44 Friday Sports Friday, June 22, 2018 Sky slam legend Hinault’s strike remarks over Froome Team Sky hope for a quick resolution of the matter

LONDON: French five-time winner of the Tour de France ’s accusation that is a “cheat” and call for rid- ers at this year’s race to strike in protest at his presence are “un- educated” say Team Sky. Froome was found to have twice the permissible amount of asthma drug Salbutamol in his system during September’s Vuelta a Espana, which he won, before also winning May’s Giro d’Italia, becoming the first man to hold all three Grand Tours at since Hinault in 1983. The British four-time Tour de France champion insists he has not broken any rules, but Hinault says Froome is a cheat and as cycling authorities dither, rider power should be ex- erted. However, in a hard-hitting statement yesterday Team Sky accused 63-year-old Hinault of distorting the facts and not for the first time. “It is disappointing that Bernard Hinault has, once again, repeated factually incorrect comments about a case he clearly does not understand,” the statement read. “His comments are irresponsible and ill-informed. Chris has not had a positive test, rather an adverse analytical finding for a pre- scribed asthma medication. “As an ex-rider himself, Bernard will appreciate the need for fairness for each and every athlete. And at the current time, Chris is entitled to race.” Team Sky said they hoped for a quick resolution of the matter but in the meantime they were getting on with their training for this year’s Tour de France which gets underway on July 7. “This process would normally be confidential to protect the File photo shows (From L) Cyclists of Great Britain’s SKY cycling team: Great Britain’s , Great Britain’s athlete and establish the facts. Unfortunately, it was leaked. How- Christopher Froome and Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski ride during a track reconnaissance on the road towards the ever, both Chris and the team are following the process that has Alpe d’Huez’s summit, on June 13, 2018, as part of their preparation for the 2018 Tour de France. — AFP been put in place by the UCI. “It is clearly a difficult situation which no one wants resolved more quickly than Chris and the team. “Chris and Team Sky are fully-focused on the upcoming the peloton to strike on the opening day of the 2018 Tour, a ride for and being stripped of the title. Tour de France and won’t let these uneducated comments affect from Noirmoutier to Fontenay-le-Comte along the Atlantic coast “Ventolin might not be much, and maybe its not what made him our preparation for the greatest race in the world.” on July 7. “The peloton should just stop and strike, saying ‘if he’s win the Vuelta, but the rules are the rules, and they should be ap- on it, we’re not’. “The peloton is being too nice. We condemned plied to everyone.” International Cycling Union (UCI) president ‘IF HE’S ON IT, WE’RE NOT’ others, everyone agreed, but him, are you telling me it’s because David Lappartient told French regional newspaper Le Hinault, known as “The Badger” in his riding pomp, did not you call this an adverse finding (instead of a positive one) this is Telegramme in January that Froome’s team should withdraw him. mince words when he spoke to AFP on Wednesday. “If the inter- just not right,” he said. “Without wishing to comment on the rider’s guilt, it would be national authorities don’t sanction him it’s up to the other cyclists “Contador paid the price for the same thing, he was suspended, easier for everyone” were Sky to suspend him, Lappartient said. to shoulder the responsibility,” said Hinault. “If the racers accept but him (Froome) nothing,” said Hinault said in reference to “It’s up to (Sky team manager Dave) Brailsford to take his re- a cheat on the race then that’s their problem!” Hinault challenged Spaniard , who was banned after testing positive sponsibilities.” — AFP

the inaugural men’s World Cup in 1975 when England, in what was two white balls, one from each end, during an innings. With all As records fall, then a 60-over competition, made a then record 334 for four ODIs now played in coloured clothing, white balls have become a against India at Lord’s. India’s Sunil Gavaskar thought the target standard part of the limited overs game. so out of reach, the opening great carried his bat for 36 as his side But they tend to swing less than traditional red cricket balls, cricket’s balance tilts managed 132 for three at the end of their 60 overs. By contrast making it easier for top-class batsmen to hit through the line. It South Africa, when confronted with a then record score of 434 for was thought having two white balls per innings would aid quicker in favour of the bat four by Australia in 50 overs, the first time a team had passed 400 bowlers as this would ensure bounce from both ends for longer in in an ODI, in in 2006, responded with 438 for nine. the innings. Instead the effect has been to reduce the wear and tear CHESTER-LE-STREET: International limited overs batting which makes balls conducive to reverse swing, which has proven records have been tumbling amid a blizzard of boundaries in re- ‘SCARING ME’ to be some of the most difficult for bowling for batsmen to face. cent weeks. But while statisticians update their files an uncom- But it is the latest record-breaking feat at Trent Bridge, a year fortable question remains: has the balance between bat and ball, out from the World Cup in England, that has sent shock waves ‘EMASCULATED’ BOWLERS on which all cricket depends, become worryingly lopsided in the through the world of cricket, given a total of 500 — once thought James Anderson, England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker, one-day game? to be utterly unobtainable in a 50-over game-now appears to be in who no longer plays limited overs cricket, said while commentat- Just over a week ago, New Zealand posted the highest ever sight. “To see almost 500 runs scored in 50 overs in England is scar- ing for BBC Radio on Tuesday: “I want to see a close game, a bat- total in a women’s one-day international when they made 490 for ing me ..about the health of the game and where it’s going,” tweeted tle between bat and ball. “I love seeing batsmen in full flow, but I four against Ireland in Dublin-an innings featuring Amelia Kerr’s former India captain Sourav Ganguly. So how has it come to this? also like to see the off stump cartwheeling out of the ground. If record 232 not out. While limits on the number of overs a bowler can deliver in an in- the bowler bowled straight today he was going to get hit for six.” And the women’s Twenty20 international record fell twice in a nings and fielding restrictions have long been a part of the one-day Meanwhile Michael Atherton, while admiring the “awesome day on Wednesday as New Zealand and then England piled up game, the really rapid increase in run-scoring has taken place during combination of ease and brutality” displayed by England’s bats- scores of 216 for one and 250 for three against South Africa at the last few years — England’s total at Trent Bridge was the eighth men in Nottingham,issued a plea on behalf of swing bowlers Taunton. That came just 24 hours after England broke their own score of 400 or more since the start of 2015. Before that there had whom he felt had become “emasculated” in one-day cricket. all-time men’s ODI record when they made a mammoth 481 for been just 11. The advent of Twenty20, a new format which puts an Writing in yesterday’s edition of The Times, the former Eng- six against Australia in Nottingham. Even though world champions emphasis on attacking batting, better bats, shorter boundaries and land captain and opening batsman insisted: “The game needs to Australia were without six first-choice players through injury or a greater range of shots such as “the scoop” and “the ramp”, have find a suitable white ball that swings at the start and must aban- suspension, it was still a staggering feat. all played their part in the increasing number of run-fests. don the use of two balls per innings, to allow for the return of re- Moreover, it meant England’s previous men’s ODI record total Similarly, rigid restrictions on field placings, limiting fielders on verse swing-two fundamental skills of the game that provide as of 444 for three against Pakistan, also set at Trent Bridge, had the boundary and the legside, have also worked against bowlers. much entertainment as any number of sixes belted into the Not- lasted just two years. It’s all a far cry from the opening match of And one of the greatest changes has been the change to using tingham night sky.” — AFP