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Home , Ahsan Raza, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Hammad Azam, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sarfaraz Ahmed

THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015 SPORTS

Cook agrees with decision to bar Pietersen from team

LONDON: denied yesterday he leading the team out tomorrow at Lord’s. All that gave an ultimatum to England management to external stuff over the last 10 or so days isn’t relieve him of the captaincy if important.” was recalled, but agreed with Pietersen’s extend- Pressed about whether he could play with ed exile from the team. Cook’s comments at Pietersen, Cook said it was irrelevant. “That’s not Lord’s, on the eve of the first test against New a decision I’ve got to make, or have to make,” he Zealand, were his first in public on the recent said. “That’s not a decision I have to worry turmoil in English . Former about.” Andrew Strauss was appointed director of crick- But the prospect of the two of them in the et and immediately sacked coach Peter Moores, same dressing room beyond the summer has and told Pietersen, discarded since the 2013-14 been widely speculated in English newspapers. Ashes series, that he would not be considered Most believe Cook, not willing to forgive until after the summer campaign. Pietersen for criticisms in his autobiography, “I do agree with the decision,” Cook said of barred the batsman’s recall by threatening to barring Pietersen. He declined to say why, with resign as captain. some despair. “This has been going on for 15 or The English and Wales Cricket Board, so the so months. We’ve got to start really looking for- media say, went with the least worst PR prob- ward, we have to really, really focus on what’s lem. But Cook holds sway only as long as he’s important to us (as players). For me, it’s about captain, and if results don’t come against New Zealand, then especially Australia, he will likely be replaced by new vice-captain . “There was no ultimatum,” Cook said. “I can deny that, I don’t quite know where that came from.” He said he and the players weren’t con- sulted by Strauss and new chief executive Tom Harrison regarding the moves against Moores and Pietersen. LAHORE: Pakistani cricket players take part in a net practice to play against at the Gaddafi stadium. — AP “I want it to be that way,” said Cook, in defin- ing the trust between the team and manage- ment to do their jobs without interfering with the other. Troops, checkpoints for Cook appreciated Strauss spelling out his rea- sons and vision to the team on Tuesday, and said he was sorry for Moores, who was a players’ , Zimbabwe T20 coach and helped him improve. Cook noted that, as captain, he’s working with a fourth LAHORE: Bemused players said they hoped to take the national coach, caretaker Paul Fabrace, the for- focus of security and put it back on cricket after authori- mer assistant. ties mounted an unprecedented operation to guard Strauss was searching for Moore’s replace- insurgency-hit Pakistan’s first home international in six ment, and Fabrace, who coached to years. victories in the World and Asia Cup Thousands of police and paramilitaries have been last year, confirmed he was willing to become deployed and helicopters will be buzzing over Lahore’s head coach, or continue as assistant. Cook con- Gaddafi Stadium, which has been turned into a fortress firmed he will open the with Adam Lyth, for tomorrow’s Twenty20 game against lowly who will make his debut as the replacement for Zimbabwe. the retired , but wouldn’t reveal The fixture is Pakistan’s first on home soil since 2009, the fate of the squad’s other uncapped player, when militants launched a gun attack on Sri Lanka’s fast bowler Mark Wood. team bus in Lahore, killing eight police and civilians and As for New Zealand, captain Brendon leaving seven players wounded. McCullum said the late arrival of himself, Kane Roads around the stadium will be closed and shops Williamson, and new-ball bowlers and restaurants have been shuttered for the duration of and Trent Boult from IPL duty, would not be the series, consisting of two and three ODIs, offered as an excuse if they don’t hit the ground all in Lahore. running. Jammers are in use to cut out radio signals, hamper- “Last year, a few of us went from the IPL to ing wifi at the stadium, and fans will have to go through the West Indies and we scored 500 in the first metal detectors at three security checkpoints, raising innings, so it can be a positive,” McCullum said. the prospect of hours of queuing. “We’ve still been playing cricket, still been Zimbabwe have been under tight wraps since their playing in pressure environments. The guys arrival early on Tuesday, when they were whisked from LONDON: New Zealand’s BJ Watling during a have got simple games which we’ll try to roll the airport to their hotel watched by thousands of secu- training session at Lord’s cricket ground yester- out, and they’re very professional about how rity personnel. Harbhajan back in day. England will play New Zealand in the first they go about things, so that won’t be an They are far from the usual arrangements for a crick- Test Match starting today. — AP excuse for us.” — AP et match, and Zimbabwe captain said it was a new experience for him and his team. Test squad “Yes, it’s obviously something new for us,” said Chigumbura. “But we know why it is like this and players NEW DELHI: India has recalled offspinner Harbhajan Singh for Pakistan wants are not worried because Pakistan have done this for us, a one-off test against Bangladesh next month, on a tour which to be secure and safe. “For us the main thing is to play will also feature three one-day internationals. good cricket and I don’t think it will affect us.” The 34-year-old Harbhajan, who last played in a home test Pakistan captain hoped the first ball on to forget 2009 attack Friday will refocus attention on cricket as he attempts to series against Australia in March 2013, was picked yesterday in lift his team after a poor World Cup and series in the -led side despite limited success in first-class LAHORE: Ahsan Raza is looking forward to was back on the field as umpire in 2010. He has Bangladesh. cricket this past season. umpiring Pakistan’s match against Zimbabwe, officiated in a number of Pakistan’s international “These (security) arrangements are necessary,” said Harbhajan, who has 413 from 101 tests, finds him- putting behind him the morning when he was matches in the United Arab Emirates over the Afridi. “I am sure with the first ball on Friday all attention self in the team along with regular test offspinner shot twice in an attack that slammed the door last five years after the Gulf country became will be on cricket and fans will enjoy the game without Ravichandran Ashwin. any bother and I hope they come in big number.” closed on international . Pakistan’s ‘home’ venue. “Bangladesh has quite a few left-handers, so we thought a Despite the tight security and the late confirmation of The 2009 ambush by gunmen on Sri Lanka’s But Zimbabwe will revive international cricket second offspinner was needed,” chief selector Sandeep Patil the series, following a massacre in an attack on a bus in said in Mumbai. “We discussed it with captain Virat Kohli, and a team and match officials on their way to Lahore’s in Pakistan on Friday when the limited-overs , organisers say the 27,000-capacity venue is a Gaddafi Stadium killed six people and one of the series begin with the first Twenty20 game. decision was taken after considering other options.” sell-out for Friday’s game. Bangladesh openers and Imrul Kayes, Shakib Al bullets left Raza with a damaged lung. The ICC has declined to send its match offi- Local umpires including Ahsan Raza, who was Hasan, and Soumya Sarkar, all left-handers, “I don’t want to look back and recall what cials for the series in Pakistan on the security wounded in the 2009 attack, will take charge of the happened six years ago, it was dreadful,” Raza advice of its own experts, although the games series after the International Cricket Council refused to plundered runs during a recent home series against Pakistan. India frontline pace bowler Mohammad Shami was not told The Associated Press yesterday. “It was not will have formal international status. send its officials. available for the tour because of a knee injury, while left-arm easy (to recover) with so many stitches all Raza has been chosen by the Pakistan Cricket Zimbabwe have not won any of their five Twenty20 spinner missed out. around my stomach and one of the bullets even Board to officiate as an onfield umpire in two internationals against Pakistan, but Chigumbura prom- Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has retired from , damaged my right lung.” The attack in this east- Twenty20s and in one of the three one-day ised his team will do its best despite the unusual cir- cumstances. will lead the ODI squad. The test will be at Fatullah from June ern Pakistani city killed six police officers and internationals. “I think the good thing about cricket is the team 10-14, with the ODIs scheduled at Mirpur on June 18, 21 and brought a sudden stop to international cricket in “It’s never easy to convince people (to come which plays well on the day wins. Come the first match 24. There are reserve days for the ODIs since the series will be the country, one of the world’s leading cricket- to Pakistan), but I am happy to live with my fami- and we will just go out and play our best,” said during the monsoon season. ing nations. ly in my own country,” Raza said. “I’m really feel- Chigumbura. India test squad: , , Virat Kohli Raza was traveling in a small bus behind the ing proud to be part of the series and the credit Teams (from): (captain), Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, , bus carrying Sri Lanka’s team. That bus was goes to the PCB, which worked hard to convince Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (captain), , , , Ravichandran Ashwin, bravely driven through intense gunfire to the Zimbabwe.” , , Mukhtar Ahmed, Harbhajan Singh, , , Umesh protection of the Gaddafi Stadium. The smaller Raza hopes Pakistan will succeed in showing Noman Anwar, , , Mohammad Yadav, Varun Aaron, . bus also came under intense fire. It was carry- the world that his country is once again safe to Rizwan, , , Immad Wasim, India ODI squad: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya ing international umpires Simon Taufel, Steve organize international matches, despite fears Bilawal Bhatti, , Mohammad Sami. Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (captain), Sikandar Rahane, Virat Kohli, , , Mahendra Davis and match referee , as well as that terrorists will seek to take advantage of Raza, , Charles Coventry, Graeme Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Raza. attacking a foreign sports team again. “We have Cremer, , Roy Kaia, , , Bhuvneshwar Kumar, , , Six years on and 40-year-old Raza wants to waited for this event for six years and I hope Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Richmond , Dhawal Kulkarni. —AP forget that dreadful morning of March 3. It took many more teams will come after this series,” he Mutumbami, , , Prosper Raza nearly a year to recover completely but he said. — AP Utseya, Brian Vitori, Sean Williams. —AFP Blackhawks edge out Ducks

CHICAGO: The Chicago Blackhawks overcame a blown dominant first period as Chicago raced to a 2-0 lead that lead, fatigue and a disallowed headed goal to edge the had evaporated by the end of the second. Anaheim Ducks 3-2 in an exhausting triple overtime Andrew Cogliano and Corey Perry scored for the encounter to tie up their Western Conference Final series Ducks, who entered the contest having won nine of their on Tuesday. first 10 post-season games. Swedish center Marcus Kruger tipped in the winner at Still, the Blackhawks thought they had won the game 16:12 of the third overtime period as the Blackhawks lev- on a bizarre play in the second overtime period when eled the best-of-seven series at 1-1 in the longest game in Shaw completed a soccer-style header to nod an airborne franchise history. puck into the goal, which Chicago celebrated before offi- The extended showdown surpassed Chicago’s previ- cials conferred and overturned. ous longest triple-overtime affair played way back in 1931. Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford made 60 saves “I think we almost played two games,” Kruger told reporters on a marathon night that saw Anaheim netminder Frederik following his first career overtime goal. “You don’t really Andersen also make 53 stops. think about (the time played). We had guys stepping up “(Crawford) kept us in that one,” Chicago winger big and we stayed with it.” Patrick Sharp added. “They had some good scoring Kruger’s decisive blow was set up when Brent chances. He was our best player tonight.” Both teams had Seabrook fired a long-range shot in front of the net that hit plenty of opportunities to win the contest, including dur- ANAHEIM: Chicago Blackhawks center Marcus Kruger scores the game winning goal past Anaheim Ducks goalie the center and dropped kindly in front of him after passing ing a fast-paced third period that saw 17 shots shared Frederik Andersen during the third overtime period in Game 2 of the Western Conference final during the NHL through a crowd of players. between the rivals and the three open overtime sessions. hockey Stanley Cup playoffs. — AP Earlier, Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa netted in a Game Three is in Chicago today. — Reuters