Thursday 16th December, 2010

Eshan, Sarinda appointed to SLC Interim Committee Ponting vows aggressive approach Eshan de Silva and Sarinda BY IHITHISHAM KAMARDEENN Unamboowe have been appointed to Sri Lanka Interim Committee with PERTH, Australia (AP) - Australia effect from yesterday, Wednesday. Ricky Ponting has vowed a Last Tuesday two former Interim return to the team’s trademark aggres- Committee members, Kalinga Indatissa sion in the third Test against England and Prabath Fonseka, who were appoint- starting Thursday, with the hosts badly ed by former Sports Minister C. B. needing a win to boost hopes of regain- Rathnayaka, resigned reportedly volun- ing the Ashes. tarily. Ponting, facing the ignominy of a Unamboowe is an ex-cricketer from third Ashes series defeat under his cap- Royal College. taincy, felt the inclusion of opener Phil Appointments to the cricket Interim Hughes and No.6 batsman Steve Smith Committee, the governing body of the signaled a change in mentality after a sport, is made by the Minister of Sports. humiliating innings defeat in the second Test. That loss was Australia’s first innings defeat at home in 18 years, and left the Inter-School U-13 Cricket hosts facing the prospect of an Ashes series defeat on home soil for the first time since 1987. Royal Panadura Australia won the previous home Ashes series in a 5-0 whitewash, and while the current team lacked the quality rout DSS of its recent predecessors, Ponting BY REEMUS FERNANDO believed a change of mindset could do much to overcome a deficit of experience Royal College, Panadura powered and talent. their way to the quarter-final stage with “If we look through the great success a thumping nine victory over we’ve had in the last few years (it) has fancied D.S. Senanayake College, who been with aggressive natured players in were bundled out for a paltry 58 runs in our ,” Ponting said the Inter-School Under-13 Division I pre- quarter-final cricket encounter played Wednesday. “That’s the way we play our at Panadura Esplanade yesterday. best cricket. Batting first DSS were skittle out for “You’ll see them (Hughes and Smith) 58 runs as paceman Sachin Tharuka having an impact on the game. They were picked up five wickets in an impressive brought up playing aggressive cricket. spell of eight overs, which included “We have a great opportunity here (to three maidens. win). Historically England hasn’t got a In reply the home team knocked off great record here. Hopefully we can the win needed in just nine overs. exploit that this week.” Scores: DSS 58 all out in 32.3 overs (Extras Hughes, 22, is a stroke-playing opener Australia’s captain Ricky Ponting, left, and Cricket Australia selector David Boon take part in a training session ahead of the third 35; Sachin Tharuka 5/17, Raveen who was dumped from the Australia line- Ashes cricket Test in Perth, Australia, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) up after showing susceptibility to short Lakshan 3/13, Bashitha Lakshan 2/18) balls in the first two Ashes Tests in Traditionally the bouncy WACA wick- dropped 10 catches in the three England series and it counts for nothing if we give Royal 60 for 1 in 8.5 overs (Pathum England last year. He replaces the injured et suits pace bowlers, and an all-pace innings. it away here,” Strauss cautioned. “We Nirmal 22n.o, Raveen Lakshan 20) Simon Katich at the top of the order selection of Mitchell Johnson, Ben “The training has been of the highest need to be as desperate as Australia are. while Smith, 21, replaces the out-of-form Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris quality and we just want to carry it over “There is more inexperience in that Joes overpower Royal St. Joseph’s College overpowered Marcus North. is possible, although Johnson and to the game,” added Ponting. (Australian) side than it has been in the Hilfenhaus were dropped after the first “We’re priming ourselves to play our past, and if we can take advantage of Royal College to book a quarter-final While they are expected to contribute berth as Plevin Perera with a good dou- with purposeful batting, so too is test and recalled despite not having best game so far in the series. The group that it is a good thing. One thing we’re proved themselves in any games in the of players we’ve got together and the way are very conscious of is not worry about ble and Havin Perera with a four Ponting, who has scores of 10, 51 not out, haul impressed for the visitors to interim. we’ve trained it points to it. We want to what the oppositions are doing.” 0 and 9 in his four innings over the first record a four wicket victory in their two Tests. Siddle has struggled since taking a hat start the game well and continue for five Teams: pre-quarter-final match played at Reid “My input in this series hasn’t been trick in the opening innings of the series, days.” Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (cap- Avenue yesterday. what it needs to be for us to win games,” and has gone wicketless across England’s England will make one change from tain), Phil Hughes, Shane Watson, Scores: Ponting said. “Purely and simply I need subsequent two innings. the second Test, with Chris Broad out Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Steven Royal 155 all out in 38.1 overs to stand up and score runs, and we need Those form struggles could mean the injured. , Smith, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, (Nivenka Ratnayake 48, Himesh to play better cricket than we’ve done in inclusion of local spinner Michael Beer, and Ajmal Shahzad are the candidates to Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Ramanayake 22; Plevin Perera 3/48, the last two Test matches.” 26, who was surprisingly called up to the replace him. Michael Beer, Peter Siddle. Havin Perera 4/27, Sandaruwan Rodrigo Australia will decide its line- squad despite having taken only 16 first- Skipper anticipates England (from): Andrew Strauss 2/07) St. Joseph’s 156 for 6 in 45.5 overs up on the morning of the game, to see class wickets in five matches for Western an Australian backlash after the (captain), Alastair Cook, , Australia. Adelaide humiliation, but was more con- , , Ian (Plevin Perera 49, Kevin Corteling 22, how the WACA Ground pitch evolves. Teshan Seneviratne 21; Himesh The most grassy of pitches in 40 years of As well as batting and bowling, cerned with his team’s performance than Bell, Matthew Prior, , Australia’s fielding must also be that of the opposition. Chris Tremlett, Steve Finn, James Ramanayake 3/34, Gavin Karunaratne here has continued to light- 2/13) en. improved, having uncharacteristically “We have got good momentum in the Anderson, Tim Bresnan, Ajmal Shahzad. Mahanama on four wickets win over St. Sebastian’s CENTURION, South Africa by an uncapped player if he was things, rather than getting caught Last year finalists Mahanama MCC recommends (AP) - India is likely to be with- ruled out - a decision which will up in the expectation level or the College, Colombo registered a four out its leading fast bowler on a be made on the morning of the pressure. So, I think it’s a good wicket victory over St. Sebastian’s pace-friendly Centurion pitch for match, the captain said. opportunity.” College after restricting the latter to 149 lie detectors to fight the first Test against South Africa Either 19-year-old medium- Zaheer’s absence will benefit runs in their pre-quarter-final played at on Thursday. pacer Jaidev Unadkat or Umesh the South African team in condi- Moratuwa yesterday. Left-arm quick Zaheer Khan Yadav, 23, is set to step into the tions already helpful to its own Scores: corruption was “quite doubtful” because of a Test 11 for the first time. fast bowlers. Rain throughout the St. Sebastian’s 149 all out in 48.2 LONDON (AP) - Cricket’s duct of their players.” groin injury, India captain Unadkat has played just eight week at Centurion - just north of overs (Avishka Fernando 29, Praveen rulemaking body is consid- A working party led by Mahendra Singh Johannesburg - Perera 19; Yasiru Peiris 2/14, Sandesh Wickramasinghe 2/29, Vidath Malaka ering using lie detectors to former Australia captain Dhoni said on has made a Wednesday. pitch which was 3/24) combat corruption. Steve Waugh also discussed Without Khan’s already pace- Mahanama 151 for 6 in 39 overs After a meeting in Perth, the merits of not selecting 10-year experience, Zaheer friendly even (Sahan Peiris 33, Niduka Welikala 29, Australia, the Marylebone players tainted by corrup- India’s attack will juicier. It has Vimukthi Panditharathna 21, Yasiru Cricket Club recommended tion, the inclusion of anti- be lighter at also put Peiris 19; Praveen Perera 2/47, Avishka further investigation into corruption clauses in all pro- SuperSport Park, doubtful Thursday’s first Fernando 2/14) the use of the devices before fessional playing contracts, where conditions day’s play in a recommendation was for- and legalizing and regulating are expected to suit doubt. Charana powers Thurstan to huge win warded to the International the betting markets in India. the aggressive fast Earlier All-rounder Charana Nanayakkara Cricket Council. The anti-corruption rec- bowling tactics of for first Wednesday, clobbered a blistering 107 (13x4s, 6x6s) Three Pakistan players ommendations will be put to South Africa. South Africa in 68 balls and picked up four wickets to were suspended this year for the MCC laws subcommittee “Of course it is a skipper Graeme guide Thurstan College to a huge 125 blow,” Dhoni said of Smith said at being implicated in a fixing for further consideration at runs victory over St. Anthony’s College, the possibility of Test Zaheer Khan SuperSport scandal. their next meeting in Wattala in their pre-quarter-final match losing his bowling Park, where played at Reid Avenue on Sunday. “The (world cricket) com- February. spearhead. “But, at the same time first-class matches and has yet to light drizzle continued to fall, that mittee is concerned at the “We don’t want the whiff Scores: we have to see the longer picture. feature in an international game. his team hoped for “pace and Thurstan 240 for 6 in 50 overs scale of the problem and the of anything suspicious ... Until we are 100 percent sure Yadav, a right-arm fast bowler, has bounce” from the pitch in the first (Charana Nanayakkara 107n.o, Danuja detrimental effect it has going on in the game,” about his fitness or the injury we played three ODIs and 17 first- of three Tests between cricket’s Weerasinghe 37, Pasan Fernando 27, placed on the integrity of the England captain Andrew won’t risk him.” class matches. top-ranked teams. Praneesha Thilakaratne 18; I.D. Perera game,” the MCC said on Strauss was quoted as say- Speaking at the team hotel in “The guy who will be making There was also pressure on the 3/41) Wednesday on its website. ing on Wednesday by Johannesburg after rain caused his debut, what will be important No. 1-ranked India to prove itself St. Anthony’s 115 all out in 38.5 “The committee feels Britain’s Press Association. India to miss its final training ses- will be to bowl to his strength,” as the best team in the world in overs (Supun Dilshan 31, Charana more resources - and “If we have to take extreme sion at Centurion, Dhoni also con- Dhoni said. “Enjoying the unfamiliar conditions, Smith Nanayakkara 4/28, Eranga Jayasinghe increased powers - are measures in order to be 100 firmed Zaheer would be replaced moment is one of the most crucial said. 3/26) required to attempt to eradi- percent confident the game cate this issue from the is being played in the right A close win for Bandaranaike game. The education of play- spirit, then I’d certainly be Bandaranaike College, Gampaha ers should not be a meaning- happy to do that. Spain ends year No. 1 in football world rankings recorded a close seven runs victory over less formality; the message “I’d have to think about President’s College, Kotte in their pre- should be pressed home with the arguments (for lie-detec- ZURICH (AP) - World champi- month and a disappointing World No. 26 but still leads the Asian quarter final match played at on Spain will finish 2010 as the No. Cup, losing to the Dutch in the confederation. regularity by figures known tor tests) one side and anoth- Homagama Central ground on Sunday. 1 team in the FIFA rankings, lead- quarterfinals. Argentina and One of the biggest movers over Scores: and respected by the players. er first. But the principle, of ing a European top three for the England stay fifth and six, respec- the last year was Montenegro, Bandaranaike 208 for 9 in 50 overs “Furthermore, the com- having 22 guys on the pitch first time in 18 months. tively. which soared to No. 25 from No. (Minoy Senanayake 57, Madawa de Silva mittee believes that team that the supporters are The Netherlands, which was Egypt leads the African nations 74. 23, Yasitha Kudahetti 22; S. Rasanjana captains - as enshrined in the absolutely 100 percent cer- beaten by Spain in July’s World and climbed one place to No. 9, Russia, which won the right to 3/29, O. Silva 2/29) Laws and Spirit of Cricket - tain are playing the game for Cup final, is second ahead of while the United States tops the host the 2018 World Cup earlier President’s 201 all out in 49.4 overs should accept greater the right reasons, is a good Germany. CONCACAF region, rising six this month, stayed at No. 13, while (S. Rasanjana 62, D.C. Jayasundara 43, responsibility for the con- thing.” Brazil slipped to fourth follow- places to No. 18. 2022 host Qatar dropped a place to R.K. Denuwan 23; Wageesha ing its loss to Argentina last Australia dropped six places to No. 114. Wanniarachchi 4/38)