Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates with the trophy after winning the final against Austria’s Dominic Thiem. Photo: Reuters

PARIS: Rafael Nadal has cast doubt on his participation at Wimbledon, saying he needs to see how his body recovers after a long clay court campaign culminated in an 11th French Open title.

Two of the Spaniard’s 17 Grand Slam titles came on the All England Club’s lawns, but the 32-year-old has struggled to make an impact there in recent years.

“Difficult for me to think about it now. I had a long and mentally tough clay court season, of course, because I played almost all the matches possible after coming from an injury. So it was a demanding two months for me,” Nadal told reporters after his 6-4 6-3 6-2 defeat of Dominic Thiem in Paris.

Nadal, who also won the titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Rome this year, is entered for the Queen’s Club warm-up tournament starting next week but says he will consult with his team, including coach Carlos Moya, over the next few days.

“I would love to be playing in as many places as possible, but you understand I need to check how I feel in the next couple of days,” Nadal said.

“Of course it’s a drastic change from clay to grass. I did it in the past when I was much younger, quicker, because I played back to back.”

Twenty-times Grand Slam champion Roger Federer, the world number two, skipped the clay court season to concentrate on Wimbledon, where he will be going for a ninth title.

Nadal spent several months away from the tour after sustaining an injury at this year’s Australian Open and could, like Federer, decide that his long-term interests are best-served by sparing his body further punishment.

It is common knowledge that the lower-bouncing ball on grass puts extra strain on the knees that have bothered him at times throughout his career.

Yet Nadal also knows he could be a threat after playing impressively last year before falling in the last 16, losing a classic tussle against Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller.

“Last year I felt that I had a good opportunity to go far in the tournament. I felt myself playing well on grass last year,” the Spaniard said.

India’s Mohammed Shami bowls. Photo: Reuters

NEW DELHI: Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami has not been passed fit for Thursday’s test match against Afghanistan and will be replaced by uncapped paceman Navdeep Saini, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Monday.

Shami last played for India against South Africa in January before being embroiled in a corruption scandal, which he was cleared of by the BCCI in March.

The 28-year-old played four matches for the Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League earlier this year.

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Navdeep Saini as Mohammed Shami’s replacement in the Indian Test team for the upcoming Paytm Test against Afghanistan,” the BCCI said in a statement.

Shami joins injured wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha on the sidelines as the latter recovers from a thumb injury.

Saini has taken 96 wickets in 31 first-class matches and has impressed for Delhi at the domestic Ranji Trophy tournament.

The 25-year-old has also been named in the India A squad that will tour England next month.

Following the Afghanistan test, India begin their tour of England in July with three Twenty20 internationals and three one-day internationals before a five-test series starting in August.

South Africa’s Dale Steyn reacts after injuring himself at the WACA Ground in Perth. Photo: Reuters

CAPE TOWN: Fast bowler Dale Steyn has been recalled to South Africa’s test squad for the two-match tour of Sri Lanka next month, providing him with another opportunity to become his country’s most prolific wicket-taker in five-day cricket.

Fellow seamer Kagiso Rabada, the number one ranked bowler in tests, has also been included after overcoming a back injury that left his participation in doubt.

The 34-year-old Steyn, currently on a short-term contract with Hampshire having been plagued by injury over the last two-and-a-half years, is three wickets short of a milestone that has frustratingly eluded him in recent times.

He made a comeback after 13 months out due to shoulder problems when he opened the bowling in January’s first test victory over India at Newlands, only to hurt his heel.

Steyn’s shoulder problems began in December 2015, and about a year later he broke his right shoulder and tore three major muscles during the first test against Australia in Perth.

He has 419 wickets in 86 tests at an average of 22.32 and regarded as among the sport’s greatest fast bowlers for his ability to take wickets in all conditions.

South Africa are seeking to continue their fine form after home test series wins over India and Australia this year as they begin life without batting stalwart AB de Villiers, who retired from all forms of international cricket last month.

They have also included uncapped leg-spinner Shaun von Berg, as well as recalling wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi as back-up to incumbent slow bowler Keshav Maharaj on what are expected to be turning wickets in Sri Lanka.

“A key factor in our selection process was to cover all our bases and all possible conditions that we may encounter in Sri Lanka,” Cricket South Africa national selection panel convener Linda Zondi said in a statement on Monday.

“The two additional spinners to back up Keshav Maharaj have both had excellent records in recent times in our domestic cricket. Von Berg also gives us additional batting strength in the lower order.”

The only other uncapped player in the squad is Heinrich Klaasen, who provides wicketkeeping cover for Quinton de Kock, but is also a contender for a specialist batting position with the retirement of De Villiers.

The first test will be played in Galle from July 12-16 and the second in Colombo starting four days later, followed by a two-match one-day international series.

Squad:

Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Lungisani Ngidi, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Shaun von Berg.

Scotland’s Calum MacLeod in action. Photo: Reuters

EDINBURGH: Scotland’s cricketers pulled off the greatest victory in their history to beat England for the first time amid scenes of disbelief and jubilation at the tiny Grange ground in Edinburgh on Sunday.

The world’s top-ranked ODI team lost by six runs after just failing to pull off what would have been the second highest one-day international run chase.

Scotland’s Safyaan Sharif sparked a pitch invasion when he trapped Mark Wood lbw with an inswinging yorker in the 49th over just when England looked like they might avoid an infamous defeat that ranks alongside their loss to Ireland at the 2011 World Cup.

England were all out for 365 after Scotland made 371 for five, their highest total in a one-day international.

Scotland’s victory will send out a powerful message to the ICC, which voted to restrict the 2019 World Cup to 10 teams from the previous 14, which makes it far more difficult for second-tier sides to qualify.

Scotland’s innings included 45 fours and eight sixes and was anchored by Calum MacLeod who made an unbeaten 140.

“I hit it nicely,” said MacLeod, who plays club cricket for Bexley in England. “It was a lovely feeling and nice to do it in a crowd this big. Anything above 350 is a big total.”

Kyle Coetzer (58) and Matthew Cross (48) had got the innings off to a strong start with an opening partnership of 103 and George Munsey weighed in with 55.

The visitors, playing their first one-day game of the season, were given a hurricane start by Jonny Bairstow who hit a brilliant 105 to become the first Englishman to post three successive ODI centuries.

But Jason Roy (34), Eoin Morgan (20) and Alex Hales (52) departed to careless shots while Joe Root (29) was needlessly run out. Moeen Ali tried to repair the damage with a 33-ball 46 but England had left themselves too much to do.

Spinner Mark Watt was Scotland’s best bowler with three for 55.

“The level of expectation has been high around the team for a while, it doesn’t get higher than being number one in the world,” said Morgan, whose side now face a five-match one-day series against Australia starting on Wednesday.

“I don’t think we were far away, we go to a ground now that we know really well in The Oval, and we’ll be up for the challenge.”