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Thursday, March 24, 2016 Jumada II 15, 1437 AH India pull off a heist GULF TIMES with a one-run win over Bangladesh SPORT Page 5 2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS QATAR VS HONG KONG 7PM All guns blazing: Qatar keen to continue winning run ‘For us winning and getting three points will give us more confidence and reinforce our position as a team and also help us improve our rankings’

Qatar team during a training session

By Joe Koraith

hen you are fi ring on all cylinders, why bother slowing down. That’s the approach Qatar coach WJose Daniel Carreno is adopting, going into today’s 2018 World Cup qualifi er against Hong Kong. With qualifi cation into the third round of Asian World Cup qualifi ers already in the bag, one would have expected Carreno to blood a few youngsters. But the Uruguayan has no intentions of taking the foot off the pedal. Today, at the Jassim bin Hamad sta- dium, Carreno will fi eld a full strength lineup, similar to one that played in the last match, the 3-0 away win over Bhu- tan. “There isn’t going to be a huge dif- ference to the lineup as compared to the last match. Against Hong Kong we will Qatar coach Jose Daniel Carreno (left) and Hong Kong coach Kim Pan-gon. play with a lineup that we think is ideal for the match,” said Carreno during the Qatar in their last group game. A win But Pan-gon believes that his team’s pre-match press conference yesterday. will greatly increase Hong Kong’s strong character will hold them in “I do not think that a match in the chances and even a draw will boost good stead. “We are focused on our World Cup qualifi ers can be used to try their cause. target. Our strong point is that we new tactics. Any player who will play “This is a big challenge for us be- have a strong fi ghting spirit. We are is because we believe that he will add cause we are playing against a strong, very confi dent about the game,” said value to the squad. There are some attacking team. If we can take one or the South Korean yesterday. friendly matches at the end of May three points, then something can hap- Qatar coach Carreno is expecting where we can try out other players,” pen for us. We are not playing under Hong Kong to be a diffi cult opponent. he added. pressure. We’re going to go out there “The diffi culty of the match lies in the The Qatar coach doesn’t want his and enjoy our game,” said Hong Kong fact that Hong Kong have no other op- team to lose the momentum. “For us coach Kim Pan-gon yesterday. tion but to win this match. They have winning and getting three points will The possibility of knocking China out come to Doha to get three points. This give us more confi dence and reinforce of the competition will work as a moti- won’t be an easy match for us,” said our position as a team and also help vating factor, believes Pan-gon. “We’re Carreno. us improve our rankings. We’re lucky just looking forward to make history for While Qatar have comfortably qual- to have guaranteed our qualifi cation. us. We will fi ght. Every player knows the ifi ed for the third round, getting that This is an opportunity for us to re- importance of this game. I’m confi dent coveted spot in the 2018 World Cup is inforce our position as a team,” said that we will fi ght for the win,” said the still a long away ahead and will require the 52-year-old. Qatar are currently Hong Kong coach. a lot of eff ort, warns Carreno. “To be ranked 80th in the world. “it will be a big achievement if we in the World Cup in is our ob- While Qatar will be playing for the stay in second. To fi nish ahead of a jective. We know that it’s going to be win, the match is of more importance huge country like China will be an diffi cult. There are many strong teams to their opponents. Hong Kong have amazing story. It will be amazing not in the AFC. We trust our players. But a historic chance to fi nish second in just for the players but also the citi- our participation in Russia requires a Group C and thus deny China a chance zens,” added Pan-gon. lot of work,” said the Uruguayan. to progress to the next round. This is With Qatar having scored 27 goals That’s a fi nish line far away, with Hong Kong’s last group match. They so far, the maximum amongst the multiple hurdles. For now, the imme- currently have a three-point gap over Asian teams, Hong Kong will have diate one is to deliver a good perform- China who have a game in hand. China a tough time containing the likes of ance at home against Hong Kong and play Maldives today and then take on Rodrigo Tabata and Sebastian Soria. keep the momentum going. Gulf Times 2 Thursday, March 24, 2016 FOOTBALL

PREVIEW Big-spending China facing World Cup woe

AFP China host Maldives today with Hong Kong which left Chi- Chilly conditions in neutral Wuhan and unbeaten Qatar on Tuesday, na staring at elimination. venue Tehran are among the ma- Postecoglou wants Australia to dominate world qualifying needing to win both games to jor concerns for the champions leapfrog Hong Kong into second Harry’s hotshots of steamy Southeast Asia, who Australia coach Ange Postecoglou wants the oglou has re-fashioned Australia from a stodgy, hina’s spending power place in Group C. Elsewhere former Tottenham have drafted in a doctor to help Socceroos to dominate their Asian rivals as they blue-collar outfit into a more enterprising team has taken football by Even then, China have fi ve Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp them cope. continue their quest to qualify for the 2018 Russia and guided them to victory in the Asian Cup on storm but the national countries ahead of them in the will hope to inspire Jordan’s “The weather in Tehran is a World Cup. Australia host Tajikistan in Adelaide home soil last year. team is facing more race to progress as one of the campaign as he begins a two- concern as it is quite cold,” said today and second-placed Jordan in Sydney next Australia have only one defeat away to Jordan in WorldC Cup heartache heading into four best-performing second- game stint with the Middle East- coach Kiatisuk Senamuang, ac- Tuesday as they look to wrap up top spot in Group the current round of world qualifying, while top- a qualifying showdown today. placed teams, along with the ern team. cording to the Asian Football B of Asian qualifying and advance to the next ping the group with 17 goals from their six match- Chinese clubs splurged a eight group winners. Al Nashama (The Chivalrous) Confederation (AFC) website. phase. es. Evergreen forward Tim Cahill, the nation’s most world-leading 331 million euros The matches double as quali- trail Australia by two points in “We have contacted a doctor Under former boss Holger Osieck, Australia had to prolific all-time scorer, has been responsible for six ($371 million) on players in the fi ers for the next Asian Cup, Group B with two matches left, in Iran already so the boys will be scrape into the 2014 Brazil finals with a late goal in of them, including a brace against the Tajiks away January-February transfer win- meaning China is likely to have culminating in Tuesday’s clash looked after well. We have come their final qualifier against Iraq. last September. dow, and President Xi Jinping is to go through a separate round of with the Asian Cup-holders in many days in advance to help the But Postecoglou said he would not be satisfied Cahill will be 38 by the time the Russian World Cup leading a concerted push to turn games to reach the 2019 tourna- Sydney. players get used to the weather with sneaking into Russia. “Just getting through arrives and Postecoglou is keen to blood some China into a footballing power. ment in the UAE. “Do I think we will reach the here.” isn’t going to satisfy me,” Postecoglou told report- new strikers, including Greek-born forward Apos- But Team Dragon will prob- “Frankly speaking, from Chi- fi nals? I hope so,” Redknapp Australia play Tajikistan at ers in Adelaide on Wednesday. “We are looking to tolos Giannou, who has been called into the squad ably have to wait until Qatar na’s point of view, the Maldives said this week, ahead of Thurs- home todasy before taking on build something more meaningful than that. for the Tajikistan and Jordan qualifiers. 2022 to reach their second World national team doesn’t repre- day’s home game against Bang- Redknapp’s Jordan next week, “We could sneak through, but what does that “Historically, we have never really produced an Cup after a stumbling attempt to sent the slightest threat,” striker ladesh. while Group A leaders Saudi mean? It doesn’t really mean anything, getting out-and-out goalscoring striker, not many anyway make the next edition in Russia Yang Xu told Chinese broad- “We will try everything in our Arabia host struggling Malaysia through to the next stage. at international level,” Postecoglou said. in 2018. caster CCTV before the game in power to do that. We will give this week. “We want to get through playing well, with strong “The ones we have have been one-outs. We While Japan, Australia, Iran, Wuhan. everything we have to do that.” Iran, who top Group D, play performances particularly here at home. haven’t had multiples in those areas ... I am not just Saudi Arabia and even lowly “We have to be confi dent. And Unfancied Thailand, the bottom side India, and Ja- “And then do the same in the second round of looking at today. I am looking at two years’ time Thailand look likely to join al- we should seal the game early.” world number 118, play their fi - pan host before a qualifiers—not just qualify for the World Cup, but going to the World Cup. ready qualifi ed South Korea and Interim coach Gao Hongbo nal game against Iraq on Thurs- showdown next week with war- do so on the back of strong performances and “Numbers-wise, we have a handful (of strikers) and Qatar in the next round, 96th- leads the team after Frenchman day needing only a draw to take wracked Syria, who trail the Blue being dominant.” we will put a bit of faith and trust that those hand- ranked China’s hopes are hang- Alain Perrin was shown the door their place in the third round of Samurai by just a point in Group Since taking over from Osieck in late 2013, Postec- ful will be enough.” ing by a thread. following November’s 0-0 draw qualifying. E.

SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Europe shirt sponsorship on Nerves, excitement course to top one billion euros

AFP for Suarez on return London hirt sponsorship in Europe’s top six leagues is now ‘Brazil is the home team and it has major strong points which are in the mid-field’ worth 830 billion euros a year and is on course to top one billion euros within two seasons, accord- ing to a study released yesterday. SThe Repucom sports data fi rm said that English Pre- mier League shirts are the most valuable—overall deals haven risen from 244 million euros ($273 million) last sea- son to 330 million euros ($370 million) in 2015/16. Overall, shirt deals in England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain have gone from 736 million euros ($825 million) last season to 830 million ($930 million) in 2015/16. “At its current rate of growth, we expect to see Europe- an football shirt sponsorship investment top one billion euros by the 2017/18 season, if not next season,” said Jon Stainer, managing director, Repucom UK. Manchester United signed a $600 million seven year deal with Chevrolet in 2012. Barcelona is reported to be negotiating with Qatar Airways to extend their deal with a similar amount. Most of the cash to be featured on the front of shirts comes from countries operating outside of the target championship. The United Arab Emirates, with 163 mil- lion euros, is the leading foreign spender. Emirates airline sponsors Real Madrid for an estimated $40 million a year and Etihad airline has its name on Manchester City’s. Germany is the second highest spender across the six championships with 136 million euros followed by the United States with 87 million euros, mainly car fi rms, ac- cording to Repucom. Gambling fi rms have also become major spenders, ac- counting for 42 million euros, the sixth biggest industry, up from 11th biggest. “For brands, shirt sponsorship consistently returns the highest advertising values,” said Stainer. “The rise of betting companies across the leagues, for example, is something certainly worth noting, especially as we start to see markets like the Netherlands and Ger- many reduce the restrictions on betting sponsorship.” The travel and tourism industry is the biggest shirt in- vestor on 199 millon euros in 2016/16, slightly down from 209 million euros last season. After the English , the Bundesliga is the second biggest sponsor market with 168 million euros, up from 157 million last season. Sponsorship in Spain’s La Liga has dropped from 113 million euros to 105 this season, according to Repucom. But France’s Ligue 1 has risen from 96 million to 103 mil- lion. Italy’s Serie A has fallen one million euros to 83 million euros, and the Netherlands’ Eredivisie has fallen one mil- lion to 41 million.

Uruguay’s Luis Suarez speaks at a press conference in the Complejo Celeste in Montevideo. (AFP) Infantino visits war-torn South Sudan AFP have played with Paris Saint-Germain for- played four seasons, Suarez was asked his zil 2014 as Europe’s top scoring striker and Montevideo, Uruguay ward Edinson Cavani and got off to a good thoughts on the terror attacks that left at was awarded player of the tournament when Newly-elected FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited start in the ten-team Latin American 2018 least 30 dead on Tuesday he described the Uruguay won the 2011 Copa America. war-torn South Sudan yesterday, the world’s newest World Cup qualifying group. situation as a nightmare. Meanwhile Argentina made a shaky start nation, on one of his first off icial trips since taking up aving purged his nine-match ban Uruguay sit second on nine points from “This is something to worry about all over to qualifying, suff ering a shock home defeat the post. Infantino, who formally inaugurated the off ice for biting at the 2014 World Cup, four games, three behind Ecuador but two the world. We are in a very delicate situa- against Ecuador in October, before draws of the South Sudanese Football Association (SSFA) in star Uruguay and Barcelona strik- ahead of tomorrow’s opponents Brazil, Par- tion in many european countries. This has against Paraguay and Brazil. the capital Juba, is also due to watch an African Cup er Luis Suarez is both nervous and aguay and continental champions Chile. to stop now, so people can live in peace and However the 2014 World Cup runners-up of Nations qualifier between South Sudan and Benin. Hexcited ahead of a 2018 World Cup qualifi er “Brazil is the home team and it has major this nightmare will be over.” breathed life into their campaign with a 1-0 Off icials dressed Infantino in traditional robes and made against Brazil in Recife tomorrow. strong points which are in the mid-fi eld and Before the 2014 World Cup outrage, Sua- away win against Colombia in November, him dance. They also produced a large cake to celebrate Suarez has scored 37 goals for Barcelona from there on,” reasoned Suarez. rez had twice previously picked up bans of a crucial victory that lifted them from near Infantino’s 46th birthday yesterday. “It is a great this season, but has not played for Uruguay “But we were always strong defensively.” seven and ten matches for biting rival play- the bottom of the table to within striking pleasure for me to be here today in Juba,” Infantino said since biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini Not without a certain relish for a striker ers. distance of the automatic qualifying posi- after cutting a ribbon to mark its opening of the SSFA, at the last World Cup 20 months ago. who moves forward with hunger and gusto He was also hit with an eight match sus- tions. calling it “the first of many projects to come, for the The 29-year-old is also widely feared Suarez then suggested Brazil had “defence pension for baiting then Manchester United Messi’s return however has been off set development of football here in South Sudan.” Infantino for his chaos causing runs and astonishing weaknesses that we will try to take advan- player Patrice Evra with constant references by a wave of injuries that has deprived Ar- promised a “new era of developing football.” After range of strikes, and is relishing a chance tage of.” to his ethnic origin. gentina coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino of a gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan to attack Brazil’s weak spot, ‘their defence’ The former Liverpool striker said his Amongst a litany of jaw-dropping inci- slew of foreign-based stars, most notably erupted into civil war in December 2013, setting off a while also anxious the occasion may get the coach, Oscar Tabarez, had been focussing dents perhaps the most memorable was the Juventus’s in-form striker Paulo Dybala, cycle of retaliatory killings that have split the poverty- better of him. on the Brazil back-line in tactical briefi ngs. one which saw him shoot to global fame at Paris Saint-Germain’s Javier Pastore and stricken, landlocked country along ethnic lines. Tens of “I’m going to try and control the anxiety He also revealed the light-hearted side of the 2010 South African World Cup when Benfi ca’s Nicolas Gaitan. thousands have been killed. Both the government and and nervousness that other people’s excite- the game when he revealed he and Barcelona diving to save a shot late in a quarter-fi nal With Carlos Tevez dropped, Martino has rebel sides have been accused of perpetrating ethnic ment may make me feel,” said Suarez, who teammate Neymar were looking forward to with Ghana. turned to unheralded Argentina-based for- massacres, recruiting and killing children and carrying vowed his nine-match suspension from in- the challenge of facing off , with the loser After being sent off he then celebrated ward Lanus to bolster his attacking options out widespread rape, torture and forced displacement ternational football would not moderate his promising to treat the winner to a burger. wildly in the tunnel after Ghana failed to for Thursday’s clash. of populations to “cleanse” areas of their opponents. In- on-the-edge style. “We’ll both be doing our best for our convert their spot-kick, depriving them of The 28-year-old was a team-mate of fantino, who met with South Sudan President Salva Kiir, “I’ll just keep running, pressuring and ar- countries,” he insisted. the chance to become the fi rst Africans to Messi’s in the Argentina squad that won the but whose visit was not announced in advance amid guing,” he promised. “With more modera- Having started his European playing days make the semi-fi nals. gold medal at the 2008 Olympics but is yet security concerns, said he would help develop football tion, just like I do at Barcelona.” in Belgium’s northern neighbour the Neth- But when it comes to goals Suarez can dig to win his fi rst full international cap for the in a country left in ruins after decades of war. Without their wayward striker, Uruguay erlands at Groningen and Ajax, where he them out of the ground and went out to Bra- two-time World Cup winners. Gulf Times Thursday, March 24, 2016 3 FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT DECISION Belgium shift s friendly, UEFA has Euro Schweinsteiger to ‘contingency plans’

AFP ing on contingency plans and on Brussels multiple scenarios around crisis situations since we take the se- curity of all participants very se- elgium yesterday moved riously,” he added without giving miss friendlies a friendly international details. against Portugal away His comments came after from Brussels after the Italian UEFA vice president Gi- Bmilitant attacks on the city while ancarlo Abete said Europe’s gov- UEFA said it has “contingency erning body could not rule out plans” for the European Cham- holding Euro 2016 games with- pionships in France. out fans but that it was not yet But Europe’s governing body being considered. with knee injury and the French government in- “From a technical point of sisted that Euro 2016 will go view, the risk of ‘closed doors’ ahead and there will be no games can always exist because we ‘The events (in Brussels) are certainly terrible and have hit a bit of a nerve with us’ behind closed doors. are talking about a competition Belgium, the world’s top where the matches must take ranked team, had been due to place,” Abete told Radio 24. play Portugal in Brussels next But he told Gazzetta dello Germany’s head coach Joachim Loew talks to his Tuesday. Sport newspaper that “today players Toni Kroos, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Mats But a day after the attacks there is no structural situation Hummels and forward Thomas Muller during a on Brussels airport and the city that means we are thinking of training session in yesterday. (AFP) metro in which 31 people died, disputing the Euro behind closed the Belgian federation said the doors.” match had been called off for Designated fan-zones in the “security reasons.” 10 host cities which could attract Portugal’s federation later an- hundreds of thousands of sup- nounced that the two countries porters from across Europe have had agreed to play the match the caused particular concern. same day in the Portuguese city But French Football Federation of Leiria instead. president Noel Le Graet told AFP The Islamic State assaults on it would be a “dramatic” move to Paris and Brussels over the past call off Euro 2016 because of the four months have increased the risk of attacks. security spotlight on the 24-na- “I am not worried,” Le Graet tion European Championships told AFP in an interview. due to start in Paris on June 10. “Even though we can see that One of the deadly suicide at- attacks are unpredictable, I am tacks in Paris on November 13 sure that everything will go well. was against the Stade de France “Our role is to reassure be- and security will again be height- cause there are people who may ened when France play Russia be scared, we cannot control there on Tuesday, authorities that. said. France’s games against the “But everything has been laid Netherlands in Amsterdam on on so that the matches go ahead Friday has also been confi rmed. in good conditions. Everything UEFA and France say they is being done, with an enormous are determined that Euro 2016 mobilisation of a security system should go ahead. in the interests of the popula- French Prime Minister Manuel tion.” Valls said not holding the tour- Le Graet said extra security nament would be “a victory for had already been ordered for the terrorists.” France-Russia game on Tuesday. UEFA also expressed confi - Suicide bombers failed to get AFP “It’s the medial ligament nich. Germany’s fi nal friendlies dence in the money-spinning into the stadium on November 13 Berlin again,” Germany coach Joachim of 2015 coincided with the No- Focus on football, not terror as Italy event but added that it had plan- and set off their explosives out- Loew confi rmed in Wednesday’s vember Paris terror attacks. ning for “crisis situations.” side. press conference. Their defeat to France at the prepare for Spain, says Florenzi “We are confi dent that all se- “Despite what happened on anchester United’s “I can’t say at the moment for Stade de France was overshad- curity measures will be in place November 13, we can consider Bastian Schwein- how long he will be out for.” owed by the terrible scenes Fearless Alessandro Florenzi insists Azzurri minds will be on for a safe and festive Euro and that the stadium was protected,” steiger has re-in- Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, who has across the French capital on No- football, and not the threat of terror attacks, as they continue therefore there are no plans to said Le Graet. “The new meas- jured his right knee injured his left ankle, and Bayer vember 13 four days before Ger- their Euro 2016 preparations with friendlies against Spain and play matches behind closed- ures protect it even more. Do we Mwhile on duty with Germany Leverkusen’s Karim Bellarabi, many’s home friendly against doors,” UEFA spokesman Pedro need to do more. I don’t think so. Germany. and will miss their forthcoming who has a bruised foot, are also the Netherlands was called off Italy host European champions Spain in Udine today before Pinto told AFP. There is a level of security that friendlies against England and on the walking wounded list for on police. travelling to Munich to face world champions Germany on “Nevertheless we are work- seems suffi cient to me.” Italy, it was confi rmed yesterday. Germany. “The events (in Brussels) are Tuesday. The 31-year-old midfi elder Germany’s squad has already certainly terrible and have hit a The terror attacks which took place in Belgium have prompted suff ered the injury training in been trimmed from 27 to 25 bit of a nerve with us,” said Loew. fears the Euro 2016 in France could be a key target for ter- Berlin on Tuesday and an MRI with Schweinsteiger injured and “When you hear and read rorists, as well as suggestions some games could be played scan in Munich with the German Wolfsburg’s Max Kruse having about what happened, the im- behind closed doors. Dutch-France friendly still on team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mu- been thrown out of the squad on ages from France (November’s “The Euros is a competition that should be bringing joy and despite Brussels blasts eller-Wohlfahrt revealed he has Monday for two off -fi eld discre- Paris attacks) come to mind. smiles, not fear, to the people coming to watch it,” Florenzi told again torn the medial ligament. tions. “But we’re trying not to let media from Italy’s Coverciano training ground on Tuesday. An international friendly between Netherlands and France sched- He now faces a race to be fi t for “I thought he needed to be these things get to us. “All we can do is try to not be apprehensive and focus only on uled tomorrow evening “will take place as scheduled” despite the June’s European championships taught a lesson,” Loew said “We’re focused on the sport- this.” terror attacks in neighbouring Belgium, the Royal Dutch Football and it is questionable whether about Kruse, who lost 75,000 ing matter at hand and trust in Italy coach Antonio Conte, meanwhile, is poring over which Federation said yesterday. The Dutch are scheduled to meet Les he will play again for United this euros ($83,970) in a taxi and got the security arrangements.” of his 28 squad players he should start against Vincente Del Bleus at the Amsterdam Arena in the wake of Tuesday’s bomb- season. into an argument with a reporter Loew says the Germans are Bosque’s formidable visitors at the Stadio Friuli on Thursday. ings in Brussels, which off icials say have killed at least 30 people. The news is another blow for in separate incidents. relishing testing themselves Conte received flak for naming such a large squad, the former “The match will take place as scheduled,” KNVB spokesman Hans Germany’s , who had “It is only for the two games, against two top European Juventus handler notably calling Brazil-born Napoli van Kastel told AFP. “We are, however, taking our directions from been working his way back to fi t- so it doesn’t mean he has no teams. Jorginho and Fiorentina forward Federico Bernardeschi up for the authorities,” he added. “We are closely following all news and ness tearing the same ligament chance for the European cham- “We deliberatley chose two the first time while recalling Paris Saint Germain midfielder developments,” a KNVB spokesman told the daily tabloid Algemeen in United’s FA Cup third-round pionships. “Perhaps he’ll learn strong opponents. Matches Thiago Motta to the squad for the first time since before the Dagblad. Van Kastel confirmed that so far no extra measures have win over Sheffi eld Wednesday at for this and we’ll keep an eye on against England and Italy are 2014 World Cup. been taken to beef up security for Friday evening’s match in the the start of the year. what he gets up to away from never normal games,” he said. But the 46-year-old Conte was quick to justify his decision. Dutch capital. He had made four second-half football, just like the rest of the “We chose a large squad on “These two games and the training sessions we’re doing will Training for Belgium’s friendly football match against Portugal was appearances off the bench in squad. purpose, so that each player has help me to test certain players and see whether some, like called off on Tuesday following the deadly explosions that rocked United’s last four games. “But I couldn’t accept things the chance to make his mark Thiago Motta, can play a role for us at some point,” said Conte, Brussels airport and metro. There was no immediate word if the Schweinsteiger misses Germa- the way they were.” with his performance. who announced last week he will stand down from his post match, due to be played next Tuesday at the King Baudoin stadium ny’s home friendly against England In the wake of the Brussels “Then we’ll have a bit of clar- after the tournament. Conte is missing a key element in PSG in the Belgian capital, would go ahead. In another reaction to the at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on Sat- terror attacks on Tuesday, se- ity, it’s the last time we’ll come midfielder Marco Verratti (groin), while Torino striker Ciro Im- blasts, the Travers la Flandre cycling race, which had been due to be urday, then against Italy four days curity will be paramount for the together before the squad (for mobile (thigh tendon) is also out. held on Wednesday, was also called off . later at Munich’s Allianz Arena. internationals in Berlin and Mu- the Euro 2016 fi nals) is named.”

FOCUS Wales, N Ireland plot contrasting Euro paths

AFP players to step in, show what skipper Ashley Williams, the been obliged to cast his net London they can do and stake a claim for Swansea City centre-back, and wide, resulting in an unlikely a place at the Euro,” said Wales Crystal Palace pair Wayne Hen- fi rst call-up for Queens Park midfi elder , whose side nessey and Joe Ledley. Rangers striker Conor Wash- wo quite diff erent inter- also tackle Ukraine in Kiev next ington. national minnows face week. ‘Dream come true’ The 23-year-old was born off in today as “We face two strong teams. “You don’t replace Aaron and and raised in England, made the British rivals Wales and They’re two very diff erent Gareth, but that’s not to say grade with Welsh club Newport TNorthern Ireland resume prepa- games, but variety is key to our that we haven’t got strength in County and has never previ- rations for their fi rst ever ap- preparation. We can’t wait to depth,” said Coleman. ously set foot in Northern Ire- pearances at a European Cham- get to France and show the world “This gives us a chance to land, who he qualifi es to play for pionship. what we can do.” look at one or two other guys through his grandparents. Whereas Wales boast stars like Wales manager Chris Cole- and I see that as a positive, not “I would love nothing bet- Real Madrid’s and man will be without both Bale a negative.” ter than to make the Euros, but Arsenal’s , North- and Ramsey for the meeting with There is Premier League there are a lot of quality strikers ern Ireland’s success has been Northern Ireland—the former experience, too, in Michael ahead of me at the minute, so I constructed in homelier fashion, left out in agreement with Real O’Neill’s Northern Ireland have to be realistic,” Washing- their squad a blend of grizzled Madrid, the latter nursing a squad, but no-one with the ca- ton told the BBC. professionals and emerging tal- thigh strain. chet of a Ramsey or Bale. “If I did manage to make it to ents. West Ham United defender The stalwarts of their quali- France with Northern Ireland, it It is, respectively, 58 and 30 James Collins, Leicester City fying campaign were 36-year- would be a dream come true.” years since Wales and Northern midfi elder Andy King and New- old centre-back Gareth McAu- Baird and Corry Evans will Ireland graced a major tourna- castle United full-back Paul ley and 34-year-old utility man miss the trip to south Wales ment and this week’s friendly Dummett will also be absent at Chris Baird, while Kyle Laff erty, through injury, while West Bro- will give an indication of how the . a fringe player at Norwich City, mwich Albion left-back Chris the two nations are shaping up But the squad still teems with top-scored with seven goals. Brunt has been ruled out of Euro ahead of Euro 2016. Premier League know-how in O’Neill, who recently signed 2016 with anterior cruciate lig- “Friendlies are a chance for the form of Liverpool’s Allen, a new four-year contract, has ament damage. Wales’ Joe Allen and (R) during a training session in Cardiff yesterday. (Reuters) Gulf Times 4 Thursday, March 24, 2016 SPORT

CYCLING Martin pips Contador at Catalonia summit fi nish

AFP fi nish after two other category one mountains La Molina, Spain at Pyrenean ski station Port Aine. Etixx-Quick Step Irish rider Daniel Martin celebrates on the RESULTS FOLLOWING THE THIRD STAGE podium aft er winning the 172,1km Girona to La Molina third Stage stage of the 96th Volta Catalunya, in La Molina, yesterday. reland’s Daniel Martin gave his Belgian 1.Daniel Martin (IRL/ETI), 5hr 00min 27sec, 2. team Etixx-Quickstep a boost yesterday Alberto Contador (ESP/TIN) at 02sec, 3. Ro- when beating off a bunch of climb spe- main Bardet (FRA/ALM) same time, 4. Tejay cialists to a snow-capped summit win on Van Garderen (USA/BMC) s.t., 5. Richie Porte Istage three of the Tour of Catalonia. (AUS/BMC) 09, 6. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) The victory also gives Martin the overall s.t., 7. Davide Formolo (ITA/CAN) 11, 8. Ilnur lead after he attacked 500m from home after Zakarin (RUS/KAT) 12, 9. Chris Froome (GBR/ Chris Froome and Nairo Quintana had fi rst SKY) 12, 10. Hugh Carthy (GBR/CJR) 18 tried to shake off a group of around 30 who Selected: 11. Rigoberto Uran (COL/CAN) led the race up the fourth climb of the day. 18, 13. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 18, 16. At the 1725m high Molina ski station the Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 18, 23. Fabio 29-year-old Martin dug deep to hold off Aru (ITA/AST) 22, 29. Esteban Chaves (COL/ Contador of Tinkoff , two seconds adrift in ORI) 28 second, and up-and-coming French climber Overall standings 1.Daniel Martin (IRL/ Romain Bardet of AG2R in third. ETI) 14hr 08min 18sec, 2. Alberto Contador Tejay Van Garderen and Richie Porte of the (ESP/TIN) at 06sec, 3. Romain Bardet (FRA/ American BMC team were fourth and fi fth ALM) 08, 4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) while Chris Froome of Sky, the fi rst to try and 12, 5. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 19, 6. break, was 12sec behind Martin. Richie Porte (AUS/BMC) 19, 7. Davide For- Earlier in the day French rider Nacer Bou- molo (ITA/CAN) 21, 8. Chris Froome (GBR/ hanni, the overnight leader after two bunch SKY) 22, 9. Ilnur Zakarin (RUS/KAT) 22, 10. sprint stage wins, pulled out with a stom- Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 28 ach complaint. Froome, Quintana and other Selected: 11. Rigoberto Uran (COL/CAN) mountain specialists will get a chance Thurs- 28, 13. Joaquim Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 28, 21. day to reel in main threat Contador when the Fabio Aru (ITA/AST) 32, 28. Esteban Chaves fourth stage takes in a pure climber’s summit (COL/ORI) 38.

SPOTLIGHT FORMULA ONE Verstappen and Sainz play Spieth still on road down rivalry

Reuters London

oro Rosso teammates Max Verstappen and from golf hero to global Carlos Sainz have played down talk of fu- ture friction after their heated track battle in last weekend’s season-opening Formula TOne race in Australia. Verstappen was heard over the team radio asking for Sainz to let him through as both were held up by Renault rookie Jolyon Palmer. The 18-year-old Dutch driver called the team strategy a “joke” in an sporting aristocracy expletive-laden tirade. Sainz subsequently passed Palmer and fi nished ninth, with Verstappen 10th after running in fi fth ‘We’re sitting two weeks out from Masters and a lot can change in two weeks for the good or the worse’ place before a re-start. The highly-rated pair also collided shortly before the fi nish, Verstappen’s car making contact with The Guardian the left rear side of Sainz’s and then spinning. Ewan Murray Jordan Spieth plays a shot during a practice round for the World “I’m always focusing ahead. So for me, to be Golf Championships-Dell Match Play at Austin Country Club in honest, it doesn’t really aff ect me as a struggle,” Austin, Texas, yesterday. (Getty Images/AFP) Verstappen said yesterday when asked whether he t is not just an injury battle that rivalry made it diffi cult to be friends with Sainz. endorses just how special Tiger “We want to beat each other on track, but I think Woods was in his prime - com- everybody wants to beat his team mate, and off - petitive absence makes the nar- track everything is going well so there are no issues Irative grow stronger, after all - but there,” the Dutch driver said in an interview with the scale of focus on others looking Laureus.com. even to approach the 14-times ma- “We just had a long travel back from Australia, jor winner’s achievements. so we didn’t have the time yet,” added Verstappen Woods was a phenomenon; not when asked whether he and Sainz had talked things only for his level of success but in over. “But I don’t see any big problems in that.” terms of a ferocious competitive Spaniard Sainz, who pitted before Verstappen in spirit that, at times, could not be another incident that angered his team mate, told batted down. Modern-day compar- the offi cial formula1.com website that their’s was a isons make little sense. healthy rivalry. This week in Austin, the city “At least from my side I have absolutely no issues where he briefl y attended college, with anyone,” added the 21-year-old. Jordan Spieth is seeking to garner “I received a touch from behind, saw Max spin- momentum in the buildup to his ning in my mirrors. It was a very interesting race Masters defence . In doing so, Spie- - on the limit, but that’s how Formula One should th would naturally revel in the hush- be.” ing of a few dissenting voices. Toro Rosso is the junior team to Red Bull Racing, Anyone who believes such mo- with both owned by Austrian energy drink billion- mentum is not signifi cant in the aire Dietrich Mateschitz. context of this outstanding 22-year- After an impressive debut season, in which Ver- old need only glance back towards stappen became the youngest ever Formula One the bounce, bounce, bounce format driver, both are eager to make a splash in a year that represented his 2015. He rode likely to end in a lot of driver movement around the the crest of a golfi ng wave for almost paddock. an entire season. When Spieth won again, in Ha- waii in mid-January, the expecta- tion rose that another epic spell was ‘Systematic’ doping in Russian on the horizon. Instead, the Texan’s swimming: Report year has moderately stalled; he has Evidence of “systematic” doping has been un- not recorded a fi nish better than earthed in Russian swimming, a report in British tied 17th in four subsequent events. newspaper The Times claimed yesterday. During that spell, only fi ve from 14 Russian athletes have been banned from inter- rounds have been sub-70. national competition after a World Anti-doping To the high amusement of some, Agency (WADA) report uncovered evidence of including Rory McIlroy, this consti- state-sponsored doping and The Times said the tutes some form of crisis. It certain- but it’s nothing that’s diff erent.” themselves chances to be converted. comings will be matched - and ten- “And then I came back into hec- situation in Russian swimming was similar. ly hasn’t been for this sport in gen- Everyone has an opinion; Day go- However, if Spieth was properly fold - by Spieth’s desire to catapult tic Tour schedule. I competed in two It claimed that Sergei Portugalov, the doctor said eral; Bubba Watson, Adam Scott, ing so far as to claim he was “wor- irked, this provides tacit admission himself back into the winner’s cir- events, had a chance to win them. to be the mastermind behind doping in Russian Jason Day and Charl Schwartzel, ried” by the opening to Spieth’s of a susceptibility that has not been cle. And he will do, the only query I mean, it was certainly abnormal athletics, had pushed swimmers on Russia’s all but one (Day) former Masters year. Day’s compatriot, Scott, has in evidence before. There has to be being one of when. for after the new year. A lot of times national team to take performance-enhancing champions, have lifted trophies. been considerably more circum- a psychological adjustment, from A relative lull was probably inevi- guys take the opportunities in the drugs. The appeal of Augusta National spect. “We’re sitting two weeks golfi ng hero to global sporting aris- table. That it arrived in a time of the fall but it seemed like an appropriate The paper, which carried out its own investiga- thereby intensifi ed, owing simply out from the Masters and a lot can tocracy. season that few top players would two-week stretch for me - and I re- tion, cited a witness who testified that “pills and to the depth of talent seeking to take change in two weeks for the good Spieth would be unnatural if he regard as crucial is maybe a further ally do have good memories from it.” medicines” were available by the side of the pool Spieth’s crown. or the worse but we’re dealing with did not fi nd himself in the midst of a endorsement of Spieth’s impecca- This week, Spieth is on familiar during one competition in Moscow. Spieth has been subjected to the a guy like Jordan who knows how to battle, to whatever extent, with that ble timing. Texan ground for the WGC-Match Other allegations are that two Russian swimmers level of analysis befi tting one of prepare and to peak at these events. changing of status. Through the winter, he embarked Play Championship. Course condi- were not punished after testing positive for the whom such routine brilliance is ex- So if he’s not where he wants to be - Perhaps Day was indulging in on a global run that - fi nancial ben- tions, and severe breeze, play into banned blood-booster EPO and that witnesses pected. The man himself has a reply. and I don’t know that - I’m sure he some sport of his own. Golfi ng efi ts notwithstanding - displayed a his favour. In the following week, were “terrified” of going public due to the fear of Spieth explained: “Around major can be by the time Augusta comes whispers suggested Spieth wasn’t willingness to break out from a PGA Spieth will once again be on well- reprisals. championships - I just need to take around.” entirely enamoured by the Aus- Tour comfort zone. known ground at the Shell Houston Quoted by The Times, WADA president Craig that model into the rest of the PGA The PGA Tour’s media team tralian’s comments. If true, Day at Spieth, like Rickie Fowler but in Open. Reedie said: “If these allegations are correct, they Tour golf now - which is just stay earned a social media telling-off least responded to aggravation by contrast to so many others, relishes A brisk return to form, then, will certainly concern Wada and we will examine away from all the outside infl uenc- after producing a headline that Spi- producing his own return to form a chance to compete in new envi- would be no shock. them in detail.” es, whether it’s TV, where you see eth did not fancy, with the reigning in winning the Arnold Palmer In- ronments. One consequence was If it isn’t forthcoming, not only The paper said that neither Portugalov, the Rus- yourself or it’s social media, what- Masters and US Open champion vitational . And let’s be blunt; any fatigue; Spieth was grateful for the is that hardly problematic for golf; sian Swimming Federation nor swimming’s world ever it may be, just do less of it and going even further in taking on an form of needle at the summit of golf experience but admitted he would it isn’t representative at all of what governing body FINA had responded to ques- fi nd something else to do, whether Instagram poster who suggested would be welcomed by onlookers. not repeat it in future years. status Spieth will reach during the tions. But in a statement published by the R-Sport it’s reading or whether it’s discov- this golfer was nothing other than Here is the crucial point, though; “I have no regrets at all,” Spieth next 20 years. news agency, the Russian federation said: “The ering a new place, going out in your an occasionally wonderful putter. Spieth has proven himself as the said. “I had a great time. I saw some The trick for the man himself lies Russian Swimming Federation condemns doping. car that week, instead of just sitting Aside from the fact Spieth is per- most formidable competitor in really cool places. Abu Dhabi was a in perfectly comprehending that; “The Federation developed an anti-doping pro- around. fectly entitled to defend himself, the world golf. His mental approach spectacular place. Singapore was a Spieth should know by now on gramme aimed at preventing doping in sport that “Because then you’re tempted. latter point is ridiculous in the fi rst is beyond question. Any external really cool city. Those are really, re- which platform his talking is best has already been working for a few years. It’s something certainly to work on place; any player has to fi rst aff ord whispers regarding alleged short- ally neat places to see. done. Gulf Times Thursday, March 24, 2016 5 WORLD T20

MATCH REPORT India pull off a heist with one-run win over Bangladesh Dramatic victory bolsters India’s chances of reaching the semis, but they must now defeat Australia on Sunday

Indian players including Hardik Pandya (left) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (centre) celebrate the that led to their victory by one run against Bangladesh during the World T20 tournament at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday. (AFP)

AFP Suresh Raina at slip off Ravichandran Ashwin. Bangalore Soumya Sarkar managed 21 as the required STANDINGS SCORECARD runs were gradually ticked off , but Indian spin- ners Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin kept their cool Read as: played, won, lost, tied, no result, INDIA M. Mithun c Pandya b Ashwin ...... 1 ndia scraped to a one-run win against a te- under pressure and continued to take . points, run rate R. Sharma c Sabbir b Mustafizur ...... 18 S. Rahman st Dhoni b Raina ...... 26 nacious Bangladesh in Bangalore in a thrill- With Bangladesh needing 10 runs off fi ve balls GROUP 2 S. Dhawan lbw b Al Hasan ...... 23 S. Al Hasan c Raina b Ashwin ...... 22 ing match yesterday, keeping their hopes of in a gripping fi nal over sent down by Hardik New Zealand 3 3 0 0 0 6 +1.283 V. Kohli b Hom ...... 24 M. Mortaza b Jadeja ...... 6 World glory alive. Pandya, Mushfi qur Rahim (11) smashed two India 3 2 1 0 0 4 -0.546 S. Raina c Rahman b Hossain ...... 30 S. Sarkar c Kohli b Nehra ...... 21 IIndia were restricted to 146 for seven after be- consecutive fours, before holing out to Shikhar Pakistan 3 1 2 0 0 2 +0.254 H. Pandya c Sarkar b Hossain ...... 15 Mahmudullah c Jadeja b Pandya ...... 18 ing sent in to bat at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Dhawan on the mid-wicket boundary. With two Australia 2 1 1 0 0 2 +0.108 M.S. Dhoni ...... 13 M. Rahim c Dhawan b Pandya ...... 11 thanks to some spirited Bangladesh bowling. runs needed from two balls, Mahmudullah was Bangladesh 3 0 3 0 0 0 -1.165 Y. Singh c Hossain b Mahmudullah ...... 3 S. Hom not out ...... 0 Bangladesh came tantalisingly close to chas- inexplicably also caught in the deep for 18. Note: Top two teams in each group R. Jadeja b Rahman ...... 12 M. Rahman (Dhoni) ...... 0 ing down the total, but poor shots and three Incoming batsman Mustafi zur Rahman had qualify for the semifinals R. Ashwin not out ...... 5 Extras (lb 4, w 1) ...... 5 critical dismissals by skipper Mahendra Singh no choice but to race down the wicket, after Extras (lb 2, w 1) ...... 3 Total (for 9 wickets, 20 overs) ...... 145 Dhoni eventually saw the home side scramble Shuvagata Hom stabbed and missed the fi nal Total (7 wickets, 20 overs) ...... 146 Did not bat: A. Hossain home by the slimmest of margins. ball, and was run out by Dhoni. Confi rmation of Dhoni said at post-match presentation cer- Did not bat: A. Nehra, J. Bumrah Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Mithun), 2-55 (Iqbal), 3-69 India’s group stage victory bolsters their the dismissal by the TV umpire sent the crowd emony. Fall of wickets: 1-42 (Sharma), 2-45 (Dhawan), (Rahman), 4-87 (Mortaza), 5-95 (Al Hasan), 6-126 chances of reaching the semi-fi nals, but they and the Indian team into wild celebrations. India, with one loss and one win heading into 3-95 (Kohli), 4-112 (Raina), 5-112 (Pandya), 6-117 (Sarkar), 7-145 (Rahim), 8-145 (Mahmudullah), must now defeat Australia on Sunday to secure After the match, Dhoni was all praise for yesteday’s match, couldn’t aff ord to lose if they (Yuvraj), 7-137 (Jadeja) 9-145 (Rahman) a place in the fi nal four. young Pandya, who held his nerve during the were to keep their dream alive of becoming the Bowling: Mortaza 4-0-22-0, Hom 3-0-24-1, Hos- Bowling: Nehra 4-0-29-1, Bumrah 4-0-32-0, Ash- But defeat means that Bangladesh, who have last few moments and executed the instructions fi rst country to win the World T20 title twice. sain 4-0-37-2, Rahman 4-0-34-2, Al Hasan 4-0-23-1, win 4-0-20-2, Jadeja 4-0-22-2, Pandya 3-0-29-2, lost all three of their Super 10 games so far, brilliantly by not bowling a yorker to Shuvagato But their total of 146 for seven seemed below Mahmudullah 1-0-4-1 Raina 1-0-9-1 have no chance of progressing further. Opener Hom, which could have turned into a full-toss. par, thanks to some gritty bowling by Bang- Result: India won by one run Tamim Iqbal top-scored for Bangladesh with 35 “There were quite a few stuff we were dis- ladesh, who were looking to beat India in this BANGLADESH Toss: Bangladesh off 32 balls, before he was by the Indian cussing, one thing was for sure, we did not want format for the fi rst time. Al-Amin Hossain took T. Iqbal st Dhoni b Jadeja ...... 35 Man of the match: R Ashwin skipper just as he was looking dangerous. him (Hardik) to bowl a yorker. It had to be a back two wickets for Bangladesh off two balls, while The aggressive batsman put on 44 runs with of a length, but how back of a length, that was newcomer Shuvagata Hom claimed the critical Sabbir Rahman for the second wicket, but Rah- the question. You don’t want to bowl a wide. We scalp of Virat Kohli for 24. balls as they tried to accelerate. Sabbir Rahman for 30, and Sarkar taking a spec- man was also stumped for 26 as he looked to were deciding out fi eld and I think he executed Indian openers Dhawan (23) and Rohit Shar- Kohli and Raina put on 50 before Hom clean tacular diving catch on the boundary to claim carry on the momentum. made really well. It’s nice to have hood plans but the ma (18) put on a patient 42-run partnership be- bowled Kohli just as he was looking dangerous. Pandya for 15. Dhoni battled to an unbeaten 13 a quick-fi re 22 off 15 before he was caught by plan pnly looks good when it is executed well,” fore both lost their wickets in the space of six Al-Amin then struck, with Raina caught by runs off 12 balls.

ILLEGAL ACTION FOCUS ICC upholds Taskin suspension ‘Black Caps now World T20 favourites’ Reuters Taskin’s suspension from bowl- New Delhi ing in international cricket shall AFP Michael Vaughan ruffl ed Kiwi the Black Caps refused to panic stadium has been confi rmed as be upheld and indicated that a Auckland feathers last week when he criti- as Pakistan made a strong start a semi-fi nal host of the World written reasoned decision will cised India for allowing “lesser to their run chase, instead set- Twenty20 after receiving the fi - angladesh failed in be provided in due course,” it teams into the game” during ting about strangling the in- nal green light from municipal their frantic bid to said. he Black Caps’ un- their tournament opener against nings. “This is a team that looks authorities, a senior cricket of- get paceman Taskin After being reported in Dhar- defeated march to the Black Caps. increasingly good at defending fi cial said yesterday. Ahmed’s (right) bowl- amsala, Taskin, was assessed at the World Twenty20 New Zealand fans also noted totals as well as setting them,” he There had been growing ingB suspension overturned to the ICC-accredited test centre semi-fi nals means the that Indian television commen- wrote. fears that the fi rst semi-fi nal on help revive their fl agging World in Chennai where, according Tside that international pundits tators seemed incredulous that Radio Sport cricket commen- March 30 would have to be shift- Twenty20 campaign after a ju- to media reports, his bouncers initially dismissed as “a lesser the underdogs ground out a 47- tator Bryan Waddle praised skip- ed from the Indian capital over dicial commissioner upheld the were found to exceed the ICC team” are now tournament fa- run victory over the highly-fan- per Kane Williamson, who is new safety fears surrounding one of ban for an illegal bowling ac- limit of elbow extensions. vourites, New Zealand media cied hosts in Nagpur. to the job after replacing Bren- the stands. tion. After fi xing his action, Taskin, said yesterday. But the win over Pakistan don McCullum but has shown But Chetham Chauhan, vice- The right-arm bowler and who turns 21 next month, could The New Zealanders seized means they will no longer be un- a willingness to pick players on president of the Delhi and Dis- his team mate, left-arm spinner apply for a re-assessment, the their place in the fi nal four with derestimated, with Fairfax New form and forged a winning unit. trict Cricket Association, told Arafat Sunny, were suspended ICC said. a 22-run win over Pakistan in Zealand’s Duncan Johnstone la- “They’ve done it in style reporters at yesterday’s match from bowling on Saturday af- “In the event of such re- Mohali on Tuesday, adding to a belling them “the team to beat at against some of the best teams between England and Afghani- ter both were reported for il- assessment concluding that string of scalps that already in- the Twenty20 World Cup”. in the world... it just highlights stan that the fi nal clearances had legal actions following a March Taskin has remedied his bowl- cludes India and Australia. All “While we marvelled at their where this team is at the mo- now been obtained. 9 qualifi er against the Nether- ing action and that his elbow three results would have been bold spin-win over hosts India ment,” he said. Uncertainty over the stadium lands in Dharamsala. extension is within the permis- considered upsets at the start of and delighted in seeing off old New Zealand have only readiness to stage any matches in “...’s suspen- sible level on all of his standard the tournament, but NZ Herald foe Australia, the nature of the reached the semis of the World the tournament led to a delay in sion from bowling in interna- deliveries, his suspension shall cricket writer Andrew Alderson victory over Pakistan has New T20 once before, at the inaugu- the release of tickets. Although tional cricket has been upheld, be lifted and he shall be permit- said the Black Caps were on track Zealand looking like the real deal ral event in 2007. They were the authorities did grant permission following a review hearing Beloff held a teleconference on ted to resume bowling in inter- for their biggest-ever achieve- to win the World T20 title,” he form team going into the fi nal of for matches in the group stages conducted by a Judicial Com- Tuesday, the global governing national cricket.” ment on the world stage. said. Johnstone pointed to New last year’s World Cup before col- to take place, it held back from missioner,” the International body explained their decision. It has been a forgettable “New Zealand’s three con- Zealand’s potent young spin at- lapsing against Australia at the approving the March 30 match. Cricket Council (ICC) said in a “Having carefully consid- World Twenty20 for Taskin’s vincing victories mean they tack and their depth, un- Melbourne Cricket Ground. Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium statement yesterday. ered those arguments and the team so far, with Bangladesh now loom as a favourite to take derlined by Martin Guptill’s 80 is scheduled to stage the second After Taskin requested an ex- responses of the ICC, Mr Be- losing their three main draw out their maiden World Cup or off 48 balls in Mohali. DELHI CONFIRMED AS semi-fi nal on March 31 while peditious review of his case and loff has now notifi ed all parties matches against Pakistan, Aus- World T20 title,” he wrote. He said the most impressive SEMI-FINAL VENUE Kolkata’s is to host judicial commissioner Michael concerned of his decision that tralia and India. Former England captain aspect of the win was the way New Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla the fi nal on Sunday, April 3. Gulf Times 6 Thursday, March 24, 2016 WORLD T20

MATCH REPORT Ali cameo helps England survive Afghan scare Ali and Willey shared an unbroken 57-run stand for the eighth wicket to reach 142 for 7 after being 85 for 7 at one stage

AFP score to 140. He played according to the New Delhi STANDINGS situation,” said Rashid. Afghanistan’s chase was dealt a se- Read as: played, won, lost, tied, no result, vere blow after destructive opener Mo- oin Morgan breathed a sigh of points, run rate hammad Shahzad (four) was trapped relief about England’s strength GROUP 1 lbw off David Willey with the third ball in depth after a late fl ourish West Indies 2 2 0 0 0 4 +0.893 of the innings. from Moeen Ali and David Wil- England 3 2 1 0 0 4 +0.018 Willey and new-ball partner Chris leyE spared the team’s blushes yesterday Jordan kept up the pressure to rattle South Africa 2 1 1 0 0 0 +0.816 against Afghanistan at cricket’s World Sri Lanka 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.171 the Afghan top-order with danger men Twenty20. Afghanistan 3 0 3 0 0 0 -1.067 Stanikzai and managing Ali and Willey shared an unbroken one and nought respectively. 57-run partnership for the eighth wick- The minnows slipped further after et to reach 142 for seven after being 85 side in place of the injured Alex Hales, spin was introduced as Moeen and Adil for seven at one stage as England even- then tried to counter-attack along with Rashid struck in their fi rst overs to give tually beat the minnows by 15 runs. in-form Joe Root with a 26-run second Afghanistan a taste of their own medi- After losing early wickets, Afghani- wicket partnership. cine. The Afghans were never in the mix stan never looked like overhauling their But ’s introduction after being reduced to 13 for two and illustrious opponents but went down reaped immediate rewards as the vet- then 39 for fi ve as England gained con- fi ghting as they reached 127 for nine at eran off -spinner soon had both danger trol of proceedings. New Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla stadium. men trudging back to the dugout. Leg-spinner Rashid soon got another The result means that Afghanistan Vince was caught and bowled while scalp in Mohammad Nabi and Afghani- have now no chance of progressing to the departure of Morgan and Root— stan’s journey in their fourth World T20 the semi-fi nals but England are in sec- who was run out—in quick succession appearance was all but over. Shenwari ond place in their group ahead of their spelt big trouble for England. (22) and Shafi qullah (35 not out) tried to fi nal match on Saturday against Sri With the batting was in a shambles, breathe some life into the chase with a Lanka. After last Friday’s dramatic vic- leg-spinners and Samiul- few lusty blows in the fi nale but could tory over South Africa when England lah Shenwari joined the party to re- do little to alter the outcome. pulled off a record run chase in Mum- mind England of their humiliating 2014 “If we play with these international bai, the batting performance was a ma- World T20 exit when they lost to the teams we have the capability to play jor letdown. Netherlands. But Ali’s 33-ball knock, good cricket. So we need to play more And Morgan, who was bowled for a which was laced with four boundaries cricket against these sides,” said Rashid. golden duck, said that the team should and a six, knocked some of the gloss off England stand second in the Super not have been caught unawares by the the Afghan fi gures. 10 group table after two straight wins, more turning conditions in New Delhi “They played good cricket especially while Afghanistan remain bottom of and had failed to adapt to their new Moeen Ali so they were able to take the the heap. surroundings. “I think it was simply a matter of not adapting,” Morgan told reporters. “Coming here and playing a SCORECARD T20 World Cup I think this is the type of wicket that every single one of us were ENGLAND AFGHANISTAN: expecting,” he added. J. Roy b Hamza 5 M. Shahzad lbw b Willey 4 Moeen’s unbeaten 41 was the one J. Vince c & b Nabi 22 Noor Ali Zadran c Morgan b Ali 17 innings of real note but he was ably J. Root run out 12 A. Stanikzai c Root b Jordan 1 supported by Willey who hit two sixes E. Morgan by Nabi 0 G. Naib c Stokes b Willey 0 England’s Moeen Ali plays a shot during in a sparkling 20 off 17 balls. The pe- B. Stokes b Khan 7 R. Khan c Morgan b Ali 15 the World Twenty20 match against nultimate over yielded 25 runs as Amir J. Buttler c Nabi b Shenwari 6 M. Nabi c Jordan b Rashid 12 Afghanistan at the New Delhi’s Feroz Hamza took a battering. “I think diff er- M. Ali not out 41 S. Shenwari c Root by Stokes 22 Shah Kotla stadium yesterday. (Reuters) ence between 120 and 140 is huge. Our C. Jordan c & b Khan 15 run out 14 strength is that we bat right down the D. Willey not out 20 not out 35 order. But I thought he (Moeen) batted Extras (lb 6, w 8) 14 A. Hamza run out 1 really well,” said Morgan. Total (for 7 wickets, 20 overs) 142 Shapoor Zadran not out 0 England made to sweat -The Afghan Did not bat: A. Rashid, L. Plunkett Extras (lb 2, w 4) 6 slow bowlers made England sweat on a Fall of wickets: 1-16 (Roy), 2-42 Total (for 9 wickets, 20 overs) 127 hot and sunny afternoon in the Indian (Vince), 3-42 (Morgan), 4-42 (Root), Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Shahzad), 2-12 (Stanik- capital to reduce them to 85 for seven. 5-50 (Buttler), 6-57 (Stokes), 7-85 zai), 3-13 (Naib), 4-35 (Khan), 5-39 (Noor Ali) Skipper Asghar Stanikzai gave the (Jordan) 6-64 (Nabi), 85-7 (Zadran), 8-94 (Shenwari) new ball to Hamza and the left-arm Bowling: Shapoor Zadran 4-0-34-0, Bowling: Willey 4-0-23-2, Jordan 4-0- spinner did not disappoint, snaring Hamza 4-0-45-1, Nabi 4-0-17-2, Khan 4-0- 27-1, Plunkett 4-1-12-0, Ali 2-0-17-1, Rashid dashing opener Jason Roy in the third 17-2, Shenwari 4-0-23-1 3-0-18-2, Stokes 3-0-28-1 over. James Vince, who came into the

Morgan unperturbed by SPOTLIGHT England batting collapse Anti-corruption sleuths widen dragnet New Delhi: England’s top-order crossed his mind, Morgan said: capitulation against Afghani- “No, absolutely not. Before the AFP stan’s inexperienced bowling game, we knew a lot about Mumbai attack in yesterday’s World Afghanistan. They are a good Twenty20 match will worry side and certainly if they are their fans but skipper Eoin going to beat us, we need to ans at stadiums and guests at Morgan isn’t concerned. under-perform. team hotels are under surveil- Morgan’s team slumped to “We let them in today by lance at the World Twenty20 57-6 inside 10 overs against under-performing with the bat as cricket tries to eradicate the scourgeF of match-fi xing, according to an Afghan side starved of top- but I thought our bowling was level cricket with the same bat- outstanding. In the field as well, the game’s top anti-corruption trouble- ting line-up that chased down we were pretty good, which is a shooter. a huge 230-run target against good sign.” Ronnie Flanagan, head of the Interna- South Africa last week. Looking ahead, Morgan said tional Cricket Council’s Anti-Corrup- Six of the seven dismissed it was only a matter of adapt- tion Unit (ACU), told AFP that his team Englishmen fell to spin bowlers ing to the pitch, something he was leaving no stone unturned during on a Feroz Shah Kotla track expects his team to do in their the tournament in India which runs until which, Morgan admitted, was next Group One match against April 3. “We conduct recces (reconnais- far from a raging turner. Sri Lanka on Saturday. sance) of the hotels where the players are “We chased down 230 a “Coming here and playing a going to stay. We stay at the same hotel game ago. It was simply a mat- T20 World Cup, I think this is and we conduct vigilance in terms of all ter of not adapting,” Morgan the kind of wicket that every those who try to seek access to the play- told reporters after the 15-run single one of us was expect- ers,” he told AFP. victory over Afghanistan which ing,” he said. “We spoke a lot The ICC’s ACU has long been accused kept his team on course for a about it before we play. I think of being a paper tiger, focused mainly on place in the semi-finals. executions of our plans today educating players against corruption but Down the order, Moeen Ali were off by a long way. doing little actual intervention. Flana- (41 not out) and David Willey “It’s very important between gan, formerly one of Britain’s most senior (20 not out) plundered 57 runs now and the Sri Lanka game police offi cers, said the body was increas- in 5.3 overs to rescue the 2010 that we sit down as a group and ing monitoring as the rise of short-form Indian fans cheer for their team prior to the start of the World T20 cricket tournament match against Bangladesh at the champions but the late rally emphasise what we are trying cricket provides more opportunities for M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru yesterday. (AFP) could not gloss over the top to do and make sure it’s the corruption. order failure. “I think we’ve right plan, reinforce that...” “I think we now know what we have to In 2010, a spot-fi xing scandal at Lord’s stands, and were keeping a particular eye Proteas’ all-rounder JP Duminy believes been practising similar things Asked to explain his own contend with and we are increase our re- led to the imprisonment of Pakistani on spectators with mobile phones. “Re- cricket is “on the right path in terms of that we needed today but we dismissal for a golden duck, the sources accordingly in terms of the level players Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir cently a phenomenon has crept in known beating corruption” but admits that it is actually just didn’t produce,” England captain said: “An error of vigilance that we must maintain to and Mohammad Asif. An undercover as ‘pitch siders’,” he told AFP in a video hard to legislate. Morgan said. in judgement. I got the mes- thwart the activities of those who would journalist posing as head of a betting interview in Mumbai. “These people “Unfortunately it comes down to the Asked if the fear of loss sage that it was turning and it seek to exploit the growth of cricket for syndicate handed over 140,000 pounds seek to take advantage of the time lapse individual and what’s the most impor- against an associate nation didn’t turn. I misjudged.” their evil means,” he explained. at a London hotel to an agent who prom- between a broadcast and an event that’s tant thing to that individual,” he told re- That includes scouring team hotels ised Amir and Mohammad Asif would actually happened and where it’s being porters in Mumbai. “I like to think that to and match venues, including supporters’ deliver no-balls in a Test match against viewed, perhaps in parts of the Indian all cricketers around the world the most England captain sections and restricted players’ areas, England. Some of the money was later sub-continent. If they have people in the important thing is upholding the legacy Eoin Morgan was for signs of anyone who appears on the found in the players’ rooms. And in 2013, ground giving a ball-by-ball account on of the game and that is to play cricket out dismissed for a golden ACU’s database of suspected corrupters. former Test paceman Shanthakumaran a mobile phone they can get ahead of the on the fi eld and not anywhere else.” duck. (Reuters) Hotels have been the setting for some of Sreesanth and two uncapped bowlers actual broadcast. India poses a particular challenge cricket’s biggest scandals. were arrested on charges of spot-fi xing “They’re not any longer betting on owing to the massive popularity of the The late Hansie Cronje made an off er at a Mumbai hotel following an Indian the probability of you being caught or game and the fact that betting is illegal to three teammates in an Indian hotel Premier League match. Sreesanth and the possibility of you being caught out. and diffi cult to regulate. Shantanu Ray room during cricket’s most sensational Ajit Chandila were acquitted of criminal You’ve actually been caught out.” Guha, who has written a book on crick- scandal in 2000, which led to the ACU’s charges but banned from cricket for life. Corruption raised its ugly head again et corruption, told AFP India’s betting creation. Cronje, South Africa captain at Flanagan said investigators were in January when former South African market was akin to a “parallel economy”. the time, was banned for life before dying also “keeping vigilance generally at the international Gulam Bodi admitted at- “Whether the ICC can clean this up, I in a plane crash two years later. ground”, in restricted areas and in the tempting to fi x domestic T20 matches. have my serious doubts,” he said. Gulf Times Thursday, March 24, 2016 7 SPORT

FOCUS FRIENDLY Loney leads Rays With game and talks, to win over Cuba

Agencies DODGERS’ ETHIER OUT FOR Havana 10-14 WEEKS Los Angeles Dodgers outfi elder Cuba and MLB have their Andre Ethier suff ered a broken ames Loney homered and leg that will sideline him for 10 had three RBIs to lead the to 14 weeks after he was hit by a Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-1 pitch last week. victory over the Cuban Ethier was struck on the right nationalJ team on Tuesday in shin during a spring training game own rapprochement Havana in a game witnessed by against the Arizona Diamond- Presidents Barack Obama and backs last Friday. Initial X-rays Raul Castro. indicated that no bones were bro- To reach a deal, Cuba would require compensation for the rights to its players, but The Rays’ trip to Cuba was the ken, but when soreness persisted, fi rst by a major league team since he had a CT scan on Tuesday that payments are blocked by embargo. MLB is seeking special permission for the same 1999 when the Baltimore Orioles showed the tibia fracture. visited. The injury won’t require sur- Obama and Castro sat side by gery, but it’s expected to keep side behind the plate to watch the him out until June. game in Estadio Latinoameri- cano. The near-capacity crowd YANKEES OPTION HEATHCOFF cheered loudly when both men The New York Yankees optioned entered the stadium. outfi elder Slade Heathcoff to Loney singled in Kevin Kier- Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, maier with the fi rst run in the the team announced. Heathcoff second inning and homered in was reassigned to New York’s the top of the fourth to give the minor-league camp. The 25-year- Rays a 3-0 lead. old Heathcoff was 1-for-22 in 11 Rays starter Matt Moore spring-training games. pitched six innings and gave up Heathcoff drew the ire of the no runs, six hits and one walk Yankees last week when he missed while striking out three. the bus for a spring training game.

The Tampa Bay Rays line up with Cuban children before the game The Estadio Latinoamericano was packed for the exhibition game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National team in Havana, Cuba, on Tuesday. (Miami Herald/TNS) at the Estadio Latinoamericano against the Cuban National team in Havana, Cuba, on Tuesday. (Miami Herald/TNS) Reuters Havana Tomlin has no plans to force ajor League Baseball and Harrison's play-or-not-play decision Cuba reinitiated talks on a player transfer agreement on By Gerry Dulac Tuesday, taking advantage of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) Man exhibition game in Havana that coin- cided with US President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Cuba, a senior MLB offi - ike Tomlin is going to wait for outside linebacker James cial said. MHarrison to decide whether he wants to return for one more Obama and Cuban President Raul season with the Steelers. And he is perfectly fine with doing so. Castro caught a few innings of Tues- After all, it's not as if he needs to see Harrison perform in off sea- day’s exhibition game between the Cu- son training activities or training camp at Saint Vincent College. ban national team and MLB’s Tampa "I am not going to put a gun to his head," Tomlin said Tuesday at Bay Rays. The Rays won, 4-1. the annual AFC coaches breakfast at the Boca Raton Resort and Just as Obama and Castro have agreed Club. "I am not going to ask him to do much in Latrobe, anyway." to normalize relations, the Cuban Base- Then, after a brief pause, he said with a laugh, "Let's be honest, he ball Federation and MLB have enjoyed is over there on field No. 8 in training camp so he doesn't hurt any their own rapprochement and it, too, of the kids." will require more diplomacy. Harrison, who turns 38 next month, has said he wants to see if his Other than an initial meeting in New body is ready and able to sustain another season when he is done York six months ago, the two sides had Cuban fans show their support during the exhibition game in Havana. (Miami Herald/TNS) with a six-week training regimen in Arizona. Only then will he yet to discuss even the outlines of a deal decide if he will come back. that would allow MLB teams to sign compensation for the rights to its play- Obama, a Chicago White Sox fan, Obama has asked Congress to rescind "James is not going to shortchange himself. He is not going to players in Cuba without them having to ers, but payments are blocked by the raised concerns about player safety and the embargo but has been blocked by the shortchange the game of football," Tomlin said. "I believe him defect. US economic embargo. MLB is seeking family separation in an interview with leadership of the Republican majority. when he says he is going through a process to see his overall “We discussed high-level concepts,” special US permission to compensate ABC News, recalling the story of White Instead the president has used execu- readiness and potential eff ectiveness. He knows what he is doing. Dan Halem, the MLB’s chief legal of- Cuba. The Treasury Department has Sox first baseman Jose Dariel Abreu, a tive authority to ease restrictions, in- He has been doing it for a long time. He knows whether or not his ficer, told Reuters, referring to the pos- yet to make a ruling. Cuban defector who left behind a young cluding a provision that permits Cubans body can do what he needs it to do. sible framework of a future agreement. In the meantime, most Cuban players son. to earn salaries in the US without having "I respect that mentality. It's really an unselfish mentality when “We agreed to schedule meetings in with big league dreams continue to de- “That can’t be the kind of policies to sever ties with their homeland. you think about it. He doesn't want to let his football team down the next few months to at least identify fect, a record 150 of them in 2015. Many we want to promote, and so my hope is Halem said the new rules do not ad- in any way, and more importantly than that, he wants to make what our respective issues are and see if are forced to abandon their families this just becomes one more part of the dress the issue of making payments to sure that he is capable of leading this team in the ways that he we can work through them.” and take dangerous sea journeys in the stitching back together of the US and Cuba’s federation so that it would re- has done in the past." To reach a deal, Cuba would require hands of smugglers. Cuba,” Obama said. lease its players.

NFL Johnny Manziel is off limits for now for Cowboys

By Clarence E. Hill Jr. ment over the quarterback's inabil- Agent Erik Burkhardt dropped him ball player, Jones said he has not Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TNS) ity to get his life in order. Jones can't as a client because of his lack of ac- shown the discipline in life to maxi- fathom the thought of Manziel join- countability. mize his talent. ing the Cowboys or any team in the His new agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is Jones said the Cowboys would try t's no secret that Dallas Cowboys NFL until he addresses his off-the- the NFL owners meetings shopping to help Manziel any way they can owner Jerry Jones has been infatu- field issues. Manziel to potential teams, and he within the rules of the NFL and, if po- ated with former Texas A&M quar- "The overwhelming response and said there is a market for him. tentially joining the Cowboys and/or terback Johnny Manziel since pass- the overwhelming mentality is for Jones says he has not talked to returning to the league is a motivating Iing on him in the 2014 NFL draft. him to, if we're involved in any way, Rosenhaus about Manziel and doesn't factor, he's all for that too. Jones has not been able to stop to help and encourage him to get it want to even talk about him poten- But until Manziel turns his life talking about Manziel, who was together, to get his issue improved tially joining the Cowboys for fear of around, Jones said he doesn't dare drafted by the Cleveland Browns after because those issues, in my mind, not sending the wrong message to fans. picture him in a practice let alone a the Cowboys chose guard Zack Martin talent, are why he is free today," Jones "I don't want ... to do anything that football game. with the 16th overall pick. Jones was said. "It's those issues, and those is- doesn't put emphasis on him getting "I think where he is speaks for itself. even admonished by the league for sues are the overriding consideration straightened around," Jones said. That's why I'm emphasizing that has coming close to tampering. here and how and what basis those "He's had a disappointing life experi- to be addressed," Jones said. "If it's Now that Manziel is a free agent can be dealt with and address." ence as it would pertain to his time in appropriate within the rules, or with- — he was released March 11 after two Manziel was released by the Browns the NFL. I want to talk about any way in the guidelines of the NFL, if we can disappointing and controversy-filled because of a pattern of irresponsibil- we could help that." be of help in the promise of being a years in Cleveland — Jones is finally ity and recklessness that has now es- Helping Manziel, according to part of the NFL through the Cowboys, free to expound on the former Heis- calated into a criminal investigation Jones, is finding a way to get him to I certainly look to that. But that has man Trophy winner. for domestic violence. A Dallas grand focus on getting the human elements to be addressed ... I don't even dare, But rather than admiration and jury has yet to decide whether he will addressed, not trying to find a way to right now, go into picturing him in a rush to finally sign Manziel, Jones is face charges for allegedly assaulting a put him on the football team. training camp or an OTA or him in a In this August 9, 2014, picture, Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel (left) filled with sympathy and disappoint- former girlfriend. As talented as Manziel is as a foot- ballgame. You don't go there." in action against Detroit Lions in Detroit. (USA TODAY Sports) Gulf Times 8 Thursday, March 24, 2016 SPORT

NBA Defense, Westbrook carry Thunder past Rockets ‘A lot of those games are big games for us. I just play my game. The game will tell you what to do’

Reuters Los Angeles Los Angeles

laying championship-caliber to host defense has not been a part of Oklahoma City’s resume this All-Star Game season. Despite having the Pthird-best record in the Western Con- for record sixth ference, they have suff ered through more fourth-quarter defensive break- time in 2018 downs than almost any other team in the NBA. AFP But Tuesday, with the Houston Los Angeles Rockets in town, the Thunder had one stretch of defensive basketball that could be called championship level and os Angeles was named by the it led them to a 111-107 victory at the LNBA on Tuesday as the host city Chesapeake Energy Arena. for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, “I think we did a tremendous job as the record sixth time the Southern a team,” Oklahoma City’s Dion Waiters California metropolis will stage the said. “As a team we really locked in and event. we made it tough on them.” The 67th showdown between Kevin Durant scored 23 points and elite squads from the Eastern and Russell Westbrook collected his 15th Western conferences will be played triple-double of the season for Okla- February 18, 2018, at the Staples homa City. Center, home arena for the NBA Durant, who shot 8-for-19 from Los Angeles Lakers and Los Ange- the fi eld, grabbed seven rebounds and les Clippers. handed out four assists. Westbrook tal- “Los Angeles is known for first-class lied 21 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds hospitality and entertainment, for his third straight triple-double and making it the perfect host for NBA sixth in past nine games. All-Star,” said NBA commissioner Oklahoma City (49-22) earned its Adam Silver. “The city is home to fi fth win in a row. Oklahoma City is un- some of the most passionate basket- defeated this year when Westbrook has ball fans in addition to extraordinary a triple double. facilities.” “I am just trying to fi nd the right way Los Angeles previously hosted the to play,” Westbrook said. “A lot of those NBA All-Star Game in 1963, 1972, games are big games for us. I just play 1983, 2004 and 2011. my game. The game will tell you what NBA legend Bill Russell was the to do.” Most Valuable Player of the 1963 James Harden paced the Rockets All-Star Game at the Los Angeles with 24 points on 7-of-17 shooting, and Sports Arena, when the East beat he added 16 assists. Dwight Howard the West 115-108. Other past MVPs and Patrick Beverley each scored 16 for from All-Star Games in Los Angeles Houston (35-36). Howard fi nished with include Jerry West of the Lakers a team-high 13 rebounds. in 1972, Julius Erving of Philadel- Harden was a game-time decision on phia in 1983, the Lakers’ Shaquille whether he would play or not. But the O’Neal in 2004 and Lakers guard league’s second-leading scorer said he Kobe Bryant in 2011. had to play, regardless of any pain he Last month’s NBA All-Star Game in might be in. Toronto was the highest-scoring “I had to be out there,” Harden said. contest in the event’s history. Next “For us every game counts. I had to put year’s 2017 NBA All-Star Game my individual, whatever I’ve got going will be staged in Charlotte, North on, to the side, and just try and go out Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (foreground) drives to the basket against Houston Rockets guard James Harden (left) and Houston Rockets guard Carolina. there and get the win.” Corey Brewer (33) during the fourth quarter of their NBA game in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Tuesday. (USA TODAY Sports) Westbrook completed a three-point play with 6:50 left in the fourth quarter to The Thunder then forced a turno- back 3-pointers to get Rockets to within the pass,” Houston interim coach J.B. However, with just over two minutes scoring 17 points in 25 minutes Tues- give Oklahoma City a 92-90 advantage. ver that led to a Westbrook one-man one point with 11.8 seconds left. Okla- Bickerstaff said. “It was the right read left in the period, Oklahoma City went day. He made a free throw on the next trip fastbreak in which he skied for a toma- homa City forward Serge Ibaka made by both our guys off ensively. But it was on a 23-8 run that spread over into the “My brother is on my mind every to put the Thunder up by three. hawk dunk. Another defensive stop was just one of two from the line, leaving a heck of a defensive play by Waiters to second quarter. It was keyed by Durant day,” Waiters said. “I’m not going to Minutes later, a Westbrook jumper turned into a Westbrook jumper and a the door open for Houston. defl ect the ball.” and Waiters. get over it for a while. I have to take it gave the Thunder a three-point advan- four-point advantage. Harden got the ball at the top of the Before the game began, Bickerstaff Harden settled the Rockets back day by day and just try get over. But tage, but Harden knocked down a pair Harden hit two free throws before key and was quickly doubled teamed talked about how his team was made down on off ense and led them to a one- I’m not ever going to get over it. It’s of free throws to cut Houston’s defi cit Durant popped in a fadeaway jumper. by Durant and Adams. He attempted for physical games and that it wouldn’t point halftime advantage. family.” to 97-96 with 3:44 left. Leading by four, the Thunder came to throw an alley-oop to Howard, but back down from any squad. Waiters continued to take advan- After a Durant miss, Beverley up with a series of defensive stops to get Waiters leaped high enough to defl ect That was evident in the fi rst quar- tage of the Rockets defense in the third RESULTS drained a 3-pointer from in front of the ball back. Durant was fouled and he the pass and save the game. ter when the Rockets attacked the glass quarter. In just the fi fth game back Charlotte 105 Brooklyn 100 the Thunder bench to push the Rock- hit one of two from the line with 28.9 “Dion Waiters did a heck of a job, against the No. 1 rebounding team in the since the death of his younger brother, Miami 113 New Orleans 99 ets in front 99-97. However, Steven seconds to go. coming in from the corner, putting his league, and Houston jumped out to a 27- the reserve guard broke out of a slump Oklahoma City 111 Houston 107 Adams quickly tied it up on a dunk. Jason Terry and Harden hit back to body on Dwight and interfering with 18 lead. that had lasted since the All-Star break, LA Lakers 107 Memphis 100

NHL Wild edge Kings behind Dubnyk’s stellar goaltending

By Chad Graff game in hand and trail by only a point. us a chance to win,” said Ryan Suter, Pioneer Press (TNS) “Two points is two points,” interim whose second-period assist gave him coach John Torchetti said, adding that 47 points this season, a franchise record the Wild lost games last month he be- among defensemen. “What matters is idway through the second lieved they should have won. we battled. We knew we didn’t have it, period, Drew Doughty, ar- Tuesday’s victory came down to but we just battled and got a win.” guably the best defense- Dubnyk, who outdueled Jonathan It also helped that the Wild scored man in the NHL, stood Quick, one of the league’s best goalies. two goals on their fi rst eight shots, a Min the circle to the left of Wild goalie Dubnyk made several sprawling Haula tally combining with a second- Devan Dubnyk and shook his head. saves, including a diving one in the fi nal period Mikko Koivu strike while on the Dubnyk had just stopped a sure goal minutes on Jeff Carter. He stopped 38 power play to give the Wild a 2-0 lead. by Doughty, and the defenseman was in shots in total, a season high, ensuring “It’s diffi cult when you look up at the disbelief as Dubnyk dramatically fl ung that the Kings’ 39-18 shot advantage clock, and it’s eight shots and you’re his glove up to make the save. Doughty hardly mattered. down two-cob,” Kings coach Darryl barked to Dubnyk that he was selling “He basically single-handedly got us Sutter said. his saves too much. the win,” said Erik Haula, who scored Haula continued his six-game point Dubnyk just chuckled. the game’s fi rst goal. “He almost had streak when he backhanded a loose “He was giving me a hard time be- 40 saves, and he stood on his head puck in the slot past Quick. cause that was twice I was waving it the whole game. He defi nitely was the Koivu’s goal was his 10th this season around on him,” Dubnyk said with a backbone tonight.” on the power play, a career high for him. laugh. “I said the fi rst one might have Even if they haven’t played great But it was Dubnyk who stole the win been a little much, but I had to on the hockey in the past week, the Wild have for the Wild. second one.” strung together three straight wins, “From the start to the very last sec- On a night the Wild were badly out- with a massive matchup against the ond, throughout the game, he was played by even a fatigued Los Angeles Avalanche looming Saturday. great,” Koivu said. “And he got better Kings team, Dubnyk stole Minne- Asked how many scoring opportu- and better toward the end. Huge win for sota a much-needed victory, beating nities the Wild had Tuesday, Torchetti the team and huge eff ort by him.” the Pacific Division-leading Kings shook his head and said, “I wouldn’t 2-1 in a potential first-round playoff even think about it now. Not many.” RESULTS matchup. But Dubnyk’s eff ort has the Wild San Jose 0 St. Louis 1 The Kings will be in the postseason, back on the right side of the Western Minnesota 2 Los Angeles 1 one of three NHL teams that already Conference standings after a win over a Chicago 2 Dallas 6 have locked up a playoff spot. The Kings team that was playing its seventh Montréal 4 Anaheim 3 Wild’s position is less assured, though game in 11 days. Ottawa 2 Washington 4 their win Tuesday night was a step in And yet, inexplicably, Los Angeles Tampa Bay 6 Detroit 2 the right direction. was the team that controlled through- Carolina 2 Buff alo 3 With two more points in the stand- out. Columbus 3 Philadelphia 2 (SO) ings, Minnesota leapfrogged the Colo- “We didn’t have it tonight, and Arizona 4 Edmonton 2 Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk stopped 38 shots in total, a season high, ensuring that the Kings’ 39-18 shot advantage rado Avalanche, though the Avs have a (Dubnyk) kept us in that game and gave Winnipeg 2 Vancouver 0 hardly mattered. (USA TODAY Sports) Gulf Times Thursday, March 24, 2016 9 SPORT

FOCUS Terror attacks new normal for sportspersons AFP “Sometimes it seems hard. But at the Belgian golfer Pieters fear. So I’m not going to change the Miami end, you have no choice.” stunned by Brussels blasts way I fl y or anywhere I go. If you’re Two-time Wimbledon champion at the bad place at the bad time, then Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic Belgian golfer Thomas Pieters ex- those guys win. But I don’t think you eadly attacks such as those said that she refuses to surrender to pressed shock at the bloody bombings should change the way you travel.” infl icted on Monday in Bel- fear. “We can’t (worry). We can’t do on his homeland as he prepared for the Pieters is grouped with in-form gium have become part of anything about that,” Kvitova said. “It’s WGC Dell Match Play in Texas, vowing Australian veteran Adam Scott, Bill the new normal for athletes very sad news to wake up to. As a Eu- not to let the attacks aff ect his lifestyle. Haas of the United States and Eng- whoseD travels to make money can put ropean, it’s tough. When they open the Pieters, ranked 56th in the world, land’s Chris Wood in his round-robin them in jeopardy. border, it’s hard to close it again. I think is the lone Belgian in the 64-strong group. “It’s just a really dangerous time in people could be nicer… Maybe one day.” fi eld for the $9.5 million tournament at World number one Jordan Spieth, the world right now,” women’s tennis Swiss two-time Grand Slam cham- Austin Country Club. The 24-year-old meanwhile, said he had no immedi- world number one Serena Williams pion Stan Wawrinka says terrorist awoke to headlines detailing the car- ate plans to change his calendar in the said on Tuesday. “You can be anywhere incidents also make it harder to leave nage in Brussels, where bombings at an wake of the attacks in Belgium but ad- in the world and something can hap- home for the next event. airport and metro station left around mitted the bombings could conceiv- pen… We should all have to be kind of “When you travel you have to put 35 people dead and injured dozens ably give him pause for thought. on alert. No city is safe at this point. that aside but for sure that’s a tough more. Asked whether the bombings could You have to be alert.” way to travel,” Wawrinka said. “It’s re- “It was just one of the worst days to aff ect his travel plans, Spieth replied: The 21-time Grand Slam singles ally sad what has happened. When you wake up,” a shocked Pieters said. “Even “I don’t have many plans, at least in the champion, top seed for the ATP and say that, it’s sad for all the people and when it happened in Paris, it’s close, upcoming six months, other than The WTA Miami Open, said people cannot families and friends. It’s tough.” but it’s not right near your people. And Open Championship and hopefully the just set aside the tragedy but must be at- Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska says then now it happens to somewhere I go Olympics. I’m not sure after that.” tentive for those with bad intentions as sometimes things that happen far away almost every time I fl y out. It’s shock- The 22-year-old Texan acknowl- well as mourn for the dead and injured. leave the most unnerving impression. ing to see the images and videos. It’s a edged however that the attacks had left “You just have to pray for the people in- “Those kind of things happen far from sad day.” American golfer Jordan Spieth (left) chats with Thomas Pieters of Belgium during him feeling uneasy. volved and their families,” she added. us, they are always scary,” she said. Pieters agreed that the horror of the a practice round for the WGC-Dell Match Play in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday. (AFP) “I woke up, and it was sickening Australian Open champion Angel- Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro takes attacks put his life as a professional that that kind of stuff happens,” Spi- ique Kerber of Germany called the inspiration from such tragedy to make sportsman into perspective. “I’m not at the time of the attacks. “He hasn’t targeting civilians in Europe in re- eth said. “I don’t know if that changes attacks “really sad and terrible” and sure she lives each day to the fullest, going to moan this week, that’s for been in contact, so it’s still a nervous cent months, such as last November’s my strategy on things. It’s a bit early in noted how tough it is to shake off the knowing the next is never guaranteed. sure. It’s just tough to understand— time,” the golfer said. “But we’ve heard strikes on Paris claimed by the Islamic the season for me to tell, because that’s eff ects of such bombings and continue “It’s sad to hear about the events in I just don’t get it. So many innocent that there’s still a lot of people just State group, had preyed on his mind normally what we look at later in the on with the life of a global travelling Brussels. You never know what is going people,” he said. stuck in the metro, because there was occasionally. year. But it makes you feel a bit uneasy, tennis star. to happen,” she said. “We have to enjoy Pieters said he was still waiting to only one exit to get out. Hopefully, he “I’m not scared to fl y, but it does doesn’t it? It may, in fact, kind of call “Sometimes you are thinking the life because you never know what’s confi rm the whereabouts of a friend just comes out there.” cross your mind sometimes,” Pieters you off of or at least hesitate a bit more you travel every week,” Kerber said. going to come.” who had been traveling on the metro Pieters admitted that deadly attacks said. “But I think you can’t live with on decisions like that.”

TENNIS Tiger’s injuries self-infl icted, says his ex-caddie Williams

iger Woods’s long-term injuries may have been self- inflicted but he will win again—although probably not a Tmajor, according to his former caddie Steve Williams. “I don’t doubt that he’ll come back to the winner’s circle,” Steve Serena hopes home Williams said in an interview broadcast by the BBC. “But whether he comes back and wins more major championships? That’s go- ing to be a very diff icult task,” added the New Zealander. Williams was Woods’s right-hand man between 1999 and 2009, carrying his bag for 13 of the American’s 14 major victo- ries and an astonishing 84 tournament wins in all. “He has an incredible work ethic, when he can work hard, so I wouldn’t go as far as saying he won’t get back into the winner’s circle be- turf can bring back cause one thing he does know how to do is win,” Williams said. The former world number one has plummeted to 467th in the rankings having not picked up a club competitively after undergoing two back operations in September and October. Williams agreed when his interviewer suggested that Woods’s spate of injuries was “self-inflicted” by an intensive training and strengthening regime in his younger days. “It’s very hard to pinpoint how he’s got to where he is now, title-winning streak but there’s a lot of merit in what you’ve just said,” Williams said. “When he looks back he might question some of the activities he did, some of the gym work he might have done that had all ‘Feeling positive and really good. You have to keep going. You can’t stop. these injuries escalate.” Williams now works part-time for Adam Scott and will carry That’s kind of my attitude. At this point in my career, I’m just having a lot of fun’ for the Australian when the season’s first major, the US Mas- ters, begins at Augusta in just over two weeks. He also worked for other former major winners in Greg Norman and Ray Floyd before he picked up the job with Woods, but says Tiger is unique in his “unbelievable desire to win”. “Now other guys would be happy if they had a top-five finish, a top-10 finish, some weeks even if they made the cut... but the only time (Tiger) enjoyed was when he won. The rest of it didn’t mat- ter. Unless you won it wasn’t a satisfactory week,” he said. Williams and Woods do not speak since they parted company in 2009, despite the pair being once so close that they were best man at each other’s weddings. And Williams caused a furore when writing in his book last year that his former boss treated him like “a slave”. But he still recalls with pride their heyday be- tween 1999 and 2005, when Woods won nine of his major titles. “He had this amazing drive to want to break Jack Nicklaus’s record (of 18 major wins), which of course I bought into,” ad- mitted Williams. “I saw no reason to believe he wasn’t going to do that. It’s just a shame that it looks very diff icult at this time that he’s going to achieve that. I’m not saying it’s going to be impossible but it looks harder and harder.”

SPOTLIGHT McIlroy aims to retain title on Spieth’s course

Reuters ners of each group advancing Austin to knockout stages. McIlroy, who will face 66th-ranked Dane Thorbjorn Olesen, is keen to (From left) Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, Dominic Thiem of Austria, CoCo Vandeweghe and Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain, Leonardo Meyer of Argentina and Monica Puig of Puerto ory McIlroy is shift- notch a victory before Augusta, Rico pose during a sight-seeing trip to Jungle Island, while taking some time off from the Miami Open being played in Key Biscayne, Florida. (AFP) ing into his head-to- especially given recent per- head mode for the formances by many of his rivals. AFP plays. She’s always the best because she al- WGC-Dell Match “Seeing the guys that have ways wants more.” PlayR tournament and believes won, with Bubba (Watson) Key Biscayne, Florida Djokovic backs off remarks aft er Serena, Murray fi re No one realizes that more than Kerber, a successful defense of his title in LA, Adam (Scott) in those orld number one Novak Djokovic remarks. “It has been disappointing,” Wil- who imposed a fi fth career Grand Slam sin- would set him up perfectly for two starts in Florida, Charl orld number one Serena Wil- Whas backed off comments that liams said. “I wouldn’t say my son deserved gles fi nal loss upon Williams. “She is still next month’s Masters. (Schwartzel) in Tampa and Jason liams, who lost fi nals at the men’s tennis players should make more more money than my daughter because the best player,” Kerber said. “She’s still the McIlroy, 26, heads to Austin (Day) last week, everyone is run- Australian Open and last week than women as Serena Williams and Andy he’s a man. It would be shocking.” number one. She is still a champion.” Country Club seeking his fi rst ning in good form,” McIlroy said. at Indian Wells, is counting on Murray led a stinging chorus of criticism “I think there should be equal pay 100 But Kerber, who like Azarenka could see win of the season in what will “I feel like I’m close. I’m Wthe Miami Open to revamp her title-win- at the remarks. percent,” Murray said. Williams in the Miami fi nal, has a big con- be his last tournament before probably not quite where they ning form. A furious row over the gender pay gap Djokovic later issued a statement on Fa- fi dence boost after her Melbourne break- bidding to complete a career are, and I haven’t had the con- The 34-year-old American is top seed in tennis erupted at the weekend, when In- cebook, off ering a qualified apology: “I’ve through. “I recognize I am a Grand Slam Grand Slam at Augusta Na- fi dence of getting a win this for the WTA and ATP hardcourt event as dian Wells tournament director Raymond made some comments that are not the champion. I have a lot more things to do,” tional. The Northern Irishman year, but I feel like it is close,” well as the three-time defending champion Moore said women should get “on their best articulation of my view, and I would Kerber said. “It’s a diff erent pressure than is competing for the fi rst time added the Northern Irishman. with eight wins overall. “This is a tourna- knees” to thank male players for money in like to clarify them,” Djokovic said. “We I had before. I have much more confi dence in Austin, where world number McIlroy won this tourna- ment I’ve grown up with. This is my home,” the sport. Moore was forced to apologize all have to fight for what we deserve. This inside of me. It feels diff erent but I know I one Jordan Spieth won the US ment last year in San Francisco. Williams said. “Things click for me here.” before resigning late on Monday. was never meant to be made into a fight need to go with what worked because this is college championship with the This year, the world number The 21-time Grand Slam singles cham- Djokovic fueled the controversy how- between genders and diff erences in pay, why I had the highlight of my career.” University of Texas, but the three is coming to Spieth’s pion failed to add another major title to her ever after stating that he believed the pay but in the way all players are rewarded for Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra world number three said course home turf and McIlroy said a haul in January, falling to Germany’s An- gap was justified, adding that women go their play and eff ort. This was my view all Kvitova says there is less shock in Williams knowledge is not critical. potential duel with Texan Spie- gelique Kerber in the Australian Open fi nal. through “hormones and diff erent stuff ”. along and I want to apologize to anyone losing but she is still the player to beat. “It’s about playing the play- th would ratchet up the atmos- And she lost to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus Williams condemned the Serbian star’s who has taken this the wrong way.” “She’s always the target,” Kvitova said. er that’s in front of you there phere to Ryder Cup levels. at the Indian Wells fi nal, dropping back-to- “But I’m not surprised. Women’s tennis on the fi rst tee,” said McIlroy. “If I were to play Jordan Spi- back fi nals for the fi rst time since 2004. more ways than one. “We all know I hate crown could off er encouragement to sharks is always open and the level is really close. “It’s a sprint, it’s 18 holes. You eth at any point this week, I’m “Feeling positive and really good,” Wil- losing more than anything,” Williams said. circling ever closer, none of Williams’ top- Vika just played very good.” don’t really have time to fi nd sure the atmosphere out there liams said. “You have to keep going. You can’t “Seeing someone else do well motivates rated rivals saw a drop in form coming in an Azarenka’s return impressed Poland’s your rhythm. You need to try to would be just as hostile as the stop. That’s kind of my attitude. At this point me. It’s a rivalry. It’s a friendly rivalry but event she has dominated for years. Agnieszka Radwanska, who was stunned make birdies from the get-go. Ryder Cup, seeing where he’s in my career, I’m just having a lot of fun.” it’s an intense rivalry. It was really impres- “Always when she’s in the tournament, by both Williams defeats. “I didn’t expect And that’s the approach I’ve from, and he’s obviously very Watching Azarenka show top form after sive. She has been through a lot. She has she’s the favourite,” said Spain’s Carla Sua- her to lose in Australia,” she said. “And adopted the last few years.” popular here. People really get battles the past two seasons with nagging always been a really good player.” rez Navarro. “She’s not like a machine or a back here Vika played great tennis. She was The event features 16 four- into it,” Ryder veteran McIlroy foot injuries helped motivate Williams in While seeing a star fall short of the robot. She can’t win every tournament she on fi re. You could see she was back.” player groups, with the win- said about match play. Gulf Times 10 Thursday, March 24, 2016 SPORT First home title triumph for Qatar’s al-Tamimi

By Sports Reporter The trend continued yesterday on Doha the glass court of the Khalifa complex. The top seed took the first game 11-5 in no time, with the al-Tamimi finding his he 2016 squash season has begun frantic pace and accurate rallies tough on a good note for Qatar’s Abdulla to handle. The Qatari fought back in the TMohamed al-Tamimi. next, taking the next game 11-4 to draw The World No 61 broke his title duck level. It was advantage Fathi again as he at the Life Time Atlanta Open in the US took the third 11-7 to go up 2-1. earlier this month with a dramatic 3-2 It was al-Tamimi all the way thereafter, victory over American Chris Hanson. as he took the next two games 11-6, 11-9, Yesterday, he won his second title of in both games fighting his way back ad- the month when he beat Egypt’s Karim mirably after trailing in the early stages. Ali Fathi in a close five-setter in the final It was the Qatari’s first tournament of the Qatar Circuit III, a PSA M15 tourna- win on home soil, who turned profes- ment, at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash sional in 2011. He climbed into the Complex here. world’s top 70 in November 2014 thanks It was a creditable victory for Qatar’s to some consistent performances before number one player, for Fathi is ranked 18 reaching his first PSA World Tour final places above al-Tamimi in world rankings three months later at the Guilfoyle and came here fresh from reaching the Financial PSA Classic where he lost out semi-final stage of the Qualico Manitoba to Declan James. Open a week ago, adding to the runner- The Qatari reached two further finals up finish he achieved at the Oregon throughout the year at both the Nash Open in his first tournament of 2016. Cup and the Any Presence Open but nar- But despite his tendency to reach the rowly missed out on both titles. latter stages of the events he partici- Result (Final) Qatar's Abdulla Mohamed al-Tamimi pated in, the 22-year-old Egyptian has goes for a shot during his match been enduring a barren spell as far as 3-Abdulla Mohamed al-Tamimi (Qatar) against Egypt's Karim Ali Fathi in the silverware is concerned, with his last title beat 1-Karim Ali Fathi (Egypt) 3-2 (5-11, final of Qatar Circuit III yesterday. success coming in August 2014. 11-4, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9) HORSE RACING El Shorbagy starts title defence with Al-Hajri guides Star Mueller win AFP London

ohamed El Shorbagy admits he got exactly what he didn’t want Mto begin the defence of his Brit- Deal to Al Areeq win; ish Open title on Tuesday, but managed to handle the discomfort anyway. The world number one from Egypt’s well-taken 11-7, 12-10, 11-4 win over Nicolas Mueller, the former top-20 player from Switzerland, suggested he has been developing the knack of keeping the mindset he needs. four wins for Bentley “I said to my brother (Marwan) that Nicolas Mueller was the one guy I didn’t want in the first round - and I got him,” El ‘It was my seventh or the eighth win with Star Deal. He is a big guy. Actually I wasn’t sure that we would Shorbagy admitted. “He can be very dan- gerous and today I had to be focused win because there were big horses running alongside. We beat them all. He has only won with me. the whole match.” Winning the second game, in which He is like my secret love now. Today we proved that we are not an easy couple to beat on the track’ Mueller was only prevented from taking an 8-7 lead by El Shorbagy’s successful video appeal against the referee’s penalty By Mikhil Bhat ours of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Kha- point decision, was doubly important. Doha Trainer Hilal Kobeissi leads in Star Deal, lifa al-Thani, the champion jockey rode Not only did that prevent diff iculties with jockey Yousef al-Hajri astride, Al Sahm for Julian Smart in the nine- from becoming prolonged, it assisted after winning the Al Areeq Cup at the furlong event on the dirt track at QREC. with El Shorbagy’s need to preserve l Jasra Stud’s seven-year-old QREC yesterday. PICTURES: Juhaim The event transformed into a two- energy early in the tournament, ready gelding Star Deal had seven horse race in the end with Umm Qarn’s for probable big battles later. wins in Qatar till yesterday, Damas posing a challenge but Al Sahm He kept the pace high, his mind calm, and all of them with the tal- held his own to win his fi rst race. and the ball tight, and was prepared to entedA Qatari jockey Yousef al-Hajri. After a victory each over nine fur- play out the rallies for as long as it took. Yesterday, the two picked up their longs and seven furlongs under the Eventually Mueller, who often attacked eighth win together when al-Hajri rode belt coming into yesterday’s race, Ib- creatively, was pressured into landing Hilal Kobeissi-trained bay gelding to rahim al-Malki’s colt Daleem showed three drop shots into the tin in the last victory in the Al Areeq Cup, a Class 2 that he is just as eff ective in a shorter four rallies of that pivotal game. conditions race for thoroughbreds, on sprint when the four-year-old, owned It supported El Shorbagy’s contention the dirt at the Qatar Racing and Eques- by Abdulatif Hussain al-Emadi, was that he has continued to improve his trian Club (QREC) yesterday. guided to fi ne win in the Local Thor- mentality, something which came under Roman Legend, ridden by Harry oughbred Handicap event for horses scrutiny again after his failure to get past Bentley, who already had four win- rated 70 and below by Cedric Segeon. the third round of the World Champion- ners on the day coming into the fi nale, Segeon had Daleem track early ships at Washington in November. came threateningly close in the last leader Akram early on before he sped “When I got to world number one I 100m of the nine-furlong race but Star past Yanis Aouabed’s ride in the fi nal placed a lot of pressure on myself and Deal held on well for his second victory furlong, even as Mohamed Hussain’s I didn’t enjoy it at all,” he admitted. “But in a week. Al Ghazali Stud’s Upholland charge Al Mayeda picked up pace on when I lost it for a month I realised what I rounded up the top three. the outside under Marco Monteriso. had - and I appreciated getting it back. “It was my seventh or the eighth win Eventually, though, Daleem held on “It relaxed me and made me thankful. with Star Deal. He is a big guy,” al-Hajri well for his third career win, with Al Not many people have the opportunity told Gulf Times yesterday. “Actually I Mayeda and Akram fi nishing second to be where I am. I know I have already wasn’t sure that we would win because and third respectively. won the British Open and it makes me there were big horses running along- more relaxed - and I think it shows.” side. We beat them all. He has only won RESULTS He may indeed need to show it with me. He is like my secret love now. Race 1: 1. Gathurst (Harry Bentley), 2. again, because his second-round Today we proved that we are not an easy Izghawa (Cedric Segeon), 3. Rome (Yousef match is against James Willstrop, the couple to beat on the track.” al-Hajri), 4. Town Crier (Alberto Sanna). former world number one who was his As one of the few Qatari jockeys ply- Won by: ¾, ½, 1. Time; 1:03.56. Owner: conqueror in that sensational World ing their trade, al-Hajri hopes to get Yousuf Abdulbasit Ahmed Abdul Rahman Championship upset. more chances to prove his mettle. al-Shaibei. Trainer: Jassim Ghazali The 32-year-old Englishman, now “I am always happy to see a local Race 2: 1. Al Sahm (Harry Bentley), ranked 13, proved again that on his day rider win; to see a Qatari win a race,” he 2. Damas (Gaetan Faucon), 3. Abeah he can still beat anyone with a 5-11, 11-4, said. “It doesn’t matter if it is a big race (Adnan Hawa), 4. Kasser (JP Guillam- 11-6, 11-7 victory over Tarek Momen, the or small. Winning is winning. Of course bert). Won by; 1 ¾, 12, 3. Time: 2:01. world number six from Egypt. winning a cup race or winning HH The 48. Owner: HH Sheikh Mohamed bin The last match of the day produced the Emir’s Sword is something diff erent, Khalifa al-Thani. Trainer: Julian Smart. most significant exit of a seed so far. Karim but you need to take baby steps. Race 3: 1. Wafa (Gaetan Faucon), 2. Ashkal Gawad, the 24-year-old Egyptian who “I need Qatari owners and trainers (JP Guillambert), 3. Heytam (Adrie de rose to a career-high world number seven to support me and other local riders; Vries), 4. Meqdam Al Zaidy (Evert Pheiff er). after capturing the Swedish Open title last give them a few chances and see what Won by: ½, 2, Hd. Time: 1:50.02. Owner: month, overcame his compatriot Omar they are made of. Largely, all the jock- Umm Qarn. Trainer: Alban de Mieulle. Mosaad, the fourth seed, in four games. eys are the same, we all learn from our Hilal Kobeissi receives the trainer’s Race 4: 1. Power Play (Harry Bent- Mosaad failed to capitalise on leads of 7-5 mistakes and our experiences make us trophy from Al Qamra Holding Group ley), 2. Tashiriyan, 3. Stolen Story, 4. and 9-8 in a pivotal third game and gradu- what we are. So more chances means chairman Hamad bin Saleh al-Qamra. Markstein. Won by; 1 1/2, 1 1/2, 2. Time: ally slipped to a 11-13, 11- 7, 14-12, 11-4 loss. better experience. Hopefully we will (Right) Jockey Yousef al-Hajri rides Star 2:00.21. Owner: Sheikha Ayisha bint Gawad now faces another Egyptian, see more Qatari jockeys racing here. Deal to victory in the Al Areeq Cup. Mishal bin Hamad al-Thani. Trainer: Fares Dessouki, a former quarter-finalist Racing is challenging and really hard; Mohamed Jassim Ghazali. here, in a section in which Mathieu Cast- it just makes your heart beat so hard. victory in the Class 3 Thoroughbred bred Graduation Plate. string of encouraging results, includ- Race 5: 1. Daleem (Cedric Segeon), Al agnet, the eighth-seeded Frenchman, And I am all for it,” al-Hajri added. Handicap event. Off Gate 1, Bentley had his ride keep ing four second-place fi nishes and two Mayeda (Marco Monteriso), 3. Akram has also departed - beaten in four games Talking about missing out on a fi fth Jazz, after staying at the back of the the inside line even as Alberto Sanna third places, Gathurst, ridden by Bent- (Yanis Aouabed), 4. Ammon (Adnan by Indian Saurav Ghosal. winner on the day, champion jockey pack for majority of the race, surged had Akeed Misk take the early lead, be- ley in the colours of Yousuf Abdulbasit Hawa). Won by: 3/4, 1, Shd. Time: Earlier, three of the women’s front- Bentley said, “As a sportsman, you ahead as Bentley whipped him into ac- fore Ibrahim al-Malki’s charge Beach Ahmed Abdul Rahman al-Shaibei, fi - 1:12.00. Owner: Abdulatif Hussain al- runners progressed, but with less trouble. want to win it all and so it is a bit an- tion, and the turn of foot was enough Samba went ahead. On to the fi nal nally had a win to his name when the Emadi. Trainer: Ibrahim al-Malki. Laura Massaro, the world number one noying that I didn’t win the last one. to get past heavy traffi c to win for the straight, Bentley had Power Play step three-year-old gelding won the Class Race 6: 1. Jazz (Harry Bentley), 2. New from England, needed only 26 minutes to But I couldn’t have done anything. fi rst time in Doha, with his last win out and surge ahead in the fi nal 300m 6 Thoroughbred Maiden Plate. Pearl (Adrie de Vries), 3. Al Gomry come through 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 against Olivia The horse hasn’t run since the Emir’s coming in Doncaster. even as Sheikh Hamad bin Mishal bin The fi ve and a half furlong sprint (Marvin Suerland), 4. Ventura Shadow Blatchford, an American qualifier, while Sword meeting, so he has done well Sheikh Rowdha bint Mishal bin Ha- Hamad al-Thani-owned Tashiriyan was the shortest distance run by Jas- (Cedric Segeon). Won by: 1 1/2, 1, 1. Raneem El Welily of Egypt, her predeces- on his way back. Taking nothing away mad al-Thani’s colt fi nished one and a began his charge wide out. sim Ghazali’s charge and the gelding Time: 1:09.21. Owner: Sheikha Row- sor at the top, took five minutes less to win from the other wins on the day, I have half lengths ahead of Zuhair Mohsen- In the end, JP Guillambert’s move edged out Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin dha bint Mishal bin Hamad al-Thani. 11-5, 11-3, 11-3 against Nele Gilis, a Belgian had four winners on the day, and I need trained New Pearl, while Jassim Ghaz- with Tashiriyan was a tad bit late as Jassim al-Thani’s Izghawa by three- Trainer: Mohamed Jassim Ghazali. qualifier playing on a glass showcourt in a to be appreciative of the fact that I had ali-schooled Al Gomry was third. Power Play picked up his fi rst victory quarters of a length to shed his maid- Race 7: 1. Star Deal (Yousef al-Hajri), competitive match for the first time. such a good day at the races today.” Bentley’s third winner of the day since September 2014, one and a half en status. Rome fi nished third under 2. Roman Legend (Harry Bentley), 3. Camille Serme, the British Open Mohamed Jassim Ghazali-trained was Sheikha Ayisha bint Mishal bin lengths ahead of the Dubawi colt. Ab- jockey Yousef al-Hajri. Upholland (JP Guillambert), 4. Zman titleholder from France, needed just a little Jazz was guided to his fi rst victory Hamad al-Thani-owned Power Play, dulaziz Ali al-Qathiri’s Stolen Story In the Maiden Plate event for Pure- Awal (Marc Monaghan). Won by: 1/2, longer to get past Fiona Moverley, a quali- since November 2013, when Bent- also trained by the younger Ghazali, rounded up the top three. bred Arabians, Bentley was in charge of 3/4, 1/2. Time: 1:51.85. Owner: Al Jasra fier playing in her home city, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3. ley rode the Danehill Dancer colt to a Mohamed, in the Class 5 Thorough- In the fi rst race of the day, after a the winner once again. Wearing the col- Stud. Trainer: Hilal Kobeissi. Gulf Times Thursday, March 24, 2016 11 SPORT

BASKETBALL China’s Li Ching Wan advances, Jaish beat Rayyan Abdulrahman of Qatar crashes out

ITTF land’s Orawan Paranang 11-7, in thriller to stay Doha 11-6, 11-6, 11-7, while Roma- nia’s Elizabeta Samara, listed at no.26 and the defending tay cool and focused: champion, made a successful the policy worked for start to her quest. Hong Kong’s unseeded She overcame Japan’s Saki Li Ching Wan as she Shabata in fi ve games - 11-5, causedS one of two upsets in the 5-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-6. alive in Qatar Cup second preliminary round of Meanwhile, Qatar’s Abdul- the Women’s Singles event at rahmam al-Naggar was beaten the 2016 ITTF World Tour Qa- in the opening round of the Teams to clash on Saturday in third game of best-of-three tar Open yesterday. Men’s Singles competition. After Hungary’s Petra Lovas, The 18-year-old, who has listed at no.106 on the current been side-lined for some four semi-final series to decide who will take on Al Gharafa in the finals Women’s World Rankings, had months owing to a lower back beaten the 54th ranked Japan’s injury, was beaten in six games 11-9, 11-7, 11-9, 12- by Finland’s Benedek Olah 10, 11-4, Li excelled expecta- 4-11, 12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, tions to overcome Poland’s 11-4. 73rd ranked Natalia Partyka “I’ve been able to practise 9-11, 11-3, 8-11, 11-8, 15-13, for about four weeks but this is 11-6. the fi rst competition I’ve en- “I feel I played really well tered since I returned to play today”, said Li. “Throughout from my injury”, said al-Nag- the match against Natalia I gar, who fi nished last year at was able to follow my service no.8 on the ITTF Junior Circuit with a strong fi rst attack. She Boys’ Standings. served short most of the time, Notably he won in Tuni- I was able return her service sia although injury prevented short. Also, sometimes if the him from playing in the fi nals serve was long I was able to top staged earlier this year in In- spin the return with my back- dore, India. hand.” “I didn’t feel secure when I Service and receiving proved played today; the number one crucial to the verdict with Li reason why I lost was that I proving more adept in these did not have a good feeling for departments. the ball”, added al-Naggar. “I “It’s the fi rst time I’ve ever couldn’t return the ball short.” played Natalia, she is ranked “Benedek is very strong higher than me so I was not at from the backhand and he all nervous, I did not feel under plays with a lot of spin”, con- pressure, I had nothing at all to tinued al-Naggar. “However, I lose”, continued Li . did feel comfortable in the ral- “In the rallies I was able to lies, I can only stress the fact create angles from my back- that I did not receive his serv- hand, playing wide and deep ices well; nevertheless fi rst to the corners, continually match back, I have to be satis- changing direction; that tactic fi ed with my performance.” proved very eff ective.” The success posted by Olah Similarly, in the second was as expected; he is listed at preliminary round, Turkey’s no.132 on the current Men’s Action from the Al Hu Melek, ranked 23 in the World Rankings, as opposed to Gharafa-Al Shamal global order, defeated Thai- al-Naggar who is at no.505. match in the Qatar Cup yesterday.

By Sports Reporter Jaish were about to launch a brilliant 22 points, while Leon Macklin had 16 and a tense fi rst period 22-21. Doha comeback by scoring 25 points in the fi - Turki Ali had 16 and 15 respectively. Massey emerged as the top scorer in nal quarter while restricting Al Rayyan to For Al Rayyan, Davon scored a whop- the match with 29 points and was ably a mere 14. ping 43 points only to end up on the los- supported by Galloway who chipped in l Jaish produced a sensational The turning point of the match came ing side, while Lawrence Hill had 19 and with 21 as Al Gharafa pulled 45-33 clear fi nal quarter to beat Al Rayyan with 46 seconds remaining when, with Yaseen Ismail Musa 15. after the third period. 79-78 and force the third game El Jaish trailing 75-76, Hani Abilmona The third and deciding match of the They then stepped up the tempo to of their best-of-three semi-fi nal produced a jump-shot to score a three- semi-fi nal series will be played on Sat- score 26 pints in the third quarter while Eseries in the Qatar Cup at the Al Gharafa pointer which helped his side leapfrog Al urday. restricting Al Shamal to just 14 to take a Indoor Hall yesterday. Rayyan and take a 78-76 lead. Earlier, Al Gharafa stormed into the fi - healthy 71-47 cushion going into the fi nal Al Rayyan, who had won the fi rst Ironically, that slender two-point lead nal with an 84-65 win over Al Shamal in 10 minutes. match of the series, appeared to be cruis- was the only time El Jaish managed to get the second match of their best-of-three That proved too much for Al Shamal ing towards the fi nal of the prestigious ahead of Al Rayyan, and although Do- semi-fi nal series yesterday. to overcome as Al Gharafa deservedly tournament when they led for most part minic Davon made it 78-all with 28 sec- Timotheus Massey and Dwayne Gal- clinched their fi nal spot. of the second game and were comfort- onds remaining, a free-throw converted loway were the stars with a combined Mildon Ambres was the top scorer for ably ahead 64-54 at the end of the third by Ernest Bell with 17 seconds to go en- tally of 50 points as Al Gharafa, who had Al Shamal with 26 points, while Kamal quarter. sured El Jaish stayed in the competition. won the fi rst game last week, stamped Hachad had 18. None of the other players Qatar’s Abdulrahman But little did they anticipate that El Bell was the top scorer for El Jaish with their authority on the match after edging could manage double digit scores. al-Naggar

SHOW JUMPING Final leg of Doha Tour at Katara from today

By Sports Reporter Doha

he third and fi nal leg of the re- gion’s top show jumping series, QNB Doha Tour, organised by the Qatar Equestrian Federa- tionT will be held at Katara from today. The three-day equestrian competi- tion will see top-ranking local, regional and international riders compete in 11 diff erent events. QEF has constructed an arena at Katara, which should make for an interesting viewing. The fi rst leg of the event was held concurrently with CHI Al Shaqab, while the second was held at the Qatar Equestrian Fed- eration. Katara is all decked up to host For Arab riders, it is part of the Arab the final leg of the Doha Tour. League rankings for the 2016 World Cup Final to be held in Gothenburg, Sweden next week. The Doha Tour features CSI3 *and CSI 4* competitions for elite rid- the three legs. Yesterday, a vet check 1:30pm: CSI2* Two Phases Article Fences: Height 145cm Fences: Height 145cm 4:30pm: CSI4* (Teams Comp.) One ers but there is also a CSI2* competi- was conducted for the horses partici- (274.5.3) Fences: Height 135cm Tomorrow 6:30pm: CSI4* Accumulator with Joker Round + Winning Round Article tion for young and up-coming riders to pating in the Championship. 4:30pm: CSI4* (Teams Comp.) Two 1: 30pm: CSI2* Table (A) Against the Article (269.5) Fences: Height 150cm (276.2.1, 2.3) Fences: Height 150cm score points and gain experience. Schedule Phases Article (274.5.3) Fences: Height Clock With J. Off . Article (238.2.2) Saturday 6:30pm: CSI4* Grand Prix - Qualifier The QNB Doha Tour series trophy Today 145cm Fences: Height 135cm 1: 30pm: CSI2* Table (A) Against the for the OG RIO 2016 + EC GOTHEN- will be awarded to the overall champi- 11am: CSI2* Table (A) Against the Clock 6:30pm: CSI4* Table (A) Against the 4:30pm: CSI4* (Teams Comp.) Table Clock With J. Off . Article (238.2.2) BURG 2017 Two Rounds with Jump Off on, who has won the most points over Article (238.2.1) Fences: Height 125cm Clock With J. Off . Article: A 238.2.2 (A) Against the Clock. Article (238.2.1) Fences: Height 145cm Article: 273.3.4.1 & 273.4.5

Thursday, March 24, 2016 GULF TIMES SPORT

SPOTLIGHT Romania’s Ponor, the star attraction, as Doha World Challenge Cup begins today ‘Hosting the World Challenge Cup for the 9th year in a row reflects the trust of the International Gymnastics Federation in the Qatari organisational abilities. Over the years, this event has seen big names in action and that has helped build Doha’s reputation as a major venue for hosting mega sports events’

By Sahan Bidappa Also returning to Doha is Nicolas Doha Cordoba of Argentina, the Horizon- tal Bar gold medallist here last year. Cordoba is ranked world No.1 in High he 9th edition of Doha Artis- Bar and it will be hard to beat his this tic Gymnastics Challenge Cup year too. will begin at the Aspire Acad- Brazil’s Diego Hypolito (2015 Floor emy of Sports Excellence from and Vault silver medallist) is the other Ttoday, with top gymnasts attempting gymnast to watch out for. Hypolito, to get into groove ahead of this year’s who participated at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics in Rio. The Doha event fol- Olympic Games, is the 2005 and 2007 lows the opening of the 2016 FIG Ar- World champion on Floor Exercise. tistic Gymnastics World Challenge Armeniens Vahagn Davtyan (2014 Cup series on individual apparatus in and 2015 Vault gold medallist) and Baku, Azerbaijan last month. Harutyun Merdinyan (2015 Pommel Organised by the Qatar Gymnastics Horse gold medallist), Oleg Stepko Federation, the annual event that start- of Azerbaijan (2015 Parallel Bars gold ed in 2008 has attracted more than 100 medallist) will also be in action. gymnasts from 33 diff erent countries The men’s competition will be this year. The championship features spiced up by Manrique Larduet of world-class gymnasts in six apparatus Cuba and Eleftherios Petrounias of events for men - fl oor exercises, pom- Greece, both of whom impressed at the mel horse, rings, vaults, parallel bars 2015 World Championships in Glas- and horizontal bars. Women’s events gow. While Petrounias bagged the title include vault, uneven bars, balance on Rings, All-around silver medallist beam as well as fl oor exercises.The Larduet made waves in the Gymnastics qualifi cations will be today, followed world by winning Cuba’s fi rst World medal in 14 years. Qatar has fi elded three young gym- nasts — Farah Tariq, Mahmood al- Saadi and Ahmad al-Dayani for the competition. The 17-year-old Farah, who will compete in women’s Uneven Gymnasts practice on the eve of the 9th edition of Doha Artistic Gymnastics Challenge Cup, which is being held at the Aspire Academy. Bars today, was excited to participate in front of the home crowd. by fi nals tomorrow and Saturday. Test Event in Rio de Janeiro in April, “I am very excited to compete Leading the fi eld is Romania’s fi ve- where the Romanian team will have against world class gymansts. It will time Olympic medallist Catalina to fi nish among the top four teams to be a good learning experience for me. I Ponor, who will be making her come- qualify to this summer’s Olympics. hope to give my best and qualify for the back to international competition in Iordache, who has tasted lot of success fi nals,” Farah said. Doha this week. The 28-year-old was in Doha, will be missing this edition’s President of the Qatar Gymnastics the most decorated gymnast at the Challenge Cup, as she is recovering Federation Ali al-Hitmi was hopeful Athens 2004 Olympics, winning gold from a fi nger injury. the event will continue to excel and at- in the team event — on Floor and on Another star-attraction over the tract large crowds. “Hosting the World Balance Beam. next three days is the 2015 European Challenge Cup for the 9th year in a row The Romanian retired from gym- All-around champion Giulia Stein- refl ects the trust of the International nastics following the London Olym- gruber of Switzerland. Steingruber Gymnastics Federation in the Qatari pics, where she bagged silver on Floor returns to Doha hoping to repeat her organisational abilities,” said al-Hitmi. and bronze with the team. excellent performance from last year, “Over the years, this event has Ponor since went on a sabbatical and when she won titles on both of her spe- seen big names in action and that has she now hopes to return to a Romanian cialty events. She will be joined by Di- helped build Doha’s reputation as a team led by Larisa Iordache, who won ana Bulimar of Romania and Teja Belak major venue for hosting mega sports World Championships all-around sil- of Slovenia, both medallists from last events. We are ready to deliver another ver medal behind American Simone year’s World Challenge Cup. China will be the cynosure of all eyes. Floor and Horizontal Bar titles in 2011 world class competition. Our next goal Biles in Glasgow last October. On the men’s side, fi ve-time Olym- The 28-year-old has had good results and 2012, as well as the Floor and team will be the World Artistic Gymnastics Ponor is registered for the Olympic pic and World champion Zou Kai of before in Doha. The Chinese won the event at the 2006 Doha Asian Games. Championships in 2018,” he added.

BOTTOMLINE Qatar’s al-Attiyah aims for win No. 6 in Kuwait

By Our Correspondent present in Kuwait and will be partnered Fintas by their respective Italian and Qa- Heads of Saudi, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain tari navigators, Nicola Arena and Adel Hussein. motor sport authorities lay down vision for atar’s Nasser Saleh al-At- Meshari al-Thafi ri also has a fabu- new GCC series tiyah is the clear favourable lous opportunity to win MERC 2 and to claim a record-breaking can even see the possibility of a podium The heads of the national motor sixth victory in the Kuwait fi nish on his home rally. “It promises sport authorities in Saudi Arabia, InternationalQ Rally, round two of the to be a fantastic battle in our category the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain have FIA Middle East Rally Championship. with many drivers and the target for all joined forces to develop a new Three days of action gets underway of us now is a podium fi nish as well as regional series aimed at attracting with a timed super special stage at the winning MERC 2,” said the Mitsubishi and developing new talent. Sirbb circuit on Thursday afternoon. Lancer Evolution X driver. The format for a new GCC motor Already nine points clear of his near- Young Rodolphe Asmar collected 20 sport championship will be shaped est rival in the regional series after win- valuable points on his fi rst appearance over the next few months by of- ning the Qatar Rally for a 13th time last in the MERC outside Lebanon in Qatar ficials of the Saudi Arabian Motor month, the 11-time Middle East champi- last month. He is tied for third place in Federation (SAMSF), the Automo- on is chasing a 62nd victory in the series the points’ standings with the Italian bile and Touring Club of the UAE and his second in a Skoda Fabia R5 with Stephano Marrini, although his rival is (ATCUAE), the Qatar Motor and Mo- French navigator Matthieu Baumel. not present in Kuwait. torcycle Federation (QMMF) and the Prince Sultan bin Bandar al-Faisal Realistically only one other driver Husam Salem retired before the sec- Bahrain Motor Federation (BMF). (centre) with Mohamed Ben can prevent the al-Attiyah steamroller Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah will be aiming for Kuwait win number six and his second ond leg of the Qatar Rally, but the new This follows a meeting in Riyadh Sulayem and Abdul Rahman bin from fl attening down the dust in the successive victory in the Skoda Fabia this weekend. points-scoring system enabled the Jor- yesterday between SAMSF Abdul Latif al-Mannai (right) deserts to the south of Kuwait City. danian to amass fi ve points for his leg one President Prince Sultan bin Bandar The second R5 car will be driven by of their wrecked Skoda was returned to al seven for winning the second day and performance. He is not present in Kuwait al-Faisal, ATCUAE President Moham- and Bahrain are committed to work- Khaled al-Suwaidi, another Qatari to Europe after the Qatar Rally. up to a maximum of seven more points either and that has opened the door for med Ben Sulayem, and new QMMF ing closely together to design a fall foul of bad fortune in Mexico last Abdulaziz had planned to use a brand for leading after day one. the likes of Khalifa al-Attiyah, Jassim chairman Abdul Rahman bin Abdul new championship which will make month. Al-Suwaidi and Italian naviga- new car in Kuwait and airfreight the The R5 cars are more powerful and al-Muqahwi, Yigit Timur, Mohammed Latif al-Mannai. regional motor sport sustainable in tor Giovanni Bernacchini hold second new Skoda from Europe, but the plan have better handling and body strength al-Thafi ri, Vedat Diker, Saleh Ali, Rakan Sheikh Abdullah bin Isa al-Khalifah, the years ahead. place in the regional rally series in their hit an obstacle at the 11th hour and the than their NR4 counterparts, although al-Rashed and Elie Chachati to get their the BMF President, was unable to “It was a very positive meeting, and Ford Fiesta R5 and realise the impor- crew will not start. the remainder of the entry on the event MERC 2 challenges off the ground. attend the meeting but took part I and my three counterparts were tance of reaching the fi nish if they are Engine issues meant that Kuwait’s being hosted by the Basil Salem Al-Sabah “I really enjoyed the recce and the in a conference call with his three in full agreement on the course of to have any chance of winning a maiden Masoud al-Saleh was not able to join Motor Racing Club (BMRC) consists of stages are nice, although the fi rst one counterparts to decide on a plan of action that now needs to be taken title. Al-Suwaidi won the Kuwait event the fi nal list in his Ford Fiesta S2000. an impressive array of Mitsubishi Lancer on Friday morning could be tricky,” said action and applauded the initiative. for the benefit of motor sport.” outright in 2012 with British navigator There is a new points-scoring sys- Evolutions and Subaru Imprezas in the Saudi Arabian Rakan al-Rashed. “This “The future of motor sport in this re- Added Sulayem: “Prince Sultan Nick Beech. tem in this year’s championship. The hands of drivers from Kuwait, Qatar, is only my second rally. I competed in gion depends on the development and Sheikh Abdullah welcomed Abdulaziz al-Kuwari has endured FIA has revised the traditional 25 points Lebanon, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Dubai in November last year and the of a new series of events which are this initiative and pledged their full a torrid start to his season in a second for a win, 18 for second and 15 for third- The popular Group N category has plan is to do more rallies this season. I more aff ordable, and which are de- support to develop a series which Skoda: a heavy crash in Qatar and a style format for FIA Regional Rallies. been re-branded as FIA MERC 2 this just want to gain more experience.” signed to attract and accommodate will be attractive to both Arabic and couple of mechanical breakages and a In addition to these points, additional year and utilises the FIA’s new revised The offi cial pre-event press confer- a new generation of young talent,” expatriate competitors.” crash in Rally Mexico have left the Qa- bonuses are to be awarded according points format as well. Qatar’s Rashid ence, ceremonial start and the open- said Sulayem, who received a warm “Together, we recognise the increas- tari empty-handed from his opening to the classifi cation of each leg on the al-Naimi currently leads the second- ing 1.8km special stage take place at the welcome from Prince Sultan. ingly important role that can be two events of the season, but he and scale of seven down to one. ary series on 38 points and has a sev- Sirbb circuit from 15.30hrs, 16.30hrs “The national motor sport authori- played by sport in reinforcing rela- Irish navigator Killian Duff y were due a Therefore, the winner of the rally will en-point advantage over fellow Qatari and 18.00hrs, respectively, on Thurs- ties of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar tionships between our countries.” run of better fortune, after the remains be awarded 25 points, plus an addition- Abdullah al-Kuwari. Both drivers are day afternoon.