``We are breaking tradition to honour a great sportsman of Sri Lanka Sanath Jayasuriya,'' said Derwin Perera - Assistant Director of Sports. Normally, national cricketers are not invited to be a torch bearer as cricket is not an Olympic sport. The other 'Torch Bearer' will be Sri Lanka's silver medallist at the World Athletics Championships in Athens - Susanthika Jayasinghe.
CRICKET (Home):
* The Commonwealth Cricket Academy team of Australia arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday to play a series of matches. This home series will be beneficial for young Test aspirants in Sri Lanka, as well as in Australia. The visitors will play three four-day unofficial 'Test' matches and an equal number of limited over games.
Australian Commonwealth Cricket Academy will open their tour with the first four-day unofficial Test against Sri Lanka X1 which starts at Sara Stadium on Wednesday. Besides the third Test that will be staged in Galle the rest will be played in Colombo. Twenty three year-old Jeff Viughin from South Australia leads the young Australians. He is the only Sheffield Shield player in the team and has fared well as an opener and a one drop-batsman.
The Academy team has arrived from India after playing three one-day encounters out of which they won two and a four-day Test which ended in draw in Tamil Nadu.