ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2021 SPORTS 14 SA close in on ‘victory’

Sri Lanka still fighting

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 4, gency, made 31 and fought alongside his captain in a partnership of 82. (AP): South Africa began But Thirimanne’s dismissal to an to break down Sri Lanka’s edge down the legside off fast bowler resistance late on the sec- Lungi Ngidi heralded a burst of Sri ond day of the second and Lankan wickets. Kusal Mendis went for his sec- fi nal Test on Monday to ond duck of the Test in Ngidi’s next leave the tourists an uphill over, also to a catch down the legside battle to save the match to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, and the series. although this one saw de Kock dive Sri Lanka were 150-4 in their full stretch and clutch the chance with second innings at stumps for a lead both gloves. of only fi ve runs with only one Debutant Minod Bhanuka came and went for 1 and Sri Lanka’s re- more recognized batsman to come. newed positivity following Vishwa Their hopes of setting South Africa Fernando’s stellar bowling perfor- a competitive target and having a mance earlier in the day was cut short. chance of a series-leveling win at South Africa already lead the series the Wanderers probably lay with 1-0 and are desperate for their own captain Dimuth Karunaratne, who revival having not won a Test series was 91 not out in a gritty last stand in two years. Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, (center), in action during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Huesca and FC Barcelona at El Alcoraz Stadium in for his team. Sri Lanka do have the advantage Only one other batsman managed of the Johannesburg pitch, which Huesca, Spain, on Jan 3. Barcelona won 1-0. (AP) to hold off South Africa’s pace bowl- will likely be especially diffi cult for ers on a Wanderers pitch that has been South Africa to bat on last. Sri Lanka Suga pledges again to hold Games playing typically tough for batsmen. do need plenty more runs, though, to In just two days, 24 wickets have make it a game. fallen. The Sri Lankans also have good Lahiru Thirimanne, called into the memories to call on, having won their team amid Sri Lanka’s injury emer- last series in South Africa in 2019 Tokyo Olympics hit 200-days-to-go mark against all expectations, and against all odds when facing a seemingly des- TOKYO, Jan 4, (AP): Tick-Tock-Tick. perate situation in the last game. The countdown clock for the post- On that occasion, Kusal Perera hit poned Tokyo Olympics hit 200 days to Al-Attiyah wins Dakar Rally stage 2, takes overall lead a 153 not out to snatch victory. This go on Monday. Tick-Tock-Tick. JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Jan 4, (AP): Nasser Al- “Yesterday, we lost a lot of time because we time, Perera was the fi rst wicket to fall Also on Monday, Japanese Prime Attiyah won the second stage of the Dakar Rally opened the way and it was not really good for for Sri Lanka in their second innings. Minister Yoshihide Suga said he would as the leaders took on a familiar look on Monday. us and we didn’t take risks,” Al-Attiyah said. “But Ngidi bowled him for 1 to spark joy- consider calling a state of emergency Al-Attiyah, who started 10th on the 457-kilom- today we went fl at out and everything is working ous celebrations from the South Afri- as new coronavirus cases surge to re- eter (284-mile) sandy special in southern Saudi very, very well.” can fi elders at the exit of the Sri Lan- cord numbers in Tokyo and neighbor- Arabia from Bisha to Wadi ad-Dawasir, took over Sebastien Loeb, the nine-time world rally kan player that has frustrated them the ing prefectures. Japan has never had a the stage lead after about 300 kilometers and champion who skipped the Dakar last year after most this series. lockdown for COVID-19, attempting beat home Stephane Peterhansel by 2-1/2 min- fi nishing third in 2019, improved from 17th to sixth to juggle the economy and health risks. utes. overall. CRICKET Tick-Tock-Tick. Carlos Sainz, the defending champion who In the motorbike category, Joan Barreda domi- It’s nearing deadline time for Tokyo opened the stage, slipped to sixth but rallied and nated from the fi rst time checkpoint and won. South Africa also began the day in Olympic organizers, the International fi nished third, more than nine minutes off the Ricky Brabec, the defending champion, was sec- a strong position, 148-1 in their fi rst Olympic Committee, and various Jap- pace. ond, and that’s also how they lined up overall. innings and already closing in on Sri anese government entities as they try Peterhansel took the race lead overall, his Mini Ross Branch, fourth on the stage, was third over- Lanka’s tame 157 all out batting fi rst. to pull off the Games in the middle of teammate Sainz was 6-1/2 minutes back in sec- all, six minutes back. Dean Elgar made 127 for his 13th a pandemic. ond, and Al-Attiyah’s Toyota was third, nine min- Toby Price of Australia, the stage one winner, test century and put on a stand of 184 Offi cials have promised to announce utes down. fell to 15th overall, and Matthias Walkner of Aus- South Africa’s bowler Lungi Ngidi concrete plans early in the new year Between the three of them, they have won 10 tria, the 2018 champion, lost more than two hours bowls as umpire Marais Erasmus with Rassie van der Dussen (67) to of the last 11 Dakars, and are favored to win the repairing a mechanical problem and fell from third take South Africa into the lead, and about how to get 15,000 Olympic and of South Africa watches on dur- Paralympic athletes into Japan; about second race in Saudi. to 46th. ing play on the second day of the seemingly in position to make the ad- the safety of the Athletes Village, and second cricket Test match between vantage a big one at 218-1. South Africa and Sri Lanka at Wan- hundreds of thousands of fans, media, Sri Lanka found their fi ght in the judges, offi cials, broadcasters and VIPs. view several days ago with the Nikkan May,” he replied. “The fi nal deadline budgeted $800 million for ticket sales, derers stadium in Johannesburg, hour before lunch and Dushmantha Sports newspaper. He was asked when for a decision would be May, but it and any shortfall will have to be made South Africa on Jan 4. (AP) The new year is here. Chameera’s success in getting El- Suga pledged again to hold the a decision would come about having may come sooner.” up by government entities, which are gar to edge to fi rst slip straight after Olympics, saying it would be “proof local fans or fans from abroad. Any reduction in fans will hit the or- footing most of the Olympic bills. a mid-session drinks break sparked that people have overcome the corona- “Sometime from March through ganizing committee budget. Tokyo has The offi cial budget for the Tokyo another of those clutches of wickets. virus.” And he said vaccine approval Olympics was increased last month to Van der Dussen followed the very would be speeded up by a month so $15.4 billion, an increase of $2.8 bil- next over and from 218-1, South Af- that vaccinations could begin in Febru- lion because of the delay. However, rica lost nine wickets for 84 runs to be ary instead of March. several government audits the last few all out for 302. Japan has attributed more than years suggest the real number is about Fernando was instrumental in rein- 3,400 deaths to COVID-19, modest by $25 billion. ing in South Africa, using the pitch to global standards for a country of 125 All but $6.7 billion is public money. good effect to run through the middle million, but worrying as new cases rise Mori indicated the opening cer- and lower order and give Sri Lanka emony, scheduled for July 23, could be troublesome with thousands of ath- hope with his 5-101. OLYMPICS letes and offi cials gathering to parade Fernando’s career-best fi gures were around the stadium. He also suggested magnifi ed by Sri Lanka’s personnel quickly. A poll last month by national the ceremony couldn’t be shortened, problems. It was already missing two broadcaster NHK show 63% want the since television broadcasters had paid experienced bowlers through injury Olympics postponed or canceled. for the lucrative time. He said some of- before the series, and lost two quick Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and fi cials might be cut out of the parade. bowlers to injury in the fi rst Test. Fer- the governors of Saitama, Chiba and Television determines much of nando, playing in just his 10th Test, is Kanagawa prefectures asked the na- the Olympic scheduling, and selling the most experienced in Sri Lanka’s tional government Saturday to declare broadcast rights accounts for 73% of attack at the Wanderers and rose to the state of emergency after the capital the IOC’s income. Another 18% is Sri Lanka’s batsman Kusal Perera the occasion. saw a daily record of 1,337 new cases plays a shot during play on the from large sponsors such as Coca-Cola So did skipper Karunaratne, who on New Year’s Eve. That marked a and Toyota. second day of the second cricket A man looks at a countdown calendar showing 200 day to start Tokyo battled to the close unbeaten and in jump of almost 400 in just a few days. 2020 Olympics on Jan 4, in Tokyo. The countdown clock for the postponed The torch relay, which begins on Test match between South Africa sight of a century. Karunaratne’s 91 Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo Olympics hit 200 days to go on Monday. Also on Monday, Japanese March 25, will also face crowding with and Sri Lanka at Wanderers stadi- had come off 116 with 17 fours. He organizing committee and a former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said he would consider calling a state of 10,000 runners expected across almost um in Johannesburg, South Africa had Niroshan Dickwella with him on prime minister, again ruled out any emergency as new coronavirus cases surge to record numbers in Tokyo four months. Coca-Cola and Toyota on Jan 4. (AP) 18 not out. cancellation of the games in an inter- and neighboring prefectures. (AP) are the prime sponsors.