Sports42 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2014

2013 champion has busy Christmas in race

SYDNEY: The crew of the to Hobart launched American yacht Comanche. The begins in Sydney Harbour, heads south along piece, we try to anticipate the best we possi- yacht race’s defending champion Wild Oats 117-boat fleet is expected to have a bumpy the coast of state and bly can, but this is a completely untested XI spent most of Christmas Day on Sydney first night at sea, with southerlies gusting up across Bass Strait to the island state of boat at this stage,” Read said. “We’re as ready Harbour trying to make up for four days of to 30 knots and choppy conditions. “We’ll be and its capital city Hobart. as we’ll ever be. It’s time to go see what this lost preparation ahead of today’s start. sailing all day Christmas Day,” Wild Oats XI Perpetual Loyal owner Anthony Bell said thing can do.” Bob Oatley’s super maxi, which is attempt- skipper Mark Richards said. “We’ve missed the weather forecast didn’t appear to signifi- Australian Jimmy Spithill, skipper of the ing a record eighth line honors win, broke its four days of important preparation and we’ve cantly favor any of the big boats. victorious Oracle Team USA in the America’s boom last weekend and skipper Mark got to try and make that up.” Richards “For us to do well in this race, we probably Cup last year, is a crew member on Richards said his team had been working doesn’t anticipate his boat’s race record of 1 have to chance our arm a little bit,” Bell said. Comanche. It’s his third Sydney to Hobart - around the clock to fix the issue ahead of the day, 18 hours, 23 minutes, 12 seconds set in Comanche skipper Ken Read was blunt: “We’ll his first was in 1998 aboard Ragamuffin when traditional Boxing Day start. 2012 will be challenged this year. all work our hardest to keep our Christmas six sailors died and five yachts sank in a storm The boom mishap affected the crew’s final Wild Oats won line honors for the seventh dinners down.” Read is eager to find out how that hit the fleet early in the race. week of preparations for a race featuring four time last year, finishing the 628-nautical mile his new 100-footer performs in testing race “It was definitely an extreme, no ques- other super maxis, including the recently- race in 2 days, 6 hours, 7 minutes. The race conditions. “We (will) try to keep it in one tion,” Spithill said. — AP Green top awaits N Zealand, S Lanka

CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand and Sri Lanka are expecting a paceman’s paradise when their two-Test series starts in today. Aside from the prestige of a Test match, the first in eight years in the earthquake-ravaged city, it also serves also as an opportunity for both sides to fine tune ahead of the looming World Cup. The World Cup squads are due to be finalised on January 8, a day after the second Test ends. Even as the Sri Lankans set- tled into lodgings in the main South Island city they were alerted to its earthquake risk when a magnitude 4.0 quake struck on Wednesday, followed by several aftershocks. With the former home of in Christchurch, Lancaster Park, destroyed in the 2011 quakes which claimed 185 lives, a new venue was purpose built at Hagley Oval and quickly developed a reputation in domestic cricket for producing a result. , vying with Doug Bracewell for the third seamer’s slot behind spearheads and Trent Boult, said the bowlers have been told the Test pitch is the same as the net . “And the nets played pretty good. It was nice and quick and had a bit of bounce to it, so it definitely excited all of the bowlers.” At Test level, both sides have enjoyed a confidence- boosting 2014 with Sri Lanka claiming series wins over and Pakistan and New Zealand beating the and at home, the West Indies away and then drawing on the lifeless wickets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). : Australian batsman prepares to sweep a ball during cricket training at the (MCG) yesterday. takes on India in the third cricket Test in Melbourne starting today. — AFP World Cup preparations Southee and Boult have developed into a formidable opening force for New Zealand and also playing Burns to bat at six for Wagner and Bracewell in a four-pronged seam attack was a possibility although coach Craig McMillan hinted it was unlikely. “The fast bowlers have a little bit of a smile on Australia against India their face, seeing a bit of green grass, which we haven’t really seen for the last eight weeks,” he said. “Playing four seamers is an option, and it’s something we’ll MELBOURNE: will bat at Australia’s most promising young bats- unavailable for the match after straining discuss. But there’s also a lot of left-handers in that Sri Lankan number six when he makes his debut for men, replaced injured all-rounder Mitch a hamstring in but could be batting line up, so the offspinner becomes quite Australia in the third test against India at Marsh in one of two changes to the ready for the final test in Sydney in the important.” the Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting Australian team that won last week’s first week of January. Sri Lanka arrived in New Zealand with a relatively inexperi- today. The 25-year-old, regarded as one second test in Brisbane. “Mitch has been playing some pretty enced squad and admitting the series had an important role Paceman , who missed good cricket ... he was starting to find his in their World Cup preparations where they face New Zealand the second test because of a thigh prob- feet,” Smith said. at Hagley Oval in the opening match on February 14. lem, returns at the expense of Mitchell “Disappointing for him ... but Joe “We know whom we want in our 15 except for one or two Starc. Burns hit his highest first class Burns gets his opportunity on Boxing places which we hope to fill during the Test series,” coach score last month when he made 183 for Day and it’s going to be a very special Marvan Atapattu said. against New South Wales. week for him.” Starc struggled to pro- The nature of the has also impressed the Sri Lankans The right-handed top order batsman duce his best in Brisbane but Smith said whose bowling mainstay of recent years, left-arm spinner has scored nearly 3,000 first class runs at he could be back soon. “You never , will miss this Test because of a leg injury. an average of 42. know, the three back-to-back test Bowling coach said the green top was ripe Burns normally bats at opener in matches is pretty heavy on our fast for his fledgling pace bowlers-to be drawn from Suranga Australia’s domestic competition and bowlers so you might see him back in Lakmal, Shaminda Eranga, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep there was speculation he might come in the team next week,” Smith said. and Dushmantha Chameera. at three after was hit in Australia also won the first test in “As a seamer you are overjoyed when you see tracks like the head during practice this week. so only need to draw one of what you have here, because you don’t get that in Sri Lanka,” But said Watson the two remaining matches to reclaim he said. However, a lack of experience could count against the would remain in his normal position to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Sri Lankans with 11 of the 16 players in their squad having MELBOURNE: Indian cricket captain ensure some continuity in the reshuffled Australia team: David Warner, Chris played fewer than 20 tests. M.S. Dhoni (R) speaks with team man- lineup. “Shane Watson is best suited at Rogers, Shane Watson, Steve Smith, Wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene has played 56 tests, ager Ravi Shastri (L) during training the top of the order ... Joe will slot in at , Joe Burns, , the third most in the current squad behind Sangakkara (128) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground number six,” Smith told reporters yester- , Ryan Harris, Nathan and Herath (57), who will not play the first Test. —AFP (MCG) yesterday. — AFP day. Marsh had already made himself Lyon, . — Reuters