Category: Sports

KINGSTON, April 24, 2007 (AFP) – The body of murdered Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer has been ordered by a coroner to be released to his family in South Africa, the Daily Gleaner newspaper reported Tuesday.The body of the 58-year-old former England international has been in judicial limbo since March 18 when he was found […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 21, 2007 (AFP) – A Kevin Pietersen-inspired England kept their promise of winning the last World Cup match for coach Duncan Fletcher when they beat the West Indies by one wicket here on Saturday. Gayle exploded with a flurry of big shots, once severely punishing seamer Liam Plunkett.He cracked two fours and […]

GROS ISLET, St Lucia, April 22, 2007 (AFP) – Australian seamer Nathan Bracken said it was crucial to wrap up convincing wins over Sri Lanka and New Zealand to deliver a crucial psychological blow against potential World Cup final opponents. The defending champions demolished Sri Lanka by seven wickets and then the Black Caps by […]