Thursday 30th April, 2009 Rugby IC writes Bangalore hold nerve to individually to rebel players by Ravi Nagahawatte record 5 win The Rugby Interim Committee has written to all players who refrained said his team put up a good from going to Dubai for the Asian Five effort. SCOREBOARD Nations tournament with the national "We gave as good as we got team to offer explanation for their but when it came to the crunch actions. we came up short." B. McCullum c Kohli b Pietersen 0 These players have also been Bangalore got off to a flying C. Gayle c Goswami b Appana 40 informed in the letter that the Rugby Interim Committee has suggested to start, Goswami and Jacques B. Hodge lbw Kumble 17 the Sports Minister not to afford them Kallis putting on 69 for the first S. Ganguly b Kallis b Kumar 1 opportunities to represent . M. van Wyk 43 till the inquiry into their actions con- Goswami was the more offen- W. Saha c Pietersen b Kumble 21 cludes. sive of the two, hitting over the L. Shukla lbw van der Merwe 2 A reliable source told The Island top often and blasting six A. Agarkar not out 6 that in the letter sent to the players, the boundaries from his 46-ball Extras: (2lb, 7w) 9 rugby interim committee queries why innings. He was dismissed in TOTAL: (for six wickets) 139 they stayed away from making the tour the 12th over attempting to Overs: 20. party when they were fully aware of sweep a from Brad Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-45, 3-54, 4-70, 5-110, 6-188 the consequences. The letter further states that the Hodge, giving wicketkeeper Did not bat: M. Kartik, I. Sharma, A. Dinda players have acted irresponsibly by Morne van Wyk the first of his Bowling: Pietersen 4-0-24-1 (2w), Merwe 4-0-28- pulling out 24 hours before the team’s four catches. 1, P. Singh 1-0-14-0, Kumar 4-0-25-1 (1w), Kumble departure. It also states that they had Right-arm spinner Hodge 4-0-16-2, Appanna 3-0-30-1 given all indication that they would was the pick of the bowlers for Bangalore take part in the Asian Five Nations by Kolkata, taking 3-29, while fast J. Kallis c van Wyk b Sharma 23 posing for the team photograph along bowler Ishant Sharma swung S. Goswami c van Wyk b Hodge 43 with national coach George Simpkins. the ball impressively to claim 2- K. Pietersen c Saha b Hodge 13 It has been conveyed to the players that the Rugby Interim Committee con- 15 from four overs. V.Kohli c van Wyk b Hodge 19 sidered them as adults and they should Kallis struck 23 from 25 balls M. Boucher not out 25 have been aware that Sri Lanka would before he skied a catch to van R. van der Merwe c van Wyk b Sharma 9 have been relegated to the bottom Wyk as he attempted to pull a M. Pandey not out 2 group and also faced disciplinary quicker delivery from Sharma. Extras: (1b, 1lb, 7w) 9 action in the case Sri Lanka failed to then edged a ball TOTAL: (for five wickets) 143 participate at the tournament. to van Wyk off Hodge for 19 to Overs: 19.5. The Rugby Interim Committee has leave Bangalore on 3-106. Only Fall of wickets: 1-69, 2-77, 3-106, 4-107, 5-129. in the letter been critical of the rebel players for keeping away from making one run was added before cap- Did not bat: P. Kumar, P. Singh, A. Kumble, the tour party without notifying their tain Kevin Pietersen was out for K. Appanna. intentions in writing. 13, caught by Bowling: I. Sharma 4-0-15-2 (1w), Agarkar 2-0- In the letter, the Rugby Interim off Hodge attempting to chip 23-0 (4w), Kartik 4-0-26-0 (1w), Gayle 3.5-0-31-0, Committee has informed the players over midwicket. Hodge 4-0-29-3, Ganguly 2-0-17-0 that it has requested from the sports Roelof van der Merwe was Umpires: M. Benson, (Eng), T. Wijewardene, minister to carryout an investigation the last wicket to fall, edging a (SL). as to why these players didn’t tour Sharma away swinger to van Third umpire: S. Shastri, (Ind). Dubai even after their names were rati- fied by the sports minister. Wyk for 9. Match referee: D. Govindjee, SA). Rugby Interim Committee With the score tied and two Secretary Kiran Attapattu when con- balls remaining, Boucher tacted confirmed the Rugby Interim clinched the win by hitting a boundary caught by Virat Kohli at backward Committee sending letters individually over midwicket. point. to the players. Earlier, Morne Van Wyk top-scored "Gayle and McCullum like to go hard “The players will be given two weeks to respond. I believe the Sports Royal Challengers Bangalore's plays a shot against Kolkata with an unbeaten 43 and opener Chris at the fast bowlers so we opened with Gayle scored 40 to guide the Kolkata spin," Pietersen said. Minister will serve the hardest punish- Knight Riders during their 2009 match in Durban, ment on the players if they are found , Wednesday April 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Aman Sharma) Knight Riders to 139. Pietersen, who now leaves the IPL to guilty in the inquiry,” Atapattu said. Bangalore opened their bowling joing his teammates for a A three member committee is at DURBAN, South Africa (AP) - The Chasing Kolkata's 139-6, opener with spin, Pietersen taking the new series against the West Indies, was ful- presenting conducting an inquiry to Bangalore Royal Challengers beat Shreevats Goswami top-scored with 43 ball with South Africa left-arm spinner some in his praise for the tournament. figure out whether the players who by five wickets and Mark Boucher (25 not out) hit the Roelof van der Merwe, and it paid off. "I love this tournament! It's the best refrained from making their services with just one ball to spare in an Indian winning runs from the penultimate Pietersen removing the out-of-form academy. No coach will teach young- available for national duty for the tour Premier League match at Kingsmead ball to take Bangalore to 143-5. McCullum with the irst ball as he sters here what they will learn in the of Dubai have committed an offense on Wednesday. Kolkata Brendon McCullum looked to hit a slower delivery and was coming weeks," Pietersen said. which is punishable.

SL Under-19 in Angelo and Kusal shine in drawn match SL Davis Cup team felicitated Centuries by Angelo Jayaratne and Shameera Perera and Kusal Perera Weerasinghe picked up two were the highlights as Sri wickets each. Lanka Under-19 earned first innings honours Scores: against Bangladesh Under- Sri Lanka Under-19: 19 in the second Youth Test 280 all out in 93.2 overs which ended in a draw at (Dinesh Chandimal 49, Motiur Rahman Stadium, Udara Jayasundara 34, Khulna, Bangladesh yester- Kusal Angelo Angelo Perera 112, day. Shameera Weerasinghe 44; While Angelo Perera top scored with Kamrul Islam 4/58, Saikat Ali 2/49, 112 runs for Sri Lanka to post 280 runs in Taibur Rahman 2/19) and 260 for 6 at the first innings, an unbeaten 114 from close in 74 overs (Kusal Perera 114n.o, Kusal Janith and 78 runs from Imesh Imesh Udayanga 78; Kamrul Islam 3/36, Udayanga helped Sri Lanka post 260 for M. Hasan 2/18) six wickets at close. Bangladesh Under-19: 257 all out in Bangladesh in their essay struggled 98.1 overs (Anamul Haque 43, Taibur early, but half centuries from Taibur Rahman 79,Noor Hossain 50; Chathura Rahman and Noor Hossain helped them stay aloft to post 257 runs. Peiris 2/74, Vimanga Perera 2/22, L. For Sri Lanka Under-19, Chathura Jayaratne 2/44, Shameera Weerasinghe Peiris, Vimanga Perera, Lahiru 2/64) by Revata S. Silva Janaka Bogollagama, President, Davis Cup team 2009 (standing from L- SLTA Interim Committee (IC), R): Rajeev Rajapakse, Harshana This year’s Sri Lanka Davis Cup Maxwell de Silva, Gen. Secretary, Godamanna, Aasiri Iddamalgoda, Yasas leads at Majors Division chess c-ships team which won the much expected SLTA IC, and Kumar Gunawardena, Manager and Non-Playing Captain, Group-II qualification in the Asia Treasurer, SLTA IC, too were present Sankha Atukorale and Guyanga Oceania Zone Group-III held in Syria on the occasion. Weerasekera. Seated (from L-R): Yasas Kalan Kuruwitage won three In the women’s national qualifying in the mid of April was felicitated by Sri Lanka emerged second out of Kumar Gunawardena, Treasurer, out of three games and took the lead in tournament Sakuni Cooray, Dilimy the Sri Lanka Tennis Association eight participating countries/regions SLTA Interim Committee, Vasantha the ongoing Colombo Majors Division Anoratne, Naduni Abeywardene and interim committee at the SLTA head- in this year’s Davis Cup held in Wijesekera, Janaka Bogollagama, Chess Championships, at Royal College. Hasini Navundi share the number one quarters on Wednesday (29). Aleppo, Syria, to earn a promotion for President, SLTA IC, H.M.D.C. Herath, According to a press release issued by spot with two and half points each. The felicitation ceremony was their Zone’s Group-II after a lapse of Additional Sec, Ministry of Sports and the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka The tournament for both men and graced by H. M. D. C. Herath, ten years. Public Recreation, Maxwell de Silva, (CFSL), Kuruwitage is followed by Sajith women comprises seven rounds and is Additional Secretary, Ministry of Former SLTA Presidents Morris de Gen. Secretary, SLTA IC, and Lt. Col. Peiris, LMTI Lansakkara, Anup Perera, played in keeping with the Swiss System. Sports and Public Recreation, and D. Silva, D. L. Seneviratne and Suresh Shiran Abeysekera of the SLTA IC. Mihiranga Jayawardene and R.K.Athavan The remaining four rounds will be B. Dahanayake, Director General of Subramaniam too graced the occasion. who share second place with two and a played on May 2 and 3 at Royal College. Sports. In the picture are the victorious SL (Pic by Nimal Dayaratne) half points each. (RN)

Thursday 30th April, 2009