Monday 26th April, 2010 Indian League set to lose ringmaster mbattled Modi could also lose his post as chair- chief faces the axe today man of the T20 Champions League, a club Eas allegations of corruption swirl tournament jointly organised by the around the money-spinning tournament. cricket boards of , Australia and The Indian cricket board (BCCI), which South Africa. owns the IPL, has made up its mind to The inaugural Champions League was sack Modi after the government launched held in India last year, while the second a tax probe into alleged financial irregu- edition is scheduled to be played in South larities in the high-profile Twenty20 Africa in September. event. The IPL, which began in 2008, features “Either Modi goes on his own, or he the world’s top cricketers playing the pop- will be pushed out,” a senior member of ular Twenty20 format of the game for the tournament’s governing council told eight franchises owned by India’s wealthy AFP.“His position as IPL chief has businessmen and film stars. become untenable.” Two more franchises are to be added The BCCI has called an emergency for the 2011 season. meeting of the IPL’s governing council in The ruthlessly ambitious and brash Mumbai on Monday to discuss allegations Modi has run the IPL like a personal fief- that include unsubstantiated media dom, signing lucrative deals as sponsors reports of match-fixing in the tourna- tumbled over each other to join the party. ment. The tournament, a spectacular mix of There have been several indications the country’s favourite sport and glamour, over the past few days that Modi’s days is already estimated to have a brand value are numbered. of $US4 billion. The board’s top brass, including presi- The tax probe began after junior for- dent Shashank Manohar and secretary N. eign minister Shashi Tharoor was forced Srinivasan, skipped the IPL awards cere- to resign over claims that his girlfriend mony on Friday night ahead of Sunday’s was given a free stake worth $US15 mil- final of the tournament’s third edition. lion ($A16.18 million) in a new franchise. Of the 14 members of the IPL govern- Details of the ownership of the team in ing council, only three - former India the southern city of Kochi were leaked on great , ex-BCCI chief microblogging website Twitter by Modi. Inderjit Singh Bindra and Modi - attended Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee the ceremony in Mumbai. ordered the probe last week amid allega- Other glaring absentees were superstar tions from the political opposition that the Sachin Tendulkar, even though he won IPL was a front for money laundering and both the best batsman and best captain illegal betting. awards, and current national skipper The government has so far resisted Mahendra Singh Dhoni. calls from the opposition parties for a Some media reports have suggested Indian Rashtrawadi Party, or Nationalist Party, protesters shout slogans against the Indian Premier League (IPL) during a joint parliamentary probe into the alleged Modi may himself step down after demonstration in New Delhi, India, Saturday, April 24, 2010. Indian lawmakers called for a parliamentary inquiry into allega- financial irregularities in the tourna- Sunday’s final to avoid further embarrass- tions of corruption against IPL chief Lalit Modi and its wealthy franchise owners Friday. The placard, top left, reads “Shut ment. ment. (AFP) down IPL, the big gambling market. Shut down IPL, the den of women and liquor.” (AP)

De La Salle, Lyceum, POW, CIS secure semi spots

BY ROSHEN STEELMAN Jayasinghe netted eight points each Unbeaten De La Salle College, for Lyceum, Mutwal will take on strong Prince of Nugegoda. Wales College, Moratuwa in the semi- Meanwhile, final of the Under-15 All Island Dinuka Novod (21) Basketball Tournament while and Ramesh Lyceum International School, Chanaka (22) Nugegoda will take on Colombo shared 43 points International School, Kandy in the between them to second semi-final at De La Salle guide Prince of College premises in Mutwal today. Wales, Moratuwa to Yesterday’s four quarter finals a comfortable 67-25 turned out to be one sided affairs win over with the winners dominating the pro- Dharmasoka ceedings from the word go. De La College, Salle College who dominated the tour- Ambalangoda in nament from the very beginning con- the quarter-final tinued their good run beating brother that was worked off school St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala at Moratuwa yes- 82-44. They were leading 41-21 at half- terday. time. The final quar- Vice Captain Mohamed Fadil was ter-final for the day outstanding as he accounted for 34 was worked off points for the winners while he was between Colombo This file picture of 1979 shows Officer Cadet WDRMJ Goonetileke (Present Air Force Commander) International being introduced to Air Chief Marshal WDH Goonetileke (Present Commander’s Father) at the final Under-15 All Island School, Kandy (CIS) and Nalanda of the Inter-Unit Rugby Tournament between SLAF Base Katunayaka and SLAF Base China Bay. College, Colombo Thirty one years later, current Air Force Commander will be the Chief Guest at the inter-unit final Basketball with CIS recoding a between Diyatalawa Base and Ratmalana Base where his son former St. Peter’s wing three quarter amply supported by skipper Nipun comfortable victory Rehan Goonetileke is expected to play in the inter-unit final. (Picture Courtesy Air Force Media) Lakshitha 26. Sanjula Heshan chipped 67-31. in with 11 points. Umair Naleer Mahesh Suriyasinghe with 18 scored 25 points points and Vimukthi Ekanayake with while Lahiru 15 were the top scores for the losers. Keraliyadda made Clijsters out of Fed Cup with foot injury Dananjaya Polkotuwa’s 21 points 18 points to top BRUSSELS (AP) - Kim Clijsters her left little finger during train- Even though Henin is right- for Lyceum International School, score for the win- De La Salle College’s Mohammad Fadil breaks away has pulled out of her second sin- ing on Wednesday,has replaced handed and plays with a single- Wattla went in vain as their own ning team while for a basket during the first quarter-final of the Inter- gles match in the Fed Cup tie her for Sunday’s match against handed backhand, she had not branch from Nugegoda defeated them Chamath Degalle School All Island Undre-15 Basketball tournament against Estonia because of an Kaia Kanepi. If Henin wins the been slated to play singles this 64-33 in their quarter-final also worked top scored for the against St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala at Mutwal injured left foot. first match, Belgium will hold weekend but made herself avail- off at De La Salle courts, yesterday. losers with 11 yesterday. De La Salle recorded a convincing 82-44 Isuru Umayange and Franco points. Justine Henin, who broke an insurmountable 3-0 lead. able because of Clijsters’ injury. win to qualify for today’s semi-final.

BY REVATA S. SILVA Lasith Fernando 32; Seekkuge Prasanna Tillakaratne Sampath cracks 154 for Ruhuna 4-109, Jeewan Mendis 2-39). Despite opening batsman Michael Van Dort scoring a blazing ton in 101 balls, Basnahira North recorded a 306-run first innings’ lead to secure their table-top Basnahira North take honours despite Van Dort ton position in their 4-day Inter-Provincial cricket tournament match played against against MAS Holdings’ Kandurata which for 3 wkts in 19 overs (Angelo Perera 28, 98) Wayamba which ended in a draw at too ended in a draw at P. Sara, Colombo. Thilina Kandamby 22 n.o.; Isuru Udana Kandurata vs Ruhuna at P. Sara, Tyronne Fernando Stadium, Moratuwa The third day’s play of both matches 3-32) Colombo: on Sunday (23). was not possible due to rain and wet Wayamba (on Fri. 0 for no loss) 292 all Kandurata 271 all out and 44 for no Meanwhile, Hirdaramani - sponsored ground conditions on Saturday. out in 74.4 overs (Michael Van Dort 100 loss in 12 overs Ruhuna was helped gain a first innings Brief Scores: in 101 balls – 4x14 – 6x4, Damitha Ruhuna (on Fri. 156-2) 402 for 6 wkts win by Tillakaratne Dilshan’s younger Basnahira North vs Wayamba at Hunukumbura 46, Jeevantha Kulatunga dec. in 108.2 overs (Tillakaratne Sampath brother, Tillakaratne Sampath with a Moratuwa: 37, Isuru Udana 34, Chathura Peiris 32 154 in 204 balls – 4x16 – 6x3, Geeth Alwis knock of 154 in their match played Basnahira North 598 all out and 71 n.o.; Muthumudalige Pushpakumara 3- 72, Harsha Cooray 54, Upul Tharanga 41,