COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s cricket authorities on Friday announced a delayed start to its scaled down Twenty20 premier league, without the expected international players. The inter-provincial Twenty20 tournament will start on Thursday, two days behind the original schedule, and end on July 31, said Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). SLC had planned to stage a T20 tournament modelled on India’s successful Indian Premier League (IPL). But it was scuttled when India banned their players from participating in the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL). Cash-strapped SLC has said it will stage a full T20 domestic tournament with several foreign players next year but the authorities are going ahead with the SLPL with local players this year. (Agencies)
Smith ungoes surgery for injured knee
Johannesburg: South Africa’s Test captain Graeme Smith underwent a surgery on his ailing knee in Cape Town today, which he injured while playing in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year. The 30-year-old opening batsman, who hurt his knee playing for his new IPL team Pune Warriors, confirmed on social networking site, Twitter that he went under the knife. “Great week in trou aux biches in mauritius…back in ct and getting myself ready for early morn trip to hospital to visit the surgery bed..,” Smith wrote on his Twitter page. “# Doesn’t matter how many ops you had…you still kaaaaaak yourself lying in this bed : ).” Smith, who handed over the limited overs captaincy to AB de Villiers after South Africa’s yet another unsuccessful World Cup campaign, is set to lead the Proteas in the Test series against Australia and Sri Lanka later this year. South Africa is set to host Australia for Two Tests, three ODIs and two Twenty20s starting from October 13, followed by a three-Test and five-ODI series against Sri Lanka.(PTI)
C’wood snares hat-trick for Durham
London: Former England all-rounder Paul Collingwood took a hat-trick as Durham dismissed Northamptonshire for just 47 in their Twenty20 at Chester-le- Street on Thursday. It was the lowest score ever recorded in the English version of the game, worse than the 67 made by Sussex against Nottinghamshire at Hove in 2004. In his second over, the 35-year-old removed Bilal Shafayat, David Willey and 17-year-old Oliver Stone, who was making his senior debut, in successive deliveries. Collingwood, who captained England to the World Twenty20 championship last year before being dropped this summer, finished with five wickets for six runs in just three overs as Northants were all out in 12.5 overs. It was the second hat-trick in this season’s competition following Wahib Riaz’s effort for Kent against Gloucestershire. Batting first, Durham had scored 144 for seven, going on to win by 97 runs. (Agencies)