MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2017 SPORTS Pakistan Super League final must be in Lahore: Giles Clarke DUBAI: A top international cricket offi- it’s final should be held in Lahore,” Clarke ernment have backed plans to stage it in arrangements for international teams, whatever arguments they have or use cial insisted yesterday that the final of told AFP from London. “It is really impor- the city. Lahore was also where the Sri said reviving international cricket in ballott boxes.” Clarke praised Pakistan Pakistan’s Twenty20 league must be tant that the final should be held suc- Lankan team bus was attacked by mili- Pakistan will take time. “It’s a long road cricket fans. “Pakistanis are cricket fanat- held in Lahore despite a major bomb cessfully.” The Pakistan Cricket Board has tants in March 2009, killing eight people for the return of bilateral international ics and have a great knowledge of crick- attack in the country last week. vowed to maintain the final in Lahore, and injuring seven visiting players. cricket to Pakistan. On my recent visit, I et and I am sure they want to see their Giles Clarke, head of an International assuring VIP security arrangements- Since then foreign teams have stayed noticed that not just the authorities but heroes and their own players playing at Cricket Council team seeking to revive reserved for state heads-for foreign play- away from Pakistan tours over security the man in the street is seeking the home and enjoy thrilling matches.” cricket in the country, said the March 5 ers willing to travel to the city. fears. Pakistan hosted a short limited return of cricket to Pakistan,” said Clarke, Since 2009 Pakistan have been forced final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) A suicide bomb blast in Lahore on over series with Zimbabwe in May-June a former chairman of the England and to play all home series in United Arab in Lahore would be a key part of efforts Monday, which left 14 people killed and 2015 but that failed to convince major Wales Cricket Board. Emirates. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland to revive cricket in the country. over 100 injured, had threatened the teams to tour. Clarke, who visited “Terror has no place in our society,” and West Indies have refused offers to “PSL is Pakistan’s domestic event and event. But the Pakistan army and gov- Pakistan last month to study security said Clarke. “Terrorists should share tour Pakistan in the last five years. —AFP Gunaratne inspires S Lanka to series victory over Australia VICTORIA: All-rounder Asela Gunaratne however, before the 31-year-old Gunaratne struck a superb 84 off 46 balls to inspire Sri took charge to guide his side to an unlikely Lanka to a dramatic two-wicket victory victory. “Asela’s was an amazing innings,” Sri over Australia in the second Twenty20 Lanka captain Upul Tharanga said. International in South Geelong, Victoria “We lost too many wickets early but yesterday. Asela finished the game for us. Winning in The touring side needed 48 runs off the Australia is a huge achievement. This is last three overs to clinch the series and Asela’s first tour to Australia and we are Gunaratne, who smashed five sixes and six happy.” fours, led them home. Australia got off to a Australia are fielding a depleted side flying start, hitting 60 runs in the first six with their full-strength Test squad currently overs, and although medium-pacer Nuwan in India. The third and final match of the Kulasekara took four wickets, Moises series will be played on Wednesday in Henriques made an unbeaten 56 off 37 Adelaide. “That was one hell of an innings,” balls to lift the hosts to a decent total of Australia captain Aaron Finch said. “When 173. Sri Lanka stumbled early as their top you have a good player in good form, they order collapsed, losing five wickets for 41 hurt you. “Sri Lanka played very well there. runs in the first five overs. A spirited 52-run Take nothing away from them. The series is partnership between Gunaratne and gone, but hopefully we can salvage some- Chamara Kapugedera steadied the innings, thing in Adelaide.” — Reuters SCOREBOARD GEELONG, Australia: Scoreboard in the second Twenty20 international between Australia and Sri Lanka in Geelong, Victoria, yesterday. Australia Sri Lanka M. Klinger c Dickwella b Bandara 43 N. Dickwella c Paine b Faulkner 14 A. Finch c and b Bandara 12 U. Tharanga c Richardson b Turner 4 B. Dunk b Gunaratne 32 D. Munaweera c Paine b Tye 10 M. Henriques not out 56 K. Mendis c Paine b Richardson 5 T. Head c Dickwella b Kulasekara 4 A. Gunaratne not out 84 A. Turner c Siriwardana b Prasanna 7 M. Siriwardana c Turner b Tye 0 J. Faulkner lbw b Malinga 1 C. Kapugedera c Dunk b Cummins 32 S. Prasanna c Head b Faulkner 7 HAMILTON: Quinton de Kock of South Africa (R) bats as New Zealand’s Tom Latham watches during the one-day international (ODI) cricket T. Paine lbw b Malinga 7 match between New Zealand and South Africa at Seddon Park in Hamilton yesterday. — AFP P. Cummins b Kulasekara 3 N. Kulasekara c Klinger b Tye 12 L. Malinga not out 1 A. Tye lbw b Kulasekara 0 Extras (lb2, w5) 7 J. Richardson b Kulasekara 0 Total (8 wickets, 20 overs) 176 CRICKET Extras (lb5, w3) 8 Did not bat: S. Bandara Total (all out, 20 overs) 173 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Tharanga), 2-22 (Dickwella), 3- Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Finch), 2-63 (Dunk), 3-113 27 (Mendis), 4-40 (Munaweera), 5-40 (Klinger), 4-121 (Head), (Siriwardana), 6-92 (Kapugedera), 7-119 5-134 (Turner), 6-144 (Faulkner), 7-162 (Paine), 8- (Prasanna), 8-160 (Kulasekara) De Villiers gets S Africa 169 (Cummins), 9-173 (Tye), Bowling: Turner 2-0-15-1, Cummins 3-0-28-1 (1w), 10-173 (Richardson) Faulkner 4-0-32-2, Bowling: Malinga 4-0-31-2, Kulasekara 4-0-31-4 Richardson 3-0-24-1, Tye 4-0-37-3 (1w), Henriques (2w), Bandara 4-0-32-2 (1w), 4-0-38-0 (2w). home with a ball to spare Munaweera 1-0-22-0, Gunaratne 3-0-26-1, Result: Sri Lanka won by 2 wickets Prasanna 4-0-26-1. Series: Sri Lanka 2-0 HAMILTON: A polished Quinton de Kock half century laid the foundation for South Africa’s SCOREBOARD four wicket win over New Zealand in a tense HAMILTON, New Zealand: Scoreboard yesterday from the first one-day cricket international between New Zealand finish to a rain-shortened opening one-day and South Africa at Seddon Park (reduced to 34 overs per side): international in Hamilton yesterday. In a clash that went down to the wire, it New Zealand South Africa was a man-of-the-match performance from Dean Brownlie c Behardien b Morris 31 Quinton de Kock c Taylor b Boult 69 de Kock on a wicket that took an exceptional Tom Latham lbw b Morris 0 Hashim Amla c & b Williamson 35 amount of spin in New Zealand conditions. Kane Williamson b Shamsi 59 Faf du Plessis lbw b Sodhi 14 Ross Taylor c & b Morris 1 AB de Villiers not out 37 The departure of de Kock for 69 sparked a Neil Broom c Bhardien b Morris 2 JP Duminy c and b Southee 1 middle order collapse as even the New James Neesham c de Kock b Rabada 29 Farhaan Behardien b Southee 0 Zealand quicks turned to bowling cutters on Mitchell Santner c de Kock b Rabada 17 Chris Morris c Boult b Santner 16 the responsive pitch before an AB de Villiers Colin de Grandhomme not out 34 Andile Phehlukwayo not out 29 rescue mission saw his side home with a ball Tim Southee not out 24 Extras (2b, 3lb, 4w) 9 to spare. Extras (1b, 9w) 10 TOTAL (for 6 wickets) 210 “We never expected it to turn like that in TOTAL (for 7 wickets) 207 Overs: 33.5. Hamilton,” de Villiers said. “From past experi- Overs: 34. Fall of wickets: 1-88, 2-117, 3-125, 4-126, 5-126, 6-156. ence this becomes a really good batting Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-69, 3-72, 4-82, 5-108, 6-186, 7-156. Did not bat: Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir. track in the evening but that was far from it.” Did not bat: Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult. Bowling: Mitchell Santner 7-0-33-1, Trent Boult 7-0-45-1, Bowling: Kagiso Rabada 7-1-31-2 (7w), Chris Morris 7-0- Tim Southee 6.5-0-47-2 (3w), Colin de Grandhomme 4-0- With the fixture reduced to 34 overs a side 62-4 (1w), Andile Phehlukwayo 5-0-28-0 (1w), Imran Tahir 27-0, Ish Sodhi 7-0-36-1, Kane Williamson 2-0-17-1 (1w). following heavy rain early in the day, New 7-0-42-0, Tabraiz Shamsi 7-1-39-1, JP Duminy 1-0-4-0. Result: South Africa won by 4 wickets. Zealand posted 207 for seven, boosted by a whirlwind 51 off 23 balls at the end by unbeaten pair Colin de Grandhomme and With de Kock in sublime form, assisted by made 16 before his dismissal had South Tim Southee. Hashim Amla, South Africa started their run Africa at 156-6 with 44 balls remaining. But any thoughts New Zealand had that chase strongly with an 88-run stand. De Villiers with 37 off 34 balls and Andile they were in a strong performance were Williamson used five bowling changes in Phehulkwayo (29 off 23) combined efforts to soon dashed by the way de Kock launched the first 15 overs in an attempt to break up get the tourists home.