Cityam%202013-05-16

cityam.com
McCullum set
to risk it all on
New Zealand
BY JOSH RICHARDS
NEW Zealand captain Brendon
McCullum says he will not be afraid
to take risks in an effort to earn the
tourists a first Test match win over
England at Lord’s since 1999 when
play begins this morning.
The Black Caps have won just once
in their 15 visits to the home of cricket
and are currently six places below
England in the world rankings.
And, as McCullum weighs up
whether to include seamer Doug
Bracewell or spinner Bruce Martin in
the bowling attack, the 31-year-old
acknowledges he may have to go
against the grain to have the chance
of toppling England.
“I would hope they’re educated
gambles,” said the New Zealand
right-hander.
“Just because you run past the principal’s
office doesn’t mean you’re
not doing your homework.”
England were held to a 0-0 draw
when the two teams met in a three-
Test series in March.
But captain Alastair Cook, who is
preparing to lead England in a home
Test series for the first time, refuted
suggestions that his team had been
complacent overseas and insisted
they are fully focused for the start of
the summer.
“I don’t think there was complacency
around, but we didn’t play as well
as we could have done; that’s the bottom
line,” said the Essex opener.
“Every Test series you play for
England is a hugely important series,
it doesn’t matter what has gone
before. We are fully focused on these
two weeks of Test cricket. We have to
be at our best to win.”
PROBABLE TEAMS
England
n A Cook (c), N Compton, J Trott, I
Bell, J Root, J Bairstow, M Prior,
S Broad, G Swann, J Anderson, S Finn
New Zealand
n P Fulton, H Rutherford,
K Williamson, R Taylor, D Brownlie,
B McCullum (c), B Watling, T Southee,
D Bracewell, N Wagner, T Boult
THURSDAY 16 MAY 2013
Andy Murray grimaces before retiring injured from his second-round match in Rome
Murray fears back injury will
rule him out of French Open
BY JOSH RICHARDS
WORLD No2 Andy Murray virtually
ruled himself out of competing in
the French Open later this month,
after a recurrence of a back injury
forced him to retire from his Rome
Open second-round match with
Marcel Granollers.
The Scot, who turned 26
yesterday, was dogged by back
spasms in 2012 and walked off
court in Italy following treatment
for a similar complaint yesterday,
after he had won a second set tiebreak
to square the match.
The best day ever? You wouldn’t bet against it
Epsom Downs Racecourse, 31 May – 1 June 2013
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Play is scheduled to begin at
Roland Garros on Sunday 26 May,
but Murray fears he is set to miss a
grand slam for the first time since
sitting out the 2007 Wimbledon
championships with a wrist injury.
“I’d be very surprised if I was
playing in Paris,” he said. “I have an
issue with my lower back that I will
try and get sorted in the coming
weeks. I think the shots that hurt
get exaggerated more on clay.
“I’ll make a decision on Paris
after the next five days. I’ll
obviously need to take some days
off and see how it settles down.”
SPORT 31
IN BRIEF
Wiggins stays in Giro contention
n CYCLING: Team Sky’s Sir Bradley
Wiggins remains fourth in the Giro
d’Italia after finishing stage 11, won by
Lithuania’s Ramunas Navardauskas, in
the peloton.
UK Athletics boss steps down
n ATHLETICS: UK Athletics head
coach Peter Eriksson has resigned just
five months after taking up the post.
Ferdinand calls time on England
n FOOTBALL: England defender Rio
Ferdinand has announced his
retirement from international football.
Results
MEMORIES ARE
MADE OF THIS