Sri Lanka keep faith in Tharanga for semi-final

April 23, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka will persist with out-of-form opener Upul Tharanga for the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, the country’s chief selector said on Monday. The left-hander’s poor form — he has scored just 17 runs in his past three innings — raised speculation that former skipper Marvan Atapattu could replace […]

Sangakkara accuses Murali and Vaas critics of double standards

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 20, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara has accused critics of double standards after the angry response to the decision to rest Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas from the World Cup clash against Australia.The two veteran bowlers were left out of the April 16 Super Eights game after both […]

Fleming targets top order in Sri Lanka semi

KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming believes Sri Lanka’s top order batting is a weakness the Black Caps can expose when the teams meet in Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final. The pitch at Kingston’s Sabina Park is expected to be far bouncier than the one in Grenada on April 12 […]

Murali to be feared and Patel might squeeze in

KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – Muttiah Muralitharan’s extraordinary abilities have transfixed cricket for more than a decade but there will be another off-spinner looking to have a major say when Sri Lanka and New Zealand clash for a World Cup final place.Jeetan Patel wasn’t even sure of his spot in New Zealand’s team […]

Sri Lanka v New Zealand head-to-head;last 10 meetings five each

KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka v New Zealand head-to-head record ahead of their World Cup semi-final at Sabina Park here on Tuesday: Total meetings: 67 Sri Lanka wins: 29 New Zealand wins: 34 Tied: 1 No Result: 2 Match abandoned: 1 Last 10 meetings 31/12/2005: Queenstown New Zealand won by 7 […]

Kallis and Hayden begin mind games

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – Heavyweight hitters Jacques Kallis and Matthew Hayden kicked off the mind games ahead of Australia and South Africa’s potentially explosive World Cup semi-final on Wednesday. Kallis is one of four survivors from the dramatic tied semi-final against Australia at the 1999 World Cup in Birmingham, together […]

‘t write off Black Caps, says Wright

KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – Former New Zealand captain John Wright believes it would be a mistake to write off the Black Caps’ World Cup chances despite their crushing defeat to Australia.Stephen Fleming’s men crashed to a 215-run defeat to the defending champions in their last Super Eights match on Friday. It was […]

Cricketing nations look towards world cup aftermath

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – Ins and outs of coaches and captains at the World Cup with five days left in the 2007 tournament: AUSTRALIA On top of the world, the two-time defnding champions are already in the semi-finals, where they face South Africa in St Lucia on Wednesday, and are odds-on to […]

‘s Maharoof pledges 200 percent against New Zealand

KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka seamer Farveez Maharoof pledged to give 200 percent if that’s what it takes to defeat New Zealand in the World Cup semi-finals here on Tuesday. Maharoof made a compelling case for a starting place in the team with a man-of-the-match performance against Ireland last week where […]

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LUXEMBOURG, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – EU foreign ministers agreed on Monday to tell groups and individuals on its terror register why they are listed.The EU has already written to OMPI, recalling “the organisation’s past, notably the attacks that it has been responsible for”, an EU diplomat said. The decision was made in the wake […]

‘s peace mission

COLOMBO, April 23, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka asked peace broker Norway to suspend a planned visit Monday to Tamil rebel-held territory in the island’s north, diplomatic sources said.The Sri Lankan government told Norway’s top envoy here, Hans Brattskar, not to proceed with his visit to the town of Kilinochchi, 330 kilometres (206 miles) north […]

New Formula

April 23, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s largest petroleum retailer the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) may return to monthly price adjustments once it had recovered current losses, the country’s petroleum minister said. CPC shares Sri Lanka’s petroleum distribution with Lanka IOC, a unit of Indian Oil Corporation, which has 30 percent of the market. […]

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