July 23 (CP) Colombo- The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has decided to extend the tenure of the interim national coach Marvan Atapattu till August, the SLC announced today. The Executive Committee at its meeting held yesterday (July 22nd) has decided to extend the appointment of Marvan Atapattu as the Head Coach of the National Team until the end of the Pakistan Tour of Sri Lanka. Atapattu was appointed as the interim head coach for Sri Lanka's tour in England after the newly hired national coach Paul Farbrace left the team to become the assistant coach for England before Sri Lanka began its tour to England.
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July 23 (ESPNCI) Stuart Poynter scored a fighting century to rejuvenate a sinking Ireland chase but his innings couldn't quite take his team over the finish line, as Sri Lanka A wrapped up a 28-run win in the first unofficial ODI in Belfast. Chasing 284, Ireland were 107 for 7 when Eddie Richardson, who had taken a five-wicket haul in the visitors' innings, retired hurt. Craig Young then added 81 with Poynter before he became medium-pacer Dushmantha Chameera's fourth victim.
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July 23 (ESPNCI) Things that have been more lively than the SSC Test pitches in recent years: the planet Mars, the SLPL's twitter account and the third floor of London's Langham Hotel in the dead of night. The last three Tests there have been draws. But with Sri Lanka requiring a win there to level the series, perhaps the groundstaff have produced a surface more akin to what first-class teams regularly encounter at SSC.
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July 22 (ESPNCI) Dinesh Chandimal has been withdrawn from the Sri Lanka squad and replaced with uncapped wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, who was flown in from England ahead of the second Test against South Africa. Dickwella was on Sri Lanka A's ongoing tour of England, but will now be available for the SSC Test, while Chandimal will be sent to replace him in the A side. Dickwella did not train with the team on Tuesday, having just arrived from London, but will join the team for practice on the eve of the match, on Wednesday.
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July 23 (CP) Colombo- Standard Chartered joins hands with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to continue its efforts to raise funds and awareness for the Sri Lankan Visually Handicapped XI and its bid at this year's World Cup in South Africa in November.
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July 23 (ITV) Four members of Sri Lanka's Commonwealth Games cycling team caused a police response after being spotted going for a ride down one of Scotland's busiest stretches of motorway. STV News reported that four Glasgow 2014 athletes were seen cycling down the M74 before police intervened and informed them they were breaking the law. Johnathan Brownlee, the 2012 Triathlon World Champion, snapped the cyclists before tweeting: "I suppose it's a nice wide road!"
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July 22 (ESPNCI) Shane Bond dreamed of knocking batsmen out, so they would fall on their stumps. Dale Steyn loves nothing more than to "pitch leg, hit off". Bouncers. Banana swing. Batsmen backing away in fear. Stumps cartwheeling. If a sport played in whites over five days could have adrenaline junkies, fast bowlers would come closest. But not everyone has the means to become merchants of chaos. Steyn and Mitchell Johnson can define series with vicious pace, but others contend with more modest talents.
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July 22 (NDTV) Colombo- An upbeat South Africa will look to carry their winning momentum in the second Test against Sri Lanka beginning on Thursday, and break a 21-year-old jinx on the island. The Proteas, the current world number two, have not won a Test series in Sri Lanka since 1993 when they first toured the country and beat the hosts 1-0. On their next three tours, they won one Test while losing two series and drawing one.
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