TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013
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India and Sri Lanka enter tri-nations fray KINGSTON: India and Sri Lanka go in search of their first points of the TriNation Series when they meet today at Sabina Park as the preliminary phase of the competition reaches the halfway point. With the West Indies completing contrasting victories over the other two teams and already on their way to Trinidad and Tobago, where the last three group matches and the final will be played from Friday, this duel of sub-continental neighbors almost has the feel of an eliminator. While defeat for either side will not rule them out completely from making the final on July 11 at Queen’s Park Oval, it will leave them having to win their two remaining matches in Port of Spain, a venue where the weather is notoriously fickle at this time of the year. India should be the more confident of the combatants in the Jamaican capital, although they are
likely to be without the services of inspirational leader Mahendra Singh Dhoni, unless he makes a remarkable recovery from what was reportedly diagnosed initially as a right hamstring strain sustained while batting against the West Indies on Sunday. His calm control of proceedings on the field were missed as much as his wicketkeeping, yet stand-in captain Virat Kohli ensured that the undisputed kings of One-Day International cricket made the home side battle all the way towards a modest target of 230, winning by just one wicket. “We aren’t too disappointed,” Kohli stated after that match. “Just one wicket made the difference in the end so it could have gone either way. We fought really hard.” While the weather at the start of the hurricane season in the Caribbean has so far been kind to the competition in Jamaica, both
captains will be keen to win the toss. That way they can give their bowlers first use of a pitch that has made run-scoring difficult in the first half of the day, only to flatten out in the afternoon, based on the evidence of the first two matches, in which the visiting captains called incorrectly and then struggled to build any sort of momentum at the crease. Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews gave his side’s innings some respectability with an unbeaten topscore of 55 in the losing effort on Friday. But it is not expected to be enough against an Indian team that is set to make an enforced change Murali Vijay is the obvious option to replace Dhoni with Dinesh Karthik as wicketkeeper - that breaks a run of six consecutive matches with an unchanged eleven dating back to the start of the Champioms Trophy tournament in England. — AFP
Marvin Musquin performs at the AMA Pro Motocross Series at Budds Creek Raceway in Mechanicsville, Maryland, USA. —www.redbullcontentpool.com
Charles shines as Windies defeat India by one wicket
Misbah-ul-Haq
Misbah: Pakistan needs to develop more players ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s veteran oneday captain Misbah-ul-Haq wants more young players to be developed after Pak istan lost all of its three group matches in the Champions Trophy last month. Misbah, 39, fought a lone battle with a total of 173 runs against West Indies, South Africa and India, but Pakistan could not pass the 170-run mark in any of the three matches. Opener Imran Farhat, wicketkeeperbatsman Kamran Akmal and allrounder Shoaib Malik all were major flops and are likely to be dropped for next week’s tour of the West Indies where Pakistan will play five ODIs and two Twenty20s. “We will make changes where necessary and we need to think which players should be groomed,” Misbah said after he returned home Monday after he stayed back in London to spend time with his family. The Pakistan Cricket Board’s acting chairman Najam Sethi has already warned selectors that they will be held accountable along with the captain, vice-captain and coach if the team failed to perform in international matches. Pakistan selectors met in Lahore yesterday and Misbah said he will also be meeting with chief selector Iqbal Qasim in a day or two before the team is finalized for the West Indies tour. Misbah said Pakistan should start preparing for the next 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in two years’ time by keeping in mind which players are good enough. “We can rebuild the team in the next two years by grooming players who are good enough,” he said. Pakistan has not hosted any test playing nation for more than four years since gunmen attacked
the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March 2009. Six police officials and a van driver were killed in the ambush that stopped foreign teams from touring Pakistan because of safety concerns. The PCB kept its ‘home’ series going by hosting England, South Africa and West Indies in the United Arab Emirates, but Misbah said Pakistan players’ performances were affected by not playing in front of their home crowds. “We are suffering because we are not playing at home,” he said. “We were hopeful that cricket will return (to Pakistan) but it’s not happening,” he said. Last year Bangladesh twice postponed its tour of Pakistan and the PCB had to shelve its plan to organize its first ever professional Twenty20 league - the Pakistan Super League. Pakistan batsmen find it easy to play on the slow subcontinent-like wickets in the UAE, but they seem to struggle in more testing conditions in countries like England, Australia and New Zealand, where the ball swings. “Simple thing is that we couldn’t handle ourselves in batting,” Misbah conceded. “These are technical faults and we need to address them. “Whenever we go abroad we will face such problems so we have to address them. If we don’t improve, don’t learn then such things will go on.” Misbah expected pitches in the West Indies to be on the slower side, but warned his batsmen to give enough runs for the bowlers to defend. “If the batsmen give bowlers a total of more than 250 then they can win us matches,” he said. “I think it will again be a test of our batting in the West Indies.” — AP
KINGSTON: Opener Johnson Charles struck 97 to help lead the West Indies to victory by one wicket over India in a thrilling second one-day cricket international of the Celkon Mobile Cup tri-series. Charles smashed eight fours and four sixes off 100 balls and had a fourth-wicket stand of 116 with Darren Bravo to lift the hosts after they had slipped to 26-3 in pursuit of India’s 229-7 off 50 overs. Lefthander Bravo hit 55 off 78 balls. After India fought back strongly to break that partnership, Kemar Roach got the winning runs in an unbeaten last wicket stand of 10 with Tino Best, who scored three not out. India’s bowling was led by Umesh Yadav, who ripped through the top order and ended with 3-43. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin grabbed 2-44 and Ishant Sharma contributed 2-51. The West Indies’ chase of India’s modest total was threatened early by the lively fast bowler Yadav, who dismissed Chris Gayle and Devon Smith in successive overs. When Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed Marlon Samuels to a deflection onto his stumps, India were on top 26-3 in the fifth over. But Charles and Bravo turned things around with their assured partnership. Charles was first to his fifty, off 60 balls, while Bravo soon joined him as the pair brought their side within 88 of their target. Ashwin kept the visitors in contention with the key scalp of Bravo, who miscued a pull straight to midwicket at 142-4. The West Indies innings then started to slip as captain Kieron Pollard and Denesh Ramdin fell quickly and India had the momentum at 161-6. Charles, in sight of a third one-day century and seeking to guide his side home, fell three runs short as Yadav returned to strike for India. His attempted lofted shot over the off side could only pick out Ishant Sharma on the edge of the circle at mid-off. Charles’ dismissal left the tail with 19 runs to score with two wickets remaining before Roach and Best brought the hosts home. Earlier, Rohit Sharma’s 60 off 89 balls with four fours and a six helped India to 229-7 off 50 overs. The West Indies bowlers were led by Roach and Sammy, who both enjoyed figures of 2-41, while Best recovered from a wayward start to grab 2-52. India, sent in by stand-in West Indies skipper Pollard, was quickly derailed by Roach and Sammy. Shikhar Dhawan, the left-hander fresh off the Player of the Tournament award in the ICC Champions Trophy, fell for 11, driving a return catch to Roach, who held it at the second attempt at 25-1. It was 39-2 in the 10th over when Virat Kohli edged Sammy to first slip where Gayle dived to his right to pluck a one-handed catch. Sharma and Dinesh Karthik revived the innings in a measured third wicket stand of 59. But Marlon Samuels struck when the stand was emerging, grabbing a return catch to send Karthik packing for 23 off 56 balls. Sammy completed a fine spell with the wicket of Sharma, who lofted down long-off at 124-4. Captain M.S. Dhoni and Suresh Raina ensured India got to a respectable total through a fifth wicket stand of 58 off 75 balls. But West Indies cut both short before they could engineer a final surge. Raina chased a wide ball from Roach to be caught behind for 44. The left-hander faced 55 balls and hit four fours. Dhoni, who seemed to injure his right leg while running a single, batted on but fell soon afterwards as he missed a swing at Best and had his leg stump rocked. The innings got a late boost from Kumar, who hit a six and a four in Sunil Narine’s final over that cost 17. — AP
KINGSTON: West Indies cricketer Johnson Charles (right) looks on as teammate Darren Bravo celebrates scoring a half-century during the second match of the Tri-Nation series against India. — AFP
SCOREBOARD KINGSTON, Jamaica: Scoreboard of the second match of the Celkon Mobile Cup Tri-Nation OneDay International Series between West Indies and India yesterday: India Innings R. Sharma c Charles b Sammy 60 S. Dhawan c & b Roach 11 V. Kohli c Gayle b Sammy 11 D. Karthik c & b Samuels 23 S. Raina c wkpr Ramdin b Roach 44 M.S. Dhoni b Best 27 R. Jadeja b Best 15 R. Ashwin not out 5 B. Kumar not out 11 Extras (5b, 6lb, 9w, 2nb) 22 Total (7 wickets, 50 overs) 229 Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Dhawan), 2-39 (Kohli), 3-98 (Karthik), 4-124 (R. Sharma), 5-182 (Raina), 6-197 (Dhoni), 7-212 (Jadeja). Did not bat: I. Sharma, U. Yadav. Bowling: Roach 10-2-41-2 (3w), Best 10-0-54-2 (4w, 2nb), Sammy 10-3-41-2, Pollard 1-0-8-0 (1w), Narine 10-0-56-0 (1w), Samuels 9-1-20-1. West Indies Innings C. Gayle c Raina b Yadav J. Charles c I. Sharma b Yadav
11 97
D. Smith lbw Yadav 0 M. Samuels b Kumar 1 D.M. Bravo c Dhawan b Ashwin 55 K. Pollard c wkpr Karthik b I. Sharma 4 D. Ramdin b Ashwin 4 D. Sammy c Ashwin b I. Sharma 29 K. Roach not out 14 S. Narine c Dhawan b Raina 5 T. Best not out 3 Extras (2lb, 5w) 7 Total (9 wickets, 47.4 overs) Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Gayle), 2-25 (Smith), 3-26 (Samuels), 4-142 (D.M. Bravo), 5-155 (Pollard), 6-161 (Ramdin), 7-197 (Sammy), 8-211 (Charles), 9-220 (Best) Bowling: Kumar 7-1-36-1 (1w), Yadav 9.4-2-42-3 (2w), Jadeja 10-1-50-0, I. Sharma 9-0-51-2 (2w), Ashwin 10-0-44-2, Raina 20-4-1. Result: West Indies won by 1 wicket Man of the match: J. Charles Next match: Today - India vs Sri Lanka
Dhoni out of series KINGSTON: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been ruled out of the remainder of the TriNation Series with a right hamstring strain sustained while batting against the West Indies in his team’s first match of the tournament on Sunday at Sabina Park. His place in the 15-man squad is to be taken by the uncapped 27-year-old batsman Ambati Rayudu. Vice-captain Virat Kohli, who led the team on the field in Dhoni’s absence against the West Indies,
takes over as captain for the remainder of the series. India face Sri Lanka today in Kingston with both teams looking for their first points after each lost to the hosts in their respective opening fixtures. Following that encounter, the tournament shifts to the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad, for the remaining three preliminary matches at the final, starting with India against the West Indies on Friday. — AFP
Gerrans wins 3rd stage of Tour
FRANCE: A combo photo shows (from top, left to right) the pack riding; Overall leader’s yellow jersey Belgium’s Jan Bakelants drinking while riding in the pack; fans standing along the road next to a placard reading ‘A thought for Laurent Jalabertî and Australia’s Simon Gerrans crossing the finish line at the end of the 145.5 km third stage of the 100th edition of the Tour de France. — AFP
CALVI: Australian sprinter Simon Gerrans held off a late charge by Peter Sagan to win yesterday’s hilly third stage of the Tour de France by less than half a wheel. Belgian rider Jan Bakelants did enough in the sweltering heat to keep the yellow jersey. Gerrans looked to have the finish line to himself with about 100 meters to go, but Sagan launched a late sprint and almost caught him. Gerrans dug deep to clinch his second career Tour stage win. Spaniard Jose Joaquin Rojas finished third. “Sagan is a guy who can often climb with the best climbers and sprint with the best sprinter so I’m really thrilled to be able to beat such a classy rider,” Gerrans said. “I surprised quite a few people a little bit today, including myself.” Gerrans shouldn’t be too surprised, though, as he had prepared well. “This is a stage that I’ve been targeting for quite some time,” he said. “We were down here in Corsica last weekend doing a recon and scouting the finishes and it all paid off today.” Although Gerrans has clinched a stage win on all three Grand Tours, his previous stage win on “Le Tour” was five years ago - when it actually finished in the northern Italian ski resort of Prato Nevoso.
He was slowing up but just managed one last effort to throw his bike forward the way a 100-meter runner would dip for the line. “I wasn’t sure if I had won - a half-wheel length?!” Gerrans said. “All went perfectly well, my team took great care of me after the last climb.” He will especially need to thank his countryman and teammate Simon Clarke, who was in the early breakaway. “It was the team plan. I was brought to the Tour de France to join breakaways, so I made sure I did my job,” Clarke said. “I was quite relaxed today and when you’re relaxed it means you have good legs.” It was a particularly welcome win for Gerrans’ Orica Greenedge team after the confusion of Saturday’s first stage, when the team grabbed the attention of the world’s media when its bus was stuck on the finish line and was removed only moments before the riders arrived. “We saw the footage,” Gerrans said. “You really can’t do (anything) but laugh at the situation. (Our driver) did a fantastic job, we are proud of him. He was embarrassed so we felt quite sad for him.” Sagan is in the coveted sprinter’s green jersey he is expected to contest with British sprinter Mark Cavendish - who is already 49 points behind.
“I’m a bit sad about the stage, but the team’s objective is to get the green jersey and that’s what we have,” Sagan, a Slovak, said through a translator. “I don’t feel at my best yet. But the Tour is long and there are still a lot of good stages to come.” Bakelants, the winner of Sunday’s second stage, finished in 19th place. “The team worked very hard for me, and I’m very happy to keep the yellow jersey,” Bakelants said. “It was a very hot day and the conditions were not easy.” Yesterday’s 145.5-kilometer (90-mile) leg started from Ajaccio, where French emperor and military mastermind Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769, and finished in Calvi after three moderate climbs and a steeper last climb tested the legs of the peloton. Gerrans clocked about 3 hours, 40 minutes. It was the last of the trio of Corsican stages before the race heads back to mainland France for Tuesday’s team time trial in Nice. With the Tour heading through Corsica for the first time, some fans got their first glimpse of the showcase race - and made a point of getting noticed themselves. One defied the heat to dress up in a full Napoleon outfit, saluting from the roadside. —AP