‘ should walk the plank, British press say

LONDON, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – England cricket coach Duncan Fletcher should be sacked after England were dominated by South Africa in Bridgetown, Barbados, ending their hopes of making it to the World Cup semi-finals, much of the British press said on Wednesday.South Africa dismissed England for a paltry 154 before racing to the target […]

Willis calls for Vaughan axe

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Former England captain Bob Willis demanded Michael Vaughan be axed as skipper following the team’s World Cup exit.Willis, now a TV pundit, said coach Duncan Fletcher and chairman of selectors David Graveney should also be removed from their postitions after South Africa’s thumping nine-wicket win condemned Vaughan’s men […]

Sarwan emerges front-runner for West Indies captaincy

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Middle-order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan is all set to be named as the West Indies captain for their next month’s tour of England replacing the under-fire Brian Lara.The enigmatic Lara is likely to face the axe after West Indies’ unimpressive World Cup performance which saw them losing four of […]

‘s Maharoof and Murali torpedo Ireland

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Farveez Maharoof and Muttiah Muralitharan took four wickets each to set up an eight-wicket win against Ireland, who bowed out of the World Cup by making 77 – the sixth lowest total in the competition’s history – here on Wednesday.Maharoof, playing in the side because […]

Maharoof gives Sri Lanka selectors a headache

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka seamer Farveez Maharoof gave Sri Lanka a World Cup semi-final selection headache on Wednesday when he claimed four victims in his team’s Super Eights eight-wicket win over Ireland.Maharoof, playing in the side because of an injury to Lasith Malinga while Dilhara Fernando was rested, made […]

Different Strokes

April 18, 2007 (LBO) – Fledgling Islamic insurer, Amana Takaful Insurance (ATI), which was listed on the second board of the Colombo bourse last November, has reported a 57 percent growth in premium collections it the audited accounts for 2006. The company’s shares last traded at 31.50 at the close of market in April though […]

Aussies mystified by Vaas and Murali absence

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 16, 2007 (AFP) – Australia’s Andrew Symonds admitted he was stunned to see Sri Lanka rest frontline bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan from their World Cup Super Eights clash on Monday. Australia face New Zealand in their last Super Eights game here on Friday Symonds smashed an unbeaten 63 as […]

Sri Lanka ponder rest repeat against Ireland

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 17, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan, who were controversially omitted for the crushing World Cup defeat by Australia, could also sit out Wednesday’s clash against Ireland.Their absence, and that of already injured quick Lasith Malinga, meant the 1996 World Cup winners went into Monday’s loss to […]

Sri Lanka seeks ICC compensation on aborted tournament

April 16, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka wants compensation from cricket’s world governing body for a cancelled tri-series last year that it says caused a loss of 12 million dollars, a top official here said Monday.The series involving India, South Africa and the hosts was cancelled in Colombo in August when the Proteas abandoned the […]

World Cup takes steps in wrong direction

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 17, 2007 (AFP) – From the country that gave you Riverdance, Ireland can now boast The Chicken and The Ferret.The Irish team’s World Cup campaign, which has accounted for Pakistan and Bangladesh, has also spawned a couple of new moves which would definitely look out of place at all self-respecting nightclubs. Captain […]

Resting stars leave Sri Lanka fans fuming

April 17, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan cricket fans Tuesday expressed frustration and disappointment over their team’s tactics in resting top players for the World Cup clash against Australia.Sri Lanka, already assured of a place in the semi-finals, kept out star bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan for the Super Eights match in Grenada on […]

Pakistan to sack 80 cricket officials

ISLAMABAD, April 17, 2007 (AFP) – The Pakistan Cricket Board said Tuesday it will sack 80 employees, including some senior management officials, in the wake of the national team’s World Cup fiasco.Pakistan were ousted from the tournament after a humiliating defeat by minnows Ireland on March 17.Coach Bob Woolmer was found murdered in his hotel […]

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