Saturday 24th March, 2012 Women’s Inter-Provincial T-20 Tournament Madushani takes Mathews ruled out, Chamara Western Province home Lasanthi Madushani scored an unbeaten 53 in 52 balls to guide Western Province to a seven-wicket win over Southern Province in their Women’s Inter-Provincial T-20 Tournament match at Thurstan College grounds yesterday. Southern Province deciding to bat first posted a score of 99 in their allotted 20 overs. Western Province reached the target with nine balls to spare. comes as replacement Brief Scores: All-rounder Angelo Mathews failed Southern Province 99 for 6 wkts in 20 overs (Nirosha a fitness test yesterday morning and Wickramasinghe 41 n.o., Eshani Kaushalya 21, Nadeeka has been ruled out of the opening Nidarshani 14; Shashikala Siriwardana 3/15, Nilakshi Silva Test against England that gets under- 1/21) way at the Galle International Western Province 101 for 3 wkts in 18.2 overs (Lasanthi Stadium on Monday. Mathews, who Madushani 53 n.o., Sandamali Dolawatte 17, Inoka missed the latter part of the tri- Galagedara 14; Inoka Ranaweera 1/22, Rangika Fernando nation series in Australia and the 1/19) Asia Cup due to injury, had been ini- tially picked for the Test series, but he Chamari, Sanjeewani shine for was withdrawn from the squad yester- Central Province day. Chamari Polgampola (42) and Sanjeewani Weerakkody (33) Mathews’ place has been taken by delivered with their bats as Central Province defeated prolific middle order batsman Combined Province by 49-runs in their women’s Inter- Chamara Silva, who scored over 1100 Provincial T-20 Tournament match played at Thurstan runs for Bloomfield this season. Silva College grounds yesterday. Chasing 123 runs for victory also smashed 163 runs for SLC Combined Province folded for 73 runs for the loss of the five President’s XI in the warm up game wickets. against England at SSC earlier in the Brief Scores: week. Central Province 122 for 4 wkts in 20 overs (Chamari Returning to the squad are Suraj Polgampola 42, Sanjeewani Weerakkody 33; Harshani Randiv and Prasanna Jayawardene. Maduwanthi 1/28, Niluka Karunaratne 1/12) The wicketkeeper missed Sri Lanka’s Combined Province 73 for 5 wkts in 20 overs (Mahesha tour to South Africa after undergoing Perera 26, Sanduni Abeywickrema 18; Shaleka Nilukshani hernia surgery while Randiv was Chamara Silva 2/09) dropped due to poor form. The off- spinner has been in good form in domestic cricket while Jayawardene scored Test hundreds against the English and Pakistani attacks away from home. Serena wins opening Thilan Samaraweera, who hit back to back hundreds in South Africa, has been named vice-captain. Sri Lanka squad: Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Thilan match at Key Biscayne Samaraweera (Vice-Captain), T.M. Dilshan, Tharanga Parnavithana, BY STEVEN WINE ago. making a flurry of mistakes. Lahiru Thirimanne, Kumar “I was really nervous out “I got a little frustrated,” she Sangakkara, Dinesh Chandimal, KEY BISCAYNE, Florida (AP) there,” Williams said. “I haven’t said. “My frustration is more like Prasanna Jayawardene, Suranga — Serena Williams returned to played here for so long, and I a motivation frustration, so it Lakmal, Dhammika Prasad, Chanaka tournament tennis after a two- wanted to do well. My worst fear helps me.” Welagedera, Suraj Randiv, Rangana Angelo Mathews month absence and beat Zhang actually was as long as I don’t hit While her returns were espe- Herath, and Charmara Silva. (RC) Shuai of China 6-2, 6-3 at the a ball in the stands, I’ll be good. I cially erratic, she served six aces Sony Ericsson Open on Thursday. didn’t do that today, so it worked and lost only seven of 34 points No. 2-seeded Maria Sharapova out well for me.” on her first serve. overcame 12 double faults and Williams looked right at home, Williams said she found her erased 10 break points to rally and not just because her purple older sister’s first-round victory Niluka dazzles over Wraber in past Shahar Peer of Israel 4-6, 6- dress matched the color of the inspiring. Venus was diagnosed 3, 6-3, while No. 4 Caroline court. The five-time champion last summer with a fatigue-caus- Wozniacki beat Barbora lives two hours up Interstate 95 ing autoimmune disease, and Zahlavova Strycova 6-4, 6-0. in Palm Beach Gardens. Serena has tried to help her sis- Polish Open Badminton Championships Two-time champion Kim Health issues prevented ter adjust to a restricted diet by Clijsters defeated No. 14-seeded Williams from playing at Key keeping unhealthy food out of Julia Goerges of Germany 6-2, 7- Biscayne in 2010 and 2011, and a the kitchen. Sri Lanka’s Niluka Karunaratne kept Sri Lanka’s hopes alive at the left ankle injury has slowed her Best friends since childhood, 36th Yonex Polish International by winning his match against Luka 5. No. 13 Jelena Jankovic lost her this year. Aside from two Fed the sisters continue to share a Wraber yesterday. Karunaratne won the first game 21-19 and was looking opening match to Mona Barthel Cup victories in February, she home as celebrity millionaire to win the second game 19-14 when Wraber pulled out of the contest due of Germany 6-0, 6-3. was playing for the first time adults, and Serena laughed when to an injury. The tournament is held at the Match Point Tennis and U.S. Open champion Sam since she lost in the fourth round asked about the arrangement. Sports Club. Stosur beat Russian qualifier Women’s players Achini Ratnasiri took on India’s Arundathie Valeria Savinykh 6-4, 6-0 and at the Australian Open. “Yeah, we probably should Pandawani and lost badly (21-8) in the second game. The Sri Lankan lost American qualifier Sloane Williams, who received a first- have moved out a long time ago,” the first game (21-16) after showing some resistance. Stephens ousted No. 30 Sara round bye because she’s seeded she said. “Honestly, it’s ridicu- Sri Lanka was also represented in the tournament by Chandrika de Errani 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. 10th, looked fit but rusty and lous now, like we have kind of Silva who made an early exit. Williams’ victory also marked endured some sloppy moments. held each other back. Sri Lanka’s chances in the tournament lie with Karunaratne who has her first match at Key Biscayne At one juncture she froze in a “Hey, we’re in for the long run. already obtained the required international points to qualify for the 2012 since she lost to Victoria pose behind the baseline, hands That’s like my husband. We’re London Olympics. At the time of going to press, Karunaratne was getting Azarenka in the final three years on her hips as she fumed after always laughing together. You ready for his second match of the tournament which was against Ivan know, I tell her everything, so it’s Sozonov. fun.” (RN) Niluka Karunaratne South Africa names new caps for T20 vs. India Rebelo downplays FIFA’s concerns JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa named uncapped batsman BY MARCO SIBAJA Brazil already has the ability to host big events. Farhaan Behardien and wicket- “An event with international notoriety such as keeper Dane Vilas to its squad BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil’s sports minister Carnival just happened in Brazil, and in at least Friday for a one-off Twenty20 says FIFA’s concerns with preparations for the 2014 three cities — Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Recife game against India next week. World Cup are the result of cultural differences and — the number of international and national One-day international player he is confident the country is capable of hosting a tourists were greater than what is expected in the Faf du Plessis, who is yet to appear great tournament. World Cup, and everything went on virtually with- in T20s for the Proteas, was also Aldo Rebelo said in an interview with The out problems,” Rebelo said. named in the 13-man group, as was Associated Press on Thursday that Brazilians have Rebelo said the renovation work at the 12 host explosive batsman Richard Levi. their own way of overcoming challenges and cities was within schedule, and dismissed problems South Africa’s selectors rested Europeans don’t understand it because of these cul- approving the World Cup bill which gives FIFA all the members of the test team tural differences. legal and financial guarantees to organize the tour- currently touring New Zealand “There are two ways of looking at this problem,” nament. with the exception of Jacques Rebelo said. “The way the Brazilians see the chal- “The bill will be approved without major prob- Kallis. Next Friday’s game at the lenges and the way the Europeans see them. It’s not lems,” he said, a day after congressmen delayed vot- Wanderers was organized as a trib- a conflict of information or a division, there is a ing on it because the government failed to gather ute to 36-year-old allrounder Kallis, certain conflict of cultures. The Europeans don’t enough support in Congress. who missed the ongoing third test quite understand the culture of the tropics.” Rebelo acknowledged that the proposed law like- in Wellington with a stiff neck but Rebelo said the relationship with FIFA remains ly won’t be sanctioned by the end of March as want- is expected to recover for the India cordial despite the spat with Secretary General ed by FIFA, but it should go into effect in April. T20. Jerome Valcke, but he won’t comment on Valcke’s The minister left up in the air Brazil’s position Offspinner Johan Botha will return as the representative to work with the gov- regarding Valcke’s return as the FIFA representa- captain South Africa in place of ernment until football’s governing body makes it tive, but said the relationship between the govern- regular limited overs skipper A.B.