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Sri Lanka make spirited 130/1
MANCHESTER, England, June 15 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka made a spirited 130 for one wicket in reply to England's first innings total of 512 all out at close on the third day of the third and final test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford on Saturday. Mahela Jayawarde-na was unbeaten on 11 and Kumar Sangakkara was not out on 33 at the close. Earlier England seamer Andy Caddick went off injured and Sri Lanka opener Marvan Atapattu retired hurt in an eventful start to the touring team's first innings. Caddick suffered a strained left side that forced him off after bowling three deliveries of his sixth over and shortly afterwards Atapattu was struck a painful blow on his right index finger by a delivery from Andrew Flintoff. Atapattu went to hospital for an x-ray, having made 10 and helped his new opening partner Arnold to give Sri Lanka their best start of the series by putting on 48. Grumblings,
rumblings in Sri Lanka dressing room! This is not the first time that stories of grumblings and rumblings in the dressing room have managed to make some of Britain's quality newspapers. One can understand the tabloids giving the cricketers hell for walking around on the field with their hands in the pockets as though out on an after-dinner stroll. But when some of Britain's more respected newspapers start writing about it, then it is time the authorities took notice. "So poor was the body language-hands thrust deep in pockets and shoulders hunched- that there were rumours of dressing room rows", wrote Mike Selvey respected cricket writer and commentator. "Perhaps, it was thought, the captain Sanath Jayasuriya was unhappy at the prospect of dropping down the order-Russel Arnold will open instead, with the captain due to come in at No 6. And on what credential had Upashanta been drafted in after a demoralising caning against MCC last week that saw him bowl 18 unsuccessful overs for 126 runs." During the rain-interrupted second day, TV commen-tators with Channel 4 were again talking of never having seen cricketers with their hands thrust deep into their pockets on the field. A few days before the start of the last Test, former England cricketer Derek Pringle writing in The Daily Telegraph again mentioned disgruntled cricketers in the dressing room, and this during the second Test at Edgbaston. Wrote Pringle on June 10 : "Speculation over Murali's movements has been rife ever since these pages revealed his reluctance to play in the second Test. However, unwillingly he soldiered on there, with his recently dislocated left shoulder, he was always likely to play the last Test at Old Trafford, a pitch he knows and likes from his time with Lancashire". Apart from giving Sri Lanka's cricketers some stick for their body language, what these comments and some others earlier, show is that journalists should not stop practising their profession purely because they are cricket writers. These English writers have shown a nose for news where some of our cricket writers seem to think that they can sign off after covering a day's play. For friendship or for patronage, journalists who accompany team seem to think their task is limited to what happens on the field. No
new contract for Schaffter Informed sources said that a decision was taken following a dispute between the new chairman of selectors Guy de Alwis who was allowed to enter the Sri Lankan cricketers dressing room during the second test at Birmingham. Shaffter had totally denied the allegation saying that the chairman of selectors did not inform him that he wanted to visit the dressing room. It was only in March that Shaffter had been appointed to this post replacing the former manager Ajit Jayasekera who is now a member of the interim committee. The Air Commodore looks the favourite to be the new manager of the cricket team.- MSA Thanks
to Radhika Kandy survive to win The game was dead-locked 13 and then came the two tries by Radhika Hettiarachchi enabling Kandy to win by 20 points (2 goals and two penalties) to 13 (a goal and two penalties). At half time the scores were 6 all. It was a rousing contest and undoubtedly one of the best games witnessed this season. The high-riding hill capital team had to fire on all cylinders to win this game after three easy efforts against mediocre sides earlier. The blue shirts were on the offensive virtually for a good part of the initial half with their fierce and robust play. They made gaping holes in the Kandy defence. It was poor ball handling which prevented them crossing the line. In the last line playmaker Nalaka Weerakkody with his booming kicks to touch took much of the pressure off. He came in for some bone-jarring tackles from the Policemen. After the turn around Nalaka was injured. Winger Radhika Hettiarachchi manned the last line of defence. Indrajit Bandaranayake took his place in the wings. Midway Kandy changed their ploy and ran the ball with their backline with centre, former Kingswood player Chamara Withanage setting the line in motion with his zig-zag running. The entire KSC back division played aggressively to have the Police defence in disarray which resulted in three tries. In the eighth minute of the second half centre Withanage made the break. Fullback Hettiarachchi formed the overlap. He made a 30 metre run to go over the line. He himself converted to lead 13-6. Police fly half Harshana Wijeweera who had an excellent game fired over two spot kicks before the turn around. Nalaka arrowed the two spot kicks, initially. It was no let up by the blue shirts. Off a long throw, rucked beautifully for Herath to cross the line. Wijeweera added the extra points: 13 all. Fans were bewildered. Amongst them was former old Trinitian and Police captain, IGP Rudra Rajasingham who had trekked to watch this absorbing contest. During the dying stages of the game (35th minute) Kandy took the lead and the match off a second phase attack. Radhika darted his way for a corner-flag try. Fly-half Niloufer Ibrahim goaled it: 20-13 when referee Aruna Jayasekera blew 'no side'. |
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