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THE PHNOM PENH POST JUNE 29, 2010 25

SPORT
Laos crush the Koupreys’ in England secure series
l MANCHESTER, England –

tournament closer Saturday Andrew Strauss challenged


England to whitewash Australia
after they won by just one wicket
at Old Trafford Sunday to go an
unbeatable 3-0 up in their five-
match one-day international
Laos downed hosts Cambodia 12-3 Saturday at Phnom Penh’s Old Stadium series. Victory meant Ashes-
holders England, who defeated
Australia in last month’s World
to clinch the Asian 5 Nations Southeast Asia Regional rugby tournament Twenty20 final in Barbados, had
now enjoyed recent success
against their arch-rivals in all
BY DANIEL PORDES “We played really well,” said three forms of international
a tearful Koupreys captain cricket. England begin the

A
scrappy and error- Pich Ratana, who by his own defence of the Ashes in
strewn final match admission had a poor game Australia, where they haven’t
of the HSBC Asian 5 and was clearly devastated by won a Test series since 1986, in
Nations Southeast the loss. “I don’t know why we November and Strauss stressed
Asia Regional Rugby Tourna- couldn’t score. We had chanc- this campaign would have no
ment ended in a 12-3 defeat es, maybe if I hadn’t missed effect on that contest. But the
for Cambodia against Laos at the penalties.” England captain, who made his
Phnom Penh’s Old Stadium Cambodia coach Richie best ODI score against Australia
Saturday. With the win, Laos Flanagan saw signs of progress of 87, believed a clean sweep
clinched the Mekong Cup and during the game, but conced- could have an influence upon
retained the series, having ed that it was the same errors next year’s World Cup in Asia,
crushed Brunei 23-5 earlier in that had held the Koupreys where Ricky Ponting’s men will
the week. back. “I thought it was a mas- be looking to win a fourth
The Laos team lined up at the sive improvement from the straight title. AFP
start without talismanic num- Brunei match,” he expressed.
ber 10, Chris Mastaglio, who “But it ended up coming down Jankovic withdraws
was out sick with food poison- to that final pass and those fi- l LONDON – Serbian fourth
ing, and the game looked to nal mistakes. And again our seed Jelena Jankovic became
be there for the taking for the discipline was a major factor; the first big name to exit
Cambodian ‘Koupreys’. two sin-bins and a red-card.” Wimbledon this year when she
The hosts dominated the Watching the game was retired from her fourth-round
game for large spells, but un- former Scotland head coach clash at 6-1, 3-0 down to
fortunately poor hands by the Frank Hadden, who was com- Russia’s Vera Zvonareva
backs and ill-discipline lead- ing to the end of his tour of Monday. Jankovic lost the first
ing to several sin-bins and a Cambodia scrum half Phorn Bophan (right) makes a flying grab for Laos wing Phakkham Sensoulivong Asian countries competing in set within 24 minutes on Court
sending off left them unable to during their HSBC Asian 5 Nations Southeast Asia regional rugby tournament match Saturday. JOE GARRISON the tournament, during which 12 and had been broken twice in
break through against a well- he had watched 24 matches the second set when she
marshalled Laos defence. tryline on the sodden turf, al- alties from central positions. 62nd minute, and a last-gasp and coached over 2,000 play- decided to quit. Zvonareva, the
“We were really unlucky lowing the Laos defence to tackle by the Laos fullback on ers and children. He praised 21st seed, will play a Belgian
today,” Cambodian number recover. The error set the tone Hosts lose men to sin-bin Cambodian flanker Vong Van- the children’s rugby coach- former world number one in
8 Chey Sophal said after the for the rest of the game, with The Koupreys’ frustration at nak with minutes to go, pre- ing in Cambodia as being “as either Kim Clijsters or Justine
game. “We controlled the ball, a dominant Cambodian for- their lack of a final pass con- vented the home team from good as any I’ve worked with Henin in her first ever
but we just couldn’t score.” ward row let down time and tributed to ill-displine. Pich regaining the lead. A break- in Asia.” Wimbledon quarterfinal. AFP
A wet and windy Old Stadi- again by their backs fumbling Ratana and hooker Uk Dara away try from Laos flanker Hadden also explained what
um was subjected to another the wet ball. were sin-binned, leading to Phouphet Phoutthavong in he thought was necessary for Watson clinches victory
downpour before kickoff that “The conditions made it a brief spell of Laos pressure. injury time was successfully rugby in this region to prog- l CROMWELL, Connecticut –
left large puddles around cen- tough out there,” Cambodia’s Nevertheless, the local’s de- converted, putting gloss on a ress: “The answer for me is Bubba Watson posted his
tre circle and both goal posts. tighthead prop Ralph Mc- fence held firm till halftime game that was more even than more games. You need to learn maiden PGA Tour victory
maintaining the narrow three- the final score merited. game awareness and gain ex- Sunday, shedding tears of joy
point lead. perience by playing. They’re on No 18 but also taking time
In the opening moments Laos coach praises Koupreys so few teams to play against in to salute his parents,
of the second half, Cambo- After being carried aloft some countries that they have especially his father who is
dia continued to dominate by his victorious players af- to work very hard to find op- battling cancer. “I want to
the forward row, particularly ter the game, a triumphant position. The key to progress thank my dad and mom
loosehead prop Seang Chro Laos coach Ian Melhuish ac- is finding more teams to play, because without them I would
Kim. The same problems knowledged that Cambodia creating more opportunities to be nothing. My dad is battling
dogged the hosts as their back deserved more. “They [Cam- learn how to play the game.” cancer now. ‘Dad I am praying
row continued to struggle bodia] probably consider The rugby season in Cam- for you. I love you,” said a
with the ball, as Pich Ratana’s themselves unlucky. They bodia now enters a rest period tearful Watson. Watson, of the
kick-and-run plays were con- threatened our line, and they until the Angkor 10s inter- US, rallied from six shots
sistently cut-out by the Laos probably should have come national tournament which behind to get into the playoff
fullback. away with more points.” plays out in November. then two-putted for par on the
Ultimately, it was the home second playoff hole to beat
team’s lack of discipline that fellow American Scott
proved their undoing again. Verplank for the win at the
On the 55th minute, the Kou- Travelers Championship. AFP
preys lost winger Khemarin
Dul after his attempt to charge Gutierrez wins in Spain
down a kick by the Laos full- l MADRID – Caisse d’Epargne
The Cambodian rugby team (in white) and the Laos rugby team (in blue) back went horribly wrong and rider Ivan Gutierrez won the
compete for a line out during their match at Old Stadium. JOE GARRISON he was red-carded. With a man road race title at the Spanish
advantage, the visitors capita- champonships Sunday. The
Despite the weather, Cambo- Millan noted. “We needed lised just two minutes later as 31-year-old, who finished
dia began positively, and went to move the ball wide – get it a successful line out on the 22 second in the time-trial two
ahead early with a fourth-min- away from their forwards – but led to center Mit Oudone Keo- days ago, crossed ahead of
ute penalty kick from captain because of the slippery condi- hanam bursting through the Francisco Ventoso and Koldo
Pich Ratana. tions the hands were slow to- over-stretched Cambodian Fernandez de Larrea after the
However, 10 minutes later day.” left to score. A missed conver- 226-kilometre race. Stars
the slick surface started to As well as the substandard sion by Anousith Chaleune- Alberto Contador, Oscar
come into play. A clever chip handling throughout, the kick- souk meant the lead remained Freire, Carlos Sastre and
by Pich Ratana was collected ing suffered from the blustery at two points. Samuel Sanchez stayed away
by flanker Pros Sophoan on weather. In the first half, both The Koupreys continued to prepare for the Tour de
the opponents’ 22-yard line, Pich Ratana and the stand-in to batter against the Laos’ France, which gets underway
and he raced forward only Laos flyhalf, Anousith Chale- defence, but another missed Cambodian fly-half and captain Pich Ratana (left) pitches the ball as Laos next weekend. AFP
to slip mere inches from the unesouk, missed kickable pen- penalty by Pich Ratana in the wing Phakkham Sensoulivong makes a grab for it Sunday. JOE GARRISON

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