Tuesday 22nd December, 2009 SLC to introduce ‘Super-fit’ franchise based Schumacher in domestic tournament Windies argue Aussie by Rex Clementine perfect shape In an attempt to raise the standards to rejoin F1 and interest in domestic cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is intending to Formula One launch a new franchise based tourna- fans hoping to ment that will get underway in penalties too light see Michael February next year with the participa- Schumacher tion of all leading Sri Lankan crick- The West Indies are furious at the sus- penalties comparable to their hot-headed return to the eters. pension of their spin bowler Sulieman slow man. sport were given a boost yesterday With the national cricket team hav- Benn and plan to vent their displeasure Many observers agreed with them. when the driver’s ing just a few international commit- to the International Cricket Council. The tourists have muzzled their objec- ments next year, the presence of lead- manager, Willi Benn was suspended for two one-day tions for fear of further disciplinary Weber, described ing players has given SLC to make the matches for his part in an ugly exchange action by match referee Chris Broad but maximum use of the domestic tourna- his condition as with Australian players Brad Haddin Garner could scarcely mask his displeas- ment. SLC announced yesterday it will “super-fit”. try and accommodate all three formats and Mitchell Johnson on day two of the ure yesterday. Schumacher of the game next season – the four day second Test. West Indies captain Chris Gayle was had to abort a game, one-dayers and the T-20 competi- “I do have strong feelings on this and I also known to be angry with the verdict return to F1 ear- tion. will have plenty to say to the right peo- for he had maintained Benn, though a lier this year due “In order to attract public and coop- ple,” West Indian team manager Joel provocative force throughout the to neck pain sus- erate interest, a brand new franchise Garner said yesterday. exchange, did not initiate the physical tained in a motorcycle two Michael Schumacher scheme is proposed for this year’s tour- Haddin, who described Benn as “an clash with Johnson. nament which gives bidders an oppor- years ago. The unusual character” in an interview, took “If you watched the telly you saw who seven-times world champion was to be tunity to own their own team, brand great delight in catching him off Nathan made the physical contact. Benn wasn’t their players’ clothing, player endorse- a temporary replacement for Felipe Hauritz in the West Indies second involved in that,” he said. Massa at his old team Ferrari after the ment of their merchandise and also innings, triumphantly raising his glove Broad refused to elaborate on the gap the rights for ground branding,” SLC Brazilian suffered a major crash ahead to the boisterous crowd in the outer. in the penalties, but maintained firm said in a statement announcing the of the Hungarian grand prix. intended project. Haddin was fined 25 per cent (about action was needed. The 41-year-old has since been SLC did try a similar project in 2007 3312 AU$) of his match fee and Johnson “No one likes to see cricketers point- linked with Mercedes GP and, accord- in the domestic tournament, but the 10 per cent ( 1325 AU$). ing bats (which Haddin did to Benn) at ing to Weber, there is no physical rea- move didn’t produce the desired results The West Indians were incredulous their opponents or pushing each other son why he cannot join the newly on that instance due to several factors. that such a wide gap existed between the away,” Broad said. established team. By announcing more benefits for penalties and are set to appeal the deci- “It is not the sort of example that “Michael is super-fit,” Weber is West Indies manager Joel Garner has quoted as saying in the Cologne-based sponsors, SLC could attract leading sion on those grounds. players should be setting at any time, expressed his displeasure over Match newspaper Express. “[His doctor] Dr supporters of the game for the upcom- They say Haddin, as the player who least of all in a series which is being ing domestic season. Referee Chris Broad’s decision to ban Peil said he has made giant progress.” inflamed the incident by pointing his bat played in a great spirit and being fol- Schumacher is currently skiing SLC requested interested parties to at Benn, and Johnson, who made physi- lowed by millions around the world on Suleiman Benn, but merely fine guilty contact their Head of Marketing with his family in the French Alps. cal contact with Benn, should have got TV. Herald Australian players. Charith Senanayake. Guardian Tendulkar, Jadeja star in India’s 7-wicket win CUTTACK, India (AP) - Sachin Dilshan at backward point off pace- Tharanga and Sangakkara contin- Tendulkar’s unbeaten 96 led India man Chanaka Welegedara, who ued to punish the Indian bowlers, to a seven-wicket victory Monday returned figures of 2-35 by also dis- taking Sri Lanka past 150 in the in the third limited-overs interna- missing Yuvraj Singh (23) on his 20th over, before the spinners man- tional against Sri Lanka, giving the return from a finger injury. aged to curb the scoring rate. hosts a 2-1 lead in the five-match Gambhir helped Tendulkar add Sangakkara hit a six and three series. 72 brisk runs for the second wicket boundaries off 41 deliveries for his Tendulkar’s composed knock before falling to a return catch by 46 before being stumped by Dinesh helped India score 242-3 in 42.4 young spinner Suraj Randiv. Karthik off Virender Sehwag. overs after Sri Lanka was bundled Earlier, left-arm spinner Tharanga soon followed his cap- out for 239 in 44.2 overs despite a Ravindra Jadeja returned career- tain back to the pavilion, becoming century partnership for the second best figures of 4-32 to lead India’s the first of Jadeja’s four victims wicket between opener Upul fightback after its pace bowlers when a sharp delivery dislodged Tharanga (73) and captain Kumar were hammered all over the field his stumps. Tharanga’s 81-ball Sangakkara (46). by the top three Sri Lankan bats- knock contained a six and eight Tendulkar struck 13 men. boundaries. fours off 114 deliv- Batting first after Sangakkara Tharanga’s departure triggered eries and was just won the toss, Sri Lanka got off to a a middle-order collapse. Offspinner four short of his solid start with an opening partner- Harbahajan Singh (1-29) removed 46th century in ship of 65 between former captain Mahela one-day interna- Tharanga and Jayawardene for two and Jadeja tionals when a leg Dilshan. bowled Chamara Kapugedera for 15 glance by Dinesh Dilshan fell for before pace bowler Ishant Sharma Karthik (36 not out) 41, edging a deliv- dismissed Thilina Kandamby for 22 went wide of wicket- ery from pace- and Randiv for a duck. keeper Sangakkara man Ashish Jadeja returned to snare for four to clinch the Nehra to wick- Nuwan Kulasekara and Ajantha victory. etkeeper Mendis and pace bowler Nehra (2- Stand-in skipper Karthik. 32) captured the last wicket of Virender Sehwag Lasith Malinga for 13. (44), who dominated the 55-run opening partnership with Scoreboard Tendulkar, and Gautam Sri Lanka Innings Gambhir (32) were the U. Tharanga b Jadeja 73 other main contributions T. Dilshan c Karthik b Nehra 41 to India’s victory chase. K. Sangakkara st Karthik b Sehwag 46 Sehwag led the team M. Jayawardene c Raina b Harbhajan 2 after captain Mahendra T. Kandamby b Sharma 22 Singh Dhoni was sus- C. Kapugedera b Jadeja 15 pended for two matches N. Kulasekara lbw b Jadeja 10 due to India’s slow over S. Randiv c Karthik b Sharma 0 rate during its three- L. Malinga b Nehra 13 wicket loss last A. Mendis b Jadeja 6 Friday.India had C. Welegedara not out 2 won the series Extras:(1b,2lb,6w) 9 opener by three Total: (all out) 239 runs. Overs: 44.2. Sehwag was Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-165, 3-169, 4-173, 5- caught by 204, 6-210, 7-210, 8-218, 9-236, 10-239. Tillakaratne Bowling: Zaheer 7-0-49-0, Ishant 7-0-63-2, Nehra 6.2-0-32-2, Harbhajan 9-0-29-1, Sehwag 4-0-26-1, Jadeja 10-0-32-4, Yuvraj 1- 0-5-0. India Innings V.Sehwag c Dilshan b Welegedara 44 S. Tendulkar not out 96 G. Gambhir c & b Randiv 32 Y. Singh c Sangakkara b Welegedara 23 D. Karthik not out 36 Extras: (5lb, 6w) 11 Total: (for 3 wickets) 242 Overs: 42.4. Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-127, 3-169. Did not bat: S. Raina, R. Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, A. Nehra, I. Sharma. India’s Sachin Tendulkar hits a shot during the third one day inter- Bowling: Welegedara 8-1-35-2, Kulasekara national between India and Sri Lanka, in Cuttack, India, Monday, 8-0-47-0, Malinga 9.4-1-55-0, Mendis 9-0-67-0, Dec. 21, 2009. (AP) Randiv 8-1-33-1. Tuesday 22nd December, 2009.