Football: Kane’s late leveller caps dramatic Spurs revival LONDON—Harry Kane wrote another chapter in his storybook season as the Tottenham striker rescued a 2-2 draw with the last kick of a pulsating London derby against West Ham on Sunday (Feb 22). Mauricio Pochettino’s team had fallen 2-0 behind at White Hart Lane as the Hammers struck through Cheikhou Kouyate and Diafra Sakho, but an error by goalkeeper Adrian allowed Danny Rose to halve the deficit with nine minutes left. And when Kane was fouled in the area by Alex Song deep into second half stoppage-time, he kept his composure to smash in the rebound after his spot-kick was saved. It was a welcome point in the end for the home side but really they needed to win to
unmarked to head firmly past Lloris. West Ham’s delighted fans were nearly silenced four minutes later as Kane chipped the ball forward for Rose, who beat Adrian’s punch to the ball only for his header to drop onto the roof of the empty net. But West Ham continued to pose problems. Lloris had to rush from his goal to block a shot from Enner Valencia after the forward had got the better of Rose. West Ham should have gone 2-0 ahead after 59 minutes when Mark Noble’s pass sent Sakho through with only Lloris to beat, but the goalkeeper anticipated the forward’s shot to his left and pushed the ball round the post. It only delayed the inevitable. In the 62nd minute Noble crossed from the left, two defenders went with Valencia, and Sakho stole in unnoticed at the far post to touch the ball back across Lloris and in. Spurs then brought on Roberto Soldado but even though that pushed Kane into a supporting role, he still looked Tottenham’s most dangerous player, and he thought he had halved the arrears when scoring at the second attempt, only to be flagged offside. Tottenham’s lifeline arrived in the 81st minute and owed more to Adrian, the West Ham goalkeeper, than any attacking skill. First he came out to claw a cross from the head of Dier but got no distance on the ball. And as Rose’s shot bounced back towards the unguarded net he appeared to leave it, before realising the ball was LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s English striker Harry Kane reacts after scoring his going to drop in and diving penalty during the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and too late. West Ham United at White Hart Lane on Sunday. Adrian almost redeemed Tottenham failed to clear a West himself by saving Kane’s last-gasp put pressure on Southampton and Liverpool before their two rivals for Ham attack but still had plenty of de- penalty in the sixth minute of stoppagefourth place meet at St Mary’s later on fenders between ball and goal as the time, but he couldn’t prevent the new ball was worked down the left to Aaron hero of White Hart Lane hitting home Sunday. So a limp first half display was a Cresswell. But when the left back the rebound for his 24th goal of a resurprise, especially in a local derby swung the ball across, Kouyate rose markable campaign.—AFP
MCA to visit Kabul for 5 ODs, 3 T20 matches series
that went the way of the visitors twice last season. Tottenham did go close to the opener when Kane won a race against James Tomkins for a simple ball over the top from Rose. Winston Reid’s challenge forced the Spurs forward to improvise a poke with his studs rather than a clean strike, but the ball still beat Adrian only to clip the outside of the base of a post and spin to safety. But West Ham also looked dangerous and Sakho alertly nipped in between Hugo Lloris and Eric Dier as the ball bounced between them and headed goalwards. Fortunately for the home side, Jan Vertonghen was on hand to clear, but there was no salvation for Spurs after 22 minutes as West Ham went ahead.
Bell apology for ‘embarrassing’ England
CHRISTCHURCH—England opener Ian Bell barrassing,” Bell said. “The fact we have to apologise to people P ESHAWAR —The Under-19 apologised Sunday for his side’s embarrassteam of Malik Cricket Academy Peshawar will visit Kabul on a 20-day tour in April to play five One-Days and three Twenty20 matches against Afghanistan Udner-19 team. This was stated by Managing Director of Malik Cricket Academy (MCA) Farman Ali while talking to APP here on Sunday. He said MCA has got an invitation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board to visit Kabul for the Series that including five OneDays and three Twenty20 matches. In this connection, he said, the MCA would soon announce date to conduct open trials before short-listing players for the 15-day camp. He said the selection of the players would be made, purely on merit. After twoday trials, he said, trials matches would be conducted among those shortlisted for the camp. Initially 30 players would be shortlisted for the camp, he added. He disclosed that soon after the visit to Afghanistan, the MCA would also visit Sharjah and Dubai on a 15day tour.—APP
ing start to the World Cup after being thrashed by Australia and New Zealand in their first two games. “We expect people at home to be angry about that performance,” he said on the eve of their third Pool A match, against Scotland, at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. England opened cricket’s showpiece ODI tournament with a 111-run hiding by Australia before suffering an eight-wicket thrashing by New Zealand. England captain Eoin Morgan said after the New Zealand humiliation that his side was “disappointed” rather than “embarrassed”, but for Bell there was no escaping the “E” word. “To go out and play like we did was em-
about the cricket is not acceptable. It’s really disappointing what we’ve done.” Scotland have only played one game so far, losing by three wickets to New Zealand, after putting up a more credible performance than England against the tournament cohosts.Bell, who produced scores of 36 and eight in England’s opening games, where his side totalled 231 and 123 said England had been well off the pace in the tournament “so it would be nice to turn up and put on the kind of game we know we can”. “We were gutted about the performance” against Australia and New Zealand, he said. “But it’s about tomorrow now. Hopefully we can put on something that’s at least — I don’t think it will repair the damage fully — but at least it’s a step in the right direction.” But he was adamant, there was no need to change their game plan of taking an aggressive approach, even though it is not working when either setting or chasing targets. “We want to play aggressive cricket. We just haven’t managed to do that in the last two games,” he said. “It’s no good doing it in the nets. We have to take it into the middle and do it there. You want to bat through but there’s no point trying to survive either. You’ve got to play aggressive cricket. “That’s where one-day cricket is going. But that doesn’t mean slogging, it doesn’t mean hitting every ball for six — it’s being smart as well.” Bell said the plan was to maintain the aggressive approach in batting, bowling and fielding. “We don’t want to take a backward step and go back to trying to survive and build a total and go hard in the last 10 [overs].”—AFP
ISLAMABAD: Players of Faisalabad Board in a group photo with the chief guest. Faisalabad board got first position in Inter-Board Hockey tournament held at Naseer Budna Hockey Stadium.
Pak community to promote cricket in US STAFF REPORTER P ESHAWA R —A group of Pakistani players and business men are striving to promote the game of cricket in the United States, a country which is yet to prove its talents in this sports. A leading Pakistani businessmen of the Houston (America) Sakhi Mohammad has not only established a cricket stadium in the City but also promoting cricket and patronizing the players through his own sources. A Pakistani cricketer Jan Nisar Khan, who hails from Peshawar, is playing a pivotal role in this regard. In a recently played cricket match between the Smart Choice sports club Houston and Trigger cricket club that consists of players from various cities, the former won the match and tournament titled HCL T-20 and brought laurels to the community. The Smart Choice Club Houston comprises 90% Pakistani Players with the team captain Bilal Ahmad also a Pakistani. The ace player Jan Nisar Khan bowled out five players of the Trigger club and was declared man of the match and was awarded trophy and cash prize. Jan Nisar who has played matches in, South Africa, England, Bangla Desh and other countries, visits UK every year and coach the local teams while many other countries have offered him coaching their teams.
Don’t have high expectations from Pakistan in World Cup: Sethi L AHORE —Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Executive Committee Najam Sethi acknowledged the Pakistan team’s humiliating defeats in the World Cup and said fans should not have high expectations from its performance in the tournament. Sethi, who has maintained a silence duri n g P a k i s t a n ’s dismal performance early in the tournament, was speaking to reporters at the venue of Lahore Literature Festival on Sunday. The former chairman came to the team’s defence, and said that this was the same team which had won Pakistan many Twenty20 matches. Outlining reasons for the team’s loss, he said that the Pakistan team played less international matches than the other countries participating in the game’s biggest competition. Sethi, however, was quick to add that the countrymen must not forget that most of the team’s regular bowlers were injured and the batsmen were not experienced either. He went on to say: “This is only the second match that Pakistan has lost ... in these circumstances, team needs support and not criticism.” A revitalised West Indies side had cashed in on a sensational Pakistan batting collapse
to notch their first victory of the World Cup by 150 runs at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. In Pakistan’s tournament opener on February 15, arch-rivals India had continued their World Cup unbeaten streak against the Greenshirts by winning their sixth tournament encounter since 1992. Following the defeats, the board and the team were subject to severe criticism as reports of sidelining captain Misbah-ul-Haq and rifts of certain players with fielding coach Grant Luden started to emerge. Though the board denied all of such reports, but the players’ performance on the field and the results it wielded did not leave many convinced. None of the leading Pakistan Cricket Board officials were available in the PCB headquarters at the Gaddafi Stadium the day after Pakistan team’s shock defeat to arch-rivals India at Adelaide in a crucial World Cup match. Neither chairman Shaharyar M. Khan nor PCB Governing Board member and chairman of three committees Najam Sethi or Shakil Sheikh (head of Cricket Committee) — who had played key roles in taking major cricket related decisions prior to the start of the World Cup — were available in the PCB offices which was extremely surprising and reflective of their mindset about the team’s performance in Australia. The need of the hour was that the trio should have met immediately to discuss the shambolic display by national team at Adelaide after India, who were under tremendous pressure before the crunch game due to their dismal show in the recent Test series and the tri-nation ODI series in Australia, cruised to a 76-run win over Pakistan for the sixth consecutive time in a World Cup.—APP
Arshad retained as captain of Shaheen Club P ESHAWA R —First
class cricketer Arshad Iqbal has retained as captain of the Shaheen Club for the year2015. This was stated by Patron-in-Chief of the Club Umar Nawaz Orakzai while talking to APP here on Sunday. He said the decision of retaining Arshad Iqbal as captain was taken on looking after his performance as captain during the year2014. The other players of the club, he said, comprising Farid Shah, Nasrut Ullah, Niamat Ullah, Azam Khan, Obaid Ullah, Kamran Khan, Naqeeb Ullah, Usman, Asfandiyar Khan, Abu Bakar, Zakir Khan, Tahir, Zubair, Dawood Khan, Iltaf Khan. He said players of Shaheen club had given excellent performances while playing different tournaments. He said Azam Khan was selected in the FATA Under-16 team, Dawood Khan represented Peshawar District team in the Udner19, Naqeeb UIlah, Niamat Ullah, Nusrat Ullah were part of the Afghanistan Udner19 team. Iltaf played for KP Police team while Kamran represented FC team. He expressed the hope that the players of the Club would continue their performance in the Year-2015. He also LAJPRE: Chief guest former Governor Punjab Makhdoom Ahmad Mehmood giving away winning trophy to thye ensured all out support to winning team Lake City Polo during prize distribution ceremony of Aibak Polo Cup. the Club.—APP
HYDERABAD: Hockey players of Hyderabad Herpes amd Atlas Honda playing hockey match at Board Stadium Latifabad.
MCC to get minimum share as hosting venue BIPIN DANI OBSERVER CORRESPONDENT M UMBAI —More number of spectators witnessed the India-South Africa match today at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as compared to the people present on February 14, the opening day of the World Cup match between Australia and England. This was revealed by Stephen Gough, the CEO at the Melbourne Cricket Club. Speaking exclusively over his mobile after the completion of match on Sunday, he said, “definitely there were more people (in excess of 85,000) to-day than the Australia-England match”. According to the CEO, the MCC (Melbourne Cricket Club), the venue-host, will get a very small amount from to-day’s gate-money. “The major amount will be taken by the ICC and the two local
organising nations (Australia and New Zealand) will share the gate-receipts”, he further added. “There are lot of Indians living in Melbourne and people also came from other cities of this country. It was a boost to the Indian team”. “India played exceedingly well to-day and scored above 300 runs and the brilliant target was always difficult to achieve by the opposite team”. No ODI team has made 300 while batting 2nd at MCG. “Sachin Tendulkar was the ICC guest and was well looked after by the ICC. Our people escorted him to the special box”. Sachin Tendulkar has been a brand ambassador of the World Cup. “I am not aware whether his wife (Anjali) is there here with him but Anil Kumble was present with his wife. Kumble has been inducted into ICC’s Hall of Fame”.