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SPORTS 15
Tuesday, 16 October, 2018
FINAL TEST
austraLIa target FIrst asIa serIes wIn sInCe 2011 PAKISTAN LOOK TO MAKE UP FOR LOST OPPORTUNITY IN FIRST TEST
SPORTS DESK
ABU DHABI
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AGENCIES
IM Paine's Australia are confident after their thrilling draw in Dubai, and the pressure will be on Sarfraz Ahmed's Pakistan to make the most of home conditions and wrap up the series. Australia’s great escape in the first Test in Dubai was one for the ages, but Pakistan will be looking at it as an opportunity lost. Their proud record of never having lost a series in their adopted home in the United Arab Emirates since 2009 was broken when Sri Lanka visited last, winning 2-0. The hosts will want to sort that record out. In the drawn Test in Dubai, Pakistan can be accused of not pressing for the win when the Australians were down. But there are few individual performances that can be faulted. They had contributions with the bat through the order, while their bowlers asked all the right questions with both reverse swing and spin. The pressure will be on captain Sarfraz Ahmed, who after the Asia Cup disappointment, wouldn’t want to apologise to the fans again. They have been forced to make a change, with opener Imam-ul-Haq fracturing his finger. Azhar Ali could come up the order in his place and will be hoping to rediscover his form. "The key to batting will be to be patient and look for opportunities to score and try and absorb the pressure," Ali said. "It is the key even when you are
facing the new ball or batting in any time of the day. The important thing is to stay focused and try and believe that once you get a good knock behind you, things will start rolling again." Australia’s fighting draw hid some chinks they will want to iron out quickly. The middle order still looks shaky, with the Marsh brothers not making contributions of note in the first Test. It could mean a shake-up in the batting order, Paine said. There were also some concerns with the fitness of Mitchell Starc, although the bowler himself has dismissed suggestions that he needs a rest. Starc and fellow pacer Peter Siddle had a considerable workload in the first innings, but they weren’t always as effec-
tive as Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas. But in Usman Khawaja, who made a record-breaking fourth-innings century, they have a template of how to tackle the spin attack and the assurance that with some application, their plans do work. And if they do work, the reward is huge: a rare win in Asia. Said Paine, "Not many people gave us a chance over here which a great opportunity to prove people wrong. It's a great thing to keep driving us. We are trying to get better every day and if we manage to play our best next week, then maybe that's possible." Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas and Mitchell Marsh of Australia are the two key players in the second Test.
CONDITIONS: Sunny skies are expected in Abu Dhabi with temperatures of around 33°C. Players were greeted with a green top a couple of days before the Test, but that might not last, and the surface is expected to aid spin as usual. TEAMS: Australia: Tim Paine (capt), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Aaron Finch, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Azhar Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Yasir Shah, Shadab Khan, Bilal Asif, Mohammad Abbas, Mir Hamza
Sri Lankan legend Jayasuriya charged in anti-corruption probe DUBAI AGENCIES
Dashing former Sri Lankan batsman and ex-chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya has been charged for not cooperating with a match-fixing probe and concealing information, the International Cricket Council said Monday. "The International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged Jayasuriya on two counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) and have given him 14 days to respond," the ICC said in a statement. Jayasuriya, 49, was reportedly asked to
afghan cricketer smashes six sixes in one over
cooperate with an inquiry from ACU chief Alex Marshall who visited Sri Lanka last week. "The charges include failure or refusal, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the ACU, including failure to provide accurately and completely any information and/or documentation requested by the ACU as part of such investigation," the ICC said. The other count included "obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may
be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code". The ICC´s ACU is acting on the lead given in a sting operation in a documentary by the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television earlier this year. The documentary revealed how fixers rigged two Test matches between Sri Lanka and India in July last year and Sri Lanka versus Australia in August 2016. Jayasuriya played 110 Tests, 445 one-day internationals and 31 Twenty20s for Sri Lanka and was also a former captain during his illustrious career between 1989-2011.
Afghan 20-year-old Hazratullah Zazai joined a select group of cricketers on Sunday by smashing six sixes in an over in a domestic tournament. Opening the batting for Kabul Zwanan against Balkh Legends in the Afghanistan Premier League Twenty20 tournament, Zazai tore into left-arm spinner Abdullah Mazari in the fourth over of the innings to take 37 runs, including a wide delivery. Zazai became the sixth player, and only the third in Twenty20s, to hit six sixes in an over. Garry Sobers, Ravi Shastri, Herschelle Gibbs, Yuvraj Singh and Ross Whiteley have also achieved the feat. "It is a proud, unforgettable moment for me," Zazai said. "It is a very enjoyable moment for me that my name is now linked to so many big names of the game, who are really legends of the game." Zazai also equalled the record for the fastest half-century in the T20 format when he reached the mark in 12 balls, a record previously held by Yuvraj and West Indian Chris Gayle. However, Zazai´s 62 off 17 balls was not enough to claim victory for his side as the Legends won by 21 runs after posting 2446 built on Gayle´s 80 off 48 balls. "It was a surreal moment for me to perform in front of my idol (Gayle)," said Zazai, who has played two one-day internationals and three T20 matches for Afghanistan. "I was just trying to play my natural game and did not in any way think of outshining anyone."
LHC accepts Sharjeel Khan’s petition to drop name from ECL LAHORE STAFF REPORT
Batsman Sharjeel Khan’s petition to have his name removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) was accepted by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday. The hearing to consider the maintainability of the petition was overseen by Justice Shahid Waheed. According to the petition, Sharjeel’s name was illegally placed on the ECL because of which he could not visit his brother in
Dubai nor perform Umrah. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Ministry of Interior are the respondents in the case. Sharjeel’s petition was previously declared non-maintainable by the high court office but this was overturned by the LHC. An Anti-Corruption Unit of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had enforced a five-year ban on Sharjeel for spot-fixing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
South Africa's World Cup plans take shape CAPE TOWN AGENCIES
Fakhar Zaman set to make test debut ABU DHABI: Fakhar Zaman will replace injured Imam-ul-Haq as Pakistan’s opening batsman in the second Test against Australia to be played here from October 16. This will be Fakhar’s first Test match for the national side. The batsman is coming of a disappointing performance during the recently held Asia Cup. Imam was ruled out of the second test after he injured his finger during the Dubai match. He has been advised three weeks rest following his surgery. The left-hand opener performed well in the first Test scoring 76 and 46. Pakistan let the first test slip from the grasp drawing with Australia. AGENCIES
South Africa's time for experimentation ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup is coming to an end, according to coach Ottis Gibson. Speaking after rain washed out his team's final Twenty20 international against Zimbabwe in Benoni on Sunday, Gibson said a short limited overs tour of Australia, starting later this month, would be a crucial part of the build-up to next year's World Cup in England. "We want to go there with an attitude of trying to win," said Gibson. "The squad that we pick will reflect that and reflect our feeling on the formula and the way we want to play cricket." South Africa were seldom under pressure in three limited overs and two Twenty20 internationals against Zimbabwe but tried to play the kind of positive cricket that will be needed for more de-
manding encounters. "There is a lot being said about being positive. The key is having the will to stick with it even when things get tough," said Gibson.
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The Barbados-born coach said leading batsman Hashim Amla would miss the tour of Australia because of a finger injury but indicated that veteran bowlers Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir would make the
trip, adding to the strike power of fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. "I know what Rabada and Ngidi can do but for me the real excitement was watching Dale Steyn bowling in the second game in Bloemfontein," he said. "It was fantastic to see him back to that level again, bowling quickly with that skill and accuracy." "There are a lot of guys we have in our thoughts who will be in the squad to Australia," said Gibson. "For the last 12 months we have been looking at players. In the next couple of months, the players have been told that the window is closing all the time." After three one-day internationals in Australia, South Africa will have five-match home series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. "In those series we want to be focusing on a core of 17 to 18 players we will be looking at," he said. South Africa's squad for Australia will be announced on Thursday.