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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, December 11, 2017
City move 11 points clear at the top after 2-1 derby win over Man. United By Simon Evans
(REUTERS)-Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City moved 11 points clear at the top after a 2-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in their derby clash on Sunday. The victory means City are the first team to win 14 consecutive English top-flight games in the same season. The result ended United’s run of 40 home games unbeaten in all competitions. City’s lead over second-placed United means the title is now theirs to lose and, while Pep Guardiola’s side did not provide a classic display of their manager’s attractive passing football, they showed they have the grit as well as the class to come through the toughest challenges. Jose Mourinho’s team se-
lection suggested United’s manager was intent on playing expansively, with Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford chosen as wide support to central striker Romelu Lukaku. But United struggled to get any of their forward players involved as City dominated possession. Mourinho’s team were let down by poor passing and struggled to keep the ball. Gabriel Jesus, playing as the lone central striker with Sergio Aguero on the bench, had an early opening but shot tamely straight at United keeper David De Gea, as did Raheem Sterling when he wriggled some space. City’s dominance was rewarded in the 43rd minute although the breakthrough was not a product of clever passing but sloppy defending from United at a set-piece. Romelu Lukaku failed
Manchester City’s Nicolas Otamendi celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Darren Staples
to clear Kevin De Bruyne’s inswinging corner and the ball fell to David Silva, who was played onside by Ashley Young. The Spaniard gratefully hooked the ball home. Poor defending at the other end allowed United to get level before the break. Marcos Rojo hit a hopeful diagonal cross into the City box but Nicolas Otamendi misjudged a header, Fabian Delph hesitated and Marcus Rashford pounced on the loose ball and drove low past Ederson. At the break, City were forced to replace skipper Vincent Kompany with midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, a switch that meant Brazilian Fernandinho moved back into the defence. United were also forced into a change with Marcus Rojo, who had suffered a head injury, replaced by Swedish centre half Victor Lindelof.
City restored their lead nine minutes into the second half after another piece of poor defending. Silva whipped a free-kick into the box and Lukaku, who had a derby to forget, drove an attempted clearance into the back of team mate Chris Smalling. The ball looped to Otamendi who, making amends for his earlier mistake, showed great athleticism to volley home on the half-turn. Guardiola shored up his back line by bringing on defender Eliaquim Mangala for Jesus and allowing Fernandinho to go back into his usual role in the holding midfield position. City had keeper Ederson to thank for the three points after he produced a superb double save at close range six minutes from the end to keep out efforts from Lukaku and Juan Mata.
Bangladesh appoint Shakib as Test cricket captain Duckett suspended from playing BANGLADESH on Sunday appointed all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan as Test captain, removing Mushfiqur Rahim from the post ahead of the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka starting January. Shakib, who is already the national Twenty20 captain, takes over the Test side after a disastrous tour of South Africa in a move that the cricket board said would allow Mushfiqur to focus on his batting.
Mushfiqur led Bangladesh in 34 Tests since 2011, guiding them to some remarkable wins over England, Sri Lanka and Australia since last year. But the wicketkeeper-batsman fell from grace after a disastrous tour in South Africa where Bangladesh lost both Tests by heavy margins. Hasan said the decision to remove Mushfiqur as Test captain was taken as they wanted him to concentrate
All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan
“We have decided to change the Test captain. Shakib will be our new Test skipper from the upcoming series and Mahmudullah will be the vice-captain of the side,” Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan told reporters in Dhaka following a Board of Directors’ meeting. “There will be no change in the other formats,” he said.
on his batting. “We want best batting service from Mushfiqur. We want him to concentrate on his batting, want to free him from pressure,” he said. Shakib, who took the helm of the national Twenty20 side from Mashrafe Mortaza in South Africa, takes charge of the Test squad for the second time, having led the side in nine Tests between 2009 and
2011. Tamim Iqbal was removed as vice-captain of the Test side but Hasan said the opening batsman would continue as Shakib’s deputy in the Twenty20 squad. Mortaza remained at the helm of one-day international side but the BCB president indicated they would make a few other changes in near future. “Overall, we are willing to make a plan for next four to five years and the decision is just the beginning of the new plans,” he said. Bangladesh faced a huge backlash at home after they failed to win a single match in any format during their South Africa tour. Coach Chandika Hathurusingha resigned in the middle of the series but Bangladesh was yet to name his successor. The BCB interviewed English-born South African coach Richard Pybus earlier this week and former West Indies coach Phil Simmons on Sunday for the post but did not confirm any appointment. Bangladesh are scheduled to play a tri-nation One-Day International tournament involving Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in January before hosting the Sri Lankans for the twoTest series and as many Twenty20 internationals. (AFP)
and warned about his conduct
(REUTERS)) - England Lions cricketer Ben Duckett has been suspended from playing in the remainder of the team’s training camp in Australia and warned about his conduct after a bar incident last week, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Sunday. England’s Ashes tour was plunged into crisis after batsman Duckett was suspended for pouring a drink on a senior England player reported to be paceman James Anderson after an argument in a Perth bar late on Thursday. The 23-year-old Duckett, who was stood down from an Ashes tour game, was also fined the “maximum allowable amount” for a Lions player. He will remain with the team and return to England at the end of the camp on Dec. 17, ECB said on their website (www.ecb.co.uk). Earlier, all-rounder Moeen Ali said England’s cricketers must improve their off-field behaviour or risk turning a younger generation of players away from the game. England’s Ashes tour was plunged into crisis after batsman Duckett was suspended for pouring a drink on a senior England player reported to be paceman James Anderson after an argument in a Perth bar late on Thursday. The 23-year-old Duckett, who was stood down from an Ashes tour game, was also fined the “maximum allowable amount” for a Lions
player. He will remain with the team and return to England at the end of the camp on Dec. 17, ECB said on their website (www.ecb.co.uk). E a r l i e r, a l l - r o u n d e r Moeen Ali said England’s cricketers must improve their off-field behaviour or risk turning a younger generation of players away from the game.
played down the row. England coach Trevor Bayliss described Duckett’s actions as “not acceptable” on Saturday and expressed his frustration at having to constantly explain the off-field behaviour of his players to the media. ”Trevor Bayliss, Andrew Strauss and all the guys who get most of the flak for it...
Ben Duckett
The behaviour of England players has come under scrutiny after all-rounder Ben Stokes was left out of the tour after he and team mate Alex Hales were arrested following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September. Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft said England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow had given him a friendly headbutt in a Perth bar before the series but both men
you feel for them,“ Moeen added. ”We’re all grown men and we should know how to behave. “Through county cricket all the way up to international cricket, the individual needs to be responsible. Off-field behaviour needs to improve and we all know that.” The third Ashes Test starts on Thursday in Perth with England down 2-0 and hoping to avoid another humiliating whitewash.