Sri Lanka News Round-up (6 Jan 1998)

Tuesday 06, January 1998

SRI LANKA SPORTS NEWS AT-A-GLANCE

Compiled by Dinesh Weerawansa.

* A polished century by Sri Lanka Board President's X1 batsman Naweed Nawaz (111) highlighted the final day's play of their three-day match against the visiting Zimbabwe team which ended in a meaningless draw at the Uyanwatte Stadium, Matara yesterday.

Resuming the final day at 240 for 5, the Board President's progressed to 318 for 8 when the match was called off after the first session of play. This was in reply to Zimbabwe's first innings total of 311 for six made on the opening day. Zimbabwe team is due to travel to Kandy the same evening to prepare for the first Test against Sri Lanka.

* Romesh Kaluwitharana will continue to keep wickets while Sri Lanka will stick to now established opening pair of Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu in the first Test against Zimbabwe which starts at the Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy on Wednesday.

Romesh Kaluwitharana who was once tried as an opener during an exhibition game against India last month, will bat at No.7. Team sources said there will not be any major changes in the final line-up from the team which played in the third and final Test against India early last month.

* The first cricket Test against Zimbabwe which starts in Kandy on Wednesday, will be Sri Lanka's 80th match after playing the inaugural Test against England way back in 1982.

Of the 799 previous Tests, Sri Lanka has played 33 matches at home and 46 abroad. In 79 Test outings, Sri Lanka has registered nine wins, 34 defeats while 36 matches have ended in draws.

Though Sri Lanka's overall Test success (wins) rate is only 11 per cent, Sri Lanka has the best country-wise success rate against Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka has won two of the five previous Tests against Zimbabwe and has a success rate of 40%. Of all Test playing nations, Zimbabwe is the only country which has not registered a single win against Sri Lanka.

* Sri Lanka vice captain Aravinda de Silva is placed third behind South African Gary Kirsten and Pakistani Imzaman Ul-haq in the latest Pepsi International Test cricket batting ratings.

Kirsten has gained a total of 9595 points followed by Imzaman (9526) and De Silva (9509). In the fourth place of the world test batting ranking is Zimbabwe's Grant Flower, followed by Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya.

However, none of the Sri Lanka bowlers has gained a place among the top ten Test bowlers in the World. England's Phill Tufnell heads the bowling honours list with 9058 points, followed by Pakistani paceman Wasim Akram and Australian Jason Gillespie.

* Sri Lanka off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan needs another 15 wickets to reach 150-wicket mark in Test cricket. Muralitharan, the highest ever Test wicket taker for Sri Lanka, has so far captured 135 wickets with an average of 31.15.

The other highest wicket taker in the current Sri Lanka team is paceman Chaminda Vaas who has accounted for 75 wickets averaging 28.76.

Off cutter Kumara Dharmasena, whose bowling action is under review by the ICC, needs a further eight wickets to reach 50-wicket mark in Test cricket. In 17 Tests Dharmasena has captured 42 wickets averaging 40.21.

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