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Suranga Lakmal, the Sri Lanka fast bowler, has been ruled out of the Test series in South Africa because of an ankle injury. He joins Shaminda Eranga, Nuwan Kulasekara and Dhammika Prasad, who were not considered for the tour, on the list of injured fast bowlers.Sri Lanka’s chairman of selectors, Duleep Mendis, said a replacement was not named for Lakmal. “We are hopeful that by the time the first Test ends at Centurion on December 19, one of the inured fast bowlers would be fit to fly to South Africa and replace Lakmal,” Mendis said.Sri Lanka play three Tests in South Africa, where they have never won a Test, followed by a five-ODI series. The first Test starts at SuperSport Park on December 15.Sri Lanka squad: Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt), Angelo Mathews (vice-capt), Tharanga Paranavitana, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Dinesh Chandimal, Kaushal Silva (wk), Lahiru Thirimanne, Dimuth Karunaratne, Chanaka Welegedara, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep, Thisara Perera, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Thilan Samaraweera.

Imran Khan and Naved-ul-Hasan wrecked State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for 94 before Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) reached 88 for 3 at the Marghzar Cricket Ground in Islamabad. SBP started the game in second place in the points table, ahead of WAPDA in fourth but it was the lower-placed team that dominated from the start. Naved and Sarfraz Ahmed nipped out the openers with only 16 on the board and then Imran went to work, ripping out the heart of hte order as only two batsmen managed double figures. Imran ended up with 5 for 26 from 11 overs, while Naved took 3 for 30 from 14 overs. WAPDA lost three early wickets but opener Asif Khan (37*) was steady and ensured they did not lose the advantage the bowlers had given them.The bowlers ran riot at the Sports Stadium in Sargodha, with 16 wickets falling on the opening day of the match between Faisalabad and Rawalpindi. Put in to bat, Rawalpindi’s openers added 32 before the floodgates opened. They lost five wickets for 54 runs, slumping to 86 for 5, before a 42-run sixth wicket partnership temporarily slowed their slide. They then lost their last five wickets for 51, to fold for 179. Usman Saeed topscored with 46, while Abdur Rauf did most of the damage with the ball, taking 5 for 61. The same trend continued as Faisalabad got off to a horror start in their first innings, tumbling to 4 for 4, with three of their top four batsmen failing to score. Captain Naved Latif would soon make it four ducks, and at 32 for 6, Faisalabad were in danger of being routed. However, Rauf came to the fore once again, making a stroke-filled 30 that contained six fours, and sharing in an unbeaten partnership worth 37 with Mohammad Shahid (15*) to take his side to 69 for 6 at the close of play.Kamran Akmal’s half-century led National Bank of Pakistan (NBP)‘s revival against Habib Bank Limited (HBL)after fast bowler Fahad Masood had sliced through their top order to leave them reeling at 16 for 4 at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Nasir Jamshed typified NBP’s initial struggles, taking 51 minutes and 31 balls to make 7 before Masood had him caught and bowled. However, Akmal and Fawad Alam were able to stem the rot, adding 106 together for the fifth wicket. Alam made 45 before becoming Masood’s fifth victim, while Akmal topscored with 66, an innings that included 11 fours. At 150 for 6, NBP were still in some trouble and it was left to Qaiser Abbas (45) and Hammad Azam (32) to take them past 200. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Aslam then ran through the tail to keep NBP to 243. Masood picked up 5 for 40, while Aslam had figures of 4 for 60. HBL were left to face one over, and ended the day on 1 for no loss.Mohammad Ayub and Mohammad Abbas combined to give Sialkot the advantage against Islamabad at the Diamond Club ground in Islamabad. Ayub lashed his way to 92 from 101 balls, striking 16 fours, to carry Sialkot to 255. He received little support from the rest of the batsmen, though – extras were the next highest contributor with 33. Shehzad was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4 for 73, while Fakhar Hussain and Zohaib Ahmed took three apiece. Abbas then made sure it would be Sialkot’s day with three quick strikes to leave the hosts totterring on 19 for 3.A staunch rearguard effort from Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider and Junaid Zia allowed Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) a minor recovery after the top order collapsed against Pakistan Internatioanl Airlines (PIA) at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Anwar Ali and Zia-ul-Haq had combined to reduce points leader ZTBL to 37 for 6 before Haider and Zia added 98. Haider fell for 43 but Zia made his half-century before becoming the ninth wicket to fall, caught off the bowling of Zia for a team high 65. Agha Sabir fell early but Kamran Sajid and Sheharyar Ghani took PIA to 38 for 1 at the close of play.Led by Pakistan seamer Mohammad Sami, Karachi Blues held the upper hand after the first day of their game against Abbotabad at the National Stadium in Karachi. Sami took 4 for 56, including three of the top four batsmen, as Abbotabad limped to 210 for 9, with Mohammad Naeem batting for three hours and 39 minutes to make 65. Wajid Ali chipped in with 41 but none of the other batsmen managed more than 26. Sohail Khan backed up Sami with 3 for 51.

Herschelle Gibbs, the former South Africa opening batsmen, has said Graeme Smith’s team could have chased down an even bigger target against Australia in Cape Town. After that win, he said, the home side will look to finish off a wounded Australia in the second Test in Johannesburg, which begins on Thursday.South Africa chased down 236 to win at Newlands and did so comfortably, a sign of their maturity as a team. Far from the skittish men who Gibbs described in his autobiography, , as being paralysed by “fear of failure”, the squad seems to have settled as an established group of players who have what it takes to win in crunch situations. “South Africa have had the same Test squad for some time and they have built up a good record,” Gibbs told ESPNcricinfo. “Even if Australia had got 300, I would have backed South Africa to chase it because days three and four are the best for batting at Newlands.”Australia are not as mentally tough as they used to be, to play anywhere in the world,” Gibbs told ESPNCricinfo in Cape Town. “They are not going to be as strong as they were under Steve Waugh and any team that plays better than them on any given day can now beat them. They are not as intimidating as they used to be.”Meeting a mortal Australian side is not something South Africans, especially of Gibbs’ era, are used to. Gibbs played 15 of his 90 Tests against Australia and was on the losing side 13 times. South Africa only managed to beat Australia once in that time, in Durban in March 2002. Gibbs’ century was the highest score of the match and helped South Africa chase 335 in a dead rubber.Times have changed and South Africa have now recorded two consecutive wins over Australia in their own backyard. But, their victory on Friday gave them only their fifth win over Australia at home since readmission, an indicator of how dominant the visitors have been.In the bizarre match at Newlands, all four innings took place on the second day, resulting in some of the lowest innings-scores in recent history. South Africa were skittled for 96 in their first innings before Australia were ousted for just 47 in their second.The result would have given South Africa additional satisfaction because of criticism they copped beforehand about being underprepared for an important series. None of Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher and Dale Steyn had played a SuperSport Series match before the Test, leading to speculation that South Africa would be undercooked. “Given that they went into the Tests with no first-class match-time, it makes the win even more special” Gibbs said. “They will want to rub it into the Aussie noses now.”More important than making a point, will be the chance to win a series against Australia. “They have got the Aussies in sixes and sevens and Australia will probably be making changes to their side,” Gibbs said. “I think South Africa have enough experience to put the final nail in the coffin.”Gibbs also believes the right leadership is in place to ensure South Africa do not get carried away with their Newlands win and look to close out the series. “Gary Kirsten will demand the highest level of consistency, just like in his playing days,” Gibbs, who knows Kirsten well from opening the batting with him, said. “They know that true professionals are not happy with one win.”A different contest is expected at the Wanderers, with Johannesburg notably warmer than Cape Town has been. “The first few days of this match, the air stayed cool here in Cape Town, and there is always something for the bowlers,” Gibbs said. “But Jo’burg will have a different wicket. The ball comes on to the bat quicker and better [there].”

Members of Pakistan’s team cooked up plans to underperform in an effort to remove former Twenty20 and one-day captain Shahid Afridi from his position, a court heard on Tuesday.During day five of the alleged spot-fixing trial of former Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowler Mohammad Asif at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, a jury heard recordings of how Pakistan players wanted Butt to be their captain in all formats of the game.The comments were made by the agent at the centre of the allegations Mazhar Majeed. Secret recordings from a covert sting operation by an undercover journalist were being played to the court when the comments of the anti-Afridi plan were heard.”There’s a thing going on with the players,” Majeed was heard to say. “A lot of the boys want to f*** up Afridi because he is trying to f*** up things for them and he’s the captain of the Twenty20 and one-day (side). They all want Butt to be captain.”Majeed explained that Butt and wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal would “waste two or three overs” to slow Pakistan’s run rate.The jury has already learned of how Majeed didn’t want to fix Test matches for Pakistan to lose because he wanted Butt to be successful so that he would stay in his position. The court was also told on Monday of plans to lose a match in either the Twenty20 or 50-over series in England, matches that followed the Test matches last year.The case continues.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsRavi Bopara took England to the verge of victory, but couldn’t complete a difficult task•Associated Press

In a frantic finish at Lord’s, the fourth one-day international was tied under the Duckworth/Lewis method to give England the series as rain swept across the ground moments after Ravi Bopara had been caught at deep midwicket for a career-best 96. Before James Anderson could join Steven Finn at the crease, the players went off and although the rain did stop there was no time to resume the game. India were left searching for their first win against England on this tour and, once again, cursing the weather, which has done them no favours throughout the series.England were on course for victory as Bopara, with one of his best international innings, and Swann added 50 for the seventh wicket in 6.3 overs. Swann, who batted at No. 8 because of an injury to Stuart Broad, was brilliantly run out by Munaf Patel during his follow through. Bopara then tried to clear the midwicket boundary next ball but only found Ravindra Jadeja, bringing England level with the D/L par score, when they had just been ahead of it.As it transpired, with no further deliveries available, if Bopara had blocked that ball England would have won by one run. It was a difficult situation for Bopara and should not detract from an excellent innings that could prove a significant moment in a stop-start career.

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• The tie was the 25th in ODIs and the second between India and England after their 2011 World Cup game in Bangalore. It is also the second tie at Lord’s after the Natwest final in 2005 between Australia and England.

• The tie ensured England’s series win, their eighth success in nine bilateral series.

• The 169-run partnership between MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina is the fourth highest for India against England.

• The partnership between Dhoni and Raina is the highest for India at Lord’s.

• Ravi Bopara’s 96 is his sixth half-century and highest score in ODIs. He has 1443 runs at an average of 30.06.

There had been two brief rain stoppages previously. The first when India were marginally ahead of the D/L par score. The second an over later, after England had moved in front of the par score during the 45th over, as Swann guided a boundary to third man. On both occasions the side behind was, unsurprisingly, reluctant to leave the field and India’s players remained on the outfield at one point, waiting for the rain to stop. The final decision that the game was tied was tough on the visitors because, with Finn and Anderson to face RP Singh, the odds were probably in India’s favour despite a wet ball.That England were chasing 281 was down to a partnership of 169 between Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni as 140 runs came off the last 14 overs. England’s chase was always a nip-and-tuck affair after they slipped to 61 for 3 and was rebuilt by a 98-run stand between Bopara and Ian Bell, two batsmen with plenty to prove in the one-day team. Their partnership wasn’t adventurous but it kept the asking-rate within range. Bell eventually chipped a catch to long-off for 54.Ben Stokes continued to struggle against spin and chipped back to R Ashwin, the dismissal leaving the bowling allrounders to accompany Bopara, who had moved to 50 off 62 balls. Both Tim Bresnan and Swann had shown composure at The Oval two days ago and produced vital innings again. Bresnan made a brisk 27 in a stand of 47 with Bopara to take the requirement down to 60 off eight overs with a batting Powerplay to come. RP Singh, however, produced his best display of the tour and knocked back off stump to make India favourites again.Swann played calmly between all the interruptions and calculations. He and Bopara found boundaries when they were needed, although England were in the tricky position of having one eye on the D/L target but also not letting the overall figure be forgotten in case the game went the distance.For India, the finish summed up their series. Rain impacted each match and on three occasions at least it hasn’t favoured the visitors. There will be a growing feeling that they are not meant to earn a victory on this tour, especially after they had produced one of their performances to turn the innings around from a sticky 110 for 4.Broad had struck twice in his first two overs to remove the openers and then Swann claimed a brace in five balls, when Virat Kohli was caught behind and Rahul Dravid got a leading edge back to the bowler. For a period between the 22nd and 36th over India added only 55, but Dhoni and Raina were setting themselves for a strong assault in the closing overs. Raina, who has scored at comfortably more than a run-a-ball in the series, broke the shackles and Dhoni followed soon. Raina would have been run out on 26 if Anderson’s back-hand flick from mid-off had hit the stumps.In the second over of the batting Powerplay, Raina cut loose. Anderson was hit into the stands on the leg side after Dhoni had already taken consecutive boundaries. Broad received similar punishment, when Raina targeted the midwicket stands, and Alastair Cook was given another tough job trying to stem an onslaught. India scored 58 during the batting Powerplay and there was plenty of room for improvement in England’s bowling and their captain’s tactics.In the end it still wasn’t enough for India. They can take consolation that the margins of defeat are shrinking but at Cardiff there is only pride to play for.

Graeme Smith, South Africa’s Test captain, has decided what he wants to be when he grows up. A good friend (especially to AB de Villiers), a loving husband and a batsman. More specifically, a one-day batsman.”If I look at the record I have built up over the years, I am proud of it, but there is still a lot more to do,” Smith told ESPNcricinfo in Johannesburg, where he was attending a CSA sponsorship announcement. “The injuries that I’ve had have mostly affected the ODI format so I am focussing on that.”Since 2008, Smith has had six hand-related injuries, battling tennis elbow and an array of broken bones. Those ailments have kept him out of a significant number of one-day matches in recent times. In the first six years of his career, Smith played an average of 20.8 ODIs a year. That number has reduced to 11.75 over the last four years, including this one.In some ways, the most remarkable thing about that statistic is that Smith has been playing international cricket for a decade, eight years of which he has spent as captain. It’s a length of time that justifies thoughts of reinvention, something that Smith has been working on. He stepped down as Twenty20 captain in August last year and relinquished the one-day leadership after the 2011 World Cup, to give him more time to focus on batting.”Injuries, combined with the pressures of captaincy, may have inhibited my batting,” he said. “At the moment I am just concentrating on getting some confidence back. I know that I’ve never been the most elegant batter, but I’ve always had self-belief. I need to build up some confidence.”With his place in the ODI side no longer secure, Smith’s form in the shorter version of the game is under scrutiny and recent performances are not in his favour. His average of 28.25 in 2011 is a big step-down from his career average of 39.25, and is at its lowest since 2006. He has not scored an ODI century since 2009, when he made 141 in a losing cause against England during the Champions Trophy. He was also not able to clock up a half-century at the World Cup and his failure to return home with the rest of the squad at the end of March saw him heavily criticised by the South African public. He has since had a knee operation and has only been able to train for the past three weeks.”The World Cup was one of the darkest places I have been in my career,” he said. “I’ve had some time to press the reset button and I’m looking forward to the new season.” It will be a season of change, and freedom, for Smith, who will no longer feel the weight of the captain’s armband. “After being captain in all three formats, I can now focus on myself. It’s going to be a big season for me.”With expectation of a different sort hanging over him, Smith believes that in former opening batting partner, Gary Kirsten he will have an ideal mentor and challenger. “When we played together Gary and I had a deal that whoever scored more runs in the season would take the other one out for dinner. I always ended up paying for dinner,” he said jokingly. Kirsten can’t make deals like that anymore but he will “bring a lot of common sense to the side and will bring the best out of players”.Having basically grown up being the captain gave Smith the space to mature and develop while leading, an opportunity not a lot of people get. “When I started in the job, I was 22, and I didn’t have the experience in terms of relationships. I learnt how to allow each guy the space to grow and feel comfortable, and it helped having good guys around.”Now, Smith has to be that good guy, the one who will provide de Villiers with advice when needed and then back off at the right time. “I will always been an ally for him, but it’s important that he forges his own way,” Smith said. He believes that zoning in on his own game will allow de Villiers to have the space he needs to build a team that will have this ethos and that Smith will be able to fit into that as someone who will “score lots of runs,” for de Villiers.Smith remains South Africa’s Test captain and the coming series against Australia and Sri Lanka are foremost in his mind, as South Africa aim to challenge England for the No.1 ranking. “I see it as a season filled with prospects, in some ways similar to the 2008-09 season.” South Africa beat Australia in Australia for the first time then, getting one over the No.1 team in the world, although their ranking did not change. The over-riding image of that tour was Smith walking out to bat with a broken hand. Smith the batsman, the same one he wants to become now.

Scorecard
Steven Croft’s second successive century and some devastating new-ball bowling helped Lancashire seize control of their Championship match against Worcestershire at Blackpool. Returning to his home club, Croft made 107 off 111 balls as Glen Chapple’s batsmen scored 282 in their first innings. That total looked formidable as Worcestershire slumped to 21 for 5 before Aneesh Kapil and Gareth Andrew guided their side to 77 for 5 at the close.In a dramatic last 90 minutes of the day, Chapple took three wickets and Kyle Hogg two more as the visitors’ top order had no answer to late swing and sharp movement off the Stanley Park wicket. Matt Pardoe, Vikram Solanki and Alexei Kervezee all fell to slip catches whileMoeen Ali was lbw first ball and skipper Daryl Mitchell played on.The performance of the Lancashire seamers almost overshadowed the achievementof 26-year-old Croft, who had come to the wicket with his side on 62 for 3. He soon lost Paul Horton before adding 87 with Farveez Maharoof, who made 29, and 90 in under 14 overs wicket with his sixth-wicket partner Gareth Cross.Croft dominated both stands, reaching his 50 in 60 balls and then hitting four big sixes as he reached his century off only 38 further deliveries. The Worcestershire spinners came in for rough treatment, Ali being dispatched for two leg-side sixes and Shaaiq Choudhry conceding 25 runs off two overs as Croft reached his hundred with a six over long on.Croft’s destruction of the Worcestershire bowling left Mitchell’s team deeply regretting the escape they had given him on 33 when the sun’s reflection off a window prevented substitute fielder Nick Harrison even getting a hand to a straightforward chance at long leg off Alan Richardson.The Worcestershire attack eventually got their man when Croft fended a vicious Kapil delivery straight to Mitchell at slip and that wicket sparked a collapse as Lancashire lost their last five wickets for 26 runs in just 53 balls. Richard Jones finished with 3 for 62 and Andrew 3 for 47.The afternoon’s rapid dramas were in sharp contrast to a tough morning session in which Mitchell’s bowlers had made reasonable use of winning the toss to reduce Lancashire to 97 for 4 at lunch. On a wicket offering the visitors’ attack plenty of early help, Horton made a watchful 47 but the opener was fourth out 10 minutes before lunch when he edged Ali to Mitchell at slip.The Worcestershire seamers had controlled the rest of the session, Jones taking two wickets and Richardson the other as the Red Rose top order sought to see off the new ball.

Tillakaratne Dilshan has been retained as Sri Lanka captain for the home series against Australia beginning in August. Sri Lanka Cricket named a pool of 20 players in contention for spots in the ODI and Twenty20 squads, and left out Thilina Kandamby, who was vice-captain in the ODIs in England. Dilshan had led Sri Lanka on the tour of England in the wake of Kumar Sangakarra’s decision to resign after the 2011 World Cup.Dilhara Fernando, who picked up an injury in the third Test at the Rose Bowl and subsequently missed the ODI series in England, was also left out, but the pool included the rest of the 50-overs squad. Offspinner Sachithra Senanayake was the only uncapped player in the pool.Sri Lanka are scheduled to play five ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals against Australia, as well as three Tests. The series begins with a T20I on August 6.Sri Lanka pool: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Angelo Mathews, Chamara Kapugedera, Jeevan Mendis, Chamara Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Kulasekera, Isuru Udana, Suraj Randiv, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Malinga Bandara, Sachithra Senanayake

Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, has in a remarkable outburst on Twitter revealed details of what he claims was the BCCI’s sustained and widespread campaign against the privately-owned ‘rebel’ Indian Cricket League (ICL) that eventually led to its closure. Ironically, by his own earlier admission, Modi played the most high-profile and strident role in crushing the ICL.

Modi’s 12-month turnaround

Lalit Modi’s tweets playing down his role in the banning and subsequent closure of the ICL are at odds with his official response in June last year to the BCCI’s May 6 show-cause notice issued to him. One part of his 12,000-page response related to the charge that he was involved in creating an unauthorised league; here’s what Modi said about the ICL just over 12 months ago:
My effort to curb ICL, which was a rebel league, is well known and well documented and needs no repetition…I always held that Governing Bodies in cricket cannot grant permission to private parties to operate other than within the official fold.
I have always stood for supremacy of ICC and domestic cricket boards and it was for this reason that I had always opposed any recognition for ICL and other unofficial cricket events.
I have consistently taken an unambiguous, unqualified and tough stand, when it came to unauthorised cricket. In fact, all through-out, I am the one who has taken an unambiguous and unqualified stand in respect of unauthorised cricket.
The same are well documented and minuted and notes from the participants who attended such meetings in the year 2008-09 with the Honorary President along with me were sent to various cricket administrators worldwide.

The BCCI’s opposition to the ICL, owned by Zee Telefilms, has been well-known but Modi’s accusations – spread over 25 tweets in a four-hour span – would, if true, confirm the part it played, along with the ICC and cricket boards around the world, to isolate the ICL from international cricket.Modi claimed that the BCCI had a “mandate to scuttle ICL” and, in order to do so, “arm-twisted every cricket board and the ICC” to change their constitutions. The ICL, he said, was made redundant by being deemed unauthorised.BCCI president Shashank Manohar would not comment on Modi’s allegations, telling ESPNcricinfo, “He sits somewhere and writes something … it is not of concern to us. The media is fascinated by his comments, not us.”The ICL was born in April 2007 out of the debris of India’s disastrous World Cup campaign. However, it seemed to have usurped a plan by the BCCI for a similar league, and that set off a series of events, court cases, failed negotiations and bans on players and officials that led to the ICL’s closure; the league’s last competitive match was in November 2008.Modi’s comments included an attempt to abdicate his own responsibility in those events but he was one of the most powerful men in Indian cricket, if not the global game, and has admitted (see sidebar) to playing a major role in the campaign. His tweets explained his role in the exercise by saying the anti-ICL drive was not his personal agenda and that his actions were only a reflection of his doing a job. “I have always done what’s required by any organization I have worked with. Well, I guess I do my job well. That’s why I give results.” He admitted, though, that it was “a mistake to have systematically used everything in the BCCI’s arsenal to finish the ICL.”Even as the head of the BCCI’s marketing committee at the time, Modi said, he had “no personal issues with ICL” and that his “personal opinion that more competition in the game is good for the game and its Players.”Later, speaking to the TV channel , Modi said the timing of his relevations was prompted by the BCCI’s attitude towards the fledgling Sri Lankan Premier League. The BCCI has barred Indian players from taking part in that tournament on the grounds – flawed, as ESPNcricinfo has revealed – that it was run by a private organisation and not the national board. “The ICL as an issue was dead and buried but now there is a related case of an authorised league being stopped,” Modi said, while clarifying that he had no links with the SLPL.If Modi’s version of the anti-ICL campaign is true, it paints an unflattering picture of how world cricket toed the BCCI’s line. His allegations on Twitter: The Indian board “called every member of the ICC to ensure that they all help in changing the ICC constitution to outlaw the ICL”; the ICC formed a three-member committee, including Modi, to draft the new constitution (though it is understood that the ICC’s constitution itself has not been changed). There were, in fact, alterations to section 32 of the ICC’s Operating Manual with the section on “unofficial cricket events” being replaced by that concerning “disapproved cricket” on June 1, 2009. The changes were made after member boards asked for clarity on the issue.How did the BCCI exert pressure or “induce” other member boards to outlaw the ICL? By offering them a share of the earnings of the Champions League Twenty20. The ECB, he said, had lost out on “the right to be a shareholder” of the Champions League at the initial stage itself.At home, the BCCI allegedly “called all and sundry to oppose the ICL.” Domestic players were told they would be blacklisted if they played in the ICL, state associations were asked not to make their grounds available for ICL matches or “fear loosing (sic) matches”, advertisers “were called and told if you advertise on ICL, then you will be barred from all BCCI cricket”. Umpires and commentators were also pressured.Modi, currently in near-exile in the UK, was suspended by the BCCI over financial irregularities relating to the IPL as well as charged with colluding to set up a rebel league in England. To which Modi said, “To even suggest that I would hold out a plan which seems to destroy the world cricket structure or impinge upon the control of various Governing Bodies in their respective countries is not only farfetched but is clearly false to the knowledge of all concerned.”

ScorecardAjantha Mendis took three wickets to help bowl out Middlesex•Getty Images

Sri Lanka made slightly hard work of chasing 213 at Uxbridge but opened their tour with a four-wicket victory as they reached the target with five overs to spare having bowled Middlesex out for 161. After a tough day in the field to begin with, Sri Lanka have made decent use of this outing ahead of a sterner test against the England Lions at Derby.In the chase they altered the batting order to give the middle order a chance and most of them chipped in. Thilan Samaraweera made 49 but when Tillakaratne Dilshan, who opened up the match with his positive declaration on the second evening, was sharply held, one-handed, in the gully by Jamie Dalrymple it left them needing 32 with four wickets in hand. However, Farveez Maharoof, who isn’t part of the official touring squad, and Rangana Herath ensured no further alarms with a brisk partnership.”Playing here isn’t easy,” Dilshan said, “but as a team we are prepared to play good cricket and I’m happy with the first match.”Middlesex, though, ensured a contest as the bowlers finally made an impression after a barren first innings. However, the first breakthrough didn’t go in anyone’s wicket column as Tom Parsons ran from his follow through, slid and then threw down the stumps to remove Prasanna Jayawardene.There was no great urgency from the Sri Lanka top order initially, as the first four overs brought five runs, but the pace steadily increased thereafter. Lahiru Thirimanne had reached 33 when he edged Dalrymple to slip as a Middlesex bowler registered success. Samaraweera fell in similar fashion, one short of his fifty and Dinesh Chandimal was lbw on the sweep against Tom Smith. Tharanga Paranavitana again looked in good order before lofting Smith to deep midwicket with 32 needed.The most heartening part of the performance for the visitors will have been the second-innings display of the bowlers following a tough start when Andrew Strauss, who will have logged some useful pointers for the Test series, and Dan Housego added 214. Chanaka Welegedara, who is likely to share the new ball during first Test, was the pick of the quicks in the first innings and was again lively second time around while Ajantha Mendis’ confidence will have been helped by three wickets.Welegedara made the key breakthrough when Strauss was caught in the gully in the fifth over of the day, which followed swiftly on the heels of the other first-innings century maker, Housego, who was bowled by Suranga Lakmal. This was a largely inexperienced Middlesex side and without Strauss to bat around the rest of the order couldn’t impose themselves.Adam Rossington became Welegedara’s second victim to highlight the value of having a left-armer in the ranks, a role long performed by Chaminda Vaas. He later removed John Simpson, caught at slip, and finished with 3 for 39.Dawid Malan had played some attractive shots during his 34 edged rather softly to a lone slip and when Dalrymple failed to pick Mendis for the second time in the match Middlesex were 90 for 6. Smith was lbw to one from Herath that skidded through last ball before lunch, but Anthony Ireland managed a few strong blows to take the lead over 200. Sri Lanka always had a bit to spare and Strauss will hope it’s their only victory while he’s involved.