WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2013 SPORTS Cook, Dhoni grab captains of Photo of the day ICC teams of the year awards MUMBAI: England captain Alastair Cook selection panel chairman Anil Kumble has received a welcome boost ahead of said in a statement. this week’s Ashes clash against Australia “The selection panel had a lengthy after he was named skipper of the debate on all the top performers during International Cricket Council’s (ICC) test the performance period and a number team of the year yesterday. The left- of combinations were considered. “The handed opener’s England team mates selectors did utilise a vast amount of sta- Graeme Swann and James Anderson tistics from the period under observa- were also included in the 11-man team tion, but we also took into account other while world number one test side South factors like the opposition, pitch condi- Africa were represented by four players. tions, match situation and the like. “But South Africa paceman Dale Steyn when you have only 12 places to fill from was included in the test side for the a big group of world-class players, there sixth consecutive year, while two play- will always be a few who will miss out.” ers each from Australia and India made up the remaining four slots. Cook took DHONI SATISFIED over as captain after Andrew Strauss Dhoni, who found place in the 50- quit last year and led England to a series over side for the sixth successive year, win in India, ending a barren run of 28 also won the ICC’s people’s choice years, as well as home series victories award ahead of Cook, Australia’s over New Zealand and Australia in the Michael Clarke, Virat Kohli of India and year’s first Ashes series. South Africa’s AB de Viliers. “This is one England face Australia in the second of the awards that has given me test of the return Ashes series in tremendous satisfaction, since it comes Adelaide on Thursday, where the hold- from the key stakeholders of the game - ers will be hoping to bounce back after the fans,” Dhoni said in a statement. being thrashed by 381 runs in the open- “Recognition from the people who sup- er of the five-match series in Brisbane port and encourage us day in and day last month. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, out, only inspires me to put in that Competitors perform during Red Bull Flugtag at Museum Of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. — www.redbull.com who led India to the Champions Trophy much more, and go the extra mile for victory in June, was named captain of them. I would like to thank all those ICC’s one-day international team. “It is people who have voted in my favor.” always tough to decide on the test and Cook and Dhoni also made the short-list McCullum and Taylor ODI teams of the year, with so many of nominees for the ICC cricketer of the worthy candidates to consider based on year award along with Anderson, South the players’ performances between Aug. Africa batsman Hashim Amla and 7 2012 and Aug. 25 2013,” ICC awards Clarke. —Reuters tons put NZ in charge DUNEDIN: Brendon McCullum ended a barren run of scores and three-year century drought as England facing a he and Ross Taylor tore apart a weakened West Indies attack to drive the hosts to 367 for three critical challenge at the close of the first day of the opening test yesterday. The 32-year-old McCullum, who last scored a test century in November 2010 and ADELAIDE: England face a critical chal- the pitch would offer early spice, prime had accumulated just 85 runs in his previous lenge to their four-year Ashes reign in batting for the five-day duration and four tests, was back to his aggressive best as he the second Test against Australia starting reverse swing late in the game finished the day on 109 not out including 14 in Adelaide tomorrow against a re-ener- England say they have no problem boundaries and three sixes. gized home team looking to drive home with Australia’s incessant insults after Taylor was on 103, his ninth test century, as their advantage. Alastair Cook’s tourists skipper Clarke was fined by the the pair added an unbroken 182 runs in a little were swept away by the Mitchell International Cricket Council for telling under three years as the hosts plundered the Johnson-inspired home side in the first England’s Jimmy Anderson to expect a under-powered West Indies bowling in the first Test, going down by the enormous mar- broken arm during the Brisbane Test.”I contest of the three-match series. “He was back gin 381 runs in a match overshadowed have absolutely no problem about any of to the Brendon of old,” Taylor told reporters at by a sledging barrage from Australian what the Australians were doing on the University Oval in Dunedin. “The way he went captain Michael Clarke. field,” Anderson wrote in Britain’s Mail on about his innings, he let the ball come and once It was England’s first defeat in 14 Tests Sunday newspaper. “I probably dish it he got his eye in... he batted very well.” since losing to India in Ahmedabad a out more than most in the field, so I gen- McCullum came into the match under an year ago, but another loss in Adelaide erally get it back more than most. I injury cloud with reports suggesting he was could prove an insurmountable blow in expect it and accept it.” contemplating retirement with a long-standing their bid to hold on to the Ashes after Australian opener Chris Rogers is back problem that was not responding to treat- ment. The former wicketkeeper, who was seen three successive series wins dating back promising more aggression in Adelaide doing stretching exercises when at the non- to 2009. England urgently need to after the home side won their first Test striker’s end, however, did not appear to be too regroup after wilting under Australia’s since beating Sri Lanka in January. “They troubled as he built his innings. He was initially bowling and verbal barrage in Brisbane, probably haven’t been challenged like DUNEDIN: Brendon McCullum captain of New Zealand plays a shot during day one of the first cautious having joined Taylor shortly before tea international cricket test match between New Zealand and the West Indies yesterday. —AFP their task made all the more difficult by that for a while and to have someone like with the hosts on 185-3 and aware another having to find a replacement at number Mitch (Johnson) bowling that fast is quick wicket could have ended the good start put the hosts on the back foot early. However, before tea, the hosts had looked slightly vulnera- three following the shock departure of great for us. Perhaps they were a little bit provided by openers Hamish Rutherford (62) new-ball pairing Best and Gabriel failed to ble but Taylor and McCullum saw New Zealand Jonathan Trott with a stress-related ill- rattled and we can use that for the rest of and Peter Fulton (61). exploit the conditions by bowling too short of a through to the break then attacked in the final ness. the series,” he said. England will be look- The aggressive McCullum, however, length and Fulton and Rutherford put on 95 for session as the pitch flattened out. Shane The choice to fill Trott’s spot is ing to their batsmen to post a huge first increased the tempo after the break as he the first wicket before the latter was dismissed Shillingford, who had been under a selection between 94-Test veteran Ian Bell and the innings total at the Adelaide Oval, much scored 103 runs in the final session to beat shortly before lunch. The West Indies’ only peri- cloud following bio-mechanical analysis of his inexperienced Joe Root, with Zimbabwe- like they did three years ago when cap- Taylor to the century milestone by a few min- od of dominance was for about an hour after action when he bowled his ‘doosra’, was the most born Gary Ballance likely to slot in at tain Cook (148) and Kevin Pietersen (227) utes. “Its been well documented that he has the first interval, when a hostile Best dismissed economical of the visitors’ attack. The 30-year-old number six after his innings of 55 in Alice combined to lead the tourists to a daunt- been under the pump after a lean patch... and it Aaron Redmond for 20 and peppered Taylor with had figures of 1-88 off 28 overs but was extract- Springs in a tour game last week. ing 620 for five declared. was a very special moment for him... but our a barrage of short-pitched deliveries. ing little assistance from the pitch and got more When Fulton was dismissed about 15 minutes expensive as the day wore on.— Reuters England batting coach and former Test Cook’s team went on to inflict an jobs are not done yet,” Taylor said of the fact the captain Graham Gooch was pragmatic innings and 71-run victory over Australia pair would need to refocus when play resumed about whoever is chosen to fill the cru- at the ground-renowned for big scores- today. “We need to continue on come the morn- SCOREBOARD cial number three slot. “You’ve got to to take the second Test on their way to a ing..