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England Faces Tough India Challenge in One-Dayers

England Faces Tough India Challenge in One-Dayers

Friday 14th November, 2008 Silva and England faces tough Siriwardene challenge in one-dayers fly up rankings

NEW DELHI (AP) - England’s record of winning all its one-day inter- nationals under new Kevin Pietersen will be severely tested as the tourists fight poor form and injury con- cerns going into Friday’s opener of a seven-game series against India. Arriving in India after an embar- rassing 10- defeat by the West Indies-based Stanford Superstars in a Dedunu Shashikala one-off $20 million match, England was out for just 98 runs ’s Dedunu Silva and in its tour warm-up game Tuesday have against a XI. achieved career-best rankings in Pietersen, who led England to wins the official ICC Player Rankings in all four one-dayers since taking over for ODI batters following their the captaincy, says his batsmen need to team’s 3-2 victory over the West greater focus for the coming games, and Indies in Colombo on Wednesday. must learn from the tour match debacle. Silva had started the series in “It has taught us a few quick lessons, 17th position but ended on in 13th I don’t see that as a bad thing,” Pietersen place after finishing as the lead- said. ing -getter with 162 runs. England is also seeking an effective Captain Siriwardene began combination, including pace- the series in 24th place and fin- man Jimmy Andersen and lone spinner ished in 15th position after a Samit Patel in the lineup for the first one- series aggregate of 126 runs. The dayer. 23-year-old right-hander’s entry Paceman Stuart Broad passed a fit- into the top 20 means India’s ness test and was included, after fast has dropped to bowler Ryan Sidebottom was ruled unfit. 21st position. England is ranked third in the one- Stefanie Taylor is the highest- day rankings and India is placed fifth, ranked West Indies batter in 34th but India has been buoyed and hardened place after she scored 122 runs in by a just-completed series win over the series. Australia while England was relatively The list is headed by short of competitive . of England with After the opener in Rajkot, the series England cricket player Andrew Flintoff reacts during a practice session in Rajkot, India, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008. The Australia’s sec- will continue on to Indore (Nov. 17), first of the seven-match one-day international series between India and England begins today. (AP) ond and India’s third. Kanpur (Nov. 20), Bangalore (Nov. 23), There is no change in the top Cuttack (Nov. 26), Gauhati (Nov. 29) and Rejuvenated after new skipper to lead India to a tri-series triumph in “Playing back to back series is never 20 of the ICC Player Rankings for New Delhi (Dec. 2). The one-dayers will Mahendra Dhoni took over India’s one- Australia this year, followed by another easy,and we’ve just had three days between ODI bowlers though Siriwardene be followed by two tests. day captaincy last year, the hosts will be win in Sri Lanka. five-day tests to one-dayers,” Dhoni said. has vaulted to 21st after a series England last won a limited-overs looking to avenge a 4-3 series defeat in India goes into the contest against Star batsman is haul of 8-115. series in India in 1984-85 when it pre- one-dayers when it toured England last England fresh from a 2-0 test series victory being rested from the initial three one-day- Siriwardene’s good perform- vailed 4-1. It drew limited-overs series in year. over Australia, but Dhoni said switching to ers, while paceman Ishant Sharma was left ance with bat and ball has helped 1992-93 and 2001-02 but was hammered 5-1 Dhoni lost his first one-day series to the one-day format so quickly would be dif- out after spraining his ankle in the final her break into the top 10 of the when it last toured India in 2006. Australia at home last year, but went on ficult. test against Australia. ICC Player Rankings for all- rounders. She has jumped four places to eighth. Australia’s Sthalekar leads the all-rounders’ listing from Rajapakse ton team-mate with Nicola Brown of New Zealand in places Royal Ajantha hurts Zimbabweans third place. in command November 12, 2008: Sri Lanka began ence and bravery of , who for 22 while Chigumbura - who had spent their tour of in bullish fash- was dropped in rather odd circum- over two hours at the crease - was beaten by Reemus Fernando ion, dismissing a Zimbabwe Select XI for stances. Dilhara Fernando took full by Mendis. Angelo Mathews mopped up a 159 on a rain-affected first day of their advantage early on, picking up two of the flaccid tail. J’wardanepura Banuka Rajapakse warm-up match in . Ajantha first four to fall, including the Zimbabwe squandered an early scored a quick-fire 165 with Mendis picked up four wickets and in promising leg- chance when Mahela Udawatte edged the help of 19 boundaries reply, and Mahela before for 26. Christopher Mpofu but Stuart and six sixes for Royal Udawatte propelled the tourists to 50 It wasn’t long before Mendis was Matsikenyeri at second slip failed to hold openers in College to post 257 for seven without loss in 14 overs. brought into the attack and he soon onto a routine catch. Tharanga went on declared and get close to a The umpires twice suspended play bowled to get his name the attack and cracked five fours in his probable outright victory because of drizzle and eventually ended on the scoreboard. When he followed that unbeaten 31 while Udawatte ended on 17 massive stand against Isipatana College the day 20 minutes early due to bad light. up with the wicket of Keith Dabengwa, as Sri Lanka made brisk headway to who were struggling at 16 for Zimbabwe’s innings began poorly also bowled, Zimbabwe had slipped to 90 reach 50 in 14 overs. Sri Jayawardanepura MV two wickets still trailing by when steered a very for 6. However, Chigumbura and Utseya Unless the weather plays a major part, openers Thilina Maduran and 139 runs in the second wide to gully, and it never gained staved off the collapse with a vital seven- this match appears unlikely to go into a Navod Illukwatte combined in a innings on the first day of any real momentum other than a brief wicket stand of 46. fourth day. mammoth first wicket partner- their Inter-School Under-19 seventh-wicket renaissance of 46 from Aware of the situation, both players Brief scores: Sri Lankans 50 for 0 ship of 300 runs as both scored match at Reid Avenue yester- and dropped anchor and gradually shovelled (Tharanga 31*, Udawatte 17*) trail centuries for the school to record day. which lent the score a degree of Zimbabwe’s total past 100, but Fernando Zimbabwe Select XI 159 (Chigumbura a first innings victory over St. Batting first, Isipatana respectability. They missed the experi- returned to have Utseya caught behind 33, Mendis 4-59) by 109 runs John’s College, Nugegoda, in their were bowled out for 102 runs Under-19 match which ended at as Maneesha Tantrigoda and Sri Jayawardanepura MV Haroon Mawjood shared six Grounds, on Wednesday. wickets between them. While Maduranga scored 173 In reply, Royal amassed Premier League Cricket begins runs with 32 fours in 235 balls, 257 for 7 declared with Illukwatte hit 116 runs with 17 Banuka Rajapakse scoring by Revata S. Silva Premier Trophy since 1998/99. According to Trophy fours in 249 balls. the bulk of runs. the available records, the title defenders 1998/99 to date – Premier Trophy Scores: Following weeks of row, this season’s have won it a record Scores: Isipatana 102 all out Premier League Cricket will commence 29 times. Tier ‘A’ Participants This Season: St. John’s 220 all out (81) (37.2) today at five Colombo venues. The history of an organised first-class Army SC, Badureliya CC, Bloomfield N. Maduranga 74, L. Udara 71, Pranama Sri Vimukthi The Tournament will go on for 12 long inter-club tournament here dates back to C&AC, CCC, Chilaw Marians CC, Colts CC, S. Madusanka 25; Shanaka 19, Dimithri Perera 30; weeks and is scheduled to end on the 1st of 1938 when the first such title, named Daily Moors SC, NCC, Ragama CC, SSC and Somaweera 3/46, Malitha Lakshitha de Silva 2/15, February 2009. News Trophy then, was won by Kalutara Tamil Union C&AC Wickramasinghe 2/27, Sasanka Maneesha Tantrigoda 3/20, This main first-class cricket tourna- Town Club. Amarasinghe 2/36, Mithun Haroon Mawjood 3/12 and 16 ment of the country had a delayed start due The name of the Tournament has Fixtures Starting Today (from Nov. Jayawickrama 3/47 and 86 for 5 at for 2 at close (11) to a protest made by 18 clubs over the inclu- been changed time and again in the fol- 14-16): close (20) D. Indeewara 24; Royal 257/7 decl (43) sion of one of the clubs, Badureliya CC, in lowing way: Chilaw Marians CC vs SSC at SSC Sasanka Amarasinghe 4/22 Banuka Rajapakse 165, the top group (Tier ‘A’) by the organisers, 1938 - 1975/76 – Daily News Trophy Moors SC vs Colts CC at Colts Sri Jayawardanepura 313 for Anjula Rajapakse 27, Haroon , allegedly violating tour- 1976/77 – 1981/82 – Robert Senanayake Tamil Union vs Ragama CC at P. Sara 5 decl (82) Mawjood 25; Chamara nament rules. Trophy Bloomfield vs CCC at Bloomfield Thilina Maduranga 173, Navod Waduge 2/63, Sakuntha History - 1982/83 - 1990/91 – Lakspray Trophy NCC vs Badureliya CC at NCC. Illukwatte 116; R. Amanda 3/57 Premaratne 4/64 Premier League is played for the 1991/92 - 1997/98 – P. Saravanamuttu (RF)

Friday 14th November, 2008

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