30 Sunday, August 9, 2015 SPORTS MICHAEL CLARKE ENDS CAREER Nottingham will have one more go at The ustralia captain Michael Oval,” he added after reports Clarke said yesterday he in Australian media earlier “I am retiring from international cricket. I “hadn’tA led from the front” as Saturday that he was about to he announced he would retire end his Australia career. don’t want to jump ship now so I will have from international cricket after The fifth Test starts at The one more go at The Oval” this month’s fifth Ashes Test Oval, in south London, on against England at The Oval. August 20. The 34-year-old made his Clarke, one of the best announcement after England batsmen of his generation but completed a crushing innings plagued by a longstanding “I started this great game “They both 100 percent and 78 run victory over back problem and more recent at six years of age and I think supported my decision.” Australia in the fourth Test hamstring trouble, is in a it’s the right time to walk away Clarke has made 28 Test at Trent Bridge to take an desperate run of form, having now. centuries, one short of Australia unbeatable 3-1 lead in the five- reached 25 just six times in his “When I first came into the batting great Donald Bradman’s match Ashes series. last 30 Test innings. team I had 11 older brothers tally, in his 114-match career. “I will have one more Test “There’s no doubt I’ll always helping me get into a position England captain Alastair and that is the end of my hold myself accountable, my where I can help the team and Cook hailed his opposite career,” said Clarke during performances haven’t been hopefully I’ve done that.” number by saying: “To Michael the post-match presentation anywhere they need to be,” said He added: “About 7:30pm from the England team you ceremony. Clarke. last (Friday) night I spoke to were a fantastic player, “I am retiring from “I don’t blame anyone in the my beautiful wife (Kyly) and fantastic leader. You should Australia’s captain Michael Clarke looks on from the balcony international cricket. I don’t changing room, but I haven’t my best mate in Warnie (Shane be remembered as a great during play on the second day of the fourth Ashes cricket Test want to jump ship now so I led from the front. Warne). captain.” match Beat Lazio 2-0 WALKER SAVES MANCHESTER Manchester to forward Memphis Depay, SUPER JUVENTUS anchester United secured midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin an unconvincing 1-0 and right-back Matteo Darmian. victoryM over Tottenham With four new faces, United’s Hotspur in their opening play was fragmented and passes Premier League game of the went astray as they struggled season yesterday thanks to an for rhythm during a first half own goal from Kyle Walker. in which none of their players LIFTShanghai in ITALIANa match played in front of a Juventus’ Paul Pogba heavily MandzukicCUP rose majestically to On manager Louis van Gaal’s managed a shot on target. uventus’ two new strikers both large crowd at 60,000-capacity involved in much of the action, head home a dangerous cross. 64th birthday the hosts rarely Tottenham almost took the scored on their debut as the Shanghai Stadium, but there was but he was unable to create any An unperturbed Lazio threatened the Tottenham goal lead in the sixth minute when TurinJ club beat Lazio 2-0 to lift little entertainment on offer for clear-cut chances for his side. almost equalised just moments as the Old Trafford crowd got Harry Kane scooped a clever the Italian Super Cup in China much of the evening, save for a In the second half, the teams later when Brazilian playmaker their first glimpse of some of ball over the top of the United yesterday. half-time performance by a trio appeared to toil somewhat in Felipe Anderson unleashed United’s close-season signings. defence for Christian Eriksen, Croatian international of Chinese traditional musicians. the humid 32-degree evening a powerful half volley from The visitors had chances of who lifted his effort over the striker Mario Mandzukic and It took until the 26th minute heat. But not long after the edge of box which Juventus’ their own as they rallied late in the crossbar. Argentine Paulo Dybala, signed before either goalkeeper restart Pogba again made his Gianluigi Buffon saved well. contest, but ultimately Walker’s Despite their uncertain start this summer for a reported 19 was called into action, when presence felt with a spectacular However Juventus wasted no own goal, in the 22nd minute, United took the lead, albeit million euros and 32m euros Juventus’ Stephan Lichtsteiner 30-yard drive which flew time in extending their lead, proved to be the difference. fortuitously, with an own goal respectively, breached Lazio’s unleashed a long range shot just wide of Lazio goalkeeper when in the 73rd minute Pogba Van Gaal, as he had from Spurs right-back Walker net in the second half with two which flew over the Lazio bar. Federico Marchetti’s right post. neatly controlled a high ball promised in his pre-match press after Juan Mata had intercepted well-taken goals. The first half was a torrid The deadlock was finally and laid it off in the box to conference, did not select David a lazy pass from Nabil Bentaleb. Both sides fielded strong sides midfield battle which saw broken in the 69th minute when Dybala. de Gea, explaining that the Spain United were indebted to The Argentine striker, who goalkeeper was not “capable” of Romero in the latter stages as joined Juventus from fellow the focus required for the match he denied Spurs three times to Serie-A side Palermo, then amid speculation linking him preserve his clean sheet and scored by smashing the ball with a move to Real Madrid. ensure that Van Gaal’s side into the net from the middle United also gave full debuts banked the points. of the box. Dybala’s emphatic finish killed the game somewhat, and Juventus went on to lift the trophy in a lively ceremony after the final whistle which delighted the club’s numerous Chinese supporters cheering on from the stands. The Italian Super Cup is traditionally the curtain-raising fixture to the country’s domestic season and is contested between the reigning league champions and current Italian Cup holders. In recent years the fixture has been increasingly held outside of Italy, and was hosted in China at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing in Manchester United’s Italian defender Matteo Darmian (up) vies Juventus Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon (C) celebrates his team victory with the trophy 2009, 2011 and 2012. with Tottenham Hotspur’s English striker Harry Kane.