14 Wednesday 7th May, 2008 Tait takes another step back Cook shines as Essex Bolt has Gay from exile on his radar The convalescence of Shaun Tait crumble against took another step forward yesterday as for NY the fast bowler trained alongside for- mer Australian teammates for the first time since his self-imposed exile. showdown Tait’s progress from the physical New Zealand and mental stress that led to his walk- out has been encouragingly rapid: in by Patrick Kidd ting out,” he said, rather stating the sain Bolt, who produced a January, he “hated ” and now obvious. “If we both keep scoring runs time of 9.76 seconds, the four months later he is keenly working ew Zealand head to Southampton then partnerships will just happen.” Usecond fastest ever run, in towards a return to the national side. this morning for their final At 31 and 33 respectively, nei- only his third 100 metres race at He will not tour the West Indies - his Nwarm-up game before the first ther O’Brien nor Mason are the weekend, could meet the world appearance at the five-day training npower Test in good spirits after their spring chickens, but they are champion Tyson Gay in New York camp in Brisbane is merely a reintro- inexperienced fast bowlers skittled canny bowlers who are hard to at the end of this month. duction to the set-up following a Cricket Essex in two sessions on Monday. get away. In the first hour yes- The 21-year-old Jamaican, best Australia invitation to the 25-year-old. Iain O’Brien and Michael Mason, terday, Essex scored only 22 as known as a 200m runner, is still Australia’s 15-man squad to play in with only seven Tests between them, they resumed needing 248 more. unsure whether he will compete the Caribbean is preparing for the shouldered the burden in the absence of The pair had match figures of over the shorter sprint at this sum- three-Test series starting on May 22 in Daniel Vettori, the injured . They seven for 101 and six for 100 and mer’s Olympics despite clocking a Kingston. Tait, meanwhile, will undergo took three apiece as Essex crum- one of them may yet play in the first time just 0.02sec outside the world an indoor fitness test today as part of bled either side of lunch, with only Test, which starts on May 15. Chris record held by his compatriot Asafa his recovery and assessment. , who made 57, looking Martin and Tim Southee, who has Powell, who is expected to be out The South Australian received a CA capable of playing a long innings. recovered from a sore back, will of action for a couple of months contract for the coming season despite Cook rode his luck, having been return on Thursday against after pulling a chest muscle. his break, with selectors believing he dropped on nought the previous Lions, but given the bat- But Bolt, after his outstanding would return to the fold after he evening. He and sur- ting skills of Southee, who made performance at the Jamaica revealed in March his desire to play vived run-out appeals in successive 77 on his Test debut in International meeting in Kingston, again. overs after direct hits — Cook March, Vettori, Mills and Jacob is planning two more 100m races “I am starting to think about cricket appeared fortunate after running Oram, New Zealand may drop a bats- within the next month, the first in again, which I didn’t do at all after I wide — and the England opener man to offer more bowling options at Trinidad on 18 May, the other made the decision,” Tait said at the weathered a loud appeal for caught Lord’s. scheduled for either of the Golden time. “It would be pretty safe to say I behind from all the close fielders on 47. Bopara was caught down the leg side League meetings in Berlin on 1 will be around the traps next season.” He reached his half-century — his for nine off Oram and Mason removed June, Oslo on 6 June or for New While Tait has said he would work first in five innings this season for Mark Pettini and James Foster for York, where Gay is expected to his way back through domestic cricket Essex — with a drive through mid-off ducks. Ryan ten Doeschate and James run. for South Australia, an injury or two to in the over before lunch, but fell shortly Middlebrook added 59, but O’Brien Gay clocked a wind-assisted pacemen in the Test squad could mean after the interval as he mistimed a splayed Middlebrook’s stumps before the 9.76sec in New York last year and he returns to the busy international similar shot, hitting straight into the part-time leg spin of Aaron Redmond has indicated that he wants to fol- arena earlier than expected. hands of Kyle Mills off Mason. did for Ten Doeschate, caught at square low the same schedule as he did in Any doubts over Tait’s commitment “It could have been a lot worse, leg by the wicketkeeper after skying a his 2007 run-up to the 100 and will be answered if he is selected for but I am grateful to have spent 2½ sweep. 200 metres world titles. Bolt, who next year’s Ashes tour in England, with hours out there,” Cook said. “We fan- finished second to Gay in last the Australian side due to spend a stag- cied our chances [of chasing 293 to year’s world championship 200m, SCOREBOARD gering four months abroad. (SMH) win] but the pitch had died a little. New said he had spoken briefly to the Zealand bowled very well and the ball New Zealand: First Innings 355 American after they ran separate nipped about a little.” Essex: First Innings 258 events in Jamaica. “He told me Cook appears likely to open in the New Zealand: Second Innings 195 congratulations,” Bolt said. “I told first Test at Lord’s with Andrew Strauss Essex: Second Innings (overnight him I wanted to defeat him. Told rather than Michael Vaughan, his part- 45-1) him to watch out in the 200. I said ner over the winter. The Cook/Strauss A Cook c Mills b Mason 57 I was definitely looking forward to pairing has not fired in 27 Test T Westley c sub b Mills 7 a showdown.” innings together, with an average R Bopara c McCullum b Oram 9 Bolt, whose previous 100m best stand of 35, but Cook refused M Pettini b Mason 0 was 10.03sec, said his perform- to blame it on their similar R Doeschate c McCullum b Redmond 38 ance in Kingston was unexpected, styles. “The fact we did- J Foster c sub b Mason 0 but steered clear of predicting he n’t do well is J Middlebrook b O’Brien 28 would break Powell’s record. “I am because we A Tudor b O’Brien 18 not worried about that right now,” both kept A Palladino c Taylor b Redmond 3 he said. “I really don’t know how get- M Chambers not out 2 fast I can run the 100.” Extras: (lb 15, w 1) 16 Mo Farah produced the fastest Total: (70.1 overs) 200 10,000m performance by a Briton Fall of wickets: 1-45, 2-67, 3-86, 4-87, 5-100, 6- for eight years on Sunday, finishing 100, 7-159, 8-169, 9-192. fifth in the Stanford Cardinal Bowling: Mason 16-6-36-3, O’Brien 21.1-7-54-3, Invitation meeting. Farah, making Mills 14-2-37-1, Oram 10-4-23-1, Redmond 9-1- his 10,000m debut, clocked 27min 35-2. 44.54sec, last bettered by Karl Umpires: P Willey and T J Urben. Keska’s 27:44.09sec for eighth He’s back ... Shaun Tait. Alastair Cook place in the 2000 Olympic final. Fired up Murray beats Del Potro by Mark Hodgkinson their match having been held back by in Rome slow play in the preceding matches on n afractious evening under the their court, plus the drizzle and down- lights of the Foro Italico, Andy pours. OMurray had words with Juan But even during the first point the Martin Del Potro after hearing the umbrellas were up in the stands, and Argentine player make a rude comment they managed only 11 minutes, or two about his mother. But the British No 1 completed games, before they had to came through to win the opening-round come off again. And so a day of frustra- match when Del Potro retired hurt in the tion continued. More than half an hour final set because of back pain. later they resumed, and Del Potro, Conditions were cold and dank, and ranked No?71 in the world, was soon Usain Bolt there were fewer than 50 spectators in demonstrating why he has been spoken the stands towards the end, but there of as a talent to follow. was plenty of atmosphere between Del Potro barely registered a blip on Clothing, gestures will be Murray and the qualifier. Murray was the hard-court tennis radar this season peeved that Del Potro did not apologise because he was out for a while with examined at Beijing – IOC after hitting a ball straight at him, but he injury. But he has made an impression so was most upset about what was said far during the clay-court period by reach- DENVER (AP) - With the Beijing Games about his mother, who was sitting just a ing the quarter-finals at last week’s less than 100 days away, the few metres behind the baseline. Murray Munich event, and then qualifying here. International Olympic Committee clarified was not going to allow that to pass, and And Del Potro’s forehand was struck its protest rules Monday, saying that ath- said something to Del Potro as they sat with plenty of menace last night. letes’ external appearance, clothing and down on their changeover chairs during Murray was furious during the open- gestures would be scrutinized in China. the second set. ing set when he was warned by umpire The IOC sent a six-point letter, a Murray took that set to level the Fergus Murphy for using the f-word, and copy of which was obtained by The match, and went through on a retirement he continued to argue with the official Associated Press, to the national Olympic when Del Potro hurt his back early in the during the change of ends that followed. federations in response to their request third set, put his head in a towel and Murray insisted that he had not sworn. for interpretations of Rule 51.3 of the announced that he could play no more. In the following game, Murray was Olympic charter. That rule states “no kind Murray, who was a break up at the broken, giving Del Potro the chance to of demonstration or political, religious or time of Del Potro’s injury, and leading 5- serve it out for 5-3. Murray responded racial propaganda is permitted in any 7, 6-4, 1-0, registered his first victory in with some clever hustling, though, and Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” three visits to the Rome Masters, and broke Del Potro. And yet, at 5-6, and serv- The letter expanded on the rule, say- will tomorrow play Switzerland’s ing to stay in the set, Murray dropped ing: “The conduct of participants at all Stanislas Wawrinka. The winner of that his again with a backhand vol- sites, areas and venues includes all match will almost certainly have a third- ley arching long. actions, reactions, attitudes or manifesta- round meeting with Rafael Nadal, the Perhaps the exchanges with Del Potro tions of any kind by a person or group of defending champion and King of Clay. helped Murray. He was certainly fired up persons, including but not limited to their It was around 9pm local time when as he took the second set and broke early look, external appearance, clothing, ges- Murray and Del Potro finally got started, in the third. Fired up: Andy Murray tures, and written or oral statements.”