Friday, 24 July, 2015
ODI fuND plaNNeD tO help assOcIate NatIONs PSG TOO SHARP FOR FIORENTINA IN INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP French champions PSG had too much firepower for Fiorentina in their pre-season International Champions Cup clash in New Jersey, coming out 4-2 winners. French international Blaise Matuidi opened the scoring 10 minutes before half-time, sweeping the ball into the net after a sharp cut-back from Dutch right-back Gregory van der Wiel. Six minutes later Matuidi turned provider, feeding the ball to youngster Jean-Kevin Augustin inside the area for him to turn it into the net with a first-time shot. Spanish winger Joaquin halved the deficit on the hour mark with a fierce 30-yard strike but zlatan Ibrahimovic soon got in on the act, restoring PSG’S twogoal lead with a side-foot volley from Lucas Moura’s cross. There was still time for another goal for both sides as Kevin Augustin got his second, and PSG’s fourth, before the injury-plagued Giuseppe Rossi who was born in New Jersey - pulled one back for Fiorentina from the penalty spot 10 minutes from the end. SPORTS DESK
ROMAIN BARDET BRILLIANCE GIVES FRANCE A SECOND WIN
Frenchman Romain Bardet moved into the top ten and delivered a second victory to the host nation after soloing to success in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in stage 18 of the Tour de France. Bardet, the pencil-thin 24-year-old climber from Ag2R-La Mondiale, attacked from a breakaway near the summit of the Col du Glandon before delivering a downhill masterclass to open up a gap of 40 seconds ahead of the showpiece final climb of the Lacets de Montvernier. Despite a spirited chase led by fellow Frenchman Pierre Rolland (Europcar), Bardet extended his lead on the 18 twisting hairpin bends to the summit. He then held his nerve on the run into the Maurienne valley to beat compatriot Rolland by 33 seconds and secure the biggest win of his career in the 186.5km stage from Gap. Colombian Winner Anacona (Movistar) led a chasing trio containing Bob Jungels (Trek Factory Racing) and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) across the line 59 seconds down on Bardet after being dropped by Rolland after the final summit, 10km from the finish. SPORTS DESK
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CC chief executive David Richardson has said that profitability of fixtures for broadcasters has been a stumbling block for getting top Associates Ireland and Afghanistan fixtures since their inclusion in the ICC ODI rankings table earlier this year. However, he said that the possible creation of an ODI facilitation fund could help alleviate these obstacles. “It’s a fact that even matches between the lower-ranked Full Members, like zimbabwe versus Sri Lanka for example, don’t make revenues so that the series are making a profit or if it does it’s making a very small profit,” Richardson said at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in Malahide. “You can imagine series between Afghanistan and the West Indies also cost a lot and the revenues might not necessarily be enough to cover those costs. “One of the talking points or suggestions that is being considered, and in October we’re having a joint meeting between our chief executives committee and the board on which there will be six representatives from the Associate members taking part in that discussion, will be trying to make sure that Full Members take some responsibility in scheduling fixtures against Associate members and if finances are a problem that we think of introducing an ODI fund similar to the Test fund that was introduced to help subsidise the costs of those series.” Richardson also said it is possible for Full Member countries to be forced to participate in future World Twenty20 Qualifiers. If Bangladesh or zimbabwe finish outside the top eight spots on the ODI rankings table by September 2017, they will have to compete in the 50-over World Cup Qualifier with Associates for the final two spots in the 10-team event for 2019. That could be the case in the future for the ICC’s flagship T20 tournament as well. “When we put the package together for this next eight-year cycle, it was envisaged that we raise the profile of these qualifying tournaments, number one by making it crucial for qualification but also involving the Full Members, not excluding them from having to participate in these qualifying tournaments going forward. The objective to that is not only to make them self-sufficient and generate some more revenues for everybody for the development of the game but also just to raise the profile of these countries. “Before, for Holland, if they got to the World Cup they got a bit of profile. If
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they just missed out, they lost out on that. If we can raise the profile of these tournaments, and you’ve seen evenly matched teams provides for good entertainment, it will raise that profile. It is good for cricket in those countries as well, even if they don’t end up going to the tournament itself.” As for the ODI rankings table, if zimbabwe were to dip below Afghanistan or Ireland, they may still be protected due to their Full Member status while the lowerranked Associate would have a play-off with the top team in the WCL Championship for promotion into the ODI rankings table. Richardson conceded that this wasn’t meritocratic but that zimbabwe had earned their status through historical performances, which needed to be taken into consideration. “At this stage the board, all they’ve agreed to do is say that it’s the lowest ranked Associate member who would play-off,” Richardson said. “At this stage we have got this distinction between Full Members and Associate members. I think long term, that distinction will eventually vanish but its really long term and not in the foreseeable future. A proper promotion and relegation would mean that the bottom ranked team would have to play off but that’s not the situation we’ve got. I think it’s a process and we’re working towards something.” Explaining the decision to move the World Twenty20 from a two- to a four-year cycle, Richardson argued it was done so as not to “kill the golden goose”. The increasing popularity of other domestic T20 tournaments such as the IPL, Big Bash and Caribbean Premier League were also factors. “I think the World T20 is valuable and if you play it too often it will become less valuable,” Richardson said. “We also have to recognise that around the world we have these domestic Twenty20 leagues which are high profile, are
very attractive to broadcasters and it’s a case of there’s premium content out there and probably less is more.” A reduced tournament cycle means Associate nations will have fewer competitive and funding opportunities in a quadrennial World T20 cycle than the biennial tournament structure that was previously in place. However, Richardson claimed Associates will be better funded in other ways to make up for the loss in playing opportunities. “When it comes to funding for Associate members, it needs to be looked at not only in respect of participation fees,” Richardson said. “The bottom line is that a country like Ireland, with the projected revenues that the ICC is hoping to achieve over the next eight-year cycle, a doubling of the participation fee will be dwarfed by the increased funding Ireland will receive as one of the top Associate members.” Richardson commended the two host countries Ireland and Scotland for the job they have been doing in hosting the World Twenty20 Qualifier over the past two weeks. When asked what it would take to assign the World Twenty20 itself to an emerging market, similar to what World Rugby has done in awarding the 2019 Rugby World Cup to Japan, Richardson said that profitability would be the most important factor both from a gate revenue and television rights standpoint. “I don’t think it’s impossible to imagine. What we have to consider when awarding events is number one, will it at least optimise the revenues. So is it in the correct time zone, will sponsors want to get involved knowing that there’s an event in these particular places in the next four or five years? So that’s a factor that needs to be taken into consideration. At the moment we are too reliant on revenues generated out of India. It’s a problem for the game. Everybody says it.
Asmir Begovic conceded four second-half goals on his Chelsea debut as the Blues suffered a humiliating 4-2 loss at the hands of a second-string New York Red Bulls side in the International Champions Cup at the Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls - currently sitting third in the Eastern Conference – claimed one of the biggest wins in the club’s history despite coach Jesse Marsh naming a squad consisting of second string and academy players. In contrast, Chelsea had plenty of experienced players on show and led 1-0 at half-time courtesy of a well-taken goal from Loic Remy on 27 minutes. However, Jose Mourinho’s side spectacularly collapsed in the second period, conceding four goals including three in an eight-minute period. Disaster struck for Chelsea five minutes after the restart when John Terry a second-half substitute – played a short back pass and Franklin Castellanos took advantage, beating Begovic to the ball and sliding into an empty net. KEY MOMENTS 27’ - GOAL - New York Red Bulls 0-1 Chelsea! Remy powers the ball home after meeting Oscar’s pass in space. Moses was also involved. Nice goal but poor defending. 40’ - SITTER! The ball is played across the face of goal and all Remy has to do is keep the ball low to grab his second of the game but he connects with his knee and the shot goes well over the bar. You will not see an easier chance this season! 50 - GOAL - New York Red Bulls 1-1 Chelsea! The hosts have equalised, Castellanos latching onto a really poor back pass from Terry, beating Begovic to the ball and tapping into an empty net. 69’ - GOAL - New York Red Bulls 2-1 Chelsea! Incredible, Chelsea are behind as 16-year-old Tyler Adams heads the Red Bulls in front! 73’ - GOAL - New York Red Bulls 3-1 Chelsea! Oh my goodness, this is humiliating. Davis passes the ball into the back of the net after the Blues fail to clear a cross. 75’ - GOAL - New York Red Bulls 3-2 Chelsea! The visitors respond immediately through Hazard who rifles the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the penalty area from a well-worked free-kick. 77’ - GOAL, GOAL, GOAL! New York Red Bulls 4-2 Chelsea! This is unbelievable, Red Bulls have their fourth! Ramires makes a mess of his clearance and the ball falls to Davis who smashes the ball past a helpless Begovic. TALKING POINT: Oh dear, oh dear Chelsea. Make no mistake, this was a strong Chelsea side which suffered defeat in the most embarrassing of ways to a secondstring New York Red Bulls side. The English champions defence was all over the place in the second-half and they could have conceded more than four goals on the day. As well as the disastrous defending, Mourinho will also be disappointed with his side’s finishing as Remy and Diego Costa missed a host of chances. MAN OF THE MATCH: Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls): A day the 16-year-old defender will never forget. Adams is still in high school, but he won’t have to worry about his homework should he fulfil his potential.
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Usain Bolt gives up beloved chicken nuggets to prolong career SPORTS DESK Jamaican sprinting sensation Usain Bolt says he has had to make concessions in recent months to return to his best form, including the chicken nuggets that he loves so much. The six-time Olympic gold medallist called his 2014 season to an end in August after a persistent foot injury. He has struggled to regain his best form since then and admits he is finding it harder than before to return to the level which saw him smash the 100m and 200m world records in 2009. In order to give himself every advantage, he has decided to cut back on some of the indulgences that he has enjoyed earlier in his career. Bolt is often associated with eating chicken nuggets after claiming in his au-
tobiography that his triple Olympic success in Beijing was powered by eating 1,000 McDonalds chicken McNuggets. That will not be the case at the Rio 2016 Games, however, as he has decided they have to go. “I’ve cut back on a lot of things,” said Bolt to reporters. “When I really realised I was getting older was last season when I got injured. Trying to get back was much harder than the years when I was younger. “Now it takes time for me to get going and I need a lot more races. I’ve noticed that I have to be very careful and I just have to be aware of everything around me and make sure I’m on point. “I’ve started eating healthy. That’s the hardest thing for me right now is the sacrifices, eating vegetables all the time. Everything else is easy to give
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up, but eating healthy is really hard!” The 28-year-old ran his slowest 100m final ever in April, in a time of 10.12 seconds, but he is still confident about his pursuit of top form and another triple gold haul next year. “I want the best for myself,” said Bolt. That’s the way I look at it to try not to feel pressure. I focus on what’s necessary and what I want out of it and work towards that. “It definitely really helps to compete and train with these guys every day. You know you have to step up your level. me too competitive. “You learn not to compete too hard in training. But we’re men, so we compete.” One discipline Bolt will not be competing in for now is the 400m, although he may consider trying for the 4x400m relay team for the 2017 worlds in London.
Legspinner Amit Mishra has been recalled to India’s Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka in August. Mishra, 32, last played a Test in 2011 and he took legspinner Karn Sharma’s place in the team that had travelled to Bangladesh in June. It was the only change to India’s 15-man squad. Mishra has not played a Test since the 2011 tour of England, where he played two matches and took three wickets at an average of 106.66. In the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy season, Mishra played six matches for Haryana and took 10 wickets at an average of 20.40. “Amit Mishra has always been part of our thinking,” India’s chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil said in Delhi. “If you remember, even last year he was in the reserves [for the West Indies series]. The final authority of picking the XI is the role of the captain and the team management. Why A was not played and why B was picked it is not what we get into. Looking at the conditions, we have picked him for this SL tour.” Karn and fast bowler Mohammed Shami were not considered because of fitness problems. Karn had been ruled out of India’s tour of Zimbabwe in July with a fractured finger, and Shami is presently recovering from knee surgery. Opener KL Rahul had missed the Test in Bangladesh because of dengue fever and his replacement Shikhar Dhawan made a hundred in that game, leaving India with three openers - M Vijay being the third - to choose from in Sri Lanka.