14 Established 1961 Sports Tuesday, January 23, 2018 Munro gets New Zealand home as Pakistan woes continue Southee finish with best New Zealand figures of three for 13

WELLINGTON: ensured New Zealand SCOREBOARD continued a stellar home summer yesterday when they thrashed Pakistan by seven with 25 balls to spare in the opening match in Wellington. WELLINGTON: Completed scoreboard in the first Twenty20 Munro was left unbeaten on 49 when a wide by between New Zealand and Pakistan in Wellington yesterday. in the 16th over gave New Zealand victory as they chased down Pakistan’s 105 in the clash of the Pakistan world’s top two ranked Twenty20 sides. It extended Fakhar Zaman c Kitchen b Southee 3 New Zealand’s winning streak to 13 across all three for- Umar Amin c Kitchen b Rance 0 mats in the past two months including five one-dayers Mohammad Nawaz c Munro b Southee 7 against Pakistan and a series of Tests, ODIs and Haris Sohail c Bruce b Kitchen 9 against the West Indies. Babar Azam c Bruce b Munro 41 Sarfraz Ahmed st Phillips b Santner 9 c Phillips b Santner 0 c Bruce b Southee 7 We’re not Hasan Ali c Southee b Rance 23 Mohammad Amir c Southee b Rance 3 well 0 Extras: (w3) 3 up the order Total: (for 10 wickets; 19.4 overs) 105 Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Fakhar), 2-4 (Umar), 3-15 (Nawaz), 4-22 (Haris), 5-38 (Sarfraz), 6-38 (Shadab), 7-53 (Faheem), 8-83 (Hasan), 9-90 (Amir), For , the stand-in after a late 10-105 (Babar) Bowling: Rance 4-0-26-3 (1w), Southee 4-0-13-3 decision to rest who has a minor (1w), de Grandhomme 2-0-11-0, Kitchen 1-0-3-1, Sodhi 4-0-25-0 injury, everything went according to plan. “Obviously winning the toss on that and then coming out (1w), Santner 4-0-15-2, Munro 0.4-0-12-1. and taking early wickets was the plan and we were able to do that. We bowled exceptionally well,” said Southee New Zealand who also paid tribute to Munro’s role with the bat. “It M. Guptill c Nawaz b Rumman 2 was a great knock from Colin. He likes to get on with it WELLINGTON: New Zealand’s Colin Munro plays a shot in front of Pakistan’s wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed and I think he played a mature innings and was able to C. Munro not out 49 during the first cricket match between New Zealand and Pakistan at Westpac hammer it home towards the end.” Pakistan captain Stadium in Wellington yesterday. — AFP G. Phillips b Rumman 3 Sarfraz Ahmed again had to defend a woeful perform- T. Bruce c Fakhar b Shadab 26 ance by his top order batsmen, which also plagued R. Taylor not out 22 them in the ODI series, and believed they were well ly lifting the score to 34 for two after eight overs, they Pakistan were in immediate trouble after being sent Extras: (lb1, w3) 4 short of a competitive total. “We’re not batting well took 23 off the next 12 balls to reduce the target to into bat and were four for 22 in the sixth over as enough up the order. The new ball was swinging and under six an over and they coasted from there. Southee led a dismantling of the Pakistan top order. Total: (for 3 wickets; 15.5 overs) 106 bouncing, we didn’t keep wickets in hand. They bowled Following Bruce’s dismissal, partnered By the 15th over, Pakistan were seven for 53 and in Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Guptill), 2-8 (Phillips), 3-57 (Bruce) very well with the new ball,” he said. “If we had a score Munro through to the end with a rapid 22 off 13 deliver- danger of falling short of their current lowest score of Bowling: Amir 3-0-13-0 (1w), Rumman 4-0-24-2 (1w), Shadab 4-0- of 140-150 it could have been a good match.” ies. Munro’s 43-ball innings included three fours and 74 against Australia six years ago, when Babar Khan 18-1, Hasan 2.5-0-28-0 (1w), Faheem 1-0-8-0, Nawaz 1-0-14-0. After a wobbly start in which went for two sixes and he was left a frustrating one-run short of (41) and Hasan Ali (23) boosted the total with a 30-run two and Glenn Phillips was bowled for three, Munro being only the third player behind Brendon McCullum partnership. Southee finished with the best New and Tom Bruce (26) set up the New Zealand victory and Chris Gayle to score four consecutive half cen- Zealand figures of three for 13 while Seth Rance took Result: New Zealand won by seven wickets with a 49-run stand for the third wicket. After cautious- turies in Twenty20 cricket. three for 26. — AFP

team 3-0 and I would favour domi- Warner to lead Ruthless South nating India and being ruthless. “We can use the ODIs and T20s to try and rotate players. We have an Australia in T20 Africa take aim amazing opportunity as a team to win 3-0, and that makes us even more tri-series, at series sweep hungry to go where no team has gone before.” South Africa will today hand a fit- Smith rested against India ness test to in-form opening batsman Aiden Markram, who injured his thigh MELBOURNE: David Warner will lead Australia in the second Test. If he is ruled out, in next month’s Twenty20 international tri-series JOHANNESBURG: South Africa have his replacement is likely to be against New Zealand and England as regular promised a ruthless approach as they Theunis de Bruyn, with Temba captain is given a break ahead of seek to inflict an historic series sweep Bavuma already out for four weeks the crucial Test tour to South Africa. when they host India for the third and with a fractured finger. Opening batsman Warner, the Test vice-cap- final Test at The Wanderers in India had high hopes of a first ever tain, steps up to lead Australia in the T20 games Johannesburg tomorrow, says captain Test series success in South Africa which come a few weeks before the four-Test Faf du Plessis. when they arrived for the tour, but series in South Africa. “The South African series The Proteas can complete a first have fallen short in two hard-fought is a very important one and we have made no clean-sweep of a three-test series matches. Captain Virat Kohli, the only secret of our desire to improve our record away against the sub-continent side, hav- player to score a century in the from home,” chief selector Trevor Hohns said David Warner yesterday. ing already secured wins in Cape series, was especially disappointed “As such we wanted to ensure the players Town and Pretoria earlier this month. with their display in Pretoria on a A 3-0 series victory would not see had the best possible preparation and that up with some heavy hitters,” selector Mark stood up to the challenge when he had to take wicket that was more suited to their means playing the tour match prior to the first South Africa take over from India at Waugh said. “With some players currently the gloves for an ill Tim Paine in the ODI team. game than South Africa’s. Test.” On the decision for Warner to captain, the top of the International Cricket injured and our frontline quicks heading to “D’Arcy’s selection speaks for itself, he is the Another defeat would be devastat- Hohns added: “Steve Smith has had a very big South Africa it gives a great opportunity to leading run scorer in the BBL and has also taken Council’s rankings, but would move ing for him as skipper, and he summer and will benefit from a short break both some of the young pace bowlers who have valuable wickets when handed the ball. “He is in them to within decimal points of believes his side can get the better of physically and mentally, before he leaves for been selected to make their mark on the inter- outstanding form and we look forward to seeing doing so. With a four-test series to their hosts. “We have to believe that South Africa. national stage.” Selected in the T20 squad for what he can bring to this T20 side.” come against Australia in March, top we are the best side (in the world),” “David is a very capable leader and has cap- the first time are fast-bowler Chris Lynn has also been included in the spot would be tantalisingly close. “I he told reporters. tained in Steve’s absence before and done a fine Ben Dwarshuis, Adelaide Strikers wicket- squad and is tracking well in his return from a don’t think we’ll make changes for the “We are not complaining about job. “We wanted to ensure the T20 side had key keeper Alex Carey and Hobart Hurricanes calf injury. Australia play New Zealand and third test just for the sake of giving pitches, we are not complaining leadership throughout this series and we know D’Arcy Short. England from February 3-21. opportunities. We want to keep our about conditions. We have come the team is in good hands with him at the helm.” “Ben gives us good variety in the attack with Australia squad - David Warner (capt), foot on the gas and apply as much here to play. We have had equal There will be no other Test players in the T20 his left-arm pace and has bowled particularly Aaron Finch, , Alex Carey, Ben pressure as possible,” Du Plessis told opportunities to win in both games, series and returns to Australia’s well with the new ball in the Big Bash League,” Dwarshuis, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Glenn reporters. “It doesn’t happen a lot and that’s the positive we can take side after being passed over for the current Waugh said. “Alex has impressed in every form Maxwell, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy that you get the chance to beat a out of it.” — Reuters one-day internationals against England. he has played this year. He has been in great Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, , Adam “We have selected a very strong batting line- form in the BBL with both bat and gloves and Zampa. — AFP

have caught the prevailing mood about the Arsenal ing their unbeaten league run the previous week to wards vying for limited places in attack. But with Five things we forward’s impending move to Manchester United. Liverpool, it was a worrying time for Guardiola and Alexis Sanchez on the verge of arriving at Old While Sanchez produced plenty of memorable his side. But the 22-year-old Sane calmed nerves at Trafford, Martial, who scored the only goal in a 1-0 moments in north London, he departs a divisive figure. the Etihad with a superb run and cross that set up the victory against Burnley, has chosen the perfect time to learned in the Having spent much of the past year in an apparent decisive third goal for Aguero. hit a purple patch, scoring three goals in his past three sulk over Arsenal’s underachievement and the club’s Premier League games to press his claim for a first- refusal to sell him, Sanchez was seen by some as more Hazard inspires champions team starting berth. “(There are) no doubts that from Premier League trouble than even his sublime skills were worth and, An in-form Eden Hazard makes Chelsea tick. The last season to this season (there has been) a great encouragingly for Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, his 27-year-old Belgian had scored just one goal in his improvement from Anthony and we need that,” LONDON: Manchester City resumed normal service players seem liberated by the approaching end of the previous 11 games but his double on Saturday-the Mourinho told Sky Sports. in the Premier League, putting their defeat against transfer saga. They crushed Crystal Palace 4-1 with- first bringing up a landmark century of career league Liverpool behind them with a 3-1 victory against out Sanchez and vibrant displays from Alex Iwobi and goals, came in a 4-0 dismantling of Brighton. Kane is poacher supreme but Spurs stumble Newcastle as Alexis Sanchez closed in on a move to Mesut Ozil suggested it won’t be all doom and gloom However, a cloud hangs over his future at Stamford Spurs striker Harry Kane has scored nine goals in Manchester United. without the former Barcelona star. Bridge, with Hazard yet to commit himself to a new his past five starts in the Premier League, with all nine Elsewhere, Arsenal showed a positive glimpse of contract against a background of apparent interest coming from inside the box. His equaliser in the 1-1 life post-Sanchez while Chelsea notched their first Sane helps calm Man City nerves from Real Madrid. That uncertainty, together with draw against Southampton was his 33rd goal of a stel- Premier League win of 2018 and Tottenham dropped Sergio Aguero’s latest hat-trick saw Manchester the reported discontent of manager Antonio Conte lar season for club and country but Tottenham’s points against struggling Southampton. City’s record goalscorer grab most of the headlines over a lack of purchases, overshadows the club’s 12- inability to beat struggling Saints could cost them Here are five things we learned from the Premier following the Premier League leaders’ 3-1 win at home match unbeaten run. dear in their chase for a Champions League place, League this weekend: to Newcastle. But it was no surprise that Leroy Sane with a fiendish run coming up. Mauricio Pochettino’s received just as many congratulatory hugs from man- Martial times run perfectly side are two points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, Arsenal rout offers hope for life after Sanchez ager Pep Guardiola. Having dominated the match, City French forward Anthony Martial has not always who have a game in hand. Their next three Premier The street vendor selling Alexis Sanchez T-shirts at were faltering when Newcastle pulled a goal back been a firm favourite of manager Jose Mourinho and League fixtures are against Manchester United, half-price outside the Emirates Stadium appeared to against the run of play to make it 2-1. Fresh from los- has had to bide his time among a clutch of hungry for- Liverpool and Arsenal. — AFP