Jayasuriya hits form as Ruhuna humiliate SLC Combined XI

Galle : Veteran cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya returned to form as Ruhuna humiliated Sri Lanka Cricket Combined XI in the BOC Inter - Provincial Cup match here today.

SLCC XI won the toss, and elected to field. Openers Tharanga and Jayasuriya put up a good partnership 108 runs in 19.4 overs.

Sanath Jayasuriya top scored in the match with a 86 ball 87 which included a sixer and 11 boundaries. Ruhuna ended up at a 293 for 6 wickets in 50 overs.

In reply, Sri Lanka Cricket Combined XI were tormented by Ruhuna bowlers, especially Lasith Malinga who claimed 4 wickets for 21 in his 8 overs.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa was the only batsmen who offered some resistance to the Ruhuna attack scoring a decent 59 runs.

Ruhuna Won the match by 191 and earned 5 points.

Jayasuriya, Malinga, Mendis, Kapugedara dropped for Bangla Tri series

End of the Road ?

Jayawardena, Fernando, Muralitharan not considered for the Bangladesh tri series

 The moment of truth has finally arrived for 40-year old Sanath Jayasuriya when Sri Lankan national cricket selectors decided yesterday to drop the legendary all rounder for the forthcoming triangular series in Bangladesh also involving India.

According to sources, the dashing left hander who completed 20 years in international cricket on December 26 has lost his touch since lately and the selectors gave him a final opportunity in the recent series against India using the opener as a middle order batsman but he proved to be a failure.

The former Sri Lankan skipper who was much talked about in recent times for appearing in political TV advertisements for the forthcoming Presidential election retired from test cricket last year but plays ODI and T20 for Sri Lanka. Selectors have also axed out of form batsman Chamara Kapugedara, paceman Lasith Malinga and spinner Ajantha Mendis. Selectors have felt that Malinga has lost his focus while Mendis has been dropped for poor bowling form as well as for below par fielding.

Former skipper Mahela Jayawardene, world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan and paceman Dilhara Fernando have not been considered for selection due to injuries. Chamara Silva returns to add experience to the middle order along with opener Mahela Udawatte while promising left hander Lahiru Thirimanne has been given a break.

All rounder Angelo Mathews has been picked subject to fitness.

Probable Sri Lanka squad: 


Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sagakkara (captain), Thilina Kandamby, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Kulasekara, Malinga Bandara, Thisara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Thilan Thushara, Chanaka Welagedara and Mahela Udawatte.


(Source)


(Official announcement on SLC page)

Jayasuriya and Malinga join SL squad, but India equipped

 

It would be tough for the Sri Lankan camp to get off to a flyer in the first twenty20 match which is scheduled to play at Nagpur. They were thrashed by the Indians who are presently the number1 team in Tests.

India will be running high with confidence after the mammoth victory and would be looking forward to pack up the visitors in the same manner. But the format is different and it's unpredictable. Pitch won’t be of that matter, as at one point the aggression and speed takes over.

The team may score heavily or may loose quick wickets in regular intervals. The one who dominates the game will certainly outplay the other. The Indian players are stars in their own IPL teams but couldn't put a good show when they played together.Out of nine twenty20 matches that India has played since 2008 they have lost six and have managed to win just three. The last time India won was the stunning innings by Pathan brothers against Sri Lanka. India missed out Sehwag in England but Viru is back and is  in his best.

The Sri Lankan side was at their best in the last twenty20 World Cup and was unbeatable till the final. They have been playing well with a strong batting line up and with Murali and Mendis doing the magic; the opponents had to surrender with no option left. The destructive Sanath Jayasuriya will join the attacking Dilshan and that is the major threat to India.

Latish Malinga, who is fast, quick and brilliant with Yorkers, will be the X factor for the indignant Lankans.India will be a bit relaxed as Murali won't be available, but will watch out for Mendis who proves dangerous. India will play in the likes of Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Yousuf Pathan who have been the match winners. India has left out Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan and will be playing with Nehra, Sreesanth and Ojha. Sri Lanka will try to overlook the test defeat and will start on an optimistic note and India will look forward to carry on the momentum.

Teams Probable

India : 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Pragyan Ojha, 9 Sreesanth, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Ashish Nehra.

Sri Lanka : 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Chamara Kapugedera, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Kaushalya Weeraratne, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Ajantha Mendis, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Chanaka Welegedara.

Source

Abhishek XI triumphs over Jayasuriya XI in the practice match gearing up for the IPL season 2

16-Apr-2009 07:25PM
With just days to go before the IPL 2 begins, the Mumbai Indians decided to bring out their guns and fire them up. The picture perfect Chatsworth Cricket Ground, a 40-minute ride away from Durban was the venue for the practice match.


Nearly the entire squad, except for the Indian triumvirate of Sachin, Harbhajan and Zaheer, participated in the T20 match played between Sanath Jayasuriya XI and Abhishek Nayar XI. The other players missing were Dhawal Kulkarni, who had just returned from the tour of New Zealand, and JP Duminy, who was with the South African national team on duty in the ODI series against the visiting Aussies.


The match was a perfect chance for the young players to make their case for inclusion in the Final XI, which will step onto the Newlands ground at Cape Town in the opening match of IPL 2 to face Chennai Super Kings on Saturday, April 18.


Wicket keeper batsman Luke Ronchi from Australia provided a blazing start for Abhishek XI as he slammed 46 runs from just 39 balls. Supporting him was Essex all rounder Graham Napier who made 42 runs in 39 balls. Facing an experienced bowling attack of Dwayne Bravo, Dilhara Fernando, Kyle Mills and Jayasuriya, the relatively inexperienced players did well to post a fighting total of 159 in their innings.


The Lankan duo of Jayasuriya and Fernando picked up two wickets apiece while Bravo and Mills got one each to restrict Abhishek XI to a gettable total. But Graham Napier continued his showing with the ball too, as he snared 3/13. Jayasuriya let loose with a quick 22 before Bravo made a dogged unbeaten 52. But in the end, Jayasuriya XI still fell short by 32 runs. Jude Singh played brilliantly against the spinners, hitting them out of the ground before falling to one of the quicker bowlers.


Lasith Malinga, returning from an injury, which kept him out of international cricket for a year looked fit, hungry and bowled as if the one year layoff had never happened. Fernando was consistent in his spells and had the results to show for it. Pinal Shah had a good outing behind the stumps; the results of the South African training stint showed, as he pulled off some deft glove work. Ryan McLaren worked up a good rhythm, hitting perfect lengths while bowling and hitting hard while batting to reveal a good T20 prospect. Bravo’s wicket and fifty showed that the international players were all fit and firing, which means Sachin will have a lot to choose from.