Sri Lankan Premier League to go ahead without India

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Cricket will push ahead with its inaugural premier league with Australian and Pakistani players, despite a no-show by Indian stars, the island's sports minister said Sunday.

"We will lose a bit of money because Indian players are not coming but the tournament will be played as planned," Mahindananda Aluthgamage said after failed talks to bring the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on board.

Fast bowlers Praveen Kumar and Munaf Patel were among 12 Indian players who were blocked by the BCCI from playing in the T20 tournament in Sri Lanka from July 19 to August 4.

PCB may stop Afridi from playing in SLPL

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said it can ban Shahid Afridi from participating in the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) if the former Pakistan captain doesn't stop his rants against the board. 

Earlier this month, the PCB granted Afridi a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play for Hamp shire in English Twenty20 league after their bitter dispute was settled out of court.

But Afridi's continued tirade has irked the PCB and some top officials are not in favour of granting him an NOC to play in SLPL to be held in Colombo during July-August.

Quoting an unnamed PCB official, Express Tribune reported on Thursday that the Board will not hesitate in taking action against Afridi in case of 'foul play'.

Afridi, after a long stand-off with the PCB that also involved a legal battle, finally left for England to play for Hampshire after getting his NOC back.

Sri Lanka Cricket rejects BCCI claim of Lanka Premier League being a private tournament

 Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has rejected the Board of Control for Cricket in India's claim that the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) is a private-party organised tournament.

In a statement, the SLC said that the SLPL is owned and approved by it, and therefore, automatically by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

It further said that the Singapore-based Somerset Ventures only owns the commercial rights to the tournament.

The SLC rejoinder came a day after the BCCI had said it would not allow any Indian player to participate in the tournament on grounds that it was a privately-run event.

"This tournament is approved by SLC. And Somerset are the marketing arm, having won the rights through a tender process. Nobody can say it is owned by Somerset," ESPNcricinfo quoted SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga, as saying on Sunday.

Akhtar pulls out of Sri Lanka League, says he has had enough

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar Thursday pulled out of the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) citing personal reasons, and said he does not want play the game any more.

Akhtar, who retired from international cricket after Pakistan's loss to India in the World Cup semifinals, said he has had enough of the game and wants to explore the other side of life.

'My parents are old and I want to spend time with them,' he was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

'I also don't want to play or want to be on the ground any more. I am not even coming back for a job in cricket or anything, but if some youngster needs my help I will visit from time to time to help them but no more of this game.'

'I want to explore other parts of the world now. I played this game for 18 years and I don't want to spend another 18 years in that scenario any more. I am going to be involved in charity work from now on.'

The Rawalpindi Express as he was called was roped in for SLPL along with other international players such as his compatriot Shahid Afridi, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Herschelle Gibbs, Daniel Vettori and Kevin O'Brien.

The T20 event will take place between July 19 and August 4 in the island-nation.

No Indians for Lanka’s T20 league

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) won't allow Indians to play in next month’s Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) T20 championship. And the board insists it has nothing to do with protecting its cash-rich IPL’s brand value. The decision, it claims, has been taken to protect players! < 

Cricketers from Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand are expected to play in the inaugural Twenty20 Lankan league.

“Unlike in the IPL where the players are contracted by the BCCI, the SLPL is offering contracts with the event management company,” said a BCCI official, who didn’t wish to be named given the sensitivity of the issue. “If there is any goof-up, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) cannot be held accountable. The board would not like to take any chances.” 

The official said the move had nothing to do with Lanka creating problems about the availability of players during IPL 4.

The decision, taken on Saturday, was conveyed to SLC, which convened an emergency meeting. Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga was unavailable for comments.

“Anyway 32 of our main players will be on international duty,” another BCCI official told HT. Sixteen will be touring England, others will be busy with the emerging players tournament in Australia. SLPL begins on July 19 and doesn’t clash with any domestic tournament in India.

Tharanga faces two-year ban from cricket

The beleaguered Sri Lanka ODI opener Upul Tharanga will face an official ICC panel of inquiry to explain about his side of the story following reports that he had been tested positive for banned drugs, according to informed sources. The ICC inquiry will be held in Dubai on or about June 24.

If the Lankan opener cannot substantiate his innocence at this inquiry, he stands to face a maximum two-year ban, the sources said citing World Anti-Doping Agency rules.

Sri Lanka Cricket which was keeping mum on the issue last week broke its silence and issued a statement saying, “The ICC, has informed Sri Lanka Cricket that Upul Tharanga has been tested positive for the presence of a prohibited substance during a testing of a urine sample collected from him after the semi final match against New Zealand on March 29, 2011and a disciplinary charge has been initiated.

Pakistan mulls Zimbabwe for Sri Lanka series

Lahore: Pakistan are considering the option of Zimbabwe as a potential 'host' for the home series against Sri Lanka later this year.

The two sides are due to play a full Test and limited-overs series in October, scheduled in the FTP officially as a 'home' series for Pakistan. The board has intensified efforts to find a home for the series over the last few months. Sri Lanka itself is an option that has been considered, one Sri Lanka is probably happiest with; in 2009-10, Pakistan played a 'home' series against New Zealand in New Zealand itself, though financially the trip wasn't a success.

The PCB also asked Sri Lanka Cricket in May, "for their views" on the prospect of playing the series in Pakistan - at the insistence of the Pakistan government. However, that offer was swiftly rebuffed. Soon after the PCB had made their request, a major terrorist attack in Karachi at a naval base - which was eventually held under siege overnight - near the National Stadium occurred.

Tharanga to miss England series

Upul Tharanga, the Sri Lanka opener, has been ruled out of the limited-overs leg of the England tour as he prepares to face a disciplinary committee for failing a drugs test during the World Cup.

Tharanga, 26, tested positive after the semi-final against New Zealand, in Colombo, and Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed he won't be selected for any representative cricket in the short term.

"Since there is an ongoing inquiry to verify this charge, Upul Tharanga will not be making himself available for selection until the conclusion of the inquiry and therefore will not be available for the ODI and T20 matches in England and the Sri Lanka A Team tour of England," a statement said.

Tharanga's absence means Sri Lanka could be without their two first-choice one-day openers against England with the captain Tillakaratne Dilshan also a doubt having suffered a hairline fracture of his thumb in the second Test at Lord's. However, Dilshan is still hopeful of being available for the one Twenty20 international and five ODIs.

Cricket-De Villiers will be new South Africa ODI captain

JOHANNESBURG, June 6 (Reuters) - AB de Villiers will be South Africa's new limited-overs captain, incoming coach Gary Kirsten announced at a news conference on Monday.

Graeme Smith will continue as test captain, having relinquished the reins in one-day internationals and Twenty20 cricket after the World Cup.

"This is an exciting and great time for AB and he has proved his worth with his fine performances in all formats," Kirsten, who will formally take over in August ahead of the two home series against Australia and Sri Lanka, said.

De Villiers is the world's second-ranked batsman in ODI cricket and has recently taken over the wicket keeping gloves from veteran Mark Boucher.

"I'm very excited but I'm also inexperienced. But I've learnt a lot the last seven years from an unbelievable captain," De Villiers, who has never captained a team at first-class level, said. "It's a big responsibility, but there'll be a fresh look in the side, which is good.

Jayasuriya EYES a comeback

Hopes to be selected for the England one-day series, the legendary all-rounder says

Dubai: Sri Lankan former captain and legendary all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya is aiming for a comeback during the upcoming one-day series in England.

In an interview with Gulf News at Zabeel Park, Jayasuriya, who is on an invitation from the G Force Cricket Academy, said: "I hope to be selected for the England one-day series. I have been playing in the Provincial Series and have played well and got most runs in the domestic season. If I get a chance I will give my best again for my country or I will continue with my preparations for the coming Sri Lankan Premier League (SPL) in July, which is going to be a big and interesting tournament."

Sri Lanka confirm Tharanga failed dope test

A spokesperson for the ministry of sports in Sri Lanka has confirmed that opening batsman Upul Tharanga tested positive for a banned substance at this year's World Cup.

Harsha Abeykoon said that an inquiry has also been launched by the sports ministry and that Sri Lanka Cricket had yet to be officially informed by the International Cricket Council on Tharanga’s situation.

“The sports minister named a three-member panel to launch a domestic investigation and as a first step they will record a statement from Tharanga at the earliest,” Abeykoon told AFP.

Left-hander Tharanga scored two centuries in the tournament co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and was the fifth highest run-getter.

He has played 15 Tests and 121 one-day internationals and scored 12 international centuries.

Sri Lanka's Sunday Times said Tharanga had claimed he was prescribed prednisolone by an alternative medicine practitioner who had treated other cricketers in the past.

Prednisolone, a corticosteroid, is on the WADA banned list.

PCB suspends Shahid Afridi's contract, revoke NoCs

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday suspended the central contract of former one-day captain Shahid Afridi, who had announced his retirement from international cricket, a board statement said.

At the same time it revoked all no-objection certificates (NOCs) for the player, meaning he will not be officially permitted to play abroad, the PCB said.

Afridi, a hugely popular big-hitting all-rounder, had been expected to play for Hampshire in the Twenty20 league in England next month, and also in the Sri Lanka Premier League a month later.

"PCB has initiated action against Afridi in response to the multiple breaches he has committed under the central contract signed with PCB," the statement said.

The PCB said Afridi must explain within seven days why he levelled allegations against the Board. (AFP)

Nuwan Pradeep set to fly home

Sri Lanka's preparations for the first Test in Cardiff have taken a blow with the news that Nuwan Pradeep, their match-winning seamer against the England Lions on Sunday, is set to fly home after picking up a knee injury.

Pradeep claimed figures of 4 for 29 in ten hostile overs as Sri Lanka overcame the follow-on to bowl the Lions out for 183 in Derby and win a thrilling contest by 38 runs. However, according to Stuart Law, the bowler sustained damage to his anterior cruciate ligament after treading on the ball in the course of that spell, and is currently seeing a specialist to determine the full extent of the injury.

"It's bad news for the young man," said Law. "If things are okay and he doesn't need an operation, we may opt to keep him here if he can get through, but at this stage it looks like he's flying home. The warmer you are the better with these injuries, but as he stopped he was dragging his leg around yesterday. It's a shame."

No Pak tour without security clearance - Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka will not tour Pakistan unless they get security clearance, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) secretary Nishantha Ranatunga has said. The PCB had asked SLC for their views on playing the scheduled series between the two sides in Pakistan, but Sri Lanka's stand, and a major terrorist attack on Sunday night at a Karachi military base very close to the National Stadium, have severely undermined any hopes of a tour.

"We have received requests from Pakistan over the past three or four months," Ranatunga said. "The PCB told us that they would like to host our team as scheduled in the FTP [Future Tours Programme]. We told them our stance that we need security clearance first before sending a team there again."

Boom Boom Afridi to retire from ODI's

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former captain Shahid Khan Afridi is going to announce his retirement from One Day International after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sacked him as skipper earlier in the week.

Sources told The Sports Encounter on Saturday that Shahid Khan Afridi is really dis-hearted on the way the PCB has dealt with him on his media leakages about his differences with head coach Waqar Younis.

Thieves steal Sri Lankan cricket team's petrol

THE touring Sri Lankan cricket team were left stumped when thieves stole £700 worth of petrol from their team coach following their three day match against Middlesex at Uxbridge this week.

The team had been based at the Heathrow Crowne Plaza Hotel, in Stockley Road, West Drayton.

Anura Tennakoon, Sri Lanka's team manager, confirmed to the Gazette that the theft was discovered on Tuesday, when the team were checking out of the hotel.

He said: "Yes we did suffer a theft of petrol from the coach, it was around £700 worth.

12 Indian cricketers to feature in SLPL

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has confirmed that as many as 12 Indian players will feature in the inaugural edition of the upcoming Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) T20 tournament according to a report in 'islandcricket' website.

The tournament which is all set to get underway on July 19 will also see several other international stars including the likes of David Warner and Shaun Tait from Australia and Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard from the West Indies, who are currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), playing in the Island nation.