register to 888sport
888sport time:

General Sports News

Sri Lanka squad back home

Author: Rose Young
Date: 04/03/2009

Sri Lanka's cricketers have arrived home having left Pakistan straight after the terrorist attacks on their team bus in Lahore.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene was one of seven players injured during gun attacks on the team's bus as they headed to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day's play in the second Test match against Pakistan.

That prompted the immediate abandonment of the tour, with Jayawardene and his colleagues flown home at the earliest possible moment.

In the aftermath of the terrorist atrocity, International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat has offered a bleak picture for the future of the game in Pakistan.

Lorgat, who was speaking at a specially-convened press conference at Lord's, admitted that Pakistan's co-hosting of the 2011 World Cup could be in serious doubt.

However, one man with a more upbeat view of the future is Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi, who believes his competition will continue on schedule.

Modi is content that adequate security will be in place when the IPL gets underway in April.

Meanwhile, Nottinghamshire all-rounder Samit Patel has been axed from England's one-day squad for the upcoming series in the West Indies.

The 24-year-old had been warned on several occasions that his overall fitness was short of the required mark, but Patel has failed to address the problem fully and will now remain with the England Lions on their tour of New Zealand.

In rugby union, France coach Mark Lievremont has made four changes to his 23-man squad for the Six Nations clash with England.

Centres Florian Fritz and Damien Traille have been recalled in place of Clement Poitrenaud and Benoit Baby, while Fulgence Ouedraogo and Louis Picamoles are replaced by Jerome Thion and Julien Bonnaire.

Fritz returns having served a three-week ban for punching during the 30-21 defeat to Ireland on the opening weekend of this year's competition.

Full-back Andrea Masi has been recalled to Italy coach Nick Mallett's 30-man squad for the Six Nations games against Wales and France.

Mallett has Masi available again after the Biarritz man missed the last two matches through suspension.

Seven players have been promoted from the Italy A set-up, with Kristopher Burton, Simone Favaro, Jean-Francois Montauriol, Tommaso Reato, Fabio Staibano, Roberto Quartaroli and Michele Sepe all drafted into the senior squad.

In football, betting was suspended after Portsmouth confirmed that Paul Hart will remain in place as their manager until the end of the season.

Hart, along with coach Brian Kidd, took over following the sacking of Tony Adams and Pompey have opted for stability in their bid to escape the threat of relegation from the Premier League.

online betting