Tuesday 16th September, 2008 Warne refuses to rule out international comeback FIFA President Sepp Blatter, left, and South African President Thabo Mbeki, right, are seen at a press briefing in Pretoria, South Africa, Legendary spinner Shane Warne has mer team-mate Andrew Symonds Sunday, Sept. 14, 2008. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell) refused to rule out a shock internation- showed a lack of respect to the al comeback to a depleted India-bound Australian team in Darwin last month, team even though he tipped an aging but he has urged the all-rounder not to FIFA head Sepp Bryce McGain as new number one take the easy option by exiting the Australian Test spinner. international game. Symonds was cut Blatter visits “In my life I’ve learnt never to say from the one-day series against never,” Warne was quoted as saying by Bangladesh for going fishing instead of the ‘Courier Mail’. attending a team meeting and was not 2010 stadium “But at the moment I’m very happily included in the squad to face India next by Clare Nullis retired and I’m very happy with my month. CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) life,” he said. Warne was upset Symonds, who has - FIFA president Sepp Blatter Warne said the 36-year-old McGain been around the team for a decade, did claims he danced for joy after arriv- was the top spinner in the country and not act like a senior player while the ing in South Africa to check on added he had experience at his side. injured pair of Ricky Ponting and preparations for the 2010 World “If you look at the spinners at the Matthew Hayden were missing from the Cup. moment in Australia he is the best,” squad. It was left to Michael Clarke, the Yet, beneath the public postur- Warne said. acting captain, and team management ing lie very real concerns about sta- “He has slowed his pace down and is to make the decision to send Symonds dium construction delays, rising spinning it beautifully. Being 36 is an home. costs, rampant crime and lack of advantage for him experience wise and “I would have thought that if transportation. he has basically played club cricket Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke Blatter was visiting Cape Town’s once a week for most of his career so were good friends, then Symo would Green Point stadium Monday on the his body isn’t a worry. have more respect for Michael Clarke first full day of his four-day visit, “I don’t see it as a backwards step than that,” Warne said in the Herald which will also include tours of that Beau Casson is gone. This is a tour Sun. “I think it’s disappointing that he Soccer City in Johannesburg, the of India and they have really good play- put a young captain like Michael Clarke site of the opening and final match. ers of spin and we don’t want to ruin in that position. He is also set to meet South anyone,” he added. “It was disappointing from Symo, Africa’s likely next President, Jacob McGain, who has played only 19 especially with the Australian team not Zuma, and anti-apartheid icon first-class matches and taken 57 wickets having senior players like Ricky Nelson Mandela, whose lobbying at 33, was yesterday named as Ponting and Matthew Hayden there. It’s helped bring the tournament to Australia’s frontline spinner for the not a one-off thing, and I just think make a decision on whether to be part that would be the easy option. The hard South Africa. arduous four-Test tour of India and will Symo has showed a lack of respect.” of Queensland’s start to the domestic option and the option that will satisfy “South Africa is on track,” FIFA partner rookie Tasmanian off-spinner However, Warne said he did not season next month. him and earn him some respect is to general-secretary Jerome Valcke Jason Krejza in a 15-man squad. want Symonds to walk away and focus “I would be disappointed if he took come back a better person and show told a local radio station Monday. He is set to become Australia’s oldest instead on the Indian Premier League. the easy option and just threw it away,” how important playing for Australia is “But it’s sure there is no way that Test debutant in 24 years. Symonds trained with Matthew Hayden Warne said. “He could do that and just to him.” South Africa can lose a single day Meanwhile, Warne has said that for- in Brisbane last week and is waiting to take his cash from the IPL, but to me in preparation for the (2009) Confederations Cup and the World Cup because we are already on a Homan gets even in Francisco, Madusanka and Karunaratne tight schedule.” steer Kurunegala to eight-wicket win Bangladeshi players wheelchair tennis doubles by Reemus (Anuradhapura Fernando Central) who lead complain of poor BEIJING (AP) - Korie Sunday’s singles final, a in 349 straight singles Anuradhapura Homan had to wait a day, match Homan felt she matches over 5 1/2 years Wicket keeper and District team was treatment but she finally got even should have won. and her Paralympic gold batsman, Lio inclusive of players with Esther Vergeer. “I was really disap- in singles was her third Francisco scored an from Anuradhapura The Bangladesh players linked to the Homan and Sharon pointed because I had straight. She had also won unbeaten 43 runs and Central, Indian Cricket League have expressed Walraven won gold in match point against the doubles at the last two accounted for three Niwaththaka dissatisfaction with the system as their wheelchair tennis at the player who hadn’t lost in a Paralympics. dismissals for Chethiya MV, reason to retire from international and Paralympics on Monday, long, long time,” Homan “When we started in Kurunegala District Walisinghe domestic cricket. However, they stopped defeating Dutch compatri- said. “Today I cried again, the warmup, I had to to record an easy Harischandra MV,St. short of confirming they had signed ots Jiske Griffioen and but that was because I was switch a button and go for eight wickets victory Joseph’s MV, with the ICL. Vergeer 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4. so happy.” doubles,” Homan said. over Anuradhapura wickets between them to Deepani MV, Habibul Bashar, the former Vergeer beat Homan in Vergeer is undefeated Fifty-one medals were District after Ashan restrict the opponents to Nochchiyagama Bangladesh captain, said he felt let up for grabs Monday. The Madusanka and skipper 120 runs. Vidyadharsha, Thalawa down by the team management, coach Paralympics wind down Nimna Karunaratne Chasing the paltry Navodya and Subodhi Jamie Siddons in particular. “The situa- Tuesday with the final earned bowling honours target Kurunegala gave MV. tion was getting difficult for me,” day on Wednesday. in the curtain raiser of away just two wickets Scores: Bashar, who was dropped from the side China and Ukraine the Prima Champions but Lio Francisco of Anuradhapura 120 all out in for the Asia Cup, told the Dhaka-based 41.2 overs (Tharindu were the only countries to Cup Under-15 tourna- Maliyadeva College top Weerasinghe 43, Eranda Daily Star. “I wasn’t receiving support win two gold medals in ment held at the scored with an unbeaten Edirisinghe 35, Rangana from anyone. Even the coach’s attitude swimming, with the rest Welagedara Stadium yes- 43 runs inclusive of Madusanka 22, Ashan was discouraging and I was in the mid- spread around. China also terday. seven fours to reach the Madusanka 4/17, Nimna dle of a lot of uncertainty and I was out Karunaratne 3/11) dominated track and field, Deciding to bat first, target with many overs of cricket for seven months.” He said Kurunegala 121 for 2 in 20.3 winning six golds and 11 skipper Eranda to spare. Francisco too overs (Lio Francisco 43 n.o, this prompted him to take up the ICL overall. No other country Edirisinghe’s 35 and accounted for two stump- Avishka Ratnayake 32, offer, adding none of the players were was close. The United Tharindu Weerasinghe’s ings and one that caught Charith Hurukkgamuwa 26 happy with the existing structure. States won one gold and 43 runs were the top behind the wickets. n.o, Madushanka Jayamal Siddons had responded saying 2/32) seven overall. scores for Anuradhapura Kurunegala District The tournament will progress Bashar was not on the top of his game Oscar Pistorius, the who were bowled out in team captained by with a card of three and had been omitted after many oppor- South African runner the 42nd over. Leg spin- Nimna Karunaratne was matches today. tunities. “A non-performing senior can’t known as “The Blade ner Ashan Madusanka comprised of players Matale vs. Anuradhapura at really influence the game of his team- Welagedara Stadium Runner,” goes for his (4/17) of Sandalankawa from Maliyadeva College, mates,” Siddons said. “We would not Netherlands’ Korie Homan, right, and Sharon Walraven congratulate Ratnapura vs.Gampaha at each other after receiving the gold medals for the Wheelchair tennis third gold Tuesday in the MMV and skipper Kurunegala, St. Anne’s St. Sebastian’s College leave a senior player out of our young Women’s doubles open final at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games 400 meters, having Nimna Karunaratne College, Kurunegala and Ground, Katuneriya Vavuniya team if they had the potential to be a held in Beijing, China, Monday, Sept. 15, 2008. already won the 100 and (3/11) of Maliyadeva Sandalankawa MV.