Samaraweera's century takes Sri Lanka to 369/6

Published>Wed, Aug 04 10 01:58 PM

Colombo, Aug 4 (IANS) Thilan Samaraweera struck an unbeaten century as Sri Lanka moved to a comfortable 369 for six in their first innings against India at lunch on the second day of the third and final cricket Test here Wednesday.

At the lunch break, Samaraweera was batting on 104 and Suraj Randiv at two after India's left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha scalped two quick wickets at the P. Sara Oval.

Resuming at the overnight score of 293 for four, Samaraweera and all-rounder Angelo Matthews (45) took time to settle down on a wicket that was tough for them to negotiate.

Samaraweera's century came off 229 balls and he hit 10 boundaries while Mathews smashed six fours. They found it easy against the Indian pacers, Ishant Sharma and Abhimanyu Mithun who, though able to extract some bounce, were hardly threatening.

Ojha provided the much-needed breakthrough by trapping Mathews leg-before and then dismissed wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene (9) in a similar fashion.

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Ex-racer Watson slams Schumacher for 'ugly animal instinct' act against Barrichello

Published>Wed, Aug 04 10 01:48 PM

London, Aug.4 (ANI): Former Formula One racer John Watson has criticized seven-time champion Michael Schumacher for his horror move on Rubens Barrichello during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

He described it as an act of 'ugly animal instinct' bred by embarrassment.

"Michael went over the boundary of what is right - he knew what he was doing. I didn't like what I saw. He's a proud man and didn't want to be overtaken but he reverted to an ugly animal instinct," The Sun quoted 64-year-old Watson, as saying. (ANI)

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Tiger Woods gives Florida home to wife as part of divorce settlement

Published>Wed, Aug 04 10 01:38 PM

Melbourne, August 04 (ANI): Disgraced golfer Tiger Woods is giving his Florida home to wife Elin Nordegren as part of their multi-million-dollar divorce settlement, it has emerged.

According to a source most of the terms of the couple's divorce had been agreed upon.

Nordegren was initially going to take a home under construction in Jupiter, Florida, but changed her mind and decided she wanted the Windermere home the couple once shared, the source said.

Woods had been living in the Windemere home since he and Nordegren separated but will reportedly move into the Jupiter home permanently.

"It's got a state-of-the-art gym and was built to his specs. And it keeps him just a few hours' drive from his children," the Herald Sun quoted source as telling RadarOnline.com.

The source also said that Ms Nordegren had not decided if she would move into the Windermere home or sell it.

"But one thing is for sure, she will walk away from the marriage with enough money to do whatever she wants."

The couple separated after a confrontation last November over Woods' affairs. (ANI)

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PM asked to intercede to save Commonwealth Games

Published>Wed, Aug 04 10 01:28 PM

New Delhi, Aug 4(IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been asked to intercede to save the Commonwealth Games to protect the country's honour and prestige before the global community.

The appeal was made to Congress MPs, who attended a sub-committee meeting of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Tuesday, after a series of media disclosures on alleged financial regularities in the construction of venues and purchases of equipment for overlays.

According to a OC source, some members attending the meeting presided over by Independent Rajya Sabha MP Tarlochan Singh, told Congress MPS Rajiv Shukla and Vijay Darda that they should request the prime minister to come to the defence of the OC and appeal for the country to rally around the organisation 'for the sake of national honoour and pride'.

The members felt that the prime concern now is to see the Games are conducted in a manner befitting the country's status in the 53-member Commonwealth of Nations and if there is any truth in the charges the guilty can always be brought to book once the Games are over.

Another member suggested that the best way to get to the truth is for the government to depute two of its senior officials immediately to check the OC records and come clean on all allegations.

One of the MPs suggested that the OC should form a panel of spokespersons to brief the media on a regular basis to scotch all 'rumours and innuendos' circulating as 'facts.'

A senior government official attached to the OC briefed the committee on the actual tender procedures and the firms hired to supply state-of-the-art equipment. He said all the proposals and tenders were scrutinised and vetted by at least three committees, which all have government nominees on them, before they are cleared by the Executive Board of the OC.

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Lunch scoreboard: India vs. Sri Lanka, Day 2, Third Test

Published>Wed, Aug 04 10 01:18 PM

Colombo, Aug 4 (IANS) The following is the scoreboard at lunch on the second day of the third cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka at the P.Sara Oval here Wednesday.

Sri Lanka 1st innings (Overnight 293/4)

Tharanga Paranavitana c Dhoni b Sharma 8

Tillekaratne Dilshan run out (Vijay/Dhoni) 41

Kumar Sangakkara c Sehwag b Ojha 75

Mahela Jayawardene lbw Ojha 56

Thilan Samaraweera batting 104

Angelo Mathews lbw Ojha 45

Prasanna Jayawardene lbw b Ojha 9

Suraj Randiv batting 2

Extras (b 4, lb 3, w 7, nb 15) 29

Total (for six wickets in 117 overs) 369

Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Paranavitana, 3.6 overs), 2-102 (Dilshan, 24.3), 3-157 (Sangakkara, 42.4), 4-241 (Mahela, 72.6), 5-330 (Mathews, 100.3), 6-359 (Prasanna, 112.5)

Bowling:

Abhimanyu Mithun 22-2-78-0

Ishant Sharma 20-6-62-1

Amit Mishra 33-1-121-0

Pragyan Ojha 39-8-97-4

Virender Sehwag 3-0-4-0

Umpires: Simon Taufel (Australia) and Rod Tucker (Australia)

TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)

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Samaraweera scores century, Sri Lanka 369/6 at lunch

Published>Wed, Aug 04 10 01:08 PM

Colombo, Aug 4 (IANS) Sri Lanka reached 369 for six against India at lunch on the second day of the third cricket Test here Wednesday.

Thilan Samaraweera was batting on unbeaten 104 while Suraj Randiv was on 2.

Sri Lanka added 76 runs in the morning session and lost three wickets.

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Kiwi Olympic body chief dismisses fears over Delhi Commonwealth Games

Published>Wed, Aug 04 10 12:38 PM

Wellington, Aug.4 (ANI): The New Zealand Olympic Committee has dismissed fears over whether or not the Commonwealth Games will be held in Delhi in October or not.

Reacting to reports of alleged corruption surrounding the games, as also concerns about security and venue readiness, the New Zealand Herald quoted NZOC secretary general Barry Maister as saying that he was not concerned with all the negative talk.

Maister said the New Zealand Olympic Association still has high hopes about Delhi being a unique and positive experience.

Maister's comments came as the chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee and Indian Olympic Association chief, Suresh Kalmadi, on Tuesday set up a three-member panel to probe the money scam trail to the United Kingdom.

The panel includes Jarnail Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Organising Committee, Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010, G.C. Chaturvedi, Special Director General- Finance, and Gurjyot Kaur, Chief Vigilance Officer of the OC.

The Committee would look into the issue of money being paid to the UK-based AM Car and Van Limited and the Ministry of External Affair's contention about the letters issued by the Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom.

The appointment of the panel came as members of the Rajya Sabha were permitted to have a limited discussion on the diversion of funds from the Commonwealth Games to parties abroad by Deputy Chairman K. Rahman.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader D. Raja called on the central government to step in immediately to take charge of the games management given the controversy surrounding it. He said what should have been the pride of the nation, was becoming a national shame, and a matter of international ridicule.

Prithviraj Chavan said the government is apprised of the controversy surrounding the games preparations, and committed that within a week, it would come back to the house and its members on the issue of the diversion of funds.

Kalmadi meets Krishna, seeks to clarify CWG's stand on UK money scam

Earlier on Tuesday, Kalmadi, who is at the center of an alleged corruption scam linked to the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi from October 3 to October 14, met External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna to clarify the Commonwealth Games stand on the UK money trail.

The controversy emerged over charges that a UK-based firm AM Films is being used as a conduit for siphoning off tens of thousands of pounds that have been sanctioned by the government for the smooth conduct of the games.

While Kalmadi has claimed publicly that the protocol division of the Indian High Commission in London cleared the firm to do business with the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, the high commission and the Ministry of External Affairs have denied giving any such sanction.

The Indian Sports Ministry has asked Kalmadi to remove his close aide T.S. Darbari from the CWG Organising Committee, compounding his problems further.

Darbari is currently the Deputy Department General of the Games panel and has come under the scanner after reports emerged about his association with AM films, a little-known UK firm that was paid lakhs of pounds by the CWG Organising Committee for its "services" during the London leg of the Queen"s Baton relay.

Investigations have revealed that AM Films and its sister concerns are suspect business entities that were paid 2,50,000 pounds without any written contract.

The company had faced liquidation in July 2010. A day after getting the liquidation notice, its director Ashish Patel resigned from his post. The liquidation notice was later withdrawn after the company gave an explanation.

Even its sister organisation, AM Car and Van Hire Company filed for liquidation in July 2010.

AM Films is currently facing a probe by UK Customs and Revenue Department.

Media reports claim that the money trail leading to UK is key proof of the rampant corruption in the Commonwealth Games 2010.

Kalmadi has called a meeting of the Commonwealth Games Executive Board on August 5 to discuss the allegations of corruption on a demand of the Commonwealth Games Federation. (ANI)

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