Category: Sports

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 20, 2007 (AFP) – Matthew Hayden’s third century of the tournament helped champions Australia extend their unbeaten run at the World Cup to 27 matches with a 215-run Super Eights thrashing of fellow semi-finalists New Zealand at Grenada’s National Stadium here Friday.But going for another big hit off the medium-pacer he […]

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 21, 2007 (AFP) – Stephen Fleming is adamant New Zealand will bounce back from their record-breaking defeat by Australia as they head into the World Cup semi-finals.New Zealand, without sidelined bowlers Shane Bond and Jacob Oram, conceded 348 for six, with Matthew Hayden making 103, before being bowled out for 133 […]

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 20, 2007 (AFP) – Former greats on Friday paid glowing tributes to retiring batting genius Brian Lara, saying he leaves behind a great legacy.But the praise was tinged with regret over his failures as captain of a declining team.The record-setting left-hander announced he would retire from international cricket after his team’s last […]

April 20, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka are drawing inspiration from their 1996 World Cup victory ahead of their likely match-up with New Zealand in the next week’s semi-finals.Sri Lanka stunned India in a group game in 1996, beating them again in the semi-final before going on to lift the trophy. Romesh Kaluwitharana, the former […]

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 20, 2007 (AFP) – West Indies captain Brian Lara will be keen to cap his last international match with a win against England when the two under-performing teams clash in the World Cup here on Saturday.“I am bidding farewell to international cricket as a player after the game,” Lara said after his […]

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 19, 2007 (AFP) – Ireland’s World Cup squad have supplied statements to police investigating the murder of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer.These were carried out Thursday at the team’s hotel in Grenada following Ireland’s final World Cup Super Eights match against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. Debutants Ireland caused one of the major […]

LAHORE, Pakistan, April 19, 2007 (AFP) – Pakistan Thursday appointed Shoaib Malik to succeed Inzamam-ul-Haq as national cricket captain, saying the young all-rounder symbolised the team’s future after a dismal World Cup.The 25-year-old Malik, who has played 18 Tests and 137 one-day internationals, was unveiled at a press conference here as captain of the Test […]

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 19, 2007 (AFP) – Having umpires wired-up to new technology at the World Cup to improve decision-making is a money well spent, according to world cricket’s leading official Simon Taufel.At the Super Eight stages of the World Cup, umpires have been able to listen into the stump microphones for thin edges that […]

April 20, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s air force said Friday it had lost an unmanned spy plane flying over the country’s embattled northeast close to Tamil Tiger territory. The Israeli-built Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was lost somewhere over the northern edge of Trincomalee district, close to the Tamil rebel stronghold of Mullaitivu, Group Captain […]

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 19, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jaywardene is confident of having fast bowler Lasith Malinga fit for Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final in Jamaica. Malinga, who has taken 15 wickets at under 15 apiece at the tournament, has missed Sri Lanka’s last three matches after damaging left ankle ligaments. His […]

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – 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 a strong […]

ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, April 19, 2007 (AFP) – Ireland captain Trent Johnston said not even an eight-wicket World Cup defeat by Sri Lanka could erase the memories of the reception his team received after their win against Pakistan.Johnston’s largely amateur side bowed out of their first World Cup tournament by being skittled out for 77 […]