Wednesday 23rd December, 2009 Irresponsible batting did us in: Sanga PCB did not want Sri Lankan captain Kumar think it was some good bowling and bad “At the end of the day, one guy does- “I think he Lahore to host Sangakkara on Monday blamed his batting that did us in,” Sangakkara said n’t make the entire side, even though captained real- batsmen for the seven-wicket loss to at the post-match press conference. he is an important player. We have to ly well. He kept second Test India in the third one-dayer and said He described the absence of all- overcome these things,” Sangakkara his cool on the they need to understand their responsi- rounder Angelo Matthews, who had to said. field and his In an apparent bid bilities of converting a good start into a pull out of the five-match series after He praised Indian stand-in skipper no-nonsense to come clear from the big total. straining his quadriceps in Nagpur Virender Sehwag for leading the home approach to charges of slack securi- “I think it was just poor batting. We ODI, as a big loss for the side. team beautifully in the absence of reg- batting was ty preparations during were 165 for one after 22 overs and after “Definitely, it was a big loss for the ular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, good for India Sri Lankan cricket that we just lost our way. We were going team. He was one of the guys who who has been banned for two one day today,” team’s visit earlier this in with a batsman short and the special- could have balanced the side, but unfor- internationals for maintaining a slow Sangakkara year , Pakistan Cricket ists had to step up and perform the job. I tunately we lost him due to injury. over-rate in the Nagpur ODI. said. Sangakkara Board’s (PCB) Chairman Ijaz Butt has Butt said that he was not in favour of hosting the Test match in Lahore during which the Lankans were attacked by terrorists. Messi wins 2009 FIFA FIFPro Butt told a private television channel that he had urged the government to host the match in Karachi instead of Lahore, as Punjab’s conditions was not appropri- ate for hosting an international event, but World Player of the Year award he said his suggestions were not enter- tained. , the Barcelona forward, “A top government official rejected has been named Fifa FIFPro World Player of our suggestion and said the Test would be the Year. held in Lahore. The implementation of The Argentine won the prestigious the security arrangements for the visiting award in Zurich after the 22 year-old won team was also that of the government, the the vote ahead of Barça team-mates Andres board could do nothing about it,” The Iniesta, and and Daily Times quoted Butt, as saying. Kaka of Real Madrid. The 76-years old PCB chief added the Messi capped a fantastic year in which inquiry by the Lahore High Court had he has won an unprecedented haul of six found out the people who were responsi- successive trophies - La Liga, European ble for the lax security arrangements. Cup, Copa del Rey, Super Cup and Spanish “I can’t name anyone but the inquiry Super Cup and Club World Cup. report is there for everyone to see,” Butt After receiving the award from Michel said. Platini, Uefa president and former (ANI) international, he said: “This finishes a mag- nificent year for Barcelona, my team-mates and for me.” Iron Man Ferdinands “I’m extremely happy. We’ve just ended a historic year,a perfect year in which we’ve won every competition we’ve played in. fractures spine “We just needed to take this last step and everything has worked out how we wanted. from nasty fall It’s amazing.” By Ravi Nagahawatte Meanwhile, five Premier League play- ers were included in the team of the year. (Real Madrid), Bernard Ferdinands, a record holder (Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester in many iron sports, is in dismay having United), (United), Daniel Alves fractured his spine from a nasty fall. (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), Andres Gone is the strength that at one time Iniesta (Barcelona), gave him medals in disciplines like pow- (Liverpool), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), erlifting, body building and strength Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Fernando building, the latter in which he won a Torres (Liverpool). world title. Ronaldo won the Fifa Puskas award for At present he is confined to a wheel- the best goal of the 2008/09 season - his chair and has to support his wife (A full- Manchester United goal against Porto in the time housewife) and three children, who Champions League in April. Brazilian player won the Fifa all still schooling. women’s player of the year award for the Forty-five-year-old Ferdinands told Lady Elsie Robson, widow of legendary English football Soccer player Lionel Messi from poses with the trophy fourth year in a row. The Island that he had undergone many player Sir , holds the FIFA Fair Play Award after being named FIFA World Player of the Year, during the FIFA surgeries to his spine and had just in favour of her husband during the FIFA World Player World Player Gala 2009, in Zurich, Switzerland, Monday, Dec. 21, © The Telegraph Group, Gala 2008 at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, Switzerland, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Probst) returned to his residence at 212/27 Green London, 2009 Monday, Dec. 21, 2009. (AP) Fantasy Gardens Kimbulapitiya, Negombo after many months in hospital. He makes a plea to donors to help him during this difficult time. “I have retired Badminton nationals from the Sri Lanka Army and can’t make Top coaches hold X’mas ends meet with the pension I receive. This is because I have obtained a loan from December 27-30 from a bank and almost half of my earn- Tennis Camp at SLTA ings, each month, are deducted in lieu of The 57th Badminton Matches will be worked off the loan,” he said. Ferdinands said that The Tennis Camp which National Championships will each day from 9 am to 8 pm. he had obtained the bank loan to build began on December 22 be worked off at two venues The events to be worked off his house. (Tuesday) will continue till commencing December 27 are: Open men’s and women’s He said he had written to the tomorrow. It is held from 7.00 (Sunday) with the cream of the singles, Open men’s and President’s Fund requesting financial a.m. to 10.00 a.m. each day the country’s players contesting women’s doubles, Open mixed assistance, but those efforts had been the tournament. doubles, National Plate SLTA premises. futile. “I was told to write to the Sports According to the Sri Lanka Championships Singles (Men The camp is conducted by Minister to seek help but I was told that Badminton Federation (SLBF), and women), Over 35 Women’s Sudantha Soysa, Director – they (Sports Ministry) hadn’t allocated the tournament has been veteran singles and doubles, Coaching, SLTA. The other scheduled to be held from Over 40 men’s veteran singles finances for such endeavors,” he said. instructors and coaches partic- December 27-30. Matches will and doubles and the Master’s Ferdinands said that his only hope to set- ipating at this tennis camp are be worked off at the Royal singles and doubles which is tle the loan and avoid falling into finan- Jayendra Wijeysekera (a Level College Sports Complex in open for contestants who are cial debt was if help came his way. He 2 coach, former Sri Lanka Reid Avenue and at the SLBF over 50 years old. (RN) said that his requests to the Sri Lanka national champion and a Davis Headquarters courts. Army to obtained financial assistance Cup rep), (Ms) Shalini de Silva had failed to bear fruit. He had served the (Level 2 coach and former Sri Lanka Army in Ordinance Corps. EurAsia Golf launches national champion), and Mohit Ferdinands came under the spotlight Panday (a Level 1 coach from tournament in India in the physical culture scene when he India). NEW DELHI (AP) - The first Golf and Country Club from was adjudged ‘The Best Built Man’ at the Chandraguptha Soysa, new tournament for the Feb. 11-14, the Asian Tour World Strength Building Championships younger brother of Sudantha, alliance between the European said in a release Tuesday. which were held in India, in 2000. and Asian tours will be staged The European Tour co- will also be one of the coaches Sudantha Soysa, director – coaching at SLTA, is one of the He is also a national power lifting at an Arnold Palmer-designed sanctioned two events in taking part in the X’mas Camp. instructors who will be involved in the X’mas Tennis Camp now national champion and also excelled in course here next February. New Delhi in 2008, including He is former Davis Cup repre- The joint venture company, the Johnnie Walker Classic on at the SLTA in Colombo. the sport of body building. He is also sentative for Sri Lanka before known as EurAsia Golf Ltd, at the DLF club, with the is now being held at the Sri credited with encouraging differently by Revata S. Silva joining as a coach in the reput- will co-sanction the euro1.5 Asian and Indian tours. It Lanka Tennis Association able athletes to take part in powerlifting. million ($2.1 million) Avantha has been co-sanctioning ed USPTA in America. A Christmas Tennis Camp (SLTA). He has accompanied differently able ath- Masters with the Professional events with the Asian Tour letes to the Paralympics thrice. Golf Tour of India at the DLF since 1999.

Wednesday 23rd December, 2009