New SA Boss Smith Rules De Kock out of Test Captaincy

FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 2 FFORMULAORMULA 1 | Page 5 ‘Zlatan Vettel says fever’ hits back-to-back Hammarby as racing ‘not striker trains realistic’ Saturday, April 18, 2020 SWIMMING Sha’ban 25, 1441 AH Ambition deferred, GULF TIMES Rio champ Chalmer eyes greatness SPORT Page 4 CRICKET New SA boss Smith rules De Kock out of Test captaincy ‘From personal experience I know that captaining all three formats is challenging and we don’t want to overburden him’ AFP Johannesburg, South Africa ormer Test skipper Grae- me Smith was yesterday Fconfi rmed as South Af- rica’s director of cricket — and revealed that Quinton de Kock would not be elevated to the Test captaincy. Jacques Faul, acting chief executive of Cricket South Africa, said Smith had been appointed for a two-year term, expiring at the end of March 2022. Smith was appointed in an acting capacity last December. Smith, 39, captained South Africa in a world record 108 Test matches and in 149 one-day in- ternationals. He also captained a World XI in a one-off Test against Australia in 2005-06. He told a tele-conference that the debate over the Test captaincy was one of the challenges he faced during a period when no cricket can be played because of the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s not going to be Quin- ton,” he said, citing De Kock’s responsibility as the country’s limited-overs captain as well as being wicketkeeper and a key In this March 7, 2020, picture, South Africa’s Quinton de Kock in action during the third ODI against Australia batsman. Former skipper Graeme Smith was appointed yesterday for a two-year term. (AFP) in Potchefstroom, South Africa. (Reuters) “Quinton will be our white- ball captain but from a workload “There’s no one person you tours could be postponed. vember, assuming it happened as Faul said he expected more executive Thabang Moroe, calls coach through to the 2023 World and mental capacity aspect we can pinpoint,” he said. “There are “We are in discussion with the planned. clarity on the status of the T20 for the board of CSA to resign and Cup. want to keep him fresh. From a lot of players on a similar level.” boards of those countries and He said South Africa hoped to World Cup to emerge when the in the wake of a poor perform- The team has had mixed re- personal experience I know that South Africa’s next scheduled decisions will have to be made host a Twenty20 series against International Cricket Council ance by the national team in the sults since Boucher’s appoint- captaining all three formats is Test series is in the West Indies in pretty soon,” he said. India in August as part of the hosts a video discussion between 2019 Cricket World Cup, which ment, losing Test series and challenging and we don’t want to July but Smith said that it had not build-up to the world event. national chief executives next was followed by a 3-0 thrashing Twenty20 series against England overburden him.” been fi nalised due to the Cov- T20 WORLD CUP THE “There is a lot of doubt about Thursday. in a Test series in India. and Australia. Smith gave no indication of the id-19 outbreak. PRIORITY what the situation will be by then Smith’s temporary appoint- One of Smith’s fi rst moves was But they fi nished the 2019-20 likely replacement following the South Africa are also due to go Smith said his immediate prior- but we are in discussions with ment last December was at a time to appoint former Test wicket- season on a high, beating Aus- decision of Faf du Plessis in Feb- to Sri Lanka for a limited-overs ity was the T20 World Cup in the Board of Control for Cricket of crisis in South African cricket keeper and long-time teammate tralia 3-0 in an ODI series, short- ruary to step down from the job. tour in June but Smith said both Australia in October and No- in India,” he said. following the suspension of chief Mark Boucher as national head ly before cricket was shut down. FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT QOC to organise Premier League clubs committed to Qatar Virtual Marathon fi nishing season, but no deadline set QNA Doha AFP hind closed doors if the competition deferrals and cuts. London, United Kingdom can resume, with restrictions on mass Players were widely criticised for gatherings likely to remain in force for being slow to take pay cuts while he Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) the foreseeable future. clubs incurred the wrath of former will organise the 2020 Qatar Virtual remier League clubs remain A Premier League statement said players and fans by furloughing non- TMarathon on Tuesday in co-oper- committed to fi nishing the a number of complex scenarios were playing staff . Liverpool, Tottenham ation with Bait Al Mashura Finance Ptop-fl ight season but did being worked through. and Bournemouth have since re- Consultations. not set a June 30 deadline to “The health and wellbeing of play- versed their decisions to use the gov- The virtual marathon, which is the fi rst complete the fi xture list at a meeting ers, coaches, managers, club staff and ernment’s furlough scheme. in the region, includes three categories, the yesterday. supporters are our priority and the Southampton became the fi rst club full marathon for a distance (42km), the half With the English top fl ight on ice league will only restart when medical to strike a deferral agreement with marathon for a distance (21km), and the fi ve since mid-March due to the coronavi- guidance allows,” it said. their players last week and it has been km marathon. rus, it had been reported that as many “Today’s shareholders’ meeting reported that Arsenal are close to The 2020 Qatar Virtual Marathon aims to as nine clubs were keen to complete the provided an opportunity to discuss agreeing 12.5 percent salary cuts with encourage community members to exercise campaign by the end of June. possible scheduling models. It re- their players. from their homes during the quarantine But it is understood that the 20 mains our objective to complete the Players are understood to be keen period, spread the culture of sport for life, clubs did not discuss wrapping up the 2019/20 season but at this stage all that any money deferred or cut from raise awareness of the importance of sport, remaining 92 Premier League fi xtures dates are tentative while the impact their wages goes to help the UK’s Na- and adopt healthy lifestyles at the global by then when they met on a confer- of Covid-19 develops.” tional Health Service and charities level. ence call with league chiefs. Premier League clubs are concerned during the pandemic. Registration has been opened for partici- With fears that failure to fi nish the by the legal implications of the cam- “We are acutely aware of the dis- pation in the marathon and will continue season could cost the Premier League paign running past June 30, which is tress Covid-19 is causing and our until April 20, and participation will be more than £1bn ($1.2bn), clubs when standard player contracts expire. thoughts are with all those directly available to (men and women) from all over looked at various models for a poten- FIFA, football’s world governing aff ected by the pandemic,” the Pre- the world. tial return to action. body, has proposed that contracts be mier League statement added. Those wishing to participate can regis- Britain is on lockdown until May extended by mutual agreement until “In response to the pandemic, the ter and learn about the results through the 7 at the earliest to limit the spread of a club’s season actually ends. Premier League, our clubs and play- “Sporthive live” application, which will give Covid-19, leaving English football to ers have provided vital support for the participants online certifi cates once the play a waiting game. WAGE CUTS? communities and the NHS and will race is over, and the results of the 2020 Qatar There is a general acceptance among Premier League clubs are still holding continue to do so after matches re- Virtual Marathon will be announced through clubs that matches will be played be- discussions with players over wage commence.” the same application on Wednesday. Gulf Times 2 Saturday, April 18, 2020 FOOTBALL BUNDESLIGA DEMISE Leeds great Norman Testing debate rages Hunter dies aged 76 AFP ner’s medal in 2009, alongside London other players who had missed out. Although his reputation was built on his defensive abil- eeds United great and ity, Hunter was also comfortable amid hopes for German England international on the ball and usually remained LNorman Hunter has died composed, although his infa- aged 76 after contracting mous on-fi eld punch-up with coronavirus, the Championship Derby’s Francis Lee during a club announced yesterday. The televised league game at the old famously tough-tackling de- Baseball Ground in 1975 made fender, who was at the heart of headline news. football return in May the Leeds side during a golden That year also saw Hunter play era for the club under manager in Leeds’ defeat by Bayern Mu- Don Revie, was admitted to hos- nich in the European Cup fi nal in The plan to resume next month would require around 20,000 tests spread across pital last week. Paris, when they were on the end Hunter, nicknamed ‘Bites yer of some controversial refereeing the 36 teams — 18 clubs each in the Bundesliga and second tier Legs’, amassed 726 appearances decisions.

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