FRIDAY 6 15 FEBRUARY 22019019 SPPORTSORTS CHENNAI Last six months most diffi cult, says Finch Sydney,Sydney, Feb 15:15: ‘Include Pant in WC squad’ Aaronaron Finch has opopenedened uupp about the challengeschallenges of playing top-fl ight ,ket, describing the last six  monthsnths of his career as the most His would give us the edge, says Nehra diffi ccultult he’s ever faced. And a goodd part of his agony came from RRishabhishabh PPantant New , Feb 15: fortlessly from the word go. Nehra his ffailuresailures against India in the said the fearless approach comes in ‘If it comes to recentnt serieseries.s. A purepu match-winner, a back-up handy in pressure situations. Finch,nch, a white-ball regular for openeopenerr and an effortless six-hitter ‘If it comes to effortlessly hitting effortlessly hitting Australia,tralia, earned his maiden in thethe class of - sixes, Rishabh comes second only to baggygy green last year against RishaRishabhb Pant merits selection in Rohit Sharma with his big-hitting sixes, Rishabh comes Pakistanistan on the tour of UAE.UAE. India’India’ss World Cup squad and there ability. India will need that in He mmadeade an impressive start, are morem than one reasons for it, abundance during the World Cup,’ second only to Rohit but was exexposedposed in the home feelfeelss former pacer Ashish Nehra. Nehra said. And last but not the Teststs against India. Strug- NNehra,e who has tracked Pant’s least, Nehra felt Pant has shown Sharma with his big- glingg aagainstgainst the new ball, the pprogressro in Delhi and interna- the ability to win matches single- openerner made jjustust 97 runs in six ttional cricket since he fi rst handedly. hitting ability. India inningsngs before being dropped, joined the Sonnet Club, gave ‘No disrespect, this team has three as thehe visitors took a historic fi ve elaborate reasons for AAshishshish NNehraehra clear match-winners and they are 2-1 seriesseriiies wwin.in. the dynamic youngster’s , Rohit Sharma and Jas- will need that in inclusion in the playing XI prit Bumrah. For me, the fourth one of the mega-event. is going to be Rishabh Pant. Ambati abundance during the ‘In a team, there will al- seven. You need variety with a left- Rayudu, and Dinesh waysw be contributors but at a right combination, where Rishabh Karthik are all fantastic players World Cup’ big eventeve like the World Cup, you perfectly fi ts,’ he reasoned. but they are all in the same mould. need playersp with X-factor. Rishabh The 21-year-old Pant is a left- You need X-factor which this boy Pant isis not a mere contributor but a hander and scored Test hundreds possesses,’ said Nehra, an artist he said. pure match-winnerm who should be in his fi rst series in England and with the white kookaburra, during But is it wise to have three keep- pickedpicked for the World Cup,’ Nehra Australia. his best days. ers in the 15? The veteran said said TThursday.h Secondly, Rishabh can bat at any Asked whether a seasoned fi nish- looking at Pant and Karthik as Nehra,Nehr a key member of the 2011 position between Nos 1 to 7 and so er like Karthik could be overlooked second and third keepers is wrong. WorldWorld Cup-winning team, feels Virat (Kohli) and the team manage- at the expense of a rookie, Nehra I don’t look at it from that perspec- there area three to four specifi c rea- ment can use him as a fl oater,’ said said both the players can make it. tive. If Rishabh and DK are being sons ttoo pick Pant. Nehra, who also played the 2003 ‘As I have already said, Rishabh picked ahead of specialist batsmen ‘If youyo look at India’s batting line World Cup fi nal in South Africa. could also be your third opener, like Manish Pandey and Shreyas AaronAAa Finchh up,up, savesav Shikhar (Dhawan), there The third reason cited by Nehra so DK (as Karthik is referred to) Iyer, then you are looking at them aren’t any left-handers in the top was Pant’s ability to hit sixes ef- could be your middle order batter,’ as specialist batsmen. LOCAL SPORTS Seven haul Mohamed scores unbeaten ton for Naveen | NT Bureau | Chennai, Feb 15: | NT Bureau | G Karthick 3/33); Villupuram (1st innings) 39 in 13.2 overs (M S Mohamed Ali (157 ) Chennai, Feb 15: Deepak 3/26, J Naveen 7/13); scored an unbeaten as Vellore (2nd innings) 69 for 3 in St Bede’s AIHSS A defeated GGabrielabriel aapologisespologises Vellore’s J Naveen (7/13) scalped 8.5 overs DAV Public School A by 141 seven to skittle out Vil- Erode (1st innings) 125 in 40.4 runs in the TNCA City Schools lupuram for a paltry 39 on the overs (S Aravind 5/23); Thiruval- (Under-14) quarter-fi nals. opening day of the TNCA Inter- lur (1st innings) 184 for 8 in 47 Batting fi rst, St Bede’s posted Districts Under-19 cricket tourna- fforor JoeJoe RootRoot sledgesledge overs (R Vivek 44, Surya Prakash 297 for fi ve in its 50 overs, cour- ment (Round 2) match. Subramaniam 4/47) tesy Mohamed’s scintillating Baton Rouge, Feb 15: was: Don’t use it as an insult. There’s nothing wrong Villupuram was bundled out in Tiruvannamalai (1st innings) 97 knock. The victor bowled out with being gay. I then responded: I have no issues with 13.2 overs in the first innings, in 30.1 overs (G Aravindh 5/24); DAV for 156 in 47.3 overs to seal West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel sought to that, but you should stop smiling at me.’ thanks to Naveen’s seven-wicket Salem (1st innings) 159 in 54.4 a semi-fi nal berth. In another clear the air over what he said to England Joe Gabriel also said there were no hard feelings between haul. At stumps, Vellore was 69 overs (D Gunasekaran 3/50, SL last eight game, M Madhavan’s Root and extended an unreserved apology for his com- him and Root and that he saw this incident as an op- for three in the second innings, Lawrence Nova 4/52); Tiruvan- (109 not out) century helped Nel- ments during the third Test against England. portunity to recognise the ‘need for sensitivity and leading by a mammoth 304 runs. namalai (2nd innings) 4 for 3 in 2 lai Nadar MHSS A get the better Gabriel, 30, had accepted a charge for breaching respect in their interactions with all’. Earlier, Vellore was all-out for overs (G Aravindh 3/0) of Sri Sankara SSS by 104 runs. the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct 274 in 64.3 overs, with S Akash Tirunelveli (1st innings) 282 for Scores: St Bede’s AIHSS A 297 on Wednesday and was banned for the fi rst four one- top-scoring for it with 87 runs. In 9 in 90 overs (G Sriram 118) vs for 5 in 50 overs (M Nithin Mag- another encounter, Thiruvallur’s day internationals against England that begin next Krishnagiri izhnan 42, S Mohamed Ali 157*, S Aravind (5/23) took fi ve wickets Wednesday. Thoothukudi (1st innings) 82 in P Vignesh 48) beat DAV Public to bowl out Erode for 125. ‘The exchange occurred during a tense moment on the 27.5 overs (R Aravindhan 4/32); School A 156 in 47.3 overs (V Scores: Kanyakumari (1st in- fi eld,’ Gabriel explained in a written statement. ‘The Nagapattinam (1st innings) 142 in Shrijith 66, LV Arjun 3/9) nings) 133 in 44.2 overs (Aditya pressure was on and England’s captain Joe Root was 43.3 overs (D Rahul 66, B Thama- Santhome HSS 89 in 42 overs Kumar Gaurav 4/22, P Nirmal looking at me intensely as I prepared to bowl, which rai Kannan 3/36) Thoothukudi (T Lalith Chockalingam Kumar 4/51); Coimbatore (1st may have been the usual psychological strategy with (2nd innings) 54 for 4 in 14 3/16) lost to Chettinad innings) 182 for 2 in 47 overs which all test cricketers are familiar. overs Vidyashram A 93 for 4 (K Aditya Vikram 75*, C Sathy- ‘I recognise now that I was attempting to break Dindigul (1st innings) in 30.2 overs (H Rakesh anarayanan 83) through my own tension when I said to Joe Root: Why 131 in 32.1 overs (N Sushil Roshan 37) Nilgiris (1st innings) 125 in 50 are you smiling at me? Do you like boys?’ Kumar 45, S Aravind 4/45, PSBB Millennium overs (B Iyappan 3/29, NS Yuvan RS Mokit Hariharan 3/24); School 156 for 8 in 50 ‘His response, which was picked up by the microphone, Sankar 3/9); Tirupur (1st innings) Kancheepuram (1st innings) overs (R Prasidh Ram 234 for 4 in 38 overs (D Santhosh 135 in 40.5 overs (Aashiq Ka- 51, S Karthikeyan 3/36, Kumar 123*, N Gokul Raj 59) leel Rahman 3/27, N Mithilesh Rohan R Pai 3/26) lost to St Vellore (1st innings) 274 in 64.3 4/11); Dindigul (2nd innings) 37 Patrick’s AIHSS 157 for 7 in 45.1 overs (S Akash 87, R Nithish Ku- for 5 in 12 overs (RS Mokit Hari- overs (Rohan Prakash 41). mar 62, K Subramaniyan 4/66, haran 3 for 13).             !"#$$$%!"&  1!%2%21%%%%.12132% %%!%1%4(1.!0'()   Super spell by Suresh 1    - 7  3      %     1% - #      | NT Bureau | Babu 3 for 33) lost to E. Vignesh 39) 2     2       Royapettah Cricket Club 222 for Venkateswara Cricket Club 253 4((00'() 4''*0'() 4((00'(5 4((00'() 4((00'(5 4('40'() Chennai, Feb 15: 8 in 44.1 overs (M. Sadiqulameen for 5 in 50 overs (C. Karthick 87, K. (   # 8    (+D)*/4( +D(*'+* 66'5/ 06D4)6)4 /D5*5(5 5D+)6)4 68, Naresh Gahlot 44 not out, Vignesh 50, Sajjad Hussain 37, Fa- 0 % - 9 :$ ,  8  $;  A five wicket haul by Suresh *6)'4 45)'5 $(6664, (D/'6'5 +40) (54)4 Karia Jesal Balibhai 31, T. Nitish had Abdul Azeez 34 not out) lost to    8    , helped Perambur United Club Joyal 4 for 63, Aashish Nowrath Minerva Cricket Club 254 for 4 % - 9 :$ ,  8  $;  defeat Lusuraj Cricket Club by *6)'4 45)'5 $(6664, (D/'6'5 +40) (54)4 A Sharma 3 for 59) 4 in 45.3 overs (B. Aravind 70,     #8    , 59 runs in a TNCA league matche Rising Stars Cricket Club 97 in S. Nithin Athreya 50 not out, S. / % - 9 :$ ,  8  $   held recently. *6)'4 45)'5 $(6664, (D/'6'5 +40) */05 27.2 overs (K. Maha Deeraj 41, Ravichandran 38)  #8    , Scores R. Sri Ner- V-DIVISION A 6   .8  7#   III-DIVISION B 8  <.8  "- 9 :    anjan 3 for Triplicane Recreation Club 271 ''' ''' ''' ''' ''' ''' Sea Hawks Cricket Club 249 for 8  $   ,    25, R. Mari for 8 in 50 overs (L. Vignesh 118, .8  7#$   ,= 6 in 50 overs (R. Nandagopal 83, Muthu 3 M. Suresh 34 not out, M. Rahul + >- ? 8@  A1 .8  $# A. Vasudaven 57 not out, T. Veera- (D6/560 (D6/560 (D6/560 (D6/560 (D6/560 (D6/560 for 12) lost Rangarajan 31, M. Senthil 3 for B  (':?#,> mani 35) lost to Prem Cricket Club to Perun- 34) beat 5   7 $# "7    7, % % % % % % 253 for 8 in 49.3 overs (D. Bala galathur HSBC Recreation Club 260 in Subramani 62, B. Mathan Khu- ) C " - 1 $ ,$;  Cricket 50 overs (Dinesh Raj Shanmugam  ?  A  ,, (':?# mar 59, A. Vignesh 46, N. Selva Club 98 92, D. Deeban 67, G. Senthil 44, $, #& +(* 0// $('(, *') '/( '+( Kumaran 4 for 75) for 2 in 14 R. Yogender Sharma 3 for 63, K. $;,  & +(* 0// $('(, *') '/( '+( Bunts Cricket Club 252 for 7 in SSureshuresh overs (G. Siddeshwaran 3 for 62) * C " - 1 $     A 50 overs (R. Gowtham 63, S.M. Rajesh 42 TANGEDCO 205 for 9 in 50   , (':?# Vinoop 49, E. Vasantha Kumar not out, R. Sri Neranjan 34) overs (N. Shyam Prasad 78, S. $, #& +(* 0// $('(, *') '/( '+( 47 not out) beat Southern Railway IV-DIVISION C Karthik Shankar 5 for 55, D. $;,  & +(* 0// $('(, *') '/( '+( Sports Association 103 in 29.1 %  & Ranji Cricket Club 244 for 7 in Sathyanaathan 3 for 73) lost to overs (R. Ajith 4 for 11) '()*+ + ++ ,+ -+./ )+) 0++1+ 23* )+44 +13  50 overs (T. Akilan 66, R. Elango Grand Prix Cricket Club 206 for 5 5!67+)$ #  ,+ +)-+./ )+)('+0')+) +1+ 23* ) Indian Bank Sports and Rec- 59 not out, S.G. Karneswaran 5 in 39.1 overs (R. Raj Kumar 56, V. 5000) ,000') ,+,8. 000 * 7 reation Club 215 for 8 in 50 overs $,8.)8+ 9 +1+)5: 91:7 , )+98$  .+)  )+)++0++ for 54) beat Tiger Cricket Club Murali 40 not out, M.G. Kamesh (Sachin Omprakash Katariya 69, )+) +,8+(8()8('88  0++ +,),+8 80  236 in 49 overs (H. Sathish Babu Pandithan 35, D. Sathyanaathan 914": +,/ 8+:8) '1 + 44 +,8)9 +$ 40+(+)))+ V. Ajay Kumar 35, M.A. Atheeq Ur 83, Ishaaq Mohammed 31, S. Pad- 33, K. Vinayagam 3 for 39) ++ +8 8). 8+  Rahman 33, V. Yuvaraj 4 for 63, R. 4 ,8.8+)/(),+)( +;))% )1 1( )1%0;+<) manaban 3 for 55, G. Md Aftab Perambur United Club 210 in Manivannan 3 for 54) beat =9)>))) Hussain Khan 3 for 40) 49.3 overs (Sanjay Vembu 36, ")+) +?+<+)34 )+6 ,'$ @))'A ++!,+(0'.+1+++.9+ Garnet Cricket Club 114 in 38.3 Prithvi Cricket Club 170 for 9 in R.S. Murali Mohan 34, S. Vishal #'()+))'(0'.+9+,,++88('.+ 6 +)++)8 +(,+ overs (N. Rikesh Kumar Sharma  "+/'.$ & 50 overs (J. Sam Immanuel Lazar 3 for 46, V. Dinakaran 3 for 57)  32, T. Balaji 30, J. Vignesh 4 for 42, 45, N. Gokul Raj 31, S. Vivek Athi- beat Lusuraj Cricket Club 151       M.A. Atheeq Ur Rahman 4 for 22)  nam 4 for 39) lost to Krishnaraj in 35.2 overs (D. Agnal David 47, Cosmopolitan Club 218 in 48.1   Memorial Club 173 for 6 in 30.1 Gokula Krishnan Mohandoss 43, - #&. !"" #   overs (Jash K Kankaria 95, G. overs (D Jai Shankar 46 not out, D. Suresh 5 for 44)  &(/'00'(* $%&''()(*+',