Rosberg on pole for Canadian Grand Prix
MONTREAL: Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg put Mercedes on pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix on Saturday, with team mate and closest rival Lewis Hamilton having to settle for second place on the grid. The pole was the seventh in seven races for the sport’s dominant team who have won every grand prix this season and occupied first and second places in five races. Red Bull’s quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel, last year’s race winner at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, will line up third on the starting grid. Williams drivers Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa were fourth and fifth. Nico Hulkenberg of Force India was 11th, while Sergio Perez finished in 13th place. (Reuters)
Hock WC: Holders Australia enter semis
The Hague: Defending champions Australia became the first team to ensure passage into the semifinals of the Hockey World Cup with a 5-0 hammering of England here on Saturday, giving them a maximum 12 points from four matches in Group A. England, with seven points from four outings, are still in contention for the semifinals, but must win their last league fixture against Belgium, who are on nine points after a 5-2 victory over Spain. India are in the fourth position with four points, followed by Spain on two and Malaysia on zero. Australia had five different players scoring a goal each against England. Making entries on the scoresheet were Matt Ghodes, who opened the account in the first minute, Liam de Young, Jamie Dwyer, Kieran Govers and Aran Zalewski. Belgium raced to a five-goal lead against Spain with goals being scored by Tanguy Cosyns (two), Alexandre de Saedeleer, Emmanuel Stockbroekx and John-John Dohmen. As the Belgians relaxed a bit, Spain managed to salvage some pride through two late goals from Eduard Tubau and captain Santi Frexia. (PTI)
India need to put away rivals: Walsh
The Hague: Indian hockey team coach Terry Walsh says his team needs to learn the skills to shut the door on comebacks for rival teams. “The difference between India and the top teams in international hockey today is that the Indians do not know how to put away a team,” Walsh said after his side’s 3-2 victory over Malaysia in the World Cup here on Saturday. India dominated the match, but wasted several scoring chances in the first half, when they led 1-0. Later, leading 3-1, they allowed Malaysia to reduce the deficit and thereafter have many shots at the Indian goal, which Walsh said should not have happened. “After dominating them we allowed them to come back and make it 3-2, to me that was unnecessary,” Walsh said. “It is crucial for the teams in top-four or top-eight of the world to be able to cut out all chances for their rivals to stage a rally,” he said. Akashdeep Singh scored two goals in the space of three minutes to set up India’s win. Jasjit Singh Kular opened for India in the 13th minute. (PTI)
Probably played 2 yrs too long: Ponting
Melbourne: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who retired in 2012, has said he delayed his international retirement by two years in his bid to help the team deal with a generational shift. Ponting, who played in 168 Test matches for Australia, said he stayed on because he wanted to help the next generation of Australian Test stars to come through. “I probably played two years longer than I should have done,” he told Sky Sports. “I think I knew in myself that I couldn’t get better. I felt that if anything, I could maintain a certain level. I think from 120, 130 Tests I knew I could not get any better,” the batting legend said candidly. One of the finest batsmen in contemporary cricket and Australia’s middle order bulwark for years retired after an illustrious career spanning 17 years. “I wasn’t playing for me, I was playing for the younger guys in the team. Great teams that I played in had a really good solid core of experienced players and great characters,” said the two-time World Cup-winning captain. “I might be patting myself on the back here, but I thought I was one of those players,” he said. Ponting gave up captaincy after the 2011 World Cup and then played under Michael Clarke. He suffered from a dip in form the last few years of his career and continued playing Test cricket despite being axed from Australia’s one-day squad. (PTI)