10 Tuesday 19th December, 2006 Lanka win as Murali breaks his own record Rex Clementine reporting from Wellington Perth game in the same period. Muralitharan narrowly missed There have been many highlights on breaking Shane Warne’s world record for the field for Mahela the highest number of in a cal- Jayawardene’s cricket team this year in endar year that stands at 96 established and the Lankan Lions fin- in 2005. However, Warne had taken 15 ished off a successful 2006 by winning Tests to accomplish the feet and if Sri the second Test against New Zealand Lanka had played a three Test series in here at the Basin Reserve in Wellington New Zealand instead of two, he could by 217 runs. The tourists came back from have easily broken that record too. behind after their disappointing effort in The race for the highest number of Christchurch to square the series, their wickets in Tests between the two great- second Test win in this country follow- est spinners also heats up as Murali now ing the historic triumph in 1995 in trails Warne by just 15 wickets. While Napier. the Australian has 699 wickets Murali is After the batsmen set New Zealand an on 674. improbable target of 504, Muttiah While Murali picked up the vital Muralitharan came up with yet another wickets, it was two brilliant performanc- splendid effort to bowl out the hosts for es with the bat by 286. The off-spinner mixed up his deliv- and Chamara Silva that gave him the eries cleverly and had the New Zealand cushion to bowl to an attacking field. batsmen in trouble on a that pro- ’s victory came just before vided him adequate support. He finished tea yesterday when James Franklin with six for 86, his 57th five wicket haul , centre, leads his team off with , right, who took ten wickets and ended the Test with a match bag of in the match, after defeating New Zealand on day four of the second cricket Test at the Basin Reserve, ten for 107, the 19th time he has taken ten Wellington, New Zealand, yesterday. (AP Photo/NZPA, Ross Setford) wickets or more in a Test. Muralitharan also completed a SCOREBOARD remarkable year in Test cricket as he fin- ished with an amazing 90 wickets in the Sri Lanka 1st Innings 268 (K. Sangakkara 156*) J. Franklin ct Silva b Muralitharan 44 calendar year in just 11 Test Matches at a New Zealand 1st Innings 130 (L. Malinga 5-65) S. Bond ct Sangakkara b Maharoof 06 mind-boggling average of 17:53. Out of Sri Lanka 2nd Innings 365 (C. Silva 152*, D. Vettori C. Martin not out 04 the 11 Tests, in five games Muralitharan 7-130) Extras: (b 9, lb 7, nb 7, w 11) 34 picked up ten wicket match bags, a New Zealand 2nd Innings Total all out 286 remarkable achievement by the 34-year- C. Cumming ct Sangakkara b Muralitharan 20 Overs: 86.1 old. J. How lbw b Malinga 33 Fall of wickets: 1-56, 2-60, 3-115, 4-139, 5-156, 6- His previous best in a calendar year M. Sinclair ct Sangakkara b Muralitharan 37 161, 7-163, 8-259, 9-278. was 80 wickets that he achieved in 2001 S. Fleming ct Sangakkara b Malinga 27 Bowling: Vaas 18-2-64-1 (5w), Malinga 16-1-62-2 and this year he was even better. What N. Astle lbw b Muralitharan 09 (2nb) (6w), Maharoof 11-1-47-1 (5nb), Muralitharan makes his effort an even special one is efforts as he grabbed a stump soon after B. McCullum b Muralitharan 17 34.1-9-87-6, Jayasuriya 6-3-10-0. that none of the other international heaved at a Muralitharan and the last wicket fell and handed it over to J. Oram lbw b Vaas 04 Result: Sri Lanka won by 217 runs bowlers have even got 50 Test wickets by was caught by Chamara Silva at deep Silva as a souvenir. Silva was named D. Vettori lbw b Muralitharan 51 Man of the Match: Chamara Silva this time of the year. Muralitharan’s midwicket to top off a sensational per- Man of the Match for his first innings spin rival Shane Warne had managed formance. fifty and the unbeaten 152 in the second just 37 wickets in eight Tests before the Muralitharan appreciated Silva’s innings. provided the break- Vettori and James Franklyn defied the The day started off impressively for through, once again troubling the New Sri Lankan bowlers for over one hour Most Test wickets in a calendar year Sri Lanka as they got early break- Zealand skipper with a quick delivery adding 96 runs for the eighth wicket. throughs. that took the outside edge of the batsman Muralitharan broke the partnership Palyer Country Year M Balls Mdns Runs Wkts Av The Kiwis resumed the day at 75 for and gave Sangakkara a comfortable with a well disguised doosra. S. Warne (Aus) 2005 15 4336 141 2114 96 22.02 two and Sri Lanka had to dismiss catch. Sangakkara kept wickets in the Soon after he completed his 13th half- M Muralitharan (SL) 2006 11 3532 137 1521 90 17.53 Stephen Fleming early to avoid the Test entire second innings as Prasanna century, Vettori padded Muralitharan D. Lillee (Aus) 1981 13 3710 147 1781 85 20.95 going into the fifth day. Weather predic- Jayawardene was unwell with a bruised assuming he was playing an off-spinner. A. Donald (SA) 1998 14 3232 135 1571 80 19.63 tions was for rain on the final day and arm. But the ball instead of leaving the bats- M. Muralitharan (SL) 2001 12 4688 216 1699 80 21.23 getting rid of Fleming early on was high Sri Lanka got four wickets in the man came in and wrapped on the pads J. Garner (WI) 1984 15 3626 148 1629 79 20.62 on Sri Lanka’s agenda as he was capable extended morning session as and it was an easy decision for umpire Kapil Dev (Ind) 1983 18 3469 112 1739 75 23.18 of playing big innings. The left-hander Muralitharan dismissed three middle Brian Jerling to make. M Muralitharan (SL) 2000 10 3740 147 1463 75 19.50 Kapil Dev (Ind) 1979 17 3553 141 1699 74 22.95 had made his career best 274* against order batsmen. After Vettori’s resistance, New A. Kumble (Ind) 2004 12 3680 127 1838 74 24.83 them at the P.Sara defying Murali and co The Kiwis took lunch at 176 for six. Zealand folded up to be bowled out for M. Marshall (WI) 1984 13 3251 119 1471 73 20.15 in 2002 and Sri Lanka were keen to get Soon after the break, 286 to give the Sri Lankans a memorable him early. trapped Jacob Oram lbw before Daniel victory.

Kalutara Vidyala excel in chess Tissera and Sirisena At Lyceum sports meet in record stand for Mahanama by Reemus Fernando

A massive first wicket partner- ship of 208 runs between S.J. Tissera (91) and H. Sirisena (109) and an impressive double by skipper Chathura Jayasinghe who bagged 7 wickets and smashed a brisk 55 runs in the first innings, helped Mahanama College cruise to a first innings victory over Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda in their Inter- School Under-13 Division I second round cricket match played at Mahanama ground, on Sunday. Mahanama openers went on a run scoring spree compiling probably the highest partnership for any wicket this season as they cracked 26 fours and hit 10 sixes collectively to form a Junior chess pool of Kalutara Vidyalaya: (Seated from left)- Sumal Horawala Withana (Coach), W.M. formidable opening stand. Skipper Siriwardena (Principal), Rita Anne Elizabeth (Teacher in Charge), Dayal Siriwardena (Asst. Coach) Jayasinghe contributed with a brisk Upeka Perera and Sasuni Wedanage who were adjudged girls champions in Under 16 category at the (Standing from left)- Dimithra Mudith, Sandaru Vikasitha, Lahiru Iroshan, Isira Shamintha, Supun 55 (in 31 balls) before declaring at 286 inaugural inter-house athletic meet of Lyceum International School, Gampaha, pose with the Chief Chathuranga, Shehan Kavishka, Kaveen Poorna, Hashitha Randika. for 4,and then picked up four wickets Guest Damayanthi Darsha and Principal Kumari Grero. The meet was held at Sugathadasa Stadium. The chess teams of Kalutara While all chess players contributed for 24 runs to restrict the visitors for Vidyalaya excelled in several junior tour- alike to the success of their team this year 123 in the first innings. naments conducted during the year. there were two outstanding junior players Dharmasoka forced to follow on Under the captaincy of Isira in their ranks, namely,Lahiru Iroshan (U- bettered their first innings display Kurunegala Region win Shamintha their Under-14 team won the 12) and Dimithri Mudith (U-10). with A.Y. Rashmika contributing second runners-up award at the All Island While Lahiru Iroshan was the runner- with an unbeaten 83 runs to be placed Under 15 soccer title Chess Tournament conducted by the Sri up of the Under-12 championship of the 119 for 4 at close. Lanka Schools Chess Association. National Youth Chess Tournament 2006 Chief Scores: by Navaratne Banda, Some 16 football teams participated in Supun Chathuranga skippered the Dimithri Mudith won the third place of Mahanama 286 for 4 decl (N.S.J. Kurunegala corr. this annual event sponsored by the Sri College’s Under-13 team to be placed first the Under-10 tournament of the same Tissera 91, H. Sirisena 109, C.H. Lanka Football Federation. runners-up at the DS Senanayake Chess championship. Meanwhile, the latter won Jayasinghe 55; A.Y Rashmika 2/82) The under 15 football team of the Kalutara and Negombo regional Championship. And soon they bettered the Best Player’s award of the Under-10 Dharmasoka 123 (W.A. Rangana Kurunegala Region emerged champions teams were able to reach the semi finals their performances to win the Under-13 category of the International Chess 31, N.W.V Ashan 23; C.H. Jayasinghe in the inter-regional football tournament but failed to enter the finals. The best championship of the Queen Star Championship conducted by the Central 4/24, S. Welagedara 2/44, S. Perera recently held at the Maligapitiya ground, player of the series was Charith International Chess Training School con- Province Chess Association at the 3/26) and 119 for 4 at close (A.Y. Kurunegala. Rathnayaka of Kurunegala, while the ducted tournament. University of Peradeniya. - (RF) Rashmika 83 n.o; C.H. Jayasinghe They beat Colombo regional team 3- 1, best goal keeper of the series was Sujan 3/46) in the final. Perera of Kalutara.