The prevailing wet weather conditions prevented the start of the match after a rain hit first day. The first four-day game between the two teams ended in a draw and the chances of the match resuming tomorrow too looks rather slim. Galle will host its first international cricket match for some time, when the Australian Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy team takes on a Sri Lanka XI in the third and final four-day match from September 20-23. Three one-day limited-over matches are also scheduled to be played in Colombo and Moratuwa.
* The Cricket Board Executive-committee has appointed Hemal Mendis (coach) and Jayantha Seneviratne (manager) as the officials of the Sri Lanka Under-19 team which will tour India later this year.
The ex-co has decided to do away with the cricket manager's post of the junior squad.
Mahanama leads
Sri Lanka Test batsman Roshan Mahanama has been named captain of the two cricket teams picked by the national selectors to play in exhibition matches at Ratnapura and Kegalle on September 20 and 21 respectively.
The two teams: (September 20 at Ratnapura): R. Mahanama (captain), S. Jayasuriya, M. Atapattu, R. Kaluwitharana (wk), Lanka de Silva, R. Kalpage, K. Dharmasena, C. Vaas, R. Pushpakumara, M. Muralitharan, Sajeev de Silva, standbys - U. Chandana, H. Boteju, Dilhara Fernando.
(September 21 at Kegalle): R. Mahanama (captain), S. Jayasuriya, M. Atapattu, R. Kaluwitharana, R. Kalpage, K. Dharmasena, Lanka de Silva (wk), C. Vaas, M. Muralitharan, U. Chandana, Sajeeva de Silva.
SSC denies
The Singhalese Sports Club (SSC) through its honorary secretary, Sarath Kodagoda, has denied that it has issued any form of certificate to officials of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.
This was in reference to the news item appearing in the 'Daily News' of September 10 under the headline 'Minister lashes out at Cricket Board officials' where the Sports Minister had named SSC as one of the clubs from which false certificates were obtained by Cricket Board officials to hold office.