Sri Lanka Cricket has announced that Chamara Kapugedara, the middle-order batsman, will be joining Sri Lanka’s squad in Australia as cover for Angelo Mathews & Thisara Perera who are both injured. He flew to Brisbane last night. Kapugedera, who has not represented Sri Lanka since the World Cup final last April, had shown some form in the ongoing domestic first-class competition.
Sri Lanka will play Australia in the best-of-three finals from Sunday, in Brisbane.
(JNW)
March 3, 2012 at 6:07 am
Sri Lanka qualified for the tri-series finals against Australia after beating the home side by nine runs in a dramatic finish to today’s one-day clash at the MCG. The result means MS Dhoni’s world champions India finish last in the tri-series standings and miss the finals.
Acting captain Shane Watson made 65 for Australia and David Hussey was last man out for 74 in a total of 229 off 49.1 overs chasing 239 for victory.
Dan Christian claimed a career-best 5-31 including a hat-trick as Australia earlier bowled Sri Lanka out for 238.
Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga claimed 4-49 in a fabulous comeback, just three days after his nightmarish return of 1-96 off 7.4 overs against India in Hobart.
The match attracted a crowd of 28,901, with Sri Lanka’s supporters out-numbering the home fans by a clear margin.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said his men had been determined to bounce back from their embarrassing defeat against India on Tuesday.
“The boys showed a lot of character,” Jayawardene said.
“The lift that we got (from the fans) probably pushed us in the last few overs.”
(AAP)
March 2, 2012 at 4:48 pm
Non-academic staff of universities has agreed to call off their strike after an assurance was given by the Ministry of Higher Education that salary anomalies will be rectified within one month, Secretary to the Ministry Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne said. The decision was reached at the meeting held between the two parties last evening, he disclosed.
(JNW)
March 1, 2012 at 6:40 am
South Africa and Botswana have commended the Sri Lankan government’s efforts to find a lasting peace, justice and reconciliation. South Africa has pointed out that the final report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation contain number of positive recommendations relating to human rights, resettlement of displaced communities,restitution and compensatory relief for the affected people. Addressing the 19th session of the UNHRC South African deputy minister of international relations and cooperation said, his country also praises the GoSL for the decision to set up an authoritative mechanism to further investigate allegations related to human rights.
Meanwhile, Minister of Defence, Justice and Security of Botswana Dikgakgamatso Seretse who also addressed the session said, it is the expectation of his country that GoSL will speedily implement the constructive recommendations of the LLRC report. He also commended the efforts taken by the Sri Lankan government to build reconciliation in the country.
(JNW)
March 1, 2012 at 6:20 am
43 students from a leading boy’s school have been arrested by Colpetty and Cinnamon Gardens Police for forcibly entering 2 girls’ schools in Colombo, the Police said.
(JNW)
February 29, 2012 at 4:05 pm
A 25-year old youth has been given an 18-year prison term for raping an 84-year old woman at Embilipitiya in 2006. The Embilipitiya High Court Judge also ordered him to pay Rs.100,000 as compensation in this regard.
(JNW)
February 29, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Public asked to be careful of lightning strikes as number of damages caused by them are on the rise, the Met Department said. One person was dead and 4 others were injured in Haputale yesterday as well due to lightning, it added.
(JNW)
February 29, 2012 at 8:15 am
Virat Kohli blasted an unbeaten 133 as India snatched an incredible victory againstSri Lanka by chasing down a mammoth 321 in only 36.4 overs to rekindle their hopes of making it to the final of the tri-series, at Hobart on Tuesday. Needing to win the crucial game in 40 overs in order to get a bonus point and stay afloat, the beleaguered Indians pulled off a sensational victory when it mattered the most riding on Kohli’s breathtaking assault and useful contributions from all the other top-order batsmen.
Put into bat, Sri Lanka posted a mammoth 320 built around Tillekaratne Dilshan’s career-best 160 not out and Kumar Sangakkara’s 105 but Indians left the islanders stunned by achieving the target with 80 balls to spare and more importantly inside the required 40 overs. They maintained an unbelievable run-rate of 8.75 runs per over throughout the chase.
Kohli smashed 16 boundaries and two sixes during his whirlwind 86-ball knock. He completed his ninth ODI ton and his second against Sri Lanka in 76 balls.
India will now have to await the result of the last league match between Australia and Sri Lanka to know their fate. They will qualify to the finals only if Australia beat Sri Lanka in the last league game.
Australia, who are already through to the finals are leading the table with 19 points while Sri Lanka and India are tied on 15 points with the latter having completed their league engagements.
India 3 for 321 (Kohli 133*, Gambhir 63) beat Sri Lanka 4 for 320 (Dilshan 160*, Sangakkara 105) by seven wickets
(Times of India)
February 28, 2012 at 4:31 pm
On a day that India needed to be at their most attacking, with their finals hopes hanging by a thread, they were palpably below-par as Sri Lanka capitalised on their lack of intensity to deliver a dominating performance with the bat.
Tillakaratne Dilshan shrugged off his initial unease against the swinging ball to gradually open up and march towards his 11th ODI century and Kumar Sangakkara played an innings as attractive as several of his abruptly-terminated cameos this tournament, only longer in duration this time, full of confidence and more pleasing to the eye.
An ardous task awaits India, who need to overhaul 320 inside 40 overs to stay in contention for the finals berth; given how their batting has panned out so far this series, they may even struggle to do in 50.
50 overs Sri Lanka 320 for 4 (Dilshan 160, Sangakkara 105) v India
(ESPN)
February 28, 2012 at 12:22 pm
The final stage of the first island wide census in over 30 years has commenced. The 14th Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics of the Ministry of Finance and Planning was inaugurated at the President’s House with the participation of President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday(27).
Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics, Suranjana Vidyarathne gathered the information from the President.
Information on persons and their residences will be gathered during the three week period from February 27 to March 19 followed by a revision round on March 20 and 21.
(JNW)
February 28, 2012 at 10:34 am
Sri Lanka which was adversely affected from the terrorism for nearly three decades has taken number of measures in promoting and protecting the human rights of its people, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe has said. Addressing the 19th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council high-level segment which was held at Geneva today(27) the Minister said however, instant solution cannot be provided for a problem that prevailed for several decades. But the government has implemented number of initiatives to uplift the living status of all Sri Lankans including the north and east.
The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission was appointed by the president to find a lasting solution for the national issue. The commission has now delivered on its mandate and has submitted its report including a series of recommendations to the president. It contains a detailed and perceptive analysis of past errors. In parallel the commission has dealt with and made recommendations on a whole gamut of issues including aspects of accountability. The resettlement of IDPs, reintegration of ex-combatants implementation of the language policy, socio economic and livelihood development as well as the need to arrive at a national consensus with regard to fulfilling the legitimate aspirations of all communities are among the issues that the commission has focused its attention.
Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said advances have already been made with regard to many of the recommendations in the report. Some of the areas in which gains have been made include the resettlement of IDPs, de-mining, implementation of the language policy and the recruitment of Tamil speaking police officers.
He added that: “The peace we have won at such cost to the nation and its people will not be a genuine peace until and unless the legitimate aspirations of all communities are met in a substantive and satisfactory manner. The consensus formula to the national question thus evolved, needs to be democratic, pragmatic and home grown, in order to be sustainable. “
“More than anything we need to ensure that the process is allowed to advance unimpeded. We do not need unwarranted incursions that will compromise successful implementation. Such interference by way of redundant resolutions before this Council, would only undermine the sentiments of this Council as expressed in the decisive adoption of the Special Session resolution on Sri Lanka in 2009,” Minister Samarasinghe also said.
(JNW)
February 27, 2012 at 8:35 pm
Heavy traffic congestion has occurred in Pettah due to the protest campaign organized against the possible UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka, the Police said. Therefore, motorists are advised to use alternative routes, it added.
(JNW)
February 27, 2012 at 3:30 pm
The Department of Census and Statistics has issued the official report on the number of deaths reported in the North from year 2005 to 2009. Accordingly, 22,329 deaths have been reported from Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya, Mulaitiuv and Kilinochchi districts during this period. Out of them 9,252 deaths are due to sickness and aging. In addition 1,598 deaths are caused by accidents. Natural disasters have caused 89 deaths. Homicides, suicides and terrorist activities have claimed 9,434 lives. Furthermore, 2,256 deaths have been reported without exact cause.
The report also reveals that 8,998 deaths have been reported from the above mentioned five districts during the first five months of year 2009, which is the final phase of humanitarian operation. Sickness and aging are the causes for 1,067 deaths. 454 deaths are by accidents and 35 deaths are due to natural disasters. 6858 deaths have fallen under the category of mentioned by the department as ‘other’, which is not clear. In addition cause for 584 deaths have not been stated.
(JNW)
February 25, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Sri Lanka Army is set to place its new diversified 5R ‘peace warrior’ roles in post-war development assignments before the world, during the forthcoming 2nd Defence Seminar 2012 on the theme ‘Towards Lasting Peace & Stability’. The three-day event fixed for August 8-10, expected to be addressed by subject experts from foreign countries, is largely centered on post-war spheres of Rehabilitation, Re-integration, Re-construction, Resettlement and Reconciliation (5Rs) and is to be attended by over 100 foreign delegates, the Army Headquaters said.
Sri Lanka Army after bitter experiences in the war against LTTE, is now fully embarked on the tasks of reconstructing the war-torn north-east infrastructure, resettling of displaced civilians, rehabilitating ex-combatants, re-integrating those ex-combatants with society and promotion of re-conciliatory moves among the populace.
Those experiences will be taken up for deliberations during the seminar, with the participation of former combatants, war-affected communities, political leadership, state officials, academics and other experts, the Army Headquarters said.
(JNW)
February 25, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Two suspects have been arrested over the kidnapping of three and half year old girl at Mundalama yesterday(23), Police Spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said. A nephew of the girl’s mother and his mistress have been arrested in this connection, he disclosed.
The suspect had taken the child from the pre-school where she was studying at around 10 a.m. yesterday(23), after informing the head of the institution that her grandmother had passed away. It has been revealed that he had kidnapped the child to take a ransom from her mother. A hand grenade has also been recovered in possession of the suspect, the Police Spokesman said.
(JNW)
February 24, 2012 at 5:40 pm
An eight member committee has been appointed to explore opportunity to start a degree for Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said. It is led by Professor Amal Kumarage of University of Moratuwa and Director General of Civil Aviation Authority H.M.C. Nimalasiri.
The decision was reached at the special discussion held between Ministers of Higher Education and Civil Aviation S.B. Dissanayake and Priyankara Jayaratne yesterday(23). At a present there is only one course related to civil aviation sector being conducted in Sri Lanka by the University of Moratuwa, which centers on management issues.
(JNW)
February 24, 2012 at 5:10 pm
On a day when Peter Forrest announced himself as Australia’s new No.3 with his maiden one-day century, Mahela Jayawardene and Dinesh Chandimalhelped Sri Lanka complete a record ODI chase in Hobart, where Australia’s 6 for 280 wasn’t enough to book them a place in the finals. Sri Lanka jumped to the top of the points table with their three-wicket victory, which came with four balls to spare.
In a tense finish, Sri Lanka appeared to be throwing the match away and after Angelo Mathews holed out for 24 they needed 14 off nine balls with only three wickets in hand. But Thisara Perera took on the responsibility himself and struck a boundary followed by a powerful six over midwicket off Daniel Christian’s next delivery, which left four needed off seven balls. That was no trouble at all, the winning runs coming when Nuwan Kulasekara thumped Brett Lee through cover for four.
It was Sri Lanka’s third consecutive win and they are coming good at the right end of the tournament, after losing their opening two games. They began well with the ball before allowing Australia’s score to balloon to seriously challenging proportions, but Jayawardene’s outstanding 85 at the top of the order gave Sri Lanka the perfect platform.
With six overs remaining, they needed 39 runs with six wickets in hand, and with Chandimal well set on 80, it seemed like only a formality that they would reach the target. But Chandimal was trapped lbw when he tried an ill-judged paddle off Ryan Harris and in the next over, Farveez Maharoof holed out to Ben Hilfenhaus. Lucky for Sri Lanka they had Perera.
The result means Sri Lanka and Australia are now both one match clear of India, and while both sides can still miss out on the finals, they also know that one more win will be enough to guarantee their place. Sri Lanka earned that position by beating the previous best Hobart ODI chase, the 4 for 282 that Australia scored against Zimbabwe in 2001.
Sri Lanka 7 for 283 (Jayawardene 85, Chandimal 80, Christian 3-53) beat Australia 6 for 280 (Forrest 104, Clarke 72) by three wickets
(ESPN)
February 24, 2012 at 4:45 pm
