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)