The Island, Wednesday 19th July, 2006 Srinath match referee for Sachin fit for Lanka-SA Tests Dubai, July 18. (PTI): Former India paceman Javagal Srinath will start his as an ICC Match Referee in the two-match Test series between Sri India’s star batsman ticipate in the tri-series, beginning August 10. Lanka and has recovered from a shoulder injury and is Tendulkar underwent surgery on his right beginning later this month. fit to play in a tri-series in Sri Lanka next shoulder for a cyst and a tear in London in The ex-cricketer will offi- month, a official said Tuesday. March. ciate in the Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club start- Tendulkar has been declared fit by team He didn’t travel with the Indian team to ing on July 27 and then at the P Saravanamuttu physiotherapist John Gloster in a report to play in the test series and one-day interna- Stadium where the match begins on August 4. the Board of Control for Cricket in India, said tionals against the West Indies, which con- In preparation for his first assignment, Srinath Niranjan Shah, the board secretary. cluded earlier this month. spent the past week at Lord’s, venue of the first ‘’Tendulkar has been undergoing a graded Tendulkar has, however, played for the all- - Test, alongside ICC chief match physical testing of his right shoulder for the star side Lashings and in a charity match referee Ranjan Madugalle, watching how the former last five days under the supervision of phys- against Pakistan in England in the past Sri Lanka did the job, an ICC press release iotherapist Gloster and has made satisfactory month, in preparation for his return to inter- said today. progress to make him available for selection national cricket. “Javagal is the third new match referee I’ve for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka,’’ Shah He holds the record for scoring the most worked with after Chris Broad and Roshan said in a statement. centuries in both tests and limited-overs Mahanama and what we are trying to do in each Sri Lanka, India and South Africa will par- matches - 35 and 39 respectively. (AP) case is provide the new official with a proper induc- tion into the role, as you would in any organisation,” Madugalle said. “The idea is that when he undertakes his first assignment he has an understanding of what’s Air Force attack Athletics Association required.” Srinath shadowed Madugalle through pre-series meetings with the England and Wales Cricket Board - a ground inspection and meetings for picking Jayasundara with the umpires, captains and officials of both by Champika Fernando said that they would select Jayasundara comes on top. teams. the first and second placed On the other hand he is a On match days, Srinath observed Madugalle as Sri Lanka Air Force yes- individuals of each event to possible medal prospect at he ran through the daily routines, working with the terday officially protested the team. If that’s the case the SAG. So isn’t it fair to umpires to ensure the Test match progressed against the inclusion of hur- how can Jayasundara be give him a chance,” smoothly. dler Asoka Jayasundara included in the team? This is Fernando asked. “We are not trying to reinvent the wheel but an ahead of Airman H.S.P Silva really unfair. He ran and Incidentally, the airman exercise like this not only ensures that a new match in the Sri Lanka athletics lost,” the sources further clocked his personal best referee is properly prepared but also allows us to contingent for next month’s said. timing in the meet. ensure there is a greater potential for consistency in Sachin Tendulkar throws a ball during a training session in Nagpur, India, in this South Asian Games (SAG) in However, the selection “If Jayasundara pulled any decision that needs to be made,” said Tuesday Feb. 28, 2006 file photo. Tendulkar has recovered from a shoulder injury and Colombo. committee chairman out of the final on medical Madugalle. is fit to play in a tri-series in Sri Lanka next month, a cricket official said yesterday. The national selectors on Dunstan Fernando defended grounds like Prasanna “It is a two-way process as well because (AP Photo/Aman Sharma, File) his committee’s decision to Amarasekera in the 400m Javagal, just like any new match referee, comes to Sunday night unanimously include Jayasundara in the flat race, we wouldn’t have the role with fresh ideas and a new perspective and decided to include team, stating that they made a fuss. But here he ran that helps me too,” he added. Jayasundara, a former selected the best two of each and failed to perform,” the Talking about his new responsibility, Srinath national champion, despite Davis Cup tennis begins in Manila today event. Air Forces sources charged. said: “I have had to learn pretty fast but Ranjan has him failing to complete the “We have selected the best “We want a fair hearing been very helpful, going into detail about all the race in the trials. two of each event and they to this,” the sources finally Can Sri Lanka earn processes I have to be aware of, and this week has “What has Jayasundara don’t necessarily be number said. been a very good preparation for me. brought to this country? Has one and two,” he said. However, the chief selec- “It was natural that, up until now, I had a player’s he brought any credit? I Group-II promotion? perspective but this past week has seen my don’t think so. I can only According to Fernando tor said that they would not approach shift and now my views are more rounded remember him receiving a Jayasundara had clocked reverse the decision. by Revata S. Silva and neutral, as they should be in this role,” he two-year ban for using 51.64 seconds in the heats, “We can include him added. Englishman Mark Benson and banned substances,” Air which is the fastest timing in (Airman) provided the Sri Lanka, who has been strug- from New Zealand will be the on field umpires dur- Force sources said. the event, while the winner National Olympic Committee gling in the Asia-Oceania Zone ing the two Tests. The sources also accused and the first runner-up (NOC) accepts three nomi- Group-III and IV for six long years, As India will be one of the teams participating in the Athletics Association of clocked 52.20 and 52.27 sec- nees for each event. We have will aim at earning a much expected the ODI tri-series that follows the Tests, Srinath will not following a proper selec- onds respectively. due respect for the said ath- Group-II promotion this year as Davis be replaced by Chris Broad, who will be in charge tion criterion. “When considering the lete, but we believe Cup tennis begins in Manila, “The athletic chief earlier timing these athletes have Jayasundara is better than for the seven matches taking place between August Philippines today (19). clocked, undoubtedly the airman,” he finally said. 14 and 29. “The team had a fine preparation Benson will stand in the first three matches of for the Davis Cup at the ‘Asian Tennis the tri-series and Bowden will then take over for the Academy’ in Thailand. There is a last four, including the final. In those matches, each Pakistani selectors support Mushtaq recall marked improvement in the players. ICC umpire will be joined by an appointee of Sri There is reason to be more optimistic Lanka Cricket. ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Naved and Mohammad Asif “We have four to five Playing Captain of Sri Lanka. ‘CBN Sat’ is Veteran leg spinner Mushtaq for the second test at Old injuries in the team and we about (Group-II) promotion,” said Sri Lanka the title sponsors for the Davis Cup team Ahmed has received the back- Trafford from July 27. have to look at things very dif- Manager Vasantha Wijesekara to “The this year. ing of Pakistan selectors for a Mushtaq, who has taken ferently and we need special Island”. According to Wijesekara, Vietnam possible recall to the injury- 185 in 52 tests, has thinking. By and large we sup- Sri Lanka will feature in a round-robin, hit side for the second test forced his way back into the port the captain.” and the Philippines, whom Sri Lanka has featured by the eight participating coun- against England next week. reckoning for a recall follow- Bari added that a possible never defeated in Davis Cup so far, will be tries, and will have to become either 1st or The 36-year-old has not ing a good of form with recall for Mushtaq would the toughest rivals this year. 2nd there to qualify for a final round-robin played for Pakistan since English county Sussex. depend on how Inzamam Two veterans — Rohan de Silva and October 2003, but he is seen as “It all depends on the wanted to attack England’s stage that is featured by the best four coun- Rajeev Rajapakse — will play the doubles tries. Only the top two there will be promot- an option for the remaining team’s planning for the test. batsmen. while youngsters, Harshana Godamanna three tests by captain Inzamam knows Mushtaq bet- He pointed out that in the ed to Group-II next year. The event will go Inzamam-ul-Haq in view of ter than anyone else. If he first test, the pitch had been (20) and Amrith Rupasinghe (19), feature in on till Sunday (23). his bowlers’ fitness problems. wants to play him because of dry and the weather good, the singles. The Davis Cup format allows This year’s A/O Zone Group-III partici- Pakistan, who ground out a special circumstances, we will helping spinners Danish each country to play four singles and a pants will be: Bahrain, Iran, Myanmar, the draw in the first test at Lord’s support him,” chief selector Kaneria (Pakistan) and doubles rubber in a tie against a country. Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri on Monday, are without pace- Wasim Bari told Reuters on (England) Jayendra Wijeysekara will be the Non men , Rana Tuesday. grab wickets. Lanka and Vietnam. Pakistan draw first Test against England Ferguson targets by Rob Muray SCOREBOARD Juventus talent Inzamam-ul-Haq’s ninth consecutive test Sir Alex Ferguson says score of 50 or better against England helped England, 1st Innings, 528-9 declared (2nb), Imran Farhat 1-0-5-0. United are considering a transfer raid on guide Pakistan to draw the first cricket Test at Pakistan, 1st Innings, 445 Pakistan, 2nd Innings Juventus following the Italian club’s rel- England, 2nd Innings lbw b Hoggard 0 Lord’s on the final day Monday. egation from Serie A, BBC Sport report- b Gul 18 Imran Farhat c Collingwood b Hoggard 18 ed on Tuesday. Set 380 to win after England declared on c Farhat b Kaneria 128 Faisal Iqbal c Cook b Panesar 48 296-8, Pakistan was on 214-4 with eight overs c Yousuf b Gul 4 Mohammad Yousuf lbw b Panesar 48 The Turin side were demoted as a remaining when both captains agreed a result st Akmal b 41 Inzamam-ul-Haq 56 result of their part in Italy’s match-fix- was unlikely. c Butt b Kaneria 3 not out 25 ing scandal, and it seems certain that ‘’It was disappointing not to be able to force 28 Extras: (5nb, 8lb, 5w, 1b) 19 many of their top players will leave. a result _ we looked good for a while when we Geraint Jones c Jones b Kaneria 16 TOTAL: (for 4 wickets) 214 “We held things back until we knew had four wickets down,’’ said England captain c Akmal b Razzaq 28 Overs: 73 what the Juve situation was,” said Andrew Strauss. ‘’But the pitch did not break not out 12 Minutes: 295 Ferguson. up as much as we would have liked.’’ not out 0 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-33, 3-116, 4-141. “Now we know where we’re going in Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar followed Extras: (6lb, 6nb, 5b, 1w) 18 Did not bat: , , terms of making inquiries and maybe TOTAL: (for 8 wickets declared) 296 , , . Matthew Hoggard’s two wickets before lunch definite offers for one or two players.” Overs: 84.5 : Matthew Hoggard 12-3-31-2 (2nb), Steve with two dismissals in the second session to Ferguson said Gianluigi Buffon, Time: 344 minutes Harmison 15-3-43-0 (2nb, 3w), Liam Plunkett 12-2- Gianluca Zambrotta, Fabio Cannavaro, leave England 32 overs after tea to take six Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-64, 3-141, 4-146, 5-203, 6- 41-0 (1nb, 2w), Monty Panesar 27-7-60-2, Kevin more wickets. Lilian Thuram, Emerson and Patrick 250, 7-253, 8-296. Pietersen 5-1-19-0, Paul Collingwood 2-0-11-0. Vieira were “the ones that people will be But Inzamam hit an unbeaten 56 in almost Did not bat: Monty Panesar. Umpires: Simon Taufel, , and Steve focusing on”, adding that one or two two hours, including six fours in 112 balls, Bowling: Mohammad Sami 6-1-23-0, Umar Gul 19- Bucknor, West Indies. “could maybe have free transfers if they while Abdul Razzaq was 25 not out to share an 4-70-2 (3nb, 1w), Danish Kaneria 30-4-77-3 (1nb), TV Umpire: Peter Hartley, England. were going outside of Italy”. unbroken stand of 73. Abdul Razzaq 9.5-0-45-1, Shahid Afridi 19-1-65-1 Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle, Sri Lanka.

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