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Asafa Turns up the Heat on Fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt

Asafa Turns up the Heat on Fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt

Thursday 4th September, 2008 13

Jamaican Asafa Powell runs to win Australia beats the men’s 100 m race at the Athletissima athletics meeting in the Bangladesh by Asafa turns up the heat Stade Olympique in Lausanne, Switzerland, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008. (AP) 8 DARWIN, Australia (AP) - Opener Shaun Marsh scored 69 as Australia on fellow Jamaican defeated Bangladesh by eight wickets to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in their limited- overs series. Australia dismissed Bangladesh for 117 before Marsh posted another half- Usain Bolt stand with opening partner . The home side reached the victory target of 118 in just 22.4 overs, with Mike Hussey not by William Gray scintillating form. Although he did out eight. His Jamaican compatriot Usain not get near his 200m world Australia won the first game by 180 Bolt, the three-times Olympic cham- record of 19.30 set in China, his runs last weekend. The third and final pion, clocked 19.63sec in his 19.63 in Lausanne was well under match is Saturday,also at Darwin’s favourite event, the 200 m, for the what was once a formidable bar- Marrara Cricket Ground. fourth fastest ever time. rier of 20 seconds. Bangladesh’s batsmen offered little Powell’s time of American resistance and were all out in 36.1 overs 9.72 at Athletissima David Oliver after making just 74 in 27.4 overs in the first Grand Prix was Asafa Powell ran ran in 13.02 match. 0.03sec outside the in the 110 m was out to Nathan 9.69 world mark the second-fastest hurdles to Bracken off the first ball of the day,a per- which compatriot 100 metres in beat Cuba’s fect outswinger, and his dismissal paved the Bolt set at the Beijing cham- way for a quick finish. Bangladesh slumped Beijing Olympics on history at the pion Dayron to 3-15 after six overs after Bracken and Aug 16. Robles, who Stuart Clark struck in successive overs. On that occasion, Athletissima managed 13.17. Mitchell Johnson took 3-17, Clark 2-15 Bolt had shaved Grand Prix. Robles, who had and Bracken 2-16. down his original been hoping to The early finish to the Bangladesh mark of 9.72 set on improve on his gave Watson and Marsh nine overs May 31 in New York. 12.87 world record, to bat before the break, and they had the job nearly half done by cruising to 46 with- Last Sunday Powell had timed was on target to set a new mark at out loss. 9.87 in rainy conditions at the race’s midpoint but, as Oliver Their eventual stand of 73, when Gateshead while on Friday at the fought back, he lost his composure Watson was trapped lbw for 29, was their IAAF Zurich Golden League meet- and hit the final hurdle. third of 70 or more in six matches ing in Zurich Bolt won in 9.83. together for Australia. Bolt, the 100 m, 200 m and 4x100 (C) Telegraph Group Marsh followed his 76 in the first game m relay winner in Beijing, is still in London, 2008 with another strong performance contain- ing some sweetly-timed pull shots and flicks off his pads, a lofty four over mid- off a free hit and a six down the ground near the end. opponents and media made things per- The left-handed Marsh has scored three sonal at Test level. When he began, the half-centuries in six innings for Australia, team were not the cosy unit after he starred in the inaugural Indian they are now, so there was no scope for Premier League tournament earlier this a heart-to-heart once he began to strug- year. gle. I played in that series with Hick Spinner was the only and remember a quiet fellow who successful bowler for Bangladesh, and his looked lost in the manner of someone 2-38 also included the wicket of who has mislaid his glasses – staring Michael Clarke (1), out trying to intently but not really seeing. Shy and hit over the top. unsure of himself socially, his conver- sation was sprinkled with “pardons”, SCOREBOARD not because he was hard of hearing Bangladesh but to buy time in order to avoid the T Iqbal c Hussey b Bracken 0 verbal traps common to the mickey- M Hossain Jr. c Hussey b Bracken 1 taking world of the cricket dressing J Siddique c Haddin b Johnson 21 room. M Ashraful c White b Clark 3 His reticence probably stemmed S Al Hasan lbw b Johnson 19 from the time his Worcestershire team- A Kapali c Watson b Hopes 2 mates had asked him who was famous Munich former soccer goalkeeper D Ghosh c Watson b Clark 30 for saying, “Elementary, my dear Oliver Kahn waves to supporters after A Razzak c Clarke b White 9 Watson”. Hick said he didn’t know. his farewell match between FC Bayern M Mortaza c Haddin bo Johnson 8 “Sherlock Holmes,” the team chimed, Munich and the German national soc- N Hossain lbw b White 0 hoping to embarrass their chum, who cer team in Munich, southern Germany, S Hossain not out 6 without a hint of irony quipped: “How Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2008. (AP) Extras: (8lb,10w) 18 am I supposed to know that? I never TOTAL: (all out) 117 did any Shakespeare at school.” Overs: 36.1 There were technical deficiencies Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-9, 3-15, 4-53, 5-57, that Test bowlers preyed upon – his Oliver Kahn plays 6-59, 7-85, 8-104, 9-106, 10-117 upright stance made him heavy on his Bowling: Bracken 5-1-16-2 (2w), Clark 7- feet and many of his strokes lacked farewell match 0-16-2 (1w), Hopes 7-2-16-1 (1w), batting for Worcestershire. much give in the wrists – though MUNICH, Germany (AP) - Oliver Johnson 6.1-0-17-3 (2w), White 7-0-39-2 Worcestershire supporters might have Kahn played his last match on Tuesday (3w), Watson 4-0-5-0 (1w). been forgiven for not spotting them, and had to settle for a 1-1 draw in the goal Australia given his prolific run-scoring. for Bayern Munich against the German S Marsh not out 69 Graeme Hick’s In 1988, his unbeaten 405 against national team. S Watson lbw b Shakib Al Hasan 29 Somerset was so incredible it seemed Kahn retired from the national team M Clarke st Ghosh b Al Hasan 1 to come from a bygone era – at least it Worcestershire class after the 2006 World Cup. He was demoted M Hussey not out 8 did until made 501 against Extras: (7lb,2w,2nb) 11 Durham in June 1994. to reserve goalkeeper by then Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann and played TOTAL: (for two wickets ) 118 outplays England Test It may not have been the high point, Overs: 22.4. Batting time: 101 minutes. though, and team-mate Steve Rhodes only in the match for third place, in which Germany beat Portugal 3-1. Did not bat: J Hopes, B Haddin, C White, reckons the 212 Hick made on a savage M Johnson, N Bracken, S Clark. Klinsmann is now the coach of Bayern. turner at Old Trafford against Fall of wickets: 1-73, 2-79. frailties The Bayern Munich goalkeeper , the same season, was prob- Bowling: Mortaza 9-0-30-0 (1w), Hossain retired from club football at the end of by His tally of 136 first-class hundreds ably better. Given the next highest 6-0-38-0 (2nb,1w), Razzak 1-0-5-0, Al score in the match was a lucky 68 by last season, having helped Bayern win the Only Graeme Hick knows the also elevates him to the top echelon of Hasan 6.4-0-38-2. Mike Watkinson, it was clear that Hick Bundesliga title and the German Cup. answer and he has never supplied it achievement, so why did similar riches Umpires: Bruce Oxenford, Australia, and was playing the game on another level. Kahn left the game after 75 minutes to willingly without a bat in his hand. elude him at the game’s top table? Amiesh Saheba, . He played for Queensland in 1990- the tune of “Time to Say Goodbye” before If the query seems churlish, it is Born in , Hick, now 42, TV Umpire: Rod Tucker, Australia. Match 91, one of only a few county cricketers the sellout crowd of 69,000 at Allianz Referee: , India. because Hick, who has announced his had to wait seven years to qualify to Arena. forthcoming retirement from county play for England, an overlong appren- to play Australian State cricket, the Toss: Won by Bangladesh. toughest arena outside . Piotr Trochowski scored for Germany : Australia wins by eight wickets. cricket, once appeared the best bats- ticeship for one so talented. When he in the 33rd and Miroslav Klose equalized man of his generation by a country finally became eligible in 1991, he had Hick flourished too, becoming the fifth Series: Australia leads three-match series for Bayern in the 51st. 2-0. mile. already made 51 first-class hundreds highest scorer that season with an After 24 seasons with with a top score of 405 not out, and average of 47. Worcestershire, Hick has more than scored a thousand runs before the end Like , his main enough to be satisfied with, not least a of May (in 1988). competition for an England place when tones down criticism about VVS lucrative swan song playing The pressure on him to become a the pair made their Test debut 17 years Karachi: player Chargers which cut a sorry figure in the in the . But repu- mauler of bowlers like Vivian ago, the disappointments at interna- on Tuesday denied undermining the author- inaugural edition of the Indian Premier tations in modern cricket are really Richards was so great that what really tional level have been counter-balanced failed, after he was picked and then by longevity and success in the county ity of V.V.S. Laxman, his captain at Deccan League. Stung by Afridi’s remarks, Laxman earned only at Test level, and Hick, Chargers, but maintained that the Indian said the Pakistan player lacked team ethics dropped against the 1991 West Indies, game. History tends to mythologise despite 65 Tests with England, knows lacked aggression. and criticised him for his outburst without was not so much Hick, but our expecta- he has never shone for more than an those who burn bright and brief, but it He started a war of words with Laxman any provocation. innings or two. tions of him. is built by those who stick around and with his unflattering remarks that the Seeking to placate Laxman, Afridi said His batting average of 31.32 in Test A decent man, who until then had no one has done that in the modern era Indian lacked both aggression and leader- he was being misunderstood but maintained matches stands in sharp contrast to the played his cricket with a brutal sim- longer than Hick. ship qualities. that Laxman was not aggressive enough. 52.2 he averages in first-class cricket. plicity, he suddenly found that both © Telegraph Afridi also felt that would have been a better skipper for Deccan (The Hindu)

by Rizwan Ali Bangladesh and Zimbabwe played back-to- back series ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Ex-Pakistan captain Malik’s captaincy under fire here earlier this year. has weighed into the mounting criti- Malik said he felt proud of the milestone, despite cism of current skipper ’s style of lead- Associated Press on Wednesday. home in October last year before the fact it came against two of topflight cricket’s ership. Malik has led Pakistan in two test series and lost losing 1-0 in the three-test tour of weakest teams. Malik has been forced to respond to media reports both since he was elevated as skipper last year. His India in December. His perform- A “record is a record and it’s not under my con- this week that senior players including Mohammad appointment as captain runs until December, but ance in limited-overs interna- trol against which opponent we play,”Malik said after Yousuf, Younis , Shahid Afridi and vice-captain there is growing doubt the 26-year-old allrounder will tionals is slightly better, leading completing a 5-0 rout of Bangladesh. Misbah-ul-Haq are all eyeing his job. last that long. Pakistan to 20 wins from 30 It’s Malik’s failure against stronger teams that Allrounder Shahid Afridi was quoted as saying “Malik is not impressive at all and it’s better the matches. most worries Alam. the dressing room culture in the current Pakistan should start looking for a new Despite losing to South “That’s the big problem,” Alam said. “When you squad is far from perfect. captain to lead the side against India at home,” next Africa and India, he set a new play teams that are in the top rankings of world crick- “I don’t think he has the ability to keep players January,Alam said. Pakistan record of 12 successive et, you get tested and on both occasions (against India together,” former captain Intikhab Alam told The Malik lost the test series against South Africa at victories in one-dayers when and South Africa) Malik has failed.” Shoaib Malik

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