14 Friday 24th September, 2010 threaten legal Ex-TT players show gratitude action against Butt

LONDON (AP) - team, seeking “a full and England’s team has unreserved apology.” threatened legal action An ECB statement on to former school coach against Cricket Thursday says “Mr. Butt Board chairman Ijaz Butt has been advised that if a BY RAVI NAGAHAWATTE unless he apologizes for satisfactory response is not The national table tennis team alleging English players received, legal proceedings experienced a happiness even a deliberately lost the third will be commenced.” medal can’t bring them on one-day international Butt’s allegations came Thursday (yesterday) when they between the teams at The after an investigation was received essential equipment sent Oval last week. opened by the International by a group of well-wishers to help The England and Wales Cricket Council following prepare for the upcoming Cricket Board says it and claims the scoring in Commonwealth Games, in India. National coach Mahinda Ellepola the Professional Cricketers’ innings at The accepted the goods worth over Rs Association has sent a let- Oval on Friday was pre- 140,000 from the donors, who appar- ter to Butt on behalf of the arranged. ently are some of his former table tennis students. “Some students of mine at Trinity College called me to wish me for the Games and I just asked Clarke: Aussies need to them whether they could provide the national players with some goods in terms of a sponsorship watch out for Khan, Singh and they responded quickly. This CHANDIGARH, India lot of success against just goes on to show that it is not (AP) - Vice- Australia.” difficult to find sponsors for sport Michael Clarke says Clarke, who has scored during these difficult times, if you Australia will be wary of 4,514 runs in 62 tests, said try,” said Ellepola. He said he was ashamed that the Government and the pace-spin duo of Zaheer on Thursday the two the TTASL had failed to raise these Khan and bowlers could hold the key funds. The goods were handed over during its ongoing tour of during the two tests and to Ellepola at the S.Thomas’ College India. three one-day internation- Mount Lavinia Gymnasium, where Clarke feels the two are als. the national players are undergoing Dr. Buddhika Hapuarachchi (extreme right) hands over sports goods worth over Rs 142,000 to national table ten- dangerous because “Zaheer “These two are proba- training. nis Coach Mahinda Ellepola at a ceremony held at the S.Thomas’ College Gymnasium where the national table is a wonderful bowler with bly India’s best bowlers and Dr. Buddhika Hapuarachchi who tennis players are training for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. spoke on behalf of the eight well- the new ball and can also we will have to come up wishers, said that the goods were reverse-swing the old one, with a plan to combat at Trinity College Kandy who also Hapuarachchi said. tour. It’s essential for players to presented to the team, coached by while Harbhajan has had a them,” Clarke said. taught them table tennis at the Ellepola said that the national train under the national coach Ellepola, taking into consideration school. players have had little time to prac- because it is then only that one can his (Ellepola’s) request and the The players received the goods; tice, but added, “The team unity is really see which areas need services he has rendered to table six carbon laminated rackets, 12 high and the players are deter- improvement. The present way of tennis. The eight individuals who rubbers, one gum bottle and 8 tee- mined. My target is for , training them, makes me a stranger gave the goods are Dr. Janaka shirts, at a simple ceremony. at present placed 10th, to finish to them,” he explained. Strauss urges ICC to take Karalliedde, Dhammika Dr.Hapuarachchi said that they within the top eight teams at the According to Ellepola, the Sri Karalliedde, Sidantha Karalliedde, were delighted to get an opportuni- Games”. Lanka team will comprise Rohan Kavinda Nanayakkara, Dr. ty to give back something to the He said that though appointed Sirisena (Captain), Nirmala Buddhika Hapuarachchi, strong lead in ‘fixing’ probe sport. “It’s good that we could give national coach, he was made redun- Jayasinghe, Dinesh Deshappriya Thushantha Karunanayaka, these goods to the national team dant during most of the year (Men’s), Ishara Madurangi Krishantha Karunanayaka and Dr. and as the sponsor we expect the because players are not sent to him (Captain), Nuwani Nawodya and SOUTHAMPTON, team-mate, was Heshan Jayaweera. All eight are for- team to do well at the for training. “Players are sent to me Kavindi Sahabandu. The manager mer table tennis students of England: England captain named man-of-the-match Commonwealth Games,” Dr. only for short period, just before a of the team will be G.G Weerakkody. Ellepola, a former science teacher called on for his unbeaten 107 in a the International Cricket total of 256 for six. Council (ICC) to leave “no Pakistan, only briefly stone unturned” in its in the hunt, were dis- probe into cricket corrup- missed for 135 with exactly Panesar back Mini-Marathon on Saturday tion after his side ended a 13 overs to spare as Stuart scandal-marred season Broad and in England with a one-day series win took three apiece. over Pakistan here on But those statistics squad for Wednesday. remained overshadowed by “This summer has the newspaper claims that Ashes tour clearly demonstrated when led to Pakistan’s Salman LONDON (AP) - England there is a sniff of some- Butt, Mohammad Aamer made no surprise choices on thing in the air it devalues and Mohammad Asif Thursday in its squad for the the whole game and being suspended by the defense of against Australia, with Monty Panesar, nobody wants to play ICC and questioned by and Steven cricket in those circum- British police over an Davies winning the race for stances,” Strauss told a alleged plot to bowl delib- three of the backup roles in the news conference after the erate no-balls during last 16-man Test party. end of a tour mired in ‘fix- month’s Test at Lord’s. Panesar, whose most recent ing’ allegations. England then found appearance for England was in England thrashed themselves in the firing last year’s home Ashes series, has been recalled as the deputy Pakistan by 121 runs in the line when Pakistan Cricket The annual Mini-Marathon Wickremesinghe, Marketing Education-Akkareipattu, Janaka fifth and final one-dayer at Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz to first-choice offspinner sponsored by Nestle Lanka PLC Manager, Nestle Lanka PLC, hands Weerasinghe, Sales Manager, the Rose Bowl for a 3-2 Butt accused them of los- Graeme Swann. will be worked off on September 25 over the insurance cover certificate Nestle Lanka PLC are also present Lanky pace bowler Tremlett (Saturday) at Akkareipattu. to Premalal Ranagala, SSP, at the media briefing held recently series win after Pakistan ing last week’s third one- is back in the squad after win- The organizers of the event offer Akkareipattu. R. M. Priyarathana, in connection with the sporting had fought back to 2-2 from day international at The ning his last cap in 2007 against 2-0 down. Oval on purpose. India and Davies will be the an insurance cover worth Rs. 50,000 Ampara District Representative of event. , Strauss’s reserve wicketkeeper behind for each athlete. the National Athletic Association, Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha . Sugath Sajeewa M. M. Jemin, Deputy Director of The rest of the squad picked itself, with selectors choosing seven batsmen, two wicketkeep- ers, five fast bowlers and two spinners. The first test of the five- England beat Pakistan by 121 runs to win series match series begins in Brisbane on Nov. 25. England is looking BY RICHARD SYDENHAM ering legal action. board and was forced to leave the field for though replays showed he had got an to retain the Ashes in Australia The hosts were jolted early at a packed treatment. He later batted with a runner inside edge. for the first time since 1987. Rose Bowl, losing three wickets for 16 after aggravating the injury. Swann wrecked the Pakistani middle- SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) - Squad: runs to slump to 47-3 after being 31 with- Morgan raised the tempo late on and order by Fawad Alam with a Eoin Morgan’s unbeaten century for Andrew Strauss (captain), out loss. It was effectively 59-4 when reached his century in the final over by sharp turner, and later took two wickets England ensured Pakistan ended its con- , James Anderson, Collingwood was forced to retire with a lifting for a straight six in two balls, bowling Mohammed Yousuf troversial tour on a low as the hosts won , , Stuart migraine on 5. before then driving another boundary while played on first ball. by 121 runs Wednesday at The Rose Bowl Broad, , , averaging 70 in one- down the ground for the milestone. England won the first two games in the fifth and deciding one-day interna- Steven Davies, , day internationals at the start of the Only opener provided before Pakistan drew level through wins tional. Eoin Morgan, Monty Panesar, series, continued a downturn in form by much resistance to England with his 41 at and Lord’s. Pakistan, seeking consolation from a , Matt Prior, following scores of 2 and 4 with a 3. He before he was given lbw to , trip that will be best remembered for cor- Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, was bowled by a quick from ruption allegations and off-field issues, Jonathan Trott. Akhtar that swung into him. was bowled out under the lights for 135 in It was the latest blow for Trott after he 37 overs, chasing 257 for victory, to lose an SCOREBOARD was accused of striking Pakistan reserve ill-tempered series 3-2. Pakistan also lost in a training ground alterca- England Innings Mohammed Yousuf b Swann 20 the test series 3-1 and the series Beckham to sue tion at Lord’s on Monday, though match A. Strauss c Kamran Akmal b Akhtar 25 Fawad Alam b Swann 1 2-0. officials did not take any action after S. Davies st Kamran Akmal b Hafeez17 c&b Collingwood 19 Pakistan crashed from 63 without loss over allegations in speaking to both players. J. Trott b Akhtar 3 Shahid Afridi b Swann 0 to 104-6 and failed to recover thereafter, as Akhtar added the of Strauss, I. Bell b Afridi 28 11 offspinner Graeme Swann led the way US magazine who was hit in the stomach by a bouncing P. Collingwood b Gul 47 6 with figures of 3-26 in nine overs. LONDON (AP) - David Akhtar ball in the first over. He was Morgan earlier scored an unbeaten 107 E. Morgan not out 107 Saeed Ajmal run out 2 Beckham’s management company caught behind for 25 after playing and off 101 deliveries, and helped take 19 runs L. Wright b Akhtar 1 c Morgan b Broad 0 says it is taking legal action missing several times to similar balls that from the 50th over, for his second unbeat- T. Bresnan not out 18 Extras: (3lb, 2w, 1nb) 7 against a U.S. magazine which went past his outside edge. en hundred on the ground this year after Extras: (5lb, 5w) 10 TOTAL: (for 10 wickets) 135 published claims the former Collingwood scored 47 and put on 93 his match-winning 103 against Australia. TOTAL: (for six wickets) 256 Overs: 37 England captain slept with prosti- with Morgan after earlier retiring hurt Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar impressed Overs: 50 Fall of wickets: 1-63, 2-63, 3-80, 4-83, 5- with a migraine. Englands Ian Bell, in his tutes. with 3-40 from his 10 overs. Did not bat: S. Broad, G. Swann, J. 104, 6-104, 7-121, 8-130, 9-135, 10-135. second game back after recovering from a The company said in a state- The result brings to an end a troubled Anderson. Bowling: Bresnan 7-0-31-0, Anderson 6-1- broken foot, had to use a runner from 14 ment the allegations in the week- tour for Pakistan, who will fly home on Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-46, 3-47, 3-59 26-0 (1w), Broad 8-1-25-3 (1w), Wright 6-0- after injuring his groin. ly In Touch are “completely Thursday. Three of its players were sus- (Collingwood retired hurt), 4-106, 5-199, 6- 16-1, Swann 9-0-26-3 (1nb), Collingwood 1- Morgan, who characteristically untrue and totally ridiculous as pended by the International Cricket 202. 0-8-1. maneuvered the ball expertly into the the magazine was clearly told Council on corruption charges earlier this Bowling: Akhtar 10-0-40-3 (2w), Razzaq 3- Toss: England gaps, was dropped on 31 when Mohammed before publication.” month. The ill-feeling progressed further Yousuf took the catch at long-on from 0-26-0, Hafeez 9-1-40-1, Gul 10-1-55-1, Result: England won by 121 runs and the “Sadly we live in a world when chairman Hafeez but threw the ball to the ground as Ajmal 8-0-50-0(1w), Afridi 10-0-40-1. series 3-2. where a magazine can print lies Ijaz Butt alleged on Sunday that England his momentum took him over the bound- Pakistan Innings Umpires: Billy Doctrove (WI), Ian Gould and believe they can get away lost Friday’s third one-day international ary. Kamran Akmal lbw b Wright 41 (Eng) with it. We are taking legal action at The Oval on purpose. England’s players Yousuf trod on the boundary rope, M.Hafeez c Collingwood b Broad 29 Third umpire: Richard Illingworth (Eng) against the magazine,” the state- were incensed by the slur and are consid- twisting his ankle, fell on an advertising Asad Shafiq c Davies b Broad 0 Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (NZ) ment said.