THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 SPORTS Tunisia coach quits after loss England bowler to retire Coleman: Bale not fit enough TUNISIA: Tunisia coach Nabil Maaloul has resigned after their surprise LONDON: Former England seam bowler Matthew Hoggard MADRID: Real Madrid’s record signing Gareth Bale is not fit enough to last World Cup elimination at the weekend following a 2-0 home defeat by the announced he will retire from cricket after making his final a full match and it would be “dangerous” to make him play 90 minutes if he Cape Verde Islands. first class appearance for Leicestershire next week. debuts in Saturday’s La Liga match at Villarreal, according to Wales coach The result allowed the tiny island nation to leapfrog Tunisia and win the Hoggard, who was part of England’s memorable Ashes Chris Coleman. Bale, who became the world’s most expensive player when group. Tunisia only needed a draw in their last Group B match to be among winning side in 2005, represented his country in 67 tests he joined Real for 100 million euros ($133 million) at the start of the month, 10 group winners to compete in a final round of playoff matches which played the final half an hour of Wales’s 3-0 World Cup qualification defeat to would determine Africa’s five places at the 2014 World Cup. and 26 one-day internationals between 2000 and 2008. “I want to thank all of my family, friends, my past oppo- Serbia on Tuesday, his first competitive action since July. But they were two goals down before halftime “We have looked at him in these 10 days and he is nents... and both Yorkshire and Leicestershire County and were unable to launch a comeback. “This is a nowhere near ready for 90 minutes even if Spanish football big disappointment, I don’t know what hap- Cricket Clubs for the support and dedication that they is slower,” Coleman was quoted as saying on the FIFA web- pened,” Maaloul told the La Presse newspaper. have shown me over the course of my career,” Hoggard site (www.fifa.com) yesterdaysday. “If he starts Saturday, “This was my last match in charge of the national said in a statement on his website (www.matthewhog- he will not finish the game. I would be amazed if he team. I can only apologise for the disappoint- gard.com). does,” he added. ment. My players were totally hopeless. “Playing cricket professionally and, of course, playing as “He may get 45 minutes, I don’t know, but he will feel There were eight of the 11 who did not part of the national side is a dream that nearly every better in himself after 30 minutes here. “But he has take any responsibility.” Maaloul had young boy growing up in Yorkshire shares. only had four training sessions in two months been in the job for less than a year which is dangerous.” Real have won their since taking over from Sami Trabelsi “I feel truly honoured to have been given such incredible opportunities and I am grateful to everyone that I have worked opening three La Liga matches under following the country’s failure to new coach Carlo Ancelotti, who alongside for the past 17 years.” Hoggard’s final professional get past the first round at the replaced Jose Mourinho at the end of African Nations Cup in South match will be against Hampshire next week.—Reuters last season. —Reuters Africa in January.—Reuters Dodgers defeat D’backs LOS ANGELES: Pinch-hitter Scott Van Slyke’s two- run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. Van Slyke lined the homer off Josh Collmenter (4-3) into the lower left field seats, scoring Mark Ellis who singled just ahead of Van Slyke. It was the Dodgers’ fifth consecutive win over the D-backs. They hit six homers, including three by Juan Uribe, in winning the series opener on Monday. Chris Withrow (1-0) got the victory, strik- ing out four in 1 1-3 innings. BRAVES 4, MARLINS 3 In Miami, Julio Teheran, working on 10 days’ rest, overcame a rough first inning and pitched into the seventh to help the Braves beat the Marlins. Teheran (12-7) gave up three runs in the first, then none after that, and he left with a 4-3 lead. Craig Kimbrel pitched around a one-out double by ST. PETERSBURG: Pitcher Junichi Tazawa No. 36 of the Boston Red Sox throws in relief in Placido Polanco in the ninth for his major league- the 8th inning against the Tampa Bay Rays. —AFP leading 46th save in 49 chances. Atlanta went 3 for 16 with runners in scoring position, but Evan Gattis had his third straight two- RBI game. Braves right fielder Justin Upton left the Red Sox blank Rays game in the fourth inning with a bruised right knee after fouling a ball off it. His status is day to day. ST. PETERSBURG: Clay Buchholz allowed TWINS 4, ATHLETICS 3 Tom Koehler (3-10) allowed four runs in five three hits over five innings in his first start In Minneapolis, Josh Willingham hit two innings. He’s 0-4 in his past seven starts. since early June and the AL East-leading home runs, including a two-run shot in the Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 eighth inning that put Minnesota in front for LOS ANGELES: Dee Gordon No. 9 of the Los Angeles Dodgers steals second base as Didi NATIONALS 6, METS 3 Gregorius No. 1 of the Arizona Diamondbacks reacts during the tenth inning. —AFP on Tuesday night. Buchholz (10-0), sidelined good against Oakland. In New York, Jayson Werth kept up his power by a strained neck, hadn’t pitched in the Oswaldo Arcia also homered for the Twins, surge with a home run and two doubles, leading PADRES 8, PHILLIES 2 ROCKIES 9, GIANTS 8 majors since beating the Los Angeles Angels who snapped Oakland’s three-game winning the charging Nationals past the Mets for their In Philadelphia, Jedd Gyorko and Chase In San Francisco, Michael Cuddyer hit a on June 8. The right-hander made three streak and prevented the A’s from stretching fourth straight win. Jordan Zimmermann (17-8) Headley each had three hits to back Andrew tiebreaking homer leading off the ninth inning to rehab starts in the minors. their two-game lead over Texas in the AL wound up with his NL-leading 17th victory and Cashner’s strong pitching in the Padres’ victo- go with his three-run shot, and the Rockies rallied Jonny Gomes and Jarrod Saltalamacchia West. Minnesota also spoiled a solid outing Rafael Soriano closed for his 40th save as ry over the Phillies. Gyorko, who entered in a from an early six-run deficit to beat the Giants. both drove in a run for the Red Sox, who by Jarrod Parker, who tossed six strong Washington tries to make a late playoff push. 3-for-28 slide, scored three runs and drove in Cuddyer sent a 3-2 pitch from Sergio Romo into extended their lead over second-place Tampa innings and stretched his unbeaten streak to The Nationals have won six of seven, and have another. Headley added two RBIs for the the left-center seats for his 20th homer of the sea- Bay to 81/2 games. Craig Breslow, Junichi 19 starts. Arcia singled off reliever Sean 18 games left this season. They began the day sev- Padres, who have won four straight and six of son, 10th career multihomer game and second this Tazawa and Koji Uehara finished a four-hitter. Doolittle to lead off the eighth. Doolittle en games behind Cincinnati for the final NL wild- seven. year. He also connected in Colorado’s five-run fifth Uehara got four outs for his 19th save. struck out Ryan Doumit before being pulled card spot. Dillon Gee (11-10) left in the seventh Cashner (9-8) earned his first victory since to spark the comeback. Hunter Pence produced Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner for Ryan Cook (6-4), and Willingham launched with the Mets down 4-3. He was trying to beat the Aug. 2, throwing 7 2-3 masterful innings some impressive slugging himself, hitting a three- David Price (8-8) lost his third straight start a 2-0 pitch an estimated 439 feet into the Nationals for the fifth time this year. while limiting the Phillies to four hits and a run homer in the first, an RBI double in the fourth despite giving up just three hits in eight middle deck for his second multihomer game walk. Tyler Cloyd (2-4) was not sharp in his and a tying, two-run single in the eighth against innings. The left-hander struck out nine. The this season. Anthony Swarzak (2-2) worked a CARDINALS 4, BREWERS 2 first major league start in three weeks for winner Wilton Lopez (3-4). Pence matched his Rays, just 4-12 since Aug. 25, lead the race for scoreless eighth on his 28th birthday. Glen In st. Louis, Matt Holliday’s two-run home run in Philadelphia. The right-hander allowed seven career high with six RBIs. Sergio Romo (4-7) gave the second AL wild-card spot. Perkins earned his 34th save in 38 chances. the sixth inning stunned Wily Peralta with the runs and nine hits over four plus innings. up Cuddyer’s go-ahead homer.—AP Cardinals’ first hit and rookie Shelby Miller blanked YANKEES 7, ORIOLES 5 TIGERS 9, WHITE SOX 1 the Brewers into the seventh inning.