LONDON: Australia defied the absence of star batsman Steve Smith because of a concussion and more devastating spells of pace bowling by Jofra Archer to hold out for a draw in the second Ashes Test against England on Sunday.
Set an improbable victory target of 267 off 48 overs at Lord’s, the Australians quickly slumped to 47-3 but a fourth-wicket stand of 85 between Marnus Labuschagne (59) and Travis Head (42 not out) helped push them to safety.
Australia lost three more wickets in a five-over stretch to keep the match alive as the light faded, but managed to survive to 154-6 at the end.
Australia retain a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Labuschagne had an interesting day. He only found out he’d be playing as Test cricket’s first-ever concussion substitute when Smith was withdrawn from the team early Sunday after waking up with a headache and feeling groggy after being hit in the neck by an Archer bumper on Saturday.
Labuschagne came to the middle with Australia struggling on 19-2 after 5.3 overs and, off the second ball he faced, was hit on the grille of his helmet by another vicious delivery from Archer. The batsman dropped to the ground, was checked out by medical staff and required a new helmet.
In a blistering spell by Archer, balls flew past Labuschagne but he survived and looked more comfortable in the final session as England’s hopes began to dwindle at the home of cricket. He finally departed, somewhat controversially, when England captain Joe Root was adjudged to have got his fingers under a diving catch at midwicket from Labuschagne’s sweep.
It was Labuschagne’s second half-century in his sixth Test and he could stay in the team for the third Test starting Thursday at Headingley, with Smith’s availability in doubt.
With Australia currently holding the Ashes urn, the English need to win two of the final three tests to take it off their fierce rivals.
Archer’s performance at Lord’s on his test debut will give England real hope, though. He was a permanent menace, taking 2-59 off 29 overs in the first innings and then 3-32 off 15 overs in the second.
A day after flooring Smith with a vicious 92 mph delivery, the Barbados-born quick removed David Warner for 5 — his fourth straight single-figure score this series — and then Usman Khawaja for 2 to catches behind the wicket.
He peppered Bancroft and Labuschagne with missiles but they lasted until tea.
Bancroft (16) was trapped lbw by spinner Jack Leach early in the final session but England could only make further inroads when it was too late.
After Labuschagne’s departure, Leach removed Matthew Wade for 1 before Joe Denly produced a sensational one-handed catch at midwicket off Archer to take out Australia captain Tim Paine for 4.
Head, who was dropped on 22 by Jason Roy at second slip, persevered and Archer had to be withdrawn from the attack late on because of the poor light. He put his hat back on, and Australia’s players could breathe a sigh of relief.
Earlier, Ben Stokes brought up his seventh Test century before England declared their second innings on 258-5 — the same total the team was all out for in its first innings.
Stokes was unbeaten on 115 after hitting 11 fours and three sixes at the ground where he helped win the Cricket World Cup for England barely a month ago. Jonny Bairstow was not out on 30.
England resumed Sunday on 96-4 in its second innings and added 162 runs before declaring midway through the second session.
Australia salvage a draw in second Ashes Test at Lord’s, stay 1-0 ahead of England
Australia salvage a draw in second Ashes Test at Lord’s, stay 1-0 ahead of England
Musiala saves Bayern from Klassiker defeat in draw at Dortmund in Bundesliga
It was the first goal Bayern conceded in eight games across all competitions
BERLIN: Jamal Musiala scored late to save Bayern Munich from their first Bundesliga loss of the season with a 1-1 draw at Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” on Saturday.
Musiala – Bayern’s best attacking threat after Harry Kane went off with a first-half injury – headed the equalizer in the 85th minute after a Bayern free kick.
Leroy Sané fired the ball into the Dortmund wall of defenders and Michael Olize sent the loose ball back in for the unmarked Musiala.
Jamie Gittens provided the highlight of the first half when he left Konrad Laimer in his wake and raced clear before blasting the ball past Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal in the 27th.
It was the first goal Bayern conceded in eight games across all competitions.
Kane went off with an apparent right hamstring injury shortly afterward.
Bayern mounted unrelenting pressure after the break with the Dortmund defenders increasingly content just to kick the ball away. The visitors kept pushing until Musiala duly scored.
Wirtz to the rescue
Florian Wirtz again made the difference for Bayer Leverkusen in a 2-1 win at Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso initially rested his star player, but sent Wirtz on for the last half-hour with the score 1-1. Wirtz duly whipped in a brilliant cross for Patrik Schick to score the winner with his chest in the 71st minute.
It was the third straight game that Wirtz has set up a goal in the Bundesliga.
Leipzig humiliated
Leipzig, already five games without a win across all competitions, were humiliated 5-1 at home by Wolfsburg, a defeat that left coach Marco Rose in a tenuous position at the energy drink-backed club.
Wolfsburg piled on the pressure with two goals in two minutes by the fifth minute, before Algerian forward Mohammed Amoura got his second in the 16th.
There were whistles from the home fans after the goals, and again at the break after their team failed to muster a response.
It got worse after the break with Joakim Maehle heading Wolfsburg’s fourth.
Leipzig captain Willi Orban urged his teammates to fight when he pulled one back in the 82nd, but Wolfsburg substitute Kevin Behrens had the final say in stoppage time.
Demirović double
Ermedin Demirović equalized twice for Stuttgart to draw at Werder Bremen 2-2, Freiburg won against visiting Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1, and Augsburg defeated last-placed Bochum 1-0 at home.
Saka stars in Arsenal rout at West Ham as Van Nistelrooy watches new team Leicester lose
- Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday
- A day after being hired as Leicester manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the Premier League
LONDON: Inspired by Bukayo Saka, Arsenal scored five goals in a wild first half at West Ham before settling for a 5-2 win that lifted the team into second place in the English Premier League in its bid to chase down Liverpool.
Saka was one of five different scorers for Arsenal at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday and also had a hand in three goals, by Gabriel, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard. Kai Havertz netted the other goal for Arsenal in its biggest league victory this season.
Since returning from the international break, Arsenal has beaten Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the Premier League, Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League and put another five goals past West Ham. The prolific run has coincided with the return to fitness of Odegaard, Arsenal’s playmaker and captain who missed two months with an ankle injury.
Arsenal trimmed the gap to Liverpool to six points ahead of the leader’s home match against beleaguered Manchester City on Sunday. Arsenal has been beaten to the title by City in each of the last two seasons but might be wanting Pep Guardiola ‘s team to pull off a victory at Anfield.
Saka, especially, is benefitting from Odegaard’s presence. The England winger already has 10 assists for the campaign — having played 12 of Arsenal’s 13 games — along with five goals.
All of the goals in the match were in the first half. It’s just the fourth time since the Premier League began in 1992 that seven goals were scored in a game before halftime.
Van Nistelrooy’s task
A day after being hired as Leicester manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy witnessed at first hand the scale of his task to keep the team in the Premier League.
Leicester was beaten at Brentford 4-1 on Saturday, with Van Nistelrooy sitting in the stands rather than in the dugout. He officially takes over as coach on Sunday after arriving as the replacement for the fired Steve Cooper.
Kevin Schade scored a hat trick and Yoane Wissa also netted for Brentford, which had to come from behind after Facunda Buonanotte’s 21st-minute opener.
Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker, will begin his first full-time managerial role in English soccer with Leicester in 16th place in the 20-team league and just one point above the relegation zone.
“We just had the messages last night (from Van Nistelrooy) when the appointment was made,” said Leicester first-team coach Ben Dawson, who took charge of the team against Brentford. “He wished everyone good luck and the plan is to catch up tomorrow at the training ground.”
Penalty record
Some history was made when Justin Kluivert converted a trio of penalties — in the third, 18th and 74th minutes — for Bournemouth in its 4-2 win at Wolverhampton. That had never been achieved before in a league game.
Kluivert said it was “amazing” to go into the history books but he was almost denied the opportunity.
“I was not completely sure I should allow him to take the third one,” Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said. “It is difficult I suppose, every time you shoot the first one, you give information to the keeper.”
Evanilson won each of the three penalties converted by Kluivert — and that was also a first in the Premier League.
Double blow
Newcastle lost Sweden striker Alexander Isak to a hip injury midway through the first half and then its lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time in a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace.
Daniel Munoz scored the late equalizer to lift Palace out of the bottom three on goal difference.
“It’s an absolutely devastating blow for us,” Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said of giving up the late goal.
On Isak, Howe added: “It was a contact injury and not a muscle pull, which is good news for us. We hope he will recover quickly.”
Chris Wood smashed a penalty down the middle for his eighth goal of the season to earn Nottingham Forest a 1-0 win at home to Ipswich.
Shahzaib Khan’s brilliant 159 powers Pakistan Under-19 to 43-run victory over India
- Khan’s extraordinary performance anchored Pakistan’s innings, helped them post 281 for 7
- In reply, India were bundled out for 238 in 47.1 overs despite a fighting 67 by Nikhil Kumar
ISLAMABAD: Opener Shahzaib Khan’s scintillating 159 powered Pakistan Under-19 to a 43-run victory over arch-rivals India in a Group A match of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Shahzaib’s knock, spanning 147 balls and featuring five fours and 10 sixes, anchored Pakistan’s innings as they posted 281 for 7 in 50 overs.
India, in reply, were bundled out for 238 in 47.1 overs despite a fighting 67 by Nikhil Kumar.
The Mansehra-born opener shared a 160-run stand with Usman Khan (60 off 94 balls), setting a solid platform. Their partnership came on the back of impressive recent form, with Shahzaib and Usman scoring 330 and 314 runs, respectively, in a tri-series against Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates.
“There was a lot of seam movement, and the fast bowlers were getting good support,” Khan said after the match. “But after spending some time at the crease, when the spinners came on, I focused on dispatching deliveries in my range to the boundary.”
“By God’s grace, it worked out for me today,” he added.
Khan continued to dominate with a 71-run third-wicket stand with Muhammad Riazullah (27). Pakistan accelerated late in the innings, adding 74 runs in the last 10 overs, as captain Saad Baig’s decision to bat first paid off.
India’s Samarth Nagaraj was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3-45, while Ayush Mhatre chipped in with 2-30.
India started their chase positively but lost early wickets. Abdul Subhan dismissed Mhatre (20) in the fourth over, while Ali Raza removed Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the next spell, leaving the team reeling at 28 for 2.
Usman Khan and Faham-ul-Haq continued to build pressure, reducing India to 81 for 4.
A 53-run partnership between Nikhil Kumar and Kiran Chormale (20) briefly revived India, but Faham broke the stand by dismissing Chormale.
Kumar’s valiant 77-ball 67 ended when he was caught off Naveed Ahmed Khan at 174, dashing India’s hopes of a recovery.
Ali Raza’s 3-36 led the bowling for Pakistan, with Abdul Subhan (2-45) and Faham-ul-Haq (2-41) providing crucial support.
Pakistan will next face the UAE on December 2 at the same venue.
Team Speedcar Audi makes it 4 as Elite takes crown in Jeddah
- The #3 Team Speedcar Audi had to win if the French duo was to stand a chance of taking the title
- The #78 Elite Motorsport McLaren required a finish of 8th or better secure the crown, ultimately surviving a nervy race to take 5th at the Saudi venue
JEDDAH: French racers Robert Consani and Benjamin Lariche secured a fourth successive GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club victory by taking Saturday’s season finale in Jeddah.
However, the win was not enough to stop Tom Lebbon and Josh Rattican from being crowned 2024 Silver class champions, said a media statement.
The #3 Team Speedcar Audi had to win if the French duo was to stand a chance of taking the title and did exactly that thanks to another inch-perfect performance.
The #78 Elite Motorsport McLaren required a finish of eighth or better secure the crown, ultimately surviving a nervy race to take fifth at the Saudi venue.
Meanwhile, NM Racing Team bagged the Pro-Am win, while a third-place result was enough to seal the class crown for Finn Zulauf and Max Kronberg (#30 W&S Motorsport Porsche). Am honors went to Kevin Jimenez and Florent Grizaud (#72 GPA Racing Aston Martin), who triumphed for a second time this term.
Speedcar Audi had qualified on pole, but started fourth on the grid following a penalty for Consani blocking a rival car during qualifying. The Frenchman wasted no time in returning to the front, immediately jumping to third before passing both the pole-sitting #77 Elite Motorsport McLaren and the #17 L’Espace Bienvenue BMW on successive laps.
As the race settled down the #3 Audi established an advantage at the head of the field and remained in control following a full-course yellow and safety car intervention.
Behind, the #17 BMW held on to second ahead of the #77 McLaren, the #62 Academy Motorsport Ford and the #78 McLaren.
The front two remained unchanged after the pit window, while the Ford leapfrogged the #77 for third spot. Now in the hands of Lariche, the Audi stretched its advantage significantly during the second half. Indeed, by the time the checkered flag fell the Frenchman was more than 11 seconds clear of the #17 BMW.
The Team Speedcar crew had done everything they could to snatch the title.
With the Audi disappearing up the road, attention switched to the progress of the #78 McLaren, which was driven by Rattican during the second stint.
He lost a place to the #82 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin of Jamie Day, who also overhauled the #77 McLaren a few laps later. The #78 then passed the sister car, which had been handed a five-second track limits penalty.
Rattican could have cruised to the finish, but instead spent the closing minutes in a close-fought battle for the final spot on the podium, which ultimately went to the #82 Aston Martin after a last-lap pass on the #62 Ford.
There were nervous faces in the Elite garage, but the McLaren squad could breathe a sigh of relief when Rattican crossed the line in fifth to seal the Silver title.
The GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club will return on Apr. 11-13 when Circuit Paul Ricard launches another season of multi-class racing.
Motorsport hero Valentino Rossi gives his verdict on Jeddah street circuit
- BMW driver competing in Saudi Arabia for first time says: ‘I really like the atmosphere’
- Rossi chasing victory in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe final round
JEDDAH: After finishing his opening laps on Jeddah Corniche on the first day of the final round of Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe, Italian race car driver and former motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi said that racing at the Jeddah Circuit is both an exciting and challenging experience.
Speaking to reporters at the end of the day, Rossi said that he enjoyed the experience behind the wheel on the fastest street circuit in the world.
“First of all, let me say that this is my first time in Saudi Arabia and I really like the atmosphere. We are really enjoying our stay while competing.
“Regarding the circuit, it is surrounded by walls as it is a street circuit, which makes the race more difficult with 49 cars racing on the circuit at the same time.
The Italian racing legend — known as “The Doctor” because of his clinical dismantling of opponents — said: “My first impression was OK. It is very slippery and you have to go fast between the walls, but in the end we got used to it through the last two days since we arrived.”
He added: “It is well known that street circuits often require extra effort from drivers. The walls are very close to the track.”
The BMW factory driver told Arab News that he is enjoying competing in the GT World Challenge Europe, and hopes to continue with a positive result on the final day on Saturday.
“We really had a good season and our performance is getting better in the hope to bring a successful result Saturday night,” he said.
The seven-time MotoGP world champion retired from MotoGP in 2021, and is currently competing in both the World Endurance Championship and the GT World Challenge Europe for BMW.
