Quick viewing(Text Mode)

Amir Plea Bargain Might Unlock Truth Behind Claims

Amir Plea Bargain Might Unlock Truth Behind Claims

14 Tuesday 7th September, 2010 South Korea take first leg of Asian Sevens series BY RAVI NAGAHAWATTE courageous by analysts, but then the islanders are sure to South Korea got a head rue the fact that they are start in the Asian Sevens returning home empty hand- Series when it bagged the ed. In the two day tournament first leg in Shanghai on lost to China 21-19, Sunday, leaving fancied Hong Kong 40-7 (Day 1) and teams like Japan and Hong went down to Korea and Hong Kong baffled as to where they Kong 42-12 (Day 2). went wrong. The Plate Championship The two day tournament was won by Hong Kong who was full of surprises with beat Guam 52-5, while Japan Korea struggling in some won the third place playoff matches, but finishing up as beating Malaysia, who were eventual winners, beating heavily muscled by Fijians, China 38-17 in the Cup 27-5. Championships final, As the series continues, sources from Shanghai said. the Asian teams will further Sri Lanka played well in stop in the Philippines, patches beating only Brunei, Kinabalu, Iran and and Philippines and going as finally Sri Lanka, where the further as only the Plate semi series will conclude with the final before succumbing to Carlton Sevens in November. the might of ultimate win- Only the Shangahi Sevens ners South Korea. Sri Lanka’s and Borneo Sevens in display against the champion Kinabalu are rated tourna- Korean team was described as ments. , Mohammad Asif and . Under-17 Division I Amir plea bargain might Quarter-finals Milantha’s quarter-final unlock truth behind claims brilliance continues BY GEOFFREY BOYCOTT two strides before he gets to the excuse. these sort of players in your dress- BY REEMUS FERNANDO crease, and would abort his run- It is no coincidence that ing-room can damage the team’s made an unbeaten 59 runs eople close to the up. Pakistan are repeatedly implicated morale, as well as its credibility. -keeper batsman (87 balls), inclusive of six investigation say that the As for the , he is the per- in these scandals, because they Pakistan must join the rest of Lahiru Milantha of St. fours and one six. While Pthree players might not have son who decides who will bowl the never deal with them properly. the cricket world in deploring Peter’s College has now Ranitha Liyanarachchi was committed a criminal offence, next . So if the fixer is saying People might get suspended or what happened at Lord’s. There is made it a habit to perform the pick of the bowlers with because you can’t lay bets on no- “the third ball of the first over”, banished from the team, but with- no point them trying to turn a exceptionally well in quar- four , spinner Aasif the bowler can’t do it without hav- in a few months the regime blind eye. balls in the UK. ter-final matches. Last year, Mackie picked up two wick- But I will tell you this – what ing the captain onside. The evi- changes, and they are back again, The PCB has been treated with they did looks like a crime against dence looks so bad that, whatever as if nothing had happened. a lot of sympathy since the terror- he scored a century in the ets (in consecutive balls), cricket. And if there is no firm the police make of this case, the We saw a typical example with ist attacks, just over 18 months Under-15 Division I quarter- including the wicket of response from the Anti-Corruption ACSU will be under pressure to Mohammad Yousuf on this very ago, which meant that they were final where the Petes beat Amila Aponsu (bowled), who and Security Unit, we might as take strong action. Within the dis- tour. I am not saying that he was unable to host international crick- Maris Stella. A year later was the second highest scor- well disband it. ciplinary hearings, the burden of kicked out for match-fixing – we et. But that will dry up very quick- Milantha top scored with 125 er, to end the highest part- As for the Pakistan High proof might as well be reversed: it don’t really know – but that the to- ly if they fail to address what has runs before accounting for nership (55), of their Commissioner, he should get off is up to the players to prove them- ing and fro-ing was typical of been going on. No one will want to four dismissals for St. innings. The Sebs were his high horse. Spot-fixing cannot selves innocent. Pakistan cricket. One minute he’s host their matches. be condoned. There is no conspira- Because it is so crucial for in disgrace, the next he’s on the Shakespeare wrote that Peter’s to beat St. Sebastian’s bowled out in the 37th over cy against Pakistan here, and by cricket, I think the ACSU should field. Caesar’s wife must be above College by 87 runs, accord- for 159 runs. claiming that he is “100 per cent offer Mohammed Amir a plea bar- Now look at the Indians and reproach. The same must be true ing to the Duckworth-Lewis Earlier, put into bat, the convinced” that the players are gain. Tell us the truth about what their response to the revelations of cricket. And that means dealing method, in a quarter final Petes were 68 for three wick- innocent, he is not looking at the took place and he can get off with surrounding the Hansie Cronjé harshly with anyone who casts a match of the Under-17 ets when Milantha came to evidence. a lighter sentence. If he won’t play affair 10 years ago. Mohammad shadow on it. If the ACSU aren’t Division I tournament the crease and he powered I am particularly concerned ball, then make an example of Azharuddin and Manoj Prabhakar prepared to take this case serious- played at CCC Grounds, on their total beyond the 240 about the size of the no-balls sent him. I feel for Amir, because any were among the players implicat- ly, they should hand this case over down by Mohammad Amir. 18-year-old is likely to get dragged ed. They were never convicted in a to the former players – people like Monday. mark with an invaluable 125 Professional cricketers play the along by his seniors. But I still criminal case, but the Indian myself, Ian Botham and Michael Chasing a target of 259 runs, which included 18 game within small fractions. It is believe that he deserves a lengthy board was strong. They never Holding, who played tough, com- runs to win, the Sebs were fours and a six. He was hard to see how he could have run ban – seven years, perhaps – if he played for India again, nor did petitive cricket throughout our four wickets for 45 runs at involved in 62 and 92 run up and bowled a no-ball by 12 inch- is shown to have bowled no-balls to Ajay Jadeja, even though his ban careers. I can promise you, we one stage before a rain inter- partnerships for the fifth order. As for the others, they was quashed in 2003. The selectors wouldn’t mess about. es without realising he is going to ruption reduced their target and sixth wickets with overstep. In normal circum- should be treated even more cannot be forced to pick people (C) The Telegraph Group, to 246 runs in 45 overs. Thanusha Jayawardena and stances, he would know at least harshly, because they have no they don’t want to pick. Having London, 2010 Milantha, playing a crucial Julian de Zilva respectively. part in the fielding depart- His 129-ball innings came to ment, accounted for four dis- an end when he was missals either side of an by Sachintha Argentina will attack Sebastianites secure semi final berth injury break of 14 overs. Fonseka off the of Keeping to pacemen with Amila Aponsu who picked The Sebastianits cruised to an eight overs (Tharaka Dushyantha 20 n.o) ease, Milantha held on to up four wickets. The Petes against Spain wicket victory over Old Anandians in Old Anandians 112 and 107 for 5 the Under-23 Division II quarter final overnight 205 all out 68.1 overs (Danuka two catches off the bowling made 258 for nine wickets. BY VINCENTE EL PANETTA Maradona could play a promi- match played at Kadirana on Sunday. Madushan 26, Sachithra Perera 40, of Ali Khan and Ranitha Now, St. Peter’s will meet nent role - mainly Inter Milan Rasith Jayaratne n.o; Kanishka Botheju Liyanarachchi, before an the winners of today’s quar- BUENOS AIRES, defender Javier Zanetti and Scores: 2/64, Tharaka Dushyantha 2/34, injury forced him out of the ter-final, between Royal and Argentina (AP) - Lionel Messi playmaker Andres Sebastianites 289 and 31 for 2 in 5.1 Buddhia Perera 3/35) field for 14 overs. When he Mahanama. D’Alessandro from Brazil club and Carlos Tevez will lead resumed the glove work after Scores: Argentina’s attack when it faces Internacional. Inter midfielder a rain interruption, St. Peter’s College 258 World Cup winner Spain on Esteban Cambiasso could also Tuesday in a friendly that prom- see action. Milantha turned a wide for 9 in 50 overs (Shehan ises to be a bit more than that. “This will be a great game,” Morgan carries England throw from skipper Shehan Fernando 41, Lahiru Using an attacking strategy said Argentina defender Gabriel Fernando to cause a run out Milantha 125, Julian de Zilva designed by interim coach Milito, Messi’s teammate at (Peshan Anthony for 7) in 24; Amila Aponsu 4/45, Sergio Batista, Argentina will Barcelona. “We’re playing none to unconvincing win the 30th over. Later, a direct Marval Fernando 2/34) other than the World Cup cham- try to produce the kind of per- hit from Milantha caused a St. Sebastian’s College formance it failed to show in a pion.” England coughed up a win hardly wor- 77 for five. second run out which saw 159 all out in 37 overs (Veron humiliating 4-0 loss to Germany A good showing at River thy of their status as World Twenty20 Earlier Pakistan stuttered their way to in the World Cup quarterfinals. Plate’s stadium would further champions in Cardiff on Sunday,while an iffy total. Following the initial depar- the Sebs slump to 148 for Nissanka 59 n.o, Amila The forward line will look strengthen the position of Pakistan at least were offered momentary ture of for six, Shahzaib eight wickets. Aponsu 38; Ranitha familiar with Barcelona striker Batista, who seems likely to be respite from the spot-fixing scandal that Hasan’s workmanlike 21 and Mohammad Left hander Veron Liyanarachchi 4/21, Aasif Messi teaming with Tevez and picked as the permanent coach continues to mar their tainted tour. Yousuf’s flurry for 26 got the tourists back Nissanka was the top scorer Mackie 2/22) Diego Milito. after the Argentine Football One got the feeling that anything other on track. for St. Sebastian’s as he But several players who Association meets next month than an utter thrashing, of which they The introduction of , were left out of the World Cup to name Maradona’s successor. have fetched many across the past month, who for the umpteenth time in his career squad by former coach Diego AFA president Julio would suffice for the visitors. So a tightish struck in his first over of the day and pro- Grondona has said Batista will five-wicket defeat probably suits Waqar gressively turned it square, promptly Thikshila, Gajasinghe be chosen unless “large prob- Younis and company just fine. ended the rearguard stand with two quick lems” appear. Batista guided his The English, however, have plenty of scalps. side to a 1-0 victory last month work to do in the nets and around the ’s 20 from 29 deliveries was restrict Thomians to 169 in Ireland and will be in charge drawing board ahead of Tuesday’s second hackneyed at best before Umar (35 ) Paceman Nirwantha Pannipitiya, to recover to on Oct. 8 in Tokyo against . and Afridi (16 not out) rode their collective Thikshila and spinner post 212 runs after being 119 Japan. Argentina also faces The decision to pick luck in carrying Pakistan to 126 for four. Kaushalya Gajasinghe for six wickets at one stage, Brazil on Nov. 17 in Doha, Qatar, ahead of James Anderson went to pot as All in all, England would’ve hoped for shared seven wickets on the first day of their and again on Dec. 19 in Buenos the southpaw seamer fetched to all corners better on Sunday.Yes, the nature of the between them for Mahinda Under-19 match against Aires. across two expensive spells, while Tim pitch wasn’t very conducive to fruitful hit- College, Galle to restrict S. Kingswood College, which Argentina trained Sunday Bresnan dropping on five, ting and explosive , but they’ll Thomas’ College to 169 runs commenced at Campus behind closed doors in the spilling on 10 need to dig a hang of a lot deeper if they on the first day of the Under- Grounds, Peradeniya on Buenos Aires suburb of Ezeiza. and grassing the Pakistani want to make it seven Twenty20 19 two day match which com- Monday. Spain, led by Andres Iniesta, captain a couple of deliveries later must’ve International wins on the trot come menced at Mount Lavinia on In reply, Kingswood were Xavi, Iker Casillas, David Villa really riled coach Tuesday. Monday. 115 for five wickets at close, and Fernando Torres, trained at Ultimately it took a cool, calm, collected In their essay, Mahinda with Lakshitha Madushan Boca Juniors stadium. and unbeaten 67-run stand between go-to Shot of the Day were 38 for one wicket at unbeaten on 23. Madushan Torres scored twice in guy (38 not out) and sidekick Cross-bat strokes were certainly the close. also picked up three wickets. Spain’s 4-0 victory over (35 not out) to seal first order of the day and the amount of times Scores: Scores: Liechtenstein on Friday in a blood of the two-match series for the hosts Umar danced to the off-side in an attempt S. Thomas’ 169 all out in Dharmapala 212 all out European Championship quali- after (six), to swipe through short fine-leg pipped dou- 66.4 overs (Sachin Peiris 26, in 62.1 overs (Gihan fying match. Spain is the (11), (four) and Wright ble figures, but none as daft as his premed- Umesh Fernando 48n.o; Hondamunige 26, defending champion. (duck) had contrived to get out to Shoaib itated swirl to Sidebottom in the 19th over. Nirwantha Thikshila 3/62, Dilrukshan Jayasundara 33, “Were going to be playing a Akhtar’s fleeting fodder and Afridi’s sly On another day he would’ve copped it to Kaushalya Gajasinghe 4/20) Hasitha Nirmal 26, Rashitha great team,” Spain and Real leg-spin. Wicketkeeper-batsman Steven the visor. Mahinda 38 for 1 in 16 Gamage 23, Isuru Madrid winger Sergio Ramos Davies - ’s latest nemesis - at Brief Scores: overs Gunathilaka 76; Chamila said. “But we are going to stick least managed a respectable 33. Pakistan 126 for 4 (Umar 35*, Swann 2- Gunasekara 3/74, Lakshitha with the same philosophy that England’s victorious tally of 129 for five 14) Gunathilaka in Madushan 3/52) brought us success.” eventually arrived with 17 deliveries to England 129 for 5 (Morgan 38*, Yardy fighting knock for Kingswood 115 for 5 at Argentina won the World spare, but the result could’ve been a lot 35*) Dharmapala close in 39 overs (Shalika Cup in 1978 and ‘86 but has closer had Akhtar not fumbled the dolly Result: England won by 5 wickets A fighting half century Walisundara 42, Yasindu Lionel failed to get past the quarterfi- Morgan’s ill-timed reverse-sweep offered (cricket365.com) (76) by Isuru Gunathilaka Athukorala 23, Lakshitha Messi nals at the last five World Cups. the fielder when the score sat at a tentative helped Dharmapala College, Madushan 23 n.o) (RF)

Top View