Sports Tuesday, January 22, 2019 19 ACC Western Region Twenty20 cricket Australia call Not just Kohli, up in-form Patterson for beware of Rohit Sajjad, Chaudhry Lanka Tests AFP & Shikhar too, SYDNEY IN-FORM Kurtis Patterson Taylor cautions set up Qatar’s win was added to Australia’s squad on Monday for the upcoming Tests against Sri Lanka as se- teammates lectors try to fix a batting line- up that failed to fire during the home Tests against India. IANS Since the last year, the right- over Saudi Arabia The 25-year-old New NAPIER handed batsman has scored South Wales batsman scored 1135 runs at an average of back-to-back centuries for a AHEAD of the five-ODI rub- 112.91 in the ODIs. Not to any- Cricket Australia XI in Hobart ber against India, starting here one’s surprise, Rohit Sharma is Al Annabi start with four-wicket triumph in Muscat last week. Wednesday, former New Zea- second on the list. Since 2018, National selector Trevor land skipper Ross Taylor praised Rohit has hit 1215 runs at 71.47. TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK Hohns said Patterson had touring captain Virat Kohli as The left-handed batsman, DOHA been “pushing his case for se- the best ‘one-day player’ while Dhawan, who didn’t have the lection for some time”. cautioning his side against sole- best of ODIs against Australia, RIDING an impressive bowling perfor- “We have been asking bat- ly focussing on the leader as the sits at the fourth place with 952 mance, Qatar posted a fine four-wicket ters around the country to Men-in-Blue have many more runs at an average of above 45. victory over Saudi Arabia in their open- score hundreds if they want to match winners. Like Kohli, Taylor too has ing match of the ACC Western Region be considered for selection,” While Kohli has enjoyed been in sublime form, par- Twenty20 Cricket Tournament in Muscat, Hohns added in a statement. a purple patch in the 50-over ticularly in ODIs. After finish- Oman on Monday. “Given Kurtis’ consistent format in recent years, the In- ing 2018 as his country’s most Qatar’s Tamoor Sajjad, who snared performances for NSW and dian openers Rohit Sharma prolific run-scorer, he began three for 11 in his four-over spell with his two unbeaten centuries in and Shikhar Dhawan have also the new year with a bang too, one maiden, was declared the man of the last week’s tour match against been responsible for giving the amassing 281 runs from three match. our upcoming opponent, Sri side a great start on most oc- digs against Sri Lanka to top the Qatar Cricket Association President Lanka, we believe he deserves casions. The middle order led batting charts. Yousef Jeham al Kuwari congratulated to be added to the Test squad.” by former skipper Mahendra Having done enough in the the national team on a strong start and Singh Dhoni has displayed their past year, the 34-year old said the superb victory over bitter rivals Saudi prowess while chasing big totals he knows he has to start from Arabia. in the just-concluded ODI series the scratch against India. “We are extremely pleased with the Warner to undergo against Australia. “I’ve worked on my game national team’s splendid four-wicket tri- Taylor, New Zealand’s sec- and try and rotate the strike umph in the opening match in the ACC surgery on injured ond most prolific run-scorer of early and be as busy as I can. Western Region T20 in Oman and that all time behind only Stephen Different shots against spinners too over Saudi Arabia. We hope that the elbow today Fleming, pointed out that focus- at different stages have maybe Qatar team will keep improving its perfor- AFP ing solely on Kohli may back- evolved my game in a positive SYDNEY fire. “He’s a sensational player, way,” he added. the best one-day player going Taylor, however gave a BRIEF SCORES BANNED former Australian around, quite easily,” Taylor scare to the Kiwis ahead of the QATAR BEAT SAUDI ARABIA BY FOUR WICKETS vice-captain David Warner is told stuff.co.nz, as quoted by the India series after dislocating his Saudi Arabia: 126 all out in in 20 overs (Sajid Imran Cheema expected to undergo minor ICC website. little finger but insisted that he 43, Muhammad Adnan 38; Noman Sarwar 2/16, Tamoor Sajjad surgery on his elbow on Tues- “It’s easy to get caught up has fully recovered now. 3/11, Muhammad Nadeem 1/43, Inam-Ul-Haq 1/13, Iqbal day after returning home in him. (But) you’ve got two “It’s fine. It looks a lot sorer Hussain Chaudhry 3/26) from the Bangladesh Premier pretty good openers at the top, than it is - no break, but the liga- Qatar: 126 for seven in 15.3 overs (Faisal Javed Khan 43, League with an injury. Sharma and Dhawan, before he ments were a bit sore,” he said. Zaheeruddeen Ibrahim 21, Mohammad Tanveer 33 runs , Noman Sarwar 11 not out; Ibrar-Ul Haq 1/23, Usman Ali 1/21, Warner, alongside former gets in.” Meanwhile, all-rounder Muhammad Nadeem 3/16, Faizal Khan 1/21) skipper Steve Smith and bats- The past year saw Virat Doug Bracewell was looking Man of the match: Tamoor Sajjad (Qatar) man Cameron Bancroft, was Kohli hammering many re- forward to the challenge of play- suspended from international cords; with the one of entering ing the No.2 ranked ODI side cricket over a ball-tampering the 10,000 run-club in ODIs in the run-up to the ICC Men’s mance and continue to win matches. We scandal during a Test match sitting at the top. Not only this, Cricket World Cup 2019. “We’re wish more successes to the team,” Kuwari in South Africa last March. the India skipper got named as going to find out where we are added in his statement. The 32-year-old returned the captain of the ESPNcricinfo as a team against one of the best The decision to put Saudi Arabia in to to Australia last week fol- 2018 ODI team of the year too. teams in the world,” he said. bat first by Qatar skipper Inam-Ul-Haq was lowing a stint with the Syl- justified as Noman Sarwar dealt out two Tamoor Sajjad of Qatar receives the man of the match award after his team beat Saudi Ara- het Sixers in the Bangladesh quick blows. Saudi Arabia, from two down bia by four wickets in the ACC Western Region T20 cricket in Muscat, Oman on Monday. Twenty20 tournament after for eight in two overs, could never recover he reported pain in his right and folded up at 126 off the final ball. reach 126. Iqbal Hussain Chaudhry also which included eight hits to the fence, elbow. The Saudi collapse was accelerated grabbed three wickets, while Inam-Ul- and they lost three more players in quick Warner’s elbow will be Sajjad who removed three more players Haq and Muhammad Nadeem shared two succession. But Mohammed Tanveer and assessed in Melbourne on to have the rivals struggling at five for 39. wickets. Noman Sarwar held the innings together Tuesday, before he is ex- Saudi opener Sajid Imran Cheema sought Qatar also suffered an early setback as to see Qatar home in 15.3 overs. pected to undergo minor sur- to repair the damage to some extent. He they lost Kamran Khan for six. They how- Tanveer blasted two sixes and three gery, cricket.com.au reported smashed two sixes and two fours in his ever responded to it with an addition of fours to collect 33 not out off 18 balls, Monday. 41-ball 47. 47 runs through the second-wicket stand while Sarwar’s unbeaten 11 had two fours. Cricket Australia’s web- After Cheema was ninth out at 88, shared by Faisal Javed Khan and Zaheer- Muhammad Nadeem had three four site said Warner’s condition Muhammad Adnan offered a spirited uddeen Ibrahim, who hit 21 with two sixes 16, while Ibrar-Ul Haq, Faizal Khan and was not believed to be as se- rearguard resistance and collected 38 and a four in 18 balls. Usman Ali bagged one wicket apiece. rious as the elbow injury sus- not out with four sixes and two bounda- The winners experienced a mini slump Qatar will next take on Kuwait on tained by Smith, also in the ries. His 15-ball effort helped the team after Khan went out for a brisk 26-ball 43, Tuesday. Bangladesh tournament. Ross Taylor of New Zealand: In rich form. SOUQ WAQIF EquestriaN festiVAL England favourites but danger lurks in West Indies REUTERS The jury is still out on and Stuart Broad but it is not when you play against them LONDON England opener Keaton Jen- out of the question that left- and that means we’ve got to nings and while he started armer Sam Curran will be be on top form to be able to WITH eight wins from their England’s 3-0 win in Sri Lan- thrown the new ball, one that try and challenge them.” past nine Tests, a three-match ka well, scoring a century in should offer plenty of swing. Anderson will relish get- series in the West Indies the opening match, his form Victory for captain Root’s ting his hands on the Dukes should hold no fears for Joe has dipped since. side would be the perfect ball after toiling in Sri Lanka, Root’s buoyant England team He will almost certain- way to start what could be a but so should the West Indies - but things are never straight- ly open the batting with memorable year, with a home attack.