WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2014 SPORTS Voeckler to debut in Fijian international Murray, Beckham miss Tour Down Under Qera joins Toulouse out on knighthoods SYDNEY: French star Thomas Voeckler will race the Tour Down Under for LONDON: Fiji flanker Akapusi Qera has left Gloucester for LONDON: David Beckham and Andy Murray will have to wait a while the first time when his Europcar team debuts in Australia’s leading cycling Top 14 giants Toulouse, the English club announced yester- longer for a possible knighthood. Both sports stars were left off Queen event in January. Race director Mike Turtur said Voeckler’s climbing abili- day. The 29 year-old international, who has been with Elizabeth II’s New Year’s honors list, a surprise to some ties make him well suited to the 2014 route in and Gloucester since 2007, was contracted to the end of the sea- around Adelaide. who had expected them to be knighted. Murray son. But Toulouse, who currently lie fifth in the Top 14, made became the first British man since 1936 to win “Having worn the yellow jersey at the Tour de an official approach for Qera and reached a deal with Wimbledon in July, while Beckham ended his illus- France on two occasions and finishing fourth in Gloucester on adequate compensation for the time remain- trious 20-year football career in May. Both have 2011, Voeckler is an icon of the sport,” Turtur ing on his contract. previously been made an Officer of the Order of said. Europcar’s team also includes German “We are naturally disappointed to lose Q (Qera) at this the British Empire. Bjorn Thurau, who won the mountains classifi- time. However, on his return from the Autumn internationals, On a low-profile list of sports names, former cation at the 2013 Tour de Luxembourg, and he requested for his own reasons to be released from his Football Association chairman David Bernstein and former Japanese road race champion Yukiya contract early,” said Gloucester’s director of rugby Nigel 1969 women’s Wimbledon champion Ann Jones Arashiro. Davies. Qera added: “For personal reasons, I feel the time is were made a Commander of the Order of the British Australia’s Cadel Evans, the 2011 Tour de right for me to move on from Gloucester Rugby now after Empire. France overall winner, will also be competing the last seven seasons at Kingsholm. David Bedford, a former 10,000-meter world record in his home tour for the BMC Racing Team. “I would like to thank the club and its supporters for the holder who is now race director for the London The six-stage UCI World Tour event takes backing they have given me over the years, and my time at Marathon, was awarded an OBE for services to ath- place in South Australia from January 19- Gloucester will always be close to my heart.”—AFP letics and charitable fundraising.—AP 26.— AFP Blackhawks edge Kings CHICAGO: Chicago reclaimed the overall NHL lead and sent Los Angeles to its first three-game skid of the season by beating the Kings 1-0 on Monday, with goaltender Antti Raanta making 26 saves in his first NHL shutout. In the day’s oth- er games, Philadelphia scored in the final minute then beat Vancouver in a shootout, Ottawa made it rare back-to-back wins by defeating Washington, and Nashville prevailed in a ten- goal game against Detroit. Chicago’s Brandon Saad scored the sole goal in the first period for the Blackhawks who relied upon Raanta and their defense for the victory. Raanta bounced back from one of his worst performances, in which he allowed two late goals in the shootout loss at St Louis on Saturday. The Kings are on their first three-game slide since dropping the opening three games of ABU DHABI: Pakistan cricketers Younis Khan (2nd left), Asad Shafiq (2nd right), and last season. Philadelphia’s Vinny Lecavalier bowler Junaid Khan (right) celebrate after the dismissal of Sri Lankan batsman scored the only goal in the shootout as the Dimuth Karunaratne during the opening day of their first cricket Test match between Flyers escaped with a 4-3 win over Vancouver. Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi yesterday. —AFP Lecavalier scored on Philadelphia’s first shootout attempt, and Steve Mason stopped all three Junaid keeps Pakistan shooters as the Flyers earned their third straight win. Mark Streit, Claude Giroux and Brayden high in first Test Schenn also scored in regulation for ABU DHABI: Paceman Junaid Khan Silva (20) gave their team a sound start, Philadelphia, which has not lost at Vancouver grabbed five wickets and Bilawal Bhatti putting on 57 for the first wicket. But, since 1989. Tom Sestito, Jannik Hansen and finished with three as Pakistan enjoyed from 66-1, Sri Lanka lost seven wickets for Daniel Sedin scored for the Canucks. Ottawa the better of the opening day of the first the addition of 101 runs in the afternoon won a third-straight home game for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi yes- session. Bhatti, making his Test debut, time this season, downing Washington 3-1. terday. Junaid claimed his fourth five- took three wickets off just eight balls after Nashville’s Colin Wilson had two goals and an wicket haul, taking figures of 5-58, while lunch. He had Silva caught at slip off the assist to lead the Predators to a 6-4 victory over Bhatti took 3-65 in his first Test as Sri fourth ball after the resumption and then Detroit. Lanka were bowled out for 204 after had the experienced Mahela Jayawardene CHICAGO: Brandon Saad #20 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates his first period goal against Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and opted to (5) caught behind in his next over. PREDATORS 6, RED WINGS 4 Martin Jones #31 of the Los Angeles Kings at the United Center on December 30, 2013 in bowl first on a greenish Sheikh Zayed A ball earlier, Jayawardene had been Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Chicago, Illinois. — AFP Stadium pitch. caught behind only to see the umpire call Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two By the close on the opening day it a no-ball. Two balls later, Bhatti had others in Nashville’s victory over Detroit. Fisher game in the final minute of regulation and beat and Brayden Schenn also scored in regulation Pakistan reached 46-1 with debutant Dinesh Chandimal caught in the slip by has three goals and three assists in Nashville’s Vancouver. The Flyers, who improved to 2-0 on for the Flyers. Giroux, who added an assist, has a opener Ahmed Shehzad not out on 25. Mohammad Hafeez for a duck to leave Sri past two games. Craig Smith, Nick Spaling, and their Western road trip, beat Edmonton in a nine-game point streak. Philadelphia hasn’t lost Fellow opener Khurram Manzoor ran him- Lanka struggling at 76-4. It was left to Roman Josi also scored. Justin Abdelkader, Pavel shootout on Saturday. Lecavalier scored on at Vancouver since Dec. 31, 1989. Tom Sestito, self out after making 21, leaving Pakistan Junaid to do the rest. The left-armer dis- Datsyuk, Drew Miller, and Patrick Eaves scored for Philadelphia’s first shootout attempt, and Steve Jannik Hansen and Daniel Sedin scored for trailing by 158 runs but with nine first- missed Sri Lanka’s most reliable batsman, the Red Wings, who have lost two of three. The Mason stopped all three shooters as the Flyers Vancouver (23-11-7), which lost for the third innings wickets remaining. Amidst the Kumar Sangakkara, caught off an uppish teams combined for five goals in a back-and- (19-16-4) earned their third straight win and time in eight games. Eddie Lack, in his third collapse in the Sri Lankan innings, skipper drive at point for 16, and had both forth third period, but Nashville never relinquish- sixth in eight games. Mason made 41 saves appearance in place of injured No. 1 goalie Angelo Mathews stood out, defying the Prasanna Jayawardene (5) and Sachitra ing the lead. Wilson put the Predators ahead 1:54 through overtime. Mark Streit, Claude Giroux Roberto Luongo, made 25 saves.—Agencies Pakistan attack for 160 minutes for his 91. Senanayake (5) caught behind. He then into the game with a wrist shot from the high He added an invaluable 61 for the ninth bowled Rangana Herath for a duck to slot that beat goalie Jimmy Howard on the glove wicket with Shaminda Eranga (14) to lift complete his fourth five-wicket haul-all side. It was the first shot on Howard, who had Sri Lanka from a precarious 124-8. four have come against Sri Lanka. It was a been out with a knee injury since Dec. 10. NHL results/standings Mathews hit 15 boundaries during his different story in the first session, howev- fighting knock, improving on his previous er. Karunaratne hit three boundaries in SENATORS 3, CAPITALS 1 Ottawa 3, Washington 1; Chicago 1, Los Angeles 0; Nashville 6, Detroit 4; Philadelphia 4, Vancouver 3 (SO). best of 64 not out against Pakistan at the first three overs, and five in all, before Kyle Turris’ goal helped Ottawa beat Western Conference Eastern Conference Colombo in 2009 before he was the last he miscued a drive off Junaid and was Washington and earn its first winning streak in Pacific Division Atlantic Division 51 days. The Senators have won three straight at W L OTL GF GA PTS Boston 26 11 2 114 81 54 man out, stumped off Saeed Ajmal, who smartly snapped up at gully by Asad Tampa Bay 23 12 4 110 93 50 finished with 2-32.