Friday 27th February, 2009

JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Australia’s in making three runs, and fell to a recovery proceeded resolutely in the superb, diving one-handed catch final session on the first day of the first First day of first Test against South Africa by Neil McKenzie off Steyn. test against South Africa as debutant The Australians were in a Marcus North hit a composed 47 spot of bother on 38-3 when and added a useful 72 with Brad Haddin (four) was well (37 not out) to take their team to 254-5 at held by Jacques Kallis at second the close. Australia reach slip, to give Morne Morkel his 50th Umpires Steve Bucknor and Billy test . Bowden offered the light to the batsmen Fast bowler Steyn rocked 17 overs into the final session with flood- Australia in the first hour, dismiss- lights failing to lift the gloom sufficient- ing debutant opening batsman ly. Shortly after the players left the field, Hughes with the it also began to drizzle and play was fourth ball called off for the day. 254-5 at close of the The sixth-wicket partnership, cou- match and tak- pled with the fourth-wicket stand of 113 his pads before crashing into the stumps. Ponting survived some torrid bowl- ing two for between captain (83) and Unfortunately for the touring side ing before lunch, too, and was struck five runs in a fiery opening Michael Clarke (68), lifted the Clarke was out to an extravagant drive with a blow on the right forearm by fast spell. At the close Steyn’s fig- Australians’ mood after they had been off Dale Steyn moments before tea. bowler Morne Morkel with the score on ures were 3-82. under severe pressure in the morning Clarke’s departure, caught behind after 36-2. Conditions had been good session upon opting to bat first. hitting 10 fours, took some of the shine Debutant , who is for the bowlers, particularly in North hit two half-centuries in a off a decent showing in the second ses- stepping into the shoes of the retired the first two sessions, but warm-up game which ended on Sunday, sion of the day. Matthew Hayden as opening batsman, Australia managed to turn the and he looked comfortable Thursday in Ponting hit 11 fours and a six, and faced the first ball of the match from match around as the day pro- hitting six fours in his innings. Haddin, although his strokeplay was up to his Steyn, but was back in the pavilion for gressed. who also hit six boundaries, had joined high standard, the South African attack a duck three deliveries later. Hughes’s South African all- North at the wicket with the score on 182- often had him and Clarke under pres- downfall came when he played an rounder Jacques Kallis 5 and the innings still in need of some sure. ungainly attempted cut shot off a ball bowled in the first session, reconstruction. Immediately after lunch, though, the which he could easily have left alone, and but suffered a back Ponting and Clarke had started the experienced Australian pair took advan- got a bottom edge to wicketkeeper Mark strain. He did field recovery process, although the Australia tage of some loose bowling to add 58 runs Boucher. during the second captain had been fortunate to be dropped in the first hour of the second session. Hughes’ fellow opener Simon Katich session, but is on 40 by the Proteas captain Graeme hung around expected to Smith shortly before lunch. Their stand for 42 minutes bat. saw runs added at more than four per SCOREBOARD over, and the overall scoring rate of 3.73 Australia 1st innings Still to bat: M. Johnson, B. ensured that Australia did not let the P. Hughes c Boucher b Steyn 0 Hilfenhaus, P. Siddle, game get away. S. Katich c McKenzie b Steyn 3 A. McDonald.. Australian captain Ricky Ponting looks back Ponting’s stand was invaluable after R. Ponting b Ntini 83 Bowling: Steyn 19-2-83-3 (1nb), as he leaves the crease after being bowled M. Hussey c Kallis b Morkel 4 Ntini 16-4-53-1, out by South Africa’s Makhaya Ntini, unseen, his side had limped to 38-3. He survived M. Clarke c Boucher b Steyn 68 Morkel 16-2 65-1 (3nb 1w), Kallis for 83 runs during the first day of the first Test the referral of an appeal to the television M. North not out 47 4-0-19-0, Harris 11-2-18-0, match at , umpire in his 70s when the ball was B. Haddin not out 37 Duminy 2-0-10-0. South Africa, Thursday Feb. 26, 2009. shown to have hit his trouser pocket and Extras: (7lb, 1w, 4nb) 12 Toss: Australia. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) not his bat but was eventually out to a TOTAL: (for five wickets) 254 Umpires: S. Bucknor (WI) and B. peach of a ball from Makhaya Ntini on Overs: 68. Bowden (NZ). 83, with the score on 151. Ponting did not Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-18, 3-38, 4- TV umpire: A. Rauf (Pak). offer a shot to the swinging 151, 5-182. Match referee: J. Crowe (NZ). which cut back off the pitch and brushed Inter-Provincial Cricket – 2009 Sri Lankan team held up at Karachi airport Basnahira South trouble Rex Clementine PCB Abdul Qadir, the former leg- spinner announced that the same reporting from Karachi North with fine start squad of 15 players have been by Revata retained for the second Test Match The Sri Lankan cricket team S. Silva was held up for close to two hours at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. at the Karachi airport after the air- The Pakistani selectors have also craft they were to fly to Lahore named five reserves for the Test Struggling in the tour- experienced technical failures. Match in Shahid Afridi, Saeed nament after two matches, The team was supposed to leave Ajmal, Sohail Tanvir, Abdur Rauf Basnahira South, led by the Karachi airport at 3pm local and Nasir Jamshed. Chamara Silva, could put time, but after the aircraft experi- The Sri Lankans will be return- behind their woes, at least enced technical failures, the pas- ing to what has been a successful for the time being, as their sengers had to be evacuated and hunting ground for them as it was two openers gave them a put on a new aircraft. at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore scintillating start with a “The PIA 304 aircraft experi- they won the game’s greatest prize 207-run stand in their 3rd enced technical failures before 13 years ago beating Australia by encounter which began take off. We are told that the fault Match was Pakistan captain Indian captain by just one ranking seven wickets in the final. against present table lead- was with the landing gear. So the Younis Khan, who became the point. So far Sri Lanka has played ers, Basnahira North, at R. players of both Pakistan and Sri third Pakistani after Hanif During his marathon 13 hour three Tests at Lahore and won one, Premadasa Int’l Stadium, Colombo, on Thursday (26). Lanka teams had to shift aircrafts Mohammad and Inzamam-ul-Haq vigil, Younis faced 568 balls and hit lost one and drawn the other. The quicker succession at Basnahira North captain and take another flight,” a to score a triple hundred. 27 boundaries and four sixes. victory came in the final of the Kurunegala as Wayamba lost Thilina Kandamby used nine spokesman of the Pakistan His career best 313 also helped Younis took over the Pakistani Asian Test Championship in 2002 nine for a modest 253 in their bowlers including himself but Cricket Board (PCB) told ‘The him to climb up the ICC Player captaincy from Shoaib Malik against Pakistan. It was also there game against Ruhuna, another none brought results as Lahiru Island’. Rankings and he’s now the highest ahead of the Test series against last month they handed Pakistan a side sans any win in the tourney Thirimanne struck a patient 126 The first Test between the coun- ranked batsmen in the world the Sri Lankans. 234 run defeat to win the three so far. n.o. while facing 295 deliveries tries ended in a high scoring draw replacing Guyanese Shivnariene Sri Lanka captain Mahela match ODI series 2-1. It was As Jehan Mubarak (Wayamba) hitting 13 fours and a six. at the National Stadium in Chanderpaul. Jayawardene is ranked at number Pakistan’s heaviest defeat by any and Indika de Saram (Ruhuna) His opening partner Yohan de Karachi as Sri Lanka posted a Younis was ranked seventh in four, just behind team-mate and opponent and their total of 75 all now have to lead their teams to a Silva made a 175-ball 98 before mammoth 644 for seven and the official Rankings, but after his vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara, out is their fourth lowest total in much needed first win in the tour- Kandamby eventually struck Pakistan replied with 765 for six. exploits this week, he’s now top of Chanderpaul and Younis. ODIs. It was also Sri Lanka’s third nament, Wayamba stood third in with his leg-breaks scalping de The highlight during the Test the table ahead of the former West Meanwhile, Chief Selector of biggest victory in ODIs. the five-team points table after Silva to end a fine innings that drawing their only game, played contained 10 fours and a six. against Basnahira South last week. Scores: Scores: Basnahira South 293 for 2 Wayamba 253 for 9 wkts (won wkts (Y. de Silva 98, L. Malshan hits 150 in Ananda Sastralaya victory toss) (Mahela Udawatte 85, Thirimanne 126 n.o., Milinda Damitha Hunukumbura 30, V. Kenedy 76; Shiran Bhathiya 4/42, 177 all out (Chathura Damith 41, Chandimanthu Rodrigo 42, Primesh Siriwardene 37; T. Kandamby 2- by Reemus Fernando Jehan Mubarak 43, Lanka de Kosala Paranathala 3/51, Dulitha Isuru Dharshana 34, Isuru Buddhika Dassanayake 28, Vimukthi Perera 20 32) Vs Basnahira North (won Silva 25; Sujeewa de Silva 3-74, Open bat Vinod Malshan top Karunathinga 2/22) 23, Tharindu Uthpala 20; Nimna de n.o; Maduka Liyanapathirana 2/91, the toss) Ananda Sastralaya 326 for 8 in 67 Silva 4/59, Dulaj Dananjaya 2/12) Priyan Perera 2/30, Eraj Hewagama Wayamba 253 for 9 Sajeewa Weerakoon 3-37) vs scored with 150 runs inclusive of 22 Ruhuna. fours and one six as Ananda overs (Vinod Malshan 150, Akila Revata 219 all out (Dulaj 2/47, Sagara Vimukthi 3/41) Meanwhile wickets fell in Sastralaya, Kotte scored a nine wick- Madushanka 64, Jeevan Perera 25, Dananjaya 85, Janith Chathuranga President’s 56 for no wickets in et victory over St. Thomas’ College Gihan Perera 21 n.o; Niranjan 42; Chathura Damith 3/44, Brian 13 overs (Nipun Geethanga 22 n.o, Matale in their Inter School Under-19 Ekanayake 2/69) and 29 for 1 in 8 Chappel 2/33, Chamith Sriyan 2/14) DAsun Perera 20 n.o) Wickramasinghe and Dias to get Pramila’s medals match ended at Matale yesterday. overs (Gihan Perera 23 n.o) and 132 for 3 16.3 overs (Nimna de The Athletic Association of Sri Lanka P. Wickramasinghe and Achala Dias While Malshan top scored with Silva 62 n.o, Dulaj Dananjaya 34, Auwardt five wickets restrict is set to award the gold and silver who finished the 200 and 100 metres Revata record first win 150 runs, Akila Madushanka hit 64 Rohan Pitiyage 18) St. Anne’s to 205 medals won by Pramila Priyadharshani, behind Priyadharshani. All rounder Nimna de Silva runs for Ananda Sastralaya to post Spinner Dilanka Auwardt picked who was tested positive for a prohibited While Achala who won a bronze in impressed with an unbeaten 62 runs President’s trouble Nalanda up five wickets for St. Benedict’s 326 for 8 declared. substance at the National Athletic the 100 metres will receive the silver, D. The home team were bowled out and a four wicket haul for Revata President’s College, Rajagiriya College to restrict St. Anne’s College for 107 and 245 runs as Kosala College, Balapitiya to score their troubled Nalanda College picking up to 205 runs on the first day of their Championships, to P. D. N. P. G. Padmakumari who was placed fourth Paranathala bagged six wickets. first outright victory of the season in the first five wickets for 82 runs match at Welagedara Ground yester- Wickramasinghe and Achala Dias. will receive the bronze. Chasing 29 runs to win Ananda their Inter School Under-19 match before Sineth Gunawardena (81) and day. Pramila Priyadharshani, who com- In the 200 metres, P. D. N. G. Sastralaya achieved the mark for the against Kalutara Vidyalaya at Chandimanthu Rodrigo (42) helped Bens were 46 for no wickets at pleted her six month ban on February Wickramasinghe, Chamoda Jayampathi loss of one wicket. Balapitiya yesterday. them to post 268 runs on the first day close. 10, has handed over the medals and the and Y. Abewickrama who finished sec- of their Inter School match com- Scores: certificates she won at the National ond, third and fourth, will get the gold, Scores: menced at Bloomfield Ground yes- Scores: St. Anne’s 205 all out in 81.2 Athletic Championships to the AA of Sri silver and bronze medals. Kalutara 172 all out (Chathura terday. overs (S. S. Silva 73, D.O. St. Thomas’ 107 all out in 25 overs Lanka, according to a media release A South Asian Athletic Championship (Thushara Gamage 22; Kosala Damith 24, Kushan Samanjith 29, G. In reply President’s were 56 for no Gunasekara 51, L. Lankeshwara 41; Paranathala 3/35, Shiran Bhathiya Madusanka 26, Samith Priyan 23; wickets at close. Heshan Chamara 2/23, Dilanka sent by the association. gold medalist, Premila Priyadharshani 3/44, Dulitha Karunathunga 2/00, Dulaj Dananjaya 2/19, Shehan Scores: Auwardt 5/78) The AASL said in a media statement was found positive for the prohibited Vinod Madushan 2/26) and 245 all Manuran 2/30, Maduranga Mendis Nalanda 268 all out in 80 overs St. Benedict’s 46 for no wickets yesterday that the gold and silver substance, Terbutaline which is a out in 52.3 overs (C.D. Jayathilaka 84, 2/20, Janith Chathuranga 2/31) and (Sineth Gunawardena 81, 11 overs (Roy Shiran 25n.o) medals will be handed over to P. D. N. Therapeutic Use Exemption drug. (RF)

Friday 27th February 2009