Sangakkara, Mathews help Sri Lanka to 218-9

ABU DHABI: Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews hit fighting half-centuries as Sri Lanka reached 218-9 off their allotted 50 overs in the fifth and final day-night international against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi stadium here on Wednesday.

Sangakkara scored 78 and Mathews made 61 during their innings-repairing fifth wicket stand of 118 before Sri Lanka lost track, with only a late order batting fightback helping them to a fighting total.

Sri Lanka, who trail 3-1 in the five-match series, were reduced to 46-4 after they decided to bat under overcast conditions which the Pakistani seam attack took full advantage of, grabbing four early wickets by 11th over.

Paceman Sohail Tanvir, who took 4-34, had opener Upul Tharanga (three) and Dinesh Chandimal (seven) in his first spell while Umar Gul accounted for Sri Lankan skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan (12) — all three caught behind the wicket.

First change Junaid Khan dismissed Chamara Silva (one) to leave the fight to Sangakkara and Mathews who slowly built the innings against some quality pace and spin bowling.

Sangakkara hit eight boundaries during his 99-ball knock — his 67th one-day half-century — before he miscued a drive off spinner Mohammad Hafeez and was caught at extra cover by Misbah-ul Haq.

Mathews, who hit two boundaries and two sixes off 101 balls, was bowled round his legs by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.

Thisara Perera (25) added 34 runs for the eighth wicket with Seekkuge Prasanna who made eight not out.

Pakistan, who won the first, third and fourth matches in the series, rested opener Imran Farhat, Aizaz Cheema and Sarfraz Ahmed to bring in Tanvir, Khan and Asad Shafiq.

Sri Lanka were forced to bring in Silva for Mahela Jayawardene who returned home due to knee injury.

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Butt, Amir lose appeals against jail terms

LONDON: Disgraced Pakistan players Salman Butt and Mohammad Amir lost their appeals Wednesday against their jail sentences for their part in a betting scam that rocked the world of cricket.

The Court of Appeal dismissed their appeals at a hearing in London.

On November 3, former Test captain Butt, 27, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and promising fast bowler Amir, 19, was ordered to serve six months in a young offenders’ institution.

The pair were not present at the Court of Appeal in London for the hearing before Lord Chief Justice Igor Judge, the head of the English judiciary, and two other judges.

The judges rejected a claim by Butt’s lawyer Ali Bajwa who argued that the former skipper’s sentence was “manifestly excessive”, while Henry Blaxland, representing Amir, had urged the court to suspend his sentence.

Bajwa argued that Butt’s sentence was “out of proportion to the seriousness of the offence that was committed”.

Although serious, it was at the “lower end of the scale” of such offences.

Bajwa described Butt as a broken man in a state of “ruin and disgrace”.

“The very fact of conviction and imprisonment amounted to exceptional punishment for Mr Butt,” he said.

Butt’s wife gave birth to a baby boy just 30 minutes before the trial verdict.

Blaxland had urged the judges to impose a suspended sentence of a length that would enable his immediate release.

Their Pakistan teammate Mohammad Asif and their British agent Mazhar Majeed were also jailed.

In a scandal that shook the sport, Butt, Amir and fast bowler Mohammad Asif, 28, were all jailed for their parts in fixing elements of the August 2010 Test match against England at Lord’s.

Cricket agent Mazhar Majeed was also jailed.

Asif and Butt were found guilty charges of conspiracy to cheat at gambling and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments after a trial, while Amir and Majeed admitted the charges.

Under the current arrangements, the four will serve half their sentences before being released on license.

The fixing plot was uncovered by the News of the World, the Rupert Murdoch-owned British tabloid which was shut down over a phone-hacking scandal in July this year.

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Sri Lanka elect to bat in final ODI against Pakistan

ABU DHABI: Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat in the fifth and final day-night international against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi stadium here on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka were forced to bring in batsman Chamara Silva for Mahela Jayawardene who returned home after injuring his knee in the fourth match.

Pakistan, who have an unbeatable 3-1 lead, made three changes from the line-up which won the fourth match by 26 runs in Sharjah on Sunday, bringing in paceman Junaid Khan, batsman Asad Shafiq and allrounder Sohail Tanvir for Aizaz Cheema, Sarfraz Ahmed and Imran Farhat.

Pakistan won the first match by eight wickets and the third by 21 runs while Sri Lanka were victorious in the second match by 25 runs – all three matches played in Dubai.

Squads:

Pakistan: Misbah-ul Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Junaid Khan, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dislahn (capt), Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Jeevan Mendis, Sekkugge Prasanna, Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga, Thissara Perera

Umpires: Marias Erasmus (RSA) and Ahsan Raza (PAK)
Tv umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

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