Thursday 25th August, 2011 15 Flower likens India rout to Ashes triumph

BY JULIAN GUYER hundred in four Tests, for a first innings of 300. ngland coach Andy Flower But they still had to follow-on has compared England’s and, after a stand of 144 between Ewhitewash of India to their great , out home Ashes triumph of two years for 91 when in sight of a historic Novak Djokovic ago as The Oval again provided the 100th international hundred, and setting for the team’s joyful celebra- Amit Mishra (84), they collapsed to tions. 283 all out. Flower’s men completed a 4-0 “The 200 that scored was Injury spoils stellar run series rout of the team they certainly the best innings I’ve seen replaced as the world’s best Test him play and set up this win for side with an innings and eight-run us,” said Strauss. victory wrapped up before tea on Bell said: “I really enjoyed the by Djokovic as US Open looms the fifth day on Monday. opportunity to step up and have a It was England’s latest crushing go but we have a really good squad BY LINDA PEARCE and be ready for the US win in a series where their previous and that’s been our strength for a Novak Djokovic will enter Open,’’ Djokovic said of next margins of victory were 196 runs, long time.” next week’s US Open with the Monday’s start to the year’s 319 runs and an innings and 242 India surrendered their status as best record in a season since final major. runs. the leaders of the ICC’s Test John McEnroe’s stellar start ‘’I could have maybe “It reminds me of the Ashes in Championship table with their pre- to 1984 - but also with con- played another couple of 2009. There’s a similar atmosphere. vious innings defeat in the third cerns over a shoulder injury games, but what for? I cannot It was maybe a bit of an anti-climax Test at Edgbaston. that prompted the Serb’s beat a player like Murray because we were 3-0 up but it’s a Dravid, after what could be the retirement from Sunday’s today with one stroke.’’ great moment for them (the play- Andy Flower 38-year-old’s last Test on English Cincinnati final against Andy With a mighty 57-2 record ers),” Flower told Sky Sports. soil, was generous in his praise of Murray of Scotland. for the season (McEnroe’s “The Ashes are special for their the way on Monday courtesy of a and 182 highly valuable runs down England. The world No. 1 had spo- numbers were 59-2) , haul of 6-106. the order. “England are deservedly the No.1 ken of his exhaustion earlier Djokovic’s previous loss had own reasons, and for the impor- “It was an outstanding effort But he didn’t have to bat at The in the world. They played well in in the tournament, having come on June 3, in a French tance the English public and the again. Enforcing the follow-on Oval, with England’s 6-591 declared the series, they outplayed us.” won 59 of his previous 60 Open semi against Roger Australian public give to it, but it’s asked a lot of the bowlers and they featuring man-of-the-match Ian India Mahendra Singh matches dating back to last Federer. also something special to be playing responded superbly,” Strauss said. Bell’s Test-best 235 and Kevin Dhoni insisted his team’s morale year’s Davis Cup final, and 31 He was treated courtside India,” the former bats- “It was Swann’s turn to take wick- Pietersen’s 175 giving their attack would remain intact. in succession on hardcourts. after an error-strewn first man explained. ets today but he was well supported enough runs to play with, as India “It’s important we stay together Afterwards, having failed set, and appeared to grimace Meanwhile, England captain by the seamers.” were bowled out twice. as a unit because the expectation to complete a match in which when the trainer pressed on was delighted by Fast-medium bowler Stuart The tourists were indebted to levels are quite high,” Dhoni said. he trailed 6-4, 3-0, much of the side of his rotator cuff. the way his bowlers took 20 Broad was chosen by India as ’s superb 146 , “It’s about the team rising to the the talk was about the right On Twitter later, Djokovic after he enforced the follow-on, with England’s man-of-the-series for an the India man-of-the-series’ third shoulder problem that had apologised to those ‘’of you off-spinner leading all-round contribution of 25 wickets occasion together.” (AP) been troubling Djokovic for who expected a better and about 10 days. longer match today. Shoulder ‘’There is no good loss, could not take it any more, that’s for sure. The good and it didn’t make sense to thing is there’s a week, eight continue.’’ He congratulated days to the start of the Open. his friend Murray on win- I’m confident I can recover ning his second title of the Chambers gobsmacked by athletics drug cheats year. BY VIKKI ORVICE lot for granted and think that things will never end. Dwain Chambers admits he is “Now I’m in my 30s I cherish astonished that other athletes have these opportunities more and being Serena Williams not learned their lesson after drugs a father of three I have to do all I wrecked his career. can do to make my family proud.” Chambers will compete in the Chambers will be up against recovers from toe injury world championships which kick-off defending world champion Usain in South Korea on Saturday, having Bolt, who set his world mark of Former World No. 1 ding ceremony during the served a two-year ban after testing 9.58secs in the final in Berlin two ranked Serena Williams has weekend in California last positive for the designer steroid years ago. been recovering week. Serena THG in 2003. This season, however, Bolt has from the toe has been enjoy- But despite being the country’s struggled to find his form after miss- injury, ahead of ing her off top sprinter he is still unable to com- ing most of last year through injury. the 2011 US Open court environ- pete at London 2012 under the Chambers admitted: “Usain has championship ment, where she sport’s strict British laws. shown this season that he is a next week in is looking to be Jamaican Steve Mullings, the human being. This guy has been Flushing fully fit to play third fastest man this season over dominant in ways that were uman- Meadows Park in in the US Open. New York City. Serena also won 100metres with a time of 9.80secs, is ageable to us as athletes. “But the fact he has not been on The 13-time the two WTA also facing a lifetime ban after test- singles Grand titles in this SMASHING RECORDS ... Usain Bolt and Chambers (right) in 2009. top form does not put any doubts in ing positive for a masking agent ear- Slam champion month at Bank my mind. He’s still the No1 con- lier this month — his second doping ago, admitted: “I have definitely has been done at a major sporting Serena has suf- of the West offence. learned my lesson and I hoped that a event. tender. fered a toe injury Classic in And American Mike Rodgers, the lot more athletes would too. Chambers aded: “I can only con- “In Berlin, I performed better and forced to pull Stanford and fourth fastest man in the world this “I would like to hope it would be centrate on myself as a clean athlete than I could have expected but I out of the 2011 2011 Rogers Cup year after clocking 9.85secs, will also change. I would welcome more fre- but I welcome the blood tests and laughed when I saw the winning Western & in Toronto. The miss the worlds after testing positive quent and rigorous testing in cham- think it’s a good introduction to the time. Southern Open American for a banned stimulant. pionships and in the off-season.” sport. “When Usain Bolt had finished I in Cincinnati on Serena is look- was still running. The other athletes last week. Serena ing hot favorite Chambers, who will bid to Athletics chiefs are to blood test “It levels the playing field and I Serena Williams improve on his sixth place in the ALL 2,000 athletes at the world think that benefits all athletes. just stood there and laughed in dis- has withdrawn in to clinch the US the second round 100m final at the worlds two years championships — the first time this “When you are young you take a belief.” Open title for of the Cincinnati Masters the fourth time, where she against Samantha Stosur of won the title in 1999, 2002 hardly bat. Australian, where she over- and 2008. Maria Sharapova is challenging come against Lucie The two-time defending Pakistan is blessed with so Serena Williams for US Open many past greats such as Hradecka of Czech Republic champion Kim Clijsters has favouritism after continuing her fine sea- in the opening round with a withdrawn from the US Hanif Muhammad, Majid Khan, son with victory over Jelena Jankovic in Only Miandad can , and 6-3 and 7-6. Open champion, due to the Cincinnati final. many more, who can help the The 29-year-old Serena strained abdominal muscle. The revitalised Russian will climb youngsters by imparting them the was spotted dancing on the The World No. 3 Clijsters batting tips and telling them what from seventh to No.4 in the world after floor at Kim Kardashian’s also suffering from injuries streamline cricket shot to play and which ball to overcoming Jankovic 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 for and Kris Humphries’ wed- throughout the season. leave. Now when Waqar has decid- her second title of the year. Finally over the shoulder injury that ed to quit after the Zimbabwe tour, staring straight ahead, thinking about what had BY MOHSIN ALI dogged her for the best part of two years, it is the ideal time for the board to just happened. The match ended when her base- make amends for their past mis- Sharapova will head to Flushing Meadows next ISLAMABAD - Pakistan crick- line forehand sailed wide. takes and hire either Hanif week oozing confidence. et and controversy are the two But despite the loss, Jankovic was upbeat. Muhammad, Miandad or Zaheer “It’s been a great year for me so far,” the sides of same coin. Every sports She came to Cincinnati feeling rusty and lack- Abbas as head coach, as these gen- Wimbledon runner-up said after going one better lover, not only in Pakistan but ing confidence after playing few matches lately tlemen have what it takes at the than last year’s finals loss to Kim Clijsters. internationally accepts that the and having little success. top level and they have proven “It can always be better or worse. I’m definitely Pakistan cricket team is blessed “I’m pretty unpredictable,” she said. themselves as the masters of the proud I’ve gone further than last year, after the with so many natural stars who game during their playing days. “If somebody told me I was can turn around a game in a short must set aside his per- going to play a final here, I span of time. sonal differences with Miandad for would right away sign the But on the other hand, it is also the sake of cricket and hand over paper.” true that the Pakistan team is the coaching assignment to known for its blunders and throw- Sharapova challenging Miandad. ing away matches against much One thing is sure; Javed has weaker opponents. At a crucial always played for the pride of the stage, when the Pakistan team is country and he will not let down set to depart to Zimbabwe, sudden- Ijaz and will accept the offer as a ly the resignation of head coach challenge. for US favouritism has left many ques- In the present circumstances, tions needed to be answered both nobody other than Miandad can by Waqar and Pakistan Cricket revive the fast declining fortunes disappointing loss here last year.” Board officials. Nobody is going to Javed Miandad of the national team. With two-times defending champion Clijsters believe Waqar has resigned just Pakistan is all set to embark having withdrawn from the US Open starting on because of his ill-health. wise the rest of the squad will upon the Zimbabwe tour and Monday because of an abdominal strain, If he wanted to discontinue his heavily rely on the experience of Zimbabwe is on a high, after win- Sharapova will fancy her chances of landing a coaching assignments he could Saeed Ajmal. ning both the Test and One Day second grand slam crown in New York. have done this much earlier. So Pakistan’s bowling was always series against Bangladesh and The 24-year-old reigned in 2006. what was the reason behind their secret and main weapon on they have a lethal combination in Sharapova fended off seven break points in Waqar’s decision to quit the team which the team depended heavily. the form of Vitori and Jarvis who the last set alone against Jankovic to extend the soon after the Zimbabwe series? But this current squad lacks depth are bowling with exceptional pace Serb’s title drought to 17 months. The timing and announcement of in bowling, while the batting is and venom and taking lots of Jankovic won in Cincinnati in 2009, but has- this news is not right at all as this also very weak. These things in wickets. On the other hand, the n’t claimed a championship since Indian Wells will affect the already under pres- fact were enough for the selectors Pakistan team is short of practice sure Pakistan team who is going on March 21 last year. to focus. Now, the Waqar saga will as they have not played competi- on this tour with several new “This match could have gone either way,” she further add to the problems of the tive cricket for a while and the faces. Only captain Misbah, said. PCB. The Pakistan team needs a players will take some time to Younus and last-minute entrant “I had my chances. It showed the match is batting coach rather than a bowl- d t t th diti hi h ill