TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2016 SPORTS New Zealand dismiss downside of record win WELLINGTON: New Zealand have line-up with only one match left before this month New Zealand lost four wick- the record was nice but winning was and Williamson who were only separat- weighed up the impact of their record the world T20 championship starts in ets in the first match and only one in the better. “You can’t have everything,” he ed in the first match by a run out. “There win over Pakistan in Sunday’s Twenty20 India in March. second, meaning limited opportunities said. “It was a really good performance was a good combination between and concluded the benefits far outweigh Guptill said Monday that winning was for their middle order batsmen. from the team all round. “An improved Guptill and Williamson because they’ve the downside. Martin Guptill and Kane better than making sure everyone had bowling effort on a pretty good batting got a different style of game,” he said. “I Williamson’s unbroken 171-run stand to batting time. “You don’t really want to ‘Good for us’ track first, and then for Gup and myself think maybe from a coaching point of win the match and level the series set a get out to give other people a go, do “It can only be good for us that we’re to put a big partnership together was view we can develop more variation in new record for the highest Twenty20 you?” he said. Guptill scored an unbeat- winning, not many wickets down,” pleasing. “If you do things well then our bowling, a bit more smart fielding partnership. They eclipsed by one run en 87 from 58 deliveries as New Zealand Guptill said. “Probably only three of us guys don’t get bats, but they’ll be positions. That’s the only thing. “If you the previous best of 170 set by South beat Pakistan by 10 wickets in Hamilton. have had good long innings in the last preparing and training for the next can get one or two wickets, then it’ll be Africa’s Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman Pakistan won the opening match by 16 three or for four games. It’s disappoint- game just as normal and I’m sure they’ll a different ball game. It doesn’t matter if against England in 2009. However, their runs in Auckland, meaning the series is ing for the middle order but it can only be ready to go.” you get 180 or 200 runs on the board, if dominance at the top of the New set for a decider in the third and final be good for New Zealand cricket.” New Pakistan spin bowling coach you don’t pick (up) wickets then the Zealand innings meant no time in the match in Wellington on Friday. Against Zealand skipper Williamson, who scored Mushtaq Ahmed said his bowlers were game will always be in the opposition middle for anyone else in the battling Sri Lanka in two Twenty20 wins earlier 72 off 48 in partnership with Guptill, said unable to find a way to break Guptill hands.” —AFP Under-pressure Dhoni gets board’s backing NEW DELHI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s job the team under him in the last eight-nine as India’s limited-overs captain is safe years, I think it’s unfair to question his lead- despite the team’s third successive one-day ership after just one series,” Thakur told series defeat, the country’s cricket board reporters. “Dhoni is one of the most suc- (BCCI) said yesterday. Speculation has been cessful captains of the country. Under him, swirling over the future of the 34-year-old we won the World Cup in 2007 (T20) and who quit tests in late 2014 but remains in 2011 (ODI). Team India rose to number one charge of the team in shorter formats. The both in tests and ODIs under his leadership. recent results, however, have not really “Unfortunately we lost all three match- enhanced the reputation of the man who es so far, and we’ve noticed our bowling led India to virtually every honor across for- limitations too, not being able to defend mats. Under him, India lost their first ODI big totals. “It’s a concern and the selectors series in Bangladesh in June last year and and team management would assess the went down to a visiting South African team performance keeping the Asia Cup and in October. On Sunday, Dhoni’s men suc- the Twenty20 World Cup in mind,” Thakur cumbed to their third successive defeat in said. Dhoni himself felt more than his cap- Australia who took an unassailable 3-0 lead taincy, the team needed to look at the in the five-match series, chasing down big grey areas and how to fix them. “It’s not totals in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne. about the leader. I’m there (now), some- While some pundits believe test captain body else will come later,” the stumper- Virat Kohli should take over the limited- batsman said after the loss in Melbourne. overs duties as well, BCCI secretary Anurag “What is more important is to see the Thakur insisted Dhoni was the right man to areas we are lacking in, the departments lead India in shorter formats. “The kind of which have to improve when it comes to performance we have had from Dhoni and shorter formats.”— Reuters BOSTON: Dominick Cruz celebrates with the title belt after his win against TJ Dillashaw in a UFC bantamweight title match on Sunday, Jan 17, 2016. — AP Cruz regains the UFC bantamweight title BOSTON: Dominick Cruz regained the UFC ban- tamweight title Sunday night, outpointing T.J. Dillashaw by split decision at the TD Garden. Cruz (21-1) received winning scores of 48-47 and 49- India’s captain MS Dhoni 46, and the other judge scored the five-round bout 49-46 for Dillashaw (13-3). Forced to relin- quish the title because of a series of knee injuries, Cruz fought for the first time since 2014 and the Ledecky smashes 800m free second time since 2011. Dillashaw was making his third title defense. “There’s no such thing as world record; Phelps wins rust,” said Cruz, from San Diego. “Rust is only something you get when you don’t train hard. LOS ANGELES: Katie Ledecky crushed her ple more meets before (Olympic) trials. I’ve seen fighters do what TJ does, but he’s faster.” own women’s 800m freestyle world record Hopefully I’ll be better than this,” said Cruz took down Dillashaw, from Denver, in on Sunday, clocking a stunning 8min Phelps, adding that the lower-key meetings each of the first four rounds and used his foot- 6.68sec to win at the Pro Swim meeting in are a chance to assess not only his speed work to control the distance for most of the fight. Austin, Texas. The 18-year-old American but also technical details such as turns as “I’m very disappointed,” Dillashaw said. “I felt like I obliterated the previous record of 8:07.39 he continues a comeback aimed at adding was the aggressor and landed the bigger shots. that she set at the 2015 World to his Olympic legacy in Rio. I’m not a fan of his antics, but congratulations to Championships last August 8 in Kazan, Ledecky, who was the youngest mem- him.” Cruz took down Dillashaw once in the first Russia. “It was exciting,” said Ledecky, who ber of the US Olympic delegation in round, grabbing a leg while Dillashaw was beat the water in triumph when she saw London four years ago, is on course to build throwing a kick. Toward the end of the round, her time. “It’s always exciting when you can her Games legacy as well. She now owns Cruz fought off a takedown attempt from get pushed along by a crowd like this in the eight fastest performances ever in the Dillashaw. Austin.” 800m free and nine of the top 10. She also Cruz used his foot speed in the second round, She upstaged superstar Michael Phelps, holds the world record in the 400m free moving in and out of range to land punches. In who blazed to victory in the 200m individ- and the non-Olympic women’s event of the final minute of the round, he downed ual medley to notch his first win over rival 1500m free. In Rio, Ledecky could line up Dillashaw twice with double leg shots. Dillashaw Ryan Lochte in the event since the 2012 in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyles- landed two kicks to the head in the third, open- London Olympics. Phelps, whose 18 and perhaps even the 100m free, in which ing cuts on Cruz’s lips and next to his left eye. Olympic gold medals include three in the she finished second in Austin this week. Cruz still stayed out of range for most of the 200m individual medley, powered through “I was feeling good going into it,” said round and scored another double-leg takedown. the final 25 meters of the closing freestyle Ledecky, who romped home with Becca Dillashaw sustained a cut along the left eye in leg to win in 1:58.00sec. Lochte, the current Mann a distant second in 8:24.49. the fourth, but scored his first takedown of the world record-holder in the event, held a “Whenever I get going like that, I get into a fight, slipping behind Cruz and forcing him to the narrow lead at every turn but settled for good rhythm with my freestyle.