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Sri Lanka 243 for 7 (Atapattu 99, Jayawardene 35) beat Shell Academy XI 128 (Muralitharan 3-5) by 115 runsSri Lanka won an easy tour game against the Shell Cricket Academy to begin their tour of West Indies in fine style. Leading from the front, Marvan Atapattu, Sri Lanka’s one-day captain, made 99 and Muttiah Muralitharan returned figures of 3 for 5 as Sri Lanka won by 115 runs.Atapattu won the toss and opted to bat, after which Sri Lanka made 243 for 7 in their 50 overs. Atapattu’s 99 was the centerpiece of the innings, though worryingly, none of the other batsmen managed to convert their starts.The Shell Academy batsmen were never up for the chase, and had no answers to Muralitharan. Five of Muralitharan’s seven overs were maidens, and he stifled the Shell Academy batsmen completely in the middle overs, snuffing out all resistance.Prabath Nissanka was the first to strike for Sri Lanka, getting rid of Kurt Wilkinson for just 5. Krishna Arjune (17) and Dwayne Bravo (12) showed some spunk in a 32-run stand, but Arjune was out with the score on 40, and three more wickets fell on 44.After that, it was routine. Matthew Sinclair, the wicketkeeper, top-scored with 22, but the Shell Academy XI only managed to crawl to 128 for 9 in their 50 overs.The quality of the opposition notwithstanding, it was a good start to a tour which doesn’t allow much time for acclimatisation. The Cable & Wireless one-day series between Sri Lanka and West Indies starts this weekend.

Captain Sanath Jayasuriya admitted that the lack of match exposure for SriLanka’s middle order was a concern after they strolled to their thirdconsecutive World Cup win against Canada.However, he argued that it was imperative for Sri Lanka to boost their NetRun Rate (NRR), which has now spiraled to a healthy 3.17, to increase theirchances of qualifying for the second round of the competition.”We are aware that by finishing off matches so quickly we are depriving themiddle-order of batting but the situation is such that we need to keep theNRR up and have to use all options open to us,” said Jayasuriya afterwards.”It was a very good pitch to bat on and I never expected Canada to get outfor 36. What we wanted to do was to put them in and get them out quickly andscore runs as quickly as possible,” he added.He praised the efforts of his fast bowlers, especially rookie quick bowlerPrabath Nissanka, who played in place of the injured Pulasthi Gunaratne.”There was nothing wrong with the wicket, both (Chaminda) Vaas and (Prabath)Nissanka bowled really well. They pitched the ball in the right areas andbowled straight. We had so many lbw decisions in our favour because theybowled straight,” he said.”Prabath bowled very well and I am very happy for him. He has been a fastbowler whom we had faith on although he has been struggling in the last fewgames. He bowled wicket to wicket and was rewarded. He has a lot ofpotential and you will see him more of him in the future.”This performance was what we wanted from him because after Pulasthi(Gunaratne) got injured we were lacking an experienced bowler. If Prabathcan do the job, it is the best thing that can happen,” he said.Nissanka, who hails from Matara, the same southern fishing town thatproduced Jayasuriya, was delighted with his Man of the Match award.”I love bowling on this type of wickets. The captain and coach helped me alot to get my rhythm back at practices. I did a lot of hard work at the netsand it has paid off today,” said Nissanka.Canada captain Joe Harris said that he was disappointed the way his sideplayed and that they were capable of better performances.”We prepared for this tournament from six months ago and we knew it wasgoing to be tough against established nations. But we set our minds onplaying as competitive as possible against these countries. Today was a bigdisappointment,” said Harris.

Struggling Black Cap Craig McMillan completed a fairytale return to form today for Canterbury in their State Shield match against Wellington.McMillan, hopelessly out of form before today, answered his critics and should have appeased the New Zealand selectors with an unbeaten 122 off only 107 balls, to lay the foundation for his Canterbury team to complete a big victory and move to fourth place on the points table with three rounds of the State Shield remaining.McMillan’s 122 included four sixes and 13 fours. He played some superb shots all around the wicket and no Wellington bowler escaped his power and aggression. It was his fifth century in domestic one-day cricket.McMillan praised the pitch conditions, thankful he took his chance on a wicket that was batsman friendly.”I just wanted to be positive. I got a couple in the middle and I was away. I realised once I got in I just had to make hay.”McMillan’s innings totally overshadowed Chris Nevin’s century earlier in the day. Nevin had batted for all but the final three balls of the Wellington innings to score a patient 100, his third in domestic one-day cricket.Earlier, Wellington captain Matthew Bell won the toss and chose to bat first. And with the exception of Nevin (100 off 140 balls) they struggled.Canterbury’s bowling was tight and accurate, but Wellington also failed to display any real urgency as they limped to 212 for nine off 50 overs.The Canterbury bowling was led by left-arm spinner Carl Anderson and Chris Harris. Anderson bowled 10 overs for 36. This included 12 runs taken from his last over. Harris took four for 28 off eight overs, including three leg before wicket decisions.With his four wickets he has now moved to fifth equal on the all-time domestic one-day wicket-taking list with Gavin Larsen on 94 wickets. As three more matches remain before the New Zealanders head to the World Cup in South Africa there must be every chance of Harris becoming only the fourth player to pass 100 wickets in the domestic competition.Despite gaining the early wicket of Michael Papps, the Wellington attack never settled into any sort of rhythm and the Canterbury batsmen led by the belligerent McMillan took full toll.Canterbury, who earned a bonus point with this win, host Northern Districts in Timaru on Wednesday, while Wellington, who remain top of the points table, have a lot to work on before they travel to Auckland to play the competition cellar dwellers in round eight of the Shield.

England fast bowler James Ormond and all-rounder Jon Dakin have both leftLeicestershire.Ormond turned down a new deal at Grace Road while Dakin has been released from his contract two years early at his own request.Leicestershire secretary James Whitaker said: “Jon asked if he could lookaround for another county and we agreed. His opportunities were going to be morelimited here next season and we decided not to stand in his way.”The club’s former wicketkeeper Phil Whitticase is to be head coach next season, succeeding Jack Birkenshaw who is to become coaching consultant.Leicestershire have signed Jamie Grove from Somerset and are on the verge of a deal with Charles Dagnall, who has been released by Warwickshire at his own request.

The Chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board is warning of the danger of burn-out in international cricket.Lord MacLaurin believes the number of centrally-contracted players, which currently stands at 12, may have to increase.”With the programme stretching out over the next four or five years, I would imagine that there may have to be more players contracted to the board,” MacLaurin told the BBC.”That would mean people are not obliged to go on each and every tour. Otherwise you will have burn-out,” he said.England’s programme over the next 12 months includes seven home Tests, a large quantity of one-day internationals, an Ashes tour and the World Cup in South Africa.”We want to prolong their cricketing lives as much as we possibly can,” MacLaurin said. “I think we have to be very sensible about it. These cricketers are married and have young families and are growing up.”We have to be very sensible about the way we care for our players and guardagainst burn-out.”

Eager England fans have snapped up more than £70,000 worth of tickets for Trent Bridge’s international cricket programme next year.Ticket office staff arriving for work yesterday morning were greeted by a queue of customers as seats went on general sale for the first time.After the success of last year¹s international fixtures, where every ticket available was sold in advance, Notts are hoping for a repeat performance.Said Sales & Marketing Manager Lisa Pursehouse: “Both Sri Lanka and India will prove exciting and challenging opposition for England and it’s understandable that supporters want to reserve their favourite seats for the matches.”England take on the Sri Lankans in a floodlit NatWest Series One-day International on Thursday June 27 with the Second npower Test against India starting at Trent Bridge on August 8.Seats can be booked on the website at www.nottsccc.co.uk, by calling the ticket hotline 0870 168 8888 or at the Squash Club Reception.

Victories for both league sides last weekend have given Manicaland their best start in several years. In Harare the first team defeated Old Georgians by 21 runs and although the margin seems small were never in danger of losing.Grateful to be put in to bat on a good pitch by Old Georgians skipper Lance Malloch-Brown, Manicaland made 229 all out in 49.5 overs. Richie Sims top-scored with 51 whilst Kingsley Went made 47. Leon Soma smashed 31 off 16 balls (including 17 off one Gus Mackay over) and Tafadzwa Madondo added 29. Best bowlers were Mackay (3/48), Quentin Steyn (2/25) and Brad McCoun (3/37).Old Georgians never came to terms with the run rate, reaching a flattering 208 for nine after a few late overs of friendly spin. Barney Rogers (67), W. Mwayenga (31) and Malloch-Brown (31) were the main scorers, whilst Alistair Campbell (3/54) with some slow and slower off-spinners and Guy Whittall (3/27) were the best bowlers. Whittall knocked over danger men Mackay and Craig Evans in a tight mid-innings spell which took the game away from OGs.Young Manicaland captain/wicket-keeper Neil Ferreira is benefiting from having former Zimbabwean captain Campbell in the slips where advice and explanations are given freely on field placements and general captaincy. This weekend when Manicaland play the powerful Harare Sports Club team in Mutare, Campbell and Whittall will be away with the Zimbabwe Board X1 in Potchefstroom.Richie Sims can consider himself unlucky not to be in the team having scored three fifties in four knocks this season, whilst Barney Rogers, who has made the side, has only scored one in four. Both are useful off-spinners.In Mutare Manicaland seconds had an equally emphatic win over Universals seconds. Winning the toss, Manicaland captain Deon Yatras sent the visitors in to bat with Mutare Sports Club outfield wet from overnight rain. The bowlers struggled to grip the ball, restricting Manicaland’s options and allowing Universals 50 more runs than were merited. They were finally dismissed for 223 in the 44th over with K. Taibu (younger brother of national player Tatenda) top-scoring with 43. Yatras took 3/36 and schoolboy leg-spinner Keegan Taylor a long-awaited return-to-form 5/33.After some early alarms Manicaland coasted home in the 31st over with Nayim Sheth (53), Alec Taylor (31 not out) and a majestically calm unbeaten 100 from 17-year-old Andre Soma. The second of three talented cricketing brothers, Soma has the goods to go all the way – the biggest threat to his success is his innate humility in the competitive arena of cricket brats and super-egos.Apologies to Adiel Kugotsi who was incorrectly identified as Adiel Makota in last week’s report.In Mutare in the early part of the week was Worcestershire and England wicket-keeper Steve “Bumpy” Rhodes. Under contract to the ZCU, the engaging 37-year-old Yorkshireman held a number of coaching clinics at schools and clubs around Mutare with CFX Academy coach Shane Cloete. Totally unfazed at his lack of celebrity locally, his drills and enthusiasm soon won over pupils and coaches alike.

So it is over. Sri Lankan cricket runs on World Cup cycles and four years ofgrooming, planning and polishing under coach Dav Whatmore and SanathJayasuriya produced a place in the semi-finals. For a nation with heavyexpectations, judgment beckons: has the time come for sweeping changes orwill a little spring cleaning suffice?

The defeat by Australia summed up Sri Lanka’s campaign: superb bowling byChaminda Vaas, good support from the spinners, all wasted by another lousyperformance by the middle order. Sri Lanka produced one of their bestperformances in the field in the competition, carving out a winningopportunity, but ultimately didn’t have the depth of batting class necessaryto withstand the bristling Australians.

Sri Lankan hopes rested, almost entirely, upon the shoulders of five seniorplayers, men who had all been around during the 1996 finals: SanathJayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva, Marvan Atapattu, Chaminda Vaas and MuttiahMuralitharan. They dominated with bat and ball, scoring 64% of the runs andtaking 75% of the wickets during the tournament. For victory to be achievedthey had to fire again: they did with the ball but couldn’t with the bat.The disappointing truth is that four years of grooming youngsters has failedto reap substantial dividends in the tournament that mattered most. So hasthe time come to start afresh? Clearly some changes are necessary, only thescale of the shake out is in doubt. The picture is muddied by the fact thatsome of the players that disappointed – Russel Arnold and Mahela Jayawardenein particular, who scored a paltry 113 runs in 15 innings between them – hadperformed consistently in the pre-ceding years. That being the case, is itwise to now cast them aside?

In Mahela Jayawardene’s case, there is clearly a need to keep faith with aclass player. You don’t throw batters onto the scrap heap after a poor sixmonths when they average close to fifty in Test cricket. But Jayawardene’sslump is a concern. In 2001 he averaged 46.66 in one-day cricket, scoringthree centuries and seven fifties. Since then his productivity has declineddramatically, with an average of 28.25 in 2002 and 14.54 in 2003 thus far.Possibly, a rest is required. He has been struggling with long-term backinjury and his mind has also been busy with off-field matters, particularlythe team’s HOPE fund raising appeal for a new cancer hospital. A break mightallow him to re-charge his batteries and let his focus sharpen. Too manymonths spent idling in hotel rooms is not good for anyone.

Russel Arnold’s position is more vulnerable. Already rumours are circlingColombo that his time is up. His one-day average is still respectable at36.32 but it is dipping fast. During the last 12 months he has averaged28.96, and in the first three months of 2003 only 13.09. Despite offeringvalue with his under-rated off-spin and athletic fielding, Arnold’s place isclearly in danger. However, he also deserves further up the order. All toofrequently he has been stranded with the tail, left to pick up the piecesafter the middle order has collapsed.Kumar Sangakkara’s place in the side should be guaranteed despite arelatively lean tournament (176 runs at 25.14). His wicket-keeping was oftenragged and occasionally awful, meaning the selectors may well now opt for aspecialist pair of gloves, but his batting continues an upward curve with anaverage of 31.6 during the past 12 months. With Hashan Tillakaratne beingtoo old to last till the next World Cup, and de Silva having retired,Sangakkara deserves an extended chance in the number position, a spot wherehe has thus far thrived in Test cricket.

This all leaves the selectors needing to fill two spots in the top seven,possibly three if Jayawardene is to rest. With no obvious alternativecurrently available, Romesh Kaluwitharana can expect to be recalled. MichaelVandort, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Chamara Silva are all names that will beconsidered. Avishka Gunawardene and Jehan Mubarak may also have a chance.The names of all-rounders Thilan Samaraweera and Kaushal Loukuarachchi, bothof who had successful series against the ECB Academy, deserve to be throwninto the hat. And if you were really brave you blood Jeevan Mendis, a youngleft-hander with prodigious talent. Unfortunately, the truth is that thereis no outstanding candidate that leaps out and demands selection.In the bowling department, the selectors cannot make wholesale changes. Vaasand Muralitharan, injury and enthusiasm permitting, can remain the pillarsof the attack until the next World Cup and beyond. Clearly Dilhara Fernandoand Prabath Nissanka have immense promise and only by playing can theydevelop. However, a full-time bowling coach, preferably Rumesh Ratnayake, ifhe can be teased away from his full-time job with the Asian Cricket Council,is required.

And, finally, there is the issue of captaincy. Jayasuriya’s consensualapproach had advantages in the post-Ranatunga years but increasingly hisleadership has lacked control and direction on the field. He is unlikely tobe sacked, boasting as he does strong support in the Sports Ministry, butthere is a growing feeling that he will consider stepping down anyhow andhanding over to his vice-captain. Atapattu, a private and somewhat aloofcricketer, has already displayed his on-field leadership credentials duringSri Lanka’s last Test at Centurion, calmly and astutely leading Sri Lanka tothe verge of a famous victory. However, he will need a strong communicatoras his henchman, someone to glue the team together and ensure bonhomiewithin the ranks: Chaminda Vaas stands out as the ideal candidate.

So, in the end, we have reached for the duster rather than the broom. Theretirement of De Silva – who has turned down a plea from the interimcommittee to keep going for another six months – and the likely employmentof Tillakartne as a Test specialist again, provides an opportunity for twofresh (or indeed old) faces. Another might be tried if Arnold or Jayawardeneare rested or dropped but more wholesale changes should not be expected nordemanded. All is not well with the Sri Lanka team but all is not wrongeither.

With the Champions Trophy in Sharjah just around the corner Avishka Gunawardene looks to have hit form at just the right time after a blistering century in a practice match between the Sri Lanka national side and A team at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Grounds in Colombo today.Batting first, the A team scored 193 runs thanks to a well compiled 60 by skipper Thilan Samaraweera off 86 balls, which included a six and five fours. They had been in grave trouble at one stage having lost seven wickets for 92 runs before a late rally from lower order batsmen Gayan Ramyakumara, Prasanna Jayawardene and Muttumudalige Pushpakumara.Skipper Sanath Jayasuriya picked up four wickets for 45 runs. Senior squad newcomers Prabath Nissanka and Charitha Buddika impressed with two wickets apiece.In the reply, the Sri Lankan team cruised to their target in just 39.4 overs for the loss of just two wickets. Opening partners, skipper Sanath Jayasuriya and Avishka Gunawardene, led the assault. Jayasuriya reached his 50 off only 37 deliveries while Gunawardene got there in 34 balls. Gunawardene went onto make 109. His century came off just 70 balls and he hit eight sixes and 10 fours in all.Though the Sri Lankan national side reached the target in 39.4 overs with just two wickets down, they continued to bat on, to allow all the batsmen some batting practice. They finished up with 291.Summarised scores:Sri Lanka A 193 all out (49.2 overs)T. Samaraweera 60, M. Vandort 25, G. Ramyakumara 18, M. Pushpakumara 18.S. Jayasuriya 4-45, P. Nissanka 2-10.Sri Lanka 291 all out (43.3 overs)Gunawardene 109, S. Jayasuriya 51, M. Atapattu 38, Russel Arnold 32.Dinusha Fernando 2-46, R. Herath 2-52.

Bihar scored a crushing innings and 88 run win over Assam on thesecond day of their East Zone Under-14 Tournament match at the KeenanGround in Jamshedpur on Wednesday. Bihar with this outright win earnedeight points.Having taken a handsome 148 run lead in the first innings, Biharbundled out Sikkim for just 60 runs in 27.2 overs. Only two ofSikkim’s batsmen, Bimal Singh (11) and S Rai (12) managed to reachdouble figures. While Santosh Kumar (2 for 10) rattled the Sikkim toporder, S Nadeem (3 for 13) and Madan Kumar (3 for 13) ripped throughthe middle and lower order.Earlier, on the opening day, opting to bat Sikkim were all out for apaltry 79 with only three batsmen, opener HD Bhutia (19), Bimal Singh(16) and D Chettri (12) getting into double figures. Opening bowlerSantosh Kumar (4 for 22) and Madan Kumar (4 for 11) ran through theSikkim batting order. In reply, Bihar put up 227 on the board withuseful contributions from Sukhbinder Singh (48), Arvind Jha (29) andJeetender Kumar (21).