WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2014 SPORTS

Silva in fitness race Lanka cricket coach quits Popovich Coach of the Year LONDON: Manchester City face the unhappy prospect of being without David COLOMBO: Sri Lanka head coach Paul Farbrace has resigned and is NEW YORK: of the San Antonio Spurs was voted NBA Coach of Silva for the Premier League title race run-in after the influential Spain mid- set to take up the position of assistant coach of England, Sri Lanka the Year, becoming the third three-time winner of the award, the National fielder was injured in their 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on Monday. Cricket said yesterday. Farbrace made it known to Sri Lanka Cricket Association announced yesterday. The victory got the club back to winning ways after defeat to title rivals that he no longer wanted to continue with his present position after Popovich’s Spurs posted the NBA’s best record at 62-20 to secure homecourt Liverpool and a draw with Sunderland but it was tarnished by the sight of Silva being offered the chance to become assistant to England’s newly- advantage through the postseason as he claimed the coaching honor for the appointed coach Peter Moores. He had served only four months of being carried off the pitch on the stretcher with an injury to his right ankle. second time in three seasons and joined and as a three- his two-year contract with Sri Lanka Cricket during which time he Coach Manuel Pellegrini said the injury, which will be assessed by medical time recipient. After steering the Spurs to a 15th successive season with 50 or led them to the World Twenty20 title in Bangladesh. staff on Tuesday, was a recurrence of an long-standing problem that caused more wins, Popovich totaled 380 points, including 59 first-place votes, from a “We had talks with Paul and tried to convince him to stay panel of 124 sportswriters from the United States and Canada. the playmaker to miss last Wednesday’s match against Sunderland. because of the valuable contribution he has made to Sri Lanka crick- “We will see tomorrow what happens with the doctor,” the Chilean told the first-year coach Jeff Hornacek was second in the voting with 339 points, includ- et during his short tenure,” Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Nishantha ing 37 first-place votes, followed by of the Chicago club’s website. “He couldn’t recover in three days from his problem and that’s Ranatunga said. “Paul wanted time till today to reach a final decision why he didn’t play against Sunderland. It’s the same ankle.” City are Bulls, who tallied 159 points. The Spurs, a model of consistency and he has tended his resignation.” Farbrace’s name was linked to under Popovich, were the only team to record 30-plus wins both six points behind leaders Liverpool and one behind Chelsea in the Moores when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) began at home (32-9) and on the road (30-11) in a spirited bounce back Premier League with a game in hand on both their rivals, who interviewing a list of candidates to succeed Andy Flower. after losing an epic seven-game series against the Miami Heat in meet at Anfield on Sunday. He had returned to England for the Easter weekend after Sri last season’s NBA Finals. San Antonio led the NBA in points per Their next match is at a rejuvenated Crystal Palace on Sunday Lanka’s success in the World T20 and although not among the candi- game differential at 7.8, having averaged 105.4 points per and they complete their season with a trip to Everton and home fix- dates was subsequently interviewed by ECB. game while giving up 97.6, and recorded a 19-game winning tures against Aston Villa and West Ham United. “The (executive committee) will have to sit down and discuss streak that tied for fifth-longest ever in the NBA. Popovich Silva, who has already missed two months of the season with how best we can find a suitable replacement for Farbrace for the presided over a balanced roster, with French guard thigh and calf injuries, has played an instrumental role in their tour to England which starts on the first week of May,” said Tony Parker leading the team with a 16.7 scoring average challenge for a second title in three seasons.—Reuters Ranatunga.—Reuters and 29.4 minutes played per game.—Reuters Penguins edge Blue Jackets

COLUMBUS: Brandon Sutter, Lee Stempniak and Jussi Jokinen scored in a span of 2:13 of the third period to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL playoffs on Monday. Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series thanks to the goals on three consecutive shots. Brooks Orpik added a goal in the final seconds of the second period as the Penguins stormed back from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1. Marc Andre-Fleury had 27 saves. Boone Jenner and Jack Johnson staked the Blue Jackets to an early lead in the opening 3:18, with Cam Atkinson getting credit for a goal early in the final peri- od that stretched the lead to 3-1. Game 4 is today in Columbus.

WILD 1, AVALANCHE 0 Mikael Granlund’s diving goal 5:08 into overtime allowed the Wild to pull within 2-1 in the best-of-seven series against Colorado. Semyon Varlamov stopped 45 of 46 shots, a franchise playoff record for shots on goal by the Wild. Granlund cut toward the net for a wrist shot, and as he was falling forward took a stab at the puck to finally put one past Varlamov. Darcy Kuemper made 22 saves, but the Wild goalie in his first career playoff start was just as good as his coun- terpart. Game 4 is at Xcel Energy Center tomorrow.

BLACKHAWKS 2, BLUES 0 Corey Crawford made 34 saves in his third career postseason shutout as the Blackhawks got back into their playoff series with the Blues. OKLAHOMA: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) passes around Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of an opening- Jonathan Toews scored in the first period and Marcus round NBA basketball playoff series. —AP Kruger added an empty-netter as Chicago bounced back after a pair of overtime losses in St. Louis. Toews’ 21st postseason goal was only the second score by a Blackhawks forward in the series. Ryan Miller shook off another slow start and made 23 saves for St. Louis. Grizzlies, Clippers win Game 4 is today.

STARS 3, DUCKS 0 OKLAHOMA: Zach Randolph scored 25 slowed the tempo and limited Oklahoma Courtney Lee made two free throws for ble-digit lead through the final three quar- points to help Memphis defeat Oklahoma City’s fast-break opportunities. Memphis to make it a four-point game. ters. They finished with franchise records Kari Lehtonen had 37 saves for his first career post- City 111-105 in overtime on Monday and Oklahoma City’s stars put up big num- Durant missed a 3-pointer and Randolph for points and largest victory margin in a season victory as the Stars won their first home playoff tie their NBA first-round playoff series at bers, but they worked for everything they made two free throws with nine seconds playoff game. Game 3 is tomorrow at game in six years. one game apiece. got. Kevin Durant had 36 points and 11 left to put the game out of reach and give Oakland. Dallas captain Jamie Benn skated out of the penalty Also, the leveled rebounds, but he made just 12 of 28 shots Memphis coach Dave Joerger his first play- All the foul trouble that plagued Griffin box to score late in the first period, and 19-year-old their series with the and had just eight points at halftime and off win as a head coach. and Paul in the Clippers’ four-point loss in rookie Valeri Nichushkin added a goal for the Stars in at 1-1 after leading all the way for a con- 16 through the first three quarters. Russell After getting knocked down in their Game 1 belonged to the Warriors this time. Game 3 of the best-of-seven series. The top-seeded vincing 138-98 home win. Westbrook scored 29 points, but he made playoff opener, Blake Griffin and the scored 20 of his 24 Ducks won each of the first two games at home, both Mike Conley added 19 points and 12 just 11 of 28 shots. Serge Ibaka added 15 Clippers answered with a dominant per- points in the third quarter, when the one-goal results. Game 4 is today. assists for the Grizzlies, who executed their points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder, formance in shutting down the Warriors as Warriors never got closer than 25 points, Lehtonen, who held up through five Anaheim power game plan perfectly and put themselves in who shot just under 40 percent from the soon as the game began. while he played with four fouls. Klay plays, had a kick save near the end of one of those in position to take control of the series in field. Griffin scored a career playoff-high 35 Thompson finished with seven points - 15 the final minute of the first period. That came right Game 3 on Thursday in Memphis. Randolph’s layup with 26 seconds left in points without a foul, and Chris Paul added under his average - and four fouls. Andre before Benn came out of the penalty box and skated Oklahoma City pushed the pace overtime put the Grizzlies up by two. Ibaka 12 points and 10 assists for the Clippers, Iguodala, who fouled out of Game 1, and through most of its 100-86 victory in Game traveled, giving the ball back to the who started the game on a 14-4 run and Jermaine O’Neal had four points and three toward the other end for the winning goal.—AP 1, but on Monday, the Grizzlies successfully Grizzlies. kept on going, maintaining a sizeable dou- fouls each.—AP

KUWAIT: A delegation from the National Guard yesterday visited the US troops stationed at Camp Araifjjan where both sides had an open sports day activity that included soccer and basketball matches. The visit aims at exchanging sports expertise and boost bilateral cooperation.