Friday 17th September, 2010 Old is gold Murali calls for life-bans on Pak trio if proved guilty International Muralitharan who is playing Council should impose life in the Champions League ban on the Pakistani players for the Chennai if they are found guilty of Super Kings. spot-fixing, Sri Lankan spin “The game has to be clean. wizard Muttiah Muralitharan If somebody gets a life ban said. doing these things, others will Muralitharan joined the stop doing that. The ICC has likes of Shane Warne and to act a lot on this,” he added. Daniel Vettori in demanding Butt, Asif and Aamir were life ban on the three Pakistani quizzed by Scotland Yard ear- cricketers, Salman Butt, lier this month after a sting Mohammad Asif and operation by British tabloid Mohammad Aamir, if they News of the World claimed are found guilty in the spot- they were involved in bowling fixing scandal to deter deliberate no-balls during the younger generation from such fourth Test at Lord’s between corrupt practices. England and Pakistan. “If they are guilty, they The trio were provisionally should get a life ban, that’s suspended by the ICC but no the most important thing,” charges were pressed against Muralitharan, who recently them as yet by Scotland Yard. retired from , said. A fourth Pakistan player, fast “The younger generation bowler Wahab Riaz, was also should not follow that, so the questioned by Scotland Yard. punishment should be harsh PTI on (players) are guilty,” said Maris Stella and St. Joseph’s shine at athletics Retired Sri Lanka Test cricketer and present Chennai Super Kings bowler Muttiah Muralitharan displays some of his athletic skills as he dives to field BY RUKSHAN RAZAK the ball off a shot by Wayamba’s batsman Rangana Herath, unseen, during the Champions League Twenty20 cricket match at the Supersport Park in Exceptional performances by the athletes of Maris Stella Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) College Negombo, who obtained 122 points and St. Joseph’s College Kegalle who accumulated 59 points, enabled them to clinch the main awards in the Boys’ and Girls’ divisions at the conclusion of the 41st John Tarbat Junior Athletic Championships, organized by the Sri Lanka Schools’ Athletic Association and worked off at the Bernard Aluwihare Stadium, Matale yesterday. At the championships, Royal College Report: NZ umpires mistook no-ball motive Colombo (84 points) and Trinity College Kandy (45 points) walked away with the runners-up and second runner up awards WELLINGTON, New Zealand captain Salman Butt. The newspaper end, where the bowler delivered a more head around all the circumstances that respectively. (AP) - New Zealand alleged the Pakistan players bowled no- obvious no-ball. might turn up. It was quite weird." In the girls’ division, Ladies’ College said he and colleague Billy Bowden had balls at specified times in the match at "The one at my end, from Asif, was England won the match early on the Colombo and Holy Family Convent thought Pakistan bowlers were deliber- the behest of gamblers. not a helluva lot over," Hill said. "He is fourth day, and Hill said the atmosphere Bambalapitiya, after a close tussle, obtained 45 and 42 points respectively to ately bowling no-balls during last Amir and Asif are under investiga- generally pretty accurate (with his front as the game wound up was "eerie." clinch the runner-up and second runner up month's Test against England but didn't tion by British police and the foot). It is the Glenn McGrath-type thing, "It was very quiet out there," he said. positions respectively at the champi- suspect a betting motive. International Cricket Council over their where the foot comes down always in the "Both teams were very quiet. You always onships. Hill said in Thursday's edition of possible involvement with bookmakers same spot. expected something to be said out there Eight new meet records were established Wellington's Dominion-Post newspaper and participation in spot-fixing. "When it alters slightly you think it but it wasn't. They just got on with play- at the championships. Three new records that they thought the no-balls bowled by "We never suspected a thing," Hill is unusual but, like McGrath, or anyone ing the game. From our point of view, it were established on the opening day of the Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif told the Dominion-Post in his first inter- when they try harder, (they) can occa- was a matter of trying to concentrate championships. The first record which fell was in the Under-14 Boys Discus Throw in were deliberate but only a tactic to intim- view on the issue. "There had been the sionally go over." like hell, so we weren't caught up in the which Mahinda Madhushan of Taldeka idate England batsman Jonathan Trott big overstep in particular and in our Hill and Bowden were called to meet- moment. Kanishta Vidyalaya, Wennappuwa set a in the match at Lord's. minds that was more a deliberate over- ings with ICC officials after the third day "I was expecting a few verbals, but new mark, recording a distance of 36.32 Neither Hill nor Bowden suspected step to have a go at Trott, who had been at which the allegations contained in the thankfully both sides concentrated on metres. "spot-fixing," in which bettors gamble on batting so well. News of the World were explained. the cricket side of things. It was almost The second record which fell was in the specific incidents within a match. Hill "Billy and I chatted about that and "As the story was breaking we were quiet." Under-15 Girls High Jump where K.G said he and Bowden had discussed the thought it seemed deliberate, especially being kept up to speed," Hill said. "So Hill said betting allegations had Thanuja Hemamali of Mahasen National School, Nikaweratiya achieved a height of obvious no-balls during breaks in play. as it was dropped in short. But it all rather than hitting the sack at 8:30 p.m. soured the experience of his first Test at 1.65 metres. It was not until after stumps on the seemed to be one of those things that fast as you tend to before another full day's Lord's. The third was witnessed in the Under-12 third day of the match that Hill and bowlers have been known to do to get an play,we were still up at 10:30 p.m. making "It was a special place but it ended Boys High Jump when Waruna Prasad Bowden were told the News of the World advantage." sure we knew what was going on and up being a game that will be remem- Attanayake of Lyceum International newspaper had exposed an apparent bet- Hill umpired at the end where Asif what may or may not happen the next bered, but not for the right reasons," he School Wattala cleared a height of 1.53 ting scandal involving Amir, Asif and bowled while Bowden stood at Amir's day. We had to make sure we had our said. metres. On the second day (Wednesday) Chamika Karunaratne of Royal College threw the Javelin a distance of 57.37 metres and erased a record that stood for 17 years. Former England captain Flintoff retires The second record on day two came in the girl’s Under-12 LONDON (AP) - Former struggling with a severe knee has undergone right knee sur- High Jump where Y. S. W Dias England captain Andrew injury and made his decision gery twice over the past year. of Methodist College, Colombo Flintoff announced his retire- to quit the sport after speak- His last match was a Test cleared a height of 1.40 ment from all forms of cricket ing to medical advisers on against Australia at The Oval metres. with immediate effect on Wednesday. in August 2009, when England The third record to fall was Thursday. “Having been told that my won to regain the Ashes. in the Under-14 Javelin Throw The 32-year-old Lancashire body would no longer stand “I was told that the prob- for boys in which P. P. B allrounder, who played 79 up to the rigors of cricket, I lems I have been trying to Pathirana of Royal College Tests for England, has been had no alternative but to overcome in rehab for the last covered a distance of 41.10 retire,” year following the latest in a meters. Flintoff said series of operations would not The third day produced two in a state- recover sufficiently to allow a more records. In the girl’s ment. comeback,” Flintoff said. Under-15 putt-shot event, F.S. Flintoff Srinath Imthiyas of Buddhist Ladies’ College Colombo threw a distance of 9.16 ANDREW FLINTOFF FACT FILE meters while in the boy’s Name: Andrew Flintoff Under-15 discuss throw, Ashen Perera Jayawardana of Also known as: Freddie Ananada National School Country: England Chilaw achieved a distance of Clubs: Lancashire Cricket Club 46.26 meters which brought Batting style: Right hand bat the total number of records to Bowling style: Right arm fast eight. TESTS Batting Matches Innings Runs Highest Ave. ICC warns 79 130 3845 167 31.77 NEW DELHI (AP) - International Bowling Cricket Council President Sharad Pawar Matches Innings Runs Wickets Best Ave. warned of “stern action” if Pakistan play- 79 130 6993 218 5/58 32.07 ers in the spot-fixing scandal are found guilty. ODIs Pawar, who met with visiting Pakistan Batting Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt on Matches Innings Runs Highest Ave. Thursday, said the ICC could not com- 141 122 3394 123 32.01 ment on the issue until Scotland Yard’s Bowling probe was completed, but the ICC would Matches Innings Runs Wickets Best Ave. “take a strong stand if the allegations are 141 119 4121 169 5/19 24.38 established.”

Friday 17th September, 2010