Monday 3rd August, 2009 Karuna's law in Batti! Pakistan vow to WP cagers fight back attacked in East by Rex Clementine shock when they were informed by Sports Ministry officials that the The Western Province basketball semi-final match had to be replayed team that went to Batticaloa to take after the Eastern Province support- part in the National Sports Festival ers complained to the former LTTE came under attack injuring several second in command and current players. Among the injured were SLFP MP Vinayagamoorthy Roshan Gunasekara, the senior most Muralitharan, better known as player in the side who has represent- Karuna Amman. ed in international basket- Sri Lanka Basketball Federation ball tournaments since 1990. The refused to replay the match as the players were injured after spectators losing team had not protested against hurled objects on to the field after the soon after the game, but Western Province beat Eastern they were overruled by Sports Province in the semi-final of the Ministry officials, who demanded the Rex Clementine National Sports Festival held at match to be replayed on Saturday reporting from Dambulla Batticaloa on Saturday. after pressure was exerted by politi- s Sri Lanka eye their first ODI Gunasekara needed two stitches cal big wigs in the Easten Province. series win at home since 2007, above his lip after the attack while The Western Province players APakistan coach Inthikab Alam several other players had to undergo decided to return home without tak- vowed to fight back and keep the series medical treatment. ing further part in the tournament alive going into Colombo after today’s Later in the day, the Western and had to be provided with police third One-Day International of the five Province players were in for a rude protection on their way back home. match series here at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. Sri Lanka have lost their last three home series, against England and against India twice, under Mahela Jayawardene’s captaincy and under a new leader are eye- ing to wrap up the series with a win here Fiery Freddie fires today. Kumar Sangakkara’s team won the first ODI on Thursday by 36 runs and went 2-0 up in the series when they won again! the second game on Saturday by six wick- ets. provided another Pakistan meanwhile, are yet to win a highlight on his farewell tour of the game during this tour of Sri Lanka, hav- country by taking England into what ing earlier lost the Test series 2-0 and the could be a crucial first innings lead at 50 over warm up game against Sri Lanka ‘A’ by 15 runs in Kurunegala. Edgbaston. Flintoff was dismissed 10 minutes The tourists’ batting has been a let Pakistani cricket Younis Khan, right, talks to coach Intikhab Alam during a practice ses- down in the series, with most of the top before tea for 74 as England reached order batsmen struggling and with the sion. (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan) the interval 316 for seven, a lead of 53 series at stake, Intikab Alam, the long itinerary and we are not complaining. It’s session in the evening and then decide in the third Ashes Test. standing coach of the Pakistan team the same pitch for both sides,” he said. whether to go with the winning combi- Flintoff's innings, his best for vowed to fight back. Alam also felt that the second ODI nation or to make in changes. England since the Ashes “We are still in with a chance. We could have been a lot closer if the “So far, everyone is fine. But we will haven’t played to our potential in the tourists had a few more runs on the assess their conditions after a recovery Test of 2005, glossed over the loss of series, but if we can win Monday’s match, board. “We were probably short of 20 to session later in the evening and then which at one stage threatened we can go to Colombo with a chance. This 30 runs. If we scored something like 200 decide whether any players need a to hand the initiative to Australia. has been a difficult . The side that runs, things could have been different,” break. We have a strong bench as well to With Ian Bell and bowls first has an obvious advantage and he added. choose from. When Lasith Malinga came departing in the morning session, it’s not easy,” Alam said. Sri Lanka team manager Brendon into the side, one of the concerns we England needed to fightback and With the Pakistan batsmen struggling, Kuruppu, meanwhile said that there is a had was whether he can go on playing Flintoff combined forces with Matt the Dambulla wicket that has traditional- possibility of some of his players sitting all five matches. We will assess his con- ly assisted seam bowling hasn’t helped out of today’s game. Kuruppu added that dition too, but if he’s feeling okay there Prior to ensure they maintained their them either. However, Alam said his team the team management will assess the shouldn’t be any issues,” Kuruppu grip on the match. is not complaining. “We have accepted the conditions of the players after a recovery added. Scoring quickly and freely, Prior and Flintoff added 89 at five an over as England's Andrew Flintoff plays a Australia bowled poorly to let England shot off the bowling of Australia's SL obtain unprecedented 5th place in w’chair WTC off the hook. on the fourth day of the was expensive, bowl- third cricket Test match between ing too many full deliveries at an easy England and Australia at Edgbaston Injured soldiers make SL proud in Nottingham pace as his three overs cost 23 runs. cricket ground in Birmingham, by Revata S. Silva Austria, Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Flintoff psyched himself up with a England, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009. (AP) Switzerland, Russia, Greece, Portugal, sledging match Sri Lanka, represented by three gritty Israel, Chile, Turkey, South Africa, with Mitchell Manou on six, but Army personnel who lost their limbs dur- Croatia, Ecuador and Nigeria. Johnson and was Brief Scores: settled and reached The world’s best 16 nations take part ing the brutal 30-year civil war, made soon thumping the tea on 20. their country proud in alien English con- in Men’s World Group - 1. Chile met ditions by earning an unprecedented 5th Austria for the winner’s title in the Men’s left-armer down the Australia 263 (Shane Watson Flintoff's half place, out of 16 participating nations, for World Group - 2 while Netherlands and ground. 62, Simon Katich 46, Ricky century was greet- the first time at the virtual wheelchair France went through to the Group - 1 Prior looked set Ponting 38; James Anderson 5-80, ed by a standing tennis world cup, the Invacare World final. Both the finals were to be played for a second succes- Graham Onions 4-58) ovation from the Team Cup, that ended in Nottingham on yesterday, the last day of the competition. sive half century, England 316-7 (Andrew Edgbaston crowd Sunday. driving Peter Siddle Flintoff 74, Andrew Strauss 69, and he continued to Warm Welcome Upali Rajakaruna and Dissanayake for a straight four, Ian Bell 53; Ben Hilfenhaus 3-83, thrill a full house Mudiyanselage Gamini, attached to the SL According to Lt. Col. Shiran Army’s Singha and Gemunu regiments Abeysekera, head of wheelchair tennis at but two balls later Peter Siddle 2-88) with another three respectively, staged a stunning campaign the SL Tennis Association, the Sri Lankan he miscued a pull fours before he fell which saw them outclass 3rd seeded migrants in Nottingham, being impressed and was caught at mid-on by the sub- in rather tame fashion. Switzerland 3-0 on the opening day of the by the Lankans’ performances, have stitute fielder, Phil Hughes, for 41. With Hauritz seemingly causing event (July 27). Sri Lanka, an unseeded donated two wheelchairs and three artifi- Flintoff continued the attack on little trouble, Flintoff left a ball that country, then lost to Turkey 1-2 and ousted cial limbs to the players. A wheelchair, his favourite ground, he averages 54 in bounced and turned and caught his Colombia before getting the better of used for international competition, is at Edgbaston, hitting glove before being caught at first slip. Israel 2-0 on Sunday to be placed 5th. She worth around Rs. 200,000. has never won a tie before this year in The three-member Lankan team, Nathan Hauritz for a six over mid-on By then, England were 46 runs this most significant international event comprising Rajakaruna, Gamini, U. and sweeping him for four to bring up ahead and Australia facing the of the wheelchair tennis calendar, after Padmasiri and coach Jagath Welikala, his fifty off 53 deliveries. prospect of having to bat out the last participating in it for four consecutive will receive a warm welcome by the SLTA was peppered with day of the match to save a draw. Upali Rajakaruna helped SL wheelchair tennis years before this time. at the BIA, Katunayake, according to Lt. short balls by Peter Siddle, and was © The Telegraph Group, achieve unprecedented heights. The other participating nations in Col. Abeysekera, when they return to Sri dropped by wicketkeeper Graham London, 2009 (Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha/Files) the Men’s World Group - 2 were: Lanka tomorrow afternoon.

Monday 3rd August, 2009