Sports Tuesday, July 30, 2019 13 Stokes proud Three wins for Qatar horses at Newbury to be England Gazwan, Methgal vice-captain take Group 1 and again Group 3 titles to afp Al Shahania London Tribune News Network Ben Stokes has revealed the Newbury (England) pride he felt after being rein- stated as England’s Test vice- Qatari-owned horses daz- captain ahead of the Ashes se- zled scoring three victories, in- ries starting this week. cluding two black type ones, at Stokes was stripped of the Newbury, England, on Sunday. role in 2017 following a late- HH Sheikh Moham- night brawl in Bristol but was med bin Khalifa al Tha- restored as Joe Root’s deputy ni’s Gazwan takes home ahead of the five-Test series Shadwell Dubai Interna- against Australia, which begins tional Stakes (Gr1/PA): in Birmingham on Thursday. Back on European soil after Jos Buttler had been act- a successful winter in Doha, ing as Root’s right-hand man the HH Sheikh Mohammed but was happy to pass the ba- bin Khalifa al Thani-owned The HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Thani-owned Gazwan (left) and Methgal on way to winning Shadwell ton back after England and Gazwan (Amer) won the Dubai International Stakes (Gr1 PA) and Diar International Stakes (Gr3/PA) respectively at Newbury on Sunday. Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Shadwell Dubai International director of men’s cricket Ash- Stakes (Gr1 PA) with ease. The Gazwan team with the trophy after the presentation. ley Giles and chief executive Sherida al Kaabi’s Shabih Al- Tom Harrison recommended reeh (Jaafer Asf) led the field, Stokes’s restoration. followed by Jaldi Karo (Jehol Speaking on a weekend de Cardonne) while Al Shaqab visit to his old club in Cumbria, Racing’s Melabi (Dahess) and the 28-year-old said: “I love Gazwan travelled at the rear. having that responsibility and Once Gazwan was pulled it is something that I thorough- out and asked to accelerate by ly enjoy doing. I take pride in his jockey, Olivier Peslier, he being vice-captain. Being part flew away to win the 2000-me- of that think-tank is pretty cool. tre contest. Melabi took sec- “I am very good friends ond pace in front of Mehdaaf with Joe as well, off the field, Athbah (Amer). Gazwan, with and as much as I can do to help this victory under his belt, has him through his career, not just provided his trainer, Julian Winning connections of Al Shaqab Racing’s Kair Al Cham pose with as a captain but as a player as Smart, with a fifth success in their trophies. well, I am really looking for- the Shadwell Dubai Interna- ward to that challenge. tional Stakes in eleven years. Al Shaqab Racing’s Traynah am really happy.” “I think it would have been “He’s a superstar”, com- (Dahor de Brugère) was able Al Shaqab Racing’s just as exciting anyway. Play- mented Julian Smart. “What Al Shaqab Racing’s Kair Al Cham gallops to win the UAE Embassy in London International Stakes. to follow to take second place. Kair Al Cham wins UAE ing in an Ashes series is always more can I say about him! He’s “We were very disappoint- Embassy in London Inter- special and they don’t come run with the best, he’s beaten bit of downtime now, and then International Stakes (Gr3 PA) no chance to his rivals, win- ed after his race in Chantilly”, national Stakes: Al Shaqab around that often but being the best, he’s 8 years old and we’ll see.” less than two hour earlier at ning the 1400-metre run by said Julian Smart, adding, “He Racing’s Kair Al Cham won named vice-captain again was he’s still going. HH Sheikh Moham- the same racecourse. Seventh just over six lengths. just wasn’t ready. He really the UAE Embassy in Lon- very good words to hear when “The plan is to go perhaps med bin Khalifa al Thani’s on his debut in Chantilly at The race was led by Mun- improved a lot since that race. don International Stakes ear- I got the call.” to the Prix Dragon – Qatar Methgal lands Diar Inter- the end of June in the Qatar hamer (Monsieur Al Maury). He is only a 3yo and works lier on the day. Jean-Bernard Stokes missed the last Cup (Gr1 PA) if I think he national Stakes (Gr3/PA): Coupe de France des Chevaux Methgal had to negotiate his with horses like Ebraz (Amer) Eyquem steered the Thomas series against Australia in needs it, and then the big one. Methgal (TM Fred Texas), Arabes (Gr1 PA), the Julian way through a wall of horses and Gazwan (Amer), so I knew Fourcy-saddled four-year-old 2017/18 after he was stood He’s not a horse that need a lot also owned by HH Sheikh Smart-trained colt stepped before showing an impres- his level. I knew he would run colt to win the 2000-metre down by the ECB following of racing. He’s going to have a Mohammed, landed the Diar back down in distance and left sive turn of foot, which only well today, but like he did… I race for pure Arabians. events in Bristol. Qatar T20 cricket team returns home Kohli says talk of rift with star Sharma ‘baffling’ AFP Mumbai

India skipper Virat Kohli said Monday that talk of a rift with star batsman Rohit Sharma was “ridiculous” and “baffling” and insisted all was well in the team camp ahead of the West Indies tour. Rumours of cracks within the Indian team were report- ed by local media after Kohli’s team bowed out of the World Cup following their semi-final loss to New Zealand earlier Qatari players returned home on Monday after their second-place finish in the ICC T20 World Cup Asia this month. Regional Final in Singapore. Hosts and home team Singapore emerged winners and grabbed the lone Sharma – the vice-captain qualifying spot. QCA Operations Manager Manzoor Ahmad and QCA Coordinator Abdullah Hamad Anber, of the One-day and Twenty20 along with Amin-ul Islam, QCA Schools Cricket Coordinator and QCA Accountant Mohammad Asif, wel- international side – recently comed the team at the Hamad International Airport. unfollowed Kohli and the cap- tain’s Bollywood wife Anush- ka Sharma on Instagram, add- ing fuel to the suggestions the two senior players were not on good terms. India’s national cricket team captain, Virat Kohli (right) and coach Ravi Shastri at a pre-departure press World Test Championship But Kohli dismissed the conference in Mumbai on Sunday. Indian team travels to the USA and West Indies to play three T20’s, speculation ahead of the team’s three ODI’s and two Tests with West Indies. (EPA-EFE) departure for the tour of West Indies, which starts on August 3 to begin with Ashes with the first of three Twenty20 Internationals followed by three I have played the game for AFP one-off World Test Champi- our sport,” said England’s lead- ODI matches and two Tests. London onship final at Lord’s in June ing Test wicket-taker, James “In my opinion it’s baffling 11 years, Rohit’s played for 2021, before a new cycle starts. Anderson, in an ICC statement. to be honest. Ridiculous to read 10 years, it’s bizarre that you The opening day of the Ashes “It is the very essence of some stuff that comes out,” the know... this from the outside series between England and The Format cricket and the majority of 30-year-old told reporters in when the changeroom Australia at Edgbaston on Each team will play three series players want to strive to play Mumbai. environment is so good. Thursday also marks the start at home and three away, con- the purist form of the game. “Here we are feeding off lies, of the International Cricket sisting of two, three, four or five The ICC World Test Cham- we are overlooking facts, turn- India cricket captain Council’s new World Test Tests. There will be 120 points pionship is another brilliant ing a blind eye to all the good Virat Kohli Championship. available per series shared out initiative for the sport, adding things that have happened. And The aim is to give individ- equally over the number of context and relevance to every creating fantasies and scenarios A file photo of India’s Rohit Sharma celebrating his century with Virat ual Test series greater context matches – so a five-Test series Test series. Every Test mat- in our head and we want to ac- Kohli during the World Cup match against Pakistan at Old Trafford in “With Ravi... all of us have a and spark a worldwide revival has 24 points per match avail- ters, but even more so now.” cept this is the truth.” Manchester, UK, on June 16, 2019. (Reuters) great camaraderie. Everyone in of interest in the five-day game able to the winner and a three- Australia captain Tim Paine “I have seen this for too long the team shares mutual respect match campaign 40. said: “If the World Test Cham- now. It’s bringing personal lives ferent camps during the World “It baffles you as a lead- and we have done really well as What is it? If the match is drawn, pionship helps to ensure that into the picture. It is disrespect- Cup in England, with pundits er, as a coach, and as a team a group,” said Kohli. “We defi- The top nine nations will points are awarded on a 3:1 all countries make Tests a high ful after a moment.” suggesting the captaincy could when lies are being floated nitely will be very happy if he is compete in a total of 72 Tests points ratio – so in a Test priority then that has to be good Sharma was key to India’s be split between the pair. around. And they are made to continuing as coach.” across a two-year period, with where 60 points are available news for the game in general semi-final finish in the 50-over “I have played the game look believable. We have had Kohli said the team was the aim of determining the for a win, a draw will see both and the continuing health of the showpiece event, with the open- for 11 years, Rohit’s played for no issues.” looking forward to the West best Test team in the world. sides take 20. format in particular.” er topping the batting chart with 10 years, it’s bizarre that you Meanwhile the Board of Indies series, especially the The teams involved will be Matches involving Afghani- India skipper Virat Kohli 648 runs including a record five know... this from the outside Control for Cricket in India five-day matches which have Australia, Bangladesh, Eng- stan, Ireland and Zimbabwe said: “We are awaiting the ICC centuries in nine matches. when the changeroom environ- (BCCI) has invited applica- been included in the World land, India, New Zealand, Pa- will still have Test status but the World Test Championship Kohli, the world’s top Test ment is so good,” said Kohli. tions for backroom positions Test Championship. kistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka results will not be counted in with great enthusiasm. and ODI batsman, scored five “Please come and see for including the head coach. The aim of the champion- and West Indies. the World Test Championship. “Test cricket is very chal- fifties but was unable to record yourself, how to talk to a young Coach Ravi Shastri’s ten- ship is to give individual Test The two teams who top the lenging and coming out on top a three-figure score. Kuldeep Yadav or talk with re- ure ended after the World Cup series greater context and points table over that period Reactions in the traditional form is al- Stories circulated that the spect to a senior like MS Dhoni. and was extended for the West spark a worldwide revival of will then play each other in a “Test cricket is the pinnacle of ways highly satisfying.” two big guns were leading dif- We can’t show you a video. Indies series. interest in the five-day game.