SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016 SPORTS Azhar’s journey from sub to triple centurion DUBAI: Fourteen years ago Azhar Ali “I still remember I was sent to the Bridgetown in 1958 and Younis Khan Ali of Younis who is Pakistan’s highest their minds clear and not let them affect came on as a substitute fielder to see ground as a substitute fielder on the day made 313 against Sri Lanka in Karachi in Test run-getter with 9456 in 108 match- when we don’t do well.” Inzamam-ul-Haq score an epic triple when Inzamam scored that epic triple 2009. Ali said he had also watched es. Since his arrival on the international Ali believed the pink ball-used in the hundred in Lahore and wished he could century,” said Ali of Inzamam’s 329 Younis’s triple and missed the senior scene, Ali has impressed with his res- day-night Test instead of the traditional emulate the legendary Pakistan batsman against New Zealand in Lahore in May batsman who had to withdraw from olute batting and is likely to anchor red-did not cause any difficulties. in future. 2002. “Now I have my own and it’s a Dubai Test as he was still recovering Pakistan’s batting once Younis and skip- “The pink ball did not cause any On Friday Ali notched his own with great achievement for which I am proud from dengue fever. per Misbah-ul-Haq leave the stage. problems, we sighted it well and that’s an unbeaten 302 against West Indies in and can’t explain my feelings. It is some- “Of course, I missed Younis in this He has already replaced Misbah as why scored runs so I am okay with it,” the second ever day-night Test in Dubai thing which I will remember my whole match,” said Ali. “He has always been my captain of the one-day team. Ali dedicat- said Ali. to join a select league of batsmen. life,” said Ali whose innings guided role model and I was sitting on his seat ed his triple hundred to his parents and Manufacturers of the pink ball modi- But what distinguishes the 31-year- Pakistan to an imperious 579-3 declared. in the dressing room so I had to keep the also to the people of his nation. fied its seam from green and white after old from the rest of the triple centurions His was the fourth triple hundred by a honour of that seat as well. “First, I want to dedicate my achieve- players had complained sighting prob- is that he became the first batsman in Pakistani batsman. Apart from him and “I am proud that I have matched him ment to my parents who have always lems in the first-ever day-night Test day-night Test cricket to achieve the Inzamam, late Hanif Mohammad because whenever he scores a hundred guided me in my life and next to the between Australia and New Zealand in landmark. knocked 337 against West Indies at he takes it to double or big scores,” said people of my country who must keep Adelaide last year. —AFP English Premier League results/standings Arsenal 3, Swansea City 2; Bournemouth 6, Hull City 1; Chelsea 3, Leicester City 0; Manchester City 1, Everton 1; Stoke City 2, Sunderland 0; West Bromwich Albion 1, Tottenham Hotspur 1. P W D L F A Pts Southampton 7 2 3 2 7 6 9 Man City 8 6 1 1 19 8 19 Watford 7 2 2 3 12 13 8 Arsenal 8 6 1 1 19 9 19 Leicester 8 2 2 4 8 14 8 Tottenham 8 5 3 0 13 4 18 Burnley 7 2 1 4 5 9 7 Liverpool 7 5 1 1 18 10 16 Hull City 8 2 1 5 8 20 7 Chelsea 8 5 1 2 15 9 16 M’brough 7 1 3 3 7 10 6 Everton 8 4 3 1 12 6 15 MUnited 7 4 1 2 13 8 13 Stoke City 8 1 3 4 7 16 6 Crystal 7 3 2 2 11 8 11 Swansea 8 1 1 6 8 15 4 Bournemouth 8 3 2 3 12 12 11 West Ham 7 1 1 5 8 17 4 W Bromwich 8 2 4 2 9 8 10 Sunderland 8 0 2 6 6 15 2 In-form Dembele seals 2-0 win for Celtic GLASGOW: Moussa Dembele’s hot-streak McGhee felt his side had matched up better continued as his late penalty sealed a 2-0 win to Celtic than on previous visits. for Celtic over Motherwell in the Premiership “Tactically we tried to come up with some- yesterday the perfect boost for their thing different and it worked to an extent as it Champions League clash with Borussia made us hard to beat,” said McGhee. A sus- Monchengladbach. tained period of pressure saw Dembele test Dembele-who scored a double for the Samson before the ‘keeper tipped over a France Under-21 side in the international header from Erik Sviatchenko as Celtic break-and another goal by the equally prolific probed for an opener. It came through Scott Sinclair ensured Celtic maintained their Sinclair. The Motherwell defence backed away four point lead at the top of the table. Sinclair from the advancing James Forrest whose opened the scoring in the 19th minute as he square pass along the edge of the box was produced a fine finish to slam home James missed by Dembele before Sinclair buried the Forrest’s cross. ball past Samson with a fine first time finish. Motherwell had conceded 12 in their last Dembele came close to adding a second for LONDON: Chelsea’s Diego Costa, centre, vies for the ball with Leicester City’s Wes Morgan, right, during the English Premier League soccer two visits to Celtic Park and the visitors had Celtic before the break. Scott Brown made a match between Chelsea and Leicester City, at Stamford Bridge stadium in London, yesterday. —AP Craig Samson to thank for keeping the score- surging run forward from his own half and line down as he made a string of saves to found Dembele lurking just inside the box, deny Celtic. but his curling effort came crashing off the However, he was at fault for fouling base of the upright before the danger was Dembele to concede an 88th minute penalty cleared. Celtic began the second half as they Chelsea give Conte which he converted for his 13th goal of the ended the first and only a superb double save season. It extends Celtic’s unbeaten run to six from Samson kept them at bay when the since their 7-0 mauling by Barcelona ahead of ‘keeper got down low to deny Brown’s low a week where they host Monchengladbach strike before getting back on his feet to before facing Old Firm rivals Rangers, who smother the follow-up effort from Dembele. vote of confidence moved up to fourth following their 1-0 away The keeper blotted his copy book late on to Inverness on Friday, for a place in the when he brought down Dembele in the box League Cup final today. “I thought some of with the French striker sending the ‘keeper underlined how much the France internation- of three central defenders, Leicester were so our intricate play was good and some of the the wrong way with his spot kick. al’s presence has been missed by Leicester poor that the Brazilian was able to contribute quality of our football was outstanding and Aberdeen maintained their grip on second Chelsea 3 since he moved to the Blues in the close-sea- most often in attack and Schmeichel had to we created chances but we could have creat- place with a 4-0 win over Ross County while son. Lacking the relentless tempo that carried push away another of his powerful free-kicks. ed more,” Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers Hearts remain third following their 2-0 win them to the title, Leicester were bereft of any Schmeichel was called into action again soon said. His Motherwell counterpart Mark over Dundee. —AFP menace and it was no surprise when Chelsea after the interval, plunging to his right to claw Leicester City 0 punished them with a second goal in the 33rd away a Moses strike from Kante’s pass. A rare minute. incisive Leicester move ended with Luiz turn- Miller gives Rangers Once again, Chelsea took advantage of ing Marc Albrighton’s cross against his own LONDON: Chelsea gave Antonio Conte a woeful defending as Matic’s pass drew pan- post as he tried to clear. edge over Inverness well-timed vote of confidence as Diego Costa icked and mistimed attempts to clear from But Leicester remained second best all over and Eden Hazard inspired a 3-0 win against Robert Huth and Luis Hernandez. Pedro, lying the pitch and Moses capped Chelsea’s stylish GLASGOW: Kenny Miller scored a stunning when Greg Tansey swung in a free-kick from spluttering champions Leicester yesterday. on the turf after slipping, poked a pass to show with a fine goal in the 80th minute. 100th goal for Rangers to give them a 1-0 win out on the left, but Lonsana Doumbouya, Conte had to endure speculation he was in Hazard, who scampered clear as the ball Exchanging passes with substitute over Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the unmarked on the six-yard line, somehow sent danger of being sacked just three months into bounced fortuitously off his shoulder before Nathaniel Chalobah, Nigeria winger Moses Scottish Premiership on Friday.