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SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2016 SPORTS Waghorn saves Rangers blushes on Premiership return GLASGOW: A Martin Waghorn goal Substitute Harry Forrester set up announced their return with a goal Hamilton soaked up all the pressure equaliser. Forrester had been on the midway through the second-half sal- Waghorn to fire home the equaliser in within the first minute when Waghorn before Crawford handed them a sur- pitch for only a matter of seconds vaged a point for Scottish giants the 62nd minute before the goalscorer drove along the byline before cutting prise lead. The forward collected a pass before he floated a pass with the inside Rangers as they drew 1-1 with Hamilton was forced to limp off in the 85th back for 36-year-old veteran Kenny on the right of the box before turning of his right foot to Waghorn who slotted on their return to the Scottish minute leaving Rangers, who had used Miller to tap in but the ball had gone Kranjcar and curling a shot into the top the ball under Matthews to the relief of Premiership at Ibrox. Rangers, who all their substitutes, to play the final out of play in the build-up. corner. the home support. Forrester had the gained promotion at the end of last sea- minutes with 10 men. A minute later former Croatian inter- Rangers were stunned but came fans on their feet moments later when son after a four-year hiatus following a It was not the signal of intent Mark national Niko Kranjcar picked out Andy close to responding as Waghorn’s free- he burst into the box from the right and financial meltdown, found themselves Warburton’s side would have wanted to Halliday at the edge of the box with a kick from the edge of the box clipped drilled an arrowed shot just wide of the behind in the 30th minute when Alister send to Old Firm rivals Celtic, who open high ball over the top and Hamilton the outside of the far post. It took a far post. However, despite their late Crawford sent a superb strike past Wes their title defence away to Hearts today. goalkeeper Remi Matthews did well to double substitution in the 61st minute pressure the hosts were unable to mark Foderingham. Rangers thought they had push away his fierce strike. to provide the inspiration for Rangers’ their return with a win. —AFP Hurricanes beat Lions in Super Rugby final WELLINGTON: A year after a painful defeat in the final and after 21 years of unrewarded effort, the Hurricanes won the Super Rugby title for the first time yesterday, beating South Africa’s Lions 20-3 in a final played in frigid conditions. Flyhalf Beauden Barrett scored a try among 15 points for the Hurricanes to surpass his own season points-scoring record and to lead the Hurricanes to a title victory which overcame years of disappointments. The Wellington-based Hurricanes played in the first-ever Super Rugby match in March 1996 and had played in two finals in two decades before Saturday’s match, falling short in losses to the Crusaders in 2006 and the Highlanders last year. The defeat by the Highlanders hit the Hurricanes hard as they entered that match as GALLE: Sri Lanka’s captain Angelo Mathews, (C) and teammates Rangana Herath (L) favorites, playing on their home ground, only to and Dilruwan Perera leave the grounds with the stumps after victory in the second go down 21-14. Bitter memories of that as moti- Test match between Sri Lanka and Australia at The Galle International Cricket vation this season as they reached the final Stadium in Galle yesterday. — AFP again as the tournament’s top-ranked team, against the Lions who were also seeking their first title. The Hurricanes and Lions compiled the Perera wrecks Australia best attacking records in Super Rugby this sea- son as they ended their regular season in first as S Lanka seal series and second places, then swept imperiously through the quarterfinals and semifinals. GALLE: Dilruwan Perera laid bare delivery. The batsman reviewed the deci- But they were forced to diverge from their Australia’s spin frailties again yesterday to sion but could not get it overturned. usual attacking plans in a match played in rain spin Sri Lanka to a series-clinching 229-run The spinner then returned to induce and in wind which chilled the air temperature victory inside three days of the second test Smith into giving a bat-pad catch to Kausal below freezing. The Hurricanes also denied the in Galle. The 34-year-old claimed 6-70 as Silva at forward short leg and went on to Lions with stifling defense, holding an opponent the world’s top-ranked test team folded for complete his five-wicket haul when Adam tryless for the fourth match in succession. 183 in their pursuit of an improbable 413- Voges (28) attempted a reverse sweep only While they didn’t achieve their best rugby, run victory target. to have his leg stump pegged back. the Hurricanes still managed a try in each half. The off-spinner became the first Sri Mendis displayed tremendous reflexes as After having one try disallowed, winger Cory Lankan player to score a fifty and claim 10 he stopped a Peter Nevill shot at forward Jane scored another to contribute to the wickets in the same match as the hosts short leg and flicked it back on the stumps Hurricanes’ 10-3 halftime lead. clinched their first test series victory over to run out the batsman and trigger wild The match remained in the balance at 13-3 Australia since 1999. celebrations at the Galle International until the 68th minute when, in a moment of bril- Perera also became the fastest Sri Stadium. liant opportunism, Barrett pounced on a loose Lankan to claim 50 test wickets, achieving Sri Lankan spinners claimed 18 of the 20 ball knocked back over the Lions’ goalline for the the feat in his 11th match, and won the Australian wickets to fall in the contest, decisive try. man-of-the-match award for his all-round underlying the tourists’ struggle on turning The contest between Barrett and his Lions brilliance. “Not too many teams do this to tracks. opposite Elton Jantjies - likely to be renewed when the All Blacks play the Springboks in this the number-one team,” home captain “It’s incredibly hard to play against WELLINGTON: The Hurricanes’ captain, Dane Coles, center celebrates with teammates after Angelo Mathews said after his team pre- (spin), particularly (coming) from Australia. season’s Rugby Championship - seemed likely to be a key to the match and it was. While Barrett their victory over the Lions of South Africa in the Super Rugby final in Wellington, New vailed in the bowler-dominated contest We are not accustomed to that. It’s very for- Zealand, yesterday. The Hurricanes won the final 20-3. — AP that saw 33 wickets tumble on the first two eign,” Smith admitted. played with the poise that has distinguished his days. “Our record shows that we’ve won a play all season, Jantjies appeared to lose his neither side excelled in that area. Jantjies’ kick- minute before the flyhalf capped an outstanding “After winning the toss, we had to put a game in about 15 or 16 in the sub-conti- nerve in the face of the Hurricanes’ rush defense. ing game was off but the Hurricanes were also season with the try that won the final. decent score on the board and once again nent. We certainly have a lot of work to less efficient that they needed to be in their kick While the Lions were beaten in their first it was a special effort by Kusal Mendis and do. We have to find ways to score and find NERVOUS reception. finals appearance, they were still able to look what a performance Dilruwan came up ways to take wickets and keep the runs Jantjies started nervously, sending the first Barrett put the Hurricanes ahead with a 10th- back on their best-ever Super Rugby season and with,” he said. Resuming day three on 25 dry,” added the Australia captain. Among kickoff of the match dead in goal and when the minute penalty, then Jane made up for his early look forward to further improvement under for three, Australia captain Steve Smith (30) the visitors, only paceman Mitchell Starc Hurricanes continually rushed up to sever the misfortune when he snatched out of the air a coach Johan Ackermann. “It’s been a phenome- and deputy David Warner (41) showed pos- redeemed himself with a match haul of 11 link to his outside backs and he began to rush failed clearing kick from Lionel Mapoe and raced nal season and I’m really proud of every single itive intent, frequently using their feet wickets on a spin-friendly track, while his kicks and passing. over. The Lions’ only points came from a penalty player,” said captain Warren Whiteley, who also against the spinners even though they none of the Australian batsmen managed Kicking became a vital part of the match to Jantjies in the 25th minute. The Hurricanes played with an injury. “The Hurricanes thorough- were merely delaying a defeat that looked a fifty. The teams now move to Colombo because of the cold and slippery conditions and edged ahead with a Barrett penalty in the 51st ly deserved it tonight.” — AP inevitable. Perera separated them when he for the third and final test from next trapped Warner leg-before with a straight Saturday.