& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Fleming goes for kill

Second Test starts today

REUTERS, Colombo
New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, who dominated the drawn first Test, will be looking for his side's first series win in Sri Lanka in 20 years when they begin the final match of a two-test series in Kandy on Saturday.
The Kiwis, ranked third in the world just ahead of their opponents, will be ready to play a more aggressive game, having used the first Test to get a look at Sri Lanka's primary strength -- spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan.
"We had a nervous first day, I felt. We really had to look hard at the spinners, and with that it put us behind in the game," Fleming said.
Despite their slow start, an inform Fleming racked up a Test-best 274 not out in the first innings, and went on to make 69 not out in the second, saying after the match he had been working on his technique against Muralitharan.
"I've done a lot of work mentally on how I would play him, and use the advantages I've got, which are height and reach, and also get good lines," he said.
Both captains said their teams would be ready to go all out to get a result in Kandy, reputed to be a good batting pitch.
"Both teams just looked a little apprehensive in the techniques we used. Our teams had better take some risks if we're going to push forward," Fleming said.
His counterpart Hashan Tillakaratne, who scored 144 in the first Test, said: "Hopefully, we are trying our very best to get a result in Kandy."
His side struggled with fielding throughout the first Test, with a slew of dropped catches that interim coach Duleep Mendis said were the reason Sri Lanka were unable to win.
"I think without any doubt it was the catching we dropped so many
FROM PAGE 13
catches, at one stage I just wondered, 'what is going on here'," he said.
"It's not because we haven't been training. It's only, I think, the fitness level has gone down and they can't concentrate for so many hours."
He said the team would be working on their fitness, and an interim physiotherapist has replaced Alex Kontouri, let go in April along with former coach Dav Whatmore.
The arrival of the two teams from Colombo on Tuesday was met with heavy rain that washed out the practice session.
Local cricket officials were worried at the prospects of the wet spell ruining the city's first major cricket match in a year.
The area has experienced heavy rain during the past week, and a forecast of further showers during the Test match has dampened the enthusiasm of fans.
The first Test, which ended in a draw, ruined any chance of a result in the series and was widely criticised for both sides' defensive display.
A repeat showing could prove disastrous for the organisers, who took a huge risk in scheduling a Test match in Kandy during May, which is one of the regions wettest months.
In 1993, Kandy hosted a Sri Lanka-India Test match when rain started during the first session and continued for the next five days.
After the second Test, the two sides will be joined by Pakistan for a one-day triangular series.