India wanted to go into theseries final with a thumpingwin against Bangladesh. AndVirat Kohli (102*) ensured justthat, guiding India to a convinc-ing six-wicket victory with asparkling century. Set a target of248, India finished with 249 for 4in 43 overs.

The perfectly placed flicksand immaculately-timed cutsreflected the sublime form ofthe young batsman from Delhi.Yet again he showed immensematurity in pacing his inningsin accordance with the matchsituation. While he went aboutplaying his shots freely to startwith, he dropped anchor afterthe dismissal of Yuvraj. Alongwith his skipper MS Dhoni, hestitched a solid half-centurypartnership to put India oncourse. The youngster’s bril-liant effort fetched him the play-er of the match award.

In the beginning of theIndian innings, Bangladesh pac-ers Syed Rasel and Shafiul Islamstruggled to adjust their line tothe right-left combination ofDinesh Karthik and GautamGambhir.

While Karthik feasted onwide deliveries outside the off-stump with some crackingsquare-cuts and drives,Gambhir used leg glance withgreat effect.

Gambhir (41), who battedwith caution and care, lost hiswicket to a turning deliveryfrom Naeem Islam. The left-han-der charged down the ground toloft the ball over mid-wicket butwas deceived completely as theball turned sharply and crashedinto his stumps.

Naeem went on to dismissin-form Yuvraj Singh. Like fel-low left-hander Gambhir, Yuvrajtoo fell to the off-spinner, tryingto play against the turn. He was

wrapped lbw for 13.The onus was once again on

the pair that had saved India theblushes in their last gameagainst Bangladesh. SkipperMS Dhoni (32) joined Virat Kohlito make sure no further damagewas done.

While Dhoni brought hiscustomary nudges into play,Virat effortlessly changed gears.Both batsmen were lightningquick between the 22 yards androtated the strike at will. In notime, the pair raced to a crucial68-run partnership. The standended when Dhoni played onestraight to mid-on off Shakib’sbowling.

Despite Dhoni’s fall, Indiawere well on course to anotherthumping win with Virat andSuresh Raina going strong.Virat was lucky to be droppedtwice in a single over whenAshraful dropped him in thedeep and then keeperMushfiqur Rahim put down astumping chance. The young-ster was perhaps destined to geta hundred, which he did by hit-ting the winning boundary.

Earlier, after being reducedto 95 for 5, Bangladesh foughtback well to post a respectable247 for 6 in their 50 overs.Skipper Shakib Al Hasan ledfrom the front and notched up abrilliant 85 – the highest scoreby a Bangladeshi captainagainst India.

Middle order batsmanMohammad Mahmudullah (64*)once again came good, scoringhis second half-century againstIndian in the series. After stitch-ing a 102-run partnership withhis skipper, Mahmudullah bat-ted through the innings to givethe bowlers enough runs to fightwith.

Bangladesh started off theirinnings scratchily, losing twoearly wickets in the form ofopener Imrul Kayes (9) andMohammad Ashraful (4). Thebatsmen paid the price for theirpoor shot selection.

With half the side back intothe hut for 95, the hosts needed aspecial effort. And it was thecaptain, who decided to leadfrom the front with a fine knockof 85. After undertaking therepair work by way of defense,Shakib brought his shots intoplay. He began his assault with ascorching six over mid-wicketoff Ravindra Jadeja and neverlooked back. His aggressiveapproach forced the Indianbowlers to err in line and theskipper made merry at theircost.

India’s bowling was onceagain exposed in the deathovers. The pacers and spinnersundid all the good work of earli-er overs by conceding 95 runs inthe final 10.

Tuesday 12th January, 2010

Tuesday 12th January, 2010

Bangladesh InningsTamim Iqbal c Tyagi b Nehra 17Imrul Kayes c Kohli b Tyagi 9Mohammad Ashraful b Sreesanth 4Raqibul Hasan run out 28Shakib Al Hasan c Dhoni b Nehra 85Mushfiqur Rahim c Raina b Yuvraj 7Mahmudullah not out 64Naeem Islam not out 22Extras (2lb, 6w, 3nb) 11Total: (for six wickets) 247Overs: 50.Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-15, 3-60, 4-67, 5-95, 6-201Did not bat: Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam, SyedRasel.Bowling: Tyagi 6-2-24-1, Sreesanth 8-0-53-1(3nb), Nehra 10-1-58-2 (1w), Mishra 10-0-54-0(3w), Yuvraj 10-1-33-1 (1w), Jadeja 6-1-23-0

India InningsD. Karthik c Rahim b Shafiul Islam 34G. Gambhir b Naeem Islam 41V. Kohli not out 102Yuvraj Singh lbw Naeem Islam 13M. S. Dhoni c Kayes b Shakib 32S. Raina not out 18Extras: (6lb, 3w) 9Total: (for four wickets) 249Overs: 43.Fall of wickets: 1-64, 2-87, 3-133, 4-201Did not bat: R. Jadeja, A. Mishra, A. Nehra,S. Sreesanth, S. Tyagi.Bowling: Rasel 7-0-37-0, Islam 10-1-63-1 (2w), Razzak 7-0-40-0, Shakib 10-0-58-1, Islam 8-0-35-2 (1w), Mahmudullah 1-0-10-0.Umpires: Sharfuddoula and S. TaufelMatch Referee: A. PycroftToss: India.Result: India won by six wickets.

Scoreboard

Kohli’s splendid tonpowers India to victory

India’s Virat Kohli kisses his helmet to celebrate scoring a centuryagainst Bangladesh during the sixth one-day international cricketmatch of the tri-series in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, Jan. 11, 2010.(AP)

by Reemus Fernando

Sri LankaUnder-19 WorldCup stand-byA d e e s h aNanayakara stoodout with a valu-able 123 runs (in127) inclusive of10 fours and fivesixes for NalandaCollege to post 222runs againstLumbini Collegeon a difficult firstday for batsmen atColts Ground yes-terday.

On a day where 18 batsmen were outwithout topping 20 runs Nanayakkaramanaged to anchor Nalanda innings withhis gritty century. Coming to bat at 19 fortwo wickets, Nanayakkara was the lastman out after helping his side post theeventual total.

In reply Lumbini were wobbling at 84for nine wickets at close.

Scores:Nalanda 222 all out in 56.4 overs

(Adeesha Nanayakara 123; VikumSanjaya 3/57, Ravija Sandaruwan 3/38,Prabath Jayasuriya 2/70)

Lumbini 84 for 9 in 38 overs (NipunKarunanayake 4/30, Koshan Danushka2/18)

Bens put on 254 for 7 declared Put to bat first, St. Benedict’s College

posted 254 for seven wickets declared asSandun Sampath (69) and ErangaRatnayake (60n.o) scored half centuriesagainst St. Sylvester’s College on the firstday of their match commenced atKotahena yesterday.

In reply St. Sylvester’s were 49 for onewicket at close.

Scores:St. Benedict’s 254 for 7 decl in 78 overs

(Sandun Sampath 69, Eranga Ratnayake60n.o, Rukshan Weerasinghe 49, RoySheran 21, Dinushan Wanigasuriya 20;Dushan Malalasena 3/44)

St. Sylvester’s 49 for 1 in 16 overs(Waruna Wijesinghe 18n.o, DileepaGayashan 9n.o)

Fourteen-year-old impresses forRichmond

A fighting century (103) by ChalithaMadushan for Dharmasoka, a top score of128 runs by Dananjaya de Silva and agood double of 60 runs and five wicketsfrom 14-year-old Asitha Madushan ondebut for Richmond College were thehighlights as the latter scored a firstinnings victory in their match ended atGalle International Stadium yesterday.

Scores:Richmond 260 for 6 decl in 87 overs

(Dananjaya de Silva 128, AsithaMadushan 60; Chamath Gunasinghe 3/52)and 121 for 1 at close in 30 overs (IroshSamarasooriya 58 n.o, Kusal Prabodha53n.o)

Dharmasoka 212 all out in 70 overs(Chalitha Madushan 103, Sudara Deshan17, Ramesh Mendis 18; IroshSamarasooriya 2/51, Asitha Madushan5/47)

Kellepotha picks up six wickets In reply to St. Thomas’ College

(Matale) 168 for eight wickets declared,Ibbagamuwa Central were 122 for eightwickets at close on the first day as rightarm leg spinner Ruwantha Kellepothapicked up six wickets for the visitors atIbbagamuwa yesterday.

Scores:St. Thomas’ 168 for 8 decl in 46.4 overs

(Dilshan Madusanka 40, ChathurangaJayathilaka 33, Shehan Wijetunga 24,Ruwantha Kellepota 23; Ishara Ratnayake3/41, Amila Weerasekara 2/42, ThasithaDilranga 2/13)

Ibbagamuwa 122 for 8 in 46 overs(Chamara Dissanayake 45n.o, HarshanaAriyaratne 32; Ruwantha Kellepotha6/52)

Wadduwa record 190 run win Wadduwa Central scored a 190 run vic-

tory over Royal College, Horana in theirUnder-19 Division III match ended atWadduwa on Sunday.

Scores:Wadduwa Central 246 all out in 41.5

overs (Dishan Chathuranga 70, ChamikaFernando 62, Iranga Dilshan 29,Chathura Mihiruk 28; Pasindu Malith5/69, Amantha Lakmal 3/57) and 213 for 8decl in 44.4 overs (Yasas Sri Alwis 74,Chamika Fernando 37, ChathuraMihiruk 27, Dilshan Chathuranga 24;Saminda Malinga 4/49)

Royal Horana 150 all out in 48.5 overs(Susantha Kumara 75; Yasas Sri Alwis3/25, Dilshan Chathuranga 2/51, HashanLakmal 2/36) and 119 all out in 38.4 overs(Pasindu Malith 28, Shanaka Nuwan 24;Hashan Lakmal 5/41, Yasas Sri Alwis3/19)

Under-19 Cricket Nanayakkarastands out ondifficult wicket

AdeeshaNanayakara

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -South African doctors are plan-ning to leave bullet fragments inthe stomach of Togo goalkeeperKodjovi “Dodji” Obilale because itcould cause more damage if theytry to remove them.

The 25-year-old Obilale wasshot in the lower back Fridaywhen gunmen attacked the buscarrying Togo’s national team toAngola for the African Cup ofNations. The bullet fragmented,and some pieces have becomelodged in his stomach.

Removing them “sometimescauses more damage than leavingthem behind,” said trauma spe-cialist Ken Boffard, who is part ofObilale’s medical team at NetcareMilpark Hospital inJohannesburg.

Three people were killed andeight injured in the attack.

The Togolese team was arriv-ing in Angola for the African Cupwhen they were ambushed in anattack blamed on militants fight-ing for the independence ofCabinda. The region is cut offfrom the rest of Angola by a stripof Congo.

Obilale was operated on afterbeing flown from Cabinda toJohannesburg on Saturday, and hehas been under sedation since,with a ventilator to help him breathe.Boffard said no more operations are

planned.“I am happy to report that his con-

dition has stabilized. He is in good

condition at the moment,” Boffardsaid Monday at a news conference.“We expect him to stay on the ven-tilator for the next couple of daysand we don’t expect his conditionto change very much with the nextcouple of days. Overall, we arehappy with his progress.”

Boffard said it was too soon tosay whether Obilale, who plays forFrench minor league club Pontivy,would recover enough to playagain, but that doctors were opti-mistic. He said Obilale was able tomove his legs when he was admit-ted Saturday.

“He is built like a goalkeeper,”Boffard said. “That is very much inhis favor. So his condition was rea-sonable when he got down here.”

Efraim Kramer, a FIFA medicalofficer who has been monitoringObilale’s case, said Obilale’s futurein football “will have to do withwhat’s in his head or what’s in hisheart.”

Kramer said he was giving FIFApresident Sepp Blatter and otherofficials updates on Obilale everyfew hours.

“An incident like this is a tragicincident and they see it in thatlight,” Kramer said at the hospitalbriefing. “And they are obviouslyconcerned about the people thatsuccumbed and their families as

well as the patient lying here in inten-sive care and their families.”

Togo goalkeeperimproving inSouth Africa

Togo goalkeeper Kodjovi “Dodji” Obilale

NEW DELHI (AP) -The Indian cricketboard says it hasappointed formerSouth Africa coachEric Simons as thenational team’s newbowling coach.

“Simons has beenappointed bowling con-sultant of the Indiancricket team for thetest series againstBangladesh, and thetest and one-day international seriesagainst South Africa,” Board of Controlfor Cricket in India secretaryNarainswamy Srinivasan said in astatement Monday.

Simons, 47, played 23 limited-oversinternationals for South Africa beforecoaching the national team from 2002 to2004.

India coach Gary Kirsten was anopening batsman in the South Africanteam during Simons’ tenure.

India appointsEric Simons asbowling coach

Eric Simons

The Ministry of Sports has ratified thenames of 12 players who were picked torepresent Sri Lanka at the upcomingSouth Asian Games to be hosted byBangladesh, this month.

According to a release issued by theBadminton Federation of Sri Lanka, theplayers named in the national team forthe game are: Niluka Karunaratne,Dinuka Karunaratne, NuwanHettiarachchi, Diluka Karunaratne,R.S.Dahanayake, Hasitha Chanaka (Men),Achini Ratnasiri, Thilini Jayasinghe,Chandrika de Silva, Lekha Shehani,Upuli Samanthika, Nadeesha Gayathri.(RN)

Sports Ministerratifies badmintonselections

LOME, Togo (AP) - Flags flew at half-mast in Togo as the West African nationbegan three days of national mourning onMonday following the return of the nation-al football team after a gun attack whichkilled two members of its delegation inAngola.

The players arrived in Togo’s airportlate Sunday night, some wearing bandageson their arms to cover bullet wounds.

Togo’s press officer and an assistantcoach were killed on Friday, along withtheir Angolan driver, after suspected rebelsin Angola’s volatile Cabinda region rakedtheir bus with machine gunfire as theyheaded to the African Cup of Nations. Togowithdrew from the tournament in thewake of the attack.

Speaking late Sunday, Prime MinisterGilbert Fossoun Houngbo said the tragedywas “a big loss for Togo, a sad day forTogolese football.”

The players, looking downcast, weremet by supporters and family members atLome airport and whisked away to a hotel.

Togo flags at half-mast as 3-daymourning starts

ROME (AP) - Dealingwith racism inside Italy’sfootball stadiums hasprompted a debatebetween the country’sinterior minister and foot-ball federation president.

Interior MinisterRoberto Maroni wants thefederation (FIGC) to pushreferees to stop gameswhen there are instancesof racism, while footballfederation presidentGiancarlo Abete cites adocument from the interi-or ministry requiringsecurity officials to makethe decision.

The debate followsepisodes of racism fromboth Chievo Verona andInter Milan fans in agame last week.

Chievo supportersderided Inter strikerMario Balotelli, who is ofGhanaian descent, whileInter fans were fined fortheir behavior towardChievo’s Brazilian mid-fielder Luciano.

“I really think the

FIGC should adopt verystrict rules,” Maroni said.“If there is even a mini-mal hint of racial taunts,the referee should imme-diately suspend thegame.”

“The document thatAbete cites stipulates thatthe security chief caninterrupt the game ifthere are racial tauntsthat create problems forfans’ security. But I’masking the federation toallow the referee to sus-pend the game if thereare racial taunts even ifthere are not securityproblems.”

Abete replied that toomuch is being asked ofthe referees.

“They’re supposed tosee fouls in real timewithout the help ofreplays, listen to fans’chants and evaluate ifthey are of a racial con-notation, and now they’rebeing asked to decide ontheir own to interrupt thegame,” Abete said.

Racism prompts debatein Italian football