Sports Bulletin

BIPIN DANI The brother of the late Australian spinner Shane Warne, who arrived with his wife Shay in Sri Lanka on Friday (at around 6 am) was "disappointed" with the early finish of the first Test match, which was being dedicated to Shane. Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Galle, he said, "I am happy that Australia won the Test but disappointed it finished just before we got to the ground. We are very disappointed regarding the early finish because we were meant to be Friday afternoon and Saturday". "Fortunately we got to the ground and it was amazing to see the displays they have erected for the match. It is truly humbling to see the amount of respect being shown to my brother in Sri Lanka". "Sri Lanka is a wonderful country full of great people", he further added.   The commemoration gathering, which was likely to be hosted by the authorities on Sunday, is rearranged by a day and both teams are invited at the Jetwing Hotel on Saturday evening, it is learnt.

Sports Bulletin Report LONDON:-Tthe line-up is topped by multi-platinum British pop-rock band Bastille, who will take to the stage at The Hundred men’s and women’s final at Lord’s on Saturday 3 September has been announced. They are joined by some of the freshest names on the UK music scene including Samm Henshaw, Katy J Pearson, Priya Ragu, English Teacher, Jordan Mackampa, Tamera, Lottery Winners, Mace The Great, Queen Millz, Casey Lowry and many more. For the second year running, the live music at all 34 games of The Hundred has been curated in collaboration with BBC Music Introducing. The partnership connects sports fans with both new and established artists who began their career on the BBC Music Introducing platform. The artists will perform in front of large audiences at some of the UK’s biggest cricket grounds, including Lord’s (London), The Kia Oval (London), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Emirates Old Trafford (Manchester), Sophia Gardens (Cardiff), Headingley (Leeds), Ageas Bowl (Southampton) and Trent Bridge (Nottingham). Kicking off on 3 August, The Hundred is cricket’s high-octane competition which fuses world class cricket with spectacular entertainment. The competition gives fans the chance to watch some of the best players in the world compete alongside epic music performances in a high energy, family-friendly environment. Brit and NME award-winning pop-rock band, Bastille, said: “We are really looking forward to being part of The Hundred Final this year. Woody in particular is a big cricket fan and loves what The Hundred has brought to the summer sporting schedule. Needless to say, we can't wait to be there!” In its first year in 2021, The Hundred attracted some of the biggest names in UK music including Becky Hill, Everything Everything, and Self Esteem, plus breakthrough acts such as Sports Team and Lauran Hibberd who are now on everyone’s playlists. 2022’s line up is set to be an equally big hit with new and existing fans of the game. Sophie Ecclestone, Manchester Originals star said: “The music last year was amazing, Lizelle and myself even had time for a little dance to Becky Hill during the opening game! It added so much to the competition and showed The Hundred is all about unmissable action on and off the pitch. I can’t wait to get a front row seat this summer and hopefully we can be dancing to Bastille after winning the competition.”

Sports Bulletin Report LONDON:-Lancashire's Jos Buttler has been appointed captain of the England Men's white-ball teams by the England & Wales Cricket Board. He succeeds Eoin Morgan, who retired from international cricket earlier this week. The ECB Interim Chair, Martin Darlow, and Interim Chief Executive Officer, Clare Connor, approved the appointment on Wednesday evening following the recommendation by the Managing Director of England Men's Cricket, Rob Key. Buttler has been part of England's white-ball teams for over a decade. He played his first T2OI game in 2011 and made his ODI debut a year later. The wicketkeeper/batter has been an integral part of the set-up, having been vice-captain since 2015 and has led the team 14 times previously (Nine ODIs & five T20Is). He has represented England 151 times in ODIs scoring 4120 runs at an average of 41.20, including 10 hundreds. In T20 internationals, he has won 88 caps scoring 2140 runs with an average of 34.51. He is one of three England cricketers (Dawid Malan and Heather Knight) to have scored hundreds in all three formats of the game. England Men's White-Ball Captain, Jos Buttler, said: "I would like to offer my sincere thanks and gratitude to Eoin Morgan for his outstanding leadership over the past seven years. It has been the most memorable period for everyone involved. He has been an inspirational leader, and it has been fantastic to play under him. There are lots of things that I have learnt from him that I'll take into this role. "It is a great honour to take over from Eoin, and the place he has left English white-ball cricket in is exciting, and I'm inspired for the challenges ahead. "There is excellent strength-in-depth in the white-ball squads, and I'm looking forward to leading the teams out for the series that are coming up against India starting next week and later in July against South Africa. "It is the greatest honour to captain your country, and when I have had the chance to step in the past, I have loved doing it. I can't wait to take this team forward." Clare Connor, Interim ECB Chief Executive Officer, said: "Jos is a fantastic role model who inspires through his performances on the pitch. He has been instrumental in setting new standards in men's white-ball cricket, and is the perfect leader to build on the incredible legacy which Eoin has built for our men's white-ball teams. "I'm excited to see where Jos and Matthew Mott take things from here, particularly as we build towards the ICC Men's T20 World Cup." Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men's Cricket, said: "Jos Buttler was the perfect choice to succeed Eoin Morgan as our white-ball captain, and I had no hesitation in offering him the role. "Jos has been part of our white-ball set-up for over a decade and was integral in the transformation of the way the team has played its attacking brand of cricket over the past seven years. "He is well respected in the dressing room by all of his teammates and will relish leading his country. "He is in the form of his life and is showcasing his talent against the best players and teams in the world. "I believe the extra responsibility will take his game to a new level and inspire those around him. "I'm looking forward to seeing him take us forward. He thoroughly deserves the opportunity."

BIPIN DANI Sri Lankan selector and a member of the 1996 World Cup winning team Romesh Kaluwitharana has invited Shane Warne's brother Jason and his wife Shay for lunch at his resort-Kalu's Hideaway on Saturday on a way to their visit to Udawalawe National Park. On the invitation of Harin Fernando, the Hon. Tourism Minister and also Chalaka Gajabahu, the chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB),  Jason Warne and his wife are arriving in Sri Lanka on Friday morning. Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Galle, where Kalu was witnessing the first day of the ongoing Test against Australia, he said, "Some of the most memorable moments in my cricket career was when Sri Lanka toured Australia and having to play against one of the greatest cricketers was a privilege.  Shane Warne was Unique, flamboyant, one of the toughest competitors I have played against and most importantly a wonderful human being".  "His humanity was extraordinary having visited Sri Lanka after the Tsunami to help the people in need was just one example of the person he was outside cricket". "I am honored to be able to say a "Thank you Mate" to this great man by Warnie's brother Jason visiting my Hotel  Kalu's Hideaway. Hope Jason will enjoy our hospitality and see how much your brother was admired and why Sri Lanka was special to Warnie", the 52-year-old former wicket-keeper signed off.

Sports Bulletin Report LONDON:-The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that England Men's white-ball Captain Eoin Morgan has retired from international cricket with immediate effect. During his 13-year international career with England, the 35-year-old won the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup as Captain in 2019 at Lord's, the first time England Men had won the world crown. He was also part of the England team that won the 2010 ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean. Morgan is the all-time leading run-scorer and most-capped player for England Men in both ODI and T20I matches. During his seven-year tenure as Men's ODI captain, he guided England to number one in the ICC world rankings, including notable series victories against all the major nations. In his record-breaking 225 ODI caps, he scored 6,957 runs, including 13 hundreds at an average of 39.75. In his 126 matches as Captain, Morgan oversaw 76 victories with a win percentage of 60 per cent, the best win record by any England Men's ODI Captain in the history of the game. He captained the Men's T20I side on 72 occasions, equal to India's MS Dhoni as the most in T20 international cricket. In all, he represented England on 115 occasions scoring 2,458 runs. As a Test cricketer, he won 16 caps over a three-year period scoring two centuries. He also holds the world record for the highest number of sixes in an ODI innings, with 17 against Afghanistan at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. In 2020, he received a CBE for services to cricket. Morgan started his international career with Ireland, where he played 23 ODIs from 2006 to 2009. Eoin Morgan said: "After careful deliberation and consideration, I am here to announce my retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. "To call time on what has been without doubt the most enjoyable and rewarding chapter of my career hasn't been an easy decision, but I believe now is the right time to do so, both for me, personally, and for both England white-ball sides I have led to this point. "From my start in the international arena with Ireland to winning the World Cup in 2019, I have never lost sight of how integral family support is to any international sportsperson. To my Mum and Dad, my wife, Tara, and our family around the world, thank you for your unconditional support throughout the good and more challenging times in my career. Without you all, this incredible journey would not have been possible. "I must also thank my teammates, coaches, supporters, and those behind the scenes who have made my career and any successes possible. I am hugely proud of what I have achieved as a player and captain, but the things I will cherish and remember the most are the memories I made with some of the greatest people I know along the way. "I have been lucky enough to play in two World Cup winning teams, but I believe the future for England's white-ball teams is brighter than ever. We have more experience, more strength and more depth than ever before. I look forward to watching on with a huge level of excitement. "To what lies ahead for me, I will continue to enjoy playing at a domestic level while I can. I'm really looking forward to playing and captaining London Spirit in the second edition of The Hundred this year." Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men's Cricket, said: "On behalf of the ECB and everyone involved in cricket, I'd like to thank Eoin Morgan for his outstanding contribution to the game. "It will be wrong to think Eoin's legacy was just winning the World Cup in 2019; it is far greater than that. "As with all great players and leaders, he has changed the way the game has been played, and he has changed the way an entire generation and generations to come will play this form of the game. His legacy within the game will be felt for many years to come. "He is, without question, the best leader I have seen. I wish him well in the next chapter of his career."

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD:-Pakistani Test cricketer Abdullah Shafique determined to cement his place in national squad as well as in the last playing 11s with his bat performance despite of having a tough competition to make permanent place in the playing elevens, “This is challenge for me to satisfy my captain with my batting to stable berth in the team, “He was talking to journalists of twin cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Tuesday at Pindi cricket stadium. He added that he was toiling hard in the camp to show notable performance in the forthcoming 2 Test series against Sri Lanka next month. “There is a nice atmosphere in the camp and all players and officials have coordination to run the camp in a beneficial manner. I will not disappoint the selectors and my captain in the series, “he said. Abdullah Shafique, who played 5 Tests, said that he felt proud if some compared him with Rahul Dravid of India. “I am honoured that Babar compared me with Dravid. However, two-time World Cup-winning Australian captain Ricky Ponting is my favorite batter after current Pakistani captain Babar Azam and former Test cricketer Mohammad Yousaf, “he said while replying to a question. Talking about his experience being with the team during the home ODI series against West Indies, Abdullah said he learned a lot. "It was a great learning experience for me. I didn't get a chance to play but it was good being around the players who were playing. I will try to grab any opportunity that comes to me in the upcoming Sri Lanka Test tour," he concluded.

Sports Bulletin Report Lahore: Pakistan, as part of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022 preparations, will participate in a T20I tri-series in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 7-14 October with Bangladesh as the third side. Number-three ranked Pakistan will take on number-eight ranked Bangladesh on 7 October and number-six ranked New Zealand on the following day. In the second round of matches, Pakistan will play New Zealand and Bangladesh on 11 and 13 October, respectively with the final scheduled for Friday, 14 October.In the T20 World Cup, Pakistan will open their campaign against India in Melbourne on 23 October. They will then play the two qualifiers on 27 and 30 October in Perth, before taking on South Africa on 3 November in Sydney and Bangladesh on 6 November in Adelaide. Pakistan captain Babar Azam: “I am pleased that we will be featuring in the tri-series in New Zealand as it will help us to arrive early and not only acclimatise for the T20 World Cup in Australia but also give final touches to our preparations. “I missed the last series in New Zealand due to a thumb injury and look forward to playing cricket in Christchurch against two good oppositions.” Pakistan will depart for Christchurch on 4 October after completing their seven-match T20I series against England on 2 October. Prior to the England series, Pakistan will take part in the ACC T20 Asia Cup, which is schedule in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 27 August to 11 September. T20I tri-series itinerary 7 Oct –Pakistan v Bangladesh, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (1200 PST) 8 Oct – Pakistan v New Zealand, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (1200 PST) 9 Oct – Bangladesh v New Zealand, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (0800 PST) 11 Oct –Pakistan v New Zealand, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (0800 PST) 12 Oct – Bangladesh v New Zealand, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (0800 PST) 13 Oct –Pakistan v Bangladesh, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (0800 PST) 14 Oct – Final, Hagley Oval, Christchurch (0800 PST)

  BIPIN DANI Roman Walker's parents in England would have still been happy even if his son had taken the five wickets of any opponents but when this young boy took the five wickets against a strong Indian team, which included the prize victims of Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma, they were pleasantly surprised.  Interestingly, the 21-year-old right-arm medium pacer has not even played a First Class match in his home country.  "We were so proud to see Roman take a 5-fer. It would have been amazing whatever team he had played against, but to take the wickets of some of the best players in the world was very special. Not only that, his bowling figures were excellent", the player's parents-mother : Michelle and father Bryan-, speaking exclusively over the telephone from the UK, said.  Rohit Sharma, Hanuma Vihari, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur were the victims of his bowling during India's first tour match in England.  "His sister Cheyenne and grandparents were so happy hearing how well he had done. Our extended cricket family and friends were quick to send their congratulations and share his news", the mother informs.  There were a few spectators in the crowd who came to watch Indian players. One among them was a school boy, who bunked his class and displayed the play-card showing : VIRAT SIR, YOU R D BEST. I MISSED SCHOOL TO C U".  Roman Walker was born and bred in Wrexham, Wales. He came through the Glamorgan academy as a youngster and made his professional t-20 debut for them in 2021. He then moved to Leicestershire on a 3-year contract at the end of the 2021 season. He has represented England U19s. He played in the Abu Dhabi T10 competition for Chennai Braves in 2021.  According to Robert Walker's agent, Tom Watts, Robert had been to India. "He spent some time on a training camp at the MIG club in Mumbai when he was 18. He loved the culture, people and the Indians' love for cricket", Watts informs, adding, "Food was too spicy for him though!".   

BIPIN DANI The first Test match between Sri Lanka and Australia to be played at the Galle International Stadium (June 29-July 3) will be dedicated to Shane Warne, it is confirmed. Accordingly, Shane Warne's brother Jason and his wife Shay will be witnessing the Test match, where other Sri Lanka's legendary cricketers are also invited. The invitation was sent by the Hon. Tourism Minister Harin Fernando. "The Galle stadium was one of Australian cricketer Shane Warne's favourite cricket grounds and he helped to raise money to rebuild it, after the devastation caused by the tsunami in 2004", Chalaka Gajabahu, the chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) said exclusively over the telephone from Colombo on Thursday evening, once the confirmation was received from Jason Warne. "We are honoured to invite the family of Shane Warne. With the great memory of Shane Warne's services to the nation, the Ministry of Tourism in Sri Lanka, together with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), have decided to dedicate this first Test to Warne", Gajabahu further added.

BIPIN DANI Today (Friday), the Sri Lankan fans will "support" the visiting Australian team during the 5th and the final D/N ODI at the R. Premadasa Stadium. OneNationOnePeople, a non-profit national campaign organisation which is promoting harmony and co-existence between all Sri Lankans has appealed to all spectators to wear yellow jersey and carry Australian flags in hand to say thank you note for coming over to Sri Lanka and play matches. "This One group is with us. They work with us", Hon. Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, while returning from Europe, said exclusively over the telephone. "Let's flood the next one day match with Australian flag's and Thank you notes to show our gratitude as ONE NATION ONE PEOPLE ONE SRI LANKA. Let's show the world that we are not poor as humans. When it was much needed they came with a full team. They request all other countries to support Sri Lanka. They help to divert the attention to Sri Lankan tourism in a good way. They request the world to visit Sri Lanka and support Sri Lanka. Most importantly they "PUT A SMILE BACK ON OUR FACES", the message is conveyed via social media to all fans arriving for the match on Friday. Australians came to Sri Lanka in the most difficult time in the country and not just for 3 games but for a whole tour with the A team as well. The host team has already won the ODI series.