Late City Edition Friday 18th February, 2011 Fireworks as Bangladesh hosts World Cup party By Julhas Alam Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the event, which showcased DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - the cultures of the host nations with Bangladesh hosted the party of its life on choreographed dance routines involv- Thursday to welcome the start of the ing hundreds of performers, folk cricket World Cup, with song and dance music as well as thumping Bollywood from across South Asia, spectacular fire- songs loved throughout the region. works and a cameo appearance by At one point, eight acrobats were Canadian rock star Bryan Adams. lowered from the top of an office An opening ceremony lasting two and building overlooking the stadium and a half hours began with a fleet of bicycle acted out a game of cricket hanging rickshaws ferrying the world’s leading from their ropes, using the wall as a team captains into Bangabandhu pitch. Later, a giant model of a tiger - National Stadium in the heart of the con- the symbol of the national side - was gested capital of Bangladesh, which is wheeled into the stadium to loud co-hosting the tournament with India cheers. and Sri Lanka. people are desperately poor, is proud of Adams and his band, who are tour- The three nations together make up a hosting the tournament for the first time. ing India, played three of his most well- cricket-obsessed population of more than Unlike India and Sri Lanka, it draws known songs toward the end of the 1.3 billion, many of whom will be glued few foreign tourists and rarely attracts show that had teenagers in the crowd to their television sets whenever a match international attention. dancing on their seats. is played over the next six weeks. The “It is dazzling, it’s great to be here,” Dhaka will host the opening match sport is a multimillion dollar industry in businessman Nazir Hossain said as his between Bangladesh and favourite India, where its commercial appeal has son waved a Bangladesh flag. “It’s a once India on Saturday, with group matches rocketed over the last 10 years alongside Sri Lanka’s Captain Kumar Sangakkara during opening ceremony of the 2011 ICC in a lifetime experience for me. I am so taking place over the next month in 13 the country’s economy. Cricket World Cup at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh on happy.” cities in the region. The final will be Bangladesh, most of whose 80 million Thursday Feb. 17. (AP Photo/ Themba Hadebe) held in Mumbai, India on April 2. Donald: bowlers brought ‘down to earth’ by India CHENNAI, India (AP) - New tion after India plundered 136 runs off Zealand bowling coach Allan Donald the last 10 overs in Wednesday’s warm- says his team’s attack has been brought up in a mammoth score of 360-5. crashing down to earth after an Donald says “at this level I think it onslaught from India’s batsmen in its was a bit of an eye-opener for a lot of final warm-up match ahead of the the guys. We must find out where we World Cup. went wrong.” Former South Africa fast man His struggling bowlers open against Donald, who joined New Zealand’s setup Kenya on Sunday in Group A, with shortly before the tournament, conced- Donald adding “we have got to be on the ed on Thursday that he and his bowlers mark.” were facing some tough self-examina- Afridi: South Asian crowds Fireworks rise over the stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb.17 during the opening ceremony for the ICC Cricket World make Pakistan feel home Cup 2011. (AP Photo/ Pavel Rahman) BY CHRIS BRUMMITT Lanka hosting the 2011 by off-the-field controver- event which opens on sies and setbacks, most DHAKA, Bangladesh Saturday, while Pakistan recently the banning of (AP) - Pakistan’s players has not held an interna- three players by the ICC Anura Tennekoon’s may miss playing at home tional fixture since. for spot-fixing during the but they reckon that per- Afridi said Thursday team’s tour of England father passes away forming in front of South he missed playing in front last year. of his own people, but Pakistan has staged its Mr.P.B.Tennekoon, mer Divisional Revenue Asian crowds at the World added that “playing in scheduled home series at father of former Sri Lanka Officer, was 93 years old at Cup will be the next best Bangladesh and the rest neutral venues in the captain Anura Tennekoon, the time of his demise. thing, according to cap- tain Shahid Afridi. of the subcontinent is United Arab Emirates passed away Wednesday His funeral took place The International like playing at home.” and England since the morning. Thursday evening. Cricket Council stripped Pakistan plays attack in Lahore. The ICC Mr. P. B. Tennekoon, a for- Pakistan of the right to England on Friday in its has spoken of its hope stage the World Cup after final warm-up and its that a World XI will play the Sri Lanka team bus first match against Kenya in the country “in due was attacked in the east- in India on Feb. 23 course” but with the Chamara Silva’s ern Pakistani city of The team is regarded country still wracked by Lahore in March 2009. as one of world’s most militant violence, it is not The attack led to dangerous limited-overs clear when that might sister’s funeral today India, Bangladesh and Sri outfits, but has been beset happen. The elder sister of the Madupitiya Road, Mawila, national cricketer Chamara Panadura. Silva, Mrs. Nelum Anusha Cortege will leave resi- Silva passed away Wednesday dence for burial at the evening. Nalluruwa Cemetery at 3:30 All in jest... Her body lies at No.199/2, p.m. today. BY RUSSELL PALIPANE try! Don’t win it, for the majority of this country are nothing but a pack of Call me a traitor, a quisling… any- jokers, like that former Chairman of Karunaratne and thing. (One irate and faithful reader of Selectors, about whom Marvan ‘The Island’ had emailed my editor call- Attapattu had a few things to say, ing me an idiot for writing this article). before he retired from international Kandamby put SSC on top But the majority seemed to have cricket. seen the funny side of the whole affair Note: Dimuth Karunaratne and stroked 13 fours in his 223- and AFP, PTI, The Deccan Herald and C. B. Ratnayake, the previous Thilina Kandamby hit cen- ball knock while Kandamby some other websites carried the story, Minister of Sports, just after he turies as SSC posted 371 for scored 117 off 145 with 17 to my great surprise. They were not assumed office, at a media briefing five at stumps on day-one of fours. Opening bat Tharanga critical of me for having written what I described Sri Lanka Cricket as the the Premier League Tier ‘A’ Paranavithna also did well to had. third most corrupt organisation in Sri match played against CCC at score 64. I don’t want Sri Lanka to be the Lanka and promised a reformation. SSC, yesterday. Scores: champions of the cricket World Cup As all are aware, nothing happened, Opener Karunaratne, SSC 371 for 5 wkts in 90 2011, I wrote. except for a change in the Selection teaming up with Kandamby, overs (Dimuth Karunaratne The rest of it went like this: Want Committee, which is now headed by the added 185 for the fourth 147, Thilina Kandamby 117, to hang me, come catch me! highly respected former Sri Lanka cap- wicket but fell nine runs Tharanga Paranavitana 64; Just imagine what will take place if tain and vice captain, Aravinda de short of 150. Karunaratne, Himesh 2/72, Sachith Sri Lanka emerge champs. D. S. de Silva. anchoring their innings, Pathirana 70/2). (RS) Silva and his cronies who make up the That’s what prompted me to pen Interim Committee will claim it was those few paragraphs. their doing. Then those two Dandeniya If the previous minister’s statement ICC clears Panyangara to chaps will say it was because of their is far from the truth or an exaggera- organizational skills. tion, my apologies to D. S. de Silva, replace injured Rainsford And of course President Mahinda Nishantha Ranatunga and the rest of Rajapaksa will have to issue a message the Interim Committee. NEW DELHI (AP) - Rainsford hurt right congratulating the team. So will the As for the Dandeniya duo, it is a Tinashe Panyangara has been ankle ligaments in a warmup Minister of Sports, Mahindananda well known fact that they are paid Rs. cleared to replace injured match and was ruled out of 550,000 and Rs. 220,000 per month for opening bowler Ed Rainsford the tournament, leading to a Aluthgamage. being in the local World Cup in Zimbabwe’s World Cup third change to Zimbabwe’s Kumar dear, please spare the coun- squad. original 15-man squad. Secretariat. Friday 18th February, 2011.