17 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 sports

Brave 18 Bahrain Shastri wants practice ticket sale launched games for India Reuters | New Delhi

ndia coach Ravi Shastri has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in In- We have requested I a couple of (warm- dia (BCCI) to schedule practice matches ahead of their test se- up) games in ries in Australia this year, but is Australia before the not sure if additional fixtures test series. But is can be inserted into a crammed there space (to play schedule. those matches)? India are keen to make amends following a 4-1 test se- That is the question Hamza Koheji ries defeat in England where RAVI SHASTRI most of their batsmen strug- TDT | Manama in which the Bahrain na - gled against the swinging ball tional team which is the part in tough conditions. rave Combat Federation of KHK MMA Fight Team is “We have requested a couple proved. You can still get better. Bhas officially launched competing. of (warm-up) games in Aus - But why can’t we be in that po- the sale of tickets for Brave The tickets are out at Virgin tralia before the test series. But India’s Head coach Ravi Shastri (R) and captain Virat Kohli sition in the first test match?” 18 hosted in the Kingdom of Megastore for the event which is there space (to play those Shastri added. Bahrain during the 2018 Brave will take place on 16th Novem- matches)? That is the question,” to the idea of giving India’s bats- “If you have two or three International Combat Week. ber at the Khalifa Sports City he told ESPNCricinfo. men a better chance to adjust games against weaker sides we The premium fight card in Isa Town. India had shortened their to conditions against tour sides don’t mind because it is a game. marks the largest of its kind Currently Bahrain’s fight lone warm-up clash against Es- Down Under where they play But when you have a schedule featuring global profession- professional mixed martial sex before the England tests due 2-0 three Twenty20 internationals, as tight as this ... there is very al mixed martial artists and artist, Hamza Kooheji along- to the heatwave in Britain. India were beaten 2-0 four tests and three one-day little you can do... These are championship title defences. side Stephen Loman from Media reports had speculated in the four-test series internationals against Australia things that have been approved The fight night will take Philippines, Felipe Efrain from that the quality of the pitch led on their last tour of starting Nov. 21. earlier.” place during the Brave In- Brazil and Abdul Kareem Al the BCCI to curtail the match, Australia in 2014-15 “Why would we be? You can India were beaten 2-0 in the ternational Combat Week Selwady from Palestine are which Essex denied. see the results. Every time af- four-test series on their last tour which also features the 2018 anticipated to compete in the Shastri said he was not averse ter the second test we have im- of Australia in 2014-15. IMMAF World Championship fight card.

Steyn back in South Africa one- England’s Moeen Ali hits out at ‘rude’ Australia day squad after 2-year absence AFP | London mild-mannered character on AFP | Johannesburg and off the field. ngland all-rounder Moeen “The first game I ever played ast bowler Dale Steyn was EAli has criticised the “rude” against them, in Sydney, just Fyesterday named in a 16- approach of several Australia before the 2015 World Cup, they man South African squad for teams he has played against, were not just going hard at you, KNOW WHAT three one-day internationals saying their “disrespect” for op- they were almost abusing you,” against Zimbabwe, starting on ponents makes them the only the Worcestershire stalwart ex- September 30. side he has “disliked”. plained. Steyn, 35, has been plagued The off-spinner and “That was the first time it hit England whitewashed by injuries in recent years and left-handed batsman first came me. I gave them the benefit of Australia 5-0 in has not played in a one-day Dale Steyn up against the infamously ag- the doubt, but the more I played a home one-day international since October gressive Australians in 2015 against them they were just as international series 2016. shire, taking 20 wickets in five before his struggles with both bad, the Ashes here (in Eng - in June and Ali said But he recently stated his first-class matches at an aver- bat and ball played a key role land in 2015) they were worse determination to finish his age of 19.10. in England’s 4-0 Ashes defeat actually. he had detected an white-ball career by playing Christiaan Jonker, who ‘Down Under’ in 2017/18, which “Not intimidating, just rude. improvement in their in the 2019 Cricket World Cup made 49 in a promising debut led to him being dropped. Individually they are fine conduct in England. in the third and final Twenty “Everyone you speak to...they and the Aussies we’ve had at Steyn made a comeback 20 international against In- are the only team I’ve played Worcester have been fantastic, to international cricket after dia in February, is the only against my whole life that I’ve lovely guys.” The fall-out from the scandal Moeen Ali shoulder and foot injuries newcomer in the one-day actually disliked,” Ali told Brit- Ali, who starred in England’s prompted a major review by when he played in two Tests squad. ain’s The Times newspaper. recent 4-1 Test series win over tion for their roles in a ball-tam- Cricket Australia into the con- in Sri Lanka in July but he only Batsman David Miller and “Not because it’s Australia India after being recalled to the pering scandal in South Africa duct of their players, while Tim took two wickets at a cost of wicketkeeper-batsman Quin- and they are the old enemy but side, had no sympathy for the in March. Paine took over as captain and 89.50 runs each. ton de Kock have been rested because of the way they car- banned Australian trio of for- “I’m someone who general- Justin Langer replaced Darren He has subsequently shown for the one-day series but will ry on and (their) disrespect of mer captain Steve Smith, David ly feels sorry for people when Lehmann as coach after his fel- a return to form during a stint play in a three-match Twen- people and players,” added the Warner and Cameron Bancroft, things go wrong but it’s difficult low former Australia batsman with English county Hamp- ty20 series. 31-year-old, who is known as a all sent into international isola- to feel sorry for them,” he said. resigned. Yates tightens Tour of Spain grip

AFP | La Rabassa, Andorra

ritain’s Simon Yates, of Mitchelton, Btightened his grip on the Tour of Spain red jersey yesterday after a thrill- ing 19th stage in the mountains won by Frenchman Thibaut Pinot (Groupa- ma-FDJ). Yates started the 154.4 km ride from Lleida to Andorra with a lead of 25secs over Movistar leader Alejandro Valverde. But, as the Spanish veteran struggled at Seef District too to keep pace on the climb to the summit finish of La Rabassa, Yates forged ahead Um al Hassan +973 17728699 Seef District +973 17364999 to stretch his advantage to 1min 38sec. Simon Yates