Mathews earns Test call-up

Veteran fast bowler Chaminda Vaas may most likely have to rethink his future with the Sri Lanka team after he was dropped from the Sri Lanka squad to take on Pakistan in the first Test in Galle starting on Saturday.

Vaas, who has been one of the most hardworking servants of Sri Lanka cricket with more than 350 wickets in a marathon 15-year stint, has given way to a new face in the squad Suranga Lakmal.

Slinger Lasith Malinga will also have to sit out the three-match Test series while his fitness and rhythm will come under scrutiny during the five-match one-day series following the Tests.

Angelo Mathews © Getty Images

It is most likely that Sri Lanka will look to christen batting allrounder Angelo Matthews who produced a fine showing in the recent Twenty-20 World Cup in England.

With his ability to bowl fast Matthews stands a brighter chance than many others who are competing for berths in the playing eleven.

Kaushal Silva has also been included in the squad following an injury to regular test match wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene.

Sri Lanka squad:

Kumar Sangakkara (captain), Muttiah Muralitheran, Malinda Warnapura, Tharanga Paranavithana, Mahela Jayawardena, Thilan Samaraweera, Tillekaratne Dilshan, Angelo Matthews, Chamara Kapugedera, Ajantha Mendis, Thilina Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekera, Dhammika Prasad, Kaushal Silva, Suranga Lakmal.

Courtesy: Daily Mirror

Grand welcome awaits Sri Lankan team

Sri Lanka new skipper Kumar Sangakkara and his team will receive a grand welcome at Colombo’s Bandarnaike International Airport irrespective of ICC World Twenty20 final result. This was revealed by Charith Senanayake, the Head of Marketing and Media, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

“It has been decided to accord them the red carpet welcome for their brilliant performance”, he said from Colombo. “Most of the SLC officials (chairman D. S. De Silva, Nishantha Ranatunga and Duleed Mendis) are in England now but there are quite a few dignitaries and ministers in the country who would be at the airport to receive the team”, he added. “We are awaiting the final flight details of the team and hope to receive the players with the winning trophy but however, the boys can certainly hope for a warm welcome even if the team stands as a runner-up”.

The SLC had arranged a grand welcome ceremony for the Sri Lankan team on their arrival from the Caribbean after their highly successful World Cup campaign. This arrangement had been made irrespective of the outcome of the final in Barbados on April 28 where Sri Lanka lost to Australia. Members of the entire team with their family gathered at SLC head quarter.

It will be a double joy for the captain Kumar Sangakkara as his wife Yehali is expected to give a birth to twins (boy and girl) later this month. “In Sri Lanka, the sex determination tests are not illegal as is the case in India”, confirms Mahendra Mapagunaratne, the Toronto-based Sri Lankan lawyer.

If the twins are delivered on that due date, it will coincide with the 40th birthday of Sri Lanka’s master blaster Sanath Jayasuriya, who is easily the oldest cricketer playing international cricket today.

However, Kumar Sangakkara is not the first Sri Lankan cricketer becoming father of twins. Hashan Tilkaratne and Charith Senanayake stand also in this list.

© Cricdb

Sangakkara rises above loss

-Alex Brown

Kumar Sangakkara’s tenure as Sri Lanka captain is just seven Twenty20 matches old, but has already contained a lifetime’s worth of heartache and drama.

Since arriving in England three weeks ago, Sangakkara has taken it upon himself to serve as the team’s unofficial Lahore spokesperson, sparing team-mates the angst-ridden task of regaling the media with recollections of the March terror attack, all the while risking reopening his own barely-healed emotional wounds. It has been a job that required the tact of a politician, the valour of a general, the sensitivity of a counsellor and the patience of a saint. On all counts, Sangakkara passed with distinction.

Sunday’s World Twenty20 final presented him with another stage to display leadership qualities and carry team-mates. Summoned to the crease with Sri Lanka in freefall at 2 for 2 in the second over, Sangakkara was called upon to save the innings and bring smiles to a nation still recovering from the ravages of civil war. This was not so much pressure, as batting with the bends.

A difficult task proved even more so after Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene fell to Abdul Razzaq inside six overs, and the tournament’s best one-two punch, Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi, accounted for Chamara Silva and Isuru Udana with the Sri Lankan total at a modest 70. A dispiritingly one-sided contest loomed. Only inspired intervention would do.

Sangakkara has produced more dominant and aesthetically pleasing innings, but perhaps few so completely in-sync

© Getty Images

with the biorhythms of a match and the needs of a team. A pair of early boundaries off the excedingly impressive Mohammad Aamer served as a warning to Pakistan that he would not be dictated to, and his attritional attitude over the ensuing eight overs – scoring steadily, but without crossing the ropes – screamed defiance and obstinance.

The storm weathered, Sangakkara resumed his assault square of the wicket. His half-century was raised (from 44 deliveries) with a crisp clip passed the mid-wicket boundary and, fortified by the redoubtable presence of Angelo Mathews (35 not out from 24 balls) at the other end, Sangakkara accelerated through the death overs.

By the innings’ conclusion, Sangakkara stood unbeaten on 64 and satisfied in the knowledge he had steered his side from the potential ignominy of a double-digit total to a competitive 138. It was, given the capitulation of the top order, an innings destined to be more William Wallace than Alexander the Great, but one that spoke volumes for his powers of resolve and leadership.

“We tried our best with the total we had, but if you don’t get wickets in the first six overs it’s always an uphill task,” he said after the match. “We’ve had a great tournament. I’m very proud with the way the team has responded, the way they’ve played and the attitude they’ve shown. There are a lot of things to take from here but it’s heartbreaking when you lose a final.”

After the winning runs ricocheted off Afridi’s pads, Sangakkara summoned his players to the centre and embraced them all. Few outside the Sri Lankan dressing room can appreciate the emotion, resilience and spells of trepidation experienced by the team throughout this first international assignment post-Lahore, and Sangakkara’s paternal pride was evident for all to see.

Ever the patriot, Sangakkara swelled the chests of a war-weary nation when, as part of the internationally telecast presentation ceremony, he thanked the Sri Lankan people in a speech delivered in Sinhalese. To hundreds of millions around the world, the oration was indecipherable. To 20 million Sri Lankans, it was inspirational – a private message delivered on cricket’s grandest stage for their ears only.

And, so, Sangakkara – warrior, statesman – left the stage to be received by a galvanised team, an appreciative nation and a reverent cricketing world. Leaders might spend entire careers in pursuit of such universal appeal, and yet Sangakkara has managed it just three weeks as Sri Lankan captain. His team, one feels, are in good hands.

“I think we’ve done brilliantly,” Sangakkara said. “Even if Lahore had never happened I think this is a brilliant achievement. Lahore was the furthest thing from our mind coming here preparing for the game today and playing in the final. The team has done a really great job mentally getting over all of those things.

“I just wanted them to make sure they understood what a great effort they’d put in during this tournament, what a great achievement it is to get into a World Cup final and to learn from the disappointment that we’ve faced in 2007 and now, being bridesmaids twice. You’ve got to be proud, no matter how disappointed, but proud of what they achieved.

“We felt love as a touring side, and back home I know everyone was on edge once we got into the final. Sri Lankans love their cricket and they love the fact we’ve come so far. Thank you for your support and we hope we have made you proud.”

Courtesy: Cricinfo

Dilshan- Player of the Series, as SL finishes as World Twenty20 Runners-Up

© Associated Press

After a good game of cricket, yesterday Sri Lanka finished as the Runners-up in the 2009 World Twenty20 tournament held in England. Incidentally, their rival was Pakistan, whom they played with last March, in Lahore, until a group of gunmen opened fire at the tour bus carrying the Sri Lankan team. Three months after that incident, both teams managed to put it behind to compete against each other in the final of a major cricket tournament. That alone was a remarkable achievement.

Placed in the Group-of-death alongside Australia and West Indies, Sri Lanka played at their best to reach the Semi Finals and thereby the Final round of the competition. In the final, the Sri Lankan captain, Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat first, hoping to put up a competitive total that their bowlers could defend. However, things did not go for Sri Lanka as planned. Their best batsman in the series, Tillekeratne Dilshan was caught off the bowling of Mohammed Aamer in the very first over, when he attempted his innovative ‘Dilscoop.’  Out-of-form Mubarak who was sent in next, followed suit. Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Chamara Silva all fell to the Pakistani bowlers who took their team to a commanding position. Captain Kumar Sangakkara stood strong on one side, as wickets continued to tumble at the other end. He played a captains innings of 64, ably assisted by an emerging all-rounder Angelo Mathews (35) to guide Sri Lanka to some decency  with a score of 138. Chasing 139, Pakistan openers gave them a solid start and when Kamran Akmal was stumped off Jayasuriya’s bowling, Shahid Afridi came to the crease. He played a cool but intelligent innings to take Pakistan towards an eight wicket victory.

As a Sri Lankan fan, obviously it was a huge disappointment for me. Even though, SL scored a par-below 138, I am certain that almost all SL fans were not only confident but also sincerely hoped that our bowling firepower could defend that total, as we had done throughout the tournament. Even when Afridi was taking the 1s, and 2s so well, we hoped that the SL team could keep it tight and may be emerge as victors in the final over, until the crucial 17th over bowled by the inexperienced youngster, Isuru Udana. In the first four balls of that over, he gave away 7 and in the next a monstrous six and the to-be final ball of the over, a four + a no-ball. As much as that over was costly for SL, it took Pakistan very near towards victory. At the end of that over, the equation was much simpler than it had been in the previous one =>Pakistan was in need of 7 from 12 balls. It was crystal clear by then, that Sri Lanka  (c)would not win the game, and thereby the World Twenty20. Well played Pakistan, our South Asian neighbour! I know you need it more than we do!

Although, our team was defeated yesterday, it was heartening to watch the way the team played in the entire tournament. As much as Dilshan was prolific with the bat, Malinga, Murali and Mendis as well as the newbies Mathews and Udana were fantastic with the ball at different points of the series. Senior pros Jayasuriya, Sangakkara and Mahela made significant contributions in Sri Lanka’s unbeaten run throughout the series. The only dark spots for SL were Chamara Silva and Jehan Mubarak who continously failed, but was still relented with by the team management.

Just three months after a horrific incident that could have cost their lives, they were back on the field, energetic and enthusiastic than ever, representing their country in the global stage. The  courage and determination shown by the players was just wonderful. Given that, this was the first international assignment as captain and the first international match post-Lahore, the leadership shown by Sanga was exemplary. There is no doubt that, in the months and years to come, he would mold the team in to a winning unit. And, finally, when Sanga spoke in his mother tongue to thank all the fans of the Sri Lankan team both in the country as well as abroad for their continuing support, it made me double proud of both, being a Sri Lankan as well as a Sri Lankan cricket fan…

SL and Pakistan will meet again next month, for a 3-test, 5-ODI and 1 T20 series to be played in Sri Lanka.

Terror shocks cricket as Sri Lankan players escape with injuries

(c) http://www.dailynews.lk

Oh! What a shocking day it has been!

It was late night here in Canada, but a bright morning in Lahore, Pakistan. As usual, I had my dinner and was eagerly waiting to see SL knock down Pakistan wickets after a splendid batting performance that amassed a total of 606 in the previous two days.  Third day’s play was due to commence and I was tuning to several channels on the net, to catch a glimpse of the action. But, somehow none of them were working for me, and I decided to follow the match on Cricinfo. Instead of what I anticipated,  what I was destined to read on Cricinfo was a headline that said: ” Sri Lankan cricketers injured in terror attack.” I was shocked.  Even though, SL as a nation has experienced terror for the past three decades, no one in their wildest dream would have ever imagined that cricket, a sport loved by both friends and foes in South Asia would be its next target.  But, sadly, it happened on this day March 03, 2009 in front of the Liberty Market and just a few steps away from the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore, and  also totally shattered the popularly held conception that cricket was immune from terrorism.

The team was traveling, from the tour hotel to the stadium, when armed masked gunmen  opened fire on the team bus.   Five Sri Lankan players and Assistant Coach, Paul Farbrace have escaped with somewhat minor but substantial injuries.  Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana were the ones most seriously injured; Samaraweera received shrapnel in the leg and Paranavitana in the chest. Ajantha Mendis received shrapnel in the neck and scalp. It was a great relief that no one had life threatening wounds.

The tour has been immediately called off and the team will return to SL on the earliest flight.  Pakistan has been plagued with security problems for sometime now, with the Champions Trophy taken off and several other tours canceled, the most recent by India. Despite all such concerns, Sri Lanka Cricket was willing to send the team there,  in solidarity with Pakistan. Given such a context, numerous questions would be asked of Pakistan’s security arrangements and Sri Lankan authorities’ agreements with them. But, none can match the shock, that, in a moment, our team could have been finished forever, if not for the brave Pakistani driver (Khalil) who drove them towards the stadium in spite of the heavy gun fire.

It was a very very dark day for cricket in general and unfortunately it will be remembered in the years to come, not for the right reason but for the wrong one. Let us hope that the SL players would have the courage and mental strength to overcome this moment between life and death, to represent our country in the global stage for many more years to come.

Mahela Jayawardene gives up Sri Lanka team captaincy

Mahela Jayawardene yesterday announced that he will be standing down as Sri Lanka captain after the forthcoming Test series with Pakistan.

Mahela Jayawardena © AFP

Jayawardene having a meeting with the national selectors on Wednesday morning and proposed to them that the time was now right to handover the captaincy, ensuring his successor sufficient time to build the team for the 2011 World Cup.

During the discussion it was agreed that Jayawardene will remain in-charge for the forthcoming two-match Test series in Pakistan.

Later Jayawardene released the following statement, “In the best interests of the Sri Lanka team, I have decided to stand down as Sri Lanka captain after this Pakistan tour.

This is something I have been considering for some time as it has been my long-held belief that my successor should have at least 18 months in the job to imprint his vision on the team for the 2011 World Cup.

After much thought, I have concluded that the right time has now come for fresh leadership to takeover. It was not an only decision to make because being Sri Lanka National Captain has been the source of enormous pride.

I am very grateful to have been granted the honour of leading the team during the last three years. I would like to extend a special thank-you to my team-mates for making the job so easy and fulfilling, to the SLC officials and selectors that placed their faith in me, and to family, friends and fans who have provided so much support.

I look forward now to extending my full support to my successor and hope to play a major part in the team’s success during coming years as a batsman.”

Jayawardene was appointed captain in Feb. 2006. During his three-year tenure he led Sri Lanka in 26 Test matches and 97 ODI’s. He had a win ratio in Tests of 62.50% the highest of any Sri Lanka captain in history, and a win ratio of 57% in ODI’s. As captain he averaged 64.70 in Tests, scoring 11 centuries in the last 3 years.

He averaged 34.22 as ODI captain.

Courtesy:  Daily News

SL claim consolation victory as India win ODI series 4-1

Sri Lanka produced the ingredients of success for the first time to beat the touring Indian team by 68 runs in the fifth and final one day international worked off at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday.

Sri Lanka also managed to avert a humiliating clean sweep for the first time on home soil although they could not prevent India from running away with the series 4-1. The Lankans completed their task in style by piling up the highest total at this venue and then dismissed their opponents for 252 with an over to spare.

Sri Lanka after their magnificent batting performance made certain that there will be no contest at the end by reducing India to 138 for 6 at the half way stage of the innings. The only concern for Mahela Jayawardena was the explosive batting of Yuvraj Singh who launched a severe counter attack under tremendous pressure.

The dynamic middle order batsman treated the Sri Lanka fast bowlers like spinners while racing to his 39th one day international half century with the help of ten smashing boundaries before he was deceived by the spin of Muttiah Muralitharan.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni then delayed Sri Lanka’s victory to a great extent with a determined batting performance while putting on 55 runs for the seventh wicket together with the debutant Ravindra Jadeja. Sri Lanka’s match winning total was earlier built around a second wicket partnership of 143 runs from just 136 deliveries between opener Tillekeratne Dilshan and vice captain Kumar Sangakkara.

The right and left hand combination got their act together well and set the pace for a massive total after skipper Mahela Jayawardena had won the toss for the first time and elected to bat.

The openers Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya certainly proved how important it was to win the toss and bat first with a solid stand of 66 runs from ten overs. But the best part of the batting came when Sangakkara joined Dilshan and the pair was able to take the game away from the Indian team.

Sangakkara got his eye as soon as he arrived and made his intentions clear with a series of boundaries. In fact he raced to his 48th one day international fifty from just 46 deliveries inclusive of half a dozen of boundaries.

Tillekeratne Dilshan who top scored for Sri Lanka with 97 ~ AFP

Dilshan kept the momentum going during the middle overs through some excellent running between the wickets which resulted in a 46 run stand for the third wicket along with Thilina Kandambi who made a run a ball 26.

Sri Lanka reached an impressive 255 for 3 by the 41st over before India came back into the game through a magnificent spell of bowling from Ishant Sharma. The medium paceman produced a sensational 42nd over to claim the wickets of Thilina Kandambi and Chamara Kapugedera.

In between Tillekeratne Dilshan was run out for a well compiled 97 and skipper Mahela Jayawardena was deceived by Yuvraj Singh which means Sri Lanka had lost four wickets within the space of six deliveries.

However all rounder Farveez Maharoof produced some big hitting during the slog overs and when the batting power play was also in effect that ensured Sri Lanka got past the three hundred run mark quite convincingly.

The two teams will meet again at the same venue on Tuesday for their maiden Twenty20 International commencing at 7.00 p.m.

Courtesy: Daily News

Sri Lanka annihilate Pakistan to win ODI series 2-1

Sri Lanka inflicted Pakistan’s heaviest defeat in a limited-overs international on Saturday, winning by 234 runs to clinch the three-match series 2-1. Nuwan Kulasekera claimed 3-17 and Thilan Thushara 3-33 to bowl out Pakistan in just 22.5 overs for its fourth-lowest total of 75.

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 234 runs in the third and final day-night international, winning the three-match series 2-1. AFP

Pakistan’s previous biggest defeat – in terms of runs – was a 224-run loss to Australia in 2002 at Nairobi, Kenya.

Pakistan slumped to 18-6 in the ninth over before Gul hit 27 to save the team from recording its lowest total.

Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan became the only second bowler after former Pakistan quick Wasim Akram (502) to take 500 ODI wickets, finishing with 2-2.

Pakistan won the first match in Karachi by eight wickets before Sri Lanka leveled the series by winning the second by 129 runs.

Courtesy: The Island

Dilshan powers SL to 2-0 test series win over Bangladesh

Tillakaratne Dilshan gave a superb all-round performance to power Sri Lanka to a record 465-run victory over Bangladesh in the second and final Test here on Tuesday.

Twin-ton Tillekeratne Dilshan celebrating AFP

It was the fifth-largest win by runs in the history of the game. It was also Sri Lanka’s biggest victory in 182 Tests and Bangladesh’s worst defeat in 59 matches since gaining Test status in 2000. Dilshan scored an impressive 143 his second century of the match as the visitors set an improbable 624-run target for the hosts.

Bangladesh were bundled out for 158 in their second innings on the penultimate day to lose the series 2-0.

Dilshan, who picked 4-10 with his part-time spin, was named both man of the match and of the series.

Middle-order batsman Shakib Al Hasan (46) and wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim (43) were the main scorers in a dismal Bangladeshi batting performance lasting just 49.2 overs.

“This is what Test cricket is all about, the guys are showing character,” said Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene of the win, achieved in his 100th Test.

“But you can’t be complacent, you have to try and improve. Dilshan knows how to handle the situation and we’ve encouraged guys to play their own game.”

Dilshan was brilliantly backed by unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis who picked 3-57 to finish with a match haul of seven wickets.

Mendis started the slide when he took three quick wickets in his opening spell, removing opener Imrul Kayes (five), Junaid Siddique (four) and Mohammad Ashraful (seven) to reduce the hosts to 62-5 at the tea break. Pacemen Dilhara Fernando and Chaminda Vaas grabbed a wicket apiece before the 32-year-old Dilshan finished the job in the closing session.

Courtesy:  Daily News

SL wins Canada Cup

A Twenty20 round-robin in Canada does little to set hearts fluttering. Yet when Shoaib Akhtar steams in to bowl at Sanath Jayasuriya and Co, the venue is of little importance. Unfortunately for Pakistan, Shoaib has yet to rediscover his accuracy, and it was Jayasuriya who won the battle, leading Sri Lanka to a convincing five-wicket win in the final of the T20 Canada at King City.

	Sanath Jayasuriya pulls one of his big sixes during a blistering 40 © AFP

In stark contrast to Pakistan’s, Sri Lanka’s batsmen set off in frantic pursuit of 133, in front of a boisterous crowd of 9000. Jayasuriya and Mahela Udawatte put on a match-altering 66 in seven overs, though they were indebted to a predictably wayward start from Pakistan’s trio of fast bowlers, Shoaib, Sohail Tanvir and, chief culprit of all, Umar Gul.

Jayasuriya shot out of the traps and never allowed Shoaib to settle. Flicking him for four in his first over, he then pulled him for consecutive sixes into the midwicket stand, the second of which went AWOL. Udawatte was no less aggressive, but such was Gul’s persistently short length that he spent most of his time on the back foot. A hook for six was followed by a flayed cut for four, and a slice past point scorched the outfield. Sri Lanka’s fifty came up inside five overs.

So, it was to spin that Pakistan turned and it brought immediate results when Shahid Afridi – who earlier managed only 14 with the bat – beat Udawatte in flight and had him caught at long-off. Afridi’s partner at the other end, Shoaib Malik, then bowled Jayasuriya, and followed it up with the prized wicket of Mahela Jayawardene – both batsmen fell attempting the sweep. They made it five when Kaushalya Weeraratne was bowled in Gul’s second spell, but it was all too little, too late, and Chamara Kapugedera’s calm 17 guided Sri Lanka to their first win over Pakistan in Twenty20 internationals.

That Sri Lanka were allowed to chase such an attainable target was thanks to their own spin-attack, namely Ajantha Mendis, whose three wickets stifled Pakistan’s middle order. Salman Butt played a steady hand for his 44, but wickets fell at crucial moments around him, and Pakistan’s innings never gained true momentum. Misbah-ul-Haq cracked two fours in a spirited 25, but no one could truly get on top of Mendis, who ended the tournament with 11 wickets for a frugally economical 55 runs.

Courtesy:  Cricinfo