14 TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2019 sports 14 all out: China cricket hopes stumped by record T20 loss AFP | Bangkok derdogs Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar. Proteas claim whitewash ricket’s governing body It is not the first embarrass- Chas long dreamed of ment to befall Chinese cricket spreading the game to China, against Asian nations who Bei- Pakistan seek cure for batting struggles after South Africa sweep series 3-0 but the latest performance by jing dominates in economic its women’s team is unlikely and political terms, but strug- to inspire many in the world’s gles to match on the wicket. cy was questioned by Pakistani most populous nation to take In October last year, China’s media. up the bat and ball. men made a dismal 26 against “This question always aris- China were skittled out for Nepal at a World Twenty20 es at the end of a series,” said just 14 runs at a tournament qualifier, a total bested in just Arthur. “Sarfraz goes from in Bangkok on Sunday -- the 11 balls. China is a newcomer strength to strength. He wants lowest ever score in a Twen- to world cricket, having fielded to lead from the front. I thought ty20 international match, for its first international team at his wicketkeeping has been out- men or women. the 2010 Asian Games. standing. What we need is to get In reply to the United Arab Its women’s team is ranked a good core of leaders around Emirates’ massive 203 for 3, 25th of 47 countries playing him. If we can do that he’ll go China were bowled out in un- women’s T20, according to the from strength to strength.” der an hour and with 10 overs International Cricket Council to spare at the Thailand T20 website. Sri Lanka next up for Proteas Smash. China’s men and women South African stand-in cap- Hin Lili led their fleeting re- play mainly low-ranking T20 tain Dean Elgar praised the sistance to the UAE’s unsparing events against regional Asian commitment of his players. attack, top-scoring with four. sides, most of whom are also “Three-nil is what we asked The Thailand T20 Smash minnows on the global crick- from the guys and we have includes fellow cricketing un- eting stage. achieved that. We are halfway to our goals for the season. We Dale Steyn celebrates after getting Imam-ul-Haq want to achieve the same feat clean sweep by winning the on the fourth day. against Sri Lanka (in February).” Duanne Olivier, third Test by 107 runs at the Olivier effectively ended Paki- Elgar stressed, though, that Klopp delighted Fabinho • Wanderers Stadium, Arthur stan’s hopes when he took two South Africa did not take Pa- Kagiso Rabada end said he wanted to build a team wickets off successive balls in kistan lightly. “We know they gives him options in Pakistan resistance able to play in all conditions by the third over of the morning. are a good team. We are very the time they started their cam- Arthur singled out Babar fortunate to have that arsenal central defence Starting the day paign in the world Test champi- Azam, Shan Masood and Asad of four fast bowlers.” on• 153/3, Pakistan lost onship in September. Shafiq as batsmen who had Olivier took 24 wickets in the AFP | London “We play Sri Lanka in the played well during the series three-Test series at an average razil midfielder Fabinho impressed Jurgen Klopp enough their remaining seven United Arab Emirates in Sep- and he gave qualified support to of 14.71 and he made the crucial Bin central defence in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Brighton to wickets for 120 runs to tember then we play Australia Sarfraz Ahmed, whose captain- breakthrough earlier yesterday. reassure the Liverpool manager he can be a reliable stop-gap be bowled out for 273 in Australia straight after that,” Azam received a fast, lifting partner for Virgil van Dijk. he said. “We have to have our ball angled in towards his throat, skill sets perfect to manage which he gloved to wicketkeep- Croatian Dejan Lovren added to the prob - AFP | Johannesburg lems in central defence when the World Cup the bouncing ball. I want to er Quinton de Kock. Azam (22) finalist suffered a hamstring injury in the FA akistan coach Mickey get our batsmen into Australia had helped Shafiq add 58 for the Cup defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers Arthur said yesterday he three or four weeks early, to fourth wicket. last Monday. was determined to find a have camps there to get them 24 Sarfraz was then bowled first P wickets were claimed by Joe Gomez is still out with a foot injury al- solution to his team’s prob- ready.” ball. Seemingly expecting an- though Cameroon international Joel Matip lems against fast, short- Man of the series Duanne Ol- Seamer Duanne Olivier other short-pitched delivery has returned to training after recovering pitched bowling. ivier sparked a Pakistan collapse during the three-match from Olivier, he was deep in from a broken collarbone. Speaking after as the tourists lost their remain- series his crease when he had his off Klopp, though, enthused over Fabinho’s South Africa com- ing seven wickets for 120 runs to stump knocked back by a fast, performance against an admittedly limit- pleted a 3-0 series be bowled out for 273 at lunch full delivery. ed Brighton attack which leaves his side seven points clear of Manchester City, although the champions can reduce it to four if they beat Wolves later yesterday. “He is a brilliant player and I am hap- py that he can play (against Brighton) Harper sets new World record in -- it’s now pretty clear (that he can play in defence),” said Klopp. “It’s not like it came one attack rip-roaring round of drag racing at BIC after the other from Brighton. “We had the ball most of the TDT | Manama time, so then it makes sense to ob Harper set a new have a good footballer in that RWorld record in a position. rip-roaring third round of “He did well in these situations (dealing the 2018/2019 Bahrain Drag with the high ball) and with (playing) the Racing Championship, held last ball it’s absolutely clear. He has a de- week at Bahrain International fending brain and can do it in different Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir. positions, it’s good.” Competing in the Outlaw Klopp is also hopeful that his young 6-Cylinder category, the Amer- full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has not Fabinho ican posted a time of 6.582 sec- damaged his ankle too badly. onds during qualifying to reset The 20-year-old England interna- the World mark for fastest GT- tional failed to start against Brighton R. Harper set the new standard after turning ankle during warm up. with an ultra-quick pass down A car in action during the drag race at BIC the quarter-mile at a top speed Hussain, who enjoyed a fantas- of 8.405s, beating the 8.928s of Mohammed Salama was then of 373.82kph. tic double with wins in the Pro Jassim Ali. the winner in the Competition Harper was a member of Al- Mod and Index 8.5 classes. Mohammed Hussain won the 4.5 class, while Ali Abdulrah- pha Logic team from the UAE. Hussain beat Saad Saleh in Super Street 6-Cylinder division man won the Index 10.5 class. He was one of a total 152 par- the Pro Mod final, registering with a time of 8.190s. He defeat- He beat Ebrahim Khalil in the ticipants from all over the globe a pass of 4.083s while Saleh’s ed Ali Adel. final. who took part in the meeting, mark was 4.153s. Then, in the Mohammed Suleman had a Mohammed Jawad tri - which featured intense battles Index 8.5 division, he had a time narrow triumph in the Street umphed in the Index 9.5 cate- over 15 categories for both cars of 8.558s in the final round, de- V8 category, clocking a mark gory, beating Jaber Ahmed. and motorbikes. feating Jassim Mohammed and of 7.463s. it was just over two- Amongst the bikers, Jehad at Seef District too Unfortunately for Harper, his his time of 8.865s. tenths of a second quicker than Aljamal beat Waleed Albadeen new record could not trans - Ali Abdulla won the Street Salah Salahuddin, who had a in the final. late into a victory the following 4 and 6 category with a time pass of 7.676s. Bader bin Eidan triumphed in evening on Race Day. Jassim of 9.263s. He beat Mohammed Hussain Akbar won the Su- the Street Bikes class defeating Ali Al Ali claim that honour by Al Jlahma, who had a time of per Street V8 category with a Mousa Al Buloshi. Mishari Al winning the Outlaw 6-Cylinder 9.732s. time of 4.440s. He beat Majed Turki was first amongst those in final. Bader Dashti won the Out- Al Harbi, who had a mark of the Super Street Bikes. He beat Um al Hassan +973 17728699 Seef District +973 17364999 Another big winner was Hani law FWD class. He had a pass 4.794s. Mothana Abu Thiab..