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Kim, O’Toole among six sharing LPGA lead in Arkansas

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Sei-Young Kim of South Korea during the first round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G at Pinnacle Country Club on Sept. 23, 2022 in Rogers, Arkansas. (AFP)
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Yuka Saso of Japan on the 4th hole during the first round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Sept. 23, 2022. (AFP)
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Updated 24 September 2022
AFP
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Kim, O’Toole among six sharing LPGA lead in Arkansas

  • The leading group in the 54-hole event also included South Korean Lee5 Jeong-eun, Japan’s Yuka Saso and Americans Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin
Updated 24 September 2022
AFP

LOS ANGELES: Ryann O’Toole started hot and Sei-young Kim finished strong on Friday to join a group of six players sharing the first-round lead in the LPGA NW Arkansas Championship.

America’s O’Toole exploded with six straight birdies from the second through seventh holes at Pinnacle Country Club and finished with eight birdies in her 7-under par 64.

“It was one of those you just start laughing,” O’Toole said of her big birdie burst. “As the fifth one poured in and the sixth one poured in I’m, like, ‘OK, I got it. I’m just going to keep going.’“

And she needed all the birdies she could get as the crowd got bigger atop the leaderboard.

South Korean Kim’s eight birdies included four straight at her last four holes, the sixth through the ninth.

“Pretty solid round today,” Kim said, adding that the soft greens made it possible to attack the pins. “I’m very happy with the strong finish today.”

The leading group in the 54-hole event also included South Korean Lee5 Jeong-eun, Japan’s Yuka Saso and Americans Megan Khang and Lauren Coughlin.

Lee5 had seven birdies without a bogey while Khang had eight birdies and a bogey and Coughlin grabbed a share of the lead with a 28-foot eagle putt at the par-five 18th.

O’Toole, who returned from a month-long break to post a ninth-place finish at Portland last week, said her round could have been even better.

“I definitely felt like I left a lot out there still,” said O’Toole, who hit all 18 greens in regulation. “Eight birdies, but I still felt like there was a ton left out there, especially on the back side.”

Coughlin was in the first group off the tee on Friday and was warming up before it was really light.

The 29-year-old admitted she was nervous coming into the week which she entered 94th in the Race to the CME Globe with only three more full-field events remaining after the tournament.

While the top 60 in the race will qualify for the Tour Championship, for those ranked 85 to 110 the coming weeks are a battle to maintain their exempt status without having to go to the Q Series qualifier.

“I knew once I got in the groove of (the first round) it would go away,” she said of her nerves, “and it did.”

The leading bunch had a one-shot lead over Taiwan’s Vivian Hou and American Lilia Vu, with another six players a further stroke back.

Topics: Ryann O’Toole LPGA NW Arkansas Championship Sei-young Kim

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Manchester City stop the rot with victory at Leicester

Updated 7 sec ago
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Manchester City stop the rot with victory at Leicester

Updated 7 sec ago
LEICESTER: Manchester City provided Pep Guardiola some relief with a 2-0 victory at Leicester to secure just a second win in 14 games for the crisis-hit English champions on Sunday.
Savinho and Erling Haaland struck either side of half-time as City ended a run of eight away games without a win.
The performance was still far from the standards that Guardiola’s side have set in winning an unprecedented four consecutive English top-flight titles.
But the effusive celebrations of Haaland’s header 16 minutes from time showed that three points was all that mattered for the visitors to at least temporarily halt their remarkable slump.
Victory lifts City up to fifth but they are still 11 points behind leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand.
Defeat leaves Leicester still rooted in the bottom three.
Guardiola made just one change from the 1-1 Boxing Day draw against Everton as Kevin De Bruyne replaced his Belgian international colleague Jeremy Doku.
De Bruyne’s fitness struggles have played a part in City’s slump and he immediately showed what Guardiola’s men have been missing for most of the season.
Rico Lewis picked out De Bruyne, who cushioned a cross into the path of Haaland but his low effort was well saved by Leicester’s stand-in goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk.
Leicester have now lost their last four games after a bright start to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s reign.
The Foxes were left to rue not taking their chances to inflict more misery on a City side still showing a clear lack of confidence.
Any time the home side crossed into City territory in the first half they appeared a major threat.
Jamie Vardy would surely have won a penalty had he not strayed offside before being brought down by Stefan Ortega, while James Justin’s header hit the post after a goalmouth scramble.
City, though, got the crucial opening goal on 21 minutes.
Stolarczyk should have done better than to parry Phil Foden’s long-range effort into the path of Savinho, who swept the rebound into the roof of the net for his first City goal.
Chances continued to come and go for Leicester early in the second half.
Justin should have levelled but his mishit finish from close range allowed Manuel Akanji to clear off the line.
Vardy then had the biggest chance to level when he prodded over Stephy Mavididi’s brilliant in-swinging cross.
However, they were hit by a City sucker punch to end the defending champions’ miserable run on the road.
Savinho was the creator this time as his cross perfectly picked out Haaland, who powered home his 19th of the season ending his four-game goal drought.

ICC nominates Pakistan’s Babar Azam for T20I Cricketer of the Year award

Updated 29 December 2024
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ICC nominates Pakistan’s Babar Azam for T20I Cricketer of the Year award

  • Azam played 24 matches and collectively scored 738 runs at an average 33.54 run in last 12 months
  • Others nominated for award include Sikandar Raza, Australian Travis Head and India’s Arshdeep Singh
Updated 29 December 2024
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has nominated Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam for its Twenty20 International (T20I) Cricketer of the Year award, saying no other Pakistan batter scored as many T20I runs as Azam in the last 12 months.
Other players nominated in the category include Sikandar Raza from Zimbabwe, Australian Travis Head and India’s Arshdeep Singh, according to the ICC.
Azam played 24 matches and collectively scored 738 runs at an average 33.54 run. His highest score was 75 against Ireland.
“With six fifties and close to a hundred boundaries, Babar was Pakistan’s mainstay and the year saw an improvement in his strike rate, with the batter clocking 133.21 runs every 100 deliveries,” the ICC said on its website.
“Still only 30, Babar is primed to break Rohit Sharma’s record as the highest run-getter in T20I cricket soon, sitting just eight behind the Indian’s mark of 4231 runs.”
The winners of the awards are likely to be announced in late January, 2025.
Pakistani Saim Ayub has also been nominated in the category of Emerging Cricketer of the Year along with Sri Lankan Kamindu Mendis, Shamar Joseph of West Indies and England’s Gus Atkinson.
Ayub scored 515 runs from nine one-day internationals (ODIs), averaging at 64.37.
“In Ayub, Pakistan found a new flamboyant southpaw at the top of their batting order. While Ayub was a consistent feature across all three formats, many of his best performances in 2024 came in ODIs,” the ICC said.
“As Pakistan won multiple away series in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa to prime themselves for the ICC Champions Trophy defense, Ayub went big as an opener.”
In South Africa, the left-hander sizzled with two tons from the three games and finished as the Player of the Series in a 3-0 clean sweep — South Africa’s first at home. Ayub was also impressive in a low-scoring affair in Australia that saw Pakistan edge past the hosts to clinch their first ODI series triumph Down Under in 22 years.
The 22-year-old also provided Pakistan a handy option with the ball, claiming five wickets and boasting an economy rate of 4.63.

Topics: Babar Azam ICC Awards Pakistan cricket

South Africa seal place in World Test Championship final with a tense 2-wicket win against Pakistan

Updated 29 December 2024
AP
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South Africa seal place in World Test Championship final with a tense 2-wicket win against Pakistan

  • Needing 148 runs to win, South Africa crashed to 99 for eight owing to superb bowling by Mohammad Abbas
  • But Kagiso Rabada went on the attack, hitting 31 not out, before Marco Jansen hit the winning 16 runs
Updated 29 December 2024
AP

CENTURION: South Africa tailenders Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen hung in against relentless fast bowler Mohammad Abbas for a tense two-wicket win in the first test on Sunday and sealed the Proteas’ place in next year’s World Test Championship final.
Jansen (16 not out) overshadowed Abbas’ brilliant figures of 6-54 with a square driven boundary against the fast bowler as South Africa reached 150-8 just after lunch on Day 4 and escaped with a close win in the two-match series.
Abbas, making a comeback after more than three years in the test wilderness, had knocked back South Africa’s tricky chase of 148 runs in a marathon 13-over spell before lunch on Day 4 as the home team limped to 99-8, losing four wickets for three runs.
However, Rabada changed gears in an unbroken 51-run stand with Jansen and made an unbeaten 31 off 26 balls with five fours to seal a memorable victory and denied Pakistan its first test win in South Africa in almost 18 years.
South Africa had started this WTC cycle with a loss against New Zealand, but since then the Proteas drew 1-1 in India and then went on to beat West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to stay on top of the table.
India, Australia and Sri Lanka are the other teams still in contention for next June’s WTC final against South Africa at Lord’s.
Captain Temba Bavuma (40) and Aiden Markram (37) had thwarted Abbas for an hour after South Africa resumed at a wobbly 27-3, still needing 121 for victory.
Bavuma’s controversial dismissal punctuated a South Africa collapse in the latter half of first session with Abbas grabbing three off his six balls in a sensational home team collapse.
Bavuma, who made 40, surprisingly didn’t request a television review when replays suggested that Abbas’ ball had brushed the batter’s pocket and didn’t make contact with the inside edge of the bat but the South African skipper walked back to the dressing room.
Abbas bowled an unchanged marathon spell of 13 overs, but had to wait as Markram and Bavuma saw off eight overs from the fast bowlers.
Resuming at 27-3, Bavuma and Markram showed plenty of patience against Abbas’ probing line and length before the fast bowler finally got the breakthrough after the first drinks break.
Abbas was rewarded for his brilliant seam bowling when he beat the outside edge of Markram’s bat and knocked back the off stump.
Bavuma survived a couple of close chances when he successfully overturned an on-field lbw decision against him early in the day and Naseem Shah couldn’t hold onto a sharp catch at fine leg as he overstepped the boundary cushion while grabbing the ball over his head.
South Africa had controlled the game at 96-4 before Bavuma’s dismissal saw Abbas finding the outside edges of David Bedingham (14) and Corbin Bosch’s (0) bat off successive deliveries and in between Kyle Verreynne dragged Naseem Shah’s delivery back onto his stumps.
Abbas found the outside edge of Rabada’s bat in his first over after lunch that fell just short of wicketkeeper Rizwan before both tailenders took the team home.

Topics: Pakistan vs South Africa Pakistan cricket South Africa cricket Kagiso Rabada

ICC shortlists Pakistani batter Saim Ayub for Emerging Cricketer of the Year award

Updated 29 December 2024
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ICC shortlists Pakistani batter Saim Ayub for Emerging Cricketer of the Year award

  • Saim Ayub scored two centuries in recently concluded ODI series against South Africa
  • He has been nominated alongside Kamindu Mendis, Shamar Joseph and Gus Atkinson
Updated 29 December 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) this week shortlisted Pakistan’s new batting sensation Saim Ayub for the Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year award for his match-winning performances against South Africa and Zimbabwe this month. 

Ayub has played six Test matches for Pakistan, scoring 323 runs at an average of 26.91 and scored three half-centuries. He has played nine ODIs, scoring 515 runs at an average of 64.37 with three centuries and a fifty already under his belt. 

The aggressive opening batter’s two centuries against South Africa in the recently concluded ODI series has earned him critical acclaim and comparisons with former Pakistan batting legend Saeed Anwar. 

“With nine categories in total, cricket fans around the world have the opportunity to cast their votes and help decide the winners of the ICC Awards 2024,” the ICC wrote on Saturday. 

Ayub has been nominated for the award with Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis, West Indies’ bowler Shamar Joseph and England’s Gus Atkinson. 

Pakistan are currently playing the first of their two-Test match series against South Africa in Centurion. The hosts have handed the Proteas a 148-run target, as South Africa struggle at 27/3 to chase the target.

Topics: Saim Ayub ICC Awards Pakistan cricket

Gilgit-Baltistan defeats Chitral in ice hockey match at Shandur Lake

Updated 29 December 2024
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Gilgit-Baltistan defeats Chitral in ice hockey match at Shandur Lake

  • The match was part of Shandur Ice Sports Challenge held from December 24 to 28
  • The ice hockey match was tied 2-2 before Gilgit-Baltistan won on penalty shootouts
Updated 29 December 2024
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: Shandur Lake in Pakistan’s northern region hosted an ice hockey match on Saturday, with Gilgit-Baltistan defeating Chitral 4-3 in a penalty shootout, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Authority said.
The match concluded the Shandur Ice Sports Challenge, organized by the tourism authority, which was held from December 24 to 28 and featured competitions in ice hockey and speed skating.
While ice hockey remains a developing sport in Pakistan, it has gained traction in the northern regions, where freezing temperatures and frozen lakes create natural rinks.
“A large number of locals participated in the ice hockey event,” said Tashfeen Haider, Director General of the tourism authority. “The match at Shandur Lake demonstrates the region’s potential to host winter sports.”
Shandur is widely known for its annual polo festival, a tradition dating back to 1936, when British officials set up a polo ground at the Shandur Pass, located at approximately 3,700 meters above sea level.
The festival attracts teams from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan and has become a significant cultural and sporting event.
The tourism authority informed that the ice hockey match at Shandur was tied 2-2 in regular time before being decided on penalty shootouts.
The match highlighted the growing interest in winter sports in Pakistan’s northern regions, which can help boost local tourism and community engagement.

Topics: ice hockey shandur lake Shandur festival

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