Tuesday 30th June, 2009 likely to send wildcards Mathews earns Test call-up for IAAF World great chance for someone to Saturday. make their mark both personally When asked about the chal- and for the team, and whoever lenge of adapting so quickly Championships gets the spot must take their from the shortest to the longest by Reemus Fernando chance.” form of the game, Sangakkara Pakistan skipper Younis said “It is a more of a mental After top athletes failed to achieve Khan still jubilant after leading than technical thing and I have qualifying standards for the IAAF his country to World Cup glory at every faith that the boys will be World Championships at the trails held Lord’s was happy with his side’s able to adjust without too many at the Sugathadasa Stadium over the preparation in there current problems.” weekend, Sri Lanka is likely to field warm up match: “The guys are One cause of concern for the two sprinters as wildcard entrants for doing well, it is just good to be Sri Lankan skipper was the con- out playing again and we the IAAF World Championships at the tinued lack of crowds at home Lusophony Games to be held in Lisbon, are looking to utilize the next Test matches. four days as much as possible.” Portugal. Sri Lanka have an inexperi- With none of the top athletes com- Younis was also understand- enced seam attack and even ably very happy to have ing even close to qualifying standards more than usual a lot will depend the selectors as their last resort are Muhammad Yousuf back now on the spin twins Muttiah his ICL ban has been revoked. hoping to see whether any athlete Muralitharan and Ajantha would earn required standard in Speaking of the one time num- Mendis. Pakistan in contrast ber one Test batsmen, Younis Portugal. seems to have a very well bal- “Selectors had to opt for the next said, “My hands are always open anced attack and with the return to a player of his quality. With best athlete as wildcards due to the fail- off Abdul Razzaq have ure of top athletes at the trials” added depth to their sources close to the SLAAA said. line up. Shahid The IAAF recognises only the quali- Afridi, the star per- fying standards achieved during the former during the T-20 period January 1st 2008 to August 3rd World Cup, can still not 2009 and the last recognized meet that find a place in the Test some of the best Sri Lankan athletes squad, while 17-year- take part before the expiry date is the old left arm seamer Lusophony Games which is to be held Mohammad Aamer from July 11-19 in Lisbon, Portugal. will be looking to force In the event of not achieving the Sri Lankan , left, shakes hand with his Pakistani counterpart Younis Khan during a place in the starting required qualifying standards there, a media conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, June 29, 2009. The Pakistan team arrived in Colombo line up. selectors might opt for Shehan Sunday and will play three Tests, five One-Day Internationals and a T-20 game starting on Saturday. Ambepitiya and Chandrika Subashini Sri Lanka squad: who are the only athletes to have Pic by Nihan Chandrakumara. Kumar Sangakkara shown promise at recent international (captain) Muttiah rigours of the five day game. Sangakkara hinted that for the only two or three years left in his events, sources said. The IAAF’s quali- by Richard Browne Muralitharan, Malinda fying rules allow member federations was includ- balance of the side he will proba- career, he should be playing for Warnapura, Tharanga ed in the Test squad for the first bly don the gloves and remain in Pakistan. I am always a positive to send two unqualified athletes, one Sri Lanka’s squad for Paranawithana, Mahela male and one female when they do not Saturday’s first Test against time after his strong showing in his favoured position at number person and look forward to cap- Jayawardena, Thilan England during the T-20 World three, “the balance of the side is taining him.” have athletes who had earned qualify- Pakistan was named yesterday Samaraweera, Tillekeratne ing standards. during the launch of the three Cup. Prasanna Jayawardena has the all important thing and the Both captains were keen that Dilshan, Angelo Mathews, cracked a finger and is out of the option of either an extra bats- the tour should be conducted in a The weekend’s trials saw Menaka Test series between the countries Chamara Kapugedera, Ajantha Wickramasinghe and Rohan in Colombo. There was no place side for the first Test at least. men at seven or Mathews as an spirit of friendship after the ter- Mendis, Pradeepkumara who represented Sri for while Lasith Reserve keeper Kaushal Silva all-rounder would give that bal- rorist atrocities in Pakistan and Mirando, Nuwan Kulasekera, Lanka on numerous occasion being Malinga’s knee is still consid- also gets a call up to the Test ance to the side.” predicted a closely fought series Dammika Prasad, Kaushal Silva beaten in their pet events. The two ered too weak to stand up to the squad, but new skipper He went on to say “This is a which starts in Galle on and Suranga Lakmal have also not impressed in local events as of late. In the Women’s 400 meters Subashini beat Menaka Wickramasinghe, her closest rival by almost a second while in the 200 Lankans in Asian Youth meters, D.D.P Priyadharshani beat her pushing her to the second place. Rohan Pradeep Kumara was beaten to be placed second in the men’s 200 meters by S.M. Weerasooriya of Sri Games today Lanka Navy. The IAAF World Championships Susil Premalal reporting will be held from August 15-23 in from Singapore Berlin, Germany. Sri Lanka athletes Naveen Heshan Amarasinghe (100m), Dulaj Lahiru (400m), Akshana Chathubashini Maralanda beat CR 17-12 (100m), H.H. Nadeeshani (400m) and Nimesha Madushani It was erroneously reported in The Siriwardena (high jump) will Island on the 29th June that Kandy participate today at the first beat CR by 29 points to nine in the Asian Youth Games now in inter-club rugby tournament fixture progress here in Singapore. played at Longden Place on Sunday. Nearly 300 athletes from the The score should have read Kandy Asian region will compete in beat CR by 17 points to 12. We regret today’s athletic events while the error. Madushani Siriwardena will cially designed uniform for the Singapore reported that swine take part in the high jump final. first time in an International flu had spread in Singapore. The manager of the Sri event yesterday. Incidentally, the They have decided to close down Lanka athletic team, Chandana five member committee who all International Schools for one Ekanayake said there was some approved the uniform were also week due to the outbreak. Sri Lankan Cricket XI batsman Lahiru Thirimanna, left, and teammate Federer reaches kind of hope in the disciplines of present to witness the event. Channel News Asia also reported Chamara Kapugedera run between during a three day practice Heshan Amarasinghe (100m) and The International Olympic the number of swine flu patients match between Pakistan and XI in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Committee’s anti doping unit has had increased to 144. quarterfinals at Dulaj Lahiru (400m). Monday, June 29, 2009. (Pic by Eranga Jayawardena) Sri Lanka is taking part in taken steps to check athletes five events out of nine of the using performance enhancing Two football teams sent home Wimbledon Asian Youth Games and will drugs. Meanwhile, the authorities WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - compete in five disciplines of Medical officer of the Sri have sent home the football Thirimanne sizzles Roger Federer found himself in a serving athletics today. Lankan contingent Lal teams of Philippines and Hong contest Monday at Wimbledon - and won. Ekanayake said the authorities Kong after two of their players The five-time champion hit 23 aces, Attractive opening ceremony have taken steps to conduct tests were positively identified of in warm up match never lost his serve and advanced to the The Asian Youth Games for on a daily basis disregarding the swine flu. quarterfinals by beating familiar foe Former Sri Lanka Under-19 was on 27 and built a 78 runs youth between 14-17 years com- heavy costs involved to stop the To prevent the spread of Robin Soderling 6-4, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5). menced with an attractive open- up coming athletes using per- swine flu among athletes and opener Rumesh Lahiru partnership with Tharanga Federer improved to 11-0 against ing ceremony yesterday. formance enhancing drugs. media personal, authorities Thirimanne top scored with for the second . Soderling, including a victory in the Prime Minister of Singapore, The Asian Olympic have distributed surgical masks 116 runs while He then added a valuable French Open final to complete a career Lee Nising Lung, declared open Committee has decided to ‘think with a digital apparatus to check with a half-century and 170 runs for the third wicket Grand Slam three weeks ago. the games titled ‘Asia’s Youth, twice’ before imposing punish- body temperature every five Chamara Kapugedara with an with Kapugedara. He had This time the No. 2-seeded Federer Our Future’. It was followed by a ments to young athletes as they hours. unbeaten 90 runs helped Sri faced 171 balls for his 116 runs came through on a handful of key points. colorful cultural ceremony that are in the age group 14-17. Apart from those self tests, Lanka Cricket XI post 278 for when he departed caught by He earned the only service break of the highlighted both Asia and every person entering the sports three wickets at close against Mohammad Aamer off the match in the ninth game of the opening Singapore. Swine flu stadiums are checked for swine Pakistan in the three day bowling of Fawad Alam. set, when Soderling committed five Sri Lankan athletes wore spe- Channel News Asia of flu symptoms at the entrance. match that commenced at Kapugedara was unbeaten unforced errors to fall behind for good, 5- Colts Cricket Ground yester- on 90 with skipper Thilina 4. day. Kandamby yet to score when Soderling led in the final tiebreaker but double-faulted on the next-to-last Thirimanne scored nine stumps were drawn on day Sri Lanka providing VVIP security to Pakistan team point, then hit an errant return. fours and two sixes in his one. “Today was hard to get through, a COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) security along the routes from pany the team on and off the knock and built partnerships Only 66 overs of the sched- - Pakistan’s cricket team is hotels to match venues. field.” really dangerous match,” Federer said. of 78 and 170 runs for the sec- uled 90 were possible on day receiving security on its tour of The Pakistan team arrived Sri Lanka’s team was “Robin served great throughout the ond and third wickets joining one due to rain. Sri Lanka that is equivalent to a Sunday to play three tests, five attacked on its way to play a test match. Thank God he served a double- head of state, with more than 100 one-day internationals and a against Pakistan on March 3 in his senior partners. fault in the breaker at the end. Otherwise personnel having been assigned match from July 4. Lahore by more than a dozen The former Prince of Wales Brief Scores: it could have gone easily four sets.” to protect the visitors. “Pakistan team has been pro- heavily armed gunmen in an College batsman came to the Sri Lanka 278/3 (66) With all 16 fourth-round matches Sri Lanka Cricket official vided with VVIP security from ambush. Six police officers and a crease after opener Tharanga U. Tharanga 50, L. scheduled on another no-rain, no-roof Charith Senanayake said strin- the time they arrived in the coun- driver were killed and seven Paranawithana was dismissed Thirimanne 116, C. afternoon, the Williams sisters remained gent measures have been put in try,” Senanayake said Monday.“A members on Sri Lanka’s bus for six runs when the score Kapugedara 90*. on course to play an all-family final for place, particularly focusing on strong security detail will accom- were wounded. the second year in a row.

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