Posts Tagged ‘australia’

Fernando Alonso: Reckons Ferrari have more qualifying pace

Fernando Alonso reckoned Ferrari have made a step forward with their F2012 car after giving an improved qualifying performance at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

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We will have live and exclusive coverage of the Malaysian Grand Prix starting from 7.30am on Sunday.

To find out all the different ways to watch the action, click here

The double World Champion missed out on a place in the top 10 session last weekend in Melbourne but made it through seven days later at Sepang.

Alonso set the ninth fastest time but will start eighth on the grid after Kimi Raikkonen picked up a five-place penalty for a gearbox change on his Lotus.

Although Alonso salvaged a fifth-place finish in the Australian Grand Prix, he said that the F2012 lacks downforce – a failing sure to be exposed in Sepang’s high-speed corners.

No doubt

However, speaking after qualifying on Saturday, he said that new aerodynamic parts had produced an improvement he estimated to be in the region of three tenths of a second over a single lap.

“It was better. I think we did a step forward in this race – there is no doubt,” Alonso said. “The car was feeling a little bit better and again we did some checks Friday, some aero parts that we used in Australia and we wanted a confirmation.

“So we tested here again and some of them were quite positive. We introduced to the car and I think it’s a step in the right direction. We were one second off pole position in Q2 when we went out in Australia in Q2 and today we were six tenths and a half.

“This three tenths is quite encouraging for us, a positive sign that we are moving in the right direction.

“We need obviously a triple step of what we did as soon as possible.”

But ahead of what is the season’s toughest race in terms of tyre degradation, Alonso hinted that Ferrari might still have work to do in that department.

“I mean in Melbourne maybe we had a little bit more degradation than our main competitors. Let’s say that we…it’s a tough race,” he sighed.

Recovery

Alonso also said both he and team-mate Felipe Massa were struggling with balance this weekend. The Brazilian had similar problems last weekend and will line up 12th on Sunday.

The Spaniard, though, had words of encouragement for his team-mate, who is driving a much-changed car this weekend.

“I think Felipe did a very, very good recovery from yesterday. He had problems with the car and they changed a lot of the car overnight, and this morning again some other changes. So it’s never easy to qualify with not a clear reference or baseline,” he added.

“With the baggage we have in our hands at the trackside, it’s the maximum today again.”

Shane Watson: Claims Australia’s display was not good enough

Australia stand-in skipper defends decision to bowl first

Australia stand-in captain Shane Watson insisted his side were simply “not good enough” as they crashed to defeat in the fourth ODI with the West Indies.

Watson won the toss and sent the hosts in to bat first and midway through their innings over the decision appeared to be an inspired one with the locals struggling on 106-4 in good batting conditions.

But man-of-the-match Kieron Pollard entered the fray and treated Australia’s bowlers with disdain as he smashed five fours and eight sixes on his way to a whirlwind 69-ball century after also being dropped four times.

Pollard’s innings completely changed the complexion of the match with the West Indies finishing up on 294-7 and winning by 42 runs to take a 2-1 series lead with one match to play.

“There’s no doubt it’s not good enough for us, we just didn’t execute enough, didn’t go to the plan to be able to make sure that we’re able to try and restrict him (Pollard) as much as we could,” Watson said.

“It’s a small ground so there’s no doubt that with his power, that is always keeping him in the game but dropping him three times probably certainly didn’t help as well as execution in the last 10 overs especially.

“We’ve seriously got to sit down and make sure that we get it right for the next game because we can’t afford to be in the position that we were and then let Kieron get away the way he did because in the end it meant that we were chasing a much bigger total than we really should have been.”

Comfortable

Despite the hosts’ sizeable total, which was helped by a whopping 145 runs from their last 12 overs, Watson stood by his decision to bowl first.

“There was certainly enough in the wicket and that was the reason why I did bowl first,” Watson said.

“And there still was a little bit of moisture even when I went out to bat in the second innings so in the end I’m very comfortable with the decision I made.

“Everything was going okay through that middle period until Kieron sort of exploded so if I had my time again I certainly would have done the same thing.”

But while Watson lamented the performance of his bowlers, particularly at the death, he also put his hand up and admitted it was time that both he and fellow opener Dave Warner registered big scores to help set up Australia’s innings.

In the first four ODIs, Watson has only hit 84 runs at 21 with a high score of 28 and Warner has not done much better with 91 at 22.75 and a best effort of 40.

“(On) the batting side of things, me (and) Dave Warner, we’ve got to go on and get a big score to really set the platform for the batting innings,” Watson said.

“Unfortunately, I haven’t been good enough, getting off to a good start but then not going on with it. That’s something I personally need to sort out because it isn’t good enough especially when chasing a bigger total.”

Andy Murray: Bounced back with victory in Miami

Andy Murray has claimed coach Ivan Lendl has become a steadying influence on his career.

Murray launched his Sony Ericsson Open title bid with a comfortable 6-3 6-2 win over Alejandro Falla – with the victory the world No.4′s first at this event in three years.

Murray was coming off a surprise second-round defeat by Guillermo Garcia-Lopez at Indian Wells last time out, but his dismissal of world number 71 Falla suggests the Scot is coming back to form.

And it was Lendl who assured Murray there was little wrong with his game after the loss to Garcia-Lopez, putting the Scot at ease ahead of the trip to Miami, this week.

“I spoke to him,” Murray said. “The first thing he said to me was, ‘Don’t worry about it at all. Don’t overthink it’.

Basics

“He actually said that if he had had his way he would never have played at Indian Wells because he didn’t like the conditions there.

“I spoke to all of the guys. Everyone said, ‘Your attitude was good in practice. You did everything that they asked you to do off the court’.

“Then when we got on the court here we just got back to working on all of the stuff I was doing before Dubai, before Australia, and just got back to doing the basics.”

That brought the reward of an opening win against Falla, with Murray now in the last 32 and looking for a long run.

“I didn’t do anything incredible, but I was very, very solid,” Murray said. “I made him work really hard and did all the basics well. That can get you wins and builds confidence. That’s what I needed.”

David Hussey made 57 off 54 balls before being cleaned up by Kemar Roach

Adrian Barath marked his return to the side with 41 at the top of the order

Kieron Pollard: Smashed his way to a second ODI century at St Lucia

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Kieron Pollard smashed a 69-ball century to put West Indies on the brink of a rare one-day series triumph over Australia.

The powerful all-rounder bludgeoned 102 off just 70 deliveries in the fourth one-day international at St Lucia – a knock which paved the way for the hosts to claim a 42-run victory and move 2-1 ahead in the series with one game to play.

Pollard’s contribution powered West Indies up to 294-7 batting first and Australia, despite a counter-attacking half-century from Brett Lee (59), never seriously threatened in reply – slumping to 252 all out.

The teams will meet again at the same venue on Sunday with a West Indies victory seeing them register a first ODI series win over Australia since 1994/95, when they came out 4-1 victors on home soil.

Watchful

A devastating late assault from Pollard and captain Darren Sammy helped propel West Indies up to their highest ever ODI total at the Beausejour Stadium.

The pair combined as 145 runs were taken from the final 12 overs – fireworks which were much-needed after the West Indies struggled to keep the scoreboard moving initially.

The recalled Adrian Barath did most of the early work, contributing 41 of the 56 runs on the board when he was the first man out, edging behind off Clint McKay (1-57).

Twenty-one overs had gone when Marlon Samuels followed for 11, again finding the wicketkeeper off Lee, with the score on just 83.

Johnson Charles’ watchful innings ended on 37, caught at long on off Xavier Doherty and the spinner then had Dwayne Bravo trapped lbw on the next ball for a duck to leave the hosts rocking on 106-4.

But that brought Pollard to the crease and the home side began to up the ante. Darren Bravo added 25 and Andre Russell 34, but it was Sammy who got into the spirit of the big-hitting finish the most as he and Pollard smashed the ball around the park with abandon.

Pollard smashed a six – his eighth in total – off the second ball of the final over to move on to 102 and record only a second hundred in 55 ODI appearances, but was then caught by Mike Hussey in the deep off Lee’s next delivery.

Even so, the hosts added 23 off the final over – with Sammy smashing a six, a four and a six after Pollard’s exit – as they reached a daunting 294-7 at the close.

Much of Australia’s hopes of surpassing their target rested on openers David Warner and Shane Watson, however West Indies made the ideal start when Dwayne Bravo removed the former with his first delivery in the second over.

Watson, captaining the side in place of the injured Michael Clarke, looked threatening early on, however he was unable to press on after making 28 off 24 deliveries.

Watson and Peter Forrest (24) both fell to Sammy’s medium-pacers as Australia crashed to 62-3 in the 11th over.

Fairytale

Michael Hussey and George Bailey cautiously rebuilt the innings, albeit at no great rate, and with the pressure telling, both fell in the space of three Russell (2-34) deliveries.

That left David Hussey to forge an almost solitary battle – a job he made a fine fist of by adding 57 off 54 balls.

The Nottinghamshire right-hander found the boundary on seven occasions, but Aussie hopes of victory appeared over when he was clean bowled by Roach during the batting powerplay.

Roach (2-74) was then guilty of bowling a high no-ball which rapped fellow quick Lee on the hand, a play which only served to kick the Aussie veteran into action.

He proceeded to take 24 off Roach’s next over, clearing his front leg and launching the Barbados paceman to all parts of the ground.

Lee went to his third one-day half-century with a six off Russell and another maximum next ball saw him go to his highest-ever total in 216 one-day internationals.

But there was to be no fairytale ending for Lee, who was the last man to fall with Australia still well short of their target.

Isoa Damudamu: The England ace breaks away against Argentina

England came through their opening game of the Hong Kong Sevens unscathed, but both Wales and Scotland suffered defeats.

England trailed Argentina twice in the latest leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series before Ben Ryan’s men were able to secure a 19-10 in their only match on Friday.

Tries from Dan Norton, Rob Vickerman and Mat Turner sealed the win – with games against Samoa and Kenya to follow on Saturday. USA Sevens champions Samoa opened up their challenge in Pool A with a 19-7 win over Kenya.

Wales were left to rue missed chances as they lost 10-0 to South Africa – with Boom Prinsloo and Cecil Afrika scoring the tries.

Wales will face New Zealand and the USA on Saturday. Despite missing leading try-scorer Frank Halai, vice-captain Lote Raikabula, Solomon King and Toby Arnold, New Zealand were still too strong for the USA as they won 29-5.

Scotland’s hopes of causing an upset against Fiji quickly vanished as they were thumped 39-5, with Australia toppling France 31-10 in the other Pool C game.

Stefano Domenicali: Confident Ferrari can solve their current problems

Ferrari Team Principal Stefano Domenicali says there is “no magic stick” the Scuderia can wave as they seek a cure for their early-season woes.

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Sky Sports F1 HD is THE only place to watch the 2012 Formula One season in full. We will have live and exclusive coverage of the Malaysian Grand Prix starting with P1 on Friday.FRIDAY – P1 from 1.45am. P2 from 5.45amSATURDAY – P3 from 4.45am. Q from 7amSUNDAY – Race from 7.30amTo find out all the different ways to watch the action, click here

It was another muted performance from the Italian marque in opening practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix on Friday, with Fernando Alonso sixth fastest in the afternoon session while Felipe Massa finished 16th.

Alonso wrestled a fifth-place finish from the troublesome F2012 in Melbourne last week and Domenicali admitted that, with back-to-back races leaving them no time in which to introduce the improvements they require, Ferrari would need a similar performance at Sepang.

“In one week I think it is important at least, as we have already said, we have identified issues on the car and we are working at home to solve it. At the moment we need to maximise what we’re doing on the track and that’s it,” he said.

“In the race everything can happen, so we need to be focused then. And of course with no magic stick you can’t do anything.”

Little steps

Domenicali admitted that the situation left him feeling unhappy but stressed that the competitiveness of F1 means that small improvements matter.

“I am confident that our engineers will solve the issues we have as quickly as possible because in such a close field a little step makes a difference, and in such a close battle, when you are in a difficult moment, you need to score points because everything can happen,” he said.

“(I’m) not happy as I said but not to be happy doesn’t help, and I’ve asked my engineers to be focused on the job because that is what they have to do.”

After Ferrari’s disappointing weekend in Australia, both Domenicali and Technical Director Pat Fry returned to the team’s Maranello base.

Explaining the decision, Domenicali said: “What we did was to make sure that the focus on the programme has to be there at home with the engineers, mainly in the aerodynamic department.

“I’ve asked Pat to be spot on, on the case, in order to make sure that now that there is a lot of meat on the fire, we need to make sure this meat will be delivered as quickly as possible, as there is no time to lose.”

Confidence

Domenicali, who summed up Ferrari’s current problems as “traction in low-speed corners and speed” also said the decision to hand Felipe Massa a new chassis this weekend was in order to build his confidence.

The Brazilian struggled with an ill-balanced car last week before his retirement from the Australian Grand Prix and is using Ferrari’s spare chassis in Malaysia as they try and work out whether a problem exists with the first.

Lewis Hamilton is confident that he is in good shape to win the Malaysian GP after improving the balance of his MP4-27 during Friday’s practice sessions.

THE ONLY PLACE TO BE

Sky Sports F1 HD is THE only place to watch the 2012 Formula One season in full. We will have live and exclusive coverage of the Malaysian Grand Prix starting with P1 on Friday.FRIDAY – P1 from 1.45am. P2 from 5.45amSATURDAY – P3 from 4.45am. Q from 7amSUNDAY – Race from 7.30amTo find out all the different ways to watch the action, click here

Responding in impressive fashion to the disappointment of finishing third in Australia, Hamilton set the pace in both of Friday’s outings – leaving the McLaren driver in a positive frame of mind ahead of what is bound to be a challenging weekend at the demanding Sepang circuit.

“It’s been a good day for me,” Hamilton reported. “We’ve made a few changes to the balance of the car since the last race and I’m much happier.

“Around here, overtaking will be a little more possible than in Melbourne. Nevertheless, starting from the front will still be the best position for the race, and that’s what I’ll be going for tomorrow.”

Yet, though Hamilton’s pace was outstanding, it’s widely thought that tyre conservation could be the critical factor in determining the identity of Sunday’s race winner.

“Looking after your tyres is going to be a really tough call, trying to stop the sliding and driving with understeer if you can while keeping the lap times up,” Hamilton added.

Last Sunday in Melbourne, Hamilton’s team-mate Jenson Button appeared to nurse his tyres far more successfully than his compatriot, but even the 2009 World Champion acknowledges that managing degradation will be a tough challenge in the heat of Malaysia.

“It’s tough on both tyres around here with the humidity and the heat,” Button said. “Unless the circuit improves a great deal, there is going to be quite a few (pit) stops out there.”

Brad Haddin: Staying in Australia

Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has confirmed he will not return to the tour of the West Indies after returning home for personal reasons.

Haddin’s understudy in the original squad, Matthew Wade, is now almost to make his Test debut.

New South Wales gloveman Peter Nevill, who headed to the Caribbean following Haddin’s recent return home, will stay on for the rest of the tour.

Haddin, 34, originally travelled to the West Indies with Australia’s limited-overs squad before returning home.

Family reasons

And while Cricket Australia initially suggested there was hope he would return to the Caribbean in time for the first Test at Kensington Oval from April 8, they have since revealed he will be staying at home for “family reasons”.

“Cricket Australia fully supports Brad’s decision to remain in Australia and sends its best wishes to him and his family at this time,” said Pat Howard, Cricket Australia’s general manager for team performance.

Meanwhile, Test skipper Michael Clarke will leave Australia for the Caribbean on Sunday morning to continue his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury.