Boxed Out

April 19, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lankan exporters are faced with a shortage of space on container ships for their shipments to Europe after several shipping lines diverted some of their services to India, an official said. The crisis is affecting exports of garments, tea and coir, Jayanath Perera, chairman of the Sri Lanka Shipper’s […]

Unfair Charge

April 19, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lankan exporters Thursday called for government intervention to prevent shipping lines imposing additional charges that were making exports uncompetitive and imports more expensive. Big buyers in the US negotiate freight rates with shipping lines for large volumes of cargo from different regions, such as south Asia where they might […]

Lube Deal

April 19, 2007 (LBO) – Laugfs Holdings said Thursday it had signed an agreement with the government of Sri Lanka that gave it permission to import and market lubricants in the island. Laugfs group holds 30 percent market share for domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas and around 55 percent for industrial bulk demand. The local market […]

Squeezed Through

April 18, 2007 (LBO) – Fitch Ratings Lanka Wednesday confirmed Ceylease Financial Services Ltd’s (CFS) national long-term rating at ‘BBB-(lka)’ with a stable outlook, despite worsening solvency.Fitch says there is implied support from state-owned Bank of Ceylon, rated AA (lka), which owns 50 percent of the company. At the end of the 2006 financial year […]

Price Pressure

April 18, 2007 (LBO) – The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) which lost 1.5 billion rupees in 2006 is seeking a price hike to ward off an 800 million rupee loss by April, but the government is only permitting half the increase sought by the utility. Funds were also needed lay a new pipeline from Muthurajawela […]

Cup Semi-finalists are on board

RIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 16, 2007 (AFP) – Results and standings in the Super Eights of the 2007 World Cup on Tuesday: At Bridgetown, Barbados South Africa bt England by 9 wkts Super Eights standings (played, won, lost, tied, no-result, run-rate, points): Australia 6 6 0 0 0 +2.03 12.0 – qualified for semi-finals New Zealand […]

‘ tag, says Smith

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – South Africa captain Graeme Smith believes his team have finally buried their chokers’ tag after storming into the World Cup semi-finals. The Proteas raced to a nine-wicket victory over England here on Tuesday to join defending champions Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in the semi-finals. Australia lead […]

‘ 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 […]

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