Flop raises more questions, fewer answers

ANYWAY you look at it, Sri Lanka's  tri-nation campaign has been a colossal failure. That judgement might sound harshly unpatriotic, but, on the hard evidence of just one win out of eight, the conclusion cannot have been different. For a team that only a year ago finished second in the World Cup, the performance of Jayewardene's men is disappointing, as it is embarrassing.

Given Sri Lanka's pathetic record in the CB series, it is a paradox that  elimination's confirmation came as late as in the seventh of their eight matches. That we were in the race for the best-of-three final until the penultimate game, frankly, is an exaggeration of the truth. The quality of the challenge we offered was plainly too inferior to sustain our chances that long.

And the lie about our challenge was foisted by 1) a solitary win over India in a game that wasn't a 50-over encounter anyway, and 2) a match that was, mercifully, abandoned by rain before we could start our reply to India's 267, a task beyond given the fact that our batsmen managed only once to surpass 200. Without these providential helpings, Sri Lanka might've had to endure the embarrassment of having to turn up for more than just one inconsequential match.

Admittedly, there's no great shame in conceding defeat to the world's two best one-day sides, whatever the ratings might say. Some will contest placing India among the top two, pointing to their abysmal first-round elimination from last year's World Cup. But here they've matched the World champions so well in all aspects that it is fair to say that their chances of clinching the  championship is just as good as the home team's.   

Two seasons ago, Sri Lanka was in much the same position as India is in now, having qualified for the 2006 tri-nation final at the expense of South Africa. That outstanding performance - defeating Australia and South Africa twice each - clearly had a knock-on effect, culminating with a place in the final of the 2007 World Cup. There was reason to believe that Jayewardene's team might better the achievement of 2006, under Atapattu's leadership. As things turned out though, that expectation was as far from reality as Timbuktu is from Colombo.

So, whatever became of Sri Lanka of the 2006 tri-nation and the 2007 World Cup? "Our standards have dropped," confessed skipper Jayewardene. His honesty is admirable, but he was saying the obvious, really - the opinion of any man on the street. In mitigation, though, he defends his players ("The players we've brought here are good players - and good players will come out of it") - the "it" being a bad patch, an inevitability that even champions have to endure sometime.  

Sri Lanka's bad patch, however, has been far too prolonged to suggest that it's but a brief aberration, a common cold that would cure itself. Symptoms that it was far more serious, however, appeared no sooner the World Cup ended. But the defeat at the hands of a repairing Pakistani outfit in Abu Dhabi was diagnosed as a consequent of the draining effects of the gruelling two-month WC campaign, which ended some three weeks before the visit to the desert venue. As well, the absence of  a few stars, Sangakkara and Muralidaran included, was advanced in mitigation of the series loss.

All that, however, was self-consoling delusions, as England showed last September, in the five-match ODI series. Better English teams haven't managed to beard Sri Lanka in their own den - never since we were accorded Test status in 1982. A record of a quarter century, however, was surrendered to England, to a team in the remaking at that.

The collapse in Australia, so, isn't surprising, though the catastrophic scale of the decline is. It takes more than a "bad patch" and "dropped standards" for a World Cup No.2 team to become no more than warm-up opposition to the two rivals in the competition.

That the inconsistency of our specialist batsmen, bar Sangakkara, contributed to the string of defeats is a reason even grandmother knows. Let the contributions of each, as at the point of elimination in match 7, tell the sad tale:

1) Jayasuriya:  7, 27, 12, 0, 0 and 34 = 80 runs (from six innings). 2) Thranga: 10 (1).  3) Dilruwan: 1, 8. = 9 (2).  4) Sangakkara: 42, 10, 80, 128, 22, 33 =  315 (6).  5) Jayewardene: 6, 36, 21, 71, 27, 3 = 164  (6).  6) Dilshan: 14, 62, 11, 4, 9 n.o., 8 =  108 (6).  7) C. Silva: 7, 0, 21, 16 n.o. 0 = 44 (5).  8) Kapugedera: 0, 26, 1, 57 = 84 (4).  TOTAL: 824 from six innings.

The average total would, so, roughly be 134 - which meant our bowlers were consistently asked to defend the indefensible. Not without reason some critics have described our batting as a two-man band, Sangakkara and Jayewardene.  Together they've contributed 479 runs, which meant six of the rest, collectively, had scrounged up only 345. Gambhir of India alone contributed 422 and Dhoni, nearly 300. That just one Indian batsman outscored the collective efforts of six of our specialists and another Indian, just about 50 runs less, provides a vivid study of contrast in the respective strengths.

Technical deficiency among our specialist batsmen can't be a reason for this utter poverty of runs, remembering they outscored the rest of the world bar Australia in the WC. As well,  Down Under provides the world's most batting-friendly pitches. It is, thus, excusable to suspect other reasons for this appaling failure.

It might just be coincidental the failures have come under the stewardship of coach Trevor Bayliss. Equally, it might not. But it does raise the question if the team has embraced the new coach with the same trust they did his predecessor, Tom Moody. For Bayliss to achieve the same understanding Moody had with his charges within a year is a tad unfair. And it has to be remembered that in Moody's first year too things didn't come up all roses; patience has to be exercised with the new coach.

You can't rule out discontent within the team, either. As long as the team rides on a wave of success discontent is left at the gates of the ground. But when fortunes reverse, that unwelcome visitor invades the dressing room. Discontent finds many ways of expressing itself, like the inspired leak to the media that four unnamed seniors had misbehaved on tour. The veracity of that allegation will have to wait till the manager's report is out, but that it has become public already is symptomatic of team in conflict with itself.

Be that as it may, this much is certain: the spirit of the team has never been as low as it was in this series. That they were merely going through the motions was very apparent. This is not to say, the seeming disinterest to get to grips with the oppositions' challenges was intentional. But the grit to battle out of crisis which the team has so brilliantly displayed, from the days of Ranatunga until recently, was lacking.

That key players in the team have lost their hunger is plausible. Three seniors - Jayasuriya, Muralidaran and Vaas - have enjoyed the supreme success of a World Cup triumph. Other seniors might've not been a part of a World Cup winning side, but being participants of a final in 2007 and the semifinal of  the previous WC is satisfying enough. And with enormous wealth in the pipeline from next month's IPL, a case of  "nothing more to achieve" syndrome, and the resultant indifference, might well have set in among the seniors.

Our cricket has come to this critical point, clearly due to its fatal over-dependence on seniors for more years than it is good for the team's health. The collapse in Australia might be a good thing: the World Cup is yet three years in the future, time enough to rebuild.

This precarious state of affairs was something that Arjuna Ranatunga envisaged when his rivals were the game's administrators. He then use  to say the day Bangladesh would defeat us wasn't far off, a prediction that rings truer now than ever before. The new chief of SLC has now to avert his own prediction turning true, lest his term ends less successfully than all the predecessors he reviled.  Don't underestimate the man. He relishes the task of proving others wrong. He did so in 1996 on the field, but to inspire a revival from the board rooms is, well, that's something he'll have to show us.

(This assessment was written after SL's elimination on Tuesday and before their last league match, Friday)

A wish from Suraj Abeyasekera

Suraj  Abeysekera who captained St. Peter's when they beat St. Joseph's  in 1978 sincerely hopes  St. Peter's will win the match this year breaking the 30 year hoodoo. He firmly believes that the fair declarations made by both Captains in the 1st innings made a victory possible in 1978 and requests both Captains to agree on same this year too, so that a victory could be achieved by the best side.

Although, he has been living in Australia since 1989 , every year he has been looking forward to a SPC Victory. Reminicing of the past  he  says that during his  captaincy he had the good fortune  of having players of the Calibre of Amal Silva, Romesh Ratnayaka, Vinothan John, Rohan Bultjens, Walter Fernando, Kitto Fernandopulle Ashok Vithana and Micheal Eliyas many of whom later represented Sri Lanka in the international arena.   According to Suraj, they beat S. Thomas' after 28 years in 1978 and also became the All Island Best Team enabling Suraj to win the Best Captain's award in 1978 while Ranjan Madugalle  was selected Runner Up. Suraj is living in Australia since 1989 and at present is coaching a junior club side, while playing for his club Marians on Sundays.

 Referring to the cricket scene in Sri Lanka Suraj believes that Arjuna Ranatunga, President, Sri Lanka Cricket  will successfully promote  the game with his leadership qualities. Suraj was  a right arm off spinner and has played in the Sri Lanka under 25 team under the late Anura Ranasinghe in 1981. He has also played  under the captaincy of Dulip Mendis and Bandula Warnapura,  and says he was very unfortunate to have been left out of the Sri Lanka World cup squad of 15 at the last minute in 1979.

He represented BRC and captained the side for two years becoming runners up to the NCC  in 1986. One of his greatest achievements was having a match haul of 18 wickets against Colts Cricket Club when   Colts was captained by Roy Dias.

Few years ago he was asked by a former President of the Cricket Board to Coach the off spinners in Sri Lanka, but had to decline the offer due to his commitments in Australia.

 Suraj wishes the Peterite Captain and the team a big victory this year.

Will the 30 year hoodoo be broken?

 Battle of the Saints

The 74th Battle of the Saints between St. Joseph's and St. Peters will be played on  March 7 and 8 at the P. Sara Stadium. The last occasion a result was produced in this series was in 1978 when St. Peter's emerged  victorious under the leadership of Suraj Abeysekera. St. Joseph's last victory was in 1972 under Rohan Fernando. The victory tally in this series stands at: St. Joseph's - 11,  St. Peters - 7, with 55 draws.

 The chief guest at the awards ceremony will be Dushan Soza (Captain of St. Joseph's College in 1974 and 1975 )

St.Joseph's College

Ruwantha Fernandopulle   (Captain)

Fifth year Coloursman. Right hand opening batsman with a sound technique. Has scored 538 runs with one century and five half centuries. Scored 102 runs against Trinity College as his best. Was involved in a 263 run partnership with Dimuth for the 1st wicket in the same game which incidentally is the College record for the highest partnerships for any wicket.

Dimuth Karunaratne (Vice Captain)

Sixth year Coloursman. Former Sri Lanka U-19 player. Stylish left hand opening batsman. Has scored 844 runs at an average of 56.27 in 12 matches this season with three centuries and four half centuries. Scored a brilliant 148 against Trinity College as his best. Scored a majestic 131 in last year's Big Match.

 Roshane Silva

Fifth year Coloursman. Member of the Sri Lanka Youth World Cup team. Right hand top order batsman. Bowls right arm off spin. Has scored 222 runs in four innings with three half centuries this season. Scored 78 against Thurstan College as his best.

 Anton De Livera

Fifth year Coloursman. Right hand hard hitting top order batsman and right arm medium fast bowler. Has been very consistent with the bat this season. Has scored 587 runs at an average of just under 40.00 with one century and four half centuries this season. Scored a brilliant 162 against St. Thomas' College as his best.

 Thisara Perera

Third year Coloursman. Member of the Sri Lanka Youth World Cup team. Right arm fast bowler and left hand hard hitting middle order batsman. Has captured 14 wickets in three matches with 5/65 against D.S.Senanyake College as his best. Has scored 99 runs at an average of just under 50.00.

 Shameera Weerasinghe

Fourth year Coloursman. Right arm leg spin bowler and useful right hand lower order batsman who has a half century to his credit. Leading wicket taker with 43 wickets at an average of 16.93. Has taken five or more wickets in an inning on two occasions with 7/74 against Royal College as his best.

 Treshan Rajasooriya

Fourth year Coloursman. Left arm medium fast bowler and right hand lower order batsman. Has captured 24 wickets this season at an average of 16.92 with 7/25 against St. Sebastian's College as his best. Has played in the last two Big Matches.

 Prabudha Sankalpa

Fourth year Coloursman. Right arm off spin bowler and right hand middle order batsman. Has captured 32 wickets at an average of 15.53. Returned figures of 7/49 against St Anthony's College as his best.

 Sahan Wijesiri

Fourth year Coloursman. Wicket keeper of the side and right hand late order batsman. He won the Best Fielder's award in last year's Big Match.

 Nirmal Rajapakse

Third year Coloursman. Right hand top order batsman and right arm off spin bowler. Has scored 192 runs at an average of 21.33 with 54 against Wesley College as his best. Has captured eight wickets at 12.25.

  Hareen Silva

Third year player. Promising left hand top order batsman. Captain of last year's U-17 team. Has been very consistent with the bat this season. Has scored 525 runs at an average of 40.38 with five half centuries. Scored 85 runs against Royal College as his best this season.

 Nishika De Silva

Third year player. Right arm medium fast bowler and hard hitting right hand middle order batsman.

  Dinal Dhambarage

Second year player. Promising left arm medium fast bowler and right hand lower order batsman. Captain of last year's U-15 team. Has captured 26 wickets at an average of 18.81.

 Chathuranga Kumara

Fresher. 15 year old promising all rounder. Right arm fast bowler and right hand middle order batsman. Has captured 18 wickets in six outings with 5/81 against St. Thomas' College as his best. Exciting player to watch.

 Jaan Jayasinghe

Fresher. Left hand top order batsman and right arm medium fast bowler.

 Anushka Shakthi

Second year player. Wicket keeper and left hand top order batsman.

 Nilshan Perera

Fresher. Right hand top order batsman and right arm off spin bowler. Captain of the 2nd XI team.

 Rosco Thatil

Fresher. Left hand top order batsman and right arm off spin bowler.

 Graham Vincent

Fresher. Left arm medium fast bowler and right hand lower order batsman.

St. Peter's College

Anuk Silva (Captain)

Third  year Coloursman. Right hand dependable, formidable, solid batsman. Has capacity of hitting the ball with a lot of power. Has accumulated a total of 491  runs. Has to his credit a magnificent brilliant century of 102 runs against Sri Dharmaloka College. Has willowed  two half centuries. A medium pace bowler who could be decisive and precise. A very alert slip fielder. 

 Angelo Perera (Vice Captain )

Third year Coloursman. Right hand skillful elegant stylish attractive stroke maker and a gifted batsman. A steady determined consistent run getter for the side. Has the privilege of scoring 111 runs playing three innings in three matches, the highest being 99 runs against Nalanda College.  A dynamic fielder at any position.  A handy left arm leg spinner. Has the distinction of being the  Vice-Captain of the U- 15 Team that became the Joint-Champions with D. S. Senana- yake in the Division 1 All Island Inter-School Astra Cup Cricket Tournament in 2005.

 Chanaka Fernando

Second year. Right arm skillful and a very deceptive off spinner. A quick turner of the ball, often forcing the batsman to error. A crafty bowler. An asset to the team. An extremely dependable bowler and has captured  32 wickets playing 17 innings in 11 matches the best figures being a 5 for 45 runs  against Nalanda College.

 Shivanga Ranasuriya

Third year Coloursman. Right hand elegant stroke maker. A talented and a gifted batsman. A very good reader of the ball. Dependable, steady, middle order batsman. Can remain at the crease for a very long time pushing the score steadily in favour of the team. Formidable run getter. Anchor of the side. Has scored 251 runs in 12 innings playing 11 matches, the highest being  52 runs against Royal College.

 Srimantha Wijeratne

Second Year Coloursman. Opening batsman and wicket keeper. Skillful player of the ball. A steady consistent performer. Has claimed 45 victims as caught behind and has to his credit five stumpings. Has immense potential to make runs. A prolific run getter. The run machine of the side. Has scored 556 runs playing 13 innings in 11 matches, the highest being 91 runs against De Mazenod  College.

 Chatura Peiris

Second year Coloursman. Left arm fast piercing, penetrating, fast bowler. Dependable opening bowler who could unsettle any formidable opponent. Left hand hard hitter of the ball. Very alert and active in the field. 

Ruwan Wickramanayake

Third year Coloursman. Right hand stylish, elegant, technically correct, stroke making, middle order batsman - reliable and dependable.  Has scored 228 runs playing six innings in seven, matches the highest being 86 runs against St. Aloysius College . Has the credit of having scored two half century in the season. A very dynamic and alert fielder at any position. An all-rounder.

 Thivanka Silva

Third year Coloursman. Right arm leg spinner. Has the capacity and talent to unsettle even a prolific run getter. Has captured a total number of 34 wickets in 16 innings in 11 matches. His best bowling figures - 5 for 45 against Sri Darmaloka College.

Vinod Perera

Second year Coloursman. Right arm medium pace opening bowler. Shares the new ball. An attacking and piercing bowler. Has claimed 32 wickets playing 17 innings in 10 matches. 

Akshu Fernando

Second year Player. A very steady batsman and a right arm deceptive off spinner. Has amassed a total of 273 runs in five innings playing eight matches, the highest being 83 against Maris Stella Negombo. Has willowed two half centuries.

 Andry Berenger

Second year. Opening batsman and wicket keeper. Right hand elegant stroke maker. Confidently faces the new ball. Has scored  268 runs playing 10 innings in eight  matches, the highest being 81 runs against St. Aloysius College.

 Suranga Rodrigo

Fresher. Elegant right hand middle order batsman. Can dispatch the ball in any direction. Has accumulated a total of 295 runs, the highest being 58 runs against St. Sebastian's College.

 Nilochana Perera

Fresher. Right arm fast deceptive, attacking, piercing, penetrative opening bowler .He has speed and is precise. Has taken 20 wickets in 15 innings playing nine matches, the best figures being 5 wickets for 10 runs against De Mazoned College. He has also taken 5 wickets for 30 runs against St. Benedict's College.

 Kaushal Rodrigo

Fresher. Left hand dependable, middle order batsman. Elegant stroke maker. Right arm off spinner. A good turner of the ball.

 Denham  Perera

Fresher. Right hand stylish, elegant, steady opening batsman. Had the honour and privilege of  being the Captain of the U-15  Champion Team in the All Island Inter School Division 1 Astra Cup Cricket Tournament, 2007.

 Hashan Wickramasooriya

Fresher. Right arm dependable, stroke maker. A reliable steady batsman. Right arm off spinner. A bowler with a lot of variations. An agile and an active fielder at any position. 

Gateway wins athletic championship

Gateway College, Colombo won the International Schools Athletic Championship (ISAC) meet held at the Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo from February 22-24. Gateway won by a margin of 179 points over last year's winner, Lyceum International, Wattala.

ISAC which commenced in 2001, has been won six times by Gateway and once each by Lyceum and Colombo International School. The composition of participation this year, that included 2250 athletes from 21 reputed international schools saw Gateway emerging as overall champions with 989 points followed by Lyceum, Wattala (810 points), CIS, Colombo (537 points), Lyceum, Nugegoda (430 points), Royal Instiutute (291 points), Asian International School (279 points) and Alethia International School (113). Gateway College was the overall relay champions as well.

Shehan Abeypitiya of Gateway College, Colombo established three new records (Under 19: 100mt -10.67, 200 mt - 21.44 and 400 mt - 52.65. He was named the best athlete of the meet. Gayandi Ranabahu of Gateway College, Colombo who established two new records (Under 19: 200 mt - 25.79 and Long Jump - 5.04 mt) was adjudged the best female athlete.

 Other record holders included Rinusha Sharmila of AIS (Under 20: 100 mt and Long Jump), Gayan Dharmasiri of Gateway, Colombo (Under 20: High Jump and Hurdles), Dasitha Navaratne of Gateway, Kandy (Under 20: 200 mt), Udara Ratnayake of Gateway, Colombo (Under 19: 100 mt), Damien Fleming of Gateway, Colombo (Under 19: Javelin), Chamathka Kavindra of Gateway, Colombo (Under 17: Javelin), Hansini Kannangara of Gateway, Colombo (Under 17 Long Jump and Hurdles), Ashini Nanayakkara of CIS, Colombo (Under 17: 800 mt), Sajeed Jainulabdeen of Gateway, Colombo (Under 17: Discuss), Yokanth Ravichandrakumar of Lyceum Wattala (Under 17: Javelin), Ramesh Weerakoon of Gateway, Colombo (Under 17: Triple Jump), Nirma Sandaratne of Lyceum Wattala (Under 15: 200 mt), Sanjuna Sumanaweera of Royal Institute (Under 15: Shot Putt, Javelin and Discuss), Sara Laxila Karunapala of Lyceum Wattala (Under 13: High Jump), Genavi Caldera of Lyceum Wattala (Under 13: 200 mt), Shenoi Perera of OKI, Wattala (Under 13: Long Jump). Chamika Thalagalage of Lyceum Nuogegoda (Under 9 : 60 mt) and Rahel Kumarathunga of CIS Colombo (Under 9: 60 mt)

Lanka trimuph but too late

Sunil Thenabadu reporting from Australia

 The final match in the Commonwealth Bank tri series, game number 12 was between Sri Lanka and Australia which was played at the MCG on Friday the 29th February.

Sri Lanka having lost by seven wickets to the rejuvenated and resurgent young Indian team at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Tuesday the 26th were out of contention for the finals and this match was only of academic interest and were playing purely to salvage some lost pride. According to the Australia media this match was a dead rubber.

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena won the toss and elected to bat. Ricky Ponting was happy to lose the toss as he was interested in chasing under lights on a slowing two paced batting track to get some batting practice before the finals.

Sri Lanka made one change bringing in Nuwan Kulasekera for Chaminda Vaas, while Ponting made two changes resting Mathew Hayde for James Hopes and including Brad Haddin for the unlucky Stuart Clark.

Sanath Jayasuriya was given a warm welcome when he came out to bat by the sporty Australians as he was making his last appearance in his long distinguished career on Australian soil. Jayasuriya was determined to put up a good score and batted with caution mixed with aggression. He made an entertaining 23 off 32 balls with two lofted drives on the off and a six over third man off Brett Lee. Sri Lanka lost Dilruwan Perera in the fifth over and Jayasuriya in the 10 over to be two for 32. Jayasuriya edged a swinging delivery from Bracken to Hussey at slips. Sangakkara, the most consistent Sri Lankan batsman in the series trying to drive a swinging delivery from Johnson edged to Hussey at wide slip who took a brilliant catch for 11 runs with two fours to make Sri Lanka three down for 42 in the 13th over. Kapugedera, promoted in the order joined Mahela and found runs hard to get against the accurate pace trio of Lee, Bracken and Johnson. In the 20th over Kapugedera was caught by Gilchrist off James Hopes playing a swinging delivery away from his body. He made just two runs off 23 balls.

Nathan Bracken the highest wicket taker in the series bowled unchanged for eight overs for just nine runs taking two vital wickets. At the end of power play three Sri Lanka were struggling at four for 61 runs when Dilshan joined skipper Mahela who together consolidated the innings by staying together and accelerating the score. They ran between the wickets for quick ones and two's and stroking the odd boundary.

The 100 of the innings was posted in the 28th over in 73 balls. The first fifty was made in 90 balls. The 5th wicket pair took the score to 125 when Jayewardena was ruled leg before wicket to Brad Hogg playing across the line for 50 made in 66 balls with five fours. Chamara Silva who had not made any impression in the series up to this game joined Dilshan and batted confidently and at the end of 35 overs Sri Lanka were five down for 141 runs. Both batsmen batted aggressively to play entertaining cricket.

The sixth wicket pair batted until the 45th over when Dilshan on 62 was run out.

The target for Australia was 222 runs in 50 overs at the rate of 4.64 runs per over. Australia failed to reach the target and were all out for 208  runs in 48.1 overs to give Sri Lanka a consolation win by 13 runs in the 12th and final of the preliminary round match in the Commonwealth Bank tri series tournament. Adam Gilchrist and James Hopes - the new opening pair set off in a workmanlike fashion with Adam Gilchrist starting to score freely from the beginning, going after the bowling. The pair posted 50 in quick time - in just 64 balls, the fastest in the tournament. Gilchrist tormented the bowlers to make a quick fire 50 in just 35 balls, the fastest so far in the series. Skipper Mahela Jayawardena rotated the bowlers in short spells and before the second power play was completed Muralitharan was brought on and he clean bowled Hopes for 28 runs made in 42 balls with three fours. At that moment the pair had posted the 100 run partnership in just 80 balls. This was the first century partnership for the first wicket in the entire series.

The score was then 107 for the loss of one wicket when Ricky Ponting joined Gilchrist who was flaying the attack to all parts of the ground penetrating the fielders and lofting them over the fence for two sixes. The Australians were cruising at that time. In the first over of the third power play Gilchrist trying for a big hit off Kulasekera, miscued to be caught by Malinga for 83 made in just 50 balls including 11 fours and two sixes. It was a whirlwind knock and the best seen in the entire tournament

The third wicket pair of Ponting and Clarke found run making very difficult as the wicket was getting slower and slower. Both Ponting and Clarke were dismissed for one and without scoring, having faced 11 deliveries each with the score on 115, and the new batsman, Andrew Symonds was caught behind by Sangakkara on the leg side trying to glide a in swinging delivery from Ishara Amerasinhe for a duck to make Australia five down for 115 and were in dire straits, having lost their main three middle order batsmen at the same score in 27 balls. Brad Haddin joined Micheal Hussey and the pair batted with caution. Hussey took 12 balls to get off the mark .Malinga was brought back for his second spell and soon he had Brad Haddin leg before wicket, beaten for change of pace for just seven made in 13 balls to make Australia six down for 123 in the 24th over. Brad Hogg joined the sedate Hussey when seamer  Kapugedera was brought on. In the his second over and the 30th over of the innings, he clean bowled Hussey with a in  swinging delivery for five runs made in 25 balls to make Australia seven for 142 in the 30th over.

Australia lost their eight and ninth wickets in quick succession with the totals on 158 and 173 losing the wickets of Hogg and Johnson. The latter was brilliantly caught by Mahela Jayawardena in the slips, diving to his right off the bowling of Amerasinghe for just three runs. The last pair of  Brett Lee and Nathan Bracken resisted the bowlers and at the same time scored runs freely. Mahela made bowling changes in short spells .The pair added 35 runs in 54 balls before Jayasuriya was brought on. He with his first ball, clean bowled Brett Lee for 37 made in 59 balls with two fours and a six while Bracken remained unbeaten on 14 with one four. Australia were all out for 208 runs in 48.1 overs. Sri Lanka at last had a consolation win with a narrow margin of 13 runs to win their second match in the tournament and perhaps avenging their World Cup defeat and to some extent salvaging lost pride.

 Scores: Sri Lanka 221 (Dilshan 62, Jayawardene 50, Bracken 4-29) beat Australia 208 (Gilchrist 83, Amerasinghe 3-44) by 13 runs

Thurstan - Isipathana 45th encounter

Geeth Kumara 6 for 27

A mesmerising spell of right arm leg spin bowling by Geeth Kumara who captured six wickets for 27 runs enabled Thurstan College to dismiss Isipathana College for a low score of 141 in 80 overs in their 45th encounter that commenced on Friday at the SCC grounds. At stumps Thurstan in reply were 32 for no loss in nine overs with Indika Masalage unbeaten on 22. For Isipathana, S.de Silva (31), A. Rabel(21), and L. Fernando (27) were the main contributors.

Scores: IsipathanaCollege first innings: 141 all out in 80 overs (S.Senaratne 19, S. de Silva 31, A. Rabel 21, L. Fernando 26, Geeth Kumara 6 for 27)

Thurstan College first innings 32 for no loss in 9 overs (Indika Masalage 22 n.o.)

Sri Lanka Golf dressed to win by Brandix

A quartet of top Sri Lankan golfers leaves for Bangladesh this week on a quest to annex the Dhaka Open trophy dressed to win by the national team's first clothing sponsor Brandix.

The two-member Sri Lanka women's team comprising Niloo Jayatilake and the Holy Family Convent student, Dhanushi Senadhira, and their male counterparts, Tissa Chandradasa and Mithun Perera take on the region's best in Dhaka attired in distinctive new Sri Lanka team T shirts provided by the country's largest apparel exporter.

As the national golf team's clothing sponsor for 2008, Brandix will provide Sri Lanka 's high-flying golf stars with distinctive T shirts in four colours, red, white and two shades of blue in a demonstration of support to the game which has scaled new heights in recent years.

Welcoming Brandix's support to the team, Niloo Jayatilake, the reigning Pakistan Ladies National Amateur Champion said: "It is very encouraging to have an organisation of the calibre of Brandix as a sponsor of the national team. This is a great start to 2008 for Sri Lanka 's golfers."

Brandix Chairman Ken Balendra said: "We consider it a privilege to support Sri Lanka Golf, which has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the region. Brandix already has a significant presence in India and Bangladesh, and we are proud to be associated with the achievements of our golfing stars."

The Sri Lanka Golf Union is to send players during the year to Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore  and the women's team of Niloo Jayatilake and Dhanushi Senadhira is scheduled to take wing to Japan in May 2008 to represent Sri Lanka at the Asia Pacific Ladies Invitational Team Championship, the 30th Queen Sirikit Cup.

Sri Lankan golfers excelled in the international golfing arena in 2007, with K. Prabagharan winning the All India National Championship, Niloo Jayatilake clinching the Pakistan Ladies National Amateur Championships and young team mate Dhanushi Sendahira emerging the runner-up. Sri Lanka's men team comprising Mithun Perera, Tissa Chandradasa and T. Prabagharan won the 9th SAARC championship held in Katmandu, Nepal, and Mithun Perera won the overall individual event beating many experienced players. The women's team once again comprising Niloo and Dhanushi did well at this tournament to emerge runner-up to India .

The national men's and women's teams represent a unique blend of youth and experience. Mithun Perera is the son of the legendary Nandasena Perera. Winner of the 119th Sri Lanka Amateur Championship, Mithun was placed 3rd at the 46th Pakistan Amateur Championship and placed 5th at the 105th Malaysian Amateur Championship the same year. Tissa Chandradasa was the holder of the Dubai Order of Merit from 2002-2005, Runner-up at the Dubai Amateur Open in 2003, Winner of the Dubai Amateur Open in 2004 and also the Winner of the Abu Dhabi Open that same year. Both were members of the Sri Lanka golf team to the Asian Games held in Dubai .

Brandix pioneered the concept of total solutions in the Sri Lankan apparel industry and is Sri Lanka 's largest apparel exporter with a consolidated annual turnover of over US$ 320 million. Recent commitments to sport include the sponsorship of an eight-member contingent of exceptional undergraduate athletes from the University of Kelaniya to participate at the World University Games (Universiade) 2007, and support to Sri Lanka 's champion weight lifter, Chinthana Vidanage and fast bowler Lasith Malinga, both of who are employed by Brandix.

South Africa 405 for no loss

On the eve of this match, Ashwell Prince called on his batting team-mates to step up and post at least 400 on the board, and his words clearly didn't fall on deaf ears. But even he wouldn't have envisioned this: Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie doubled South Africa's first innings 170 from Dhaka and then some, frustrating a lifeless Bangladesh on a placid track to the tune of a record 405-run opening stand in one day.

Smith had no hassles in compiling a South African record fourth double-hundred, and his partner in a dumbfounding opening stand, Neil McKenzie, patiently batted his way to a third hundred after a seven-year gap. From the strides made during the opening Test, where they matched their opposition step for step, Bangladesh turned in their worst day in Tests for some time and were staring down the barrel on a track only certain to deteriorate.

With Bangladesh having decided to go on the defensive early on day one, it was an ideal situation for South Africa's openers to put up shop for the long haul. For McKenzie left alone a lot but Smith, as the bowlers began serving too much on the pads, began working the ball into the yawning spaces. Smith, leading South Africa for a record 54th Test, found the first-Test pitch a bit odd but took an immediate liking to the one in Chittagong.

Scores:South Africa 405 for 0 (Smith 222*, McKenzie 169*) v Bangladesh.