Friday 11th February, 2011

For the sake Murali signs of the country…

BY RUSSELL PALIPANE

Call me a traitor, a quisling…any- for Gloucester thing. I don’t want Sri Lanka to be the Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Cup for Sri Lanka and Kochi in the Gloucestershire director of Cricket champions of the Muralitharan will play for Indian Premier League. John Bracewell described the county s 2011! Want to hang me, come catch me! Gloucestershire s Twenty20 side after I am really looking forward to play- signing coup as the once-in-a-lifetime Just imagine what will take place if agreeing a two-year deal with the ing for Gloucestershire. opportunity to work and play with one Sri Lanka emerge champs. D. S. de English county, it was announced It is a young exciting team and I of the greatest cricketers in the history Silva and his cronies who make up the Wednesday. hope I can add some experience to the of the game. Interim Committee will claim it was Muralitharan, who retired from Test mix, said Muralitharan, the world s Whenever I have watched and their doing. Then those two Dandeniya cricket last year and who will quit one- leading -taker in Tests and one- observed Murali he has always had and chaps will say it was because of their day cricket after the World Cup, will play dayers. shown an infectious love for the game organizational skills. in Gloucestershire s next two English The last time I played at Bristol I of cricket. And of course President Mahinda T20 campaigns, it was announced. took five and I look forward to This is something that I personally Rajapaksa will have to issue a message The 38-year-old will join up with an exciting t20 competition with the am looking forward to working with, congratulating the team. So will the Gloucester after playing in the the World Gladiators, added Muralitharan. Bracewell said. Minister of Sports. Muralitharan Kumar dear, please spare the coun- try.Don’t win it, for the majority of this country are nothing but a pack of jok- ers, like that former Chairman of AFSM Exco Introducing World Cup Teams – Part 8 Selectors, about whom Marvan Attapattu had a few things to say,before meeting on he retired from international cricket. Feb. 25 and 26 Dutch search for maiden World Cup win against ICC Full Members

BY LAL GUNESEKERA Asitha Attygala steps The down from tennis Executive Committee Meeting of the chair umpiring Asian BY REVATA S. SILVA Federation of Sports Medicine (AFSM) will be The leading International Tennis Dr. C. Thurairaja held in Federation (ITF) official, and the first Netherlands will be mak- from Sri Lanka to reach great heights Colombo on Feb. 25 and 26, co-hosted ing their fourth World Cup by the Sri Lanka Sports Medicine in Chair Umpiring and Refereeing in appearance since making Association (SLSMA) and the tennis, has stepped down from Chair their maiden appearance in total in an ODI. National Olympic Committee (NOC). played against South Africa in Sri Lankan born Flavian Umpiring, it was reported recently. Major General Dr. C. Thurairaja, the sub-continent in 1996. This year, they are drawn in Group the 1996 tournament, he was 47 Aponso, after being banned “I took over fulltime job with who is the First Vice President of years and 257 days old, making from the sport for 25 years for Tennis Australia (TA) as an AFSM, told ‘The Island’ that there ‘B’ alongside South Africa, India, West Indies, England, him the oldest player in the taking part in the 1983 rebel Officiating Supervisor. I have now are 44 member countries attached to World Cup history ever. Daan tour of South Africa, tried his this body, which is the biggest arm Bangladesh and Ireland. temporally stopped doing Chair van Bunge became the first luck in Netherlands and at the of FIMS and is the parent organisa- After missing out on World Umpiring and am focussed on my job bowler to be hit for six sixes in age of 43, played in the 1996 tion of all national sports medicine Cup qualifications in 1999, at TA, and my work as a Referee,” an over in World Cups when organisations in Asia. Netherlands played in the 2003 World Cup and notched up a Attygala told ‘The Island’ via e-mail. Herschelle Gibbs achieved this half-century against . He said that Exco members from tournament in South Africa Attygala, the first-ever Asian to feat in 2007. They were coached by another Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, and four years later in the get vital Silver Badge qualification in India, Iran, Oman, Brunei, South West Indies. The Dutch are captained by player who participated in the Peter Borren, who played for rebel tour, Tony Opatha. tennis Umpiring , has officially Korea, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar and They have had never beat- informed the ITF that he was stepping Sri Lanka will attend this two-day en a Full Member country in New Zealand in the Under-19 down from Chair Umpiring in inter- confab. They have expressed a desire previous World Cups, but have World Cup alongside Ross Netherlands Squad: national tournaments mainly due to to meet Minister of Health, managed victories over Taylor and . against Sri Lanka but the 443 Peter Borren (C), Wesley Maithripala Sirisena and Minister of Namibia and Scotland. for nine that Sri Lanka made Barresi, Mudassar Bukhari, his commitment with TA. Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage They qualified for the 2011 Against Sri Lanka: in a bi-lateral encounter Atse Buurman, , “Over the years, I worked in over so that there will be greater coopera- World Cup after finishing Netherland have never between the countries in 2009 Tom de Grooth, Alexei 30 Grand Slam events, 30 Davis Cup tion and support to Sri Lanka in third in the ICC World Cup played a World Cup game in Amstelveen is the highest Kervezee, Bradley Kruger, ties and many other ATP and WTA sports medicine from all Asian coun- Qualifier in 2009. Bernard Loots, , Tour events as a Chair Umpire. Now tries. Pieter Seelaar, Eric I’m enjoying my involvement with TA The AFSM will conduct a semi- Records: Swarczynski, Ryan ten and this was my second year in a row nar for doctors by six eminent per- Only two Dutch players Doeschate, Berend Westdijk sonalities, followed by a panel dis- working as a Referee at the annual have made centuries in and Bas Zuiderent. cussion with the venue being the Australian Open Junior NOC auditorium where 120 doctors World Cups - Klaas-Jan Van Championships. It’s great to work at a Noortwijk and Feiko Netherlands’ World Cup could be accommodated. Fixtures: Grand Slam setup and there is still a The local organising committee Kloppenburg - and both have lot more to learn,” added Attygala. scored their tons in the same Feb 22 – v England, Nagpur includes Dr. Ananda Gunasekera, Dr. Feb 28 - v West Indies, Delhi Attygala, an old boy of Ananda H. J. Suraweera, Dr. Asela game, against Namibia in Mar 3 - v South Africa, College, Colombo, has an outstanding Ratnayake, Dr. A. Fariz and Dr. 2003. Their partnership of Mohali record of officiating in 30 Grand Aman Gupta. 228, set while scoring their centuries, is the fifth highest Mar 9 – v India, Delhi Slams by now; eleven Australian in the history of World Cups. Mar 14 – v Bangladesh, Opens, five Roland Garros, nine When Nolan Clarke Chittagong Wimbledons and five US Opens. Sports Meet of Mar 18 – v Ireland, Kolkata. Burhani Serendib School tomorrow Pallekele warm-up matches relocated due to heavy rain The Annual Inter-house Sports Meet of Burhani Serendib School The warm-up games of ground is to hold these two release yesterday. World Cup 2011, starting will be held tomorrow, Feb. 12, at the ICC World Cup between matches now as day games. The decision was taken with the clash between New 1.00 p.m. at the Sugathadasa Mini Sri Lanka and Netherlands “It’s a common-sense by local and ICC officials fol- Zealand and Pakistan on 8 Stadium, under the patronage of and Netherlands and Kenya decision following an lowing a recommendation by March, followed by Sri Janab Amil Saheb Nooruddin Bhai on the 12th and 15th of extremely high volume of ICC pitch consultant Andy Lanka’s match-up with Saheb. This is an event held to cele- February were moved out of rainfall,” Professor Atkinson after he inspected Zimbabwe on 10 March and brate the 100th Milad Mubarak of the Pallekele International Ratnakar Shetty, the venue on Wednesday. concluding with the His Holiness Dr. Syedna Stadium yesterday. Tournament Director of the Pallekele will host three Pakistan v Zimbabwe fixture Burhanuddin T.U.S. Singhalese Sports Club World Cup said in a media matches in the ICC Cricket on 12 March. Asitha Attygala

Friday 11th February, 2011