Lasith Malinga became the first bowler to take three one-day international hat-tricks as Sri Lanka beat Australia by four wickets in the fifth and final match of their series on Monday.
Mahela Jayawardene and Chamara Silva made half-centuries to lead Sri Lanka to their target of 212 with three overs to spare after pace bowler Malinga wrecked the Australia innings with a devastating burst in his eighth over.
He bowled Mitchell Johnson, trapped John Hastings lbw and bowled Xavier Doherty as the touring side, who won the series 3-2, lost their last five wickets for just one run to be dismissed for 211.
New interim coach for Sri Lanka to replace Stuart Law
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) says it is considering appointing an interim coach to replace Stuart Law until a permanent successor is found.
Secretary Prakash Shaffter told the BBC that, contrary to media reports, the SLC has not short-listed candidates to replace Law.
"I am not aware of three short-listed names," said Shaffter.
He refused to elaborate on the interim replacement - whether it could be a Sri Lankan or a coach from abroad.
"We discussed some options. Obviously to secure a permanent coach will take some time," Shaffter told BBC Sinhala Service after the first meeting of the new interim committee.
"We are looking at a possible interim arrangement before securing the services of a permanent coach."
Law, who temporarily replaced Trevor Bayliss after the World Cup, is to take over as Bangladesh coach after Sri Lanka's current tour in England.
Shaffter, who was appointed by sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage on 1 July, said the new team will first have a look at where the previous administration stood on the issue.
"If we have the right names we will obviously will select someone from amongst those names," said Shaffter.
"Alternatively we'll look at re-addressing the post or sorting it out from the available contacts that we have."
The SLC has also discussed the critical remarks made by former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara in the MCC Spirit of Cricket Lecture, but has delayed the decision on the course of action, if any, until after the current tour.
"The team is in a middle of a tour. We would not want to deliberate the comments made by Sangakkara at this stage," Shaffter said.
But Shaffter ruled out any investigation into the speech that heavily criticised corruption in the cricket administration in Sri Lanka since the island gained Test status.
"[There is] absolutely no question of an investigation, certainly not," he said.
Minister Aluthgamage, who has ordered the board to submit a report on the remarks, earlier told BBC Sinhala that, as a contracted player, Sangakkara should not have made the comments.
Secretary Prakash Shaffter told the BBC that, contrary to media reports, the SLC has not short-listed candidates to replace Law.
"I am not aware of three short-listed names," said Shaffter.
He refused to elaborate on the interim replacement - whether it could be a Sri Lankan or a coach from abroad.
"We discussed some options. Obviously to secure a permanent coach will take some time," Shaffter told BBC Sinhala Service after the first meeting of the new interim committee.
"We are looking at a possible interim arrangement before securing the services of a permanent coach."
Law, who temporarily replaced Trevor Bayliss after the World Cup, is to take over as Bangladesh coach after Sri Lanka's current tour in England.
Shaffter, who was appointed by sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage on 1 July, said the new team will first have a look at where the previous administration stood on the issue.
"If we have the right names we will obviously will select someone from amongst those names," said Shaffter.
"Alternatively we'll look at re-addressing the post or sorting it out from the available contacts that we have."
The SLC has also discussed the critical remarks made by former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara in the MCC Spirit of Cricket Lecture, but has delayed the decision on the course of action, if any, until after the current tour.
"The team is in a middle of a tour. We would not want to deliberate the comments made by Sangakkara at this stage," Shaffter said.
But Shaffter ruled out any investigation into the speech that heavily criticised corruption in the cricket administration in Sri Lanka since the island gained Test status.
"[There is] absolutely no question of an investigation, certainly not," he said.
Minister Aluthgamage, who has ordered the board to submit a report on the remarks, earlier told BBC Sinhala that, as a contracted player, Sangakkara should not have made the comments.
Team have to adjust to Test format - batting coach Marvan Atapattu
Sri Lanka will have to adjust quickly to the Test format as well as different wickets if they are to challenge England in their backyard, batting coach Marvan Atapattu said Tuesday.
"The biggest challenge is to adjust to English conditions," Atapattu said as the bulk of Sri Lankan touring party left for England for a two-month tour.
Senior players Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, as well as a few others, will join the squad later after completing their commitments in the Indian Premier League, a lucrative franchise-owned Twenty20 competition.
The IPL players will hardly get time to acclimatise as they will arrive just ahead of the second and last practice game against England Lions from May 19.
With a new skipper in Tillakaratne Dilshan and an overhauled team management, the task will be cut out for the Sri Lankans against a side whose last Test outing saw them thrash Australia in the Ashes.
Sri Lanka last held a test series at home against the West Indies in November-December 2010 but all the three games were ruined by rain.
"We are playing a Test series after after a gap of a few months. Winning the Test series in England is our aim," Atapattu added.
The Sri Lankans are set to play three Tests, a Twenty20 international and five one-dayers during the England tour, which begins with a three-day practice match against Middlesex at Uxbridge from May 14.
The first Test in Cardiff begins on May 26.
"A (Test) win will make it easier for our preparation work for the one-day and T20 games," said Atapattu, a former Sri Lankan skipper.
The away side are also without retired spin great Muttiah Muralitharan who shaped the team's win in a one-off Test at the Oval in 1998 with a rich haul of 16 wickets.
Sri Lanka are yet to win a Test series in England with their best result so far being a 1-1 draw in 2006.
It was Muralitharan again who starred for Sri Lanka in that series, taking eight wickets in the second innings of the second Test at Trent Bridge to shape a 134-run win for his team.
Atapattu however played down the absence of the spin legend, saying the tour offered a fine opportunity for fringe players like Farveez Maharoof and Kaushal Silva to prove their credentials.
Maharoof, currently playing county cricket for Lancashire, made an impressive start to the season with a hundred on his debut against Somerset at Liverpool.
Silva, 24, is uncapped but has an impressive first-class average of 45 and has been picked up as a back-up for Prasanna Jayawardene.
"The biggest challenge is to adjust to English conditions," Atapattu said as the bulk of Sri Lankan touring party left for England for a two-month tour.
Senior players Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, as well as a few others, will join the squad later after completing their commitments in the Indian Premier League, a lucrative franchise-owned Twenty20 competition.
The IPL players will hardly get time to acclimatise as they will arrive just ahead of the second and last practice game against England Lions from May 19.
With a new skipper in Tillakaratne Dilshan and an overhauled team management, the task will be cut out for the Sri Lankans against a side whose last Test outing saw them thrash Australia in the Ashes.
Sri Lanka last held a test series at home against the West Indies in November-December 2010 but all the three games were ruined by rain.
"We are playing a Test series after after a gap of a few months. Winning the Test series in England is our aim," Atapattu added.
The Sri Lankans are set to play three Tests, a Twenty20 international and five one-dayers during the England tour, which begins with a three-day practice match against Middlesex at Uxbridge from May 14.
The first Test in Cardiff begins on May 26.
"A (Test) win will make it easier for our preparation work for the one-day and T20 games," said Atapattu, a former Sri Lankan skipper.
The away side are also without retired spin great Muttiah Muralitharan who shaped the team's win in a one-off Test at the Oval in 1998 with a rich haul of 16 wickets.
Sri Lanka are yet to win a Test series in England with their best result so far being a 1-1 draw in 2006.
It was Muralitharan again who starred for Sri Lanka in that series, taking eight wickets in the second innings of the second Test at Trent Bridge to shape a 134-run win for his team.
Atapattu however played down the absence of the spin legend, saying the tour offered a fine opportunity for fringe players like Farveez Maharoof and Kaushal Silva to prove their credentials.
Maharoof, currently playing county cricket for Lancashire, made an impressive start to the season with a hundred on his debut against Somerset at Liverpool.
Silva, 24, is uncapped but has an impressive first-class average of 45 and has been picked up as a back-up for Prasanna Jayawardene.
Sri Lanka to hold cricket elections after court orders
ri Lanka Cricket is set for an overhaul after the Supreme Court on Monday ordered that the island’s richest sporting body, which has been run by an interim committee since 2004, should be elected.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court asked the sports ministry to hold elections and make the appointments by July 6, a court official said.
The sports minister had been using his powers till now to appoint officials to the interim committee.
The court order came after the local United Southern Sports Club filed a fundamental rights petition on behalf of clubs who have not been able to elect officials to the board.
A lack of elected office bearers has often been blamed for problems plaguing the sport in the country.
Australia’s Trevor Bayliss, who recently quit as Sri Lanka coach after a four-year stint with the team, had underlined the need for a strong and stable cricket administration.
“Good teams like Australia usually have got strong or good management backing the team up. That’s an area we can improve here,” he said in his parting comments.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court asked the sports ministry to hold elections and make the appointments by July 6, a court official said.
The sports minister had been using his powers till now to appoint officials to the interim committee.
The court order came after the local United Southern Sports Club filed a fundamental rights petition on behalf of clubs who have not been able to elect officials to the board.
A lack of elected office bearers has often been blamed for problems plaguing the sport in the country.
Australia’s Trevor Bayliss, who recently quit as Sri Lanka coach after a four-year stint with the team, had underlined the need for a strong and stable cricket administration.
“Good teams like Australia usually have got strong or good management backing the team up. That’s an area we can improve here,” he said in his parting comments.
Come with proof for match-fixing in Sri Lankan cricket -Muralitharan and Jayawardene
Hashan Tillakaratne said match-fixing in Sri Lankan cricket has existed since 1992, Muralitharan and Jayawardene were quick to say that the claims should be backed by proof.
Tillakaratne, who played 83 Tests and 200 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in a career spanning 18 years, claimed that his teammates have been involved in match-fixing for almost two decades. The comments from the former batsman drew mixed reactions, with many of his teammates including Muttiah Muralitharan and Mahela Jayawardene, besides Sri Lanka Cricket, questioning them and asking him to provide proof.
Tillakaratne, who played 83 Tests and 200 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in a career spanning 18 years, claimed that his teammates have been involved in match-fixing for almost two decades. The comments from the former batsman drew mixed reactions, with many of his teammates including Muttiah Muralitharan and Mahela Jayawardene, besides Sri Lanka Cricket, questioning them and asking him to provide proof.
Muttiah Muralitharan
“I don’t know why he said this. If somebody is making such claims, he should first give enough proof to support them, otherwise someone can sue him.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2011.
SLPL teams and Logos
Sri Lanka Premier League(SLPL) Team Names and Logo's
These logos and SLPL team names are not confirmed names. Official SLPL team names and logos will be announce at a media brief in next couple of weeks.
Sri Lanka Premier League Team Logo's,Sri Lanka Premier League Teams,slpl team names,slpl team logos,slpl logos, Sri lankan Premier league team names
Logo's
These logos and SLPL team names are not confirmed names. Official SLPL team names and logos will be announce at a media brief in next couple of weeks.
Sri Lanka Premier League Team Logo's,Sri Lanka Premier League Teams,slpl team names,slpl team logos,slpl logos, Sri lankan Premier league team names
Sri Lanka Cricket Twenty20 league in July and August 2011
Sri Lanka Cricket is organising a Twenty20 league in July and August 2011 featuring their top players as well as internationals from India, Australia, Pakistan, West Indies and South Africa. The tournament, which will have five regional teams led by senior Sri Lankan cricketers, is the latest in a series of Twenty20 leagues, with some degree of international participation, that have been created over the past few years.
The league will be run by the Singapore-based Somerset Entertainment, which won the organisational rights and is now looking at securing a TV deal. It is understood to have approached around 35 international players including Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Yusuf Pathan and Shahid Afridi, and most of Sri Lanka's leading cricketers.
Salaries in the league will be on the lower side; one estimate suggested three salary slabs with the highest at $30,000, which is what a mid-level player would get for each game of the IPL.
The BCCI is understood to have given the league its blessing and the tournament's timing - it will coincide with India's Test series in England - will suit India's limited-overs specialists. An Indian player, who was one of the first to be approached by the organisers, said he was made to understand that the tournament was being held with the approval of the Indian board.
"I was made an offer during last season of Ranji Trophy," the player told ESPNcricinfo. "I did not agree at the time but they [the organisers] said it is not as popular a league as the IPL so money won't be that big. We left it by saying we can talk more as the time goes. Perhaps a new offer could come after the IPL."
While the league will be a lower-profile event compared to other Twenty20 tournaments, it is likely to benefit from the fact that many players will be free from international commitments at that time. It is also likely to draw in several players who are no longer active in international cricket. Shoaib Akhtar is one player who is understood to be a certainty for the tournament and Herschelle Gibbs is also believed to have been approached.
The league will also be a boon for players from Pakistan, who currently are not part of the IPL and whose international exposure has been limited because of security issues.
world cup 2011
Australia 260-6 (50) | D Hussey 38(26) M Johnson 6(6)
Patnership: 15 run(s) in 9 ball(s) | This Over: 4 wd,1,2,0,2,1,2 Other innings: India 
Extras: 11 b:0 lb:2 nb:0 w:9 Total: 260-6 (50) | Curr. RR: 5.20 FOW:S Watson (40-1, 10), B Haddin (110-2, 22.5), M Clarke (140-3, 30.4), M Hussey (150-4, 33.3), C White (190-5, 41.2), *R Ponting (245-6, 48.3)
India team: R Ashwin, Zaheer, Harbhajan, M Patel, Yuvraj, S Tendulkar, V Kohli, V Sehwag, G Gambhir, S Raina, *MS Dhoni Powerplay: 1: 1-10 ovs, 2: 11-15 ovs, 3: 44-48 ovs
India 261-5 (47.4) | Yuvraj 57(65) S Raina 34(28) Patnership: 74 run(s) in 61 ball(s) | This Over: 0,0,0,4, Other innings: Australia 260-6 (50)
Extras: 21 b:0 lb:3 nb:2 w:16 Total: 261-5 (47.4) | Curr. RR: 5.48 FOW:V Sehwag (44-1, 8.1), S Tendulkar (94-2, 18.1), V Kohli (143-3, 28.3), G Gambhir (168-4, 33.2), *MS Dhoni (187-5, 37.3)
Australia team: B Lee, S Tait, M Johnson, S Watson, J Krejza, M Clarke, D Hussey, C White, M Hussey, *R Ponting, B Haddin Powerplay: 1: 1-10 ovs, 2: 11-15 ovs, 3: 46-50 ovs
India 260-9 (50) | S Raina 36(39) M Patel 0(0) Patnership: 2 run(s) in 1 ball(s) | This Over: 0,W,1,1,W,2 Other innings: Pakistan 
Extras: 18 b:0 lb:8 nb:2 w:8 Total: 260-9 (50) | Curr. RR: 5.20 FOW:V Sehwag (48-1, 5.5), G Gambhir (116-2, 18.5), V Kohli (141-3, 25.2), Yuvraj (141-4, 25.3), S Tendulkar (187-5, 37), *MS Dhoni (205-6, 41.4), Harbhajan (236-7, 46.4), Zaheer (256-8, 49.2), A Nehra (258-9, 49.5)
Pakistan team: U Gul, A Razzaq , W Riaz, S Ajmal, *S Afridi, M Hafeez , A Shafiq, U Akmal, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, K Akmal Powerplay: 1: 1-10 ovs, 2: 11-15 ovs, 3: 45-49 ovs
Pakistan 231-10 (49.5) | S Ajmal 1(5) This Over: 0,0,0,0,W, Other innings: India: 260-9 (50) 
Extras: 8 b:0 lb:0 nb:0 w:8 Total: 231-10 (49.5) | Curr. RR: 4.64 FOW:K Akmal (44-1, 9), M Hafeez (70-2, 15.3), A Shafiq (103-3, 23.5), Younis Khan (106-4, 25.4), U Akmal (142-5, 33.1), A Razzaq (150-6, 36.2), *S Afridi (184-7, 41.5), W Riaz (199-8, 44.5), U Gul (208-9, 46.1), Misbah-ul-Haq (231-10, 49.5)
India team: Zaheer, A Nehra, M Patel, Harbhajan, Yuvraj, S Raina, S Tendulkar, V Sehwag, V Kohli, G Gambhir, *MS Dhoni Powerplay: 1: 1-10 ovs, 2: 11-15 ovs, 3: 46-50 ovs
Sri Lanka 274-6 (50) | M Jayawardene 103(88) T Perera 22(9) Patnership: 26 run(s) in 12 ball(s) | This Over: 1,1,4,4,2,6 Other innings: India 
Extras: 12 b:1 lb:3 nb:2 w:6 Total: 274-6 (50) | Curr. RR: 5.48 FOW:U Tharanga (17-1, 6.1), T Dilshan (60-2, 16.3), *K Sangakkara (122-3, 27.5), T Samaraweera (179-4, 38.1), C Kapugedera (182-5, 39.5), N Kulasekara (248-6, 48)
India team: Zaheer khan, S Sreesanth, M Patel, Harbhajan, Yuvraj, S Tendulkar, V Kohli, V Sehwag, S Raina, G Gambhir, *MS Dhoni Powerplay: 1: 1-10 ovs, 2: 11-15 ovs, 3: 46-50 ovs
India 277-4 (48.2) | *MS Dhoni 91(79) Yuvraj 21(24) Patnership: 54 run(s) in 42 ball(s) | This Over: 1,6, Other innings: Sri Lanka: 274-6 (50) 
Extras: 15 b:1 lb:6 nb:0 w:8 Total: 277-4 (48.2) | Curr. RR: 5.73 FOW:V Sehwag (0-1, 0.2), S Tendulkar (31-2, 6.1), V Kohli (114-3, 21.4), G Gambhir (223-4, 41.2)
Sri Lanka team: L Malinga , N Kulasekara , T Perera, S Randiv, T Dilshan , M Muralitharan , C Kapugedera , T Samaraweera, U Tharanga , M Jayawardene, *K Sangakkara
Powerplay: 1: 1-10 ovs, 2: 11-15 ovs, 3: 46-50 ovs
|
ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
The ICC has confirmed that the next two World Cups will be 10-team events. The 2015 edition of the premier 50-over tournament will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, and the 2019 World Cup will be played in England. Haroon Lorgat, the ICC's chief-executive, hinted that the 1992 format could be brought back, wherein all teams play each other in a round-robin league, and the top four make it to the semi-finals.
Twelve teams may contest the 2015 World Cup as the ICC is considering a compromise between the 14 teams of 2011 and a tight 10-team model currently on the table for the tournament's next edition.
The ICC's executive council is meeting in Mumbai on Monday and on the agenda is the format for the next World Cup, to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, following the rousing success of this year's edition, which was won by India.
Following much discussion of the 10-team tournament favoured by organisers, and an outcry by Associate nations given their likely exclusion, the ICC may now be leaning towards a 12-team event, possibly with two pools of six teams followed by quarter-finals, semis and the final.
"At the moment it is still 10 teams but we are discussing the 12-team option," an ICC official told ESPNcricinfo.
The same format was used in the 1996 tournament, co-hosted by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and won by the Sri Lankans. Another path is to choose a round-robin model where each team plays each other once before the semi-finals, as was the case when Australia and New Zealand hosted in 1992.
Prior to his team's departure for Bangladesh, new Australian captain Michael Clarke reiterated the desire of most international players to see Associate nations given their chance on the limited-overs game's biggest stage.
"I really enjoy seeing the minnow teams getting an opportunity to be honest, I guess it's up to the ICC to work out whatever they think is for the betterment of the game, that's obviously their priority," Clarke said in Sydney.
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