UAE, Iran through to knockouts
Sydney: Ali Mabkhout eased the tension quickly for his team, scoring after just 14 seconds to set up a 2-1 win over Bahrain that secured a spot in the Asian Cup knockout stage for the United Arab Emirates. Three-time champion Iran earned a place in the quarterfinals later Thursday with a 1-0 win over Qatar, and will meet the UAE on Monday in Brisbane to determine top spot in Group C. Both teams are assured of joining Australia, South Korea and China in the knockout stage. Japan and Iraq were playing Friday in Group D, with the winner sure to join them.
Sindhu, Kashyap advance in Malaysia
Kuching (Malaysia): leading Indian shuttler PV Sindhu reached the women’s singles quarter-finals of the $120,000 Malaysia Masters Grand Prix Gold while Commonwealth Games gold medallist Parupalli Kashyap entered the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals at the Stadium Perpaduan Kuching here on Thursday. Two-time World Championships bronze medallist Sindhu, who won the title here in 2013, defeated South Korean Kim Hyo Min 21-14, 21-12 in 41 minutes, while third seed Kashyap beat Indonesian Jonatan Christie 13-21, 22-20, 21-12 in an hour and two minutes. Male shuttler Ajay Jayaram also reached pre-quarters, defeating Indonesia’s Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka 23-21, 17-21, 24-22. B. Sai Praneeth registered a facile 21-15, 21-7 win over lin Chia Hsuan of Chinese Taipei, while Aditya Prakash beat Indonesian Fikri Ihsandi Hadmadi 21-17, 18-21, 21-13. Subhankar Dey beat Malaysian Teck Zhi Soo 21-19, 17-21, 21-10.
jackson to lead ranchi rays
Ranchi: England dragflicker Ashley Jackson was on Thursday named as the captain of the new Ranchi franchise, Ranchi Rays. Jackson was a member of the England squad that won a bronze medal at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Ranchi Rays also named Harendra Singh as the head coach of the team while Clarence lobo has been appointed as the assistant coach and A B Subbiah as the goalkeeping coach.
‘my body couldn’t take more’
Mumbai: She sprang a surprise by retiring from tennis after winning the 2013 Wimbledon women’s singles title and France’s Marion Bartoli today said she took the decision as she was unable to endure the physically tough training process that makes a champion. “My body could not take any more training, especially my shoulder. I had to train more than others (because of her unorthodox way of playing). There was a stage during that Wimbledon championship when I could not even brush my teeth because of the sore shoulder,” she said on Thursday. Bartoli is the event ambassador of the January 18 Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.
Del Potro loses in Sydney QF
Sydney: Defending champion Juan Martin del Potro was beaten in the quarterfinals of the Sydney International on Thursday, losing 6-7, 6-7 to qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin. Del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion later said, “I got lucky playing three matches in this tournament against good players. I’m here, I’m still alive. I feel tired, but OK.”
Knowles named hockey POTY
lausanne (Switzerland): Australian captain Mark Knowles was on Thursday named the International Hockey Federation (FIH) 2014 Player of the Year. The 30-year-old central defender Knowles, who led the team to the 2014 World Cup title and Commonwealth Games gold, got maximum votes ahead of England’s Ashley Jackson, teammate Eddie Ockenden, and two Netherlands players Robbert Kemperman and skipper Robert van der Horst. India’s P Sreejesh and Akashdeep Singh were nominated for the Goalkeeper and Rising Star of the Year categories, respectively. However, they lost out to Dutch custodian Jaap Stockmaan and Argentine drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat, respectively.
Jeev with four-under start in AD
Abu Dhabi: Jeev Milkha Singh got off to a fine start as he shot a bogey-free four-under 68 in the first round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship here. The star Indian golfer, who is looking to reverse the slide he faced in 2014, had four birdies and no bogeys as he was lying tied 14th with some players yet to come in. Anirban lahiri, playing his first event as a member of the European Tour after earning his rights at the Qualifying School, got off to a superb birdie-birdie but gave the two shots away and ended with an even par 72, while Shiv Kapur struggled to four-over 76 with a birdie on 18th being the only consolation to his day’s work.
morgan closes door on pietersen
Sydney: Eoin Morgan said unwanted Kevin Pietersen was not part of his plans as England’s one-day captain on Thursday and was happy with his group of players ahead of next month’s World Cup. While the pair are friends, Morgan put paid to outside hopes Pietersen may have had of returning to England’s World Cup squad as an injury replacement. “I’m very happy with the group of players I have, I think this is the best group of players we have to drive the England team forward over the next two months in particular. Kevin’s situation hasn’t changed over the last year. It’s been reiterated over months and days. It was reiterated before Christmas by the chairman of selectors and I’m reiterating it again just to clear it up,” Morgan told travelling English reporters. Agencies