World Judokas Set to Converge in Qatar for IJF Doha Masters 2021 Tokyo Olympics Qualifying Event to Begin Jan 11

SA paceman Anrich Nortje claims career-best 6-56 to destory Sri Lanka MONday, JANUARY 4, 2021 in Jo’burg page 14 World judokas set to converge in Qatar for IJF Doha Masters 2021 Tokyo Olympics qualifying event to begin Jan 11

Tribune News Network Doha

Preparations are in top gear as Qatar is once again set to host the world at the Inter- national Judo Federation (IJF) Doha Masters 2021 from Janu- ary 11 to 13 at the ultra-modern Multipurpose Hall at Lusail. The 2020 Tokyo Games qualifying event will feature 370 athletes - 203 male and Some of the judokas set for Doha at one of world’s airports. 167 female - from 68 countries representing five continental a lively and dynamic place world. Now here we are, willing federations namely the Afri- to discover and stage high- to continue our lives and con- can Judo Union, Judo Union performance events. We are tinue to promote our beloved of Asia, and European Judo very grateful to our highest au- sport, without anything or any- Union, Oceania Judo Union thorities for all their continued one preventing us,” he said. and Pan-American Judo Con- backing,” Al Muraikhi added. “In that regard, I would federation. France’s Teddy Riner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and ten-time world champion in the +100kg, is one of the stars featuring in IJF Doha The Doha Masters precedes like to thank the commitment The event is also part of the Masters 2021 — one of the qualifying events for Tokyo2020. the World Championships of the Qatar Judo Federation, World Judo Tour. The tourna- which Qatar will host in 2023. whose effort has been enor- ment will feature competition judoka, male or female, to do 48 kg division, and Belgium’s kg event at the 2019 African the strictest health protocols Al Muraikhi thanked the mous, ensuring everything is in seven categories for both so). In his 13-year career as Matthias Casse - the World Games held in Rabat, Morocco to the athletes and officials IJF President Marius Vizer ready on time. The Masters is, men and women. a professional judoka, Riner No.1 in -81kg and the 2019 Eu- is also set to strut her stuff at taking part in the prestigious for “his continuous support therefore, ready to begin! For the men, participants was only defeated eight times ropean Games gold medalist. the tournament. event. The safety of everyone and trust in allocating the or- The Doha Masters is a vital will contest in the -60kg, in elite international champi- Other stars on the list in- Qatar LOC director Eid is our topmost priority, and all ganisation of the Doha Mas- qualifying tournament for the -66kg, -73kg, -81kg, -90kg, onships. clude Clarisse Agbegnenou Al Muraikhi said, “We are de- measures will not be spared, ters event and the 2023 World Tokyo Olympic Games, with -100kg and +100kg categories Also on the cards are Idalys of France - the 2016 Olympic lighted to welcome the world in partnership with the health Championships” to Qatar. the crème de la crème of the while the women will be in ac- Ortiz of Cuba - the 2012 Olym- silver medalist and four-time to Doha once again. We are ex- authorities, to ensure an inci- Meanwhile, Vizer praised World Judo Tour battling to tion in the -48kg, -52kg, -57kg, pic gold medalist in the +78kg world champion in the -63 kg tremely proud of being the host dent-free tournament. Qatar’s enthusiasm and com- earn the valuable points. -63kg, -70kg, -78kg and +78kg female category, Japan’s female category, and Egypt’s of this important tournament “We are quite aware that mitment to sports despite the “It will happen in Doha, a categories. Soichi Hashimoto - world No.1 Ramadan Darwish - a six-time which is a qualifying event for we need to put in a lot of effort complications stemming from place tied firmly to its history Top on the list of stars in the lightweight division and African champion in -100kg the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo to meet the specific needs and the COVID-19 pandemic. but that bets on the future, featuring in Doha is France’s four-time World Champion- and a bronze medalist at the Games. The tournament is expectations of all our stake- “As you all know, this is a with its avant-garde architec- Teddy Riner – a two-time ships gold medalist, Ukraine’s 2009 World Championship happening in an unusual time holders. We are very pleased to complicated year. The corona- ture, its green spaces and its Olympic gold medalist and Daria Bilodid - the 2019 World in Rotterdam. Tunisia’s Ni- occasioned by the global COV- welcome our best judokas and virus pandemic has forced us desire to be a hub of culture, ten-time world champion in Champion and the 2019 Eu- hel Cheikh Rouhou - the gold ID 19 pandemic. Still, Qatar guests in our hospitable city of all to modify established plans sports and business. This is the +100kg (the first and only ropean gold medalist in the medalist in the women’s +78 is more than ready to provide Doha. Doha has always been for the good of judo and the Doha!,” said Vizer. Defending champion Sainz wins first Dakar stage, Attiyah suffers one flat tyre to end up a steady 10th

AFP/TNN fledgling standings, foranoth - First Stage Results Bisha (Saudi Arabia) er luminary of the rally world the 2021 Dakar had barely be- From Jeddah to Bisha: Auto Defending champion Car- gun before it was all but over. 1. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (ESP/ESP/Mini) 3 h 05:56 los Sainz won the first stage Nine-time world rally 2. Stephane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger (FRA/FRA/Mini) at 25 of the Dakar Rally on Sunday champion Sebastien Loeb in Saudi Arabia with the king- trails by more than 24 minutes 3. Martin Prokop/Viktor Chytka (CZE/CZE/Ford) 3:18 dom hosting motorsport’s after a day to forget. 4. Mathieu Serradori/Fabian Lurquin (FRA/BEL/Century) 6:33 most punishing event for the “I’ve rarely had such a ter- 5. Yasir Seaidan/Alexey Kuzmich (KSA/RUS/Century) 8:10 second year since its move rible stage,” the Frenchman la- 6. Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi/Xavier Panseri (UAE/FRA/Peugeot) 8:13 from South America. Mini’s Spanish drivers Carlos Sainz mented, after three punctures. 7. Giniel De Villiers/Alex Haro Bravo (RSA/ESP/Toyota) 8:59 The Spaniard, a three- of Spain concentrates before In the motorbike category 8. Nani Roma/Alexandre Winocq (ESP/FRA/Brx) 9:39 time Dakar winner, covered a driving session on the eve of Australian Toby Price began the 277km special between technical checkup in Jeddah. (AFP) his quest for a third crown 9. Jakub Przygonski/Timo Goettschalk (POL/GER/Toyota) 9:46 Jeddah and Bisha in his Mini in style, taking the first stage 10. Nasser Al Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel (QAT/FRA/Toyota) 12:34. Buggy in 3hr 18min 56sec. Speaking soon after the honours by more than half a Moto Sainz, whose son Carlos stage, Attiyah said, “It wasn’t minute from Argentine Kevin drives for Ferrari in Formula easy for us to open. We were Benavides (Honda) and his 1. Toby Price (AUS/Ktm) 3 h 18:26, 2. Kevin Benavides (ARG/Honda) at 31, One, finished 25sec ahead of Nasser Al Attiyah of Toyota Gazoo Racing Team durng shakedown. losing time but we did good KTM teammate, Matthias 3. Matthias Walkner (AUT/Ktm) 32, 4. Sam Sunderland (GBR/Ktm) 2:03, French teammate Stephane navigation, only one mistake Walkner of Austria. 5. Lorenzo Santolino (ESP/Sherco Factory) 4:23, Peterhansel after a gripping It wasn’t easy for us to open. We were losing time and then we had one flat tyre. But the opening day 6. Xavier De Soultrait (FRA/Husqvarna) 4:35, 7. Franco Caimi (ARG/Yamaha) 4:48, see-saw battle which record Our speed wasn’t that good proved tough going for reign- 8. Skyler Howes (USA/Ktm) 5:25, 9. Luciano Benavides (ARG/Husqvarna) 7:37 (penalty 1:00), 13-time champion Peterhan- but we did good navigation, only one mistake and then we but we understand, the stage ing champion Ricky Brabec, sel appeared to have won until had one flat tyre. Our speed wasn’t that good but we was quite difficult. Honda’s American rider who 10. Martin Michek (CZE/Ktm) 8:10. Selected: 24. Ricky Brabec (USA/Honda) 18:32. Sainz stormed home to deny understand, the stage was quite difficult. “There were too many trailed in almost 20 minutes his celebrated rival. rocks which I have never seen behind Price after losing his tween Bisha and Wadi Ad-Da- endurance challenge moved Czech Martin Prokop Nasser Al Attiyah but we tried to maintain a way in the early part of the wasir featuring the first taste of to Saudi Arabia for the first (Ford) completed the first steady speed and I am happy 277km special. racing in dunes. time last year after a decade in day’s car podium. his French co-driver Mat- that restricted their speed. to be here,” he added. Monday’s second stage sees Launched in 1979 between South America. Qatar’s three-time cham- thieu Baumel had to endure a They, however, finished tenth, While Sainz leads Peter- competitors covering 685km, Paris and the Senegalese The rally concludes back in pion Nasser Al Attiyah and tough stage with one flat tyre 12:34secs behind the leader. hansel by eight seconds in the including a 457km special, be- capital Dakar, the celebrated Jeddah on January 15.

Three-time champion Toyota’s Qatari driver Nasser Al Attiyah and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel of France compete Defending champion Mini’s Spanish driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz compete during Stage 1 of the 2021 Dakar Rally during Stage 1 of the 2021 Dakar Rally between Jeddah and Bisha in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. (AFP) between Jeddah and Bisha in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. (AFP) Sports Monday, January 4, 2021 13 Dudu strikes as Al Duhail stay second, Gharafa fight back for a thrilling 2-2 draw with Qatar SC Tribune News Network Doha

Defending champions Al Duhail scored a narrow 1-0 win over Umm Salal 1-0 in Week 12 of the 2020-21 season QNB Stars League at the Qatar SC Stadium on Sunday to stay second on the points table, a point ahead of Al Gharafa, who fought back for a draw against Qatar SC. Eduardo Rodriguez (Dudu) scored the all-important goal in the 12th minute for the Red Knights. The result saw Al Duhail raise their tally to 24 points with their eighth victory and Umm Salal remain on 10 points following their sixth defeat. Going into the match, Umm Salal had not lost their Al Arabi players celebrate their 3-0 win over Al Khor in the QNB Stars League at the Al Arabi Stadium on Sunday. last four games. However, they could not do much against to the half hour mark. reigning champions Al Duhail, The long session of hits who are in their usual selves of and misses came to end – via late after initial struggles. a VAR call in the 43rd minute Al Duhail had stormed – when Fadel on an assist by Eduardo Rodriguez (Dudu), who scored the all-important goal in the into the top four by beating Al Alejandro Galvez fired into the 12th minute for Al Duhail, celebrates at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Khor (6-1) in Week 10 and The lower right of the Al Gharafa Stadium on Sunday. Red Knights then beat Al Ahli goal. The referee used the VAR 5-3 to finish the first leg of the review to check the potential pouched by Qatar SC keeper. danger zone. tournament in third position. off-side call before allowing In the end, Al Arabi had Sabri Lamouchi’s side is (59th-minute penalty). the goal to stay. Al Arabi blank Al Khor 3-0 the last laugh as they put be- well on course to retain the ti- Qatar SC and Al Gharafa In injury time, Al Gharafa’s In another match of the day hind their disappointments tle even though they lag behind are now on 20 and 23 points Tameem Al Muhaza brought played at the Arabi Stadium, Al in the first leg and began the leaders Al Sadd on points. respectively. Belaili down with a rough slid- Arabi blanked Al Khor 3-0. second leg on a confident note Al Duhail dominated the The match kicked off in ing tackle resulting in a penalty. Mehrdad Mohammadi by achieving their third suc- ball with 65 per cent in the spectacular fashion with Belaili Qatar SC went 2-0 up as Belaili (18th minute), Mehdi Torabi cessive victory. Heimir Hall- first half. Abdullah Al Ahrak aiming for the goal on the sec- easily converted the spot kick. (38th minute) and Abdul- grimsson’s men had beaten Al set up Almoez Ali in the 39th ond touch a couple of feet away Trailing by two goals, Al rahman Anad (71st minute) Kharaitiyat 3-1 in Week 10 and minute, but the latter could from the half-line. His long- Gharafa hit back with two scored the goals as Al Arabi Al Sailiya 1-0 in Week 11. not find the target. range shot was not way off the quick goals in the second half. completed a hat-trick of wins. Al Khor now have their mark as the ball sailed above First, Al Janehi jumped The Dream Team now have back to the wall as The Knights Gharafa fight back to keeper Yousef Hassan’s head high to tap a cross into the net four victories and 15 points. have only one point more than hold Qatar SC 2-2 and landed on top of the net. from close range. Al Khor’s miseries com- bottom-placed Al Kharaitiyat. Al Gharafa fought back to As the players settled into Then, Kodjia converted a pounded as they crashed to Results: Al Duhail 1 (Dudu 12’) draw 2-2 with Qatar SC at the a groove, Al Gharafa’s Koo Ja- Action from the Al Gharafa-Qatar SC match which ended in a 2-2 draw. penalty kick awarded after he their seventh defeat and stood bt Umm Salal 0 Qatar SC Stadium. Cheol attempted a long-range was brought down inside the on seven points, very much in Qatar SC 2 (Ahmed Fadhel 41’, Qatar SC’s goals were shot in the 13th minute, close Hamed Ismail. Chased by an gerian midfielder Sofiane Han- box and the referee awarded the danger zone, as the tourna- Youcef Belaili 45+2’ (P)) vs scored by Ahmed Fadel (41st to the edge of the box, that Al Gharafa defender, Belaili ni – after a short cross from the penalty after a VAR review. ment entered the second leg. Al Gharafa 2 (Ahmed Al Ganehi minute) and Youcef Belaili went wayward. charged into the box but his Homam Elamin – also failed A quarter of an hour later, Both teams fought hard 53’, Jonathan Kodjia 59’ (P)) (45+2 penalty), while Al Belaili’s second serious header – lacking in speed – to find the net as he hit the ball Kodjia nearly scored a win- with the aim of bettering their Al Arabi 3 (Mehrdad Moham- Gharafa replied through goals attempt at goal – this time was parried away by the goal- straight to keeper Jassim Al ner from close range on a long position in the league, Al Arabi madi 18’, Mehdi Torabi 38’, from Ahmed Al Janehi (54th from close range – was made keeper in the 18th minute. Hail despite having time and cross from Hanni. However, to move up the ladder and Al Abdulrahman Enad 71’) minute) and Jonathan Kodjia possible by a long cross from Al Gharafa’s influential Al- space to work on his shot close Kodjia’s quick-footed drive was Khor to stay away from the bt Al Khor 0. Lampard braced for Lewandowski nets twice as Bayern roar Chelsea ‘pain’ after back to floor Mainz Man City masterclass should give them “self-confi- dence” to tackle their congest- AFP rhythm, we have to play a lot ed fixture list in the coming London of passes. We won the Premier weeks. League that way (in the past).” Mainz caretaker coach Jan Frank Lampard said Chelsea City were without Eder- Siewert insisted his side gave will have to go through “peri- son, Kyle Walker, Ferran Tor- their all, but “you have to re- AC Milan’s Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma jumps to grab ods of pain” to reach the stand- res and Gabriel Jesus due to a spect Bayern’s quality”. the ball during the Italian Serie A match against Benevento at the ards set by Manchester City coronavirus outbreak that led Joshua Kimmich marked Ciro-Vigorito Stadium in Benevento on Sunday. (AFP) after Pep Guardiola’s men out- to their clash at Everton on his return from a knee injury classed the Blues in a 3-1 win Monday being postponed. by bagging Bayern’s first, with at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Goalkeeper Zack Stef- Leroy Sane and Niklas Suele Ten-man AC Milan keep City brushed off a series of fen was handed his Premier scoring before Lewandowski coronavirus-related absences League debut, but was barely added two more goals to in- as goals from Ilkay Gundogan, tested despite Lampard being crease his league tally to 19. ahead of rampant Inter Phil Foden and Kevin De able to start £150 million trio Lewandowski, named last Bruyne killed the game as a Christian Pulisic, Timo Wer- month as FIFA’s player of the AFP “We’re ambitious, we’re contest inside 35 minutes. ner and Hakim Ziyech togeth- year, has now netted 22 times Milan not hiding it and we aim to win Victory lifts City to within er in attack for the first time. in all competitions for Bayern the next match as well against four points of Liverpool and Gundogan opened the this season. AC Milan stayed top in Serie A Juventus (on Wednesday),” Manchester United at the top Chelsea’s English head coach floodgates on 18 minutes when Mainz doubled their lead on Sunday with a 2-0 win over warned Pioli. of the table, but with a game in Frank Lampard reacts to their he spun just outside the area when centre-back Alexander midtable Benevento despite Nine-time reigning cham- hand on both to come. defeat in the English Premier and found the bottom corner. Hack headed home a free-kick playing an hour a man down pions Juventus, who are now Chelsea were expected to League against Manchester City Three minutes later Foden a minute before the break. and without injured star strik- seventh, are in action later challenge for the title them- at Stamford Bridge in London on doubled City’s lead with a Flick substituted Boateng er Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Sunday against Udinese. selves after a £220 million Sunday. Manchester City won the fine near post finish from De Bayern Munich’s Polish forward for Suele and switched Kim- City rivals Inter had moved At the San Siro, Martinez ($300 million) spending spree game 3-1. (AFP) Bruyne’s cross. Robert Lewandowski celebrates mich from midfield to right- ahead earlier with Lautaro and Romelu Lukaku com- in the transfer market, but a “For 10 minutes we were the 4-2 during the German first di- back for the second period. Martinez scoring a hat-trick bined to devastating effect for run of one win in six games where we are at because I good, then they started to vision Bundesliga match vs Mainz The result was almost in- in a dominant 6-2 victory over Inter who have now won eight has left them down in eighth, can see and I know the work play and we concede two poor 05 in Munich on Sunday. (AFP) stant as Kimmich headed Bay- lowly Crotone. league games in a row. seven points off the pace hav- it takes to be at the level Man goals,” added Lampard. “I felt ern’s first goal on 50 minutes, But Milan restored their The strike duo were in- ing played a game more than City showed today. it knocked us and we didn’t AFP then set up Sane to score six one-point advantage thanks volved in five goals although the leaders. “It’s normal that as a squad react.” Berlin minutes later. to a Franck Kessie penalty on midfielder Arturo Vidal was Roman Abramovich has we take little knocks along the Guardiola had only won On his 21st birthday, Mainz 15 minutes after a foul on Ante hauled off at half-time after dismissed plenty of Chel- way, now it is a test.” once in five previous visits to Robert Lewandowski netted midfielder Leandro Barreiro Rebic with Rafael Leao grab- conceding a penalty in a woe- sea managers in the past for Stamford Bridge as Barcelona twice as Bayern Munich roared had an own goal overturned bing an impressive second ful display. similar spells of form and the City click into gear and City boss, but his side back from two goals down when VAR spotted an offside from a tight angle shortly after Antonio Conte’s side had pressure in mounting on Lam- City had scored more than were cruising by half-time. to earn a 5-2 home win over Bayern player. half-time. been pegged back 2-2 at the pard to prove he can mould a twice in a league game just All 10 Chelsea outfield play- Mainz on Sunday which put “We were lucky that Mainz Stefano Pioli’s side held off break with Niccolo Zanellato talented squad of individuals once since their opening match ers were caught ahead of the ball the European champions back didn’t score the third goal,” the promoted southerners de- scoring first with a 12th-min- into a team capable of compet- of the season, but clicked into as De Bruyne released Sterling at the top of the Bundesliga. Kimmich later admitted. spite Sandro Tonali’s sending ute header for the rock bottom ing for major honours. gear after taking 10 minutes to run through on goal from in- Mainz’s 2-0 half-time lead However, the goals kept off on 33 minutes after his yel- Calabrians with the worst at- “There are periods of pain to find their rhythm in an un- side his own half and after the was wiped out within 10 min- flowing as Suele tapped home low card was changed to red tack in the league. we are going to go through. familiar formation with De England international hit the utes of the restart as Bayern a corner on 70 minutes. following a VAR review for a But Martinez picked up a That was painful in the first Bruyne the most advanced post, De Bruyne was first to re- netted five unanswered second- Lewandowski then con- high tackle on Artur Ionita. Lukaku cross to pull the hosts half for the players,” said Lam- forward in between Foden and act and slot home the rebound. half goals at the Allianz Arena. verted a penalty on 76 minutes Gianluca Caprari missed a level eight minutes later. pard, who publicly lambasted Raheem Sterling. Results The result leaves Bayern after Serge Gnabry had to be penalty after an hour for Ben- Martinez had a role in In- his side’s effort in a 3-1 defeat “We had a plan, we tried Chelsea 1 (Hudson-Odoi 90+2) two points clear of second- helped off after being fouled in evento with Gianluigi Don- ter’s second just after half an to Arsenal last weekend. to play in a certain way and it Manchester City 3 (Gundogan placed RB Leipzig, who had a heavy tackle. narumma decisive in goal hour when Crotone defender “I’ll be the first to look at worked, the players were fan- 18, Foden 21, De Bruyne gone top after their 1-0 win at The Poland striker added as Milan stretched their un- Luca Marrone turned the ball myself today. When I look tastic in all departments,” said 34); Newcastle 1 (Carroll 82) Stuttgart on Saturday. his second, and Bayern’s fifth, beaten run to 27 games in the into his own net under pressure at this squad, I know there is Guardiola. “We are a team Leicester 2 (Maddison 55, Accoring to Bayern coach from close range seven min- league going back to March. from the Argentina forward. uplift in this team but I know that needs to play in a certain Tielemans 72). Hansi Flick, the fight back utes from time. 14 Monday, January 4, 2021 Sports Ganguly recovering: It’s ‘simple’ as Nortje and Elgar Doctors AFP Kolkata put SA on top against Lanka Indian cricket chief Sourav Ganguly was under observa- tion in hospital Sunday after a successful heart operation, Visitors shot out doctors said, as well wishes including from the prime minis- for 157; Hosts ter continued to pour in for the former star and captain. 148-1 in reply The 48-year-old, who heads the country’s powerful AFP cricket board, suffered a heart Johannesburg attack during his morning ex- ercise session on Saturday. South Africa fast bowler An- He was immediately taken rich Nortje said a simple game to Woodlands hospital in Kol- plan was the key after he de- kata, the capital of West Bengal stroyed the Sri Lanka batting state, where doctors found three line-up on the first day of the blockages in his arteries, one of second and final Test at the which needed a stent implant. Wanderers Stadium on Sunday. South Africa’s Anrich Nortje (left) celebrates with teammates after one “Sourav Ganguly is now sta- Nortje claimed career-best of his six scalps of Sri Lanka’s batsmen at the Wanderers Stadium in ble and without support of oxy- figures of six for 56 asS ri Lan- Johannesburg on Sunday. (AFP) gen after undergoing angioplas- ka collapsed to 157 all out after ty,” doctor Saroj Mandal told winning the toss and choosing reporters outside the hospital. to bat first on the pace-friendly Scoreboard “Genetic history and long- Wanderers pitch. Sri Lanka (1st innings) (Hasaranga), 9-151 (Chameera). term stress and other factors South Africa took full con- D. Karunaratne c De Kock b Nortje 2 Bowling: Ngidi 10-3-44-0, Nortje 14.3-1-56-6, K. Perera c Markram b Mulder 60 Sipamla 9-3-27-1, Mulder 7-3-25-3. may have caused the disease,” trol when they reached 148 for L. Thirimanne c Du Plessis b Mulder 17 South Africa (1st innings) Mandal said, adding that a one at the close, with opening South Africa’s Anrich Nortje dismisses Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka on the first day of their second Test at K. Mendis c Van der Dussen b Mulder 0 D. Elgar not out 92 seven-member medical team batsman Dean Elgar scoring the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday. (AFP) M. Bhanuka c Van der Dussen b Nortje 5 A. Markram c Mendis b A. Fernando 5 is monitoring his health. 92 not out. N. Dickwella c De Kock b Nortje 7 H. van der Dussen not out 40 D. Shanaka c De Kock b Nortje 4 Extras: (b4, lb4, w3) 11 A crowd of well-wishers “In the previous Test we Fernando with a full delivery ing stroke play, which brought ets as well as bowl dot balls,” W. Hasaranga c De Kock b Sipamla 29 remained outside the hospi- bowled maybe too wide and as the batsman backed away. him 11 boundaries. said Nortje, who sent Sri Lan- Total: (For 1 wkt, 37 overs) 148 D. Chameera c De Kock b Nortje 22 Fall of wicket: 1-34 (Markram). V. Fernando not out 2 tal waiting for updates about on both sides of the wicket,” Sri Lanka’s slump came af- “I was thinking any time I ka to lunch on a low note when Bowling: V. Fernando 10-0-40-0 (1w), A. Fernando A Fernando b Nortje 4 “dada”, a term used endear- said Nortje of South Africa’s ter a promising start. could get out. I was thinking if he had debutant Minod Bha- 10-2-30-1 (1w), Chameera 7-0-34-0, Shanaka 6-1- Extras: (lb5) 5 ingly for an elder brother in performance in the first Test With Kusal Perera hitting the ball is coming my way I am nuka caught at first slip off the Total: (All Out, 40.3 overs): 157 13-0 (1w), Hasaranga 4-0-23-0. Bengali. at Centurion, where they an aggressive 60, Sri Lanka going to hit it.” last ball before the interval. Fall of wickets: 1-19 (Karunaratne), 2-71 (Perera), To bat: F. du Plessis, Q. de Kock, T. Bavuma, W. Mulder, Prime Minister Narendra won by an innings despite Sri were on course to reach lunch The medium-paced Four wickets had fallen for 3-71 (Mendis), 4-80 (Thirimanne), 5-84 (Bhanuka), K. Maharaj, A. Nortje, L. Sipamla, L. Ngidi. Modi spoke to Ganguly on Lanka scoring 396 in the first with minimal damage on a Mulder, playing in his third 13 runs in four overs. 6-93 (Dickwella), 7-110 (Shanaka), 8-149 Toss: Sri Lanka. Sunday to inquire about his innings. pitch which invariably offers Test, slowed Perera’s momen- Nortje, who had made health and wish him a quick “We tried to make it a bit assistance to the bowlers on tum with a maiden over. the first breakthrough of the He had Aiden Markram Elgar, who made 95 in the recovery, the hospital said. simpler and get it into the the first morning. With the first ball of his match when he had Sri Lanka caught at second slip in an first Test, faced 119 balls and India’s record-breaking channel (outside off stump), Perera was caught at gully next over, Mulder had Perera captain Dimuth Karunaratne opening spell of one for 14 in hit 16 boundaries. batsman Sachin Tendulkar especially on a pitch like off the medium-paced Wiaan caught at gully. caught behind in the tenth seven overs. Nortje said he hoped South tweeted his support. this with the bounce,” said Mulder 20 minutes from the He followed up with the over, claimed four more wick- But Elgar batted confi- Africa would again make a big “Just got to know about Nortje. interval, sparking a calamitous wickets of Kusal Mendis and ets after lunch. dently and had solid support first innings total, following your ailment Sourav. Hope The plan worked so well collapse from 71 for one to 84 Lahiru Thirimanne in a spell Ajitha Fernando, making from Rassie van der Dussen their 621 at Centurion. each passing day brings you that nine of the Sri Lankans for five at the break. of three wickets for one run in his debut, bowled impres- in an unbroken second wicket “I would like us to bat all closer to a full and speedy re- were caught in the arc between ‘The ball was seaming three overs. sively at the start of the South stand of 114 which took South day tomorrow and maybe covery! Get well soon,” the wicketkeeper and gully before and there was bounce,” said “It is great to have a guy Africa innings, bustling in at a Africa to within nine runs of into the next day. There’s no cricket legend wrote. Nortje bowled last man Ajitha Perera, explaining his attack- like Wiaan, who can take wick- lively pace. the Sri Lankan total. rush,” he said. Jamieson takes five to ENGLAND ARRIVE IN SRI LANKA blunt Azhar’s battling 93

In a destructive three-over burst before lunch, Jamieson removed Abid Ali (25), Haris Sohail (one) and Fawad Alam (two) using his 2.3 metre (6ft 8in) frame to ruffle the batsmen with an awkward bounce which he mixed with testing full deliveries. The delivery that accounted for Alam was almost unplayable as it reared up forcing the batsman to put his hands up in a reflex action and the ball was gloved to wicketkeeper BJ Wa- tling. In the middle session Rizwan was in punishing form with 11 boundaries on his way to 61 off 71 deliveries, before he was caught in two minds by a fuller Jamieson delivery that came back at him and an inconclusive shot was edged to Watling. After the tea adjournment, and once Henry had removed Azhar, Jamieson returned to see off Ashraf who was out for 48 when he edged a ball outside off stump to Ross Taylor at first slip. Taylor had earlier dropped Ashraf in the first over he faced. Zafar Gohar, on debut, reached 34 before Jamieson was back in action, this time to take the crucial catch at fine leg to giveS outhee his second wicket. Pakistan’s batsman Azhar Ali during his knock of Trent Boult mopped up the tail taking the 93 on day one of the 2nd Test against New Zealand wickets of Shaheen Afridi (four) and Naseem at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday. (AFP) Shah (12). England’s cricket team arrive at the Rajapaksa international airport in Mattala on January 3, 2021, as the team returned to Sri Lanka to play The New Zealand first innings will start two Tests abandoned in March due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. (AFP) AFP on Monday. Christchurch Players land in Mattala, undergo tests Kyle Jamieson took a five wicket haul as New Zealand bowled out Pakistan for 297, anchored by a sterling 93 from Azhar Ali on day one of the AFP their arrival. land Men’s Cricket, Ashley During the quarantine pe- second Test against New Zealand in Christch- Mattala (Sri Lanka) The England contingent Giles, said the team looked riod, the England squad will urch on Sunday. were driven in busses to a forward to playing at the sea- split into two teams in order Jamieson, in only his sixth Test, had the fig- England’s cricketers arrived nearby luxury hotel, officials side Galle stadium adjoining a to play a practice match, a SLC ures of five for 69, the third five-wicket haul of in Sri Lanka Sunday to resume said adding that a second ho- colonial-era fort. official said. his fledgling career. a Test tour cancelled in the ear- tel has been reserved to isolate “To play in Galle will be The local board, mean- New Zealand won the toss and bowled ly days of the COVID-19 pan- and treat any of the visitors who very special -- it is one of the while, confirmed that one if its firston the green strip and as Jamieson found demic, in what officials hope may test positive for the virus. iconic venues in world crick- employees had tested positive bounce and movement to claim four wickets at will be a “massive boost” for However, a spokesman for et,” he said in a statement. for the virus on Saturday, but one end, Azhar was defiant at the other as he match-starved cricket fans. the England team said Sun- “The past 10 months have his immediate contacts had established key partnerships for Pakistan. A British Airways charter day’s on-arrival tests returned been uncertain for us all, but not contracted the disease. After the early loss of Shan Masood, Azhar New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson (left) celebrates the flight carrying 40 passengers – negative, but players will iso- having international cricket “Sri Lanka Cricket will added 62 with Abid Ali, 88 with Mohhamad Ri- dismissal of Pakistan’s Zafar Gohar with teammate players and support staff –an- late themselves in rooms be- returning to Sri Lanka will be a continue to conduct its normal zwan and 56 with Faheem Ashraf. Henry Nicholls at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch ded in Mattala, in the south of fore another round of testing massive boost for cricket fans operations with the most es- After holding the innings together for 172 on Sunday. (AFP) the Indian Ocean island, where on Tuesday. all over the world.” sential staff present at the of- deliveries, Azhar was caught at first slip by Ross they underwent virus tests. “We will be tested again on -Bat for charity-The team fice, whilst the rest will work Taylor off the bowling of Matt Henry who was Scoreboard Joe Root’s men had the Tuesday morning,” the spokes- will not interact with locals, from home,” the board said called into the New Zealand side to replace Neil small airport to themselves as man said. “If all tests return but sign cricket bats which will after the discovery of the in- Wagner who broke two toes in the first Test. Pakistan (1st innings): S. Masood lbw Southee 0, Abid Ali c Southee b Jamieson 25, Sri Lanka has closed its airspace negative on Tuesday, we will be auctioned to raise money fected staffer in Colombo. Azhar Ali c Taylor b Henry 93, H. Sohail c Nicholls b Jamieson 1, F. Alam c Watling b It was an uncharacteristic shot from Azhar Jamieson 2, M. Rizwan c watling b Jamieson 61, F. Ashraf c Watling by Jamieson 48 Z. to scheduled commercial air- be able to train Tuesday after- for two charities supporting England abandoned their who, until then, had moved his feet and was Gohar c Jamieson b Southee 34, S. Afridi c Nicholls b Boult 4, M. Abbas not out 0 N. lines. Only a handful of repatria- noon for the first time.” victims of sexual violence in two-match Test tour of Sri prepared to leave most deliveries that did not Shah c Latham b Boult 12; Extras: (b2, lb9, w6) 17; Total: (All Out; 83.5 overs) 297 tion flights and charters are al- Airport staff in white haz- Sri Lanka, the British High Lanka in March on the second Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Masood), 2-66 (Abid Ali), 3-70 (Sohail), 4-83 (Alam), 5-171 (Rizwan), require a shot, and when there were edges they 6-227 (Azhar Ali), 7-260 (Ashraf), 8-282 (Gohar), 9-285 (Afridi), 10-297 (Shah). lowed into Sri Lanka since May mat suits sprayed the hands Commission said. day of a practice match as the fell safely. Bowling: Southee 23-7-61-2, Boult 20.5-3-82-2, Jamieson 21-8-69-5 (1w), Henry under strict health controls. and footwear of the visitors Sri Lanka Cricket said the pandemic spread. He went to the middle early when Tim South- 17-2-68-1 (5w), Mitchell 2-1-6-0. Toss: New Zealand. “We are very excited about and their luggage before they team’s hotel in the island’s They will now play their ee accounted for Shan Masood with a toe-crush- New Zealand: Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Kane Williamson (capt), Ross Taylor, the Galle Tests,” Root told a were allowed into the terminal southern district of Hambanto- two Tests starting on January Henry Nicholls, BJ Watling, Daryl Mitchell, Kyle Jamieson, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, ing yorker in the third over and was there for the Trent Boult. small group of cameramen for coronavirus tests. ta will be off limits for locals as 14 at the Galle stadium with- carnage when Jamieson came into the attack. allowed into the terminal for Managing Director of Eng- part of quarantine regulations. out any spectators. Sports Monday, January 4, 2021 15

Al Gharafa, Al Sadd win beach volleyball league matches

Al Gharafa defeated Police SC 2-0, while Al Sadd got the better of Al Shamal 2-1 in absorbing league matches of Qatar Volleyball Asociation’s Men’s Beach Volleyball Championship 2020-21 played on Sunday. (TNN)

QBA men’s league: Al Sadd beat Inaugural QOC Beach Rayyan; Al Ahli edge Qatar SC Games conclude with exciting action Tribune News Network Khafji 2-1 (23-21, 12-14, 10-8) Doha while Al Adaam trounced Al Nojoom 2-0 (21-13, 21-18) to After two weeks of exciting claim the tournament’s cham- breach sports action, the cur- pionship trophy as well as the tains were drawn on the in- QR40,000 prize-money in the augural Qatar Olympic Com- volleyball event. The runners- mittee (QOC) Beach Games up of both events went home at the Aspire Park in Doha on with QR30,000, respectively. M. Abdul Aleem scored 43 points while T. Nix contibuted 22 as Al Saturday with the finals of the Aside from the crowning of Sadd scored a whopping 112-95 win over Al Rayyan in their Men’s men’s beach volleyball, men’s the day’s winners, the champi- League clash of the Qatar Basketball League at Al Gharafa Sports beach handball and the men’s ons of all the women’s events Club on Sunday. In another match of the league (below), Qatar Sports beach football held on the day. and the men’s basketball 3X3 Club were edged 72-21 by Al Ahli. N. Seydou scored the highest 30 Saturday’s event had in at- were also crowned on the day. points for the winners while B. Jaxen scored 27 for Qatar SC. (TNN) tendance various dignitaries Seashore, the wom- including QOC Secretary-Gen- en’s football winners, got eral HE Jassim bin Rashid Al QR30,000 aside from the Buenain, Secretary-General of championship trophy while the Maldives Olympic Commit- Team A7, the runners-up were tee HE Ahmed Marzooq, QOC rewarded with QR20,000. Sports Affairs Director Kalid Al Women’s handball cham- Jaber, President of Qatar Vol- pions, Al Shaqab, also went leyball Association Ali bin Gha- home with QR30,000 while nem Al Kuwari, President of runners-up Yasminat of the Qatar Handball Association Tunisia walked away with Ahmad Mohammad Al Shaabi QR20,000. Same was for vol- among others. QOC Secretary-General Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain awards the men’s beach basketball winners. leyball which was won by Al One of the major high- Maha with Al Amal being the lights of the day was the highly runners-up. entertaining final match of However, in the basketball the football event which saw 3X3 events, men’s champions Shahaniyah being crowned Al Ahlam were rewarded with the champions after staging a QR30,000 while Al Wakrah, dramatic comeback from 4-1 the runners-up got QR20,000. down to level the scores at In the women’s event, Qatar B 5-5 in the third period against who defeated Doha to claim Doha. They subsequently won the trophy got QR25,000 the game 8-6 after the result- while QR15,000 was for the ant penalty shootout. second-placed. The match, which the at- The QR470,000 total tending dignitaries and a ca- prize-money QOC Beach pacity crowd witnessed, had Games, a legacy event from all the trappings of a befitting the maiden ANOC World NBA ACTION final as it had all the fans glued Beach Games that Qatar suc- to their seat for most parts of cessfully hosted in 2019, saw the game as the players went about 500 male and female toe-to-toe against each other. athletes who competed in four The Doha team endued up events namely beach volley- rueing their several wasted op- ball, beach handball, beach portunities and some laxity at football and beach basketball their defence, especially in the 3X3. One of the many achieve- second period, which allowed ments from the competition Shahaniyah to come back into was the spotted talents, es- the game after being on the The women’s 3x3 bastketball team receives their prize from QOC Secretary-General Jassim bin Rashid Al pecially in the women’s event back foot most part. Buenain at the Aspire Zone on Saturday. where several under-16 and Aside from the trophy and under-17 players with poten- medals, Shahaniyah walked ners’ prize money while Doha In the handball event, Al ons and earned the QR40,000 tials to join the national teams away with the QR50,000 win- got QR40,000 for their effort. Edaid were crowned champi- prize money after defeating Al were discovered. Rockets lean on Wall in 102-94 victory over Kings AFP be 2-0 in my first two games.’’ prised with the immediate im- Oklahoma City Orlando, who have lost two Los Angeles Harden had 33 points in pact from Wall. beat Orlando straight after starting the sea- the New Year’s Eve game but ‘’Whatever expectations I Elsewhere, Darius Bazley had son 4-0., John Wall delivered a game- was a late scratch Saturday. had, he’s obviously exceeded 19 points and 12 rebounds to Orlando was just eight of high 28 points as the Houston The disgruntled American, them,’’ he said. lift the Oklahoma City Thun- 28 from the floor in the fourth, Rockets won their second who has asked for a trade, sat The Rockets seized their der to a 108-99 road win over missing all 10 of its three- straight game over the Sacra- out with a sore ankle, although first double-digit lead of the the Orlando Magic. point attempts. mento Kings 102-94, despite he has not been placed on the game, 92-81, early in the Bazley posted his second In Philadelphia, Ben Sim- playing without NBA all-star injury list. fourth quarter when David double-double of the season mons had a triple-double, and James Harden. Without Harden, Wall car- Nwaba and Gordon drained after making just one last sea- Joel Embiid tallied 19 points Eric Gordon replaced ried the offensive load for the back to back threes. son for the Thunder, who had and 14 rebounds as the Phila- Harden and scored 21 points, Rockets. He had missed their The Kings got to 92-83 six players in double-figure delphia 76ers dominated the while Christian Wood fin- first two games of the new with just over eight minutes scoring. Charlotte Hornets 127-112. ished with 20 points and 15 season because of Covid-19 left, but then cold shooting George Hill finished with Tobias Harris scored a rebounds for the Rockets, who restrictions and was out all of and turnovers resulted in 18 points, and Shai Gilgeous- team-high 24 points, and Sim- also beat the Kings 122-119 on last season because of injuries. them going scoreless for five Alexander had 16 for the mons finished with 15 points, New Year’s Eve. Sterling Brown came off minutes. Thunder, who snapped a 12 rebounds and 11 assists as ‘’I just put in a lot of hard the bench to score 11 points in De’Aaron Fox led the Kings three-game losing skid. the Sixers won their 12th con- work and dedication to get the win. with 23 points, while Buddy Nikola Vucevic scored a secutive game over the Hor- John Wall of the Houston Rockets puts up a basket during the fourth to this point,’’ Wall said. ‘’I Rockets coach Stephen Hield chipped in 17 points in team-high 30 points, while nets. Philadelphia has not lost quarter of a game against the Sacramento Kings at Toyota Center in couldn’t ask for a better start to Silas said he is pleasantly sur- the loss. Terrence Ross added 26 for to Charlotte since 2016. Houston, Texas, USA, on Saturday. (Getty Images/AFP)