THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2014 SPORTS Relief, satisfaction as new test venue opens

WELLINGTON: Canterbury chief Lee Germon be a huge sense of satisfaction,” Germon, a former New ing to take the capacity to 20,000. Canterbury Cricket had to fight an expensive battle has run the gamut of emotions in the last three years as Zealand wicketkeeper and , told Reuters in a The ground will host three pool matches in the Feb. at New Zealand’s Environment Court with a protest he fought to bring international cricket back to earth- telephone interview. “To me, this is a true test match 14-March 29 tournament, including the opener group, who were against what they saw as the possible quake ravaged , though quiet satisfaction ground,” he added of the venue, which sold out its between New Zealand and . commercialisation of the public green space in the is what he will feel tomorrow. 8,000-capacity for the first day. “When I walked out While the earthquake destroyed the main interna- devastated city. New Zealand and Sri Lanka open their two-test there, as a past player, it made me feel like playing the tional rugby and cricket venue at Lancaster Park, Germon, however, said once the court granted series tomorrow at the country’s newest test venue, game. “The feedback we have seen from guys who Germon had been looking for a new site for test match- them consent to develop the ground last year and the Hagley Oval, a purpose-built ground on the vast green have seen grounds all around the world, has been es in line with the move to boutique-sized venues in work began, opponents began to come around. “The space of Hagley Park on the western edges of hugely positive. “To me that’s really satisfying.” New Zealand. They settled on redeveloping a site on biggest positive has been the way the ground has been Christchurch’s central city. It will be the first interna- After the test, the ground will be switched to one- the southern side of Hagley Park, which is dotted with embraced by cricketers and the public,” he said. “The tional cricket match in New Zealand’s second-largest day mode with New Zealand playing Sri Lanka on Jan. sporting fields and facilities, tree-lined walking trails best thing for me is that we have had a number of peo- city since the Feb. 22, 2011 earthquake that devastated 11, when its facilities and match-day logistics and serv- and bike paths and the city’s Botanic Gardens and ple come and say that it looks like it has been there for Christchurch and killed almost 200 people. “To get that ices will be tested before it is handed over to Cricket where cricket had been played for more than 150 years, years, it fits nicely into the ground, it makes sense and first ball bowled on the first day of the test match will World Cup organisers, who will build temporary seat- before they ran into opposition. we’re really pleased we have got it.” — Reuters World Cup preparations West Indies look to fight loom over Test series WELLINGTON: Final preparations for the solidify an already strong tail, who are expert- back on friendlier pitch World Cup loom large over the upcoming ly guided by wicketkeeper BJ Watling. Their test series between New Zealand and Sri new ball duo of and Trent Boult Lanka, which starts at the Hagley Oval tomor- have also matured in the last two years, with PORT ELIZABETH: West Indies can look forward row, with seven one-day games to follow the the pair’s ability to exploit New Zealand con- to more favorable batting conditions for the sec- two matches in Christchurch and Wellington. ditions and get the ball to swing and seam. ond test in Port Elizabeth tomorrow as they look Both sides will be fine tuning their World Sri Lanka coach Marvan Atapattu has to overcome the mental scars of collapsing on Cup selections, with final squads needed for already said his side are partly using the tests Pretoria’s seamer-friendly strip. Jan. 8, the day after the second test ends, but to get used to New Zealand conditions, par- The tourists were outplayed in the New Zealand will also be seeking to build on ticularly at Hagley Oval where they face the and 220-run defeat and will be particularly dis- their recent resurgence in the test arena. hosts in the opening match of the World Cup appointed with the way they crumbled with the After winning both home series last summer, on Feb. 14. bat to score just 332 runs in the match in a little beating West Indies away, then drawing with However, he is more concerned with more than 100 overs. However, Shivnarine Pakistan after being hammered in the first finalising his World Cup options, especially in Chanderpaul, who has been through good and test in the UAE, New Zealand enter the series finding an opening partner for Tillakaratne bad times before with the side in his 20-year playing at a level that would not justify their Dilshan. “We’ll stick to our plans in finding international career, believes there is no cause ranking of seventh. The team has been gala- the 15 that we want for the World Cup,” vanised under the captaincy of Brendon Atapattu told cricket website cricinfo.com for alarm. McCullum, with the only concern in the top before a warm-up match in Queenstown. “We’re disappointed after Centurion. I think five the opening , with Hamish “We have passed the stage where we’ve tried we’re a better team than that,” Chanderpaul told Rutherford given another opportunity to everybody and we have pruned our squad reporters. “We just have to put it behind us and prove his credentials alongside impressive down to 30. “In the 30 we know whom we take it as a learning experience and do better in rookie . want in our 15 except for one or two places this next match. “The guys we have here are the and will be which we hope to fill during the test series.” best in the Caribbean, that’s the reason why expected to provide the majority of runs with He also has the added problem of finding they’re here. They’ve all scored runs in the past, the 24-year-old Williamson coming of age someone to fill the hole left by Mahela scored a lot of hundreds in regional cricket.” this year, having scored 844 test runs, includ- Jayawardene’s retirement from , West Indies can at least take heart from their ing four centuries, at 60.28. while left arm spinner will last visit to St George’s Park where they won in a Shivnarine Chanderpaul McCullum’s move back to the middle miss the first, and possibly the second, test 2-1 series defeat in 2007, their only away victory will be more even conditions,” Proteas batsman also wary of a backlash from the tourists. “The order from his role as a temporary opener will with a leg injury. —Reuters against a major test playing nation since beating Faf du Plessis said. West Indies, as everyone knows, are a hot and England in Birmingham in 2000. The Port “Centurion was seaming and if our bowlers cold team. We know and we expect that the Elizabeth pitch is expected to be less seamer- get a like that they are dangerous. The PE West Indies, after a performance like that, will try friendly, harder and drier, taking some of the wicket is a lot slower and spin does play more of to go the other way and be brilliant.” bite out of the top-ranked South African pace a role so I think their bowling attack will be a lot South Africa are almost certain to play leg- attack that wreaked havoc in Pretoria. happier. “Their batting unit will also be happier, spinner Imran Tahir and could also hand a debut the ball will probably not be as quick and won’t to batsman Temba Bavuma after wicketkeeper HAPPIER ATTACK seam around, it will be a normal PE wicket, so it Quinton de Kock was ruled out of the series with “I think conditions like this will probably will suit their style of play.” an ankle injury. AB de Villiers will continue to bring them (West Indies) more into the game, it Du Plessis added that the home side were keep wicket. — Reuters Pakistan WCup hopeful Shah inspired by Warne

KARACHI: Pakistan leg spinner Yasir Shah is He is confident of playing well in , determined to make an impact at next year’s where he says the extra bounce in the pitches World Cup in Australia and New Zealand hav- will help him a lot. “The first thing I want to ing been inspired by the great Shane Warne. do on reaching Australia is to go and spend “I started playing cricket because I idolised time in the nets with Warne. Shane Warne. He has been my role model I have read that he wants to see me bowl and I’m keeping my fingers crossed I can and give me tips. It would be great,” Shah make the World Cup squad,” Shah told said. Shah is the latest quality leg spinner Reuters. Warne, who finished with 708 test produced by Pakistan following in the foot- and 293 ODI , is rated as the greatest steps of Intikhab Alam, Mushtaq Muhammad, leg spinner in cricket history. Abdul Qadir, Mushtaq Ahmed and Danish “Warne transformed cricket with his Kaneria, who had to quit the game after get- approach and aggression as a spinner. I want ting a life ban for spot fixing in 2012. “I have a to emulate him and it would be a dream come good leg spinner and I modeled my flipper true if I can leave an impact in Australia,” Shah, on Warne’s style. 28, said. But I know I need to make my Googly a Shah is in Pakistan’s 30-man preliminary wicket-taking to be successful in the World Cup squad and, with experienced off- World Cup,” Shah said. spinners and Muhammad Hafeez He played one ODI and two T20 matches suspended from bowling in international against Zimbabwe in September 2011 with- cricket, is in line to spearhead Pakistan’s spin out shining but he made a big impact when attack at the tournament. Chief selector Moin he returned to the national squad for tests Khan has already reassured Shah about his against Australia and New Zealand recently in prospects of making the squad, saying: the UAE, taking 27 wickets. “Certainly after his superb performances in Although the selectors called him up for the tests against Australia and New Zealand the final three ODIs against New Zealand, he is in our World Cup plan.” Shah did not get a chance to play. He said Shah, who hails from the small town of that bowlers need to adapt to the three dif- Swabi in Khyber Pakthunkhawa province, has ferent formats of the sport but that he would been busy studying footage of Warne as he love to follow the philosophy of Warne to prepares himself for a bigger role in one-day dominate the batsmen. cricket. “I have watched his videos and espe- “If my captain and coaches want I am cially how he used to bowl on Australian ready to play the role of attacking spinner in pitches. I am working very hard on disguising the World Cup. ABU DHABI: NewZealand’s bowler Mitchell McClenaghan delivers the ball in this my Googly and making it more effective,” I want to take wickets for my team not just file photo. — AFP Shah said. contain,” added Shah. — Reuters Pakistan leg spinner Yasir Shah

DAYTONA BEACH: In this Feb. 23, 2014, file photo, Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the DETROIT: In this July 1, 2014, file photo, United States fans cheer while watching before the start of the 2014 NASCAR Daytona 500 Sprint Cup series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, the track where his father died. World Cup soccer match between the United States and Belgium at a public viewing party in Detroit. — AP photos