26 Sports Tuasday, September 17, 2019 Ben Stokes and Archer promise glittering Test future for England Captain Root ‘desperate’ to take the team forward LONDON: Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer promise a glit- have such a gift is entertaining, it’s great to be able to tering Test future for England but Joe Root’s men have captain that.” Despite Root’s optimism, there are ques- work to do if they are to replicate their World Cup suc- tions over a number of other positions in the side in cess in the five-day game. both the batting and bowling departments, with the England’s focus on white-ball cricket paid off hand- skipper admitting there were “conversations” to have. somely when they became world champions for the first England’s record Test wicket-taker James Anderson time in July, beating New Zealand in a dramatic final. broke down in the first match at Edgbaston and there is Their summer threatened to finish with a whimper inevitably going to be speculation about the 37-year- going into the final Ashes Test at the Oval before a old’s long-term future. Anderson’s long-time new-ball comprehensive victory over Australia levelled the Ashes partner Stuart Broad enjoyed a successful Ashes, taking series at 2-2. 26 Ashes wickets, but he is already 33. Captain Root said after the win on Sunday that he All-rounder Sam Curran impressed in his one Test at was “desperate” to take the team forward, and is the Oval but back-up seamers Chris Woakes and Craig already looking ahead to the 2021-22 Ashes in Overton did not offer enough of a consistent threat. Australia. “What a summer of cricket it’s been,” he said. Bespectacled left-arm spinner Jack Leach took 12 “I think a huge success for English cricket and I think wickets in the series, including 4-49 on Sunday as we’ve got a great opportunity now to spring the game England surged to victory, and looks to have displaced forward in this country.” the out-of-form Moeen Ali — dropped after the first The Yorkshireman described the Oval victory as a Test — as England’s first-choice spinner. blueprint for the future, saying England had the founda- Leach, who turned a few heads when he made 92 as tions in place for long-term success. “That’s got to be a nightwatchman in the warm-up Test against Ireland, our main focus, going down there (Australia) and win- also became an unlikely cult hero after his doughty per- ning and every Test match between that is an opportu- formances with the bat, notably his obdurate one not nity to push your case,” he said. out at Headingley, keeping an end going while Stokes All-rounder Stokes, who produced heroics at the produced the fireworks to win the third Test. World Cup and then lit up the Ashes with a mesmeris- ing 135 not out in England’s one wicket win in Leeds, BATTING PROBLEMS would walk into any team in international cricket. England also have questions to address in the bat- LONDON: Australia’s captain Tim Paine (C) holds the Ashes Urn as the players celebrate victory after the pres- Archer is at the start of his Test career but has ting department, with Root stressing the need for more entation ceremony on the fourth day of the fifth Ashes cricket Test match between England and Australia at The already shown he can be a phenomenal weapon for runs. England’s man of the series Stokes was the out- Oval in London yesterday. England won the fifth test by 135 runs and drew the series but Australia keeps The England, taking 22 wickets in his first four matches at an standing performer, hitting two centuries, including a Ashes trophy.— AFP average of just over 20. heroic match-winning ton at Headingley, and Rory Sending down 95-per-hour thunderbolts, he gives Burns did a decent job as opener, scoring a maiden Test averaging just 32.50 in the series, a relative failure players will miss the one-day games if they are playing the attack a new dimension, unsettling even frontline century and finishing the series with 390 runs. thrown into sharp relief by the outstanding form of for- all three formats. The Test team needs a little bit of TLC batsmen with his sheer pace. But too many batsmen failed to fire consistently, with mer Australia skipper Steve Smith. and Joe Root is the skipper to take them forward.” “He has a way of having a huge impact on the Jos Buttler only finding form in the final Test and Jonny Former England captain Michael Vaughan said there And outgoing coach Trevor Bayliss said England game,” Root said of Archer. “You saw his spell here, the Bairstow well down the team averages. The experiment could be a change of direction for the team but put his were in good shape for the future. “There’s some good way it just changed the whole atmosphere of the of opening with one-day specialist Jason Roy back- faith in Root despite some questions over his position. young players stacking up behind the players in the ground was incredible. fired, although he could get another chance. “With England, I think we might see a change in team at the moment and that’s the best type of pressure “For someone right at the beginning of his career to Even Root, long England’s top batsman, failed to fire, approach the Test team takes,” he said. “Maybe the of all, is from within.” —AFP NBK grants Eyad’s dream to race come true Spain World Cup win, US woes blow Olympic basketball wide open BEIJING: The Tokyo 2020 Olympics basketball sud- denly looks wide open after reigning champions the United States suffered their worst World Cup, Spain triumphed and Argentina surprised. World Cup bronze medallists France, and Australia, who were edged out of the medals but pushed eventual winners Spain all the way in the semi-finals, will also be in contention. And not forgetting Serbia, who along with Gregg Popovich’s young Team USA were the favourites in China but were also surprise victims in the quarter- KUWAIT: Eyad Adnan Al Shami, 16 AbdulRazzag. He drove on a professional what they want to be and try to fulfill finals. The Tokyo Games are just over 10 months years old, is undergoing treatment at and fully equipped racing circuit and that for them.” away and after some downtime following their exer- NBK Hospital and suffers from brain discovered the sound of high racing NBK has been at the forefront of sup- tions at the World Cup, teams will begin training their tumor, has always desired to live a race engines. “Eyad’s dream to race is yet porting Kuwait’s community through a sights on next summer. experience. NBK helped in making his another wish granted through NBK’s ini- range of initiatives towards education, “It’s exactly what I knew it to be because I’ve dream come true in cooperation with tiative “I Dream to Be”. We are proud to health, sports and social responsibilities. been involved with it before and in this day and age Kuwait Motor Town, operated by Diwan be a part of the children’s dreams and NBK’s “I Dream to Be” initiative was basketball in other countries is not a secret,” Al Amiri, Road Rush and Ali Al Ghanim expand our support to them as much as launched in 2014 and is dedicated to Popovich said after his team’s disappointing seventh- & Sons Automotive Company. possible,” said Joanne Al Abdul Jaleel, always putting the child’s wish first. This placed finish. Before the race, NBK and Kuwait NBK Public relations officer. initiative aims to improve a quality of life “So it’s not like there’s an epiphany or revelation Motor Town team welcomed Eyad and “I Dream to Be” initiative is a lifetime for children facing life-threatening ill- to be made. “There are wonderful teams and wonder- provided him with a race-spec outfit. experience for children with life-threat- nesses. This unprecedented initiative ful coaches all over the world so there’s no surprise in Eyad enjoyed a full and adventurous ening conditions,” she added. “This ini- aims at creating a sustainable momentum any of that.” If the United States can convince the experience driving a McLaren Racing tiative is a great way to spread joy and that transcends from the goodwill of a likes of double gold medallist LeBron James to play Car for six laps on track with the show that there’s always a positive side few to a commitment by the community in Tokyo, they will be favourites to make it four International Kuwaiti Racer Mohamad Al to a difficult situation. We ask children as a whole. Joanne Al Abdul Jaleel Olympic titles in a row. But it remains to be seen whether the flak flying Team USA’s way after the China debacle scares the A-listers away or stings them into action. Spain’s World Cup triumph, sealed with a comprehensive GIG’s Battle 95-75 victory over surprise finalists Argentina on Bangladesh axe Soumya Sunday in Beijing, was built on defence and team- Fitness Festival to work honed from playing together down the years. in further T20 overhaul They also had Ricky Rubio, the Phoenix Suns point guard who was named tournament MVP, and DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday axed lead Middle East the experience and international knowhow of Marc top-order batsman Soumya Sarkar and called up three Gasol.