Tuesday 29th September, 2009

Sri Lanka will qualify for semis if England beat New Zealand dismiss New Zealand batsmen - two against top scorer Jesse Ryder and one off Man of the Match . at “The real minus is the way we are at the moment. It’s been sometimes appalling. To get to international standards we’ve got lot of work to do. I managed to fumble quite an easy run out chance as well. Had we got that England’s mercy run out, we could have got them out early and they wouldn’t have added that extra 40 runs,” Sangakkara said. Sangakkara missed the run out chance with Vettori on six and the New Zealand went onto post 48, his highest score against Sri Lanka in ODIs. “In all three departments the team needs to do lot of brushing up. Lot of individuals need to improve on a few things. As a team especially with our fielding we need to work on. Forget the and batting. You score runs, you give away runs and you take . At the end of Rex Clementine have been in a better position had Sri Lanka left out world’s high- reporting form Johannesburg we won on Sunday. We weren’t up est taker Muttiah the day the thing that you can to the mark and New Zealand Muralitharan for the must win control is your fielding and we clearly outplayed us,” Sri Lanka game against New Zealand and haven’t done that.” Sri Lanka are still in with a While and chance to qualify for the semi- captain told paid the penalty as they found dropped a finals of the Champions Trophy reporters after losing their last out that the wicket provided catch each, Mendis’ ground field- if in form England beat New group game. assistance for spin bowlers. Of ing along with Lasith Malinga’s Zealand in the last Group ‘B’ Sri Lanka started off superbly the 50 overs during the New was below par and Sangakkara game here at the Wanderers in beating hosts in the Zealand innings, the spinners insisted the need to show more Johannesburg today. England are curtain-raiser of the competition 20 and conceded just 90 already through to the semis at Centurion, but then were runs compared to the three seam- commitment on the field. with two wins under their belt stunned by England on Friday ers - , Thilan “You maybe able to score runs while South Africa, New Zealand and then New Zealand outplayed Thushara and Lasith Malinga - and take wickets, but if you and Sri Lanka are tied on points Kumar Sangakkara’s side on whose 24 overs cost them as don’t support the rest of the with one win each. South Africa Sunday. many as 187 runs for just two guys on the field, it’s going to are already out of the competi- On a seamer friendly track wickets. hurt the side. You are only bowl- tion due to their poor net run against England here in The presence of Muralitharan ing ten overs, but there’s 40 more rate and Sri Lanka, who have a Johannesburg, Sri Lanka’s top would have been a real handful overs to field. Your responsibili- superior net run rate than New order struggled and playing two and captain Sangakkara at the ty to the side doesn’t end once Zealand will qualify if England spinners proved to be costly. But post match conference conceded you finish bowling or batting. unsuccessfully attempts to run out New Zealand batsman win today’s game. by the time the Sri Lankans real- that it was a tough decision to The difference between most Martin Guptill during their Champions Trophy match at Wanderers in “Now we have to hope that ized their mistake, the wickets leave out his deputy. sides is fielding. Those catches, had evened out with the existing He also criticized the team’s run outs and stops will make a Johannesburg. Sangakkara has admitted that the team has to work on the England win their remaining group game. However, we could heat in Johannesburg taking off appalling fielding as Sri Lanka difference between wining and fielding. (AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo) any moisture on the track. missed three opportunities to losing.” Australia makes 234-4 vs. India Royal win first leg of the annual CENTURION, South Africa (AP) - Ricky Ponting, Tim Paine and Michael SCOREBOARD Water Polo encounter Hussey each scored half-centuries Monday as Australia reached 234-4 Australia innings before a storm halted play in the 43rd S Watson c Harbhajan Singh b Nehra 0 over of their Champions Trophy match T Paine c Harbhajan Singh b Mishra 56 against India. R Ponting run out (Gambhir) 65 Australia captain Ponting won the toss and chose to bat, but his team was M Hussey c Tendulkar b Sharma 67 soon in trouble with the loss of Shane C White not out 35 Watson for his second successive duck. C Ferguson not out 2 Ponting steadied things with Paine, who was beginning to accelerate when Extras: (1b, 1lb,7w) 9 he was caught attempting to sweep Total ( for 4 wickets) 234 Amit Mishra. He scored 56 off 58 balls, Overs: 42.3 including seven fours and a six. Did not bat: JR Hopes, MG Johnson, B Hussey came in and kept up the pressure as Ponting moved to his half Lee, NM Hauritz, PM Siddle century before the captain was bril- Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-87, 3-175, 4-227 liantly run out by a direct throw from Bowling: Nehra 8-1-38-1, Kumar 8-0-34- the deep by Gautam Gambhir for 65 off 88 balls. 0(3w), Sharma 7.3-0-53-1(1w), Mishra 9- His influence had allowed Hussey to 0-45-1(1w) Harbhajan Singh 9-0-54- play freely and he raced to his 50 of 45 0(1w), Raina 1-0-8-0 balls before he was dismissed for 67 off 65 balls when he holed out to Sachin Toss: Australia. Tendulkar at deep mid-off, off the bowl- Umpires: Billy Bowden, New Zealand ing of Ishant Sharma. and Ian Gould, England. At the crease when the storm came TV umpire: Asad Rauf, Pakistan. Match were Cameron White with 35 off 30 Royal College won the first leg of the annual Royal Thomian Water polo encounter beating balls, and Callum Ferguson, who had Referee: Jeff Crowe, New Zealand. arch rivals S. Thomas’ College by eight goals to seven in the Under-19 event and six goals faced just seven balls and scored two to five in the Under-15 event at the Sugathadasa pool yesterday. The two age group encoun- runs. Australia’s Michael Hussey bats during the ters are played for the Dr. R.L.Hayman Trophy and Mahinda Liyanage Trophy respectively. Ashish Nehra had taken 1-38 off Champions Trophy cricket match against eight overs to be the most successful of India at Centurion, South Africa, Monday, The Royal College water pole team are seen celebrating their victory. India’s bowlers. Sept. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/PA, Gareth Copley) (Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi Text by Roshane Steelman)

Published by Upali Newspapers (Private) Limited, 223, Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13 and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Tuesday 29th September, 2009