zayed Stadium yesterday: 290-ball stay and even a second new ball after Pakistan Ist innings (1nb), Craig 17-1-59-0, Sodhi 23-5-68-0, 80 overs did not waver his concentration. Hafeez and Shehzad put on Pakistan’s best Mohammad Hafeez c and b Anderson 96 Anderson 7-1-31-1, Neesham 7-0-20-0, stand of 178 against New Zealand in all Tests, Ahmed Shehzad not out 126 McCullum 5-1-6-0 beating the 172-run partnership between Ramiz Azhar Ali not out 46 Raja and Shoaib Mohammad in the Karachi Test Extras: (nb1) 1 New Zealand: B. McCullum, T. Latham, K. in 1990. Total: (for one wkt; 90 overs) 269 Williamson, R. Taylor, C. Anderson, B.J. Watling, Shehzad hit five boundaries off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi in the second session while Hafeez Fall of wickets: 1-178 (Hafeez) J. Neesham, M. Craig, T. Southee, T. Boult, I. entered his nineties with three fours. Bowling: Boult 16-4-38-0, Southee 15-2-47-0 Sodhi. Australia win T-20 decider SYDNEY: Australia won a thrilling final Twenty20 South Africa were well placed at 75 without man of the series. David Miller remained unbeat- international against South Africa by two wick- loss after 8.3 overs with openers Reeza en on 34 off 26 balls and was the only Proteas ets with one ball to spare to take the series in Hendricks (49 off 48) and Quinton de Kock (48 batsman to make an impact in the closing overs. Sydney yesterday. off 27 balls) breezing along. Then two nations now meet in a five-match Cameron White steered the Australians home However, Australia clawed their way back. one-day series starting in Perth on Friday. with an unbeaten 41 off 31 balls to pip the James Faulkner (3-28) was effective in the clos- Australia and South Africa will now meet in a Proteas in a tense decider at Sydney’s Olympic ing overs, smashing through the South African five-match one-day series, starting in Perth on Stadium. middle order. Faulkner subsequently was named Friday. —AFP The Australians had restricted the South Africans to 145 for six off their 20 overs after win- ning the toss, but needed 19.5 overs to get the winning run off White. Australia took the series 2-1 after losing the opening game in Adelaide by seven wickets then claiming the next in Melbourne by seven wickets and winning in Sydney. White’s composed knock got the Australians over the line after South Africa’s five bowlers had threatened to pull off a gritty victory as wickets SPAIN: Repsol Honda Team’s Spanish rider Marc Marquez celebrates on the podium tumbled. winning the Valencia Moto Grand Prix and the championship at the Ricardo Tormo “Credit to our bowlers again, chasing 140- racetrack. —AFP odd on that wicket you would be pretty com- fortable most times so I’m just glad we got over the line at the end,” said man-of-the-match Marquez breaks season White. “I thought we bowled well at the back end of record with 13th victory their innings and it’s nice to be making runs so that’s my job and keep doing it hopefully.” VALENCIA: MotoGP world champion Marc son he sped away from the competition to Giant all-rounder David Wiese captured three Marquez claimed a record 13th win of the seal a comfortable victory despite some for 21 and spinner Robin Peterson took three for season at the Valencia Grand Prix yesterday intermittent spells of rain.