SportShorts: Nadal returns from the dead, Pakistan teens impress

RUGBY

Scotland pay fine and express regret over World Cup typhoon comments

The Scottish Rugby Union has paid a £70,000 fine and “expressed its regret” for comments made in relation to the threatened cancellation of their World Cup pool match with hosts Japan due to Typhoon Hagibis, World Rugby said on Thursday.

Scotland were desperate for the game to be played because if it had been cancelled it would have counted as a 0-0 draw and they would have been eliminated.

SRU chief executive Mark Dodson had said Scotland would not become “collateral damage” of the typhoon and threatened legal action if the game did not go ahead.

The typhoon was one of the most powerful storms Japan has seen in many years and more than 80 people were killed.

The match did go ahead and Japan’s 28-21 victory on October 13 saw them progress and Scotland fail to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in their history.

World Rugby said at the time the comments were “inappropriate and ill-judged”. – AFP.

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CRICKET

India’s potent attack bares teeth again in first Test

Mohammed Shami led an inspired pace attack to give India the opening day honours after they bundled out Bangladesh for 150 in the first Test on Thursday.

Shami claimed three wickets, while fellow quicks Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav took two apiece to pack off the tourists early in the final session in Indore.

India were 86 for one at stumps after Rohit Sharma was caught behind off paceman Abu Jayed for six.

Mayank Agarwal, on 37, and Cheteshwar Pujara, on 43, put on an unbeaten 72-run stand to see off the day’s play.

The Indian bowlers who stood out after Bangladesh skipper Mominul Haque elected to bat on a green wicket at the start of the two-match series.

Yadav, Sharma and Shami took wickets in the morning session before Mushfiqur, who top-scored with 43, and Haque put on 68 for the fourth wicket.

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin broke the stand after getting Mominul bowled for 37. It was his 250th wicket in home Tests, and he added to the tally by then bowling Mahmudullah for 10. – AFP.

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Ball-tampering trio reunited for Pakistan Test series

Cameron Bancroft and Joe Burns got the nod Thursday for Australia’s Test squad to face Pakistan, with Usman Khawaja and Marcus Harris axed after flopping during the Ashes series against England.

Bowling allrounder Michael Neser was also included as a back-up to the formidable pace attack of Josh Hazelwood, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson.

Bancroft was only rushed into the Australia A team at the last minute this week when Nic Maddinson pulled out to deal with mental health issues.

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner. – AFP.

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Pakistan legend raves about gifted teenagers

Shaheen Shah Afridi of Pakistan bowls during day two of the International Tour match between Australia A and Pakistan at Optus Stadium on November 12, 2019 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Pace great Waqar Younis believes Pakistan’s young and largely untested fast-bowling attack can cause big problems for Australia in their imminent Test series as the team looks to bounce back from a poor Twenty20 campaign.

Following the retirement of Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz this year, Pakistan have brought 16-year-old Nasim Shah and 19-year-old pair Musa Khan and Shaheen Afridi to Australia, along with veteran seamer Imran Khan senior.

While Imran destroyed Australia A in Pakistan’s warm-up match in Perth this week with 5-32 in their first innings, Nasim produced eight high-quality overs in the second innings.

Younis, Pakistan’s bowling coach, said he saw enough during the match to suggest Nasim and Afridi, in particular, can shine on Australia’s hard, fast pitches.

“Of course, that sort of performance (against Australia A) makes you feel that you’re not naive being here and you can really do the job,” he told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper Thursday. – AFP.

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TENNIS

Last four spot for Tsitsipas as Nadal recovers 

Stefanos Tsitsipas coasted past defending champion Alexander Zverev in straight sets to advance to the last four of the ATP Finals on Wednesday after Rafael Nadal came back from the dead to keep his title hopes alive.

The Greek tyro, 21, broke his big-serving German opponent three times in the Group Andre Agassi match to seal a 6-3, 6-2 win at London’s O2 Arena.

The straightforward victory, which took Tsitsipas’s head-to-head record against Zverev to 4-1, was in sharp contrast to the earlier match, in which Nadal produced an astonishing comeback to beat Daniil Medvedev.

The Spanish top seed was on the brink of defeat when facing a match point at 5-1 down in the deciding set but stormed back to win 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).

“Today is one of those days that one out of 1,000 you win and it happened today,” said a delighted Nadal.

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