Simply the Best Clip: Sri Lanka-India World Cup Match

This clip highlights the big moments in the Sri Lanka-India World Cup match (23rd Mar 2007)…as seen by a group of mates watching the match at Mount Anan, Sydney.

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We carried that momentum into our bowling. It was obvious that the pitch now held no terrors for the batsmen so we had to rely on doing the basics right. Vaasey and Malinga did just that, maintaining a tight line and length and frustrating the batsmen, hoping they would be tempted into an indiscretion.

They did, but even then, it did not come easy — it had to be backed up by superb fielding. We as a team have spent a lot of time improving our fielding and I feel it paid off on Friday. The return catch Vaasey held to dismiss Uthappa and Murali’s catch to end Ganguly’s innings typified the enthusiasm and intensity with which we approached the game.

Excellent fielding meant that the half-chances that came our way were converted into wickets. As a result, India was unable to get a steady partnership going. Mahela’s catch to dismiss Shewag at a crucial time when Shewag was threatening to take the game away from us, was a good example of this.Of course, we still needed something special to defeat a batting line-up as strong as India’s. That came from none other than Murali’s magical spell. He was simply brilliant on Friday. His deliveries that got rid of Shewag and Dhoni will be remembered by those of us who were in the middle for a long time to come — not least of all by the batsmen themselves!

by Sanath Jayasuriya

 

No fighter jet is damaged by the LTTE attack says Air Force

By Walter Jayawardhana

SRI LANKA AIR FORCE SAYS THAT NONE OF ITS FIGHTER AIRCRAFT HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY THE LTTE AIR ATTACK

The Ministry of Defense sources said that no fighter air planes of the Sri Lanka Air forces have been damaged by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) bomb attack directed from air.

The Sri Lanka Air Force is having a fleet of Israeli made Kfir fighter jets and Russian made Mig27 fighter jets in its war against the LTTE.

The Ministry of Defense said three airmen were killed and 17 were injured in the attack.

The LTTE in an earlier message said they attacked the Katunayaka Air Force base in retaliation of the bombing sorties made by those planes against the LTTE positions.

The Ministry of Defense issued a statement, after a wait of many hours and said, “two bombs were dropped at the SLAF Aeronautical Engineering Wing (AEW) at Katunayake.”  It further added, “no damages to fighter craft were caused due the terrorist attack.”

Describing the air craft that came to attack, the Ministry of Defense said, “Speculation are made that the raid was carried out through a light wing air craft similar to hand gliders which could be assembled with minimum labor.”

The statement further said, “all measures were taken to tighten the security in the area, while statements added that no security threat prevailed to the commercial flights and passengers at the Bandaranayke International Airport at Katunayake, which is situated in close proximity to the SLAF base.”

It added, “Defence sources said that The BIA officials said that passenger terminals are functioning normally since 03.30a.m, today (26), after the area was cleared off following successive cordon and search  operations. Earlier few commercials flights were diverted to destinations at Chennai and Malay air ports, until the area was cleared with guarantee to passenger safety.”

The LTTE in its statement said they were planning to make many more air attacks. But the Defense Ministry said, “the situation was brought under total control, amidst LTTE attempts to target high profile installation to lift its demoralizing war craze.”

Katunayaka Air base attacked; 2 killed 17 injured

By Walter Jayawardhana

UNCONFIRMED REPORTS SAY THE LTTE CAME IN TWO LIGHT AIRCRAFT AND ATTACKED KATUNAYAKA AIR FORCE BASE; 2 KILLED 17 INJURED

The Sri Lanka Airforce base at Katunayaka was attacked by combatants came in two light aircraft, unconfirmed reports from Colombo said.

Air force spokesman said the LTTE bombed the military airport from a light aircraft killing two airmen and wounding 17.

Air force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha de Silva said, “A light Tiger aircraft flew over the air force base and dropped explosives. There have been two explosions. At the same time our air defences activated and there is a search operation going on.”

For a long time intelligence services knew the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam possessed at least two air craft and they also had three airports in Wanni for the planes to take off.

This is the first time the LTTE has practiced bombing from an airplane. The semi-official news network of the LTTE reported that the airport came under attack but did not say the attack was launched by the LTTE. The Tamil Net said it happened at 1.30 p.m. March 26 Monday morning. The Tamil Net said, “fighting is going inside the air base.”

The Police said that loud explosions have been heard from withing the Katunayaka military Air base.

Unconfirmed reports said two Air Force helicopters have been damaged in the attack.

This is the second attack on Katunayaka air force base by the LTTE and it was attacked by them in July 24 2001.

Colombo’s adjacent International Air Port temporarily put an hold on arrivals and departures although the civilian airport has not been affected.

KATUNAYAKA AIRFORCE BASE UNDER ATTACK BY LTTE

By Walter Jayawardhana

KATUNAYAKA AIRFORCE BASE HAS BEEN ATTACKED BY COMBATANTS CAME IN TWO LIGHT AIRCRAFT

The Sri Lanka Airforce base at Katunayaka was attacked by combatants came in two light aircraft, unconfirmed reports from Colombo said.

For a long time intelligence services knew the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam possessed at least two air craft and they also had three airports in Wanni for the planes to take off.

The semi-official news network of the LTTE reported that the airport came under attack but did not say the attack was launched by the LTTE.

The Tamil Net said it happened at 1.30 p.m. March 26 Monday morning.

The Tamil Net said, “fighting is going inside the air base.”

The Police said that loud explosions have been heard from withing the Katunayaka military Air base.

Unconfirmed reports said two Air Force helicopters have been damaged in the attack.

This is the second attack on Katunayaka air force base by the LTTE and it was attacked by them in July 24 2001.