CRICKET | Page 2 SSPOTLIGHTPOTLIGHT | Page 7 Ahmed A new era To Advertise here elated as for Formula 1 Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 Pak end tour aft er $8bn on a high takeover Friday, September 9, 2016 FOOTBALL Dhul Hijja 7, 1437 AH Guardiola and GULF TIMES Mourinho resume hostilities in derby SPORT Page 3 ATHLETICS CRICKET Barshim set to Two-tier Test plan scuttled rock at favourite aft er backlash venue Brussels Barshim has fond memories of the Belgian capital as it was here, two years ago, that he cleared 2.43m to move up to second on the high jump all-time list IAAF Barshim has now jumped Brussels File picture of ace Qatari 2.40m nine times – only world high-jumper Mutaz Barshim record holder Javier Sotomayor has jumped that he traditional pre-meeting high more oft en than the Qatari press conference at the IAAF -– and he feels number 10 could Diamond League fi nal in be on its way today Brussels brought together the Ttwo highest profi le protagonists in the changes in the air pressure make it men’s high jump and women’s 100m very painful, I might have surgery at yesterday the end of the season and this is defi - Qatar’s Rio Olympics silver med- nitely my last competition of the year. allist Mutaz Essa Barshim has fond “I went to Lausanne but then I re- memories of the Belgian capital as alised that there were still four men in it was here, two years ago, that he contention for the Diamond Race so I cleared 2.43m to move up to second on stopped my antibiotics and I’ve come the high jump all-time list. here. BCCI President Anurag Thakur “In 2013, it was like living my dream. “The only good thing is that I’ve My coach wasn’t surprised, he said, lost weight, I’ve lost two or three kilos AFP “How could the ICC have proposed two or three jumps before, ‘you can and I’m now down to 76kg,” he added New Delhi such a system in the fi rst place? This jump 2.43 and if, there are good con- with a modicum of gallows humour, should have been shot down at the ditions, you can get the world record.’ not that Bondarenko had much spare outset,” he said. “When I jumped 2.43, he was like fl esh on him anyway. ontroversial plans to create Thakur said India would have stood ‘see I told you!’ It was an amazing Elaine Thompson, who ran in Brus- a two-tier Test system have to gain from playing more matches feeling. I couldn’t sleep that night; it sels last year when she fi nished third been scrapped by cricket’s against teams such as England and was a moment of greatness. I have to over the 200m, and – unlike Barshim Cworld governing body after Australia which attract big TV audi- say the stadium that night was amaz- and Bondarenko during their epic the powerful Indian board led a back- ences and decent crowds. ing. Everyone was cheering and there 2104 seasons – is just getting used to lash, senior offi cials said yesterday. “But countries such as Zimbabwe, was a great atmosphere. being the star of the show rather than The proposal for a de facto premier West Indies and Bangladesh would “The conditions were there for the in the chorus line after her feat of win- league featuring the top seven sides have suff ered huge losses and we didn’t world record, and I think I could have ning the 100m and 200m double in had been welcomed by players and was want that,” he added. jumped the world record that night, if Rio. one of the main agenda items at an In- In a statement issued on Wednesday, I hadn’t been so happy with my jump “It’s hard to be the champion but ternational Cricket Council meeting in ICC chief executive David Richardson at 2.43. Once you’ve done something I’m staying focused. There is now a Dubai which ended Wednesday. gave few details of the discussions in like that, a wave of satisfaction fl ows pressure that wasn’t there before, I While the ICC said “signifi cant Dubai but did refer to long-standing over you, and I was feeling like ‘I’m haven’t been back to Jamaica since progress” was made in discussions on plans for a Test championship play-off done’. the Olympics and just came to my Eu- “the future shape of all international by the end of the decade. “Since then I have had a lot of prob- ropean base in Italy. We felt that the cricket”, both the Indian and Bangla- “Encouragingly there is an appe- lems, my body isn’t so strong and I’ve journeys would be too long and we still deshi boards confi rmed the two-divi- tite from the 10 full members for more had problems with my knee, my ankle had some races to do. sion proposal had been ditched. and my back. I have had to reduce my “It wouldn’t have been a distraction “The offi cials at the meeting shot The proposal for a de facto training, I have had to cut everything going back to Jamaica and I think there down the two-tier proposal,” Anurag premier league featuring the down just to recover, I’ve been jump- are going to be some things planned Thakur, president of the Board of Con- top seven sides had been ing off four steps and I am still jump- when I get there so I’m looking for- trol for Cricket in India (BCCI), told welcomed by players and was ing off four. ward to celebrating with family and AFP. “The BCCI could have benefi ted one of the main agenda items “At least now I am now a more ex- friends. fi nancially from the two-tier system at an International Cricket perienced high jumper from two years Tonight, she has the target of Shel- but morally we wanted to stand with Council meeting in Dubai ago, I’m more mature, more educated ly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s 100m meeting the countries which would have been which ended Wednesday and I know more about what to do at record of 10.72, set in 2013. badly aff ected.” what time. If she beats it, it will be with mixed His Bangladeshi counterpart Naz- context around all three formats of “But I think I just need time to feel feelings. “She’s my soul mother, mul Hassan confi rmed the plan had the game and we have consensus on a again like I did in Brussels two years she taught me so much,” refl ected been taken off the table. range of areas,” said Richardson. ago. Barshim has now jumped 2.40m tion, but I think that’s a height that before Rio I started to suff er sinus Thompson, thinking about the Ja- “It’s good news for us,” said Hassan, “This includes the details of ODI and nine times – only world record holder could do it.” problems and I started to take anti- maican sprint icon who she beat to whose board had been fi ercely critical T20 structures and principles around Javier Sotomayor has jumped that In contrast to the ebullient Barshim, biotics. In Rio, I felt bad, it was a long gold over the shorter distance in Rio. of the plan which would have eff ec- Test cricket schedules, which include high more often than the Qatari – and his great rival Bogdan Bonderenko cut competition and by 2.38 I was starting “However, I’m looking for a fast time, tively deprived Bangladesh of the op- the concept of a Test Champion play- he feels number 10 could be on its way a more sanguine fi gure when he pre- to feel very tired and dizzy in the head. it’s my last 100 of the season (and portunity to play major Test teams. off every two years, and the opportu- today. “2.40 at the fi rst attempt could sented himself at the press confer- “I’m getting a lot of pain,” He add- Thompson’s unbeaten over 11 races “India and Sri Lanka were also with nity for more nations to be involved.” win the Diamond Race he added. It’s ence. ed, pointing to just below his left eye. at the distance in 2016) but I’m still us, so we were more or less confi dent The Federation of International very close with four men in conten- “As some people know, one week “It’s especially bad when I fl y and the health and in good shape.” that it would not be approved. We are Cricketers’ Associations (FICA), which delighted to know that ICC has now represents players around the world, informed us of this offi cially,” he told said it would be “disappointing” if the BOTTOMLINE AFP. Under the proposed revamp, two-tier proposal had been “shelved designed to boost waning interest in so early in this process”. Tests, the seven highest-ranked teams A recent FICA survey found 72% of would have formed a top division. players supported the idea of a divi- The other three lowest-ranked sides sional system, which would include the Qatari offi cial disputes FIFA accusation — currently the West Indies, Bang- possibility of promotion and relega- ladesh and Zimbabwe — would have tion, as a way of adding more meaning AFP Although FIFA has not said what al-Mohannadi, he is also a candidate than ever of the value I have to off er joined a second division also including to each match.