MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2014 SPORTS

Former players slam ‘spineless’ after Ashes rout LONDON: England’s Ashes whitewash Haddin’s never-say-die batting, exposed added the former all-rounder. words to describe how England played. showed how frazzled the team is,” triggered a scathing attack from former their limitations. never took their foot off That was pathetic - it was always going to Vaughan added. players yesterday with lashing What proved to be the final day of the England’s throat registering comprehen- happen but there’s a way to lose,” In many ways, the final Test in Sydney out at the team’s “spineless” display in series was synonymous of England’s fee- sive victories at , , , Vaughan told BBC Sport. test mirrored England’s shambolic cam- Australia. ble showing as they were bowled out for and finally in Sydney to “I have never seen an England team paign as they were shot out for 155 and Having won the home series 3-0 last 166 inside 35 overs, chasing an improba- avenge last year’s series defeat in England. throw in the towel, but they did this after- 166 on a green-tinged . “It’s pathetic year, and his men ble 448 for victory, as Australia completed “England have been steamrollered. If it noon. Our senior core of players have not - there is no other word. It’s humiliation,” landed in Australia in October as the over- the clean sweep with two days to spare. had been a boxing match it would have been able to get into any sort of form,” former opener Geoff Boycott told BBC’s whelming favourite to retain the famous “I’m pretty depressed and embar- been stopped weeks ago,” Botham said. said Vaughan, who in 2005 became the . urn. Instead, they were ruthlessly brushed rassed - I use that word, embarrassed, and first England captain to win an Ashes “This is a worse loss than when we lost aside by a rampant Australia side, failing I mean it,” former captain Botham told Sky Pathetic series since Mike Gatting in 1986-87. before 5-0 because they had great players to get close to victory in any of the five Sports. “I am not allowed to use the words Former skipper Michael Vaughan “The Australian wagon got into motion like (Glenn) McGrath, (Shane) Warne and matches as pace bowler Mitchell that are flashing through my head at the echoed his sentiment, saying the senior at Brisbane and England have not been (Adam) Gilchrist last time. England have Johnson’s express speed and Brad moment. I just think it was spineless,” players had let the team down. “I’ve lost able to cope since. That last innings there just disintegrated.” —Reuters Flyers rally for 5-3 victory over Coyotes GLENDALE: Jakub Voracek scored the game- Thomas Vanek scored for the Islanders. winner with 8:08 left and the Philadelphia Flyers rallied from a two-goal deficit for a 5-3 victory Sabres 2, Devils 1 over the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday night. Right winger Matt D’Agostini scored with Scott Hartnell, Brayden Schenn and Wayne 8:11 remaining to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 2- Simmonds also scored for the Flyers and Claude 1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. It was Giroux added an empty-net goal with 30 sec- D’Agostini’s first goal of the season and his first onds left. Steve Mason made several difficult for the Sabres after being acquired off waivers saves late to preserve Philadelphia’s fourth win from Pittsburgh in late November. Left winger in five games out West. Rob Klinkhammer, Lauri Matt Moulson also scored for Buffalo while right Korpikoski and Mikkel Boedker scored for the winger Michael Ryder scored for the Devils. Coyotes, who led 3-1 late in the second period but couldn’t hold on to spoil captain Shane Rangers 7, Maple Leafs 1 Doan’s return from a rare illness. Keith Yandle’s Center Dominic Moore scored two goals and turnover in his own zone proved costly in the New York Rangers defeated the Toronto Phoenix’s second straight loss. Voracek collected Maple Leafs 7-1. Left wingers Carl Hagelin, the puck and beat Mike Smith between the legs Benoit Pouliot and Chris Kreider and centers with a wrist shot. Brad Richards and Brian Boyle also scored for the Rangers. Left winger Joffrey Lupul scored for the Blues 6, Blue Jackets 2 Maple Leafs. Center Patrik Berglund scored two goals as the St Louis Blues rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2 for their fifth Senators 4, Canadiens 3 (OT) consecutive victory. The Blues (29-7-5), who Ottawa left winger Clarke MacArthur scored have won only five times this season when they a power-play goal 58 seconds into overtime as gave up the first goal in a game, started the the Senators extended their season-high win- comeback 7:03 into the second period when ning streak to four games with a 4-3 win against Berglund deflected a shot by defenseman Barret the Montreal Canadiens. SYDNEY: Australia’s team players pose with trophy in front of Members Pavilion as they celebrate 5-0 victory in Jackman past goalie Curtis McElhinney. It was MacArthur took his time to position himself the Ashes series against England at the yesterday. —AFP Berglund’s first two-goal effort of the season, before shooting the puck past Montreal goalie having scored only four goals in 37 games Carey Price. Center Daniel Briere scored before Saturday night. St. Louis goalie Brian Montreal’s first two goals and got his third point Elliott won his 13th consecutive home game, of the game with an assist on right winger Brian Harris, Johnson heroes extending his own franchise record. Gionta’s tally 4:46 into the third that drew the Canadiens even at 3-3. Kings 3, Canucks 1 Winger Jeff Carter scored two goals and Panthers 5, Predators 4 (OT) as Aussie sweep Ashes goaltender Jonathan Quick made 27 saves as Veteran defenseman and team captain Ed the Los Angeles Kings beat the Vancouver Jovanovski played for the first time in over nine Canucks 3-1. The Kings (26-13-4) broke a season- months as the Florida Panthers blew a two-goal SYDNEY: Australia completed a 5-0 bundled out for 166 in 31.4 overs- third in the ICC rankings above (16) and (6) in the long five game losing streak as they opened a third-period lead but then beat the Nashville Ashes clean sweep against England nowhere near the 448 victory target. England and Pakistan. middle session as England limped to five-game home stand and gained ground on Predators 5-4 in a shootout. yesterday as the tourists crumbled It was the sixth time the belea- tea on 87-3. the San Jose Sharks. Goaltender Roberto Right winger Tomas Kopecky scored the against a formidable pace attack to guered tourists had been skittled for Amazing Feeling But the rout turned to carnage Luongo stopped 45 shots and center Ryan decisive goal in the shootout. go down to a humiliating 281-run under 200 in the 10 innings of the “Any time you win a Test match is after the interval as four Kesler scored the lone goal for Vancouver (23- Leading 4-3 with 4:01 left in the third period, defeat in the fifth Test. series. an amazing feeling, but to win 5-0?” tumbled in two overs, with the 13-7), which dropped its third straight game. the Panthers killed off a two-minute penalty to Mitchell Johnson-described by The crushing defeat-with more Clarke said. “I think with this current tourists falling apart against left winger Tomas Fleischmann. The Predators captain Michael Clarke as one of the than two days to spare-is expected to team, the fact that it’s been the inspired Australian and Bruins 4, Jets 1 then pulled their goaltender and center Paul modern-day pace greats-was named have major ramifications for English rollercoaster ride, the start of 2013 fielding. “I think today was a culmi- Rookie defenseman Torey Krug scored two Gaustad tied the game with 48 seconds left in man-of-the-series for his 37 wickets cricket just months after they beat didn’t go anywhere near as well as nation of being under the cosh for goals and set up another with a nifty pass to regulation. over the five games at 13.97. Fellow Australia 3-0 in England. Harris fin- we’d have liked, I think that’s what four and a half games,” Cook said. lead Boston to a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg quick Ryan Harris took man-of-the- ished with five for 25 in the second feels so satisfying at the moment, “Credit to Australia, I can’t even Jets in the Bruins’ first game of the second half of match for his eight wickets in the two innings, while Johnson claimed 3-40. that we’ve been able to turn things count on how many sessions we the season. Krug’s goals tied him with Erik Wild 5, Capitals 3 innings in Sydney, where a hapless It was the third time Australia had around.” won in the series. That’s a pretty Karlsson of Ottawa and Shea Weber of Nashville Defenseman Ryan Suter’s first career hat trick England endured their fifth succes- achieved a 5-0 series clean sweep Johnson’s spells in the series “cer- daunting stat to take but a very for the league lead among defensemen on 10 was the difference as the Minnesota Wild rallied sive heavy defeat. over England, after 1920-21 and tainly match the greats, if not bet- realistic statistic.” goals. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien scored his from a two-goal deficit to beat the Washington The demoralised tourists capitu- 2006-07, and Clarke was also ter”, he said. England’s hopes van- (43) feathered ninth for the Jets. Capitals 5-3. Suter scored a pair of power-play lated after tea, losing seven wickets involved in the previous one. The ished with the cheap dismissals of Johnson to wicketkeeper Brad goals in the second period and added a third in 52 minutes on their way to being Australians have now climbed to skipper Alastair Cook (7), Haddin just two balls after tea and Avalanche 4, Sharks 3 goal in the final period as Minnesota (22-17-5) three balls later debutant Gary Center Nathan MacKinnon scored two goals, won its second game in a row. Right winger Ballance was trapped plumb in center Paul Stastny had two assists and the Nino Niederreiter and left winger Jason Zucker front by Johnson for seven. Colorado Avalanche jumped out to a big lead also scored for the Wild, who lost their final six Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow before holding on to beat the San Jose Sharks 4- games of 2013, but have not lost since flipping went for a three-ball duck and debu- 3. Left wing Jamie McGinn scored against his for- the calendar. tant legspinner Scott Borthwick was mer team and defenseman Erik Johnson also Defenseman Mike Green had his first two- magnificently caught by Clarke off scored for the Avalanche, who have won three goal game of the season for Washington (20- Lyon for four. successive games. Center Patrick Marleau scored 16-6). offered some belated a goal and made two assists, and centers Logan resistance, punishing Lyon for 20 off Couture and Joe Pavelski also scored for the one over before he was bowled by Sharks. Red Wings 5, Stars 1 Harris for 32 off 16 balls with three Despite being outshot and missing star cen- fours and two sixes. Hurricanes 3, Islanders 2 ter Pavel Datsyuk, the Detroit Red Wings also went down swinging, with four Centers Manny Malhotra, Jordan Staal received two goals from left wing and captain sixes and three fours in his 42 off 36 and Brett Sutter all scored in the second Henrik Zetterberg to hand the Dallas Stars a 5-1 balls before being bowled by Harris. period as the Carolina Hurricanes hung on to defeat. Detroit (19-14-10, 48 points) started a Boyd Rankin was last man out, beat the New York Islanders 3-2. Staal and five-game road trip with goals also from center caught overhead by Clarke at sec- Sutter scored within a minute of each other Joakim Andersson, left wing Drew Miller and ond slip to complete the victory. late in the second as the Hurricanes won in left wing Tomas Tatar. Goaltender Jimmy regulation for the first time since Dec. 14, Howard made 43 saves for the Red Wings. The Miserable Series extended their winning streak to three Stars (20-14-7, 47 points), who outshot the Red Earlier Cook, who has endured a games and kept the heat on Philadelphia for Wings 44-27, received their lone goal from cen- miserable series with the bat, was the third playoff spot in the Metropolitan ter Rich Peverley, a first-period shorthanded caught behind off Johnson for seven Division. Center John Tavares and left winger score. —Reuters and was followed by Bell, who was snapped up in the gully off Ryan Harris. Pietersen was athletically SYDNEY: Australia’s paceman Mitchell Johnson (L) celebrates his wicket of England’s batsman caught by Bailey close to the bat off NHL results/standings Harris as England’s top order yet (C bottom) on the third day of the Ashes Test Cricket series at the Sydney Cricket again failed to fire. The England Boston 4, Winnipeg 1; Colorado 4, San Jose 3; Buffalo 2, New Jersey 1; NY Rangers 7, Ground yesterday. —AFP skipper has scored just 246 runs at Toronto 1; Ottawa 4, Montreal 3 (OT); Florida 5, Nashville 4 (SO); Carolina 3, NY 24.60 in this series, in sharp contrast Islanders 2; St. Louis 6, Columbus 2; Detroit 5, Dallas 1; Minnesota 5, Washington 3; to the last tour of Australia in SCOREBOARD Philadelphia 5, Phoenix 3; Los Angeles 3, Vancouver 1. 2010/11 when he amassed 766 runs at 127.66. “When you strip every- Western Conference Eastern Conference SYDNEY: Scoreboard after Australia beat England by 281 runs on the third day of the fifth Ashes test at the Sydney thing down, every single player now Pacific Division Atlantic Division Cricket Ground yesterday. Boston 28 12 2 124 89 58 has to go back and have a look at W L OTL GF GA PTS Australia first innings 326 6-0-33-3, Pietersen 4-1-17-0 themselves, have a look at their tech- Tampa Bay 25 12 4 116 95 54 England first innings 155 England second innings niques,” Cook said. Anaheim 30 8 5 142 108 65 Montreal 24 14 5 112 102 53 Australia second innings (overnight 140-4) A. Cook c Haddin b Johnson 7 “Have a look at the way they’ve San Jose 26 10 6 139 109 58 Detroit 19 14 10 114 121 48 C. Rogers c & b Borthwick 119 M. Carberry c Haddin b Johnson 43 bowled and start rebuilding again. Los Angeles 26 13 4 113 89 56 Toronto 21 17 5 119 127 47 D. Warner lbw Anderson 16 I. Bell c Warner b Harris 16 And that hunger has to come from Vancouver 23 13 7 114 104 53 Ottawa 19 18 7 126 141 45 S. Watson c Bairstow b Anderson 9 K. Pietersen c Bailey b Harris 6 within to do it.” Bell, who was impres- Florida 16 20 6 101 134 38 sive in last year’s Ashes series in Phoenix 20 12 9 123 127 49 M. Clarke c Bairstow b Broad 6 G. Ballance lbw Johnson 7 Buffalo 12 26 4 74 118 28 S. Smith c Cook b Stokes 7 B. Stokes b Harris 32 England, and Pietersen, have both Calgary 14 21 6 96 128 34 averaged less than 30 in the series. G. Bailey c Borthwick b Broad 46 J. Bairstow c Bailey b Lyon 0 Edmonton 13 26 5 112 153 31 Metropolitan Division B. Haddin b Borthwick 28 S. Borthwick c Clarke b Lyon 4 Australia were dismissed for 276 in their second innings shortly after Pittsburgh 30 12 1 136 98 61 M. Johnson b Stokes 4 S. Broad b Harris 42 lunch, with top-scoring Philadelphia 21 17 4 111 116 46 R. Harris c Carberry b Borthwick 13 J. Anderson 1 Central Division with 119. Haddin became the high- Washington 20 16 6 128 128 46 P. Siddle c Bairstow b Rankin 4 B. Rankin c Clarke b Harris 0 est-scoring Australian wicketkeeper Chicago 29 7 8 165 121 66 NY Rangers 21 20 2 105 115 44 N. Lyon not out 6 Extras (b-5, lb-2, nb-1) 8 in a Test series with his breezy 28 off St. Louis 29 7 5 150 95 63 Carolina 17 16 9 103 123 43 Extras (lb-14, w-2, nb-2) 18 Total (all out, 31.4 overs) 166 40 balls. The keeper, the nemesis of Colorado 26 11 4 120 104 56 New Jersey 17 18 8 101 110 42 Total (all out, 61.3 overs) 276 Fall of wicket: 1-7 2-37 3-57 4-87 5-90 6-91 7-95 8-139 9- the English bowlers with his aggres- Minnesota 22 17 5 106 113 49 Columbus 18 20 4 113 123 40 Fall of wickets: 1-27 2-47 3-72 4-91 5-200 6-239 7-244 8- 166 sive lower middle-order batting, fin- NY Islanders 14 22 7 112 143 35 255 9-266 Bowling: Harris 9.4-4-25-5, Johnson 9-1-40-3 (nb-1), Dallas 20 14 7 120 124 47 ished the series with 493 runs at 61.62 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one Bowling: Anderson 15-6-46-2, Broad 14-1-57-2 (nb-2, w- Siddle 4-1-24-0, Lyon 9-0-70-2. to beat the previous best of 473 by Winnipeg 19 20 5 118 129 43 point in the standings and are not includ- 1), Rankin 12.3-0-47-1, Stokes 10-0-62-2 (w-1), Borthwick Australia win the five-match series 5-0. against in 2001-02. —AFP Nashville 18 18 6 101 127 42 ed in the loss column (L).