Sri Lanka vs South Africa
News
Tri-Series 2006 in Sri Lanka Cancelled
August 16, 2006
South Africa has pulled out of the Unitech ODI tri-series. The report from an independent security company, employed by the International Cricket Council, said safety of the team, under the present circumstances, could not be guaranteed in the Sri Lankan capital.
Earlier, Cricket South Africa's security agency Nicolls and Steyn recommended that the team should return home following Monday's bomb blast here that left seven dead.
The media manager of the Sri Lankan Board, Samantha Alagama, said the tri-series thus stood cancelled.
Rains threaten to wash out first two day matches
August 14, 2006
Rains threaten to play spoilsport to India and South Africa's quest to make amends of their dismal one-day record in Sri Lanka in the Unitech Cup cricket tri-series that starts here today.
Thunder showers, which lashed the capital city for the last 48 hours, washed out India's warm-up match on Sunday after South Africa were deprived of a warm-up match on Saturday.
Weather forecast predicts more rains in the next five days, threatening a washout of the first two matches.
But the home team is not only about their new and recent superstars. With players like Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, the in-form Upul Taranga, and an emerging Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka is a formidable side. Going by the home and recent record of the three teams in the series which kicks off between the hosts and South Africa on Monday Sri Lankans get the favourites tag.
South Africa are expected to struggle against the spin-centric attacks of the other two teams. Without their best players captain Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Justin Kemp and injury to some key players in the squad, Makhaya Ntini and Shaun Pollock, it will be difficult for them to reach the final.
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The Venue
R. Premadasa Stadium
Aug 14, 2006
R. Premadasa Stadium cricket stadium situated in Khettarama, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The stadium was prior to June 1994 known as the Khettarama Cricket Stadium and is today home to the Sri Lankan cricket team.
The stadium is the brainchild of the late Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa, who championed the development of this colossal 35,000-seater concrete bowl, the biggest stadium in Sri Lanka. Opened on February 2, 1986 with a match between a Sri Lanka 'B' side and an England 'B' team, the stadium was built on swampland previously used by monks ferrying across to the Khettarama temple adjacent to the stadium.
The inaugural one-day international was played on April 5, 1986 between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. On August 28, 1992 it hosted its inaugural Test match between Sri Lanka and Australia. The venue is best remembered for holding the world record for the highest Test total - 952/6 declared by Sri Lanka against India in 1997/98 in which former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya scored 340 and Roshan Mahanama 225, the pair sharing the highest partnership for any wicket in Test cricket with 576 for the second wicket. Since that record-breaking match, it has hosted just one Test against New Zealand. Invariably flat, the pitches are slow in pace and low in bounce.
A new training center has been developed behind the stadium with 16 practice pitches and dormitories for the Sony Max Cricket Academy which started in 2003.
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