31/07/2025

SPORTS THURSDAY | JULY 31, 2025

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in final Test match Down to the wire

Mental, physical fatigue key factor

E NGLAND and India head to the Oval for the decisive fifth and final Test of a hard-fought campaign today, with both teams battling mental and physical fatigue. A congested schedule of five Tests in less than seven weeks has proved gruelling, especially for the fast bowlers from both teams, with every match going the distance so far. Remarkably, India can still end the series all square at 2-2 after salvaging an unlikely draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, keeping the hosts on the field for 143 overs in their second innings. Tensions spiked at the end of the game when India allowed Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to complete their centuries after England captain Ben Stokes offered to shake hands on a draw, adding spice to the Oval Test. Here’s a look at the key talking points ahead of the fifth Test in London. INDIA WEIGH UP JASPRIT DECISION Jasprit Bumrah’s back injury earlier this year prompted India to announce the fast bowler would only feature in three games during the current series. The world’s top-ranked Test bowler made his third appearance on a docile pitch in Manchester and has little time to recover after bowling a gruelling 33 overs, during which he took two wickets.

exchange with Surrey’s head of ground staff Lee Fortis, who asked him to keep a distance from the wicket while inspecting the pitch at the Oval, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said yesterday. Visitors India are set to play their last Test of the five-match series against England from today at Surrey County Cricket Club’s stadium, with the hosts leading 2-1. Gautam appeared to raise his finger as he spoke to ground staff, with media reports saying the coach told Fortis not to tell him what to do. “When we went to see the wicket… they sent someone to tell us to stay 2.5 metres away from the pitch, which was a little surprising,” Sitanshu told a press conference. “It’s a cricket wicket, there’s a five-day Test starting the day after, and we were wearing joggers. “So it was a bit awkward. “We all know that curators are a little over protective… but at the end of the day it’s a cricket pitch, not an antique that you can’t touch.” Fortis downplayed the incident when he spoke to a group of journalists. “There’s nothing more to add… we have nothing to hide here,” he said. Surrey declined to comment on the incident. “New week, new golf course, new conditions,” Korda said. “My goal is to prepare the best that I can, enjoy myself and, hopefully, be in contention.” – Field Level Media she composes herself, she doesn’t seem like she rushes into things or gets like overly emotional. “I’m sure that’s going to help her with that transition as well.” Korda will be playing in another marquee group along with Ariya Jutanugarn and Angel Yin. Jenno Thitikul, who is nipping at Korda’s heels for that No. 1 ranking, is paired with Minjee Lee and Charley Hull. Korda was in contention last week before settling for a tie for fifth following a 71 on Sunday. She is still seeking her first victory of 2025 but did finish second at last year’s Women’s Open and celebrated her 27th birthday on Monday. Yet in Manchester he was in evident pain, often clutching his thigh as well as nursing a bicep injury. With the skipper central to England’s hopes of regaining the Ashes on their upcoming tour of Australia, concerns remain over his workload. Captaincy appears to be doing wonders for the career of previously inconsistent India batsman Shubman Gill. The elegant 25-year-old scored his fourth century of an extraordinary debut series as skipper at Old Trafford. He came in with the tourists in dire straits at 0-2 in their second innings, responding with a marathon 103 in 238 balls that laid the foundations for a great escape. Shubman has set a new record for the most runs scored by an India batsman in a series against England of 722, surpassing teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal’s tally of 712 in 2023/24. At the Oval he could eclipse Sunil Gavaskar’s all-time India series record of 774 runs, set in a four-match campaign against the West Indies in 1971. One downside for Shubman is that he will be without vice-captain and prolific runscorer Rishabh Pant, who sustained a foot fracture in Manchester. – AFP REMARKABLE SHUBMAN EYES ANOTHER RECORD

But India coach Gautam Gambhir says all of his squad’s quicks are fit for the finale including Akash Deep, who took 10 wickets in Jasprit’s absence during India’s 336-run win in the second Test at Edgbaston before suffering a groin injury in the next match at Lord’s. England must decide whether to risk express paceman Jofra Archer, who has bowled nearly 90 overs in two Tests after more than four years of injury-enforced exile. The home team took just four wickets on a flat Old Trafford pitch during India’s battling second innings, with seamer Brydon Carse also worked hard. Jamie Overton has been added to an England squad that already has extra pace options in Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson. Can England stop skipper Ben Stokes from bowling himself into the ground at the Oval? The Old Trafford match was a personal triumph for the all-rounder, who became just the fourth England cricketer to score a hundred and take five wickets in the same Test. Stokes has now sent down 140 overs – the most he has bowled in any series – and is the leading wicket taker on either side with 17 scalps. LOTTIE WOAD’S meteoric rise to golf stardom has impressed many of her fellow competitors, including world No. 1 Nelly Korda. The two were paired together at last week’s Scottish Open, which Woad won by three strokes in her professional debut. The world’s No. 1-ranked amateur just two weeks ago, Woad already has shot up to No. 24 in the Rolex World Rankings. Korda was asked about Woad’s game, which she called “absolutely amazing.” “I was very impressed with her composure, her process,” Korda said yesterday ahead of this week’s AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales. “When it comes to her shot routine, especially under pressure and in the heat of the moment, sometimes people seem to fidget and kind of doubt themselves. “But she stuck to it, she stuck to her process every single time. ENGLAND MAY NEED TO REIN IN STOKES

England’s Ben Stokes. – REUTERSPIC

Korda marvels at Woad’s amazing game

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Ranking on the strength of his two wins earlier this season. He combined with Andrew Novak to win April’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans team competition before capturing the Charles Schwab Challenge in May. “Pretty much locked up a lot of things “I think there’s a little bit more experience under her belt than what people probably give her credit for,” Ko said. “But when I’ve seen the coverage or how “I think that’s one of the main things that I noticed is how mature she is for her age and how comfortable she was in the heat of the moment.” Woad, 21, arrived on the LPGA Tour after a stellar career at Florida State, and accepted her tour membership after tying for third at the Evian Championship earlier this month. “I feel good obviously,” she said yesterday. “I don’t feel too different, to be honest. I got a lot of confidence from the last few – the last month really. Just trying to continue to ride that.” The Englishwoman is paired with former world No. 1 and defending champion Lydia Ko and 2023 champion Lilia Vu for the first two rounds this week.

DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI KUALA LUMPUR DALAM WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN KUALA LUMPUR (BAHAGIAN DAGANG) DALAM KEBANKRAPAN NO.WA-29NCC-1247-06/2025 PER: TEO CHING BOON [No. K/P: 960422-01-5324] …Penghutang Penghakiman EX-PARTE: SENSE EMBROIDERY SDN BHD [No. Syarikat: 201701039004(1253175-U)] …Pemiutang Penghakiman DERAF NOTIS IKLAN Kepada:TEO CHING BOON Beralamat di: DH1130, Jalan Teratai 5,Taman Bunga bahawa suatu Notis Kebankrapan telah dikemukakan terhadap kamu di Mahkamah ini oleh Pemiutang Penghakiman, Sense Embroidery Sdn. Bhd. yang beralamat di 24, Jalan Dagang SD2/1D, Bandar Sri Damansara, Kuala Lumpur 52200 Wilayah Persekutuan dan Mahkamah telah memerintahkan bahawa Notis Kebankrapan diserahkan kepada kamu secara penyampaian ganti dengan mengiklankan suatu notis sekali dalam akhbar-akhbar tempatan bernama “The Sun” dan “Harian Metro”untuk sekali sahaja dan bahawa pengiklanan itu hendaklah menjadi penyampaian yang sempurna dan cukup. DAN SELANJUTNYA AMBIL PERHATIAN bahawa jika kamu berhasrat untuk membela kuasa ini, kamu mestilah dalam masa 14 hari selepas perlaksanaan penyampaian Notis Kebankrapan kepada kamu, termasuk hari penyampaian itu, memberi notis niat untuk membela dan memfailkan suatu memorandum kehadiran dalam Borang 11 di penjabat pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya di Kuala Lumpur. Satu tarikh pengurusan kes telah ditetapkan oleh Mahkamah pada hari 30.07.2025 di atas talian melalui e-Review. Bertarikh 10 Julai 2025 ................................................ Timbalan Pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya Kuala Lumpur DERAF NOTIS IKLAN ini difailkan oleh Tetuan Joel & Co., peguamcara bagi Pemiutang Penghakiman yang dinamakan diatas dan alamat penyampaiannya ialah di F-2F-3, Encorp Strand Garden Office, No.12, Jalan PJU 5/1,Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. [Tel. No.: 03 6151 6218 | Fax: 03 6151 6296] [Ruj Fail: LIT/981-24/E3/SE] Teratai,Jalan Sawah, 81500 Pekan Nenas, Johor. AMBIL PERHATIAN

DALAM MAHKAMAH TINGGI MALAYA DI SHAH ALAM (BAHAGIAN DAGANG) PETISYEN PENGGULUNGAN NO: BA-28NCC-460-07/2025 Dalam perkara Seksyen 465(1)(e) dan 466(1)(a) Akta Syarikat 2016 Dan Dalam perkara Kaedah-Kaedah (Penggulungan) Syarikat 1972 Dan Dalam perkara Mutiara Rini Sdn Bhd (No. Syarikat: 199401025616 [311297-H]) ANTARA ARKITEK MAA SDN BHD (No. Syarikat: 197501002646 [24316-H]) … PEMPETISYEN DAN MUTIARA RINI SDN BHD (No. Syarikat: 199401025616 [311297-H]) … RESPONDEN IKLAN PETISYEN NOTIS ADALAH DENGAN INI DIBERI bahawa suatu Petisyen untuk penggulungan Syarikat yang dinamakan di atas oleh Mahkamah Tinggi telah, pada 1 Julai 2025, dikemukakan oleh ARKITEK MAA SDN BHD. DAN bahawa Petisyen tersebut diarahkan supaya didengarkan di hadapan mahkamah yang bersidang di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam pada pukul 9.30 pagi pada 6 Oktober 2025. DAN mana-mana pihak pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang ingin menyokong atau menentang sesuatu perintah mengikut Petisyen tersebut boleh hadir dengan tujuan itu secara peribadi atau melalui peguambelanya pada masa perbicaraan. Salinan Petisyen tersebut akan dibekalkan oleh pihak yang bertandatangan di bawah ini kepada mana-mana pemiutang atau penyumbang Syarikat tersebut yang memintanya dengan membuat bayaran yang ditetapkan. Alamat berdaftar Pempetisyen adalah di 15B, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 3, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan dan alamat perniagaannya adalah di Penthouse 3A-21 Level 21,Tower 3A Plaza Sentral,Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan. Peguamcara Pempetisyen ialah Tetuan Kheng Hoe & Lee Yuen yang beralamat di A3-3-6, Solaris Dutamas, No.1, Jalan Dutamas 1, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Kheng Hoe & Lee Yuen NOTA - Sesiapa yang ingin hadir pada perbicaraan Petisyen tersebut hendaklah menyampaikan,atau menghantar dengan pos, kepada Tetuan Kheng Hoe & Lee Yuen yang dinamakan di atas suatu notis bertulis tentang niatnya sebegitu. Notis tersebut mestilah menyatakan nama dan alamat pihak berkenaan,atau jika ia sebuah firma, nama dan alamat firma, dan mestilah ditandatangani oleh pihak atau firma berkenaan atau peguamcaranya,jika ada. Notis hendaklah disampaikan,atau jika dihantar dengan pos,hendaklah dihantar dalam jangka masa mencukupi,supaya sampai kepada pihak yang dinamakan di atas sebelum pukul 12.00 tengahari pada 3 Oktober 2025 (sehari sebelum tarikh yang ditetapkan untuk perbicaraan Petisyen tersebut). IKLAN PETISYEN ini diisukan oleh oleh Tetuan Kheng Hoe & Lee Yuen, peguamcara Pempetisyen yang dinamakan di atas yang beralamat di A3-3-6, Block A3, Solaris Dutamas,1 Jalan Dutamas 1,50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [Ruj: 25052169 Tel: 03-6205 3928 E-mel: ask@khly.law] ................................................ Tetuan Kheng Hoe & Lee Yuen Peguamcara Pempetisyen

SHORTS

Griffin looks to work magic at Wyndham BEN GRIFFIN looks to rebound from missing the cut in each of his last two tournaments when he tees off at the Wyndham Championship today. Griffin, a former University of North Carolina standout, admitted yesterday that he relishes playing in the tournament at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro. And with good reason, considering the former

coming into this week so playing stress free golf, just trying

to play my best and, hopefully, try to win this one because it’s definitely way up there on my list,” he said. India head coach clashes with ground staff INDIA head

mortgage broker finished 14 under and in fourth place in 2022 before tying for seventh at 12 under in 2024. “Yeah, this is one of my favourite events of the year, just a lot of family and friends close by. “So really excited to come in this week with a lot more freedom than last kind of couple years being on the bubble of the playoffs,” he said. Griffin, 29, is 17th in the Official World Golf

coach Gautam Gambhir got into a heated

Ben Griffin. – REUTERSPIC