Pressure on SL to end on high - Chandimal

Sri Lanka's new Twenty20 captain Dinesh Chandimal has admitted there is significant pressure on the hosts to finish the home series against Bangladesh on a high note, ahead of the one-off Twenty20 in Pallekele on Sunday. The hosts had been expected to win each series comprehensively, but could only draw the ODI series 1-1, and allowed Bangladesh to draw a Test against Sri Lanka, for the first time.

Chandimal is now set to lead a young, inexperienced side, which will feature at least one debutant, as six uncapped Twenty20 players have been named in the 16-man squad. They will likely play four top-order batsmen with less than 15 matches' experience, and two specialist bowlers who have each played less than five Twenty20s.

"Bangladesh won the last match and will be in a good mental state. But our players have got a big chance here and they will hopefully take that opportunity," Chandimal said. "It's a lot of pressure, but I like to play with that pressure. As a cricketer, there has to be pressure when we play, because that's when we can truly overcome challenges. We never underestimated Bangladesh, because they are an improving side in world cricket.

"I have to be content with this team, because as youngsters, this is the kind of tour that they should be given opportunities in. When you are playing your first or second match, it's better if you play teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and then get the confidence to play big matches against Australia and England. It's good if they can learn from their time with the seniors and take their cricket forward."

Chandimal has never captained a national team at age-group level, but he had had a superlative season as captain of Ananda College, in Colombo, where he led his side to an unprecedented 13 outright wins in 2008. He was one of several candidates for Test captaincy as well, despite his youth, but eventually Angelo Mathews was given the role, and Chandimal made vice-captain.

"I was captain in Under-19 and U-15 teams as well, in a few provincial matches. This is a great challenge, because captaining the national team is not something everyone can do. We need to talk to all our players, of every level of experience and figure out how we are going to improve and win more matches for our country.

"We don't have the experienced players like Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan, who played well in the last two series. But I think there are great young players like Dilshan Munaweera and Kusal Perera. This is a great opportunity for the young players." Chandimal singled out Nasir Hossain as a particular threat among the opposition batsmen, and said Sri Lanka had grown wary of his strengths during the tour. Nasir walloped 33 runs from 27 deliveries in the third ODI, to propel his side to victory, and had struck 73 not out from 59 deliveries to close out the innings in the first ODI as well, in addition to the Test ton he scored in Galle.

"Bangladesh's batsmen have improved a lot from how they were before. Nasir Hossain has been the batsman who has batted the best in the ODI series, and he's been consistent throughout the tour, so we've got a plan for him. We've got plans for all the others as well. We're hoping that tomorrow we can come through in those situations, and showcase our talent."

Read More..

Bangladesh fancy chances against experimental Sri Lanka

Match facts

March 31, 2013 Start time 1930 local (1400 GMT)

Big picture

Whatever happens on Sunday night, Sri Lanka will look back on this tour and feel it has not gone as they would have liked. Bangladesh had never taken a Test to the fifth day in Sri Lanka, but they bettered even that achievement by keeping the hosts to a draw. Sri Lanka were made to fight hard in the second Test, and though they triumphed handsomely there in the end, they were embarrassed in the ODI series, when Bangladesh stormed home in Pallekele. Sri Lanka may have been missing Mahela Jayawardene, who has made home series a specialty, but Bangladesh have been without their star player in Shakib Al Hasan throughout the tour, and lost Tamim Iqbal after the first ODI.

Twenty20 is supposedly Sri Lanka's strongest format, but they will put the top ranking they earned during their World Twenty20 campaign on the line, in the final match of the tour. If Sri Lanka lose to ninth-ranked Bangladesh, they drop five ratings points, and will slip behind West Indies.

Sri Lanka's selectors have approached this match as a development game, and as such, Sri Lanka's ranking seems especially insecure. Of the 16 players in the squad, six have never played an international Twenty20, and among the uncapped, only Kithuruwan Vithanage has played at the top level in any format.

They also have a young, new leader, who for all his talent, had been unable to establish a place in any of the three national teams four months ago. Throughout the Tests and ODIs, Dinesh Chandimal was often in Angelo Mathews' company during talks on strategy, but although he holds a coveted school cricket record as a captain, his leadership qualities are burgeoning, rather than refined. Bangladesh are soaring after their last win, and are now faced with a significantly weaker Sri Lanka team. If there was any match against Sri Lanka in which they began as favourites, it is this one.

Critical to their chances is their bowling, which, despite the team's results, has been unconvincing throughout the tour. The fast bowlers in particular have been wayward in their opening spells - though they will not have Tillakaratne Dilshan to contend with in this match - and too much has been required of Sohag Gazi, whose own career is still in its infancy. If Bangladesh's attack can prevent a quick start, and put pressure on Sri Lanka's inexperienced batsmen, they will go a long way towards securing a heartening victory to cap off a terrific tour.

Form guide

(completed matches only, most recent first)
Sri Lanka: WWLWW
Bangladesh: LLLLW

In the spotlight

Dilshan Munaweera arrived in the Twenty20 side after an impressive Sri Lanka Premier League tournament, but was unable to produce the sustained assaults at the top of the innings through which he established his reputation. He is coming off a first-class 104 from 87 deliveries however, and will be keen to translate that form into his first notable international innings.

The man who has suddenly become the centre of attention on this tour is Nasir Hossain. His unbeaten 33 has become the most valuable innings for Bangladesh in the ODI series as it helped them grab a win and draw the series. Even the Sri Lankans are talking about him, so he would be one to look out for.

Teams news

Angelo Perera is the likeliest young batsman to debut in the match, though Kithuruwan Vithanage, who played in the Test series, may also be close to selection. The biggest conundrum for Sri Lanka will be how to replace the rested Nuwan Kulasekara. There are a slew of young allrounders in the squad, and among them, fast bowler Ishan Jayaratne and left-arm-spinner Chaturanga de Silva are the likeliest of the freshers to play. Sri Lanka may opt for a little more experience however, in which case Shaminda Eranga will play.

Sri Lanka (probable): 1. Kusal Perera, 2. Dilshan Munaweera, 3. Lahiru Thirimanne, 4. Dinesh Chandimal (capt & wk), 5. Angelo Perera/Kithuruwan VIthanage, 6. Angelo Mathews, 7. Jeevan Mendis, 8. Thisara Perera, 9. Shaminda Eranga/ Chaturanga de Silva/ Ishan Jayaratne, 10. Sachithra Senanayake, 11. Lasith Malinga.

There could be a temptation for Bangladesh to bring in Mosharraf Hossain as the third spinner and cut down on one batsman from the top-order. In that case, Mominul Haque - who has not done well in Twenty20s recently, may be chopped. A debut for Shamsur Rahman also beckons, especially after his BPL performance this season. But team sources have said that Mominul will continue to play while there is a high likelihood for Shamsur to make his international debut with Mosharraf's wait to return to international cricket set to be extended.

Bangladesh (probable): 1 Mohammad Ashraful, 2 Shamsur Rahman, 3 Jahurul Islam, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), 5 Mahmudullah, 6 Nasir Hossain, 7 Mominul Haque, 8 Ziaur Rahman, 9 Sohag Gazi, 10 Abdur Razzak, 11 Rubel Hossain/Shahadat Hossain.

Pitch and conditions

Sri Lanka's south-west monsoon rains appear to be making an early appearance, and with Pallekele quickly gaining a reputation as one of the wettest grounds in cricket, the match may be affected by the weather once again. The surface itself looks identical to the one used for the ODI, which had a little something for bowlers of all inclinations, but was far more favourable for batsmen.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka have not dismissed Nasir in a limited-overs match, in three innings. He hit 36 not out during the Asia Cup last year, and has was unbeaten on 73 and 33 in the ODI series. He has never played a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka.
• In 12 innings, Chandimal's Twenty20 average is 14.83 and his strike rate 97.26
• If Sri Lanka defeat Bangladesh, they earn one rankings point and extend their lead at the top of the table.
• The game will be played on the 27th anniversary of Bangladesh's debut international match

Quotes

"As a team we are at number one, and everyone is looking to keep that. We've trained really hard in the last few days, and hopefully that will pay off with a win."

Chandimal feels he has a responsibility to maintain a hard-won ranking

"Bowling in the Powerplay and the death is very important for us. We have to do well in these two periods. The bowlers are confident after not having a great tour."

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim on Bangladesh's weaker suit on this tour

Read More..

Gujarat in final after Manprit ton

Group A

In a one-sided match, Kerala were crushed under the weight of a dominant batting performance from Gujarat, led by Manprit Juneja, who scored a belligerent century, and Abdulahad Malik, to lose by 90 runs in Indore. The victory helped Gujarat qualify for the final of the tournament, to be played against Punjab, as they snatched the top spot via a better net run-rate than Kerala.

Soon after being put in to bat, Gujarat were struggling at 31 for 3 in the fifth over, with the top three batsmen in their line-up having been dismissed. Juneja and Malik, then, shared an unbeaten 202-run partnership - the third-highest for any wicket in Twenty20s and the highest for the fourth wicket - in 94 balls to take them to a daunting 233 for 4. Juneja scored 108 off 50 deliveries, and Malik 84 off 46, both unbeaten. The two hit 25 fours and six sixes between them.

In reply, Kerala lost wickets frequently. Except opener VA Jagadeesh (36), Sanju Samson (32) and Raiphi Gomez (26), none of the other batsmen put up much resistance. They were eventually bowled out for 143, with seamer Mehul Patel and offspinner Jesal Karia taking three wickets each.

A quick half-century from Faiz Fazal helped Vidarbha beat Delhi by five wickets. Delhi, batting first, put up a strong 156 for 7, through a knock of 45 from Mohit Sharma and an unbeaten 39 from middle-order batsman Milind Kumar. Two significant partnerships, between Mohit and Jagrit Anand (worth 57 runs), and between Milind and Nitish Rana (40) helped Delhi get to the total, even though they kept losing wickets.

Fazal set the tone in Vidarbha's reply by dominating the opening stand of 31. He added 53 runs with Urvesh Patel, and when the stand was broken, Vidarbha were strong at 83 for 2. Three wickets fell for 31, but Shalabh Shrivastava, with a 14-ball 26, took them home in 19 overs.

Group B

A career-best, unbeaten 93 from Gurkeerat Singh helped Punjab beat Uttar Pradesh by 51 runs and gave them a berth in the final, to be played against Gujarat on Sunday. UP, after choosing to field, removed opener Mandeep Singh in the first over, and Ravi Inder Singh in the sixth over. But Gurkeerat struck useful stands with Mayank Sidhana, Chandan Madan and Amitoze Singh to steer his team to 161 for 5. His 58-ball knock consisted of eight fours and six sixes.

UP's innings never took off as seamer Sandeep Sharma dented the top order with quick wickets and spinner Rahul Sharma followed up by taking four wickets. Mohammad Kaif (46) and captain Piyush Chawla (29) provided resistance with a 46-run stand for the fifth wicket, but then they lost six wickets for 19 runs to be bowled out for 110.

Half-centuries from Jyot Chhaya and Vishnu Solanki took Baroda to a tight five-wicket victory over Karnataka at the Holkar Stadium. In their chase of 168, Baroda's top-order batsmen squandered starts, but at 75 for 4, Chhaya added 90 runs off 52 balls with Solanki to take them home in the penultimate ball of the innings.

Karnataka's innings revolved around a 34-ball 49 from opener Robin Uthappa, and contributions from Karun Nair (22), Manish Pandey (29), and K Gowtham (24). Spinners Bhargav Bhatt and Krunal Pandya took three wickets each.

Read More..

Faisalabad and Sialkot in final after thrillers

Faisalabad Wolves 125 for 8 (Shehzad 27, Hafeez 3-30, Rasool 2-27) beat Lahore Lions 123 (Jamshed 46, Hafeez 36, Adil 3-23, Khalid 2-31) by two runs
Scorecard

With nine required of the final over, promising fast bowler Ehsan Adil conceded just six to help Faisalabad Wolves win a thriller against Lahore Lions and reach the final of the Faysal Bank Super Eight T-20 Cup in Lahore.

Though the first ball of Adil's over went four, and the next was a wide that reduced the equation to four off five balls, Adil kept his cool. The second legitimate ball of the over produced a wicket as Sohail Ahmed, who threatened to take the game away, was dismissed after mistiming a pull. Another wide was bowled, followed by two dot balls as the No. 9 Adnan Rasool failed to connect.

That made it three required off two. Rasool missed a third ball in a row, and decided to attempt a bye, but with the non-striker not responding, both batsmen were at the bowler's end when the wicketkeeper broke the stumps. The final ball of the match left No. 11 Aizaz Cheema needing to take three, and he too failed to connect and was run out by the keeper Mohammad Salman, giving Wolves the game.

Wolves didn't seem to have a defendable target after they opted to bat, posting 125. Opener Farrukh Shehzad slashed Aizaz Cheema between gully and point for a boundary, followed by a dashing drive through extra cover, to take nine of the first over as the openers put on 22. Misbah ul-Haq (19) and Khurram Shehzad (27) put on 45 for the third wicket, with the Wolves passing 100 in the 16th over with the help of Imran Khalid's cameo of 20 off 15 balls.

At the halfway stage, Lions were favourites, given Wolves' moderate total, and that Lions had seven cricketers with international experience in their ranks, including the Twenty20 national captain, Mohammad Hafeez.

The Lions announced their charge with three boundaries off the first over from openers Ahmed Shehzad and Nasir Jamshed. Shehzad fell to a brilliant catch behind by Salman with the score on 13. Jamshed (46) and Hafeez (36) put on a solid 57-run partnership, and Lions looked comfortably on course to overhaul the Wolves' total.

A double-strike by Adil in the 11th over brought Wolves back into the game, as he removed Kamran Akmal and Ali Azmat. From being 81 for 2 in 10 overs, Lions ended up losing seven wickets for 38. Once Jamshed was run out by Samiullah with the score on 99, the Wolves' smelt the possibility of victory. Sohail Ahmed's 19 kept the Lions in the hunt, but Adil's superb final over handed Wolves the victory.

Sialkot Stallions 139 for 8 (Malik 44, Amin 3-28) beat Rawalpindi Rams 136 (Waheed 44*, Naved-ul-Hasan 3-20) by three runs
Scorecard

Sialkot Stallions raced into the final after a thrilling victory over Rawalpindi Rams at the Gaddafi Stadium. The match went into the final over with Rawalpindi needing eight runs, but the vastly experienced Naved-ul-Hasan picked up three wickets to bowl Rams out and clinch a three-run victory. Stallions, defending champions of Faysal Bank Super8, will take on Faisalabad Wolves in the final on Sunday.

After opting to bat first, Stallions got off to a steady start with the openers adding 23 off 21 before Shakeel Ansar (7) was trapped lbw by Yasir Arafat, followed by the dismissal of Shahid Yousuf (16). In a bid to improvise, Naved-ul-Hasan was promoted up in the order, but the idea backfired and Naved was back in hut with 15 off 22 balls. By the end of 15th over, Stallions were in trouble at 96 for 5.

Their captain Shoaib Malik drove five boundaries to compile 44 off 35 balls to take Stallions past 100 and Mansoor Amjad hit 18 off 11 with the help of a six over long-off to propel Stallions to a respectable total of 139.

Rams, in reply, lost three wickets within five overs with 31 runs on board. It was Umar Amin (24) along with Umar Waheed who kept the the game from slipping away with a defiant 37-run stand. Sohail Tanvir chipped in three boundaries for his 17 off 16 balls but wasn't enough to keep the chase on course, leaving Waheed (44 not out) to resist all alone in the middle with no batsman providing him support, which left Rams two runs short.

Read More..

Raza Hasan confident of swift return

Raza Hasan, Pakistan's 20-year old left-arm spinner, is confident of being back in the reckoning for national selection with his swift recovery from a career-threatening spine injury. He returned to competitive cricket, after an almost four-month break, in the ongoing Faysal Bank Super Eight Twenty20 Cup.

Hasan, who made his international debut last September against Australia, has played seven Twenty20 internationals since, taking six wickets at 25.66. But he was pegged back with major back trouble when he injured the disc in his spine in a domestic Twenty20 game on December 2. He underwent surgery, performed by a neurosurgeon Dr. Anjum Habib Vohra.

"It was a major blow but with the timely treatment I am back in shape," Hasan said. "Although I was given at least eight weeks' rest by the doctor, I extended it to 12 weeks to give my body adequate rest. I am enjoying good health due to the gap. I am working hard to cover up for lost time.

"I was a bit reckless earlier with my injury and I let it linger on, but now after the operation I am taking extra caution to take care of myself with proper gym sessions and back exercise."

In the wake of the injury, he missed the tours of India and South Africa, and hasn't so far played Tests or ODIs for his country. During his layoff, two other left-arm spinners, Zulfiqar Babar and Abdur Rehman - who served a 12-week ban for testing positive for cannabis during his spell with Somerset - have been called in by the selectors. But the competition with other spinners for a place, with Saeed Ajmal leading the race, isn't worrisome for Raza.

"I am not really worried on being pushed back on return of Abdur Rehman or others as I don't think I will be competing with anyone. The only completion I am facing is with my own self and I need to improve myself from here. I am young and have plenty of time ahead of me [to do the needful], rest is in the hands of the selectors."

Read More..

Razzak draws strength from career setbacks

Abdur Razzak, the Bangladesh left-arm spinner, thought he would miss the chance to complete 200 ODI wickets in the three-match series against Sri Lanka. After going wicketless in the first game and the second one being abandoned, he ended up getting all five wickets required to reach the landmark in the final game in Pallekele, a testament to his persistence over difficult periods in his career.

"After the first two matches, I thought I would have to wait a long time for another opportunity," Razzak said. "It came in the third game and I was extremely happy. The moment when I took the fifth wicket was unforgettable. Before the series I had it in mind to reach the 200-wicket mark."

Razzak's numbers, and stature as the most experienced bowler in the line-up have made him a valuable member of the ODI side. All but one of his four-wicket hauls came in defeats while all four of his five-fors have been in wins.

Yet, it is his experience with the darker side of international cricket that has taught him the lesson of not taking even an ordinary spell of bowling for granted. Razzak was twice pulled up for chinks in his bowling action, the second occasion costing him almost a year's international cricket. He was first reported in 2004 and four years later told to correct his action.

"I am one of those few players from Bangladesh who has seen some really critical periods in their career. When the bowling action was questioned, everyone spoke to me as if my career was over. I was strong on the inside. I didn't think my career was over.

"I think that has given me a lot of strength as a person. I love taking up challenges, I can't hide away from bowling in certain periods because it doesn't make me comfortable. I like to go through these difficult experiences during matches or otherwise, so that I know what to do the next time it happens," he said.

Razzak has experienced memorable moments too. After taking three wickets on debut against minnows Hong Kong, he was impressive against Pakistan in his next game. Problems with his bowling action kept him out till 2006 when he became a regular for another three years. During this time he was instrumental in Bangladesh's progression to the 2007 World Cup's Super Eights.

Razzak was the Man of the Match against West Indies in his comeback game in 2009 after correcting his action. It was followed by a hat-trick against Zimbabwe in 2010, and through ups and downs, he has remained the backbone of a side short on experience.

"It is hard to make a distinction on which has been my best moment. There have been so many good moments. But I think I have enjoyed the fact that the 200 wickets have not taken too long. I have done it in 141 innings which gives me a lot of pride."

Read More..

UP clinch last-ball win

Group A

Kerala increased their chances of making it to the final after winning their third match in a row when they beat Odisha by six wickets in Indore. Batting first, Odisha were rocked by wickets by Nizar Niyas (2 for 24) and VA Jagadeesh (2 for 10). However, cameos from Lagnajit Samal (20 off 16) and Suryakant Pradhan (18 off 16) led them to 125 for 8 with an unbeaten 35-run stand. Opener Ankit Yadav top-scored with 28.

Kerala lost four wickets in the chase, but Sanju Samson (41*) and Sachin Baby (33 off 24) made it easier with a 64-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Nikhilesh Surendran chipped in with 22 at the top and Kerala won with four balls to spare.

Gujarat kept their hopes alive of playing the finals by beating Vidarbha by three wickets in Indore. Vidarbha were given a strong start by their top-order batsmen, Faiz Fazal (27), Amol Ubarhande (24 off 12) and Akshay Kolhar (23). But Jesal Karia struck with two blows in the 11th over. Shalabh Shrivastava (34) and Gaurav Upadhyaya (24) steered the innings from there, taking the total to 156 for 7. Jasprit Bumrah finished with figures of 3 for 33.

Gujarat lost three wickets quickly within four overs but Niraj Patel, who scored 47, took them past 50 with Chirag Gandhi and past 100 with Karia. Once Niraj was dismissed in the 16th over at the score of 103, Karia's knock of 47 from 30 balls, which included four sixes and three fours, took them closer to the target and eventually Akshar Patel (18 off 7) and Rohit Dahiya saw them home with five balls to spare.

Gujarat and Kerala are the top two teams in Group A and will play each other on Saturday.

Group B

In a tight, low-scoring match in Indore, Uttar Pradesh, with the help of two sixes towards the end by No. 10 Imtiaz Ahmed, clinched a last-ball victory by two wickets over Baroda at the Holkar Stadium. Chasing 129, UP lost their openers cheaply, but a 44-run stand between Mohammad Kaif and Tanmay Shrivastava, and a 42-run stand between Akshdeep Nath and the captain Piyush Chawla, steered them to a comfortable 107 for 4. However, Baroda were brought back in the contest as UP lost four wickets for six runs - with seamer Murtuja Vahora taking two of them - to be struggling at 113 for 8 in 19 overs. Ahmed struck 15 off five deliveries to take his side home.

Baroda's innings was based on a balanced effort by their top-order batsmen, with Hardik Pandya top-scoring with 37. Baroda suffered a collapse too, losing five wickets for 21 runs; spinner Amit Mishra and Vahora, with three wickets each, were the wreckers-in-chief of their respective sides in a contest that saw 16 wickets falling. With their third loss in as many games, Baroda were relegated to the last spot.

A responsible half-century from Lokesh Rahul helped Karnataka beat Bengal by four wickets. Karnataka, in pursuit of 152, lost their opener Amit Verma in the second over, but Robin Uthappa scored a quick 41 to give them a rapid start amid wickets falling fairly early. His knock was backed up by a Rahul, who struck valuable stands with Manish Pandey and Stuart Binny to help them achieve victory in the final over. Seamer Shami Ahmed took three wickets, but was the most expensive bowler, giving away 39 runs in his four overs. Bengal's innings revolved around an innings of 42 from No. 3 Sayan Mondal, and a 55-run stand for the seventh wicket between Debabrata Das (31) and Arnab Nandi (37*).

Karnataka moved to the second spot in the points table after the win.

Read More..

'I have more variations now' - Senanayake

Although Sri Lanka's pace reserves have struggled to produce quality in recent years, hurt by a spate of serious injuries, a bevy of burgeoning spinners has begun to vie for long-term places in the national team. 



19-year-old Akila Dananjaya had a successful introduction to international cricket during the World Twenty20 last year, but has been used with utmost care and consideration, owing to his extreme inexperience. 20-year-old Tharindu Kaushal has amassed a staggering pile of domestic scalps in his debut season, but despite having been in the Test squad for two tours, he is yet to make an international appearance. Others like Suraj Randiv and Ajantha Mendis were picked on early promise, but have since lost their way in international cricket - though each of them is only one emphatic domestic season away from drawing interest again.


The latest spinner to emerge from the peloton to make a dash for the top limited-overs spinner's spot is 28-year-old Sachithra Senanayake. A tall offspinner with a relaxed approach to the crease, a reputation for taking heavy hauls, and the record to go with it, he has recently seen his career surge, in more ways than one. He had played for Sri Lanka in a handful of limited-overs matches early in 2012, but in South Africa and in Australia, his returns ranged from modest to mediocre, and after a three-month stretch as a regular, he was replaced by several of the competing spin bowlers.

This year, though, a jaw-dropping $625,000 offer from Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2013 IPL brought Senanayake back into the limelight, and a strong first-class season earned him a recall into a national side looking to embed future stars. His first ODI against Bangladesh brought him only one wicket for 46 runs, but in Pallekele on Thursday night, he was Sri Lanka's best bowler by a distance, taking 2 for 26 from six overs. 



"For about a year I didn't have the opportunity to come into the national team," Senanayake said. "But I did well in the provincial and domestic matches that I had to play, so that's probably why I'm in the team again. I didn't lose hope of getting back into the team and I performed well and showed that I'm good enough.


"I have more variations now than I did when I first played for Sri Lanka. I think I'll be able to do well because of those changes. Before, I just bowled the offbreak and the one that goes straight on. Now I have two more - one that goes the other way, and one that keeps low."

Senanayake was also handed a central contract at the beginning of the month, despite not having played since August 2012, at the international level. The contract is an indication that Sri Lanka's new selection panel has high hopes from him, and will grant him time to mature at the top level. 




"I'm very thankful to the selection committee, because they didn't choose players on a whim," he said. "They've been watching cricketers for a while, and if they were performing well, [they saw] how long they had been doing well for. They've followed players closely and then categorised them, which is great."

Senanayake has been one of the most consistent spinners in domestic cricket, and his resurgence was built upon an exceptional List A season, in which he reaped 18 wickets at an average of 11.16. He was also among the top four wicket-takers in this year's first-class competition, with 49 wickets at 16.32. He is the only specialist spinner in the young Twenty20 squad named for the one-off match against Bangladesh.

He feels that having bowled on an SSC pitch, which is better suited to batting than many in the country, he has had to work hard to earn his wickets, and that that experience will hold him in good stead when playing for Sri Lanka.


"In international cricket, even in Sri Lanka, you don't get as many spin-friendly wickets as in the domestic circuit here," he said. "If you look at the SSC pitch though, it is one of the best batting tracks in the country. Because of that, I don't feel a big change when we play international cricket, and I think I'll be able to do well."



He is aware, however, that there are exciting, young players on the scene who have not evaded the selectors' gaze either. Senanayake may have an SLC contract, while many of them don't, but there is little room to lag. After the Twenty20 on Sunday, Sri Lanka's next assignment is the Champions Trophy in England, where Senanayake may be tasked with carrying the spin burden, given most pitches are unlikely to warrant fielding two slow bowlers.



"It's great the amount of competition that we have at the moment, because when there is a group of players behind me who are also pushing for players, I know that I have to do better than them. With that level of competition, if I don't do well in two or three games, I can't be certain of my place in the team. I have to constantly be on top of my game to earn selection for the next match."

Read More..

Swann confident of Ashes return

Only two weeks after undergoing surgery for the second time on his troublesome right elbow, Graeme Swann is not only confident of being fit for his third Ashes series later this summer but has also revealed a vague ambition to rival a fellow England offspinner, John Emburey, for career longevity.

Indeed, Swann, who turned 34 four days ago, is so optimistic about making a full recovery that he believes he could be ready to play in the opening Test against New Zealand on May 16. Nottinghamshire's four-day match against Durham on April 29 has even been pencilled in for what would be a startlingly quick competitive comeback.

Swann went ahead of Jim Laker as England's most prolific Test offspinner during the triumphant England series in India that preceded the New Zealand tour. He now has 212 Test wickets yet claims his hunger for more is undiminished.

"The hunger's still strong to play Test cricket," he said "I love the game, so I think I'll play for as long as the body can stand it. Whether that will be for 12 Test matches or 112 we will have to wait and see - but Embers played until he was 41, didn't he? So there is hope for me yet."

Swann is currently following a day-and-night programme of mechanically-induced extension exercises designed to accelerate his recovery time.

"I'm banished to our attic bedroom right now because I have to get up every two hours to attach myself to a machine for 50 minutes," Swann said. "It was agony for the first week - it brings a tear to your eye. But that's stopped happening now and the elbow feels great -- so it's definitely going in the right direction.

"I'll be badgering the physios and coaches here at Notts to let me bowl as soon as possible but they're the ones with qualifications to tell me when and where I can.

"I'd hope to be bowling competitively by the end of April. I don't know whether that's optimistic or not but that's how my mind works. I want to be back as soon as I can because I'm bored stupid already. It was okay while the Tests in New Zealand were on because I could watch that, but now it's finished it's very tedious.

"It's important though because the machine keeps the range of movement in your arm and it aids your rehabilitation and it's supposed to halve the time you get back bowling."

If his return to action with Nottinghamshire results in no setback, Swann would be in contention for the opening Test against New Zealand at Lord's, having missed England's uncomfortable 0-0 Test series draw against the same opponents on their own pitches.

It would be great news for England, who would be uneasy about entering as Ashes series with Monty Panesar as their frontline spinner, particularly given the high number of left-handed batsmen in the Australian line-up. Panesar was in buoyant form as he and Swann dismantled India on turning surfaces before Christmas, but as the lone spinner on unresponsive surfaces in New Zealand he occasionally looked ill at ease.

Doubts were expressed over Swann's future in international cricket after his elbow injury resurfaced - slightly more than three years after his first operation under the skilled hands of surgeon Dr Shawn O'Driscoll in Minnesota.

Yet he says he trusts O'Driscoll's prognosis of a full recovery and the thought has never seriously crossed his mind that the injury might spell the end of his England career after 50 Tests.

"The surgeon assured me it was a straightforward operation compared with my first one," he said. "That one was far more serious, yet it allowed me to go for three-and-a-half years bowling relatively pain free. It was a lot more straightforward this time, basically just correcting little things that have gone wrong since.

"Because of my elbow, different parts of my body start taking over and aching and that was one of the signs in New Zealand that something was wrong. All of a sudden I was getting a sore back and shoulder and all sorts of things, all down to the fact that the elbow wasn't working. Now it's cleared out, all the other things should be all right.

"I think I could bowl now but I'd probably put myself back to square one. So the next couple of weeks are solely about fitness and getting my base levels back up to where they should be, and then I'll start bowling again."

Swann recognises that he is not the patient sort and any delay in his rehabilitation will leave him pacing the floor in frustration.

"I think it's going to kill me if I sit down and watch so much cricket at the start of the summer without being an active part of it so I'll certainly be trying to be back fit and playing as much cricket as I can. I'd like to get a couple of games in for Notts before any England cricket starts so that's what I'll be aiming for.

"If I start back and there's any pain whatsoever I'm sure I'll want to play it fairly safe. But I'm not a conservative bloke by nature."

Read More..

Mathews puts the blame on bowlers

Angelo Mathews refused to put Sri Lanka's first-ever loss to Bangladesh on home soil down to conditions, and blamed his side's bowling instead. Bangladesh got off to a rapid start in their response to Sri Lanka's 302, before rain forced an almost three-hour delay in play.

Sri Lanka contended with a wet ball for the remainder of the curtailed match, but Mathews said his side's bowling had been a concern throughout the series, and they should have walked away with a series win. Only Sachithra Senanayake and Lasith Malinga maintained an economy rate of less than six runs an over, as Bangladesh chased 183 in 26 overs to win by three wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

"I don't think we can blame the conditions. We didn't bowl well and that's why we lost. It was very disappointing. I feel we had the runs on the board, but we just didn't bowl well. Our bowling was the turning point. We didn't execute our plans and we were wayward from the start.

"Duckworth Lewis is always complicated. We had our chances still, because they had to get 102 off 13 overs and the bowling attack that we've got is brilliant. Unfortunately, we just couldn't pull it off."


Sri Lanka had begun the match promisingly, with Kusal Perera and Tillakaratne Dilshan providing their second brisk 100-run partnership in the series. Dilshan hit 125 from 128 balls, and had support from Kumar Sangakkara as well, who made a busy 48. Sri Lanka lost their way from 203 for 1 in the 36th over, when the middle order collapsed, but Mathews said the batting had not worried him.

"Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kusal Janith gave us the ideal start. The midde-order batsmen we were a little too hasty. But still, I think 302 in a 50-over game is a lot of runs. The batting was good, but we again showed a weakness with the ball. Our batting has been good throughout this tour. I think both in the first ODI and in the third ODI, we have not bowled well at all." 


Bangladesh had the advantage of playing out all ten of their mandatory Powerplay overs despite the shortened chase, but Mathews said a curtailed match did not necessarily swing the game in Bangladesh's favour.

"It would have been different if they were chasing 303 and we were playing a 50-over game, but the credit should also go to the Bangladeshis for the way they played. They batted extremely well. It could have gone both ways. Maybe with the pressure of a 50-over match, it could have gone our way, but we could still have won the 27-over match. We didn't play well and we accept that."

Bangladesh required more than seven runs an over for much of their chase, and they kept in touch with the asking rate with regular boundaries, before closing in on the target quickly with a final flourish. Sri Lanka fielded well, despite the wet ball and slippery surface, but it was the bowling where they were not poised, Mathews said. 


"It was a nervous game because it went down to the wire and the pressure was on. They were feeling it and we were also feeling it. We were a little a little bit rattled with the ball. Those 13 overs were played under high pressure, and Bangladesh outplayed us there, when we were troubled a little bit. 


"Ultimately they held it to pull it off and get across the line. They've played some really good cricket and we were outplayed today."

Read More..