SPORTS 15
Thursday, 11 February, 2016
Pakistan to be Provided comPlete security in india: bcci Sunderland’s Johnson admits child sex charge LoNDoN Agencies
Sunderland’s England international winger Adam Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child and one count of grooming at his under-age sex trial on Wednesday. The 28-year-old player, capped 12 times by England, continues to deny two other charges of sexual activity with a girl aged under 16. Johnson appeared in the dock at Bradford Crown Court in northern England. He was accompanied by a female police officer. He was initially suspended by Sunderland following his arrest in March last year, but has since returned to action and scored in their 2-2 draw at Liverpool in the Premier League last Saturday. Johnson began his career with Middlesbrough and returned to his native northeast in 2012 when he joined Sunderland from Manchester City in a £10 million deal.
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OARD of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur has assured all teams of the ‘highest’ security amid reports that Pakistan has proposed to play its World Twenty20 matches at a neutral venue. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan on Monday said a proposal was given to play their World Twenty20 matches on neutral venues next month in the event that the government does not allow the team to tour India. India host the ICC World Twenty20 from March 8 to April 3 but Pakistan’s participation is sub-
ject to government clearance as there are specific threats, Khan said. “We have told the International Cricket Council now and before as well, the decision (to tour India) is with the government and it will consider if there is a specific Pakistan oriented security threat,” Khan told media. But according to Thakur, the BCCI was well equipped to host a world event and added that ‘no country should feel insecure.’ “Pakistan is one among those 16 teams and the Indian government will provide complete security to all the teams. I think all the qualifying teams should come and participate
in the World Cup. India is ready and if any country has some issues then they need to decide about it,” Thakur was quoted as saying by Times of India. “BCCI will organise the World Cup in the nicest possible way and will provide every team with highest protection. Earlier also we have hosted many World Cups and international matches and I don’t think any country should feel insecure here.” 2009 champion Pakistan will take on the Group A winner in Kolkata on March 16, before locking horns with traditional rival India in Dharamsala on March 19. Its remaining two matches will be in Mohali against New Zealand and Australia on March 22 and 25, respectively. First round (group winners to progress to second round) Group A Bangladesh, Netherlands, Ireland and Oman Group B Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and Afghanistan Second round groups Super 10 Group 1 Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, England and winner group B (Q1B) Super 10 Group 2 India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and winner group A (Q1A). Agencies
South Africa include Steyn in World T20 squad SportS DeSk Dale Steyn will lead South Africa’s World T20 attack, subject to his regaining full fitness. Steyn sat out six of South Africa’s eight Tests this summer and broke down in the two that he played, first with a groin injury and then a shoulder niggle from which he is still recovering. He has not played any part in the ongoing ODI series against England and will not play the T20 series either, but should return for the T20 series against Australia in the build-up to the tournament. The rest of the pace pack has a fresh look about it with Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott the frontline quicks and Morne Morkel, who has not been part of the T20 set-up since the series against New Zealand last August, missing out. Chris Morris and David Wiese provide the two seam-bowling all-round options. Albie Morkel, who was part of South Africa’s last T20 squad in India and was due to play in ODIs against England before he was injured, was also left out. There are two specialist spinners in Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso,
who was preferred over Eddie Leie, and seven batsmen including two wicket-keeping options in AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock. De Villiers was tasked with opening the batting and keeping in South Africa’s most recent T20 matches against India even though de Kock was also in the squad. De Kock sat out those matches but, having regained form in recent weeks, is certain to be included in starting XIs at the World T20. That may mean South Africa’s plan of using de Villiers in the top two and behind the stumps is scuppered and de Kock will assume that role with de Villiers moving down the order. An experienced middle-order made up of captain Faf du Plessis, de Villiers and JP Duminy will likely leave room for only one of Farhaan Behardien or Rilee Rossouw, with an allrounder to follow. Albie Morkel was being primed for that role and took 3 for 12 on international return in Cuttack last October but has since suffered a back injury that has kept him out of the England ODIs. Morris, the IPL’s newest dollar millionaire, and Wiese will compete for a spot with Rabada, Steyn and Ab-
bott forming the core of the attack. There may only be space for two of them at a time if South Africa play both Tahir and Phangiso, although they may also call on Duminy’s offspin as an additional slower bowling option. Phangiso was not part of the squad that played T20s in India but he did play in the ODI series there, which South Africa won 3-2. He made headlines for his behaviour on the way home when
he was prevented from boarding a flight from Dubai to Johannesburg because he had insulted airline personnel after overindulging in alcohol. News of Phangiso’s indiscretions only broke mid-January in the Afrikaans newspaper. CSA confirmed they had sanctioned Phangiso, although they did not make public what his punishment was, but said it did not involve leaving him out of national squads.
PSL FixtureS YESTERDAY 9TH MATCH: LAHORE QALANDARS 166/6 ISLAMABAD UNITED 169/2 (15.5/20 OV) AT SHARJAH ON FEB 10, 2016 ISLAMABAD UNITED WON BY 8 WICKETS (WITH 25 BALLS REMAINING)
TODAY 10TH MATCH: KARACHI KINGS V PESHAWAR ZALMI AT SHARJAH ON FEB 11, 2016
(15:30 LOCAL | 11:30 GMT) 11TH MATCH: ISLAMABAD UNITED V QUETTA GLADIATORS AT SHARJAH ON FEB 11, 2016
(20:00 LOCAL | 16:00 GMT)
Melo supportive of Phil Jackson; adds he’s ‘immune to all the B.S.’ SportS DeSk Carmelo Anthony is committed to the Phil Jackson plan even if the Knicks’ future appears a bit murky at the moment. “This is something I didn’t see coming, [that] nobody saw coming,” Anthony said, referring to Jackson’s decision to fire Derek Fisher. “So you have to continue to put your trust into Phil. At this point, what could you do? Can’t shy away from that. Can’t go against it. So for me, it’s continue. I have to trust in it. I decided to stay here. I decided to make that decision to trust in the Knicks and trust in Phil. I have to continue doing that.” Media reported that Anthony won’t ask for a trade as the lurching Knicks (23-32) remain a long shot to reach the postseason. By all early accounts, Anthony is happy to play for interim coach Kurt Rambis as much as he did for Fisher. Or at least Melo is keeping things in perspective. “Yeah, I mean, I done been through worse. I done been through worse,” Anthony said. “At this point, you become kind of immune to all the B.S. that goes on and the politics. You become immune to that. So my goal is to continue playing basketball, focus on the group of guys that I have in there and leave that faith to management, to the front office.”
Former cricketer - engineer Khalid Qureshi passes away LAHore sTAFF RePORT
Former cricketer Khalid Qureshi who toured with Pakistan Test Cricket team under Abdul Hafeez Kardar in 1952 to India -as left arm leg spinner-passed away on Tuesday. He was one of the few survivors of the first Pakistan Test Squad who toured India in 1952. Khalid Qureshi was Chief Engineer WAPDA who went to Saudi Arabia on deputation and worked on important assignments. He has left behind a widow -Shareen Khalid, three children -all foreign qualified medical doctors including Dr Furrukh Qureshi (based in UK), Dr Huma Qureshi and Dr Aliya Qureshi. His Rasm-e-Qul will be held on Thursday at his residence: 249A/3,Gulberg 3, near Firdous Market, Lahore between Asr and Maghrab prayer.
DURHAM ARE BIG LOSERS AFTER IPL AUCTION SportS DeSk Durham are the big losers among the sides in the First Division of the Championship after the IPL auction as they contemplate life without their strapping Australian allrounder John Hastings. Not only will they lose Hastings for the duration of IPL, he is now in so much demand that he is likely to have shoulder surgery immediately after the campaign which could exclude him from the entire Championship season. It is a major blow for Durham, who have limited funds available and who had in Hastings one of the best-value overseas players on the circuit. Hastings took 76 wickets in all competitions for Durham in 2016 as well as chipping in with sturdy late-order runs. That form, though, has attracted attention from Australia, who drafted him
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into their ODI squad against England last summer to address a mounting injury crisis and then gave him a Test debut against South Africa in Perth as he turned 30. An eye-catching spell in the Big Bash, where he finished as the leading wicket taker, suggests he will be in Australia’s plans for the World Twenty20 Championships in India next month as well as winning him a $100,000 contract in IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders, much to Durham’s dismay. Then came news of a planned shoulder operation, with the English season the one to suffer. “He’s going to need surgery followed by some period of rehab which is going to take him out of all if not most of our season,” said Jon Lewis, Durham’s coach. “He’s a difficult guy to fill. It comes down to finding the person who can fulfil
the roles he did for us in terms of the overs that he bowled. In the white ball stuff he’s one of the leading bowlers. “Last year I was concerned with overworking young seamers but they are now a year older and maybe we can look to get more out of them.” Durham have explored the possibility of signing Kagiso Rabada, but Rabada would not be prepared to fulfil the longterm, onerous responsibilities carried by Hastings. The list of available batsmen is considerably larger than potential seam bowlers, which might force a shift in policy, although a quick perusal of the IPL unsold list suggests that Durham could take a punt on someone like the bullish South African Hardus Viljoen. They have also been in talks with Shoaib Malik, the former Pakistan allrounder, but he would be more likely to fill an overseas role in the NatWest Blast.