Sri Lanka News Briefs (13 Dec 1995)

SRI LANKA SPORTS NEWS AT-A-GLANCE

Compiled by Dinesh Weerawansa

Ranatunga confident of bouncing back

Sri Lanka cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga said that he is confident of his team`s capabilities and they will bounce back in the remaining matches of the three-Test series against Australia.

"I am confident that we can give Australia a close run for their money in the next two Tests," said Ranatunga as his team packed their bags to leave for Adelaide. Ranatunga said Sri Lanka`s top order is coming up and `that is a good sign for the next two games in Melbourne and Adelaide``. He said the team had gained some credibility with improved second innings batting, despite losing the match in Perth by an innings and 36 runs.

Sri Lanka to tell their side of ball tampering issue

The Sri Lanka team plans to tell `their side of the story` on the ball tampering issue to the world governing body the International Cricket Council (ICC). Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga said his players were upset about the incident. "We couldn`t clear our name because of the ICC rules preventing us from commenting,`` he said.

Team Manager Duleep Mendis said a report on Sri Lanka`s version of the ball-tampering incident in the first Test has been sent to the ICC in London. He said they have completed a long report which will go to the ICC headquarters through the match referee.

India`s preparations for the World cup in progress

Hectic work is in progress to improve facilities and standards at the 17 venues of next year`s World Cup tournament in India before the month-long extravaganza gets underway with a hi-tech opening ceremony at Eden Gardens, Calcutta on February 11.

World Cup organisers PILCOM began a two-month countdown to the event on Monday, working overtime to prevent a repetition of last month`s stadium disaster in Nagpur which killed 12 and left 60 injured. England will meet New Zealand in the `curtain raiser` of the World Cup in Western Indian city of Ahmedabad on February 14. Sri Lanka and Pakistan are the other two host countries of the mega-event.

India to light up the World Cup

India plans to install flood lights at some of its key stadiam which will host next year`s World Cup tournament matches.

The Indian branch of the World Cup Organising Committee - INDCOM, will identify venues for night matches later this month. It is expected that the two quarter-finals allotted to India and both semi-finals, will be day/night affairs. Three league matches in India may also be played at night. The Lal Bahadur stadium in Hydrabad already has lights while Bombay and Gwalior will have floodlights installed later next month.

Sri Lankan Aponso in Dutch national team

Sri Lankan all-rounder Flavian Aponso has been included in the Netherlands team which will play in next year`s World Cup tournament in the Indian sub-continent.

Associate members of the International Cricket Council, the Netherlands, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates make their World Cup debut next year. Aponso is now in Nairobi with the Dutch team to play in a limited over competition. The Netherlands will play their first match against Kenya.

Sri Lanka to start World Series Cup campaign

The Sri Lanka team is scheduled to arrive in Adelaide on Wednesday to participate in the opening match of the 1995/96 World Series Cup limited over tournament. Sri Lanka will meet the West Indies in the `curtain raiser` of the three-nation one-day series to be played at the Adelaide Oval on Friday (15). Australia is the other team.

At its last one day international meeting, Sri Lanka beat the West Indies to win the Champions trophy final in Sharjah. Sri Lanka will play one more WSC match, against Australia, on December 21 before moving into the second Test in Melbourne from December 26.

Nagpur`s World Cup status still unclear

It is still unclear whether Nagpur will host next year`s World Cup tournament match between Australia and Zimbabwe.

Nagpur, where a stadium wall collapsed during a one-day international between India and New Zealand killing 12 and injuring 60 last month, is scheduled to host one of India`s 17 World Cup matches on March 1, 1996. The Indian branch of the World Cup organising committee, INDCOM, will take a decision on Nagpur after receiving a report on the incident from the Maharashtra state government.

Source :: Lake House/Lanka Internet Services Ltd