CRICKET | Page 2 MLB | Page 5 India eager to Paxton pitches cement No 1 Mariners status with past visiting win in England Astros Wednesday, August 1, 2018 TENNIS Dhul-Qa’da 19, 1439 AH Emotional Murray GULF TIMES makes triumphant hardcourt return SPORT Page 4 FOOTBALL / SHEIKH JASSIM CUP AL SADD STADIUM, 7PM Al Duhail favourites for Sheikh Jassim Cup as new Al Duhail have been the dominant team over the past few years, while Al Rayyan have hung in around in the season begins top four after their stunning league triumph in 2015-2016 By Anil John Doha new season brings in new hope but it is often accompanied by fears and apprehension. How Aa team grapples with these fac- tors plays an important role in their successes — or failures, for that matter. As the fi rst salvos are fi red today in the 2018-19 domestic football season with the tradi- tional curtain-raiser, the Sheikh Jassim Cup, Al Duhail and Al Rayyan will be keen to shake off their summer rust and lay a marker for what is going to be a lengthy 10 months ahead. The season is starting a few weeks early this year in order to accommodate several interna- tional events, among them the Asian Games beginning in Indo- nesia mid-August and the Asian Cup in the UAE earlier next year. Al Duhail have been the domi- nant team over the past few years, while Al Rayyan have fallen off the radar a wee bit, just about managing to hang in there Al Duhail head coach Nabil Maaloul (left) and Al Rayyan coach Rodolfo among the top four last in the last Al Duhail player Karim Boudiaf (right) takes part in a training session with teammates ahead of their Sheikh Jassim Cup clash against Al Rayyan. Arruabarrena (right) speak to the media. PICTURES: Othman Khalid two seasons after their stunning league triumph in 2015-2016. Duhail won both tournaments, Tunisia at the recent World Cup, few weeks in Europe but coming in November or December. Un- injury he suff ered at the end of with a Qatari club and is eager to The last time Al Rayyan won they will play Al Rayyan for the and has now taken up the hot seat out of the off -season is also not til then we have to cope without the last season. make a good fi rst impression. a cup tournament was in 2013 title as the latter were the Amir at Al Duhail, was candid enough that easy. We have a busy schedule him,” said Maaloul. Hamdalla was their top per- “I may be new here but I have when they claimed both the Cup runners-up! to acknowledge that at his press ahead, with the QNB Stars League But they have plenty of other former last season and although followed Qatari football while Sheikh Jassim Cup and the Amir Both teams were in Europe conference yesterday. and our Asian Champions League stars on their roster who have they have veterans Rodrigo I was with Al Wasl in the UAE,” Cup, and they would be more preparing for the season and have “I know Al Duhail has achieved quarter-fi nals coming up”. the ability to win matches on Tabata and Sebastian Soria, they Arruabarrena said yesterday. than eager to make up for their only returned a few days back. great success under Belmadi. He Al Duhail will be also without their own – like Youssef El Arabi, have been often inconsistent in “Al Rayyan are one of the top lapses and close calls with glory With Al Duhail’s long-serving has been a strong coach who fol- their talisman Youssef Msakni the top scorer last season with the past. Also, age is against both teams in the country with a very in the following years. and highly successful coach lowed a great work ethic. I’ll also who suff ered a serious knee liga- 26 goals, Nam Tae-hee and the players, with Tabata now 37 and strong fan following. I am aware Their appearance in the Sheikh Djamel Belmadi taking up the go along with his methodology ment injury in his knee towards young Bassam al-Rawi. Soria 34. They will have to be of the challenges and we will Jassim Cup today also has a quirk reins of the Algerian national side and try to maintain the level of the end of last season and had to Al Rayyan’s new coach Rodolfo managed sensibly if they are to aim to meet them with a positive to it. Also dubbed the ‘Super and Al Rayyan’s Michael Laudrup the team and maybe also enhance miss the World Cup for Tunisia. Arruabarrena, however, has no last the whole season. frame of mind. Cup’, it is played between the also leaving, the new bosses have it,” the Tunisian said. “Surely he will be missed. such luxuries as his star striker Argentinian Arruabarrena, who “The Sheikh Jassim Cup is the League and Amir Cup winners of some really big boots to fi ll. “Tomorrow’s match is going to Youssef is still recuperating af- Abderrazzak Hamdalla is doubt- has coached Boca Juniors and also fi rst tournament of the year and the previous season. But because Nabil Maaloul, who coached be a tough one. We prepared for a ter surgery and will be only back ful for the match with an ankle UAE’s Al Wasl, is on his fi rst stint we would like to win it, for sure.” CRICKET Spinner Rashid’s recall prompts Yorkshire criticism Reuters captain Michael Vaughan said his 10 Tests but it is not only went into self-imposed exile Manchester, England that the decision to pick Rashid Vaughan who has been critical of from England duty for three years was “ridiculous” prompting the his inclusion. in the mid-1970s, said: “Let me Bradford-born spinner to say Former Yorkshire and England tell Adil that Vaughan will be re- ngland’s decision to recall that his comments were “stupid”. batsman Geoff rey Boycott said membered as one of the greatest Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil “If I’m stupid to suggest that Rashid’s response to Vaughan England captains and an elegant, Rashid to the Test side to he should have played a four-day made him look like a “spoilt brat” superb batsman. face India today, despite game leading into a Test series and was scathing of the decision “In 10 years nobody will re- Ehim not playing four-day county against the number one team in to pick the leg-spinner. member Adil’s Test match per- cricket, has been criticised by two the world — I fi rmly believe the “In two years England have formances.” of his county’s most prominent cricketing world has gone nuts gone around in a circle. By pick- Former England skipper and former players. if he thinks he doesn’t have to do ing Adil Rashid, they are select- all-rounder Ian Botham has The 30-year-old signed a that,” said Vaughan. ing the unselectable: a player backed the selection choice, white-ball only contract with his “This all could have been put who will not play four-day however, and expects Rashid to county Yorkshire in February but to bed if England had sat him Championship cricket for York- provide a fascinating element to said he “was not fi nished” with down and said he has to play in shire because his heart isn’t in the Test at Edgbaston. the longest format of the game. that four-day game. it but he will play for England “He will toss up the ball and give He did not feature in the recent “I cannot be wrong that I’m in Test Matches. Absurd? Yes,” it a nice fl ight. On the other hand, four-day game with Lancashire asking someone to prepare their he wrote in the Daily Telegraph the Indians will go after him. It will which included several members body, their mind. If someone is newspaper. be a great contest and I am looking of the England squad on both not playing four-day cricket in “The only reason the head se- forward to it. The pitch will assist sides. our schooling ground to prepare lector Ed Smith selected him is him and he will have a point to But he will be England’s sole Test match cricketers, I don’t because there is no one else, and prove,” Botham said. specialist spinner in the fi rst Test think you should be able to play the fact that there are no decent All-rounder Sam Curran will at Edgbaston with no place for in a Test match.” spinners in county cricket is a also play at Edgbaston as will Ben Moeen Ali after the team was an- shameful indictment on all the 18 Stokes whose trial for aff ray be- nounced yesterday. ‘SPOILT BRAT’ counties,” he added. gins on Monday, the day after the England’s Moeen Ali (left) and Adil Rashid take part in nets at Edgbaston in Birmingham yesterday. (Reuters) Former England and Yorkshire Rashid has taken 38 wickets in An unimpressed boycott, who fi rst Test is scheduled to end. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, August 1, 2018 CRICKET GOLF Six great England Test matches England will play their 1,000th Test match when they face India at Edgbaston today. Their overall Test record currently reads, played 999, won 357, lost 297, drawn 345. India eager to cement Here’s a look at six particularly memorable encounters from those 999 matches.