Fifa president Sepp Blatter is set to win a fourth term in office as calls for a delay appear to have failed. Prince William has backed the Football Association and Scottish Football Association stance that a fair election cannot take place following allegations of corruption. Blatter is the only candidate as his rival Mohammed bin Hammam is suspended.
Meanwhile, Chuck Blazer, secretary-general of Concacaf, appears to survived an attempt to dismiss him. Blazer’s corruption allegations led to two senior Fifa figures, including Mohammed bin Hamman, being suspended.
(BBC)
June 1, 2011 at 8:48 am
Chris Tremlett and Graeme Swann bowled England to a remarkable innings victory after Sri Lanka were bowled out for 82 in the first Test in Cardiff. A draw seemed likely after rain delayed the start of day five until 1500 BST. But England declared after two overs on 496-5, a first-innings lead of 96, as soon as Ian Bell reached his century. Tremlett (4-40) grabbed two early wickets, before he and Swann (4-16) combined to tear through the tourists, with Stuart Broad finishing them off.
With the last eight wickets falling in just over an hour after the tea interval, it left England victorious by an innings and 14 runs. It was an amazing end to a day’s play that had begun with few supporters in the stands and even fewer expectations that the game would end in anything but a draw.
(BBC)
May 30, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Fifa has provisionally suspended executive committee members Mohamed Bin Hammam and Jack Warner after a meeting of its ethics committee on Sunday. Football’s governing body will now open a full investigation into allegations that financial incentives were offered to members of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU).
CFU officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester have also been suspended. But Fifa president Sepp Blatter was found to have no case to answer. Petrus Damaseb, deputy chairman of the ethics committee, said of Bin Hammam and Warner: “We are satisfied that there is a case to be answered.”
However, Fifa insists that they are innocent until proven guilty. If found guilty, they could be expelled from the organisation and banned from all football activity.
(BBC)
May 30, 2011 at 10:14 am
Jonathan Trott remorselessly ground his way to England’s highest individual Test score against Sri Lanka on another rain-affected day in Cardiff. When play finally started Sri Lanka quickly removed Alastair Cook after adding four to his overnight 129. Kevin Pietersen soon followed, lbw to left-arm spinner Rangana Herath. But Trott finally fell for 203 having put on 160 with Ian Bell (98 not out) as England closed on 491-5, a lead of 91 in a match surely bound for a draw.
(BBC)
May 30, 2011 at 7:03 am
Stubborn centuries from Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott helped England battle back on day three of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Cardiff. After rain delayed play until 1400 BST, the early wicket of nightwatchman James Anderson united Cook and Trott at the crease at 47-2, still 353 runs behind.
But the pair showed patience initially and then exerted their authority. Cook ended the day on 129 not out, with Trott unbeaten on 125 to leave England 287-2, trailing the tourists by 113.
(BBC)
May 29, 2011 at 9:17 am
Powered by a century partnership between openers Michael Hussey (63, 45 balls) and Murali Vijay (95, 52 balls) followed by off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s three-wicket haul, the Chennai Super Kings strolled to a 58-run win against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final of the Indian Premier League at the M.A.Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.
The Super Kings, in retaining the trophy, outclassed the Royal Challengers after making 205 for five and then checking the visitors to 147 for eight to cap an eight-match winning streak at home this season.
As well as Vijay and Hussey batted to provide a great launch pad for the Super Kings, it was Ashwin’s dismissal of the two danger batsmen, Chris Gayle (0) and Mayank Agarwal (10), by the third over that turned the tide firmly in favour of the hosts.
(newkerala.com)
May 29, 2011 at 9:12 am
Royal beat Trinity by 8 points (33-25) in the first leg of the 67th Bradby shield rugby match at Bogambara stadium.
(JNW)
May 28, 2011 at 6:57 pm
Sri Lanka Air Force women’s weight lifting team has become the national weight lifting champions with 3 golds and 2 silver medals a short while ago.
(JNW)
May 28, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Prasanna Jayawardene hit 112 to put Sri Lanka in control of the first Test against a weary England in Cardiff. James Anderson struck in the third over of the day but Thilan Samaraweera kept the tourists on top with an elegant 58. Wicketkeeper-batsman Jayawardene then took centre stage, reaching his third Test century from 147 balls as Sri Lanka racked up 400 all out. Captain Andrew Strauss was caught at slip in the penultimate over as England finished day two on 47-1.
England 47 for 1 (Cook 24*, Anderson 1*) trail Sri Lanka 400 (P Jayawardene 112, Paranavitana 66, Samaraweera 58, Anderson 3-62) by 353 runs
(BBC)
May 28, 2011 at 6:15 am
Sri Lanka’s openers, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Tharanga Paranavitana, gave their team a solid start to the first Test in Cardiff before England’s bowlers hit back on a truncated day. The pair added 93 for the first wicket after play was delayed until mid-afternoon by regular showers, but Dilshan couldn’t build on his half-century and Kumar Sangakkara also departed in somewhat controversial circumstances when the DRS became involved.
Graeme Swann provided the first breakthrough and James Anderson was in the middle of a testing spell when England appealed for a Sangakkara edge behind but Aleem Dar turned down the shout and Andrew Strauss was quick to use the DRS. The decision rested on a combination of a noise and a faint mark halfway up the bat as the ball scooted past the edge. Rod Tucker, the third umpire, relayed that information and Dar overturned his decision.
Sri Lanka were 133 for the loss of 2 wickets at stumps on day one of the first test against played at Cardiff with Opener Tharanga Paranavithana on 58 and Mahela Jayawardena on 4.
(JNW)
May 27, 2011 at 6:58 am
T.M. Dilshan has won the toss of his first match as the Sri Lankan skipper and has decided to bat first in the first test against England played at Cardiff. Fast bowler Dilhara Fernando will not be playing for the match and he has been replaced by Farveez Maharoof. Bowling allrounder Thisara Perera will be making his test debut today. Suranga Lakmal will be the main fast bowler of the Sri Lankan team while Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis will be the specialist spinners.
(JNW)
May 26, 2011 at 7:07 pm
Rain has delayed the start of the first Test between England and Sri Lanka played at Cardiff.
(JNW)
May 26, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Sri Lankan new skipper Thilakaratne Dilshan will face his first challenge today as his team will take on England led by Andrew Strauss. First test of the three match series will get underway at Cardiff at 3.30 p.m Sri Lankan time. English skipper has already asked his team to push on from their Ashes series victory over Australia and step up their quest to become the world’s number one Test side.
On the other hand Sri Lanka has suffered a decisive blow as they have lost the service of Nuwan Pradeep, who took 4-29 in their victory over England Lions last week before suffering a knee injury which has forced him to fly home. Farveez Maharoof has been named for the 12-man squad while Rangana Herath is the only spinner included in it. Batting will be the key to the Sri Lankan side and big guns like Sangakkara and Jayawardena will be expected to fire.
Furthermore the wins gained in the two warmup matches have boosted the confidence of tourists and they will look to maintain it as Dilshan’s men seek first ever test series win in England.
(JNW)
May 26, 2011 at 11:44 am
According to Stuart Law, Sri Lanka’s stand-in coach, England are “the toughest deal on the planet”. That assessment should spark interest in India – they are officially the No1 Test side and they expect their new coach, Duncan Fletcher, to help keep it that way after they arrive later in the summer.
Law is not given to extravagant praise of England, who his side face in the first Test at Cardiff on Thursday, but the former Australian batsman said: “In the last 18 months England have been the best team in world cricket. They have beaten teams in their back yard, they’ve beaten teams away from home. They are well drilled and leave nothing to chance. If you were an Englishman you would be very happy with the team in Test cricket. After their win in the Ashes we know we’ve got our work cut out but we are not going to roll over and die, or at least I hope we don’t. We have come here to fight.
“We are preparing for them to be the toughest deal on the planet at this stage. We are not underestimating one facet of their game. People say certain areas of their batting line can be exposed, but we’re not seeing it like that way. We need to play good consistent cricket for five days and if we can sniff a result we need to put a foot on the throat.”
(Guardian)
May 25, 2011 at 9:23 am
Sri Lanka seamer Nuwan Pradeep is likely to miss the Test series with England starting this week because of anterior cruciate ligament damage. The uncapped 24-year-old took 4-29 in the second innings of the tour match with the Lions last week and could have made his debut on Thursday in Cardiff.
“He has a bit more pace than the rest of them so it’s a shame if he has to go home,” coach Stuart Law said. Sri Lanka have added Lancashire all-rounder Farveez Maharoof to the squad. Asked about the extent of Pradeep’s injury, Law added: “He has some damage to his anterior cruciate ligament.
“He is seeing a specialist at the moment, it’s bad news for the young man. “He’s one of the cards up our sleeve. If things are OK and he doesn’t need an operation we may opt to keep him here, but at this stage it looks like he’s flying home.”
(BBC)
May 24, 2011 at 9:21 pm
Farveez Maharoof has been called up to the Sri Lanka squad for the first Test against England, following concerns over Dilhara Fernando’s fitness. Maharoof, who is playing county cricket for Lancashire, was not part of the original 16-man Test squad but played the Sri Lankans’ first tour game, against Middlesex, since several of the Sri Lanka players were still in India playing the IPL.
He has now been called up as cover for Fernando for the first Test that starts on May 26 in Cardiff, and given his form for Lancashire and his all-round abilities, he could end up playing his first Test since 2007, if Fernando is unfit. Maharoof started the season with a century on Lancashire debut and followed the tour game against Middlesex, in which he took two wickets, with a four-wicket first-innings haul for Lancashire against Yorkshire.
Fernando is reportedly carrying a nagging pain in his knee but played through it during the Sri Lankans’victory against England Lions in Derby. He took six wickets in the game.
(Cricinfo)
May 24, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Chaminda Vaas starred with bat and ball as the Northamptonshire continued their 100 per cent record in the Clydesdale Bank 40 with a nervy four-wicket win over Scotland. Preston Mommsen smashed an unbeaten 81 off 72 balls as the Saltires recovered from an awful start to post 200 for 5 of their 40 overs with Vaas taking 3 for 37. Vaas then made 68 off 88 balls as the Steelbacks reached their target with five deliveries to spare with Matthew Parker claiming figures off three for 41.
(Cricinfo)
May 23, 2011 at 11:39 am
