Tuesday 10th August, 2010 15

down a return catch. He went Murali's on to post 109. At 350 for seven, it looked as if will gain a first innings lead of 50 'parting shot' on runs or so. But Mathews put down a sitter, at third slip this Bedi brilliantly time, with Amit Mishra on four and the two drops hurt Sri timed - Atapattu Lanka. A 64 run stand followed for the eighth , as Mishra hit 40 and Abhimanyu Mithun added 46 as India took an 11 run lead in the first innings. Another highlight in the third Test was Malinga becom- ing the third Sri Lankan to take 100 Test when he dismissed Tendulkar. Muralitharan and are the only two crick- eters to have taken 100 Test wickets. meanwhile, claimed his 50th Test wicket becoming the quickest Sri Lankan to do so in 12 Tests. In their second innings, Sri Lanka were heading for disas- ter. Some considerable turn on the track on the evening of day three saw Sehwag snaring Calling retired spin great openers Dilshan and 's outburst Paranavithana. against his long-time detractor But come the fourth day the Bishen Singh Bedi a perfect "part- track seemed to have settled ing shot", former Sri Lanka down, but that wouldn't stop Marvan Atapattu said that the icon- India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, left, and Sri Lankan captain hold the trophy at the end of the final Test the Sri Lankans from commit- ic bowler brilliantly timed his ver- cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in , Sri Lanka on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010. Sri Lanka won the first Test in Galle by ten ting ‘hara-kiri’. They lost six bal attack on the Indian. wickets and India squared the series when they won the third and final Test at P. Sara Oval. The second Test at SSC was drawn. wickets in the first session, "Of course, it was with amuse- slumping to 87 for seven and ment that I read Murali's parting then 125 for eight. shot at Bedi. It was brilliant timing What followed was an high- too," Atapattu said. light package, some entertain- "He (Murali) has hardly said any- ment by Ajantha Mendis. He thing on his way to 800 wickets and A series Sri Lanka was involved in a record 118 when his work was done with a run stand with Thilan world record tucked under his belt Samaraweera after the early he came out with this quip in collapse as the pair batted the answer to Bedi. Who can take him entire afternoon session. on? Perfect timing of the ball," Mendis belted the ball, hav- Atapattu wrote in a newspaper. should have won ing got his eye in hitting ten Muralitharan recently uncharac- fours and a six in a knock of BY REX CLEMENTINE et (64) during Sri Lanka's first Only rain was going to pre- ment and that the remaining teristically attacked Bedi, calling innings. vent a Sri Lankan win on the place was a toss up between 78, the highest score by a Sri the former Indian captain a contro- Lankan number ten batsman, ften cricket administra- The hosts did well to post final day as India still required Herath and Mendis. versy monger and an ordinary improving on Nuwan tors wonder why main- 520 in the first innings. Kumar 63 runs to avoid an innings This was Sangakkara's sev- bowler who would have been ham- Kulasekara's 54. This was Ostream media engage in Sangakkara and Tharanga defeat. enth double hundred and now mered by any batsman if he was Mendis' first Test fifty and his acute criticism, that too exclu- Paranavithana hit centuries, There was some stubborn only Sir and playing now. highest score in first class sively directed at the adminis- with the opener making his resistance from the Indian have scored more An untiring critic of cricket. trators of the sport, rather maiden hundred. Then towards lower order as they denied double hundreds than the Sri Muralitharan, Bedi has repeatedly Sri Lanka recovered to post than dealing with the actual the end, the tail wagged as Muralitharan his 800th wicket Lankan. called him a "chucker" and asked 267 and set the Indians a target game itself. While this maybe a Malinga and for some 20 odd overs. Sri Lanka posted 642 for the ICC to ban the bowler's "" of 257 to win. clear case of administrators added 115 runs for the eighth Eventually it all ended accord- four with as it was illegal. At stumps, they reduced trying to divert the attention of wicket before declaring on 520. ing to the script, when Mahela and Paranavithana also mak- The former opening batsman also India to 53 for three. With those journalists who investi- That proved to Jayawardene caught Pragyan ing hundreds and India praised all-rounder Sehwag too back in the pavil- gate mass scale corruption be crucial and in a game where Ojha at first slip to give the required more than 400 runs to and hoped that the 25-year-old takes ion without troubling the scor- within the administration of one and half days were lost to bowler his 800th scalp. India avoid the follow on. Sachin inspiration from Muralitharan to ers, Sri Lanka were fancying the sport, it invariably happens rain, it helped Sri Lanka to were bowled out for 338, setting Tendulkar, hadn't made a hun- improve his off-spin skills. "Randiv their chances as India required due to the inefficiency of offi- enforce the follow-on after the Sri Lankans a target of 94 dred on Sri Lankan soil for 11 had a great start to his career and 204 runs with seven wickets in cials who are an hindrance for India were dismissed for 276 in and they got there in the 15th years and he was too good a he should develop something new in hand on the final day. the smooth running of the their first innings. over without losing a wicket. batsman to miss out. The star his armour like Murali did. He Sri Lanka had an opportu- team. A by Virender After all the excitement in Indian batsman was dropped would do well, I am certain," said nity to further tighten the The whole episode regard- Sehwag (109) and Yuvraj Galle, the second Test at SSC on 29 by wicketkeeper the cricketer-turned-commentator. screws in the eighth over of ing the number one rank in Singh's 52 were the only note- ended in a dull draw on a track and he Speaking about the just-conclud- the morning with the total on wasn't properly worthy performances as India that was the worst advertise- went on to score a double hun- ed three-match Test series against 67 for four when Sachin understood by the cricket offi- collapsed, losing their last five ment for Test cricket. The dred, his fifth in Tests. India, Atapattu said that the good Tendulkar offered a catch to cials and it was yet another wickets for 24 runs. In his last National Curator of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka only needed a scores registered by Sri Lankans forward short leg. The hosts embarrassment for Nishantha Test, Muralaitharan made an Anurudda Polonowita was draw at P. Sara Oval to win the proved that the country's had stationed their best fielder, Ranatunga, Secretary of the impact, claiming a five wicket passing the buck, blaming the series 1-0 and with Lasith order is now able to handle a strong Dilshan, in that position Cricket Interim Committee, haul in the first innings. teams for having weaker bowl- Malinga returning, a draw pace attack. instead of Paranavithana, who after it was revealed that at the Following on, the experi- ing attacks, but probably would have been the last thing "In the early 80s through to the end of month of July, the rank- enced duo of knows within himself that hav- in their minds, on a track had fielded there the entire series and he failed to hang on 90s people had doubts whether the ings were updated annually. and were carving ing aspired for many roles which probably suited fast Sri Lankans could play genuine fast Talking of the actual series, out what possibly could have within the administration bowlers. to the chance. Tendulkar was eventually . The local fans, as well as the euphoria in Galle during been a draw. ranging from Board President The failure to win the those playing, thought first of the With half an hour to go for (he contested the 2001 Board series is due to Sri Lanka's dismissed for 54, but V.V.S. the first Test was simply a once strengths of the opposition fast stumps on day four, India had Elections), coach, Chairman of poor performance with the bat Laxman, batting with back in a life time opportunity. men. Recall when moved to 161 for two with Selectors, to curator that it's in the second innings of the spasms, stroked an unbeaten The Galle District Cricket and Sunil Wettimuny were felled by Tendulkar looking solid on 79 impossible for one to master all final Test and they will regret 103, his 16th Test hundred and Association and its Secretary the Australians? and Dravid on 44 and the pair aspects of the game. He's a typ- it, because this is a series they the first in Sri Lanka, to help Jayananda Warnaweera put up "Funny as it may seem, I can now had added 119 runs for the ical case of being a Jack of all should have won 2-0, if not 1-0. India win by five wickets as the a grand show to give Muttiah recall a time when Ashley de Silva third wicket. trades, but master of none. Tillekeratne Dilshan and Sri Lankans cursed the missed Muralitharan a fitting farewell and I were 12th and 13th during a Malinga returned for a The only highlights in the Kumar Sangakkara both threw opportunities. and no other cricket venue in Test series in Pakistan when we fresh spell and started reverse SSC Test were double hundreds away their wickets in the first All in all, India will take the country would have were more on the field with the matched what Galle had in swinging. Dravid, trying to by Sachin Tendulkar and innings when Sangakkara in heart at the fact that they were magic spray than the eleven picked! place on July 22. flick a hit the ball in Kumar Sangakkara along with particular was looking solid to able to square a series. True, Then, players like Aravinda (de The spotlight may have the air and was caught at leg the debut of Suraj Randiv. score his third successive hun- they haven't won a series here Silva) came along and walked up to been on Muralitharan, but gully to open the floodgates. After Muralitharan's retire- dred in the series. in 17 years, but to square the fastmen like and Jeff made his In his next over, Malinga ment, the Sri Lankan squad made series without their main Lawson to cart them around the return to Test cricket after accounted for Tendulkar, trap- had three spinners. Randiv, an unbeaten 137 as Sri Lanka strike bowler was park," Atapattu wrote. being injured for more than ping him plumb in front with a Rangana Herath and Ajantha went onto post 425. Mahela some achievement. The Indians "Today guys like (Tillakaratne) two years, a memorable one. yorker to derail the Indian Mendis. Even before Randiv Jayawardene was unlucky to also missed Dilshan sweep fast bowlers! They He was the Man of the Match innings and before close of made his debut, the selectors be given out . for the last Test at P. Sara while not only have the skills but their in Galle after claiming seven play, Muralitharan dismissed were talking of him being the In India's first innings, , the reigning body language shows that they are wickets. Malinga also made his as India slumped team's number one spinner, fol- Sehwag was dropped on 52 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in control. They score confidently first half century in Test crick- from 161 for two to 181 for five. lowing Muralitharan's retire- when put missed the last two Tests. and at a brisk pace too," he added.

Women's basketball tournament on 28th and 29th August CEAT honours all-rounders Top tyre brand CEAT has the conclusion of the Sri Lanka enlarged its support for cricket - India Test Series at the P. Cager tournament further by taking co-sponsor- Sara Oval on Saturday. ship of the upcoming one-day “As a brand whose success for former stars international triangular series is rooted predominantly in all- The women's wing of Sri Lanka Basketball involving hosts Sri Lanka, India round product performance, Federation will conduct a five-a-side basketball and New Zealand. CEAT values and honours all- tournament for players who are above the age As part of its commitment to round achievement,” CEAT Sri of 30 on the 28th and 29th of August 2010 at the the series to be worked off Lanka Managing Director Otter's Aquatic Sports Club. The participants under lights at Dambulla, CEAT Randeep Narang said. should be over 30 years on the 1st of August will also sponsor the ‘Best All- “Sponsoring an award for this 2010. rounder of the Series’ award to particular category is therefore The tournament, conducted under the FIBA Rules will be played on a League Basis. The be presented on 28th August, most appropriate.” entry fee for a team will be Rs. 1500. The entries the company said. Pictured here is CEAT Sri close on the 21st of August 2010 at 5pm and the CEAT also sponsored the Lanka Managing Director draw will be held on the same day at St. ‘Best All-rounder of the Test Randeep Narang with Virendra Joseph's Girls' School in Nugegoda at 6 pm. Series’ award which was pre- Sehwag, the Best All-Rounder For further details, please contact Champa sented to at of the Test series. Cumaranatunga on 0772 833 820.