18 Established 1961 Sports Sunday, June 7, 2020

Photo of the Day Windies will miss Bravo, Hetmyer in England: Holding

LONDON: Pace great Michael Holding believes West Indies will particularly miss batsmen Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer on their tour of England after they, along with all-rounder Keemo Paul, opted out of the series because of COVID-19 fears. The three-test series is scheduled to be played in Darren Bravo July behind closed doors at ‘bio-secure’ venues of Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford, subject to British government approval. “I think it’s unfortunate as far as West Indies cricket is concerned,” Holding said on his YouTube channel. “I’m not going to tell anyone that they should be going to England because COVID-19 is around, some- one may get sick or even worse,” he said. “But at the same time I think it’s unfortunate for the West Indies team because these guys have quite a bit of talent, and they’ll be missed.” West Indies dropped Bravo for the one-off test against Afghanistan in November and Holding reckoned the England tour was a missed op- portunity for the top-order batsman trying to revive his stop-start career. “I’m sorry that Bravo in particular isn’t going be- cause Bravo, I think, needs to resuscitate his career,” the 66-year-old Jamaican said. “I think the more cricket he can play now, especially for West Indies, the better chance he has of getting back on track and showing everyone the great player that he could be.” Fearless middle order batsman Hetmyer could have also benefited from the England tour, Holding said. “Hetmyer, again, I think he’s a very, very talented BMX athlete, Tom Oehler performs at Grand Hotel de l’ Europe in Austria in 2016. — Photo taken from www.redbullcontentpool.com player.” “Again, I’m sorry that he’s not going so that he can get more opportunity to express himself. But I ain’t blaming them for not going.” — Reuters English sets August date for restart Joe Marler signs new deal with English Premiership side Harlequins

LONDON: Premiership Rugby an- “Bearing that in mind, we look forward get back and play”. nounced its plans on Friday to resume the to the restart of the season.” The Premier- “We welcome this news and crucially English top-flight season on August 15 ship said the structure and format for the can now set timeframes in order to max- after the coronavirus shutdown. rest of the campaign would “follow in due imise our athletes’ readiness for a return Rugby chiefs earlier this week gave course”. to competition when that time comes in clearance for English Premiership clubs to Each team has nine games still to play August.” start non-contact training. The Meanwhile, England prop Joe Marler competition was suspended in has signed a new contract with Harle- mid-March but the intention is quins, the Premiership club announced still to finish the season. on Friday. Exeter are five points clear of The 29-year-old front row, who has Sale at the top of the table, with We won’t take also represented the British and Irish Bristol and Northampton occu- Lions, has made more than 200 appear- pying the other two play-off risks with ances for Quins since a debut in 2009. places. “Nothing will happen until Quins did not reveal the exact length it is safe to do so but we will do people’s health of Marler’s latest deal but said he had everything we can to resume the committed his “long-term future” to the 2019/20 Premiership Rugby London club. “I am a Harlequin, and I campaign on Saturday, 15 Au- love the club,” said Marler, capped 71 gust,” Darren Childs, chief exec- times by England . utive of English Premiership Rugby, said in the regular season but relegation is al- “Growing up with Harlequins as my in a statement. ready decided, with Saracens set to play boyhood team, I remember getting thrown “We won’t take risks with people’s in the Championship next season as pun- out of the Stoop as a fan when I was 12 health, and rugby has unique challenges ishment for salary cap breaches. because I had tried to run on the pitch. Joe Marler due to levels of proximity and impact, but Newcastle will replace Saracens after “Now I get the chance to continue my with a number of clubs moving to stage the second-tier Championship season was journey with great friends, team-mates, one, it is important for us to give players, cancelled. coaches, and fans, without getting thrown said: “It is outstanding news that Joe has props in and arguably the coaches and clubs clarity on when they Bath Rugby chief executive Tarquin out... yet.” committed his long-term future to the very best scrummaging loosehead prop in can look to return. McDonald said “we are all desperate to Harlequins’ head of rugby Paul Gustard club. “He is, without doubt, one of the best the modern era.” —AFP

them to maintain their match fitness. NADAL, BARTY FEARS Future of Argentina’s Wing Emiliano Boffelli has received offers from Djokovic worried by Djokovic was speaking a day after world num- Paris and English clubs, as have hooker Julian Mon- ber two Rafael Nadal had expressed similar reser- toya and center De la Fuente, while Stade Francais ‘extreme’ US Open vations over the US Open, the main draw for which Jaguares in doubt are also rumored to be interested in second row starts on August 31. Guido Petti. Nadal, who won a fourth US Open in 2019, said “I’m going to wait until the last minute to see what health restrictions due to coronavirus that if the New York showpiece was being staged decision to take because I’m counting on” the this week, he would not play. Jaguares, said De la Fuente. “If an offer needs to come BELGRADE: “We cannot resume until the situation is com- BUENOS AIRES: Less than a year since reaching from Europe to help the UAR, I’ll go. It pains me a lot World number one Novak Djokovic described the strict hygiene restrictions under pletely safe and fair in terms of health in that all the final, Argentina’s Jaguares face the to think that Jaguares won’t exist any more, that they players, wherever they come from, can travel and risk of collapsing due to the coronavirus pandemic. can’t play in Super Rugby.” Six players, including De which the US Open is likely to be played as “ex- treme” and a cap on support teams as “really im- play tournaments in safe conditions,” Nadal told It was 11 months ago that the only Argentine side la Fuente, will be out of contract at the end of the year reporters in a video conference call. “If you told me playing in the southern hemisphere’s premier club anyway. possible” on Friday. As doubts grow over whether or not the Grand to play the US Open today, I would say ‘no’. competition fell at the final hurdle, beaten 19-3 by “In a few months, I don’t know. I hope so. We perennial winners Crusaders in New Zealand. ‘A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY’ Slam event can go ahead as scheduled in New York, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in have to wait for people to return to normal life. And But with the 2020 season now abandoned due to The suspended Super Rugby competition has when it does, wait to see how the virus evolves.” sparked increased talk of South Africa’s four partici- the United States, Djokovic admitted the demands travel restrictions imposed by the global virus out- The tennis tour has been in cold storage since pating sides potentially joining their countrymen, the of organisers could create severe strain. break, the Jaguares’ very existence is in doubt. mid-March and will not resume until late July at the Cheetahs and Southern Kings in the European Pro 14 “Just yesterday I had a telephone conversation While New Zealand and Australia are preparing to earliest. launch domestic Super Rugby tournaments after competition that also features teams from Ireland, with the leaders of world tennis, there were talks Wimbledon was cancelled for the first time since many of their coronavirus containment measures Italy, Scotland and Wales. about the continuation of the season, mostly about World War II, while the French Open has been were lifted, Argentina is still under lockdown. And that could leave the Jaguares on their own and the US Open due in late August, but it is not known shifted from May-June to September-October. And Jaguares don’t have the possibility of taking with no-one to play against. One possible option whether it will be held,” the 33-year-old Serb told Earlier Friday, women’s world number one Ash- part in a domestic competition even when the lock- would be to join the newly-created — and almost in- Prva TV television and quoted by Blic online daily. down is eventually lifted. stantly suspended — Superliga Americana de Rugby “The rules that they told us that we would have leigh Barty also voiced caution about resuming Their only hope of competition would be to join that included fellow Argentines Ceibos as well as to respect to be there, to play at all, they are ex- tennis too soon, saying she needed more informa- an eventual South African domestic competition but teams from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and treme.” Djokovic, champion at the US Open in 2011, tion before committing to the US Open. that would undoubtedly prove costly, particularly Uruguay. 2015 and 2018, described planned limits on player “It’s exciting that tennis is being talked about given the reduced income from being forced to play Jaguares, though, would be on a totally different entourages as “really impossible”. again and things are moving in the right direction in empty stadiums. level to any of those. Former Jaguares wing Juan “We would not have access to Manhattan, we for us to start competing,” she told the Sydney “The New Zealand teams will play in New Manuel Leguizamón, who now plays in the United would have to sleep in hotels at the airport, to be Morning Herald. Zealand, the Australians in Australia and the South States, told Milenium Sports “this generates sadness.” tested twice or three times per week. “But I’d need to understand all of the informa- Africans in South Africa,” said Jaguares captain “I’ve spoken to quite a few players and they’re “Also, we could bring one person to the club tion and advice from the WTA and the USTA be- Jeronimo de la Fuente waiting for a solution. There are 35 or 40 contracts which is really impossible. “I mean, you need your fore making a decision on the US events.” “The Jaguares are left a bit isolated and we’re that will disappear,” he said. coach, then a fitness trainer, then a physiotherapist. It is expected that the ATP and WTA will issue waiting to see if we get invited to another competi- Losing their Super Rugby representatives would “All their suggestions are really rigorous but I an update on the US Open and the rest of the sea- tion. It would be difficult but it’s also a possibility.” be a huge blow for Argentine rugby, which fought for can understand that due to financial reasons, due son on Wednesday. Argentina’s (UAR) has even paved the many years to be invited to the top table of rugby’s to already existing contracts, organisers (want the Even if the US Open goes ahead, it will likely be way for Jaguares players to join foreign sides to allow yearly competitions. —AFP event to be) held. We will see what will happen.” behind closed doors. — AFP