Friday 22nd February, 2008 13 Davis Cup Trials row U-19 World Cup Seven-wicket haul by Boult sends Guyanga thru’ New Zealand into after Artha skips quarters second trial! by Revata S. Silva going ahead with the selections as Hewacottege has refused to play The Sri Lanka Tennis the trials. It’s a sad situation. It’s Association (SLTA) yesterday said disappointing if the player is they will go ahead with selecting protesting without playing the tri- this year’s Sri Lanka Davis Cup als,” Seneviratne added. team soon, for next April’s Asia- It was reported on Wednesday Oceania Zone Group-III held in (20), that Hewacottege had com- Iran, despite one of the two play- plained to Ministry of Sports ers named for the second round of regarding an injustice done to him KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia trials, Artha Hewacottege, with- at the Davis Cup trials. He alleged- (AP) - Left-arm seamer Trent Boult drawing. ly complained that there was no took seven wickets as New Zealand Match Referee Ishara necessity to meet Weerasekera in hammered host Malaysia by eight Seneviratne confirmed that a trial again as he has already wickets with 38 overs to spare on Hewacottege was absent Thursday beaten the player at the first Thursday, booking a place in the quar- (21) morning, for the second con- round of trials, last month. ter finals of the Under-19 World Cup. secutive match in the best-of-three Our attempt to contact Meanwhile, South Africa defeated trials and she recorded the result Hewacottege failed yesterday. Papua New Guinea by seven wickets as Hewacottege giving walk-overs Sports and Public Recreation to make up for its prior loss to India, to his opponent Guyanga Ministry Secretary, S. Liyanagama while Nepal sneaked past Namibia by Weerasekera. told ‘The Island’ that his three runs and Bermuda defeated Meanwhile, one of the mem- Ministry hadn’t received any com- Ireland by 20 runs. bers of the Tennis National plaint with regard to tennis up to The 18-year-old Boult's haul of 7- Selection Committee, Aruna last Tuesday (19). 20 was the second best in the history Seneviratne, told ‘The Island’on The selectors had earlier said of the tournament, only one run off Thursrday, that they (the commit- they had originally planned the The two young players involved in the Davis Cup trials row, Guyanga the record figures of 7-19 set by Ben tee), were to meet either last second round of trials for four Mendis of Sri Lanka against Weerasekera (L) and Artha Hewacottege, were ironically together to win the U-18 evening or this morning to finalise players before, and because two of Zimbabwe in 2002. on the final combination of the those players weren’t able to make ITF Junior Championship Boys’ Doubles title last week. Hewacottege gave the Tim Southee, another Kiwi seam- four-member Sri Lanka team for it to the trials, they had to move trials a miss on Wednesday and has allegedly complained to the Sports Ministry er, took the remaining three wickets Davis Cup, this year. After on with the second round with the over a discrepancy. in the Group A match to help dismiss Harshana Godamanna, Rajeev two available players. (Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha) Malaysia for a paltry 47. It was a dis- Rajapakse and Dinusha “The SLTA hasn’t received any appointing performance by the host, Wijesuriya were named in the information on an inquiry by the final arrangements for the Iran with team selections. “We’ll be which failed to build on its surprise team last month, the last vacant Sports Ministry. We earlier event which is coming up in just meeting two strong countries, Iran 70-run victory over Zimbabwe on place was to be filled by the win- informed Hewacottege that he had over one month’s time,” said and Pakistan, this year. And I Wednesday. Five of Malaysia's top ner of the second round trials, been named in this year’s Davis Major Gen. Chris de Silva, CEO, hope to do our best with whatever seven batsmen were out for ducks, between Hewacottege and Cup squad, not in the team. If he SLTA, on Thursday. team I have. We’ll have to anyway and no player reached double figures. Weerasekere, scheduled from Feb. is not playing in the trials, we will Meanwhile, Rohan de Silva, depend heavily on both New Zealand reached the target of 20-22. be compelled to find our final com- this year’s Davis Cup Non-Playing Godamanna and Rajapakse this 48 in the 12th over to wrap up the “There’s no other option than bination soon so as to make our Captain, said he has nothing to do year too,” he added. match in just two hours and join defending champion Pakistan in the quarterfinals. In Group B, South Africa captain Wayne Parnell took 3-19 and Jonathan NSCA awards ceremony Freddie focused on getting runs Smaller 2011 World Vandiar snapped up 4-27 to bowl Papua New Guinea out for 125. In at Grand Oriental Hotel February 20 2008: Andrew use them - as well as Lancashire's Cup on the cards reply Pieter Malan made 56 as South Flintoff set his sights on "scoring pre-season tour of Dubai - to con- Africa reached the target in the 16th Two hundred and sixty cricketers will some big runs" for club and coun- vince the selectors he deserves The two-day ICC Chief Executives' over. receive awards at the Nationalised Services try after making a successful his place in the England side. Committee (CEC) meeting concluded in South Africa has two wins from Cricket Association awards ceremony, to be return from injury for England "I'm desperate to get back on Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (20 February) three group matches, but its place in held today, at the Grand Oriental Hotel, Lions in India. the field and play for them but with several recommendations to be made to the quarterfinals is not confirmed yet, Colombo. The all-rounder played as spe- I've got a bit to prove - you can't the ICC Board at its next meeting in March. pending the India-West Indies match The ceremony will get underway at 6.30 cialist batsman in the three-wick- just walk into a side such as Among the recommendations that will be on Friday. pm. et win over a Mumbai XI yester- England's," Flintoff told ECBtv. made are the following: ICC CWC 2011 for- A West Indies win will result in a Minister of Sports and Public Recreation, day, his first competitive action "Hopefully I'm going to get mat: The CEC will recommend that the ICC three-way tie and the two teams with Gamini Lokuge will be the chief guest, while since England exited the ICC the chance to start the season Board approves a 14-team format for the next the best net run-rates will advance to the guests of honour will be Minister of World Twenty20 last September. with Lancashire, which will give ICC Cricket World Cup which will take place the next round. Sports Bandula Basnayake and Arjuna Though Flintoff made just me five or six weeks before the in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh In Group C, Nepal was bowled out Ranatunga, Chairman, Sri Lanka Cricket, four, the fact he is unable to bowl first Test match. in 2011. for 164 but fought back to bowl out Interim Committee. as he continues his recovery "I want to get into some The suggested new format involves two Nambia for 161 in the penultimate The event is sponsored by the Sri Lanka from ankle surgery makes him rhythm with the ball, and the one groups of seven teams with the top four from over. However, both teams were Ports Authority, Pyramid Dilma (Pvt) doubly determined to prove his thing I desperately want to do is each group progressing to a knock-out phase already out of the race for the quar- Limited, Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, Sri worth with the bat. score some runs with the bat - that includes quarter-finals, semi-finals and a terfinal stage. Lanka Land Reclamation and Development The Lions have two one-day some big runs, which I've not final. The new format, if approved by the In another match of no conse- Corp., the State Engineering Corporation and games remaining on the tour of scored for a while now." ICC Board, would last 38 days, significantly quence, Bermuda defeated Ireland by the Employees Trust Fund. (Russ) India, and Flintoff is hoping to (cricket365.com) shorter than the previous CWC in 2007. 20 runs in Group D. takes on World Cup nemesis England on pivotal weekend

LONDON (AP) - France hosts Scotland and Ireland, and he has down a tough English defense. his Achilles and captain Phil England this weekend in a pivotal made bold selections for Saturday "It's true that these young play- Vickery at tighthead after he had a round halfway through the Six beyond his inside backs. ers can lack experience, and that stomach complaint. Nations. , whose first France-England is always a special Ashton wants his players to England needs to win at Stade cap was as a substitute in the 26-21 match, but we want to fulfill our bounce back from the poor second de France to keep alive hopes of defeat of Ireland 13 days ago, will game goals and we're counting on half that allowed Italy to rally ending a five-year title drought, start at No. 8 as France aims to the enthusiasm of young players," from 20-6 down to 23-19 in Rome, while France has the chance to stay on course for a fourth Six Lievremont said. hoping that Wigglesworth can help move closer to an unprecedented Nations title in five years. "To face the English defense, prompt a faster match. third straight outright champi- "We aren't worried," which is superior to Ireland's, "Richard will bring us variety onship. Lievremont said. "These players we're going to have to offer more and energy," Ashton said."He's a In Saturday's other games, already have a little more experi- constructed, more structured good allround footballer and is a Wales, the only other perfect ence than at the play." bright guy.I think he'll bring the starters after two rounds, receive a beginning of the But while right players into the game at the tough challenge from Italy at tournament and we France is shaking right time." Cardiff, while Ireland also can re- are counting on their things up to put an Nick Mallett made four ignite its bid against Scotland in enthusiasm." emphasis on run- changes to his starting lineup as Dublin. But with the 19- ning rugby, England Italy seeks to build upon its strong France and England are each year-old Parra and is playing things a showing against England. relying on fresh halfback talent in 21-year-old Trinh-Duc whole lot more con- Andrea Marcato will start at a rerun of last year's World Cup in the lineup, France will not have servatively. fullback in place of injured David semifinal, which England won 14-9. a recognized goalkicker on the Coach Brian Ashton stuck Bortolussi, and Alberto Sgarbi will and Francois field. Dimitri Yachvili and David with the reliable kicking of Jonny be on the right wing, with both Trinh-Duc, who have made two Skrela are among the replace- Wilkinson despite his slight dip in starting for the first time. appearances each, will start at ments but France will line up form contributing to the opening Simon Picone at scrumhalf scrumhalf and flyhalf for France, without a recognized kicker for the loss to Wales, and resisted the and Salvatore Perugini at loose- while England has dropped World first time in 18 years. Like center temptation to draft in the talented head prop were the only other Cup starter Andy Gomarsall to Denis Charvet did against England Danny Cipriani. changes for Italy. French rugby player Louis Picamoles, left, runs past give Richard Wigglesworth his in February 1980, center Damien Other than Wigglesworth's Former captain Marco during a training session at the National Rugby Center in first start. Traille will double up as makeshift introduction, the only other two Bortolami, who missed the first Marcoussis, south of Paris, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2008. France are France coach Marc kicker. changes for England were Andrew two games of the tournament preparing for their upcoming Six Nations tournament match against England Saturday Feb. 23 at the Stade de France. Lievremont's choices of new play- Lievremont said his selection Sheridan at loosehead prop after because of an eye injury,will be in (AP Photo/Francois Mori) ers have paid off with wins over was inspired by the need to break he recovered from an abscess near the reserves.