10 Tuesday 9th March, 2006 Mubarak captains Asian Central Zone Men’s Volleyball Championship ‘A’ to Bangladesh Plain sailing for Sri Lanka Sri Lanka ‘A’ captained by CCC batsman Jehan Mubarak will leave clinch Indian thriller for Bangladesh on March 19 to play by Lakmal Fernando most experienced campaigners for the It was not plain sailing for the winners onship is now being played on a round two four-day unofficial ‘Test’ match- hosts -– did extremely well to keep the as they had to make a come back after robin basis. The winners will be decided es and three limited overs matches. The First Asian Central Zone Men’s country’s unblemished record intact going down in the second and third sets. considering the points each team Chilaw Marians CC’s middle order Volleyball Championship got underway against Maldives, coached by a Sri The winners clinched the opening set 25- obtains. bat Malintha Gajanayake will be at the Sugathdasa Indoor Stadium yes- Lankan, D.S.A. Arunashantha. 19. Then the Indians secured the next The championship will end on Mubarak’s deputy. Sri Lanka discard- terday with Sri Lanka coasting to a 3-0 The Sri Lankans who drew the first two 25-20, 25-22. Pakistan re-emerged in Sunday. ed all rounder Upul Chandana and victory Maldives in the first match. blood without much difficulty will have the fourth set to clinch it 25-22 after a Earlier Prime Minister Ratnasiri leg spinner have Sri Lanka put up a brilliant display to to really sweat it out against region’s tough tussle and won the deciding set 15- Wickramanayaka graced the opening been included in the ODI and Test clinch three sets 25-11, 25-20 and 25-14. superpower India in today’s game. 9. ceremony as the chief guest. squads respectively. K.M.K. Sunil (Michael), Kalika In the second and final match of the The other team in the championship Today’s schedule: The unofficial ‘Tests’ will be Wasanthapriya, L.C. Ekanayake, Nalin day India suffered a shock 3-2 loss at the is Kazakhstan. 2.00 p.m – Maldives vs Kazakhstan played from March 23-26 and 29 to Sampath and Saman Chandranath — the hands of the traditional rivals Pakistan. Following Iran’s pull out, the champi- 4.00 p.m. – Sri Lanka vs India April 1 while the limited overs matches are scheduled for April 4, 6 and 8. Test squad- Jehan Mubarak (Captain), Malitha Gajanayake Manjula (V.Captain), Ian Daniel, Shantha Kalavithigoda, Jeewan Mendis, , Malintha Kumara sets Warnapura, Gihan de Silva, Gayan Wijekoon, Akalanka Ganegama, sights on gold Ishara Amarasinghe, Chamitha Jayaweera, Rangana Herath, Suraj Mohamed, Mahela Udawatta. in Colombo ODI squad- Jehan Mubarak (Captain), Malitha Gajanayake (V.Captain), Mahela Udawatta, and Qatar Shantha Kalavithigoda, Jeewan by Champika Fernando Mendis, Chamara Silva, Jeewantha Kulatunga, Gihan de Silva, Gayan Injured high jumper Manjula Kumara Wijekoon, Akalanka Ganegama, Wijesekera who has been ruled out of next Ishara Amarasinghe, Kosala week’s Commonwealth Games in Melbourne Kulasekera, M. Siriwardena, Suraj has set his sights on winning the Asian Games Mohamed, Upul Chandana. title and retaining the South Asian title with a new mark. “After the unfortunate incident, winning in Warnapura excels Colombo and Qatar are my top priorities now,” the determined high jumper said in an email communiqué to ‘The Island’. in Nalanda victory The Asian Games will be held in Qatar in by Reemus Fernando December while the South Asian Games are just five months away. Madawa Warnapura after hammer- ing a well compiled century picked Sri Lanka’s only possible medal prospect at three for 34 runs to guide Melbourne Games, Manjula last Sunday ruled Nalanda College to a massive 142-run himself out with a twisted ankle despite making victory over Mahanama College, a great start to the 2006 season. Panadura in their limited overs match “I’m 24th in the world rankings and in my played at Nalanda ground yesterday. BOGRA, - BANGLADESH: Sri Lankan cricketers led by (C-R) leave the ground after the Bangaldesh first on the first meet I cleared 2.23M. In addition, I was doing remarkably well during the practice ses- Nalanda 278 in 46.3 overs (Madawa first day of their second Test match at the Shahid Chadu Stadium in Bogra, yesterday. Muralitharan captured five wickets as Sri sions. I have never started a season so well,” Warnapura 103, Tharindu Attanayake 40, Dilshan Lanka bowled out Bangladesh for 234 runs. – Pic. Farjana K. Ganguly, AFP. Munaweera 37) Manjula said. Mahanama 136 for 6 in 37 overs (Amal The reigning South Asian Games and Atapattu 3/33, Madawa Warnapura 3/34) Asian athletic champion is also the current So easy for DSS national record holder with a personal best of 2.27 meters, behind only Sri Lankan high jump D.S. Senanayake College registered a Pakistan appoint former great great Nagalingam Ediriweersaingham. 120-run victory over Holy Cross College “I wish I could jump with just one leg to in their limited overs match played at make my dream come true,” he added. Wijerama Mawatha yesterday. Manjula said he would start training proba- DSS 226 in 49.5 overs (Dilum Harischandra as coach bly after two months, in view of the August 57, M. Perera 34, Damith Mapa 31, Dimuthu South Asian Games in Colombo. Samarakkody 23; S.G. Wanigaratne 4/32) , Pakistan, March 8, 2006 “It’s a great honour to be bowling up to their potential and I will help “I have ample time to prepare for the Holy Cross 106 in 35.2 overs (S.D. (AFP) - Pakistan have appointed for- coach of your country’s team and I see them turn their potential into perform- games. And if all goes well, I will win with a Fernando 30; N. Kawikara 3/23, D. Liyanage 3/13, mer paceman Waqar Younis as their it as a great responsibility,” Waqar told ances.” new personal best mark in Colombo,” Manjula, D. Samarakkody 2/16) bowling coach after losing a home one- AFP. Pakistan are also looking for a for- day series against arch-rivals India, “It’s also a great honour to work with eign coach, who may be who was confined to bed for nearly a week officials said Wednesday. a reputed coach like and I appointed shortly, officials said. stated. Fans crave World Cup Waqar, who formed a lethal new-ball will do my best to transfer my knowl- Waqar refused a short-term contract Majula won Sri Lanka’s first-ever Asian pairing with in the 1990s, edge of the game to youngsters.” after he was offered the responsibility Championships gold in the high jump after 43 ticket for ride to Germany has signed a one-year contract after he Waqar said his first task would be to for one series last year. years(Nagalingam Edirweerasingham won a finally settled terms with the Pakistan improve fitness. Another former great Zaheer silver at the 1962 Asian Games), at the BERLIN, March 8, 2006 (AFP) - How do I get a Cricket Board. “What I have noticed is that our Abbas has been appointed manager of Incheon Asian Championships last year. ticket for the World Cup? That is the question foot- “We have appointed Waqar as bowl- bowlers lacked fitness which reduced the team for Pakistan’s tour of Sri “Unfortunately, I can’t make it this time but ball fanatics are asking ahead of this summer’s ing coach for a period of one year and their effectiveness in recent series, so I Lanka starting next week, Khan said. I wish all my friends the best of luck at the finals in Germany. The answer will not be one they hope that he helps the bowlers to lift will sit down with the physiotherapist “Both Waqar and Abbas will not Melbourne Games,” he said. want to hear. their performances,” board chairman and trainer to solve this problem.” interfere in coach Bob Woolmer’s The German organisers made 3.07 million tick- Shaharyar Khan told reporters. Pace spearhead is affairs as he remains the head coach of ets available to the general public but demand has Pakistan suffered a 4-1 defeat in the recuperating after having surgery on the team,” Khan added. far outstripped supply with tickets oversubscribed one-day series against India last month both his knees in while anoth- Pakistan’s English coach Woolmer Alonso targets by a ratio of 20 to one. despite winning the Test series, a loss er quick, Umer Gul, is recovering from a reportedly opposed the idea of having The first 12 hours of sales saw one million tick- which raised questions over their bowl- back injury sustained during the India bowling and fielding coaches, suggest- ets ordered with 90 percent of orders coming from ing and fielding. series. ing it would reduce his own role. winning start Europe. The Organising Committee confirmed that Waqar, who took 373 wickets in 87 Waqar said Pakistan has enormous Pakistan fly to Colombo on March 12 2.7 million tickets had already been snapped up Tests for Pakistan during an illustrious fast bowling talent. where they will play three one-day 100 days before the finals, running from June 9 until career which ended in March 2004, said “We have a number of talented fast internationals and two Tests. The first to title defence July 9, ensuring a frantic scramble for the remain- he would do his best to lift the bowlers’ bowlers but some of them like one-dayer will be in Colombo on March MANAMA, March 8, 2006 (AFP) - World champi- ing 370,000 tickets. performances. have not performed 17. on Fernando Alonso has targeted nothing less than a victory to kick-start his title defence as the Formula One World Championship begins this weekend with the Bahrain Grand Prix. Dravid asks bowlers to deliver in Mohali test The 24-year-old Renault driver made history last year by becoming the youngest title-winner in MOHALI, India (Reuters) - was also a factor.” tions you are given,” he said. hamstring injury. Mohali) seem to suggest that the long history of the sport, and says victory in India captain Rahul Dravid India have failed to dismiss “No point making excuses.” Kaif struck 91 in Nagpur it has got a little bit more the first of 18 Grands Prix would be the ideal way has urged his bowlers to adapt the opposition twice in the last The 22-year-old Patel could on a rare test appearance, but bounce and pace,” he said. to start the season. quickly if the hosts are to have four tests, including the three- make his India debut on Dravid hinted the experienced “So possibly we have got a “Defending a championship is going to be any chance of beating England match series in Pakistan they Thursday after capturing 10 Vangipurappu Laxman would decent chance here. harder than winning the first one because there is in the second test starting in lost 1-0. wickets to help defeat England still play despite struggling at “(But) we can’t think we a lot more added pressure on you,” Alonso said. Mohali on Thursday. Spin duo Anil Kumble and in a three-day tour game last the crease. are better than what we are “Testing has been going well though and I think The India attack struggled Harbhajan Singh are also a month. Dravid also believes India and we can’t get above our sta- definitely we can fight for a win in Bahrain and if in the drawn first test in concern after taking just four He could replace Sreesanth, should fare better in Mohali tion.” we do that then we can fight for the championship Nagpur, allowing the injury- wickets in Nagpur, despite the who took four first innings because the grassless pitch England may opt to hand as well.” depleted tourists to dominate absence of injured England wickets on debut in Nagpur could afford extra bounce. 20-year-old seamer Liam With Alonso’s departure to McLaren in 2007 for most of the match. captain Michael Vaughan and before going down with the flu. “With our spinners and our Plunkett his second test in confirmed last December, much of the develop- “We should be able to learn opener . Sreesanth bowled in the kind of strokemakers, we ment work on this year’s car will fall to his team- and adapt and be able to take Dravid said India’s young nets on Wednesday,but Dravid enjoy wickets which have a bit place of left-arm spinner Ian Blackwell, who failed to mate Giancarlo Fisichella. 20 wickets,” he told reporters seam attack including rookies said a decision on his partici- of bounce on them,” he added. The Italian though, a winner of two races, is on Wednesday. Rudra Pratap Singh, pation would be taken on the Despite a strong first test, impress on debut in Nagpur. confident of putting the world champion under “We can’t always rely on Shantakumaran Sreesanth morning of the match. England stand-in captain Number three batsman Ian more pressure this year than last. conditions. and uncapped Munaf Patel Mohammad Kaif appears Andrew Flintoff warned his Bell could also lose his place Meanwhile, Alonso’s closest rival for the title “We’ve played on some should also adapt quickly. set to make way for in-form young side against complacen- in the line-up to uncapped last year, Kimi Raikkonen, of Finland, has endured wickets which have been pret- “At the end of the day you Yuvraj Singh, back after miss- cy in the three-match series. Owais Shah, after making just a difficult winter of testing and has encountered ty flat and slow and low, which got to play in whatever condi- ing the opening test due to a “The conditions here (in nine and one in the first test. numerous gearbox failures on his McLaren.