SPORTTuesday 27 November 2018

PAGE | 09 PAGE | 11Magical Yasir

destroys Kiwis as Pakistan

sniff big win

Formula One: Vettel takes stock as Ferrari lick wounds

PSG face tough Liverpool testAP PARIS

This week Paris Saint-Germain’s will face an acid test in the Cham-pions League when they take on Liverpool in a key match.

A loss in the Champions League to Liverpool tomorrow would leave Thomas Tuchel grappling with the same vexing problem of underachievement that undid other managers who have come and gone at the Parc des Princes in seven years of PSG ownership by deep-pocketed Qatar.

Should Liverpool and Napoli, which hosts Red Star Belgrade, both win tomorrow then PSG will be out of the Champions League regardless of results in the last round of group play in December. PSG has five points from four matches so far in Group C. Liv-erpool and Napoli both have six points.

“It’s a decisive match in a very, very complicated group,” Tuchel told French broadcaster TF1 after PSG again won in the French league on Saturday.

Part of the reason Tuchel’s players already have their backs to the wall in Europe is that steamrolling over poorer, weaker French league opponents each week isn’t sharpening them for tougher Champions League nights.

This weekend, PSG didn’t even need stars Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, both injured and watching from the stands, in the 1-0 victory against Toulouse. PSG has won all 14 of its league games, scoring as many goals (46) as second-placed Lyon and third-place Montpellier combined.

Even if PSG lost every game from now on, the 42 points it has accumulated so far - already 15 more than Lyon - would likely save it from relegation. Since the French league’s expansion to 20 teams in 2002, only Caen in 2005 and Monaco in 2011 dropped down with 42 points or more.

But as impressive as PSG’s stats seem, they’re also a damning indictment of the lop-sidedness caused in the league. The irony is that by forking out so heavily on world-class recruits, PSG also appears to have sown the seeds for them to go soft and underachieve in Europe, because in France they simply don’t always need to find their highest gear to succeed.

Against Toulouse, PSG squan-dered chances and often lacked intensity. Yet that didn’t really matter against opponents with one of the poorest scoring and defensive records in the league. A touch of genius from striker Edinson Cavani, juggling the ball with his left foot, turning and vol-leying into the Toulouse goal with

his right, was sufficient. PSG will likely need more - much more - against Juergen Klopp’s Liv-erpool, which won 3-2 when they last played at Anfield in Sep-tember. Time to discover whether Tuchel’s players still have that high gear.

Veteran right-back Dani Alves, back from a knee injury that kept him out for six months and caused him to miss the World

Cup with Brazil, acknowledged as much after a substitute appearance against Toulouse where he looked sharp.

“You give more or less of yourself in Ligue 1 and you can win. But in the Champions League, you are overtaken, because the others fight like animals,” French sports daily L’Equipe quoted the former Bar-celona star as saying.

“Even if you have quality, you have to fight. You must show why you are there. It’s a whole process.”

Tuchel expects to have Mbappe (shoulder) and Neymar (groin) back against Liverpool.

“They’re improving by the day,” he told TF1.

“We have time before Wednesday. That’s good for us. I think they’ll be able to play.”

Ronaldo eyes revenge against Valencia

AFP TURIN

Cristiano Ronaldo is in hot form and gunning for revenge going into today’s Champions League clash against Valencia after seeing red against the Spaniards in the away leg, with Juventus needing a draw in Turin to book their ticket to the knockout rounds of the European competition.

“Happy to have helped the team on another important win,” the 33-year-old wrote on social media after scoring his tenth goal this season for the Italian giants in Saturday’s 2-0 win over SPAL as Juventus opened up a record eight-point lead on the top of Serie A after 13 games.

Ronaldo was purchased by Juventus for $113mf rom Real Madrid last summer to help their quest for the elusive Champions League title after finishing runners up twice in the past four seasons.

But the Portuguese superstar is also proving to be a key element in the team’s race towards an eighth straight Serie A title, with nine goals and five assists of their 28 goals this season.

No Italian team have ever achieved 37 points from the first 13 games, with Ronaldo becoming the fastest forward in the club’s history to score 10 goals in all competitions.

“I don’t not care about the numbers. I don’t count any-thing, the important thing is that we take it home in May,” said coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Next up is a Group H return leg clash against Valencia, who beat Rayo Val-lecano 3-0 in La Liga at the weekend, but are midtable in Spain.

Juventus are top of the group with nine points after four games, with Manchester United two points behind and the Spaniards on five.

PSG team-mates Neymar (left) and Kylian Mbappe attend the French Ligue 1 match against Toulouse at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris, on Saturday.

Today’s Fixtures

CSKA Moskva vs Viktoria Plzeň (8.55pm)

AEK Athens vs Ajax (8.55pm)

Hoffenheim vs Shakhtar Donetsk (11.00pm)

Olympique Lyonnais vs Manchester City

(11.00pm)

Roma vs Real Madrid (11.00pm)

Manchester United vs Young Boys (11.00pm)

Juventus vs Valencia (11.00pm)

Bayern München vs Benfica (11.00pm)

Tomorrow’s Matches

Atlético Madrid vs Monaco (8.55pm)

Lokomotiv Moskva vs Galatasaray (8.55pm)

Borussia Dortmund vs Club Brugge (11.00pm)

PSV vs Barcelona (11.00pm) )

Tottenham Hotspur vs Internazionale (11.00pm)

PSG vs Liverpool (11.00pm)

Napoli vs Crvena Zvezda (11.00pm)

Porto vs Schalke 04 (11.00pm) )

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURESBounedjah celebrates AFC Champions League top scorer award

Qatar and China join hands for football developmentTHE PENINSULA DOHA

The Qatar Football Association (QFA) yesterday signed a five-year collaboration agreement with the Chinese Football Asso-ciation (CFA) at the QFA head-quarters in Al Bidda Tower.

Du Zhaocai, Vice Sports Minister of China and CFA Acting President, Zhang Jian, Senior Vice President of CFA, Roger Luo Zhao, Director of International Department (CFA) and CJ Chen Jun, Manager, International Department of CFA, met with QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Kahlifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, Hani Balan, Board of Directors member, QFA, Mansoor Al Ansari, Sec-retary General of QFA and Mushtaq Al Waeli, Executive Director, Strategy & Institutional Development, for the contract ceremony.

The latest signing is another

example of QFA’s attempt to stra-tegically develop football in all regions of Asia and beyond. The

new agreement also brings QFA and CFA closer as they look into ways and means to develop the

world’s biggest sport.It is expected that Qatar and

C h i n a w i l l h a v e

exchange programs between the two countries in various age brackets to develop youth football. Qatar will also rely on the help from Aspire Academy and Aspetar Sports Medicine Hospital to beef up their exchange programs with CFA.

“I am very pleased to be in Qatar for this agreement. I would like to thank Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association, the QFA Vice Pres-ident and the Secretary General for this warm welcome”, Du Zhaocai commented after the signing ceremony.

“The signing of this cooper-ation agreement between the two football bodies is something that I look forward with great antici-pation,” he said.

“The agreement will strengthen the cooperation in various fields related to football. We know the experience Qatar has in the field of developing the

sport. Their training courses for players, officials, referees and coaches etc are hugely beneficial for the participants,” he added.

“There is no doubt that Qatar has become the leading sports center in Asia. We are proud to be working with a body like the QFA. It is a professionally run sports body that works diligently to develop the sport in Qatar and around Asia,” he said.

The CFA President said he was impressed by Qatar’s prep-arations being carried out to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The signing of the cooper-ation agreement demonstrates both associations’ objectives to cooperate and support the development of football in both countries by organising training sessions and camps, friendly matches, development work-shops for technical staff, and exchanging knowledge and expertise for the mutual benefit of both parties.

Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah, winner of the 2018 AFC Champions League top scorer award celebrates with team-mates with the trophy in Doha yesterday. The Algerian’s 13 goals saw him finish ahead of Suwon Samsung Bluewings’ Dejan Damjanovic and Al Duhail’s Yousef El Arabi. RIGHT: Bounedjah

Qatar Football Association (QFA) President Sheikh Hamad bin Kahlifa bin Ahmed Al Thani and Du Zhaocai, Vice Sports Minister of China and CFA Acting President exchange documents during the signing ceremony in Doha yesterday.

08 TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2018SPORT

The members of the England team pose for a group photo after sealing series sweep against Sri Lanka yesterday.

England claim landmark Test series sweep after tense winAFP COLOMBO

Skipper Joe Root hailed Eng-land’s “complete team-effort” yesterday after his team sealed a tense victory over Sri Lanka in the third and final Test to record their first overseas series sweep in 55 years.

In the face of stubborn Sri Lankan resistance, spinners Jack Leach and Moeen Ali took four wickets each to set up the 42 run win inside four days in Colombo. Needing 327 for an unlikely victory, Sri Lanka reached 284.

Leach trapped captain Suranga Lakmal lbw for 11 to trigger celebrations for England who have not won all the games in an overseas series of three or more Tests since Ted Dexter’s side won 3-0 in New Zealand in 1963.

It was the third time Sri Lanka have been whitewashed at home after India last year and Australia in 2004.

The third Test highlighted England’s pool of talent with Leach coming in as the third spinner with Ali and Adil Rashid, and Ben Foakes taking the wicketkeeper’s gloves but also scoring big runs.

“That’s been a big secret in our success -- being able to bring different guys in, and pick a team that is going to take 20 wickets and score enough runs to put teams under pressure,” said Root.

“The experienced players have taken the extra responsi-bility. It’s been exceptional. It’s been a complete team effort, it’s been a great tour,” said Root, who has set the target of overtaking India as world number one Test team.

“It’s easy for me to sit here and take all the compliments but without that squad of players pushing each other,

being willing to learning and improving, we wouldn’t have achieved what we have,” Root said at the post-match presser.

But Sri Lanka did not give up without a fight.

Kusal Mendis, who hit a gritty 86, and Roshen Silva, who made 65, put on 102 runs for the sixth wicket to launch Sri Lanka’s resistance cam-paign on a turning wicket.

Number 11 Malinda Push-pakumara also gave England a scare with his unbeaten 42 off 40 deliveries, lifting the hosts from 226-9 and raising hopes of a miracle.

Leach broke the Mendis-Silva stand with a brilliant one-handed pick-up and bullet throw at the non-striker’s end that got Mendis out. He had started the day on 15 and reg-istered his seventh Test fifty with eight fours and a six.

Silva hit a fighting half-century but was finally trapped lbw by Ali. Leach also ended the 58-run last wicket stand,

claiming Suranga on the fourth ball of the final session.

“It went a couple of hours longer than I would have liked to,” admitted England coach Trevor Bayliss who nonetheless hailed the series win as a “just reward”.

England were bowled out for 230 in their second innings on Sunday with Jos Buttler making a crucial 64 after they had fallen to 39-4 against the opposition spinners.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Foakes, who hit a century on debut in the opener in Galle, made an unbeaten 36 in the second innings.

He was named Man-of-the-Series for leading the batting chart with 277 runs including a ton and a half-century.

Jonny Bairstow, returning

from injury, made his presence felt with 110 in England’s first innings of 336 after they elected to bat first.

Rashid then claimed five wickets with his leg spin to help dismiss Sri Lanka for 240 as the tourists built a crucial lead.

However, Sri Lanka coach Chandika Hathurusingha said the hosts fought hard in a series that was not as one-sided as the result reflected.

“I thought it was a very closely fought series especially the last two games. The dif-ference between the two teams was very little,” said Hathurusingha.

“I thought England handled tough situations well.”

The whitewash sealed a complete domination of the tour by England who clinched the one-day inter-nationals 3-1 and the only Twenty20 match.

England’s Jack Leach appeals for successful wicket for Sri Lanka’s Suranga Lakmal in Colombo, yesterday. INSET: England captain Joe Root poses with the winner’s trophy. England 1st innings ......................... 336

Sri Lanka 1st innings ....................... 240 England 2nd innings ....................... 230Sri Lanka 2nd inningsD. Gunathilaka c Stokes b Moeen ....................6

D. Karunaratne b Moeen ................................23

D. de Silva lbw b Leach .....................................0

K. Mendis run out (Leach) ..............................86

A. Mathews c Broad b Stokes .......................... 5

L. Sandakan c Stokes b Leach .......................... 7

R. Silva lbw b Moeen .......................................65

N. Dickwella c Jennings b Leach ................... 19

D. Perera c Jennings b Moeen ......................... 5

S. Lakmal lbw b Leach ..................................... 11

M. Pushpakumara not out ............................ 42

Extras (b8, w5, nb2) ..................................... 15

Total (all out, 86.4 overs) ................ 284Fall of Wickets: 1-15 (Gunathilaka), 2-24 (de

Silva), 3-34 (Karunaratne), 4-52 (Mathews), 5-82

(Sandakan), 6-184 (Mendis), 7-214 (Dickwella),

8-225 (Perera), 9-226 (Silva), 10-284 (Lakmal)

Bowling: Broad 5-0-14-0 (w3), Moeen 26-3-92-4,

Leach 28.4-4-72-4, Stokes 8-1-25-1 (w2, nb1),

Rashid 19-1-73-0 (nb1)

Toss: England

Result: England beat Sri Lanka by 42 runs

Series: England win three-match series 3-0

Man of the match: J. Bairstow

Man of the series: B. Foakes

SCOREBOARD

That’s been a big

secret in our success

– being able to bring

different guys in,

and pick a team

that is going to take

20 wickets and

score enough runs

to put teams under

pressure: Joe Root.

Bangladesh coach defends hostile pitch after WI collapseAFP CHITTAGONG

Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes (pic-tured) has defended the pitch used for the first Test against West Indies where his side won in three days, insisting foreign teams must expect hostile spin tracks in South Asia.

Bangladesh spinners took all 20 West Indies wickets to fall in the Chit-tagong game that ended on Sunday with a 64 run victory for the home side.

Rhodes strongly indicated that the Caribbean side should have foreseen a tough pitch after they used a pace-friendly track in Antigua when

Bangladesh were skittled out for 43, their record low total.

“I think that’s the beauty of playing all around the world,” Rhodes said of the Chittagong track.

“There’s lots of different ways to play this wonderful game and coming to Bangladesh and playing on spinning wickets it made for some intriguing cricket,” the Englishman added.

Bangladesh spinners also accounted for all 20 wickets when they beat England in a Test in Dhaka in 2016.

“I think in the subcontinent, in places like Pakistan, in Sri Lanka, in India, in Bangladesh you have come to expect turning wickets. So, it’s no surprise,”

Rhodes said of the result. “There’s a Test match going on in Colombo at the moment, with Sri Lanka and England.

That’s a turning wicket and I think the teams that come over to the subcon-tinent plan for those sort of wickets. It’s just a different type of cricket,” the coach added.

Overall, 34 wickets fell to spinners in Chittagong, which equalled a record for a Test in Bangladesh set in a victory over Australia last year. Rhodes said there was nothing wrong with a home side taking advantage of the conditions.

“I’ll take you back to the Antigua Test match where we played on very alien conditions -- green, bouncy, a swinging ball,” he said.

The second Test against West Indies starts in Dhaka on November 30.

There’s lots of different

ways to play this wonderful

game and coming to

Bangladesh and playing on

spinning wickets it made

for some intriguing cricket:

Steve Rhodes

Mashrafe defends move to politicsAFP DHAKA

Bangladesh superstar Mashrafe Mortaza has defended his decision to enter politics as the “need of the hour” after angering some fans by contesting upcoming elections.

Mashrafe, who enjoys rockstar status in cricket-mad Bangladesh, divided opinion when he announced he would run in the December 30 polls on an Awami League ticket.

A photograph of the 35-year-old alongside party leader and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina dominated headlines for days. But it split fans in the South Asian nation of 165 million, which this year witnessed major rallies against the Awami League, which has jailed opponents and stifled dissent.

“I believe that every conscious, worthy and honest Bangladeshi should enter politics,” Mashrafe said late on Sunday in his first public r e m a r k s s i n c e a n n o u n c i n g h i s candidacy.

“Maybe many can’t find the courage for dif-ferent reasons and mental limitations. I thought that it was important to break this mental barrier. So, I myself took the initiative to fulfil my desire,” he said in a Facebook post.

Earlier, the Awami League confirmed the one-day international captain would contest a parliamentary seat from his home town Narail in southwest Bangladesh.

A cricketer moving into politics is nothing new in South Asia, where star players command god-like devotion from millions of fans.

It is, however, rare for a current player to make the change. Mashrafe is expected to skipper Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series against the West Indies on home soil starting December 9.

“I don’t know what is waiting for me in the next four and half years after the World Cup. So I made an assessment of the time. I listened to the need of the hour. Because I believe, work should be done in due time,” he said.

Mashrafe has already retired from Twenty20 international cricket and has not played a Test match since 2009.

DUBAI AFP

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah wrecked New Zealand with a career best eight-wicket haul as Pakistan sniffed victory on the third day of the second Test in Dubai yesterday.

The 32-year-old grabbed 8-41 in 12.3 overs which annihilated New Zealand to 90 all out in just 35.3 overs before taking two more wickets as New Zealand -- fol-lowing on -- were 131-2 at close in their second innings.

Yasir dismissed opener Jeet Raval for two before accounting for New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson caught behind for 30 to complete his third 10-wicket haul in the match.

Tom Latham (44) and Ross Taylor (49) were at the crease at close as New Zealand need another 197 runs to avoid an innings defeat while Pakistan can level the series by taking another eight wickets with two days to play.

New Zealand won the first Test in Abu Dhabi by four runs last week to gain a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Taylor has hit six boundaries and a six in his return-to-form innings while Latham has hit three boundaries as the two have added 65 for the unbroken third wicket stand to take the fight to the Pakistan bowlers.

But the day belonged to Yasir, who rocked New Zealand in the first innings.

He also became the first Paki-stani to take 10 wickets in a single day, ninth in the world with Eng-land’s left-arm spinner Johnny Briggs doing it twice.

“When I was coming to the

ground I was thinking that I must get ten wickets in the match, but never thought it will come in a single day,” said Yasir.

“I came from injury and didn’t get the needed rhythm against Australia (last month) but now I am getting it and very happy to achieve this feat,” said Yasir.

Rain had delayed the start of the third day by an hour but when the action started Yasir was light-ening, bowling to his best ability on a turning Dubai stadium pitch.

Yasir dismissed Latham (22), Taylor (nought) and Henry Nicholls (nought) in his ninth over, trig-gering a collapse during which New Zealand lost all their ten wickets for just 40 runs after being well set on 50 without loss.

Yasir’s bowling figures -- his 15th five-wicket haul -- beat his previous best of 7-76 against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2015 and also the best against New Zealand.

Intikhab Alam (7-52) held the record for Pakistan’s best bowling against New Zealand, achieved at Dunedin in 1973.

New Zealand, resuming at 27 without loss, lost Raval in an

unfortunate way as he tried to reverse sweep Yasir but the ball deflected off his bat to his thigh and hit the stumps.

Raval top-scored with 31.From 50-1 it became 61-2

when Yasir had Latham caught at short-leg by Imam-ul-Haq off the first ball of his ninth over.

Two balls later he bowled experienced Taylor with a beau-tiful delivery that turned and beat the forward push by the batsman.

Off his fifth ball Yasir bowled Nicholls through the gap between bat and pad.

It was Yasir who ran Bradley-John Watling run out soon after lunch for one before dismissing Ish Sodhi, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel and Trent Boult -- all without scoring in the space of nine balls.

Six New Zealand batsmen fell without scoring, making it the fifth occasion in a Test when six batsmen failed to score in an innings.

Wil l iamson remained unbeaten on 28, watching wickets fell like nine pins at the other end.

With Sodhi’s wicket Yasir also completed 100 wickets in 16 Tests in United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Sharja and Abu Dhabi).

The third Test will be played in Abu Dhabi from December 3.

09TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2018 SPORT

Magical Yasir destroys Kiwis as Pakistan sniff big victory

Pictures showing Pakistani spinner Yasir Shah in action and celebrating a wicket against New Zealand during the third day of their second Test in Dubai, yesterday.

Pakistan Ist innings 418-5 New Zealand Ist inningsJ. Raval b Yasir Shah ....................................... 31

T. Latham c Imam b Yasir ...............................22

K. Williamson not out .....................................28

R. Taylor b Yasir .................................................0

H. Nicholls b Yasir ..............................................0

BJ Watling run out .............................................1

C. de Grandhomme lbw b Hasan ....................0

I. Sodhi c Sarfraz b Yasir ...................................0

N. Wagner lbw b Yasir ......................................0

Ajaz Patel lbw b Yasir .......................................4

T. Boult st Sarfraz b Yasir .................................0

Extras: (lb3, nb1) .............................................4

Total: (all out; 35.3 overs) ................. 90Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Raval), 2-61 (Latham), 3-61 (Tay-

lor), 4-61 (Nicholls), 5-63 (Watling), 6-69 (Grandhom-

me), 7-72 (Sodhi), 8-72 (Wagner), 9-90 (Patel), 10-90

(Boult)

Bowling: Abbas 9-4-18-0 (1nb), Hasan 10-5-25-1, Ha-

feez 2-1-1-0, Yasir 12.3-1-41-8, Asif 2-1-2-0,

New Zealand second inningsJ. Raval st Sarfraz b Yasir ................................. 2

T. Latham not out ........................................... 44

K. Williamson c Sarfraz b Yasir .....................30

R. Taylor not out ............................................. 49

Extras: (b 4, lb 2) ............................................6

Total: (for two wkst; 43 overs) ........ 131Still to bat: H. Nicholls, B. Watling, C. de Grandhomme,

I. Sodhi, N. Wagner, Ajaz Patel, T. Boult

Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Raval), 2-66 (Williamson)

Bowling: Abbas 4-1-11-0, Hasan 5-3-5-0, Yasir

15-2-65-2, Hafeez 3-1-6-0, Asif 14-1-30-0, Sohail

2-0-8-0

SCOREBOARD

Yasir dismissed opener Jeet Raval for

two before accounting for New Zealand

skipper Kane Williamson caught behind

for 30 to complete his third 10-wicket

haul in the match.

He also became the first Pakistani to take

10 wickets in a single day, ninth in the

world with England’s left-arm spinner

Johnny Briggs doing it twice.

Six New Zealand batsmen fell without

scoring, making it the fifth occasion in a

Test when six batsmen failed to score in

an innings.

Azhar rejoins Somerset for 2019 seasonAFP LONDON

Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali is returning to Somerset as an overseas player for the 2019 season, the club announced yesterday.

The 33-year-old, currently playing in the second Test against New Zealand in Dubai, will be available for the entire County Cham-pionship and Royal London One-Day Cup campaigns in his second spell at Taunton.

Azhar will not play for Pakistan at next year’s World Cup in England and Wales, having retired from one-day internationals, making him available for the whole summer after making a positive impression during a spell at Somerset last season.

“I very much enjoyed my time with the club this year and I am really pleased to be going back,” he said.

“Somerset is a special club and it was a pleasure to play for them in 2018. There was a really good atmosphere in the dressing room and there are some very good players at the club. The supporters were excellent and I look forward to seeing everyone again next year.”

Director of cricket Andy Hurry said: “Azhar fitted in seamlessly during his time with us towards the back end of the 2018 season. Knowing the positive impact that he will have both on and off the field, alongside his availability all summer, were key factors in wanting to secure him.”

Azhar Ali

ICC bids for women’s T20 in 2022 Commonwealth GamesREUTERS DUBAI

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has submitted a bid for the inclusion of women’s Twenty20 in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the governing body said yesterday.

Cricket has not featured in the quadrennial Games since its maiden appearance in 1998 when the South African men’s team won the gold medal in Kuala Lumpur.

“Cricket and the Com-monwealth are inextricably linked and almost perfectly aligned with 910 million of cricket’s one billion plus adult fans from Common-wealth countries,” ICC chief executive David Richardson (pictured) said.

“Creating a new part-nership between women’s cricket and the Common-wealth Games demonstrates the commitment both organisations have to growing women’s sport...” Birmingham is the perfect place to launch this part-nership as 23 percent of its residents have links to cricket-playing nations outside the United Kingdom, Richardson said.

“If cricket were to be staged in these Games, we know every team com-peting would be guaranteed ‘home’ support. There’s a ready-made audience and ready-made infrastructure in the local vicinity,” he added.

Cricket Australia (CA)

were quick to support the bid two days after their women’s team won the World Twenty20 crown in West Indies.

“It’s exciting to think that cricket could poten-tially feature at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham,”

CA chief executive

Kevin Roberts said in a statement.

“We are committed to cricket being a sport of choice for women and girls in Australia, and with the ICC T20 World Cup in our backyard in 2020, we know the popularity of the women’s game will con-tinue to rise in the coming years,” he said.

Cricket, which has struggled to grow beyond its traditional bases, was last played at the Olympics in the 1900 Paris Games.

The ICC has been pushing for the game’s Olympic return with the 20-over format but the powerful Indian board has not been very keen on it, fearing it might lose its autonomy and be answerable to the country’s Olympic committee.

Meanwhile, England women’s captain Heather Knight said: “It’s hugely exciting that women’s cricket is bidding to become part of the Commonwealth Games.

“So much of what we do is about trying to get young girls and boys to pick up a bat and a ball and start playing the sport and the exposure of being in a global event like the Common-wealth Games would be so valuable for that.

“We saw earlier this year when the England Netball team won the gold medal on the Gold Coast that there’s a massive opportunity to inspire and to grow the game and we’d love to be a part of that.”

If cricket were

to be staged in

these Games, we

know every team

competing would

be guaranteed

support. There’s

a ready-made

audience and

ready-made

infrastructure in

the local vicinity:

David Richardson

10 TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2018SPORT

Tennis: Croatia captain Krajan hails his Davis Cup dream teamREUTERS LILLE, FRANCE

Croatia captain Zeljko Krajan hailed his “dream team” after Marin Cilic sealed a second Davis Cup title for the Balkan nation by beating France’s Lucas Pouille on Sunday.

Just as he was on Friday against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the 30-year-old world number seven was in commanding form to crush Pouille 7-6(3) 6-3 6-3 to give the Croats a winning 3-1 lead.

He did not drop a set in his two singles while Croatian number two Borna Coric had given the favourites a flying start on Friday with an easy win over Jeremy Chardy.

Neither Cilic nor Coric dropped serve all weekend as Croatia emulated the 2005 side which beat Slovakia in the final.

“This is the one of the best teams we’ve ever had -- it’s like a dream team,” Krajan said. “After seven years on the bench (as captain) it’s an honour for me to be here.

“My singles players not only didn’t lose a set, they didn’t lose serve in three matches which is

an unbelievable achievement and shows you the quality that we produced.”

Victory was especially sweet for Cilic who had bitter mem-ories of the 2016 final against Argentina to banish.

In that match in Zagreb, he was two sets to the good against Juan Martin del Potro and required just one more set to give Croatia a match-winning 3-1 lead.

Del Potro battled back to win in five before Federico Delbonis beat Ivo Karlovic to give Argentina victory.

“I always sleep well,” the 30-year-old Cilic, who made his debut in 2006, said, when asked whether that Del Potro defeat occasionally kept him awake at night.

“I’m just proud of the team today after everything we’ve been through. This is definitely one of the best moments of my career. There was a lot of pressure but I played a hell of a match today and deservedly won.”

Cilic said the fact that the final was the last in the compe-tition’s current guise added to the joy. “It’s historic,” he said. “I

have been part of this team since 2006.

“I have seen a few genera-tions of players, I have seen a lot of tennis, a lot of wins, a lot of matches lost too.

“It’s amazing to finish a chapter of this kind with the way we played and the atmosphere

that was in the team.”France captain Yannick

Noah, who will step down from his third stint in charge, said his team had been outplayed as they failed in their bid to win the title two years in succession.

“The guys did the maximum,” Noah said.

“Sometimes the bar is too high. That’s my feeling.

“We lost to a better team. We did everything we could to be at this level with the Croatian team. We just went to their locker-room to congratulate them. I think they’re beautiful winners and they deserve it.”

Croatia’s Marin Cilic kisses the winner’s trophy as Croatia’s team players celebrate their victory over France after the Davis Cup World Group final at The Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, northern France, on Sunday.

Noah is not happy with revamp plansREUTERS LILLE

Yannick Noah launched an impassioned attack on the imminent Davis Cup revamp after his third spell as France captain ended in defeat in the final by Croatia on Sunday.

Shortly after 24-year-old Lucas Pouille, whose defeat by Marin Cilic sealed France’s fate, said he was quitting the Davis Cup, Noah said the competition was disappearing in all but name.

“When people tell us it’s still going to be the Davis Cup, they are lying. I will tell them ‘you are liars’,” an emotional Noah told reporters.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has decided that from 2019, apart from February’s qualifying round, ‘home’ ties will be scrapped and the current World Group knockout format replaced by an 18-nation, one-week event to be staged in Madrid.

Best-of-five-set matches will also change to best-of-three.

The makeover is being backed to the tune of $3bn over 25 years by Spanish investment firm Kosmos -- a deal the ITF says will pump much-needed money into nat ional federations.

Noah, who led France to

Davis Cup glory in 1991 and 1996 in his first two spells as captain and again last year, said occa-sions like Sunday, when 22,000 fans produced an incredible atmosphere inside Lille’s Stade Pierre Mauroy, would be con-signed to history.

“We talk about money but how much is it worth for the ballboy, who is from here, to shake the hand of Lucas Pouille and have a picture with him?” Noah told reporters.

“How much is that worth? How much is the dream in

dollars? This will never happen again.

“So why don’t people tell the truth? It will never be the same. With all due respect, I really hope they don’t (continue to) call it the Davis Cup because this is not the Davis Cup.

“Playing two sets is not Davis Cup. Playing somewhere else is not Davis Cup.”

French doubles player Nicolas Mahut, who was also left unhappy about the changes to the competition’s format, was seen in a long discussion with

David Haggerty, the ITF pres-ident, immediately after their defeat was confirmed.

“It was a message that I wanted to send him directly. I think he received it well,” he told reporters, while his partner Pierre-Hugues Herbert said it had been a sad day.

“I am extremely sad today about the decisions of the ITF,” said Herbert. “After, it may be a good competition, but it will never be what it has been, the Davis Cup.”

Noah, the last home player

to win the men’s singles at the French Open in 1983, said he had also spoken to Haggerty at the pre-final dinner.

“I said I’m disgusted and upset to his face. It’s the truth. It’s the way I feel. Everyone has a right to feel differently but I feel I owe the Davis Cup because it means so much to me as a player, as a spectator.

“We have people who have decided it doesn’t matter, I don’t know if they don’t know, or they don’t care. But as I told the pres-ident I’m not from his world.”

On Saturday, Haggerty said the Davis Cup had to change to appeal to a greater television audience.

“We know that in France and Croatia this final is being fol-lowed by many consumers,” Haggerty said. “In the rest of the world, it’s not being followed to the same degree.

“This is where we see it turning into a proper World Cup of tennis with fans all around the world watching their 18 teams in one location and seeing it broadcast or streamed.”

Kosmos chief executive Javier Alonso, who has spear-headed the revamp alongside Spanish soccer international Gerard Pique, said: “We are in 2018 and if we look at 100 years ago tennis was something very different. Tennis has to evolve into a new era.”

France captain Yannick Noah shakes hands with the Croatia team players after they won the Davis Cup final following at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille, France, on Sunday.

French players united against Davis Cup overhaulAP LILLE

French players don’t like the new Davis Cup format and they’re saying it loud and clear. After failing to defend their title this weekend in northern France in a 3-1 loss to Croatia, the French lashed out at future plans adopted earlier this year and Lucas Pouille said he would boycott the com-petition from now on.

This weekend marked the last time in the 118-year-old competition history that the final was played in a best-of-five matches format and over a three-day weekend. Starting next year, the top team event in men’s tennis will be decided with a season-ending, 18-team tournament at a neutral site.

The International Tennis Federation believes this format, with matches played in best-of-three sets, will be more attractive to elite players who often pass on competing for their countries because

of a crowded schedule. The French tennis federation sup-

ported the reform.“I’m extremely sorry because of the

ITF decision,” doubles specialist Pierre-Hugues Herbert said. “It was the last true Davis Cup.”

Herbert’s partner, Nicolas Mahut, said he spoke with ITF David Haggerty imme-diately after the final to express his discontent.

“I believe he understood very well what I wanted to say,” said Mahut, without giving details. Lucas Pouille, who was thrashed in straight sets by Marin Cilic on Sunday a year after he wrapped up France’s 10th title, said he would not play in the Davis Cup anymore.

“Last year I was crying of joy, this year I was crying because I was sad,” Pouille said.

“I’m not going to change my mind about the new format. As far as I’m con-cerned, I’m not going to play in the Davis

Cup anymore. “That was the last time.”The ITF said it expects the new format

will help generate more money for tennis development around the world.

A $3bn, 25-year deal has been agreed by the ITF with Kosmos, an investment group founded by the Barcelona defender Gerard Pique.

Mahut claimed tennis stakeholders

should have come up with better solu-tions. “There are other means to find money. The Grand Slams tournaments could have given some of their revenues and the Davis Cup would have been saved,” Mahut said.

“We needed to find ways to lighten the schedule, we had so many good ideas to save that competition. There were other solutions.”

France’s Davis Cup captain Yannick Noah, who oversaw his last Davis Cup match this weekend and will be replaced by Amelie Mauresmo, is also a fervent opponent of the overhaul.

“It will never be the same, it’s going to be something else,” said Noah, who guided France to three Davis Cup titles. “I really hope this is not going to be called the Davis Cup. Playing two sets is not the Davis Cup. They are lying. I told (Haggerty) to his face I’m disgusted and upset because this is the way I feel.

“The Davis Cup was so much for me.”

REUTERS MELBOURNE

The Australian Olympic Com-mittee (AOC) has hit out at funding cuts to minor sports announced yesterday, saying they would create “enormous problems” for planning and budgeting ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Games.

The government-funded Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) announced a new investment model which will boost high performance funds for a number of sports but cut funding to others deemed to have lower medal-winning chances.

AOC Chief Executive Matt Carroll said that athletes’ preparations could be ham-pered by financial concerns.

“Sports that are lifting performance through well thought-out strategic plans, employing coaches and driving improvement in their systems have found them-selves abandoned or facing great uncertainty,” Carroll said in a statement.

“It would be naive to think that high performance athletes can enjoy their best preparation when there is financial pressure on coaching, programs, compe-titions and rising costs.”

The AIS said in a statement yesterday that “a small number” of sports faced funding cuts after June 2019.

“Having advised these sports and organisations about our funding decisions, we are giving them time to digest the information and advise their athletes and stakeholders before public announcements are made,” AIS Director Peter Conde said.

“We are confident that these changes will not impact on Olympic or Paralympic podium success.”

Australia’s national table tennis federation confirmed its funding had been cut.

“The AIS has determined that, relative to other sports, they consider table tennis has a low probability to win a medal at the 2020 Olympic Games, or win a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” Table Tennis Aus-tralia said.

Local media reported that sychronised swimming had also had its program cut. Fed-eration Synchro Australia was unable to provide immediate comment.

The investment shakeup boosts funding for 12 high performance programs from 2019 including women’s soccer, rugby sevens and women’s softball, the AIS said.

The Olympic Winter Institute of Australia will get an increase of almost A$2.3m ($1.67m) over the next two years in a boost for winter sports, while there will also be increases for para-winter sport and para-athletics.

“We will certainly con-tinue to support Australian athletes to provide the best chance of international podium success, but the emphasis will be on the number of Australian med-allists across a breadth of sports,” said Conde.

Sports funding has become an increasingly con-tentious issue in Australia, which the country slumping to its lowest medals haul in 24 years at the 2016 Olympics. Disagreements over funding models sparked a public feud last year between AOC President John Coates and John Wylie, chairman of government funding agency Sport Australia.

Olympics: AOC

slams funding cuts

for minor sports

ahead of Tokyo

Last year I was crying of

joy, this year I was crying

because I was sad. As far

as I’m concerned, I’m not

going to play in the Davis

Cup anymore.”

Says Lucas Pouille

11TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2018 SPORT

AP MELBOURNE

As hard as he tried, Ernie Els couldn’t put the ball in the cup. The Big Easy wasn’t on a green at Royal Melbourne, though. This was on a plastic grass strip in the middle of Brighton Beach, famous for its iconic beach houses, on Mel-bourne’s Port Phillip Bay.

The cup was a giant plastic replica of the Presidents Cup trophy, and despite trying a dozen or more times with a wedge from about 20 meters, the closest the ball came yesterday was to ricochet off part of the oversized trophy.

Els is pulling out all the stops to make sure the International team, of which he is captain, hoists the real Pres-idents Cup next December when the tournament is held for the third time at Royal Melbourne.

The International team had its only win over the United States in 1998 when

it was first held at Royal Melbourne, but it has had a dry spell since - no wins and just a tie in South Africa in 2003. So Els came into Melbourne on the weekend to announce during the final round of the World Cup at Metropolitan Golf Club that Australian veteran Geoff Ogilvy would be one of his captain’s assistants for the Dec. 9-15, 2019 tournament.

And to meet with the head greens-keeper and officials at Royal Melbourne to get some insights on how he might, as captain of the host team, be able to help set up the course to suit his players.

Tiger Woods, the US captain for the Presidents Cup next year, will make a similar trip to Melbourne in early December to check out the golf course and make some promotional appearances.

On Sunday night, Els was off to host a reception at the Royal Melbourne clubhouse to unveil a new logo for the International team.

The logo attempts to give the team a more unified focus while also allowing members from different countries to have the flags of their home countries represented.

“It’s a special group of guys from all over the world that make up the Pres-idents Cup International team,” Els said.

“Being from across the globe, we don’t all play for the same flag. This special group of people needed some-thing to identify with. To lift the spirit of the team, we felt like we needed a logo for ourselves.”

By yesterday afternoon, he was dressed more casually in slacks and a polo shirt for his beach outing and a catered barbecue featuring lamb chops and prawns.

And, of course, in the Australian beach tradition, drinks from an “esky,” or portable cooler, tucked in the stand.

The front of one of the beach houses, many of which are worth a half-million dollars despite the fact

they are no bigger than a garden shed, was repainted to feature a Presidents Cup trophy.

Members of the public walking on the popular strip couldn’t believe it when they saw Els trying his hand at cricket and passing around an Australian Rules football.

Autographs were signed and pleasantries exchanged.

He even played Paper, Rock, Scissors with a wacky television crew from Perth, Western Australia, who later challenged him to another attempt at putting the ball in the plastic trophy.

Except one of their guys threw the ball at the cup, which was now about 50 or 60 meters away, and Els hit a gap wedge. No luck for Els this time around either. In between clubs, again.

Special memories at Royal Melbourne Golf Club & always great to be back here! Looking forward to 2019 @PresidentsCup @Melbourne, says Ernie Els in this picture he tweeted yesterday.

Rugby: Schmidt to step down after World Cup; Farrell is the replacementAFP DUBLIN

World coach of the year Joe Schmidt is to step down as Ireland handler after next year’s World Cup and be replaced by their defence guru Andy Farrell (pictured below) the Irish Rugby Football Union announced yesterday.

The 53-year-old New Zealander -- named coach of the year on Sunday -- says he will take time out of coaching to prioritise his family.

This may lay to rest the rumours linking him with potentially taking over world champions New Zealand were Steve Hansen to announce in December he too is stepping down after the World Cup. Schmidt has guided the Irish to unprecedented success in his tenure since taking over the reins of a demoralised outfit in 2013.

Under him they have won three Six Nations titles -- including this year’s Grand Slam -- and two historic wins over world champions New Zealand, including a first ever win over them on Irish soil in an epic 16-9 victory earlier this month.

Schmidt will next year hope to set right the one major disappointment in his reign -- the humbling by Argentina in the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals -- and deliver the Webb Ellis trophy to Ireland for the first time.

Schmidt, who was hired as Ireland coach on the back of a successful spell at Irish province Leinster winning suc-cessive European Cups (2011/12), has often spoken about how little he gets to see his family with the demands of the job.

One of Schmidt’s four children Luke suffers from epilepsy and the coach has become heavily involved in the epilepsy charity in Ireland.

“I have decided to finish coaching and will prioritise family commitments after the RWC in 2019,” said Schmidt. “I feel that Irish rugby is in good hands. The management and players have been incredible to work with and the tremendous support we have had, particularly at Lansdowne Road, but where ever we have travelled has been uplifting.”

David Nucifora, the IRFU’S Director of Rugby, concurred with others such as captain Rory Best and world player of the year fly-half Johnny Sexton that Schmidt’s contribution had changed the face of the sport in Ireland.

“Joe’s contribution to Irish rugby is broader than just the success achieved with the national team,” he said.

“Regardless of what happens on the pitch over this period of time (the next 11 months) we are all clearly aware and thankful of the better place that Joe will be leaving Irish Rugby in post the Rugby World Cup.”

Farrell, a former England rugby league great who switched codes and represented England in union as well, has been instru-mental also in Ireland’s success since being hired in 2016.

The 43-year-old Englishman -- whose son Owen is England’s co-captain and first choice fly-half -- has been Ireland’s gain and his home country’s loss.

Eddie Jones considered him surplus to requirements as defence coach on taking over following the 2015 World Cup debacle which saw hosts England crash out in the group stage.

Farrell’s prowess in defence coaching has been integral to three victories over the All Blacks in the last two years, the two Irish ones in Chicago in 2016 and this year and the British & Irish Lions success in 2017 in the three Test series which ended 1-1.

“I have learned a lot from Joe over the past few seasons and I will continue to learn from him over the next year,” said Farrell.

Nucifora said Farrell’s appointment provided the essential ingredient of continuity.

Ferrari’s German driver Sebastian Vettel walks ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday.

Vettel takes stock as Ferrari lick woundsAFP ABU DHABI

Sebastian Vettel, so graceful in his handling of defeat by Lewis Hamilton in this year’s drivers’ title race, yesterday began serious reflections on his and Ferrari’s disappointing season and a harsh self-examination.

The four-time champion German, whose Ferrari car was often the fastest on the grid, conceded he had to look at himself first and the team sec-ondly after he had finished second behind new five-time champion Hamilton in Sunday’s season-ending Grand Prix.

“I don’t think I ever have any problems raising my hand if I made a mistake,” he said, conceding that in 2018 he had made a few. “I have to look at myself first.”

In a spectacular season that saw the title race ebb and flow as Ferrari and Mercedes battled for supremacy before an excep-tional purple patch from Ham-ilton secured both titles for the Silver Arrows, Vettel was, he admitted fallible.

“Knowing as well, as a racing driver, how quickly things can go wrong, how quickly things could have gone differently this year, I think I have to review a couple of things,” he said.

“But there’s other things that went wrong and don’t need a lot of reviewing or over-compli-cating too much.

“I know what I need to do. Certainly, here and there, looking back I haven’t been at the top of my game so... I look at myself first....”

In his home German Grand Prix, Vettel crashed out of the race lead and handed the initi-ative in the title race to Ham-ilton who, in the rain, claimed a famous victory.

In Italy, at Ferrari’s home

race, he tangled with Hamilton on the opening lap with a similar outcome - another Hamilton triumph that added to the gath-ering momentum of the 33-year-old Briton.

While Vettel admitted his own faults, he was prepared also to concede that Ferrari had not been faultless in an inconsistent season overshadowed by team upheavals following the death of Sergio Marchionne.

“Things didn’t come together so obviously we did a step back towards the end of the year, which enabled us to be more competitive again,” he said, explaining how the team had been forced to abandon an update package that saw them under-performing.

“But I think we’ve under-stood what went wrong. We obviously will try to do a better job in the future. That was one key thing. On the other hand, I

think we had a lot of lessons. It was a tough year in general.

“The team is strong and the team has potential, but surely it was a lot of things that hap-pened inside the team....

“It’s up to us to look into every single detail and make sure we come out as a stronger group, enabling us to build a stronger package for next year and for the future.”

Vettel will be joined at Ferrari next year by a new team-mate in Monegasque prodigy Charles Leclerc who replaces Finn Kimi Raikkonen in a bid to rejuvenate the drivers’ line-up and add competitive focus. On Sunday, Raikkonen bade farewell to the Italian team with an early retirement after losing power. It was a downbeat end to an often colourful career with Ferrari before he moves to Sauber, but a signal that Ferrari are ready for change.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Results1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes-AMG) 305 km in 1hr 39:40.382

2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 2.581

3. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) at 12.706

4. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) at 15.379

5. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes-AMG) at 47.957

6. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Renault) at 1:12.548

7. Charles Leclerc (MON/Sauber) at 1:30.789

8. Sergio Perez (MEX/Racing Point Force India ) at 1:31.275

9. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) at 1 lap

10. Kevin Magnussen (DEN/Haas) at 1 lap

11. Fernando Alonso (ESP/McLaren-Renault) at 1 lap

12. Brendon Hartley (NZL/Toro Rosso-Honda) at 1 lap

13. Lance Stroll (CAN/Williams) at 1 lap

14. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL/McLaren-Renault) at 1 lap

15. Sergey Sirotkin (RUS/Williams) at 1 lap

Final 2018 overall drivers standings (top 5)1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 408 points

2. Sebastian Vettel (GER) 320

3. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) 251

4. Max Verstappen (NED) 249

5. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 247

F1 star Alonso departs with donuts, praise and penaltiesAFP ABU DHABI

Fernando Alonso said goodbye to Formula One on Sunday amid a fanfare of crowd-pleasing donut spins, generous tributes and a handful of post-race penalties from the FIA.

After walking through a guard of honour before the start of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Alonso pulled on his helmet and delivered a dogged drive that took him to 11th in his final outing with McLaren.

It was a metaphor for much of the Spaniard’s career: he nearly finished in the points, just as he nearly became the greatest champion of his era and nearly won titles with Ferrari.

Despite two drivers’ world crowns won with Renault, in 2005 and 2006, the 37-year-old Spaniard leaves behind a feeling that his was an unfulfilled career in F1 and a legacy that is as much about his personality as his talent.

“I have been very sur-prised because I have raced with great champions,” he said. “I raced with Michael (Schumacher, a seven-time champion), I raced with Jenson Button.

“And, two or three years ago, in the same place, it was his last race and no-one had all the things that I have received this weekend. So, I cannot say thanks enough to everyone.”

However Alonso hinted he might even make a comeback after taking a break in 2019 to try and win titles in other motorsports.

“Right now, I am not thinking to come back... but I don’t know how I will feel next year. I need a break now - in 2019 I need different challenges. I want to fight for the ‘triple crown’, the Indy 500 and other races. Maybe Daytona. Maybe other things.”

He admitted, too, that he had not had time to absorb the scale and impact of F1’s many messages of praise and good luck.

“Each time I go to my room, I look at my telephone and I see hundreds and hun-dreds of messages,” he said. “I sit down in the chair and somebody knocks on the door to tell me to go out and see a new person. So, literally, I’ve had no time. I need a little bit of time for myself to realise what a magic weekend that I’ve had.”

Alonso leaves the sport with two titles, 32 race wins in 17 seasons.

Els pulling out all stops as International captain

THE PENINSULA DOHA

The Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club (QREC) management hailed the steps being taken by Qatari jockeys for training at the world’s best available horse riding acad-emies to sharpen their talents.

These initiatives reflect the jockeys’ commitment to benefit from the highest training level in order to improve their per-formance and reach the stage, which will qualify them to realise their ambitions.

QREC encourage such steps with a view to creating a fine base of Qatari jockeys. QREC Board recognise the importance of having Qatari jockeys present at races to compete with the more famed and experienced international jockeys who ride in the weekly race meetings at Al Rayyan Park, which is in line with the QREC’s strategy and

vision for the coming years.Recently, two riders,

Abdulaziz Jaber Dharman, 23 years old, and Saleh Salem Al Marri, 25 years old, have undergone training at the British Racing School in Newmarket, England.

However, this was not the first time for Qatari jockeys to seek professional experience as a group of them attended a training course in South Africa last year. Again, another group of five jockeys did the same earlier this year when Khalid Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, Abdulla Saleh Al Yahri, Ali Khalid Al Mos-allam and Abdulla Rashid Al Adgham underwent a

one-month training course in South Africa.

Later, jockey Abdulla Mubarak Al Maadeed attended a training course for two months in South Africa as well.

Dharman highlighted how valuable the training course in England has been.

“I have benefited a lot and learned a great deal about horseracing’, he said,

“My ambition is sizeable in this field and I look forward to competing with the world’s top jockeys by gaining more expe-rience and through continuous learning. I will join another course in England next year and then I could ride in some races there on a gradual basis. I also

look forward to ride for Qatar’s leading farms and studs, including Al Shaqab Racing, Umm Qarn and Al Shahania in international races in Europe.”

Al Marri shared his col-league’s attitude.

“I would like to thank the QREC management and, in particular, Nasser bin Sherida Al Kaabi, such support by QREC has been very pro-ductive for us, especially as we are the first Qatari jockeys to undergo such course in England. We hope to reach the level of some jockeys such as Faleh Bughanaim in Qatar and Frankie Dettori at the global level.

“We know very well that this

requires plenty of patience, hard work and commitment in training as well as continuous learning.”

“Honestly speaking, I wish priority of riding at QREC races would be given to Qatari jockeys in future. I know this will be possible only if my col-leagues and I succeed in con-vincing horse owners and trainers of our merit and that we deserve to be the first choice,” he added.

“I rode in 20 races last season and I was placed on several occasions, but I wish I would win several races. My ambitions are limitless and I wish I would reach the level of jockeys like Dettorie and Ryan Moore. I will put what

I have learned from the training course into practice at the races this season at Al Rayyan Park”.

SPORT 07TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2018

We are still in the running and

we have our fate in our own

hands. I think that in order to

win a competition you need

things to click into place.

Kylian Mbappe

PSG teenage superstar

I look forward to

competing with the

world’s top jockeys

by gaining more

experience and

through continuous

learning. I look

forward to ride for

Qatar’s leading farms

and studs: Abdulaziz

Jaber Dharman

My ambitions are

limitless and I wish

I would reach the

level of jockeys like

Dettorie and Ryan

Moore. I will put what

I have learned from

the training course

into practice at the

races this season at

Al Rayyan Park: Saleh

Salem Al Marri

Pakistan vs New Zealand2nd Test - Day 4

in Dubai

Bayern Munich vs Benfica Allianz Arena11.00pm (Doha Time)

CRICKET FOOTBALL

TO

DAY

’SA

CTIO

N

Qatari jockeys sharpen skills at riding academies in England, South Africa

Raptors’ hot streak continuesAFP LOS ANGELES

Kawhi Leonard delivered 29 points and 10 rebounds as the NBA-leading Toronto Raptors won their fifth consecutive game by cruising past the Miami Heat 125-115 on Sunday.

Kyle Lowry finished with 12 points and 10 assists for the Raptors, who are off to their best 21-game start in history with 17 wins and four losses.

Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Pascal Siakam finished just two points shy of his career best with 21 points.

Veteran Dwyane Wade turned back the clock by scoring a season high 35 points. It was the most points ever for a Heat player coming off the bench, but they still lost for the seventh time in their last nine games.

And that won’t cut it against Toronto, who are 11-0 against teams with losing records.

Josh Richardson scored 19 points and Bam Adebayo had 16 points and a career-high 21 rebounds in the loss.

The Raptors, who made a season-high 17 three-pointers in Friday’s win over Atlanta, shot 11 for 35 from beyond the arc against the Heat.

Elsewhere, Nikola Vucevic finished with 31 points and 15 rebounds as the Orlando Magic snapped the Los Angeles Lakers’ three-game winning streak with a 108-104 victory.

Terrence Ross had 16 points including a clutch layup with 34 seconds left as the Magic beat the Lakers for the second time in eight days. On November 17,

Orlando defeated Los Angeles 130-117.

“We’re trying to build some-thing, and wins like these can really help you build some momentum,” Vucevic said.

Aaron Gordon had 17 points and DJ Augustin added 12 points and nine assists for the Magic.

LeBron James had 24 points and seven assists for the Lakers, who have won six of their last seven NBA games. Kyle Kuzma scored 21 points and Brandon Ingram added 17.

The Magic used a rock-solid defense and some timely scoring by Gordon and Vucevic to out-score the Lakers 35-19 in the third quarter and seize a 86-71 lead.

James and Kuzma were a combined zero-for-five in the quarter in which the team shot just five-of-21.

James said they need to become more consistent.

“Defensively, we kind of broke down and the energy level was a little lower than our expectations, and they took advantage of that,” James said.

In the fourth, James missed a three-pointer and Ross made him pay by driving to the rim for a basket which broke a 104-104 tie.

The Lakers’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope missed another shot from beyond the arc on the following Lakers possession, and Gordon got a dunk to help seal

the victory for the Magic. Mean-while, Jimmy Butler hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining as the Philadelphia 76ers rallied for a wild 127-125 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night in New York.

Butler, who was ques-tionable to play due to a sprained left ankle, scored 18 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter and hit his second game-winner since joining Philadelphia in a trade from Minnesota on November 12.

He gave Philadelphia the dramatic win when he took the inbounds pass from Ben Simmons, began to move slightly inside the 3-point arc,

Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (right) battles to get past Miami Heat centre Bam Adebayo in the second half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday.

Hanifin, Jankowski lead Flames to 6-1 romp over ArizonaAP ARIZONA

Calgary coach Bill Peters took one on the chin Sunday, and so did the team his Flames domi-nated, the Arizona Coyotes.

Noah Hanifin and Mark Jankowski each scored twice, former Coyotes goalie Mike Smith just missed his 38th career shutout and the Flames routed Arizona 6-1.

Smith, making his first start in five games, made 28 saves in his first win since Nov. 1.

Peters wasn’t around to watch about 10 minutes of the game after he was hit in the left jaw with a puck while standing in his customary spot in the bench area early in the second period. He needed eight stitches and returned late in the period.

“I think it’s going to hurt more tomorrow, right?” Peters said after the game, the nasty cut and stitches clearly visible.

“One of those things. There’s not a lot of room up there, you’ve got to be paying attention.... They did a good job, got me stitched up and back to work.... Hopefully, it’s the last time, but I doubt it.” The Flames have won four of five but were coming off a loss to Las Vegas. Peters liked what he saw.

“We’ve got a good group. We like our team,” he said. “When we have time to practice and work on things typically we get better. This sets up real well. We’ve played every other day

for a long time now. Now we get a day off and then we get another practice and we’ve got two at home.” Calgary led 6-0 before Clayton Keller scored for Arizona with 6:16 remaining.

Three of the Flames’ goals were short-handed.

“If you have a chance to make something happen, do it,” Hanifin said.

“They want us to make plays. A team like Arizona, they have a ton of short-handed goals this year. It just shows that if the opportunity is there, take it.” The Coyotes have allowed five shorted-handed goals in their last two games.

“The power play is hor-rendous,” Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said. “It really cost us. The effort on the power play is not there. The 5-on-5 we’re fine at, but it’s just we lose juice during the power play.... A lot of our best players are on the power play and they have to stick with the program and right now they’re not, and that falls on me.”

Sean Monahan and T.J. Brodie also scored for Calgary. The Flames rebounded from a loss at Las Vegas on Friday night and have won four of five. Arizona has lost four in a row, counting in overtime loss, and has been outscored 11-2 in the two games since goalie Antti Raanta returned after missing eight games with a lower-body injury. The Coyotes finished the home stand 1-3-1.

Qatari jockeys Abdulaziz Jaber Dharman and Saleh Salem Al Marri during a training session in this file picture. RIGHT: Abdulaziz and Saleh with Nasser bin Sherida Al Kaabi, General Manager of Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club.