09-10-2020

FRiDAY, OCTOBeR 9, 2020
9
Bangladesh won the Under-19 world Cup earlier this year.
Photo: BCB
BCB ask U19 WC winners to correct
technical flaws in HP program
SporTS DeSk:
Bangladesh High performance Unit
chairman Naimur rahman urged the
Under-19 World Cup-winning squad
members to remove their technical
shortcomings in the Hp program so
that they can be better equipped to
handle the pressure in the national
team, reports Cricbuzz.
Akbar and co began their new
journey after being in the wilderness
since returning as champions in the
2020 Under-19 World Cup.
BCB, after welcoming the U-19 WC
winners on February 12, announced
that they will create an Under-21 unit in
order to groom the youngsters.
BCB chalked out several plans for the
newly introduced Under-21 squad
members, who were supposed to have
special training for two years where
they will work on their skills while also
getting Tk 100,000 from the board.
After two years, BCB will evaluate
their performance and if they are good
enough, their contracts will be
renewed, and those who fail to meet the
expectations will be removed from the
contract. The initiative of introducing
the Under-21 setup was taken by BCB
as there was no platform for the Under-
19 members to graduate earlier.
keeping in mind that a long term
plan can bring success, BCB planned to
conduct a camp for the Under-21 squad
from June till october where they
would have intense training under
foreign coaches while the board were
also thinking of giving exposure to the
players in foreign conditions by taking
them to england for a three and half
month-long tour from June to october.
All the plans proposed by the BCB
game development went in vain due to
the CoVID-19 pandemic, and as a
result, the 12 members of the world
cup-winning squad were included in
the Hp squad.
Naimur rahman had a meeting with
the newly-appointed Hp unit members
at the BCB academy premises before
they started their skill-development
activities and urged them to make sure
that they do all that is required to have
a solid technique in place.
Naimur said that removing technical
flaws in the national nets is quite
difficult so it's better if they enter there
with a solid technique. "In the past, we
have labelled some youngster as
talented but he faded away due to
technical lacking. So I asked them to
concentrate on removing their
technical flaws here [in the Hp
program] so that they can do better in
the national team."
Naimur added they are thinking of
introducing a separate selector for the
Hp unit as that will be helpful for them
to assess the development of the
cricketers who are part of the program.
Though nothing is finalized yet, former
national selector Sazzad Ahmad, who is
currently heading the age-level
selection panel, is the front runner for
the post.
"Since we have different selectors for
age group, different for national team
there can be a different selector for Hp
unit and we have spoken about it as we
felt the need for it and discussion is
going on about it.
"We will think about a separate Hp
selector in the coming days and even if
there is a High-performance selector he
should be in sync with the national
team selection panel. Hp unit is the
breeding ground for the national team
and we must make it as effective as
possible," he said.
The 25-member Hp squad will have
fitness and skills training up to october
9 before players who have been
selected in teams for the forthcoming
50-over competition join their
respective sides and the practice will recommence
after the one-day
competition.
French open: petra kvitova returns
to semi-final after eight years
SporTS DeSk:
petra kvitova returned to the French
open semi-finals for the first time in
eight years on Wednesday after
defeating Germany's Laura Siegemund
6-3, 6-3, describing roland Garros as
her "lucky place", reports Ap.
Czech seventh seed kvitova, a twotime
Wimbledon champion, will now
face Australian open winner Sofia
kenin who knocked out fellow
American Danielle Collins 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
for a place in Saturday's final.
"It means a lot to be back in the semifinals,"
said 30-year-old kvitova who
was beaten by eventual champion
Maria Sharapova when she made the
same stage in 2012.
"After my last match, I was very
emotional to be in the quarter-finals.
Now I am in the semis. I never
imagined this would happen after
everything that has happened.
"This is my lucky place."
It was paris where kvitova made her
comeback in 2017 after spending six
months recovering from a terrifying
knife attack at her home in December
2016.
The frenzied assault required a fourhour
operation and left her with
damaged ligaments in her playing
hand. Doctors warned her that her
career may be finished.
on Wednesday, kvitova fired 22
winners and six aces past 32-year-old
Siegemund, the world number 66 who
was playing in the quarter-finals of a
Slam for the first time.
one break of serve in the opener was
enough for kvitova while five more
breaks followed in the second set.
kvitova, who has yet to drop a set at
the tournament, claimed victory when
Siegemund served up a third double
fault of the tie.
"I am happy to be here and to be able
to compete with the best especially in
these conditions - roof open, roof
closed, sunshine, windy."
Siegemund leaves behind a
tournament to remember having been
accused of hitting the ball on a double
bounce in her first round win over
kristina Mladenovic.
She then munched on a plate of food
courtside during her fourth round
victory against paula Badosa.
on Wednesday, she signed off with a
time violation for taking too long
between points.
"I was on the line, I was bouncing, I
was starting my movement, and it was
about once, and literally she (the
umpire) was saying that it was one
second too slow. I mean, that's a joke,"
said Siegemund.
Petra Kvitova returned to the Roland Garros semi-finals for the first time in eight years on
Wednesday after defeating Germany's Laura Siegemund 6-3, 6-3.
Photo: AP
France pick five
uncapped
players in squad
for Wales Test
SporTS DeSk:
France coach Fabien
Galthie on Wednesday named
five uncapped players in his
31-man squad to face Wales
later this month, reports BSS.
Galthie's men host Wayne
pivac's side on october 24 as a
warm-up match ahead of the
postponed Six Nations fixture
against Ireland and the newlycreated
Autumn Nations Cup,
which has replaced the
scheduled November Tests
cancelled due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
prop Georges-Henri
Colombe reazel and centre
olivier klemenczak have been
rewarded for their
performances as racing 92
reached the european
Champions Cup final.
Tight-head Colombe
reazel, 22, started both the
quarter and semi-final
european wins for Laurent
Travers' side.
"He's a young player who is
discovering
our
environment," Galthie said.
"He's totally the type of
player we want, he has proved
his worth since the start of the
season. If Travers trusts him
it's everything but by chance."
klemenczak, 24, has
benefitted from the injury to
Henry Chavancy and the
suspension of kurtley Beale
by wearing the number 12
shirt in three of his club's four
matches this term.
Cavani won't make
Man Utd debut
against Newcastle
SporTS DeSk:
edinson Cavani will not
be available for Manchester
United's next game against
Newcastle as the striker has
been forced to self-isolate,
reports Ap.
United completed the
signing of the 33-year-old
former paris Saint-
Germain striker on
deadline day and it looked
like a timely acquisition,
given the absence of the
suspended Anthony
Martial following his red
card against Tottenham.
However, Cavani will not
be available for the fixture
on october 17 as he is
forced to self-isolate for 14
days in line with the
government's Covid-19
quarantine rules.
The Uruguayan forward
flew in from France on
Sunday, a country that is
not on the Uk's travel
corridor list and thus
requires those that arrive in
england to self-isolate.
There is an exemption in
place for elite athletes but
that rule only applies if the
player enters the Uk from a
secure bubble where they
are regularly tested.
Indeed, any players
returning
from
international duty will be
fine to return to training
and will not have to
quarantine.
It is understood that
United sought clarification
from the government over
the rules and, given Cavani
has not been in any type of
bubble, he is required to
follow the isolation
programme.
His 14-day isolation
period will end on october
18, the day after United face
Newcastle in the premier
League, and he should
therefore be available to
face former club pSG in the
Champions League.
Another deadline-day
signing Alex Telles is
currently away with the
Brazil national team and
will not face the same
restrictions as Cavani as he
is in an elite bubble.
Cavani has been given the
famed No.7 shirt following
his arrival at old Trafford
and is looking forward to
playing in front of the club's
fans.
"I have played in front of
some of the most
passionate supporters in
football during my career
and I know that it will be
the same in Manchester,"
he said.
"I cannot wait to
experience the old Trafford
atmosphere, when it is safe
for the fans to return. My
conversation with the
manager has increased my
desire to wear this beautiful
shirt."
United will be looking to
bounce back from their
humiliating 6-1 defeat to
Tottenham when they face
Steve Bruce's side, with
either Marcus rashford or
odion Ighalo set to lead the
line at St James' park.
The former PSG striker will have to wait a bit longer for his Red Devils bow as he is forced to follow
government guidance amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Photo: AP
Italy U21 football team
isolating after two
coronavirus cases
SporTS DeSk:
Two Italy Under-21 players
have tested positive for
coronavirus sending the team
into isolation before their
european Championship
qualifier against Iceland this
week, the Italian football
federation (FIGC) announced
on Wednesday, reports BSS.
The two "totally
asymptomatic" players had
tested negative on Sunday
when they joined the squad,
but a second test on Tuesday
came back positive.
"The training scheduled for
today has been cancelled and
the team has been in isolation
since last night, awaiting the
decisions of the health
authorities," the FIGC added.
The players were not named
but Gazzetta Dello Sport
reported that they were Inter
Milan defender Alessandro
Bastoni and Atalanta
substitute goalkeeper Marco
Carnesecchi.
The team are due to play
their Group A qualifier in
Iceland on Friday.
Italian football has been hit
by multiple coronavirus cases
in the past week after a cluster
of 22 in Genoa, whose Serie A
match against Torino was
postponed. Napoli failed to
turn up for their match
against Juventus on Sunday
night on the instructions of
local health authorities after
two positive cases, and could
forfeit the game 3-0.
Tripathi, bowling innovations carry kolkata
knight riders to ten-run win
SporTS DeSk:
An intensely tactical battle
between the kolkata knight
riders and the Chennai Super
kings ended with the knight
riders triumphant by ten runs,
with both teams having
dominated the first half of their
batting innings, only for the
opposition to come roaring
back. eventually, the knight
riders' comeback trumped that
of the Super kings, reports
Cricinfo.
That was down in no small
measure to rahul Tripathi's
excellent 81 off 51 at the top of
the knight riders order. Back
in his favoured opening spot,
Tripathi was brisk in the
powerplay, and then carried the
innings on his bat when the
expected fireworks from the
star-studded middle order
didn't materialise. Shane
Watson got a fifty of his own in
the Super kings chase, but only
one other batsman crossed 25.
That's not because this was a
bowlers' pitch - though it
certainly wasn't a batting
beauty - but because bowlers
from both sides executed their
plans with precision.
The knight riders were 93
for 2 after ten overs after opting
to bat first, but the Super kings
kept them to 167 when they
looked like getting in excess of
190. The Super kings in turn
were 99 for 1 in 12 overs and in
cruise control mode, but
Dinesh karthik had held Sunil
Narine back entirely for the
death, and the Super kings
stumbled against a bowler who
hasn't just been among the T20
greats, but been particularly
thorny for a majority of the
Super kings batsmen. Narine
bowled overs 12, 14, 16 and 19
while Andre russell was also
kept exclusively for the death,
bowling overs 18 and 20, as the
knight riders choked off the
batsmen's run supply. An
asking rate that was
comfortable began to mount,
and the combined pressure
from the bowlers and the
scoreboard eventually proved
too much for the Super kings
middle order.
Narine's failures at the top of
the order had come against
quick bowlers who could dig
the ball in and get it to rear up
uncomfortably. The Super
kings didn't have that kind of
bowler, but the knight riders
decided to move Narine down
the order anyway, pushing
Tripathi up. Tripathi's best
performances in the IpL have
also come as an opener, and he
showed that the promotion was
a sensible one. He didn't try to
knock the ball around at the
start, swatting across the line
more often than not and getting
good returns. At the end of the
powerplay, he had 31 off 18,
having kept the knight riders'
run rate healthy despite
Shubman Gill and Nitish rana
both scoring at less than a run a
ball.
Tripathi was particularly
severe when the bowlers
pitched too short or too full,
which they did often enough.
Narine himself came in at No.
4, being used tactically as a
floater. The move worked, with
the left-hander making 17 off
nine balls, which injected
momentum when the match
was poised, and left enough
time for eoin Morgan and
Andre russell to capitalise at
the death - that, however, didn't
come.
karn Sharma, in the XI
ahead of piyush Chawla,
bowled his full quota in one
spell after coming on when the
powerplay ended, and did a
significant job in reining the
knight riders in. He picked up
2 for 25 despite going for 12
runs in his first over, and
dismissed both rana and
Narine. The latter fell to a
superb one-two act on the longon
boundary, ravindra Jadeja
running to his right from
midwicket and getting hold of
the ball while diving full length
but flicking it up to Faf du
plessis before he grounded it.