Elbow Injury keeps Murali out of Twenty20 World Championship

Sri Lanka’s spin magician, Muttiah Muralitharan has sustained an elbow injury, while playing for Lancashire against Kent on Wednesday.

Murali, who walked off the field with a right biceps strain after bowling more than 33 overs on the first day of Lancashire’s game against Kent, returned before the close of play, but did not bowl again during Kent’s innings.

This injury will keep Murali out of play for more than a month and may even miss the ODI series against the touring England team in early October. This means Sri Lanka will be without the services of its premier bowler for the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup.

Murali, who is the quickest to take 200 wickets for Lancashire, was making his last county appearance this season and was scheduled to fly home over the weekend to join the Sri Lankan team’s preparations for the Twenty20 tournament.

Although a replacement has not yet been named by Sri Lanka Cricket, it could most certainly be the offspinning allrounder, Dilruwan Perera, who will take his place.

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Jayawardene and Ponting head ICC Award Nominations

Among the nominees for ICC Awards this year, Sri Lankan Captain Mahela Jayawardene and Australian Captain Ricky Ponting head the list.

Jayawardene, who won the ICC Captain of the Year Award last year, has been nominated for the award for a second consecutive year, together with Ponting.

The other individual categories that the two are nominated include : Test Cricketer of the Year, ODI Cricketer of the Year and Cricketer of the Year.

Both, Jayawardene’s and Ponting’s teams reached the World Cup Final this April.

Apart from Jayawardene, Sri Lankan Vice Captain Kumar Sangakkara have been nominated for Test Cricketer, and Cricketer of the Year Awards and ace-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for Test Cricketer, ODI Cricketer and Cricketer of the Year Awards.

The nominations were made by a five-man ICC selection panel led by former India captain Sunil Gavaskar and also including Chris Cairns, the former New Zealand all-rounder, ex-South Africa batsman Gary Kirsten, Iqbal Qasim, the former Pakistan left-arm spinner, and ex-England captain Alec Stewart.

The winners will be voted upon by a 56-person panel made up of the 10 ICC Full Member captains, the 10 Emirates Elite umpires and eight Emirates Elite match referees and 28 former greats of the game and members of the media.

ICC will be announcing a shortlist on September 04th, and the ICC Awards Ceremony 2007 will take place at Johannesburg, South Africa on September 10th.

Nominees – 2007

Test Player
Mohammad Asif (Pak), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Stuart Clark (Aus), Matthew Hayden (Aus), Michael Hussey (Aus), Mahela Jayawardena (SL), Zaheer Khan (Ind), Anil Kumble (Ind), Brian Lara (WI), Glenn McGrath (Aus), Muttiah Muralidaran (SL), Makhaya Ntini (SA), Monty Panesar (Eng), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Shaun Pollock (SA), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Kumar Sangakkara (SL) Ryan Sidebottom (Eng), Shane Warne (Aus), Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)

ODI Player
Shane Bond (NZ), Mark Boucher (SA) Nathan Bracken (Aus), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Stuart Clark (Aus), Michael Clarke (Aus), Matthew Hayden (Aus), Michael Hussey (Aus), Mahela Jayawardena (SL), Jacques Kallis (SA), Brett Lee (Aus), Glenn McGrath (Aus), Muttiah Muralidaran (SL), Jacob Oram (NZ), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Shaun Pollock (SA), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Yuvraj Singh (Ind), Mohammed Yousuf (Pak)

Emerging Player
Ravinder Bopara (Eng), Shakib Al Hasan (Bang), Mitchell Johnson (Aus), Mushfiqur Rahim (Bang), Shaun Tait (Aus), Ross Taylor (NZ), Chris Tremlett (Eng)

Cricketer of the Year
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Matthew Hayden (Aus), Michael Hussey (Aus), Mahela Jayawardena (SL), Jacques Kallis (SA), Glenn McGrath (Aus), Muttiah Muralidaran (SL), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Shaun Pollock (SA), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Mohammed Yousuf (Pak)

Captain of the Year
Mahela Jayawardene (SL), Ricky Ponting (Aus)

Associate ODI Player of the Year
Ashish Bagai (Can), Andre Botha (Ire), John Davison (Can), Trent Johnston (Ire), Dwayne Leverock (Ber), Kyle McCallan (Ire), Tanmay Mishra (Ken), Eoin Morgan (Ire), Ashif Mulla (Can), Niall O’Brien (Ire), Thomas Odoyo (Ken), Peter Ongondo (Ken), Irving Romaine (Ber), Abdool Samad (Can), Ryan Ten Doeschate (Neth), Steve Tikolo (Ken), Hiren Varaiya (Ken), Ryan Watson (Sco)

Umpire of the Year
Mark Benson, Steve Bucknor, Daryl Harper, Simon Taufel

Women’s Cricketer of the Year
Caitriona Beggs (Ire), Holly Colvin (Eng), Rumeli Dhar (Ind), Maria Fahey (NZ), Jhulan Goswami (Ind), Ashlyn Kilowan (SA), Johmari Logtenberg (SA), Urooj Mumtaz Khan (Pak), Shelley Nitschke (Aus), Rebecca Rolls (NZ), Sajida Shah (Pak), Lisa Sthalekar (Aus), Claire Taylor (Eng)

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Sri Lanka Cricket hits back at Bishan Singh Bedi

Media manager hints at possible legal action against the former Indian skipper for his outburst

Sri Lanka Cricket officials yesterday hit back former Indian test captain Bishan Singh Bedi over his alleged comment that Sri Lanka’s champion spinner Muttiah Muralitharan is a “monster” setting wrong precedent to youngsters.

Sri Lanka Cricket’s media manager Samantha Algama said that they are “greatly disappointed and concerned” by the statements made by Bedi and added that Sri Lanka Cricket sincerely believes that appropriate action should be taken by the authorities to prevent such incidents from recurring.

Hinting at possible legal action by the spinner, Algama said “Sri Lanka Cricket will support any and all efforts by Muralitharan to take corrective action in the matter” in a written statement sent to “Daily Mirror”, referring to our lead story yesterday, where Bedi was quoted.“While SLC respects the right of individuals to form their own opinion regarding the matter of illegal bowling actions; we feel that Mr.Bedi’s comments are defamatory and are intended to cause harm to Mr.Muralitharan’s reputation, his achievements and also disparages the ICC’s ruling on the said matter.” Algama added.

Explaining the matter further, Algama stated “Mr.Muralitharan’s bowling action has been scrutinized time and again by bowling experts, bio-mechanical experts and medical experts and has been found to be within the laws of the game. Furthermore, the ICC has also set in place procedures that deal with suspected illegal actions. Mr. Bedi should be aware of these procedures and processes.”

“It is irresponsible for a person of Mr.Bedi’s stature in the game to make such public comments where he has clearly attacked the personal integrity of Mr.Muralitharan and the technical competency of the ICC. Mr.Bedi has needlessly, unfairly and deliberately targeted Mr.Muralitharan in his vituperative outburst.” Algama’s statement added.

Murali will take legal action against Bedi says Manager

Muttiah Muralitharan’s manager Kushil Gunasekara in a statement to “Daily Mirror” yesterday said that the champion spinner will take legal action against Bedi’s comments shortly. Following is Gunasekara’s statement.

I refer to the media publication that appeared in the Daily Mirror of 9th August 2007 pertaining to the repulsive comments made by Mr Bishan Singh Bedi which is of a very serious defamatory nature to bring disrepute and tarnish the impressive image of Mr Muttiah Muralidaran.

It is no surprise that the ugly behaviour and unjustified allegations made by Mr Bishan Singh Bedi depicting more of a personal attack coincides with Murali’s attempt to achieve the highest number of test wickets by any bowler in the history of the game in the not too distant future.

The legal team of Mr Muttiah Muralidaran will shortly institute legal action against Mr Bishan Singh Bedi in view of the sordid and ghastly manner in which he has condemned by way of a severe character assassination to undermine Mr Muttiah Muralidaran’s magical art of spin bowling.

Courtesy : Daily Mirror

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Sri Lanka names Twenty20 Squad

Sri Lanka has named its 15-man squad for the ICC Twenty20 tournament to be held in South Africa, next month.

Mahela Jayawardene, who lead the team to being successful world cup Runners-up last April, will head the team with Kumar Sangakkara as his deputy.

Veterans Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas are also named in the squad.

All-rounder Hasantha Fernando and Gayan Wijekoon, from the ‘A’ team have also earned recalls. Jehan Mubarak, who starred in the third ODI of the Bangladesh series, has also been included.

Malinga Bandara will be replaced by spinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi.

Squad : Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Chaminda Vaas, Farveez Maharoof, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Hasantha Fernando, Gayan Wijekoon, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Jehan Mubarak

The tournament, first of its kind is expected to be a new experience for the cricketers.

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End of the Road for Atapattu

Sri Lanka’s veteran opening batsman and former Captain, Marvan Atapattu has requested a release from his central contract of SL Cricket, which runs till March 2008. His request has been accepted by SL Cricket’s administrative Committee. Although, he has not provided clear reasons for this request, it seems that his name is linked with the newly installed, Indian Cricket League.

It is likely that the 36yr old veteran, who nears retirement will join the rebel league, which means it could make a halt to Atapattu’s 17yr old international career. Atapattu made his Test Debut against India in 1990. He made his ODI debut, also against India, in the same year. The elegant right-hander, is one of the few players who has hit 5 or more double tons in Test Cricket.

SL Cricket is taking a wait-and-watch approach towards the ICL, and it is possible that they will take a hardline towards the players who will join the league.

Apart from Atapattu, sources indicate that Master Blaster, Sanath Jayasuriya, has also been offered a US$ 500, 000 contract, but it is highly unlikely that the dashing allrounder will accept the offer.

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Sri Lanka gets new Assistant Coach and Trainer

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has hired  Australia’s Jade Roberts as their new  trainer – ‘Strength and Conditioning Coach’ from later this month. He will be replacing outgoing trainer, C.J. Clarke. 29-year-old Jade Roberts has been working as a strength and conditioning expert at the Queensland Academy of Sport in Brisbane.

He has also worked for two years as a Performance Coach at the Australian Accleration (Brisbane), the sports performance enhancing company in Australia.

He is joined by another new man, England’s Paul Farbrace who was earlier appointed as Sri Lanka’s new assistant Coach, replacing Trevor Penny who left the country to join Tom Moody in Western Australia. 

Another Australian, Tommy Simsek, who is currently the team’s physiotherapist will remain with the Sri Lankans.

The newly appointed staff, together with Head Coach Trevor Bayliss will assume their duties with the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup scheduled to be held in South Africa, next month.

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