Page 34
Kaieteur News
Monday August 24, 2015
LFS Burnham Memorial Chess Tournament Kumar Sangakkara: Sri Lanka Roberto Neto assumes lead in batsman makes 18 in final innings Sri Lanka batsman Kumar Sangakkara made 18 in his final international innings before retirement. The 37year-old, the fifth highest Test run-scorer in history, was given a guard of honour by India’s fielders in the second Test in Colombo. He hit three fours before edging Ravichandran Ashwin to gully, leaving Sri Lanka 332 in pursuit of 413. Sangakkara ends his 134-Test career with 12,400 runs at an average of 57.40, with 38 centuries. The left-hander also played 404 one-day internationals and 56 Twenty20 internationals and also appeared in English county cricket for
stiff rivalry for top honours
Kumar Sangakkara
Warwickshire, Durham and Surrey, who he joined on a two-year contract in January. After breaking into the Sri Lanka side in 2000 as a wicketkeeper-batsman, he eventually relinquished the wicketkeeping gloves in Test
cricket in 2008. He gave the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture at Lord’s in 2011. Sri Lanka ended day four at the P Sara Oval on 72-2, with captain Angelo Mathews unbeaten on 23. (BBCsport)
Hamilton cruises to dream win in Belgium
Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain celebrates his victory in the Belgian F1 Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps. Reuters/Yves Herman Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix from pole position yesterday to stretch his lead over Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg to 28 points with eight races remaining. Rosberg finished 2.0 seconds behind the Briton, in a dry race despite teams anxiously studying weather maps for approaching rain in the final stages, to complete Mercedes’ seventh one-two in 11 races. “Today was a dream and the car was fantastic all weekend,” declared Hamilton, who controlled the race from the opening lap — after an aborted first start — and never looked threatened by his German rival. “I was never in a position where I felt nervous, I had great pace in the car. There was no real need to push more than I had to,” he added. The two collided at Spa
last year, with Hamilton having to retire, but the risk of that happening again receded when Rosberg made a slow getaway off the front row. “I just completely messed up the start,” said the German, who had hoped to capitalize on changed starting procedures that leave more to the driver and prevent engineers from helping remotely. “Lewis did a great job, he deserved to win.” France’s Romain Grosjean took an emotional third place for Lotus after Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, in his 150th race and the team’s 900th, suffered a right rear tire blowout on the penultimate lap. “It was probably one of my best races ever,” said the Frenchman, back on the podium for the first time since 2013 in a boost for a financially-troubled team who arrived in Spa with the threat of having their cars impounded hanging over
them. “Being here today is special for us, it has the price of a race win.” Hamilton has now won six races this season, and 39 in his Formula One career. The double champion has 227 points to Rosberg’s 199 and Sunday was also his 80th podium appearance, equaling the achievement of boyhood hero and late triple world champion Ayrton Senna. Russian Daniil Kvyat finished fourth for Red Bull after a late charge through the field with Mexican Sergio Perez, who had stormed into second place at the start, finishing fifth for Force India. Brazilian Felipe Massa was sixth for Williams, with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen seventh after starting in 16th place, and 17-year-old Belgian-born Dutchman Max Verstappen eighth for Toro Rosso. Finland’s Valtteri Bottas was ninth for Williams, after an embarrassing team error that saw him leave the pits with three soft tires and one medium fitted, and Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson took the final point for Sauber. Germany’s Nico Hulkenberg caused the aborted start, and reduction of the race to 43 laps instead of 44, when he reported a loss of power and raised his hands. The German returned to the Force India garage and retired. The McLaren pair of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, who started last after picking up a meaningless combined grid drop of 105 places — despite there being only 20 in total — finished 13th and 14th. (Reuters)
Roberto Neto employed shrewd strategies while remaining focused to chalk up an impeccable 3 points from as many games to command the lead when the second of the three days Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham Memorial Chess Tournament ended at the National Resource Centre, Woolford Avenue yesterday afternoon. However, Neto cannot afford to become complacent and rest on his laurels as two other players, former National Junior Champion, Anthony Drayton and Glenford Corlette are just ½ of a point shy of his score while Alexander Duncan and veteran player, Errol Tiwari are also in contention with 2 points apiece. Brimming with confidence, Neto started his trek with a convincing victory over Frankie Farley when the action commenced on Saturday. He returned yesterday to add the scalps of Davion Mars and Errol Tiwari to his collection, finishing the day on top of the heap.
Former Junior and Senior National Champion, Taffin Khan won his game against Alex Joseph but had to settle for 2 points after finishing with drawn games against Anthony Drayton, in the first round, and Glenford Corlette in the third. The latter player is also positioned on 2 points. Dr. Maria Thomas is yet to make a favourable impression after being absent for the first round and dropping her second round game to Drayton. She finished the day yesterday with a victory over Alex Joseph who is still to register a win. Another player, Nigerian, Michael Chapp Jumbo, is yet to notch up a point after suffering defeats yesterday afternoon to Alexander Duncan and veteran player, Roy Sharma. Other points standing reads, Davion Mars (2), Alexander Duncan (2), Sharma (1), Maria Thomas (1), Frankie Farley (1) and Rodwell Poole (1). Meanwhile, this tournament will be used as the qualifier to the national
championship which is scheduled to get underway soon. Senior National Champion, Wendell Meusa was slated to compete though his participation is not compulsory. He was a no show and sources close to the national champion said that he opted not to play after he was improperly informed of the tournament. President of the Guyana Chess Federation, Irshad Mohamed, who also serves as Tournament Director, was unavailable yesterday afternoon to assuage this contention and veteran player, David Khan, filled the role of TD. The action will continue at the same venue next Saturday and Sunday with 2 round each day and one could expect the stiff rivalry to continue especially since this is a rated tournament and all of the contenders will be keen to aim for improved ratings. The tournament has been sanctioned by the local governing body, the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF).
Arthur Morris: Australia’s ‘Invincibles’ opener dies at 93 Arthur Morris during his Test Career.
Australian Test great Arthur Morris, a key member of Don Bradman’s 1948 ‘Invincibles’ side, has died aged 93. The left-handed opener scored 3,533 runs in 46 Tests at an average of 46.48 and was named in Australia’s team of the century in 2000. Morris was leading run-scorer on the 1948 tour of England, and scored 196 at The Oval an innings overshadowed by Bradman’s duck in his farewell innings. “We have sadly lost a cherished link with our past,” Cricket Australia said. Chairman Wally Edwards continued: “Arthur Morris was a great man and one of the true greats of Australian cricket who until now had been a treasured connection to an extraordinary era of the game. “When Australia’s best openers are discussed his name will always be one of the first mentioned.” Morris was one of the two surviving members of the ‘Invincibles’, who went through the entire 1948 tour - 31 firstclass matches - without losing once. Neil Harvey, 86, another left-handed batting great,
is the only remaining player from that squad. Born in Sydney’s Bondi beachside suburb, Morris was the first batsman to score centuries in both innings of his first-class debut as an 18-year-old for New South Wales. He made his Test debut against England in Brisbane in 1946 and went on to score 12 centuries, captaining his country twice. He was at the non-striker’s end in the final Test in 1948 as Bradman, needing only four runs to retire with a career average of 100, was out second ball for nought. Australia coach Darren Lehmann paid his respects to Morris on social media, tweeting: “One of the true legends and gentlemen of the game. Arthur Morris RIP champion, our thoughts are with his wife Judith and family at this time.” Greg Baum, chief sports columnist at the Sydney Morning Herald, added: “What did Arthur Morris get out of cricket? Poverty, he always said, laughing. But what richness he gave us, as cricketer and gentleman.” (BBCsport)