Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/288366
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 2 APRIL 2014 Sport 22 MOTORSPORTS FORMULA 1 CRICKET Victory for Abela and Zammit ON Sunday 30th March, Assoc- jazzjoni Sport Muturi u Karo- zzi organized the 11th Autocross event of the ASMK - Pasta Poiatti National Championship. A look into the day's events run on an excellent damp track surface throughout the day. No driver won all his three Heats on the day. Yet the competitors for Class A were Christian Mark Galea on a Fiat Ritmo, Melo Zammit on his Ford Escort, Josef Grech on a Ford Fies- ta, Gordon Johnson on his Peugeot 205, Philip Joe Vella on a Vaux- hall Nova and Vince Farrugia on a Volkswagen Polo. From the Start Johnson, Zam- mit, Galea and Grech made an excellent launch together for the first 200 meters. Following the first right hander Johnson took the lead ahead of Galea and Zam- mit while Grech and Farrugia bat- tled behind. The pressure on the leaders was high when suddenly in the large curved track area John- son lost one of his front wheels and obviously retired. Galea took the lead ahead of Zammit and Far- rugia. Farrugia added pressure on Galea's Ritmo for a couple of Laps when Galea engine died of a me- chanical failure and halted along the track. Zammit held his lead to the Finish while Farrugia and Grech followed in 2nd and 3rd places respectively. Vella finished in 4th place. Class B finalists were Jason Martin on a Volkswagen Polo, Ry- an Scerri on an Opel Corsa, Josef Abela on his Vauxhall Nova, Philip Grima on his Ford Escort, Kurt Sammut on a Ford Ka and Malcom Borg on an Opel Corsa. Abela, Sammut and Scerri made a very good start but it was Abela who took the lead at the first corner ahead of Sammut and Scerri while Martin and Borg battled at some distance back. Martin resisted the pressure from Borg to the Last Lap when Borg managed to overtake Martin to the Flag. Abela won his first race of the season. Sammut and Scerri followed in 2nd and 3rd places while Borg finished ahead of Martin in 5th place. The Gozo Autocross Finals was run between three drivers. Do- menic Zammit made a very good start ahead of Joseph Agius and Joseph Vella both on Fiesta cars. Some meters before the 2nd lap was concluded Agius passed Zam- mit and held his position all along the race to the Finish Flag. Zam- mit and Vella finished in 2nd and 3rd places respectively. ASMK wish to express the grati- tude to thank Onor. Dr. Stefan Buontempo for his success in the post of Parl. Sec. for Research, In- novation, the Youth and Sport. ASMK welcomes Onor. Chris Ag- ius in his new posting and wish him success. Next races for Autocross and Motocross will be held next Sun- day 6th April. First race starts at noon. Practice sessions will be held next Saturday afternoon from 2.00pm at the ASMK Sport com- plex at Ta Qali. More information is available at www.asmk.org.mt Räikkönen: I will be faster in Sakhir KIMI Räikkönen believes he will be quicker in Bahrain this weekend having made a step forward in Ma- laysia. The 2007 Formula 1 World Champion had to settle for twelfth at the Sepang International Circuit on Sunday after his race was com- promised when Kevin Magnus- sen ran into the back of him in the early stages. Despite that, however, it wasn't all bad and he will be out now to put what he learnt to good use. "What can we expect in Bahrain?" he pondered in the countdown to the third round in the 2014 F1 World Championship. "[Well] in Malaysia, you couldn't see it because of what happened on the first lap, but I felt I made a step forward in terms of un- derstanding the tools I have to work with, so I think we can be better prepared this weekend. That should give us faster lap times and better positions." "After testing in Bahrain in the winter, we go back there with much more experience and knowledge after the first two races," he added. "We must put that learning to good use for this race. "There is a lot to do, but everyone in the team is pushing hard to sort things out as quickly as we can," he concluded. Marsa lose series 2-1 WHAT a busy Weekend for Malta Cricket which started on Friday, playing against new touring team Ploughman's C.C from England. A Weekend of many runs, centuries and a remarkable all round effort from Nowell Khosla. When the teams turned up on Sunday the series was at a tie, so winner takes all. Ploughman's bat- ted first and P.Hynes did just that for them scoring a hunred and eleven runs which included eight fours and five sixes. M.Callanan made ninet y runs being Nowell Khosla's first wicket from seven, Khosla equalled the most wick- ets in an innings but missed out on having the best figures by ten runs. The visitors managed 276 runs being bowled out in the thirt y sixth over. Khosla determined to make headlines made a brilliant knock of a hundred and twent y runs, this being his seventh century overall and his second personal best. In the run chase he had support from Sid Anand (thirt y six runs), Zubair Raja (thirt y two runs) and Mal- colm Crabbe (twent y three runs). In the end the Marsa could only total 274 runs, a great run chase but to no avail. For Ploughman's N.Ridgeway was the main wicket taker with three. Ploughman's win the game and the series. Saturday was a special day for Malta Cricket with the Marsa Colts playing against Verdala School where the colts batted first and made 128 runs while Verdala could only manage 84. On Saturday Marsa had batted first making a 296 run total with Frank Spiteri at his best making a hundred and twelve (his twen- t y fourth century against tour- ing teams). Niraj Khanna batted well and made sevent y three. For the visitors G.Wolledge and Tom Lonnen were the main bowlers taking two wickets each. Ploughman's were bowled out for 169 runs with R.Turner top scor- ing with sixt y seven runs. Kevin Krishna and Joy Ghoseroy were the main wicket takers for Marsa with three each. The Friday twent y over game was over fairly quickly with the Marsa side being bowled out for 88 runs, Tom Lonnen doing the most devastation taking three early wickets. P.Hynes (thirt y six runs) and Steve Britto (twent y four runs) were the high scorers in the Ploughman's victory. Next weekend sees the return of Harrow School who will be on their tenth tour, and Royal Grammar School Worcester who will be on their first visit.