SPORTS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2013 Thompson surges Ecstatic welcome home ahead in Malaysia for triumphant KUALA LUMPUR: American teenager Lexi 18th holes were millimetres too short and Afghan cricketers Thompson overcame a 45-minute rain she had to be content with pars. delay yesterday to grab a commanding She had a flawless round with birdies on three-shot lead at the Sime Darby LPGA the fourth, sixth, seventh, 10th and 13th golf tournament in Malaysia. The 18-year- holes. Now ranked 21st in the world, old Thompson, who turned professional in Thompson has enjoyed a good season and 2010, has put herself in a good position to besides her brilliant third place at the Evian end her title drought as she has not won Championship last month, she also had on the LPGA Tour since her maiden victory top-10 finishes at the HSBC Women’s at the Navistar LPGA Classic in 2011. Champions in February, Mobile Bay LPGA Thompson shot a 66 yesterday for a Classic (May), Marathon Classic (July) and three-day total of 17-under 196 to overtake Safeway Classic (August). South Korea’s Lee Il-Hee, who led on the Thompson, who trailed by one after first two days but shot a 70 today. Friday’s second round, drew level when Lee The Florida native could have had an bogeyed the second hole. The American even bigger lead going into the final then took the outright lead when play round, but her long putts on the 14th and resumed after the rain. Thompson and Lee were both on the green, but Lee could only two-putt for a par while Thompson birdied the hole. It was a lead she never relinquished going into the last day of the $2 million tournament. “I felt pretty good going into the round. I had a good practice session before my round so I felt confident before (the first tee off),” she said. “This game is all about momentum. Once you get a few birdies you feel good and try to keep going. I really focus on my KABUL: Afghan cricket team captain Mohammad Nabi (center) poses with the ACC Cup after the team arrived in Kabul. Afghanistan’s cricket team game and not my playing partners.” received a heroes’ welcome as cheering crowds lined the streets and packed a stadium in Kabul to greet the players after they qualified for the 2015 Asked about her plan for tomorrow as World Cup. — AFP she has a good cushion going into Sunday’s final round, Thompson said she KABUL: Afghanistan’s cricket team will have to play smart. received a heroes’ welcome yesterday as “I will be in the final group and would cheering crowds lined the streets and know how the other players are doing. I packed a stadium in Kabul to greet the Gazi’s maiden ton lights up will see when to play aggressive or when to players after they qualified for the 2015 play smart, take a two-putt if I have to,” she World Cup. The team was met by an offi- run-laden Test against NZ explained. cial reception at Kabul airport before Lee said missing a three-foot putt on being driven through the war-battered the second hole made a difference, but was city for a jubilant evening of speeches, CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh’s lower-order bats- Razzak for seven, leg-before to seamer Trent happy to birdie the last hole to cut the dancing and live music. man Sohag Gazi hit a maiden Test century yes- Boult. Bangladesh are looking for their first Test deficit from four to three strokes. Cricket only became popular in terday as the first Test against New Zealand in win against New Zealand, having lost eight and “I knew it was going to be big for tomor- Afghanistan as refugees flooded back Chittagong headed for a high-scoring draw. drawn one of their nine matches against the row. My driver was not good, but I knew it from Pakistan after the fall of the harsh The hosts, lying at the bottom of the Test Black Caps. The second Test will be played in was going to be hard to play well for four Taliban regime in 2001. The team’s ascent table in 10th place, piled up 501 in reply to Dhaka from October 21 to 25, followed by days,” she said. to the top international level is seen as a New Zealand’s 469 before being all out soon three one-day internationals and one Twenty20 Defending champion and world num- symbol of hope and national unity. after lunch on the fourth day with a lead of 32 match. — AFP ber one Park In-Bee is 14 strokes off the “We know the roads to Kabul are inse- runs. pace after carding her best round of the cure, but I couldn’t resist risking it to The Black Caps, ranked eighth above only tournament with a two-under 69. come for this,” Mohammadullah, 28, from Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, helped themselves SCOREBOARD The Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia is the the eastern province of Paktia, told AFP. to 117-1 in their second innings before heavy second of five tournaments in the Asian “Me and my friends rented two cars rain forced play to be called off at the Zahur CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Scoreboard at Lexi Thompson swing with events in South Korea, Taiwan and hit the road to welcome our team Ahmed Chowdhury stadium. Peter Fulton was stumps on the fourth day of the first Test and Japan to follow. — AFP back. Cricket is a sport which can bring all unbeaten on 44 and Kane Williamson was on Afghans together.” 28 with the Black Caps going into the final day’s between Bangladesh and New Zealand at Security was high for the players’ vehi- play on Sunday with a lead of 85 runs and nine the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium in cle convoy and at the national cricket sta- wickets in hand. Chittagong yesterday: Clarke joins Liang at the dium, where the team was met by wild Hamish Rutherford was dismissed for 32, cheers from fans who had waited for but both sides face a tough task to force a New Zealand 1st innings: 469 (K. top at China Masters hours to see their returning heroes. result on the slow, newly-laid pitch that has Williamson 114, BJ Watling 103, P. Fulton “I have never been this happy in my offered no assistance to either seam or spin 73, Abdur Razzak 3-147) life,” team captain Mohammad Nabi told bowlers. BEIJING: Darren Clarke joined defending it’s the Open Championship or here at the crowd. “I feel proud and want to con- champion Liang Wen-chong on top of the Nanshan China Masters,” he said, Gazi, a 22-year-old off-spinner whose high- Bangladesh 1st innings (overnight 380-7): gratulate the Afghan nation for the victo- est score in six previous Tests was 32, remained Tamim Iqbal c Williamson b Boult 0 the leaderboard at the Nanshan China according to a report released by the ry and the historic achievement.” Masters after firing a four under par 68 organisers. unbeaten on 101 after coming in to bat at Anamul Haque lbw b Bracewell 3 Like many of his teammates, Nabi, 28, number eight. He hit 10 boundaries and three Marshall Ayub c Watling b Anderson 25 yesterday. “I’ve practised really hard these last learned cricket in a refugee camp in The 2011 British Open winner and couple of years since I’ve won the Open sixes. Mominul Haque lbw b Anderson 181 Pakistan after his parents fled Afghanistan Gazi said he was inspired by New Zealand China’s number one golfer shared the and just not been able to get the scores.” in the wake of the 1979 Soviet invasion. Shakib Al Hasan c Watling b Williamson 19 top spot at eight under, after Liang con- He said he would be “delighted to win” wicket-keeper Bradley-John Watling, who also Mushfiqur Rahim c Taylor b Bracewell 67 He hit the winning runs when batted at number eight in the first innings and tinued his fine form in the tournament when the tournament concluded on Afghanistan beat Kenya by seven wickets Nasir Hossain c Williamson b Sodhi 46 with a two under on day three. Sunday, adding: “But there’s 18 holes of scored 103. Sohag Gazi not out 101 in Sharjah a week ago to secure a place in “I was very motivated by Watling’s innings,” Liang was leading going into the third golf to go and a lot of talent there or the 2015 World Cup, which will be hosted Abdur Razzak lbw b Boult 7 round after he fired an eight under par thereabouts at the top of the leader- he said. “We were telling each other in the Robiul Islam c Taylor b Bracewell 33 by Australia and New Zealand. dressing room that if he can do this, why can’t 64 on Friday. Charl Schwartzel, who won board.” Rubel Hossain c McCullum b Sodhi 4 The stadium in Kabul was filled to I? the Masters in 2011, was three off the Liang won last year’s tournament in Extras: (b5, lb8, w1, nb1) 15 capacity with cheerful fans waving “There is no help for the bowlers on this leaders in sixth place. gripping style, playing the 18th with national flags as the players showed off a Total (all out, 148.5 overs) 501 Northern Ireland’s Clarke has strug- South Korea’s Y.E.