Australia win Ashes with crushing victory in third Test

Australia win Ashes with crushing victory in third Test

Australia won back the Ashes after bowling England out cheaply despite rain delays and a pitch controversy to secure an innings win on the final day of the third Test in Perth on Monday.

Having confirmed his status as the world's best batsman with a match-winning double century, Steve Smith added victorious Ashes captain to his ever-expanding resume as England were dismissed for 218 in their second innings in the last Ashes Test to take place at the WACA Ground.

That gave the home side an innings-and-41-run win and an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, having won the opening two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide.

Pat Cummins secured the famous urn for the home side when he had Chris Woakes caught behind for 22, prompting Australian celebrations.

But while it was a comfortable win, there was high drama on the final day courtesy of yet another WACA pitch controversy.

Victory seemed assured for Australia when they had England 132 for four at the conclusion of the fourth day, still 127 runs behind with Australia yet to bat again, but a rain-damaged pitch threatened to end the match without a ball being bowled on the final day.

Showers had caused play to be abandoned early on the fourth day and they continued through to Monday morning, forcing a scheduled early resumption to be cancelled, with Australia needing just six more wickets to win the match and regain the Ashes.

Complicating matters further was a damp spot on the pitch, just outside the popping crease at the southern end of the ground.

WACA staff worked furiously with leaf blowers to try to dry the patch out as more showers passed through and the covers came on and off at regular intervals throughout the morning.

How the water got onto the wicket was unclear, although there was speculation it might have been linked to strong winds lifting the covers.

But umpires Chris Gaffaney and Marais Erasmus would not allow play to resume until they believed the pitch had been returned to the same condition as at the end of day four.

Play did not get under way until after lunch, and even then to the chagrin of an English camp who felt the conditions were dangerous.

England's batsmen also had to contend with balls jagging violently off cracks on the pitch in a contentious end to 47 years of Ashes cricket at the WACA Ground.

Wickets tumbled quickly for England upon the delayed resumption, with overnight batsman and first-innings centurion Jonny Bairstow bowled for 14 by the first delivery he faced for the day from Josh Hazlewood, which kept low.

Hazlewood removed England's last hope Dawid Malan — who backed up his first innings century with a fighting 54 before being caught behind — to finish with figures of 5-48.

Malan's first day heroics, when England appeared to be in a dominant position at 368-4 from which an innings defeat would be almost impossible, seemed a distant memory as he trudged from the field.

WI pin hopes on Gayle force to beat New Zealand in ODI series

WI pin hopes on Gayle force to beat New Zealand in ODI series

WHANGAREI (New Zealand): The West Indies will hope short-form master Chris Gayle can inspire a misfiring batting line-up in the One-day International series against New Zealand starting on Wednesday.

The tourists meekly surrendered with the bat as they slumped to a 2-0 Test series whitewash against the Black Caps, and need a major improvement in the three ODI games.

Gayle, arriving fresh from a record-breaking stint in the Bangladesh Premier League, promises to inject the aggression and confidence lacking so far during the tour of New Zealand.

He smashed a record 18 sixes in an unbeaten 146 off 69 balls in the BPL final to add to the slew of titles he already holds in the ultra-short form of the game.

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Afterwards, the 38-year-old said he was “the greatest batsman of all time”.

His self-assessment may be debatable but New Zealand paceman Lockie Ferguson said the hosts were well aware of the threat the left-hander from Jamaica poses.

Ferguson said Gayle would need time to adjust to local conditions in the opening ODI at Whangarei’s Cobham Oval.

He said New Zealand’s new-ball combination of Tim Southee and Trent Boult would be aiming for an early breakthrough.

“Our opening bowlers are extremely good at swinging the ball, so I think there’s definitely a challenge for him there,” Ferguson told Radio Sport. “Of course, if he gets going then he’s one of those world-class batters who can go a long time and score lots of runs.”

The West Indies, who are ninth in the ODI rankings, will be without batsmen Marlon Samuels (finger) and Sunil Ambris (broken arm) as well as bowler Alzarri Joseph (back) through injuries.

The fifth-ranked New Zealanders are missing two of their biggest hitters in Martin Guptill (hamstring injury) and Colin de Grandhomme, who pulled out of the series after the death of his father.

They will also rest captain Kane Williamson and Southee after Wednesday’s first ODI as a busy season looms with home matches against Pakistan, Australia and England.

The remaining two matches are scheduled for Christchurch’s Hagley Oval on Dec 23 and Dec 26, respectively before teams meet in a three-match Twenty20 International series beginning from Dec 29.

Teams (from):

NEW ZEALAND: Kane Williamson (captain, first ODI only), Todd Astle, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Tom Latham (captain, second and third ODIs), Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Tim Southee (first ODI only), Ross Taylor, George Worker, Neil Broom (second and third ODIs), Mitchell Santner (second and third ODIs).

WEST INDIES: Jason Holder (captain), Jason Mohammed, Shimron Hetmyer, Ronsford Beaton, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Kyle Hope, Shai Hope, Sheldon Cottrell, Evin Lewis, Nikita Miller, Ashley Nurse, Rovman Powell, Chadwick Walton, Kesrick Williams.

India look to maintain momentum against SL in Twenty20 battle

India look to maintain momentum against SL in Twenty20 battle

CUTTACK: Rohit Sharma-led India are unlikely to lower their guard as face Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 International here on Wednesday.

Having bagged the Test and ODI series, India will aim for another dominant performance and look to clinch the three-game T20 series as well.

Without the services of skipper Virat Kohli, India did not have a dream start to their ODI series campaign at Dharamsala but bounced back in style as stand-in skipper Sharma took the attack to the opposition with his fearless batting. Having scored a record third double century in ODI, he will eye to seal off the T20 series as well.

Like their home series, Sri Lanka have by and large been outgunned by India, barring their lone brilliant bowling performance in the Dharamsala ODI, which left the Indian batsmen widely exposed in seaming conditions.

Sri Lanka had their best chance in the last ODI at Vizag but they collapsed from 136-1 to be bundled out for 215.

A resilient India quickly got into the act after an inspirational stumping by M.S. Dhoni. After which, the new spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav ran through the Lankan middle-order as they claimed three wickets each.

However, T20 is a different ball game and India would look for a smooth transition to the shortest format, having endured a batting disaster in the first ODI.

India do not have a happy memory of the solitary T20 at the Barabati Stadium. The hosts had folded for 92 against South Africa in 2015 as crowd trouble brought infamy to the venue.

India lead Sri Lanka 7-4 on head-to-head count and are yet to lose against them in the last four outings, the hosts will aim to give a better account of their batting.

India’s batting will heavily rely on skipper Rohit, who will have KL Rahul for company at the top.

INDIAN paceman Mohammed Siraj bowls at the nets.—AFP

Having lost his first match as captain, Rohit’s record double hundred led a 141-run rout in Mohali and he will look to continue that form in the shortest format.

A good start will be crucial for India to minimise the workload on the middle and lower order, which will be steered by Dhoni.

The T20 squad will also see different players in action. Saurashtra left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat, who last played in a T20 against Zimbabwe in June last year, has been recalled and India have three first-timers in Washington Sundar, Basil Thampi and Deepak Hooda.

Squads:

INDIA: Rohit Sharma (captain), K.L. Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, M.S. Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Basil Thampi, Jaydev Unadkat

SRI LANKA: Thisara Perera (captain), Upul Tharanga, Angelo Mathews, Kusal Janith Perera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Niroshan Dickwella, Asela Gunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dasun Shanaka, Chaturanga de Silva, Sachith Pathirana, Dananjaya De Silva, Nuwan Pradeep, Vishwa Fernando, Dusmantha Chameera.

SA top trio named for Zimbabwe Test

SA top trio named for Zimbabwe Test

CAPE TOWN: A.B. de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander will all make long-awaited returns for South Africa at Test level after being named in the 14-man squad for next week’s day-night, inaugural four-day contest against Zimbabwe in Port Elizabeth.

It means South Africa are back to full strength for the first time in almost two years for the Dec 26-29 match at St Georges Park which serves as a warm-up for three home Tests against India in January and a series against Australia straight after that.

De Villiers’ last Test was against England in Pretoria in January 2016 after which he asked for time out from the long format of the game while Steyn has been recovering from a serious shoulder injury suffered against Australia at Perth just over a year ago and only returned to competitive cricket last month.

Philander missed the 2-0 series win over Bangladesh in September and October following an injury on tour to England in mid-year.

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South Africa’s top four fast bowlers are reunited, with Morne Morkel having recovered from an injury he suffered during the first Test against Bangladesh.

“AB and Dale bring loads of experience to the side apart from being two of the South African all-time greats,” said selection convener Linda Zondi.

Although de Villiers is set to return to Test action, he was withdrawn from the South African Invitation team which starts a three-day match against the Zimbabweans in Paarl on Wednesday because of lower back stiffness.

Zondi said the withdrawal was a precaution and that de Villiers would be available for the Test.

Faf du Plessis was named as captain, although he has been out of action recently after a shoulder operation.

Squad: Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, A.B. de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn.

‘Root-led squad does not contain enough good players to beat Aussies’

‘Root-led squad does not contain enough good players to beat Aussies’

LONDON: Joe Root’s England team is simply not good enough to beat Australia in their own backyard and lack fast bowlers who can scare the opposition.

That’s the harsh verdict from the British press after the tourists slumped to a 3-0 Ashes deficit following a painful innings defeat in Perth, leaving them staring at a 5-0 whitewash for the third time in four series Down Under.

Australia have outbatted and outbowled their visitors in all three Tests and on Monday regained the famous Ashes urn with two games of the five-match series left to play.

“Many reviews could be conducted into the state of English cricket and the lack of incentive for young outright fast bowlers, the state of pitches — nothing like the WACA in Perth — and the questionable coaching methods,” wrote Daily Telegraph cricket correspondent Scyld Berry. “But the fundamental fact is that Root’s squad does not contain enough good players to beat Australia here.

“For an Ashes series in England, half of Root’s team would be in contention for a place in a composite XI,” he added. “In Australia, on the basis of the first three Tests, only Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow would get into a composite XI.”

Former England batsmen Geoffrey Boycott said not even the missing Ben Stokes — banned from international duties over an alleged fracas outside an English nightclub — would have made the difference.

“Nothing we have in English cricket would have changed the result. I can’t think of any player at home who could have made so much difference,” he was quoted as saying on the BBC website.

“Ben Stokes would have helped the batting and I would be surprised if he didn’t score runs at some point over here because he’s a good player but we’ve been outplayed.”

Former England Test all-rounder Vic Marks, writing in The Guardian, agreed that England’s troubles did not start with the Stokes incident, highlighting the batting of captain Steve Smith, averaging 142 in the series, as a key strength.

“At the head of the Australian team is the best batsman in the series and probably the best in the world,” he wrote. “Steve Smith has been superb, rescuing his side in Brisbane and forging the match-winning partnership in Perth.”

Former England captain and The Times chief cricket correspondent Michael Atherton said England’s bowlers have paled beside their Australian counterparts.

“While England have relied on two ageing bowlers who spearheaded their last whitewash here — [James] Anderson has done himself justice, [Stuart] Broad has not — Australia have revamped their pace attack completely, through the compelling combination of Josh Hazlewood, five wickets to the good in the second innings, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc — all younger, hungry, vital and fast,” he said.

Anderson has taken 12 wickets in the series so far but Broad has managed just five scalps.

By contrast, Australia’s top four bowlers — Starc, Hazlewood and Cummins plus off-spinner Nathan Lyon — have taken 59 wickets between them.

Former Ashes-winning fast bowler John Snow said England are having trouble unearthing fast bowlers to shake up opposition batsmen.

“Fast bowlers don’t grow on trees,” the 76-year-old told the Press Association. “The wickets used to be better, they’ve got slower here in England for years and years. They’ve been messed about by directives rather than just focusing on producing good, true wickets.

“Fast bowling is about physical ability, physique, the mentality, the coordination. But you’ve got to want to learn how to bowl quick and for it all to slot into place.

“You’ve got to learn how to do it yourself, the coaches don’t bowl the damn thing, the bowler has to bowl it.”

Meanwhile, a 5-0 series whitewash and the playing futures of England veterans Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad were focal among Australia’s reaction to winning back the Ashes on Tuesday.

“Cricket is getting shorter, and not just in the ways intended. It has taken Australia 15 days to regain the Ashes that they lost in 14 days just over two years ago,” The Australian’s Gideon Haigh wrote. “Kudos to the Australians. They have played substantially the better cricket for significantly longer phases.”

Haigh added: “But 3-0 so soon? It leaves the summer’s showpiece Tests, Boxing Day in Melbourne and New Year’s in Sydney with no bearing on the series.”

Catherine McGregor, writing for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, noted: “England has been comprehensively routed. There are no easy or obvious answers to their problems — which now appear to include cascading mental disintegration.

“Another whitewash looms. Their batting and bowling are both deficient.

“Cook is now entering the twilight of his career.” Former cricketer Brett Geeves described the tourists as ‘putrid’.

“England have been putrid. But it’s not just against Australia they’ve been poor. They’ve actually lost their last seven away Test matches in a row, with three of those losses coming by way of an innings defeat,” Geeves wrote for Fox Sports.

The Courier Mail’s Robert Craddock said the true gauge of Australia’s abilities will be when they face South Africa early next year.

“For all of Australia’s dominance in this series, the true measure of their worth as an emerging cricket team will be how they measure up in the four-Test series in South Africa in March,” he said.

“The victorious Ashes campaign has confirmed a lot of the things suspected about this constantly remodelled Australian team.

“Steve Smith is a cut above the rest. It’s remarkable what one brilliant player is capable of.”

The Age’s Greg Baum added: “Australia can be well pleased with this Ashes reclamation, for it was at a level more of a triumph than their previous two successes. They are not yet a great team, but they have done a great thing.”

Pakistan squash academies grooming future champions: Qamar Zaman

Pakistan squash academies grooming future champions: Qamar Zaman

ISLAMABAD: Squash legend Qamar Zaman on Tuesday said it will take up to four years to bring talented youngsters to fore who could play their role in regaining glory for Pakistan in the racquet game.

Talking to APP, Qamar said: “The Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has asked legendary duo of Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan besides myself to work on youth in the academies set up in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore and groom them for the future.

“I am confident that in four years time, talented players from these academies will be ready to represent Pakistan at international level in the best possible way,” he said.

Qamar further added that PSF president Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman is making all-out efforts for the promotion of squash in the country and is providing the best facilities to squash players.

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He said the PSF has sent a letter to the World Squash Federation (WSF), asking them to allow Pakistan to host the 2020 World Junior Squash Championship.

Speaking about the ongoing Pakistan Open Men’s Squash Championship, being played here at the Mushaf Squash Complex, Qamar lauded the PSF for its great efforts in bringing international squash back to the country.

Quirky Smith rises to exalted heights in Ashes triumph

Quirky Smith rises to exalted heights in Ashes triumph

SYDNEY: Steve Smith has broken English hearts and smashed records with his phenomenal Ashes batting and is being acclaimed as the best Australian batsman since the greatest of all, Don Bradman.

That is rarefied company for the quirky 28-year-old skipper, who led Australia to reclaiming the Ashes with an imperious 239 — his highest Test score — in Australia’s mammoth first innings 662 for nine declared in the third Perth Test victory on Monday.

Ashes-winning skipper Smith has almost single-handedly batted Joe Root’s team out of the series, accumulating 426 runs in just four innings at an average of 142, which allowed his bowlers to do the rest.

Smith, whose idiosyncratic style — moving across his stumps as the bowler delivers — flies in the face of cricket’s purists, has a career average of 62.32 from 59 Tests.

That places him second only in Test history to Bradman, whose average of 99.94 at the pinnacle was forged from 1928-48.

Records have tumbled for the cricket-obsessive Smith, who broke into the Test arena as a leg-spin bowling all-rounder batting at number eight in 2010.

Since then Smith has reeled off the milestones to draw comparison with the greatest batsman the game has ever seen.

He has amassed 22 Test centuries, 14 of them in 29 Tests as captain. Bradman made 14 hundreds in 24 Tests as skipper.

Smith is only the fifth Australian captain, one of them being Bradman, to have scored two Ashes double hundreds.

Rival skipper Root has tried everything during the current series to dislodge Smith, to get him out of his ‘bubble’, but to little effect.

Over the 15 days of the one-sided series Smith has batted for more than three full days. He has simply been the difference.

Much has been said about Smith’s unconventional batting technique, in some ways similar to Bradman, who would bring his bat down in a rotary movement.

Smith is similarly unique and possesses rapier-like reflexes. He rarely hits the ball in the air, cutting down risk and making him even harder to set fields against.

“You wouldn’t coach a young player to hold a bat like he does with such a strong bottom hand or move around quite as much,” said ex-England captain Nasser Hussain. “But when his bat comes down in contact with the ball it is full face and his hand-eye coordination is just phenomenal.”

Former Australia captain Mark Taylor added: “At the moment his bat looks six-foot wide. Smith has got an insatiable appetite for runs. You can see when he bats, he gets in that little bubble.”

Such is Smith’s attention to detail that he gets his fiancee Dani Willis to act as a bowling-machine operator in their backyard for extra batting practice.

“He sets everything up and I just load the balls,” she revealed.

Smith is a notorious fidgety character while at the batting crease.

Host broadcaster Channel 9 counted 23 different ticks, fidgets and movements by him during his routine preparation before facing the bowler.

Other maverick moments have come to light during the Ashes series.

At a Perth drinks break while Smith was batting in his 399-ball epic, team support staff brought a chair onto the WACA Ground so Smith could sit down — not to rest, but redress.

As with tennis superstar Rafael Nadal’s fastidious obsession with the precise placement of his water bottles by his courtside chair, Smith also has a peculiarity where he is distracted by the sight of his shoelaces.

Azhar, Hafeez declared fit to play in QAT final in Karachi

Azhar, Hafeez declared fit to play in QAT final in Karachi

Pakistan opener Azhar Ali and middle-order batsman Mohammad Hafeez have both passed their fitness tests and are set to represent SNGPL in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QAT) five-day final scheduled to be played in Karachi starting Thursday.

Azhar, who was an integral part of his team's 2017 Champions Trophy triumph, had picked up a knee injury during a series against Sri Lanka.

But the 32-year-old, having fully recovered from the knock, recently requested a fitness test so he could play in the QAT final and also be reincorporated into the national fold ahead of the upcoming New Zealand tour.

Hafeez, meanwhile, took a break following the Sri Lanka home series and spent time in England to rectify his faulty bowling action which had landed him a fresh one-year ban bowling ban from the International Cricket Council in November.

The duo has, however, proven their fitness, following which they were given the green signal to join their departmental side, which will take on Wapda in the five-day final in Karachi.

If all goes according to plan, Azhar should make the One Day International squad for the tour down under, whereas Hafeez is expected to be included in the Twenty20 International side, as well as the ODI squad.

Dhawan, spinners lead India to series-clinching ODI win over Sri Lanka

Dhawan, spinners lead India to series-clinching ODI win over Sri Lanka

Opener Shikhar Dhawan's blazing century and a decisive spell by their wrist spinners powered India to a series-clinching eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third one-day international on Sunday.

Chasing 216 for victory, India rode on a 135-run partnership between Dhawan (100 not out) and Shreyas Iyer (65) to romp home in 32.1 overs in Visakhapatnam.

Dhawan completed his 12th ODI hundred in 85 balls, his knock laced with 13 fours and two sixes, before taking India to their eighth consecutive ODI series victory since June 2016.

But it was Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal who set up the comprehensive victory after taking three wickets each to help restrict the visitors to 215 all out in 44.5 overs.

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The hosts lost skipper Rohit Sharma early after he was bowled by off-spinner Akila Dananjaya for seven but it was only a minor blemish in an otherwise comfortable chase.

Iyer, who registered his second successive half-century in just his third ODI, combined with Dhawan to take the attack to the opposition bowlers.

Starting with a fast-spin combination of Suranga Lakmal and Akila Dananjaya from either end, the visitors built up some early pressure only to lose steam against the in-form batsmen.

Iyer, who made 88 in the Mohali ODI, hit eight fours and a six during his 63-ball knock before falling to skipper Thisara Perera. The batsman mistimed a pull to be caught at mid-on.

The left-handed Dhawan stayed firm with Dinesh Karthik, who made 26, for company as India bounced back with two straight wins after losing the opener in Dharamsala.

Earlier Sri Lanka had got off to a strong start with opener Upul Tharanga making a 82-ball 95 after the visitors were invited to bat first.

Tharanga's 121-ball second-wicket partnership with Sadeera Samarawickrama, who made 42, was the highlight of the Sri Lankan innings that fell apart from a commanding 136-1.

Leg-spinner Chahal got Samarawickrama, who was included in the XI in place of Lahiru Thirimanne, caught at deep cover to end the stubborn stand.

The in-form Tharanga, who registered his 36th ODI fifty, kept up the pressure with an attacking innings as he passed 1,000 runs in 2017.

But Yadav checked Sri Lanka's surge in the 28th over with a twin strike, denying Tharanga a hundred and then sending Niroshan Dickwella (8) trudging back to the pavilion.

Tharanga, who hit 12 fours and three sixes, was beaten by a tossed-up delivery from the left-arm wrist spinner and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni pulled off a sharp stumping.

Chahal soon joined in to take the key wickets of Angelo Mathews, for 17, and skipper Thisara Perera, for six, as Sri Lanka slipped to 197-6 and failed to survive their full quota of 50 overs.

Meanwhile veteran fast bowler Lasith Malinga continued to be kept out of Sri Lanka's Twenty20 squad that will play three matches against India starting Wednesday in Cuttack.

Failure of stalwarts leaves England on a knife-edge

Failure of stalwarts leaves England on a knife-edge

PERTH: The torrid form of England’s senior players showed no sign of ending on Sunday, as paceman Stuart Broad went wicketless and opener Alastair Cook’s 150th Test was spoilt by another cheap dismissal on day four of the third Ashes Test.

Already 2-0 down in the series, England finished a rain-hit day at the WACA in a precarious position of 132 for four, still trailing Australia by 127 runs with an innings to spare.

Dismissed for seven in the first innings, Cook was caught and bowled for 14 by seamer Josh Hazlewood to continue a dreadful series with the bat.

The former skipper has scored only 83 runs in the series at an average of 13.83, comfortably the worst of England’s specialist batsmen.

Captain Joe Root said prior to the match that he and his senior team-mates needed to lift if England were to claw their way back into the series.

“It probably will take one of the senior players to... really take it on and do something special this game,” the young captain had said.

Root himself was also unable to capitalise on starts of 20 and 14, leaving the unbeaten pair of Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow to rescue the team again after they combined in a first innings stand of 237 runs.

“If [Cook and Root] don’t score runs, you expect them next innings to score runs,” England number three James Vince told reporters after a knock of 55, having fallen to an unplayable Mitchell Starc delivery that jagged back into his stumps.

“They’ve shown over their careers that they often don’t have long periods without scoring runs.”

England have long relied on Cook and Root to lay a solid foundation, so the lack of runs from the duo has put a heavy burden on the inexperienced trio of opener Mark Stoneman, Vince and Malan.

The tourists also have struggled with their bowling.

Veteran James Anderson (4-116) battled hard but his long-time pace partner Broad finished wicketless for 142 runs on Sunday, his worst ever test bowling figures.

The 31-year-old has not collected a five-wicket haul in 22 Test matches since January, 2016.

England have few other options. Fellow seamer Craig Overton may be sidelined for the rest of the series with a broken rib, leaving right-arm seamer Jake Ball in reserve.

Ball was dropped after poor returns of 1-77 and 0-38 during the first Test in Brisbane.

The bowling concerns have also extended to all-rounder Moeen Ali, whose off-spin produced figures of 1-120 on Sunday. For the series, he has only managed three wickets at a miserable 105.33 apiece.

He has been equally ineffective with the bat, scoring just 105 runs at an average of 21.00.

The responsibility to produce ‘something special’ that Root demanded from his senior team mates will now fall to Malan and Bairstow on day five.

Lukaku, Lingard lift nervy United past West Brom

Lukaku, Lingard lift nervy United past West Brom

LONDON: Manchester United survived a tense finale to beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 at the Hawthorns on Sunday and close to within 11 points of Premier League leaders Manchester City.

United’s former West Brom striker Romelu Lukaku scored his 15th goal of the season in the 27th minute by heading home Marcus Rashfords left-wing cross.

Midfielder Jesse Lingard doubled the lead with a deflected shot from the edge of the penalty area eight minutes later.

But what looked destined to be a comfortable win became tense when Gareth Barry prodded home a goal for the hosts following a corner in the 77th minute.

United hung on , however, to reclaim outright possession of second place after Chelsea moved level on points on Saturday after beating Southampton 1-0 thanks to Marcos Alonso’s free kick in first-half stoppage time.

The performance of Saturday, though, came from City who demolished Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 and leave the rest of the Premier League peering into the distance in search of Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking team.

Tottenham, who began the day fourth, were supposed to provide a proper test but, just like City’s previous 15 opponents, were outclassed as goals by Ilkay Gundogan before halftime and Kevin de Bruyne and two from Raheem Sterling.

With the title race turning into a lengthy coronation for City, it would be easy for the leaders to take their eye off the ball, but they were always in control against a Tottenham team who once again flopped in an away game against top-six opponents.

Germany midfielder Gundogan put City in front in the 14th minute with a stooping header from Leroy Sane’s cross.

De Bruyne made it two with a blistering finish from Gundogan’s pass in the 70th minute.

Gabriel Jesus squandered a chance to make it three when the City forward hit the post with a penalty awarded for Jan Vertonghen’s foul on De Bruyne.

But Sterling scored with an 80th minute tap-in and then punished a mistake by Tottenham’s Eric Dier to claim his 15th goal of the season.

Christian Eriksen’s stoppage-time goal for Tottenham couldn’t take the gloss off another City masterclass.

“We played really good to beat one of the strongest teams in the Premier League,” Guardiola said. “Since August we are so happy and I admire the most the way we play without the ball. We are on a good streak.”

City’s 16th successive win took them to 52 points, one game short of the halfway point of the season.

Mesut Ozil’s stunning strike fired Arsenal to a 1-0 success against Newcastle United that lifted the Gunners to fourth with 33 points, five points behind Chelsea, while Burnley are fifth, a further point back, after a 0-0 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion for whom Glenn Murray missed a penalty.

Tottenham tumbled down to seventh behind Liverpool on goal difference.

There were two big movers at the bottom with Crystal Palace winning 3-0 at Leicester City and West Ham United doing the same at Stoke City to move out of the relegation zone into 14th and 15th places respectively. Stoke are 17th.

Nine cricket pitches rooted out to build sports complex

Nine cricket pitches rooted out to build sports complex

LAHORE: Nine newly-laid cricket pitches at the only cricketing venue of old Lahore at the Iqbal Park Sports Complex have been rooted out to build a sports complex there.

Only last year the Lahore Region Cricket Association and Sports Board Punjab with joint efforts had laid down nine pitches to complete a three-year-old promise of the Punjab government after digging out all the 18 pitches there to build the Greater Iqbal Park.

Many of the 18 pitches had been there before the independence of the country in 1947. However, when a newer project came in even the nine new pitches were removed, depriving the following nine cricket clubs of any net practice: Muslim Gymkhana, Youngsters Club, Free Batters, Faiz Bagh, Crescent Club, Akhtar Abdur Rehman Club, Victorious Club, Mehboob Park and Ravi Gymkhana.

Interestingly, there is no cricket ground available to any club after this development from Shahdara to Chauburji, a distance of almost 10 kms.

Meanwhile, Anis Sheikh, Director, Sports Board Punjab, said that the board had financially contributed in preparing the nine cricket pitches. However, he admitted that now under the direction of the prime minister, 12 sports complexes were being built in Lahore, under the supervision of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), one of which was being built in place of the cricket pitches. But he added that the LDA had made a commitment with the Sports Board of Punjab to accommodate the cricket clubs in the Sports Complex by allotting them some space to continue their net practice.

‘Spain in danger of missing World Cup’

‘Spain in danger of missing World Cup’

MADRID: Suspended president of the Spanish football federation Angel Maria Villar, who is under investigation for corruption, tried on Monday to stoke up fears that the country could be kicked out of next year’s World Cup in Russia because of government interference.

Villar, who is free on bail, spoke at a news conference and again denied any wrongdoing. He also blamed the government for meddling in the federation’s affairs by suspending him.

“This government is putting Spain’s participation in the World Cup at risk,” the 67-year-old Villar said in his first news conference since being arrested in July along with his son, Gorka Villar, and two other officials.

“The risk is serious,” Villar said. “The only party responsible for Spain not going to the World Cup will be the Spanish government. All member federations have to administer their affairs in an independent manner and ensure that there is no interference from third parties.”

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FIFA said on Friday that “a joint FIFA-UEFA delegation will be sent to Madrid shortly to monitor and assess the situation in the association”.

FIFA made no mention of a possible suspension of the federation, which could keep Spain out of next year’s World Cup or even knock Real Madrid and Barcelona out of the Champions League.

Villar, who has spent time behind bars to impede the possible destruction of evidence, and the other three officials are being investigated for alleged improper management, misappropriation of funds, corruption and falsifying documents.

Villar resigned his vice presidencies of both FIFA and UEFA following his arrest. But he tried to stay on as the head of Spanish federation, a post he held for three decades.

His refusal to listen to pleas for him to step down led the Spanish government to suspend him from the post for one year pending the outcome of the investigation. Court documents allege that besides misappropriated funds, Villar is suspected of corrupting several regional federations by offering favours in exchange for votes.

Villar fired back at the government, saying his suspension had broken FIFA rules since it represented interference in the federation’s management.

“It’s easy to see that the source of concern was my arbitrary and unjustified removal from the presidency of the federation and for not respecting the presumption of innocence,” Villar said, adding that other teams are ready to take Spain’s place at the World Cup.

However, there has been little concern shown in Spain both by leading politicians and those involved in the game.

“I can’t contemplate this scenario. I am absolutely convinced that Spain will go to the World Cup in Russia and, moreover, they will win it,” said Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.

Ahmed overcomes Indian opponent to advance in tennis tournament

Ahmed overcomes Indian opponent to advance in tennis tournament

ISLAMABAD: Ahmed Chaudhry advanced to the second round of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International ITF Futures Tennis Tournament after beating Indian Jatin Dahiya here at the Islamabad Tennis Complex on Monday.

Results (prefix number denotes seeding):

Men’s singles (first round): Ivan Ponomarenko (Russia) bt Dmitry Myagkov (Russia) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1; Kristian Lozan (Russia) bt Gleb Alekseenko (Ukraine) 6-1, 6-4; Ahmed Chaudhry (Pakistan) bt Jatin Dahiya (India) 6-7 (3-7), 6-1, 6-1; Ergi Kirkin (Turkey) bt Mohammad Abid 6-1, 7-5.

Men’s doubles (first round): Paramveer Sing/Ajay Pruthvi (both India) bt Sikandar Hayat Qureshi/Hayat Saqib (both Pakistan) 6-1, 6-3; Anurag Newwani/Jayesh Pungliya (both India) bt Asad Mehmood Khan/Fahad Mehmood Khan (both Pakistan) 6-2, 4-0; Peter Goldsteiner (Austria)/Julian Onken (Germany) bt Muzammil Murtaza (Pakistan)/Luka Pavlovic (France) 6-4, 6-3; Gleb Alekseenko (Ukraine)/Ivan Ponomarenko (Russia) bt Mohammad Wagas Malik (Canada)/Mudassir Murtaza (Pakistan) 6-7 (5-7) 6-2, 10-5.

PHF keen to hire foreign coach as Farhat calls it quits

PHF keen to hire foreign coach as Farhat calls it quits

LAHORE: National hockey coach and Olympian Farhat Khan has resigned from his post, citing other pressing assignments including his duties as a Customs official.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has started making efforts to hire his replacement, possibly a foreign coach, for the national team.

Talking to Dawn, Farhat confirmed that he had informed about his decision to the PHF President Brig. (retd.) Sajjad Khokhar who has accepted his decision and has relieved him.

“I have been promoted in my Customs department and finding it difficult to spare much time for coaching,” said Farhat. “But I am still available for the PHF for any other assignment for which I can spare time easily.”

Farhat was appointed as head coach in July this year in place of Khawaja Junaid after the dismal performance of the Pakistan team in the World Hockey League. Pakistan did manage to qualify for the next year’s World Cup but not on their performance but mainly due to the revised rules of FIH which increased the number of the participating countries from 12 to 16 in its 2018 edition, which will be held in India.

Farhat, during his stint with the team, however failed to perform any miracles. Pakistan finished at third place in the continental contest of Asia Cup held in Bangladesh last September .

“It is not an easy job to prepare a formidable team for international contests because although our players have the talent, they lack in commitment, passion and hard work which are the basic factors that could make help a team become world beaters,” Farhat said.

“But my best wishes are with the Pakistan team and hopefully the PHF will devise solid plans and strategies that could bring success for the team in the future,” Farhat said.

He said World Cup was not far away and efforts should be launched on war-footing to ensure the national team’s success in the mega event.

Meanwhile, when contacted PHF president Khokhar said he had accepted Farhat’s request to relieve him from the job and the federation would soon be annou­ncing the new set up of the team.

To a question, Sajjad said the PHF was considering some foreign coaches for the job and would announce the final name soon. “The PHF has been trying to put the national game on track and the decision on the next coach will be purely taken on merit,” he said.

When asked if the foreign coaches being considered for the job had coached any national team of any country in the past, the PHF president said at this moment he could not disclose any information as nothing had been finalised.

To a question he admitted that a high-profile coach was essential to take guard of the national team and hopefully the PHF would soon done a deal with a suitable one.

There are reports that former captain of German hockey team Christine Blunck has also been approached and is most likely to be the next head coach of Pakistan hockey team.

Blunck led the German team to a gold medal in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. However, he has never coached any team from any country but as a player he enjoyed a very good reputation.

Blunck had toured Pakistan in May last year to meet the hockey players who had played during his playing days in the 1990s, among them current the PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmad, Tahir Zaman and many others. Blunck visited Lahore on the invitation of Shahbaz Senior.