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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, February 22, 2018
Super de Gea shuts out Sevilla as Man United earn draw
Klaasen, Duminy blast fifties to set up T20 decider
Heinrich Klaasen launches it out of the ground. (BCCI photo)
Manchester United’s David de Gea makes a save. (REUTERS/Juan Medina)
By Richard Martin SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) - Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea added another heart-stopping save to his collection as his team held a highly impressive Sevilla side to a goalless draw away from home in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie yesterday. The Spain international foiled the home side’s Colombian striker Luis Muriel from point-blank range at the end of the first half not long after tipping over an overhead kick from Argentine defender Gabriel Mercado as the Spaniards created far more chances than
Jose Mourinho’s side. United forward Romelu Lukaku spurned a rare clear opening in the first period when he punted a pass from Alexis Sanchez well over the bar and the Belgian had a goal ruled out for handball late in the second. Mourinho’s relationship with Paul Pogba was left open to more scrutiny when the Portuguese left his record signing out of the starting lineup, although he was forced to throw on the French midfielder when Ander Herrera pulled up injured early in the game. Pogba did not manage to answer his many recent critics, who have questioned
his influence over the last two months. He was unable to engineer many attacks and sent a long, hopeful shot well wide of goal in the second half. United’s latest star signing, Alexis Sanchez, also had a night to forget in his first European game for the club since joining from Arsenal in January, as he saw little of the ball and was hauled off for Marcus Rashford in the 75th minute. Muriel paid tribute to de Gea for denying him and said he was disappointed his side did not take their chances. “He moved his body well, I could have hit it in the corner but I went for power over
placement and he’s a great goalkeeper,” Muriel told reporters. ”When you play matches like this the key is scoring in these little chances like that, but in general the team played very well. We played exactly as you should: we were disciplined in every stage of the game but we leave here feeling a little bitter that we couldn’t score. “When you look at this performance you have to think we can play like that at any ground, but in the second leg it’s vital we stay organised.” That match takes place at Old Trafford on March 13.
South Africa’s Alfonso Thomas named Windies bowling coach
CRICKET West Indies (CWI) has appointed former South African fast bowler Alfonso Thomas as the bowling coach of the senior men’s team. The board made a number of changes to the coaching and support staff for the current squads, keeping in mind the World Cup Qualifiers and the Women’s World T20 scheduled for later this year. Former West Indies leg-spinner Rawl Lewis, who previously worked with the side as team operations manager during their successful World T20 campaign in 2016, was named the team manager. Thomas, who represented South Africa in a sole T20I in 2007, has held specialist roles in Championship cricket in the UK. The former Somerset lim-
ited-overs captain, who is ninth on the list of most successful T20 bowlers, has also played in the IPL, BBL and the BPL, with 263 T20 wickets to his name. “We are focussed on im-
proving team performance, as well as broadening and deepening the coaching expertise in the region,” CWI director Jimmy Adams said. “We know we’ve got vital games and tourna-
Alfonso Thomas poses after taking four wickets in four balls. (Getty Images)
ments this year and we’re confident that these appointments will strengthen the Windies squads for this year and our future plans.” The other new inclusions in head coach Stuart Law’s crop are team physio David Kershaw and strength and conditioning coach Corey Bocking. In relation to specific changes, CWI chief executive Johnny Grave said, “Joel Garner has agreed to become an Ambassador, supporting the fundraising IT20 match at Lord’s at the end of May and helping us launch the Windies Foundation planned for later this year. Ronald Rogers will remain in the region working with Alzarri Joseph on his rehabilitation programme following his stress fracture.” (ESPN Cricinfo)
HEINRICH Klaasen and JP Duminy blasted half-centuries as South Africa set up a Twenty20 international series-decider against India with a six-wicket victory in the rain at Centurion. Manish Pandey, who made a highest T20 international score of 79 not out from 48 balls, and MS Dhoni (52 n.o. off 28) put on 98 off 56 deliveries to get India up to 188-4 in wet conditions. It looked like that might be enough for the tourists to take an unassailable 2-0 lead, but Klaasen’s devastating 69 off only 30 balls - including seven sixes - and an unbeaten 64 from captain Duminy got South Africa home with eight balls to spare. It proved to be a miserable night for Yuzvendra Chahal, whose figures of 0-64 were the worst by an Indian in T20Is. Shikhar Dhawan successfully reviewed after being given out lbw first ball, but Junior Dala removed Rohit Sharma lbw with his first ball. Duminy dismissed Dhawan (24) when he was looking ominous and Dala produced a beauty to claim the prized scalp of Virat Kohli caught behind (1) - reducing India to
45-3 in the sixth. Raina and Pandey consolidated the innings before the latter cut loose, slog-sweeping Tabraiz Shamsi for a couple of sixes in an over and reaching his half-century off only 33 balls as the rain fell after Raina departed for 31. Pandey struck Morris for a huge six into the crowd at midwicket and Dhoni took Dane Paterson apart in the final over to make a 50 of his own after he was dropped by Dala on 29. Jaydev Unadkat and T20 international debutant Shardul Thakur, in for the injured Jasprit Bumrah, dismissed JJ Smuts and Reeza Hendricks respectively as the Proteas were reduced to 38-2 after five overs. Klaasen stepped up when they needed him, though, smashing a couple of slower balls from Unadkat over the ropes before taking a liking to Chahal - hitting the spinner for five sixes - as Duminy ticked over nicely at the other end. Unadkat returned to end Klaasen’s brutal knock and South Africa needed 47 from the last five overs with six wickets in hand after David Miller fell cheaply, but Duminy hit his third six of a brilliant knock to square the series. (Omnisport)