NBA | Page 5 Bucks bounce back from losses to punish Pacers Saturday, March 9, 2019 CRICKET Rajab 2, 1440 AH Khawaja, bowlers GULF TIMES help Australia outplay India SPORT Page 3 COMMERCIAL BANK QATAR MASTERS MOTORSPORT Qatar’s Abdulla Coetzee shares takes T3 lead aft er fi rst day three-way lead at in Dubai halfway mark South African cards 68 to lead with compatriot Harding and France’s Lorenzo-Vera By Yash Mudgal Doha outh African George Co- etzee is blooming again at Doha Golf Club as he fi red his second straight Sfour-under round of 68 at the Qatar’s Adel Abdulla in action yesterday. Commercial Bank Qatar Masters yesterday. Agencies big top speed, maybe 105km/h Coetzee rode his momen- Dubai maximum, but we did a good job tum into a relatively calmer day under the circumstances. two, fi ring three birdies on the “We stopped one time to reset front nine, and another one on atar’s Adel Abdulla everything because we thought the par fi ve 10th, before keeping and French co-driver there was something wrong with the slate clean on the rest of the Jean-Michel Polato the computer. Anyway we are holes. began their challenge happy about the result today. To- “I’m happy to be playing some Qfor honours at the Dubai Inter- morrow is a long day and I hope better golf, making some putts national Baja with the quickest we can fi nd the problem and and hitting some good shots,” time in the T3 category yester- push on.” said Coetzee, who has scored day. Series T3 rivals Abdullah four top-ten fi nishes in the Qa- The day’s selective section of al-Zubair of Oman and Italy’s tar Masters. 201.60km wound its way through Michele Cinotto were third and The South African was mak- Dubai’s Al-Qudra desert, taking fourth overall and Spain’s San- ing his seventh consecutive ap- in fast sandy tracks, some small tiago Navarro and Russian driver pearance at the event having dunes and rocky terrain. Fedor Vorobeyev rounded off the fi nished second in 2013. Abdulla’s switch to a Can-Am top six. The 32-year-old golfer has Maverick X3 this season is seen Today, the event draws to a close missed his last two cuts on the as a new challenge for the former with a slightly longer desert selec- European Tour. FIA T2 world champion, who had tive section of 204.93km before “I’m in a better place men- South Africa’s George Coetzee in action during the second round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram built up a lead of 4min 59sec at the return to the Dubai Autodrome tally. I played well in parts in the overnight halt over Emirati for the ceremonial fi nish. the WGC-Mexico Champion- of eight players are on 6-un- driver Michel Fadel, despite a ship and hit some good shots in der-par including Scotland’s down-on-power engine. T3 POSITIONS AFTER SS1 Oman last week – mixed in with Richie Ramsay, Belgian Nicolas Six entrants are taking part 1. Adel Abdulla (QAT)/Jean-Michel a couple of blunders – but I feel Colsaerts and Australia’s Deyen in T3 at this second round of Polato (FRA) Can-Am Maverick like things are falling into place Lawson, who made his second the FIA World Cup for Cross- X3 3hrs 14min 02sec this week.” hole-in-one of the season at the Country Bajas. Abdulla is using 2. Michel Fadel (ARE)/Craig Tyson All four of Coetzee’s European 17th. The fi rst one came at the a car being managed on events (ARE) Polaris XP 1000 3hrs 19min Tour wins so far have come in Alfred Dunhill Championship in by the Spanish FN Speed Team 01sec Africa but he has found himself December. with support from Ooredoo and 3. Abdullah al-Zubair (OMN)/ a happy hunting ground in the the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Nasser al-Kuwari (QAT) Can-Am Middle East as he looks for win LEADING SECOND ROUND Federation (QMMF). Maverick X3 3hrs 29min 52sec number fi ve. SCORES Abdulla said: “We are in the 4. Michele Cinotto (ITA)/Mauricio Coetzee reached a career- 136: George Coetzee (South Afri- fi rst position but we had some Dominella (ITA) Polaris RZR 1000 high 41st in the world after fi n- ca) 68-68, Justin Harding (South technical problems. I can see 3hrs 33min 11sec ishing second in Qatar in 2013, Africa) 68-68, Mike Lorenzo-Vera that the light of the engine was 5 Santiago Navarro (ESP)/Pedro but started this week ranked (France) 68-68 on from the start of the stage. Lopez (ESP) Can-Am Maverick X3 243rd after just one top-20 fi n- 137: Adri Arnaus (Spain) 67-70, The power was not so good. 3hrs 33min 39sec ish in his last 25 events. Masahiro Kawamura (Japan) Maybe 80 percent of the power 6. Fedor Vorobyev (RUS)/Kirill “I feel like everything is slow- 69-68, Erik Van Rooyen (South was there. I think maybe some- Shubin (RUS) Can-Am Maverick ly getting into place. I don’t Africa) 69-68, Oliver Wilson thing electrical. I didn’t have the X3 3hrs 39min 39sec know when it’s going to be there (England) 69-68 for four rounds but hopefully I’ll 138: Kristoff er Broberg (Swe- be awake and ready to reap the den) 71-67, Nicolas Colsaerts rewards,” he said. South Africa’s Justin Harding plays a chip shot during the second round at the Doha Golf Club yesterday. (Belgium) 68-70, Thomas Detry Neymar heads to Qatar for South Africa has been the (Belgium) 70-68, Nacho Elvira medical assessment most successful nation in the a three-putt from eight metres Another South African, 2003 I’d already booked my fl ights to (Spain) 71-67, Anton Karlsson history of this event, claim- for an eagle on the 18th, and then champion Darren Fichardt, also Doha so I was prepared and to (Sweden) 72-66, Jacques to Manchester United on away ing fi ve wins out of 21 stagings made a bogey on the fi rst after a had his share of limelight yes- get the nod after my fi nal round Kruyswijk (South Africa) 71-67, goals following a 3-1 defeat. and Justin Harding was along- poor tee shot and an even worse terday as he carded an impres- was great. It’s hard not to put Deyen Lawson (Australia) 70-68, “Neymar Jr will travel to Asp- side countryman Coetzee and lay-up,” said Lorenzo-Vera, who sive eight-under, the lowest pressure on yourself. It’s a dif- Richie Ramsay (Scotland) 68-70 etar (sports clinic) in Qatar for France’s Mike Lorenzo-Vera at is looking for his fi rst European score of the day. ferent position when you can 139: Alejandro Canizares (Spain) the next 3 days as scheduled eight-under after round two. Tour win following some near- England’s Oliver Wilson, who plan a schedule and you know 71-68, Nick Cullen (Australia) 69- in the initial recovery plan,” The 33-year-old Harding misses in recent years. has lost his European Tour card you have 25 or 30 events, you 70, Bradley Dredge (Wales) 68- the club wrote on its Twitter sound satisfi ed with his per- He suff ered a mid-round twice before, was hoping to take can be a bit more patient – but 71, Kurt Kitayama (USA) 69-70, account. “He will undertake formance. stutter before bouncing back full advantage of his opportu- I don’t have that, I don’t know Jordan Smith (England) 71-68, a complete assessment after “I’m very happy,” said Hard- with birdies on both the par-3s nity with a 68 yesterday fol- how many events I’m going to Paul Waring (England) 69-70 six weeks of his injury. He will ing. “It was a tough day starting on the front nine but handled it lowing a 69 on Thursday to sit get in. 140: Thomas Aiken (South be accompanied by a medical out but the wind settled down well to make a comeback. alongside three other players on “I’m just trying to improve. Africa) 71-69, Gaganjeet Bhullar team from PSG.” a bit later on. I hit some good “I’m happy with how I han- 7-under-par. I’m really pleased with what I’ve (India) 69-71, Ashley Chesters The 27-year-old damaged the shots and could have holed a dled it and played my way back “I’m very pleased and to done in the last year, I’m moving (England) 70-70, Jens Dantorp eymar will travel to fifth metatarsal in his right couple more putts but I’m happy into the round.” be bogey-free for two days is in the right direction and getting (Sweden) 72-68, Darren Fichardt Qatar to undergo a foot in a French Cup win over to put myself in this position af- “It was nice at the begin- something I’m delighted with,” more confi dence in my game. (South Africa) 76-64, Oliver N“complete assessment” Strasbourg on January 23 and ter two days and we’ll see what ning. We were downwind on the said Wilson, who won twice on There’s still a long way to go but, Fisher (England) 73-67, Gavin six weeks into his recovery was ruled out for 10 weeks. happens.” 10th, so had a short second shot the Challenge Tour last year.