THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2015 SPORTS

Simmons hopes criticism fires up wayward West Indies

MELBOURNE: West Indies coach Phil through the motions” on the opening push them to do the work-it pushes weekend because he was not facing the in this so it’s something we keep talking Simmons hopes the criticism that has day’s play, when the hosts piled on 438 them to do well on the field.” play. about.” rained down on his team during their for the loss of three . The body language of the West Indies Simmons said both Samuels and Australian selector Mark Waugh last tour of Australia can spark the players Simmons said he felt Warner’s criti- players has come under fierce scrutiny, Taylor had been talked to and that he week questioned the commitment of into a better showing at the Boxing Day cism was “fair”, looking from outside. “Of and was moved to and bowling consultant Curtly Ambrose senior West Indies players and their sup- test in . course, (the criticism) is going to hurt. If deny allegations in Hobart that his had drilled the importance of body lan- port for 24-year-old Holder. Simmons The team were castigated for their it doesn’t hurt, well then something’s bowlers had tried to avoid doing the guage into the team. said Holder had the respect of the play- three-day defeat in the first test in wrong,” the 52-year-old told reporters at heavy lifting by bowling into the wind at “Oh boy, we have to. We keep doing ers but the coach’s comments suggested Hobart, with local pundits questioning the Melbourne Ground on Bellerive Oval. that every day,” he said. “Your body lan- the young captain had his hands full try- their unity and commitment to the Wednesday. Batsman , who guage always tells something to the oth- ing to enforce discipline. three-match series. “But I know that all the criticism that scored nine and three in Hobart, was sin- er team. It’s something that especially “He speaks his mind to players when Australia opening batsman David we’ve received since before coming here gled out for his lacklustre fielding, while Mr. Ambrose keeps trying to preach to they don’t do what he expects them to Warner remarked on Wednesday that his has hurt and all I can hope is that it missed a catching chance them that it’s part of the game and you do which is what I expect of a captain,” team felt their bowlers were just “going pushes them as much as it pushes me to during the tour match in Geelong at the need to show the other team that you’re Simmons added. — Reuters

Aussies aim for series win over struggling Windies

SYDNEY: Australia have their eyes on Twenty20 series last weekend. regaining the top Test ranking as they set about retaining the Trophy ‘Pumped up’ Windies against the dispirited West Indies in The return of Pakistan-born Khawaja Saturday’s second Test in Melbourne. is expected to be at the expense of either The Australians lie third on the ICC Joe Burns or Shaun Marsh, who hit his Test ladder, behind and highest Test score of 182 as Khawaja’s India. If South Africa lose their four-Test replacement in Hobart. series with England which begins on , one of the Caribbean Boxing Day then Australia will grab top tourists’ few shining lights during the spot if they can sweep the West Indies first Test, insists his side will be much bet- series 3-0. ter prepared for the Melbourne Cricket That looks on the cards after the Ground showpiece on Boxing Day. Windies were thrashed by an innings and Bravo top scored with 108 in the West 212 runs inside three days in the first Test Indies’ first innings, while opener Kraigg in Hobart. They last won a Test in Brathwaite contributed 94 after Australia Australia almost 18 years ago. Jason skipper Steve Smith enforced the follow- Holder’s West Indies have been pilloried on. as one of the worst touring teams to “When you’re not scoring runs it’s head Down Under in recent times and always difficult to pick yourself up,” Bravo have struggled to be competitive in all said. “But I believe the guys have that their tour games, even against modest sort of resilience in them. “We’ve scored opposition. international hundreds already, we’ve “We know we’ve got a big Test series proven we are definitely capable of play- here, then against New Zealand, to ing at this level. The guys are really up for achieve the number one status,” Australia it. We’re really pumped up ... we’re much vice-captain said. better prepared and we’re looking for- “Things have to play into our hands as ward to it.” well with South Africa’s series against The West Indies are considering recall- England. We’ve got a big job at hand, our ing leg spinner Devendra Bishoo after he goal is to be number one in all three for- claimed two wickets against a Victoria XI mats.” last weekend. “He bowled better,” coach The dashing opener insisted compla- said. “There was a lot more cency would not be an issue for drive in his deliveries and everything like Australia, despite the West Indies being that.” forced to follow on in Hobart. “It did look TORONTO: Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan (10) drives past Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) as Mavericks Zaza Pachouli, left, like they did go through the motions Teams: and Raptors center Bismack Biyombo look during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto. — AP when we were batting on that (first) day, Australia (from) - David Warner, Joe when we batted big,” Warner said. Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith “But it’s a new game. We’re all fired up (capt), Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Mitch DeRozan helps Raptors and ready to go.” The home side could Marsh, , Peter Siddle, Josh make two changes with Usman Khawaja Hazlewood, James Pattinson, Nathan expected to return from missing the last Lyon, Scott Boland. two Tests with hamstring trouble, while West Indies (from) - , edge Mavericks 103-99 newcomer Scott Boland may get his Rajendra Chandrika, Darren Bravo, Marlon chance as a replacement for injured Samuels, Jermaine Blackwood, Denesh paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile. Ramdin, Jason Holder (capt), , TORONTO: DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points Khawaja has been sidelined since , Jerome Taylor, and Bismack Biyombo had a career-high 20 NBA Results/Standings scoring 174 and 121 in the first two Tests Devendra Bishoo, . rebounds, leading the Toronto Raptors to a 103- against New Zealand last month and Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA), Chris 99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday Memphis 104, Philadelphia 90; Detroit 93, Miami 92; Toronto 103, Dallas 99; LA Lakers 111, Denver 107. proved his fitness with an explosive 109 Gaffaney (NZL) TV umpire: Ian Gould (ENG) night. Kyle Lowry added 17 points, 10 rebounds off 70 balls in the Big Bash League Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG). — AFP and seven assists for Toronto, which swept the Eastern Conference Western Conference two-game season series against Dallas. Terrence Atlantic Division Northwest Division Ross scored 16 points, and Luis Scola finished W L PCT GB Oklahoma City 19 9 .679 - with 15 points and nine rebounds. The Raptors Toronto 18 12 .600 - Utah 12 14 .462 6 appeared to be on their way to a comfortable Boston 15 13 .536 2 Denver 11 17 .393 8 victory with five minutes to go in the fourth. But NY Knicks 14 15 .483 3.5 Minnesota 11 17 .393 8 Brooklyn 8 20 .286 9 Portland 11 19 .367 9 the Mavericks battled back. Jeremy Evans Philadelphia 1 29 .033 17 Pacific Division scored with 11.6 seconds remaining to trim Central Division Golden State 26 1 .963 - Toronto’s lead to 101-99, but missed a foul shot Cleveland 18 7 .720 - that would have got Dallas within one. Ross Indiana 16 11 .593 3 LA Clippers 16 13 .552 11 then closed it out with a couple of free throws. Detroit 17 12 .586 3 Phoenix 12 18 .400 15.5 Dirk Nowitzki led the way for Dallas with 20 Chicago 15 11 .577 3.5 Sacramento 11 17 .393 15.5 points and seven rebounds. Milwaukee 11 18 .379 9 LA Lakers 5 23 .179 21.5 Southeast Division Southwest Division PISTONS 93, HEAT 92 Atlanta 18 12 .600 - San Antonio 24 5 .828 - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s jumper with 55.5 Miami 16 11 .593 0.5 Dallas 15 13 .536 8.5 Orlando 16 12 .571 1 seconds left put Detroit ahead to stay, and the Memphis 16 14 .533 8.5 Charlotte 15 12 .556 1.5 Houston 15 14 .517 9 Pistons rallied from 18 points down for the road Washington 12 14 .462 4 New Orleans 8 19 .296 15 win. Reggie Jackson led the Pistons with 18 points, while Stanley Johnson and Caldwell- Pope each had 14. The Pistons were 15 for 29 from 3-point range, outscoring Miami 45-12 in that department. Chris Bosh scored 20 points for Miami, which missed a pair of go-ahead Day/Night Test lights a shots in the final three seconds. Dwyane Wade missed a 14-footer, and after Andre Drummond missed a pair of free throws at the other end path as Pakistan go home and the Heat got the ball back with 1.1 seconds left, Bosh missed a jumper as time expired. LONDON: Cricket staged its first day/night Test He was one of several Australians to retire in Wade finished with 19 points, and Hassan in 2015 after years of speculation that such 2015, with Ryan Harris, Chris Rogers, Brad Whiteside had 16 points and 16 rebounds for matches might help arrest declining attendances Haddin, Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson Miami. for the sport’s longest format. November wit- (Tests) also bowing out. nessed the landmark fixture when Australia beat South Africa lost their first away Test series in GRIZZLIES 104, 76ERS 90 New Zealand in front of an impressive aggregate nine years when they went down 3-0 to India as Marc Gasol scored 19 points for Memphis, crowd of 123,736 who flocked to the Adelaide touring teams everywhere again struggled. and Mike Conley had 18 points and six assists. Oval for the three days the match lasted. India did however triumph in Sri Lanka, where The Grizzlies had five players score in double Another event significant in that it simply conditions are similar to their own, by coming figures. Courtney Lee had 15 points, reserve took place, was that Pakistan played major inter- from behind to win a three-match series 2-1 as Zach Randolph added 14 points and eight nationals on their own soil for the first time in six they enjoyed their first success on the island in rebounds, and Matt Barnes finished with 12 years, beating Zimbabwe in both Twenty20 and 22 years. Sri Lanka said goodbye to the retiring points and 10 boards. Jahlil Okafor scored 18 one-day series. Pakistan had been a ‘no go’ area duo of and Mahela points and Hollis Thompson contributed 16 for for rival nations since gunmen opened fire on Sri Jayawardene, two outstanding batsmen. Philadelphia, which dropped to 1-29 while los- Lanka’s team bus in Lahore in 2009. One consolation for South Africa was the ing its 11th straight game. Now the 76ers head Meanwhile Pakistan left-arm quick form of AB de Villiers, who scored the fastest fifty, out for a six-game trip, and they have lost 22 in Mohammad Amir returned to competitive crick- hundred and 150 — off just 64 balls against the a row on the road. Philadelphia had 28 et after serving a jail sentence and a five-year West Indies at the World Cup-in one-day interna- turnovers and shot 65.6 percent (21 for 32) from ban for his role in the spot-fixing scandal that tional history. Bangladesh, so long the the free-throw line. took place during Pakistan’s 2010 tour of makeweights of world cricket, knocked England England. The highlight of Australia’s year came out of the World Cup and enjoyed several home LAKERS 111, NUGGETS 107 when they beat fellow co-hosts New Zealand by ODI series wins. Kobe Bryant tied a season high with 31 seven wickets in the 50-over World Cup final in points after missing a game with a sore right Melbourne. Their record-extending fifth title IPL SCANDAL shoulder, and Los Angeles rallied from a 21- owed much to , the left-arm fast Corruption continued to haunt cricket in point, first-half deficit to beat short-handed bowler taking 22 wickets at 10.18. 2015, with the and Denver. Bryant also had five assists and played But it was a different story when Australia Rajasthan Royals suspended from the lucrative stellar defense to help bottle up the hot-shoot- were beaten in the Ashes-the first time they had Twenty20 because of bet- ing Will Barton, who had 23 points in the first lost four successive away series against England ting-related activities involving team officials half only to finish with 25. The 37-year-old since 1896 despite the hosts effectively ending Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra in 2013. Bryant announced last month he would retire ’s international career. Stuart The fall-out extended to the top of the after the season. He received plenty of cheers Broad set up England’s series-clinching win with world game, with Meiyappan’s father-in-law DHAKA: In this photograph taken on April 6, 2014, India’s Yuvraj Singh plays a shot during his penultimate game in the Mile High a remarkable eight for 15 return as Australia Narayanaswami Srinivasan, whose India during the ICC World Twenty20 cricket tournament final match between India and Sri City, including chants of “Kobe, Kobe” in the were skittled out for 60 on the first morning of Cements company own CSK, having his term as Lanka in The Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. India’s national waning seconds. Up 103-100 with 1:23 remain- the fourth Test at his Trent Bridge home ground. ICC chairman cut short last month when the selectors on December 19, 2015, recalled fading stars Yuvraj Singh and Ashish Nehra ing, Bryant hit two free throws and then a After the defeat, Australia captain Michael Indian board withdrew support for their former for Twenty20 internationals against Australia, keeping one eye on the upcoming jumper to seal the Lakers’ fifth win of the sea- Clarke announced his international retirement. president.—AFP World T20. — AFP son.— AP