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Sydney: Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has blasted his players for playing bad cricket during their humiliating innings and 201 runs defeat at the hands of Australia in the Boxing Day Test match at the MCG. Jayawardene said the batsmen were required to bat well during their second innings on day three but failed miserably, and added that the team needs to dig deep to gain anything from the final Test match in Sydney, the Age reports. Jayawardene said Australia played really well throughout the match and slammed his players for playing loose shots, giving away their wickets at crucial junctures. The veteran said everyone in the team needs to take the responsibility for the ignominious defeat. Meanwhile, the tourists will likely have to make three forced changes with star batsman Kumar Sangakkara (broken finger) and pace man Chanaka Welegedera (hamstring) ruled out, and wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene is also unlikely to recover from a fractured thumb in time...

Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva stated that the government is willing to not only reduce the price of racing cars but even air planes if it was to promote sports. Speaking to the media, Minister Mervyn Silva stated that the President comes from a sporting family while he and his sons are sportsmen. He added that no one had the right to complain about the budget proposals on tax concessions for racing cars because it was to encourage a sport. Furthermore, the Minister stated that no one can be blamed if the critics cannot afford to buy their sons Lamborghinis and proclaimed that he would buy one for his son if it was for racing purposes. Mervyn Silva went on to claim that he would like to purchase one himself as he also enjoys racing. The Minister finally requested all Sinhalese friends and relatives to produce more children while suggesting that he was undertaking just such a task himself. In view of promoting sporting tourism all vehicles used for racing spo...

Mahela Jayawardena became the first and Tillekeratne Dilshan became the second Sri Lankan cricketer to reach 1000 runs in T20 cricket.

The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket will take steps to address allegations of a sex scandal which has hit the SLC head office. The SLC statement comes in the wake of print media reports which raised these allegations. The SLC stated that that the allegations tarnishes the good image of the SLC’s reputation while it does not condone such acts of misconduct if proven correct. A statement from the SLC read: “The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket met on Saturday (August 18)  at 9.30 am at an Emergency Meeting in relation to various print media reports alleging ‘sex scandals at SLC head office’ etc. Sri Lanka Cricket takes serious note of these allegations which also tarnishes the good image and the reputation of Sri Lanka Cricket. SLC as an institution shall not condone any such acts of misconduct if proven correct, and will take all steps which are necessary to bring the culprits to book. On the contrary, if s...

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 239 in the first innings of the second Test match against Pakistan played in Dubai. Kumar Sangakkara top scored with 78 runs while Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal picked up three wickets each.

Sri Lanka drew their first Test match in Abu Dhabi against Pakistan following a fighting performance in the second innings. Kumar Sangakkara scored his eighth double-century and Prasanna Jayawardena scored a century while Pakistan were only able to 21 runs before the end of play. Sri Lanka were all out for 197 in the first innings while Pakistan declared on 511/6 in their first innings. Sri Lanka managed 483 in the second innings giving Pakistan a total of 170 runs to win the first test. However, only 10 overs were bowled before the end of play on the fifth day while Pakistan were 21/1 at stumps.

Former Sri Lankan Cricket Captain, Kumar Sangakkara was named the captain of the ICC Test Team of the Year which was announced today (August 26). Sangakkara appears in the team of the year for the second time running. The Test Team of the Year, was chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by West Indian batting legend Clive Lloyd.    The announcement was made at the media conference to announce the short-lists for the LG ICC Awards 2011 which are due to be held in London on September 12. Presented in association with FICA, the LG ICC Awards recognise the best international players of the past 12 months.   The ICC Test Team of the Year is (in batting order): Alastair Cook (Eng) Hashim Amla (SA) Jonathan Trott (Eng) Sachin Tendulkar (Ind) Kumar Sangakkara (SL – wicketkeeper/captain) AB de Villiers (SA) Jacques Kallis (SA) Stuart Broad (Eng) Graeme Swann (Eng) Dale Steyn (SA) James Anderson (Eng) Zaheer Khan (Ind) (12th m...

Lasith Malinga picked up his third career One Day International hat-trick against Australia a short while ago in the fifth ODI being played at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings and Xavier Doherty fell victim to Malinga in the 46th over.

Sri Lanka Cricket has accused a group of former national players of trying to undermine the second phase of the Sri Lanka vs Australia series. In an unprecedented special communiqué, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chairman Upali Dharmadasa said the group seems to be working on “hidden agendas”. “It is with agony that I state that a few individuals in Colombo think that they are indispensable,” the chairman was quoted in the communiqué. Mr Dharmadasa told BBC Sandeshaya that the refusal by the group to help organise the matches at R Premadasa stadium is completely different to help received from Kandy and Hambantota. The group has told the SLC at a meeting on Thursday that they would not be able to make themselves available as volunteers to help organise the matches to be played on Saturday and Monday. Pallekele and Hambantota The former national players, currently working as cricket coaches have argued that volunteering would undermine their status as former national players. “Even cri...

The United National Party Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa has decided to call upon all UNP local government body members to Colombo tomorrow (August 12) for a special meeting regarding the party leadership. A group of UNP MPs including MP Premadasa called upon Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya to take over the leadership of the party after which the senior members of the party announced that the change would not take place until the end of the year. The meeting will take place at the Colombo National Library tomorrow at 2 p.m. while MP Premadasa stated that the meeting was being called to inform the officials of his objection to the decision taken by senior party members.

Sri Lanka were bowled out for a total of 191 in 41.1 overs against Australia in the first One Day International played in Kandy a short while ago. Brett Lee picked up his 350th wicket in ODIs after dismissing Nuwan Kulasekera while Mitchel Johnson picked up 6 wickets for 31 runs.

Angelo Mathews has been appointed Vice Captain for Sri Lanka’s home series against Australia, Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Selection Committee Duleep Mendis said. Mathews, who captained the Sri Lanka team in the 2006 U-19 Cricket World Cup, was overlooked as vice captain, with selectors naming Thilina Kandamby, for Sri Lanka’s 2011 tour of England.

Sri Lanka’s top stars will skip most of the matches in the country’s inaugural premier league Twenty20, dealing another blow to the struggling event, an official said Tuesday. Skipper Tilakaratne Dilshan, former captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, all-rounder Angelo Mathews and slinger Lasith Malinga are among local players expected to miss most of the 10-day tournament starting Thursday. “They (the players) will likely choose which matches they want to play, because they are being rested for the upcoming Australian tour,” Sri Lanka Cricket media manager Brian Thomas told   AFP .

David Beckham took to Facebook on Sunday to introduce to the world his new baby daughter, Harper Seven Beckham, the latest addition to his growing brood. Briton Beckham posted a black-and-white photo showing Harper and her mother, Victoria Beckham, dozing away while doting Dad snapped the shot. He captioned it: "I took this picture of my two girls sleeping." In another posted on Victoria's Twitter account, footballer Beckham, 36, cradles his newborn in his hands and poses with her, nose-to-nose. "Daddy's little girl," the mom tweeted. Harper was born on July 10, to Beckham and former Spice Girl and fashion designer, Victoria. Their new daughter joins brothers, Brooklyn, 12 years-old, Romeo 8 and Cruz 6.

Sri Lanka’s Manju Wanniarachchi lawyers have vowed to carry on his fight to try to keep his Commonwealth Games gold medal after he was stripped of his title following a positive test for anabolic steroids and it was awarded to Wales’ Sean McGoldrick by a court in Kuala Lumpur today. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Court rejected claims from 30-year-old Wanniarachchi that he should not be punished following a positive test for nandrolone after he beat McGoldrick in the final of bantamweight division in New Delhi last October. Wanniarachchi’s legal team had claimed before a hearing chaired by Malyasia’s Prince Tunku Imran, the vice-president of the CGF, that there was a breakdown in the chain of custody after a sample was taken and it being transported to the drugs laboratory in Delhi. Among the allegations produced by Wanniarachchi’s lawyer Kalinga Indatissa was that some of the numbers on the official documentation had been altered following him producing his urine sample. But ...

As an eyewitness to match-fixing, I will reveal the names of those involved if my security is guaranteed, Hashan Tillekeratne to the CID. Hashan told that he had stated this to the Criminal Investigations Department.

The Sri Lanka cricket squad for the upcoming England Tour was named a short while ago. Tillekeratna Dilshan will lead the team as Captain while Kumar Sangakkara will fill in as Captain in the event that Dilshan is not on the field. The 16-man squad for the England tour is as follows, T.M. Dilshan (Captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena, Tharanga Paranavithana, Lahiru Thirimanna, Thilan Samaraweera, Dinesh Chandimal, Prasanna Jayawardena, Thisara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Dilhara Fernando, Chanaka Welagedera, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep.

The Selection Committee headed by Duleep Mendis has named T.M. Dilshan as the Captain of the Sri Lanka cricket team pending the approval of the Sports Minister, Mendis told Ada Derana a short while ago. Secretary SLC Nishantha Ranathunga speaking to Ada Derana stated that Dilshan has been appointed captain for the upcoming English tour.

Sri Lanka is all set to get a new cricket captain next week, days after Kumar Sangakkara stepped down following the team’s runners-up finish at the World Cup. “The selectors need to discuss the issue with the interim committee members of Sri Lanka Cricket. This meeting will take place next week after the current New Year holiday period,” Chairman of selectors Duleep Mendis, who took over after the resignation of Aravinda de Silva, told the local media. Sangakkara, currently leading the Deccan Chargers in the IPL, resigned from the captaincy in the aftermath of the loss to India in the April 2 World Cup final. His resignation was followed by that of his deputy Mahela Jayawardene and the chairman of selectors de Silva. Sangakkara said he was giving Sri Lankan selectors the chance to name a captain who would lead the team in the next World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2015. Tillakaratne Dilshan is tipped to succeed Sangakkara. Dilshan is a year older than Sangakkara at 3...

Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara today morning handed in his resignation from the Sri Lanka Cricket Captaincy, his manager Charlie Austin told Ada Derana a short while ago. Ada Derana earlier quoting sources reported that Sangakkara was scheduled to resign. Austin added that Sangakkara had resigned from the ODI and T20 captaincy and had proposed to step down from the Test captaincy as well. However Sangakkara offered to hold an interim captaincy position for the upcoming England and Australia tours if the selectors are unable to find a successor.