Captaincy Contest Will Decide the Ashes
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14 Tuesday 28th July, 2009 Contador’s Captaincy contest reign on Tour expected to last by Samuel Petrequin PARIS (AP) - Lance Armstrong became the second-oldest rider to will decide the Ashes reach the Tour de France podium when he finished third on Sunday, but it’s a rider 11 years his junior who is set to write the next chapter in cycling’s book of records. The 26-year-old Alberto Contador of Spain claimed his second victory in the cycling’s premiere event after dom- inating his rivals to win his fourth consecutive Grand Tour with devastat- ing attacks in the mountains and a dis- play of power in the time trials. At his age, the seven-time champi- on Armstrong had never won the 106- year-old race. Throughout three grueling weeks of intense rivalry, the Spaniard showed his determination and his will to win by withstanding the constant pressure applied by his Astana team- mate Armstrong. Armstrong, back to competition this season after 31/2 years in retire- ment, quickly realized he wouldn’t be able to unsettle his younger rival on the road and challenged him mentally. Armstrong criticized his team- mate’s strategy following the first mountain stage in the Pyrenees, hint- ing that the Contador was running against the team’s common interests. He then revealed tensions within the Astana team due to their rivalry, and even after securing the yellow jersey Strauss in the Alps, Contador was criticized by Ponting his team for his so-called poor tactical by Ian Chappell choices. Strauss's captaincy needs to con- cally sound and with him at three and Hughes while Katich is more convinc- Asked Sunday on French TV what former Australia captain tinually reinforce England's bowling Bopara at five England would be less ing than Alastair Cook, whose vulner- the hardest moment in this race, advantage because this time Ponting vulnerable in Pietersen's absence. ability would be patently obvious if Contador said: “It was in the (team) hotel.” Four years ago, Ricky Ponting is less likely to inadvertently aid his This is crucial because it's even more Johnson wasn't bowling so poorly. It's “It has been an especially difficult exacerbated Australia's predicament opponents. important for England to continue a one-horse Tour for me, but I savor it and it is of losing his pace spearhead, Glenn England have three seriously good dominating Mitchell Johnson's bowl- race with Ponting over Bopara and more special because of it,” he said McGrath, on the morning of the sec- attacking bowlers in Andrew Flintoff, ing than it is to stop Hughes rising similarly with Pietersen injured, after the prize ceremony. ond Test by choosing to bowl first. Jimmy Anderson and Graeme Swann. again. Hussey bats at four. But the Spaniard didn’t even take a This time the onus is on Andrew Until all hope of victory is lost, With Pietersen missing, the Clarke was in the form of his life at tumble and was so dominant in adver- Strauss to eradicate a fault that if not Strauss must not "concede ground" Australians will feel that an early Lord's and Paul Collingwood has been sity that his reign on the Tour seems corrected, could assist Australia as when these three are operating. He wicket or two will leave England not his usual doggedly defiant self. designed to last some time. “Contador is first of all a great the series reaches a crescendo. may occasionally have to play a "hold- only vulnerable but also less likely to Haddin and Matt Prior are very simi- climber, very elegant and flowing,” Strauss has shown signs that he ing game" with the likes of Stuart mount a counter attack. Bell is better lar as batsmen but the Australian is Tour director Christian Prudhomme can be forced into "backing off" pre- Broad and Graham Onions, but not equipped to survive the new ball, more likely to make big scores and is said. “But he also showed a great maturely. He did it by adopting go- with his three strike weapons. while Bopara has the superior stroke the superior glove man. strength of character.” slow tactics after the first hour on the If Ponting, Michael Clarke and range and is the more aggressive mid- Flintoff is in a class of his own. Armstrong, who said he will try fourth day at Cardiff and there were Brad Haddin utilise their aggressive dle-order option. His bowling at Lord's in the second his luck again next year on the Tour times at Lord's when his body lan- stroke play to force Strauss on to the Ponting can be conservative as a innings was probably the most relent- with his new RadioShack team, acknowledged Contador’s superiority. guage displayed an uncertainty,which defensive prematurely,it increases the captain but he rarely concedes control lessly accurate, aggressive fast bowl- “Contador is that good, so I don’t could have been terminal if not for the chances of other Australian batsmen to the opposition and he's less likely to ing I've seen. Swann is a much better see how I would have been higher than heroics of Andrew Flintoff. succeeding. If that occurs there is a do it now that Pietersen is missing. attacking off-spinner than Nathan that, even in the other years,” said It is crucial that Strauss holds his likelihood the struggling Phillip Strauss has the more difficult line-up Hauritz and his return to form at Armstrong, who won the Tour seven nerve as captain. He must constantly Hughes could rehabilitate himself to contend with but in his favour is a Lord's should give him the confidence consecutive times from 1999 to 2005 let the Australian batsmen know he is and then England are in trouble. superior strike force. However, he will to play a crucial role in the rest of the before retiring. “I think his perform- trying to dismiss them rather than Now that Kevin Pietersen is only maintain this advantage if he series. ance this year would have beaten my performances in ‘01 and ‘04 and ‘05.” occasionally conveying the message unavailable a major consideration for captains with conviction. Anderson and Ben Hilfenhaus are Contador already is one of that he prefers containment. Strauss will be his batting order. With Pietersen's injury highlights just two in-form swing bowlers and that cycling’s greats, having won all three The selection of a composite team Ian Bell likely to replace Pietersen, he how quickly the pendulum could places them ahead of Peter Siddle and Grand Tours of France, Italy and from the two sides makes it even has a big decision to make about who swing, because despite England's Broad. Spain, something Armstrong never clearer why Strauss has to maintain bats at number three. advantage in the series Australia achieved in his career. And on the control. England have the upper hand One day Ravi Bopara may be a fine would have one more player in a com- (C) The Telegraph Group, Champs-Elysees, he handed in bowling, while Australia are now number three for England but that posite side. London, 2009 Armstrong his first defeat on the race the superior batting line-up. time is not now. Bell is more techni- Strauss is comfortably ahead of since 1999. “It was a hard Tour,” said Contador, who had to sit out last year when Astana was banned because of Under-17 Division I Cricket previous doping scandals. “Before leaving, I knew I had to be ready both Renault suspended after physically and mentally.At the end of Dharmapala in massive each stage, I said ‘one day less’. There were tensions, but the situation has Alonso loses wheel normalized. And I am very happy with win over Holy Cross the result.” by Reemus Fernando the sixth wicket between According to Armstrong, Contador Rasitha Gamage (89) and has the potential to become a five-time Tour winner. Dharmapala College, Chanuka Mapatuna (69) in “Well, he’s that good and he’s not Pannipitiya recorded a mas- their huge score of 270 runs. that old, so you can do the math,” sive 188 runs victory over Armstrong said. Holy Cross College, Kalutara Scores: Even if Armstrong is expected to as leg spinner Hasitha Dharmapala 270 all out in be back on the race in 2010 with a Nirmal came up with his sec- 49.1 overs (Rasitha Gamage strong team fully dedicated to his ond five wicket haul of the 89, Chanuka Mapatuna 69, ambitions, Contador’s greatest rival in tournament to restrict the Hasitha Nirmal 43, Sampath the future is likely to be Andy Schleck visitors to 89 runs in their Hewage 15 n.o; Lakshitha of Luxembourg. Inter School Under-17 Fernando 3/24, Sadeesh At only 24-years of age, the climber Division I tournament match Lahiru 2/55) played at Pannipitiya on Holy Cross 82 all out in 26 finished the race in second place, 4 Saturday. overs (Dilanka Vaas 16, minutes and 11 seconds behind Apart from Nirmal’s five Malshika de Silva 17, Savinda Contador. He has now twice won the wicket haul the other notable Chavil 29; Hasitha Nirmal Tour de France’s white jersey awarded performance of the match 5/16, Rasitha Gamage 3/38, to its best rider under 25, and became was a 96 run partnership for Sampath Hewage 2/14) the first rider to take the shirt twice since 1997 tour winner Jan Ullrich, who won it three times between 1996 and 1998.