Tuesday 7th June, 2011 SLTA owes CMC Rs. 10 million A hundred at Lord’s, the ultimate

BY LAL GUNESEKERA The Municipal lease of the Tennis – Dilshan Association (SLTA) expired in 1985 and they are in prize for a batsman arrears of nearly Rs. 10 million, to the Colombo REX CLEMENTINE Municipal Council (CMC). reporting from Lord’s Highest scores at Lord’s The SLTA occupies two to three acres of prime land at Greenpath, worth approximately Rs. 2,000 million and Scans have cleared Sri Lanka cap- by overseas players have been in arrears for about 30 years. tain Tillakaratne Dilshan to take fur- Special Commissioner of the CMC, Omar Kamil told ther part in the Test series against Graeme Smith (SA) 259 2003 ‘The Island’ that since he took office in 2009, he has after they revealed the bats- Don Bradman (Aus) 254 1930 been pressing the SLTA to pay the arrears and after sev- man didn’t suffer any fractures on his Gordon Greenidge (WI) 214* 1984 eral attempts, was successful in obtaining Rs. one mil- right thumb and only had bruises. Bill Brown (Aus) 206* 1938 lion, when Gamini Lokuge was the Minister of Sports. Dilshan got hit on his right thumb on He said that the SLTA authorities have to arrive at an two occasions off Chris Tremlett at Martin Donnelly (NZ) 206 1949 agreement to pay this outstanding sum and negotiate, if Lord’s during the second Test. He got Mohammad Yousuf (Pak) 202 2006 they have any doubts about the sum involved, but they hit on the same spot in the first Test in Mohsin Khan (Pak) 200 1982 have failed to do so. Cardiff as well. It was the same thumb Alan Border (Aus) 196 1985 Kamil, a former Mayor of Colombo and Sri Lanka’s he fractured last year. “Now I have got Warren Bardsley (Aus) 193* 1926 hit on the thumb three times this Ambassador in Iran, further told ‘The Island’ that the T.M. Dilshan 193 2011 series. Same spot and same bowler. It’s CMC has the legal right to take over the SLTA premises Sidath Wettimuny 190 1984 at Greenpath, if the outstanding monies are not paid, but not fractured fortunately,” Dilshan told journalists. the SLTA claims that they (SLTA), have no income. He The 193 he made is his career best the rain. We need a here. We are said that the monies that the SLTA owe the CMC, could and the highest individual score by a one down and had it not rained, we had be put to better use, for the benefit of rate payers. Sri Lankan here at the Home of Cricket a good opportunity to go past England’s Sports Ministry representative in the SLTA, Lasantha beating Sidath Wettimuny’s 190 made total. Then if we had a lead of say 100 de Silva told ‘The Island’ that the Urban Development in 1984. to 150 runs we could have put some Authority (UDA), which comes under the purview of “I am really pleased that I scored pressure on England.” Defence Secretary, Gothabaya Rajapaksa, is contem- my career best at Lord’s. Every bats- Sri Lanka’s reply to England’s total plating taking over the premises, but will be meeting man wants to do well at the Home of of 483 was a marked improvement from Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage to “sort Cricket and I am really thrilled that my their performance in the first Test matters out.” name will now end up on that Lord’s where they were bowled out for 82 runs De Silva further said that the renewal of the lease is Honours Board.” Tillakaratne Dilshan reacts after being hit on the hand by a ball from England’s Chris inside 25 overs to lose the game by an now a priority and he even resorted to legal action in He could have become the first Sri Tremlett during the 3rd day of the second Test match at Lord’s. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi) innings and 14 runs. moves to take over the land, earlier. Lankan to score a double hundred, but “I once said that the way we batted He said that an interim committee is to be appointed fell seven runs short of the milestone. Only 39 in Cardiff where we were bowled out within the next few days, to administer the affairs of the “I am disappointed at missing out on a overs were pos- within 25 overs, you can’t say that we sible during SLTA. double hundred. But to get 193 against are a bad batting ling up. We have an this attack that had pace and bounce is day three of experienced line up. Guys like Mahela, unforgettable. They were well. the Test Match Sanga and Thilan have excellent DSS rout St. Anne’s 152-00 I am happy with the way I went about due to rain and records. We forgot about what hap- things,” he added. Dilshan was pened in Cardiff and came here with a D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo disappointed thrashed St. Anne’s College, by “England bowled well throughout, strong mind. I am really happy with especially with the first new ball. with losing the way we have fought back,” Dilshan 152 to nil in their Inter-School Under-20 almost two ses- Division-I Group ‘B’ match played at CR and Tharanga (Paranavithana) did well and added. sions of the FC Grounds, yesterday. D.S. Senanayake who his plan was to leave some deliveries Dilshan will not field during the collected their points through 11 goals and 15 while I took some chances. When I felt Test Match. remainder of the Test Match, but will unconverted tries were ahead 52-00 at the the ball was moving I took some “Little dis- bat if required. Kumar Sangakkara end of the first half. chances and it worked. “ appointed with will lead the side in his absence. England take 156 run lead in second Test

REX CLEMENTINE where they were bowled out for 82 runs and Prasanna Jayawardene. The stand was 26 off 33 balls with two fours and a six. reporting from Lord’s inside 25 overs. broken when Herath gave Prasanna, meanwhile, was dismissed If England bat for a session and a half, the charge and was . Herath made for 40 to become the fourth victim of Finn. There was no third Test hundred at provided they don’t get bowled out, they Lord’s for as the for- could slog a few and declare leaving Sri mer was dismissed for 49 after Lanka an improbable target of 300, but Scoreboard adding just nine runs to his overnight total more importantly a session and half to England first innings 486 all out 85-2 (nb 1), Finn 33-8-108-3 (nb 1) (w 8), on the fourth day of the second Test survive and that could prove tricky. (M. Prior 126, A. Cook 96, C. Swann 32.4-5-101-3, Pietersen 4-0-12-0. against England here at the Home of Captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is Welagedara 4-122) England second innings Cricket yesterday. nursing a bruised thumb, didn’t take the Sri Lanka first innings (Overnight A. Strauss lbw b Welagedara 00 Jayawardene, who notched up centuries field yesterday and Kumar Sangakkara led 372/3) A. Cook 61 during Sri Lanka’s last two visits to Lord’s the side. Although Dilshan is expected to T. Paranavithana ct Struass b Finn 65 J. Trott b Herath 58 in 2002 and 2006 had batted well for his 40 bat if a need arises, another blow to the T.M. Dilshan b Finn 193 K. Pietersen not out 15 on day three, but yesterday,after the entire thumb could not only jeopardize the K. Sangakkara ct Prior b Tremlett 26 Extras: (lb 5, w 1, nb 9) 15 morning session was washed off by rain, chances of Sri Lanka drawing the game M. Jayawardene ct Cook b Finn 49 Total: for two 149 he became the first batsman to be dis- but even the captain’s participation in the T. Samaraweera ct Prior b Tremlett 09 Overs: 41 missed when he was caught at third slip by third Test in Southampton. P. Jayawardene ct Swann b Finn 40 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-117, Alastiar Cook off the bowling of Stephen It could have all been different had Sri F. Maharoof lbw b Broad 02 To bat: I. Bell, E. Morgan, M. Prior, S. Finn. Lanka taken 100 odd run lead or so. But R. Herath st Prior b Swann 26 Broad, G. Swann, C. Tremlett and S. Resuming from the overnight total of that was not to be as Thilan Samaraweera D. Fernando ct Strauss b Swann 05 Finn. 373 for three, Sri Lanka were bowled out fell the over after Jayawardene was dis- S. Lakmal not out 00 Bowling: Welagedara 7-1-25-1 (1nb), for 479, seven runs short of England’s first missed for a poor shot when he pushed at a C. Welagedara ct Broad b Swann 06 Lakmal 8-0-31-0 (1w) (3nb), Maharoof 7-0- innings total. Chris Tremlett without any foot Extras: (b 25, lb 23, w 8, nb 2) 58 24-0 (2nb), Fernando 11-1-47-0 (3nb), The hosts reached 149 for two in their movement and was caught behind Total: all out 479 Herath 8-1-17-1. second innings and have a lead of 156 runs , the all-rounder, who Overs: 131.4 Toss: SL with seven wickets in hand and with has failed to take a in the Test made Fall of wickets: 1-207, 2-288, 3-370, 4-394, Umpires: Billy Doctrove (WI) and Rod weather permitting, the Test Match could just two runs. 5-394, 6-409, 7-466, 8-472, 9-472. Tucker (Aus) be spiced up given the way Sri Lanka col- It would have been lot worse if not for Bowling: Broad 32-5-125-1, Tremlett 30-8- Third Umpire: Aleem Dar (Pak) lapsed in the second innings in Cardiff, the 57 run stand between

Chanaka Welegedara reacts after claiming the wicket of England’s dur- ing the 4th day of the second Test match at Lord’s cricket ground, London, Monday June 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Tom Hevezi)

He faced 64 deliveries and hit five fours and a six. In the England second innings Chanaka Welagedara dismissed Andrew Strauss identical to his first innings when the left-arm seamer had England captain leg before wicket for a duck. A 117 run stand for the second wicket followed between Alastiar Cook and with both batsmen notch- ing up their half-centuries. Rangana Herath had success off his fourth delivery of the innings when he bowled Trott through bat and pad for 58 to bring to the . There’s been some hype about Pietersen’s weakness against left arm spin, but this time around he negotiated the threat of Herath without much trouble. At stumps he was unbeaten on 15 with Cook on 61.

Tuesday 7th June, 2011