Sri Lanka News Round-up (21 Jan 1998)

Wednesday 21, January 1998

SRI LANKA SPORTS NEWS AT-A-GLANCE

Compiled by Dinesh Weerawansa.

* Sri Lanka will open their Under-19 Youth World Cup second round super league campaign when they take on new Zealand in Port Elizabeth on Thursday. England sprang the first upset in the Super league second round when they beat favourites Pakistan by 18 runs in Johannesburg.

Beaten by Bangladesh in the preliminary round, England staged a magnificent come back to beat unbeaten Pakistan who were the only team which beat Sri Lanka. England's challenging total of 251 was based on a 91-run opening stand between Steve Peters (92 off 126 balls) and Robert Key. Pakistan who were struggling at 50 for 5 at one stage, made a good recovery but eventually fell short by 18 runs.

In the Plate league matches of the same tournament, Scotland beat Kenya by 156 runs, West Indies thrashed Denmark by 200 runs while Ireland beat Papua-New Guinea by six wickets.

* Zimbabwe will face an uphill task when they meet the World champions Sri Lanka in the opening game of the three-match one day international series which will be played at the SSC grounds, Maitland Place on Thursday.

While Arjuna Ranatunga and his men will try to warm-up for the three-nation tournament in South Africa in March, Zimbabwe will play all their trump cards to take revenge for their 0-2 defeat in the Test series. The second one day international between the two teams will be played at the Premadasa Stadium on Saturday and the final game at the SSC on Monday.

* World champions Sri Lanka are to make a few experiments in the final line-up for the first one day international against Zimbabwe to be played at the SSC grounds on Thursday.

However, out-of-form experienced batsmen Roshan Mahanama and Hashan Tillakaratne will be given yet another chance to regain their confidence before the all-important South African tour. Meanwhile Zimbabwe is yet to name their final X1 which will be named after today's warm-up game against Sri Lanka Board President's X1 at Moratuwa Stadium.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)