FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 NNBABA | Page 5 Chelsea Celtics edge coach Conte Pacers on sticks to Rozier’s steal youth policy and layup Wednesday, December 20, 2017 CRICKET Rabia II 2, 1439 AH New Bradman? GULF TIMES Smith rises to exalted heights SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL Gharafa lift QSL Cup with 3-2 victory over Al Rayyan Al Rayyan’s woes were compounded by the fact that their star player Rodrigo Tabata missed a late penalty Al Gharafa were quick off the blocks, raiding the rival citadel in the third minute and scoring through captain Jimenez, who slammed the ball past goalkeeper Saoud al-Khater following an assist from Ahmed Alaaeldin. Al Rayyan then slowly took con- trol of the proceedings and were soon on level terms when prolifi c scorer Hamdallah found the target. The goal resulted from a free-kick taken by playmaker Rodrigo Tabata that came off the defensive wall. Tabata himself chipped the ball back for Hamdallah to score. Jimenez was again the star past half hour as he essayed a pass to the left wing for Alaaeldin to cross and Seraj was bang on target to help Al Gharafa regain the lead. Referee Abdulla Ali Athba had to fl ash a yellow card to Al Rayyan’s Ahmed Abdel Maqsoud for a lung- ing foul on Al Gharafa’s Diogo Amado in the 40th and Hamdallah too got Captain Luis Jimenez receives the QSL Cup trophy from QFA Vice-President booked for questioning the decision. Saoud Abdulaziz al-Mohannadi. Al Rayyan struggled when Tabata could not be his usual self and striker Sebastian Soria failed to make inroads Al Gharafa players and off icials pose after winning the QSL Cup yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thakkayil into the rival territory. On the other hand, Al Gharafa came By Sports Reporter up with a far better display, with the Doha enterprising Alaaeldin, who hogged the limelight along with Jimenez, tak- ing a lot of initiatives. Their defenders orm team Al Gharafa edged out also stood fi rm. Al Rayyan 3-2 to become the Alaaeldin himself got on the score fi rst team to win the QSL Cup sheet after an hour and the goal; a Fa second time after a dramatic long-range solo eff ort, had brilliance fi nal match yesterday at Suhaim bin written all over it. Hamad Stadium. Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup, Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup meanwhile, brought on Mohsine had made no secret of his unease at Moutaouali in place of Daniel Goumou the prospect of facing Al Gharafa in the and Aldoukali al-Baoure for Soria. fi nal, referring to the two defeats his Kasola then reduced the margin by team suff ered against them in the Qa- heading in a Tabata corner kick from tar Stars League last season. the right. The game witnessed some And although the Lions put up a dramatic scenes when Al Rayyan gallant show yesterday, scoring twice earned a penalty in the 79th after Seraj to storm back into contention after tripped Mohamed Alaaeldin inside being down, they just couldn’t fi nd the box. Tabata took the shot from the that extra bit of resolve to put it across Al Gharafa players celebrate after the final whistle. spot, but Qasim Burhan drew all his the Cheetahs. top-fl ight experience to block it. Tem- Al Rayyan’s woes were compounded at the title. season after a space of three seasons. pers fl ared and three Al Gharafa players by the fact that their star player Rod- With yesterday’s win, the Cheetahs Captain Luis Jimenez (third were booked as they continued their rigo Tabata missed a late penalty. Had thus repeated history, having also won minute), Amro Seraj (36th) and protests. Al Gharafa goalkeeper Qasem Burhan the inaugural edition of the tourna- Ahmed Alaaeldin (64th) netted the Qatar Football Association Vice- not saved the shot, diving to his right, ment in 2009-10. Al Sadd, Al Wakrah, Al Gharafa’s goals, while Abderra- President Saoud Abdulaziz al-Mohan- the match would have probably gone erstwhile El Jaish and Qatar SC, in that zaq Hamdallah (12th) and Mohamed nadi crowned the winners in the pres- into extra time with the scores tied order, were the other champions be- Kassola (70th) were on target for Al ence of Qatar Stars League CEO Hani 3-3, allowing Al Rayyan another crack fore the tournament was revived this Rayyan. Taleb Ballan. Al Gharafa coach Jean Fernandez with the QSL Cup trophy. CRICKET Ashes won, Australia aim for a clean sweep Reuters with what we’ve achieved in these fi rst Australia were able to pick the the Gabba, has given him an astonish- Perth three test matches. I’d love to do that same team throughout the series ing average of 142 for the Ashes series. again, but we will just take it one step sweep in 2013/14 but Smith may Long saddled with the burden of at a time.” not have that luxury due to an scoring in a vulnerable batting lineup, ictorious Australia will head Australia were able to pick the same injury doubt over Mitchell Starc Smith has enjoyed ample support in to Melbourne for the Box- team throughout the series sweep in the series. ing Day Test against England 2013/14 but Smith may not have that “It’s highly pressurised, Ash- Mitchell Marsh smashed 181 at the brimming with confi dence luxury due to an injury doubt over es cricket,” he told reporters at the WACA and his older brother Shaun Vafter reclaiming the Ashes in Perth and Mitchell Starc. WACA. scored an unbeaten 126 in the second on a mission to subject the tourists to The pace spearhead carried a heel “Everyone is nervous every ball, Test in Adelaide. another 5-0 series whitewash. injury through the fi nal day at the every session — it’s been that way for Mitchell’s maiden ton in his 22nd Captain Steve Smith was a member WACA and could be rested for Mel- 15 days so far. Test came after years of failing to de- of the Michael Clarke side that swept bourne, which may open the door to a “So they can go and express them- liver with the bat, so it was hugely the last series Down Under in 2013/14 recall for squad seamer Jackson Bird. selves a little bit more now, so we’ll be encouraging for a team who have and will feel good about his chances of With Josh Hazlewood in top form playing the same brand of cricket but searched in vain for a decent all- emulating his former skipper by de- after grabbing fi ve wickets to rout with less pressure on us.” rounder to help support their young feating Joe Root’s demoralised team in England for 218 in their second innings Since an acrimonious series defeat pace attack. the fi nal two matches. at the WACA, Australia are unlikely to at home to South Africa a year ago, “The challenge for him is to back it “It’d be fantastic to do that and we’ll be overly concerned about Starc’s pos- Australia have won nine of their past up again, to be perfectly honest, and talk about Melbourne when we get sible absence. 13 Tests, with their captain leading the one innings doesn’t make a cricket ca- there,” Smith said after their innings Coach Darren Lehmann said he was way with over 1,000 runs in the calen- reer,” said Lehmann. and 41-run win at the WACA saw Aus- Australia’s Josh Hazlewood (3rd R) holds up the ball after taking his fifth wicket eager to see how the team would play dar year. “So for him he’s got to back it up tralia take back the urn. with the dismissal of England’s Craig Overton in the third Ashes Test match in with the pressure of winning the series Smith’s 239 the WACA, following an next game and do the right thing. He’s “Right now, I’m just really satisfi ed Perth on Monday. on home soil behind them. unbeaten 141 in the series-opener at here to make runs.” Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, December 20, 2017 CRICKET SPOTLIGHT PREVIEW New Bradman? Confi dent India eye T20 Smith rises to series win IANS Cuttack ndia will aim to continue their su- premacy over Sri Lanka when they face off in the opener of the three- exalted heights match T20 International series at Ithe Barabati Stadium here today. Fresh from a 2-1 win in the ODI se- Smith, whose idiosyncratic style — moving across his stumps as the bowler ries, a new-look India will once again be led by Rohit Sharma, even as regu- delivers — flies in the face of cricket’s purists, has a Test average of 62.32 lar skipper Virat Kohli and some other regulars have been rested ahead of the challenging South Africa tour later this month. India enjoy a 7-4 record against the Islanders in the shortest format but do not have happy memories of the soli- tary T20I at the venue. The men-in-blue had folded up for India captain Rohit Sharma at a 92 in their six-wicket loss to South Af- training session in Cuttack yesterday. rica in 2015 as crowd trouble brought infamy to the venue. third ODI and he would be the key along Going into today’s tie, Rohit will have with former skipper Angelo Mathews. a new opening partner in Lokesh Rahul The islanders would also hope that with Shikhar Dhawan being rested for stumper Niroshan Dickwella strikes the rubber.