Sri Lankan athletes stranded in Amman

Sri Lankan athletes stranded in Amman

Namal Pathirage reporting from Amman, Jordan

The Sri Lanka athletic contingent that won three gold medals two silver medals and two bronze medals at the Asian Athletics championships were forced to return to Sri Lanka in two batches as officials failed to secure airline seats for the whole team to travel together.

Team members are reported to have been disappointed over the development as they wished to return as one unit after producing such a good performance.

The five members of the silver medal winning 4X400 men’s relay team, coach Sunil Gunawardena and masseur R.P. Anura had to stay back in Amman while the rest of the team left for Sri Lanka.

The first batch is to return to Sri Lanka today.

The Sri Lanka men’s 4X400 metres relay team was to take part in the Afro-Asia championships to be held in Algeria tomorrow and were to fly there from Amman directly to take part in it.

However the trip has been cancelled with no reason given.

Sri Lanka team manager M.W. Nimalsiri told the “Daily Mirror” that he cannot take responsibility for the separation of members of the contingent.

“They appointed me as the manager forcibly. I did not like to accept it. I only wanted to come here as a representative for the Asian Athletics congress. The Association’s secretary and the officials who booked air tickets should take responsibility for this”, Nimalsiri said.

The team will have to pay for their food and accommodation and other expenses during the extra period in which they have been forced to stay on.

Coach Gunawardena said that the Association had promised to reimburse the costs.

Lasith Malinga to bowl for Brandix

Malinga to bowl for Brandix


Sri Lanka’s newest cricketing sensation Lasith Malinga has taken another milestone step by joining Sri Lanka’s largest apparel exporter Brandix as a champion of the group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Human Resources Development (HRD) initiatives.
“Lasith was referred to us because he wants to have a career after cricket, and has a lot of empathy for our environmental initiatives,” Brandix Lanka Director A J Johnpillai said. “We were impressed by the passion he brings to his game and the fact that he is planning for his future.”
“We believe Lasith can portray the values of Brandix and contribute meaningfully to our efforts to communicate these values to our 20,000 plus associates,” he said.
When he is not playing for his country, Malinga will undergo training at the Brandix College of Clothing Technology (BCCT) at Ratmalana and at other Brandix companies, and tour the group’s manufacturing locations to educate workers on initiatives to preserve the environment, save energy and promote the conservation of water resources.
Speaking at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Brandix, the 23 year old Malinga said: “Brandix is one of the most respected groups of companies in Sri Lanka and South Asia.”
“I have been particularly impressed by their deep concern for community and environmental issues,” he said.

Iraq celebrates football victory

Iraq celebrates football victory


Iraq's captain Younis Mohmoud (2nd L) celebrates with teammates
A historic moment for Iraq's football team and the Iraqi nation
Thousands of Iraqis have spilled onto the streets to celebrate their football squad's Asian Cup victory, firing guns into the air despite a government ban.

Iraq beat Saudi Arabia 1-0. Celebratory gunfire was heard in Baghdad, where authorities had banned vehicles and urged fans not to gather.

It was feared crowds could be targets for bombers. Some 50 people died in attacks after last week's semi-final.

Correspondents say Iraq's progress has temporarily united the divided country.

The team includes Sunni and Shia Muslims.

A number of people have been killed by celebratory gunfire after Iraq's previous victories. The authorities have warned that anyone caught firing guns into the air will be punished.

Football fever

Cars, bicycles, motorcycles and carts were banned from Baghdad from 1600 (1200 GMT) on Sunday to 0600 on Monday.



In pictures: Iraq football fever

Military spokesman Brigadier General Qassim al-Moussawi said they wanted to stop "terrorists, Sunni extremists and criminals from targeting the joy of the people over the achievements of the Iraqi national team".

A similar vehicle ban was also imposed in the northern city of Kirkuk.

Iraq surprised the football world by beating tournament favourites Australia, and then former winners South Korea in Wednesday's semi-final.

Wild celebrations followed that victory, with crowds dancing in the streets and waving the national flag.

But the party was brought to a bloody end as insurgents detonated bombs in two parts of Baghdad, killing about 50 people.

Susanthika Jayasinghe wins 100 metres gold

Susanthika wins 100 metres gold

Namal Pathirage reporting from Amman, Jordan



Susanthika Jayasinghe clocked an amazing personal best of 11.9 seconds and clinched the 100 metres gold medal with ease as expected at the 16th Asian Athletics championships here yesterday.

The 31-year old Olympic and world championship medallist proved that age has not slowed her down and her personal best comes at a shocking moment when she is making a comeback after an injury.

Another factor that enhanced the value of her performance was that she achieved this excellent timing despite the lack of competition at the championships, hit by the absence of enthusiasm from competitors and a deluge of high profile withdrawals.

After her victory, Jayasinghe claimed that she had only a lukewarm interest in the championships but decided to take part as her fans might develop a misunderstanding about her. She said she was disappointed by the lack of challenge, and said it would only be a matter of time before she completes a gold medal in the 200 metres.

Jayasinghe who took part in Asian championships for the last time in the 2002 edition in Colombo, said however that her real goal was a gold medal at the forthcoming world championships in Japan next month. Jayasinghe won a silver medal in 100 metres at the Asian Games last December in Qatar.

Sri Lanka’s Umanga Surendra finished sixth in the men’s 100 metres sprint clocking 10.36. Qatar’s Samuel Francis who set up a record in the first round further improved his record and clocked a magnificent 9.99 seconds to win the event. Sri Lanka won a second medal at the championships yesterday when Nadeeka Lakmali claimed the bronze in the women’s javelin with a throw of 52.59 metres. Lakmali, the only athlete from Sri Lanka at the championships taking part in field events, is a 25 year old hailing from Kahaduwa MV. She is taking part and is coached by A.G. Rodrigo.

Mubarak sets up Sri Lanka victory for Bangladesh and Sri Lanka last and 3rd ODI in Colombo

Mubarak sets up Sri Lanka victory
One-day international, Colombo: Sri Lanka 196 (39.5 overs) beat Bangladesh 157 (37.1 overs) by 39 runs


Jehan Mubarak

Mubarak's half century was his third in 23 one-day appearances

Jehan Mubarak made his highest score for Sri Lanka as they completed a 3-0 clean sweep in the home one-day series against Bangladesh.

The left-hander made 72 off 82 balls, including six fours, before being run out but his side only totalled 196 in a game reduced to 40 overs per side.

It proved good enough, however, despite Tamim Iqbal's 55 for Bangladesh.

Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya took 4-14 as Sri Lanka bowled out the tourists for 157 to win by 39 runs.

The result completed a disappointing tour for Bangladesh, who were comprehensively beaten in the Test series and whose priority now is to resume their search for a new head coach.

"As in the previous games, our bowlers did well but the batsmen failed. Sri Lanka were just too strong for us," admitted skipper Mohammad Ashraful, who won the toss and put Sri lanka in following a two-hour plus rain delay.

The home side made a positive start but lost openers Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga in successive overs to slump to 29-2 - Jayasuriya caught behind for eight off Shahadat Hossain and Tharanga lbw to Syed Rasel for 14.

Chamara Kapugedera only managed seven before he was caught off Farhad Reza, having previously been dropped twice during his brief knock, and when Kumar Sangakkara hit Abdur Razzak to Tamim at mid-off and departed for 18, they were in trouble on 61-4.

Mubarak and Tillakaratne Dilshan batted sensibly to stabilise the innings, sharing a partnership of 78 in 12 overs, but were separated when Mohammad Mahmadullah bowled Dilshan as he attempted a reverse sweep to claim his first international wicket.

Mohammad Ashraful and Kumar Sangakkara

Ashraful and Sangakkara have a difference of opinion

Captain Mahela Jayawardene made 20 off 16 balls but top-edged Saqibul Hasan to the keeper and after Farveez Maharoof was lbw to Razzak for one, only 17 runs came from the final three overs.

Upul Chandana fell to Mahmadullah for one, Mubarak was beaten by Razzak's under-arm throw as he tried to call Nuwan Kulasekera through for a quick single and the innings came to an end off the penultimate delivery as Razzak (3-47) bowled Dilhara Fernando.

Bangladesh's hopes of reaching their target nosedived immediately as Maharoof removed Javed Omar and Mushfiqur Rahim for ducks.

Ashraful fell lbw to Kulasekera for 20 as he played across the line and his team subsided to 69-5 before Tamim finally found a reliable partner in debutant Mahmadullah.

They put on 60 for the sixth wicket before Tamim, having reached his fifty off 68 balls, became Jayasuriya's first victim, with Kapugedera taking the catch at deep mid-wicket.

The slow left-armer then bowled Reza for seven before dismissing Mahmadullah (35) and Razzak with successive deliveries to leave Bangladesh on 151-9.

The end was not long in coming as Fernando, the fastest bowler on either side in the absence of team-mate Lasith Malinga, ripped one through Shahadat's defences with the first ball of the 37th over.

"We have played excellent cricket through the last few months and the results show that," Jayawardene said afterwards.

"Bangladesh improved their bowling with each match but the batsmen need to bat longer to put up big scores."

Scorecard

Sanath Jayasuriya Has Got His 300 ODI Wicket with WIN

Jayasuriya claims landmark in win
Second one-day international, Colombo: Bangladesh 137 (46.5 overs) lost to Sri Lanka 141-5 (31.1 overs) by five wickets



Sanath Jayasuriya celebrates his 300th ODI wicket

Jayasuriya did not play in the 3-0 Test series win
Sanath Jayasuriya became the first man to achieve 10,000 runs and 300 wickets in one-day internationals as Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by five wickets.

The 38-year-old, who had already passed 10,000 runs, removed Syed Rasel to take his 300th wicket and finish with 4-31.

Paceman Lasith Malinga had reduced the visitors to 13-3 before Aftab Ahmed (47) helped Bangladesh to 137.

Sri Lanka took just 31.1 overs to reach their victory target in Colombo and secure an unassailable 2-0 series lead.

The hosts briefly looked vulnerable on 79-4 but Chamara Silva guided them home with an unbeaten 36.


Such records come when you play for so long

Sanath Jayasuriya

Jayasuriya, who enjoyed a brief spell with Lancashire earlier this month, played down his feat.

"It is nice to be the first one to get there but I am happy I took four wickets and helped my team win," said the left-hander, who has played more one-dayers than any one else.

"Such records come when you play for so long."

The all-rounder, who also scored 24 runs in Sri Lanka's innings, is the ninth player to take 300 one-day wickets.

Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful was unhappy with the way his side batted.

"We batted poorly again but I think we bowled well to take five wickets," he said. "You need to put up a big score against a team like Sri Lanka if you want to win."

The final match in the series will be played on Wednesday.

Scorecard

DON’T TAUNT MURALI

Sweet success

By Desmond Samith

Accidents, fate and ‘ifs and buts’ do not seem to be in Muttiah Muralitharan’s book. He is known to be a cricketer with a strong will. He flew back to Sri Lanka taking a short break from his county cricket, for the Bangladesh Test series. He just wanted 26 wickets to reach the 700 mark. Twenty six wickets in three matches should have been a tall order for any other bowler but not for Murali. He’s back on county duty after snaring his 700th Test victim.
Fortunately for Sri Lanka fans Murali saga will not end soon. He is set to overtake Shane Warne’s world record of 708 wickets. The mercurial spinner has already set his eyes on 1000 wickets. “I think I can achieve a little bit more than the world record.
I hope to play until the next World Cup in 2011 and the challenge is, before I retire I am thinking of taking 1000 Test wickets,” he told the reporters. It’s a long way to go and Murali has immediate goals as well. “I want to go to Australia (in November) and try and win the series because we have never won one there.
Also, I have not taken five wickets in an innings in Australia. They are the No. 1 team in the world but we can also be better than them if we play to our strengths,” he further said.
Those words epitomise his large heart for the country. Personal milestones and records are there but the country’s name and glory are what should come before everything. That’s why he’s ‘our Murali.’ The champion of the majority Sinhalese, minority Tamils, Muslims, Burghers or whoever.
Muralitharan, who began his cricket career as a medium paceman and later tried his hand at off spin on the instructions of his school coach Sunil Fernando, is on the verge of becoming Test cricket’s most successful bowler. Records are there to be broken. Why not? Murali is also slowly approaching Wasim Akram’s ODI wicket record of 502. He has now 432.
Australia has always been a challenge for the champion spinner. His first Test was against them in 1993. His first scalp was their lower order bat Greg McDermott. In the second essay of that Test played at R. Premadasa Stadium he accounted for their opener Tom Moody.

Doubts

Murali’s action has always been a puzzle for all comers. Once the Australian captain Allan Border thought he was a leg spinner. Former Test cricketers Bishen Singh Bedi (India), Michael Holding (West Indies) and Dean Jones (Australia) have time and again criticised his bowling action. And it was in Australia that the worst thing happened. He was called for throwing in Australia in 1995-96, first in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne by Darrel Hair and later in the one-day series that followed. He was cleared by the ICC after biomechanical analysis at the University of Western Australia and at the University of Hong Kong in 1996. They concluded that his action created the ‘optical illusion of throwing’.
Murali never stopped learning. He added a fast top-spinner to his armoury and later developed a deadly doosra, off-spinner’s version of googly. That instantly attracted criticism. When he used his latest weapon against the Aussies in a home Test with good results it was too much for the English match referee Chris Broad. Fresh doubts rose over his bowling action. Murali underwent a number of medical tests in Australia, England and Hong Kong to ‘prove his innocence.’ He once boycotted a series in Australia as he had been subjected to verbal abuse there in a previous series. No bowler in Test history has been subjected to such physical and mental agonies because of his bowling action. Murali’s doosra divided the cricket world. Following tests on bowlers’ flexion levels it was revealed that almost all present and past cricketers operated above the allowed limit.
Murali has had his fair share of accolades as well. He was once declared Wisden’s best player and former Australian captain Steve Waugh said he was the ‘Don Bradman of bowling.’
Murali’s humanitarian efforts for the UN and in the wake of the tsunami, along with Warne, brought him closer to the hearts of millions of fans. North Indian Madhimalar came into Murali’s life and so did a son later.
With all the accolades, successes, records and many more, Murali still remains a down to earth cricketer. He is still the son of that Kandy confectioner. He may have inherited that sweet smile from his family who make sweets for their living. Come November, the ‘smiling assassin’ Murali will bring tears of joy to many more local fans.


DON’T TAUNT MURALI
- Symonds

SYDNEY, (AFP) Andrew Symonds on Saturday urged Australian cricket fans not to taunt Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan if he passes Shane Warne’s Test wicket world record while touring Down Under this year.
Australian crowds have regularly abused “Murali” since he was twice called for throwing, with even Prime Minister John Howard labelling him a chucker.

There are fears the harrassment, which led to the spinner boycotting a tour Down Under in 2004, will intensify if he eclipses Shane Warne’s 708 Test wicket haul on Australian soil later this year.
Australian all-rounder Symonds, Muralitharan’s former teammate at English county side Lancashire, said he would be embarassed if the Australian crowds failed to acknowledge his achievement.
“I just hope the beer drinkers in the sun don’t give him a hard time and late one afternoon if he breaks the record they start on him,” Symonds told Australian Associated Press.

“I hope that doesn’t happen, I hope people can stand up and actually applaud him for what he is -- a legend.”
Muralitharan has 700 Test wickets and is likely to overtake Warne’s 708 in one of the two Tests between Sri Lanka and home side Australia in November.

Symonds said if Murali snared the record, he did not want the Australian crowd to sour the moment.
“Definitely it would be embarrassing for us as a team if they didn’t (applaud him),” Symonds told AAP.
“We respect him for his skills and for what he has done and I think it would be rude, straight out rude, if they didn’t sort of respect him and give him the pat on the back he deserves.”
Controversy over the bowler’s action exploded publicly on Boxing Day 1995 when Australian umpire Darrell Hair called Murali seven times for throwing, creating a furore.

He was subsequently called during a one-day series in Australia, which almost prompted Sri Lanka to walk off midway through a one-day match in Adelaide four years later.
Murali refused to tour Australia in 2004 because of his treatment by Australians, including Prime Minister and cricket fan John Howard.

Largely on the back of controversy surrounding Murali, the International Cricket Council set up a detailed study of bowling actions with the latest scientific equipment, and found that just about every bowler threw the ball to some extent.
It was only when a bowler’s arm flexed to 15 degrees that it became detectable to the naked eye so the ICC set 15 degrees as the limit for a bowler’s elbow movement.

Any bowler now reported by umpires for having a suspect action must be scientifically tested. If found to be outside the 15-degree parameter the bowler is banned and must have remedial work with experts before being allowed to play again.

****

Davis Cup tennis

Sri Lanka in ‘must win’ situation

By Sammidha Kalmith Rathnayake
Sri Lanka are in a ‘must win’ situation in their final first round match against Lebanon if they are to proceed to the next round of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Zone III tennis tournament continued at the SLTA courts yesterday.
At the same time Sri Lanka must also hope that UAE beats Oman in their match also scheduled for today.
If Lebanon goes on to win the match, ‘B’ group will have a three-way contest which will be decided on their previous meetings in the tournament.
Yesterday morning Sri Lanka managed to beat UAE by 2/1 and one can say that they are gradually coming out of the bad patch which saw them lose to Oman in their opening game.
Renouk Wijemanne again failed to make an impression as he went down to Hamed Abbas Al Janahi by 6/2, 6/1 in the first singles. The match between Omar Bahrouzyan and star player Harshana Godamanna was a peice of cake for the locals as he recorded a convincing 6/2, 6/0 win. In the doubles Godamanna partnered by Rajeev Rajapakse made short work of Mahmoud-Nader Al Baloushi and Omar Bahrouzyan to win 6/3, 6/1.
The other matches of the day saw Lebanon beat Oman 2-1 and Singapore beat Vietnam by the same margin. Saudi Arabia and Malaysia were tied at 1/1 with the doubles to decide the tie. Today will be the final day of the tournament.

****

Sri Lankan A team toils at Sussex

Sri Lankan A team toils at Sussex
Tour match, Hove, day one of three (close): Sussex 78-1 v Sri Lanka A 225
Scorecard
James Kirtley took 4-44 as Sussex dismissed Sri Lanka A for just 225 on day one at Hove.

Wicket keeper Kaushal Silva, 21, top scored with an unbeaten 49, while Malinda Warnapura weighed in with 44 after the tourists opted to bat.

When Sussex replied they did not hang around, with Richard Montgomerie and Carl Hopkinson both tucking in.

Akalanka Ganegama bowled Hopkinson for 21 but Sussex were well-placed at 78-1 at the close, a deficit of 147.

Sri Lanka Vs Bangladesh 1st ODI - Fernando spell floors Bangladesh

Fernando spell floors Bangladesh
First one-day international, Colombo: Sri Lanka 234-6 (50 overs) bt Bangladesh 164 (40.3 overs) by 70 runs
Scorecard
Dilhara Fernando celebrates one of his four wickets in Colombo


Fernando wreaked havoc to leave Bangladesh reeling on 56-5
Dilhara Fernando put in a superb spell of bowling as Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 70 runs in the first one-dayer.

The hosts were struggling in Colombo on 67-3 but managed 234-6 thanks to Upul Tharanga (57) and Chamara Silva (65).

Then Fernando (4-24) ripped through the Tigers' top order after Shahriar Nafees (33) had got them off to a solid start.

Mushfiqur Rahim, Farhad Reza and Abdur Razzak all made 28 but Bangladesh were bowled out for 164 in the 41st over to go 1-0 down in the three-match series.

They next meet in the second one-day international in Colombo on Monday.


606: DEBATE
Can Bangladesh hit back in the second ODI?

Sir Lanka won comfortably enough, but it was a far from straightforward start as Sanath Jayasuriya (21, Kumar Sangakkara (16) and Mahela Jayawardene (2) all fell cheaply.

But solid strokes from Silva and Tharanga, claiming their seventh and ninth ODI half-centuries respectively, led Sri Lanka to respectability.

Mashrafe Mortaza and Syed Rasel enjoyed the best of the Bangladesh bowling, but their two wickets apiece could not be matched by their costly team-mates.

Chasing 235 runs to win, Bangladesh got off to a promising start with openers Tamim Iqbal and Nafees striking up a strong partnership.

However, that all fell apart within the space of four overs as they went from 45-0 to 56-5.

Fernando took four of the wickets as Iqbal (11), Nafees (33), Tushar Imran (0), Shakib Al Hasan (0) and Mohammad Ashraful (4) all fell within quick succession before Sri Lanka wrapped up the win.

Murali captures 700th Test wicket - 'Hungry' Murali may extend career

'Hungry' Murali may extend career
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muralitharan is closing in on Shane Warne's world record
Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan may play on for another four years to achieve 1,000 wickets in Test cricket.

Muralitharan, 35, reached 700 - eight short of Shane Warne's world record - as Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by an innings to seal a 3-0 series triumph.

"It is a big achievement taking 700 wickets but I think I can achieve a little bit more," Muralitharan said.

"The challenge is whether I can take 1,000 before I retire. I'm thinking about playing till the next World Cup."

Two Tests in Australia in November will give him a chance to take over from Warne.

But the off-spinner, who has been targeted by Australian fans in the past over his unorthodox action, is playing down expectations about achieving the feat there.

"The record will come in the near future, but I'm not sure it will happen in Australia because the wickets there usually help fast bowlers," he said.

"I don't know how much I will get to bowl in Australia because our fast bowlers could grab most of the wickets."

Muralitharan has played 113 Tests since making his debut in Australia in 1992 and moved from 600 to 700 Test wickets in just 12 matches.

"So many years at the top takes a lot out of you but I am still hungry for wickets and that is what matters," he added.
Is Muralitharan better than Warne?

By K.R. Nayar, Staff Reporter
Published: July 16, 2007, 00:03

Dubai: Muttiah Muralitharan achieved the 700-wicket milestone recently and is just eight wickets short of Shane Warne's world record tally of 708 from 145 Test matches.

The highlight of this achievement is also the fact that Muralitharan has played in only 113 Test matches.

Does that make him the world's greatest and most effective spinner? Is he even better than Warne?

I have been fortunate to watch both these great bowlers closely, especially at net practice. Warne turns the ball away from the stumps yet he forces the batsman to commit mistakes. Variety is his forte and he keeps the batsman guessing all the time.

On the other hand, Muralitharan bowls on to the stumps, which strengthens his chances of getting wickets more than Warne. He is also unplayable, especially on turning surfaces.

For Warne, the state of the wicket did not matter at all. He could trap batsmen with his loop and googlies even on brilliant batting tracks.

What has impressed me most about Warne is his thinking ability and I believe that it is his intelligence that has got him most of his wickets.

Once while talking about Warne, Sri Lankan star batsman Kumar Sangakkara had said: "Warne is one of the shrewdest bowlers I have ever faced. He toys with your mind ... to the extent that he will even let you know how he is planning to get you out. He can literally bluff you out."

Vicious turns

Muralitharan is able to generate those vicious turns, but what makes him special are those deliveries that go straight and his doosra that spins in the opposite direction.

Controversy over his bowling action did mar his reputation. His action does not look as clean as Warne's, yet he deserves all the credit for his wickets.

Before Muralitharan, cricket did have terrific off-spinners, but no one transformed off-spin into such an effective weapon.

Warne retired at the age of 37 and Muralitharan at 35 looks fit to play for 2 more years. It should be no surprise if Muralitharan goes on to become the first bowler ever to take 1,000 wickets, but the fact remains that both these spinners will glitter forever in the history of the game.

Murali captures 700th Test wicket
Third Test, Kandy, day four: Sri Lanka 500-4 bt Bangladesh 131 & 176 by an innings and 193 runs
Scorecard

Muttiah Muralitharan celebrates his 700th Test wicket
Murali is the second most prolific bowler ever in Test cricket

Muttiah Muralitharan claimed his 700th Test wicket as Sri Lanka completed an innings and 193-run win over Bangladesh to seal a 3-0 Test series triumph.

The off-spinner (6-54) reached the mark with the final wicket, which took him to within eight victims of retired Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne.

Sri Lanka declared on their overnight 500-4 and the Tigers made a good start to reach lunch at 106-2 on day four.

But Muralitharan ran through them as they went from 123-2 to 176 all out.

The 35-year-old was mobbed by his team-mates and cheered wildly by the crowd in his home town Kandy after finishing with match figures of 12-82 to close in on his great friend and rival Warne.

Bangladesh, who were outclassed in the previous two games and on the first three days here, began the fourth morning hoping to regain some pride.

And Shahriar Nafees (64) got them off to a decent start by putting on 47 with Javed Omar (22) before the latter fended a short Lasith Malinga delivery to first slip.


606: DEBATE
Murali is a great bowler, but Shane Warne will always be better

SG

Habibul Bashar's miserable run of form continued when he attempted a wild slog at Muralitharan and was comprehensively bowled for 15, making it a total of 66 runs in the series for the former skipper.

Muralitharan sparked the afternoon collapse when quicker deliveries saw Nafees edge to first slip and skipper Mohammad Ashraful trapped lbw.

Mushfiqur Rahim drove Sujeewa de Silva to point and Rajin Saleh was snapped up at second slip off the same bowler, while Tushar Imran flicked Malinga straight to mid-wicket.

The rest crumbled to Sri Lanka's finest ever bowler, with Mashrafe Mortaza holing out to long-on, Shahadat Hossain bowled trying to slog-sweep and Syed Rasel spooning a catch to mid-off.

Muralitharan needed only 12 Tests to move from 600 to 700 and could well break Warne's record in November when, ironically, Sri Lanka visit Australia for two Tests.

Sri Lanka announce provisional Twenty20 squad

Sri Lanka announce provisional Twenty20 squad

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

July 9, 2007

Sri Lanka announced a 30-man provisional squad for the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa in September this year. Marvan Atapattu, the former captain, was not picked and continues to be out of favour with the national cricket selectors in shorter formats of the game

Atapattu, who pulled out of the ongoing Test series againt Bangladesh citing personal reasons, is currently playing league cricket in England for Lashings CC.

Also overlooked was Kaushalya Weeraratne, who currently holds the world record for the fastest fifty - scored off 12 balls - in a domestic Twenty20 club match. He went onto make 66 off 18 balls and has been a specialist allrounder in this format of the game.

Provisional Sri Lanka squad: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Dilruwan Perera, Upul Tharanga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Avishka Gunawardene, Mahela Udawatta, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Kapugedera, Michael Vandort, Jehan Mubarak, Thilina Kandamby, Chamara Silva, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Ranga Dias, Dilhara Fernando, Ishara Amarasinghe, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekera, Nuwan Zoysa, Akalanka Ganegama, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Muttiah Muralitharan, Hasantha Fernando, Malinga Bandara, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Gayan Wijekoon, Upul Chandana, Dammika Prasad

Tennis _ Federer wins 5th straight Wimbledon title

Federer wins 5th straight Wimbledon title
By CHRIS LEHOURITES, AP Sports Writer
July 8, 2007


Switzerland's Roger Federer, left, and Rafael Nadal cast giant shadows as they leave the court, after Federer defeated Nadal to win his fifth consecutive Men's Singles Championship on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, Sunday July 8, 2007.
AP - Jul 8, 1:56 pm EDT
More Photos

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Roger Federer hit an overhead smash to capture his fifth straight Wimbledon title. He then collapsed to his knees in jubilation and relief -- just as Bjorn Borg used to do.

Federer played -- and won -- his first five-setter in a Grand Slam final, beating nemesis Rafael Nadal 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2 Sunday for his 11th major title.

Federer is the first man to win five straight titles at the All England Club since Borg did it from 1976-80. The Swede watched the match from the Royal Box with other past champions, and applauded as Federer fell to the ground after his smash on match point.

After Federer left the court, he and Borg exchanged hugs and smiles in front of the board that lists tournament champions. Federer's name had already been added to the list for 2007.

"Thank you for coming out," Federer told Borg.

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"Not at all. Sure," Borg answered.

Federer stretched his record grass-court winning streak to 53 and his Wimbledon winning streak to 34. He is tied for third on the career list with Borg and Rod Laver at 11 major titles, trailing Pete Sampras' 14 and Roy Emerson's 12.

"Each one is special, no doubt," Federer said. "To hold the trophy is always the best thing."

Federer beat Nadal for only the fifth time in 13 meetings. The Spaniard has defeated Federer in the past two French Open finals to spoil his bid to complete a career Grand Slam.

"Five titles in a row, so, fantastic," said Nadal, who also lost to Federer in last year's final. "Well, anyway, I lose today, but I (played a) great two weeks."

Federer saved four break points early in the fifth set, two at 1-1 and two at 2-2. Then, leading 3-2, Federer converted a break point with a forehand winner after a 14-stroke rally that produced some of the best shots of the match.

It was Federer's first break since the second game of the match.

"If Rafael had won one of these, I think maybe now Rafael would be the champion," said Nadal's coach, Toni Nadal.

Nadal had been trying to emulate another of Borg's feats by winning the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year.

Switzerland's Roger Federer, left, holds the trophy and Rafael Nadal the runners up plate, after Federer won his fifth consecutive Men's Singles Championship on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, Sunday July 8, 2007.
AP - Jul 8, 1:48 pm EDT
More Photos
Nadal, who played two other five-set matches in a tournament plagued by rain, was on the court for the seventh straight day.

After taking a 4-1 lead in the fourth set, the Spaniard called for a trainer to treat his right knee. Although he returned with tape below the knee cap, it didn't seem to slow him.

Federer finished with 24 aces, 65 winners and 34 unforced errors. Nadal had 50 winners and 24 unforced errors.

Nadal also used the "Hawk-Eye" replay technology, which made its debut at Wimbledon this year, to great effect. One time, a call reversal in the fourth set infuriated Federer so much that he complained to the chair umpire after being broken for the fourth time.

"It's killing me today," Federer said after sitting down during the changeover.

In the first set, Federer converted his third break point in the second game, defensively returning a hard serve from Nadal and watching the Spaniard net a forehand.

In the tiebreaker, Federer jumped ahead 5-2 and thought he won the set on his third set point when leading 6-5, but Nadal challenged a call and "Hawk-Eye" showed his shot was in.

Federer wasted another set point at 7-6, but finally won with a backhand volley after Nadal sent a backhand into the net at 7-7.

Nadal broke Federer at 5-4 to win the second set, converting his first set point with a backhand winner. The Spaniard then pulled within two points of doing the same in the third set, coming back from 40-love to deuce. But Federer used a pair of volleys to hold to 5-5.

Nadal was again two points from the set while leading 6-5, but after he put a forehand into the net, Federer served an ace and then finished it off with a service winner. Federer was broken again to open the fourth set, and Nadal added another break to take a 3-0 lead.

"It was such a close match," Federer said. "I told Rafa at the net he deserved it as well. I'm the lucky one today."

Sri Lanka - Bangladesh 2nd Test Match over

Sri Lanka crush brave Bangladesh
Second Test, Colombo: Sri Lanka 451-6d bt Bangladesh 62 & 299 by an innings and 90 runs
Scorecard

Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful in action on day three in Colombo
Captain Ashraful ran out of partners with his score on 129

The highest partnership in Bangladesh's Test history was not enough to save them from defeat by an innings and 90 runs against Sri Lanka in Colombo.

Captain Mohammad Ashraful put on 191 with 18-year-old Mushfiqur Rahim put on 191 before Rahim fell to spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan for 80.

Once Rahim had gone Bangladesh's last four wickets fell quickly and they were all out for 299.

Ashraful ended 129 not out as Sri Lanka took a 2-0 lead in the series.

The match followed a near identical course to the opening Test, which Sri Lanka won by an innings and 234 innings, with Bangladesh dismissed cheaply in their first innings and then making a fight of it in the second.

On this occasion, however, they were unable to extend the game into a fourth day.

"We just have to bat better in the first innings and get a big score," Ashraful said afterwards.

"It was a great partnership with Mushfiqur and we showed that Bangladesh was up for the challenge. But we needed at least two other such big stands to save the game.

"The boys are trying hard to learn the art of playing Test cricket. We won't give up."

Bangladesh made a bad start to the morning session, losing Habibul Bashar for 12 after adding only nine runs to their overnight score of 69-4.

Chaminda Vaas runs out Shahadat Hossain


Chaminda Vaas runs out Shahadat Hossain to end the match

Bashar was bowled by paceman Dilhara Fernando, who has figures of 3-60, but Sri Lanka had to wait another 60 overs for their next success.

Ashraful and Rahim's partnership beat the previous best for Bangladesh, a stand of 187 by Bashar and Shariar Nafees against Australia in 2006.

But they were eventually seperated when Rahim gave a return catch to Murali, his only wicket of Bangladesh's second innings.

Ashraful went to his fourth Test century - and third against Sri Lanka - off 184 balls, a fine, disciplined effort by a 22-year-old in only his second game as skipper.

But Chaminda Vaas had Mohammad Sharif and Mashrafe bin Mortaza lbw with successive deliveries to reduce Bangladesh to 276-8 and the game ended in disarray for the tourists as Mohammad Rafique and last man Shahadat Hossain were run out.

"I can't praise the bowlers enough for toiling hard on a wicket that had nothing for them," Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene commented.

"Vaas is a top performer as is Murali, they are great at creating opportunities. It helps that we also have two bowlers in Malinga and Fernando who bowl consistently at 90 miles an hour."

Jayawardene also praised Kumar Sangakkara's unbeaten double century on the second day which set up their declaration and won him the Man of the Match award.

"Sangakkara really shored up the innings, although I was a bit disappointed that the other batsmen could not go on to get big scores."

Jayawardene praised Ashraful and Rahim for their fighting spirit, but added: "The rest of them should have batted around the captain as well.

"They are a young team and I'm pretty sure they will improve with time."

Bangladesh slump to new Test low - Nadal to kick off packed schedule

Bangladesh slump to new Test low
Second Test, Colombo, day one:
Sri Lanka 154-1 v Bangladesh 62 (close)


Lasith Malinga
Malinga was in explosive form in the face of some poor batting

Bangladesh slumped to their lowest Test total on the first day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.

Eight batsmen fell for single-figure scores before lunch with paceman Lasith Malinga (4-25) and spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (4-14) in stunning form.

In fact, only Rajin Saleh offered any resistance as they fell to 62 all out.

Michael Vandort fell for 14 in reply, but Malinda Warnapura (79no) and Kumar Sangakkara (51no) helped Sri Lanka reach 154-1 when rain ended play early.

It was a terrible start for Bangladesh, who were hoping to put the first Test thrashing, when they lost by an innings and 234 runs, behind them with their team selection.

All-rounder Mohammad Sharif came in for left-arm spinner Abdur Razzaq, while wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim replaced former captain Khaled Mashud and middle-order batsman Mehrab Hossain made his debut at the expense of Shakib Al Hassan.

But all failed to impress with the bat, as a devastating opening spell from Malinga saw him claim the first four wickets and leave the Tigers 22-4.

Dilhara Fernando (2-16) was also unplayable at times, with Saleh's 62-ball knock of 21 the only double-figure score in the innings.

Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain did well to temper the hosts' early run-rate and the former bowled Vandort through the gate to reduce them to 42-1.

But Warnapura, in only his second match, struck nine fours in a 118-ball knock as he and a more pedestrian Sangakkara led Sri Lanka safely to a lead of 92 by the close.
Test Match Series: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh
03-07-2007 at Colombo , Day 2 of 5
Close
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to field
Bangladesh 1st Innings
62 all out (25.2 overs)
Sri Lanka 1st Innings
154 for 1 (45.3 overs)

Bangladesh 1st Innings - All out




Runs

Balls

4s

6s
Omar c P Jayawardene b Malinga
8
23 1 0
Nafees lbw b Malinga
0
5 0 0
Saleh c M Jayawardene b Muralitharan
21
62 0 0
Bashar c M Jayawardene b Malinga
5
5 1 0
Ashraful c Warnapura b Malinga
0
3 0 0
Mehrab

b Fernando
6
15 1 0
Rahim c P Jayawardene b Muralitharan
9
10 2 0
Mortaza c M Jayawardene b Fernando
0
2 0 0
Rafique c Vaas b Muralitharan
2
8 0 0
Sharif not out


4
17 0 0
Shahadat

b Muralitharan
1
6 0 0
Extras

4nb 1w 1lb 6

Total

all out 62 (25.2 ovs)

Bowler

O

M

R

W
Vaas 5.0 1 6 0
Malinga 9.0 1 25 4
Fernando 6.0 1 16 2
Muralitharan 5.2 1 14 4

Fall of wicket


3 Nafees
14 Omar
22 Bashar
22 Ashraful
33 Mehrab
45 Rahim
48 Mortaza
51 Rafique
59 Saleh
62 Shahadat

Back to top

Sri Lanka 1st Innings




Runs

Balls

4s

6s
Vandort

b Mortaza
14
51 1 0
Warnapura not out


79
118 9 0
Sangakkara not out


51
110 5 0
Extras

7nb 3lb 10

Total

for 1 154 (45.3 ovs)

Bowler

O

M

R

W
Mortaza 12.0 1 31 1
Shahadat 9.0 1 34 0
Sharif 7.3 1 26 0
Rafique 14.0 1 48 0
Ashraful 3.0 0 12 0

Fall of wicket


41 Vandort

Back to top

Umpires: Asad Rauf, R E Koertzen
Sri Lanka: Vandort, Warnapura, Sangakkara, M Jayawardene, Silva, Dilshan, P Jayawardene, Vaas, Malinga, Muralitharan, Fernando
Bangladesh: Omar, Nafees, Saleh, Bashar, Ashraful, Mehrab, Rahim, Shahadat, Mortaza, Rafique, Sharif



Nadal to kick off packed schedule
By Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Wimbledon

Rafael Nadal
Nadal's third-round match has now been going on for five days
Rafael Nadal will attempt to finally complete his third-round match against Robin Soderling, which started on Saturday, on Court One on Wednesday.

On what should be men's quarter-finals day, play begins at 1200 BST with two men's third-round matches and one women's fourth-round match to finish.

Nadal and Soderling, locked at 4-4 in the final set, are first on Court One.

Andy Roddick will start on Centre Court as he attempts to finish his match against Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Replay: Today at Wimbledon - Day Eight

Roddick, the number three seed, will resume 6-2 6-5 up against the Frenchman.

It is a similar story for fourth seed Novak Djokovic, who will continue the third set of his clash with Nicolas Kiefer in the opening match on Court Two.

Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova also resume their fourth-round encounter having played just three points - they are second on Centre Court.


We have a lot of respect for each other

Henin on Serena

The pair were moved out to Court Three late on Tuesday in an attempt to get their match played but they managed just three points before the final deluge of the day.

And third on Centre Court, top seed Justine Henin is due to play seventh seed Serena Williams in the pick of the women's quarter-finals.

Henin, who beat Serena on her way to the French Open title last month, says the pair's frosty relationship has improved recently.

"I think it's been much better in the last few months," said the Belgian. "The past is the past. We have a lot of respect for each other. No, it's been good in the last few months.

"I wouldn't say we chat a lot. But, no, the atmosphere is pretty good in the locker room, so there is no worry about that."

Meanwhile, men's number one Roger Federer will have his feet up for the fifth day running.

The Swiss beat Marat Safin in his third-round encounter on Friday and refuses to let the weather get him down.

"It's a long break but I just have to make sure I hit the ball a bit and try to keep ticking over," Federer told BBC Sport.

"I refuse to play indoors so I wait for the odd dry spell to practise. It'll be fine.

"You just have to be patient. It's really hard for the players but that's Wimbledon and you have to deal with it."

Awash In Joy Serena Williams - Tenis

Awash In Joy
Serena Williams
Julian Finney/Getty Images
Serena Williams overcame a calf injury to gut out a 6-2, 6-7, 6-2 win.
For a Wimbledon classic, just add water. A hobbled Serena Williams looked finished today, but then a well-timed rain delay turned the tide for the No. 7 seed, who rallied past Daniela Hantuchova.


Serena overcomes injury to advance; Venus survives

ESPN.com news services

Updated: July 2, 2007, 6:21 PM ET



WIMBLEDON, England -- Serena Williams collapsed with a strained calf, screamed in pain and buried her face in the grass behind the baseline, her bid for a third Wimbledon title in jeopardy.

Nearly three hours later, following a timely rain delay, she hobbled gallantly into the quarterfinals by beating Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-2.

When the rain came, Williams was a set up but trailing 4-2 in the second-set tiebreaker. She limped off the court without bothering to fetch her tennis bag.

"I was definitely saved by the rain," Serena would say later. "I couldn't move before the rain. Just everything stopped."

Following a delay of nearly two hours, Williams returned to the court with both legs taped, wearing sweat pants to keep warm in the cool conditions. She lost the first five points but then began to move better and hit more aggressively, while Hantuchova was erratic, perhaps unnerved by the unusual circumstances.

"It's so hard to play against somebody that is struggling, and you kind of feel sorry," Hantuchova said. "I lost it. I had my chances."

Hantuchova shanked several shots down the stretch, including one in the rally where she lost serve to fall behind 4-2. Williams frequently punctuated points by screaming, "Come on!"

"I was going to die trying," Williams said. "I figured my heart wouldn't give out, so I had a good chance of making it."

On the final point, she whacked a confident backhand return that Hantuchova couldn't handle. Williams looked to the still-threatening sky and blew a kiss in gratitude toward the weather.

"I thought about not finishing, but very briefly. I thought I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I hadn't at least tried," the No. 7 Williams said. "I've never dealt with such pain. I can't believe -- I can't believe I won, really.''

She'll play top-ranked Justine Henin in the quarterfinals.

"I've been looking forward to this match since the draw came out," Williams said. "I can only hope and pray that I can make it."

"She got through,'' said her mother and coach, Oracene Price. "Can she go through another one? You don't know what the pain's going to be like next time."

Henin, seeking the only Grand Slam title she has yet to win, beat No. 15-seeded Patty Schnyder 6-2, 6-2.

Williams' sister, Venus, made it to the fourth round despite a performance so filled with errors she drew criticism from her father.

The three-time champion rallied past Akiko Morigami 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 in a match suspended Saturday. And she did it even though she faced 23 break points, double-faulted 14 times and trailed 5-3 in the third set.

Serena Williams' injury, described by the WTA Tour as a spasm-induced left calf strain, struck after Hantuchova hit a forehand winner for a 5-5, 30-15 lead in the second set. Williams grabbed her calf, tapped it three times with her racket head and fell to the grass.

She remained down for seven minutes. While a trainer massaged the calf, Williams grimaced, then screamed in pain.

She kept playing for another 11 minutes, wiping away tears before one point while hitting shots weakly and walking stiffly in pursuit of the ball. But she managed to hold for 6-all, then won the last two points before the delay.

Some Centre Court fans cheered the interruption, pleased to see Williams rewarded for her valiant attempt to keep playing. She said she took advantage of the break to receive treatment with ice and massages, and drank a lot of liquids.

Serena's mother and coach, Oracene Price, said she advised her daughter to stop playing.

Richard Williams, Serena's father, told ESPN during a rain delay that the doctor on the court advised Richard to have Serena withdraw from the tournament, as she could further injure herself by continuing either Monday or the rest of the tournament.

Williams said he told Serena, "Let's go home, baby." Serena's reply, Williams said, is that she intended to continue playing.

The bizarre match even included a bathroom controversy. In the final set Williams requested a break leading 3-2, but chair umpire Kader Nouni told her to wait until Hantuchova served.

"I've been drinking a lot of liquids, so I have to use the bathroom," Williams told Nouni. "I can't go on a changeover? It won't take me long. I have to use the bathroom. I can't use the bathroom?"

Williams never did take a break.

Venus will next go against 2004 champion Maria Sharapova, one of only two players to win Saturday in the rain-plagued tournament. Venus trailed 4-1 in the second set when her match was halted, and when it resumed two days later she struggled from the start, losing the first seven points.

"If Venus moves up to the ball and takes it off the bounce instead of waiting behind the baseline, she'll be the only one here, including Sharapova," said Richard Williams. "She's not going to beat anyone if she's not moving into the ball."

Venus saw her match as a positive.

"When it was time, I did what it took. I definitely would like to do what it takes earlier," she said. "But I think on the other hand, that kind of competition is invaluable in this kind of tournament. So either way it's good for me."

Henin needed only 56 minutes to beat the No. 15-seeded Schnyder. Henin has lost 15 games in four rounds.

"I did my job perfectly until now," she said.

In the completion of third-round matches suspended Saturday, No. 5-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-3; No. 6 Ana Ivanovic defeated Aravane Rezai 6-3, 6-2; No. 11 Nadia Petrova swept Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-3, 7-6 (3); and No. 14 Nicole Vaidisova downed Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-2.

No. 12 Elena Dementieva lost to 16-year-old Tamira Paszek of Austria 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Paszek, the runner-up in juniors at Wimbledon in 2005, was thrilled to pull off an upset in her favorite Grand Slam event.

"The strawberries with cream, playing all in white, the grass courts, covering, uncovering the courts, rain delays, rain delays -- just everything is so special," the teen said.

Rain has caused an interruption on six of the first seven days of the tournament.

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report