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Home , Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Lara Mori, Marine Boyer, Quinton de Kock

FRIDAY 23 MARCH 2018 SPORT 21 We’ve got to sit down and have a good chat about it (the collapse). Is it CRICKET a mental approach? Is it something in England coach our preparation? Are we good enough at Trevor Bayliss England vs New Zealand vs working out how to actually play when 3rd Test - Day 2 1st Test - Day 2

we do lose one or two early ? ACTION at Newlands, Cape Town at Eden Park, Auckland (d/n) TODAY’S Over 450 athletes to take part in Esrar Race 2018

THE PENINSULA honourary member this year, alongside Omani teams will then qualify for the Round of 16 national team and Fanja FC footballer, Amad Al tomorrow. DOHA: More than 347 individual participants Hosni; acclaimed TV personalities Mohammed AZF has increased the number of obstacle and 108 team relay participants will vie for Saadoun Al Kuwari and Ali Al Meslemani and courses from 14 to 21 this year, all set up along honours when the second Esrar Race 2018 kicks former Middle East champion in obstacle a distance of five kilometres in Aspire Park. All off today at Aspire Park. courses, Kuwaiti Yousef Al Shatti. obstacles were designed and built in-house by The two-day obstacle course race will kick The event’s popularity last year prompted Aspire’s Logistics team. off at 8.00am. AZF to add an additional category for men and Some of the materials used were originally Qatar’s celebrity athlete, World Champion women’s relay teams to last year’s individual purchased for the 2006 Asian Games at Khalifa and the 2018 IAAF Athlete of the Year, Mutaz races, extending the duration of the compe- International Stadium, demonstrating AZF’s Essa Barshim will be participating as an tition to two days instead of one. commitment to sporting legacy. Individual races and team relays will kick The 2nd Esrar Race 2018 is organised in off on the first day of the competition. After with Diverse – a Qatari business everyone has run once, the winners of the men that specialises in sports events management, and women’s individual races will be the Qatar Tourism Authority, Ooredoo and Al announced. Meanwhile, the fastest 16 relay Mosak, a fitness food company.

Aussies fight back Boult leads the way as after Elgar heroics England skittled for 58 AFP CAPE TOWN: Australian fast REUTERS SCOREBOARD England’s is bowled by New Zealand’s Trent bowler trans- ENGLAND Boult during the first day of the first cricket Test match formed the first day of the third AUCKLAND: New Zealand c Latham b Boult ...... 5 at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand yesterday. Test against South Africa with was in Mark Stoneman c Watling b Southee ...... 11 a devastating four- spell sight of his 18th Test century as b Root ...... 0 at Newlands yesterday. the ball dominated the bat on the Dawid Malan c Watling b Boult ...... 2 Despite an unbeaten 121 opening day of the two-match Ben Stokes b Boult ...... 0 from , South Africa series with England dismissed for Jonny Bairstow c and b Southee ...... 0 were on a shaky 266 for eight Moeen Ali b Southee ...... 0 a record low score of 58 at Eden Chris Woakes b Boult ...... 5 at the close in a pivotal match Park yesterday. Craig Overton ...... 33 in the bad-tempered four-Test Williamson was 91 not out Stuart Broad c Williamson b Southee ...... 0 series. The teams are locked with Henry Nicholls on 24 as New James Anderson c Nicholls b Boult ...... 1 at 1-1. Zealand advanced to 175 for three Extras (1lb) ...... 1 The hosts looked in at stumps, a lead of 117 after TOTAL (all out) ...... . command when they reached England had been bowled out in Overs: 20.4. Batting time: 95 minutes. 220 for two, with Elgar and AB the first 90 minutes of play fol- Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-6, 3-16, 4-18, 5-18, 6-18, de Villiers scoring at better than lowing a and Tim 7-23, 8-23, 9-27, 10-58. four runs an over in a third : Trent Boult 10.4-3-32-6, Tim Southee Southee seam onslaught. 10-3-25-4. wicket stand of 128. Boult and Southee struck NEW ZEALAND It all changed when early and often after Williamson Cummins came back into the Jeet Raval c Bairstow b Anderson ...... 3 South African batsman Dean had won the toss and opted to Tom Latham c Woakes b Broad ...... 26 attack in the 63rd over and with Elgar celebrates after scoring bowl with the pink ball in the first Kane Williamson not out ...... 91 his fifth induced a false day-night Test in New Zealand. Ross Taylor c Woakes b Anderson ...... 20 shot from De Villiers, who drove a century against Australia Boult finished with a career- Henry Nicholls not out ...... 24 him to mid-off after scoring 64. yesterday. best six for 32 after he had ripped Extras (6lb, 5w) ...... 11 It was the start of a superb TOTAL (for three wickets) ...... the top off England’s batting with Overs:69. spell in which Cummins took SCOREBOARD 4-9 from his first six overs. four wickets for 12 runs in eight Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-92, 3-123. SOUTH AFRICA, first Southee finished with 4-25. Bowling: James Anderson 13-4-32-2, Stuart overs to finish the day with four D. Elgar not out ...... 121 While England’s fans buried Broad 15-4-24-1, Craig Overton 15-4-43-0, Chris for 64. A. Markram c Smith b Hazlewood ...... 0 their heads in their hands and Woakes 15-5-36-0 (5w), Moeen Ali 11-1-34-0. Mitchell Marsh and Mitchell H. Amla c Cummins b Hazlewood ...... 31 voiced their frustration over social Starc followed up with two late A. de Villiers c Warner b Cummins ...... 64 media, it could have been much four wickets falling to catches wickets. When Keshav Maharaj F. du Plessis c Smith b Cummins ...... 5 worse had bowler Craig Overton behind the wicket. drove Starc to cover, South T. Bavuma c Smith b Cummins ...... 1 not produced a counter-attacking England captain Joe Root Africa had lost six wickets for Q. de Kock c Paine b Cummins ...... 3 33 not out. (nought), Ben Stokes (nought) and 37 runs -- and lost control of the V. Philander c Paine b M. Marsh ...... 8 After slumping to 23-8, Chris Woakes (five) were all also match on the best batting pitch K. Maharaj c Bancroft b Starc ...... 3 K. Rabada not out ...... 6 Overton hit a boundary to push bowled by Boult, while Moeen Ali of any of the Tests South Africa Extras (b8, lb11, nb3, w2) ...... 24 his side past the lowest score in failed to clamp down on a have hosted against India and Total (8 wickets, 87 overs) ...... 266 Test history -- the 26 scored by Southee yorker. delivery to Woakes at mid-wicket ENGLAND’S LOWEST Australia this season. To bat: M. Morkel New Zealand against England at England’s bowlers appeared on 26 to give him his 400th Test TEST TOTALS Opening batsman Elgar had Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Markram), 2-92 (Amla), Eden Park in 1955. angry at their sensational collapse victim. scored 106 when De Villiers was 3-220 (De Villiers), 4-234 (Du Plessis), 5-236 Overton then ensured they -- their lowest score against New Despite becoming just the dismissed and batted with more (Bavuma), 6-242 (De Kock), 7-254 (Philander), surpassed their own lowest score Zealand and sixth worst overall second England bowler to reach 45 - Vs Australia, Sydney, fluency than usual. 8-257 (Maharaj) -- the 45 they limped to against -- and strangled the hosts’ the milestone -- new ball partner 1887 He reached his century off Bowling: Starc 21-3-81-1 (2nb), Hazlewood 18- 46 - VS West Indies, Port 4-37-2, Lyon 19-6-39-0, Cummins 21-4-64-4 Australia in Sydney in 1887. batsmen for long periods of the Jimmy Anderson has 525 wickets 178 balls with 16 fours and a six (1w), M. Marsh 7-2-26-1 (1nb, 1w), Smith 1-1-0-0 Prior to his innings, England’s remaining two sessions. -- Broad’s celebrations were of Spain, 1994 but opted to go back on the 51 Australia: S. Smith, C. Bancroft, D. Warner, U. batsmen had looked totally lost. Tom Latham and Williamson, muted as he raised the ball to the - Vs West Indies, Kingston, defensive as wickets fell around Khawaja, S. Marsh, M. Marsh, T. Paine, P. Cum- While Boult and Southee bowled however, stoically wore the applauding crowd when they 2009 him. By the close he had faced mins, M. Starc, N. Lyon, J. Hazlewood between a good and full length, bowlers down and took their side were informed of the milestone. 52 - Vs Australia, London, another 75 balls after reaching Toss: South Africa the ball was not swinging wildly to a 30-run lead entering the final An aggressively-minded Ross 1948 his hundred and only added one or seaming markedly. session under lights. Taylor was the only other wicket 53 - Vs Australia, London, more boundary. Too many of their batsmen, The 31-year-old Stuart Broad, to fall under the lights when he 1888 It was Elgar’s 11th Test helmet during a sustained spell starting with former captain however, broke through in the misread an Anderson bouncer 58 - VS New Zealand, century and his second against of fast, short-pitched bowling. Alastair Cook, failed to move their first over of the evening session, and was caught by Woakes at Auckland, 2018 Australia. On 61 he reached De Villiers, the leading feet and were crease bound, with with Latham clipping a full mid-wicket for 20. 3,000 runs in Tests. batsman in the series, looked Elgar and (31) comfortable from the start and stabilised the innings with a made his 64 runs off 95 balls second wicket partnership of 86 with ten fours. off 174 balls after Josh Cummins then had both Faf ‘Many years’ later, IPL to adopt DRS Hazlewood had du Plessis and caught at second slip by Aus- caught at second slip by Smith tralian captain for for five and one respectively AFP gets underway next month. “Yes, this idea has finally adopted it in 2016, becoming the last nought. before got a been going around for many years,” Shukla Test nation to do so. Hazlewood struck again bottom edge to an attempted NEW Delhi: This year’s told reporters on Wednesday, according to In the upcoming IPL, which runs from when Amla was caught at fine pull and was caught behind for will feature the Decision Review System (DRS) the Press Trust of India news agency. April 7 to May 27, each team will get one leg soon after lunch. He also had three. for the first time, organisers have said. DRS is used by match officials to check review per innings. The IPL’s adoption of DRS Elgar dropped at backward was IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla confirmed umpires’ decisions, using slow-motion replays, comes after the Pakistan Super League point by Nathan Lyon when the caught behind off Mitchell that the technology will be used when the microphones and thermal imaging. became the first T20 franchise league to use batsman was on 53 and four Marsh before Maharaj fell to eleventh edition of the cash-rich tournament India resisted the technology for years but the technology last year. runs later hit Elgar on the Starc. 22 SPORT FRIDAY 23 MARCH 2018 Hamilton yet to peak as he chases fifth title

AFP to be more consistent than I was last MELBOURNE: Defending champion year. I think consistency was the reason Lewis Hamilton said yesterday he I won the world championship.” hadn’t yet reached the peak of his I’m sure there is a peak for Hamilton, who showed little powers as he embarks on the week- interest in elaborating on his answers end’s Australian Grand Prix in search a driver when his fitness to media questioning at his conference, of a fifth Formula One crown. levels get harder to reach, said he was focused on racing. Hamilton, who is reportedly about when your interest and “I’m definitely not tired, this is the to sign a new contract with Mercedes, drive starts to decline. I 12th season I’m doing the press con- says he is ready to break down new guess that’s when you’re ferences,” he said. barriers at the age of 33. “I’m definitely not the most excited While appearing disinterested for over your peak, but I about this section of the season and Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton greets his fans ahead of the Formula large parts of the drivers’ news con- definitely feel I’m not at the race weekend, but I’m looking One Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne yesterday. ference ahead of Sunday’s Melbourne that (stage): Hamilton forward to getting in the car.” opener, Hamilton said he was definitely He had words of praise for his rival ready to take on all-comers in the “In my mind I’m trying to break Vettel, sitting alongside him at the 21-race season. down new barriers, push the envelope media conference. The British driver was asked if he and see how far I can take (it) -- firstly, “The ultimate goal to be the best is Rosberg trying to get had reached his peak. “I hope not,” said the opportunity that I have and obvi- that you’re going to have to go up Hamilton. ously the ability I have to realise my against the best,” he said of Vettel. “I’m sure there is a peak for a driver full potential,” he said. “He’s got the four world titles, had ‘headlines’: Hamilton when his fitness levels get harder to “I don’t know what that is and the most of any other driver at the time reach, when your interest and drive that’s what I’m discovering.” and I think this is an exciting year for REUTERS the case last year,” champion Hamilton starts to decline. Hamilton said inconsistency issues Formula One fans that we have two told reporters at the pre-race news con- “I guess that’s when you’re over were now in the past as he seeks his four-time world champions battling it MELBOURNE: Lewis Hamilton has ference yesterday, referring to his nine your peak, but I definitely feel I’m not fourth world title in five years after out.” dismissed criticism from former wins on the way to the 2017 title. at that (stage).” winning his first one with McLaren in Hamilton has won twice in Mel- Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg “I think there’s a lot of people who The Englishman, who beat Ferrari 2008. bourne, in 2008 and 2015, and has won as the product of someone seeking need to get headlines and that’s one arch-rival Sebastian Vettel to win last “I think there are a lot of people 62 of his 208 GPs. “headlines”. way of doing it. year’s world title with two races to that need to get headlines, so that’s one He already holds the record for Rosberg, who beat Hamilton to “The goal this year is to be even spare, said he is eyeing new highs this way of saying it,” he said. most pole positions with 72 ahead of the 2016 world championship before more consistent than last year. I think year. “But, I think the important issue is Michael Schumacher’s 68. retiring, told Sky Sports this week that consistency is the main reason I won the Briton was “almost unbeatable” the world championship last year.” when on song but his “weakness” was Hamilton conceded the early a “bit of inconsistency”. running in the 2017 title race to Fer- Hamilton, whose long-standing rari’s Sebastian Vettel before the Ger- relationship with Rosberg grew man’s challenge fell away in the strained during their four years second half of the season. together at the Silver Arrows, viewed The Briton is favourite to win a Vettel seeks ‘ultimate the German’s remarks dimly three fifth title and draw level with Juan days before Sunday’s season-opening Manuel Fangio, who is second on the Australian Grand Prix. all-time list behind Michael Schu- satisfaction’ of F1 crown “I think I’ve proved that that’s not macher’s seven championships. AFP MMercedes world champion Hamilton in last year’s Mel- F1 start lights moved to LLewis Hamilton as they chase bourne GP, has won 47 of his MELBOURNE:MELBOURNE: SebastianSebastian 11950s Argentine legend Juan 199 GPs going back to his F1 VettelVettel (pictured)(pictured) says hehe is MManuel Fangio’s mark of five debut with Toro Rosso in 2007. compensate for halo searching for the “ultimate wworld titles -- second only to “It’s a long season. If it’s REUTERS satisfaction”satisfaction” ofof winningwinning hishis MMichael Schumacher’s seven one race that’s a different “We’ve also put a repeat set of fifthfifth FFormulaormula OOnene wworldorld ttitleitle iin the all-time list. story, but there are a lot of lights, in this case off to the left, over drivingdriving fforor Ferrari aheadahead ooff Vettel, who finished races,” Vettel said. MELBOURNE: Formula One has the verge.” thisthis weekend’s season rrunner-up behind Hamilton in “Based on winter testing I changed the positioning of race start The repeat set were introduced openeropener in AustraliaAustralia.. llast year’s world champi- would say we are in good lights to ensure drivers can see clearly around 2009 when higher rear wings TheThe single-mindedsingle-minded oonship, is confident he has the shape and could be in better around the new halo head protection made it harder to see the lights, but German, whowho strunstrungg ccar to take down the Eng- shape, but it’s always like that.” system that debuts in Australia this aerodynamic changes have now fixed togethertogether ffourour worworldld cchampi-hampi- llishman and said it would be Vettel said it was far too weekend. that problem. onshipsonships with Red Bull before eeven more special to do it with early to talk about equalling The halo, a titanium structure “Now the wings have been switchingswitching to Ferrari in 2015, is FFerrari. Fangio’s five world crowns fixed at three points with a central lowered, there’s no need for those lookinglooking for his third Australian “After you’ve won a little heading into the first of the upright in front of the driver’s vision (lights) halfway up the grid so I’ve GrandGrand Prix win in MelbourneMelbourne bbit it becomes a bit special to 21-race season. and an overhead loop, has been intro- decided to utilise them somewhere on Sunday.Sunday. wwin against the best,” Vettel “Certainly, if it did happen duced to protect against the risk of else,” said Whiting. Vettel,Vettel, 30, is in a ddueluel ttold a media conference then you would start to bouncing wheels and other debris. “Pole position seems to be the thisthis season withwith yyesterday. realise, but now I don’t see the Some drivers have expressed worst case scenario with the halo defendingdefending “Now I am searching for point of thinking ‘what if?’,” concern about seeing the start lights, there -- maybe the driver can’t quite tthe ultimate satisfaction to win he said. depending on where they line up on see the lights, or see only half of them, wwith Ferrari, which is the “I think nowadays the the grid. and he might have to move his head ggreatest team in history.” times are different, they are “With the halo, what we’ve asked too much.” “That’s my ultimate target very different times to what every circuit to do is to make the lights The new arrangements will be nnow...(to) win for Ferrari and Fangio achieved. Every era has at a standard height above the track,” tried out today after the two practice wwin against the best, which its own challenges, certainly the governing FIA’s race director sessions at Albert Park, with drivers arguablya Lewis is one of them.” they were different back then. Charlie Whiting told reporters allowed to rehearse starts on the Vettel, who trumped It’s not in my mind now.” yesterday. grid. Portugal stick to winning formula from Euro 2016 AP including Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo (left) attends a training session with team-mates at the training Moutinho fighting for a spot to most regular starters from that camp in Oeiras in the outskirts of Lisbon yesterday, on the eve of a friendly football match between play closer to the attack along ZURICH: Portugal has few unan- tournament. Portugal and Egypt in Zurich. with Bernardo Silva, who was swered questions going into the From the team that started in not in France two years ago. World Cup, with coach Fernando the final against France two years DEFENSE Santos sticking to most of the ago, only Nani and Renato Santos is likely to keep his squad that won the European Sanches were not included in starting central defenders from Championship two years ago. Santos’ list for the upcoming Euro 2016, with veterans Pepe Santos hasn’t finalized his friendlies. and Bruno Alves in charge. 23-player list, but he will be Here’s a closer look at Por- The right back will probably keeping the core of players who tugal three months before the remain with Cedric Soares, but helped Portugal win its first major World Cup: there could be a change in the title in France. ATTACK left back position because Fabio Santos will make a few final Portugal’s attack again will Coentrao is set to make the tests in the friendlies against be carried by Ronaldo, who was squad for Russia. Egypt today in Zurich and against key for the team’s success in GOALKEEPER the Netherlands on Monday in France and has been in top form Rui Patricio was in goal Geneva, but there won’t be many with Real Madrid. during the tournament in France changes to the final squad. The forward had a slow start and is set to start at the World “We have 70 percent of the to his season but has scored 21 Cup as well. final list (playing in these goals in his last 11 matches in all Portugal conceded five goals friendlies),” Santos said. “And competitions. He has scored at in its seven matches at Euro some players were not available, least one goal in his last eight 2016, but none in the semifinals so if we consider the previous list matches and is back in the race attacking partner from two years Quaresma, Nani and Eder, whose MIDFIELD or the final. as well, then we are very close for top-scorer in the Spanish ago for the World Cup, though, extra time goal in the final against Raphael Guerreiro and The reserves will likely be (to that final list).” league with 22 goals, three with Gelson Martins and Goncalo France helped Portugal clinch William Carvalho are expected Anthony Lopes and Beto, the More than 15 players from the behind Barcelona forward Lionel Guedes gaining space up front. title. Quaresma is the only to anchor Portugal’s midfielder only one who was not in the Euro 2016 squad are practically Messi. During Euro 2016, the for- forward from that squad who is again, with Joao Mario, Andre winning squad in France two guaranteed to make it to Russia, He will likely have a different wards included Ricardo likely to make it to Russia. Gomes, Adrien Silva and Joao years ago. FRIDAY 23 MARCH 2018 SPORT 23 Osaka knocks out Sprint king Bolt gets his Dortmund trial today Williams in Miami REUTERS REUTERS BERLIN: Multiple Olympic champion Usain Bolt will train with Borussia MIAMI: Naomi Osaka continued Dortmund today as the retired Jamaican her stunning run of form with a 6-3, sprinter fulfils his ambition to workout 6-2 victory over 23-times grand with a major professional soccer team, slam champion Serena Williams in the German club said yesterday. the first round of the Miami Open The training session will be open to on Wednesday, the latest big win the public, with the world record holder for the 20-year-old Japanese in the 100 and 200 metres, who retired player. last year, a major crowd puller. Osaka backed up last week’s Dortmund, who share the same Indian Wells title triumph with a sponsor in Puma as Bolt, expect a large brilliant display in the eagerly- crowd to attend the session. However, anticipated showdown on a day they warned fans that there was only when former number one Victoria limited space. Azarenka also triumphed, while The 31-year-old Bolt, an eight-times American Amanda Anisimova Olympic gold medallist and a big football withdrew with an ankle injury. fan, had announced his intention to train The match, their first career with Dortmund in January. He confirmed meeting, remained on serve in the on Thursday he would be taking part. first set until the world number 22 “BVB, get ready for Friday,” he said forced break point opportunities on Twitter. at 3-3 and took advantage when Bolt is a Manchester United supporter the American was unable to deal and jokingly said after a charity match on Retired Jamaican Olympic and World champion with a blistering backhand at her Thursday that he hoped his Dortmund sprinter Usain Bolt takes part in an exhibition feet. appearance would lead to a contract with Osaka was able to break Wil- the Premier League club. football match in Basel, Switzerland on Wednesday. liams again after a back-and-forth deuce battle to take the first set, with her big serve and relentless return game proving even stronger in the second as she broke to move World Cup at risk from 3-1 ahead and never looked back. Naomi Osaka of Japan serves The end of the contest was anti- to Serena Williams during the climatic when an ugly unforced Miami Open at Crandon Park match-fixing: Experts error by Williams, who hit a wide Tennis Center in Key Biscayne, open forehand long, sent Osaka Florida on Wednesday. AFP into a second round showdown against world number four Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. unseeded Williams, an eight-times Three-times Miami champion LONDON: The World Cup is not immune “I was extremely nervous champion at the tournament, to Azarenka, in just her second tour- from the threat of match-fixing, experts have coming on to the court. I don’t play Osaka in the first round. nament since taking an eight- warned, with sophisticated monitoring know if anybody knows this but “Serena should have a special month break to focus on a custody systems in place to identify suspicious The vulnerabilities are Serena is my favorite player,” seeding, but also the (women’s gov- battle, showed good form in activity during the tournament in Russia. there even though they are Osaka said in an on-court erning body) WTA should use the beating American Catherine Bellis Jake Marsh, head of integrity at digital international sides so quite interview. most current ranking,” tennis com- 6-3, 6-0. media group Perform, which supplies live rightly (world governing body) The 36-year-old Williams, mentator and former world “I’m happy that I’m playing,” sports video to bookmakers, said there was playing her fourth match since the number one Lindsay Davenport the Belarusian said. “I don’t want no room for complacency despite the global FIFA have monitoring in place birth of her first child in September, said on the Tennis Channel. to be over-the-moon happy, nature of the event. at the World Cup: Jake Marsh is still working her way back into “The men do it. It’s too big a because I’m still in the tour- He said factors such as national pride and form and although she demon- tournament to have something like nament, and I want to continue the impression -- sometimes false -- that all strated her trademark power, she this happen.” to reach any heights and new the players are well-paid, did not mean the Betting companies have plans in place struggled to move smoothly around Osaka’s win was her latest goals.” World Cup would not be targeted. in the event of suspicious betting patterns the court. against one of the biggest names in Anisimova injured an ankle “We have had World Cup qualifiers that related to any of the matches in the tour- Osaka looked fresh despite the sport, coming hot on the heels during her first-round win on have been proved as fixed,” said Marsh, who nament, which runs from June 14 to July 15. having played seven matches in of victories over former grand slam Tuesday and the 16-year-old was was speaking at the Betting on Football con- “What is special during every big event Indian Wells to capture her first champion Maria Sharapova, fifth unable to front up again a day ference at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge ground like the World Cup is that our activity takes career title on Sunday. seed Karolina Pliskova and world later for her scheduled match on Wednesday. “So why wouldn’t they go place at a national level,” said Maillet. Some felt it was unfair that the number one Simona Halep in against third seeded Wimbledon into the main tournament? “Before every event we have a meeting Miami Open allowed the now Indian Wells. champion Garbine Muguruza. “We looked at a friendly match last year specifically to identify potential risks, and between two international sides, one of every third day a conference call between whom couldn’t afford to pay their hotel bill key members exchanging information and and might be featuring at the World Cup.” of course feedback as to what the organising “The vulnerabilities are there even body has determined as potentially bearing Johnson, McIlroy lose on though they are international sides so quite a risk. This is exactly how we worked during rightly (world governing body) FIFA have the last Winter Olympic Games, every third monitoring in place at the World Cup,” day we would have contact with the IOC added Marsh, who has been involved in (International Olympic Committee) checking first day of Match Play fighting corruption for more than a decade. what has happened, what are the betting Gilles Maillet, sport integrity director of trends in the market both online and retail, REUTERS least. I made the scoreline a little more respectable,” La Francaise des Jeux (FDJ), which operates where behaviour can be different.” McIlroy told reporters. the French national lottery, said it is a fallacy Eric Konings, sports betting integrity TEXAS: World number one Dustin Johnson and four- “I got down early and he didn’t make a bogey all to think fixers always pick events that could officer at online gambling company Kindred time major winner Rory McIlroy suffered surprise day. So it was hard to sort of claw my way back.” be below the radar. Group, said most responsible betting firms defeats on Wednesday as the WGC-Dell Match Play McIlroy and the other Wednesday losers will get “It is very clear and a point worth would have prepared well in advance. got off to a typically unpredictable start in Texas. a chance to make amends over the next two days as making that many people think most fixers “If you have to set up all kinds of proc- Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, seeded 52nd at the the tournament no longer uses a knockout format focus on low-level competitions because it esses and implement ad hoc solutions tournament, beat defending champion Johnson 3&1, until the weekend. is easier to fix and involves less expense to because the World Cup is coming then I while Peter Uihlein (57th) defeated McIlroy (sixth) 2&1 The 64 players are divided into 16 groups of four, them,” said the Frenchman. think there is something wrong with how at Austin Country Club. with everyone in each pod playing each other over “On the other hand, with the amount of you approached your topic,” said Konings. In another surprise, American Julian Suri, the the first three days. The winner of each group advances transactions you have at large events it can “You have your risk management, your lowest ranked of the 64 men in the field, beat Aus- to the final 16 and the elimination stage. be more difficult to detect the fix, which can financial risk management and internal tralia’s world number 15 Marc Leishman, seeded 11th, Wiesberger said he played more freely without be hidden behind the large amounts of awareness. It is all set up and it is just a case 3&2. any burden of expectation against top seed Johnson. money that are bet.” of rolling it out again and take it as it comes.” McIlroy’s defeat came three days after he won the “I thought it was the easiest game I could have,” Arnold Palmer Invitational with a barnstorming final said the four-times European Tour winner. round. “I’m the underdog playing the defending champion, The Northern Irishman said he had been a “little so it was just go out there and see what happens. flat” early on, though rallied late with five consecutive “We both didn’t have a great day. He gave away Williams wanted to retire birdies to make it close a couple of holes quite unexpectedly.” before a relieved American Suri was another who revelled in the Uihlein closed it out underdog role. with a par at the “I like to think I play my best with a little chip on after World Cup failure 17th. my shoulder,” said Suri, who plays mainly on the “I made him European Tour where he won the Made in Denmark REUTERS reporters. “I spoke to the earn it at tournament last people closest to me, I didn’t August. LONDON: Wales captain want to retire or anything like Second Ashley Williams (pictured) that. and fourth says he considered retiring “But I felt like it was seeds Justin from international football something that I should’ve Thomas and after their failure to qualify for thought about and seen where Jordan Spieth won this summer’s World Cup I was at with club and inter- their contests while third seed Jon Rahm halved finals in Russia. national football and life in with Keegan Bradley. The 33-year-old defender general. Two-times Masters champion Bubba Watson played in October’s 1-0 home “I did give that a thought, made a hot start to beat South African Branden Grace defeat by Ireland in the qual- but then I decided I wanted 5&3. ifiers which left Wales third to keep doing it anyway.” in Group D and ended their Williams said that he had World Cup hopes. met with new Wales manager Bernd Wiesberger of Austria plays his shot from “It was just so disap- Ryan Giggs and his backroom the 12th tee during the first round of the World pointing missing out on that I staff earlier this month to help Golf Championships-Dell Match Play at Austin had to think about them get familiar with the Country Club on Wednesday in Austin, Texas. retirement,” Williams told team. SPORT Friday 23 March 2018 PAGE | 21 PAGE | 22 PAGE | 23 New Zealand bowl Hamilton yet to peak Bolt’s coming! out England for 58 in as he chases fifth F1 Star to train with first Test title Dortmund

Ruoteng shines as Uchimura fails again at FIG World Cup

FAWAD HUSSAIN A gymnast in action FINALS LINE-UP THE PENINSULA Qatar's Mosa Ahmed during the FIG Artistic celebrates after performing Individual World Cup at Aspire Dome yesterday. Women’s Exercise DOHA: World champion Xiao qualification round 1. Taeja James (GBR) 13.533 points Ruoteng made a strong comeback yesterday. while Japanese superstar Kohei 2. Rune Hermans (BEL) 13.500 Uchimura endured another 3. Elisa Meneghini (ITA) 13.466 disappointing day in Doha as the 4. Nagi Kajita (JPN) 13.433 final qualification rounds of the 5. Jinru Liu (CHN) 13.266 FIG Artistic Individual World Cup concluded yesterday. 6. Lara Mori (ITA) 13.266 As many as 10 gold medals 7. Su Jong Kim (PRK) 13.200 will be up for grabs during 8. Axelle Klinckaert (BEL) 13.133 two-day finals beginning today 8. Marine Boyer (FRA) 13.133 at the Aspire Dome. It was another bad day for Women’s three-time Olympics gold med- 1 -Melanie de Jesus dos Santos (FRA) allist Uchimura as he failed to 13.733 points qualify for any of the four finals 2. Marine Boyer (FRA) 13.666 he competed for. Returning from an injury he 3. Nina Derwael (BEL) 13.500 suffered six months ago in Mon- 4. Aneta Holasova (CZE) 13.200 treal, Uchimura, also famous as 5. Yuki Uchiyama (JPN) 13.166 ‘King Kohei’, failed to qualify for 6. Nagi Kajita (JPN) 12.900 pommel horse and rings finals on the first day. 7. Adela Sajn (SLO) 12.866 Although he showed some 8. Nora Feher (HUN) 12.800 confidence in and hori- Men’s Vault zontal bars qualifying rounds 1. Igor Radivilov (UKR) 14.649 points yesterday, his performance was not enough to give him a place 2. Mingqi Huang (CHN) 14.616 among top eight athletes who 3. Ruiyang Qu (CHN) 14.533 advanced to the finals. 4. Ferhat Arican (TUR) 14.416 In his second attempt in vault, 5. Chih Kai Lee (TPE) 14.249 the 29-year-old managed to get 6. Carlos Edriel Yulo (PHI) 14.183 13.600 points which gave him just the 9th spot. In horizontal bars, 7. Takumi Sato (JPN) 14.183 he finished on 10th spot after a 8. Konstantin Kuzovkov (GEO) 14.116 tally of 13.433 points. Men’s Parallel Bars “It’s disappointing, as I 1. Jingyuan Zou (CHN) 16.266 points wanted to qualify for the finals,” said Uchimura. 2. Ruoteng Xiao (CHN) 15.133 “As I said before this was not 3. Andrei Vasile MUNTEAN (ROU) 14.533 hundred percent from me. I was excellent, but I wasn’t in the best and horizontal bars following rings will be held while women’s 4. Yuya Kamoto (JPN) 14.433 not fully fit. I just wanted to of my mood. But, I am hopeful an impressive performance. The will compete for top honours in 5. Aleksandr Chicherov (RUS) 14.366 return to action after injury but that I will regain my form soon,” world champion won the quali- vault and . my leg was paining. I didn’t want the Japanese star added. fication round for horizontal bars Meanwhile, the Secretary- 6. Ferhat Arican (TUR ) 14.300 to push it hard.” In contrast, Uchimura’s after a flawless show that lent I will check all the General of the Kazakh Federation 7. Ryohei Kato (JPN) 14.166 “I will check all the footages Chinese rival Ruoteng made a him 14.833 points, ahead of of Gymnastics, Igor Dikenbayeva, footages of my 8. Marvin Kimble (USA) 14.133 of my performances when I get strong comeback after failing on Frenchman Edgar Boulet (14.533 hailed the Qatar Gymnastics Fed- Men’s Horizontal Bar back to Japan. I need to work on the horse on first day, storming points) and compatriot Shudi performances when eration for hosting the World Cup my weaknesses. Training was into the finals of parallel bars Deng (14.500). in a befitting manner. 1. Ruoteng Xiao (CHN) 14.833 points I get back to Japan. “This is the 10th time for me 2. Edgar Boulet (FRA) 14.533 Japanese superstar Kohei Uchimura competes I need to work on and I see improvement every 3. Shudi Deng (CHN) 14.500 at Aspire Dome yesterday. year,” she said. 4. Tin Srbic (CRO) 14.333 my weaknesses: “The arrangement are great Kohei Uchimura and world class facilities at Aspire 5. Ryohei Kato (JPN) 14.300 deserve praise. Qatar will also be 6. Marvin Kimble (USA) 13.633 Qatar’s rising gymnast Mosa hosting the World Champion- 7. Noah Kuavita (BEL) 13.566

Ahmed also impressed with his ships this year and I am confident 8. Alec Yoder (USA) 13.533 skills in horizontal bars. they will do it successfully,” she Ruoteng stood second in par- added. allel bars with 15.133 points behind another compatriot Jin- gyuan Zou who won the quali- fying round with 16.266 points. Romania’s Andrei Vasile took third spot. The vault qualifying round saw Ukraine’s Igor Radivilov dominating his opponents for a first place with Mingqi Huang and Ruiyang Qu occupying the next two spots respectively. Britain’s James Taeja topped A gymnast in in women’s floor exercise while action during de Jesus dos Santos of France the FIG Artistic won the qualifying round of Individual World balance beam. Cup qualification Today, the finals of men’s round yesterday. floor exercise, pommel horse and