Friday 24th December, 2010

ICC rejects bid to adjourn Pakistan trio’s hearing ISLAMABAD (AP) - The International Council has rejected an applica- Six Sri Lankans shortlisted tion from Pakistan Test Salman Butt’s legal representative to adjourn the hearing into “spot-fixing” charges next month against his client and two team- mates. Michael Beloff, chairman of the ICC’s anti-corruption tribunal, said in a state- ment Wednesday that the hearing will for ICC all-time ODI team take place as scheduled from Jan. 6-11 in Doha, Qatar. The International Cricket Middle-order batsmen (3) Butt and Pakistan fast bowlers Council (ICC) has shortlisted - Michael Bevan, , Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir six Sri Lankan greats in a list Aravinda de Silva, Inzamam-ul were suspended in September after an of 48 players to pick the all- Haq, , Javed undercover British newspaper sting time World XI in One-Day Miandad, and accused them of receiving money for no- balls to be bowled at predetermined Internationals to mark the 40th Sir . times during a Test against England. anniversary of one-day cricket. All-rounder (1) – Sir Ian The birth of ODI cricket Botham, , Andrew took place on the 5th of Flintoff, , January 1971 after three days of , , Langer: Injury to bring an Ashes Test in Melbourne and Shaun was washed out and the author- Pollock. the best out of Ricky ities decided to play a 40-over -keeper (1) - Mark Not only is Justin Langer expecting one-day encounter (eight-ball Boucher, M.S. Dhoni, Andy to see Ricky Ponting play at the MCG, he is also tipping the Australian captain overs) instead. won Flower, , for a major contribution in Melbourne. the inaugural encounter by five Romesh Kaluwitharana, Moin Ponting suffered a fractured finger as . Khan, Alec Stewart and Kumar his side hit back in the third Test in To mark the anniversary, Sangakkara. Perth to level the Ashes series at one ICC has asked cricket fans to Aravinda Sanath Murali Fast bowlers (3) - Wasim win apiece. The blow kept the come forward and submit their Akram, , Joel Australian skipper out of action on the all-time World XI from the Garner, , fourth and final morning of the WACA Test, but Langer cannot imagine shortlisted 48 players. , Glenn McGrath, Ponting missing out on such a massive Of the six Sri Lankans who Chaminda Vaas and Waqar occasion - the Boxing Day Test in front are shortlisted by the ICC, five Younis. of a capacity MCG crowd. were part of Sri Lanka’s victo- Spinner (1) - Shahid Afridi, “I would be amazed if Ricky doesn’t rious campaign in the 1996 Carl Hooper, , play in this Test,” the former Australian World Cup with the only excep- , Saqlain opening batsmen told the Sydney tion being current skipper Mushtaq, Harbhajan Singh, Morning Herald on Tuesday. “He is that tough physically and men- . and Daniel tally, at one-all, Boxing Day Test, a , who Vettori. chance to win the Ashes, he will defi- took the 1996 World Cup by nitely be there.” storm with his stroke play, is Greatest ODI match of More than that, Langer believes that one of the openers named by all-time the finger injury, suffered while parry- the panel alongside other lead- ing a catch on the third day at the WACA, is a blessing in disguise for his ing stars like Gordon 1. West Indies beat former captain. Greenidge and Sachin Australia by 17 runs at Lord’s, Tendulkar. 1975 Aravinda de Silva, Sri 2. India beat West Indies by Dialog Champions League Lanka’s hero in the 1996 World Vaas Kalu Sanga 43 runs at Lord’s, 1983 Cup final, is sitting among the 3. Pakistan beat India won Air Force beat middle-order batsmen’s list spearhead Lasith Malinga are logging onto http://www.icc- when Sri Lanka lost their last by one-wicket at Sharjah, 1986 which is full of cricket legends notable Sri Lankans missed cricket.com. nine wickets for just 39 runs 4. England won by three Renown 1-0 of yesteryear such as Sir Viv out in the ICC list. The voting process closes at chasing a target of 197. wickets against Australia at After ending the first half with a Richards, Martin Crowe, Brian “With the ICC Cricket midnight on 2nd January 2011 The fans can also submit Sydney, 1987 score of nil all, Air Force SC edged out Renown SC by 1-0 at the City Football Lara and . World Cup 2011 is now less and the ICC will announce the their dream teams to the ICC 5. Australia won by one Complex, Colombo in the ongoing Left-arm seamer Chaminda than two months away, excite- all-time team on the 5th of by logging onto wicket against West Indies at Dialog Champions League Football Vaas is the only Sri Lankan ment and interest in the one- January to coincide with the http://www.facebook/cricket- Sydney, 1996 Tournament last Wednesday (Dec. 22). bowler in the line-up. The list day format of the game will 40th anniversary of the first icc or 6. Australia tied with South In the second fixture of the day, however consists two of Sri certainly intensify. We know ever ODI match. http://www.twitter.com/crick- Africa at Edgbaston, 1999 Ratnam SC outclassed Blue Star 3-2 at Lanka’s finest wicket-keepers, that fans will enjoy having the eticc. 7. Pakistan tied with Sri the Vernon U. Fernando Stadium, current skipper Sangakkara chance to remember some of Greatest ODI match ever Lanka, at Sharjah, 1999 Kalutara. At half time, Ratnam led 1-0. (MP) and Romesh Kaluwitharana. the great games and great play- The fans could also vote on The shortlisted players for 8. India beat Pakistan by Muttiah Muralitharan is the ers that have played in ODI the greatest ODI match ever by greatest ODI team of all-time five runs at Karachi, 2004 only Sri Lankan spinner in the cricket during the past 40 logging onto the ICC official Opening batsmen (2) - 9. Bangladesh beat list. years,” ICC chief executive website. The ICC has shortlist- Saeed Anwar, Sourav Ganguly, Australia by five wickets at Pakistan beaten World Cup winning captain Haroon Lorgat said in a state- ed ten thrilling ODI encounters , Matthew Cardiff, 2005 Arjuna Ranatunga, current ment. including the tied match Hayden, Sanath Jayasuriya, 10. South Africa beat by 5 wickets stars and Voting is now open for between Sri Lanka and Virender Sehwag, Sachin Australia by one-wicket at , New Zealand (AP) - T.M. Dilshan and bowling cricket fans who can do so by Pakistan in Sharjah in 1999 Tendulkar and . Johannesburg, 2006 Pakistan has made an unimpressive start to its cricket tour of New Zealand, losing by five wickets to Auckland province in a warm-up match. MILAN (AP) - Rafa Champions League in 2005. He After losing two wickets in the Benitez’s spell as Inter Milan reportedly angered club presi- opening over, Pakistan was bowled out Pietersen says Australia coach ended after just six dent Massimo Moratti after Inter Milan for only 90 in 17.5 overs, Umar Gul months on Thursday. the Club World Cup when he top-scoring with 19. Younis Khan The European and Italian demanded that the board made 18 and 16. still “very vulnerable” champions announced that fires coach either fully support him and Auckland reached its winning tar- they have reached a “mutually buy new players in January, get in only 13.2 overs, led by New MELBOURNE, Australia had affected Australia’s form satisfactory agreement” with or let him go. (AP) - England batsman and opponents had been Zealand opening batsman Martin Benitez to terminate his con- Benitez’s reign has been Guptill who made an unbeaten 28. Kevin Pietersen thinks quick to exploit its “weak- tract, which ran until the end Benitez strained almost from the Saeed Akmal took 2 for 20 and Shoaib Australia is still “very vul- ness.” of next season. start, although he had a hard nerable” despite levelling the Marsh said Australia’s Akhtar 2-31. Pakistan meets New Benitez, who took charge in act to follow, with Mourinho Ashes cricket series and win over England in Perth, Zealand in the first of three Twenty20 June after Jose Mourinho joined having led Inter to the Serie A, claims the home team’s new which followed its innings internationals in Auckland on Sunday. Real Madrid, guided Inter to the Italian Cup and Champions verbal aggression shows it is and 71 run loss in the second Club World Cup title last week- League titles last season - the “under huge amounts of Test at Adelaide, had result- pressure.” ed from a return to its “natu- end. first such treble for an Italian Cricket South Africa to In an interview with ral instincts.” But the European champions club. English media, Pietersen Verbal sparring between are languishing in seventh place Under Benitez, Inter was escalated vocal sparring the teams has noticeably in Serie A, 13 points behind city beaten 2-0 by Atletico Madrid in consider foreign coaches between the teams, describ- increased. England wicket rival AC Milan. the European Super Cup in JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Cricket “Inter Milan and Rafael August and opened the defence ing England’s 267-run third keeper Matt Prior criticised South Africa has begun its search for a Benitez can announce that they of its Champions League title in Test loss at Perth as a “hic- Australian fast bowler Peter new coach and will look “far and wide” have reached a mutually satis- September with a disappointing cup” and saying it was still Siddle for giving him a ver- for a candidate to replace Corrie van factory agreement for the early 2-2 draw at unheralded Dutch confident of an historic bal “send-off” after his dis- Zyl, it said on Thursday. termination of his contract,” side FC Twente, which was mak- series win. missal in the third Test. CSA will consider foreign coaches, the club said on its website. ing its debut in the competition. Australia has credited its Siddle responded by say- with Van Zyl set to step down after the “Inter thank Rafael Benitez for Other failures followed, such third Test win to its return to ing England only complained 2011 World Cup to return to his role at his work in leading his team to as a 3-1 loss at Tottenham in a more aggressive approach, because it lost. the federation’s high performance acad- success in the Italian Super Cup Europe, and a painful 1-0 loss to shelved after its 2008 Sydney “We won the game. That’s emy. Test against India sparked a why they’re making such a and the FIFA Club World Cup.” Milan in the city derby last Former AC Milan coach month. “CSA is casting its net far and wide to public and official backlash big deal of it,” he said. find the right person to replace caretak- against “sledging” - the slang Pietersen increased the Leonardo is being tipped to In Benitez’s defence, Inter In this picture taken Saturday, Dec. er Proteas’ coach Corrie van Zyl and for verbal assaults on an ante on Thursday. replace Benitez by the time has been devastated by a series 18, 2010, Inter Milan coach Rafa take the team to even higher levels of opposing team. “When you’re under Serie A resumes Jan. 6, with Benitez of Spain, during the Club of injuries to top players, with In recent days, Paul extreme amounts of pres- Inter hosting second-place the likes of Julio Cesar, Maicon, performance,” chief executive Gerald World Cup final soccer match at Majola said. Marsh, head of the sure, you talk a lot more,” he Napoli. Zayed sport city in Abu Dhabi, Walter Samuel, Cristian Chivu, Australian Cricketers’ said. “And the good thing Benitez arrived in Milan Esteban Cambiasso, Javier “We thank and applaud Corrie for United Arab Emirates. stepping into the breach at such short Association, said fear of the about our team is, we’re on a after six years in charge at (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) Zanetti and Diego Milito all consequences of sledging plateau. We do what we do. Liverpool, where he won the missing large chunks of action. notice after the resignation by Mickey Arthur as national coach last season.”

Published by Upali Newspapers (Private) Limited, 223, Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13 and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Friday 24th December, 2010