Tuesday 4th January, 2011

Under-19 team picked for series ArjunaArjuna against England wantswants corruptioncorruption allegationsallegations

Bhanuka Rajapaksha probedprobed BY REEMUS FERNANDO The Junior National Selectors have picked a 16-member Arjuna Ranatunga Under-19 team headed by former Royal College skipper Bhanuka BY ROSHEN STEELMAN fighting. When these things happen Aluthgamage had requested to bring to Ministers about wrongdoings but none Rajapaksha who will meet England Parliamentarian and World Cup during the World Cup it will his notice if there were sports bodies of them managed to take necessary Under-19 in two Youth Tests and five winning Arjuna Ranatunga not carry a good message to the inter- that were corrupt. action and I believe Minister Youth ODIs from mid January, made a request from President national public,” Ranatunga said. Incidentally, Ranatunga’s younger Altuthgamage is a capable person to according to Sports Ministry Mahinda Rajapakse and the govern- “The World Cup will be a good brother Nishantha is the Secretary of take necessary action against these ele- sources. ment to postpone the Local Council opportunity for the government to the Cricket Interim Committee and is ments,” Ranatunga added. The team captained by Elections which is scheduled to be held improve the Sri Lankan image globally under the scanner for several dubious At the same time he added that tak- Rajapaksha includes several players in March to take the best advantage in after the war has ended. Holding the activities including claiming Rs. 3 mil- ing drastic action against the Cricket who toured England last year and promoting the country during the ICC Local Council Election during the lion as travel allowances. Interim Committee right now would several players who are eligible to Cricket World Cup that gets underway World Cup will not help this cause,” the Ranatunga’s former team mate D.S. hamper Sri Lanka’s preparations for play next year’s Youth World Cup. on the 19th of February. Addressing a World Cup winning captain added. de Silva is the Chairman of the Cricket the World Cup and requested the Rajapaksha was a key batsman in media briefing in Nugegoda yesterday, Ranatunga also hit out at some Interim Committee and he appointed Minister to wait till the World Cup is the Under-19 team for the last Youth Ranatunga also requested Sports sports bodies asking the Sports two of his two nephews to oversee the over to clean up the mess. World Cup and was also in the team’s Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage Minister to probe allegations against functions of the World Cup for salaries In a recent talk show in India that tour of England last year. St. Sebastian’s paceman Sanitha to probe corruption charges against them. of Rs. 550,000 and Rs. 275,000. comprised former captains Imran de Mel, Richmond opener Yasodha some of the sports bodies. He singled out the Sports Ministry, All in all, the two nephews of the Khan, Viv Ricards and Kapil Dev, Lanka, St. Peter’s speedster Lahiru “Normally in Sri Lanka we can see Cricket Interim Committee and the Chairman are the highest paid employ- Ranatunga said that Sri Lanka will go Jayaratne, St. Anthony’s spinner conflicts between political parties dur- National Olympic Committee as some ees at . onto win the World Cup while the other Saranga Rajaguru (formerly ing an election and sometimes even of the corrupt sports bodies. During “From the day I went to Parliament three Test captains tipped India to tri- Nugawela Central) and current Royal members from the same party end up the recent budget debate, Minister I have been informing all the Sports umph. College captain Ramith Rambukwella are the players who have been retained from the team that toured England last year along with Rajapaksha. Premier Limited Over Tournament Lumbini spinner Maduka Liyanapathiranage (formerly CliffordClifford CupCup BoBoxingxing C’C’shipship President’s College) who was a part Dilshan of the last Youth World Cup has also been included in the team. Shehan Jayasuriya of Prince of Wales, Mahinda skipper Kaushalya stars in Gajasinghe, Richmond captain Dananjaya de Silva and St. Joseph’s skipper Chathuranga Kumara, for- Tamil mer Maris Stella College player Angelo Jayasinghe, Mahanama’s Duleeka Thissakuttige and Anandian Ruwinda Shamen are the Union all-rounders making into the side. Dilshan Josephian spinner Supeshala Jayathilaka has also secured a place win each in the squad. Sri Lanka Under-19 Squad: BY ROSHEN STEELMAN Bhanuka Rajapaksha (Captain), Sanitha de Mel, Shehan Jayasuriya, Opening batsman Kaushalya Gajasinghe, Yasodha Tillekeratne Dilshan ham- 36, A. Silva 40, C. Wijesinghe Lanka, Dananjaya de Silva, Angelo mered an unbeaten 133 to 76, S. Saman 20, C. Jayasinghe, Lahiru Jayaratne, help Tamil Union beat Welagedera 3 for 31, I. Udana Chathuranga Kumara, Ruwinda Lankan CC by nine 2 for 52) Shamen, Lasith Abeyratne, Saranga in a Premier Limited Over Tamil Union: 235 for 1 in Rajaguru, Maduka Tournament match played at 28 overs (T. Dilshan 133 n.o, Liyanapathiranage, Supeshala Jayathilaka, Duleeka Thissakuttige, P. Sara Oval yesterday. After G. Rupasinghe 85) Ramith Rambukwella. restricting Lankan CC for Stand by players: Hiran 230, Dilshan helped the hosts SSC cruise to seven win Wickramasekara (St. Anthony’s), to win in the 28th over as D.S.K. Fernando (Red) representing Sri Lanka Navy ‘A’ won a preliminary round bout beating C.E. Dilshan Danushka (Maliyadeva), they scored at an alarming Sinhalese Sports Club Bandara of Army ‘C’ in the Light weight Under-60 Kgs category on the first day of the 83rd Clifford Cup Amila Aponsu (St. Sebastian’s) and 8:39 runs an over. cruised to a comfortable Boxing Championships that got under way at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday. The histori- Manoj Sarathchandra (St. Dilshan who shifted to seven wicket win in their cal event conducted by the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) will conclude with the finals on Anthony’s) Tamil Union from Bloomfield encounter against Saracens Thursday. (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi) before this season com- SC at their home ground in menced was in menacing another encounter. Saracens form hammering 133 in just made 165 for nine in their 50 99 balls with 21 fours and overs and SSC reached the Khawaja makes his mark on debut three sixes. The Sri Lankan target with 24 overs to spare SYDNEY (AP) - Much has been achievement above most Test debuts. memorable for its start. With Australia opener was involved in a 174 as Tharanga Paranavithana made of ’s international “Not really.It’s probably being the struggling at 55-1 after Phil Hughes’ dis- run stand for the first wicket and Dimuth Karunaratne hit debut, making him the first Muslim to first Pakistani-born to play for Australia missal off the ball before lunch, he hit with Gihan Rupasinghe, who half-centuries. play for Australia. is probably more (significant) than my for two and pulled the hit 85 in 60 balls with seven Brief Scores: Commentators have talked about the religious beliefs, because they’re quite England paceman for four with his first fours and four sixes. Saracens SC: 165 for 9 in Pakistan-born batsman being a pioneer personal to me,” the stylish left-hander two deliveries in the international So good was Dilshan’s 50 overs (G. Alwis 28, S. and a trailblazer for the next generation said. “You can make something up of arena. forms that in the unbroken Suranga 24, E. Gangoda 37, D. of cricketers in a country where the anything.” “As soon as I got out there, it just felt second wicket stand of 61 Fernando 3 for 20, S. bulk of Test cricket recruits have come He even made reference to left-arm like the best thing ever. I was playing for runs, Ashan Priyanjana con- Senanayake 3 for 28) from Anglo-Saxon stock. spinner Michael Beer, who was also Australia and the crowd was right tributed with just seven SSC: 168 for 3 in 26 overs Former Test opener Justin Langer selected to make his debut in the fifth behind me, so it was awesome.” runs. (T. Paranavithana 68, M. has praised Khawaja’s talent, and stand- Ashes Test against England on Monday. He raced to 15 from eight deliveries, Brief Scores: Jayawardena 23, D. in Test captain Michael Clarke has com- “You can say Michael Beer is the before settling into his role as a No. 3 Lankan CC: 230 for 7 in Karunaratne 53 n.o) mended his attitude. first person who sticks his tongue out 24- batsman in Test cricket - something no 50 overs (D. Hunukumbura The 24-year-old Khawaja doesn’t 7 to play for Australia,” Khawaja joked. other batsman on debut has done for think his background elevates his Khawaja’s debut innings of 37 was Australia since Justin Langer in 1993. Usman Khawaja

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