TTENNISENNIS | Page 4 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 6 Djokovic Modric back in ends lucky Real training loser Basic’s amid doubts Toronto start over future Thursday, August 9, 2018 CRICKET Dhul-Qa’da 27, 1439 AH Sri Lanka clinch GULF TIMES rain-marred thriller to end losing streak SPORT Page 2 CRICKET New-look England try to do without Stokes in 2nd Test All-rounder Woakes has been called up in Stokes’ place, with uncapped Surrey batsman Pope selected in place of Malan AFP London Kohli just wants India to ngland will be without ‘cross the line’ Ben Stokes while India AFP “It is unfortunate we haven’t could make changes too London been able to cross the (win- for the second Test at ning) line after coming so ELord’s today. close, that is the only thing we Stokes played a starring role ndia captain Virat Kohli has are looking to, how we cross in England’s 31-run win in the no qualms over who stars the line. fi rst Test of a fi ve-match series at Ifor his side so long as they “It doesn’t matter whether Edgbaston last week, including win. I get (over) the line or Jinks taking the wicket of India captain The tourists head into the (Ajinkya Rahane) does or (Mu- Virat Kohli, who had been an- second Test at Lord’s starting rali) Vijay does or KL (Rahul) choring the tourists’ run-chase. today 1-0 down in a five-match does or whoever does. But Stokes was omitted by series after England won the “As long as we cross the line, England because he is in court first Test at Edgbaston by 31 that is the only thing that mat- this week on a criminal charge of runs last week. ters,” Kohli insisted. aff ray. That was despite star batsman Fellow pace-bowling all- Kohli making exactly 200 ‘CLEAR PLAN’ rounder Chris Woakes has been runs in the game, including India were dismissed for called up in his place to the Eng- a superb first-innings 149 — under 300 in their first innings land squad, with uncapped Sur- his maiden Test century in at Edgbaston and then failed rey batsman Ollie Pope selected England. to chase down a target of 194 instead of Dawid Malan, dropped If only another member of In- second time around, being after a run of low scores. dia’s much-vaunted top-order bowled out for 162 after Kohli But in a dry English summer had made a sizeable contribu- made 51. that has seen pitches more recep- tion, the result may well have “There must be a clear plan tive to slow bowling than usual, been diff erent. on how to face the first 20-30 England could recall off -spinner “It hurts when you are not balls, and more often than not Moeen Ali to partner leg-break scoring runs (and) as well, the that plan does not involve ag- bowler Adil Rashid even though team is not doing well,” Kohli gression,” said Kohli, who was England captain Joe Root bowls told a pre-match press confer- extremely watchful against occasional off -breaks. ence at Lord’s yesterday. swing king James Anderson, Root confi rmed yesterday that “It is not like I feel bad that I England’s all-time leading Test Pope would bat at number four got runs and we couldn’t get wicket-taker, at Edgbaston. but that England would delay a across the line,” added Kohli, “Then we need some compo- decision on whether to play Ali now the world’s top-ranked sure,” he added. “As a batting or Woakes instead of Stokes until batsman in both Test and one- unit, we have discussed that. the morning of the match, with day international cricket. “From outside it looks very bad, the uncapped Jamie Porter re- “It is purely because we especially as it is Test cricket leased from the 13-man squad. haven’t won the games. If I and we are playing in England “Ollie Pope will come in and hadn’t got the runs and we where it is anyway diff icult. bat at four,” said Root. had won, I would have got a “But we only need to bring That England won their (From left) England’s Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow take part in the nets session yesterday ahead of the second Test against India at totally diff erent feeling — that’s down the margin of error and 1,000th Test owed much to the Lord’s cricket ground in London yesterday. (Reuters) a very natural aspect of play- beyond that we don’t need to Pope’s fellow 20-year-old Surrey ing team sport. worry too much.” rising star Sam Curran. chandran Ashwin’s off -spin. Edgbaston, said it was important Kuldeep Yadav, with all-rounder from their batsmen, Arun said: As well as taking fi ve wickets in In 17 Tests since Root became to put the side’s batting struggles Hardik Pandya the man most “If you look at the (Edgbaston) his main role as a left-arm swing captain in July 2017, England into perspective. likely to miss out if either slow scores, it’s only Virat Kohli and bowler, Curran’s sparkling sec- have managed just nine hundreds “I think it’s sometimes easy to bowler is selected. Joe Root who have been able to ond-innings 63, his maiden Test between them and, even more criticise the batting group but I “It’s a good choice, a tough one contend with the moving ball. fi fty, enabled England to set India concerningly for their fans, have thought the way both seaming too,” Bharat Arun, India’s bowl- “The conditions were trying. a tricky target of 194. been dismissed for under 300 in groups in particular bowled was ing coach, told reporters at Lord’s The challenge is there for us to It proved beyond the tourists, their fi rst innings seven times outstanding.” on Tuesday. adapt even better and we have despite Kohli making 51 to follow and for under 250 in the second “We really need to look at any our plans in place.” his fi rst-innings 149 — the star innings nine times. ‘TOUGH CHOICE’ change in strategy, depending on But he was wary of playing an batsman’s maiden Test century In Pope they have a batsman India too could make a top-order the wicket.” extra batsman at Lord’s. on English soil. who has been in superb form for change with the experienced But Arun said Jasprit Bum- “I would consider that as a Neither side made 300 in the County Championship leaders Cheteshwar Pujara waiting in rah was “out of contention”, the conservative move,” Arun added. match, England posting 287 be- Surrey so far this season with 684 the wings if struggling opener paceman still sidelined after “Everything depends on the fore India replied with 274 in the runs at a huge average of 85.50, Shikhar Dhawan is omitted. missing the fi rst Test with the conditions — and if the con- fi rst innings. including three centuries and a They also have the option of broken thumb he suff ered during ditions are not going to be as India struggled against the top score of 158 not out. playing a second-spinner, be it a Twenty20 international against friendly as in the fi rst Test, it India’s Ajinkya Rahane (left) and Virat Kohli during nets at Lord’s swinging ball, with England fi nd- Root, frustratingly run out for orthodox left-armer Ravindra Ireland in June. makes more sense to play fi ve yesterday. (Reuters) ing it diffi cult to combat Ravi- 80 in England’s fi rst innings at Jadeja or left-arm wrist-spinner As for India needing more runs bowlers.” QNB STARS LEAGUE Al Rayyan hope to keep momentum against Umm Salal By Sports Reporter margin. with his new teammates on and Adel Alawi — who missed Doha On the other hand, Umm Salal Tuesday. He replaced Moroccan their opener due to injuries, but suff ered the heartbreak of con- midfi elder Mohsine Moutaouli, were back in training. ceding a goal right at the death who switched to Al Ahli. Laurent Banide’s side also in- he QNB Stars League and losing their league opener to Al Rayyan also have Rodrigo cludes Yannick Sagbo, Ismail match between high- Al Sailiya 1-2. Tabata, Sebastian Soria, Koh Mahmoud, Mahmoud Mawas fl ying Al Rayyan and a Al Rayyan started their prepa- Myong-Jin, Abdulrahman al- and Adel Rhaili. motivated Umm Salal rations for the game on Tuesday Harazi, Daniel Goumou, Khalfan In the other match tomorrow, Ttomorrow is expected to be under their new Argentinian Ibrahim and Gonzalo Vieira in Qatar SC, under Abdulla Mu- fought fi ercely. coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena. their ranks. barak, will be highly motivated Al Rayyan have momentum on They have been without the Similarly, Umm Salal will miss as they brace for Al Ahli. their side going into the match, services of Moroccan striker Nigerian striker Christian Os- Qatar SC had scored an upset which will kick off at 5:30pm at Abderrazaq Hamdallah since aguona as he is nursing a liga- 3-1 victory over Al Gharafa. Al Sadd Stadium, having won the end of last season. However, ment injury he sustained during Qatar SC put up an outstand- the season-opening Sheikh Jas- Argentinian striker Jonathan the Al Sailiya match. ing performance and the play- sim Cup, defeating Al Duhail on Menendez joined The Lions for But they may get the services ers who shone the most were penalties, and also their Week 1 one season from Club Atletico of three of their players — Bilal Osama Omari, Hussein Ali and game against Al Ahli with a 2-0 Independiente and trained along Mohamed, Mohamed al-Sayed Ali Awad.