28
England set to lose Ashes, with or without Stokes - Blewett By Ian Ransom ADELAIDE, Australia (Reuters) - An Ashes series shorn of Ben Stokes would be a great shame for cricket but England are heading for defeat with or without the troubled all-rounder, former Australia batsman Greg Blewett has said. Test vice-captain Stokes and opener Alex Hales have been suspended from international cricket indefinitely, pending an investigation into an altercation outside a nightclub in Bristol last week. Stokes was initially named in the 16-man squad for the Ashes tour starting in November but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) rowed back on the decision a day later. Blewett, who struck a century on his Test debut during the 1994-95 Ashes series, cast doubt on Stokes’s chances of playing a full part in the series. “I‘m sure they will (sanction him). They are having their internal investigation. That will play out,” Blewett, a 46-Test right-handed batsman, told Reuters in an interview in Adelaide yesterday. ”It would be a shame if he’s not out here. I think everyone wants to play against the strongest possible team. ”It would be a shame if
he doesn’t come out because he’s a bit of a drawcard, he’s a world class all-rounder and will leave a massive hole in their team. “But even if he was (to come), I think Australia are going to be too good at home anyway. With or without Ben Stokes I don’t see a different result but I think England would love to have him in their side.”
‘fragile and devastated’. Blewett, who was Australia’s fielding coach until stepping down in August, has taken on assistant roles with Sheffield Shield side South Australia and the Adelaide Strikers in the ‘Big Bash’ domestic Twenty20 competition. Also coach of South Australia’s men’s Under-19 side, Blewett said he would take a dim view of any player out
Ben Stokes
The Sun newspaper published footage of what it said was a brawl between the player and two other persons, one clutching a bottle. The authenticity of the images could not be verified by Reuters. Media reports said Stokes, who suffered a minor fracture of a finger on his right hand, apologised to the ECB for his arrest on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and described his state of mind as
drinking in the early hours of the morning and days before a match. “I wouldn’t be over the moon, put it that way, because I did see the footage and it’s not great,” Blewett said, referring to the video posted by The Sun. ”I‘m sure he’s got his side to the story which we haven’t necessarily heard yet. “Yeah, you would be disappointed, I think they were only a couple of days away from
the next one-day international so I think any coach would be disappointed with that sort of behaviour.” The Stokes incident has revived the debate as to whether curfews should be enforced during series, but Blewett said he was against such measures. “Generally, you’d say players these days are a hell of a lot more professional than what we used to be,” said the 45-year-old. “These things don’t pop up all that often these days, but when they do, obviously you need to address it.” The potential absence of Stokes would heap further pressure on England’s bowlers and a batting order featuring players like opener James Vince and Dawid Malan who are yet to establish themselves. Blewett said Australia and the team’s formidable pace attack led by Mitchell Starc would provide the toughest of initiations. “Two or three of those guys in the squad haven’t had a great start to their careers,” he said. ”It’s not going to get any easier when they come out here. “And it’s looking like Australia are going to be fullstrength with their bowling attack so (they) are going to be up against it.”
Despite delays Putin satisfied with overall condition of 2018 World Cup venues By Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber
MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that some construction work on the 2018 World Cup stadiums remained behind schedule, but he was satisfied with the overall condition of the venues. “These delays are not critical; there is nothing terrible there, but as I have always said ... it is the most difficult thing to resolve tasks at a final stage,” Putin said at a meeting with senior sports officials, regional governors and prominent athletes to discuss preparations for next year’s tournament. “If we relax, we will not fully accomplish the work.” Moscow has eased visa regulations for foreign soccer fans and pumped billions of dollars into stadiums, hotels and other infrastructure. Yet while officials were upbeat about the country’s progress in preparing for next year’s tournament, they stressed that much still needed to be done. Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov said preparations to host the 2018 tournament were in full swing but they had not been without difficulties and
delays. Kolobkov said the 45 000seat World Cup stadium in Samara, which has been plagued with delays over the past year, remained behind schedule. “There are some delays at different stages of construction at the stadium in Samara,” Kolobkov said, adding that the company building the venue had been fined.
Russiaa President Vladimir Putin
“A timetable for making up for the delays and a system for the daily monitoring of the venue’s completion have been established.” The company building the stadium said in August it was 30 days behind schedule but hoped to make up for lost time and end work on the venue by the end of the year, the initial deadline for its completion. Russia showcased four of its 12 World Cup venues during this year’s Confed-
erations Cup, a two-week tournament that featured the home country, defending world champions Germany and the champions from FIFA’s regional confederations. Many of the remaining venues, however, are still under construction and have yet to be tested. The post-World Cup future of some of the stadiums -- including those in cities that do not have Russian Premier League clubs -- remains under discussion. At the meeting yesterday, South Africa Racing Tips Durbanville 08:30 hrs Seventh Rule 09:10 hrs Greenstreettractor 09:45 hrs Blue Door 10:15 hrs State Ballet 10:45 hrs Shall Be Free 11:20 hrs Hoist The Mast English Racing Tips Nottingham 08:50 hrs Little Boy Blue 09:20 hrs Alba Del Sole 09:45 hrs La Diva 10:25 hrs Global Exceed 11:00 hrs Silver Ghost 11:30 hrs Heaven’s Rock 12:05 hrs Tricky Dicky 12:35 hrs Classic Pursuit Salisbury 09:00 hrs Ace Ventura 09:30 hrs Jamil 10:05 hrs Thechildren’strust 10:35 hrs Clear Spring 11:10 hrs Ayrad 11:40 hrs Incredible Dream
the governor of the Kaliningrad region, Anton Alikhanov, asked Putin to ensure that “at least some regions” receive state support to maintain the venues after the tournament. “For Kaliningrad, where there is no Premier League team for now, handling a 35 000-seat stadium is quite difficult,” Alikhanov said. Russia is set to host the World Cup from June 14 to July 15 in 12 venues spread across 11 cities including Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan and Sochi. Bangor 09:10 hrs Big Penny 09:45 hrs Champion Chase 10:15 hrs Bedrock 10:50 hrs Abbotswood 11:20 hrs Dalto Chisco 11:55 hrs Mr Mafia Irish Racing Tips Naas 09:05 hrs Moltoir 09:35 hrs Hawaam 10:10 hrs Yolo Star 10:40 hrs Minnie Haha 11:15 hrs London Icon 11:45 hrs Issac Wonder 12:20 hrs Jewel Maker American Racing Tips Belmont Race 1 Zap Zap Zap Race 2 Wake Island Race 3 Carlino Race 4 Transaction Tax Race 5 Boule Race 6 Impazible Woman Race 7 Josephine’s Moment Race 8 Broken Border Race 9 Divine Carolinen
GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, October 4, 2017
BSW Regupol awarded contract for Linden’s synthetic track By Joe Chapman SOCIAL Cohesion Minister Dr George Norton, who has responsibility for Sport, has disclosed that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board has approved the award of a contract totalling $160M for the construction of a 400m synthetic track at the Bayrock Community Centre ground in Wismar, Linden and work is expected to commence by the end of 2017. Minister Norton and a team from his Social Cohesion Ministry were in Linden last Sunday when the disclosure was made to stakeholders present at the site for the new facility. President of the Bayrcok Community Centre Lance Easton, Regional Member of Parliament Jermain Figuiera, Technical Officer in the Ministry of Cohesion Natasha Singh-Lewis, Deputy Permanent Secretary Steve Ninvalle and Deputy Director of Sport Brian Smith accompanied Minister Norton on his visit. Norton explained that renowned German company BSW Regupol was awarded the contract to design and supervise the construction of synthetic tracks in Linden and Berbice. The consultancy service was for a sum of US$25,150, stated Minister Norton, who added “the whole project that is for the laying of the track and everything US$758 000
plus which is G$160M. It is divided into two phases. The consultancy is US$25 000 which is G$5M, the three-stage preparation of the ground that is not finalised as yet, the laying of the synthetic material is G$59M.” “Amenities which include fencing, drainage, rest rooms and so on G$60M, brings it to about G$124M. So these are the kinds of figures we have available and of course we have a limited time. This is a capital project from Central Government through the Ministry in collaboration with the municipality which is listed as a stakeholder,” said Minister Norton. Prior to the change of Government in 2015, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) had earmarked the Bayrock Community Centre ground for one of the FIFA Forward Programme. “I had a discussion with the president of the GFF, Wayne Forde, with regard to that same project being still on the menu again. Forde said with regard to the discussion now, with the synthetic track being put down in the community, they are not diametrically opposed to working with the government in establishing the football pitch in the centre of the synthetic track,” said MP Figuiera. The construction of the synthetic track in Linden and in Berbice is a realisation of a campaign promise by the Coalition Government.
Starc set to return to competitive cricket on Friday (REUTERS) - Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc is set to make a return to competitive cricket for New South Wales against South Australia in a one-day match on Friday. The left-arm fast bowler has been out since June after suffering a recurrence of a foot injury during the Champions Trophy with Australia. Australia assistant coach David Saker confirmed Starc and Josh Hazlewood would feature in first-class cricket before the home Ashes series against England, starting in November. They will be joined by fellow speedster Pat Cummins, who has been rested for the upcoming T20 internationals in India. ”Whether the fast bowlers play all three of those we’ll wait and see,“ Saker told reporters. ”Three Shield games to shape the Australian team – it’s going to be good for everybody. “Josh Hazlewood is on track to play the first Test. Mitchell
Starc’s going really well and Patty’s obviously flying.” Starc has backed the team’s fast bowlers to replicate the havoc created by the Mitchell Johnson-led attack in the Ashes whitewash of 2013-14. England batsmen were left shell-shocked by the blistering pace and bounce from the Queenslander, who finished with 37 wickets in five Tests. “We’ve got a really solid attack and we complement each other. If it’s not me, you’ve got Pat Cummins who can bowl fast bouncers and Josh Hazlewood bowling consistent line and length,” Starc was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph. “It’ll be much like that attack did when Johnno (Johnson) took all those wickets. I think we complement each other really well.” Australia’s five-Test Ashes series against holders England starts in Brisbane on November 23.