The Bangladesh Today (26-02-2018)

SPORTS
MONDAy, FEBRUARy 26, 2018
9
Taylor, Santner heroics get New
Zealand home over England
Ross Taylor marks his 18th ODI hundred.
Rohit to
captain
India for Sri
Lanka T20
tri-series
NEW DELHI: India's
Rohit Sharma will
captain the country's 15-
member Twenty20
squad for the tri-nation
series against Sri Lanka
and Bangladesh next
month, selectors
announced on Sunday,
reports BSS.
The Indian selectors
announced that some
team seniors including
regular captain Virat
Kohli had been rested for
the series.
"We have kept in mind
the workload and
upcoming schedule while
finalising the team for
Nidahas Trophy 2018,"
M.S.K Prasad, chairman
of the all-India senior
selection committee said
in a statement.
"The high-performance
team has suggested that
adequate rest should be
given to our fast bowlers
to help improve athletic
performance, maximise
performance, maximise
rest and prevent injury,"
Prasad added.
The tri-nation series
will be played at Sri
Lanka's R Premadasa
Stadium.
India, who lost the Test
series against South
Africa 2-1, subsequently
won both one-day
internationals and T20
series this February.
India's squad for the
T20 series:
Rohit Sharma
(captain), Shikhar
Dhawan (vice-captain),
KL Rahul, Suresh Raina,
Manish Pandey, Dinesh
Karthik (wicketkeepter),
Deepak Hooda,
Washington Sundar,
Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar
Patel, Vijay Shankar,
Shardul Thakur, Jaydev
Unadkat, Mohammed
Siraj, Rishabh Pant
(wicketkeeper)
Carabao Cup final quiz: Do you know your League Cup heroes & villains?
Photo: Internet.
Golden finish for
Norway as Russian
flag barred
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea: Winter
Olympics legend Marit Bjoergen lifted
Norway top of the final Pyeongchang medals
table on Sunday, as Russia celebrated a
dramatic men's hockey gold -- but also saw
their flag barred from the closing ceremony
over doping, reports BSS.
Bjoergen, 37, won her second gold and fifth
medal at Pyeongchang in the women's 30km
cross country mass start, extending her
record Winter Olympics career tally to 15.
It was a fitting finale as it handed Norway
their 14th gold to overtake Germany in the
final medal count, after the German team
won the four-man bobsleigh earlier on
Sunday.
Germany also finish on 14 golds, but
Norway take top spot with their record 39
medals overall to Germany's 31. Canada are
third with 11 golds, while hosts South Korea
are seventh. Norway's celebrations capped a
dramatic final day of competition that saw
the Olympics Athletes from Russia beat
Germany 4-3 in a sudden-death, overtime
hockey thriller.
Kirill Kaprizov scored a thumping powerplay
goal 9:40 into the extra period to trigger
wild celebrations and end a 26-year wait for
the title to return to Russian hands.
The Russian players were heard singing
the Russian national anthem on the ice --
apparently contravening rules governing
their participation as neutrals, following a
major doping scandal. However, the
International Olympic Committee had
already voted to maintain Russia's ban
pending the results of final dope tests from
Pyeongchang, meaning the Russians cannot
wave their national flag at Sunday's closing
ceremony.
- Stinker for 'Garlic Girls' -
Altogether 168 Russian athletes including
the ice hockey players were deemed "clean"
and allowed to compete as neutrals in
Pyeongchang, despite the suspension of
Russia's national Olympic committee.
But two Russians tested positive for doping
during the Olympics and IOC president
Thomas Bach said as a result, the ban could
not be lifted for the closing ceremony.
"This was hugely disappointing and does
not permit the IOC to envisage lifting the
suspension of Russia for the closing
ceremony," Bach said, referring to the
positive tests. The men's ice hockey win
brought Russia's total gold medal haul to
two, far behind their dope-tainted haul of 13
at Sochi. Then in the final event of the
Games, Norway's Bjoergen claimed her
second gold in Pyeongchang as she signed off
from her record-breaking Olympic career in
style. The cross-country legend won
convincingly, 1min 49.5sec ahead of ahead of
Finland's Krista Parmakoski, with Stina
Nilsson of Sweden taking bronze.
Bjoergen had already become the most
decorated athlete in Winter Olympics history
with her 14th medal on Wednesday,
outstripping fellow Norwegian Ole Einar
Bjoerndalen, who has 13 in biathlon.
Russian Olympic doping ‘an
absolute disgrace’ - Australia
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea: The doping plot which allowed Russia to cheat its way to
Olympic gold in 2014 was "an absolute disgrace", Australia's chef de mission said Sunday,
warning that "we should not forget", reports BSS.
Ian Chesterman's outspoken reaction came soon after the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) said it would not lift a ban on the Russian team for Sunday's closing
ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Games. The IOC could, however, welcome Russia's
Olympic committee back into the fold after the Games -- even though two Russian athletes
tested positive for doping during the Olympics.
A contingent of 168 Russians was allowed to compete in South Korea as neutrals who had
been heavily vetted. A widespread and highly orchestrated drug-cheating programme
propelled Russia as hosts to the top of the medals table at Sochi 2014 and Chesterman said
the scars of that would not heal fast. Moscow has denied any involvement, but Chesterman
said: "I think the actions of the Sochi organisers and of the Russian authorities during the
Sochi Games were a disgrace. "I think it's appropriate that the world remembers for a long
time what they did to the Olympic movement.
Photo: BBC.
HAMILTON, New Zealand: A century
by Ross Taylor and lusty late hitting by
Mitch Santner delivered a last-over
victory to New Zealand over England in
their first one-day international in
Hamilton on Sunday, reports BSS.
In a match filled with twists and
turns, the outcome hung in the balance
until Santer smacked a six in the final
over to get New Zealand home with
four balls to spare.
Domination fluctuated throughout
the match but when Ben Stokes
celebrated his return to international
cricket with the crucial wicket of Tom
Latham, it appeared to put England in
charge. However, Santner's 45 off 27
balls swung the game back in New
Zealand's favour as they chased down
England's 284 for eight.
New Zealand were in immediate
trouble at the start of their run chase as
they fell to three for 27 in the 10th over.
Taylor, with his 18th century, and
Latham clawed the home side back into
the game with a 178-run stand for the
fourth wicket before Stokes stepped up
to remove Latham for 79 and New
Zealand were 205 for four in the 40th
over. Latham's dismissal sparked a
middle-order collapse with Henry
Nicholls out for a duck and Colin de
Grandhomme gone for two as three
wickets fell for 10 runs.
As he started to run out of partners,
Taylor tried to up the pace to get New
Zealand home but with 25 balls
remaining and New Zealand needing a
further 45 runs, he was stumped on 113.
But if England had a whiff of victory,
Santner had other ideas with a rapid
two fours and four sixes to get New
Zealand home.
Stokes, returning for his first
international since a nightclub incident
five months ago, had an
undistinguished turn at bat after New
Zealand won the toss and elected to
bowl.
Domination fluctuated throughout
the match but when Ben Stokes
celebrated his return to international
cricket with the crucial wicket of Tom
Latham, it appeared to put England in
charge. However, Santner's 45 off 27
balls swung the game back in New
Zealand's favour as they chased down
England's 284 for eight.
New Zealand v England: Ben Stokes return ends in thrilling defeat in first ODI.
Buttler, Root
fifties push
England to 285
HAMILTON, New Zealand:
Jos Buttler and Joe Root
scored half-centuries to
push England to 285 for
eight batting first in the
one-day international
against New Zealand in
Hamilton on Sunday,
reports BSS.
The pre-match hype
surrounded the return of
Ben Stokes but his was a
short-lived contribution
while Buttler and Root held
the innings together.
Stokes, returning for his
first international since a
nightclub incident five
months ago, lasted 22 balls
and was gone for 12.
Root, however, made 71
off 75 deliveries while
Buttler belted 79 off 65
before he was run out off
the penultimate ball.
England were looking at a
score of more than 300
until tight New Zealand
bowling restricted them to
just 31 runs between the
42nd and 48th overs.
Root set up the innings
after the fall of Jonny
Bairstow's wicket in the
fourth over.
Initially, he looked out of
touch having not been
required in the recent
Twenty20 series, and he
nicked Boult just wide of
Martin Guptill at second
slip. But once settled into
his work, the runs flowed
for Root who brought up his
50 from 53 deliveries.
There were signs Root
was starting to tire when he
gave a chance to Mitchell
Santner on 69 and then
only added two more runs
before he was bowled by
New Zealand part-timer
Colin Munro.
Buttler joined Root in the
29th overs when Stokes was
dismissed with England 139
for four, and after facing
seven scoreless balls he
upped the tempo.
MADRID: Luis Suarez hit a hat-trick and
Philippe Coutinho scored a brilliant first
league goal for Barcelona as the La Liga
leaders thrashed Girona 6-1 on Saturday
to open up a 10-point lead at the top of the
table.
Lionel Messi continued his return to
goalscoring form with a double to reach
30 in all competitions for the season, as
Barca extended their advantage over
closest title rivals Atletico Madrid, who
visit Sevilla on Sunday.
Real Madrid remain off the pace in
third, despite a comfortable 4-0 victory
over Alaves that saw Cristiano Ronaldo
net a double and Gareth Bale back on the
scoresheet.
It was the perfect outing for
Barcelona after ninth-placed Girona
had taken a shock early lead on their
first-ever visit to the Camp Nou, as
Coutinho, Suarez, Messi and Ousmane
Dembele shone on their first start
together.
Portu took advantage of hesitation
from Barca centre-back Samuel Umtiti
to round goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter
Stegen and slot into an empty net to put
Girona ahead in La Liga's newest
Catalan derby.
The hosts took less than two minutes
to get back on level terms, though, as
Messi collected the ball in midfield
before sending Suarez through to score.
Messi's wizardry put Ernesto
Valverde's side in front on the half-hour
mark, after Suarez touched down a long
pass from Andres Iniesta for the
Argentinian.
It looked as though the chance had
gone when Messi was forced wide, but
the league's top scorer showed
trademark footwork to jink past several
defenders before slotting into the
bottom corner.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was
running the show, and he doubled the
advantage just seven minutes later with
a low free-kick under the wall.
"It always seems that he has done
everything and then suddenly, he
surprises us again, as with his free kick.
It sounds easy but it is not," said Barca
coach Ernesto Valverde.
Having gone five games without a
goal before his crucial equaliser in the
1-1 draw at Chelsea in the Champions
The all-rounder lasted 22 balls and
was gone for 12 while the foundation
of the England innings was laid by
Root, with 71 off 75 deliveries and
Buttler who belted 79 off 65 before he
was run out off the penultimate ball.
England were looking at a score of
more than 300 until tight New
Zealand bowling restricted them to
just 31 runs between the 42nd and
48th overs.
New Zealand were immediately in
trouble at the start of their chase when
Colin Munro belted a six off the
second ball he faced and was gone two
balls later without adding to his score.
Kane Williamson only managed
eight off 23 balls and Martin Guptill
went for 13.
Stokes, discarded by England for
five months after a nightclub incident,
had an economical four overs in his
first bowling spell that only cost 15
runs.
When he was recalled with Taylor
and Latham in full flight and New
Zealand 187 for three, he went for 11 in
his first over before having Latham
caught by Root at mid-on.
Suarez hat-trick extends
Photo: BBC.
six-goal Barca’s La Liga lead
League in midweek, Messi has scored
three in two games.
Barcelona's fourth goal came on the
stroke of half-time with Girona's
defenders left begging for the interval
after Messi's perfectly-weighted pass
found Coutinho to square for Suarez to
tap in.
The Catalan giants eased off slightly
in the second half, but Coutinho got off
the mark in the league in style as he cut
inside and curled a long-range strike
into the far corner.
French winger Dembele played his
part too late on as he crossed from the
left for Suarez to complete a hat-trick.
After a slow start to the campaign, the
Uruguayan forward has now scored 17
goals in his last 14 league matches.
Earlier on Saturday, Real coach
Zinedine Zidane hailed Ronaldo's
selflessness after the forward gave up
the chance of a hat-trick by allowing
Benzema to take a late penalty at the
Santiago Bernabeu.
Zidane restored Bale to the starting
XI to reunite the 'BBC' front line of the
Welshman, Ronaldo and Benzema.
Ronaldo, whose first goal was created
by a magnificent Benzema flick, stood
aside in the 89th minute to allow the
Frenchman to convert only his fourth
league goal of the season.
"The gesture of Cristiano is very
important," said Zidane. "After the
game he played, Karim just needed to
score a goal.
"He (Ronaldo) had opportunities, he
scored twice. After there is this gesture
of Cristiano for Karim.
"This proves that between them, there
is a good atmosphere, a good
relationship, and to win and continue
what we're doing, it's super important."
The reigning champions' title hopes
are all but over, with Real 14 points
adrift of Barca, but a run of four
straight wins has ended any worries of
missing out on a Champions League
spot.
"Confidence returns from playing
these kinds of matches," added Zidane.
"After our match against PSG (3-1 win
in Champions League), we've been
doing much better, maybe there was a
missing part or something like that."