FOOTBALL | Page 3 GOLF | Page 5 Conte all Hull wins title To Advertise here praise for while Ariya, Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 ‘ruthless’ Chun take Diego Costa LPGA awards

Tuesday, November 22, 2016 FORMULA ONE Safar 22, 1438 AH Title-chasing GULF TIMES Hamilton admits ‘odds’ against him SPORT Page 5

GOLF/ QATAR LADIES OPEN DGC all set to host its fi rst ever Ladies European Tour event ‘It’s always great to have new tournaments but to me it’s extra special playing in Qatar. Being an Arab country, it feels a bit like home. I’m really excited to represent Morocco here and mostly I’m really proud to be representing Arabs in general. I am looking for a top ten finish here. I like this course; it’s the type of course I enjoy playing on’

By Sports Reporter Doha

istory will be made at the Doha Golf Club tomorrow when the picturesque course plays host to Qatar’s fi rst ever Hwomen’s professional golf event, the Qatar Ladies Open, with some of the best players on the tour in attendance. Women’s golf’s emerging stars like India’s Aditi Ashok, England’s Georgia Hall and Maha Haddioui of Morocco, the fi rst Arab woman golfer to make the European Tour, will be among the 108 players who will compete for the €500,000 prize fund in the inaugural Ladies European Tour (LET) event in Qatar, which runs till Saturday. The full fi eld event is the third LET event in the Middle East, after the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters and the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open in Abu Dhabi, and is expected to inspire and empower local women players while leaving a lasting legacy on the growing golf scene in the region. “We feel really proud to host the inaugural Qatar Ladies Open in Doha. This will be one of the most important international women’s golf tourna- ments, and we hope it will help ce- ment Qatar’s position as a leading golf destination whilst also fostering par- ticipation and growing the success of our own players. We are pleased to be co-operating with the LET,” said Fahad Fahad Nasser al-Naimi (third from left), General Secretary of Qatar Golf Association, and Mohamed Faisal al-Naimi (second from right), Executive Director of QGA, with Ladies European Tour professionals Nasser al-Naimi, General Secretary of Aditi Ashok (right), Maha Haddioui (second from left), Georgia Hall (centre) and LET Tournament Director and Technical Manager Michael Wood at the Doha Golf Club yesterday. PICTURE: Anas al-Samaraee the Qatar Golf Association. Aditi, from the southern Indian city career when she witnessed Laura Dav- ferent every day. Accuracy and control abs in general. I’m looking for a top ten but you get some reachable par 5s so dies Scottish Open), Nanna Koerstz of Bangalore, is coming here fresh off ies and Gwladys Nocera compete at the will be the key to success on this course. fi nish. I like this course; it’s the type of it’s a bit of a risk reward course. The Madsen from Denmark (Tipsport Golf her maiden win at last week’s Hero 2007 EMAAR-MGF Ladies Masters in I hope I can keep my winning momen- course I enjoy playing on.” course is in great shape, and the setup Masters) and Nuria Iturrios from Spain Women’s Indian Open, the fi rst Indian her home city, said. tum going this week too,” added Aditi. England’s Hall is the in-form player is brilliant. I think I am playing really (Lalla Meryem Cup). player to win on the Ladies European The Indian teenager, considered Haddioui, the fi rst full-time Arab here, having fi nished tied-third, fourth well at the moment. I just need to stay The more experienced competitors Tour. Naturally, she’s brimming with one of the longest hitters in the game, golfer on the LET who represented and second in her last three tourna- patient and hopefully a win is around in the fi eld who could upset the apple- confi dence. felt the DGC course fairways were a Morocco at the Olympic Games, said: ments, and currently lies fourth on the the corner for me,” Hall said. cart include Florentyna Parker, who is “The fi rst win is always the hardest, bit short. “That makes it all the more “It’s always great to have new tourna- LET Order of Merit. She shot a brilliant There are fi ve recent tournament ranked fi fth on the Order of Merit after so now that baggage is off my back, I tricky, and the strong wind can actually ments but to me it’s extra special play- 64 at the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies winners in the fi eld, with the addition six top-10 fi nishes in 2016, LET Life feel much more confi dent. This is my make it tough if you hit a bit wide. I have ing in Qatar. Being an Arab country, it Open in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, of Anne Van Dam from the Nether- Members Dame Laura Davies and Trish fi rst time in Doha but the conditions only played the front nine since I’ve feels a bit like home. I’m really excited which was a course record, and hopes lands (Xiamen International Ladies Johnson, Gwladys Nocera and Swedish and the course look great,” the 18-year- been here but I think it’s a challenging to represent Morocco here and mostly to carry the momentum here. Open), Isabelle Boineau from France Solheim Cup partners Anna Nordqvist old, who was inspired to take golf as a course and with the wind it’ll play dif- I’m really proud to be representing Ar- “The course is slightly short for me, (Aberdeen Asset Management La- and Caroline Hedwall.

TENNIS Murray to take aura of invincibility into new year

Reuters tween 2008 and 2012. chine while Djokovic, so often the Sunday and he was talking about his London Individually, Michael Schumacher Scot’s master during their career-long December training camp and Janu- had it while winning seven Formula rivalry, appeared lightweight and un- ary’s Australian Open where Murray One drivers titles, as did squash great sure of himself. will start as favourite to win a fourth orget the latest addition to Jahangir Khan who was unbeaten be- Murray duly won 6-3 6-4 and, Grand Slam. Andy Murray’s creaking tween 1981 and 1986. Jamaican sprint- despite a late Djokovic fi ghtback, Former world number one John trophy cabinet, the $2.4mn er Usain Bolt exudes it every time he played like he knew the outcome was McEnroe, another player who at his cheque and the adulation of a steps on to his blocks. never in doubt. peak in the 1980s had opponents nation,F the most signifi cant upshot of Murray knows only too well the de- “There was no serious chance for me cowed before battle, said Murray will his ATP World Tour Finals victory over bilitating eff ect it can have on oppo- to win today’s match.” Djokovic said. be well aware that aura, so long in the Novak Djokovic is the aura it brings. nents. He has played and suff ered in “From the very beginning we could see making, can vanish quickly. Murray, the new king of men’s ten- an era graced by Roger Federer, Rafael that. He was just a better player all in all.” “Murray is an amazing athlete. He’s nis, will take that rare commodity Nadal and Djokovic who, at various Murray, 29, is undefeated since Sep- going to try to take advantage of this which few achieve in sport into the new times over the past decade, have had tember, has won 24 matches in suc- time because it’s limited, we all know season in spades. rivals mentally beaten before a point cession and his win-loss record since that,” the American told the BBC. It is an unquantifi able weapon and was even played. losing to Djokovic in the French Open Djokovic will need no reminding. one that can sustain lengthy periods It looked that way on Sunday when fi nal is 53-3. “If you had told me six months of dominance even when form is fi ckle. Murray, exhausted after his epic semi- In the last week of the season he ago that this would even be an is- Scroll through the annals of sport fi nal victory over Milos Raonic when he beat world number fi ve Kei Nishiko- sue, I would have said you’re crazy,” and there are some striking examples. saved a match point, walked on court ri, number four Stan Wawrinka and McEnroe said of Djokovic’s sudden Steve Waugh’s Australian cricket to face Djokovic in a showdown for the number three Milos Raonic before vulnerability. team had it, winning 16 consecutive end-of-year number one spot. swatting aside second-ranked Djokovic “At some point you’re going to hit a Tests between 1999 and 2001, so too Dressed in his now familiar mili- with an ease bordering on contempt. wall of some kind, But when it comes, have various New Zealand rugby un- tary-grade kit and industrial-strength And the iron-willed Murray is un- people are surprised, but it always ion sides. Spain’s national soccer team footwear, the granite-calved Mur- likely to relent. happens. You just don’t know how long achieved an aura of invincibility be- ray looked like an indestructible ma- The sweat had barely dried on it will last.” Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, November 22, 2016 FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT WORRY Misfi ring Bayern under Homecoming king pressure in Russia Ronaldo eyes

File picture of Bayern Munich’s midfielder Thomas Mueller (R) and European century goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. ‘We know that we are facing the strongest team in the world right now, that is why AFP the Champions League and after Berlin that we face Leverkusen (at home on Saturday). There are interest- they won the Champions League. But Sporting have desire, confidence...’ ing weeks ahead.” isfi ring Bayern Mu- When Xabi Alonso hit the nich head to Russia’s crossbar with an hour gone and Rostov for tomor- his side 1-0 down in Dortmund, Mrow’s Champions it was the 10th time Munich have League clash under pressure to hit the woodwork in the league score goals and licking their this season. wounds after being knocked Curiously, their strike rate is from the top of the Bundesliga. better in the Champions League Bayern secured their last 16 where Robert Lewandowski has place for the ninth consecutive four goals in as many games, season with a 2-1 win at PSV while Mueller has netted twice in Eindhoven three weeks ago. Europe. But the Germans need a win at Having routed Rostov 5-0 in Rostov, north-east of Moscow, to mid-September, Bayern need a stay in touch with Group D lead- convincing performance on the ers Atletico Madrid, who they road as much as the three points host at Munich’s Allianz Arena with their Russian opponents on December 6. clinging to third place and pas- Second-placed Bayern lag sage into the Europa League. three points behind Atletico and Bayern’s stars have taken fl ak are struggling to hit the back of in the German media since the the net. Dortmund defeat and there is Their 1-0 defeat at Borussia friction within the squad. Dortmund on Saturday allowed Ex-Germany captain Lothar RB Leipzig to fi nish the weekend Matthaeus says Bayern are cur- top of the German league table. rently missing the “fi tness, joy It is the fi rst time since Sep- and authority” in their play. tember 2015 that Bayern have not Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer been top in Germany. criticised his team-mates af- Bayern failed to convert any of ter only Thomas Mueller, Mats their 18 shots on goal and Ger- Hummels, Neuer and David Al- many forward Thomas Mueller aba went to applaud the 8,000 is still waiting for his fi rst league Bayern fans who had travelled goal of the season. 600kms to Dortmund to support “Obviously you can’t be hap- their team. “Of course, more of py when you lose top spot and our players have to go to the ter- drop points,” admitted captain races,” Neuer told Munich news- Philipp Lahm. “Now it’s back to paper TZ.

MISFIRE Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo poses in front of a TV camera as he celebrates after scoring during the Spanish league against Atletico de Madrid. Leicester star Vardy AFP nament win at Euro 2016 has only embel- look, but Jesus believes his young side a Ronaldo free-kick and Alvaro Morata’s Lisbon lished his hero status in his homeland. will have learned from that experience as stoppage time header snatched victory “Divided heart,” ran the headline in for Real from the jaws of defeat. loses magic touch Lisbon sports daily Record on Monday Fixtures (GMT) “We lacked that little bit of experience resh from vanquishing Atletico with a split picture of Ronaldo wearing a you have to have in the last 10 minutes in Madrid with his 39th Real Madrid Sporting and Real jersey. Group E the Champions League, like all the Real hat-trick, Cristiano Ronaldo will Whilst a point will be enough for Ma- CSKA Moscow (Russia) v Bayer Madrid players have. We ought to have be guaranteed a hero’s welcome drid to seal their place in the knockout Leverkusen (Germany) (1700) gotten a better result,” added Jesus. whenF he returns to where his career be- stages of the Champions League for a “When you are winning 1-0 in the 83rd Monaco (France) v Tottenham Hot- gan at Sporting Lisbon today. record 20th consecutive season, any- spur (England) (1945) minute, you can fail to win but you can’t Ronaldo has another landmark in his thing other than victory will end Sport- lose. sights as he is just two goals short of 100 ing’s chances of making the last 16. Group F “Ronaldo’s free-kick is an example. in European competitions and history A fi rst league victory over Atletico in Borussia Dortmund (Germany) v He is an intelligent guy, with experience suggests he won’t go easy on the side that four seasons on Saturday also allowed Legia Warsaw (Poland) (1945) and he took this free-kick which was de- handed him his breakthrough. Real to open up a four-point lead at the Sporting (Portugal) v Real Madrid cisive. When we say he is the best in the The three-time World Player of the top of La Liga and extend their unbeaten (Spain) (1945) world, it is because he has everything.” Year has scored on all fi ve occasions he run in all competitions to 29 games. The only debate over Ronaldo’s return has faced his former clubs in the Cham- “We know that we are facing the strong- Group G is whether he starts in a centre-forward pions League, netting twice against est team in the world right now, that is FC Copenhagen (Denmark) v Porto role as he did against Atletico or whether Sporting for Manchester United in 2007 why they won the Champions League (last (Portugal) (1945) Zinedine Zidane recalls the fi t again Ka- and as Real produced a stunning late season),” Sporting coach Jorge Jesus told Leicester City (England) v Club Bruges rim Benzema. fi ghtback from 1-0 down with 89 min- Spanish sports daily Marca. (Belgium) (1945) Real appeared better balanced with Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy during training. utes played to win 2-1 when the sides met “But Sporting have desire, confi dence Ronaldo fl anked by Gareth Bale and Lu- back in September. and we will play like in Madrid with a lot Group H cas Vazquez at the weekend, but Zidane AFP million pounds bid. Despite that Ronaldo is still loved by of quality and confi dence.” Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) v Olympique has previously stated the “BBC” frontline London The speculation dominated the Sporting faithful and leading Portu- Had Sporting held on at the Berna- Lyon (France) (1945) of Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema will always England’s preparations for Euro gal to their fi rst ever international tour- beu Group F would have a very diff erent start when fi t. 2016 and although Vardy ended welve months on from up turning Arsenal down, in- his record-breaking stead signing a new four-year BOTTOMLINE Premier League scoring deal with Leicester, he found lit- streak, Leicester City tle solace in France. talismanT Jamie Vardy appears to He failed to dislodge Harry Kane have lost a little of his stardust. from England’s starting XI and Last November, Vardy set a scored only once, in a group-stage new record by scoring in 11 con- win over Wales, as Roy Hodgson’s secutive Premier League match- side were humiliatingly eliminated Sevilla eye injury-hit Juve scalp es, but ahead of Club Brugge’s by Iceland in the last 16. visit in the Champions League Vardy returned to Leicester AFP we will see if what we propose is over Pescara. today, he has gone 13 club games to fi nd the club gearing up for a Seville, Spain enough to give us the victory.” With Higuain’s fellow Ar- without a goal. campaign in which they would be Sampaoli will have the luxury gentine international teammate His struggles in front of goal viewed as the team to beat, rather of welcoming back a host of Paulo Dybala also sidelined, have mirrored Leicester’s slump than relegation fodder as they had evilla have a golden op- fi rst-team regulars he rested for 16-year-old Moise Kean is one to 14th in the league and prompt- been 12 months previously. portunity to seal their Saturday’s last gasp 3-2 win at of only two strikers included in ed former England striker Alan No longer able to count on return to the Champi- Deportivo la Coruna. Allegri’s 20-man squad. Shearer to suggest he may have opponents underestimating his ons League last 16 for the Spanish international Vitolo, Medhi Benatia and Andrea lost some of his famous hunger. team and coming out to attack, fiS rst time in seven years when a Adil Rami and Franco Vazquez are Barzagli also miss out so Dan- “Jamie is going through a goal manager Claudio Ranieri added Juventus side lacking fi repower set to return with the only doubt iele Rugani is set to deputise drought and is not going to get variety to his attacking options visits the Sanchez Pizjuan today. concerning Samir Nasri’s fi tness. alongside Leonardo Bonucci and out of it by sulking, because that with moves for Ahmed Musa and Despite winning three consec- The French playmaker trained Giorgio Chiellini in defence. is what he looks like he is doing Islam Slimani. utive Europa League titles, Sevilla on Monday despite carrying a Juventus were expected to at the minute,” Shearer wrote in Vardy forged a brilliant part- have struggled to take the step up hamstring injury. launch a signifi cant challenge to The Sun recently. nership with the similarly hard- to Europe’s premier club com- “He will have a fi tness test at win the Champions League this “He is not doing what he did working Shinji Okazaki last sea- petition in recent years, missing six (on Tuesday) and if he is fi t he season after fi ve consecutive Se- last season and causing defend- son, but this term he has had to out on the last 16 to Juventus and will play,” added Sampaoli. rie A titles and a summer splurge ers enough problems. He is mak- adapt to diff erent partners. Manchester City last season. Nasri, meanwhile, believes in the transfer market. ing it easy for them. Defenders, meanwhile, have got However, a repeat of their Sevilla’s sights should be set However, home draws to Se- “There is a lack of eff ort there. wise to him, making sure to deny win over the Italian champions further than just the last 16. villa and Lyon mean the two- You have to work hard to get to him the space on which he thrives. at the fortress Sanchez Pizjuan “We want to get to the quar- time European champions need the top, but you have to work “I just think a lot of the chanc- 11 months ago would seal Sevil- ter-fi nals. It would be very pres- to win in Spain to guarantee even harder to stay there.” es I was getting last year have not la’s place in the last 16 as group tigious for the club to be among their place in the last 16. Vardy, who turns 30 in Janu- been there this year,” Vardy said winners. Sevilla’s Argentinian head coach Jorge Sampaoli gives a press the eight best in Europe,” he told Allegri’s men do though have ary, fi nished last season on top last week. Three wins following a 0-0 conference at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Sevilla. UEFA.com. the insurance policy of a home of the world after his 24 league But Vardy isn’t too concerned. draw in Turin on matchday one Juventus boss Massimiliano game against the pointless Di- goals fi red Leicester to their as- “It’s just all about working hard means even a point would be their last meeting against Juven- strict ourselves to neutralising Allegri has far more injury con- namo Zagreb in two weeks’ tonishing 5,000-1 title triumph. and eventually they’ll come,” enough to seal qualifi cation, tus. them then at some point I am cerns as 90-million euro striker time should they fail to join But the close season brought Vardy said. “You do go through but Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli “We neutralised them but sure Juve will score against us,” Gonzalo Higuain was left back Barcelona as they only visiting with it a period of soul-searching spells without scoring, but insists Sevilla will start with far we didn’t attack. The idea is to said Sampaoli yesterday. in Italy due to a left thigh injury side to win at the Sanchez Piz- after Arsenal triggered a release eventually it will come back and more attacking intent than in change that because if we re- “The idea will be diff erent and suff ered in Saturday’s 3-0 win juan so far this season. clause in his contract with a 22 you’ll be banging them in again.” Gulf Times Tuesday, November 22, 2016 3 FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT SERIE A Perisic scores late leveller to save Inter Conte all praise for derby blushes ruthless Costa ‘He is our point of reference in attacking. He is impressive in the way he is finding his goals, and it is important to continue this way because we need his goals’

Inter Milan’s forward Ivan Perisic from Croatia (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring against AC Milan.

AFP league-leading tally of 10 goals Milan on the night, the Argentine has been warned. He was one of sev- eral Inter players to spurn chanc- van Perisic struck a dramatic es in a dominant fi rst half in front late leveller to grab a share of over 77,000 fans. of the spoils for Inter Milan Milan went in front shortly af- in an enthralling 2-2 derby ter, Giacomo Bonaventura hold- Idraw with AC Milan that saw ing the ball up on the edge of the Suso hit a brace for the hosts. area before setting up Suso for Milan, looking to move up to a superb curling shot that beat second behind Juventus after Samir Handanovic at his far post. Roma’s 2-1 slip-up earlier at Ata- lanta, were seconds away from FURIOUS PROTESTS securing the local bragging rights. But minutes later the hosts were Suso broke the deadlock on 43 left furiously protesting a referee- minutes and hit a brilliant sec- ing decision not to call a foul after ond before the hour after Anto- Manuel Locatelli tumbled under a nio Candreva had given Stefano challenge on the left fl ank. Pioli’s men hope with a well- Inter’s quick throw-in went struck but controversial 53rd- straight to Candreva, who minute leveller. strolled across the edge of the However Milan’s celebration area to beat Donnarumma with plans were promptly cancelled a superb shot into the top corner as Perisic, the Nerazzurri’s star from 25 yards. player on the night, coolly side- Milan coach Vincenzo Mon- footed past teenaged goalkeeper tella said later: “The referee had Gianluigi Donnarumma from a a great game tonight, but on that knocked-on corner in the fi rst incident it was borderline. minute of added time. “The ball did come off Loc- Milan remain third and level atelli but he was pushed into the on points with Roma, with both ball and Inter took the thow-in seven points behind leaders Juve. quickly.” Inter are up to ninth. But Inter’s joy was short-lived. It was new Inter coach Pioli’s Spaniard Suso played a one- Chelsea’s head coach Antonio Conte (R) reacts as he congratulates his striker Diego Costa following the English Premier League football match against Middlesbrough. fi rst game in charge of a Serie A two with Carlos Bacca and then club since being sacked by Lazio produced some fancy foot- AFP for today,” said Conte. “He is our point of ning credentials. season, we’ve worked not only on the following a 3-1 defeat to city ri- work to get away from Joao Mi- Middlesbrough reference in attacking. He is impressive “I think that now it is diffi cult to reply tactical aspect but also the physical as- vals Roma in April. randa before fi ring a shot past in the way he is fi nding his goals, and it is to this,” he said. “Only a month and a half pect,” said Conte. The 51-year-old saw his team Handanovic and into the far bot- important to continue this way because ago, you saw Chelsea conceded two de- “You need the strength to run from the dominate an enthralling open- tom corner. ntonio Conte hailed a newly- we need his goals. feats to Liverpool and Arsenal. start to the end with good technique and ing half that had Donnarumma Inter’s persistance paid off as focused Diego Costa as “one of “Is he focused just on his football? It “After this, Chelsea were not a favour- talent. If you link the two, it’s important. on his toes only for Suso to fi re Milan made the mistake of leav- the best strikers in the world” is important to have this question. In the ite or a team who could fi ght for the title “Our trust in what we’re doing and Milan into the lead just before ing Croatian star Perisic with after the Spaniard’s match- past, people have been asking me about until the end. Now, it is diffi cult to change how we are working is increasing, and the break, and he wants im- enough space to equalise. winningA strike at Middlesbrough fi red his behaviour and his reactions, but now that opinion completely. now it’s important to focus on the next provements up front. “To score “It’s always disappointing Chelsea to the top of the Premier League as a striker, I think he is one of the best in “We are working well, but if you ask game, a massive one against Tottenham.” goals you need determination when you concede so late in a table. the world. what is our target, I want to wait until the Having claimed recent draws against and a little anger, this is certainly game but the lads should be hap- Costa scored the only goal of the “He has to continue this way, and he is end of the fi rst part of the championship. Arsenal and City, Middlesbrough pro- something we have to improve py with their performance, their game at the Riverside, pouncing after a showing his patience in the right way and “It’s hard to say if we’re the best side duced another spirited display against on,” Pioli said afterwards. attitude and commitment was fi rst-half corner rebounded inside the is focused on helping the team, with and in the country right now, but I’m pleased one of the title contenders. “We have to fi nd players who spot-on,” said Montella. six-yard box, and now tops the Premier without the ball.” with the players because they know our However, for all their improved form, have this kind of attitude.” “They’ll have a little trouble League goalscoring charts with 10 goals With Liverpool having failed to beat fans demand that we must fi ght until the Aitor Karanka’s side are just one point Although not a direct ref- sleeping, but they shouldn’t. from 12 games. Southampton on Saturday, Chelsea’s end. I’m seeing with my own eyes that we clear of the relegation zone. erence to Inter striker Mauro We’d be a lot more disappointed Perhaps just as signifi cantly, he has not victory took them to the top of the table have special players.” “Playing against a team like Chelsea, Icardi, who failed to add to his if we had 10 points less.” been booked since the middle of Septem- for the fi rst time under Conte’s manage- Things are about to get more diffi cult we knew it would be tough,” said the Boro ber, and whereas post-match discussions ment. for the league leaders, with next week- head coach. would once focus on a perceived lack of Having won their last six games with- end’s home game with London rivals “One mistake punished us, but we have MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER discipline and a penchant for arguing out conceding a goal, they are one point Tottenham Hotspur preceding a trip to shown we can compete against the best with offi cials, it is now Costa’s football clear of both Liverpool and Manchester Manchester City. teams in the league. You can’t be pleased that is doing the talking. City, although Conte feels it is far too “We’re ready to play many games in to lose one game, but I am pleased with “Diego is always important, not only early to be talking about their title-win- a few days because from the start of the the attitude of the players.” Drogba ready as

BOTTOMLINE Canadian rivalry spice MLS playoff s

AFP proud of so it would mean a lot.” Montreal The fi rst leg of the Eastern Con- PSG coach Emery says scorned ference fi nal was moved from the Impact’s natural grass home fi eld idier Drogba and the to the artifi cial grass of Olympic Montreal Impact face Stadium, the enclosed main venue a showdown with rival for the 1976 Summer Games, to stars must fi ght for playing time DToronto in today’s fi rst allow for a possible crowd of more leg of the Major League Soccer than 60,000 – triple the usual Im- AFP on and does good things will win lot of competition. Our way of semi-fi nals, which also features pact capacity. Paris minutes and can improve. The working is better today than it was a Seattle-Colorado opening “Any time you mention turf in one who does not come on has two months ago. I know the team matchup. MLS, guys kind of roll their eyes a training to show me he is ready more and more but I have to get to The conference fi nals will de- little bit,” said Toronto defender aris Saint-Germain’s to play.” know them better. This process is termine what two teams advance Drew Moor. “It’s the same for under-pressure coach According to Emery, everyone going to last the whole season.” to the December 10 MLS Cup both teams. It’s not going to be a Unai Emery has insisted has to earn the respect of the fi nal, with either Toronto FC or factor at all. Pthat shunned star sign- dressing room. DEVILISH DETAIL the Montreal Impact set to be- “It’ll be a fantastic venue. It’ll ings such as Hatem Ben Arfa and “The 25 players in the group all Emery built his name guiding come the fi rst Canadian club in be a fantastic atmosphere. We’re Jese must fi ght for minutes to listen to the coach. But they must Sevilla to three Europa League the championship match. excited to go.” prove their worth on the pitch. listen 100 percent. When that is titles in a row. “It’s the kind of game that Montreal ousted Toronto 3-0 The Spaniard, who replaced the case that means we have all PSG president Nasser al- can be a fantastic experience last year in the knockout round Laurent Blanc in July, has had a their respect. I like to talk with the Khelaifi wants similar domina- for football in Canada,” Impact of the playoff s. tough start to French life. team, it is important to commu- tion in the Champions League. striker Drogba said. “This is the This year, the teams have gone His team are only third in nicate. That is what I mean when Emery said though that Euro- best thing that could happen for 1-1-1 against each other, the Ligue 1 and on Wednesday face a I talk of respect.” pean success must be based on this country. The way people most recent meeting a 2-2 draw crunch Champions League game Emery was under pressure af- dominating France. “When I ar- are so passionate here about the last month. against Arsenal. ter losing two of their fi rst seven rived here, I asked the president game, it’s amazing what we’ve Toronto leads the all-time ri- Emery told AFP in an interview Ligue 1 games. why he had chosen me. He told been doing, what the fans have valry 6-4-4. that PSG’s Qatari owners have or- Paris Saint-Germain’s Spanish headcoach Unai Emery. They have won fi ve and drawn me: ‘To work on the details.’ been doing, so I think it’s going “Even if this rivalry is young, it dered him to work on the “details” one of their games since and “The team is good, it has won to be great for the future.” still exists. It’s always exciting to that make a good club great. “Some players come in and “I am happy when the players Emery insisted progress is be- a lot of titles, but he believed The former Chelsea star con- play a derby, but it must be won,” Emery has faced particular integrate faster than others. are implicated in the team. That ing made. “In the league we lost that it needs work on the details. troversially did not suit up for Drogba said. attention over his rejection of Hatem Ben Arfa showed his is the state of mind you need and two matches – as many as all The little details that make a Montreal’s fi rst two playoff “Derbies are really diffi cult new signings Ben Arfa who came qualities at Nice but he has it is good in this team.” last season. But the progress can team improve and win more.” games, citing back issues, and games and could end up with from Nice, Real Madrid import changed team. Today Hatem is be seen in the games produced, PSG go into their Champions the 38-year-old Ivory Coast no goals. And we can’t aff ord to Jese and Belgian international better. We have spoken, he un- 100 PERCENT ATTENTION the way the team has answered League Group A clash at Arsenal playmaker likely will be a sub- get carried away by the fans and defender Thomas Meunier. derstands that he has to improve Emery said all the new players on the pitch. In these areas, the on Wednesday level on 10 points stitute Tuesday as he was in a 2-1 their support. We need to stay Along with PSG’s other new certain things to play. had to use every minute of play- progress is good. with their London rivals. win over the New York Red Bulls focused and make sure we’re faces, none have become fi rst “He will get the opportu- ing time they get to prove their “We did not start in the best But both sides will be anxious earlier this month. there when we have to be.” team regulars. nity to show good things on the worth. way, but I believe the results are to claim top place to get a better “To win the conference fi nal The same issues will be true in “Adapting to a team that has pitch. That is what I want for “Coming on for 10, 15, 20, 30 going to come. The team under- draw in the last 16. “The Cham- would be something huge, know- the Western Conference fi nals, an identity, a game philosophy, him and the others. or 45 minutes, it is an opportu- stands better how we must play.” pions League is clearly very im- ing the history of the club and where host Seattle will face a is not easy. It doesn’t matter “Meunier is progressing nity to gain extra time in the next But Emery expects more and portant for the club. I think we where we started when I fi rst came Colorado Rapids side that is reel- whether it is the coach, the staff thanks to his work, his humility matches. Then you have to be knows he must deliver success. are on the right path in this com- and where we are now,” Drogba ing from the loss of goalkeeper or the players,” Emery told AFP. and his adaptation. patient. The player who comes “It is a strong team, there is a petition,” said Emery. said. “I think there’s a lot to be Tim Howard. Gulf Times 4 Tuesday, November 22, 2016 FOOTBALL

QATAR 2022 WORLD CUP QSL TALKING POINTS Three wins in a row Six years before for gritty Muaither kick-off , stadium progress continues Muaither’s Mahmoud Za’tara (L) in action against Al Khor. By Sports Reporter like their fellow title contenders Doha have yet to taste defeat this sea- Each venue will reflect a diff erent aspect of Qatari culture and are designed with three son, and will be targeting a state- ment win against an Umm Salal priorities in mind: access and comfort, sustainability and post-tournament legacy ound seven saw the re- side that are notoriously hard to turn of the QSL after break down in round eight. By sc.qa AL BAYT STADIUM – AL KHOR CITY package contractor have been completed will be the new home of current Qatar the international break. Doha in the recent months. Stars League champions Al Rayyan Club. RHere in our regular fea- Daylight for El Jaish at the top By the end of 2016, the main-works Situated within a short walking distance ture talking points, QSL online of the table contractor will be fully mobilised on site, from a Doha Metro station, and next to picks out the stories that matter El Jaish came out as the big win- ix years from now, fans will be ar- progressing with the schematic design, the new Mall of Qatar, once complete the from the weekend’s action. ners of round seven as their title riving in Qatar for opening round fi nishing the foundation works and se- stadium will provide the local commu- rivals dropped points in the hunt matches of the 2022 FIFA World curing a substantial portion of the struc- nity with a sporting hub. Three wins in a row for for the QSL falcon shield. Sabri SCup, as the tournament kicks off tural steel for the super structure. The fi rst concrete was recently poured newly-promoted Muaither Lamouchi’s side opened up a four on 21 November 2022. Eight of the pro- on the area of the West Stand of the sta- Newly promoted Muaither put in point gap at the top of the QSL posed host venues for those matches are AL WAKRAH STADIUM dium, with the Main Contractor con- the performance of the weekend standings following their 3-1 currently in diff erent stages of construc- tinuing to advance on the construction with their narrow 1-0 win over Al victory over Al Shahania. The tion, with works advancing rapidly at of the 40,000 seater stadium inspired Khor. The Stallions managed the bigger news perhaps for Jaish the diff erent sites for the fi rst World Cup by the area’s traditions and culture. Over game superbly, looking assured was that the three sides Al Sadd, tournament to be held in the Middle East. 100,000 m3 of concrete and 6,700 tonnes in defence and deadly in at- Lekhwiya and Al Rayyan below These stadiums have been designed by of structural steel will be used during this tack when it mattered. Muaither them could only register a point some of the world’s leading architects as phase of the project. grabbed the only goal of the game from their games. well as renowned Qatari architects from on the stroke of half-time after Even more encouraging for the Arab Engineering Bureau. LUSAIL STADIUM captain Alain Dioko pounced on Lamouchi will be the continued The venues will come in diff erent The 60,000-seat stadium is the future a misplaced back pass and slid good form of Romarinho, who shapes and sizes and each will refl ect a home of Al Khor Sports Club, and is a Construction on the venue of the Open- the ball to strike partner Mah- bagged a brace in the game con- diff erent aspect of Qatari culture, but proposed host venue up to the semi-fi nal ing and Final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup moud Za’tara who slid in to score fi rming his status as the leading they have all been designed with three matches. Qatar™, the 80,000-seater Lusail Stadi- his second goal of the season. marksman in the league with ten priorities in mind: access and comfort, The stadium’s design mirrors the um, is also progressing well. The stadium With the game stretched in goals in just seven QSL games. sustainability and post-tournament Bedouin tents often used in the region placed within Lusail City is expected to the second half, Muaither had Jaish have yet to taste defeat so legacy. that are a symbol of Qatari hospitality. be completed in the fi rst quarter of 2020. chances to put the tie beyond far this season, and will be aim- Construction at Al Bayt Stadium – Al With the schematic design ongoing, doubt. However they held out to ing for their fourth straight win Here’s a quick look at on-going Khor City is in full swing with the suc- early works have been completed and the register their third consecutive when they face a struggling Al progress in the delivery of the diff erent cessful installation of elements of the project team has relocated to the site. The win of the season much to the Kharaitiyat side in round eight of proposed host venues across Qatar: main structure, as well as ongoing works At Al Wakrah Stadium, a 40,000-seater venue is 12 kilometres north of Doha’s delight of head coach Phillipe Bi- the QSL season. on access tunnels to the stadium and venue that will host matches up to the West Bay. rol. Muaither will now search for KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL STADIUM bridges leading up to the venue. quarter-fi nal stage, the main contractor their fourth straight win of the Al Gharafa finding their stride The stadium will also have a retracta- has come on board and is currently pre- RAS ABU ABOUD STADIUM season against the reigning QSL Another side who has been ble roof which will be able to close in just paring the stadium design to be issued champions Al Rayyan in round stringing together a run of re- 20 minutes, allowing for optimal play- for construction, with the foundation The location of the seventh stadium ven- eight. sults has been Al Gharafa. Head ing conditions. Just a short walk away works progressing well. Designed by the ue of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar was coach Pedro Caixinia stressed from the site, the venue a workers’ ac- late Zaha Hadid, the venue is inspired by announced as the Ras Abu Aboud area of Lekhwiya show plenty of heart the need for his side to keep up commodation has been completed; built traditional dhow boats used in areas in Doha, on the occasion of the fi fth anni- in Rayyan draw their good form against Al Arabi according to the SC Workers’ Welfare fi shing towns like Al Wakrah. versary of Qatar winning the bid to host Former QSL champions Lekhwi- at last week’s pre match press Standards. Three cranes have been installed with- the tournament, which was commemo- ya underlined their title creden- conference. The Portuguese in the stadium bowl on site and works rated on 2 December 2015. tials with a battling draw with coach will therefore be happy QATAR FOUNDATION STADIUM are advancing to prepare for the start of The 40,000-seat stadium will bring Al Rayyan in the QSL match of with the Cheetah’s eff orts in construction above ground on the super- the ‘design for legacy’ concept onto the the week tie. The result was all their 4-2 victory over old rivals structure before the end of 2016. A total world stage as one of the fi rst sports ven- the more impressive considering Al Arabi. of six 60-tonne cranes will be working on ues ever designed from the beginning Djamel Belmadi’s side came from Gharafa showed plenty of site, in order to bring the structure of the with the ability to transform into a suc- behind with ten men following fi ghting spirit to come back from stadium up from the ground. cessful and dynamic mixed-use urban the dismissal of defender Mo- a goal down to eventually grab neighbourhood after the tournament. hammed Tressor. all three points. Pedro Caixinia’s AL RAYYAN STADIUM The site is currently seeing early works The Red Knights showed the boys are now undefeated in fi ve Qatar’s historic Khalifa International underway. never say die attitude of cham- QSL games and have moved up Stadium will be the fi rst 2022 FIFA World pions, and Belmadi rightly cel- into fi fth place in the QSL stand- Cup proposed host venue to be complet- AL THUMAMA STADIUM ebrated with vigour after Yusef ings. Gharafa will be looking to ed in the fi rst quarter of 2017. Construc- El Arabi smashed the ball in from maintain their streak when they tion is moving ahead rapidly, with the Arab Engineering Bureau (AEB), the old- close range during second half take on Al Khor in the next week- external cladding and LED screens com- est architectural and engineering con- stoppage time. Lekhwiya, just end of QSL action. ing up around the exterior of the venue, sulting fi rm in Qatar, was appointed as making it visible what the stadium will the Design Consultant for the eighth look like by next year. proposed host venue for the 2022 FIFA HAPPY The complex system of cabling for the World Cup, which will be located in Al roof of the stadium has also been com- The stadium located in Doha’s Education Thumama. Early works are currently un- pleted, with the canopy roof to be placed City is scheduled for completion by the derway at the venue in preparation for atop and fi xed to the cabling in the com- end of 2019. The venue will host fi xtures the main construction, with levelling and Muaither football ing weeks. up to the quarter-fi nal stage during the grading works being undertaken. The completion of the roof will start 2022 FIFA World Cup. The stadium in Al Thumama will have the countdown towards the fi nalisation Further bulk excavation works of a to- a capacity of 40,000 seats and host head delighted with of the renovation and upgrading works tal volume of 650,000 cubic meters to matches up to the quarter-fi nals stage. In at the proposed host venue for matches formation level, and implementation of The proposed host venue up to the quar- legacy mode, the stadium capacity will be through to the quarter-fi nals. a dewatering system for the next main- ter-fi nals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ reduced to a maximum of 20,000 seats. Stallions run of form

By Sports Reporter QATAR STARS LEAGUE Doha

uaither Head of Football Mubarak Ghanem expressed his joy as Muaither The fi ve players that mattered Mregistered their third consecu- tive win of the season edging out By Sports Reporter ans striker’s two goals means Al Khor 1-0 on Friday evening. Doha that he now leads the race for the Ghanem spoke to the QSL On- Manfor Muftah award at the end line, off ering his thoughts on the of the season QFA awards, with run which has saw Muaither pull ound seven of the QSL ten goals in seven games. out of the QSL relegation zone. “Muaither won’t surrender season saw fi ve play- Romarinho opened up the “Muaither won’t surrender and will continue their cam- ers stepping up for their scoring with an unstoppable and will continue their cam- paign until the end of the Rteam in both defence free kick, and completed the win paign until the end of the league. league. We are well aware and attack. In our weekly feature from the penalty spot. The re- We are well aware how diffi - how diffi cult and tough it Stars of the league; we profi le the sult leaves Sabri Lamouchi’s side cult and tough it will be but our will be but our team is ca- players who made the diff erence four points clear at the top of the team is capable of overcoming pable of overcoming these for their respective QSL sides. QSL standings. The Brazillian these diffi culties with more hard diffi culties with more hard Muiather man Bruno Aguiar will be hoping to be amongst the work and team spirit” explained work and team spirit” fi nds himself on the list due to goals again when Jaish take on Al Ghanem when asked about his his commanding performance Kharaitiyat in round eight of the sides upturn in fortunes. the coming winter transfer win- in the centre of defence in the QSL season. Ghanem also was quick to dow, he stated: “Currently we Stallions 1-0 win over Al Khor Young Qatar international praise the eff orts of the whole are focusing on the team work in on Friday evening. Muaither Abdurahman Al-Harazi stood team in recent weeks “I would order to continue the positive re- showed plenty of composure at out for the reigning QSL cham- like to thank the players who sults. It is too early to take about the back, thanks in main to the El Jaish striker Romarinho (2nd L) and other stars who performed well in Round 7 of the QSL. pions Al Rayyan in their 2-2 have worked so hard on the pitch. the changes in January with new work of the Brazilian defender. draw with Lekhwiya on Sunday Whilst I would also like to thank players.” Aguiar had a tremendous performers in the seventh round Sami Trabelsi’s side their fi rst The former Qatar interna- evening. The former Al Sailiya the technical staff lead by Phil- Looking forward to Muaith- game overall, particularly in the of QSL action. With seventy victory of the season. Sailiya will tional capped off a fi ne game by attacker produced an individual lipe Birol, who has organized the er’s round eight clash against air and his eff orts reduced Al minutes on the clock, Loé un- be hoping to build on the vic- bagging his fi rst goal of the sea- moment of quality to push his team in such a positive manner.” Al Rayyan, Ghanem stated that Khor to half chances over the leashed a fi ne shot from outside tory when they take on Al Ahli in son, and his sides second of the side into the lead. He continued: “What we have his side will be heading into the game. Whilst in front of goal, the box which curled into the round eight. evening. The result now means Picking the ball up in midfi eld, achieved in the previous three match full of confi dence; “Al Muaither took their only chance back of the net past Al Kharaiti- Lawrence Quaye put in a cap- that Al Gharafa is undefeated the Qatar U23 international made games is a clear proof of the Rayyan are the QSL champions of the fi rst half through Jorda- yat keeper Ahmed Soufi ane. tain’s performance to help his in fi ve QSL games, and the win a surging forward run before work and determination which and have plenty of quality in the nian striker Mahmoud Za’tara. Loé’s bruising presence in Al Gharafa side defeat Al Arabi pushed them to fi fth place in the curling the ball into the bottom will lead us to success. He also side. However Muaither we will The third straight win for the the center of midfi eld helped 4-2 on Saturday evening. The QSL standings. right hand corner. Unfortunatly thanked the Club Management be working hard to gain a good Stallions saw them pull out of swing the game in the favor of Al midfi elder is fast approaching El Jaish’s Brazilian sensa- the goal wasn’t enough to give chaired by Mr. Saleh Al Ajji for result. It is a tough task against the QSL relegation zone for the Sailiya, with the former Osasuna ten years with the Cheetahs, and tion Romarinho bagged a brace Al Rayyan the win as Lekhwiya the supporting and the attending Al Rayyan, but I have full confi - fi rst time this season. man putting in plenty of work rolled back the years with an en- in his sides comprehensive 3-1 fought back and registered a last- the team needs.” dence in the players and techni- Al Sailiya’s Cameroonian star for his side. Loé’s goal came ergetic performance in the cen- win over Al Shahania on Sunday gasp equaliser though Morrocan Commenting on whether the cal staff and their ability to put in Raoul Loé joins the list of star against the run of play, and gave tre of the park. evening. The former Corinthi- striker Yusef El Arabi. team needs new players during a performance of real quality.” Gulf Times Tuesday, November 22, 2016 5 SPORT

SPOTLIGHT F1’s Singapore future in doubt aft er Ecclestone comments; Malaysia says no race aft er 2018 Reuters commitment to the event amid ebb- Singapore ing television viewership and anaemic ticket sales. “After 2018 no longer,” Nazri Abdul ormula One supremo Bernie Aziz told reporters in parliament when Ecclestone has cast doubt asked about reports that the country over the future of the sport in was considering halting the annual FSoutheast Asia by telling a Ger- race. “(From the) longer term perspec- man magazine that Singapore no longer tive, it’s probably the correct wants to host a grand prix after its cur- decision because it’s more expensive rent deal expires next year. and no longer that attractive,” the min- Neighbouring Malaysia will not host ister added. a Grand Prix after 2018 because of de- The Malaysian Grand Prix was last clining ticket sales and TV viewing held in October, when Australian driver fi gures, the country’s Tourism and Cul- Daniel Ricciardo claimed his fi rst win of ture Minister said yesterday, and the re- the season. State oil and gas fi rm Petro- gion could be left without a race for the nas are the title sponsors for the F1 race fi rst time since 1998. in Kuala Lumpur. The Singapore race costs some The company has been hit hard in S$150mn ($105.04mn) to put on every recent times by the tumble in oil prices. year, 60% of which is funded by the The Singapore race was first staged in 2008 and the “We spend 300mn ringgit ($67mn) government. It was fi rst staged in 2008 city-state renewed its contract for another five years per year but are not getting 300mn and the city-state renewed its contract in 2012. The race is one of the glamour rounds of the F1 back,” Nazri said. “There are no returns for another fi ve years in 2012. championship, taking place at night on a street circuit. on the F1 Grand Prix.” Ecclestone’s blunt comments in He noted that attendance had de- Auto Motor und Sport, however, sug- way. What I said was simple – no de- on F1’s takeover by US cable TV mogul government and race organisers there accommodation and food and bever- clined despite the high cost of staging gested negotiations over a further ex- cision has been taken yet. Negotia- John Malone’s Liberty Media. to end to their annual round of the age, which off set a fall in sightseeing, the race, which has been held at the tension have not gone well. tions are ongoing and will be sorted out Formula One announced a record- championship, which has been held at entertainment and gaming. Sepang circuit near Kuala Lumpur since “Look at what we have done for shortly... before the end of the year, I’m equalling 21-race provisional calendar Sepang since 1999. Trinh Nguyen, a senior economist 1999. “I think the people have lost in- Singapore,” Ecclestone said. “Yes, the sure. We want to extend long-term,” he for 2017 in September. The Singapore Singapore’s tourist sector is see- for emerging-market Asia at Natixis terest,” he said. grand prix has cost Singapore a lot of said. “We’ll see what happens.” race is one of the glamour rounds of the ing a structural shift away from heavy SA in Hong Kong, said the recent drop Malaysian politics is also in a volatile money, but we’ve also given them a The event is organised in the city- championship, taking place at night on spenders and towards the emerging in F1 attendance may be a sign that the phase as Prime Minister Najib Razak lot of money. Singapore was suddenly state by Singapore GP, a private com- a street circuit with spectators enter- middle classes of China, India and In- novelty of the event is wearing off , and spars with former premier Mahathir more than just an airport to fl y to or pany owned by Ong Beng Seng, one tained by music acts such as Beyonce donesia, analysts say. may also be a refl ection of weak region- Mohamed, who is calling for Najib’s from somewhere. Now they believe of Singapore’s richest men. A spokes- and Justin Bieber. Tourist arrivals have been on the al growth. ouster over a money-laundering scan- they have reached their goal and they do woman for the company said in an e- Crowds, which topped 100,000 on rise. In the fi rst eight months of this “It (F1) also comes with costs. Thus, dal. Mahathir’s son recently quit as the not want a grand prix anymore.” mail yesterday: “We don’t comment on all three days in the fi rst year, have de- year, before the F1 race, the number of with tourism receipts (from F1) waning Sepang circuit’s chairman. In comments to Singapore newspa- ongoing commercial negotiations.” clined, however, with this year’s race visitors was up 10.3 % from the same the cost benefi t calculus is tipping in By contrast, Malaysia’s MotoGP at per the Straits Times, however, Eccle- Ecclestone, 86, is famous for out- averaging 73,000 spectators for each period of 2015, at 11.3mn. the other direction,” Nguyen said. Sepang is consistently popular and this stone clarifi ed that F1’s stand was that spoken media interviews during ne- day, down from 87,000 in 2015. Singapore’s tourism receipts in The Malaysian race’s future had year’s race was sold out. Sepang agreed it did not want to lose Singapore. gotiations. The Briton attended this A decline in ticket sales in Malay- the fi rst half of the year grew 12% to been up in the air after offi cials said last month to extend the MotoGP until “My words were taken in a funny year’s Singapore race amid negotiations sia was also behind the decision by the S$11.6bn, driven mainly by shopping, last month they were reassessing their at least 2021.

GOLF Title-chasing Hamilton admits odds against him

ewis Hamilton may face “impossible odds” Hull takes title; LPGA but has vowed to “give everything” to stop LNico Rosberg winning the Formula One drivers’ world championship at the season-end- ing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this Sunday. Hamilton has won the last three races to move to within 12 points of his Mercedes teammate Rosberg. But Rosberg only needs a top three finish this weekend to clinch his awards for Chun, Ariya maiden title and stop Hamilton from becom- ing the first British driver to be crowned a ‘I had my goal to win my first tournament and I did. To win the Player of the Year, it’s huge’ four-time Formula One world champion. Hamilton, who drove superbly in the wet to finish first at the Brazilian Grand Prix, was AFP in no doubt of the scale of the task he faced, Miami Mackenzie Hughes of Canada poses with his telling the formula1.com website: mother Sandra (left) and wife Jenna after “It’s not been a perfect season and I’m winning the RSM Classic yesterday. (AFP) faced with pretty impossible odds no matter hailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn what I do this weekend. took LPGA Player of the “I can’t and won’t give up. You never know Year honours and a $1mn what might happen – however unlikely it may Tbonus prize on Sunday seem,” added Hamilton, plagued by reliability while Britain’s Charley Hull captured issued earlier this season. the season-ending Tour Champion- “I’ll be proud of myself and what I’ve ship with a 72-hole course record. achieved as long as I feel I’ve given my all The fi nal day of the 2016 campaign and performed at my best. Whatever hap- also saw South Korean Chun In-Gee pens, I’m proud of everyone who’s been a birdie the last three holes to edge New part of the success we’ve shared over the Zealand’s top-ranked Lydia Ko for past few years. the Vare Trophy for the season’s low “I’m approaching this weekend the same scoring average in a battle that went as I do every race. I want to win and I’ll give it down to the last stroke. everything to finish the season on a high.” Ariya, whose fi rst fi ve LPGA titles Meanwhile Rosberg, bidding to emulate this year included her fi rst major at the his father Keke, the 1982 world champion, Women’s British Open, only shared said: “In Brazil, after the race, I was joking fourth but with teenager Ko only shar- that I would still be taking things one race at ing 10th, the result was good enough a time, but the more I think about it, the more to claim Player of the Year and Race to that’s actually not as crazy as it sounds. I the Globe season points bonus. have to treat this like any other race.” “I had my goal to win my fi rst tour- The German added: “Nothing in this sport nament and I did. To win the Player of is easy, so this won’t be any diff erent and I the Year, it’s huge,” said the Thai. still have to go all out for a good result. Hull, a 20-year-old from England, “I have great memories from winning at won her fi rst US title and fi rst crown this track last year and it’s somewhere I’ve since 2014 by fi ring a fi nal-round 66, usually been strong in the past, so I have six-under par, to fi nish on 19-under every reason to feel confident.” 269 – shattering the old Tiburon Golf Club mark of 271 set by American three 16th but when Ko made bo- in January. Cristie Kerr last year. Charley Hull of gey at 17 and Chun birdied, Ko’s lead The 25-year-old from Hamilton, Ericsson sticks with Sauber “I was pretty calm,” Hull said. England won the was trimmed to one-thousandth of a twice a Canadian Amateur cham- Marcus Ericsson will be driving for Sauber “When I’m on the golf course I try not season-ending stroke. Chun then curled in an eight- pion, took his fi rst PGA crown in for a third season in 2017, the Formula One to think about golf. It makes me think LPGA Tour foot birdie putt at 18 to take the trophy. only his ninth tour start, claiming the team announced yesterday. The Swede, who I’m not leading the golf tournament Championship. “If knew if I make putt I have a $1.08mn top prize as well as playing joined the team after a rookie 2014 season and that’s what I did.” chance for the Vare Trophy,” Chun said. rights through September of 2019. with Caterham, was praised by Sauber boss Hull, ranked 30th in the world, had “I made the big putt. I was so happy.” Others in the playoff took $396,000. Monisha Kaltenborn for “going that extra not won since taking the Lalla Meryem Hull never trailed Ryu, but the Ko- Five players had fi nished Sun- mile” in what has been a tough 2016 season Cup in March of 2014 at age 17 in Mo- rean’s fi ve-foot birdie putt at 16 left day level for the lead after 72 holes for the Swiss-based outfit. rocco on the Ladies European Tour. them level. Ryu found a deep bunker at on 17-under par 265, but American She said: “He went through very diff icult Hull, who made only eight birdies the 17th green and pitched sideways to Billy Horschel fell out of the playoff times with us, but managed those very well. last year at the Naples, Florida course, escape while Hull just cleared the trap by botching a tap-in par putt on the In the last two years, he has made significant sank 23 this year, including an all-but on her approach and sank a fi ve-foot fi rst extra hole. The others all parred steps in regards to his personal develop- clincher on the penultimate hole. birdie for her victory margin. 18 again on the second playoff hole ment, proving his skills on as well as off track, Level with South Korea’s Soyeon before darkness delayed the fi nish. especially when circumstances are not easy. Ryu after a day-long duel, Hull bird- Classic win for rookie Hughes Hughes had an eight-foot birdie He is not only a good driver, but also an ied the par-fi ve 17th hole while Ryu In Miami, Canadian rookie Macken- putt on the second playoff hole to win important team player who understands how made bogey and both closed with zie Hughes sank a 15-foot par putt but missed and needed to two-foot to work with the team and how to motivate pars to end the last drama on a day of on the third extra hole to capture a comeback putt to stay in the hunt. everyone with his positive attitude.” intense trophy fi ghts. darkness-halted playoff and win the The foursome returned in yester- Ericsson will have to wait to find out the Ryu fi red a 67 to fi nish second on US PGA RSM Classic yesterday. day’s cold and breezy conditions to a identity of his teammate for next year with 271 while Jennifer Song birdied fi ve of Colombia’s Camilo Villegas, Swe- 189-yard 17th hole that surrendered talks over 2017 ongoing with current Sauber the last six holes to shoot 68 and take den’s Henrik Norlander and Ameri- only nine fi nal-round birdies but only driver Felipe Nasr. “That will be announced in third on 273, one stroke ahead of fel- can Blayne Barber all missed shorter six bogeys as well. due course,” they said. Ericsson described his low American Mo Martin, Spain’s Be- Ariya said of Ko, who hugged all the row to begin the back nine, while Chun putts on the par-3 17th hole at Geor- All four players missed the green new deal as “great news”, saying “I really feel atriz Recari and Ariya. rivals who left her empty-handed. opened with a birdie, took a double gia’s Sea Island resort to make Hugh- off the tee and Hughes was the only at home” with the team. “We have had ups Three days before her 21st birth- That included Chun, whose fi ght for bogey at the third and answered a bo- es only the third PGA wire-to-wire one not to reach the green with his and downs, but we always stick together and day, Ariya took the Race to the Globe the Vare Trophy that began in January gey at nine with a birdie at 13. rookie winner in the past 20 years. second shot, his chip halting just work as hard as we can,” said the driver who with 6,800 points to 5,050 for Ko de- went down to their last shots. “I got my putter rolling on the back Hughes, ranked 287th in the world, short on the fringe. But Hughes found is pointless going into this Sunday’s season- spite the Kiwi’s second-round 62. Ko took a bogey at the third and nine,” Ko said. “I tried to fi ght it out to booked his spot in next year’s Masters the correct line and rolled home his finale in Abu Dhabi. Only two other F1 seats “I thought she was going to win closed the front nine with a double the end. In-Gee had a really great fi nish.” and PGA Championship as well as the tension-packed putt to swing the – both at Manor – remain open for 2017. everything, that’s what I thought,” bogey, then birdied three holes in a Chun and Ko each birdied the par- Tournament of Champions in Hawaii pressure onto his rivals. Gulf Times 6 Tuesday, October 22, 2016 SPORT

NBA FOCUS Bizarre fi nish has Raptors Teague lift s Indiana crying foul aft er loss Pacers over Thunder to Kings The Sports Xchange ‘We have guys that are capable of playing at a high level. They stepped up tonight’ New York he Sacramento Kings beat the Rap- AFP tors on Sunday in a controversial fi n- New York ish that left Toronto coach Dwayne Casey struggling to accept the out- Tcome. ndiana’s Jeff Teague scored 30 In an ending that neither team could quite points, eight of them in over- believe, the Kings held on for a 102-99 win time, to lead six double-fi gure in Sacramento, when the referees ruled that scorers who powered the Pacers Toronto’s Terrence Ross could not have re- Iover Oklahoma City 115-111 in an NBA leased a last-ditch 30-foot three-pointer game Sunday. before the fi nal buzzer. Russell Westbrook, who had game Ross appeared to tie the game with his highs of 31 points, 15 assists and 11 prayer with less than one second left. rebounds in a losing cause, sank a However, replays showed that Kings for- 3-pointer with two seconds remain- ward DeMarcus Cousins tipped the pre- ing in the fourth quarter to pull the ceding inbounds pass, so even though Ross Thunder level at 103-103 and send the jacked up his shot well before the fi nal horn, game into over-time. the refs ruled after a lengthy review that But Teague sank a 3-point shot, the clock had not started upon the tip as it converted a 3-point play and sank two should have. free throws to create the fi nal score as According to referee Mike Callahan, the the visiting Pacers improved to 7-7 clock should have started about a half-sec- while Oklahoma City fell to 8-6. ond faster than it did. “Just wasn’t ready,” Westbrook Therefore, they adjudged that time was up said. before Ross took the shot. “I could have did a lot of things The ruling riled the Raptors. better. I have to come out and be ready “I knew I had at least two seconds,” Ross to play every night. I feel like I let my said. “I knew I could take a dribble and still guys down and we have to be better.” get it off . I don’t know how a tipped ball can Thaddeus Young had 20 points amount for a fi ve-or-six-tenths of a sec- and 11 rebounds for the Pacers, while ond... Nothing can justify it. It’s just a bad Glenn Robinson III had 16 points and call.” 11 rebounds for Indiana, which kept Coach Casey said the Raptors (8-5) would Paul George out of the lineup due to a look into the call with the league but didn’t sore left ankle. know if the team had any real options other George leads the Pacers with 21.0 than to swallow the diffi cult outcome. points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals a “I’ve got to hear another explanation, be- game. cause we reviewed it about 10 times in there. “We have guys that are capable of Even if the clock started once DeMarcus playing at a high level,” Teague said. Cousins defl ected it, T. Ross caught it, shot it “They stepped up tonight. We’ve got with plenty of time... I’ve got to hear more.” confi dence in everybody on the roster. It showed.” Chicago’s Jimmy Butler scored 40 points to power the Bulls over the host Los Angeles Lakers 118-110. In New York, the Knicks defeated Atlanta 104-94 at Madison Square Garden, while the Brooklyn Nets were downed 129-109 by Portland. With Knicks center Joakim Noah absent due to illness, Carmelo An- thony scored a season-high 31 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points and 11 rebounds as New York improved to 6-7 with their fourth consecutive home triumph. New York guards Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee each scored 14 points as the Knicks pulled ahead by 13 points in the fi rst quarter and kept control from there. “I thought we did a great job of not getting off to a slow start,” Anthony Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook drives to the basket between Indiana Pacers guard Jeff Teague and Indiana Pacers guard Glenn Robinson III said. “Today was just more about (No 40) during the fourth quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports playing off the guys... playing off Der- rick. Defensively we more confi dent.” Portland losing skid. Brook Lopez scored 21 to lead the Jamal Murray came off the bench over Toronto 102-99. The Hawks (9-4) were led by Paul Evan Turner added 19 points and Nets, who lost their fourth game in a to lead Denver with 18 points and re- RESULTS Millsap’s 19 points, while Dwight Damian Lillard contributed 18 for row. serve Wilson Chandler added 17 as Bulls 118, Lakers 110 Howard added 18 points and 18 re- Portland while Allen Crabbe and Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said the Nuggets beat visiting Utah 105- Kings 102, Raptors 99 Sacramento Kings guard Darren Collison bounds. Meyers Leonard added 14 each as guard Jeremy Lin, sidelined by a left 91. Trail Blazers 129, Nets 109 shoots a layup against Toronto Raptors At Brooklyn, C.J. McCollum scored the Trail Blazers had a season-high hamstring strain, is “progressing Rudy Gay scored 23 points while Pacers 115, Thunder 111 (overtime) guard Kyle Lowry (No 7) during the third 33 points to power the Trail Blazers 15 3-pointers and a season-best 57.6 well” but the team gave no timeline DeMarcus Cousins added 19 points Nuggets 105, Jazz 91 quarter at Golden 1 Centre. over the Nets, snapping a three-game overall shooting percentage. for his return. and 10 rebounds to lead Sacramento Knicks 104, Hawks 94 PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

NFL Cowboys win streak hits 9, Brady wins in homecoming

AFP Dallas running back Ezekiel club record with their ninth con- downs as Washington ripped Washington Elliott ran 25 times for 97 yards secutive loss. Green Bay 42-24 while Andrew against the NFL’s top rushing Luck’s two touchdown passes defense to break the Cowboys’ Wilson tosses TD, grabs TD helped host Indianapolis down ak Prescott’s three rookie rushing record of 1,007 Seattle’s Russell Wilson com- Tennessee 24-17. touchdown passes yards set by Tony Dorsett in 1977. pleted 18 of 31 passes for 272 yards sparked the Dallas “It means a lot,” said Elliott, and a touchdown while catching Injuries hit Bills, Bengals Cowboys to a club- who has an NFL-high 1,102 rush- a 15-yard touchdown pass from Injuries stole the show in Buf- recordD ninth consecutive NFL ing yards this season, within reach receiver Doug Baldwin on a trick falo’s 16-12 win at Cincinnati, victory on Sunday while New of Eric Dickerson’s all-time NFL play in a 26-15 victory over Phila- with the Bills losing top rusher England’s Tom Brady threw four rookie rushing mark of 1,808 delphia, handing the Eagles a fi fth LeSean McCoy to a left thumb touchdown passes in a trium- yards. The Ravens fell to 5-5 but consecutive road defeat. injury and top receiver Robert phant homecoming. still share the AFC North division Kansas City’s fi ve-game over- Woods with a left knee injury Prescott, a rookie who stepped lead with Pittsburgh, which beat all win streak and 10-game home and Cincinnati losing receiver in for injured Tony Romo and winless Cleveland 24-9 to grab a win streak were snapped by A.J. Green with a right ham- sparked the Cowboys to an NFL- share of the top spot. Tampa Bay 19-17. string injury and rusher Giovani best 9-1 start, completed 27 of Dallas led only 24-17 before a Jameis Winston threw for 331 Bernard with a left knee injury. 36 passes for 301 yards in a 27-17 6 1/2-minute march late in the yards, including a 3-yard touch- Xavier Rhodes returned one of home win over Baltimore. fourth quarter resulting in a fi eld down pass to Alan Cross midway his two interceptions 100 yards “It means we’ve got a great goal to create the fi nal margin. into the fourth quarter to put the for a touchdown while Cordar- team who believes in ourselves,” “We should beat this team,” Buccaneers ahead to stay. relle Patterson began the second Prescott said of having the NFL’s Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco Ryan Tannehill’s nine-yard half with a 104-yard kickoff re- top record. said. touchdown pass to DeVante Park- turn touchdown to spark Minne- “We’re not going to fl inch. “We should beat this team and er with 36 seconds remaining lift- sota’s 30-24 victory over visiting We’re not going to blink.” I’m not kidding.” ed Miami over host Los Angeles Arizona. Playing a day after attending New England kept pace with 14-10. Jared Goff , this year’s top his father’s funeral, Dez Bryant the Cowboys in the fi ght for the pick in the NFL Draft, completed RESULTS caught six passes for 80 yards, NFL’s rest record, improving to 17 of 31 for 134 yards in his fi rst Patriots 30, 49ers 17 including two touchdown toss- 8-2 with a 30-17 triumph at San start for the Rams. Seahawks 26, Eagles 15 es, while Cole Beasley added a Francisco in Brady’s fi rst game in Andre Roberts returned a Dolphins 14, Rams 10 touchdown reception as Dallas the region where he grew up. punt 55 yards for a touchdown Vikings 30, Cardinals 24 kept a two-game edge atop the Brady completed 24 of 40 and Rafael Bush returned an in- Cowboys 27, Ravens 17 NFC North division over the passes for 280 yards and four terception 39 yards for another Buccaneers 19, Chiefs 17 New York Giants, who downed touchdowns while LeGarrette touchdown as Detroit beat visit- Steelers 24, Browns 9 Chicago 22-16. Blount rushed for 124 yards on 19 ing Jacksonville 26-19. Colts 24, Titans 17 “Been a challenging week for carries. Colin Kaepernick com- Kirk Cousins completed 21 of Lions 26, Jaguars 19 him and he has done a great job pleted 16 of 30 passes for 206 30 passes for 375 yards and three Giants 22, Bears 16 maintaining his focus,” Cowboys yards and two touchdowns for touchdowns while Robert Kelley Bills 16, Bengals 12 New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes the ball against the San Francisco 49ers during the coach Jason Garrett said of Bryant. the 49ers (1-9), who matched a ran for 137 yards and three touch- Redskins 42, Packers 26 first quarter at Levi’s Stadium. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports Gulf Times Tuesday, November 22, 2016 7 SPORT

SPOTLIGHT United States sports seek Las Vegas jackpot

AFP taboo about Las Vegas,” said the Las Vegas but for the league as “I think Las Vegas is one of the Los Angeles city’s mayor, Carolyn G. Good- well.” real crown jewels of communi- man. “Gambling is everywhere. ties in the United States” said Some people are provincial and Welcome Las Vegas Raid- Jerry Jones, owner of the NFL’s here’s ice in the Ameri- don’t want to change the status ers? Dallas Cowboys, back in May. can desert – Las Vegas quo. But you have to get with the NFL owners are looking at “For me, I think that certain- will be the home of a times. Pro sports are a natural the possibilities off ered by “Sin ly the fact that Las Vegas has a National Hockey League here.” City” as well, with a population gambling aspect to it is far over- T(NHL) expansion team next Oc- The NHL sold businessman of 2.1mn people and 42.3mn vis- shadowed by the entertainment tober. And the move could spark Bill Foley an expansion club for itors last year. value, if you will, the family ap- a revolution in US sports. Las Vegas for $500mn (470mn The Oakland Raiders, the only peal that you have, the conven- The naming of the team today euros) last June. The new team, NFL team still playing in a stadi- tion appeal.” will be a new stage in the cam- whose colours and logo will also um shared with a Major League Former England football in- paign by casino capital – long be unveiled today, already has Baseball club, had hoped to be ternational David Beckham says shunned by American sports 14,000 season ticket holders. approved for relocation to Los a new climate-controlled sta- leagues – against fears that any Desert Knights is a favour- Angeles earlier this year but were dium would open the door for links to gambling could taint the ite for the name with Golden denied. the world’s top football clubs to sense of fairness and integrity of Knights a contender as well, but The Raiders might yet have add Las Vegas to their destina- results. don’t hold out hope for Slot Ma- the chance to look at Los An- tion list for pre-season training But with Anschutz Entertain- chines or One-Armed Bandits. geles if the San Diego Chargers tours, as well as a Major League ment Group and MGM Resorts Leagues are overcoming fears This file photo taken on October 8, 2016 shows an ad for the annual ‘Frozen Fury’ pre-season NHL games turn down the opportunity to Soccer expansion team. joining forces to build a new over sports gambling infl uencing shown on T-Mobile Arena’s video mesh wall before a game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Los join the LA Rams in a new sta- “To bring a great organisation 20,000-seat arena (17,500 for results despite fears stoked as re- Angeles Kings in Las Vegas, Nevada. (AFP) dium project, the Raiders have like the Raiders is incredible, but the NHL) on the Las Vegas Strip, cently as 2007, when NBA refe- in recent months talked to civic it’s bigger than that,” Beckham the lure of neon lights and po- ree Tim Donaghy was revealed to Game in Las Vegas. and Arena Football League as integrity of our game,” said NHL leaders in Las Vegas about the said. “It’s about the MLS com- tential riches was too much to have wagered on games in which Smaller sports leagues have well as developmental baseball commissioner Gary Bettman. chances of constructing a new ing here. It’s about bringing in ignore. he offi ciated. That was the same Las Vegas teams, including the and ice hockey circuits. “We think this is a tremendously 65,000-seat retractable roof the biggest European teams like “I never believed there was a year the NBA staged its All-Star North American Soccer League “We don’t worry about the exciting opportunity not just for NFL stadium. Manchester United.”

NHL FOCUS Blackhawks young forwards stepping Calgary Flames up their scoring

By Chris Hine The four rookie forwards Chicago Tribune – Hinostroza, Hartman (four goals), Tyler Motte (three) and Nick Schmaltz (one) – contrib- incent Hinostroza said uted early in the season, but they outwork Red Wings the moment had been were mostly spectators when weighing on him. He it came time to score. The good had seen four other news for the Hawks is that they Vrookie teammates score their got off to the best start in the fi rst NHL goals. He thought he Western Conference as their was due. young forwards learned how to So maybe there was a little score. extra pep in his skates when Hi- “It helps all the guys that do to earn 3-2 victory nostroza saw a rebound trickle it every night,” goaltender Scott away from Canucks goaltender Darling said. “It’s great to get Jacob Markstrom in the Hawks’ the secondary scoring. You can ‘...he knew what he needed to do and I was fortunate to find the back of the net’ 4-3 overtime victory Saturday. tell everybody was following the Hinostroza skated up to Mark- lead of the veterans in the third strom and sent the puck home. period. They were all playing like At last, he was on the board. a (Jonathan) Toews, like a Hossa, “I’ve been thinking about it a just 100 percent.” lot, actually,” Hinostroza said. The Hawks have been patient “It’s nice to get that out of the with their rookies and have not way and hopefully keep produc- made any roster moves to Rock- ing.” The Hawks hope that ap- ford, betting on the idea that it plies to all their young players. might be better for them to play Through the fi rst six weeks limited minutes at the NHL level of the season, veterans have than heavy minutes in the AHL. handled the bulk of the Hawks’ Perhaps the last few games have scoring. Marian Hossa, 37, has marked a turning point in their found the frozen fountain of development. hockey youth with 11 goals after “These guys all have a lot of he scored 13 a season ago. skill and talent, and they’ve been In an 11-game stretch from big scorers elsewhere,” general October 15 to November 6 center manager Stan Bowman said. “I Artem Anisimov had eight goals think early on you’re just trying and 17 points. to make sure you gain the trust But rookies have joined the of the coaches and you want to point parade in the last two be someone they can rely on to games. Ryan Hartman scored in put on the ice. So you probably each, including the tying goal don’t focus as much on trying to late in the third period Saturday make a diff erence – score a goal off a feed from Hinostroza. or make a big play. “This fi rst part of the season “But once you cross that hur- you’re more worried about just dle, you just start playing more staying in the lineup and doing on instinct.” things right with and without Kind of like Hinostroza’s play the puck,” Hinostroza said. Saturday night, a play that re- “Once we got that down – I quired skill and instincts to fi nd feel like we’re all pretty comfort- the puck and bury a scoring able with that – we’re just go- chance. “We know these guys ing to keep getting more scoring can score,” coach Joel Quennev- chances so that we can be that ille said. secondary scoring for all these They’re fi nally starting to Calgary Flames Matt Stajan (second left) celebrates with defenseman Mark Giordano (left) centre Hunter Shinkaruk and defenseman Dougie Hamilton (right) after scoring a guys.” show it. goal during the third period against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

By George Sipple The Flames went on a power play mid- Detroit Free Press way through the second period, after Niklas Rangers Zibanejad suff ers broken leg Kronwall went off for hooking Hamilton at 9:33. Howard lost his stick during the power New York Rangers center Mika mate. “You could tell the way they he Detroit Red Wings lost Alexey play, but took Danny DeKeyser’s stick before Zibanejad will miss up to two months make the sound, the noise, if a guy is Marchenko to an upper body injury making a save. after suff ering a broken leg during a in pain or not.” in the second period, then went on Howard kept the Wings ahead late in the game against the Florida Panthers on The incident happened during to drop their fourth game in a row. period with a couple big saves. He stopped Sunday. overtime, before the Panthers TThe Wings tied the game at 2, at 7:59 of a slap shot by Deryk Engelland at 14:41 and The 23-year-old Swede incurred a won 3-2 in a shootout at Madison the third period on Anthony Mantha’s fi rst another try by Frolik 9 seconds later. Howard fractured left fibula when his foot Square Garden in New York. Earlier, goal of the season. denied Backlund with 1:33 left in the period jammed into the boards and caused Zibanejad scored his fifth goal of the But Mikael Backlund broke the tie at 12:14 to prevent the Flames from tying the game. his leg to buckle after he had tangled season, in the second period. He has of the third period and the Wings went on to Tomas Tatar opened the scoring for the with Panthers forward Reilly Smith. 15 points in 19 games. Rangers coach lose 3-2 to the Flames on Sunday at Joe Louis Wings at 8:06 of the fi rst period. It was his New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist Alain Vigneault expects to be without Arena. third goal of the season and second in his said he felt the injury was bad after Zibanejad from six-to-eight weeks. Michael Froik found Backlund alone at the last 14 games. After a shot by Justin Ab- he heard Zibanejad scream. “Every team has injuries and we right post. Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard delkader, Tatar collected the rebound and “He was in a lot of pain,” Lundqvist don’t expect to be any diff erent than had no chance to react before Backlund swept it back without looking at the net. The said of his countryman and team anybody else,” he said. knocked in his second goal of the season. puck slipped through traffi c and past Flames Mantha had fanned on his fi rst scoring at- goaltender Chad Johnson. tempt in the third period, but seconds later It was Abdelkader’s second assist of the fi red a puck high short side over the shoulder season and fi fth point in 17 games. of Flames goaltender Chad Johnson. Tatar, in a fi rst intermission interview Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton as- with Fox Sports Detroit, credited Riley sisted on each of the Flames’ goals. Sheahan’s net-front presence. Matt Stajan scored on a defl ection for his “Without him the puck wouldn’t go in fi rst goal of the season to break the 1-1 tie at because the goalie would have seen it,” Tatar 2:31 of the third period. said. “He knew what he needed to do and I The Flames tied the game at 1 at 3:40 of was fortunate to fi nd the back of the net.” the second period on Garnet Hathaway’s fi rst NHL goal. Hathaway defl ected in a one- RESULTS timer from Hamilton. Flames 3, Red Wings 2 Howard fi nished with 23 saves and again Panthers 3, Rangers 2 kept the Wings in the game with key saves. (shootout) Mats Zuccarello (R) and Chris Kreider (L) escort Mika Zibanejad of the New The Flames ended the game on the power Hurricanes 3, Jets 1 York Rangers off the ice after his injury during the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks forward Vinnie Hinostroza celebrates after play, after Howard was whistled for delay of Blue Jackets 3, Capitals 2 Florida Panthers at Madison Square Gardenin New York City. (AFP) scoring a goal against Vancouver Canucks during the third period at game at 18:13. Kings 3, Ducks 2 Rogers Arena. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports Gulf Times 8 Tuesday, November 22, 2016 SPORT

RUGBY OPINION Ford can be world’s best We’ll have our work with more selfi shness, cut out against Irish, says Jones Reuters London

ngland coach Eddie Jones believes his fl yhalf George Ford can become a better player that New Zealand’s says Australia coach Beauden Barrett if he learns to be moreE selfi sh. The 23-year-old Ford has impressed Jones ‘I’ve been doing my part of the job which is to concentrate on our team’ with his “absolutely outstanding” skills and was instrumental in England’s 58-15 demoli- tion of Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday dur- AFP ing which they ran in nine tries. Dublin “I think George can be better than Beau- den Barrett,” Jones told reporters. World player of the year Barrett, who has ustralia will face the sternest taken over the All Blacks number 10 shirt of challenges against Ireland from Dan Carter and kept the New Zealand- next Saturday as they bid to ers top of the world rankings, was man of the maintain their quest to em- match in their 21-9 win over Ireland in Dub- ulateA the 1984 Wallabies and achieve lin on Saturday. a Grand Slam over the Home Nations, “People rave about Beauden Barrett but I said coach Michael Cheika. don’t. I just think George has got a great feel The 49-year-old – who picked up for the game,” Jones said. a demoralised Australian side and “He needs to work on his running game within a year guided them to the 2015 a bit, needs to be more of a threat himself. World Cup fi nal – has overseen vic- He’s actually too selfl ess. He needs to be a bit tories over two of the Home Nations more selfi sh with the ball at times,” the Aus- Wales and Scotland as well as tralian added. France. England, who extended their run to 12 However, he admitted Monday two successive wins by crushing Fiji, they host fi ne performances by the Irish against Argentina on Saturday before meeting Aus- world champions New Zealand sug- tralia on Dec. 3 when they could equal their gested his team were in for a tough record of 14 test victories in a row. day at the offi ce. Ireland registered a fi rst ever vic- tory over the All Blacks in Chicago followed by a close run 21-9 defeat on Guscott wants referees to Saturday. ‘look harder’ at New Zealand “I haven’t actually seen the games England great Jeremy Guscott has called on yet,” said Cheika. referees to “look harder” when dealing with “It’s not my job too but the other New Zealand players after two All Blacks coaches have. were cited following the world champions’ “I’ve been doing my part of the job win over Ireland. Malakai Fekitoa and Sam which is to concentrate on our team. Cane now both face the possibility of being “I have watched the highlights and banned ahead of Saturday’s match against from the look of those they were good France in Paris after they were each cited encounters and we have our work cut for “tackling an opponent dangerously” dur- out for us as they got closer to the All ing New Zealand’s 21-9 victory in Dublin last Blacks in those two games than we did weekend. Jaco Pepyer sin-binned Fekitoa, in the three we played against New who scored two of New Zealand’s three Zealand. tries, for a high tackle on Simon Zebo. But “New Zealand are the standard the South African referee merely awarded bearer for the game at the moment. a penalty for a high challenge by flanker Although with a couple of decisions Cane on Robbie Henshaw in the 11th minute and diff erent bounces of the ball in at Lansdowne Road last Saturday that saw Chicago.....” the centre leave the field on a stretcher. Cheika, who expected second Henshaw, who scored the clinching try as choice mercurial fl y-half Quade the Irish beat New Zealand 40-29 in Chi- Cooper to return to training on Mon- cago a fortnight earlier for a first ever win day, said he had instilled in the less over New Zealand in 111 years of matches experienced players in the squad the between the countries, could now miss diffi culty of the task facing them. Ireland’s international against Australia in “We’ve got new lads and I’ve told Dublin on Saturday because of concussion. them how diffi cult it is to win over There is a widespread belief in much of the here in the Northen Hemisphere,” Australia’s head coach Michael Cheika. (Reuters) global rugby community that New Zealand said Cheika. ‘get away’ with acts for which players from Their sides are buoyed by their of Irish province Leinster guiding the table,” said Cheika. tahs to the Super Rugby title in 2014 about it I tried to sign him when I any other side are punished. Ireland fly-half crowds and it is a real challenge for all them to the fi rst of their three “They had some time off and some making him the only coach to win moved to Stade Francais. Jonathan Sexton reacted to the lack of any the Southern Hemisphere sides. European Cup victories in 2009, of it working but all of them have had both hemisphere’s most prestigious “He is a quality player and I feel for colour card for Cane by telling Peyper on “We’ve all had tough games and said he would be looking to the play- a big load this year. regional club competitions, said one him a bit because of the number of in- the field: “What? A penalty? But the player’s looking ahead to Saturday for us it is ers he allowed to miss the France “Last week wasn’t about giving player who will have to be watched juries he has had. on the stretcher.” Peyper’s decision to let all about resetting at zero and saying match – like infl uential fl anker guys a break but giving others an op- come Saturday is injury-plagued “But like a thoroughbred racehorse Cane play came just weeks after World this is going to be the most diffi cult Michael Hooper – to get back into the portunity. fl anker Sean O’Brien, who made an who comes back from injury and wins Rugby, the sport’s global governing body, game of the tour.” swing of things. “They will be quick smart back into outstanding return to the Ireland side every time he returns he plays like he urged referees to be “especially vigilant” Cheika, who knows Ireland well “I wouldn’t say they had a week of training and into the swing of things.” against New Zealand on Saturday. hasn’t been away. He is straight in when dealing with head-high tackles. having had a successful spell as coach de luxe relaxing with their feet up on Cheika, who also guided the Wara- “He’s a good lad and I won’t lie there.”

SPOTLIGHT Aspire Banks Football Tournament kicks off

By Sports Reporter Banks Tournament comes in Commercial Bank. Excitement Doha line with Aspire Zone’s eff orts reached its peak during the to promote healthy lifestyles and second match as Barwa Bank engage community members in trumped International Bank of spire Zone Foundation, various sporting activities. This Qatar with a 5-0 win. in partnership with tournament is a great opportu- The second round of the group Qatar Central Bank, nity for bank employees to step (B) matches continued with an- has recently launched out of their daily offi ce routine, other strong performance from theA ‘Aspire Banks Football Tour- and encourage them to maintain Qatar National Bank, who won nament’. Running every Satur- an active lifestyle. The tourna- 5-1 against Ahli Bank. Mean- day from November 2016 – Jan- ment is also a good networking while, Qatar Islamic Bank turned uary 2016, the tournament sees opportunity between employees the tables after its loss last week, strong competition from twelve in various sectors.” earning a 6-2 win against Qatar banks across Qatar. President of the Qatar Hand- International Islamic Bank. The twelve banks participat- ball Association and Director The third week of Group A’s ing in this year’s tournament of Administration and Finance matches ended with a smashing were divided into two groups. Department at Qatar Central 6-1 win for Doha Bank against Banks in Group (A) include: Bank and team’s supervisor International Bank of Qatar, Qatar Central Bank, Standard Ahmed Mohamed al-Shaabi while Commercial Bank and Chartered, Barwa Bank, Doha said: “We’re excited to be part- Standard Chartered drew 3-3. Bank, Commercial Bank, and the nering with a highly prestigious In group (B), Masraf Al Rayyan International Bank of Qatar. organisation such as Aspire Zone stunned in their game against Banks in Group (B) include Foundation in hosting this tour- Qatar International Islamic Bank Qatar National Bank, Mashreq nament. with an impressive 10-1 win, as Bank, Qatar Islamic Bank, Mas- Aspire Zone has done an out- Mashreq Bank suff ered a 0-8 raf Al Rayyan, Ahli Bank, and standing job with its level of or- loss for the second consecutive the Qatar International Islam- ganisation and we are confi dent week, securing a win for Ahli ic Bank. The qualifi er rounds this year will be an even bigger Bank. will be played from November success, building on previous While preparing for their through to December, with the editions.” match Credit Supervisor and quarter-fi nals, semifi nals and fi - The tournament got off to a coach of Masraf Al Rayyan’s nal taking place in January. strong start last Saturday with a Bank Khalid Ahmed Yousef, said: Commenting on the launch number of exciting matches that Action from Doha Bank and International Bank of Qatar match. “We’re excited to participate of the tournament Abdullah were played out in Aspire Dome’s for the second year in the tour- al-Khater, Events Manager at indoor pitch between Group A for Qatar Central Bank against Doha Bank, earning it second against Mashreq Bank, and a 5-4 In the second week of the nament. We have seen a strong Aspire Zone Foundation, said: and Group B competitors. Standard Chartered, earning it a place. Group B matches started win for Masraf Al Rayyan in a tournament, Qatar Central Bank level from participating teams, “Our partnership with Qatar The tournament kicked off top spot in Group (A), and a 3-1 on a high note with a 9-1 tri- closely fought game against Qa- continued its winning streak but we are hopeful our team will Central Bank to host the Aspire with an astonishing 7-1 win victory for Barwa Bank against umph for Qatar National Bank tar Islamic Bank. with another 5-3 victory against be able to win the title.” Gulf Times Tuesday, November 22, 2016 9 SPORT

SPOTLIGHT Advani marches on at the IBSF World Snooker championship Qatar’s Ahmed Saif had little trouble in beating Saif al-Shamsi of UAE 4-2

By Sports Reporter clear potting and scored good points but failed Doha to fi nish the frame. Vasiljeva managed to make a comeback scoring 56 against 42. In next frame, Zeet curtailed well and won that frame 44-35. In efending champion Pankaj Advani the third frame, Vasiljeva posted a worthy break continued his winning streak at the of 57 points to stay ahead of Chai. 2016 IBSF World Snooker champion- Despite all eff orts by Chai in the fourth frame, ship yesterday. Vasiljeva maintained her lead and kept acceler- DAt the Al Sadd indoor arena, the Indian cueist ating till she closed the proceedings. was at his best as he outplayed Marcin Nitschke In another match, Ng On Yee of Hong Kong of Poland 4-0. Though there were no big breaks was on fi re as she beat Kerry De Pradines of Aus- but the win was comfortable and one-sided. tralia. Yee made three breaks of 47, 39 and 43 in Advani has already confi rmed his berth for all three frames to win 3-0. the knockout by winning all three matches he So far Yee has played two matches and won played so far. Even he is ahead of all with frame both without losing a frame and now she stands win ratio as he has not yet lost a single frame. If on par with Wendy Jans, Amee Kamani and Chi- he maintains this momentum, Advani will ac- tra Magimairaj, who have also won two matches quire the top-seed slot for the knockouts. each without losing a frame. Meanwhile, Germany’s Lukas Kleckers play- Over 250 players from 55 countries are com- ing his fi rst match was in a good form as he peting in the IBSF World Snooker champion- defeated Jason Todd of New Zealand 4-0. In a ship, which is being held concurrently for men, lop-sided encounter, Kleckers made a crackling women and masters. The 10-day tournament break of 107 points. will end on November 29. A total of $16,000 is Though all three players in Group B, Kleck- up for grabs in the men’s event of the champi- ers, Todd and Simon Lindblom of Sweden have onship, being hosted for the fi rst time in the already confi rmed their entry in single elimi- GCC. The women’s event carries a $6,000 purse nation round as the other two players from while $8,000 is at stake for the master players. the group Batsukh Baldandorj (Mongolia) and The winner of the championship highest break Dongmin Kim (Korea) had ‘No-Show’. in the men’s category will receive $500 cash re- With this reason Lukas played his fi rst match ward plus certifi cate. For women, the highest yesterday. Meanwhile, Qatar’s Ahmed Saif had break will fetch $200 and for the masters’ $300. little trouble in beating Saif al-Shamsi of UAE Aside from Advani, other top cueists to watch 4-2, however another cueist Mhanaa al-Obaidli out for in the men’s event are 2012 champion lost to Kuwait’s Soud Alabdul Razaq of Kuwait Muhammad Asif of Pakistan, China’s Chen Zi- The tournament’s youngest player 11-year-old Alexsandra Riabinina of Russia during her match against Ka Kai Wan of Hong Kong at the 3-2 in a close match. fan, Iran’s Amir Sarkhosh and Peter McCullagh 2016 IBSF World Snooker Championship at Al Sadd stadium in Doha yesterday. Riabinina, who uses a specially designed high-sole pair of shoes to In the women’s event, Singapore’s girl Zeet of Australia among others. The hosts charge reach the table, lost the match 0-3. Below: Chitra Magimairaj of India in action. Huey Chai, in her fi rst ever World Champi- is led by Mohsen Bukshaisha. The other play- onship, gave tough fi ght to former European ers are Mhanaa al-Obaidli, Abdulatif al-Fawal, Champion Tatjana Vasiljeva from Latvia before Bashar Abdulmajeed, Ali al-Obaidli, Khamis al losing 1-3. From the start Chai showed some Obaidli, Ahmed Saif and Abdullah al Suwaidi.

India’s Pankaj Advani outplayed Marcin Nitschke of Poland 4-0.

FOCUS AND THEY HAVE LANDED… Breakthrough win for Qatar-based Frijns at GT3 Cup Challenge

By Sports Reporter Doha

atar-based driver Charlie Frijns won the second race of Season 8 of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, thanks to a composed driveQ from pole position at the Bahrain Inter- national Circuit. Less than twenty-four hours after a pulsat- ing fi rst race of the season, the same 17 cars representing 12 diff erent driver nationali- ties returned to the grid and produced more world-class high speed action. Unlike the fi rst race on this occasion the bold overtaking manoeuvres were a feature of those further down the grid battling for second place rather than the lead. Frijns was the only driver to avoid any threats to his position and led from start to The cars for the FIA World Touring Car Championship have arrived at the Losail International fi nish, looking comfortable throughout to Circuit. The FIA WTCC returns to Losail for a floodlit spectacular from 24-25 November, after a win by a margin of 1.618 seconds. Victory thrilling couple of races last year. secured his fi rst win in three seasons. Behind The FIA World Touring Car Championship is fast, frantic and embarking on a flat-out global tour Frijns, Dylan Pereira of Luxembourg repeated Charlie Frijns (below) in action at the Bahrain International Circuit. in 2016 with all-action races in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America from April the second place he secured in the opening to November. Emerging young stars take on category experts and ex-grand prix drivers in race with Norway’s Denis Olsen in third. Alesayi of Saudi Arabia was sixth. race-ready versions of punch-packing road cars from Chevrolet, Citroën, Honda, LADA and Volvo. Speaking after the win Frijns said: “This is In the overall driver standings after two my fi rst victory in three years so you can im- races out of a total of twelve across the season agine how much it means to me. I managed Dylan Pereira (48) leads, Ryan Cullen (46) is to achieve a number of podium positions last in second place and victory for Frijns (42) has season in the championship but never man- taken him into third. aged to win a race. I had a really good start Lechner, the owner of Lechner Racing, and today and managed to pull a gap ahead of the founder and manager of the Porsche GT3 Cup others, I knew I just had to concentrate on Challenge Middle East added: “Congratula- my driving and not worry about what was tions to Charlie. He’s worked hard and re- going on behind me. Towards the end of the mained patient so deserves this victory. On race Dylan closed the gap a little but that was behalf of the championship it is mission ac- due to me keeping it safe and focusing on not complished for the opening races in Bahrain. making any mistakes. Season 8 promises so much and already it is “I think one of the main things I have learnt there was no mistakes 12 months on. Clearly delivering. This season’s expanded grid and in this opening weekend is qualifying is go- the wealth of experience Frijns gained in Por- blend of elite drivers from the region and Eu- ing to be vital this season, getting those top sche Supercup during the summer has helped rope guarantees high competition and high two spots on the grid could be the diff erence the young driver mature into real title threat standards. Everyone is already looking for- between winning and losing the champion- in Season 8. ward to Dubai.” ship. I am very pleased with the result but it The fi rst three drivers were followed over The second round of the championship is a long season, and there is a long way to go.” the line by winner of the opening race Ryan featuring the third and fourth races of the It was a sweet victory for Frijns who Cullen of Ireland who fi nished fourth, Brit- twelve race season will take place at Dubai crashed out from pole position last season but ain’s Tom Oliphant came fi fth and Bandar Autodrome on 9th and 10th December, 2016. Gulf Times 10 Tuesday, November 22, 2016 SPORT

TENNIS SPOTLIGHT Russia’s Zaripova stripped of London ‘Arise Sir Andy’ — steeplechase gold Murray tipped for knighthood The Scot produced an imperious display to defeat long-time rival Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 and win the ATP Tour Finals at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday

Yuliya Zaripova of Russia.

Reuters performance-enhancing sub- Zurich stances that have yet to be iden- tifi ed, says a total of 98 samples have come back as positive in re- ussia’s has been testing from the 2008 and 2012 stripped of the gold Olympics. medal she won in the It has been naming the guilty Rwomen’s 3,000 metres athletics, and stripping them of steeplechase at the 2012 Lon- their medals where appropriate, don Olympics, the International in batches. Olympic Committee (IOC) yes- Q The new aquatics centre terday. being built for the 2020 Tokyo Zaripova, who tested positive Olympics will experience none for turinabol, was among 12 ath- of the problems faced by organ- letes, including seven medallists, isers of this year’s Rio de Janeiro who were disqualifi ed from their Games, the International swim- events following re-testing of ming federation (FINA) presi- samples, the IOC said. dent said yesterday. Zaripova had been widely ex- The swimming pool in Rio was pected to lose the medal after she plagued by construction delays, was banned for two-and-a-half and made headlines around the years by Russian anti-doping world after the water turned agency RUSADA in January 2015 a shade of green during the after her biological passport Games. showed abnormalities. Many athletes also com- Her results from June 20 to plained that the pool had a foul Aug. 20 2011 and July 3-Sept. 3 smell. 2012 have been annulled. “I visited the place where they These periods included the are beginning to build the new London Games but not the world swimming pool and... championships in South Korea in it will have all the require- 2011, where she also won gold. ments for an excellent champi- The IAAF, the governing body onship because the last condi- for athletics, subsequently pro- tion in Rio was diff erent,” FINA tested to CAS, sport’s highest President Julio Cesar Maglione tribunal, over what it said was told the Kyodo news agency. selective sanctioning by RUSA- “We are sure that it will be fi ne DA over the cases of six athletics, here.” including Zaripova. Olympic organisers in To- CAS upheld the IAAF’s appeal kyo are building the pool near in March. the existing Tatsumi Interna- The other athletes to lose tional Swimming Center and are their medals yesterday were all mulling over whether the venue weightlifters. should seat 15,000 or 20,000 They included Moldova’s spectators. Cristina Iovu, bronze medallist Cornel Marculescu, FINA’s in the women’s 53 kilos; Rus- executive director, met Tokyo Great Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates winning the final against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in London on Sunday. sian Nataliya Zabolotyana and Governor Yuriko Koike in Oc- Belarussian Iryna Kulesha, silver tober and pitched for the con- AFP and bronze respectively in the struction of a new venue instead London women’s 75 kilos; and Armenia’s of the renovation of Tatsumi. Hripsime Khurshudyan, bronze “I received specifi c advice on medallist in the women’s 75+ the new aquatics centre from the ndy Murray was tipped to be- kilos. executive director when he was come ‘Sir Andy’ after crowning The others were Russian here in October,” Mori said. a golden season on top of the Aleksandr Ivanov and Anatoli “We are a big swimming na- world days after brother Jamie Ciricu, silver and bronze respec- tion, but we don’t have the fan- toppedA the doubles standings, prompting tively in the men’s 94 kilos. tastic facility we should have. their mother to hail the “kings of world The IOC, which stores sam- We need to co-operate so we can tennis”. ples for a decade to test with leave behind the fantastic facility Andy produced an imperious display newer methods or to analyse we need.” to defeat long-time rival Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 and win the ATP Tour Finals at London’s O2 Arena on Sunday. FOCUS The 29-year-old’s fi rst Tour Finals ti- tle came with the hugely signifi cant bo- nus of ensuring that he remained above Djokovic in the year-end rankings after Murray confi rmed he knocked the Serb from pole position two weeks ago. Murray’s victory capped an impressive as world number 1 2016 that also saw the Scot win the Wim- bledon and Olympic singles titles. AFP than Djokovic, Roger Federer Having spent the majority of his career Paris or Rafael Nadal, on the slide in overshadowed by the incredible achieve- ninth, to earn the honour since ments of Djokovic, Roger Federer and Ra- Andy Roddick in 2003. fael Nadal, Murray can fi nally claim he is ndy Murray’s spectac- Milos Raonic, beaten by Mur- the best player on the planet. ular rise to the top of ray in the semi-fi nals in London, Leading British bookmaker William the men’s rankings was ends the year in third place with Hill promptly installed Murray as a 2/1 made offi cial yesterday Stan Wawrinka in fourth and chance to be given a knighthood by Queen Awith the Scot topping the end Kei Nishikori, brushed aside by Elizabeth II in Britain’s New Year honours German footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger and his tennis star wife Ana Ivanovic watch the final between Serbia’s Novak Djokovic of season ATP charts on 12,685 Djokovic in Saturday’s other list. Were he to be so honoured, Murray and Great Britain’s Andy Murray in London yesterday. points. semi, in fi fth. would join Olympic champions Sir Brad- Novak Djokovic, beaten by ley Wiggins (cycling) and Sir Ben Ainslie “But now that I’ve got there, I would yond the world of tennis, with JK Rowl- meetings with Djokovic, including the Murray in Sunday’s ATP Tour End-of-season ATP Rank- (sailing) as sportsmen with a knighthood. be motivated to try and stay in that po- ing, the author of the best-selling Harry Australian and French Open fi nals this Finals in London, must make do ings “Come on your majesty @andy_mur- sition.” He added: “The majors are what Potter books, tweeting: “I’d almost for- year, and he admitted it was a huge mo- with ending 2016 in second on 1.Andy Murray (GBR) 12.685 pts ray for a knighthood. World number gets me working hard and what really, gotten what it’s like when the person you ment fi nally to get the better of him. 11,780 points. 2.Novak Djokovic (SRB) 11.780 one,” tweeted businessman Alan Sugar, a really motivates me. When I go away in really, really want to win, wins! @andy_ “Over the last couple of years I lost a lot Murray had climbed to world 3.Milos Raonic (CAN) 5.450 (+1) former chairman of Premier League foot- December to train, I’m training with the murray”. of the big matches against him. This one number one for the fi rst time a 4. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 5.315 (-1) ball club Tottenham Hotspur. Australian Open in mind. Meanwhile former British number one was a big match and I managed to get over fortnight ago at the Paris Mas- 5.Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4.905 His victory over Djokovic capped a Tim Henman urged Britain’s governing the line,” he said. ters. 6.Marin Cilic (CRO) 3.650 (+1) Major motivation brilliant week for the Murray family after Lawn Tennis Association to exploit Andy “Mentally that will give me a boost go- And he maintained his dy- 7.Gaël Monfils (FRA) 3.625 (-1) But while Wiggins is winding down his brother Jamie guaranteed the year-end Murray’s success by doing all it could to ing into next year as well.” namic form at London’s 02 Are- 8.Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3.415 illustrious career, Murray made it clear he doubles world number one pair ranking get some of his compatriots into the top Djokovic accepted his form had dipped na with an imperious 6-3, 6-4 (+1) wanted to retain his number one ranking together with Brazil’s Bruno Soares. tier as well. towards the end of a 2016 where he won a victory over Djokovic to clinch 9.Rafael Nadal (ESP) 3.300 (-1) and add to his tally of three Grand Slam Judy Murray, the brothers’ mother and “It’s imperative of the LTA and the fi rst French Open title. his fi rst Tour Finals. 10. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 3.060 singles titles. herself a tennis coach, posted a picture game of tennis in this country that they “The last fi ve, six months have not Murray’s triumph after a sea- 11.David Goff in (BEL) 2.780 “I would like to try and stay there, ob- of her two sons on Twitter, captioned: capitalise on it,” Henman told the BBC. been ideal. I could have maybe done son which saw him win his sec- 12.Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) viously. It’s taken a huge eff ort the last “Andy & Jamie Murray: Pride of Scotland, “They have an unbelievable role model. slightly better in some tournaments,” he ond Wimbledon title and retain 2.550 fi ve, six months to get there,” Murray Kings of world tennis.” “It’s been such a journey. He’s over- said. his Olympic crown stopped the 13.Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 2.460 said after his 24th consecutive victory There was praise too from Federer, come so many hurdles but this has to “Nothing is eternal. It’s time to leave Serb regaining top spot. 14.Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2.350 brought him a fi fth title in his last fi ve widely regarded as one of tennis’s all- inspire the next generation to play the the racquet aside for a little bit, just re- The 29-year-old Murray is 15. Lucas Pouille (FRA) 2.156 tournaments. time greats: “Epic start to the year by @ game and produce better players going cover, then I’ll start thinking about next the 17th man to hold the prestig- 16.Roger Federer (SUI) 2.130 “I’m aware that’s going to be extremely DjokerNole. Epic end to the year by @ forward.” season.” Murray is now fi rmly established ious year-end number one berth 17.Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 2.035 diffi cult because I had a great year this andy_murray, ending #1 ðY? Congrats as one of Britain’s all-time great sports- since the inception of the ATP 18.Richard Gasquet (FRA) 1.885 year and I only managed to do it by one guys.” ‘Nothing is eternal’ men, but he demurred when asked where rankings in 1973. 19.John Isner (USA) 1.850 match. And the congratulations extended be- Murray had lost 13 of his previous 15 he rated. He is the fi rst player other 20. Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 1.795 Gulf Times Tuesday, November 22, 2016 11 SPORT

HORSE RACING CRICKET SA slam media Al Shaqab on top ‘harassment’ aft er airport scuffl e

AFP rity protocol. The reporter also shoved in Casablanca Adelaide, Australia the team manager in the back. “Throughout the (Australia) tour we have respected all our media obligations Qatari jockey Faleh Bughenaim rides two winners in Moroccan meeting outh Africa accused Australian and treated media with utmost respect. media of “harassment” after a At the same time, we would like to see By Sports Reporter team security offi cial scuffl ed this respect reciprocated and will not Doha with a reporter as the tourists accept such behaviour as displayed by arrivedS at Adelaide airport yesterday. the Channel 9 News reporter.” Channel Nine TV reporter Will Du Plessis was wearing headphones l Shaqab Racing dominated Crouch was shoved away and pushed at the time of the altercation and re- the Pure Arabians meeting into a glass door as he tried to approach porters said he gave a thumbs-up to at Casablanca’s Anfa Race- Proteas captain Faf du Plessis in the cameras moments before the security course on Sunday, winning airport arrival hall. offi cial clashed with Crouch, who was threeA big races – Prix The President Du Plessis is due to face an Inter- unharmed. Of The UAE Cup for Pure Arabians, national Cricket Council disciplinary Channel Nine said the same security Grand Prix of HRH Crown Prince El hearing on ball-tampering charges offi cial had a run-in with another of its Hassan of Morocco (Gr3 PA) and the arising from the second Test, which reporters in Melbourne over the week- Grand Prix of HM King Mohammed VI South Africa won to seal the series. end as he tried to approach du Plessis. of Morocco (Gr3 PA). Team manager Mohamed Moosa- At this week’s day-night third Test Qatari jockey Faleh Bughenaim bril- jee said Australian media and Chan- in Adelaide, South Africa will attempt liantly steered Al Shaqab’s Al Nashmi nel Nine, in particular, have been told to become the fi rst away team to white- and Jeyoosh to land the Prix The Pres- several times that Cricket South Africa wash Australia, who have been plunged ident Of The UAE Cup and the Grand and du Plessis were not in a position to into crisis by their slump in form. Prix of HRH Crown Prince El Hassan comment on the ball-tampering case. Veteran batsman Hashim Amla of Morocco respectively. “We have advised of our media pro- lashed out at the “provocative behav- Al Shaqab continued their domina- tocol which has been blatantly ignored, iour” of the reporter in Adelaide. tion of the Meeting International du both at the team’s hotel on Friday and “Disappointed.. such provoca- Maroc 2016 to win the Grand Prix of Saturday and again at the airport in tive behaviour from reporters. Let a HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco Adelaide today,” Moosajee said in a man walk in peace. Ask with manners through Metrag, who was ridden to statement. n courtesy and u prob will get a re- victory by Julien Auge. “The ‘reporter’ at the airport disre- sponse,” he tweeted. HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al- spected us and continued to harass Faf Du Plessis is facing a possible one- Thani’s support for Bughenaim, off er- for comment. He was advised to move match ban after he allegedly used a ing him several opportunities to ride three times, and did not adhere to this sweet in his mouth to give the ball extra top-quality horses overseas, was duly request,” he said. swing. repaid by the jockey at the meeting. “The ‘reporter’, who also had no of- A hearing will be held by Andy Py- Bughenaim fi rst rode J Bernard’s fi cial accreditation, then proceeded to croft of the ICC match referees panel ward Al Nashmi to win the 2100m Prix Qatar’s ambassador to Morocco Abdullah bin Falah al-Dosari receives the trophy for Prix The President Of The UAE Cup lunge towards Faf with an unknown and the results will be announced in The President Of The UAE Cup. Qa- after Al Shaqab Racing’s Nashmi won the 2100m race under jockey Faleh Bughenaim. object causing a direct breach of secu- due course, the ICC said on Friday. tar’s ambassador to Morocco Abdullah bin Falah al-Dosari received all three trophies landed by Al Shaqab for the tinued support and trust in the team. FOCUS event. “Paying attention to purebred Ara- The jockey then guided Thomas bian horses is not new to Qatar after Fourcy’s charge Jeyoosh to a fi ne vic- all. In addition, HE Sheikh Joaan pro- tory in the 1900m Grand Prix of HRH vided proper support to jockey Faleh Keeper Wade up for ‘the Crown Prince El Hassan of Morocco Bughenaim, including training with (Gr3 PA). fi rst-class trainers and riding top- Fourcy’s other winner of the card quality horses. Faleh, as a result, has scrap’ against Proteas for Al Shaqab was Metrag, who won succeeded in getting himself a place in the 2100m Grand Prix of HM King races held outside Qatar. Reuters Mohammed VI of Morocco, under Ju- “As the season outside Qatar is ap- Melbourne lien Auge. proaching its end, we will focus our “This is one of the most signifi cant attention on the race meetings held at racing events here in Morocco, espe- the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, ecalled Australia wicket- cially with several countries partici- where we will have several challenges keeper Matthew Wade has pating in the event,” al-Dosari, who in Qatar Derby, Qatar International declared himself up for “the attended the event with Mansoor Ab- Race and HH The Emir’s Sword. Al scrap” if things get heated in dullah al-Sulaiti, adviser of the Em- Shaqab will be present at all these ma- theR dead rubber Test against South Af- bassy of Qatar in Morocco, said. rica in Adelaide. “To win three featured events on the Trainer Thomas Fourcy leads in Jeyoosh, Faleh Bughenaim astride, after the Al Shaqab Arabian Racing manager The abrasive Wade replaces the more same day is a creditable achievement, victory in the Grand Prix of HRH Crown Prince El Hassan of Morocco (Gr3 PA). Khalfan Mohamed al-Suwaidi low-key Peter Nevill in a radically re- particularly as the challenge was tough. vamped Australia squad as the hosts In fact, the challenge got even tougher look to avoid a fi rst ever 3-0 series after Al Shaqab had won the Prix The sweep on home soil. President Of The UAE Cup and the Wade’s selection has proven conten- Grand Prix of H.R.H Crown Prince tious, with his glove-work considered fee along with Proteas bowler Tabraiz El Hassan of Morocco. Everyone was inferior to Nevill’s and his recent bat- Shamsi in Port Elizabeth after the pair looking forward to the Grand Prix of ting form in domestic cricket patchy at clashed and ignored umpires’ orders to HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco. best. back away from a heated exchange. The offi cials, from the UAE and Mo- But the 28-year-old has two Test “Obviously I’ve been picked for a rocco, who are present at the meeting, centuries to his credit in his career of 12 reason and I’ll just come and play my told me the Grand Prix of HM King Mo- matches, the last outing coming away way,” Wade added. “I’ve been picked hammed VI would have another win- to India in 2013. to come in and be a bit of a presence ner. However, Metrag felt diff erently.” Interim chairman of selectors Trevor hopefully, I suppose.” The ambassador added: “During the Hohns also endorsed Wade as a “tough Wade previously lost his Test spot in event, Moroccan offi cials expressed competitor”, the kind of personality his part due to his patchy work behind the their wish of having a larger Qatari panel was hoping could support young stumps but he feels he has improved in presence next year by sponsoring captain Steven Smith in taking a raw that department during his time in the some of the day’s races and increasing team forward. Test wilderness. the number of runners. Last month, “I enjoy that part of the game, I enjoy “Three years ago was a long time ago there was a large Qatari presence and the scrap,” Wade told reporters in Ad- so (it is) hard to remember exactly what participation, by Qatar Equestrian elaide yesterday. the selectors told me at that time,” he Federation, Qatar Racing and Eques- “I enjoy getting out there when our said. trian Club and Al Shaqab (member backs are to the wall. Hopefully that “But I knew I needed to work on my of Qatar Foundation) in the Salon du Jockey Julien Auge rides Al Shaqab Racing’s Metrag to victory in the Grand Prix of HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco. doesn’t come in this Test, but if it does keeping at that stage, it was no surprise Cheval in El Jadida, Morocco, which is I’m looking forward to getting out there I was out of the team. I’ve worked hard held annually under the patronage of with the two victories through the Qa- peat such success with a Qatari trainer jor events and Faleh Bughenaim will be and having a scrap, yeah.” on it and I’m confi dent in it that I can HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco.” tari jockey, Faleh Bughenaim, with Al as well,” al-Suwaidi said. present too for more victories. Victoria captain Wade’s on-fi eld de- contribute. Al Shaqab Arabian Racing manager Nashmi and Jeyoosh. It is wonderful “We would like to congratulate HE “I would like also to thank HE Ab- meanour has landed him in hot water “It’s not about my wicketkeeping or Khalfan Mohamed al-Suwaidi was de- as we, in Al Shaqab, always aspire to Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani for dullah bin Falah al-Dosari, ambassa- on occasion, most recently during Aus- my batting It’s about trying to fi nd a lighted with the triple victory. win with Al Shaqab-bred horses and a these victories. Reaching such a stage dor of Qatar to Morocco, for attending tralia’s 5-0 whitewash in the one-day way as a team to get some wins out.” “We are happy with Al Shaqab’s Qatari jockey in listed races, as was the of success has not been possible with- the event and His Excellency’s support international series in South Africa. The third Test starts at Adelaide Oval victories in this meeting, particularly case today. We now look forward to re- out His Excellency’s attention, con- to Al Shaqab’s team.” He was fi ned 25 percent of his match on Thursday.

BOTTOMLINE Ibn Ajayan Challengers cricket tournament to start today

By Sports Reporter game in the country. CC, Centurian CC, Qatar Foundation, Doha The championship will be held over Lankan CC. a period of three months, with matches The matches will be played on being held on Saturdays, Mondays and league-cum-knockout format, with he Ibn Ajayan Challengers Tro- Wednesdays from 7:30pm. The fi nal top two teams from each group, after phy T20 Cricket tournament will take place in the second week of preliminary round, qualifying for the will begin today at the Asian February. quarter-fi nals. Town Cricket stadium in In- The tournament inauguration will be The championship will played as Tdustrial Area. held tomorrow, followed by the opening per Qatar Cricket Association’s tour- Organised by the Ibn Ajayan Projects, match between Vodafone and Shark XI. nament rules and regulations. The one of the leading facility management A total of 16 teams have confi rmed their tournament co-ordinator is Riyaz companies in Qatar, and QPLAYS, the participation, with four teams divided Cheeroth, while Mohamed Naseem is event is managed by Qbiz Events. Ibn into four groups each. The winner takes the technical co-ordinator. Ajayan Trophy is part of a cricket tour- home QR15,000 while the runners-up nament held every year. is richer by QR10,000. TEAMS Ibn Ajayan Projects have been pro- Group A comprises of CBQ-Blue, Group A: CBQ-Blue, United Challengers, moting and popularising cricket in Qa- United Challengers, Masters CC, Masters CC, Friends XI tar, organising many tournaments over Friends XI, while Vodafone, Pak Fal- Group B: Vodafone, Pak Falcons, Kansai the last few years, with the game widely cons, Kansai Paints, Shark XI complete Paints, Shark XI followed by the Asian expats. Group B. Group C: Pakistan cricket Academy The vision of Ibn Ajayan Projects is In Group C, the teams are Pakistan (PCA), Regal Strikers, The Gladiators, Al to develop a cricketing culture in Qatar cricket Academy (PCA), Regal Strik- Hamra CC and holding these kind of tournaments ers, The Gladiators, Al Hamra CC and Group D: Al Noof CC, Centurian CC, will go a long way in expanding the in Group D the teams consist of Al Noof Qatar Foundation, Lankan CC

Tuesday, November 22, 2016 GULF TIMES CRICKET

ENGLAND’S TOUR OF INDIA FOCUS Australia selections Spinners wrap up undermine calls for ‘patience’

Reuters India win over Melbourne call for “patience” from Australia selectors for the radically changed squad that emerged fromA the Hobart wreckage struck a discordant note for some England in 2nd Test former players after Callum Fer- guson and Joe Mennie were bare- ly given a chance to impress. India win by 246 runs after visitors lose all their second-innings wickets for 83 runs Australia’s innings and 80-run humiliation at Bellerive Oval, the Reuters side’s fi fth defeat in succession, Visakhapatnam, India prompted clarion calls for action Matt Renshaw, 20, is expected and the selectors responded by to make a debut in Adelaide. dropping fi ve players and naming (Cricket Australia) ndia spinners Ravichandran Ash- four uncapped replacements in win and Jayant Yadav claimed three their 12-man squad for the series Hobart),” Lee told Brisbane radio wickets apiece in the second innings fi nale in Adelaide. station Triple M. to lead the hosts to a comfortable Openers Matt Renshaw and “It’s not like he’s made a seri- I246-run win in the second Test against Nic Maddinson, wicketkeeper- ous error in judgment in not get- England on Monday and a 1-0 lead in the batsman Peter Handscomb and ting runs but you’ve got to feel fi ve-match series. seamer Chadd Sayers are all in for him and also for Mennie.” England, chasing an improbable vic- with a chance to make their Test Wicketkeeper Peter Nevill’s tory target of 405, were all out for 158 debuts against a South Africa omission has also proved con- shortly after lunch on the fi fth and fi nal side determined to sweep the se- tentious, with his replacement day in Visakhapatnam. ries 3-0 at Adelaide Oval. Matthew Wade seemingly en- Batting fourth after losing the toss was The scale of the clean out, un- dorsed more for his abrasiveness always set to be a diffi cult task for Eng- seen since Australia’s doldrums than his glove-work or recent land with the wicket off ering vicious turn in the mid-1980s, has proven batting form in domestic cricket. and uneven bounce during the venue’s polarising. “He’s obviously seen as a Test debut. Two of the casualties, middle tough competitor and that is England needed to match India’s fi rst order batsman Ferguson and fast what we’re looking for in our innings total of 455 but were on the back bowler Mennie, have been de- players now,” selector Trevor foot after losing fi ve wickets for 80 on the nied the chance to make amends Hohns said of 28-year-old Wade, second day. Conceding the 200-run lead in a second Test at their home who played the last of his 12 Tests proved crucial. ground in South Australia. away to India in 2013. “From disappointingly losing those Ferguson ran himself out in the In anointing 20-year-old Ren- fi ve wickets on day two — in India you fi rst innings for three and scored shaw, 24-year-old Maddinson need to score fi rst innings runs — you saw one in Hobart, while Mennie and 25-year-old Handscomb, how hard it is to score in India’s second took one wicket for 85 runs. selectors have satisfi ed a number innings,” England captain Alastair Cook “It’s a very tough call on play- of pundits who complained that said, pointing to his counterpart Virat ers like Ferguson and Joe Men- promising talents were being sti- Kohli’s 167 and 81 with the bat as another nie who were just given one op- fl ed by a perceived preference for decisive factor. portunity,” former Test batsman late-bloomers like Adam Voges “It’s all about fi rst innings runs and Mike Hussey said. and the retired Chris Rogers. trying to get parity... But from that mo- “I thought Joe Mennie bowled But like Ferguson and opener ment we showed lots of character and India’s Jayant Yadav (second from right) celebrates the wicket of England’s Ben Stokes with teammates on the last day of the second quite well... He’s well within his Joe Burns, who was dropped in Sri fi ght. We made India work very hard.” Test in Visakhapatnam, India, yesterday. (AFP) right to feel a little aggrieved.” Lanka, recalled for one Test in Ho- The touring side lost all 10 of their bart and promptly dumped again second-innings wickets for 83 runs after caught behind on 11 against Ashwin, but Anderson becoming the fi rst English bats- ENGLAND 2nd innings (overnight 87-2) TOUGH COMPETITOR for Adelaide, the trio face enor- openers Cook and Haseeb Hameed com- managed to overturn the decision on re- man since 1906 to be dismissed for fi rst ball A. Cook lbw b Jadeja 54 Former fast bowler Brett Lee also mous pressure slotting into Steve bined in a stand of 75 runs on Sunday. view with replays showing he had missed ducks in both innings of a Test match. H. Hameed lbw b Ashwin 25 sympathised with 32-year-old Smith’s shell-shocked team. Ben Duckett’s poor series continued the ball. England defeated India 2-1 in 2012 af- J. Root lbw b Shami 25 Ferguson, who he felt would join Their failures and a series when he fell without scoring to Ashwin, After Moeen’s dismissal, Root and Ben ter losing the fi rst Test and Kohli said his B. Duckett c Saha b Ashwin 0 Australia’s considerable ranks of whitewash would add further caught behind miscuing a sweep shot Stokes kept India at bay for more than team would not be complacent when they M. Ali c Kohli b Jadeja 2 ‘one-Test wonders’. pressure on the selectors panel, against the world’s top-ranked bowler 11 overs before debutant spinner Jayant go to Mohali for the third match starting B. Stokes b J. Yadav 6 “Poor Callum Ferguson. One which is itself in fl ux after the after England resumed on 87-2. clean bowled Stokes with a delivery that on Saturday. J. Bairstow not out 34 game, he’s played one Test, eve- prompt resignation of chairman Moeen Ali did not last long either, out spun and beat the left-hander’s edge. “We have played some really good A. Rashid c Saha b Shami 4 ryone else has missed out (in Rod Marsh last week. to left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for Paceman Mohammed Shami then re- cricket. We have maintained nice mo- Z. Ansari b Ashwin 0 two after failing to show any of his usual moved Root for 25 when he extracted re- mentum as far as the fi rst two games are S. Broad lbw b J. Yadav 5 fl uidity in a 31-ball knock. verse swing from the new-ish ball and hit concerned,” said the Man of the Match. J. Anderson lbw b J. Yadav 0 SPOTLIGHT the batsman’s pad. Root failed to have the “We respect the team England is. Extras (lb 3) 3 ROOT FALLS decision overturned on review. “We need to strike the right balance of Total (all out; 97.3 overs) 158 Joe Root, playing his 50th Test match, was Shami also claimed the wicket of Adil not getting too desperate and at the same Fall of wicket: 1-75 (Hameed), 2-87 (Cook), key to England’s slim hopes after Cook Rashid before lunch. time not relaxing either.” 3-92 (Duckett), 4-101 (Ali), 5-115 (Stokes), Fit-again Santner fell on the last delivery of the fourth day. Ashwin, who took his 22nd fi ve-wicket 6-115 (Root), 7-129 (Rashid), 8-143 (Ansari), England’s best batsman had an early haul in the fi rst innings, cleaned up Zafar SCOREBOARD 9-158 (Broad), 10-158 (Anderson) reprieve on nine when Kohli failed to hold Ansari for a duck after lunch. INDIA 1st innings 455 all out Bowling: Shami 14-3-30-2, U. Yadav 8-3-8- recalled for second a catch at leg slip off Ashwin. Jayant trapped Stuart Broad and James ENGLAND 1st innings 255 all out 0, Ashwin 30-11-52-3, Jadeja 34-14-35-2, J. The right-hander was then given out, Anderson lbw in successive balls, with INDIA 2nd innings 204 all out Yadav 11.3-4-30-3 Test against Pakistan BOTTOMLINE Bullish Kohli delights in England’s passive approach

By Ali Martin The Guardian Indian players celebrate after the umpire gives an LBW de- cision against England’s Joe irat Kohli has brought a more Root on Day Five of the sec- aggressive edge to India’s Test ond Test in Visakhapatnam, team than his predecessor, Ma- India, yesterday. (AFP) hendra Singh Dhoni, and in the Vaftermath of their crushing victory over England in Visakhapatnam this translat- ed into a bullish critique of the tourists’ approach to the fourth innings. By attempting to block their way through four-and-half sessions and a minimum of 150 overs, Kohli felt Alastair Cook’s side “lacked intent”, and while chasing a target of 405 on a wearing pitch may have been fanciful, the India captain was nevertheless surprised to see Eng- land drop anchor on their way to being bowled out for 158 in 97.3 overs. Rewind to the fi rst Test in Rajkot and it was Kohli successfully staving off defeat on the fi nal day with an unbeaten, asser- Reuters to play two spinners if required,” tive 49. Here, despite showing frustration Wellington selector Gavin Larsen said in a during the three hours that Cook and his media release yesterday. opening partner, Haseeb Hameed, batted Northern Districts batsman on the fourth evening, Kohli felt victory pin-bowling all-rounder Dean Brownlie, who played the was eff ectively guaranteed by the pair go- Mitchell Santner has last of his 14 Tests away to Eng- ing at just 1.5 runs an over. been included in New land three years ago, also joins “We thought they would come out with Zealand’s squad for the the squad as cover for batsman more intent,” Kohli said. “And to see the fi nal over of the fourth day in what was a group but we came up short.” returned 11 wins and two defeats from 19 secondS and fi nal Test against Ross Taylor. approach they had obviously gave us assur- crushing blow to England’s already slim Should England have taken Kohli’s ap- Tests, remains in its infancy and did not Pakistan after making a quick re- Taylor did not bat in the sec- ance that once we get a couple of wickets, hopes of pulling off the rearguard, made proach? It certainly fi ts the description of go without criticism in Visakhapatnam. covery from a broken wrist. ond innings in Christchurch and it will crumble pretty quickly because there no excuses for this tactic, citing the 143.1 the cricket Trevor Bayliss wants overall and Nasser Hussain, the former England cap- The 24-year-old left-armer is a doubt for the match at Sed- wasn’t much intent from the batsmen. overs South Africa resisted in Delhi last beyond Cook and Hameed, grinding it out tain, described Kohli as still being “naive”. missed New Zealand’s eight- don Park pending an examina- “It is only if you have intent that you year – the record fourth innings in India fully was asking a lot of Joe Root, Moeen Ali His style is certainly a frenetic one and wicket win in the series-opener tion on his left eye by a specialist. will be able to play the ball accordingly in terms of balls faced, albeit in a losing and Ben Stokes. Whichever the preference, sits in contrast to the way Dhoni would at in Christchurch last week, after he Coach Mike Hesson said on because you are looking to play with the cause – as the template. England were snookered anyway. times let passages of play drift, with con- was struck on his right wrist by a Sunday that Taylor had a prob- bat. If you don’t have intent, and you are “We set our stall out pretty clearly to Kohli was also speaking as a batsman stant tinkering to fi elds that can look cu- ball during training with Northern lem with vision out of the eye looking to control the ball, and if it does take it as deep as possible [like South Af- in glowing form, with his 167 runs in the rious from the outside. His early defen- Districts three weeks ago. for about a year and a Test on something, then you are in no position to rica],” the England captain said. “Often fi rst innings and the 81 in the second that siveness may even have been complicit in Santner replaces all-rounder the opening day in Christchurch control it and the edges fl y off . you say ‘just play’ and see where that gets transcended the conditions. He demon- the England approach that so baffl ed him. Jimmy Neesham, who heads showed it may have deteriorated “If you are looking for runs, you de- you but we made a conscious eff ort to strated that any hold England’s bowlers Sitting 1-0 up with three Tests to play back to domestic cricket, and “quicker” than hoped. fend well because your head is on the ball play that way. thought they had over the right-hander after a textbook home win, his batting on adds another slow bowling op- Larsen said the team were as well. It is a pretty basic thing to do, to “It’s not everyone’s natural way but – he averaged only 20 from nine previous a diff erent plane and his bowlers already tion with leg-spinner Todd Astle awaiting further information on be honest, and if you don’t have intent in do that, lose four wickets and the lower encounters before the series – is gone in starting to worm their way into England for the match in Hamilton start- Taylor’s condition before decid- the fourth innings, it is tough to play out order start digging in, you then feel you an ominous sign for Saturday’s third Test. minds, this brooding, intense captain ing on Friday. ing on his availability. four-and-a-half sessions.” could have been more positive. We made The tactical side of his leadership, which is the one speaking from a position of “With him and Todd in the “We should know more in the Cook, who made 54 before falling in the a decision as a captain and a leadership in the two years since replacing Dhoni has strength right now. team, it gives us the opportunity next couple of days,” he said.