NEWS ALERT

NEWS UPDATE : Asian Cricket Third Sri Lanka-Pakistan ODI abandoned due to rain COLOMBO: The third One-day International between Sri Lanka and Pakistan was abandoned due to rain here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday. The umpires made this decision after consulting ... Australia want to master all forms of game: Clarke SYDNEY: Australia's limited-overs tour of England and Ireland represents the start of a two-year campaign to make them the top nation in all three forms of the game, captain Michael Clarke said ... Bopara glad to be back for England SOUTHAMPTON, England: Ravi Bopara is eager to make up for lost times as he tries to revive his ... South Africa name unchanged squad for England series JOHANNESBURG: South Africa have kept faith with a winning formula by naming an unchanged squad for the three-Test series in England starting next month, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on ...


Saturday, July 02, 2011

R’pindi Rams win Super Eight T20 Cup

FAISALABAD: Rawalpindi Rams won the Super Eight Twenty20 Tournament defeating Karachi Dolphins by nine runs in super over after the final tied in an exciting day-night contest here at the Iqbal Stadium on Friday.The interesting match began lately due to rain and Rawalpindi Rams winning the toss put Karachi Dolphins into bat on a wet wicket.Karachi Dolphins made 16 runs for five wickets in the allotted 20 overs with the help of an aggressive 64 by Ramiz Raja Junior.Rawalpindi batted very well and were looking in sight of victory but lost all their wickets for an even score in 20 overs.After the match was tied, it was decided on super over.Batting first, Rawalpindi made 16 off the over but Karachi could score only seven runs and lost the match and the title.

Jayawardene century sets up Sri Lanka win

LEEDS, England: Mahela Jayawardene's career-best 144 provided the platform for Sri Lanka's 69-run victory against England in the second one-day international at Headingley here on Friday.Sri Lanka's win, which levelled the five-match series at 1-1, looked likely after Jayawardene's innings, his highest score in 343 ODIs, surpassing his 128 against India at Sharjah in 2000, powered the tourists to 309 for five.That meant England had to top their previous winning score batting second in an ODI of 306 for five against Pakistan in Karachi in 2000 if they were to take a 2-0 lead against the World Cup finalists.But they struggled to maintain the required run-rate and were bowled out for 240 with 25 balls to spare.Both seamer Suranga Lakmal and off-spinner Suraj Randiv took three for 43.Sri Lanka lost two early wickets to run-outs to be 45 for two in the 10th over before a record partnership of 159 between Jayawardene, dropped on seven, and Kumar Sangakkara, who made 69, turned the tide.Cook, who win the toss Friday after leading England to a 110-run win in the rain-affected opener at The Oval on Tuesday and Craig Kieswetter made a bright start to the chase.Left-hander Cook, belying suggestions he is a slow scorer, made 48 off 53 balls including five boundaries. But his promising innings ended when a lofted cover-drive against Randiv went straight to Angelo Mathews. Kevin Pietersen swept Randiv for six but on 13 his drive off leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis was well-caught by Lasith Malinga, running round from long-on. And when Jonathan Trott was bowled for a pedestrian 39 off 54 balls by Lakmal's superb inswinging yorker, England were faltering at 144 for four.Eoin Morgan tried to revive the innings by hoisting Mendis for two huge sixes off successive deliveries.But on 52 the former Ireland international he was brilliantly stumped by Sangakkara off a Randiv delivery the wicketkeeper took shoulder high.England's victory hopes disappeared with the left hander, his exit sparking a slump that saw three wickets lost for five runs.Even the in-form Ian Bell struggled, his 35 taking 48 balls before he holed out off Nuwan Kulasekara. Earlier, England off-spinner Graeme Swann who dropped Jayawardene -- took two for 42.But the seamers suffered with both Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan conceding 70 runs each.Jayawardene's single off medium-pacer Bresnan saw him to his 15th ODI hundred and fifth against England in 118 balls with seven boundaries.Former captains Jayawardene and Sangakkara topped their previous Sri Lankan third-wicket record stand against England of 140 at Chester-le-Street in 2006.However, they were separated when Sangakkara was beaten by a sharply turning delivery from Swann and stumped by Kieswetter.Jayawardene's superb innings ended when, deceived by Swann, he was also stumped having faced just 150 balls with 14 boundaries.The series continues at Lord's on Sunday.

Jayawardene ton powers Sri Lanka to 309-5 against England

LEEDS, England: Mahela Jayawardene's career-best century powered Sri Lanka to 309 for five against England in the second one-day international (ODI) at Headingley here on Friday.The opener made 144 Jayawardene's highest score in 343 ODIs surpassing his 128 against India at Sharjah in 2000 -- as Sri Lanka looked to level this five-match series at 1-1.A couple of reckless run-outs reduced Sri Lanka to 45 for two in the 10th over after England captain Alastair Cook won the toss and elected to field.But a record stand of 159 between former captains Jayawardene, dropped on seven, and Kumar Sangakkara, who made 69, turned the tide Sri Lanka's way.Angelo Mathews kept the runs coming with a brisk 46 not out off 30 balls while Jeevan Mendis's unbeaten seven included a hooked six off Stuart Broad that saw Sri Lanka past 300. Off-spinner Graeme Swann -- who dropped Jayawardene -- led England's attack with two wickets, both stumpings completed by wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter to remove Sangakkara and Jayawardene. But the seamers suffered with Broad, Tim Bresnan and Jade Dernbach managing just one wicket between them for 203 runs in a combined 28 overs.James Anderson's none for 44 in 10 overs was respectable in comparison.Sri Lanka skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan was run out for nine when he failed to beat Broad's underarm direct hit on the bowler's end stumps The tourists were fortunate not to lose Jayawardene soon afterwards when first slip Swann dropped a high chance off Bresnan.Dinesh Chandimal, replacing the now retired Sanath Jayasuriya following England's 110-run win at The Oval on Tuesday, fell in similar fashion to Dilshan for five, only this time Anderson hit the stumps.Cook, with none of his frontline bowlers disturbing the third-wicket duo, brought on part-time off-spinner Kevin Pietersen.But it was not long before left-hander Sangakkara swept him for four, his fifth boundary, to bring up a 53-ball fifty.Then a single off medium-pacer Bresnan took Jayawardene through to his 15th ODI hundred and fifth against England in 118 balls with seven boundaries.Jayawardene, more of a touch than a power player, then opened his shoulders to drive Bresnan straight back over his head for four.Jayawardene and Sangakkara surpassed their previous Sri Lankan third-wicket ODI record partnership against England of 140 at Chester-le-Street in 2006.However, they were separated when Sangakkara, advancing down the pitch, was beaten by a sharply turning delivery from Swann and stumped by Kieswetter.Jayawardene, on 118, then saw a leaping Cook at cover drop a tough chance off Dernbach. But his superb innings ended when, deceived by a Swann arm-ball, he was stumped having faced just 150 balls with 14 boundaries.

Rawalpindi Rams to play Karachi Dolphins in T20 final

FAISALABAD: The final of the Super Eight T20 tournament will be played on Friday. Karachi Dolphins will face Rawalpindi Rams at the Iqbal Stadium. The match will be televised live on Geo Super at 7:00 pm. On Thursday, in the first semi-final, Rawalpindi Rams who were led by Sohail Tanveer defeated defending champions Lahore Lions.In the second semi-final, Mohammed Sami led the Karachi Dolphins to victory over the Sialkot Stallions.

Sri Lanka Cricket Board dissolved

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's sports minister dissolved the country's cricket administration Friday amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement.Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage will appoint an interim committee to run the sport epartment spokesman Harsha Abeykoon said. Aluthgamage has not announced plans for elections for a new board.Abeykoon said the minister will announce the new administration later Friday.Sri Lanka Cricket has been run by successive interim committees  comprised of people favoured by politicians of the day  for the past seven years.The International Cricket Council unanimously decided at its annual conference this week to amend its laws to make free elections mandatory by 2012.The sacked administration, headed by former national test bowler Somachandra de Silva, has been accused of waste and corruption.Sri Lanka Cricket, once the nation's richest sports body, has debts of more than $15 million after co-hosting the World Cup earlier this year with India and Bangladesh.Sri Lanka Cricket said the construction costs for a new cricket ground near the southern town of Hambantota and upgrades to two existing venues for the World Cup blew out by $11 million to $40 million, creating much of the financial strain. It sought a $1.8 million grant from the government to help ease the burden.Sri Lankan governments have sacked previous elected boards and appointed administrations citing corruption, but no legal action has been taken.Sri Lanka, which hosted 12 World Cup matches, reached the final of the tournament on April 2, losing to India in Mumbai