Wednesday 30th April, 2008 Women’s Asia Cup Batting is the key says SL coach by Roshen Steelman Chitral Mendis, the coach of Sri Lanka strengths while stressing the need for women’s team. them to be vigilant in the batting depart- Match schedule “If our bating clicks together and if Addressing the journalists at a pre- ment. May 2nd May 6th we can bat the entire 50 overs, our team tournament press conference, the Sri “This year, Sri Lanka is strong in Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan at Dambulla Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan at Welagedera will have realistic chances of winning Lankan coach said that he was confident both bowling and fielding departments. India Vs Bangladesh at Welagedera India Vs Bangladesh at Dambulla this year’s Women’s Asia Cup,” said with his team’s bowling and fielding The problem we have is in our bating. If we bat through the entire 50 overs, we May 3rd May 8th have good chances of winning the tour- Sri Lanka Vs India at Dambulla Sri Lanka Vs India at Welagedera nament,” said Mendis. Pakistan Vs Bangladesh at Welagedera Pakistan Vs Bangladesh at Dambulla The tournament will start on Friday May 9th (2) with Sri Lanka taking on Pakistan in May 5th Sri Lanka Vs Bangladesh at Welagedera the curtain-raiser at Dambulla. The tour- Sri Lanka Vs Bangladesh at Dambulla India Vs Pakistan at Dambulla nament culminates on May 11 with the India Vs Pakistan Welagedera final played at the same ground. Final on May 11th A total of 13 matches involving India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will be played at Dambulla International Olympics Stadium and Welagedara Stadium. Defending champions India are the hot favourits for the title as they have Countdown clock reaches 100 days shaped up well while overcoming a strong Australian side last season. The Associated Press organizers shortened routes, tightened Indian team will be captained by Mithali BEIJING: With 100 days to go, the battle security,and turned the relay into invita- Raj and they are rated second in the has been lost to keep politics out of the tion-only events that kept out the general world rankings. Beijing Olympics. public.” Sri Lankan team, placed sixth in the Shimmering venues and billions spent The coverage has been met with a world rankings, is captained by to remake Beijing into a modern city have propaganda war by China’s state-run Shashikala Siriwardena. been dulled by pro-Tibet protests, chaos media, accusing the Western media of “As a unit we are looking forward to on the torch relay and an anti-Western orchestrated bias — particularly CNN and the tournament and our batting will be backlash by angry Chinese who sense the British Broadcasting Corp. strengthened by my deputy Chamani their coming-out party is being spoiled. There have been nasty outbreaks of Polgampola and Chamani Seneviratne, A year ago former International Chinese nationalism, fueled by the attack who was in the team for the last four Olympic Committee president Juan on a young Chinese woman in a wheel- years. Our bowling will be strengthened Antonio Samaranch predicted Beijing chair who defended the Olympic torch by Suwini de Alwis and Dedunu de would be the “best in Olympics history.”A during the Paris leg. Claiming an insult to Silva,” said SL caption Siriwardena. few weeks ago his successor Jacques national pride, protesters have gathered She hoped that the tournament would Rogge said the games were “in crisis.” outside the French retailer Carrefour in a be an opportunity to get more Sri The shine is off, and the question is dozen Chinese cities with scuffles erupt- Lankan women involved in cricket in the this: Can China’s communist government ing between Chinese and foreigners. country and she invited cricket lovers to and the IOC return some luster by squeez- The Beijing Olympics were political flock to watch them play. ing sports and goodwill back into the from the moment seven years ago when Meanwhile Pakistan team are also in games? The Olympics have been visited the IOC chose the one-party state. These a strong position this year after beating a by politics before — Berlin ‘36, Mexico are not just Beijing Olympics, but China’s strong South African team last season. City ‘68, Munich ‘72 to name a few — but Olympics and unprecedented spending on Pakistan are captained by Urooj these are the most contentious since the every phase has been aimed at showcas- Mumataz. boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics. ing the country’s growing economic and SL Squad: Shashikala Siriwardena “The Chinese leadership has a major political power. (Captain), Chamani Polgampolo (VC), international public relations problem on There’s time to rescue the games, but Dilani Manodara (wk), Dedunu de Silva, its hands,” said David L. Shambaugh, a Beijing must get lucky. Chamika Bandara, Suwini de Alwis, political scientist and director of the A tiny turnaround may begin with Eshani Lokusooriya, Chamani China policy program at George several low-key events Wednesday to Thanuja Ekanayake (L) and Shashikala Siriwardena, Captain of the Sri Lanka Seneviratne, Sandamali Dolawatte, Inoka Washington University. mark 100 days: a mini-marathon race Women’s Cricket team, are seen celebrating the dismissal of a South African player Galagedara, Deepika Rasangalie, “The Chinese government and citizen- around the two iconic Olympic venues — in this file picture. Sri Lanka Women’s team have been consistent in their fielding but Sumudu Fernando and Sripali ry are now involved in fighting a propa- the new National Stadium known as the their batting is a concern this time, says coach Chitral Mendis. Weerakkody. ganda war with the West and the Western Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube where the media in particular,” Shambaugh said. swimming and diving will be held — and “This stance, taken together with hyper the finals of a four-year contest to pick Chinese nationalism, has all the makings official Olympic songs. of a public relations disaster for the This week’s arrival of the torch to Twenty 20 Olympic Games.” mainland China could signal the worst is over, with the domestic portion of the There’s a rancorous atmosphere in relay likely to have few pro-Tibet protest- semi finals Beijing these days ers. English-speaking Chinese volunteers Deadly riots in Tibet last month may also soften the edge. At test venues, spurred anti-Chinese government protests they’ve swarmed foreign reporters, help- today in several cities of the torch relay,forcing ing with translation, or simply stood at the last-minute rerouting of many legs. In attention wearing yellow, smiley face but- Pakistan, India and other countries, tons. While Kadurata will meet Wayamba, Basnahira North will encounter Ruhuna in the semi finals of the inaugural Inter Eriksson to be sacked by Man City Provincial Twenty 20 tournament which will be worked off at the Sven-Goran Eriksson has been told with the players and his work at Welagadara Stadium today. he will be sacked as Manchester City Manchester City has only just begun." The First Semi Final between manager at the end of the season, BBC City confirmed that Eriksson would Kadurata and Wayamba will com- Sport understands. be in charge for the final two games of mence at 10.30 am and the sec- City owner Thaksin Shinawatra the season, away at Liverpool and ond semi final between Basnahira told Eriksson he was "not the right Middlesbrough, but made no comment North and Ruhuna will get under- man for the job" at a meeting on about what would happen in the sum- way at 2.15 pm on the same Sunday, a source close to the manager mer. ground. said. Eriksson's assistant, Tord Grip, told Heavy rain at Kurunega Eriksson informed the players at Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that he prompted this year’s Inter- training on Monday that he would be expected them to leave City at the end Provincial Twenty-20 cricket dismissed, provoking an angry of the season. organizers to call off the ‘Super response. "We will be here for the two last Four’ round that was to be held The Swede, who has two years left matches. They probably think that we among the top four teams of this on his contract, says he will not resign. haven't done a good enough job", said year’s tourney for a period of Shinawatra has been unhappy with Grip. three days. The six ‘Super Four’ City's results since the turn of the year. "Sven will receive new offers soon matches were scheduled to be The Thai billionaire was at the City I'm sure." held at Welagedara Stadium, of Manchester Stadium on Sunday to Eriksson took over as City manager Kurunegala. watch his team throw away a 2-0 lead to five weeks before the start of the sea- The SLC resorted to have lose 3-2 against Fulham. son and the team occupied third spot in another draw so as to curtail the Afterwards, he held a meeting with the Premiership in November. number of matches, amidst this Eriksson and told him he would be dis- However, their form has faltered unfriendly weather conditions, and missed after their final two games of badly since Christmas and they now lie to go for a straight semi-final the season. ninth, having won just four of their round, after which the two win- "Sven reacted calmly, as usual, but last 15 games. ners will enter straight to the May he was very surprised and disappoint- "The team has not been playing as 1 final to be held at the same ed," the source told BBC Sport.