Archive for Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka and Australia frustrated by inclement weather
Posted by: | CommentsSri Lanka reached 146-3 before rain stopped the play in their Group A fixture with Australia in Colombo.
Srilankan skipper Sangakara was unbeaten on 73 when the covers were brought on after 32.5 overs of action.
The rain continued without a break for the next two-and-a-half hours, turning the outfield into a lake and forcing umpires Ian Gould and Tony Hill to call off proceedings.
Both sides take one point from the no result, leaving them tied for second in Group A, a point behind Pakistan.
The game overheated in just the second over when Shaun Tait, having exchanged words with Tillakaratne Dilshan after seeing his first delivery edged wide of the slips for four, was incensed when the Sri Lanka opener pulled away as he entered his delivery stride. Further verbal sparring ensued involving Dilshan, Tait and several Australian fielders, prompting the umpires to intervene and tell all concerned to calm down.
Tait had his revenge when Dilshan’s frenetic contribution ended with him edging a huge drive at the fourth ball of the over to Cameron White at second slip.
Yorkers dismantle Kenya
Posted by: | CommentsLasith Malinga announced his return to full fitness by storming his way to an unprecedented second World Cup hat-trick with an exhibition of yorker-on-demand bowling that proved too much for Kenya’s tail at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The visitors imploded to 142 all out despite dogged half-centuries from the Obuya brothers, who enjoyed plenty of fortune in a determined 94-run stand that kept the varied threats of Sri Lanka’s bowling at bay for nearly 30 overs. Sri Lanka’s batsmen barely had to break a sweat in the chase, finishing it off in 18 overs.
The Obuyas weren’t exactly convincing – testing every edge of their bat, surviving close lbw calls, regularly air-driving outside off and rarely reading the spinner’s variations – but hung on obdurately to take Kenya into triple-digits. A solid platform was in place when they had hauled Kenya to 102 for 2, but Malinga’s burst demolished the tail as the final eight wickets were blasted out for 40 runs. None of the other Kenyan batsmen made it past single-figures.
The Kenyan collapse was rapid: it took only 22 deliveries for them to go from 127 for 4 to being bowled out. Muttiah Muralitharan started it off by getting the set batsman David Obuya to slog-sweep to midwicket
Pakistan skipper takes four wickets as hosts are handed first defeat
Posted by: | CommentsCaptain Shahid Afridi claimed his 300th ODI victim amongst figures of 4-33 as Pakistan defeated co-hosts Sri Lanka by 11 runs in their World Cup Group A match in Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s run-chase was unhinged by the leg-spinner after their opponents had made 277-7, thanks to fluent half-centuries from Younus Khan (72) and Misbah-ul-Haq (83 not out).
Afridi bagged the key wickets of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara as he became only the 11th bowler to reach the landmark. Mohammed Hafeez and Kamran Akmal added 48 in 7.2 overs but a bizarre run-out ended Hafeez’s innings prematurely at 32.
Kamran (39) could not put the mix-up behind him and threw away his wicket by charging down the pitch to spinner Rangana Herath only to be stumped by Sangakkara.
Sri Lanka never threatened victory after Sangakkara fell for 49 in the 38th over, the run-rate having risen as he and Chamara Silva had set about rebuilding the innings.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and raced to 65 in 10 overs after losing Ahmed Shehzad (13) early on.
Jayawardene’s 80-ball century leads rout of Canada
Posted by: | CommentsAfter the hosts opted to bat first, Tillakaratne Dilshan set the tone with 50 before Jayawardene and skipper Kumar Sangakkara (92) added 179 for the third wicket.
In reply, Canada lost John Davision for a golden duck at the start of the second over and soon slumped to 12-3 before eventually being all out for 122.Mahela Jayawardene scored Sri Lanka’s fastest World Cup century as the co-hosts opened their Group A campaign with a 210-run victory over Canada.
Jayawardene was out straight after bringing up his landmark from 80 deliveries, an innings that helped Sri Lanka pile up 332-7 in Hambantota.Seamers Nuwan Kulasekara (3-16) andThisara Perera (3-24) finished with three wickets apiece as Canada fell more than 13 overs short of using their full allocation.
de Silva not sure about Jayasuriya, Vaas
Posted by: | CommentsIt was a surprise decision from the selection committee of Sri Lanka as they have taken two former World Cup heroes in their provisional 30-member squad for World Cup 2011 scheduled for the sub-continent.
These two players are Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas. However, Aravinda de Silva, the chairman of selectors is not sure about these players making into the 15 man final squad of the tournament.
Last news from Hambantota
Posted by: | CommentsIt was an untimely ending of the current tour of Sri Lanka for West Indies as Sri Lanka and West Indies board eventually called off their ODI series because of the weather condition. However, before that the media and fans had to go through a harrowing 24 hours as the officials were unable to decide about the proceeding of the series.
Now the series is postponed for January everyone is feeling relieved from anxiety, at least for this moment.
No play is possible as the ODI series is postponed because of bad weather
Posted by: | CommentsThere was huge confusion surrounding the one-day series of West Indies’ Sri Lanka tour but at the end a positive result came due to a wise decision of both the boards.
The confusion is gone as Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced that the five-match series is not possible at this moment due to bad weather. It has been postponed to late January 2011 as they are expecting favorable conditions in that time.
Boards are looking for postponing the one-day series
Posted by: | CommentsIt was reported that the boards of Sri Lanka and West Indies are looking for some resolve as this time they are up against the mother-nature. They are now talking about postponing the ODI series to January as they are expecting that the weather condition will be all right in that tame of the year.
However, the first two matches of the series are going to be played on Thursday and Saturday at Hambantota as weather is posing a huge threat onto that.
Weather is the biggest threat ahead of the ODI series
Posted by: | CommentsEveryone is in tension as confusion surrounds the fate of the five-match one-day series between Sri Lanka and West Indies. After the wash out of the three Test match series due to bad weather everyone is looking for some fate before the start of the ODI series. The series is scheduled for rain-ravaged Hambantota on Thursday.
However, with the weather condition the two national boards are working on rescheduling the series as they are considering next January.
Ex-SL shadow coach Hathurusingha is going to immigrate to Australia
Posted by: | CommentsIt was reported earlier that Chandika Hathurusingha, the former Sri Lanka Test opener and one-time shadow coach of the Sri Lanka team is going to immigrate to Australia as he was suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on disciplinary grounds during last June.
He has taken the decision of immigration as he is going to Australia with his family members. He was reported as guilty by an inquiry as he was expelled from Sri Lanka side.
