SlPl scrapped for this year
Colombo: The second edition of Sri lanka Premier league (SlPl) was on Wednesday scrapped after all the franchises failed to cough up their tournament fees with less than a month remaining for the tournament to commence. Sri lanka Cricket said in a statement that this year’s SlPl, scheduled to be held from August 10 to September 7, will not take place as the teams have not paid franchise fees besides also failing to deposit with the Board the bank guarantees to secure player payments. “SlC regrets to announce that the Mahindra SlPl 2013 scheduled to commence on 10th August 2013 will not take place due to the fact that the Franchisees have failed to pay the Franchise Consideration for this year,” the SlC said in the statement. “More importantly (they) have failed to deposit with SlC the bank guarantees to secure the player payments. In the circumstances the Mahindra SlPl 2013 will not take place,” it added.
Dhoni’s close friend passes away
Ranchi: India captain MS Dhoni’s close friend and former Ranji teammate Santosh lal, the inventor of famous helicopter shot, on Wednesday passed away while undergoing treatment for pancreatitis at a hospital in Delhi. The former Ranji player is survived by parents, wife and a three-year-old daughter. He was 32. The body is expected to arrive here later in the day. An employee of the Railways, lal was identified with acute pancreatitis and was admitted in a unconscious state at a Ranchi hospital before being airlifted to the national capital on July 15.
Chandimal to lead lanka in 2 ODIs
Colombo: Young Dinesh Chandimal will lead Sri lanka in the first two of the five ODIs against visiting South Africa in an stop-gap arrangement in the absence of regular captain Angelo Mathews. The 23-year-old Chandimal was named to captain the home side as Mathews is currently serving a two-match ban for slow over rates during the recent triangular.