TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015 SPORTS

Kuwait top ice hockey Challenge Cup

KUWAIT: IIHF Ice Hockey Challenge Cup of Asia host Ajmi and Abdulaziz Al-Shetail each collecting a brace defeated 2-0 in a penalty shoot-out following Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, who believes that Kuwait can go nation, Kuwait, thrashed , 10-2, to earn a second which earned their side a back-to-back victory after a a 7-7 draw in original and extra time as beat on to win the competition. He also hailed Gulf neigh- consecutive win and top the tournament on Sunday. defeat of Singapore two days ago in the six-nation Kyrgyzstan, 4-2. The home nation was commended by bors, Oman, for their successive victories inspite of Mishal Al-Ajmi provided a hat trick with Ahmad Al- event. Meanwhile, Oman, who also remain unbeaten, its Winter Sports Club President Sheikh Nawaf Fahad them being newcomers to the sport. — KUNA

Qatar Formula One hopes Robertson races into appear to remain distant MANAMA: ’s hopes of joining the in future. second round of worlds Formula One calendar in the near future Meanwhile, Ferrari are prepared to appear to have receded after commercial play a game of ‘carrot and stick’ with Kimi SHEFFIELD: ’s Joe Perry, he has been leaving the club supremo Bernie Ecclestone indicated he Raikkonen to keep Formula One’s top eased past Jamie Jones with a 10-2 win in before me,” Robertson told the World was unlikely to add a third Middle Finn performing at his best. the first round of the World Championship website. Eastern race to the schedule just yet. The 2007 world champion, still yesterday and then said his emphatic victo- “I have realised that I could have done “I think we’ve got enough here, don’t Ferrari’s most recent title winner, is out of ry was reward for sustained hard work on more in the past. I wouldn’t say I have you?” the Briton told reporters at the contract at the end of the year although the practice tables. under-achieved in my career, but if had Bahrain Grand Prix when asked about the the Italian team have an option of keep- The 33-year-old, world champion in made bigger sacrifices then I could have possibility of a race in Doha. ing him alongside Sebastian Vettel. 2010, led 7-2 overnight and made clear his won more,” he added. Media reports have suggested that Team principal Maurizio Arrivabene, determination to avoid being dragged into “If my career ended now, I would be dis- Qatar was close to signing a deal for a who took on the job last November, told a lengthy encounter with a break of 133 in appointed with what I have won. So I’m street race, possibly as early as next year. reporters at the Bahrain Grand Prix that Monday’s first frame at the Crucible Theatre going to continue to work hard next sea- Ecclestone confirmed last year that talks the decision would depend on the 35- in Sheffield, northern . son, and the one after that, to get the best had taken place with the Qataris for a year-old’s performance on the track. Robertson took the next two frames as out of my ability. race that some reports have suggested Raikkonen responded immediately by well to complete a comfortable victory “Before I came here I potted around 300 would pay out 50 million pounds ($74.77 finishing second on Sunday for his first over his Welsh opponent. The world num- balls in practice without missing. That’s million) a year in hosting fees. However, podium finish since he was at Lotus in ber four was in dominant form throughout what Stephen Hendry used to do over the Briton told reporters last December 2013 and first for Ferrari since 2009. the match, 12 frames yielding three centu- spells of six or seven frames. “Ronnie that Bahrain, who hosted the first race in “Every driver here in the paddock ry breaks and three more contributions of O’Sullivan is still the man to beat so it’s up the region in 2004, effectively had a veto wants to drive for Ferrari, this is normal. over 50 each for the ‘Thunder from Down to the likes of myself, (who on any new races that could overshadow Even guys that were quite a lot of time Under’. The Melbourne-born left-hander, defeated O’Sullivan in last year’s World theirs. world champion. I’m happy with the driv- who will face either one of the experienced Championship final) and Judd Trump to “I made a deal with the people in ers that we have,” commented duo of Ali Carter or Alan McManus in the wrestle that away from him.” Bahrain and they said, ‘If we are going to Arrivabene afterwards. “This does not last 16, said he had spent more time at Meanwhile Barry Hawkins, the losing be something new in this area, which we mean that I am going to sign with Kimi practice in a bid to get the most out of his finalist in 2013, as he edged past Matthew are, will you give us a guarantee you tomorrow,” he added with a smile, having natural talent and add to a tally of 10 rank- Selt 10-9. Hawkins was on the brink of vic- won’t put another race on in the area, in announced that he felt the real ing titles. tory at 9-4 only for Selt to win five frames in SHEFFIELD: Australia’s Neil Robertson plays a shot dur- the Gulf?’,” he said then. Raikkonen was back, the one who seized “I have put the hours in for this event, a row. However, Hawkins held his nerve in ing his World Snooker Championship first round match Bahrain circuit chief executive Sheikh his championship against the odds with more than any other in my career. I have the decider to book a place in the second against ’s Jamie Jones at The Crucible in Sheffield, Salman bin Isa Al-Khalifa shrugged off a string of late wins rather than the one even done more practice than (England’s) round. — AFP northern England. — AFP talk of a veto but indicated the matter who sometimes looked a bit bored in was not pressing. 2009. “We are very clear. I repeat again: I “I heard Bernie asked about that in the said to Kimi, ‘look, It depends on your Waugh tells England to ignore Pietersen media centre, and he said isn’t two races performance’ and he has demonstrated enough for the region?,” he replied when that he’s a great driver. So if you ask me LONDON: Australia great Stephen Waugh has told asked about Qatar. now, does he deserve to renew the England to forget about an international recall for “It’s not for us (to say). It’s for the option, now today I am going to say yes. Kevin Pietersen, saying he was no longer a great play- rights holder. We welcomed Abu Dhabi “But if I am going to say yes, I don’t er and wasn’t worth a place in the current Test side. when they came on board and we’ll wait want the driver to fall asleep. So I want to South Africa-born batsman Pietersen has not played and see,” he added. “I think Mr E appreci- keep him up. Kimi is giving the best for England since controversially being axed last year ates the loyalty we have kept with him. when he is a bit in trouble,” said the following the team’s 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia. “As a businessman, as the way he is, Italian, making clear that the contract But the 34-year-old has repeatedly insisted he he asks from his friends whether this is was the carrot being dangled. wants to force his way back into the England set-up. right or wrong, and that’s where that “This is a psychological approach. So Paul Downton, who as England and Wales Cricket concept is. the paper at the moment is white. Board managing director played a key role in sending “I really don’t have an answer for that Sometimes I have to take the pen, then Pietersen into the international wilderness, was but it’s nothing we have seen that is seri- take it back. And Kimi is going to the recently forced out of his position by new chiefs at ous, so until it is then we can’t (answer),” podium.” Raikkonen, who returned to Lord’s. And incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves has added Shaikh Salman. The chief execu- Ferrari last year, has said he is enjoying suggested Pietersen could muscle his way back into the England set-up if he scored enough runs in the tive said he wanted to extend Bahrain’s life at Ferrari more than ever. “This year is County Championship. deal beyond 2016 and talks were ongo- the best that I have had in any team; how Last week Pietersen, who has re-signed with Surrey ing. He also ruled out pushing for the team works together, how people rather than play in the Twenty20 Indian Premier Bahrain, the fourth round of the calendar work together, how the atmosphere is League, got tongues wagging with an innings of 170, this year, to take the season-opening slot and how things are being run. That tells albeit in a match against Oxford students that wasn’t a held by Australia. However, he indicated you a lot. I’m very happy,” he said last first-class fixture. His return to Championship for the that the circuit would like an earlier date week. — Agencies first time since June 2013 was rather less dramatic, with Pietersen out for 19 on Sunday in Surrey’s ongo- ing Second Division match away to Glamorgan in Cardiff-the venue for this year’s first Ashes Test in July. Player dies in Kolkata Pietersen, England’s all-time leading run-scorer in all international formats has an impressive Test record GRENADA: England’s cricket team captain Alistair Cook (left) and wicketkeeper Joe Butler lis- after fielding collision of 8,181 runs at 47.28 with 23 hundreds but Waugh ten to Joe Root (center) at the National Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada. England and West said the team needed to look to the future. “England Indies will play their second cricket Test match starting today. — AP have got to make a clean break and look forward to MUMBAI: Tragedy struck Indian cricket the future,” said Waugh in quotes published by yesterday when a 20-year-old player died Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper on Monday. Sri Lanka accuses as a result of a freakish on-field collision “Sometimes you have to have short-term pain to with a team mate during a club match in get the long-term gain. “I don’t think he’s a great play- the eastern city of Kolkata. er right now. Setting aside all the other things, I don’t ICC of grave disruption Four months after Australia cricketer think his form warranted a spot in the England side. Phillip Hughes died after being hit by a He may have been a great player but I wouldn’t class COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s cricket board yesterday ther delay. “We would point out that these are bouncer, Ankit Keshri, a former captain for him as one now.” Waugh, who led a hugely successful accused the world governing body of “gravely” dis- monies which were due and payable by ICC to SLC his state’s under-19 team, battled for three Australia Test side from 1999-2004, also said former rupting the sport in the island by withholding its from long prior to the appointment of the interim days before passing away at a Kolkata hos- England captain Pietersen’s history of off-field rows, share of proceeds from tournaments. committee,” said the letter, a copy of which was including the fall-out last year from the publication of pital. “It’s so unfortunate. He was such a The International Cricket Council (ICC) said last released to reporters. “Further, these are monies his incendiary autobiography, had to be taken into promising cricketer and for him to pass week it was withholding Sri Lanka’s share from the which are payable by ICC to SLC, irrespective of the away in such a manner is difficult to swal- account. “First, he has to be one of the best six bats- men in the country, which he’s not,” Waugh said. “Then 2014 T20 World Cup and 2015 World Cup after the body which is managing SLC for the time being.” low,” Subir Ganguly, the joint secretary of Colombo government dispensed with elections It said the ICC was told of the national board’s the state’s cricket association, told Reuters. is he right for the current set-up? “Does he fit in how the team is moving forward? and appointed a local governing body. decision to appoint an interim committee to Keshri, a right-handed batsman and leg- Can he work with the captain and other players? Sports Minister Navin Dissanayake had sacked address corruption on April 2. spinner, came on as a substitute fielder for Ankit Keshri Obviously there have been some issues. That’s part of the previous board and appointed a nine-member “As ICC’s recent actions would gravely disrupt his club and collided with a team mate as around midnight on Sunday and died early the reason why he’s not there now. panel headed by respected Test player Sidath cricket in Sri Lanka, SLC urges ICC to urgently both players went for a high catch. yesterday, officials of the state association “Unless he’s changed as a person and a personality- Wettimuny to “clean up” corruption at Sri Lanka obtain whatever information that may be required He briefly lost consciousness but was said. In November, Hughes passed away at and that’s hard to do I don’t know how you go back to Cricket (SLC). by ICC so that, SLC can continue with its pro- resuscitated by a team mate, following the age of 25, two days after he was struck what happened before. “The number one thing is The new SLC management in a letter to David grammes for cricket in Sri Lanka.” which, he was rushed to hospital. in the neck by a bouncer with the incident you’ve got to respect each other. Once this stops you’re Richardson, the Chief Executive of ICC, said they It did not say how much was due to it from the According to doctors, Keshri’s condition sparking a massive outpouring of grief in real trouble,” Waugh added. “And I think that’s proba- were “shocked” by the ICC decision and expected ICC, but sources close to cricket administration was stable but he suffered a cardiac arrest across the world. — Reuters bly happened over the past couple of years.” — AFP monies due to them will be released without fur- said the amount was about $11 million. —AFP