Thursday 8th January, 2009 15 Arjuna was removed for exposing corruption – Ravi win by Saman Indrajith “He was ready to expose did not reply. Ranatunga had also swindlers. He had all documen- Earlier this month, former exposed that businessman and Third Test UNP Colombo District MP tary proof and was about to go Test Hashan former Interim Committee Ravi Karunanayake yesterday public with them and he was Tillekeratne alleged that the Chairman Jayantha told Parliament that former Sri sacked to save the names of removal of Ranatunga came as Dharmadasa and former Sports despite Smith Lankan captain MP fraudsters. This shows how the a result of the latter’s refusal to Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga Arjuna Ranatunga’s Interim Government runs this country take in a massive bill that was had secretly extended Ten heroics Committee running silencing the whistleblowers put forward to SLC by Sports Sports television contract with- Cricket was dissolved as the and protecting fraudulent char- Gamini Lokuge as entertain- out calling for tenders. It was World Cup winning captain was acters,” MP Karunanayake said ment expenses. Tillekeratne also revealed that Dharmadasa Australia defeated by 103 planning to expose massive during the Second Reading further added that the expense and Kumaratunga had decided runs in the third cricket Test at the SCG on Wednesday. corruptions that took place in stage of the Nation Building Tax was incurred for a felicitation to sell television rights for a Injured South African captain Graeme the name of developing the Bill. ceremony to honour Lokuge’s period that they did not have a Smith bravely came out to bat at No.11 game. All smiling MP Ranatunga Arjuna Ranatunga contributions to local politics. mandate for. with a broken hand with 50 balls to play on the final day. But he was bowled for three by with 10 balls to go before ngland captain for the West Indies role in England’s decision stumps. and coach Peter Moores have both tour, the Cricinfo web- to return to the country to South Africa won the series 2-1, but Head- Eresigned, Sky News reported on site play their two-test series in Australia’s victory ensured the home side Wednesday. (www.cricinfo.com) December after the bomb- retained the world No.1 ranking. Pietersen, who was appointed skipper reported. “It’s a huge ings in Mumbai. Smith’s heroic stand was made possi- swollen of the test and one-day teams last year shock and doesn’t England lost one and ble by a 50-run partnership between tailen- after resigned, had fall- bode well for the drew the second match of ders and who en out with Moores over the running of ECB,” former cap- the two-test series. held out for more than an hour before Kandyans! the team and told British media on tain Pietersen, who debutant trapped Steyn in for 28. Sunday that “it had to be sorted out.” told Sky has an English Earlier, took two after lunch to bring vicotry within reach Asela Withana in The England and Wales Cricket Board Sports (ECB) held an emergency teleconference for Australia. (59) and AB De Villiers Chittagong, for their executive board on Tuesday to (56) scored half-centuries for the Proteas. Bangladesh discuss the rift and Pietersen, who is departure caught and on holiday in South Africa after bowled by Andrew McDonald and Mark Throwing a small party, the recent test series in India, Boucher’s bizarre lbw dismissal were both Sri Lanka skipper Mahela was reported to have decisions that could easily have gone the Jayawardene celebrated resigned following that dis- other way. their Test series win against cussion. New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden had Bangladesh at their team Pietersen and Moores, referred McDonald’s low catch to TV hotel in Chittagong yester- who was appointed coach in umpire Rod Tucker of Australia who day. On the occasion, there April 2007 following the resigna- instructed Bowden to give Kallis his were three Bangladeshi tion of , also marching orders before lunch for four. discussed the situation with Buddhist monks who had It was a massive blow to South Africa’s English cricket’s Managing hopes of claiming cricket’s top ranking by attended the victory cele- Director Hugh Morris last sweeping the three-match series. brations to congratulate the week. Debutant quick (2-45) Lankan team. But it was sad Speculation in the British had taken his first Test late on day to note that two of the sen- media has suggested that the four when he dismissed replacement open- ior members of the Sri rift intensified after Vaughan er Morne Morkel for a duck. Lanka team gave a scant Regular opener — Test was not selected for next Kevin Pietersen response to the noble ges- cricket’s leading runscorer in 2008 — is ture of the three local unlikely to bat after suffering a fractured bhikkhus. hand in South Africa’s first innings. Bollinger got the ball rolling for As skipper Jayawardene, Australia on day five when acting skipper team manager Jayantha Neil McKenzie was caught at gully for 27 at Paranathala, Thilan 2-68. Thushara, Chamara Kallis fell with the score on 3-91 and six Kapugedera and some of the Pietersen and overs later off-spinner other Sri Lanka team mem- finally took his first wicket of the match, bers worshipped and removing anchorman Amla who caught at received blessings from the short leg by . monks, two big names com- De Villiers and Jean-Paul Duminy added 56 before the left-hander was lbw to ing from the hill capital, one Mitchell Johnson for 16 at 5-166 after is a batsman and other a lunch. bowler, didn’t bother to talk Peter Moores Moores resign Siddle (2-34) claimed his sixth wicket of to the monks nor did they the match when Boucher (4) missed a full cared a bit about the pro- month’s test series against the West News. mother, moved to England in 2000 and toss and was adjudged lbw by Sri Lankan ceedings while being Indies. “It’s a right mess and the last thing switched his international allegiance umpire Asoka De Silva, although the ball engrossed in a casual chat England face the West Indies again, at England cricket needs in the run-up to after saying he was frustrated with the was clearly going down legside. between them. home, in May and then play the .” positive discrimination policy in South Siddle struck again 18 runs later when One of the monks who World Cup before taking on Australia for South Africa-born Pietersen, 28, took African cricket. De Villiers chopped a ball onto his stumps at 7-190, six minutes before tea. had studied in Sri Lanka for the Ashes. over from Vaughan for the final test of He soon established himself as one of (AAP) a few years spoke some Opening batsman is last year’s losing series against South the most destructive and exciting bats- Singhalese and told The the strong favourite to take over the test Africa and made an immediate impact by men in the game, playing a key role in the captaincy but, with Strauss not involved winning the match and then overseeing a Island: “We came here to Ashes success over Australia in 2005. SCOREBOARD in the one-day squad, there is no obvious clean sweep of victories in the one-day congratulate the Lankan It is not clear yet whether he intends candidate for the limited overs job. series. team on their Test series to continue to make himself available to Australia 1st innings 445 Moores’ assistant is like- Despite losing all the one-dayers in South Africa 1st innings 327 win. Those two may be not England as a player. ly to be offered the interim coaching role India, he won widespread support for his Buddhists.” Australia 2nd innings 4 wickets dec 257 South Africa 2nd innings N McKenzie c Hussey b Bollinger 27 M Morkel c Johnson b Bollinger 0 Meanwhile, Sri Lanka H Amla c Katich b Hauritz 59 will include six new play- J Kallis c & b McDonald 4 We had right ers in their One-day de Villiers b Siddle 56 International squad J Duminy lbw b Johnson 16 ahead of the tri-series M Boucher lbw b Siddle 4 beginning this Sat. (10). P Harris lbw b Siddle 6 preparation – Mahela As Dilshan, Chaminda D Steyn lbw b McDonald 28 Vaas, Michael Vandort, M Ntini 28 Malinda Warnapura, G Smith b Johnson 3 best when we were here last time. Asela Withana reporting from and Extras (b 12, lb 18, w 4, nb 2, pen 5) 41 Chittagong, Bangladesh Therefore we decided to field our best Dammika Prasad are Total (all out; 114.2 overs) 272 team in this tour,” Jayawardene said. expected to return to Sri Fall of wickets:1-7, 2-73, 3-96, 4-115, 5-171, 6- Speaking to ‘The Island’ after beat- When asked why he thought of giv- Lanka today, Sanath 177, 7-195, 8-207, 9-257, 10-272 ing the home team 2-0 in the Test series ing an apparently too big victory target Jayasuriya, Thilina : Siddle 27 12 54 3, Bollinger 21 5 53 on Tuesday (6), Sri Lanka captain of 600 in the second Test to Kandamby, Angelo 2, Johnson 23.2 7 49 2, McDonald 13 6 32 2, said it was a sat- Bangladesh, who are currently ranked Mathews, Nuwan Hauritz 28 10 47 1, Clarke 2 1 2 0 isfying achievement because his team last in the ICC Test ratings, Kulasekara, Upul Series: South Africa won the 3-match series 2- hadn’t done well in their previous tour Jayawardene answered saying they Tharanga and Jehan 1 here. didn’t have any problem about giving Mubarak will join the Sri Player of the match: PM Siddle (Australia) “We saw a somewhat as big a target as possible to the oppo- (Ajantha) Mendis and Dilshan took Lanka squad today. Player of the series: GC Smith (South Africa) improved sition as Tillekaratne Dilshan, early wickets, we could finally finish “We expect to put up a different Umpires: BF Bowden (New Zealand) and EAR Bangladeshi Chamara Kapugedera and Thilan the match inside four days,” explained plan for the One-dayers. After doing de Silva (Sri Lanka) team this Samaraweera were excellently. Jayawardene for whom the Chittagong training with our new squad, we’ll TV umpire: RJ Tucker

time. We did- “We went on until fourth day lunch Test was his 100th appearance. make the final preparation for the tri- Match referee: RS Madugalle (Sri Lanka)

n’t do our (for the declaration) and because One-day Series – angular,” Jayawardene said. Reserve umpire: GA Abood

Clijsters, and Switzerland’s No. 1 ranking this year is a She will captain the Martina Hingis have left the realistic goal. Americas squad in a team Venus Williams WTA Tour, the older Williams, ranked No. 6, format that also features Williams sister said she’s enjoyed a strong season in Serbian and top-ranked still hungry for more. 2008 with wins at Jelena Jankovic, Russians Williams has won Wimbledon and the season- Vera Zvonareva and Anna says no plans to Wimbledon five times and ending WTA Championship Chakvetadze, Hungary’s the U.S. Open twice, but in Doha, Qatar, and said Agnes Szavay, China’s has had less success at the she’s feeling healthy after a Zheng Jie and India’s Sania two other Grand Slam tour- four-week break from ten- Mirza. retire soon naments. She reached the nis. Williams also said she final at the French Open in “Nothing to complain will sparingly use new WTA by Min Lee champion Venus Williams the 28-year-old Williams 2002 and the Australian about right now,” Williams Tour rules that allow on- says she still has plenty of said Tuesday in Hong Kong Open in 2003. said. court coaching starting this HONG KONG (AP) - goals in tennis. ahead of a tuneup exhibi- “I haven’t won the The American is playing year. Despite watching some of “I love my job. I love hit- tion tournament for the French or the Australian, in Hong Kong starting “I’ll probably call the her biggest rivals hang up ting balls, running, jumping, Australian Open. although I’ve come pretty Wednesday in her only coach if my opponent calls their rackets in recent chasing after that ball. I While many of her con- close, so those are definite- preparation for the the coach. … I’ll be watch- years, seven-time major love what I do, so that’s temporaries, like Belgians ly on my list,” Williams said, Australian Open, which ing to see what she does,” adding that reclaiming the begins Jan. 19. she said. Venus Williams what keeps me motivated,” Justin Henin and Kim