The Island, Thursday 10th August, 2006 Jones’s comment was an off-air joke Dean Jones, who has said as bit of a joke, for his just turned around and African team, as well as to ensure that such offen- been sacked by Ten Sports fellow commentators. It made a stupid, ridiculous saying sorry to the bowler sive and insensitive after he was caught on live was a joke in poor taste, off-the-wall comment that directly. “I got hold of remarks do not happen television referring to but he thought it was dur- unfortunately was picked and I spoke again.” Hashim Amla as “terror- ing a break.” up in the background and, to him for a certain Boundary Breakers, ist”, made the remark in It was an ad-break on as television people always amount of time,” he said. the sports marketing com- jest to fellow commenta- Ten Sports, but to Jones’s know, the microphone is “I gave him my sincerest pany representing Amla’s tors unaware that the feed misfortune the moment apologies and he was gra- was live, Cricinfo has was cious enough to accept it. business interests, has learned. dismissed was shown on He said ‘I hope you get condemned the stereotyp- While there is unanim- SuperSport,who were through this ugly situa- ing. “While it acknowl- ity in the commentators’ beaming the match in tion that you are going edges Jones’s apology and fraternity that Jones had South Africa. And Jones through’.” remorse at making these to go after being heard said: “The terrorist has “We have a zero toler- comments, Boundary making such a politically got another ”. always live,” Jones said. ance policy for any expres- Breakers also commends insensitive remark, Jones A contrite Jones, who “There was only one coun- sion of racial stereotyping television company “10 did not say it on live televi- will reportedly keep his try in the world that didn’t and prejudice and con- Sport” [sic] for acting sion, or at least did not commentary position on take the ad break live and demn in the strongest pos- swiftly in sacking Jones think he was doing so. Australian radio, that was South Africa. It sible terms the comments from further commentat- “It was unfortunate,” a described his moment of was picked up by a few member of the production madness to reporters after viewers.” made by Mr Jones,” Ten ing duties during the Test team said. “It was daft of landing in his hometown Jones, 45, said he had Sports said in an apolo- and one-day series,” the Jones to say what he did. of Melbourne. “I waited written a full-page apology getic media release. “We company said in a media But to be honest, it was four or five seconds and I to Amla and the South are reviewing our systems release.

Classic one-wicket wins in Tests Ganguly listed among probables NEW DELHI (AP) - Former news agency. SWEDEN, Gothenburg: French Mohamed-Khaled Belabbas (R) crashes during the 15* England (183 & 263-9) beat Australia (324 & 121) The Oval 1902 Indian Sourav Ganguly, Ganguly, 33, is India's most suc- Men's 3000m Steeplechase at the 19th European Athletics Championships in 48* South Africa (91 & 287-9) beat England (184 & 190) Johannesburg 1905/06 who was dropped from the nation- cessful captain. He has scored Gothenburg, Sweden, yesterday. 39* England (382 & 282-9) beat Australia (266 & 397) Melbourne 1907/08 al team amid poor form, made his 5,221 runs in 88 test matches at an 5* England (183 & 173-9) beat South Africa (113 & 242) Cape Town 1922/23 comeback Wednesday into the average of 48.79, including 12 cen- team of probables for the upcom- turies. His reign as national skip- 38* Australia (216 & 260-9) beat West Indies (272 & 203) Melbourne 1951/52 ing Champions Trophy. per lasted five years and included SLC Academy sweep Malaysia series 4* New Zealand (249 & 104-9) beat West Indies (140 & 212) Dunedin 1979/80 Ganguly was among the 30 play- 21 test wins and 76 limited-overs 57* Pakistan (256 & 315-9) beat Australia (337 & 232) Karachi 1994/95 ers from whom selectors will victories, but his leadership came Sri Lanka Academy, touring Sri Lanka Academy 258 for 9 in 50 9* West Indies (329 & 311-9) beat Australia (490 & 146) Bridgetown 1998/99 choose the national team for the under a cloud last year due to poor Malaysia, thrashed their National team by overs (Danuka Pathirana 80, Harsha 19* West Indies (273 & 216-9) beat Pakistan (269 & 219) St John's 1999/00 October-November Champions form and a public dispute 173 runs in their final limited overs match Withana 45, Dilruwan Perera 38, Nisal to clinch the series 4-0, on Tuesday. Randika 37) 5* Pakistan (175 & 262-9) beat Bangladesh (281 & 154) Multan 2003 Trophy, Niranjan Shah, secretary with coach Greg Chappell during of the Board of Control for the tour of Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka Academy scored 258 for 9 Malaysia National Team 85 all out in 2* Sri Lanka (321 & 352-9) beat South Africa (361 & 311) Colombo (PSS) 2006 Cricket in India, was quoted as He was replaced as captain by in their 50 overs and shot out Malaysia 39.1 overs (Upul Indrasiri 3-11, Dilruwan *10th wicket stand - cricinfo.com saying by Press Trust of India Rahul Dravid. National team for 85 runs in 39.1 overs. Perera 3-17)

We never gave up hope – Prince An understandably disappointed South African cap- tain Ashwell Prince said his team had never given up hope of winning the second test even when the home side reached lunch on the final day needing just 19 runs for victory with four in hand. "I told them that, if we could take a quick wicket after lunch then we could take the last three for less than ten runs," Prince said following Sri Lanka's dramatic 1- wicket triumph, just the 11th single wicket win in test his- tory. "I told them that we would fight until the very last run had been scored, and that's exactly what we did." "With all the rough out there and with Murali and the last man (Lasith Malinga) to come, we really believed that anything could happen, and it nearly did for us. The guys stuck it out superbly," Prince said. "The ways the guys fought was great. We played better and better as the series progressed and, if we'd taken a few more chances then we could have won," Prince said. But just as important was the hamstring injury to which prevented the Proteas' spearhead from bowling on the final day. "We tried to keep Makhaya on the ground on the fourth day so that, when the new ball became available on the last morning, he could take it. We were hoping that, with overnight treatment and rest, he would be fine on the last morning but, unfortunately, he still has a nig- gle so we didn't want to risk him," Prince said. "But this Sri Lankan team is very good and, in home conditions, they play even better. Muralitheran is a world beater and he was, rightly, named as the man-of-the- series," Prince said. "Coming so close but not actually squaring the series is a big disappointment but it's a big thing for me that I got 100 percent support from everybody else in the team. We all knew that missing some very big players would mean that we all had to pull together and that's exactly what happened," Prince said. – Super Sport

Published by Upali Newspapers Ltd, 223, Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13. and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Thursday 10th August, 2006