Monday 21st December, 2009

National Weightlifting Championship England survive Chinthana adjudged best weightlifter by Reemus Fernando lish a new record in the total weight in his weight category The Olympian, Chinthana proved futile as he totaled a final-day fright weight of 289 kgs which was Vidanage emerged the best lifter at the National four kgs lower than his England number 11 proved equal to the task. Weightlifting Championships Olympic performance. South Africa-born batsmen Kevin Pietersen which saw three weight lifters Kamala Bandara estab- (81) and Jonathan Trott (69) had earlier done lowering national records at lished two records in 56kg cat- most of the work to stave off a victory push the Kelaniya University egory. Bandara’s lift of 136kgs from their native country in a fourth- Gymnasium. The champi- in clean jerk and his total of stand of 145. onship was worked off on 231 kgs lifted in his weight But after Pietersen was needlessly run out Dec. 17 and 18. category became national and Trott was the first of five to fall Vidanage was adjudged records. He shattered the for 13 runs in 11 overs to the second new ball, the best lifter of the records held by G.C.M. the tourists were left clinging on desperately. Championship as he lowered Gamage of Polonnaruwa. Ian Bell and Matthew Prior were both the former Sri Lanka record In the over 105 kg category, caught behind off the exceptional Friedel de when he lifted a weight of 166 Manjula Wijeratne lifted a Wet, while Stuart Broad was also caught by kgs in clean and jerk. weight of 137 kgs in snatch Mark Boucher off Paul Harris. Performing in 69 kgs cate- (broke his own record 134kgs) Graeme Swann was trapped leg before by gory, Vidanage broke his own and totaled a weight of 300 Morne Morkel, but Onions defended solidly to record of 165 kgs which he kgs to establish new national ensure England go into Boxing Day on level lifted at the Beijing Olympics. record and that helped shatter terms. However, his attempt to estab- the record held by Ransilu Jayathilaka. © The Telegraph Group, London, 2009 SCOREBOARD Gayle throws sly South Africa 1st Innings 418 England 1st Innings 356 sledge Watson’s way South Africa 2nd Innings 301-7 dec. England 2nd Innings (Overnight 11-1) A. Strauss c Boucher b M. Morkel 1 A. Cook c Smith b Harris 12 J. Anderson c Boucher b De Wet 10 J. Trott c Villiers b Wet 69 K. Pietersen runout (Wet) 81 P. Collingwood not out 26 I. Bell c Boucher b wet 2 M. Prior c Boucher b wet 0 S. Broad c Boucher b wet 0 G. Swann lbw b M. Morkel 2 Chris Gayle G. Onion not out 1 Extras: (11nb, 3lb, 10b) 24 “I didn’t expect anything Ponting said. TOTAL: (for nine wickets) 228 better ... that’s typically Shane “I know all the guys are a Watson.” bit embarrassed probably and England’s Graham Onion, left, hugs Paul Collingwood, right, after defending the last ball to save the game Overs: 96 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-16, 3-27, 4-172, 5-205, Whether it was a sly sledge know they’ve overstepped the for a draw on the final day of the first Test match at the Supersport Park in Centurion, South Africa, 6-207, 7-208, 8-209, 9-218. or just a brutally honest mark. Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009. (AP) Bowling: Ntini 18-7-41-0(1nb), M. Morkel 18-3- assessment, West Indies skip- “We probably need to do 46-2 (7nb), Harris 26-11-51-2, Wet 23-8-55-4 per Chris Gayle hit back at the that (talk about player behav- Australian all-rounder after iour) at the end of this game. ngland’s final partnership defied South team-mates Paul Collingwood and Graham (3nb), Duminy 8-2-17-0, Kallis 3-1-5-0. Africa for 19 balls as the tourists held on Onions who would not be moved as England Sunday’s 35-run loss. “It’s something that needs Toss: England Efor a dramatic draw in the first Test finished on 228 for nine. Watson’s unsightly celebra- to be revisited quite regularly, Series: 4-match series 0-0 against South Africa at Centurion, It fell to Onions to face the last over from tion of Gayle’s wicket on but at the same time a lot of it In scenes reminiscent of England’s backs- Makhaya Ntini - the South Africa paceman Test debut: F. de Wet (SA) Saturday made viewers both at can be pretty unavoidable as to-the-wall Cardiff survival at the start of last taking part in his 100th Test - and with 10 men Umpires: A. Dar (Pak), S. Davis (Aus) home and at the WACA well. summer’s Ashes, this time it was Durham in catching positions around the bat, the TV umpire: A. Saheba (Ind) Ground cringe. “Things that lead up to it, Match referee: R. Mahanama (SL) Watson screamed mania- if I’m not on the field and cally and aggressively in you’ve got some young, inex- Gayle’s direction after dismiss- perienced players out on the ing him in the second innings. field, it can be hard to see NEW DELHI (AP) - The Indian board after the second ODI. Gayle kept his cool and what’s going on. Virender Sehwag has said in a statement walked away but was clearly “But we all have responsi- Watson fined for been appointed India’s Saturday that beside the India (from): disgusted by Watson’s antics. bilities. for two limited- captain’s two-match sus- Virender Sehwag Watson was later fined 15 “It’s one of my responsibil- aggressive send-off overs internationals pension, the entire team (captain), Sachin per cent of his match fee for ities as the captain to make after the International had been penalized 40 Tendulkar, Gautam Shane Watson has been two one-day internationals for conduct contrary to the spirit sure that guys aren’t overstep- Cricket Council sus- percent of the match Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, fined 15% of his match fee by his part in the verbal and phys- of the game. ping the mark. pended skipper fees for the slow over Virat Kohli, Suresh the match referee Chris Broad ical clash earlier in the match, He joined teammates Brad “Definitely this week Mahendra Singh Dhoni rate during Friday’s Raina, Dinesh Karthik, after his over-the-top celebra- while Johnson and Haddin Haddin (25 per cent), Mitchell when we get down to for his team’s slow over match. Ravindra Jadeja, tion on dismissing Chris were both fined. Australia’s Johnson (10 per cent) and Melbourne as a group togeth- rate. Wicketkeeper Harbhajan Singh, Gayle. coach Tim Nielsen said he had Windies spinner Sulieman er it will happen in our first The Praveen When Watson’s caught- warned Watson after the Gayle Benn (banned for two one-day team meeting, we will go over Indian Kumar, behind appeal was granted, he dismissal that he should tone matches) as others found some of the events of this cricket Zaheer Khan, ran close to Gayle and while down his behaviour. Sehwag to lead India after guilty during what had turned week.” board said Ashish facing the batsman celebrated “I spoke to him quickly at out to be a heated Test match. Paceman on Nehra, with excessive cheering and lunch-time and I said I think While Gayle was some- was given an official repri- Saturday Ishant roaring. The umpires had a he needs to be careful about Dhoni is banned what critical of Watson, he mand for kicking the pitch in the selec- Sharma, chat to Watson straight after- the way he reacts or celebrates was also understanding at the the drawn Adelaide Test. tors had Pragyan wards and he was also spoken his dismissals,” Nielsen said. same time. Ponting hopes his team asked Sehwag to take Dinesh Karthik will Ojha and Sudeep Tyagi. to by his captain Ricky “I think that’s probably been “He’s a passionate person,” will learn from their recent over the captain’s man- replace Dhoni in the Ponting, who was keen to one of the things about this Gayle said. disciplinary lapses. tle in the absence of Indian squad, while pace Sri Lanka (from): avoid any further incidents Test match also, there’s been ... “That’s how he expresses “All you can do is talk to Dhoni, who was sum- bowler Ishant Sharma Tillekeratne Dilshan, after the Sulieman Benn-Brad quite a bit of [needle] between himself but maybe he just them about it, let them know moned for a hearing by has been included in Upul Tharanga, Kumar Haddin- fra- the playing groups out there. overdid it a bit, but that’s that it’s not acceptable and match referee Jeff place of Sangakkara (captain), cas. That’s something we’re con- Shane Watson.” hope they learn from their Crowe after Friday’s Shanthakumaran Mahela Jayawardene, “Shane is a very energetic scious of and something that Ponting, who has since mistakes along the way,” he one-day match that India Sreesanth, who is recov- Thilina Kandamby, and enthusiastic bowler but on I’m certainly talking to the warned Watson to tone down said. lost to Sri Lanka by ering from swine flu. Chamara Kapugedara, this occasion he has gone too playing group about. his antics, admitted the whole “Look at the three guys, three wickets. The Sri Lankans are Tissara Perera, Chanaka far by running down the wick- “We’re trying to maintain a team would need reminding they’re all relatively young The five-match also down with several Welagedara, Suranga et screaming, thereby not pretty even keel as often as we about their behaviour ahead of guys. series is tied 1-1. injuries. Off-spinner Lakmal, Suraj Randiv, showing due respect for the can but at the same time, when the Test series against “But now, if they didn’t The remaining Muttiah Muralitharan Ajantha Mendis, Thilan opponent,” Broad said. “While things get emotional and it’s Pakistan. know before, they know the three one-dayers are to and fast bowler Dilhara Samaraweera, Sanath handing down the punishment, hot and you’re tired and there “I’m not proud of the fact mark they’ve overstepped and be played in Cuttack Fernando were ruled out Jayasuriya, I took into account that Shane is a game on the line, you can (and) I’m sure the players it’s up to them and me now (Dec. 21), Calcutta (Dec. after the first ODI while Muthumudalige admitted his mistake by plead- understand that some of those aren’t proud of the fact either and everyone in the side to 24) and New Delhi (Dec. all-rounder Angelo Pushpakumara and ing guilty.” reactions are maybe over the that we’ve had three guys make sure that doesn’t happen 27). Mathews was ruled out Nuwan Kulasekara. Benn was suspended for top sometimes. reported in the one game,” again.”

Monday 21st December, 2009