SPORT16 SATURDAY 5 AUGUST 2017

Neymar in Paris for ‘bigger challenge’Paris

AP

Neymar opened a new extravagant chapter in soccer history yesterday as the game’s cost-

liest player by fending off questions about his financial motivations as deftly as he repels opponents on the pitch.

Paris Saint-Germain’s €222 m ($262m) recruit was sticking to the script at his presentation in the French capital. Leaving the prestige of Barcelona for the less exalted surroundings of PSG was about seizing the chance to raise the status of an ambitious club, rather than about the size of an annual salary reported to be €30m.

“I was never motivated by money,” Neymar told a crowded news conference at the Parc des Princes home of PSG. “What I think about is happiness. If I was following the money I would maybe be in some other country.”

It is, however, Qatari cash that has fuelled the rise of PSG over the last six years, making Neymar’s world-record trans-fer feasible.

So while the last thing Ney-mar wanted to do was talk about money on his first full day as a PSG player, the man along-side him had little choice. PSG President Nasser Al Khelaifi was keen to justify the outlay for the 25-year-old Brazilian, touting the financial uplift that the club expects to follow with one of the game’s superstars on its squad.

If Neymar’s transfer fee seems lavish now, Al Khelaifi was insistent that his value would soon “double.”

The value of the club too has soared overnight from €1bn before the transfer, according to Al Khelaifi.

“Now it is worth €1.5bn,” said the Qatari.

European soccer regula-tions prevent unrestricted spending. PSG was fined and forced to reduce its squad size in 2014 by the UEFA governing body for spending far more than it generates in a bid to catch up with the soccer elite.

PSG has done its sums, Al Khelaifi said, and Neymar can be afforded without breaching Financial Fair Play rules again. The value of the transfer can be spread on the annual accounts across the five-year length of the contract.

“For people worrying about FFP, go and have a coffee,” Al Khelaifi said.

“There are no problems.”PSG will have to squeeze

every euro — and Brazilian real — out of Neymar’s appearance on the pitch through sponsor-ship, merchandise and jersey sales.

The club shop on the Champs-Elysees has already been transformed to make it clear PSG is now about one

man. Posters of the forward — accompanied by the words “Welcome to Paris Neymar Jr 10” — were unveiled yesterday morning to cheers in central Paris where fans had waited hours to get their hands on jer-seys emblazoned with his name from 10:30 a.m.

“When we look at Neymar as brand with PSG I don’t think it is expensive,” Al Khelaifi said, “as I am sure we are going to

make more money than we paid. Definitely.”

The pressure for Neymar to deliver won’t just be on the pitch.

“The fact I am the most expensive player is not a bur-den,” Neymar said through a translator. “I am 69 kilograms (152 pounds).”

The boxes he packed up in Spain will also be weighed down by medals. Among Ney-mar’s honours during four

seasons at the Camp Nou there were triumphs in the Champi-ons League and Club World Cup along with two Spanish league titles and three Copa del Rey successes.

Neymar is arriving at a 47-year-old team that has won four of the last five French titles but is yet to win the biggest competitions outside of France, having failed to progress fur-ther than the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

“It was one of most difficult decisions that I made in my life, being well adapted in a city and in a big club like Barcelona,” Neymar said. “It wasn’t easy, it was a moment of extreme ten-sion, of thinking what to do with my life and of course I left friends there.

“I am very happy with that because football goes away very fast, our life goes away very fast ... and I felt it was the moment to leave, looking for new air, having a different challenge.”

The transfer could also ele-vate the 25-year-old forward to new personal heights as he escapes the Barcelona shadow of Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players of all time.

“He was my role model,” Neymar said. “I learned so much off him in four years together.”

It was unclear if Neymar would make his debut when PSG opens its league season today at home against Amiens, a team making its top-flight debut. But Neymar said he is “always hungry for football, and I think I can play.”

Regardless, the stadium is still likely to be packed with fans wearing the swiftly pro-duced PSG jerseys emblazoned with Neymar’s name.

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I was never motivated by money. What I think about is happiness. If I was following the money I would maybe be in some other country: Neymar

When we look at Neymar as brand with PSG I don’t think it is

expensive as I am sure we are going to make more money than

we paid. Definitely: PSG President Nasser Al Khelaifi

Khelaifi said. clear PSG is now about one

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Paris Saint-Germain Club President Nasser Al Khelaifi and Neymar Jr pose with the club jersey during a press conference in Paris in which the French officially presented their newly signed Brazilian star yesterday.

Al Shaqab’s Al Jazi storms to glory at Goodwood FestivalThe Peninsula

For the second year in suc-cession, Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Jazi won the Group Three

seven-furlong L’Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival in West Sus-sex, England yesterday.

She is trained in France by Francois Rohaut and was sent off the favourite.

Harry Herbert, racing man-ager for Al Shaqab, said: “She’s a specialist at this trip and at this racecourse, coming back to win this for the second year running.

“For Francois Rohaut this is his treble up for Al Shaqab - he also won with Amy Eria three years ago. So it’s very special and good to get a win on the board.

“This is a really important week for us, and, apart from the weather, it has just gone so well. The atmosphere on this race-course is so incredible.

“For Charles March and his team to have got through the dreadful Wednesday, and to have got the weather they deserve today and apparently tomorrow, is just fabulous.

“For Al Shaqab, of course, it

is hugely important, and for Qatar, to have this win. Al Jazi was our best chance of the week and thankfully she’s gone and done it.”

Looking ahead, the four-year-old Canford Cliffs’ filly, who previously ran in the Group One six-furlong Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, will prob-ably return to top level company.

Following 11 months off the

track, Eternally, partnered by James Doyle, made a good impression coming second on her return to the racecourse. She fin-ished a length and a quarter behind Al Jazi, the winner for the second year running in the G3 L’Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes on the fourth day of the 2017 Qatar Goodwood Festival.

John Gosden, trainer, said: “She ran a great race. She hasn’t

run this year and I’m really happy with her.”

An ebullient Frankie Dettori performed a flying dismount after registering his first winner of the week on the favourite Al Jazi, in the Group Three L’Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes.

Detorri has had a torrid time with a shoulder injury and a stop start return to riding, but his sea-son after victory at the weekend in the King George VI & Queen

Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on Ena-ble followed by this success, has hit full stride.

“I would like to dedicate this race to Sheikh Joaan,” said the Italian as he spoke to the press after the race.

The winner blanket displayed the Tamim al majid image and Dettori put on the image enthusiastically.

Battaash took himself into the leading ranks of sprinters with a convincing two and a quarter length success in the Group Two five-furlong Qatar King George Stakes.

Sent off a chance, he is trained by Charlie Hills and was ridden by Jim Crowley, retained jockey for owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Mubarak Ajlan Al Kuwari, Second Secretary of the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United Kingdom, presented the trophy to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum.

Al Shaqab Executive Direc-tor, Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Attiya was elated after Al Jazi won the Group Three seven-furlong L’Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes. “That was a long-waited win in this edition of the Festival”, he said.

“But what is good and joyful about it is that it is Al Shaqab’s third win of this title in a row. We’ve won several titles twice, but this is our first hat-trick ever. And we’ll be back for the fourth title at Goodwood in 2018.”

“Al Jazi’s performance was wonderful and gave her a com-fortable win. Francois Rohaut won the same title with her last year. We look forward to more wins tomorrow with three run-ners, Shraaoh, Medahim and Mazyoun, for Al Shaqab, espe-cially as the races bear the name of Qatar”, added Al Attiya.

Mubarak Ajlan Al Kuwari, Second Secretary of the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United Kingdom, stressed that this Festival is an annual opportunity to strengthen the Qatari-English relations, espe-cially as the Embassy plays a role in this regard since it is a pure Qatari event sponsored by Qatar.

“We have seen the great suc-cess of the festival in the three versions held so far through Qatar’s support and ability to have strong presence and influ-ence in such events,” Al Kuwari said.

Jockey L Dettori celebrates astride Al Shaqab Racing’s Al Jazi after winning the Group Three seven-furlong L’Ormarins Queens Plate Oak Tree Stakes at the Qatar Goodwood Festival in West Sussex, England yesterday.

Kolkata

Reuters

Indian Super League champions ATK have signed former Tottenham Hot-spur striker Robbie Keane ahead of the

2017-18 season, the Kolkata-based fran-chise said yesterday.

Keane, a former Republic of Ireland captain, was a free agent after his con-tract with Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy expired in December.

“I feel extremely fortunate to have played for some of the best clubs in Eng-land and the USA, as well as representing my country at several major tourna-ments,” Keane said in a statement.

“At this stage of my career, the offer to experience a new league and culture in Asia appealed to me.

“To join the current Indian Super League champions is a great pleasure and through hard work I hope to bring the ATK fans more success and enjoyment over the course of the 2017/2018 season.”

The 37-year-old will link up with former Tottenham team mate Teddy Sher-ingham, who was appointed the new ATK manager last month.

Keane scored 126 goals in England’s top flight with Coventry City, Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liver-pool, in addition to Tottenham. He also netted 68 times in 146 appearances for Ireland before announcing his retirement from international football last year.

17SATURDAY 5 AUGUST 2017 SPORT

AUGUST 3: IT’S A DEAL Neymar’s world record move is completed

when the French club confirm the Brazilian su-

perstar has signed a five year-deal, earning

him an estimated €30m ($35.5m) a year.

AUGUST 2: DEPARTURE DAYNeymar tells Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde and his team-

mates that he intends to quit the club. Barca insist that the

€222m buyout clause “must be paid in full”.

“We are going to pay the clause. Once Neymar gave me the

green light, on August 1, I went to Paris and I got a proposi-

tion from PSG to pay the clause, which will be done in the

coming hours,” said the player’s advisor Wagner Ribeiro.

Neymar travels to the Portuguese city of Oporto for a

medical, according to press reports.

AUGUST 1: BACK TO BARCELONANeymar returns to Barcelona via Dubai, amid speculation

that he might have been headed directly for Paris or Qatar.

JULY 20: THIAGO SILVA’S ‘LIKE’With the transfer soap opera playing out on social

media PSG captain Thiago Silva raises eyebrows when

he ‘likes’ a photo montage of the French club’s four

Brazilians behind their compatriot Neymar photo-

shopped wearing a PSG shirt and published by Brazil’s

Esporte Interativo.

JULY 31: CHINESE TRIPAfter Barcelona’s US tour, in which he was a standout per-

former on the field, Neymar spends a day in Shanghai at-

tending promotional events, essentially fashion-related. Not

a word is said about an impending transfer.

Neymar to PSG timeline JULY 16: PSG READY TO PAYThe first indication that what has been labelled ‘the transfer

of the century’ is on comes from Brazilian football website

Chuteira FC which announces that PSG are “ready to pay” the

famous €222m ($260m) buy-out clause.

JULY 19: NEYMAR ‘HAPPY’ AT BARCANeymar tells Goal.com website that he’s “happy” at his club.

“Now, we must work for next season, which is going to be

more positive both from a personal and a team point of

view”.

JULY 30: BARCA RESIGNED, LA LIGA ISSUES THREAT“In football there are clauses and if he wants to leave

he knows there are people who can pay the clause,”

declares the Barcelona President Josep Maria Bar-

tomeu with a hint of resignation that he will have to let

Neymar go.

JULY 18: NEYMAR SAYS YES“Neymar has accepted PSG’s offer”, Barcelona-based Brazil-

ian journalist Marcelo Bechler posts on Twitter.

JULY 29: “BE BRAVE”“Be courageous. The world belongs to the courageous,”

Dani Alves tells reporters in a message aimed at Neymar

and at convincing one of his best friends to join him at

PSG. Alves was speaking after Paris beat Monaco 2-1 in

the Moroccan city of Tangiers in the French Champions

Trophy.

JULY 28: TRAINING GROUND ALTERCATIONThe Daily Mail publishes a video showing Neymar scrapping

with his teammate Nelson Semedo, one of Barcelona’s sum-

mer signings, on the club’s US tour. The Brazilian is held back

by his team-mates before tossing away his bib and walking

off the pitch.

Barcelona won’t pay Neymar bonus Barcelona

AFP

Barcelona won’t pay a €26m ($30.8m) bonus to Neymar for renew-

ing his contract with the Catalan giants in 2016, a club spokesman said yesterday after his decision to join Paris Saint-Germain for a world record transfer fee.

Josep Vives admitted Barca had been left irritated by the Brazilian’s decision to leave despite signing a new five-year deal last year as PSG paid his €222m ($264m) buy-out clause to leave Barca powerless to prevent Neymar moving on.

“Any separation causes annoyance, especially when it is one not wished for by the club due to a uni-lateral decision on the part of the player,” Vives told a press confer-ence at the Camp Nou.

“ T h e player hasn’t fulfilled his contract with the club...given that breach the club will not pay this renewal bonus.”

Barca had deposited the bonus with a notary to be paid on September 1 had Neymar remained at the club, but have already recovered the 26 million.

Vives insisted Barca are unhappy with the way in which his exit came about.

“There is annoyance at the decision, but also the way it came about.”

Yet, Vives claimed Barca can bounce back from losing out on La Liga and the Cham-pions League last season with the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez still among a star-studded squad.

“He is a great player, we have enjoyed him a lot, but the world doesn’t end after Neymar,” he added.

Record breaker Neymar pledges glory for PSG Paris

AFP

Brazilian superstar Neymar has pledged to spark a tro-phy glut at Paris Saint Germain after agreeing a five-year deal on a world

record €222m ($264m) transfer from Barcelona.

The 25-year-old will earn a mind-boggling €30m ($35.5m) a year in Paris but insists he will prove value for money for the ambitious Qatari-owned French side.

“I am extremely happy to join Paris Saint-Germain,” said Neymar.

“Since I arrived in Europe, the club has always been one of the most com-petitive and most ambitious. And the biggest challenge, what most moti-v a t e d me to join my new

team-mates

is to help the club to conquer the titles that their fans want.

“Paris Saint-Germain’s ambition attracted me to the club, along with the passion and the energy this brings. I played four seasons in Europe and I feel ready to take the challenge.

“From today, I will do everything I can to help my new teammates, to open up new horizons for my club and to bring happiness to its millions of supporters around the world.”

PSG said that Neymar will be pre-sented to fans at the same ground at 1345GMT today before the season-opening Ligue 1 fixture against promoted Amiens.

PSG wasted no time in pressing Neymar’s commercial value by announcing that shirts bearing his name were on sale from 0800GMT yesterday at the club’s megastore on the city’s iconic Champs Elysees.

Football legend Pele congratulated Neymar on his move, tell-ing his successor in the famed Brazilian number 10

shirt: “Good luck for your new challenge”.

“Paris is a beautiful city and one of my favourites in the world,” three-time World Cup winner Pele wrote on Twitter.

The transfer is more than double the previous world record set by Man-chester United’s capture of Paul Pogba from Juventus last year for €105m, leaving many commentators aghast at the rampant inflation in football transfer fees.

Leading coaches such as Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger and Manchester Unit-ed’s Jose Mourinho lamented that the move could cause even greater infla-tion in transfer fees and player wages.

“It also looks like the inflation is accelerating,” said Wenger, whose 21 years at Arsenal have been character-ised by prudent spending.

“It’s beyond calculation and beyond rationality.”

“It adds attractive-ness. Yes, it’s good

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Guardiola out to crack Premier League after trophyless debut London

Reuters

Last season represented a first trophyless campaign for Pep Guardiola as his Manchester

City side fell away after a ferocious start, prompting questions about whether the all-conquering Cata-lan deserved his lofty reputation.

From the Spanish third tier to the Bundesliga, Guardiola had pre-viously experienced nothing but success, but his first season in Eng-land was mixed and not what City fans were expecting when he arrived at the club.

Part of the problem was that Guardiola seemed reluctant to veer away from his footballing ideals, and a few months ago, little appeared to have changed. “The team has played the way I wanted,” Guardiola told ESPN Brasil in mid-May. “It is more important to me than winning a trophy.”

However, Guardiola’s transfer activity since suggests he has real-ised that simply keeping possession and looking for openings may not always suffice in the high octane environment of the Premier League.

He has now assembled a squad with many more facets for oppo-nents to contend with.

Energetic fullbacks have become increasingly important in recent years and, with that in mind, City acted swiftly to bolster their ranks.

Out went the ageing Pablo Zaba-leta, Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy and in came just under £120m worth ($158.46m worth) of the most exhil-arating fullbacks in the world - giving City an entirely different dimension altogether.

Guardiola could, therefore, go with two up front, to get the most out of Danilo, Kyle Walker and Ben-jamin Mendy in a 3-5-2 system.

Bernardo Silva, signed from Monaco, has also been added to the staggering wealth of attacking

options available to Guardiola.Argentine Sergio Aguero may

even struggle to get a game, such is the extent of the strength in depth at the Etihad.

Aguero helped City finish third in the league, scoring 20 goals in 31 league appearances, last season but his starting role came under intense scrutiny following the arrival of Bra-zilian forward Gabriel Jesus in January.

There are still areas of concern. Defender Vincent Kompany’s fitness remains pivotal to their solidarity at the back, while new goalkeeper Ederson will take some bedding in, even if he has impressed in pre-season.

Guardiola’s underlying philos-ophy will not change - still expect City to keep possession - but they will have an additional threat out wide, even more finesse in midfield, and young forwards who will have learned a great deal from last season.

City have the potential to blow away all who stand in their way, and that wait for another Guardiola title may not be too far over the horizon.

Former Spurs striker Keane joins Indian side Kolkata

Tottenham Hotspur captain Robbie Keane in action during an English Premier League match in London, Britain in this file photo. Indian Super League champions ATK have signed Keane ahead of the 2017-18 season, the Kolkata-based franchise said yesterday

Brazilian superstar Neymar plays Brazilian superstar Neymar plays with a ball during his official with a ball during his official presentation at the Parc des presentation at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris yesterday Princes Stadium in Paris yesterday after agreeing a five-year contract after agreeing a five-year contract following his world record €222m following his world record €222m ($260m) transfer from Barcelona ($260m) transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint Germain (PSG). to Paris Saint Germain (PSG).

18 SATURDAY 5 AUGUST 2017SPORT

Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin (right) celebrates with his team-mates after he dismissed Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga during the second day of their second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Colombo, yesterday.

SL totter under India’s run mountain in Colombo Test Colombo

Reuters

India amassed 622 for nine before declaring their first innings and then returned to remove both the Sri Lankan openers to tighten

their grip on the second Test yesterday.

For the second successive time in the three-match series, India won the toss, elected to bat and amassed 600 or more in their first innings before unleashing their bowlers on their hosts.

Like in their comprehensive defeat in the series opener at Galle, Sri Lanka made a feeble reply to finish day two on 50 for two at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.

Skipper Dinesh Chandimal was batting on eight at stumps with the hosts needing a special knock from him, while Kusal Mendis was on 16 with Sri Lanka trailing by 572 runs.

For India, Ravichandran

Ashwin hit a half-century and returned to dismiss both the openers to cap a particularly sat-isfying day.

Unable to call on lone front-line paceman Nuwan Pradeep due to a hamstring injury, Sri Lanka faced an unenviable task when India resumed on 344-3 with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, partners in a double century stand, looking to heap more misery on them.

Dimuth Karunaratne and the debutant Malinda Pushpaku-mara claimed their maiden Test wickets in the morning session to bring some relief for them.

Karunaratne hit Pujara’s back thigh in the second over of the day but the leg-before appeal was turned down. Sri Lanka used review to overturn the decision.

Pujara batted for three hours and 20 minutes, hitting 11 boundaries and a six in his 133.

Rahane was stumped off Pushpakumara after making 132 which included 14 boundaries.

There was no respite, how-ever, for the hosts as the lower half of the Indian line-up feasted on a jaded Sri Lankan attack.

Ashwin hit a fluent 54, Wrid-dhiman Saha struck a patient 67 and Ravindra Jadeja smacked three sixes in his unbeaten 70 off 85 balls before India declared their innings.

Six Indian batsmen notched up 50-plus scores, while three Sri Lankan bowlers bled 147 or more as the tourists maintained their iron grip on the contest.

Sri Lanka got off to a night-marish start, losing opener Upul Tharanga to the second over of their innings.

The batsman hit an innocu-ous Ashwin delivery right into KL Rahul’s body at short leg to depart for a duck.

Opening partner Karu-naratne made 25 before edging Ashwin to slip to compound Sri Lanka’s crisis.

India (I innings):S Dhawan lbw b Perera ..........................................35

L Rahul run out (Chandimal/Dickwella) .............57

C Pujara lbw b Karunaratne ................................133

V Kohli c Mathews b Herath .................................. 13

A Rahane st Dickwella b Pushpakumara .........132

R Ashwin b Herath ................................................. 54

W Saha st Dickwella b Herath ..............................67

H Pandya c Mathews b Pushpakumara ............20

R Jadeja (not out) .................................................. 70

M Shami c Tharanga b Herath ..............................19

U Yadav (not out) .......................................................8

Extras (B8, NB2, LB4) ..........................................14

Total (9 wkts dec; 158 overs) .............. 622Bowling: Pradeep 17.4-2-63-0, Herath 42-7-154-4,

Karunaratne 8-0-31-1, Perera 40-3-147-1, Pushpaku-

mara 38.2-2-156-2, De Silva 12-0-59-0.

Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-109, 3-133, 4-350, 5-413,

6-451, 7-496, 8-568, 9-598

Sri Lanka (I innings):D Karunaratne c Rahane b Ashwin .....................25

U Tharanga c Rahul b Ashwin ................................0

K Mendis (batting) ..................................................16

D Chandimal (batting) .............................................8

Extras (LB1) ................................................................1

Total (2 wkts) ......................................... 50Bowling: Shami 3-1-7-0, Ashwin 10-2-38-2, Jadeja

7-4-4-0

Fall of wicket: 1-0, 33-2

Still to bat: A Mathews, D de Silva, N Dickwella, D Perera,

R Herath, M Pushpakumara, N Pradeep

SCOREBOARD

Rabada gives South Africa early edge at Old Trafford Manchester

AFP

Kagiso Rabada took the prize wicket of Ben Stokes as South Africa

held England to 260 for six in yesterday’s first day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

All-rounder Stokes, fresh from a hundred in England’s 239-run victory in the third Test at the Oval, was leading a revival with the bat.

But fast bowler Rabada struck with the new ball in the penultimate over of the day when a full-length delivery, which surprised Stokes, smashed into the base of the stumps and bowled the left-handed batsman for 58.

Rabada, banned from the second Test for swearing at Stokes in the series opener, yelled in joy.

He finished the day with figures of two for 52 in 18 overs, but the worth of South Africa’s efforts with the ball will only become fully apparent when they bat.

Jonny Bairstow, who might have fallen for four, was 33 not out and nightwatchman Toby Roland-Jones unbeaten on nought at the close.

For the tenth successive Test, England captain Joe Root made a fifty.

But only two of those innings have yielded hundreds and Root, who has previously acknowledged his ‘conversion rate’ as a failing in his other-wise impressive game, was out for 52 yesterday.

England were unchanged from the side that triumphed in the Oval’s 100th Test, a result that left Root on the brink of a win in his first series as England captain at 2-1 up with one to play.

But South Africa recalled seamer Duanne Olivier and batsman Theunis de Bruyn after pacemen Vernon Philander and Chris Morris were both ruled out with lower back strains.

Root again won the toss and

batted. But struggling opener Keaton Jennings fell for 17.

The Essex duo of Alastair Cook (46) and Tom Westley (29) both exited after lunch with England on 92.

Cook got a thin edge driv-ing at left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj and was caught behind.

Westley, fresh from a sec-ond-innings fifty on debut at The Oval, nicked a good length Rabada ball, with de Kock hold-ing a superb diving catch for his 100th Test dismissal.

Dawid Malan was looking for a big score after managing just 11 runs during his Test debut at the Oval.

Morne Morkel, however, saw off Malan, born in London but raised in South Africa, when the Middlesex left-hander edged a drive to Proteas cap-tain Faf du Plessis at second slip.

Morkel has repeatedly bowled well this series without proper reward.

Another example of his bad luck came when Root edged the towering quick on 40, only for de Kock to inexplicably remain rooted to the spot for what was his catch. De Kock’s anguished expression as the ball went through the slips for four spoke volumes.

Stokes completed an 89-ball fifty before Rabada’s late strike.

NBA’s Curry shoots 74 in solid

round against professionals New York

Reuters

Stephen Curry was not quite as accurate on the golf course as he is on the hard-

wood, but the NBA star did not embarrass himself when he teed it up on the secondary Web.com Tour on Thursday.

Golden State Warrior Curry carded a four-over 74, not quite a Spieth-like performance, but enough to finish the first round ahead of several professionals at the Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonbrae in Hayward, California.

He made a jittery start, his opening tee shot landing in a cup holder on a golf cart adjacent to the fairway.

The Warriors guard, fol-lowed by a large gallery of adoring fans, notched three bogeys in his first five holes but then held his score together pretty well after that.

“Not an ideal way to start, calling a rules official after your first tee shot, but settled down after that,” Curry told reporters.

“To hit my first shot in tour-nament play was a really nervous moment but it was eve-rything I hoped for.

“If you’d told me I was going to shoot 74 going into the first

round I’d take that all day, every day, so pretty happy with it.

“As soon as he said my name on the first tee, I could barely feel my hands. I had to take a deep breath and still there wasn’t anything I could do to prepare for that moment but after the third hole it was just golf like normal.”

Curry suffered one double-bogey but avoided major disasters in a round of three birdies.

Twice NBA Most Valuable Player, Curry is seeking to become the first athlete from another sport to make a cut on the Web.com tour.

Many have tried and failed, and Curry faces a steep battle on Friday to make the cut, which is expected to fall at around two-under.

“I want to play better tomor-row and now I’ve got the jitters out hopefully that will happen,” he said.

Injured Wawrinka to miss US Open title defence Paris

AFP

Reigning US Open champion Stan Wawrinka will miss his title defence to have

knee surgery and will sit out the rest of the year, the world number four announced yesterday.

The three-time Grand Slam champion had already pulled out of the upcoming ATP tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati, and joins last year’s US Open runner-up Novak Djokovic on the sidelines for the remainder of 2017.

“This was the only solution to make sure I will be able to com-pete at the top level for many more years,” Wawrinka said in a statement on Facebook.

“This is obviously extremely disappointing, but I’m already looking ahead and planning my recovery.

“I love this sport and I will work hard to get back to my top level and play many more years. I will see you all in 2018!”

The 32-year-old Wawrinka, like Djokovic, will be hoping the time off can help him come back revitalised after a difficult month that included a first-round exit at Wimbledon.

On Thursday, Wawrinka admitted that the knee injury had hampered him during that shock defeat to unseeded Rus-sian Daniil Medvedev in London.

The four-set victory over Djokovic in the final at Flush-ing Meadows last year gave Wawrinka his third major crown, taking him level with current world number one Andy Murray, who has been struggling with a hip injury and hasn’ t p layed s ince Wimbledon.

This season Wawrinka has had fluctuating fortunes, but did reach his second French Open final where he was thrashed by Rafael Nadal.

He will be hoping to emu-late the Spaniard and his legendary fellow Swiss Roger Federer, after both returned from lengthy absences to claim Grand Slam titles this season.

Federer, who turns 36 next week, also did not play last year after Wimbledon, but has won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year and will be looking for a 20th major title in New York when the US Open gets underway on August 28.

With Wawrinka fourth in the world rankings, one place above Djokovic, 2014 champion and sixth-ranked Marin Cilic is likely to be the fourth seed, a month after finishing runner-up at Wimbledon.

This file photo taken on July 03, 2017 shows Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka reacting against Russia’s Daniil Medvedev during their men’s singles first round match of the 2017 Wimbledon Championships. Reigning US Open champion Stan Wawrinka will miss his title defence to have knee surgery, he announced yesterday.

England (I innings):A Cook c de Kock b Maharaj ...................... 46

K Jennings c de Kock b Olivier ................... 17

T Westley c de Kock b Rabada ................. 29

J Root lbw b Olivier .......................................52

D Malan c du Plessis b M Morkel ............... 18

B Stokes b Rabada .......................................58

J Bairstow (batting) ......................................33

T Roland-Jones (batting) ...............................0

Extras (B-5 LB-1 NB-1) ................................ 7

Total (for 6 wkts) ......................... 260 Fall of wickets: 1-35 K Jennings,2-92 A

Cook,3-92 T Westley,4-144 D Malan,5-187 J

Root,6-252 B Stokes

To bat: M Ali, S Broad, J Anderson

Bowling: M Morkel 19 - 4 - 58 - 1, K Rabada 18

- 5 - 52 - 2; D Olivier 19 - 3 - 72 - 2; K Maharaj 29

- 9 - 54 - 1; T de Bruyn 5 - 0 - 18 - 0(nb-1)

SCOREBOARD

Stephen Curry acknowledges the fans after finishing the eighteenth hole during round one of the Ellie Mae Classic

at TCP Stonebrae on Thursday in

Hayward, California.

19SATURDAY 5 AUGUST 2017 SPORT

Haroun to launch Qatar’s campaign at IAAF Worlds Fawad Hussain The Peninsula

Abdallelah Haroun will open Qatar’s cam-paign at the prestigious 2017 IAAF World Athlet-

ics Championships when the talented sprinter will take part in the opening round of the men’s 400m race, today at the London Olympic Stadium.

Haroun is one of five Qatari athletes taking part in the mega event. The 20-year-old, who has achieved incredible results at a very young age with silver in 2016’s World Indoor Champi-onships, gold in the 2016 World U20 Championships and gold in the 2015 Asian Athletics Cham-pionships, is targeting a podium finish in the global event.

Olympic silver and bronze medallist, Mutaz Barshim, dou-ble World Junior champion, Ashraf Elseify, rising star in the 400m hurdles, Abderrahman Samba and javelin thrower Ahmed Bedeir are other Qatari athletes who are eyeing glory at the London Worlds.

Samba will be seen next in action when he will participate in the men’s 400m hurdles tomorrow.

The 22-year-old Samba only took up the discipline at the beginning of this year and made an immediate mark on the event when he ran the fastest time in the world in March and then went on to storm to victory in May’s Doha Diamond League, ahead of reigning Olympic Champion, Kerron Clement.

Speaking about Team Qatar, President of the Qatar Athletics Federation and Secretary

General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Dr Thani Abdulrah-man Al Kuwari, said: “We are incredibly proud of all our ath-letes who have qualified to compete at the London IAAF World Championships, demon-strating years of hard work, dedication and commitment. They are fantastic role models for our young people and we hope that our whole nation will get behind them and show their support as they go head to head with the world’s greatest athletes.

“The strength and depth of the Qatari team competing in London reflects the considera-ble progress that Qatar has made in athletics development over the years. With Doha hosting the next edition of the World Cham-pionships in 2019, we hope that athletics will continue to grow

and flourish across the whole of the Middle East as we bring the event to our region for the first time in history. We will work hard over the next two years to maximise this unique opportu-nity to introduce athletics to new audiences, inspire new athletes and capture the attention of new fans,” he added.

Elseify, who won the World Junior Championships in 2012 and 2014 and holds the junior world-record will open his cam-paign on August 9 with

qualifying round of hammer throw.

Still only 22, Elseify finished an incredible sixth in last year’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games in a field of much older and more experienced athletes.

Joining Elseify in the field events is fellow Aspire Academy graduate, 21-year-old Bedeir, who was the youngest compet-itor in last year’s Olympic javelin throw final and recently won sil-ver at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships.

Speaking ahead of the Lon-don World Championships, Bedeir said:“My goal for London is to reach the final. Once I get there, anything is possible. My biggest competition will defi-nitely be the German team – they have many talented jave-lin throwers.”

Bedier will showcase his skills on August 10.

Qatar’s greatest-ever athlete Barshim, will be the last Al Anabi man to be seen in action as the high jump event is scheduled on August 11.

The current world number one has shown incredible form throughout 2017 and is unbeaten so far this season.

Barshim also has his eyes on Javier Sotomayer’s 24-year-old world record after recording the second highest jump in history in 2014.

Speaking earlier this year, Barshim said: “Whenever there is a big, major championship, the only thing I am looking for is the gold, and that is what we are chas-ing this year. If I stay injury free, I think I would have a very good shot at the world-record. I had two close jumps in two seasons. I hope this will be the season.”

Qatari athletes Abderrahman Samba (left) and Mutaz Barshim celebrate after winning the 400m hurdles and high jump events respectively during the IAAF Diamond League at the Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha last May. Both the Qatari stars are eyeing a repeat show at London Worlds.

Abdallelah Haroun of Qatar celebrates after winning silver in the men’s 400 metres during the IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championships in Portland, Oregon in this March 2016 file photo. Haroun will start his London stint today.

Today: Abdallelah Haroun, men’s 400m

Tomorrow: Abdurrahman Samba, 400m

hurdles

August 9: Ashraf Elseify, hammer throw

August 10: Ahmed Bedeir, javelin throw

August 11: Mutaz Barshim, high jump

QATARI ATHLETES AT WORLDS

IAAF chief Coe praises ‘candid’ Russian apology for scandal

Schippers eager to turn tables on bitter rival Thompson

London

Reuters

Global athletics boss Sebastian Coe (pic-tured below) praised

what he described as a ‘can-did’ apology from Russia over a doping scandal on Thurs-day but reiterated it was not the moment for the country to be readmitted to the sport.

Russia’s athletics boss Dmitry Shylakhtin told an IAAF Congress, held on the eve of the World Athletics Championships, that his country’s ban from the sport was correct and that he was determined to fight doping.

He said he was sorry to “all athletes who have had gold and silver medals snatched from them at competitions.”

Despite his comments, the IAAF Congress voted in favour of maintaining the ban, imposed in November 2015 after a World Anti-Dop-ing Agency (WADA) report found evidence of state-spon-sored doping in Russia.

“I thought it was a very candid response today, a very candid presentation,” IAAF president Coe told reporters.

“The whole Council and the whole Congress was pleased...that the Russian fed-e r a t i o n r e c o g n i s e d themselves that they have been through some pretty torrid times and are doing everything possible to make sure the federation is reengineered.”

Coe said he was also “pleased” that Russia accepted the criteria for its reintroduction.

“I think it was a very con-structive day and I think progress is being made, but the (Congress) supports the recommendations of the task force that this was not the moment to reinstate Russia,” said Coe.

Nineteen Russian athletes will be competing as neutrals at the World Athletics Cham-pionships which started in London yesterday, having met strict IAAF criteria.

London

AFP

Dafne Schippers (pic-tured below) will get only one bite at aveng-

ing defeat in the two Olympic sprint finals last year to her bitter rival Elaine Thompson at the world athletics cham-pionships which started yesterday.

The statuesque Dutch runner will not have Thomp-son breathing down her neck when she defends her 200m world crown, the Jamaican having opted to focus solely on the 100m until the 2020 Olympics.

But nothing would give Schippers greater pleasure than to defeat the 25-year-old Jamaican in tomorrow’s final -- provided of course they both make it through today’s heats and the semi-finals.

Schippers, who was a top class heptathlete winning world bronze in 2013 but then switched to sprinting, saw too much of Thompson’s back in Rio finishing fifth in the 100m and runner-up in the 200m whilst a nightmare Games ended when she messed up a baton exchange in the 4x100m relay.

However, Schippers -- who has had a bridge named in her honour in her home town of Utrecht -- is hopeful that she can make the cham-pionships in London a far happier experience given her frosty relationship with Thompson.“It’s very bad,” Schippers confessed to the Daily Mail in July.

Thompson -- who endured a troubled childhood and was brought up by her grandmother -- left her Dutch rival in her wake despite run-ning in trainers at the London Diamond League meet in July.

However, Schippers is determined to show that Rio was a blip and she can turn things round.

“My mood was not great after Rio. I came for Gold and didn’t get it. There is always the next Gold. Starting in London!”

Turkey’s Emre Zafer Barnes (centre) wins the preliminary round heat of the men’s 100m athletics event as the 2017 IAAF World Championships got under way yesterday at the London Stadium in London. Centre: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks during the opening ceremony. Right: President of the International Association of Athletics Federations Sebastian Coe (left) and Britain’s Prince Andrew attend the ceremony.

IAAF World Championships get under way in London

Children playing at the venue of Qatar Summer Festival at DECC yesterday. Pic: Kammutty VP / The Peninsula

Having fun

SATURDAY 5 AUGUST 2017

FAJRSHOROOK

03.39 am

05.03 am

ZUHRASR

11.40 am

03.08 pm

MAGHRIBISHA

06.19 pm

07.49 pm

PRAYER TIMINGS

HIGH TIDE 02:00 – 16:15 LOW TIDE 08:30 – 23:30

Hazy at places at first with a weak

chance of local rainy at places dur-

ing afternoon becomes humid by

night.

WEATHER TODAY

Minimum Maximum

Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department

34oC 44oC

20 MORNING BREAK

Amna Pervaiz Rao The Peninsula

Around 11 women teams with a flavour of Qatar’s top-notch

players participated in 3x3 Basketball Tournament ‘QSF Mall Jam ‘ hosted by Q-Sports and Qatar Basketball Feder-ation yesterday at (DECC).

The first day witnessed the presence of a large number of Qatari families, residents and families. Sev-eral players competed eleven teams to make it to the finals.

Members of the Qatar Women’s Sports Committee were keen to follow up on the first day with Assistant Sec-retary, Maha Abdul Jabbar and Team manager, Al Anoud Al Misnad.

The team, that comes first, will grab a prize money worth QR5000, second place will be 5 free gold passes to QSF and third place will be 5 free passes to Aqua Park.

Talking to The Peninsula Mona Saad, member of Qatar women’s national basketball team said: “Today I am here

with my three team members to play 2 games. Two of our members are from Qatar Women’s national basketball team. We have named our team ‘Tamim Al Majd B’ to show support towards our country.”

Another member of national team ‘Tamim Al Majd B’, Ala said: “Four teams have members of national team this year. We are play-ing friendly match to practice and gain more experience in order to prepare ourselves for world cup.”

“We are going to play three games today and if we win we will be able to make it to the finals and semi-finals which is going to held tomor-row,” she added. ‘Global

Heroes’ last year’s champi-ons were present with their team to participate and make it to the finals. This year par-ticipating in three games.

Pamela Barrozo, Global Heroes team player said: “This year we are four team members two belong to Egypt and two from Philip-p i n e s . W e r e c e n t l y participated in Aspire Dia-mond League. Witnessing that only few games are played here by women, we get excited to play whenever we get a chance.” The 3-day tourney is open to public. There will be three divisions: Men’s Open, Men’s Classic and Women. Each team will have 5 accreditation, 4 for players and 1 for a coach.

11 teams compete at 3x3 Basketball tourney

Girls in action during the 3x3 basketball tournament, women classic division, at DECC yesterday. Pic:Kammutty VP / The Peninsula

The first day witnessed the presence of a large number of Qatari families and other residents. The team, that comes first, will grab a prize money worth QR5000, second place will be 5 free gold passes to QSF and the third place will be 5 free passes to Aqua Park.

The Peninsula

On the eighth day of the second Local Dates Festival being organ-

ised by the Ministry of M u n i c i p a l i t y a n d

Environment has sold 10.7 tonnes of different types of dates on Thursday. The number of visitors reached around 5000 on the same day. Meanwhile the Ministry extended the festival for

another week by taking into account the high demand and public interest.

The total quantity of dates, which has been sold since the inauguration on July 27, has reached 80 tonnes.

80 tonnes of dates sold; rise in visitors seen

Pittsfield

AP

Members of Norman Rockwell’s family are the latest to speak out against a Massa-chusetts museum’s plan to sell the

illustrator’s works.The family in a letter published in yesterday’s

print edition of The Berkshire Eagle (http://bit.ly/2we1dsI ) asked the Berkshire Museum in Pitts-field not to auction “Shuffleton’s Barbershop.”

The museum is selling 40 artworks, including two by Rockwell, to build endowment funds and finance renovations. The letter, signed by Rock-well’s three sons and three of his grandsons, says they fear it will go to a private collector at auc-tion, and will no longer be available to the public. “We believe that this painting is one of Norman Rockwell’s finest and should stay at a public insti-tution, so that it can be seen,” the letter said.

The letter doesn’t mention the other Rockwell piece on the auction block, “Blacksmith’s Boy-Heel and Toe” also known as “Shaftsbury Blacksmith Shop.” But Margaret Rockwell, man-ager of the Norman Rockwell Family Agency, tells the paper the family opposes the sale of that one as well. Both were created for The Saturday Evening Post. Both oil paintings were gifts to the museum from the artist. Rockwell lived in nearby Stockbridge for the last 25 years of his life.

The sale of all 40 works has been denounced by two national museum organizations that said selling pieces of a collection to pay bills violates a cardinal rule of the museum industry. Local art-ists have also spoken out against the sale.

The Berkshire Museum, founded in 1903, said it hopes the sale will raise $40m for its endow-ment and $20m for renovations as it refocuses its mission on science and natural history.

Colombe

Reuters

French archaeologists have unearthed the ruins of a Roman settlement in

southern France that was deserted by its inhabitants after fires that ultimately helped pre-serve the site now being dubbed “Little Pompeii”.

The site on the banks of the Rhone near the town of Vienne, discovered on land earmarked for a new apartment complex,

has revealed luxury homes, mosaics and items of furniture that date back to the 1st century AD.

Ash from the fires helped preserve the ruins, just as the Roman city of Pompeii was largely preserved after being buried in volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius.

“The two fires fossilized, solidified the entirety of the remains ... in every space we found furniture left by the inhabitants who had to flee the

fire,” said lead archaeologist Benjamin Clement. “It’s rare to discover such a well preserved site.”

Found among the ruins was a near-complete mosaic show-ing Thalia, the muse and patron of comedy, being kidnapped by the god of the satyrs, Pan.

The remains will be meas-ured, photographed and drawn. Some will then be removed from the Sainte-Colombe site and sent to the Gallo-Roman museum in Vienne for restoration.

Norman Rockwell’s family opposes to sale of artist’s work

‘Little Pompeii’ discovered in France

Venues at the second Local Dates Festival.