TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2017 SPORTS South Africa face up to their Eden Park demons WELLINGTON: South Africa have fancied to shed their reputation as Plessis told local media in Auckland. next month. The Proteas will look to Wales in June, a tournament the Proteas arrived in New Zealand full of confi- World Cup ‘chokers’ and reach a maiden “Honestly, something like that you stretch their golden summer into have underperformed in since winning dence after replacing Australia at the final in the global showpiece and the always carry it with you. As a team, autumn, having swept both Australia the inaugural edition in 1998. top of the one-day cricket rankings but defeat left several players in tears. It we’ve definitely put it behind us, but and Sri Lanka 5-0 in one-day series at “We are putting a huge amount of the Proteas will have mixed feelings was later described by as shattered the emotions of the day will always be home. South Africa also beat Steve emphasis on one-day cricket,” added about their return to Eden Park this captain AB De Villiers’ “greatest disap- with us. “That’s not a bad thing. Smith’s Australia 2-1 away in their test the 32-year-old. “We haven’t per- week. The three-test tour kicks off with pointment”. Although we were on the wrong side of series and returned home to sweep the formed the way we’d like in ICC tour- a Twenty20 international on Friday at Test and T20 captain Faf du Plessis, winning the game, it was a great game Sri Lankans 3-0 but face a New Zealand naments. “The buildup we have is the Auckland venue where South Africa who top-scored for his team in the of cricket and something that will team unbeaten at home this summer looking good. “New Zealand have a lost the 2015 World Cup semi-final to semi-final with 82, said yesterday he still always be with us.” across all formats. great energy in their team and they the hosts when Grant Elliott smashed a carried scars from the match. After the one-off T20 match, the Du Plessis said the tour would be are very competitive, especially in the six off paceman Dale Steyn on the sec- “It was a great game, but it’ll be teams play five ODI’s before the open- good preparation for the ICC fielding department, so you always ond-last ball. South Africa had been mixed feelings getting back there,” Du ing match of the test series in Dunedin Champions Trophy in England and feel their presence.” —Reuters Joe Root named new England Test captain LONDON: Joe Root has been named as the England’s programme will consist solely of new Test captain of England, the England limited overs fixtures, including June’s and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Champions Trophy one-day tournament on yesterday. Yorkshire batsman Root, previ- home soil. ously England’s vice-captain, had been the Last week, Strauss made it clear he overwhelming favourite to take over from wanted Eoin Morgan to remain as Alastair Cook, who resigned as Test skipper England’s one-day international and last week after a national record 59 match- Twenty20 captain. es in charge. Root, who made his England debut under Cook, is now widely regarded ‘ADMIRABLE QUALITIES’ as England’s leading batsman. Root has an impressive Test average of “It is a huge honour to be given the nearly 53 in 53 matches. He scored the first England Test captaincy,” the 26-year-old of his 11 Test hundreds at Headingley, his Root said in an ECB statement. “I feel privi- Yorkshire home ground, in May 2013 and leged, humbled and very excited.” currently has a total of 4,594 Test runs, plac- The ECB added all-rounder Ben Stokes ing him third in the International Cricket would succeed Root as vice-captain of the Council rankings for Test batsmen. He has Test side. also become a mainstay of the England Cook, England’s all-time leading Test side in all three international formats and run-scorer, is set to continue his England concerns had been expressed about his career, with Root also able to call upon the workload even before his appointment as experience of senior fast bowlers James Test captain. Anderson and Stuart Broad, as well as But Strauss was in no doubt Root, whom coach Trevor Bayliss. “We have a very good he said had accepted “immediately” after group of players, and I’m looking forward he was asked to be England captain last to leading them out in the summer-build- week, was the right man for the job. ing on Alastair’s achievements and making “Joe has shown a number of admirable the most of our talents in the years ahead,” qualities in his Test career so far,” said HYDERABAD: Members of Indian team pose with the winning trophy after their win over Bangladesh in their one-off cricket test match in said Root. “The senior guys in the changing Strauss. Hyderabad, India, yesterday. India won the match by 208 runs. —AP room play a very influential role-and while “Making his debut in 2012 at the age of there’s a natural progression for me, it’s a 21 and going on to establish himself as one huge support to know that they are there of the premier batsmen in all forms of the CRICKET to help and advise.” game in such a short period of time ECB director of England cricket Andrew demonstrates his drive, determination, Strauss, himself a former England captain, cricketing intelligence and an ability to added: “Joe is the right man to be our next learn that will serve him well in his new India thrash Bangladesh Test captain and I’m thrilled that he has role. “He is universally respected by his accepted the role.” team mates, passionate about driving the Root will have several months to pre- Test team forward and extremely excited pare for his first match as captain given about the prospect of leading his country.” in warning to Aussies England’s next Test does not start until July Root became a father for the first time 6, when they face South Africa at Lord’s. last month but flew out days after the birth England will be looking to bounce back of his son Alfred to join England on their after a difficult 2016 in Test cricket, with ODI tour of India. HYDERABAD: India issued a battle cry to Cook resigning following a 4-0 series defeat He is due to travel again next week Australia yesterday after wrapping up a compre- SCOREBOARD in India at the end of last year. when England head to the West Indies for a hensive 208-run victory over Bangladesh with a Prior to the South Africa series, three-match ODI series. —AFP devastating display of spin bowling by HYDERABAD, India: Scoreboard yesterday at the end of the one-off test between India and Bangladesh at Rajiv Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Gandhi International Stadium: Chasing 459 for victory on the final day of India, 1st Innings 687-6 dec. Mehedi Hasan Miraz c Saha b Jadeja 23 their first Test on Indian soil, Bangladesh were Bangladesh, 1st Innings 388 Kamrul Islam Rabbi not out 3 bowled out for 250 in an extended afternoon India, 2nd Innings: 159-4 dec. Taijul Islam c Rahul b Jadeja 6 session after stubborn resistance from their low- Bangladesh, 2nd Innings: Taskin Ahmed lbw b Ashwin 1 er order. Ashwin and Jadeja shared eight second (Overnight 103-3) Extras: (4b, 7lb, 3nb) 14 innings wickets to help India extend their record Tamim Iqbal c Kohli b Ashwin 3 Total: (all out) 250 unbeaten run to 19 Tests, leaving them in prime Soumya Sarkar c Rahane b Jadeja 42 Overs: 100.3. form for a series against arch rivals Australia later Mominul Haque c Rahane b Ashwin 27 Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-71, 3-75, 4-106, 5-162, 6-213, 7- this month. Mahmudullah c Kumar b Sharma 64 225, 8-242, 9-249, 10-250. Indian skipper Virat Kohli, man of the match Shakib Al Hasan c Pujara b Jadeja 22 Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 8-4-15-0, Ravichandran for his 204 in the first innings, paid tribute to Mushfiqur Rahim c Jadeja b Ashwin 23 Ashwin 30.3-10-73-4, Ishant Sharma 13-3-40-2 (3nb), Bangladesh for their fighting performance but Sabbir Rahman lbw b Sharma 22 Umesh Yadav 12-2-33-0, Ravindra Jadeja 37-15-78-4. made clear that thoughts had already turned to Australia. “Everyone’s minds and hearts are on that series and we are keen to start the first Test,” said he was “really proud” of his side and hoped The result meant India maintained their said Kohli after seeing off Bangladesh in that “we can learn from this”. unbeaten record against the minnows and now Hyderabad. “Everyone is raring to go ... It’s a very “Our bowlers need to learn how to bowl in have seven wins and two draws in nine encoun- big series for us.” Australia, currently number two partnerships and that can create chances. But it ters. The Australia series begins on February 23, in the Test rankings, land in Mumbai on Monday gives us a lot of belief after playing the number with the first Test in Pune followed by matches in for a four-Test series against Kohli’s top-ranked one Test side,” he said.