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Australia inflicted on Pakistan the country’s first-ever defeat in less than two days by winning the second Test by an innings and 198 runs to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series at the boiling Sharjah Stadium Saturday.And for the second day running, Pakistan were bowled out for lowest-ever total of 53 with Abdul Razzaq unable to continue his innings due to a fractured wrist.As the mercury soared to 51 Celsius inside the stadium Pakistan batsmen found out both the surroundings and the Australian attack too hot to handle as the second innings lasted just 24.5 overs.In the first innings Pakistan batted for 31.5 overs in making 59.In two innings Pakistan occupied the crease for a mere 56.4 overs which shows the total capitulation of batting.To describe Pakistan’s display especially by the batsmen anything but shameful, gutless and nothing better than a club side would not be an exaggeration or outlandish. It was simply pathetic that too on a wicket favouring batsmen.It was a similar story in the second innings. The rot started with a horrendous run out of opener Taufiq Umar, who in the process bagged a pair. To set the tone for worse to come after Pakistan bowlers did a commendable job to restrict Australia to 310, conceding a lead of 251.From then on it was a procession as the wickets fell like nine pins as only Misbah-ul-Haq and Imran Nazir managed to reach double figures.Pakistan for the second time failed to come to terms with either the Australian pace attack or the spin wizard Shane Warne who repeated his first innings performance grabbing four for 13, two more runs than he conceded in the first innings, off just 6.5 overs. He had match figures of eight for 24 which illustrates his dominance over the leaden-footed and abject Pakistani batsmen.Warne was simply unplayable and none of the Pakistan batsmen possessed the technique to counter his mixed-bag of flippers, googlies and sharply turning leg-breaks.In two Tests so far Warne has captured 19 wickets and he is likely to haunt the Pakistanis in the third Test starting from Oct 19.Earlier, the Australian innings was dominated by opener Matthew Hayden who went on to score his first century against Pakistan in his second Test against Waqar’s men. The attractive left-hander was out for 119 having batted 255 minutes hitting nine fours and one six in a stay of 433 minutes. He was rightly named Man-of-the-Match.Off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq again bowled well and was the only bowler to contain the Australians as he claimed the third four-wicket haul of the series. His four wickets this time cost him 83 runs in 34 overs. Razzaq captured three for 22 as he cleaned up the tail.But the biggest disappointments were ‘self-proclaimed best fast bowler of the world’ Shoaib Akhtar and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.Shoaib at times reduced to bowling fast off-breaks took the wicket of Adam Gilchrist for 42 runs from 14 overs while Kaneria was too expensive as he gave away 116 runs for his one wicket off 26 overs.With the series already decided and Australia having proved beyond a shadow of doubt, to be several notches better it will require something extraordinary from a demoralised and decimated Pakistan to come back and put up a decent fight in the third Test.

SYDNEY, July 19 AAP – Steve and Mark Waugh are almost certain to be watching next year’s cricket World Cup from the sidelines after the national selectors sent a clear message to the unwanted pair today.The 37-year-old twins, dropped from the national side earlier this year, couldn’t count themselves among Australia’s top 28 one-day players after failing to make it into the Australia A one-day side to play seven one-dayers against South Africa A in September.The 14-man national side is the same as that which took on Pakistan in three one-dayers last month with the addition of Queensland spin bowler Nathan Hauritz.The 14-man A team is not an experiment with youth – it has its share of experienced players, including Justin Langer, Greg Blewett, Ian Harvey, Andrew Symonds and Simon Katich, who doesn’t even have an Australian Cricket Board contract.The fact the brothers weren’t included is a clear pointer to their future in limited overs cricket.Adam Gilchrist, vice-captain to Waugh in the Test side and deputy to Ricky Ponting in the one-day side, was surprised the twins weren’t in one of the teams.”It is a bit odd,” Gilchrist said.”Obviously … the Waughs could easily slot into any team and still do well.”Langer, who played his last one-dayer for Australia five years ago, will captain the A side.He refused to discount Steve Waugh’s chances of a recall to the national side but figured it unlikely.”There is no doubt he has got the ability to, (it is) whether the opportunity comes up for him to,” Langer said.”Having spoken to him recently, he still has the desire to do it and, if any person could do it against all the odds that are probably stacked against him to do it and make a return, he could.”Both Waughs are still counted among the world’s top-20 one-day players with the latest PricewaterhouseCoopers ratings having them at equal 19th.National selection chairman Trevor Hohns said he was “very, very comfortable” with the two sides, including an A side which included newcomers in 21-year-old NSW all-rounder Michael Clarke and Tasmanian pace bowler Damien Wright.”There’s a couple of guys there I suppose who are a bit of a look and see proposition – we are experimenting a little bit,” Hohns said in a statement.”These matches against South Africa A provide players with valuable experience at the international level and importantly, for those players who may eventually be selected for the World Cup, the familiarity of playing in South Africa.”Steve Waugh, through his manager Robert Joske, said he’d wanted to go on the tour.”I was more than willing to go on the tour if selected but that is not the case,” said Waugh, who will travel to India next week as part of his deal with sponsor MRF.Joske described Waugh as “stoic and strong”.Mark Waugh’s manager, Leo Karis, said he was “not overly surprised” the long-serving batsman had been left out of the A team.He said his client hadn’t given up hope of forcing his way back into World Cup calculations with strong performances in the domestic one-day competition.The national side will play Pakistan and possibly Kenya in a one-day series in Nairobi – pending a security report – from August 27 to September 7.Australia will then travel to Sri Lanka for the ICC Champions Trophy from September 12-29, where it’s drawn in the same group as New Zealand and Bangladesh.Four group winners advance to the knockout semifinals.ACB chief executive James Sutherland said Australia’s participation in the Kenyan tournament would be confirmed once the regular security and operational checks had been done.The tournament was originally to have taken place in Pakistan, and was to have involved New Zealand.But security concerns ruled out Pakistan as a venue and New Zealand said it wouldn’t play in Kenya because it had promised its players a full break in July and August.Kenya was likely to take New Zealand’s place in the triangular tournament.”The ACB has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board that the Australian team is available for the Kenyan one-day international series,” Sutherland said in a statement.”But participation is subject to our satisfaction that player security measures are in place and cricket facilities are adequate.”We need to go through some formalities before we confirm our participation.”Australia and Pakistan have to yet to sort out a venue for a scheduled three-Test tour of Pakistan in October.Bangladesh looms as a possible host after Pakistan was ruled off-limits due to on-going security concerns.Cricket in Pakistan has been badly hit in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the United States and the resulting war on terror in Afghanistan, as well as tension with neighbouring India.The two Australian teams named today were:Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist, Michael Bevan, Andrew Bichel, Jason Gillespie, Nathan Hauritz, Matthew Hayden, Brett Lee, Darren Lehmann, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Shane Watson.Australia A: Justin Langer, (capt), Simon Katich (vice-capt), Greg Blewett, Nathan Bracken, Ryan Campbell, Michael Clarke, Stuart Clark, Ian Harvey, Mark Higgs, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Brad Williams, Damien Wright.

New Zealand’s rescheduled cricket tour of Pakistan ended prematurely when the second and final Test was called off , barely hours before it was scheduled to start here at the National Stadium, after a bomb blast less than 50 metres from the team hotel.The blast, that killed 14 and injured 22, went off on the road adjacent to the hotel between 7:40am and 7:50am. Both the teams were scheduled to leave for the stadium at 8:00am for opening day’s play.None of the players from the two teams nor the officials were injured. But they were naturally anxious, distracted and horrified with whatever they saw or heard about the gruesome incident.As the New Zealanders preferred to take `shelter’ in open air and spent rest of the morning at the pool side, match referee Mike Procter officially called off the Test at a hastily arranged press conference at 11:30pm.”In consultation with Brig Munawwar Rana (director of the PCB) and Jeff Crowe (New Zealand team manager) and because of security reason, this Test match has been called off. So the tour is over,” Procter said.The Black Caps left for Singapore on their way to Christchurch by Singapore Airlines flight No SQ418 that took off at 7.25pm Wednesday evening. The match officials – Procter, Rudi Koertzen (both South Africans) and Steve Bucknor (West Indian) – also departed for Johannesburg and London respectively via Dubai on the same evening by Emirates flight No EK610 that flew 10.30pm.The New Zealanders were escorted to the airport with heavy security that was considerably strengthened after the blast. There were no less than 50 gun-totting commandos occupying a dozen or so police vans and motorcycles.It was the worst incident in the history of Pakistan sports that led to the cancellation of a foreign team’s official tour.In 1984, India returned home after the assassination of their Prime Minister Indra Gandhi in New Delhi. The second One-day International, which was in progress at Sialkot was immediately abandoned along with the remaining part of the tour. But New Zealand’s decision to abort the tour is not the only thing that is worrying the PCB. The dilemma now facing the PCB is that future events in the country are now in serious jeopardy.Pakistan are to host New Zealand and Australia for a tri-nation one-day series between Aug 27 and Sept 7 and then are scheduled to take on Australia in a three-Test home series between Oct 1 and 24.”We have hardly recovered from this morning’s shock and haven’t really thought what would happen in days to come. But I agree that security issues and foreign team’s future visits to Pakistan will surface,” Munawwar said.In a broad setback, the Pakistan government and PCB’s assurances and guarantees to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Test world about players security, were also proven wrong.”I feel let down and low after today’s incidents. I had made big claims on the ICC platform that Pakistan was as safe as any country for cricket. But today, I feel sad, depressed and upset,” Munawwar said, adding: “I want to express my deepest regrets to New Zealand for the unfortunate incident.”The PCB spokesman further said that it would now require greater effort to convince the world to change their views on players security in Pakistan.Munawwar said the PCB did whatever it could for the smooth running of the tour. “But we are now the victim of circumstances.”Procter, Crowe and NZC’s security manager Reg Dickson endorsed the PCB official’s statement. “It has been an excellent tour until today. We got the security that was promised and we have no complaints against the Pakistan board,” they said.Crowe said it was a devastating blow “because both the PCB and NZC had tried their best to make the tour happen.” But he rejected claims that he had proposed to the PCB during the Lahore Test to shift the second Test to either Faisalabad or reschedule it in the Punjab metropolis. He also said the decision to cancel the tour was taken by the NZC and none of the players was consulted.”For NZC, players’ security is paramount and that was conveyed to the PCB who understood our position,” Crowe said, adding: “We feel sorry for the PCB who did their best and provided us the best hospitality.”

Australia cruised to a 2-0 lead in the Ashes series on Sunday after crushing England by an innings and 51 runs in the second Test at the Adelaide Oval.Australia endured three rain delays to win before the halfway mark of the fourth day, dismissing England for 159 in its second innings.It was an abrupt end for England, losing 4-4 before the players left the field at 9-134 because of rain.The victory followed Australia’s 384-run win in the first Test, leaving them on track to wrap up the five-match series in the third game which begins in Perth on Friday.Glenn McGrath (4-41), Shane Warne (3-36) and Andrew Bichel (2-31) claimed the wickets today as England never regained its balance after resuming at 3-36.Bichel had Robert Key (one) caught in the third over of the day and not even the resistance of veteran Alec Stewart (57) and opener Michael Vaughan (41) could help the tourists avoid an innings loss.Vaughan fell to an outstanding outfield catch by Glenn McGrath at deep mid-wicket from the bowling of Warne, ending England’s remote hopes of setting Australia a run chase.McGrath was airborne and at full stretch when he intercepted Vaughan’s skied sweep shot, ending a 74-run stand with Stewart.Warne also claimed Stewart, who became just the 12th batsman to pass 8000 career Test runs during his 101-ball knock.McGrath then passed Wasim Akram and moved into sixth place on Test cricket’s all-time wicket-taking list when he bowled Matthew Hoggard for one.McGrath finished the Test with 416 career victims and Richard Hadlee (431) and Kapil Dev (434) loom as his next targets.

United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong have named their 15-member squads for the Asia Cup in Pakistan, which gets underway next month.Saqib Ali will lead the UAE side, who are coming off a disappointing campaign in the ICC Intercontinental Cup, managing just one win in seven matches. Saqib was the only one to play all seven games, and he was the team’s leading run-getter, with 690 runs at an average of 57.50. With 17 wickets each, medium-pacer Arshad Ali and left-arm spinner Khurram Khan were the top wicket-takers for the team, and will lead the attack in Pakistan. UAE are in Group A along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.Hong Kong are grouped alongside India and Pakistan, and they didn’t have much success during a ten-day tour of Pakistan earlier this month, losing four of their five matches. Tabarak Dar, their captain and opener, scored an unbeaten century in the loss to Sheikhupura, and finished the tour as the top run-getter. Offspinner Nadeem Ahmed was the leading wicket-taker, with eight scalps in four games.UAE squad: Saqib Ali (capt), Fahad Alhashmi, Alawi Shukri, Aman Ali, Amjad Ali (wk), Amjad Javed, Arshad Ali, Indika Batuwitarachchi, Nizel Fernandes, Khurram Khan, Mohammad Tauqir, Salman Farooq, Shadeep Silva, Vikrant Shetty, Zahid Shah.Hong Kong squad: Tabarak Dar (capt), Afzaal Haider, Ashish Gadhia, James Atkinson, Toby Brown, Hussain Butt, Irfan Ahmed, Courtney Kruger, Roy Lamsam, Munir Dar, Nadeem Ahmed, Najeeb Amar, Skhawat Ali, Wakas Barkat (wk), Zain Abbas, .

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe will declare open the ICC Champions Trophy Sri Lanka 2002 in a vibrant and colourful opening ceremony at 1:30 p.m. (0730 GMT) on Thursday, 12th September at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.The opening, which is scheduled prior to the first match of the tournament where hosts Sri Lanka take on Pakistan, will feature a multi-faceted display of Sri Lankan culture, with colourfully clad elephants, more than a thousand dancers, two hundred drummers, and one hundred flag-bearers.The theme song for the tournament will be sung by the popular Sri Lankan band "Wildfire."Mr. Malcom Gray, President of the International Cricket Council, will hand over the trophy to the Prime Minister, who will then officially declare the tournament open.Media contacts:
Mark Harrison
Media Manager
ICC Champions Trophy Sri Lanka 2002
(94) 77-730337

Niresh Eliatamby
Media Manager
Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka
(94) 77-418848

The Standard Bank Cup produced more surprises as the smaller unions came out on top after the completion of the matches played on Sunday 10 November.In Kimberley, a depleted Northerns Titans team got off to a fast start with a first wicket, 13 over, partnership of 82 runs between Jacques Rudolph (33) and Johan Myburg (67). Once the two openers departed Johann Louw (4/25) and Alan Kruger (3/22) had a field day reducing Northerns to 174 in 43.2 overs.Apart from Gerald Dros, scoring 29, no other batsmen could get into double figures. Extras being the next highest with 17.Pieter Koortzen with an undefeated 82 and Martyn Gidley scoring 34, took Griqualand West to an unexpected but well deserved win with nine balls to spare.St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth saw Boland come back from 20/4 to win and take a bonus point off Eastern Province.A 87 run, fifth wicket, partnership between Vinod Kambli (39) and man of the match Con de Lange (66) saved Boland from embarrassment but not out of deep trouble, ending the 45 overs on 166/8.Eastern Province, with what appeared to be an easy target, were in trouble from the start and never recovered from 30/5 after 16 overs, being bowled out for 122 in 39.3. The Eastern Province wickets being shared amongst the Boland bowlers.

Sri Lanka’s bowlers, no doubt wary of another ear bashing from Sanath Jayasuriya, who has become increasingly agitated by their ill-discipline in recent weeks, reasserted the home team’s dominance in this ACL Cables Test series on Monday.The absence of Muttiah Muralitharan proved less of a handicap than had been expected, as the inexperienced attack cut through Bangladesh’s equally youthful batting. Bowling out the tourists for 164, Jayasuriya then declined to enforce the follow on, rewarding his bowlers instead with some well-earned rest.For Sri Lanka, the most encouraging aspect of the bowlers’ performance was Chamila Gamage, a 23-year-old pace bowler making his debut. Gamage (also known as Lakshitha), who plays for the Air Force, was the highest domestic wicket-taker last year, claiming 64 victims at 11.64.And today he was the pick of the seamers, grabbing his chance to impress the national selectors. He announced his presence in emphatic fashion, clipping the top of Mohammad Ashraful’s off-stump with his first ball in Test cricket, the 13th player in Test history to achieve such a feat and the first Sri Lankan.Also the quickest bowler on show, he then trapped Tushar Imran lbw with an inswinger, his stock delivery, finishing the day with two for 33 from 12 vigorous overs.Coach Dav Whatmore was impressed: “I can see why he has been picking up wickets in domestic cricket: he’s got a big heart, natural pace and his effort cannot be questioned. If he keeps directing it in the right areas, he could be a bit of a handful for batsmen in the future.”Speaking afterwards, Gamage was estatic: "I can not express in words how I felt inside me when I got a wicket of the first ball. It’s something I will treasure throughout my life time."Gamage also contributed with the bat. Coming to the crease at the fall of the ninth wicket he contributed 40 runs to a 64 run last wicket partnership with Buddika Fernando (29*). Striking the ball cleanly he capitalised on Bangladesh’s strange reluctance to take the second new ball until it was well overdue.The partnership transformed a moderate total into a good one, frustrating the tourists, who would have been only too mindful of the fact that they had not passed 200 in the last nine innings.And although Fernando and Sajeewa de Silva started waywardly, Sri Lanka quickly tightened their grip on the game, as they grabbed two wickets during a short 39 minute session before the interval: Fernando trapped Hannan Sarkar (5) with a full-length outswinger and Jayasuriya won a dubious appeal for a catch behind against Al Sahariar (12).After the break, Bangladesh slipped further into the mire, as Gamage and Fernando reduced them to 51 for five. The situation deteriorated when captain Khaled Mashud (15) edged an off-break from Thilan Samaraweera into the hands of Hashan Tillakaratne at slip. Fahim Muntasir offered up a simple return catch to the same bowler 14 minutes later.Suddenly, on 86 for seven, a three figure score appeared unlikely, but Bangladesh did manage to fight back. Debutante Kapali scored 39 from 72 balls and Tapash Baisya cobbled together an unbeaten 52 from 103 balls, his first first-class fifty.Progress was painfully slow, but gradually Bangladesh crawled to within touching distance of the 173 run follow on target. However, they fell just short as Jayasuriya, who picked up three for 17 with his orthodox slow left-arm, finally ended a fine stonewalling effort from Monjural Islam; the left-hander recording a 72-minute duck before being caught behind.Five minutes later leg-spinner Upul Chandana finished of the innings as last man Talha Jubair slashed to slip, but Bangladesh had at least done enough to persuade Jayasuriya not to enforce the follow on.Openers Michael Vandort (18*) and Jehan Mubarak (2*) survived till the close, finishing on 25 without loss, which leaves them with a 234 run lead.

The race for the Norwich Union title is hotting up after the defeat of leaders Worcestershire Royals. It means they now lead by just four points from Warwickshire Bears who have played a game more, and their conquerors at New Road, Glamorgan Dragons, who have played a game less.Dominic Ostler scored an unbeaten 103 to help Warwickshire Bears record a seven-wicket win over Leicestershire Foxes at Edgbaston. Earlier Iain Sutcliffe had fallen narrowly short of a well-deserved century as he put on 107 for the third wicket with Michael Bevan (32). The stand came to an end when Sutcliffe was caught short attempting a tricky run, but Phil DeFreitas (44*) batted until the end as his side made 250 for seven five off their 45 overs. Warwickshire got off to a miserable start in reply. Nick Knight was dismissed early by DeFreitas (two for 36) who then claimed his second wicket when Ian Bell edged to wicket-keeper Neil Burns. Ostler and Jamie Traughton (66) then ploughed into the bowling as they put on 139 to reach their revised target of 203. The home side finished on 206 for three to move into second place in Division One, trailing Worcestershire by four points.Glamorgan Dragons recorded an unlikely win after rain brought an early end to their clash with Worcestershire Royals. The Welsh side were 108 for three when play was interrupted. Earlier Australian Shane Lee, making his debut for the home side, top scored with 41 on a bowler-friendly pitch. Stephen Peters (29) and Ben Smith (25) were the other main contributors as their side made 202 for nine. Adrian Dale (three for 32) was the main wicket taker. Robert Croft (15) again began brightly in reply but was bowled by Australian-born Matthew Mason (two for 27). Mason took his second wicket when Michael Powell (4) was caught by Lee. Matthew Maynard (32*) and Steve James (41*) led the recovery but then the heavens opened with Glamorgan requiring 95 for victory. When play was called off after persistent rain the Duckworth/Lewis method denied Royals their eighth Norwich Union win, as Glamorgan were crowned victors by seven wickets.In Division Two, 22-year-old opener William Jefferson scored an unbeaten 111 as Essex Eagles’ batsmen were unable to overcome Middlesex Crusaders’ bowling at Lord’s. Abdur Razzaq (two for 51) and Chad Keegan (two 42) both made early breakthroughs as Essex collapsed to 131 for seven. Essex were 194 for eight when the rain came down. After the interruption, the home side needed 74 off ten overs for victory. Then came pure nail-biting cricket. Ashley Cowan (two for nine) bowled Razzaq for four. Graham Napier took three wickets in his first over to remove dangerman Shah (25), Aaron Laraman (11) and Simon Cook (0). Jamie Middlebrook (two for five) then dismissed Ed Joyce (8) with his first delivery and bowled Jamie Dalrymple (16) with his fourth. Andrew Strauss (5) had his stump uprooted by Cowan in the final over as did Sven Koenig (0) who was run out. Paul Weekes (5*) hit the winning boundary with a ball to spare.Darren Cousins (three for 36) and Graeme Swann (two for 14) helped Northamptonshire Steelbacks dismiss Hampshire Hawks for 133 at the County Ground as they recorded a ten-wicket win under the Duckworth/Lewis method in yet another rain-affected match. Earlier wicket-keeper Nic Pothas (34*) and John Crawley (33) had been the main run-makers as the visitors put on a poor batting display. Rain intervened with the home side on 54 without loss, well ahead of their required 37 for victory. The Steelbacks lie in second place after their second win in two days and their third in succession.

Sri Lanka’s cricketers arrived at London Heathrow this morning for theirfirst ever Test series in England hopeful that they can quickly forget ameek performance in Sharjah and overcome the loss of star bowler MuttiahMuralitharan for the early part of the tour.Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka’s captain for nearly three years now, who hasmarshalled his side to their nine consecutive Tests, admitted that the lossof Muralitharan for the first Test, and possibly the second, was a majorblow, but was hopeful that the team would respond well to the challenge.”I am very worried about Murali missing him on the early part of Englandtour,” he said. “It’s going to be very tough tour and to not have Murali andDilhara Fernando (back injury) is a major blow. There is now a lot ofresponsibility on the other fast bowlers to perform well in their absence.”England will perform well in their own conditions and we have a fight inour hands against them, but we do have some experienced players such asAravinda (De Silva) and Hashan (Tillakartne) and now have a very good sidethat includes some excellent fast bowlers.Nevertheless, with Sri Lanka having not won a Test match in the last tenyears without the services of Muralitharan, Jayasuriya is hopeful that hisspin magician is back for the second Test at Edgbaston: “According to Alex(Kontouri) he should be able to play in the third Test at Old Trafford andhas a slim chance of playing in the second Test.”Sri Lanka’s coach Dav Whatmore maintains that the team has the potential towin overseas and cast off their reputation for playing poorly abroad.”The team has moved on from the last England series,” said Whatmore. “Wehave had new players come into the side make an impression, some of theexisting players have progressed, confidence has grown and the players havebecome tougher mentally.””We want to emerge as a world force in Test cricket – a team that cannot betaken lightly in any conditions, against any opposition. To win in Englandwould be a fantastic moment for Sri Lankan cricket.””The key to being successful there will be how quickly we can adapt to theconditions. We can expect time to be lost for poor weather and each playermust make full use of their opportunities in the practice games.”Jayasuriya brushed aside the team’s 217 run humiliation against Pakistan inSharjah Cup 2002 final, claiming that it was now history, but some concernednavel gazing is inevitable. Sri Lanka can ill-afford to repeat the selectionblunders made there in England.”Our overall performance in Sharjah was good – we won three games – but wewere outplayed in every department in the final where everything wentagainst us,” Jayasuriya said. “But I don’t think that’s a worrying factor.What we have to consider it all history and move on.”He admitted the decision to play five batsmen was a mistake. “We had triedboth Kalu (Romesh Kaluwitharana) and Tillakaratne Dilshan in the middleorder without great success and in the final we opted for Kumar Dharmasenawhom we believed could handle the pressure.”Sri Lanka play their first game against Kent at Canterbury next Friday, thefirst of four first class practice games before the first Test at Lordsstarting May 16. They will play three Tests and a triangular one-day seriesalso involving India.