Warne Continues to Grab the Headlines
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Wednesday 15th December, 2010 SLC looks to Bangladesh for bail out BY REX CLEMENTINE mitted their World Cup squad to the ICC and SLC is desperate to have some hairman of Cricket Selectors international cricket underway before Aravinda de Silva yesterday the deadline. Cadmitted that lack of competitive Hence, the possibility of playing cricket for the national team ahead of Bangladesh either in Colombo or even the 2011 World Cup is a huge concern, in Abu Dhabi has been looked at and but said the administrators are looking SLC was confident they would be able to at getting some international cricket, make a breakthrough. ‘The Island’ also possibly against Bangladesh prior to the learns during negotiations with West International Cricket Council’s January Indies last week, after heavy rains 19 deadline of submitting the final forced the series to be abandoned, there World Cup squad of 15. were discussions to relocate the series The postponement of five match ODI to Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, but no break- series against the West Indies has shak- through was made. en up Sri Lanka’s preparations badly Although Sri Lanka will be one of and while the players lack match prac- the three co-hosts, the fact that their tice, the selectors are in a dilemma as knowledge of the three venues is mini- they wonder who to fit in for the final mal will be a big drawback as they have few slots in the World Cup squad. hardly played any cricket on these “The board is trying to see whether grounds. While Suriyawewa and we can arrange a series with Pallekele stadiums have been newly Bangladesh if possible and if that does- built, the R. Premadasa Stadium in n’t come through, we just have to take Colombo has created a lot of problems the risk and go with our gut feeling,” de for sides batting second under lights in Silva, flanked by other members of the recent times and with the venue hosting national selection panel, told journal- many Sri Lankan games, including a ists yesterday. quarter-final and a semi-final, a good The selectors will have seen just preparation at the venue was thought to three One-Day Internationals (against be a must. Australia) in six months before they “It’s unfortunate that the series finalise the World Cup squad of 15 and against West Indies got cancelled. We the situation is not the ideal prepara- have fixed enough practice sessions at night in all three venues and I hope it Chairman of Cricket Selectors Aravinda de Silva (right), stresses a point during a media briefing held at Sri Lanka Cricket tion for the national team, considered headquarters at Maitland Place yesterday. Fellow selectors Shabir Asgarally and Amal Silva are also in the picture. one of the favourites at the 2011 World will provide the necessary exposure for the players at these venues,” de Silva Cup. with regard to some players, who are on player has to offer to the team rather than World Cup, he got a crucial run out in the added. Although a short three match series the borderline, more than the averages, his mere average and things like that. quarter-final game against England. It was De Silva also added that the selec- has been agreed upon in late January what they bring in to the team needed Sometimes a player’s brilliance on the Alec Stewart’s wicket and with another 30 tors had a fair idea on 10 to 11 players against the West Indies, by the time the to be looked at. field can make a big difference. If you take or 40 runs it would have made a big differ- who will form the World Cup squad and series comes the selectors will have sub- “Sometimes you have to see what a the case of Upul Chandana in the 1996 ence to the game.” BY MARTIN SMITH and fellow Test legend Mark Waugh, now a Fox Sports crick- Shane Warne retired almost et commentator, has labelled Dandeniya says four years ago, yet the former talk of Warne’s return “ridicu- Test spinner remains the most lous”. influential man in Australian “It’s embarrassing,” Waugh he’s ready to quit? cricket. said on Fox Sports cricket pro- Warne’s relationship with gramme Inside Cricket. actress Liz Hurley has grabbed “He was a great bowler ... nder fire Director of the only relation of the Interim so many column inches this let’s let it go. Let’s bring back Cricket World Cup, Committee Chairman to be Phar Lap, or Don Bradman.” USuraj Dandeniya yester- recruited for a fat salary. week that it’s easy to forget the Former Australia selector day said he will quit as the Sri Another nephew of D. S. de third Ashes Test is less than 48 Merv Hughes, meanwhile, sug- Lankan head of the Cricket Silva, Kapila Dandeniya func- hours away. gested that Warne’s 41-year-old World Cup Secretariat if the tions as the second in com- And constant speculation body was physically not up to International Cricket Council mand at World Cup that he is on the verge of a come- the rigours of Test cricket. (ICC) expressed Secretariat as a back to the Test arena has done “There’s a little bit of a dif- its dissatisfac- Manager drawing nothing to keep him out of the ference between playing IPL and tion over the a salary of over spotlight. Shane Warne Twenty20 cricket, bowling four facilities at any Rs. 250,000 and There is little doubt that of the three other perks. Warne is a showman and that he overs every five days,” Hughes World Cup ven- The Cricket loves most of the attention he said. ues. World Cup is the gets. Warne continues to grab the headlines “He gave the game away If the ICC is biggest sporting But his influence on the cur- because his body was failing squad for his debut Test. column to come clean once and unhappy with event Sri Lanka is rent Australia team could be him.” Coincidence or an example of for all. He had time to choose his any of the ven- hosting and the even more powerful than he It is important to remember Warne’s over-arching power? words carefully and there was ues, matches on Cricket Interim realises. Warne’s presence in the news is Warne’s column also did no chance of being misquoted. that particular Committee has Warne suggested in his col- not entirely his fault. The public nothing to dispel rumours that This was his chance to set the ground could be made a mess of umn in The Daily Telegraph in loves him, and people listen he was considering a comeback. record straight. shifted to any of the tournament, Britain last week that unknown when Warne talks. The talk of a return was But all he could come up the other two having appointed Western Australia spinner But Warne knows that by sparked by a News Limited poll with was a very vague: “All I can venues or some kith and kin to key Michael Beer should be consid- now. that had 71 per cent of fans call- say is that it is very flattering to of the venues organizing posi- ered for a shock call-up for the He has been in the headlines ing for him to come out of retire- hear those words.” that have been tions. third Test. for almost two decades, and he put in as stand- Suraj Dandeniya It was reported “Maybe you get a local guy ment and salvage Australia’s What Warne could have said knows how the media and pub- by in Sri Lanka that the touring who knows the Perth conditions, sinking Ashes campaign. was: “I will not make a come- lic will react to everything he and in case that happens, he West Indies were unhappy to like left-arm spinner Michael The result of the poll trig- back. Not now, not ever.” says, does and Tweets. will quit, Dandeniya said. play at half finished stadiums Beer,” Warne wrote. gered a snowball effect that led His comments simply stoked With Australian cricket Under construction during their visit here and “Sometimes horses for cours- to former teammate Dean Jones the rumour mill, and the talk seemingly at its lowest point Suriyawewa and Pallekele were displeased with the facil- es works.” claiming that Warne would defi- will continue to gather momen- since the dark days of the 1980s, cricket grounds will host 2011 ities provided to them at some Two days later, Beer was the nitely make a comeback if tum until he categorically rules however, a player who retired Cricket World Cup matches of the half finished venues. name on everyone’s lips after offered the chance. out a comeback. four years ago should not be the along with R. Premadasa ICC regulations state that being drafted into the Australia Warne could have used his Former Australia teammate centre of attention. Stadium in Colombo. All three all constructions at World venues are behind ICC dead- Cup venues need to be com- lines for completion of con- plete by 30th of November. struction with even the two The Cricket Interim Could the WAGs hurt England’s Ashes hopes? main stands at Suriyawewa Committee’s appointment of Stadium and one main stand individuals without proven BY STEPHEN BRENKLEY have only each other and the odd about the ticketing arrangements for It is dissimilar, of course, for at least at Pallekele Stadium being track records to run the The wives and partners have arrived old mate for company.