Sports44 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014 Pakistan’s Hafeez unfazed after action reported LAHORE: Pakistan’s spinning all-rounder The report by on-field umpires in the my action, this is a big surprise for me,” he Hafeez said he doesn’t fear his action will Mohammad Hafeez yesterday said he was Indian tournament has no bearing on inter- added. be reported once he bowls at international surprised but not concerned after his bowl- national cricket, but Pakistan coach Waqar The International Cricket Council began a level. “I will bowl the same way I have been ing was reported in an Indian domestic tour- Younis told AFP it would “shatter” the all- crackdown on illegal bowling actions in bowling throughout my career,” said Hafeez, nament, adding he had no plans to modify rounders confidence. June, deciding to strictly enforce its 15 who has 122 one-day and 45 Twenty20 his action. Hafeez, however, said he was unfazed. “I degree limit on elbow flex-the point where a wickets. “I don’t bowl doosra,” he added, The 33-year-old is key to Pakistan’s attack am surprised over my action being reported kink becomes visible to the naked eye. referring to the controversial delivery which in their series against Australia which starts because I am bowling like this for the last 11 The ICC suspended Sri Lanka’s Sachitra turns the opposite direction to orthodox off- with a Twenty20 against Australia in Dubai years,” he told AFP before departing for Senanayake and New Zealand’s Kane spin. “I bowl simple off-breaks and that on Sunday, particularly after the suspension Dubai. “I have played six major world Williamson before Ajmal, while three more doesn’t come in chucking.” of ace spinner Saeed Ajmal whose action events: two World Cups and three World international bowlers have been reported Sunday’s Twenty20 will be followed by was found to be illegal in testing last month. Twenty20s and nobody had ever questioned and now face testing. three one-days and two Tests. — AFP Cairns bailed on perjury charge LONDON: New Zealand cricket great Chris Cairns appeared in a London court yesterday to face a charge of perjury relating to a libel action he brought in England in 2012. Cairns won £90,000 ($146,000) after he sued former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi over a 2010 tweet accusing the all-rounder of match-fixing during his time in the now defunct Indian Cricket League. However, Cairns was charged with perjury last month and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London yesterday. Cairns, who lives in Auckland, appeared alongside lawyer Andrew Fitch-Holland, who faces one count of perverting the course of justice. Fitch-Holland, 49, was lead adviser to Cairns in the action against Modi. The pair spoke only to give their names, dates of birth and addresses before the case was sent to London’s Southwark Crown Court, with the next hearing on October 16. They were given unconditional bail. Lawyers for the pair indicated they would contest the charges. Both Cairns and Fitch-Holland left the court without commenting. After learning he would be charged, the 44- year-old Cairns said in a statement he had “nothing to hide” and he would do “whatever it takes” to prove his innocence PITTSBURG: The San Francisco Giants swarm around starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner, center, after he pitched a and “clear my name once and for all.” four-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL wild-card playoff baseball game Wednesday, in Pittsburgh. The In 2007 and 2008, Cairns captained the Chandigarh Lions in Giants won 8-0. —AP the ICL, which has since been superceded by the Indian board-backed IPL. Modi’s allegation related to the second and third editions Giants sink Pirates in of the competition in 2008. Cairns has been charged with making a false statement, namely that he had never cheated at cricket nor would he contemplate doing such a thing. Fitch-Holland is charged with attempting to pervert the NL Wild Card playoff course of justice by asking former New Zealand player Lou Vincent to provide a false witness statement in the libel action. PITTSBURGH: A four-hit shutout by Lights out Brandon Belt, was not his plan. Cairns retired from international cricket in 2004 after Madison Bumgarner and a grand slam by The standing-room crowd of more “I was happy to be able to be in that becoming one of only 12 players in Test history to complete Brandon Crawford carried the San than 40,000 that packed PNC Park sent situation, but the last thing on my mind the ‘double’ of 200 wickets and 3,000 runs. — AFP Francisco Giants to an 8-0 win over the the decibel level soaring from the start was probably to hit a home run,” said Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League and heeded a media call to produce a Crawford. Wild Card playoff on Wednesday. “blackout” by wearing black to the game. “I was just trying to hit something Crawford launched a hanging curve from Yet it was Bumgarner who caused a good enough to get Pablo home. I fig- Pirates starter Edinson Volquez into the Pittsburgh power outage with his domi- ured that would probably be enough for right field seats in the fourth inning to nant command and confusing arsenal, Madison.” Crawford, who hit 10 home snap a scoreless tie. It was the first post- giving the Pirates no hope of a comeback runs this season, was stunned that his season grand slam hit by a shortstop. after San Francisco’s early barrage. slam was a playoff first by a shortstop. With Brandon Belt adding three RBIs “He was on tonight,” said Crawford. “That’s crazy,” he said. “With all the great with a pair of singles, left-hander “When he does that, he’s lights out.” shortstops that have played before, it’s Bumgarner sailed through the Pirates Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle tipped pretty special.” lineup giving up four hits, striking out 10 his cap to the Giants left-hander. “He had While the Giants carry on in pursuit of and walking one in a masterful perform- it all working tonight. Absolutely a very their third World Series title in five sea- ance. “Crawford obviously gave us a nice professional, well pitched game by him,” sons after winning it in 2010 and 2012, cushion, but it starts with that guy on the Hurdle told reporters. “We tried to coun- the Pirates must wait in their quest to mound and what a job he did,” Giants terpunch but we just couldn’t muster end a 35-year title drought. manager Bruce Bochy said about ace anything.” Bumgarner, who was 18-10 “We finished short but we laid it all out starter Bumgarner. “It’s hard to put during the regular season with a 2.98 for everybody every night. We emptied together a better game than we just earned run average, said Crawford’s stun- the bucket for our fans every night we had.” The victory sent the Giants into the ning blast was a turning point. played, all 163 games,” said manager best-of-five NL Divisional Series against “That was huge. To go from a nothing- Hurdle, whose team ended a 21-year the top-seeded NL East champion nothing ball game to 4-0 pretty early on postseason absence last year. LONDON: Former New Zealand’s cricketer Chris Cairns, is Washington Nationals starting today like that was pretty big for us,” the pitch- “We’ve got more work to do surrounded by media as he arrives to appear at . NL West winners the Los Angeles er said. because we all want to play longer. We Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London, yester- Dodgers host the NL Central champion Crawford said his soaring grand slam, want to find a way to bring that sixth day where he will enter a plea on a charge re-cricket St. Louis Cardinals in the other divisional which came after singles by Pablo world championship back to match fixing.— AP series. Sandoval, Hunter Pence and a walk to Pittsburgh.” —Reuters.