Afghanis shown up on biggest stage

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AFGHANISTAN has embarrassed itself on its World Cup debut, but with so little one-day international experience against the big boys it was always going to happen.

Afghanistan lost by 105 runs in its first-ever World Cup game on Wednesday night against Bangladesh in Canberra.

It was the 11th time Afghanistan had faced a full-member side in a one-day international game.

It is doubtful if skipper Mohammad Nabi had, in his 22 previous matches as captain, been exposed to much high-level tension over whether to opt for a video referral on a decision.

It showed.

An appeal for caught-behind was turned down in the third over of the day and Afghanistan should have called for a Decision Referral System (DRS) but became bogged down.

Batsman Tamim Iqbal appeared to edge the ball and TV replays confirmed a spike on the "Snicko" technology.

Samiullah Shinwari holds his head in his hands after being run out in Afghanistan's loss to Bangladesh. Source: Getty Images

Nabi and his teammates discussed it, and discussed it, until they were told your time is up.

Too late.

Again in the 41st over, an LBW appeal was brushed aside. Replays showed the ball hit the pad then the bat, but the bowling side didn't ask for a DRS.

Man of the match and Bangladesh wicketkeeper/batsman Mushfiqur Rahim (71) was on 41 at the time.

The bowling attack dropped its guard.

After having Bangladesh struggling at 4-119 in the 30th over, Afghanistan's bowlers lost their way. Bangladesh made 267.

Afghanistan's batsmen, in the words of coach Andy Moles, went out there with their heads "in a fog".

They were 3-3 after three overs.

Their feet weren't moving and they weren't mentally alert. They were hoping for a few "freebies", as Moles calls them, to play a few scoring shots and settle in during the first three overs.

It didn't happen.

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"We were in a fog," Moles said.

He said Afghanistan bowled well for 30 overs and then became "sloppy".

"We need to work on our concentration levels. Work on our discipline," he said.

Legspinner Samiullah Shenwari was taken out of the attack after 1.1 overs for running on the wicket.

A schoolboy error? Maybe.

These are things that can be improved with more big-game experience.

Australia has played only one ODI against Afghanistan.

The next time Afghanistan plays Australia will be on March 4 in a World Cup Pool A game at the WACA. Good luck with that, fellows. But at least it's an experience.

It's unlikely that Afghanistan will qualify for the 2019 World Cup, when the 14-team event becomes a 10-team tournament.

Afghanistan players celebrate taking the wicket of Bangladesh batsman Tamim Iqbal. Source: AFP

If it does, it is going to need lots of ODI experience, preferably against sides ranked only slightly above it.

It's something that ICC chief David Richardson told News Corp this week the sport's governing body is working hard on behind the scenes.

Moles is not holding his breath.

"We now have got a harder task to qualify (for the World Cup) over the next few years, which won't be easy because we've got to get fixtures," Moles told News Corp.

"We need to be playing Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to overtake them. They're (ranked) above us.

"I question whether they'll want to play us because if we do play them then we'll go above them.

"If they don't play us, we have to play against the big boys."

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Sister team for Strikers in new Women’s BBL

James Sutherland says he sees T20 as the premium format of the woman's game. Source: CAS Hamish Blair / News Limited

CRICKET Australia will launch a women's Big Bash League next summer following the wild success of the men's domestic Twenty20 format.

The planned WBBL competition will align eight women's teams with the existing BBL franchises.

Teams will play under the same names as their male counterparts, meaning the South Australian women's side, for example, will also be known as the Adelaide Strikers.

A schedule is yet to be determined but the change is unlikely to lead to women's matches being curtain-raisers before every men's match. SA's Scorpions twice played Adelaide Oval curtain-raisers at Strikers games this summer while the women's T20 final was played before the BBL final at Manuka Oval.

Australian women's cricket has featured a Twenty20 competition for the past seven summers, but has been based on traditional state lines rather than the modern city-franchise phenomenon.

The move to mirror men's and women's competitions means an ACT Meteors side formerly part of the women's Twenty20 competition will no longer feature in the shortest format.

Cricket Australia also conceded the concept left uncertainty over the structure Women's National Cricket League one-day competition. In men's domestic cricket, the 50-over format has been reduced to a Sydney-based carnival that effectively serves as a pre-season tournament.

The expansion to a WBBL is also likely to more broadly spread talent across shorter-format women's cricket. New South Wales and Victoria have dominated the 50-over game since it became a national competition in 1996-97. NSW has won 17 of the 19 titles, including this season's final against SA, while Victoria has won the other two and featured in 10 losing finals.

"We see T20 as the premium format of the women's game and the WBBL is an exciting concept that will increase the promotion and exposure of women's cricket," CA chief executive James Sutherland said.

"We want cricket to be the number one sport for girls and women in Australia."

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More live baiting charges likely in Queensland

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INTERVIEWS conducted with trainers implicated in the greyhound live baiting scandal are likely to lead to more people being charged under the laws of racing.

Racing Queensland is continuing with its investigation, where already 13 people have been suspended, including seven who have been asked to show cause why they shouldn't be barred from racecourses worldwide.

The show cause notices followed graphic footage on Four Corners on Monday night of live animals being tied to a lure in the training of greyhounds.

Central to the Queensland footage was Tom Noble, who was interviewed by Racing Queensland stewards on Wednesday and made admissions about his involvement in live baiting.

Numerous others have been questioned about their involvement and Racing Queensland Manager of Integrity Services Wade Birch said some of those interviewed had shed more light on the barbaric practice.

Greyhound trainers Reg Kay and Tom Noble from the ABC's Four Corners expose on Monday night. Source: ABC

"Stewards believe the assistance by those already interviewed could lead to more people being charged," Birch said.

"Our sole aim at the moment is to bring those guilty of wrongdoing to justice."

Noble and the six other licensees issued with show cause notices — Reg Kay, Debra Arnold, Tony McCabe, James Harding, Michael Chapman and Greg Stella — have seven days to respond with reasons as to why they shouldn't be warned off racecourses worldwide and be prohibited from having any involvement in any form of racing.

While stewards are confident they can remove those involved from the racing industry, questions remain whether criminal charges will be laid, owing to the way the footage was captured.

It is possible that the footage will be inadmissable in a court of law.

The live baiting scandal claimed its first administrative scalps yesterday, with the entire NSW Greyhound Board stood down, along with its chief executive.

Wade Birch: "Stewards believe the assistance by those already interviewed could lead to more people being charged". Source: News Limited

Queensland Racing Minister Bill Byrne has indicated an independent review will be conducted into Racing Queensland's handling of the issue. The Minister has not speculated on the future of any RQ officials.

Victoria's Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna yesterday called for a national approach to integrity matters in racing, suggesting the Federal Government — along with the states and racing itself — should contribute to its funding.

Perna told Radio Sport National that integrity departments must have independence.

"Perception must be one of independence, because that is where the public gets its confidence from," Perna said.

"This is critical. Integrity is critical. It can't be seen to be influenced by other aspects, the commercial aspects, the management aspects."

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Lydia the exception as locals all at sea

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SEVEN different national flags filled the top of the leaderboard after the opening round of the Australian Women's Open and that only one had a union jack was close to shocking.

IT wasn't boiling hot and the wind was rather tame but Royal Melbourne played about as sandbelt as you can get yesterday. Yet none of the Aussies were able to play it like locals.

Only Kiwi world No.1 Lydia Ko, who has been playing sandbelt courses since she entered her teens, slowly found a game plan to hit the scoreboard.

She went through the first nine with just the one-birdie, but on the back started hitting the ball smarter, putting harder and a 12m eagle putt on 15 got the 17-year-old to 3-under.

It could have been a lower round, with several back-nine birdie putts shaving the hole.

Despite battling a cold that created mid-swing sniffles, Ko sits two back of leader South Korean Ilhan Lee.

Ilhee Lee finished the day at -5 under. Picture: Colleen Petch. Source: News Corp Australia

But with a morning tee time today and a game-plan in her mind Ko said she was confident she had the right plan in mind to keep her score in check.

"It's definitely a different course management plan," she said.

"Even when I hit a nine-iron I'm hitting it ten yards short of the flag and last week (In the Bahamas) I was hitting it 10 yards past and spinning it back.

"I didn't hole too many putts but I didn't make any mistakes. In the blink of an eye it could go six feet past (the hole).

"You have to play quite safe.

"It's different to the way we would normally play but it's great for us to be able to play on such great courses like Royal Melbourne."

World number 1 Lydia Ko during her round. Picture: Colleen Petch. Source: News Corp Australia

A different approach could be the order of day two for most after in excess of 20 rounds in the 80s on Thursday.

Hard fast greens approached with long irons and fairway woods called for sensible sandbelt golf.

Going directly at the flags was a no-no. In fact going at anything near them was tempting fate.

But copious amounts of players couldn't resist, went at the pins, and their balls went flying past accordingly.

They found traps and further off the putting surfaces dusty tracks in run-off areas from where pars were a struggle to be rescued. Spin was almost non-existent.

Players expended extra energy traversing the greens from one side to the other chasing balls that failed to halt where they normally would, and most rounds went beyond five and half hours as a result.

Charley Hull out of the bunker. Picture: Colleen Petch. Source: News Corp Australia

Jessica Korda won the Open at Royal Melbourne in 2012 but even she failed to adjust her game, noting how different the lay-out was from not just the week-to-week courses, but the course she won on too.

"I think the greens are either slower or they're firmer. I'm not sure which one of the two it is but they're definitely not faster, they're just firmer," she said.

" You really have to count on kind of bouncing it in versus landing it in."

The Aussie teen brigade were supposed to lead the local charge but limited exposure to Royal Melbourne brought some undone, including Minjee Lee, who played Royal for the first time last week and opened with a 76.

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Broncos’ founder helping to save Titans

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BARRY Maranta helped to create State of Origin, played a key role in launching the Broncos and made Manchester United popular with billions in Asia.

Now the Queensland business guru has turned his attention to saving the Titans with a blueprint to help the club trump AFL's Suns in Gold Coast's sporting turf war.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Maranta, one of Australian sport's sharpest business minds, has offered his services to ensure the long-term survival of the embattled Titans.

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Bronco Founder Barry Maranta. Source: News Limited

Concerned about the Titans' future, Maranta contacted Gold Coast boss Graham Annesley last month.

At a follow-up meeting, Maranta passed on more than 30 years of entrepreneurial wisdom, including personal notes and strategies which made the Broncos one of the most successful clubs in Australian sport.

While his heart will always be with the Broncos, Maranta said he and new Titans ambassador Gorden Tallis shared a similar philosophy to rescue rugby league on the Gold Coast.

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"There are a few of us trying to help the Titans and hopefully we can get the club back on top again," Maranta said.

"I don't want Paul White (Brisbane CEO) to think I'm selling out the Broncos, but like Gordie I love rugby league in Queensland and it's important for the Titans to survive and eventually thrive.

"It disappoints me greatly to see the Titans in the state they are. I don't buy this talk that fans won't support a team on the Gold Coast.

"I had a great meeting with Graham Annesley where I passed on my notes and any experience I have.

"I said to the Titans 'if your guys in marketing are not passionate about the club and the game and are not incentivised to perform, sack them'.

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"There are ways to get bums on seats and rather than keep the ideas to myself, I want to share it with the Titans and help them become a force.''

Maranta, whose grandson Lachlan plays for the Broncos, has one of the most impressive resumes in Australian sport.

In 1978, he spoke to the Queensland Rugby League about launching State of Origin after watching the concept in Australian Rules.

A decade later, he was part of the consortium which founded the Broncos, who took only four years to win their first premiership.

Maranta was also pivotal in the development of the London Broncos and was later hired by Manchester United to promote their brand in Asian and Australian markets.

Titans Dave Taylor and Broncos Alex Glenn. Source: News Corp Australia

"When we sold the Broncos, we had 44,000 at games and we had the biggest sponsorship of any team in Australia. We did a lot of things right," he said.

"I'm interested to see if the Titans take up the things I suggested. I don't have all the answers, but I know what it takes to make a football club successful.

"Rugby league can succeed on the Gold Coast, I am adamant about that, but the Titans need to connect with their community.

"If you don't get crowds up, you don't get sponsors. It's a very simple causal relationship. Why would a sponsor get interested if fans won't go there?''

Bronco Founder Barry Maranta. Source: News Limited

Annesley said he intended to stay in regular contact with Maranta.

"We had a good couple of hours talking about things at the Broncos that were successful and we are definitely going to look at things for the Titans," Annesley said.

"I've indicated I want to get Barry back in the very near future to talk to our sales and marketing people and pass on some of his wisdom.

"He's an incredibly successful businessman, everyone knows what fantastic success the Broncos had in their early years and Barry was the driving force behind that."

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Ambrose ready to brake back to the top

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REVVING himself up for his full-time return to V8 Supercar racing in the season-opening Clipsal 500 next week, two-time champion Marcos Ambrose says the key to hitting the top of his sport again is to slow down.

After an almost 10-year absence from the pinnacle of V8s, the 38-year-old Launceston born driver has his first race in Adelaide next weekend in the Dick Johnson Racing-Team Penske Ford.

Ambrose took out the Australian series in 2003 and 2004 before forging a career with seven Nascar wins in America, including two in the top-level Sprint Cup.

He says there is a long list of challenges to get through to beat the new generation of V8 drivers who have emerged during his years away from home.

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"For me the biggest challenge in the V8s is slowing the car down,'' Ambrose said yesterday. "In Nascar the whole aim is to keep the car running at very high speeds for the entire race, 330km/h to 340km/h for 500 miles (800km). You don't have to slow down that much.

"With these V8 cars it's the slowing down that makes the difference. The person who can brake the best wins the race.

"So I really have to refine my braking technique as well as get a better understanding of the dynamics of the car on old tyres, new tyres. Time will help with that.

"I know at the moment I am slightly under where I want to be as far as feel behind the wheel with these modern cars but it will come. They have certainly moved on in the years that I've been away in terms of the brake distances being a lot shorter and that requires more finesse.''

Ambrose and Johnson yesterday unveiled their new car at Johnson's race headquarters at Stapylton, south of Brisbane, and also announced a major sponsorship from Shell for the joint venture that has seen American billionaire Roger Penske buy 51 per cent of Dick Johnson Racing.

Dick Johnson (left) and Marcos Ambrose unveil the new DJR V8 Supercar. Source: News Corp Australia

Ambrose realises he is under huge pressure to perform in a competition that has been dominated by Jamie Whincup for the past seven years.

"Jamie has had an outstanding career,'' Ambrose said. "He's probably the most successful touring car champion of all time.

"The fans are expecting big things from me and it's good to have great expectations. I'm using them as motivation to really focus on the job that's coming up. I tend to thrive under pressure but it's going to take time for my technique to be refined to get the most out of the car.

"It will come but I've been away from V8s since 2005. The other teams and drivers are a very high calibre and I'm not underestimating this challenge at all.

"I'm not getting into a car that won races last year but I'm driving for a team that is on the way up.''

Ambrose said he grew up as a fan of Johnson, especially because Johnson's teammate John Bowe was a fellow Tasmanian. He was delighted to now be driving a car with Johnson's No. 17 on the side.

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Johnson, 69, who started his racing career in an FJ Holden 51 years ago, said he was thrilled to secure a driver of Ambrose's calibre.

"Marcos has always had a high profile in Australia,'' Johnson said. "When he left for America he was on top of the game in V8 racing and in NASCAR he achieved wins that no other Australian has ever done.

"He wanted to come back because he has young kids he wanted to raise in Australia and it was perfect timing for us.

"Marcos is totally focused on his job, the kind of driver who wants to squeeze every last drop of performance from the machine, to understand every last detail about the car and the people in the team around him.''

Ambrose won the Clipsal 500, the annual Adelaide street circuit event, in 2004 and 2005, also driving a Ford.

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