14 Tuesday 10th November, 2009 by Howard Fendrich nis: WASHINGTON (AP) - On Sampras: Agassi says Zimbabwe give Andre Agassi tells The Sampras “sounds more robotic Associated Press his book is part Agassi’s book than” a parrot. At his depths, of his atonement for saying and Agassi thinks: “I envy Pete’s Proteas food doing things he now wishes he dullness. I wish I could emulate hadn’t. his spectacular lack of inspira- It turns out Andre Agassi tion, and his peculiar lack of for thought was lying throughout his career. need for inspiration.” Agassi To fans. To opponents. To reveals lies he tells of betting coach Brad outh Africa went 1-0 up in their tennis authorities. To first wife Gilbert about how much two-match one-day international Brooke Shields. To friends, Sampras tipped a parking valet; Sseries against Zimbabwe, with a including Barbra Streisand. To they ask the valet, who says $1; 45-run victory - despite a defiant hun- the media. And, he says, to him- Agassi’s conclusion: “We could dred from Tatenda Taibu - in Benoni. self. ‘can’t live with’ not be more different, Pete and Hashim Amla (80) helped the hosts “I can’t live with that any- I.” post an imposing 295 for five, after they more,” Agassi said in a tele- stances as a professional, Agassi On Chang: “He thanks God - had been asked to bat first. phone interview with the AP. - who retired in 2006 - replied, credits God - for the win, which Zimbabwe’s reply was never on “These lies - some of them with a light chuckle, “No. No. offends me. That God should course to threaten the home total - came, certainly, out of fear. A lot The answer is ‘No.”’ take sides in a tennis match, that although Taibu (103no) and Stuart of them came out of real confu- He is not surprised by the God should side against me, that Matsikenyeri (86) exposed some South sion. A lot of it was thinking out negative reactions to some of God should be in Chang’s box, African vulnerabilities and ensured loud. A lot of it was just getting the book’s revelations. Martina feels ludicrous and insulting. I some respectability for the tourists stuff wrong. And a lot of it start- Navratilova, for example, beat Chang and savor every blas- with a sixth- stand of 188. ed with lies to myself,” Agassi likened Agassi to baseball’s phemous stroke.” When Chang Zimbabwe eventually closed on 250 said. “When I retired from ten- Roger Clemens; Roger Federer wins the 1989 French Open, for six - still an encouraging outcome nis, I had the opportunity, the referred to material in the book Agassi thinks, “I feel sickened. for Graeme Smith’s team, who hope to time, the energy, to turn a real as “a bit of a pity.” How could Chang, of all people, have big guns Jacques Kallis and JP hard lens on myself.” Agassi understands such have won a slam before me?” Duminy back from injury in time for His book “Open,” in stores responses because, “You’ve got On other opponents: their forthcoming Twenty20 and ODI Monday, allows Agassi to unbur- to remember: I spent many years Agassi writes about holding assignments against England. den himself of secrets he’s car- angry and disappointed at grudges against Becker (who Amla shared stands of 67 with ried for years. Secrets about myself.” Agassi says blew kisses at Smith and 90 with AB de Villiers (51) - using crystal meth, about evad- He said he simply felt com- Shields during a match), Jim before Alviro Petersen and Albie ing punishment for a failed drug pelled to confess to using crystal Courier, Thomas Muster, Morkel (50no) added quick late runs to test, about wearing a hairpiece, meth “a lot” in 1997, failing a Yevgeni Kafelnikov, Jeff boost the Proteas’ total. about what he calls a long-stand- doping test that year, lying to the Tarango (who Agassi says cheat- Smith upped the tempo after a slow ing hatred of tennis. men’s tennis tour about how the ed during a match between them start, until he fell to an attempted slog- Agassi described the memoir, drug entered his system and when Agassi was 8). sweep at Ray Price. crafted by Pulitzer Prize winner avoiding punishment. On “tanking”: Agassi says Amla’s new partner De Villiers took J.R. Moehringer from record- “How can you tell people to he lost on purpose against over the big hitting until he fell to a ings of the eight-time Grand not hide from truth when you Chang in the Australian Open good catch by Mark Vermeulen off Slam champion’s taped recollec- hide from it?” Agassi said in the semifinals one year so he would- Price. tions, as part of his “atonement interview. “While I know this n’t have to face Becker in the for where I’ve been in my life.” story cuts against the grain of final, writing: “It’s almost hard- As he retraces that life in one’s perceptions of me, it is the er than winning. You have to present tense, Agassi sets out to true me. And I believe in that lose in such a way that the explain himself and describe his authenticity.” crowd can’t tell.” He also says of journey from ninth-grade He added: “I have no regrets sports writers: “They never get dropout to founder of a prep about what’s in there.” it right. When I tank, they say school in Las Vegas. He writes There are plenty of fascinat- I’m not good enough; when I’m about his courtship of tennis ing passages, aside from the not good enough, they say I star Steffi Graf, now his wife and “sensationalized” excerpts sold tank.” the mother of their two chil- to magazines and newspapers as On his fake hair: Of the dren. part of the publicity push. 1990 French Open final, Agassi Along the way,he offers criti- He hopes people will read the writes, “Warming up before the cal words for rivals such as Pete entire book so they can appreci- match, I pray. Not for a win, but Sampras, Michael Chang and ate what he called its “power.” for my hairpiece to stay on.” In this file book cover image released by Knopf, “Open,” by Andre Boris Becker; discusses “tank- Agassi, is shown. In a telephone interview with The Associated “It’s about me learning how On the 1999 French Open ing” matches; and poignantly Press, Agassi says his book is part of his atonement for saying and to commit fully, despite the fear final, which he won to com- describes his childhood fear of doing things he now wishes he hadn’t. (AP Photo/Knopf) of failure,” he said. “It’s a per- plete a career Grand Slam: his father. son waking up in a life that they “I’ve already obsessed about Agassi recounts how, when be speed. He also writes at vari- the tennis court, I actually had didn’t choose, in a life that they this tournament for the last 10 he was a kid, his father would ous points about using marijua- to probably earn more than I maybe don’t want, and not being years. I can’t bear the idea of give him Excedrin before match- na and alcohol. Speaking to the needed to, because of many of sure how to take ownership of obsessing about it for another es because it contained caffeine. AP,Agassi called crystal meth “a the things I did to myself.” their own life, and figuring that eighty.... If I don’t win this thing Once, Agassi writes, his father performance inhibitor” and Asked whether he ever took out.” right now, I’ll never be happy, gave him what Agassi believes to said, “Everything I earned on performance-enhancing sub- The book also is about ten- truly happy, again.”

Strauss century guides England to second tour victory in SA

Andrew Strauss continued his rich run of but Warriors – the franchise rep- them. both excellent footwork and his resenting the old Eastern As part of the team’s cam- favourite stroke, the drive to – form with an unbeaten 117 to help England Province and Border, shorn of paign for constant improve- and over – mid-on. He only got South Africa’s Ryan McLaren struck to an eight-wicket victory in their second their South African players - ment, Strauss hammered the out when it was time to give with his third ball and went on to were dispatched with efficiency ball through the ‘V’ as never someone else a knock. capture 3 for 51 on debut, against tour match, against the Warriors at the De and, another rare element in before. Against decent pace he Denly, aged 23, could well be Zimbabwe, in their 1st ODI at Benoni, Beers Diamond Oval. England’s 50-over , flair. skipped down the pitch and the one who has to make way in South Africa, on November 8, 2009. Strauss is leading by example drove straight fours and a six. the 50-over side for Kevin just as he did in : he He finished with an unbeaten Pietersen’s return. But with 82 Amla then threw away a century by by Scyld Berry from 85 balls he booked himself pulling a Graeme Cremer long-hop in Kimberley into the Twenty20 team, which straight to Vermeulen, who also caught has a warm-up on Tuesday Mark Boucher to give Price his third t is one of cricket’s most sen- evening then two internationals victim. sational news headlines against South Africa. But Petersen and Morkel added 86 Isince WG Grace began grow- “It was quite tricky to begin for the fifth wicket to put South Africa ing a beard. England are pro- with because the pitch is a bit firmly in control. gressing at one-day cricket. slow and they were bowling cut- Price, with three for 44 from 10 Although neither of their ters which were hard to get overs, was the pick of the Zimbabwe South African opponents so far away,’ Denly said. ‘It was really bowlers. has been top-notch, and Stuart about getting used to the pace of Debutant all-rounder Ryan Broad is likely to miss the next the pitch and in the end I was McLaren, who gave up his Kolpak sta- fortnight with a sore right shoul- feeling very comfortable.” tus and a county career with Kent to be der, England are still growing “It was brilliant to get our- able to play for South Africa, had little like a healthy sapling. While selves off to a good start like chance with the bat - making an South Africa could well cut them that and the more I bat with unbeaten six. down 4-1 in the one-day interna- Straussy the more I enjoy it. He But he made an impact with the tional series, England still have is great to bat with and he is a ball, trapping Zim opener Justice the potential for some serious very experienced player. I think Chibabha lbw and having Brendan long-term growth. the right and left hand combina- Taylor caught behind. This tour is the first time tion also works well at the top,” The tourists found themselves in that Andrew Strauss and Andy Denly added. “I was a little bit big trouble at 48 for five at the end of Flower have had any scope to disappointed with the the 17th over. concentrate on limited-overs Champions Trophy, getting But experienced pair Taibu and cricket. When England were in those starts and then getting Matsikenyeri refused to capitulate, the West Indies earlier this year, myself out.” either side of a rain break. they had time but not the play- Another protagonist in Matsikenyeri scored at the quicker ers they wanted, as they inherit- England’s win was Graeme rate - hitting eight fours and a six from ed the selections of the Peter Swann who bowled exactly the only 87 balls - until McLaren (three for Moores era. Now the captain right pace to maximise turn, 51) returned to bowl him in the 48th and coach can do what they and with an accuracy which over. want – and it is truly promising. Adil Rashid could not match in Zimbabwe never had a realistic The main examples of his first game of the tour. chance of victory. But wicketkeeper growth were another fielding Taking mid-innings , if Taibu’s second ODI hundred in his display without any major mis- Swann can do it regularly, will 111th match - containing six fours and Andrew Strauss guided England to a second tour victory in South Africa with field, tidy if not penetrative Captain’s knock: be another box ticked. three sixes - was significant consola- an unbeaten 117 against the Warriors. bowling in Broad’s absence Brief scores: England 256 tion. (only one no-ball), and some bat- Denly did – 84 without loss – in for 2 (Strauss 117*, Denly 82) Brief scores: South Africa 295 for ting which capitalised on anoth- breaking the back of their run- let Denly play himself in while 117 off 119 balls as England won Warriors 254 for 5 (A Jacobs 5 (Amla 80, de Villiers 51, Morkel er slowish, flattish pitch. Seldom chase. he attacked the new ball. with almost 10 overs in hand. 83*, D Jacobs 50, Swann 3-26) 50*, Price 3-44) Zimbabwe 250 for 5 have England cashed in on the 15 Defects will be exposed by Whereas the Warriors scored 35 Denly, after playing himself (Taibu 103*, Matsikenyeri 86, overs of fielding restrictions so South Africa, who were simulta- from their first ten overs, in, took off his helmet when the © The Telegraph Group, McLaren 3-51) well as Andrew Strauss and Joe neously wiping out Zimbabwe, England scored 58, Strauss 32 of spinners came on and unveiled London, 2009 (cricket365.com)