SPORTS Wednesday, March 8, 2017 23

Golden oldieBarcelona Massatheir troubles in last week’s the normally bullet-proof illiams ace Felipe first test. Mercedes a few troubles. Massa upstaged “Very good Day for us “I wasn’t feeling great formerW world champions @WiliamsRacing, 168 Laps. today, but that is just the Lewis Hamilton and Not Bad for a old and ex setup and it is also quite hot Sebastian Vettel on the retire Driver,” Massa posted today so tyres are degrading,” first day of Formula One’s on his official Twitter said the Englishman. second pre-season test in account. “I’m not massively excited Barcelona yesterday. Red Bull’s promise to up at the moment just because The Brazilian posted the their speed from last week’s it is the first day of testing of second fastest lap in five first test was also fulfilled as week two and I didn’t get a days of testing so far with a Daniel Ricciardo recorded lot of running this morning, time of 1min 19.726sec. the second fastest lap. so I’m looking forward to The 35-year-old Brazilian Ferrari’s promising pace the next couple of days.” retired at the end of from the first test continued Valtteri Bottas managed last season only to reverse as Vettel was over half a an extra 86 laps for Mercedes his decision when Williams second faster than Hamilton in the afternoon session, but had a vacancy after with both on the same soft was marginally slower than Valtteri Bottas joined tyte compound in third Hamilton to finish fifth on Mercedes. fastest. the day. The 2008 world Vettel also logged a At the other end of championships runner mammoth 168 laps as, unlike the paddock, McLaren’s up showed he is in fine others, Ferrari suffered no troubles continued. fastest shape by also completing reliability issues. Belgian rookie Stoffel 168 laps - the joint highest Three-time world Vandoorne posted 80 laps in individual day’s mileage so champion Hamilton was 10th fastest, but after change far this season as Williams restricted to just 49 laps as of the faltering Honda bounced back in style from warmer temperatures caused engine. (AFP)

Felipe Massa Mendis lifts Bennett outmuscles sprint with big ton stars to win stage Chalon-sur-Saône Saone. peloton led by the sprinters’ Galle second half-century in three reland’s Sam Bennett France’s Arnaud Demare teams.(AFP) usal Mendis made the most of a first- Tests. stunned the top sprinters to came in sixth and ball reprieve and went on to score an The pair came winI the third stage of the Paris- held onto the leader’s Kunbeaten century yesterday as Sri Lanka together after Nice race yesterday. yellow jersey. Results posted a commanding 321-4 in the first the injury- The Bora rider held off A breakaway Results from the 190km third stage of Paris-Nice Test against Bangladesh. plagued fast Norway’s group comprising from Chablis to Chalon-sur-Saone yesterday: Mendis remained unbeaten on 166 bowler Mustafizur Alexander French pair Romain 1 Sam Bennett (IRL/Bora) 4hr 31min 14sec at stumps after sharing a 196-run stand Rahman, playing Combaud and Pierre 2 Alexander Kristoff (NOR/KAT) same time with Asela Gunaratne (85) for the fourth his first Test since Latour, alongside at Galle International Stadium on August 2015, American Ben King, 3. John Degenkolb (GER/TRE) s.t. the opening day of the two-Test series. removed Dinesh had come agonisingly 4. Marcel Kittel (GER/QST) s.t. Bangladesh pace bowler Subashis Roy Chandimal. Kristoff and close to battling out 5. Michael Matthews (AUS/ORI) m.t. thought he had Mendis out for a golden Chandimal German pair John the victory. 6. Arnaud Demare (FRA/FDJ) s.t. duck when wicketkeeper Liton Das dived managed to score Degenkolb and Marcel But having escaped 7. Andre Greipel (GER/LOT) s.t. to his right to take a catch off an inside just five runs despite Kittel in the dash to inside the first 8. Christophe Laporte (FRA/COF) s.t. edge. facing 54 balls before the line at the end of kilometre, they were 9. Kristian Sbaragli (ITA/DDT) s.t. (L) con- But a TV replay showed the bowler had edging a catch to the 190km stage from caught in the very 10. Magnus Cort Nielsen (DEN/ORI) s.t. overstepped, prompting the umpires to Mehedi Hasan at gratulated by Asela Chablis to Chalon-sur- last one by a charging declare a no ball and enable the 22-year- gully. Gunaratne old Mendis to go on to compile his Bangladesh started second Test century. the day in positive “I may have played a false stroke the fashion after stand- first ball I faced,” Mendis said. in Sri Lanka skipper Mendis reached three figures with a won straight four off Soumya Sarkar in a 242- the toss and asked them to bowl ball innings that has so far featured 18 first on a flat pitch. fours and two sixes. The visitors struck in the Mendis and Gunaratne’s massive sixth over when Roy beat partnership put the hosts firmly in opener Upul Tharanga with a control of the match by close of play after perfect inswinger to uproot they were 92-3 at one stage. his middle stump before Gunaratne, who replaced injured the no-ball denied him regular skipper Angelo Mathews in the Mendis’s wicket off the Sam Bennett (second starting lineup, hit seven fours in his next ball.(AFP) from left) during the race