SPORTS SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2014 Cook calls on England to repeat India win Dhoni refuses to confirm rumors on Jadeja footage

SOUTHAMPTON: England captain Alastair Cook urged his side to impressive considering the way in which they had capitulated to a 95- show the same “relentless” approach that characterized their 266-run run defeat in the second Test at Lord’s. “We had as good a game as win over India in the third Test at Southampton when the series con- you can have-that’s what the turnaround is,” Cook said. tinues at Old Trafford next week. Thursday’s victory at the Ageas Bowl “We got greedy in the first innings. When you do that, you start saw England level the five-match contest at 1-1 and, even more getting ahead of the game and can dictate it-and that’s what we did.” importantly, ended a run of 10 successive Tests without a win. India Now the challenge is to do it all again in Manchester. “We were relent- set a mammoth 445 for victory, collapsed to 178 all out before lunch less, we never let India off the hook at any stage,” said Cook. “It takes a on the final day, losing their last six wickets inside 25 overs. lot of skill and determination to do that.” “Now everyone knows what England off-spinner Moeen Ali, primarily a batsman, took a Test- it’s like, the challenge is ‘can we repeat that at Old Trafford, and try to best six for 67, including four for 17 in 22 balls Thursday, while James win the series?”‘ Anderson was named man-of-the-match for a total return across both innings of seven for 77. Prior to this match, at least seven former Anderson uncertainty England captains had called on Cook to resign as skipper, mainly in a Prior to that match, England will have found out whether bid to help him get back to his best form with the bat. Anderson is still available for selection. And with the ICC having However, the left-handed opener ignored their suggestions and recently warned both Cook and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni SOUTHAMPTON: India’s Ravindra Jadeja walks off the field of was back in the runs at Southampton with innings of 95 and 70 not to refrain from further public comment on the case ahead of a tele- play after losing his wicket off the bowling of Moeen Ali, dur- out, while Ian Bell returned to form with 167 and Gary Ballance made conference hearing before judicial commissioner Gordon Lewis, a ing the fifth and final day of the third cricket test match of the a Test-best 156 in England’s commanding first innings 569 for seven retired Australian judge, the England skipper chose his words careful- series between England and India at The Ageas Bowl. — AP declared. ly. This victory represented England’s first win in a Test for nearly a “I just hope common sense prevails. “I hope we’ll see Jimmy at Old year since they beat Australia at Durham to take an unbeatable 3-0 Trafford in his home Test match.” Anderson, asked repeatedly about Pressure mounting lead in the 2013 Ashes. However, the one cloud on the horizon was the hearing at a post-match news conference, was equally wary. “I that Anderson might miss the fourth Test at his Lancashire home honestly don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” Anderson on Ravindra Jadeja ground should an International Cricket Council disciplinary hearing said. “I obviously want to be playing at Old Trafford in my home Test yesterday find against him for allegedly “pushing and abusing” India’s match.” Meanwhile Dhoni refused to confirm rumors emerging from MUMBAI: As India licked their wounds following the humiliating Ravindra Jadeja during the drawn first Test at Trent Bridge. India that the tourists had now gained access to previously unseen defeat to England at Southampton on Thursday, Ravindra Jadeja was Cook, who oversaw England’s 5-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia, was video footage that supported their assertion that Anderson had probably hurting more than most after enduring a miserable week certainly in no mood to get carried away. “It’s a very small step,” he engaged in threatening behavior towards Jadeja in the Trent Bridge both on and off the field. The 25-year-old, considered an all-rounder said. “It’s only one win.” England’s dominant display was all the more pavilion. “I am not aware,” he said. Instead Dhoni preferred to concen- with his modest left-arm orthodox action and ability to wield the bat lower down the order, has been thrust into the role of lead spinner for a country that tends to build its attack around slow bowlers. Jadeja appeared to have justified selection ahead of specialist off- Pakistan’s ‘Babe Ruth of squash’ spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the second test at Lord’s, where his quickfire 68 in the second innings may not have pleased the purists but set up India’s 95-run victory. He also contributed three wickets Hashim Khan in poor health with the Indian pacemen causing the maximum damage on a green wicket as the tourists enjoyed a rare overseas victory to move 1-0 AURORA: Hashim Khan’s family really has no idea the exact age of was that player he once was decades ago. He was exposed to squash ahead in the five-match series. However, by the time he arrived in their father since he never had a birth certificate. Best guess? He through his father, Abdullah, a chief steward at a British officer’s club Southampton, Jadeja had been docked half of his match fee from the turned 100 on July 1 - that’s what they celebrated anyway. He also in Peshawar. Back then, the youngster would go to the outdoor courts drawn opening test in Nottingham over an alleged off-field con- could be older, some say even as old as 104. Just another intriguing to watch the officers play and fetch their errant shots. Eventually, the tretemps with England bowler James Anderson at Trent Bridge. layer to the lore of Khan, one of the greatest squash players to ever lift officers would head inside to escape the baking sun. That’s when The issue has rumbled on with India appealing the International a racket. He’s the patriarch who got the ball rolling on Pakistan’s Khan sauntered onto the court and emulated their shots wearing no Cricket Council (ICC) verdict and their own complaint against squash supremacy, winning his first British Open title in 1951 at an shoes, holding a cracked racket and using a broken ball. Anderson to have “abused and pushed” Jadeja during the same inci- age when most retire and then six more championships after that. He Khan’s father died in a car accident when he was 11, and he dent waiting to be heard. The controversy seemed to have taken its later traveled to America to raise a family of 12 and help hook a dropped out of school to become a full-time ball boy. He honed his toll on Jadeja’s on-field performances too, as he dropped a routine younger generation on a sport that resembles racquetball. skills playing the officers in friendly games. He later became one of catch at slip from an out-of-sorts England captain Alastair Cook in the Over the last six months, his health has drastically deteriorated. the club’s squash coaches. At 37 - and at the behest of the Pakistan first innings with the batsman on 15. Hospice workers are now providing around-the-clock care for him at government eager for a national hero - Khan went to the British Open, Cook welcomed the reprieve with relish, arrested his slump in his home. His family remains by his side, too, using this as a chance to considered the most prestigious tournament. He beat the best player form and went on to make 95, as well as an unbeaten 70 in the sec- reminisce about the person who’s been referred to as the “Babe Ruth in the world, Mahmoud El Karim of Egypt, 9-5, 9-0, 9-0, for his first title. ond innings, inspiring England with his new-found confidence which of squash.” The tales they tell: Like how he started out playing squash His last was at 44. About then, he taught his brother, Azam, to play culminated in a series-tying 266-run thrashing. Jadeja’s form with the barefoot. Or how the spirited player once went through a player’s legs squash and he won four titles. Hashim Khan’s cousin, Roshan Khan, bat also dropped as he contributed just 31 and 15 in his two innings to get to a ball near the front wall. Or how they heard Buckingham and nephew, Mohibullah Khan, each captured one. —AP as India slid to defeat. Palace built a squash court just to watch their father’s flair. “Just a rumor,” said Gulmast, one of Khan’s seven sons who all played on the Minor victory professional level. It was, however, his bowling which was the biggest letdown for Another interesting element to his age-old story - even if no one India, coming on a track sporting an increasing number of rough really knows his true age. “I like the concept that his age is shrouded patches scuffed up by the pacemen in their delivery stride. Jadeja somewhat in mystery,” his son, Sam, said. “He’s a whirlwind who denied Cook a century in the first innings but that minor victory comes out of the distant Himalayan mountains and conquers the offered scant consolation for the spilled catch as the England captain world. Nobody knows where he came from or even when he came added 158 runs with centurion Gary Balance for the second wicket. from. It’s sort of fitting that it would be that way.” Around his house, It was that stand that set the tone for England’s massive total of Hashim Khan doesn’t have many traces of the trinkets he acquired 569 for seven declared and India’s capitulation under the mountain of throughout the decades. There’s a framed picture of him shaking runs was an inevitable conclusion once they fell 239 runs short of first hands with Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. And on a table by innings parity. Jadeja claimed five wickets in the match but three of the couch, an encased picture of him on the cover of Squash those came in the second innings when England threw the bat at Magazine. Another of him posing with a racket. everything to score quick runs before setting a target that proved well beyond India’s reach. ‘Fight like a tiger’ The inadequacy of Jadeja’s efforts was put into context when His awards are displayed inside the Hashim Khan Trophy Room, compared to the role Moeen Ali played for England. The bearded off- which is a squash court the members at the Denver Athletic Club con- spinner, originally selected as a batsman who offers part-time bowl- verted into a shrine to him. Three of his friends stopped by Thursday, ing duties, made brilliant use of the rough and claimed six second just to pay their respects. When they started talking squash, his eyes lit innings wickets as he ran through an Indian batting order renowned up. “Remember your rules for squash? Snap your wrist, don’t hit the tin ... fight like a tiger,” said Marshall Wallach, who started a founda- for their ability to play spin. “We allowed Moeen to bowl his line and tion in Khan’s honor. Khan beamed. length. There was considerable amount of wear and tear on the pitch Another friend, Dennis Driscoll, asked Khan to demonstrate his that went his way, and there were a lot of close-in fielders too,” India grip - the one that was so accurate and oh so powerful. Khan bent his DENVER: In this file photo, Squash great Hashim Khan poses captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni told reporters. — Agencies wrist ever so slightly, as if he held a racket in his hand again. As if he for a photo on a squash court in Denver. — AP