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After the fog which had blighted their preparation on the tour so far relented, the Sri Lankans got themselves some useful batting practice on the final day against a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI.

After ruling out play on the first day fog allowed only 53.1 overs on the second, but that was enough for the Sri Lankan spinners to roll over a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI for 88 in Savar.

Kumar Sangakkara, the wicketkeeper-batsman, believes the Sri Lankan Test team has benefitted by having him play as a specialist batsman and let Prasanna Jayawardene take charge behind the stumps.

Sri Lanka have confirmed they will tour Pakistan next month in place of India, who called off their scheduled tour to the country on Thursday, said Saleem Altaf, the PCB’s chief operating officer.

Though Sri Lanka have not played Test cricket for over three months, Mahela Jayawardene said the team had prepared for the series in Bangladesh through domestic matches back home.

David Morgan, the president of the ICC, has allayed fears that Test cricket could eventually be overshadowed in prominence by the growing popularity and financial clout of Twenty20.

A round-up of the fifth-round matches of the Premier League Tournament in Sri Lanka.

Mahela Jayawardene has said the greatest challenge facing Sri Lanka in Bangladesh is to try and adjust to the conditions and the pitches as quickly as possible.

The executive committee of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations’ discussed a variety of issues ranging from security, overseas players in English cricket, and the future structure of the game.

Sri Lanka Cricket chairman Arjuna Ranatunga has said Sri Lanka are ready to play Pakistan if India’s visit next month is called off.

The off-on-off Afro-Asia Cup was raised at last week’s ICC chief executives’ meeting in Cape Town, with a request from Cassim Suliman, the chairman of the African Cricket Association.

Lanka de Silva, the former Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman who became only the tenth batsman in his country’s history to pass 10,000 runs in first-class cricket, has said Sri Lankan cricket will not improve unless it breaks free of politics.

Ajantha Mendis, the Sri Lankan spinner, will miss the two-Test series in Bangladesh, which begins on December 26, after injuring his ankle while bowling for Army SC in his first match of the domestic season against Tamil Union last weekend.

A round-up of the fourth-round matches of the Premier League Tournament in Sri Lanka.

A round-up of the third-round matches of the Premier League Tournament in Sri Lanka.

Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain, has said the upcoming Test and ODI series in Bangladesh will be taken “very seriously” given the lack of international cricket for his team.

Chaminda Vaas’s omission from Sri Lanka’s one-day squad is the only surprise in the 15-man parties announced by the selectors for their upcoming tour of Bangladesh.

The ECB has confirmed that West Indies will tour England for two Tests and three one-day internationals in April and May next year, meaning that Sri Lanka’s proposed visit has become the first instance of the IPL taking precedence over a Test series.

Leading figures from the Asian Cricket Council will meet in Colombo on Friday with the impact of the Mumbai terror attacks, and the consequences for subcontinent cricket, high on the agenda.

Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lanka captain, has denied that overconfidence of playing against weak opponents resulted in his disappointing form during the one-day series against Zimbabwe. Though Sri Lanka ensured a clean sweep against the hosts in the five-match series, Jayawardene scored just 19 runs in four innings .

South Africa have moved back ahead of India in the ICC Test Championship table after defeating Bangladesh by an innings in both matches of their two-Test series last month.

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, has said the cricketing fraternity must try to rise above the threat of terrorism. In a release, he also urged that England’s Test tour of India should go ahead if the security situation is deemed safe.

Sri Lanka completed a series whitewash over Zimbabwe with a 19-run victory in the fifth and final ODI at Harare Sports Club, but, not for the first time in the last week, Zimbabwe threw away a gilt-edged chance of winning within sight of the finishing line.

Hashan Tillakaratne, the former captain, has said Sri Lankan cricket is going though “the dark ages” and that an elected body is the way forward.

A disciplined performance in the field from Zimbabwe gave Sri Lanka more than the occasional fright, but the visitors eventually crept over the line by two wickets in Harare with Jehan Mubarak calming the situation with an unbeaten 57.

A round-up of the second-round matches of the Premier League Tournament in Sri Lanka.

A match reduced to 28 overs produced the series’ most compelling game in Harare, and the first performance by Zimbabwe to cause Sri Lanka a headache, but Sri Lanka nevertheless made it three wins out of three.

It has not been a particularly encouraging day for cricket’s minnows. First Bangladesh were routed by an innings-and-129 runs in Bloemfontein while, in Harare, Zimbabwe capitulated to their fourth-lowest ODI score of 67 against a clinical Sri Lanka who, with gross inevitability, are heading for a 5-0 series win.

Despite his team claiming a comprehensive six-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the opening ODI, the Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene is still looking for improvement.

Ripping the ball with all the mystery and venom of old, Murali claimed figures of 4 for 14 in four overs, as Zimbabwe collapsed dramatically to 127 all out in 31 overs, having at one stage been comfortably placed on 124 for 3 after 27.

A round-up of the first-round matches of the Premier League Tournament in Sri Lanka.

Prosper Utseya, the Zimbabwe captain, believes Ajantha Mendis will be a bigger threat than his Sri Lankan spin partner Muttiah Muralitharan in the five-match one-day series starting on Thursday in Harare.

Zimbabwe take on Sri Lanka in Harare in their first home international in almost a year.

Rain denied the Sri Lankan bowlers another workout before the one-day series when their match against Zimbabwe A was washed out after they were dismissed for 235.

Sri Lanka will play two Tests against Bangladesh in December followed by a triangular ODI tournament also involving Zimbabwe, who will then play the hosts in a separate three-match one-day series.

Half-centuries from Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza and Stuart Matsikenyeri ensured the four-day contest between Zimbabwe Select XI and the Sri Lankans ended in a draw at the Queens Sport Club in Bulawayo.

Sri Lanka ensured that they made the most of a rain-hit third day, as Chamara Kapugedera reached 150 to guide his side to a dominating 564 for 4. Zimbabwe’s bowlers were spared further punishment when the rain came tumbling down shortly after lunch.

Kumar Sangakkara and Chamara Kapugedera highlighted the huge gulf in class on show in Bulawayo as they both struck centuries in a 287-run third-wicket stand with the Sri Lankans closing on 450 for 3, a lead of 291 over the Select XI.

Sri Lanka began their tour of Zimbabwe in bullish fashion, dismissing a Zimbabwe Select XI for 159 on the first day of their first warm-up match in Bulawayo. Ajantha Mendis picked up four wickets and in reply, Upul Tharanga and Mahela Udawatte propelled the tourists to 50 without loss in 14 overs.

Sri Lanka crushed West Indies by seven wickets in the fifth and final ODI at the Premadasa in Colombo to win the series 3-2. After Suwini de Alwis had ripped through the West Indies batting, it was upto captain Shashikala Siriwardene to once again lead her team to an emphatic victory with 12 overs to [...]

A complete team performance from the West Indies ensured a 14-run win against Sri Lanka in the fourth ODI at the Premadasa in Colombo.

Sri Lanka took a 2-1 lead with an emphatic eight-wicket win as they chased the lowest total of the series so far. West Indies’ middle order collapsed to Sri Lankan spin and only some late fightback by Danielle Small took them past 100.

The Zimbabwe tour affords Sri Lanka the opportunity to give some of their younger players a taste of international cricket.

Sri Lanka women held their nerve to beat West Indies by two wickets, and level the series 1-1, in their second ODI in Dambulla. Shashikala Siriwardene, the captain, took two wickets and top scored with 43 as Sri Lanka reached the target with four balls to spare.

Zimbabwe will approach their four-day match against Sri Lanka as seriously as if it was a Test, according to head of selectors Kenyon Ziehl..

The Sri Lanka Cricketers’ Association has claimed Sri Lanka Cricket, including chairman Arjuna Ranatunga, was informed during a meeting in June that some of the country’s leading cricketers had committed to the IPL for the next three years.

Iresh Pushpakumara, a 21-year-old left-arm chinaman bowler from Kalutara in Sri Lanka, has died in Colombo General Hospital after a brief illness.

Stacy Ann-King’s laid the foundation with her 70 as offspinners Afy Fletcher and Stefanie Taylor shared six wickets between them to ensure a comfortable 40-run win for West Indies in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Dambulla.

Adam Gilchrist has said he believes Muttiah Muralitharan, the Sri Lankan offspinner, has a suspect action, but blamed the ICC for allowing him bowl in international cricket.

West Indies Women, buoyed by centuries from Deandra Dottin and Stefanie Taylor, both openers, beat Sri Lanka Women XI comprehensively by 112 runs in their only tour match at the P Saravanamuttu stadium in Colombo on Monday.

Top ICC officials and senior representatives from the host
nations of the 2011 World Cup will meet in Mumbai on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the tournament, to be co-hosted by India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman, has said that the Indian board is “very perturbed” at the allegations leveled against the tournament by Arjuna Ranatunga, who heads Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

Arjuna Ranatunga has reiterated his opposition to the IPL and said it was “unfair” that the national board does not gain any money for releasing its players for the BCCI-backed Twenty20 league.

The ECB has confirmed Monty Panesar will travel with the England Performance Programme squad instead of spending a month in Sri Lanka playing club cricket.

Five Sri Lankan women’s cricketers, including captain Shashikala Siriwardene, have claimed that their refusal to give up their pursuit of the game has cost them their jobs.

Monty Panesar, the England left-arm spinner, is unlikely to play for Bloomfield in Sri Lanka’s domestic Premier trophy tournament due to a pay dispute.

Sri Lanka Cricket has decided to reinstate fast bowler Lasith Malinga’s central contract. Malinga was earlier not handed the contract on the excuse that he had not represented his country for a sufficient period of time due to a knee injury which ruled him out for eight months.

The West Indies Cricket Board has confirmed its interest in touring England in May and June next year, as a replacement for Sri Lanka.

Twenty20 cricket must be scrutinised to prevent it from damaging the impact of the traditional Test format, according to the Marylebone Cricket Clubs (MCCs) world cricket committee. The group comprising former Test captains and players met over the weekend with a view to improving the game and focused on the growth of the sports newest [...]

The fate of the US$70 million deal between the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has become a matter of intense speculation; however, official negotiators from both sides continue to insist the ten-year arrangement is very much in place and is currently in the discussion stage.