Wednesday 25th May, 2011

Nuwan Pradeep England should combat Dilshan set to fly home

Sri Lanka’s preparations sustained damage to his for the first Test in Cardiff anterior cruciate ligament took a major blow with the after treading on the ball in with aggression, says Finn news that Nuwan Pradeep is the course of that spell, and set to fly home after picking is currently seeing a special- BY NICK HOULT frontation with Dilshan could set up a knee injury yesterday, ist to determine the full the tone for the series. May 24. extent of the injury. ngland have been warned “Dilshan is an aggressive play- Fast bowler Pradeep “It’s bad news for the already on this tour of the er who will come hard at us and claimed figures of four for young man,” Law was quot- Edangers posed by it’s important we counter-attack 29 in ten overs as ed saying. that somehow,” said Finn on Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka’s overcame the follow-on to “If things are okay and feisty and opening bats- Monday. man and have decided that aggres- “The captain is always a very bowl England Lions out for he doesn’t need an opera- sion will be the best way to com- important person in the team, as 183 in Derby to win their tion, we may opt to keep him bat his threat. Straussy has shown. Being a rock second warm-up match by here if he can get through, Dilshan has the power and at the top of the order is hugely 38 runs on Sunday. but at this stage it looks like range of strokes to swing a Test beneficial to the team, so if we According to Stuart Law, Sri he’s flying home... It’s a match by quickly building a plat- can get into Dilshan and get him Lanka coach, Nuwan has shame.” form for the likes of Mahela cheaply a couple of times, then we Jayawardene and Kumar can put the pressure on his other Sangakkara further down the senior players. SSC Open Tennis order. He has made hundreds in “The Ashes was a very big both warm-up matches and been thing but it was just a stepping involved in a spot of verbal argy stone for us to achieve our ulti- bargy with Steven Finn during the mate goal of being the No 1 team India’s Irfan Hussain England Lions match. in the world. Finn is unlikely to play this “It’s important we don’t rest on week but with James Anderson, our laurels. We have to keep build- win men’s title who Yorkshire felt overstepped the ing and keep improving and I feel mark with his aggression during as though we’re doing that.” BY REVATA S. SILVA current players of the local the Roses match last week, and (C) The Telegraph Group, women’s circuit to have Stuart Broad in harness the con- London, 2011 Irfan Hussain of India beaten Muttiah recently. outplayed probably the most The top-seeded Muttiah prospective men’s player of easily won the first set 6-0 Sri Lanka at present, and was up 3-1 in the second Thangarajah when Roshenka began her Dineshkanthan, to win the fight-back. She played excel- coveted Men’s Open title of lent defensive tennis to wear this year’s Singhalese Sports down Muttiah and take the Club Open, an ‘A’ Grade second set 6-4 and was lead- ranking tennis tournament, ing 5-2 in the final set. recently at the SSC clay However Muttiah overcame courts in Colombo. a thigh injury at 6-5 in the The son of Ilyas third set to eventually outdo

DANGER MAN: Tillakaratne Dilshan has been in fine form since arriving in England and poses a major threat at the top of the order.

Maharoof called Alex Ferguson tells aide to ban AP reporter up as cover for LONDON (AP) — Manchester tance of 37-year-old Giggs to the She replies: “Which one?” Dilhara United manager Alex Ferguson has team. “The most experienced Ferguson responds: “Him that told an aide to ban an Associated Champions League player in the asked the question ... who?” All rounder Press sports writer after he asked a team is obviously Ryan Giggs. How The press officer replied: “Oh has been called up to the Sri question about midfielder Ryan important is he for the team on yeah, I’ll tell you later.” Lanka squad for the first Test Giggs. Saturday?” Harris said. Minutes later, Ferguson is heard Irfan Hussain Amritha Muttiah against England, following con- Ferguson was speaking at a press “All of the players are important, to ask: “Is he coming on Friday?” cerns over Dilhara Fernando's fit- conference on Tuesday ahead of every one of them,” Ferguson The press officer asks: “The guy ness. Fernando in this closely Saturday’s Champions League final replied curtly. with the laptop?” Hussain, who was a coach at Maharoof, who is playing coun- against Barcelona when the AP’s Broadcaster Sky News later Ferguson replies: “Aye. Then the Sri Lanka Tennis contested final. Both players ty for Lancashire, was not Rob Harris asked him a question broadcast Ferguson’s whispered we’ll get him. Ban him on Friday.” Association several years were affected by the heat part of the original 16-man Test about Giggs, who was named in the comments to a club media officer. It was unclear which event on ago, Irfan’s win was a major and obtained a medical squad, but played the Sri Lankans' British parliament on Monday as He was heard saying, “the guy Friday Ferguson was referring to, surprise as Dineshkanthan timeout each, during the first tour game, against the footballer at the center of a closing stages of the third Middlesex, since several of the Sri that asked the question about although he is due to hold a news was the top-seed and a Sri legal gag order. and final set. Lanka players were still in India Harris asked about the impor- Giggsy ... at the press conference”. conference on the eve of Saturday’s Lanka Davis Cup player for playing in the IPL. game. this year’s event starting The Mixed Doubles He has now been called up as next month. Semi-finals and the Men’s cover for Fernando for the first According to tournament Doubles and Mixed Doubles Test that starts on May 26 in organisers, Dineshkanthan Finals are scheduled to be Cardiff and given his form for lost in a thrilling three set- played on May 26 and 27 Lancashire and his all-round abil- Woods, on crutches, ter. He has had break point with the prize-giving is fixed ities, he could end up playing his opportunities in the third for Sunday, May 29 at 5 p.m. first Test since 2007, if Fernando set at 4 all but had not been is unfit. Maharoof started the sea- expects to play in US Open able to capitalise on that. Men’s Singles Final: son with a century on Lancashire Hussain’s strong service had Irfan Hussain (India) beat debut and followed the tour game NEWTOWN SQUARE, doubtful to play in The Memorial tors have not mentioned surgery. Thangarajah against Middlesex, in which he not allowed the Lankan, a Pennsylvania (AP) — Tiger Tournament next week in Dublin, Woods spoke on Tuesday at took two , with a four- former schoolboy of St. Dineshkanthan 6-1, 1-6, 7-5 Woods is using crutches and wear- Ohio. Aronimink Golf Club to promote first-innings haul for Michael’s College - Women’s Singles Final: ing a protective boot on his left leg Woods says he’ll be ready for the the upcoming AT&T National. Lancashire against Yorkshire. Batticaloa and St. Peter’s - Amritha Muttiah beat to make sure he’s healthy enough Open with proper treatment and Woods withdrew after only nine Fernando is reportedly carry- Colombo, too many chances Roshenka Fernando 6-0, 4-6, to play the U.S. Open. rehab. He is bothered by pain in his holes this month at The Players ing a nagging pain in his knee, in the final set of the match. 7-6(4) The U.S. Open is from June 16-19 left knee, left Achilles’ tendon and Championship. He also fell out of but played through it during the Girls - at Congressional. Woods says he’s tightening in his calf. He says doc- the top 10 rankings for the first Women’s Final Sri Lankans' victory against the time in 14 years. In a dramatic three-set- U-14 Doubles Final: England Lions in Derby.He took ter, Amritha Muttiah pre- Oshani Wickramasinghe & six wickets in the game. vailed over Roshenka Rukshana Abdeen bt Sri Lanka's other seam- Fernando who is regarded Thevuni Devaraja & Melissa options are , Jayawardena 7-6(5), 1-6, 10-8. Thissara Perera and Chanaka the only player among the Welegedara. The uncapped Nuwan Pradeep impressed in the Pakistan beat Windies by 196 runs to tie series match against England Lions, tak- David Boon to become ing four wickets in the second BAS- innings; Perera took four in the SETERRE, St. Scoreboard same game, while Lakmal and ICC match referee Welegedara took three and five Kitts (AP) — Pakistan scored Pakistan 1st innings 272 TOTAL: (all out) 230 HOBART, Australia Tuesday. wickets respectively,in the game West Indies 1st innings 223 Overs: 80.3. a series-level- (AP) — Former Test The 50-year-old against Middlesex. Pakistan 2nd innings 377-6 declared Fall of wicket: 1-5, 2-59, 3-63, 4-77, 5-115, 6- ling 196-run vic- opening batsman David Boon, who played 107 Maharoof played 20 Tests West Indies 2nd innings 135, 7-171, 8-193, 9-227, 10-230. between 2004 and 2007 and was a tory over West Boon has been appoint- Tests and 181 one-day (overnight 130-5) Bowling: Ahmed 5-0-10-1 (3nb), Riaz 10-1-39-1 regular in Sri Lanka's one-day Indies 17 min- ed an International internationals for L. Simmons c Hafeez b Rehman 24 (6w, 3nb), Rehman 24.3-10-65-4, Ajmal 31-7-79- Cricket Council match Australia between 1984 side till early 2009, after which a utes before K. Brathwaite b Tanvir 0 3, Hafeez 10-1-23-0. referee and will quit his and 1996, will also combination of injuries and the D. Bravo lbw b Wahab 50 lunch on the Result: Pakistan won by 196 runs (two-match job as an Australian resign as a member of emergence of as R. Sarwan lbw b Rehman 0 last day of the series drawn 1-1). selector. the Cricket Tasmania Sri Lanka's premier all rounder M. Samuels c Salman b Rehman 6 second cricket Boon's first match as board to take up the kept him out of the national team. B. Nash c Taufeeq b Ajmal 30 Man of the match: Taufeeq Umar. David Boon Test at Warner a referee will be in new appointment. He made a comeback during the C. Baugh lbw b Rehman 18 Man of the series: Saeed Ajmal. Park. Zimbabwe for the Pakistan tour "I am excited with this 2010 Asia Cup, but has not played D. Sammy c Misbah b Ajmal 41 Toss: Pakistan The two- of September. He replaces fel- appointment as it provides me any international cricket since. K. Roach run out (Wahab) 12 Umpires: Billy Bowden, New Zealand, and low Australian Alan Hurst, who with another opportunity to stay Maharoof's inclusion in the Sri match series R. Rampaul c Akmal b Ajmal 20 Asoka de Silva, Sri Lanka. Lanka squad means he could miss was drawn 1-1. D. Bishoo 3 Third umpire: Tony Hill, New Zealand. will step down in July after involved with this great sport," Lancashire's trips to Hampshire Extras: (8b, 6lb, 6w, 6nb) 26 Match referee: Alan Hurst, Australia. seven years as a match refer- Boon said in the ICC state- and Durham. ee, the ICC said in a statement ment.

Wednesday 25th May, 2011