06/07/2025

SPORTS 11 ON SUNDAY JULY 6, 2025

Siraj leading India’s attack

Windies stage stunning fightback in Grenada

bowling well but not getting wickets, so getting six here is very special,” said Siraj after the close. “When you are asked to lead the attack I love responsibility, I love the challenge. “My mindset was to keep it tight and not give away runs,” added Siraj, well-supported by 4-88 from Akash Deep after the paceman was given the unenviable task of standing-in for Bumrah. Brook and Smith staged a remarkable fightback after they joined forces with England more than 500 runs behind. The 24-year-old Smith survived Siraj’s hat-trick ball with a straight drive for four and went to make a breathtaking 184 not out, the highest Test score by an England wicketkeeper, surpassing Surrey mentor Alec Stewart’s 173 against New Zealand at Auckland in 1997. – AFP Paceman ‘loving the challenge’ against England

spectacular catch by Pat Cummins off his own bowling. The afternoon session began ominously for West Indies when Roston Chase became Hazlewood’s second victim in the first over after lunch, falling lbw for 16 via a successful Australian review. Cummins, as he so often does, produced a moment of magic to break the crucial King-Hope partnership and swing the tide back in Australia’s favour. The Australian captain cleaned up Hope on 21 with an absolute peach of a delivery, triggering a collapse that saw West Indies slump from a promising position after King and Justin Greaves departed soon after. At that point, the hosts seemed headed for a substantial deficit chasing Australia’s first innings total of 286, but the West Indies tail had other ideas. Australia’s failure to deal with the West Indies tail will be a source of frustration for the tourists, but they can take comfort from the fact that their narrow lead could still prove crucial if the pitch deteriorates further. – Reuters par 63, and US veteran Max Homa – who started the day one back and posted a 3-under 68 to stay there. Another six players was rescheduled to tee off earlier because of expected evening thunderstorms. Ghim said scoring conditions might be better thanks to the earlier

WEST INDIES were bowled out for 253 in their first innings of the second Test in Grenada yesterday, trailing Australia by 45 runs at stumps after a dramatic second day that saw early promise turn to utter collapse before a thrilling lower-order fightback. Australia were 12 for two when play was called off, having lost Sam Konstas for a duck when he was bowled by Jayden Seales, and Usman Khawaja for two runs when Seales trapped him lbw. What began as day of fluctuating fortunes for the hosts became a tale of extraordinary resilience, with the West Indies tail staging a spirited recovery to keep alive the test match and series. The morning session belonged to John Campbell until a moment of madness cost him his wicket on 40. Kraigg Brathwaite’s milestone 100th Test got off to the worst possible start when he fell for a duck in just the second over after being caught and bowled by Josh Hazlewood. Keacy Carty also departed cheaply for six, falling to a

MOHAMMED SIRAJ said he “loved the challenge” of leading India’s attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah after taking a six-wicket haul in the second Test against England at Edgbaston yesterday. There was widespread criticism when India, who lost last week’s series opener at Headingley, omitted outstanding spearhead quick Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, from their team in Birmingham. But they could yet

dismissed star batsman Joe Root and England captain Ben Stokes with successive balls early in the third day’s play to reduce the hosts to 84-5. And he returned to clean up the tail as England were dismissed for 407 in reply to India’s first-innings 587 built upon skipper Shubman Gill’s exceptional 269. By stumps, India had

extended their overall lead to 244 runs at 64-1 in their s e c o n d innings. “ I have been

draw level at 1-1 in a five-match campaign after fellow paceman Siraj took 6-70 yesterday, despite England’s Harry Brook and Jamie Smith sharing a mammoth sixth-wicket partnership of 303. The 31-year-old Siraj

Mohammed Siraj – REUTERSPIC

Ghim maintains lead at John Deere

Jobs

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DOUG GHIM holed out from the fairway for an eagle for the second straight day yesterday, adding three birdies in a 3-under 68 to maintain a one-shot lead in the US PGA Tour John Deere Classic. “I guess holing out two days in a row is always nice,” said Ghim, who also chipped in for a birdie on the way to a 12 under total of 130 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. “It’s been a par-four 15th found the bottom of the cup. “To get two (on) back-to back days is great.” Ghim had teed off on 10 and opened with a birdie, but gave the stroke back with a three-putt bogey at the 12th. He said the hole-out eagle was especially welcome at 15, “not the easiest of the holes out here”. “It just felt like a huge, huge boost so it helped me stay more patient because something good happened to me there.” Ghim, a 29-year-old hoping he can become the 25th player to claim a first tour title at this event, had five players on his heels at 11-under 131. That included defending champion Davis Thompson, who had eight birdies in his 8-under couple of years since I think I holed out from the fairway,” said Ghim – whose 180-yard second shot at the

start, but he thought wind could be a factor even if the storms hold off. “ T h e

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leaderboard is so bunched,” he said. “(I will) just kind of keep my head down and try to birdie some par-fives and roll in a couple more 15-footers.” Former world No. 8 Homa was tied for the lead after rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt at the 17th, but as on Thursday he bogeyed his final hole, finding a fairway bunker off the tee at 18. “It got really windy,” said Homa. “The greens got pretty crusty. It’s just nice to keep playing well. “It’s definitely the

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best 36 holes off the tee I’ve had in a while consecutively, so that’s nice,” he added. – AFP

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Doug Ghim plays his shot from the 13th tee during the John Deere Classic – AFPPIC

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