Tuesday 14th February, 2012 13

LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Zambians poured out of their hous- SLRFU president says es, clubs and bars to celebrate in the streets early Monday after national players were watching their team beat Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in the African Cup finals. a neglected lot It was a bittersweet victory in BY RAVI NAGAHAWATTE Northern Hemisphere suited Libreville, Gabon. Last week after Sri Lanka Rugby Football Sri Lanka. According to arriving for the finals, Zambia’s Union (SLRFU) President Senewiratne national rugby current players laid flowers on a Asanga Senewiratne stressed players who sign contracts stretch of sand in Libreville not far the importance of player would be paid a salary equiv- from where a Zambian military welfare and added that play- alent or more than what the plane crashed into the ocean soon ers were reluctant to do clubs pay them. after takeoff in 1993, killing 25 play- national duty because they SLRFU treasurer Kiran ers and officials on board as well as were burned out or close to Atapattu said that the execu- a state news agency sports reporter burning out. tive committee was confident and the military transport plane’s Senewiratne made these of raising the required funds crew. comments at a press confer- to finance the needs of Back in 1993, state broadcasters ence held in Colombo yester- national rugby. interrupted normal programming day where he announced to The national selectors are to announce the crash in the eight the media a 40-member pool expected to appoint the languages spoken here. In Lusaka, which has already gone into national rugby captain with- the capital, men and women wept training for the upcoming in the next two to three days. in offices and on the streets. Asian 5 Nations rugby tour- The Pool- nament. S.Handapangoda, Zambian players pray during the penalty Senewiratne also said R.Meemage, M.Sheriff, shoot-out during the African Cup of that moves would be taken R.Mubarak, T.Henry, Nations final soccer match against Ivory that the national pool train- A.Willawara, S.Muththantri, Coast at Stade de l’Amitie in Libreville, ing would not clash with F.Marija, K.Jehan, Zambia celebrates Gabon, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. training schedules designed D.Sanjeewa, Achala Perera, (AP Photo/Francois Mori) for the players by their Senaka Bandara, Sajith respective clubs. Bandara, R.Weeraratne, pers known as chitenge, while most “All 40 players have been P.Liyanage, G.Weeraratne, as team wins men and boys were shirtless. presented with copies of the Kasun Yasaisuru, Dinusha The spontaneous street parties contracts, but then we have Chathuranga, Chanaka after the nerve-racking win were in the facilities only to contract Chandimal, Yoshitha defiance of police minister 27 of them,” he said. The Rajapaksha, Namal African Cup Kennedy Sakeni, who had said SLRFU president added that Rajapaksha, Dev Anand, there would be no reason for people since player-welfare has been Kalana Amarasinghe, to leave their homes to celebrate. neglected in the past, rugby Suranga Pushpakumara, Many workers are hoping the gov- administrators weren’t in a Sathya Ranatunga, S. ernment will declare a public holi- position to insist players Malawena, R.Acharige, day in coming days. make themselves available S.Sooriyabandara, In the lead-up to the final, for national duty. Vishwamithra Jayasinghe, Zambians at home and abroad Senewiratne revealed Sharo Fernando, Pubudu rejected predictions that Ivory that Englishman Phil Kodagoda, Dushanth Lewke, Coast would be too strong for their Greening has been ear- Dabare, Zaffer Jhan, Bodi Chipolopolo. Fans have been party- marked to take over the Priyadharsha, A.Walpola, ing and blowing their vuvuzelas. reigns as national coach. He Richard Dharmapala, Traders have done roaring business said that the SLRFU picked a W.Warnakulasuriya, Dinesh in shirts, scarves, caps and coach from England because Kumara, S.Pathirana. chitenge in national colors, as well he felt rugby played in the as national flags. President Michael Sata gave Vice President Guy Scott the honor Lee threatens Sri Lanka with of representing his government at the final. Scott was accompanied to barrage of 150 km/hour bullets Gabon by Kenneth Kaunda, who led Zambia to independence from Australian I can play with a Britain in 1964 and was its presi- pace bowler Brett broken toe,” The dent for 27 years, and Sata’s prede- Lee, who is set to Sydney Morning cessor Rupiah Banda. At least two return to the Herald quoted Lee, plane loads of football fans took off Australian side in as saying. from Lusaka early Sunday morning Sydney for the “There was a for Libreville. February 17th ball in I delivered in Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba (11) reacts during a penalty shootout during their African Cup of Nations final soccer match against “The pain of that (1993) crash ODI, has warned the Twenty20 [in Zambia at the Stade de l’Amitie in Libreville, Gabon, Sunday Feb. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) still lingers and we must all Sri Lanka of a bar- Melbourne] which remember that those players per- rage of missiles may’ve surprised a On Monday, there were only World Cup in neighboring South we will be the champions,” ished while trying to achieve victo- exceeding speeds Brett Lee lot of people cheers. Africa in 2010. Winfreda Muyunda said breathless- ry and honor for our beloved coun- of 150 kilometre because I think “It is a dream come true,” said Jubilant Zambians also honked ly as she ran out to join a street try,” Banda, who is a former per hour. some of them didn’t believe I David Phiri, a plumber. Then he the horns of cars draped in their party that had converged in front of Football Association president, Lee was expected to miss could break 150km/h at my blew hard on his vuvuzela, the flag, shouted from windows, and a Lusaka police station. Some declared before he departed with the rest of the summer when age. To hit 151 or 152 or what- piercing trumpet heard around the sang football songs. women were in their night gowns other members of the government he fractured his toe on his ever it felt great,” he added. world during broadcasts from the “It was written in the stars that covered by traditional cotton wrap- delegation. right foot during Australia’s Twenty20 defeat to India in Melbourne. England reaches 260 Nine talks tough over He expected his return at the ’s absent stars Sydney Cricket for seven in first ODI Ground would BY JON PIERIK an extra few days in his hometown of Perth after come down to ABU DHABI, United Arab when he lasted for just eight balls his pain thresh- Channel Nine, one of Friday night’s thrilling Emirates (AP) — England captain before being trapped leg before by Cricket Australia’s key win over Sri Lanka. old. Alastair Cook scored a career high one- Ajmal. The man-of-the-series in allies, has expressed dis- Greig, the former “I’m striving day total of 137 on Monday, but his side Pakistan’s 3-0 rout of England in the pleasure at the sport’s England captain, took to to be back for was restricted to 260-7 as Pakistan spin- Tests picked up his third when rotation policy after Twitter to express his dis- the game in ner Saeed Ajmal picked up five Craig Kieswetter top-edged the spinner Sachin Tendulkar and pleasure with Indian and Sydney, I’m in the first of a four-match ODI series for nine to leave Cook fighting at the Mike Hussey were rested Australian team manage- doing everything at the Zayed Cricket Stadium. other end. from Sunday’s one-day ment. ‘’TV networks I possibly can to Cook’s score, which came in 142 Cook finally perished when he tried international in Adelaide. should receive a rebate on play.I’ve [played balls and was helped by 14 boundaries, to sweep Ajmal and soon England’s tor- Just as the network TV rights fees if stars are with pain] on was only his third three-figure mark in mentor got his fifth when he sent back was grappling with how to rested and the same numerous occa- 42 ODIs. Stuart Broad for one run. resolve the scheduling should apply to those who sions and I know have bought tickets,’’ England was heading toward the 300 Samit Patel and Graeme Swann put clash between the March 2 Australia-Sri Lanka clash Greig wrote. ‘’Tendulkar mark at 188-2, but Ajmal, who claimed on another 28 runs for the unfinished and the opening round of rested - that’s a disgrace as 24 wickets in the recent three-Test eighth wicket stand as England put on a the NRL, veteran commen- is the resting of Hussey!!!! series, applied the brakes. late surge before the end of the innings. tator Tony Greig labelled What about the cricket Ajmal picked up 5-43 while Shahid lovers?’’ Scoreboard the decision to leave out Afridi took two wickets in as many the pair a “disgrace.” The decision to rest balls earlier in the innings, as England England Innings Greig said the network Tendulkar was odd. continued to struggle against the spin- A. Cook b Ajmal 137 and fans should receive Replaced by Gautam ners. K. Pietersen b Afridi 14 financial compensation, Gambhir, he already had Cook and Ravi Bopara starred in a J. Trott b Afridi 00 while Nine’s executive pro- had a break during the 131-run stand for the third wicket after R. Bopara st Akmal b Ajmal 50 ducer of cricket Brad Twenty20 series. He made England won the toss and elected to bat. E. Morgan lbw Ajmal 02 McNamara said he expect- only two in the one-day Cook and Kevin Pietersen had put on 57 C. Kieswetter c Riaz b Ajmal 09 ed the best players to be series opener in for the first wicket but the latter fell S. Patel not out 17 involved in every game. Melbourne a week ago but was in good touch during when he was totally outfoxed by a S. Broad c & b Ajmal 01 Tendulkar was a sur- prise omission and robbed his 48 against Sri Lanka Afridi googly for 14. G. Swann not out 13 the local crowd - and tele- on Wednesday. Tendulkar Afridi, who is only playing in Extras: (11lb, 4w, 1nb, 1b) 17 vision audiences in is expected to play against Pakistan’s one-day matches, then struck Total: (for seven wickets) 260 Australia and on the sub- Sri Lanka in Adelaide in his very next ball to leave Jonathan Overs: 50. continent - of what tomorrow. Trott groping forward as the Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-57, 188-3, 4-196, appeared to be the perfect McNamara was also struck his off-stump. 5-221, 6-230, 7-232. opportunity to end 11 unimpressed by Sunday’s However, Cook and Bopara soon set- Did not bat: S. Finn and J. Anderson months of frustration and decision. ‘’We want the tled down and the England skipper took Bowling: Gul 8-0-53, Hafeez 10-1-30-0, finally notch his century best players playing every the attack to Afridi, hitting him for five Afridi 10-0-55-2 (1w), Ajmal 10-0-43-5, of international centuries game, as simple as that,’’ boundaries. Riaz 7-0-47-0 (4w, 1nb), Malik 5-0-21-0. on a typically placid local McNamara said. Soon after, Cook completed his cen- Toss: Eng pitch. The maestro ‘’Anything that affects our tury, Bopara reached his 50 but was dis- Umpires: S. Taufel (Aus) and Ahsan Raza was not injured. viewing audience is an missed when he rushed out to Ajmal (Pak) Australia opted to give issue, it’s as simple as and was at the same score. TV : K. Dharmasena (SL) Hussey, who plays in all that. If it has the potential to do that, it is an issue.’’ Eoin Morgan’s poor run continued Match Referee: J. Crowe (NZ) three forms of the sport,