The Island, Friday 21st April, 2006 Sri Lanka Cricket expand contracted players to 26 by Rex Clementine the players in the lowest category have category with a contract of 30,000 US The List of Contracted Players: Tilan Samaraweera, Malinga a retainer of 5,000 US Dollars. Dollars. Category One. 60,000 US Dollars Bandara, Lasith Malinga, Russel Sri Lanka Cricket increased its con- Captain Marvan Atapattu, Muttiah Although SLC had a Category Four Marvan Atapattu, Muttiah Arnold, Farveez Maharoof, Upul tracted players significantly yesterday Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Mahela worth 25,000 US Dollars none of the Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Mahela Chandana, Rangana Herath, Ruchira offering 26 players annual contracts Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara players have managed to get into that Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. Perera and Upul Tharnaga compared to last year’s 11. This year’s are in the top category and their con- level while nine players in the next Category Two. 40,000 US Dollars Category Six. 5,000 US Dollars. list of contracted players include sev- tracts are worth 60,000 US Dollars level have received contracts worth Sanath Jayasuriya. Nuwan Kulasekara, Prasanna eral young cricketers and the 26 play- each. 15,000 US Dollars. Category Three. 30,000 US Dollars Jayawardene, Jehan Mubarak, Sajeeva ers are in five different categories with Sanath Jayasuriya, who retired Russel Arnold, who was denied a T.M. Dilshan Weerakoon, Dilhara Fernando, Kaushal the country’s top five players earning from Test cricket, is the only player in contract last year, has managed to get Category Four. 25,000 US Dollars Lokuarachchi, Chamara Kapugedara, up to 60,000 US Dollars apart from their the second category while Tillekeratne into the selected list this time and is in No contracts Akalanka Ganegama, Dhammika match fees and tour contracts while Dilshan is the lone player in the third the list of 15,000 US. Category Five. 15,000 US Dollars Prasad and Michael Van Dort. Don’t write us off, Handled with greater care than a cricket ball... warns Murali by Rex Clementine best when people criticise and cor- “Personally I feel this is the Sri Lanka’s recent form in Test ner us. They’ve done it this time too strongest England side. They’ve cricket, injury to captain Marvan and it actually makes us more beaten Australia and they’ve Atapattu and retirement of Sanath determined. squared a series in India where Jayasuriya have made people to Although Muralitharan has most teams have failed. When we look at country’s tour of England been touring England with the Sri played them in England last time, without much optimism. To make Lankan team since 1991, he has four years ago, they had some big things worse they are touring in never played a Test Match at the names like Nasser Hussain, the early part of the summer where Lord’s cricket ground and the first Graham Thorpe, Mark Butcher the ball seams around and makes Test on May 11 will see his maiden and Alec Stewart. But this team things extremely difficult for bats- Test appearance at the hallowed has shown fighting spirit and their men. But the team’s senior states- venue. record is splendid.” man, Muttiah Muralitharan “What better place to play crick- warned critics to not to write them et than Lord’s. It’s interesting to see Turning down county offer off, before the team left the island that I haven’t played a Test there Muralitharan also revealed that last evening. throughout my career. But I although he had an opportunity to “Yes, this is a young team and remember playing a four-day game play for Lancashire this season he some big names are missing and there during one of my country turned down the offer as the people don’t give us that much of a stints against Middlesex a couple of national team had too much cricket chance early in the summer. Some seasons ago and I got nine wickets. to play during the same time. have already written us off and So, obviously there are happy “Lancashire actually interested everyone is expecting us to lose. memories and hopefully there’ll be me but with the national team That has actually motivated us and more happy ones this time scheduled to play so much cricket it there’s no pressure at all,” around,” he said. was very difficult to give them Muralitharan said in an exclusive Muralitharan, the Man of the (county officials) a commitment interview with ‘The Island’, just Match at Sri Lanka’s maiden Test and I declined. Let’s see how things before the team left the cricket win in England eight years ago, go after the World Cup.” board premises for their ten-week also believes that the current Muralitharan, 34, played two tour where they will play three English team is better than any seasons for Lancashire and one for other England side he has previ- Kent and on all three occasions did Tests and five ODIs. Son of a great father: Four-month-old Naren Muralitharan finds comfort in his papa’s hands while his smiling ously played against. exceptionally well. “Generally we come up with our mama, Madhi attends to an urgent phone call. - Pic by Jude Denzil Pathiraja. Jayawardene backs England Schumacher vows San Marino fightback IMOLA, Italy, April 20, 2006 the United States Grand Prix last registered their first retirements (AFP) - Former world champi- June, and believes that the race at of the season at the Australian youngsters to come good fans urged on Michael Schumacher has Imola will mark a change in for- Grand Prix in Melbourne, Ferrari by Rex Clementine vowed to put Ferrari’s disappoint- tune for himself and the team. - whose Maranello base is just 45 ing start to the season behind him Schumacher, who has won a kilometres from Imola - tested Sri Lanka captain Mahela to chant in and fight for victory at this week- record six times at Imola, said: extensively to develop new parts Jayawardene says country’s tour of end’s San Marino Grand Prix. “We have found answers to all the for their car. England will provide plenty of opportuni- The 37-year-old German fin- problems that we have had, and I Schumacher and Massa both ties for younger players to put up their German ished in an encouraging second am confident that we can chase drove at the tests where new aero- hands and deliver following the withdrawal place at the season-opening race victory at Imola. This is the start dynamic and engine parts were of captain Marvan Atapattu and retirement LONDON (Reuters) - in Bahrain, but was off the pace of our world championship. tested - pleasing Schumacher, an of Sanath Jayasuriya. Sri Lanka have a in Malaysia and Australia and “We’ve proven in the past that 84-time Grand Prix winner. England fans are being encour- fragile top order with none of the three lies fourth in the drivers’ world we have a package that can chal- Last year’s San Marino race aged to learn the German ver- openers picked for the tour having championship - 17 points behind lenge for wins, so, of course I’m saw Schumacher produce his best sions of well known football cemented their places, but Jayawardene leader Fernando Alonso. already looking forward to the drive of the year to come from chants before the World Cup. expected the tougher challenge in But the seven-times world next race at Imola.” 13th on the grid to pressure world England to bring the best out of the young- In its package of travel tips champion is confident of chal- After both Schumacher and his champion Alonso all the way to sters. for fans at the month-long tour- lenging for his first race win since Brazilian team-mate Felipe Massa the flag. “You’ve got to look at it positively. nament, the Foreign Office is to There are three openers and probably two provide handy singalong trans- of them will play for the country for the next put Sri Lanka in the box seat, said it was a lations on its website ten years or so and it’s a good exposure prestige to play at the famous ground. “It’s www.britishembassyworldcup.c for these guys and quite an experience in a different atmosphere altogether at om. Unichela lead Mercantile England,” he said, before the team depart- Lord’s. When you go to the dressing “Those football fans who ed to England yesterday evening. rooms you see those big boards with the wish to learn the English songs League cricket “We’ll try and not put too much of a names of those who have got hundreds in German to sing at the World pressure on the younger guys. We’ll allow and I am fortunate that my name is there Cup can do so and the Foreign Unichela ‘A’, who won five them to learn how to play in those condi- too. It’s a fantastic feeling when you walk Office will help them do that,” a out of five matches to earn 20 points, were leading the Points table as at Apr.19 tions and how to adapt. You have to give through that Long Room and it’s the dream spokesman said. Teams Played Won Lost N/D Points N/R Rate points table by last them the freedom and that’s what my sen- of all youngsters,” he added. “We are not sure when they Unichela “A” 5 5 ~ ~ 20 1.89 Wednesday (19) in this year’s iors did when I was young.