WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020 12

Southee leads charge to have on the ropes India turn tables on Australia to level series Resilient India thump Australia in second Test in Melbourne to silence critics

India win second Test• by eight to draw level at 1-1 I want to give credit to the debutants New Zealand’s Tim Southee bowls during the match AFP | Melbourne (Mohammed) Siraj and (Shubman) Gill, the AFP | Mount Maunganui character they showed tand-in Ajink- after the Adelaide wing king Tim Southee ya Rahane led India to a loss was great to see. Scelebrated his milestone Sdominant eight- win Character was important 300th wicket as New Zealand over Australia in the second Test sensed victory over Pakistan 300 yesterday, levelling the series 1-1 for us wickets have been taken at stumps on day four of the by Tim Southee to become and capping an extraordinary first Test in Mount Maunganui the third New Zealander turnaround after their record yesterday. to reach the milestone collapse in the opening game. sure to seal the win. New Zealand declared their Rahane, deputising during Vi- “Very disappointed, played second innings at 180 for five rat Kohli’s paternity leave, hit poor , sloppy cricket,” and Pakistan, set an unlikely an unbeaten 27 in Melbourne India’s captain Ajinkya Rahane hit the winning runs said Australia captain Paine. target of 373, will go into the deliveries. -- after a century in the first “Let’s not take anything away final day at 71 for three. Azhar Ali and Haris Sohail innings -- as India reached the laide loss was great to see. Char- their hopes resting on 21-year- from India, they forced us to Azhar Ali will resume on 34 provided some resistance for meagre target of 70 for the loss acter was important for us.” old rookie all-rounder Cameron make mistakes. They bowled with Fawad Alam on 21. 15 overs and 37 runs before So- of two wickets. Kohli, watching at home in Green. beautifully, we haven’t adapted The Black Caps need to hail chipped Southee to Mitch- It capped a remarkable come- India, tweeted his congratula- He made 45 as they battled as well as we would’ve liked. sweep the two-Test series if ell Santner at short cover -- back for an Indian side desper- tions. to 200 before tail-ender Josh “Disappointed as a batting they are to be in contention to making Southee only the third ate to make amends after losing “What a win this is, absolute- Hazlewood was the last man to group, but two Tests to go.” make the World Test Champi- New Zealander, after Richard in Adelaide by eight wickets, ly amazing effort by the whole fall before lunch. Australia collapsed to 99 for onship final at Lords in June. Hadlee and , to when they posted their lowest team,” he said. “Couldn’t be Siraj took 3-37 with Jasprit six in the run chase on Mon- In New Zealand’s second take 300 Test wickets. ever score of 36 and were widely happier for the boys and spe- Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and day before Green and Cummins innings, the Pakistan quicks But Southee said the land- criticised at home. cially Jinks (Rahane) who led Ravi Ashwin grabbing two each. knuckled down to weather 18 struggled to get any assistance mark was not the one And they bounced back with- the team to victory amazingly.” Rahane and Gill (35) then saw overs and steer them to stumps. from the fourth-day wicket, he was looking for. out superstar and batting maint- India home, but not before some Green showed glimpses of but Southee and “I would have loved one to stay Kohli, who has returned ‘Sloppy cricket’ nervous moments. his magic, cutting Ashwin and immediately had the ball danc- pitch off and nip away and get home for the birth of his first Under the mild-mannered Mitchell Starc got a nick from driving Bumrah beautifully for ing to their tune. caught behind,” he said. child. Rahane, India battled hard to the out-of-form Mayank Agarw- fours, while also exhibiting pa- Abid Ali fended a rising “But the surface obviously “Really proud of all the play- dismiss Australia for 195 in the al (5), which caught, tience. Boult delivery and was caught dictates what you’re trying to ers,” said Rahane. first innings and then posted then Pat Cummins snared Chet- But in only his second Test, behind, while Shan Masood achieve and the wicket is ob- “I want to give credit to the 326 in reply. eshwar Pujara for three, edged he was undone by Siraj, caught was caught at first slip off viously a bit slower so those debutants (Mohammed) Siraj Australia resumed their sec- to Green at gully. by Jadeja as he looked to find Southee and Pakistan were catches in front of the wicket and (Shubman) Gill, the charac- ond innings on day four on 133 It left India on 19 for two be- the boundary with a pull shot, two down for no runs after 14 become important.” ter they showed after the Ade- for six with a two-run lead, and fore they regained their compo- ending a 146-ball stay.

South Africa hammer injury-hit Diyar Al Muharraq sponsors Al AFP | Centurion Muharraq Sports Club’s basketball team outh Africa wrapped up TDT | Manama Svictory by an innings and 45 runs shortly after lunch on iyar Al Muharraq, one of the fourth day of the first Test Dthe largest real estate de- against Sri Lanka at SuperSport velopers in Bahrain, has an - Park in Centurion yesterday. nounced its sponsorship of Al Sri Lanka, needing 225 runs Muharraq Sports Club’s Bas- to avoid an innings defeat, were ketball Team. bowled out for 180. The sponsorship agreement hit a spirited signing ceremony was held in 64 off 87 balls for the tourists the presence of Shaikh Duaij and debutant Wanindu Hasa- bin Khalifa bin Duaij Al Khalifa, ranga slammed 59 off 53 balls, Vice President of Al Muharraq taking advantage as South Af- Sports Club’s Basketball Team Officials of Diyar Al Muharraq and Al Muharraq Sports Club signs the deal rica seemingly tried to lift their South Africa’s (L) gestures as he holds a wicket after their victory and Eng. Ahmed Ali Alamma- over-rate by rushing through di, CEO of Diyar Al Muharraq, the Kingdom, and through this six overs of slow after Sri Lanka resumed at 65 for the toss but an injury-depleted alongside other officials from sponsorship, we look forward lunch. two yesterday but never recov- bowling attack conceded 621 both organisations, on Monday We are confident that to continuing our journey to ered after all-rounder Wiaan runs when South Africa bat- 28th December 2020, in Zain achieve more accomplishments Mulder dismissed overnight ted, with former captain Faf du Bahrain Basketball Arena. this sponsorship will and success to the club and the batsman Dinesh Chandimal Plessis hitting 199. Du Plessis Al Muharraq Sports Club is support Bahrain’s Kingdom.” and in was named man of the match. one of the top sports clubs in efforts to achieve From his side, Eng. Ahmed quick succession. It was South Africa’s sec - Bahrain and also one of the old- development and Ali Alammadi, Chief Execu- Batsman Dhananjaya de Sil- ond win in eight matches in est clubs amongst the countries tive Officer of Diyar Al Mu - KNOW WHAT growth in this essential va, who retired hurt after mak- the world Test championship. of the Gulf Cooperation Council sector harraq, commented, “We are ing 79 in the first innings, did They have suffered six defeats. (GCC) since its establishment in very pleased of this initiative AHMED ALI ALAMMADI, CHIEF EXECUTIVE not bat for Sri Lanka. He was Sri Lanka have won one, lost 1928. The club has His Majesty OFFICER OF DIYAR AL MUHARRAQ that reflects our commitment It was South Africa’s ruled out of the rest of the tour three and drawn one of their King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to our social responsibility ef- second win in eight with a torn thigh muscle. five matches. may God protect him, as the of Al Muharraq Sports Club’s forts, which also stems from matches in the world Sri Lanka suffered a spate Chandimal, who appeared to Honorary President for the fifth Basketball Team commended our keenness to contributing of injuries during the match suffer a groin injury towards consecutive year. It is also well- Diyar Al Muharraq sponsor- towards elevating our belov- Test championship. but bowlers Kasun Rajitha and the end of Monday’s play, re- known for its achievements at ship and said, “We would like ed Kingdom’s status in various They have suffered Lahiru Kumara hobbled to the sumed his innings yesterday the local and regional levels in to extend our appreciation and forums, including the sports six defeats. Sri Lanka crease to delay the inevitable. and survived for 40 minutes many sporting activities, most- gratitude to Diyar Al Muharraq sector. We are confident that have won one, lost Both suffered groin injuries before being bowled for 25 by ly in football, basketball and for this generous initiative. We this sponsorship will support three and drawn one while bowling. a ball from the medium-paced volleyball. have continued to witness Diyar Bahrain’s efforts to achieve de- of their five matches Sri Lanka started the match Mulder which cut back off the Shaikh Duaij bin Khalifa bin Al Muharraq’s contributions to velopment and growth in this well, making 396 after winning pitch. Duaij Al Khalifa, Vice President supporting the sports sector in essential sector.”

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