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Aug 1, 2001
Cricket |
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Coca-Cola Triangular in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka beat New Zealand easily by 106 runs at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground at Colombo in the seventh match of the Coca Cola triangular series. In a truncated 36-over a side match, which was delayed by more than two hours due to wet ground conditions, Sri Lanka after being sent in made 221-6. They then went on to restrict the Kiwis to 115-9. A quick half-century from out of form Mahela Jayawardene (58 in 46 balls) helped the home team’s cause. Meanwhile, India who plays Sri Lanka today, will have to win both its remaining matches to progress to the final. In the event of India winning this game, the side would still have to beat New Zealand in its last encounter on Thursday, since the Kiwis have a better head-to-head record, having beaten India twice in the tournament. The net run-rate, which would have come into play in the event of a three-way tie, has now been ruled out with the home team (8 points) registering its fourth win in five matches. New Zealand has four points from five games, while India has two from four. However, in case India and Sri Lanka split two points if their match cannot be completed due to rain, the former will need to win only the last match of the league phase. This means the Indians cannot afford to lose any of its two remaining matches. Some of the statistical highlights of yesterday’s match:
Mahela Jayawardene (58, when on 12) became the ninth Sri Lankan and the 95th batsman in history to reach 2,000 runs. Jayawardene at the end of the match has 2,046 runs in 82 matches. Chaminda Vaas (4 not out, when on 2) became the 14th Sri Lankan and the 147th batsman in history to reach 1,000 runs. Vaas at the end of the match has 1,002 runs in 164 matches. With over 200 wickets Vaas becomes the only fourth all-rounder in ODIs after India's Kapil Dev (3,782 runs, 252 wickets in 225 matches), Pakistani Wasim Akram (3,328 runs, 440 wickets in 319 matches) and teammate Sanath Jayasuriya (6797 runs, 202 wickets in 240 matches) to do the rare double of 1,000 runs and 200 wickets. Vaas now has 1,002 runs and 203 wickets in 164 matches. Vaas with three wickets in this match takes his tally of wickets to 203, which places him in the second position among Sri Lankan bowlers after Muthiah Muralitharan's 246 wickets in 172 matches. During this match Vaas went past the tally of 202 wickets by Jayasuriya. New Zealand's 115-9 in the allocated 36 overs was its lowest against Sri Lanka. Its previous lowest was the 116 (all out) in 34 overs at Moratuwa on 31-3-1984. Interestingly, Vaas playing in his 164th match since his debut against India at Rajkot on 15-2-1994 was winning his first ever Man of the Match award of his career. 
West Indies in Zimbabwe Rain after lunch on the last day spoiled chances for both the teams to win the Harare Test match. Needing 348 runs for a win, the West Indies were 98-1 when rain stopped any further play. The visitors thus won the Test series 1-0 by virtue of its innings and 176 runs victory in the first Test at Bulawayo. They thus claimed the newly constituted Clive Lloyd Trophy for winning the series.
West Indies to Kenya After a successful tour of Zimbabwe, where it won the tri-nation one-day tournament beating India in the final and then winning the two match Test series against host Zimbabwe, the West Indies will be making its first official cricket visit to Kenya. During its three-week visit, the team from the Caribbean will play two four-day games and three one-day internationals against the Kenya national team. Incidentally Kenya has not played any international cricket since hosting the ICC Knockout Trophy tournament last October. This tour by the West Indies will be an important one for the Kenyans. A good performance here would mean an early Test status. The team has already been awarded the ODI status in 1997 and have qualified automatically for the next World Cup 2003 which is scheduled in the African continent.
The Ashes Tour Former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson, now in England as a TV commentator with Sky, has predicted a five-nil defeat for England in the ongoing Ashes series. Australia has won the first two Tests easily and the third begins at Nottingham tomorrow.
Miscellaneous
Former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe has been cleared by the New Zealand Cricket Council of any wrong-doing following claims made against him by an Indian bookmaker. An inquiry into the allegations, was conducted by a former High Court judge Sir Ian Barker and lawyer Nick Davidson. The bookie Mukesh Gupta alleged that he paid Crowe $20,000 (£14,000) for information about pitch conditions and team selection. However Crowe had denied the claims, but admitted that he had been approached during the 1992 World Cup in New Zealand by a man he thought was a journalist. He confirmed that he was paid a $3,000 (£2,000) commission for information which he believed was intended for a series of articles, but broke off all contact with the man when he discovered he was a bookmaker. The Sri Lankan Sports Minister Lakshman Kiriella has now requested former Test captain and manager Duleep Mendis to join a new eight-man committee appointed by the minister to oversee the development of club cricket in the island. It seems the minister is dissatisfied with the work done by the ad-hoc cricket board. With former South African captain Kepler Wessels declining the offer to coach the Pakistan national side, the Pakistan Cricket Board has turned to Daryl Foster, the Australian bowling coach. However with Foster also not keen on a full time assignment, the PCB has requested him to conduct a fast bowling camp later this month at Karachi for a short duration of 15 days. Meanwhile the PCB chairman Tauqir Zia has confirmed that the PCB is only interested in a foreign coach until the 2003 World Cup and will not settle for a home coach. He further added that the national team may play without a coach until the best man for the job is found.
SCORES AT A GLANCE
Coca-Cola Triangular in Sri Lanka
ZIMBABWE v WEST INDIES – 5th day Yesterday's News ......................... News Roll archive |
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Sanath Jayasuriya (20, when on 17), became the first Sri Lankan and the tenth batsman to aggregate 1,000 runs against New Zealand in ODIs. He now has 1,003 runs in 30 matches. For the record, Australian Mark Waugh has the maximum runs of 1,340 in 35 matches against New Zealand.
Pakistan selectors have left out all-rounder Wasim Akram, wicket-keeper Moin Khan and leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed from the 27 member squad for a training camp for the Asian Test Championships and then later for the series against New Zealand. With the Pakistan selectors keen to induct fresh blood, these players have been overlooked, which may perhaps spell the end of their international careers. However Wasim Bari, the chief selector, feels that this was just a rebuilding process of a new team for the next World Cup and the discarded players can be considered for a place in the side provided they display good form in the domestic matches.
Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar has signed a contract with the Italian car major Fiat India, to act as their brand ambassador. His association with the company would commence with the launch, later this year, of the premium small car ‘Palio’.