Tuesday 1st September, 2009 SLC apologizes for spectator inconvenience Sangakkara reclaims number-one position in batting Police introduces new Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has reclaimed the number- one position in the ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen for the fourth time in his career after brilliant knocks in the traffic plan for match days second Test against New Zealand. The Sri Lanka captain followed up his half-century in the first innings with an exquisite 109 - his 20th Test century - to reclaim the top position from India's Gautam Gambhir. Sangakkara first achieved the num- ber-one ranking in December 2007 before he returned to the top spot in March 2008 and then in July 2009. He is not the only one on the move after a successful campaign against New Zealand. Sangakkara's predecessor Mahela Jayawardena and middle-order batsmen Kumar Sangakkara Thilan Samaraweera, who was player of the series, have both achieved career- Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for best rankings. Test bowlers is New Zealand fast bowler While Jayawardena has jumped four Chris Martin who has slipped two places places to third position after knocks of to 18th position. 92 and 96 which made him the first Sri Lanka's left-arm spinner Rangana Asian and fourth overall to be out in the Herath is the biggest mover in the 90s twice in a Test, Samaraweera's 11th bowlers' rankings as the 31-year-old from century in what was his 54th Test has Kurunegala has rocketed 12 places to put him just outside the top 10 in 12th 28th spot after match figures of 8-209, position after he had started the Test in including 5-139 in the second innings. 16th position. The only change in the top 20 of the ICC Test Player Rankings (Batsmen) Rank Player Team Pts 1 Kumar Sangakkara SL 859 2 Gautam Gambhir Ind 847 3 Mahela Jayawardena SL 830 DIG Lucky Peiris (right) stresses a point during the media briefing called to explain the new traffic plan for match days at the R. Premadasa 4 S.Chanderpaul WI 821 Stadium. DIG H. M. D. Herath also attended the briefing. (Pic by Jude Denzil Pathiraja) 5 Mohammad Yousuf Pak 818 by Rex Clementine 6 Michael Clarke Aus 808 um and another 20,000 or so the ground in two direc- D. Sirisena Stadium in front 7 Younus Khan Pak 801 The Sri Lanka Police spectators were waiting out- tions, stated certain other of the Maligawatta Police 8 Graeme Smith SA 782 started an awareness cam- side. We have taken efforts areas have been identified Post, close to the R. 9 Ricky Ponting Aus 779 paign to alert spectators to deal with the issue and by the police where specta- Premadasa Stadium. 10 Jacques Kallis SA 755 attending cricket matches at sort things out,” the former tors can park vehicles free of SLC will also have public the R. Premadasa Stadium Test captain told journalists charge. The free car parking transport available for spec- and vowed to take tough at SLC headquarters on areas include, CWE Car tators to from the ground to action against police officers Monday. Park, Sri Saddama Mawatha, travel to Negombo Road, Paranavitana fined for who are alleged to have Responding to allega- along new Bodiraja Kandy Road, Galle Road, assaulted spectators at the tions that Police assaulted Mawatha and certain other Pettah and other areas. R. Premadasa Stadium dur- spectators during the T-20 locations. Traffic plan to get to R. code breach ing the T-20 International game, Senior DIG Nimal The Police also promised Premadasa Stadium on Aug 31: Sri Lanka opener duct during the second test repeatedly appealed for a between Sri Lanka and Mediwaka, the Police Media to look into complaints that match days: Tharanga Paranavitana has against New Zealand in catch off tail-ender Iain Pakistan at the R. spokesman, initially denied senior police officers had Route 1: Maradana, Panchikawatte been fined $2,500 - half his Colombo. O'Brien as the umpires Premadasa Stadium last the charges, but later prom- been brining in their kith Road, Pradeep Mawatha, Sri match fee - for a breach of Paranavitana was sum- conferred. Television month. ised to look into allegations and kin into the ground Saddhamma Mawatha, Masjid Road the International Cricket moned for a hearing by the replays showed the bats- Council (ICC) code of con- match referee after he man was not out. Addressing the media, and take action against without valid tickets and an to ‘B’ Gate of the Stadium. Sri Lanka Cricket Chief D. errant officers. assurance was given to iden- Route 2: Borella, Baseline Road, Sri S. de Silva issued an uncon- Journalists covering the tify forged tickets, which the Saddhamma Mawatha, Masjid Road ditional apology for the T-20 International could police said were available to ‘B’ Gate of the Stadium. inconvenience caused to clearly see police assaulting during match days on previ- Route 3: Maradana, Panchikawatte Sri Lanka eyes South Africa’s thousands of cricket specta- spectators and DIG Lucky ous instances. Road, Jayantha Weerasekara tors and believed the aware- Peiris said he’s investigating SLC also announced that Mawatha, Maligawatte Road, Sri number-one spot ness campaign and meas- the matter. no tickets will be sold on Saddhamma Mawatha, Masjid Road Sri Lanka has narrowed the gap with Proteas from Australia. And with all the top ures put forward by SLC Introducing the new traf- match days at the R. to ‘B’ Gate of the Stadium. number-one ranked South Africa to just two four teams to resume action in the longer Security Consultant, Major fic plan for match days, DIG Premadasa Stadium for the Route 4: Maradana, Panchikawatte points in the ICC Test Championship after format of the game immediately after next General Lawrence Fernando Peiris, who is in charge of two T-20 games against New Road, Sri Sangaraja Mawatha, Sri winning the two-Test series against New month’s ICC Champions Trophy in South (Rtd) will reduce long Traffic Administration and Zealand and urged specta- Sumanatissa Mawatha, Grandpas Zealand in Colombo, on Sunday. Africa, a reshuffling of the pack is definitely queues during match days Road Safety, urged the pub- tors to buy tickets in Road, Dr. Britto Babapulle Road, Sri Lanka’s 202 runs victory in the first on the cards. and ease the burden on spec- lic to exercise “disciplined advance. Match tickets are Khettarama Temple Road to ‘A’ Gate Test at Galle and its 96-run win at Colombo The first Test series after the ICC tators. “I take this opportu- parking and disciplined available at the SLC tickets of the Stadium. has earned it a crucial ratings point which Champions Trophy is the West Indies’ tour nity to apologise to the gen- driving to minimize has- counter, which will be open Route 5: Baseline Road, Stace has put it on 120 points – just two behind of Australia for three Tests, followed by Sri eral public for what hap- sles.” from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm each Road, Grandpass Road, Dr. Britto South Africa and one ahead of third-placed Lanka’s tour to India, England’s tour to pened the other day. On that DIG Peiris also stated day, including Sundays Babapulle Road, Khettarama Temple India. South Africa for four Tests and a three-Test day, we had about 20,000 that while vehicles with car while ‘C’ and ‘D’ stand tick- Road to ‘A’ Gate of the Stadium. Such is the competitive nature of Test tour by Pakistan’s to Australia. spectators inside the stadi- passes will be allowed into ets will be available at the P. cricket, just six ratings points separate the This gives both India and Sri Lanka the first shot at the number-one spot as the first Test between South Africa and England Belgium result raises starts after the conclusion of the Test series in India which, according to the Future expectations at Force India IPL anger as Indian cricket board cuts IMG Tours Programme, is likely to start in NEW DELHI — High-profile owners of team fran- helped it launch the lucrative Twenty20 league in November. While Sri Lanka will need to win SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, speed circuit with ease and chises in the Indian Premier League have reacted 2008. the series to go top of the table, India will Belgium (AP) - Force India is could have won if Raikkonen furiously to the Indian cricket board's decision to Business tycoon Mukesh Ambani and have to win 2-0 to topple South Africa. confident that a second-place didn't have his KERS boost to snap ties with event management company IMG, Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, both owners While Sri Lanka’s commanding perform- finish at the Belgian Grand fend off any overtaking chal- reports said Monday. of IPL franchisees, have shot off angry letters to ance in its domestic international series has Prix was deserved and that the lenges. And Monza is a similar The Board of Control for Cricket in India the BCCI. put it in sight of the top spot, New Zealand team can go on to contend at track to the Ardennes forest (BCCI) on Saturday terminated its contract with "I am personally shocked at the unilateral deci- has retained its seventh position in the the Italian GP,the next race on track, only faster. the International Management Group which sion of doing away with the services of IMG," the rankings but has conceded two ratings the Formula One calendar. "It looks very promising, it Times of India quoted Ambani, who owns the Giancarlo Fisichella started looks very good," Fisichella points to lead eighth-placed West Indies by Mumbai Indians team, as saying in his letter.