Windies choke in nail-biter to hand Aussies victory
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC) – West Indies choked under the pressure of a tight run-chase to hand Australia a one-run victory in the fourth Digicel One-Day International at Warner Park yesterday.
Set 283 to win from 50 overs, West Indies were on course at 247 for three in the 43rd over, before losing their way and were restricted to 281 for six.
The hosts lost in spite of a blazing 92 from 92 balls by captain Chris Gayle, along with half-centuries from fellow key batsmen Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
The win gave Australia a 4-0 lead in the series which they will try to finish off with a clean sweep in the final match tomorrow.
After Gayle, who smashed ten fours and four sixes, put on 137 in 24.1 overs with Sarwan, who contributed a fluent 63 off 79 balls, West Indies kept on pace with successive half-century partnerships that involved Chanderpaul, who made 53 off 71 balls.
Gayle and Chanderpaul added an even fifty before the captain fell to a catch at cover. It brought in Dwayne Bravo, who batted with assurance in making 31 off 32 balls in a fourth-wicket partnership of 59 with Chanderpaul.
As the match became tight, Australia kept their nerve and the wickets of debutant Shawn Findlay, who fell to a spectacular diving catch by Mike Hussey at mid-wicket and Chanderpaul, bowled from the last ball of the 49th over, set the stage for an exciting finish.
West Indies needed eight runs from the final over that was delivered by medium fast bowler Shane Watson, but were restricted to six singles from the bats of Denesh Ramdin and Darren Sammy.
Australia’s competitive total was built around Andrew Symonds’ brilliant 87 off 78 balls that earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.
After Australia were kept in check when they were sent in, Symonds increased the tempo to hit ten fours and two sixes and there was a significant acceleration in the second half of the innings from a position of 121 for three in 25 overs.
Debutant David Hussey assisted Symonds by making a run-a-ball 50 as the pair featured in a fifth-wicket century partnership after Australia were initially pegged back by fast bowler Daren Powell and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller.
Powell removed Watson and Shaun Marsh to catches by wicketkeeper Ramdin after the openers added 41 in 7.5 overs, while debutant Miller bowled economically for his first seven overs in which he conceded 23 runs.
Mike Hussey (37) and captain Michael Clarke (36) put on 60 for the third wicket but never got on top of the bowling.
Hussey fell to a catch at deep mid-wicket off fast-medium bowler Darren Sammy while Clarke, leading Australia in place of the injured Ricky Ponting, was lbw attempting to hit Miller through the leg-side.
Symonds started cautiously before lifting Miller for a straight six and also greeted Powell with a six over long-on at the start of his last over which included a second six by David Hussey.
Miller was lashed for 33 runs from his last three overs, while Powell, who finished with two for 53 in ten overs, gave up 32 from his last two overs.
After Symonds and David Hussey added 127 in 18.2 overs, pacer Fidel Edwards checked Australia’s advance by capturing two wickets in successive balls in the 47th over.
Symonds gave a catch to mid-off, while James Hopes was caught by Sarwan running back from mid-wicket.
West Indies managed two more wickets, including that of David Hussey, who was caught at deep mid-wicket by substitute Kemar Roach off Gayle after hitting two sixes and a four.
Edwards finished with two for 53 from ten overs.
AUSTRALIA innings
S. Marsh c wkp. Ramdin b Powell 16
S. Watson c wkp. Ramdin b Powell 20
M. Hussey c Bravo b Sammy 37
M. Clarke lbw b Miller 36
A. Symonds c Bravo b Edwards 87
D. Hussey c sub. (Roach) b Gayle 50
J. Hopes c Sarwan b Edwards 0
L. Ronchi c Marshall b Bravo 12
B. Lee not out 7
M. Johnson not out 0
Extras: (lb-7, w-7, nb-3) 17
Total: (eight wkts, 50 overs) 282
Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-56, 3-116, 4-129, 5-256, 6-256, 7-266, 8-279.
Bowling: Edwards 10-0-53-2 (w-1, nb-2), Powell 10-1-66-2, Bravo 10-0-57-1 (w-1, nb-1), Sammy 4-0-18-1, Miller 10-1-56-1, Gayle 6-1-25-1.
WEST INDIES innings
C. Gayle c Hopes b Watson 92
X. Marshall lbw b Lee 0
R. Sarwan c wkp. Ronchi b Lee 63
S. Chanderpaul b Bracken 53
D. Bravo b Hopes 31
S. Findlay c M. Hussey b Lee 9
D. Ramdin not out 5
D. Sammy not out 3
Extras: (lb-6, w-17, nb-2) 25
Total: (six wkts, 50 overs) 281
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-138, 3-188, 4-247, 5-271, 6-275.
Bowling: Lee 10-0-64-3 (w2, nb2), Bracken 10-0-50-1 (w-1), Johnson 10-0-40-0 (w-3), Hopes 10-0-63-1, D. Hussey 2-0-20-0 (w-1), Watson 7-0-33-1 (w-2), Clarke 1-0-5-0.
'Judgement Day' is here for Dalton and Eastman
By Michael DaSilva
CAN `Deadly’ Denny Dalton get past Howard Eastman and can Veronica Benjamin put away Pamela London when they face each other in the Guyana Boxing Board of Control’s (GBBC) `Judgement Day’ card tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
These questions and more will be answered when they square off in what is anticipated as the biggest and most exciting boxing card to be staged locally.
For the first time ever, local boxing fans will have a chance to see Guyana’s London-based boxer Howard Eastman display his skills on home soil and according to GBBC’s secretary Trevor Arno, this might very be the first and only time this will happen.
This makes it even more important for fight fans to fill the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall tonight.
There were heated exchanges between Eastman and Dalton when the pre-fight press conference was held at the Hotel Tower on Tuesday, and while Eastman was more vocal than the Guyana-based Dalton, many boxing enthusiasts are of the view that Dalton will quiet his 37-year-old opponent once and for all in their middleweight title contest, which is scheduled for 12 rounds.
Eastman’s record stands at 46 fights, 42 victories with 35 of them coming by way of knockout, while Dalton has a mere 25 fights with six losses.
Eastman has, however, fought more formidable opponents than Dalton and this gives him a psychological advantage over the born-again Christian, Dalton, who is the World Boxing Organisation welterweight champion as well as the WBC’s Caribbean Boxing Federation welterweight champion.
On Tuesday at the Hotel Tower, Eastman made it clear that he is here in Guyana to fight and not talk and this is what he will be doing tonight.
When asked if he will make a prediction on the outcome of the fight, Dalton answered in the negative but said come Saturday night, all and sundry will know if a knockout victory will happen.
Eastman who fought twice for the world title and lost on both occasions said he is happy to fight on local soil for the first time and wants it known that boxing is his living and after he beat Dalton then and only then will he review the video recording.
He admitted that Dalton is a very good fighter with whom he sparred some time ago when he was home on a holiday.
After Eastman was through with his vocal outburst, the reserved Dalton calmly said: “When Saturday night comes, I’ll just go there (Cliff Anderson Sports Hall) and take care of business.”
The main supporting bout which brings together Pamela London and Veronica Benjamin also promises to be a scorcher, since both fighters pledged to `destroy’ each other.
The two will be fighting an eliminator for the World Boxing Council’s heavyweight title, with the winner getting a chance to fight the current holder of the belt.
London vowed that she is the champion and will continue to be the champion after tonight, while Benjamin said she has trained very hard for tonight’s fight and `don’t intend to lose.”
The two exchanged words at Tuesday’s press conference and if they live true to their words, their heavyweight contest will be a blistering affair.
The other fights on the card will see Guyana’s Shelly Gibson tackle Trinidad and Tobago’s Andrea Duncan, Guyana’s Charlton Skeete take on Cecil Smith and Michael DeMattos face Trinidad-based Guyanese Joel McRae.
Hughes hits ton for Leewards as Guyana struggle to 75 for five
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Teenager Anguillan Chesney Hughes lashed a well-measured hundred for the Leeward Islands to pressure Guyana on the opening day of their 2008 TCL Group West Indies Under-19 first round encounter yesterday.
The 17-year-old scored 101 to steer the Leewards to 172 all out, and the champions were struggling in reply on 75 for five at stumps at Kensington Oval.
It was the first regional Under-19 hundred for Hughes, who was last man dismissed for the Leewards after batting for 218 minutes and 204 balls.
The Leeward Islands lost their last five wickets for 46 runs after lunch to be bowled out half an hour before the scheduled tea break.
Debutant off-spinner Herman Latcha took three for 53, while captain and left-arm spinner Eugene La Fleur bagged two for 28 for Guyana.
Jeetendra Sookdeo is not out on 37 off 94 balls for Guyana, while left-arm spinner Jurnell Turner has so far picked up vital wickets for the Leewards, claiming three for 28 off nine overs.
Guyana, who took first innings points in a drawn match when these two countries last met at this level, won the toss and asked the Leeward Islands to bat in sunny conditions on a very good batting track with some pace and bounce.
The experienced left-handed pair of West Indies Under-19 player Kieran Powell and Hughes were troubled by Leon Scott and 16-year-old Kevon Joseph, and the captain Powell (6) departed at 15 for one. He skied a pull off Joseph to mid-on.
Soon after, Sherwin Peters (7) was well taken by wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble off Scott as the Leewards slipped to 38 for two.
Kadeem Phillip struck three fours on the lush green outfield and, along with the composed Hughes, took the score to 64 for three before Phillip was caught at short mid-wicket off Latcha.
Ten minutes later, Kejel Tyson (1) gave a return catch to La Fleur at 71 for four while Cleton Payne (1) was run-out 13 minutes before lunch to leave the score on 80 for five.
Batting responsibly, Hughes was unbeaten on 40 at lunch.
Wicketkeeper/batsman Javia Hamilton was with him on three at the interval and the Leewards, without a title at this level since 2001, were 83 for five.
Latcha got rid of Hamilton with the score on 126 in the second session after he had struck two fours in his knock of 28.
The Leewards declined further after the break as only Hughes showed any resistance to Guyana’s spinners.
Hughes, playing his third year at this level, was dropped twice but got to his century with an audacious square cut off Joseph for his 14th boundary.
The left-hander, whose previous highest score at this level was 92 against the Windward Islands, was dropped at short mid-wicket off Latcha on 61 while Sookdeo put down an easy catch at long-on, as Hughes - then on 91 - attempted to hit left-arm spinner Totaram Bishun out of the ground.
Hughes was run-out trying desperately to keep the strike.
None of the last four batsmen scored a run as Hughes desperately tried to shield the lower order batsmen.
Kelbert Walters skied Latcha to short mid-on at 128 for seven, Adelvin Phillip was caught and bowled a run later by La Fleur, who also bowled Turner at 149 before Hughes was run-out to end the innings, facilitating an early tea break at approximately 14:17 h local time.
A handful of spectators then watched as debutant left-hander Trevon Griffith edged pacer Adelvin Phillip to the wicketkeeper before he had scored to leave Guyana on four for one.
Sookdeo, one of four left-handers in the Guyana top order, joined his vice-captain Royan Fredericks and the pair repaired the early damage with sensible batting.
Fredericks was put down at gully on one off Phillip with just two runs on the board and laboured to score seven off 60 balls in 83 minutes before he was trapped lbw by Turner at 39 for two.
Turner struck again when Seon Hetmyer was taken at slip for a second-ball duck in an eventful first over for the left-arm spinner from Nevis.
Jonathan Foo, the most in-form Guyanese batsman coming into this tournament and one of five in the team who played in St Kitts last year, never settled and made only 13.
An injudicious drive off Turner was put down at mid-off when Foo was on two but the right-hander failed to capitalise on his luck and hit a reckless shot off Turner to be caught at deep mid-off for 13 with the score on 63 for four.
La Fleur missed a big drive at off-spinner Tevin Osbourne just before the close and was bowled for four.
Anthony Bramble, who is yet to score, is with Sookdeo for the Guyanese, who are hunting their 13th title at this level since winning their first in the inaugural West Indies youth tournament in Barbados 40 years ago
Barbados close in on first innings lead
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – After dismissing the Windward Islands for a paltry 105, Barbados moved to within five runs of taking first innings lead on the opening day of their first round 2008 TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge cricket match at the Three Ws Oval yesterday.
At the close, Barbados reached 101 for three with Dario Cummins not out nine and the experienced Rashidi Boucher on six. All of the Barbadian batsmen out so far, Kraigg Brathwaite (30), Roston Chase (27) and captain Kyle Corbin (23), got starts but none carried on.
Earlier, the Windwards, sent in to bat on an easy-paced pitch, never came to terms with Barbados’ varied attack and owed their final total to a responsible unbeaten 59 from captain Keron Cottoy.
Left-handed Cottoy struck six fours in his defiant 108-ball innings, which lasted 145 minutes after coming to the crease in the 11th over of the day with his team reeling on 18 for five.
He shared a vital last-wicket stand of 45 runs with Alton Audain, who made just nine to see his team past the 100-run mark after they were in dire straits at 60 for nine.
Fast bowlers Diego Stuart and Randall Hoyte, who did the early damage, took two wickets each for 19 and 29 runs respectively while Chase, bowling off-spin in his debut match, captured two for 26.
Hoyte and Stuart removed the cream of the Windwards’ batting in their restricted six-over new-ball spell before they were withdrawn from the attack in accordance with the playing regulations which limit fast bowlers to six overs per session.
The Windwards’ woes started in the day’s first over when opener Wayne Harper was run-out by a direct throw from Dario Vaughan at square leg.
Hoyte then had Denis Smith caught by Dario Cummins at point on the second attempt for two as he top-edged a hook shot onto his helmet and in his next over, induced Junior Jervier to edge a delivery to wicketkeeper Kemal Smith.
Stuart got into the act, forcing Kavem Hodge to edge an outswinger behind to Smith then trapping Hodge leg-before-wicket but once he and Hoyte went out of the attack, the pressure was eased and Cottey and Dalton Polius, the only other batsman to reach double figures with 19, tried to revive the innings.
But Polius was dismissed in the final over before lunch when he was caught at mid-on by Jason Holder in the first over from leg-spinner Shadd Simmons, leaving the Windwards on 44 for six at the interval.
On resumption, Chase accounted for Delorn Johnson for four and Oscar George without scoring while Vincent Lewis was run-out for a duck. Cottoy and Audain then frustrated the Barbadian bowlers before leg-spinner Vaughan trapped Audain leg-before in his second over.
In reply, Barbados moved to 18 without loss at tea but lost Corbin to a catch behind the wicket by Smith off a leg-break from Cottoy. Chase hit two sixes and two fours in a 39-minute cameo before pushing a catch to Cottoy at short extra cover off wrist-spinner Audain.
Brathwaite, the 15-year-old debutant, was unfortunately out just before the close when he pulled a delivery from Polius to mid-wicket but trod back on his stumps. He had batted for 156 minutes and faced 123 balls in striking a solitary boundary.
Polius, Cottoy and Audain have each taken a wicket for seven, 27 and 29 runs respectively.
Jamaica put up strong batting display on opening day
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Jamaica, courtesy of a brilliant half-century from West Indies Under-19 batsman Horace Miller, were in a solid position against Trinidad and Tobago on the opening day of the first round of matches in the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Championships yesterday.
Miller’s innings of 75 helped his team to close in a position of strength at 294 for seven, with Maverick Perry not out on 49 and Romeo Dunka unbeaten on 20.
Debutant left unorthodox spinner Javed Boodram was the leading bowler for T&T with figures of three for 68 from 21 overs.
Earlier, winning the toss and batting first, Jamaica received a good start from Miller and debutant Nick Blackwood who posted 88 for the first wicket.
Though T&T captain Adrian Barath rung the changes, Jamaica marched on boldly and Miller went to register his fifty with a single off Boodram.
The landmark came in 74 minutes off 95 deliveries and was laced with two sixes and four fours.
Shortly after the partnership was broken when Blackwood was brilliantly caught and bowled by Boodram for 30.
The Jamaicans went to lunch in the healthy position of 95 for one, with Miller on 56 and John Ross-Campbell three.
The second breakthrough came when the right-handed Miller was caught at the square-leg boundary by Evin Lewis for a well-played 75.
The attractive attacking batsman batted for 156 minutes, faced 105 balls and struck four fours and three sixes.
Creary joined Ross-Campbell and added nine more runs before Boodram struck again having the latter caught at mid-off by Ottley for 27, as the Jamaicans slipped to 147 for three.
Boodram struck again in the last over before tea, when he had the free-scoring Creary trapped in front for 43. The Jamaicans went to the tea interval on 197 for four.
After the break, Kennar Lewis (4) partnered Perry but did not last long, falling leg-before to Yannick Cariah, as the Jamaicans stumbled to 206 for five.
Garth Garvey (29) joined Perry and added a further 40, before the introduction of the new ball broke the threatening partnership when Garvey was snapped up at second slip by Barath off Dogan’s bowling.
At the other end, Rampersad accounted for Jermaine Blackwood (7). Perry and Dunka then saw their team to the close.
TCL Under-19 Scoreboards
WINDWARDS v BARBADOS
WINDWARD ISLANDS 1st innings
W. Harper run-out 0
D. Smith c Cummins b Hoyte 2
K. Hodge c wk Smith b Stuart 3
J. Jervier c wkp. Smith b Hoyte 3
D. Polius c Holder b Simmons 19
M. Small lbw b Stuart 0
K. Cottoy not out 59
D. Johnson c wkp. Smith b Chase 4
O. George c Corbin Chase 0
V. Lewis run-out 0
A. Audain lbw b Vaughan 6
Extras: (b-1, lb-1, nb-6, w-1) 10
Total: (all out, 44.3 overs) 105
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-0, 3-10, 4-14, 5-18, 6-40, 7-51, 8-53, 9-60.
Bowling: Stuart 10-3-19-2, Hoyte 8-1-29-2 (nb-6), Holder 6-2-6-0, Chase 13-5-26-2 (w-1), Simmons 6-0-21-1, Vaughan 1.3-0-2-1.
BARBADOS 1st innings
K. Corbin c wkp. Smith b Cottoy 23
K. Brathwaite hit wicket b Polius 30
R. Chase c Cottoy b Audain 27
D. Cummins not out 9
R. Boucher not out 6
Extras: (lb-1, w-2, nb-3) 6
Total: (three wkts, 43 overs) 101
Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-77, 3-95.
Bowling: Johnson 9-2-21-0, Lewis 5-016-0 (w-1), Audain 14-4-29-1 (nb-2), Cottoy 13-5-27-1 (w-1, nb-1), Polius 2-0-7-1.
LEEWARDS v GUYANA
LEEWARDS 1st innings
C. Hughes run-out 101
K. Powell c La Fleur b Joseph 6
K. Peters c wkp. Bramble b Scott 7
K. Phillip c Foo b Latcha 19
K. Tyson c & b La Fleur 1
C. Payne run-out 1
J. Hamilton c Joseph b Latcha 28
K. Walters c Sookdeo b Latcha 0
A. Phillip c & b Bishun 0
J. Turner b La Fleur 0
T. Osbourne not out 0
Extras: (b-1, nb-8) 9
Total: (all out, 62.2 overs) 172
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-38, 3-64, 4-71, 5-80, 6-126, 7-128, 8-129, 9-149.
Bowling: Scott 6-0-22-1, Joseph 7-0-34-1, Latcha 21-4-53-3, La Fleur 14.2-4-28-2, Bishun 14-2-34-1.
GUYANA 1st innings
R. Fredericks lbw b Turner 7
T. Griffith c wkp. Hamilton b A Phillip 0
A. Sookdeo not out 37
S. Hetmyer c Powell b Turner 0
J. Foo c Payne b Turner 13
E. La Fleur b Osbourne 4
A. Bramble not out 0
Extras: (b-2, w-2, nb-10) 14
Total: (for five wickets, 34 overs) 75
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-39, 3-39, 4-63, 5-73.
Bowling: Walters 6-1-10-0, A. Phillip 6-2-15-1. Payne 4-2-11-0. Turner 9-1-28-3. Osbourne 8-3-9-1.
Position: Guyana 97 runs behind on 1st innings with five wickets standing.
Toss: Guyana
Aussies skipper Ponting returns home with injury
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC) – Australia captain Ricky Ponting was scheduled to depart the Caribbean yesterday because of a wrist injury.
Ponting sustained the injury while batting in the third Digicel One-Day International against West Indies at the Grenada National Stadium last Sunday
He did not train with his teammates on Wednesday and Thursday in the lead-up to the fourth match of the series yesterday at Warner Park.
In Ponting’s absence, Michael Clarke is leading Australia for the first time in a One-Day International.
Australia manager Steve Bernard also departed the region after the Grenada leg of the tour following deterioration in the health of his mother. She subsequently died on Thursday.
As a mark of respect, the Australia players wore black armbands for yesterday’s match.
The management duties are now shared by former Australia batsman David Boon and security manager Reg Dickason. Boon was in the touring party in his capacity as a selector.
Australia, who retained the Frank Worrell Trophy with a 2-0 Test series win, wrap up their tour of the Caribbean with the fifth One-Day International tomorrow at Warner Park.
Forty-five horses entered for Crawford Memorial CARICOM Day meet
OVER 45 horses have been entered for the Ryan Crawford Memorial Turf Club and Sports Facility CARICOM Day of Horse Racing this Sunday.
The meet is sponsored by Banks DIH in collaboration with the club. Five feature events are listed on the card which consists of eight races.
In the two-years-old category, there are 12 entries for the 1000 metres race which is sponsored by Jeff Moottoo of Rumours Racing Stables and carries a first-place purse of $200 000 along with a trophy.
Some of the horses on show include Coconut Boy from Farinha Stables, Prince Warrior of Customs Racing Stables, Its All Indian from the Seenarine Stables, Amy Jane from Crawford Stables, as well as Pleasure Star, Indian Flag, Taste of Paradise, Delyan, Tidal Wave, Druma Boy and Star Streek.
The other feature event C and Lower, sponsored by Banks DIH over 1400 metres, will see Laura Lee in Flight, Getting Something, Delmur Gold, Black Comb, Miss Republic and others tussle it out.
In the E and Lower over 1200 metres, Bashra Fire Power, Face De Music, Sir Balajie, Forest Ranger, Sacrifice and others, will be galloping to the finish line. The Race Club is the sponsor of that race.
In the three-years-old showdown over 1400 metres, Showing Up, The Gap, Tropical, Passion, Pinch the Cash, Customs Warrior and others will be vying for the first prize sponsored by the Race Club.
In the G Class event over 1200 metres, Peace of Mind will have to contend with Vanessa, Alphabet, Such is Life, Perfect Drift, Baby Boy and others.
There are also races for horses I and Lower Class over 1200 metres, J and K over 1200 metres and L and Lower over 1200 metres.
The first race will be run off at 13:00 h and music will be provided by Rhythm Star International. A well-stocked Banks DIH bar will also be available.
Wariner hopes to find form in Europe
By Gene Cherry
EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) - Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner heads back to Europe next week hoping to rekindle his season after losing two consecutive 400 metres finals to new U.S. Olympics trials champion LaShawn Merritt.
Wariner had no answer to Merritt in the trials' final on Thursday, finishing in 44.20 seconds to Merritt's 44.00.
The 22-year-old Merritt also beat his countryman in Berlin in June.
They are scheduled to meet again in Rome on July 11, and both have 400 metres races on their schedule for Paris a week later.
Ahead by a tenth of a second at the 200 metres mark in the trials, Merritt moved to a three-tenths-of-a-second advantage by 300 metres, according to Track & Field News magazine statisticians.
Wariner gained only a tenth of a second of the deficit back in the closing 100 metres, the statisticians said.
Wariner said poor execution resulted in the loss.
"I made a move at 150 metres and I forced it instead of using my kick at the end," he told reporters. "I didn't execute right."
Twice this year Merritt has beaten Wariner in stretch runs.
"I know I need to train harder," said Wariner, who skipped a victory lap with Merritt and a post-race news conference before returning to speak to reporters.
He insisted last week nothing had changed in his training since controversially moving in January from long-time coach Clyde Hart to Michael Ford, a Hart assistant at Baylor University.
"My workouts are exactly the same," Wariner said.
Yet the closing strength Wariner employed in winning Olympic and world championship gold medals under Hart was missing in the Olympic trials final.
World record holder Michael Johnson, Wariner's agent, attributed the loss to a mistake Wariner made in the race.
"You don't go and change your entire race strategy," Johnson told reporters. "You go and make sure you don't make the same mistake again."
Still the fastest this year with a run of 43.98 seconds in Oslo, Wariner said he should remain the favourite for Beijing.
"I've been there before and I know what it takes to win," he said.
Pakistan record sweeping win over Bangladesh
KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan openers Salman Butt and Nasir Jamshed produced an unbroken century partnership to set up a comprehensive 10-wicket win over Bangladesh in the final Asia Cup super league match yesterday.
Butt scored 56 and Jamshed reached 52 as the two left-handers easily overtook the Bangladesh total of 115 in only 19.4 overs.
Both teams had already been eliminated from the tournament with tomorrow’s final featuring India against Sri Lanka.
Eighteen-year-old Jamshed reached his fourth international one-day half-century in his ninth match from 52 balls with five fours and two sixes in the 18th over. Butt's fifty came from 60 balls with nine boundaries.
Opening bowler Abdur Rauf took the first three wickets to spark a Bangladesh batting collapse at the National Stadium.
Rauf captured three for 24 as Bangladesh were dismissed in 38.2 overs in overcast conditions assisting the pace bowlers.
It was the lowest total of the tournament after Hong Kong's 118 in the preliminary round.
Bangladesh lost Nazimuddin for three in the second over when he miscued a pull and top-edged to Shoaib Malik in the covers.
Tamim Iqbal (26) and captain Mohammad Ashraful (14) combined for the only decent partnership of the innings, adding 41 for the second wicket.
Bangladesh then lost three wickets in eight balls as they slumped from 47 for one to 49 for four.
Mohammad Ashraful pulled Rauf for a six over mid-wicket then lobbed the next ball to Misbahul-ul-Haq in the gully.
Alok Kapali struck 17 from 27 balls with four boundaries before he succumbed to Iftikhar while Mushfiqur Rahim was run-out for 15.
Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said he was disappointed at not making the final but added the team were making progress.
"It was a complete performance from us … and we just need to show this same consistency regularly," Malik told reporters.
Bangladesh coach, Jamie Siddons described his team's batting as "shocking".
"I have no explanation for what happened …. Maybe they thought they were already on a flight home," he said. "But this performance is similar to what happened to us at Queenstown in December when New Zealand knocked off 93 runs in six overs."
BANGLADESH innings
T. Iqbal c Younis b Rauf 26
Nazimuddin c Malik b Rauf 3
M. Ashraful c Misbah b Rauf 14
R. Hasan c Iftikhar b Tanvir 0
M. Rahim run-out 15
A. Kapali c Younis b Iftikhar 17
Mahmudullah c Misbah b Malik 11
F. Reza stp. Sarfraz b Ajmal 3
M. Mortaza lbw Iftikhar 1
A. Razzak b Ajmal 9
S. Hossain not out 0
Extras: (lb-4, w-11, nb-1) 16
Total: (all out, 38.2 overs) 115
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-47, 3-48, 4-49, 5-73, 6-92, 7-99, 8-100, 9-113.
Bowling: Tanvir 7-0-31-1 (nb-1), Rauf 8-1-24-3 (w-3), Iftikhar 10-6-20-2 (w-2), Ajmal 8.2-0-19-2 (w-5), Malik 5-0-17-1 (w-1).
PAKISTAN innings
S. Butt not out 56
N. Jamshed not out 52
Extras: (b-1, lb-4, w-3) 8
Total: (for no wicket, 19.4 overs) 116
Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 3-0-9-0 (w-1), Shahadat Hossain 7-1-40-0 (w-1), Abdur Razzak 7-0-42-0 (w-1), Mahmudullah 2-0-15-0, Farhad Reza 0.4-0-5-0.
Zimbabwe to skip World Twenty20 in England
By Lin Noueihed
DUBAI, (Reuters) - Zimbabwe have agreed to skip next year's World Twenty20 in England to end a deadlock over demands that the African nation be suspended because of Robert Mugabe's government, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said yesterday.
"Zimbabwe cricket has ... taken note that the British government is likely to refuse to grant visas for the Zimbabwe cricket team to take part in the ICC World Twenty20 2009," the ICC said in a statement issued after its annual meeting in Dubai.
"Therefore, the Zimbabwe delegation has decided to recommend to its board that the team should withdraw from that event."
It will report back to the ICC on the final decision of the Zimbabwe board in one month.
The ICC executive board met for a third day yesterday to resolve the deadlock over Zimbabwe, which has lurched from one crisis to another in the last few years, on and off the pitch.
Britain has led calls to suspend Zimbabwe from international cricket following last week's widely-criticised presidential election run-off in which Mugabe retained power unopposed. It welcomed yesterday’s decision.
"I welcome the suspension of Zimbabwe from ICC tournaments for a year. This will allow the Twenty20 tournament in England to go ahead," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in a statement.
"It also sends a powerful message to Zimbabwe that the government must change or face further isolation."
The England and Wales Cricket Board had already cancelled Zimbabwe's 2009 tour of England and severed all bilateral cricketing ties in June, under instructions from the government, a former colonial power in Zimbabwe.
"We made our position very clear at the start of the discussions on Zimbabwe," ECB chairman Giles Clarke told BBC Radio. "We broke off bilateral relationships with Zimbabwe and we will not be playing them in the near future under the present circumstances."
VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION
Britain has long been critical of Mugabe and has accused him of trying to steal an election and using violence and intimidation to silence his political opponents.
South Africa, a traditional supporter of Zimbabwe, also suspended bilateral cricketing ties with its neighbour last month, but the influential Indian cricket board is opposed to the suspension of its Zimbabwean counterparts.
Zimbabwe is expected to remain one of the ICC's 10 full members, a status given to Test-playing nations.
"The Zimbabwe delegation has agreed to take this decision in the greater interest of world cricket and the ICC," the ICC statement continued.
"This recommendation should be viewed as a one-off and will not be taken as a precedent."
Zimbabwe's national team has not played Test cricket since January 2006 following a series of confrontations between senior players and the administration.
Outgoing ICC president Ray Mali has recommended that a sub-committee be set up to advise the ICC executive board on all matters relating to Zimbabwean cricket, including its return to full participation in the international game.
Mugabe won re-election in a June 27 run-off ballot after Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the main opposition, pulled out of the running because of attacks on his supporters.
Pakistan court suspends ban on Akhtar
KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - The Lahore High Court suspended yesterday an 18-month ban on Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar for indiscipline which will allow the fast bowler to return to international cricket if selected.
The PCB banned Akhtar for five years in April for several instances of indiscipline and violating the conditions of a two-year probation. A PCB tribunal later reduced the suspension to 18 months with a fine of seven million rupees ($101 000).
Akhtar petitioned the court to lift the suspension and made a separate application to stay the ban.
The court ruled yesterday thatt Shoaib was free to play for Pakistan until it reached a full decision on the writ petition.
"I just want to play for my country and my fitness is okay," Shoaib said. "I might travel to England to play a few county or league matches to gain match fitness."
PCB legal counsel Tafazzaul Rizvi told Reuters that yesterday's decision was not final and the court had passed the order because it was closing for the summer vacations.
Akhtar, 32, who has taken 178 Test and 219 one-day wickets, was also banned for 13 matches and fined 3.4 million rupees last year for striking teammate Mohammad Asif with a bat during the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.
Tour de France starts today ...
Valverde says gruelling Alps will decide overall winner
By Julien Pretot
BREST, France (Reuters) - Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde said yesterday that the Tour de France which starts today will be decided during three gruelling stages in the Alps.
The Caisse d'Epargne rider is among the hot favourites for the world's top cycle race, which runs from July 5 to 27, and showed his form with victories in the Dauphine Libere and the Spanish championships last month.
"The three Alpine stages will be very hard. The decision will be made there," the 28-year-old rider told a news conference.
"The toughest stage will be the one climbing to the Alpe d'Huez. It is not only the stage in itself but also the fact that there will be the fatigue from the previous weeks and the two previous stages in the Alps."
The stage from Embrun will be the 17th of the race with two out-of-category passes on the menu before the 13.8-km climb to the intimidating Alpe d'Huez.
"There will probably be huge gaps at the end of this stage because we will all be at the limit after more than two weeks of efforts," added Valverde, who was sixth overall last year.
If he is to win his first major Tour, Valverde and his team mates will not only have to control the attacks of Australian Cadel Evans but also those of CSC's Carlos Sastre of Spain and the Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank.
ATTACKS WAITING
"In the third week, they will all attack, (Damiano) Cunego, Sastre, the Schlecks, Evans," he said.
"But it will be up to all teams, not only us, to control them."
Although Evans looks stronger for the time trials, Valverde showed in the Dauphine Libere he feared no one, beating Evans and Sastre in convincing style.
Valverde will be helped on the Tour by compatriot Oscar Pereiro, who won the 2006 Tour after Floyd Landis was found guilty of doping.
"I am here to be next to Alejandro. Anyway, I know that my best performances come when nobody is expecting me," said Pereiro.
Valverde, who beat seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong in a gruelling mountain stage in 2005, added: "We are a very strong team, both Oscar and myself are in very good shape and our team mates are also fit."
The Tour starts with today’s 197.5-km stage from Brest to Plumelec.
