Dambulla loses D/N ODI due to neglect

Dambulla loses D/N ODI due to neglect

The Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium which was to host the first two of the five match ODI series against India next week will host a single match due to the existing technical issues with floodlights, sources close to Sri Lanka Cricket said.
The venue which was built within a record 167 days has largely been overlooked over the years by the cricket administrations and sources said at least 12 lights need to be replaced if Sri Lanka wants to have day-night matches at the picturesque venue.
The venue was built in 2000 to provide Sri Lanka a chance to host one-day matches throughout the year as it is located in the central dry zone.
The Sri Lanka cricket authorities erected permanent floodlights at the venue in 2003 in time for the England tour of Sri Lanka with an estimated cost of US$ 250,000 with a view to increase the value of television rights.
Sources said that if the pervious SLC regimes had paid more attention to the venue, Dambulla would have hosted at least two day night matches during the Indian tour which would have not only given SLC a hefty financial benefit but benefited the people around the area.
“It has been neglected continuously and we are now paying the price for it,” an official who wished to remain anonymous said.
“We need to spend another three to four lakhs to replace those bulbs. If we did that the SLC would get an increased sum for television rights,” he added.
Dambulla, which was due to hold the first two matches of the five-match one-day series, will now host only the opening game on January 28.
The remaining four matches and a Twenty20 international will be played in Colombo during the brief tour, which ends on February 10.
The first and fifth one-dayers will be day games, while the other matches will be played under lights.

The revised schedule:******************************

* January 28 (Wed): First ODI (Dambulla)
*January 31 (Sat): Second ODI (Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, day/ night)
* February 3 (Tue): Third ODI (Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, d/ n).
* February 5 (Thu): Fourth ODI (Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, d/ n)
* February 8 (Sun): Fifth ODI (Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo).
* February 10 (Tue): Twenty20 international (Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, d/n).

Mendis, Kulasekara bowl Lanka to win

Mendis, Kulasekara bowl Lanka to win

Ajantha Mendis became the fastest bowler to complete 50 wickets in one-day internationals as Sri Lanka crushed Zimbabwe by 130 runs in a triangular series match here Monday.

The unorthodox spinner finished with 3-15 off 5.2 disciplined overs as Sri Lanka dismissed Zimbabwe for a paltry 80 after scoring 210-6.

Mendis, playing his 19th one-day international, broke Indian fast bowler Ajit Agarkar’s record of 50 wickets in 23 matches.

Extras were the highest contributor in a dismal Zimbabwean batting performance with 16. Stuart Matsikenyeri (15) was the lone batsman to reach double-figures. It was Zimbabwe’s fourth-lowest total against Sri Lanka in 43 one-day internationals.

Fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara set up the victory when he grabbed three wickets in his lively opening spell to send Zimbabwe reeling at 27-3 before Mendis and off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (2-4) completed the job.

Mendis, who was two wickets short of the record before this game, removed Matsikenyeri and Raymond Price before finishing the match with the dismissal of last-man Tawanda Mupariwa. Man-of-the-match Angelo Mathews earlier cracked an unbeaten 52 for his maiden half-century to help Sri Lanka post a competitive total.

Sri Lanka were struggling at 97-5 following paceman Edward Rainsford’s three-wicket burst, but the young middle-order batsman came to his team’s rescue in only his third one-day international.

Mathews, 21, added 69 for the sixth wicket with Jehan Mubarak (31) and 44 for the unfinished seventh wicket with Thilan Thushara (28 not out) to steady the innings.

Sri Lanka made a brisk start after being put in to bat as veteran Sanath Jayasuriya (22) and Upul Tharanga (42) added 51 in just 8.4 overs, but were pegged back by Rainsford’s triple-strike. Rainsford trapped both Kumar Sangakkara (four) and Chamara Kapugedera (four) leg-before and also had skipper Mahela Jayawardene caught by diving wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu for no score.

It was the Sri Lankan captain’s third successive duck against Zimbabwe, including two in Harare in November 2008.

DHAKA, Monday, AFP

SRI LANKA

U. Tharanga lbw b Utseya   43
S. Jayasuriya c Masakadza b Chigumbura  22
K. Sangakkara lbw b Rainsford    4
M. Jayawardene c Taibu b Rainsford   0
C. Kapugedera lbw b Rainsford    4
J. Mubarak c Williams b Price   31
A. Mathews not out    52
T. Thushara not out    28

EXTRAS (lb6, w20)     26
TOTAL (for six wickets)    210

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-51, 2-73, 3-78, 4-89, 5-97, 6-166.
BOWLING: Rainsford 10-0-41-3 (w4), Mupariwa 8-0-46-0 (w8), Chigumbura 8-0-42-1 (w2),
  Utseya 10-2-28-1, Price 10-3-21-1 (w6), Dabengwa 4-0-26-0.
 
ZIMBABWE

H. Masakadza lbw b Kulasekara     3
V. Sibanda b Kulasekara     7
S. Matsikenyeri b Mendis    15
T. Taibu b Kulasekara      9
S. Williams b Thushara      8
P. Utseya c Jayawardene b Mathews   8
K. Dabengwa c Jayawardene b Muralitharan  6
E. Chigumbura st Sangakkara b Muralitharan  6
R. Price st Sangakkara b Mendis    2
T. Mupariwa c Tharanga b Mendis    0
E. Rainsford not out      0

EXTRAS (b4, lb6, w6)    16
TOTAL (for all out)    80

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-15, 2-16, 3-27, 4-47, 5-53, 6-70, 7-73, 8-78, 9-80.
BOWLING: Kulasekara 7-2-13-3, Thushara 7-1-19-1 (w2), Mathews 6-0-19-1, Mendis 5.2-0-15-3 (w4), Muralitharan 3-1-4-2.

A Thief ! Who robs A Temple ! in Day Light !

I've captured a photo of a thief, who has stolen from the Mudalinda Temple , hittatiya East, Matara, Sri Lanka. all the monks have gone to a arms giving ceremony at sub mayors house of Matara Municipal Council. And nothing anyone in the temple except a small ones who are not monks. When he was a Coconut tree, I saw him. when he climbed down from that tree, he blame me to do something for my life and take care of your self to me. he didn't afraid to do so and I got a photos while he was blaming me. Here it's. robes