SPORTS Sunday, August 6, 2017 21

MendisColombo leads hosts fightback really well. I don’t think we did too Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan ndia tightened its grip on the much wrong,” ’s ace spinner Dickwella, who top-scored for the SCOREBOARD second Test against Sri Lanka , who took five hosts with 51 in the first innings, said despiteI a fighting century by Kusal in Sri Lanka’s first innings, the team needs to back itself at the India 1st innings 622-9 dec (C. Pujara 133, Mendis during the hosts’ follow-on in told reporters. Sinhalese Sports Club Ground. A. Rahane 132; R. Herath 4-154) Colombo yesterday. “Hopefully we will try and nick “We weren’t good in the first Sri Lanka 1st innings Mendis put on 191 runs for them off tomorrow. I think this session. We had plans before the D. Karunaratne c Rahane b Ashwin 25 the second wicket with opener will get slower and slower. It is not second innings started,” said U. Tharanga c Rahul b Ashwin 0 Dimuth Karunaratne (92 not going to be easy work tomorrow for Dickwella. K. Mendis c Kohli b Yadav 24 out) before falling to paceman sure,” said Ashwin. “Track is not difficult at all. We D. Chandimal c Pandya b Jadeja 10 for 110 just Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka adapted brilliantly. We had a plan A. Mathews c Pujara b Ashwin 26 before stumps on day three. nosedived from their overnight 50-2 and we executed it well and that’s the N. Dickwella b Shami 51 The hosts were 209 for two to 183 all out at lunch, reason why we are 209 for two. D. de Silva b Jadeja 0 at close, still trailing India handing the visitors “We have to back ourselves D. Perera b Ashwin 25 by 230 runs in their second a chance to clinch 100 percent. We might get out R. Herath b Shami 2 innings. Karunaratne and the three-match playing positive shots... We M. Pushpakumara 15 nightwatchman Malinda series 2-0. are international players and N. Pradeep b Ashwin 0 Pushpakumara on two we need to adapt quickly,” Extras (b4, lb1) 5 were at the crease. Dickwella added. Total (all out; 49.4 overs) 183 “Credit to them, The islanders were in early Sri Lanka 2nd innings they batted really trouble in the second innings D. Karunaratne not out 92 when paceman U. Tharanga b Yadav 2 got opener Upul Tharanga out K. Mendis c Saha b Pandya 110 for two after lunch on a seemingly M. Pushpakumara not out 2 deteriorating pitch. (AFP) Extras (nb2, w1) 3 Total (2 wickets; 60 overs, follow-on) 209 Kohlschreiber Marc Marquez beats bags eighth Rossi to Czech pole ATP title Brno, Czech Republic “I’m very happy with Kitzbühel, Austria orld championship leader Marc Marquez claimed today because I knew that erman Philipp Kohlschreiber his fourth pole position of the season after beating making the pole would claimed the eighth ATP Tour ValentinoW Rossi in yesterday’s qualifying for the Czech be tough, as I normally Gtitle of his career by brushing aside MotoGP in Brno. struggle at this track, Joao Sousa in the final of the claycourt The reigning world MotoGP champion clocked 1min but I tried for it event at Kitzbuhel yesterday. 54.981sec on his Honda to finish 0.92sec ahead of Italian anyway,” he added. The 33-year-old eased to a 6-3, veteran Rossi, of Yamaha, with Spaniard Dani Pedrosa at The world 6-4 victory over his Portuguese 0.138 for Honda. champion’s compatriot opponent, who remains without a The 24-year-old Marquez’s 41st pole position Maverick Vinales tournament win since 2015. in MotoGP, and 69th across the three classes, gives struggled though, and Kohlschreiber had lost his two him a fantastic chance of extending his championship qualified down in seventh previous tour finals, but he recovered advantage. place as he looks to cut the from a break down in the opening “Tomorrow we’ll see what weather conditions we have, five-point gap to Marquez set with four straight games. as it looks a bit unstable and not as warm,” said Marquez. at the top of the riders’ The world number 47 had to fight “It will be a long, hard race but we should be able to standings. back from 3-1 down in the second fight for the podium in either the dry or the wet, so we’re In the tightest title battle set as well, but once again Sousa gave looking forward to it and to enjoying the race.” since the points system was up four games on the trot to slump Considering his domination of the last four seasons changed in 1993, the 38-year-old Sri Lankan cricketer Kusal to defeat. that have delivered three top-class titles, Marquez does Rossi is still in the hunt for a tenth Mendis raises his bat and It was Kohlschreiber’s first title since not have a very good record around the Brno circuit and world title. The legendary Italian has helmet in celebration winning on the Munich clay in May is without a win since 2013. only won once this season, but has 2016, and he will move up six places in But he was in fine fettle in qualifying, and his rivals will remained consistent and is only ten the new world rankings on Monday. have to find some extra speed to beat him in Sunday’s points adrift of Marquez in fourth. (AFP) (AFP) race. Marquez makes a wheelee on his Honda Four-star Anderson leaves England in charge Manchester At stumps, paceman ames Anderson took four Anderson had figures of four Jwickets from the newly- BRIEF SCORE wickets for 33 runs in 15 overs. named James Anderson Close 220 for The 35-year-old was now End to leave England in a 9 (Bavuma 46, Anderson in sight of his first five-wicket commanding position 4-33) trail England 362 haul in a Test innings at Old against South Africa in the (Bairstow 99, Stokes 58, Trafford. But his seventh Test fourth Test at Old Trafford Root 52) by 142 runs at Old Trafford was the first yesterday. fixture since what was known South Africa were as the Pavilion End had 220 for nine in reply to a match they have to win to been renamed in honour of England’s first innings draw this four-match series Anderson, England’s all-time 362, featuring 2-2. Morne Morkel was 18 leading Test wicket-taker. Jonny Bairstow’s not out after Anderson needed just three 99, at stumps on (23) was brilliantly caught balls to strike when Dean Elgar the second day. by a diving in the was lbw for a duck in the first That left them gully off in what over of the Proteas’ reply. England’s James Anderson (2R) celebrates with teammates with a deficit of 142 runs in became the last ball of the day. (AFP)