Sri Lanka unhappy with Atapattu

Former Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu could face disciplinary action after pulling out of their forthcoming Test series against Bangladesh.

He informed officials on Sunday that he would not be available for the series because of "personal commitments".

Atapattu is currently in England playing for invitation side Lashings.

"We will have to see whether he has violated his annual contract. If he has, then we will have to take action," said board secretary K Mathivanan.

"This tour was a great opportunity for Marvan to get back in the team and we are disappointed that he has made himself unavailable."

The 36-year-old has played 88 Tests, 18 as captain, but has not appeared in the side for 18 months, primarily because he underwent surgery on his back in 2006.

Despite opting out of the Tests against Bangladesh, the first of which starts on 25 June, Atapattu has made it clear he has not retired and wants to be considered for future series.

The selectors will name a replacement for him in the near future.

But it will definitely not be Sanath Jayasuriya, who will be playing county cricket in England until the start of the one-day series which follows the Tests.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, flew into Sri Lanka on Sunday despite security fears because of activity by the Tamil Tigers, who want an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils in the north and east of the country.

"The Bangladeshi government has accepted our security guarantees making the tour possible," said Sri Lanka sports minister Gamini Lokuge.

The Tigers have carried out two separate air raids in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo since the end of March.

At least nine people died and more than 40 civilians were injured in two subsequent roadside bombs in the city.

The first two Tests will be played in the city, with the third to be staged in Kandy.

Bayliss named new Sri Lanka coach

Australian Trevor Bayliss has been named as the new coach of the Sri Lanka national team.

The 44-year-old will replace compatriot Tom Moody, who resigned following the recent World Cup in the Caribbean.

Bayliss, currently coach of state side New South wales, has agreed a two-year contract and will take over in August.

Trevor Penney and Rumesh Ratnayeke will be in temporary charge of the side for the home series against Bangladesh, which starts later this month.

Penney was Moody's assistant and will join him in Western Australia before the start of their next domestic season.

Bayliss emerged as a candidate for the job a fortnight ago with the full backing of New South Wales chief executive Dave Gilbert.

"We don't want to lose him, but we realise he is very ambitious and in the long term, he wants to coach Australia," he said.

Samantha Algama, media manager for Sri Lanka Cricket, told BBC Sport that Bayliss and Terry Oliver, the coach of another Australian state side, Queensland, were the only two people interviewed for the job.

She said Bayliss had given a very impressive presentation about his plans to a panel of former Sri Lanka players, including Aravinda de Silva, Ranjan Madugalle and Duleep Mendis, which had swung the decision in his favour.

"He has impressed everybody," she added.

He will be the fifth Australian to coach Sri Lanka following Dav Whatmore, Bruce Yardley, John Dyson and Moody and will be in charge for the first time at the inaugural Twenty20 world championship in South Africa in September.

A former batsman for New South Wales, Bayliss never played international cricket and retired after the 1992-93 season with a first-class average of 35.

He then turned to coaching, taking charge of the state team in 2004 and guiding them to victory in the Pura Cup in his first season in charge. The following year they won the one-day ING Cup

Rixon linked with Sri Lanka role

Former New Zealand coach Steve Rixon has joined the race to fill the vacancy with the Sri Lanka national team.

The 53-year-old is to be interviewed for the job next week.

He has been short-listed along with Terry Oliver and Trevor Bayliss, the coaches of Australian state sides Queensland and New South Wales.

Confirming Rixon's inclusion, Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Kangadaran Madivanan said: "We hope to finalise everything before the end of the month."

He added: "We are very hopeful will have the right candidate with the required credentials to take on the job."

Sri Lanka have been looking for a new coach since Tom Moody resigned last month and Rixon, who was also recently linked with Pakistan, has an edge in experience on his rivals.

A former wicket-keeper, he played 13 Tests and six one-day internationals for Australia before turning to coaching with New South Wales in the late 1980s.

He was appointed by New Zealand in 1996 and was in charge for three years before returning home for a second spell with New South Wales.

His most recent coaching appointment was with English county side Surrey and he spent two seasons at The Oval before leaving at the end of the 2005 season.

Sri Lanka have shown a preference for Australian coaches in the past, with Dav Whatmore, Bruce Yardley and John Dyson all doing the job before Moody.

De Silva backs Sri Lanka chances

World Cup winner Aravinda de Silva has tipped Sri Lanka to emulate the success of his 1996 side in the forthcoming tournament in the Caribbean.

"I honestly feel this side have a better chance than we had in 1996.

"The bowling looks good, the batting has depth and the fielding looks sharp. My money is on Sri Lanka," he said.

Sri Lanka begin their campaign with what should be an easy win over Bermuda in Trinidad on 15 February and then take on Bangladesh and India.

The match against India is likely to decide the group winners, with both teams desperate for a victory which will enable them to carry the points forward to the Super 8 phase.

Sri Lanka recently lost a warm-up series in India 2-1, but they were without their two main bowlers, Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas, who were given an extended break.

De Silva expects both to shine in the Caribbean, saying: "Murali is a world-class performer and a lot of people under-rate Vaasy. He's a quiet achiever and played a vital role in the last World Cup."

The middle order batting is De Silva's only serious concern and he has backed the inclusion of former skipper Marvan Atapattu, who can bat anywhere in the top six.

"Marvan's presence should sort things out. He brings experience and should be able to bat according to the situation," he commented.

The win over Australia in the 1996 final was the biggest day in Sri Lankan cricket history and De Silva fancies a repeat of that result if the two sides meet again.

"Australia are an ageing side. There's pressure on most of their players.

"Their bowling is not what it used to be. [Glenn] McGrath can contain but the traditional bounce won't be there [for him] in the Caribbean. Brett Lee provides a bit of variation, but the rest of the bowling looks very average," he said.

Sri Lanka choose veteran Arnold

Arnold has played in 167 one-day matches

Veteran batsman Russel Arnold and fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara have been named in Sri Lanka's 15-man World Cup squad.

Arnold, 33, who has scored 3744 runs in 167 matches, was picked ahead of teenager Chamara Kapugedera.

Kulasekara, a decent batsman and fielder, claimed the final bowling place ahead of Akalanka Ganegama, Nuwan Zoysa and Ruchira Perera.

Leg-spinner Malinga Bandara was selected ahead of the more experienced Upul Chandana as the second spinner.

"We feel this is the right combination for the World Cup," chairman of selectors Asantha de Mel said.

"The team has got a nice blend of youth and experience. We are well prepared and we feel this team can go all the way to win the World Cup.

"The side has got firepower at the top of the order and there's a solid middle order too.

"Add to that we have the kind of bowlers who can contain and bowl sides out.

"The squad has variation and most players are experienced as well."

Kapugedera, Ganegama, Chandana and Perera were named official reserves.

The squad, captained by Mahela Jayawardene, includes eight specialist batsmen and seven bowlers.

Sri Lanka, the 1996 World Cup winners, are in Group B with 1983 champions India, Bangladesh and Bermuda.

The World Cup starts on 13 March in the West Indies.

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Sri Lanka squad: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Marvan Atapattu, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Chamara Silva, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga Bandara

Star bowlers rested by Sri Lanka

Star bowlers Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas have been left out of the Sri Lanka squad for the one-day series in India in February.

The duo, with over 800 ODI wickets between them, are being rested ahead of the World Cup, beginning on 13 March.

Left-arm paceman Nuwan Zoysa, and young seamer Nuwan Kulasekera are added.

Experienced left-handed batsman Russel Arnold also earns a recall, with promising batsman Chamara Kapugedera named as a standby for the tour.

The series begins in Pune, western India on 8 February and there are matches in Rajkot and Goa before the finale in Visakhapatnam on 17 February.

Sri Lanka squad: Mahela Jayawardena (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Marvan Atapattu, Russel Arnold, TM Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Malinga Bandara, Upul Chandana, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Zoysa, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Kulasekera.

Scrapped tournament ‘terror’ insurance claim denied by Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan insurance company has denied a 12 million-dollar claim for a cancelled One Day International (ODI) tournament, scrapped after a blast near the South African team’s hotel, arguing the matches were called off for bad weather, not terrorism.
A tri-nation series involving India, South Africa and the hosts was cancelled in Colombo last August when the Proteas abandoned the tour and flew home after the explosion, which was suspected to have been linked to Tamil Tigers rebels.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) claimed compensation from the Ceylinco Insurance Company on its “sports cancellation and abandonment policy’ worth 11.9 million dollars, signed before the series. But Ceylinco director Jagath Alwis told AFP on Tuesday that the claim was not valid because bad weather had prevented the first two matches from being played before the South Africans flew home, despite the authorities taking out insurance for acts of terrorism.
“By the time the South Africans decided to leave, two of the matches had already been cancelled because of heavy rain so Sri Lanka Cricket has no case,” Alwis said. “There are several lapses on the part of Sri Lanka Cricket. They took a cover for terrorism, not for rain. Initially, the matches were abandoned due to bad weather.”
The South Africans, who had earlier played two Test matches in Colombo, left Sri Lanka after suspected Tamil Tiger rebels set off a claymore mine targeting the vehicle convoy of Pakistan’s Ambassador Bashir Ali Mohamund on August 14.
The envoy escaped unhurt but four of his guards were killed and 10 vehicles were damaged in the blast, which occurred close to the hotel in downtown Colombo where the South Africans were staying.
Sri Lanka Cricket, which had filed a case against the insurance company in the Colombo Commercial High Court last December, had no initial reaction to the announcement.

Jayasuriya becomes the most-capped player

HAMILTON: Sanath Jayasuriya became the most-capped player in the history of limited-overs cricket Tuesday although the fifth one-day match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka was abandoned because of rain.

The 37-year-old Sri Lankan opener was credited with his 375th one-day appearance despite the abandonment, moving clear of India's Sachin Tendulkar with whom he was previously tied.

New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden was also deemed to have officiated in his 100th limited-overs international, becoming the eighth umpire in cricket history to do so.

He joins David Shepherd and Dave Orchard of England, Rudi Koertzen of South Africa, Steve Bucknor of the West Indies, Australians Daryl Harper and Darrell Hair and fellow New Zealander Steve Dunne.

NZ claim dramatic last-ball win

One-day international, Queenstown:
New Zealand 228-9 bt Sri Lanka 224-7 by 1 wicket
[Scorecard]

New Zealand hit a four off the last ball of the innings to secure a desperately close win over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international.

With the scores level, number 11 batsman Michael Mason hit Sanath Jayasuriya for four after having failed to score off the previous five balls.

Sri Lanka reached 224-7, mainly thanks to Kumar Sangakkara's 89.

But the total proved to be just within reach as Mason's heroics took his side to 228-9, levelling the series at 1-1.

Needing just a single to win the match, Mason looked to have missed his chance after failing to make contact with a misdirected waist-high full toss outside off-stump from Jayasuriya.


But the tailender, who had team-mate James Franklin unbeaten on 45 at the non-striker's end, made amends with a lofted drive to long-on at the death.

New Zealand put the visitors in to bat after winning the toss, and made early inroads with the cheap dismissals of Jasyasuiya and Jayawardene.

But Sangakkara's superb 89 - the highest score in a one-dayer at the Queenstown Events Centre - anchored Sri Lanka's innings, and included 10 boundaries.
Sangakkara provided the lion's share of the runs in partnerships with Upul Tharanga, Marvan Atapattu and Chamara Silva before being run out to leave the score at 176-5.

Lower order batsmen Farveez Maharoof (29 not out) and Chaminda Vaas (nine not out) both made quickfire runs to bring Sri Lanka's total up to 224, with Mason taking 2-50 and Mark Gillespie 2-46.

Makeshift opener James Marshall top-scored for New Zealand with a composed 50 from 80 balls, while his fellow opener Brendon McCullum made 32 before falling lbw to Maharoof with the score on 57.

But the innings soon began to wobble, slipping from 89-1 to 141-6 as Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton, Marshall, Craig McMillan and Daniel Vettori all departed.

Marshall's twin brother Hamish helped to steady the ship as he made 29 from 35 balls at number seven, sharing an important partnership of 34 with Franklin.

Franklin made 45 from 46 balls to take New Zealand to the brink of victory before Mason grabbed the winning runs.

The third game of the five-match series gets under way in Christchurch on Tuesday.

I can take 1,000 wickets - Murali

Spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan believes he can take 1,000 Test wickets for Sri Lanka before retiring.

He currently has 674 Test wickets, putting him second behind Shane Warne who has 699 but will quit after the two remaining Ashes Tests.

Muralitharan said: "It's a tough one. I am 34 now and if I go on for another five years without an injury that's possible I guess.

"But it depends on my form, how I feel and a lot of other things. We'll see."

Murali revealed he will cut down on his one-day commitments after the World Cup in 2007.

"The workload is huge and there's no point in playing each and every ODI competition or tournament," he said.

"I'll just cut down on the ODI matches. It's not that I don't like one-day cricket, but it's just too hectic.

"There are a couple of other spinners and the selectors should take a look at them as well.

"I am really impressed with Malinga Bandara, he's done a good job for us.

"Even Rangana Herath was doing well when I was injured and Upul Chandana has come up with some good efforts at 'A' team level."
BBC sports production

Crowe calls for Murali action review

WELLINGTON: Martin Crowe, the former New Zealand captain, has called for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to review Muttiah Muralitharan’s bowling action, specifically the doosra - the delivery that leaves the right-handed batsman.

Crowe suggested that Muralitharan needed to be monitored more often to ensure his arm was not flexing more than permitted.

According to Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan board (SLC) has prepared a full-bodied defence should the ICC hold an inquiry into the matter.

During Sri Lanka’s recent 217-run Test win at Wellington, Crowe, currently a television commentator, claimed Murali’s action deteriorated during a matchwinning spell on day four and needed to be reassessed.

Following the match, Crowe sent an e-mail detailing his concerns to the ICC. It was reported that he planned to include video footage.

“I have no worries over his off-spinner whatsoever,” Crowe told The Dominion Post, a New Zealand daily. “It’s the doosra which he now bowls more and more, often up to 50% in a given spell, which needs further clarification. His doosra was banned two years ago and I believe it needs consistent monitoring.”

Jayawardene came to Muralitharan’s defence. “It’s quite sad it’s gone this far. From a cricket point of view this is something that has to stop,” he said.

“It’s a ridiculous situation. Murali shouldn’t be penalised every time he takes 10 wickets. They (the SLC) will do a presentation to the ICC as well. If he (Crowe) wants to take it higher up ... depending on the outcome we will also react.”

Jayawardene added that Muralitharan would remain impervious to the latest round of criticism: “He’s fine, he has no problems and is just concentrating on cricket”.

John Reid, the former New Zealand captain who stood on the ICC illegal delivery panel that cleared Muralitharan six years ago, disagreed with his compatriot.

“He (Crowe) won’t believe these so-called experts who are the ICC illegal delivery panel. Murali’s also been passed by the biomechanists,” Reid said.

“Everyone thinks he has a bent elbow. He hasn’t, he can’t straighten his elbow. He’s got a double-jointed wrist like you wouldn’t believe.”

Sri Lanka win Wellington Test by 217 runs

Six wickets from Muttiah Muralitharan helped Sri Lanka win the second and final test against New Zealand by 217 runs on Monday to square the series at 1-1.

Muralitharan took 6-87, for match figures of 10-118 and his19th ten-wicket haul in tests, as a valiant effort from New Zealand's tail finally ended when they were dismissed for 286before tea on the fourth day.

The hosts had won the first test by five wickets in Christchurch last week. Resuming on their overnight 75 for two, New Zealand slumped to 163 for seven before the tailed wagged.

Daniel Vettori struck 51 and James Franklin 44 in an eighth-wicket stand of 96 before Vettori became Muralitharan's fifth victim when he was trapped lbw.

The end came soon after as Shane Bond was caught behind off Farveez Maharoof for six and Franklin was last man out, caughtby Chamara Silva on the midwicket boundary off Muralitharan.

Facing an enormous task at the start of play in pursuit of an unlikely victory target of 504, the Kiwis lost the key wicket of skipper Stephen Fleming when he edged to Kumar Sangakkara for 27 off the bowling of Lasith Malinga.

Muralitharan claimed his second wicket of the innings andfirst of the morning when Mathew Sinclair holed out to Mahela Jaywardene for 37 to make it 139 for four.

Murali then trapped Nathan Astle lbw for nine and bowled Brendon McCullum for 17, either side of Chaminda Vaas gaining an lbw verdict against Jacob Oram (4), as the hosts lost three wickets for the addition of seven runs to fall to 163 for seven.

New Zealand had been skittle for just 130 in their first innings in reply to Sri Lanka's 268, while an unbeaten 152 in his second test from Silva formed the backbone of Sri Lanka's second-innings effort of 365.

New Zealand win Christchurch Test by five wickets!

CHRISTCHURCH: New Zealand secured a nervous five-wicket victory in the low-scoring first test match against Sri Lanka in Christchurch on Saturday.

Set a target of just 119 after Sri Lanka were dismissed for170 in their second innings, the hosts lost four wickets for ten runs to be 68 for four before they scrambled home just after tea on day three.

Kumar Sangakkara (100no) struck his 11th test century to give the tourists hope after they resumed on their overnight 125 for eight, but he ran out of partners as Sri Lanka looked to post a tricky target on an inconsistent Jade Stadium track.

New Zealand started their chase promisingly, openers Craig Cumming (43) and Jamie How reaching 58 without loss before a slump of four wickets for ten runs gave Sri Lanka cause for optimism.

How was trapped in front by Muttiah Muralitharan for 11before Cumming was caught behind off Chaminda Vaas with the score on 66. Skipper Stephen Fleming got a three-ball duck when he was caught lbw by Vaas before Muralitharan completed the collapse by having Mathew Sinclair caught by Sangakkara for four to make it 68 for four.

But Nathan Astle (24) calmed matters with a stand of 35 with Jacob Oram (12 not out) before he again fell leg before to Muralitharan.

Brendon McCullum went in for a quick kill as he struck two fours and a six in his breezy 14 to take the Kiwis over the finishing line, hitting the winning runs to the mid wicket boundary.

Earlier, Sri Lanka lost Lasith Malinga for a 28-ball duck and Muralitharan run out for eight while Sangakkara, starting the day on 63, was stranded on 100.

Malinga's vigil was ended when he was caught behind by McCullum to earn James Franklin his second wicket.

The innings ended in controversial manner when Muralitharan was run out by McCullum after completing the single that earned Sangakkara his century. Umpire Brian Jerling deemed the ball to still be alive when the off-spinner went to congratulate his team mate and he was given run out when McCullum broke the stumps to the consternation of the Sri Lankan duo.

The second and final test starts at Wellington's Basin Reserve on Dec 15.