SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016 SPORTS England still to decide on Bangladesh tour

LONDON: England will not make a deci- even if longstanding security advisor Reg fourth Test between England and Both Farbrace and England coach Trevor “It’s a huge decision not to tour a sion on whether to go ahead with a tour Dickason gave the go-ahead to the tour. Pakistan at The Oval on Friday. “Until Bayliss were, when both holding similar country,” said Farbrace. “Player and staff of Bangladesh later this year until a secu- There have been concerns about the they get back and have made their roles with , on the team bus that safety is obviously paramount ... (but) it’s a rity probe of the country has been com- viability of England’s tour, the first leg of report, there’s absolutely nothing for us came under fire from militants as they huge decision not to go ... and pleted, assistant coach an off-season programme that features a to decide at the moment. travelled to a Test against Pakistan at the Bangladesh will be looking forward to us said Friday. subsequent Test series in India, ever since “There’s been no discussion on players Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore in 2009. going there. “I promise you nothing has The squad are due to fly to 29 people were killed in a deadly terror being allowed to opt out of the tour.” The incident saw six players injured, as been talked about in our dressing room ... Bangladesh on September 30 for three attack in Dhaka last month. “We had a Farbrace added: “We’ve made a group well as the deaths of six policemen and and players are not aware of any chance one-day internationals and two Test conversation with both the Test and the decision as players and managers (that) two civilians. of opting in or out of tours at this stage.” matches. one-day squad at least 10 or 12 days we’re not even going to talk about it until Ever since, apart from three one-day Australia cancelled their senior men’s Reports in the British press Friday sug- before Reg went on the trip, and we all Reg is back-so the idea that players will internationals against Zimbabwe in May team tour of Bangladesh in October for gested England players would be allowed agreed we wouldn’t spend any time talk- be allowed to opt out ... has certainly not last year, Pakistan have played all their security reasons and then withdrew their to skip the trip without endangering their ing about Bangladesh,” said Farbrace come from within our team and is cer- ‘home’ matches outside of the country — side from the Under-19 World Cup in the long-term future in international after stumps on the second day of the tainly not something we’ve talked about.” mainly in the . country at the start of the year. —AFP Kumar puts India in command against WI

ST LUCIA: A devastating spell of swing “That was a spell of consistent, high- bowling by Bhuvneshwar Kumar put quality swing bowling,” said former West India in command on the fourth day of Indies player Jeffrey Dujon on television the third test against West Indies in St commentary. “He gave all the batsmen Lucia on Friday. trouble, swung it in, swung it out, set up Kumar ripped through the middle Marlon Samuels beautifully and really order and tail, moving the second new didn’t move too much from that tight ball both ways through the air and off off-stump line.” the seam to pick up five at the Samuels was perhaps Kumar’s most Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet. prized scalp, out for 48 when he was Playing his first test in 19 months, he beaten by an inswinger that he chopped took five for 33 in 23.4 overs as West on to his stumps. One run earlier Indies lost their last seven wickets for 23 Jermaine Blackwood was caught at sec- runs to be all out for 225 in the first ond slip off Kumar for 20. Opener Kraigg innings. Brathwaite top-scored for West Indies India then reached 157 for three by with 64. the close of play, 285 runs ahead, leaving Kohli went cheaply in India’s second to ponder the best innings, trapped lbw by Miguel Cummins time to declare on the final day today. All for four after making just three in the first of Kumar’s dismissals were achieved with knock. (51) and Rohit quality deliveries, three caught in the Sharma (41) were unbeaten at stumps. slips, one bowled and one lbw. India lead the four-test series 1-0. —Reuters

SCOREBOARD

ST LUCIA: Scoreboard at stumps on the fourth day in the third Test between West Indies and India on Friday in Gros Islet, St Lucia. : Sri Lanka cricketer (C) plays a shot during the first day of the third and final match India 1st innings 353 (R. Ashwin 118, W. Bowling: B. Kumar 23.4-10-33-5 (w-2), M. between Sri Lanka and Australia at The Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Colombo yesterday. —AFP Saha 104, L. Rahul 50) Shami 17-3-58-0, R. Ashwin 26-7-52-2, I. West Indies 1st innings (Overnight: 107-3) Sharma 13-2-40-1 (nb-2), R. Jadeja 24-9-27-1. K. Brathwaite c Saha b R. Ashwin 64 De Silva leads Sri Lanka L. Johnson run out (Rahul) 23 India 2nd innings Da. Bravo c Jadeja b I. Sharma 29 L. Rahul c K. Brathwaite b Cummins 28 M. Samuels b B. Kumar 48 S. Dhawan lbw b Chase 26 fightback with maiden ton J. Blackwood c Kohli b B. Kumar 20 V. Kohli lbw b Cummins 4 R. Chase c Rahane b Jadeja 2 A. Rahane 51 S. Dowrich c S. Dhawan b B. Kumar 18 Ro. Sharma not out 41 J. Holder lbw b B. Kumar 2 Extras (b-1 lb-1 nb-5) 7 COLOMBO: Australia’s Nathan 64. “Lucky enough to take five bowling options. De Silva’s 240- plans to come out in this Test A. Joseph c Rahul b B. Kumar 0 Total (for 3 wickets, 39 overs) 157 Lyon yesterday praised Dhananjaya early wickets but you should ball stay was laced with 16 match and hopefully bat long for M. Cummins c Saha b R. Ashwin 0 de Silva and Dinesh Chandimal for give credit to the two guys bat- boundaries while Chandimal has periods,” Lyon said. Medium-pac- S. Gabriel not out 0 Fall of wickets: 1-49 L. Rahul, 2-58 V. Kohli, 3- Sri Lanka’s epic fightback on the ting. They have batted outstand- so far hit four boundaries. er Josh Hazlewood, left-arm spin- Extras (b-13 lb-2 nb-2 w-2) 19 72 S. Dhawan opening day of the final Test in ingly and they are in a good The 24-year-old De Silva, who ner Jon Holland and allrounder Total (all out, 103.4 overs) 225 To bat: R. Ashwin, W. Saha, R. Jadeja, I. Colombo, but insisted the visitors partnership,” Lyon told reporters. made his debut at the start of Mitchell Marsh have so far Fall of wickets: 1-59 L. Johnson, 2-129 Da. Sharma, M. Shami, B. Kumar were very much in the game. “So we have to come back this series, survived a dropped returned wicketless during their Bravo, 3-135 K. Brathwaite, 4-202 J. Bowling: S. Gabriel 3-0-19-0 (nb-1), A. De Silva and Chandimal put tomorrow and start the grind catch on 104 by Shaun Marsh at spells. Blackwood, 5-203 M. Samuels, 6-205 R. Joseph 4-0-23-0 (nb-2), M. Cummins 6-1-22- together an unbeaten 188-run again. The game is not out of our cover with Starc being the The visitors had dominated Chase, 7-212 J. Holder, 8-212 A. Joseph, 9- 2 (nb-2), J. Holder 5-1-17-0, R. Chase 11-1- partnership for the sixth depth, that’s for sure. “If you go unlucky bowler. the morning session with Starc 221 M. Cummins, 10-225 S. Dowrich 41-1, K. Brathwaite 10-1-33-0. to steer Sri Lanka to 214 for five anywhere in the world and say at But the batting duo ensured striking early to have Kaushal after the Australian bowlers stumps 210 for five (214 for five) Sri Lanka go into the second day Silva trudging back to the pavil- wreaked havoc. after them winning the toss and with their tails up against the ion after a 15-ball duck. Lyon, Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc batting first, it’s a big tick, so we Australian attack that seemed to who had had been criticised for and Lyon shared five wickets are in a fight and that’s the best have lost its way after the initial failing to utilise the turning con- between them to reduce the thing about it,” Lyon added. burst. “I dare say that’s a big key ditions, also proved effective at hosts to 26 for five before lunch why Sri Lanka have been 2-0 up the Sinhalese Sports Club ground but failed to make further SRI LANKA REVIVAL in the series for the ability of with his two wickets. inroads. De Silva, who scored his After settling at the crease, De their batsmen to bat in partner- The spinner seemed to have maiden Test century, remained Silva and Chandimal counter- ships and for a long period of learnt his lessons on these pitch- unbeaten on 116 at the close, attacked against an aggressive time. es after getting with strong support from Australian onslaught who kept “We have spoken about it and caught at first slip and then the Chandimal who was batting on pushing hard by rotating their our batsmen have all got their prized wicket of Sri Lankan skip- per , who was out for just one. The left-handed SCOREBOARD Perera looked good during his 32-ball 16 which included three COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Scoreboard at stumps yesterday on the first day of the third cricket test between Sri Lanka boundaries, but was done in by a and Australia at Sinhalese Sports Club: beauty from Lyon that pitched Sri Lanka 1st Innings TOTAL: (for 5 wickets) 214 and turned to take an outside Kaushal Silva c Smith b Starc 0 Overs: 90 edge of the bat. b Starc 7 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-21, 3-23, 4-24, 5-26. Starc also kept the other end Kusal Perera c Smith b Lyon 16 To bat: , , Lakshan busy with his wicket-taking as he Kusal Mendis c Smith b Starc 1 Sandakan, bowled opener Dimuth Angelo Mathews c Starc b Lyon 1 Bowling: Mitchell Starc 18-7-47-3, Josh Hazlewood 11-3- Karunaratne for the fifth time in ST LUCIA: India’s batsman Ajinkya Rahane plays a shot from the bowling of Dinesh Chandimal not out 64 27-0, Nathan Lyon 34-9-72-2, Jon Holland 21-5-34-0, the series. “To be honest I was West Indies’ Miguel Cummins as West Indies’ wicketkeeper Shane Dorwich not out 116 Mitchell Marsh 5-0-20-0, Steve Smith 1-0-5-0. proud of all our bowlers today. looks on during day four of their third cricket Test match at the Daren Extras (4b, 5lb) 9 Series: Sri Lanka leads three-match series 2-0. That was hot today, a good test to Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, St. Lucia. —AP all our bowlers,” Lyon said. —AFP Bangladesh lifts Ashraful ban from domestic cricket

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s cricket authorities yes- ban in October 2014, but later withdrew it. international matches. The 32-year old said terday partially lifted the ban on former cap- “Mr Ashraful is eligible to play domestic crick- partial lifting of the ban gave him a fresh tain Mohammad Ashraful, allowing him to et from the 13th August 2016. However, he opportunity to restart his career. play in selected domestic competitions, offi- will be ineligible to play international cricket “This is a new beginning for me,” Ashraful cials said. Ashraful was initially banned for or the BPL (until 2018),” said Yasin Patel, a told reporters at his residence after he eight years in 2014 after he tearfully con- British lawyer who represented Ashraful dur- returned from Britain in the morning. fessed on national television to helping fix ing the trial. “I got a new opportunity to revive my matches in the scandal-hit Bangladesh BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin career. Now my first priority is to perform well Premier League. Chowdhury said they were now waiting for an in domestic cricket. “If I can do that I hope the The tournament was eventually ICC response to determine which domestic BCB will take initiative to lift my ban from left suspended in the wake of the match-fix- competitions Ashraful will be allowed to play. international cricket too,” he said, adding he ing controversy before resuming in 2015 with “Ashraful”s ban will be lifted on August 13,” still had many years left to play. six new franchises. A local appeal panel in Chowdhury told AFP on Friday. “We have “I think I’ve yet to give my best to cricket,” September 2014 cut Ashraful’s ban to five now asked for a clarification from the ICC, he said. ICC anti-corruption investigators dis- years including a two-year suspended sen- clearly specifying which competitions he will covered the fixing scam after being asked by tence, meaning he can return to competitive be allowed to play.” Bangladesh authorities to monitor the lucra- cricket from August 2016. An ICC spokesman declined to make any tive T20 tournament. The Bangladesh Cricket Board and the comment. Ashraful, Test cricket’s youngest Ashraful is now expected to resume his International Cricket Council had lodged an century-maker, made his debut at the nation- domestic career in late September with the LONDON: Pakistan’s Younis Khan avoids a short ball from England’s Steven appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in al level at the age of 17. He has played 61 Bangladesh Cricket League, the country’s Finn during play on the third day of the fourth test cricket match between Lausanne, Switzerland against his reduced Tests, 177 one-day internationals and 23 T20 inter-provincial first-class competition. —AFP England and Pakistan at the Oval in London yesterday. —AFP