DILSHAN & DILSHAN TO OPEN IN WT20 FOR SRI LANKA

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardena has hinted few changes in the batting order in an interview with Sri Lankan newspaper - Divaina.

"Probably I will have to bat in the middle order. Dilshan Munaweera is in a great form, so he deserves that opportunity I think. And few other youngsters are also in the team. They need to be settled in their positions."

So according to Mahela, T.M. Dilshan & Dilshan Munaweera will open the innings for Sri Lanka in the World T20 & skipper is ready to give up his position for the sake of team (Country) and youngsters.

Munaweera has been the highest run getter in recently ended SLPL with 212 runs at 35.33. His strike rate of 144.21 is the highest among top 5 run getters. He was the best batsman in Inter-Provincial - 4 day tournament, best batsman & man of the series in U23 - 2 day tournament and best batsman in U23 - One Day tournament.

     

Sangakkara bags 3 awards at CEAT Awards 2012

Kumar Sangakkara reiterated his status as a cricketing colossus winning three top awards — the CEAT Cricketer of the Year, CEAT Peoples Player of the Year and Best Test Batsman, at the 2012 CEAT Sri Lanka Cricket Awards.

Among other top award winners at the glitzy awards night at Waters Edge Last night were Rangana Herath (Best Test Bowler), Mahela Jayawardene (Best ODI Batsman), Lasith Malinga (Best ODI Bowler), Tillekeratne Dilshan (Best ODI All-rounder) and Dinesh Chandimal (Emerging Cricketer).

The top awards for women cricketers went to Chamari Atapattu (Best Batswoman), Sherina Ravikumar (Best Bowler) and Shashikala Siriwardena (Best All-rounder).

This was the fourth edition of the CEAT Sri Lanka Cricket Awards, supported by Sri Lanka’s leading tyre brand CEAT.

The CEAT Peoples Player of the Year, based on independently audited public voting, was won by Kumar Sangakkara for the third consecutive year, and this was the second occasion that he took both the Peoples Player award and the CEAT Cricketer of the Year award.

A total of 68 awards in 23 award categories were presented at the CEAT Si Lanka Cricket Awards, in respect of performances in the 2011-12 cricketing season.

The awards night is organised by Sri Lanka Cricket and the Players Association with sponsorship by the event’s exclusive partner CEAT Kelani Holdings, which supported the revival of the Sri Lanka Cricket Awards in 2009. (Daily FT)

Indian cricket team leaves for Sri Lanka

CHENNAI: The Indian cricket team on Wednesday left for Sri Lanka to play five one-dayers and a Twenty20 against the island nation from Saturday.

The first ODI of the series, which marks the start of the season following a seven-week break, will be played in Hambantota.

"Most of the players have come back after a long break and the body looks very different and their fielding and other activities look very different," Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni told reporters before heading to Sri Lanka.

"We will make the most of the rest that we have got. It's the start of the season and we want to start it on a good note."

After this, India will host New Zealand, play the World Twenty20 Championships and then host England and Pakistan at the end of the year.

The Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) - Media Launch

The Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) is the premier Twenty20 cricket competition in Sri Lanka held by Sri Lanka Cricket. Its first season is to be held in 2012 and has replaced the Inter-Provincial Twenty20.

 In February 2012, SLC signed a renewed deal with Somerset Entertainment Ventures to hold the tournament in August 2012. The matches will be held at Colombo and Kandy, with the seven teams as originally planned.The BCCI has said that Indian players in the SLPL was a possibility.

 The Sri Lanka Premier League is in partnership with the MCC Spirit of Cricket initiative, similar to that of the one established by MCC and the DLF Indian Premier League in 2008. In June 2012, the tournament went through a major structural change. Instead of the provincial teams, there will be franchises owned by private owners like the IPL and BPL. Seven franchises will take part in the inaugural tournament.

The SLPL was officially launched on 16 July 2012 at Cinnamon Grand hotel in Colombo at an event attended by a host of media personnel and cricketers. Sri Lanka Cricket Chairman Upali Dharmadasa announced plans to add two more franchises in the following years to the league and cricket into all areas of the nation. It was announced that like the Indian Premier League there will be cheerleaders and other entertainment during the tournament. The night also saw the launch of the official website, mascot, theme song and logo of the SLPL

Will Sri Lanka Cricket ban Lasith Malinga for refusing to sign contract?

Lasith Malinga may be banned from the Sri Lankan team as he refused to sign a contract with the Sri Lankan cricket board. The cricketer didn’t sign the contract citing low payments as the reason, Zee News reported on Wednesday.

The report also said that the Sri Lankan Government is considering temporary bans on national sportspersons who refuse to represent Sri Lanka at a point in time.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was quoted by Zee News, “"We are having issues mostly in cricket and rugby where national team players often refuse to represent the country when the national team has a scheduled tour and at times opt to play for some other event. So we are now looking at bringing in amendments to the sports law to allow sporting bodies to temporarily ban such players."

The slingy fast bowler was named amongst the players who were offered contracts. Such a contract would prevent him from playing in tournaments such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), i.e. if it clashes with a Sri Lankan assignment.

Malinga Toe Crushers :)

Two-year ban on players who refuse Sri Lanka Cricket contracts

Sri Lanka's sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that his ministry will impose a ban on athletes who do not sign contracts with national sport bodies.

The minister referred to Lasith Malinga as the reason for this new policy.

"I am a great follower of fast bowler Lasith Malinga but that does not mean that I condone all his actions," Aluthgamage told Sri Lanka's Sunday Times newspaper.

"We have taken the cue from Malinga. In future, if sportspersons who are performing at national level fail to sign their central contracts with their specific sports bodies we will slap a two-year ban on them."

"This is a trend that we must nip in the bud. I find fault with the administrators for not getting tough on the players," the minister added.

"For instance, in the contract it is stipulated that a cricketer must be in the country at least two weeks prior to a tour. But, most of the cricketers who were engaged in the IPL returned to the island only a few days before the Pakistan tour. Yet, the SLC officials have not taken any action against anyone. As I understand, most of them still even have not signed their central contracts. That’s bad.

“However, in the future, sportspersons engaged in any discipline at national level and do not sign the central contract will face the two-year ban."

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) cannot present new contracts to players this year, as they have been unable to honour contract payments from the previous contract period. The dire financial crisis at SLC has meant that the cricket board still owes players several months in back pay.

Aluthgamage is yet to initiate any investigation into the conduct of government-appointed cricket board officials who left SLC in nearly US$ 70 million in debt after co-hosting the World Cup last year.

Furthermore, the cricket board also earns a significant sum from their Indian counterparts for allowing Sri Lankan players to participate in India's T20 tournament - the IPL.

Malinga told Island Cricket in April that the Sri Lankan media, who claimed he had refused to sign a contract, had got it wrong.Interestingly, Malinga told Island Cricket in April that the Sri Lankan media, who claimed he had refused to sign a contract, had got it wrong. According to the Sri Lankan paceman, he has not been offered a contract to refuse.

"No contracts have been offered yet for this year for any of the players," Malinga said.

"But whether I decide to play with or without [a] contract, does not really matter as I am still 100-percent available for selection for all ODI and T20 commitments for Sri Lanka just like I was last year."

Although there was no outcry or opposition from Sri Lankan journalists, the sports ministry or SLC officials last year; Malinga played as a non-contracted player from March 2011 to February 2012.

In addition, SLC intends on introducing a clause in their new contracts that prevents non-contracted players from using any of SLC facilities, including SLC-owned gyms and nets.

© Island Cricket

Sanga with his wife and family

Kumar Chokshanada Sangakkara was born to Kumari and Chokshanada Sangakkara at Matale in 1977. Sangakkara received his primary and secondary education at Trinity College, Kandy, a private boys' school. He played both cricket and tennis at school and the school's principal, Leonard de Alwis, advised his mother he should concentrate on cricket

On 30 June 2009 Sangakkara's wife gave birth to twins, a girl and boy

Sri Lanka ease to T20 win over Pakistan

HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka put on a brilliant bowling and fielding performance to post a comfortable 37-run victory over Pakistan in their opening Twenty20 international on Friday.
Pakistan were bowled out for 95, their lowest T20 total against Sri Lanka, after restricting the hosts to 132-7 in Hambantota.
Sri Lankan pacemen Nuwan Kulasekera, Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga and debutant off-spinner Sachithra Senanayake took two wickets apiece after man-of-the-match Thisara Perera scored a crucial 32 not out.

Opener Ahmed Shehzad top-scored for Pakistan with 36 while the extras contributed 19 runs, the second-highest of the innings. Umar Akmal (12) was the other batsman to reach double-figures.
Pakistan never recovered after losing two wickets off the first two balls of the innings, with Kulasekera removing skipper Mohammad Hafeez and debutant Shakeel Ansar.

The Sri Lankan bowlers were backed by their fielders, with Perera and Kulasekera each taking a superb catch.

"The fielding was brilliant and all the bowlers did well. It was a challenging wicket and we did not assess it well when we batted," said Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene.

Left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir earlier grabbed three big wickets as Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka.
He jolted the top order when he dismissed Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara in his opening three overs to reduce the hosts to 31-3.

Tanvir finished with 3-12 off four tight overs, his best performance in Twenty20 internationals, while off-spinner Saeed Ajmal bagged two wickets for 20 runs.

"Perera made the difference," said Pakistan captain Hafeez.
"We had our moments but couldn't capitalise on them. Tanvir was brilliant and the spinners did the job. I feel we have to work and come hard in the next game."
Perera smashed two sixes and as many fours in his 16-ball knock to help his team make 43 runs off the last 22 balls.
Lahiru Thirimanne, making his T20 debut, was the other main scorer with a 25-ball 30.
Sri Lanka made a poor start after electing to bat, losing four wickets in the opening eight overs with just 39 on the board.
Tanvir struck with his third delivery when he had Jayawardene caught by Shoaib Malik in the covers and then had Dilshan caught by Umar Gul at fine-leg in his next over.
Sangakkara (19) hit three successive fours off paceman Mohammad Sami before he inside-edged a Tanvir delivery onto his stumps.

The second and final Twenty20 match will be played on Sunday.

Sri Lanka Cricket to slash benefits given to Lasith Malinga

May 31, Colombo: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) sources say that the authorities of SLC have decided to cut the benefits granted to fast bowler Lasith Malinga.

SLC has come to this decision since Malinga has declined to come to an agreement with the SLC. He was reportedly demanding a better remuneration package from SLC.

However, the SLC has not so far announced the decision.

If the SLC decision is implemented, Malinga will lose the insurance coverage, gymnasium facilities, medical and physiotherapy facilities and sports apparel etc. for which SLC bears a huge expense, sources say.