BRADY: WE NEED SOME REAL STEEL
ROY’S CHASING MORE RONNIE IS SO TIP TOP
The American equalled the lowest score of the week with six birdies and an eagle in a flawless 64 to finish the day a shot behind England’s Tyrrell Hatton – who birdied four of his last eight holes in a 68.
“I’m very happy with that,” said world No.23 Hatton, who won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship last year and finished fifth in The Open.
“I got off to a bit of a slow start but holed a couple of putts on the back nine and I’m very happy with the day’s work in the end.”
At 13 under par, Hatton (above) holds a one- shot l ead over Johnson, three-time champion Martin Kaymer, ENGLAND’S one-day hitmen know they may have to raise the bar even higher to turn their fortunes around on India’s run-packed pitches. Despite racking up more than 700 runs in two 50-over internationals they have ended up on the losing side on both occasions. And while the bowlers have been criticised for failing to take wickets in the middle overs, England’s batsmen can also be accused of underachieving – despite the big totals. Opener Jason Roy said: “We want to finish the series on a high and every game between now and the Champions Trophy is a stepping block for us. “We have a huge amount of positives to take from the last two games and although we got outplayed we put in some serious performances. “We just got undone by some individual performances that were outstanding.” Roy made 73 in the first one-dayer in Pune and then top-scored with 82 in Cuttack but was undone by spinner Ravi Jadeja on both occasions MIKE SWANN with a century there for the taking. He said: “Both times I needed to stay in and make big hundreds and I should have done.
“As it was, our batting unit got us up to 350 and 360 but I’m never happy with just a good start. Winning games for England is at the forefront of my mind so I’ve got to be a bit disappointed with getting out for 70 and 80. “We’ve got to make our mark on India a bit.” Joe Root made his seventh half-century in nine one-day innings in Cuttack but has failed to convert any of those knocks into three figures.
India, meanwhile, can already boast four century-makers in the series.
Sam Billings is expected to partner Roy for the last of the three one-day clashes in Kolkata today, after Alex Hales’ broken hand forced him to pull out of the tour.
Hales will also miss the T20 series starting on Thursday, with Jonny Bairstow taking his place. ALEX MILLER NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS quarterback Tom Brady says it will take his side’s “best game of the year” to make it to next month’s Super Bowl in Houston.
Bill Belichick’s Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers tonight with a trip to Texas on the line looking for a repeat of their 27-16 win against the same side in Pennsylvania earlier in the season.
That victory, though, was against a Steelers side without their starting quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, who has since returned from injury to lead his side to the brink of a Super Bowl spot with nine wins in a row.
And Brady (below) knows the size of the challenge ahead. He said: “We have to play our best game of the year. That’s what it comes down to. “We’ve got to all do whatever it takes to be at our best for those three hours. “They put a lot of pressure on you in a lot of areas. They’re tough to prepare for. We’re going to have rise to the occasion.
“Since we played them their defence have been dominant. Very good in the secondary – dependable – and very good against the run. Their linebackers are some of the best in the league.
“They are a very mentally tough team, well-coached, have a great scheme and they pressure the quarterback. They do a lot of things well.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us facing that defence. I know our defence has its work cut out for them facing that offence. It’s going to be a great game.”
The winner of the AFC Championship will face their NFC counterparts on February 5.
That team will also be decided tonight as Green Bay travel to Atlanta looking to extend their run of eight wins in a row, including last week’s last-gasp victory over Dallas.
But they may be without wide-receiver Davante Adams, who has an ankle problem. A decision on whether he can play or not will only be made today. CRAIG JONES DEFENDING champion Ronnie O’Sullivan overcame a split cue tip to reach his 12th Masters final with a 6-4 win over Marco Fu at Alexandra Palace in London.
Hong Kong’s Fu opened with breaks of 110 and 89 to lead 2-1 before O’Sullivan needed to repair his cue.
He returned with breaks of 122, 95, 82 and 55 but Fu replied with 141 – the highest of the tournament – and 89, before O’Sullivan’s 69 put him through to today’s final.
O’Sullivan, who has been beaten in three finals this season, is aiming to win the Masters for a record seventh time.
He started slowly but the change of tip seemed to inspire him as he made frame-winning contributions at every opportunity.
He said: “It is probably the best match I have won, given the circumstances. The way he was playing, the massive tournament it is and a new tip.
“I had my cue tip over a kettle because the steam softens it up but it had no affect.
“I just could not play any shots, I had no touch or feel, so I had to put a new tip on. I was lucky it was a decent one.”
Fu, runner-up in 2011, said: “It is better to lose like this than for me to collapse and miss easy shots.
“If he plays like that in the end, you can’t do anything. I am not too upset about it.”