Dhaka, Monday: Bangladesh’s professional cricketers -- including several members of the national squad -- went on strike Monday to call for better pay and benefits.

The protest, announced by national Test and Twenty20 captain Shakib Al Hasan, could also put next month’s tour of India in jeopardy.

“Unless our demands are met we will not get involved in any cricketing activities,” said Al Hasan, flanked by former and current national players, at a press conference in Dhaka.

“It includes everything –- first-class cricket, national team preparations, (and) international cricket.”

The industrial action is significant in cricket-mad Bangladesh, where national players are idolised.

It comes amid increasing criticism from players that the Bangladesh Cricket Board is not sharing its wealth with those who contribute most to the game.

The strike comes just weeks before Bangladesh is due to play three Twenty20 internationals and two Tests in India.

The cricketers want local players and coaches to be paid more equitably with foreign hires.

This includes a 50 percent pay hike for first-class players, the expansion of national pay contracts, increased match fees in domestic four-day and 50-over games, and better benefits for groundskeepers. Al Hasan, the de facto leader of the revolt, said players called the strike as they wanted to “keep a good environment for the new generation so that Bangladesh cricket can move forward”.

The cricketers also want franchises to be allowed to run the lucrative Bangladesh Premier League.

The BCB last month announced it would drop the franchises from the upcoming BPL, which kicks off again in early 2020, and take over ownership of the tournament. The decision raised fears among players that they would have to accept a pay cut.

The governing body said Monday it was considering the players’ demands.

“The players are very important for us. They also made demands in the past and we always try to accommodate their demands,” BCB chief executive officer Nizamuddin Chowdhury told AFP. He added that a board meeting would be held soon, without giving further details. AFP

All matches were called off earlier due to rain in day one in the ‘Singer Trophy’ Under 19 inter schools cricket tournament yesterday.

* At Jaffna. Sri Devananda Ambalangoda: 190/8 (53) (Kaveesha Kalpana 38 n.o., Sheron Hinidumage 32, Chamika Perera 31 n.o., Muditha De Silva 28, Buddi De Silva 21, Yogathas Vidushan 4/66, Anton Abhishek 2/42) vs St. John’s Jaffna

* At Prision ground Pallekele. Sri Rahula Katugastota: 108 (36.3) (Dhananjaya Bandara 33, Dilshan Arambegedara 20, Chanaka Tharindu 5/35, Asith Sherosh 2/19)

St. Mary’s Chilaw: 12/1 (2.3)

* At Pelawatte. S.Thomas’ Bandarawela: 126 (31.2) (Savith Basnayake 34, Isitha Gimhana 22, Inesh Dhananjaya 4/18, Nethpahan Fernando 3/28, Asitha Jayalath 2/30) and 6/1 (5)

Mahanama Panadura: 88 (30.3) (Kanishka Nayanapriya 22, Mohommed Mafas 2/6, Supun Senevirathne 2/12, Gayantha Silva 2/13, Theminda Karunathilaka 2/18). YK

Sri Lanka have named a star studded squad of 15 led by Charith Asalanka with Kamindu Mendis as his deputy to participate in the eight-nation Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2019 in Bangladesh from November 13-23.

The Squad: Pathum Nissanka, Hasitha Boyagoda, Minod Bhanuka, Charith Asalanka (captain), Kamindu Mendis (vice-captain), Ashen Bandara, Shammu Ashan, Nishan Madushka, Jehan Daniel, Asitha Fernando, Kalana Perera, Ramesh Mendis, Amila Aponso, Shiran Fernando, Sachindu Colombage.

Antwerp, Sunday: Andy Murray said he was “very proud” after earning his first ATP title since March 2017 on Sunday with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in the Antwerp final.

Former world number one Murray, who contemplated retirement earlier this year before undergoing career-saving hip surgery, fought back from a set and 3-1 down to claim his 46th career title.

“It means a lot. The last few years have been extremely difficult,” Murray, who broke down in tears at the end, told Amazon Prime.

“Both me and Stan have had a lot of injury problems in the last couple of years. It’s amazing to be back, playing against him in the final like that. I think it was a great match.”

“I didn’t expect to be in this position at all. I’m happy, very happy,” added Murray, whose ranking has plummeted to 243 in the world.

Murray became the lowest-ranked ATP champion since No. 355 Pablo Andujar triumphed at the 2018 Marrakech Open.

“I’ve really enjoyed my week here. The atmosphere the last few days has been amazing,” said Murray.

“I’m very proud of the win this week.”

Wawrinka, who was also hunting a first title in over two years, was full of praise for an opponent who in January tearfully revealed he was in constant agony from a hip injury.

Murray had announced at an emotional Australian Open news conference that he planned to retire at Wimbledon this year because of chronic hip pain.

“I think the tennis world, including me, was really sad in Australia after that press conference,” said Wawrinka.

“To see you back at this level, it’s amazing. We’re all really happy. I’m sad I lost today but I’m really happy to see you back.

“You’re an amazing champion and you deserve that. I’ve lost today but in general, it was a great week.”

Fourth seed Wawrinka broke Murray in his opening serve game in Antwerp as he secured the first set in this 20th meeting between the pair.

The Swiss again broke Murray early in the second but the Scot hit back to level for 3-3 and then forced a deciding set as Wawrinka lost his serve for the second time.

Wawrinka regained the upper hand as he broke for 2-1 in the final set, but Murray responded immediately as the players traded breaks for four consecutive games. AFP

LONDON, Sunday - Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan became the first overseas player picked for the inaugural ‘The Hundred’ competition next year, but Twenty20 stalwarts Chris Gayle and Lasith Malinga were among notable omissions in Sunday’s draft.

Rashid, the no. 1 Twenty20 bowler, was snared by Trent Rockets for the top price of £125,000.

Australian players dominated the first major player draft in British sport with batting mainstay Steve Smith and quick Mitchell Starc picked up by Welsh Fire for £125,000 each.

“It’s going to be exciting to be in the first ever hundred-ball comp,” Smith told Sky Sports via satellite link.

“I’m looking forward to joining the Welsh Fire, Jonny (Bairstow) and Starcy and the boys there - it looks a good squad that they’ve picked up so far so I’m looking forward to it.”

Team mate David Warner joined Southern Brave who also picked explosive West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell.

Australia’s limited overs captain Aaron Finch joined Northern Superchargers while team mate Glenn Maxwell was snared by London Spirit.

Apart from Rashid, other Afghan spinners in the tournament include Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Superchargers), Mohammad Nabi (Spirit) and Qais Ahmed (Welsh Fire).

West Indies opener Chris Gayle and Sri Lankan quick Malinga entered the draft as two of its most expensive players at £125,000 but neither could find a team.

The eight franchises were keen to recruit the Australian players who will be available for the entire duration of the 100-ball competition scheduled in July-August next year. - Agencies

MARYLAND, Tuesday - Golfing great Arnold Palmer will be recognised with a commemorative stamp in 2020 to honour the positive impact he had on the sport, the United States Postal Service announced on Tuesday.

Palmer, who died in 2016 at the age of 87, earned 62 career victories on the PGA Tour including seven major championships during a career in which he drew a legion of fans to the game.

The stamp, whose first date of issue was not given, will feature a photo of Palmer at the 1964 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. It will be issued as a “forever” stamp, meaning its value will always equal the cost of a first-class mail stamp.

“To have my father celebrated in this way is a true honour,” Palmer’s daughter, Amy Saunders, said in a statement released on behalf of the Arnold Palmer Organization.

“It’s something I think he would be proud of as both an individual and as an American, and it’s a wonderful way to preserve his legacy.” – Agencies

Los Angeles, Wednesday: Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers won the opening round of Los Angeles’s revitalised battle for basketball supremacy on Tuesday, defeating LeBron James and the Lakers 112-102 in a pulsating season-opening clash at the Staples Center.

Leonard, who arrived at the Clippers in the off-season after leading Toronto to the NBA title last season, wasted no time roaring back into action, leading the scoring with 30 points.

“It was great. A lot of emotions, game one,” said Leonard, who grew up in Riverside, 50 miles east of Los Angeles.

“I am just happy we came out and got a victory. We had great practices and some carry over from that tonight.”

The Clippers attacked the rim, forced easy turnovers, used a stingy defence to keep James and his new sidekick Anthony Davis in check.

Leonard also had six rebounds and five assists, reserve guard Lou Williams finished with 21 points and power forward Montrezl Harrell tallied 17 points and seven rebounds.

James shot seven-of-19 for 18 points and Davis shot eight-of-21 for 25 points for the Lakers who are hoping their offseason changes will boost the team’s fortunes after they finished a disappointing 37-45 and failed to qualify for the postseason for the sixth season in a row.

“It is the first game,” said James. “It was a huge test. We have a lot of room to improve. We are a new group with a new system. We did some good things and we did some not so good things.

“We look forward to getting some film and seeing some of the mistakes we made.”

The one bright spot for the Lakers was newcomer Danny Green who scored 28 points by hitting 10 of his 14 field-goal attempts, including seven of nine from beyond the arc.

Davis said he and James will need time to get used to each other on the court.

“We are both aggressive so sometimes we miss each other,” Davis said. “We are still learning and just trying to figure it out. This is game one of many.”

A 19-7 run to begin the fourth quarter helped the Clippers seal the win and hold off the Lakers the rest of the way.

The two Los Angeles teams made some of the most signficant changes but the Clippers appeared to have added more value.

Every one of their bench players reached double figures on Tuesday as they outscored the Laker reserves 60-19. Williams outscored the Lakers reserves by himself.

He said the Clippers didn’t want to just win. That they are tied of playing second fiddle to the Lakers and wanted nothing more than to dominate their city rivals. AFP

Paris, Tuesday: Raheem Sterling and Kylian Mbappe both scored second-half hat-tricks in UEFA Champions League action on Tuesday as Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur all recorded big victories.

Juventus, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich laboured to wins on a night which brought 30 goals in eight games, a third of which were scored by Premier League clubs.

Sterling’s three goals came 11 minutes apart in the second half as Pep Guardiola’s City thumped Atalanta 5-1 at the Etihad Stadium to maintain their perfect record in Group C.

The Italians had earlier taken the lead from Ruslan Malinovskyi’s 28th-minute penalty, but they were soon overrun and remain without a point in their debut Champions League campaign.

Sergio Aguero equalised from a Sterling assist and the Argentine scored a penalty to put City ahead before the break. Sterling then took over, although City finished with 10 men as Phil Foden was sent off late on.

“I should have had four. Riyad Mahrez put me through and I was looking to put one on a plate for him. But I went through and should have finished it,” Sterling admitted to BT Sport.

City’s will seal a place in the last 16 if they win away to Atalanta next, as nearest rivals Shakhtar Donetsk and Dinamo Zagreb played out a 2-2 draw in Ukraine earlier.

Yevhen Konoplyanka and Brazilian substitute Dodo netted for Shakhtar, with Dinamo’s goals coming in between from Dani Olmo and a Mislav Orsic penalty.

Compared to Sterling, Mbappe took a sluggish 22 minutes to score his three goals in PSG’s 5-0 romp away to former European Cup runners-up Club Brugge in Belgium in Group A.

Mauro Icardi scored twice for the French champions, who were without the injured Neymar but had Angel Di Maria in exceptional form -- the Argentine set up four goals.

According to sports statisticians Opta, the last player to come off the bench and score a hat-trick in the Champions League was Spaniard Joseba Llorente for Villarreal in 2008.

“I wanted to start and I thought I was going to start, but the coach made his choice and I had to accept it. I also wanted to show that it’s difficult to get by without me,” Mbappe told French broadcaster RMC Sport.

PSG have a maximum nine points, are yet to concede a goal in Europe this season and will be through to the last 16 with a win at home to Club next month.

Real edge Galatasaray

Below them, Real Madrid are up to second after claiming their first win in Europe this season. Eden Hazard set up Toni Kroos for a first-half strike that handed them a 1-0 victory over Galatasaray in Istanbul.

Meanwhile, there was a welcome win for Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham, who crushed Red Star Belgrade 5-0 in north London, three weeks on from their 7-2 humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich at the same venue.

Captain Harry Kane scored twice for Spurs either side of a Son Heung-min brace and an Erik Lamela goal as they moved up to second place in Group B on four points.

“We know we have had a tough run of results and that was the perfect way to respond,” said Kane.

Lewandowski fires Bayern to victory

They remain five points behind group leaders Bayern Munich, for whom Robert Lewandowski bagged two in a 3-2 win at Olympiakos that maintained their perfect record.

The Pole has 18 goals this season and 58 career Champions League goals -- only Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Raul and Karim Benzema have more.

Youssef El Arabi gave Olympiakos the lead, but Lewandowski’s brace either side of half-time changed the game and Corentin Tolisso fired in a magnificent third before Guilherme pulled one back.

In Turin, Juventus needed a late Paulo Dybala pair to come from behind and beat Lokomotiv Moscow 2-1 in Group D.

Aleksei Miranchuk gave the Russians the lead on the half-hour and it took a stunning strike by Dybala to bring the Italian champions back level with 13 minutes left.

Moments later the same player scored from the follow-up after Alex Sandro’s shot was saved.

Juve are level atop Group D on seven points with Atletico Madrid, who edged out Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 thanks to Alvaro Morata’s 78th-minute header. - AFP

Chiba, Wednesday: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are the major attractions in a world-class line-up as the US PGA Tour breaks new ground with its first tournament in Japan this week.

The inaugural Zozo Championship tees off Thursday offering a $9.75 million prize pot as the middle leg of the Tour’s new near $30 million three-tournament Asian swing.

It began last week at the $9.75 million CJ Cup in South Korea, won by Justin Thomas, and concludes at next week’s $10.25 million WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.

Woods, who won his 15th major at this year’s US Masters, will be joined at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in front of an expected tens of thousands of golf-crazy Japanese fans by a who’s who of golf.

World number two and PGA Tour Player of the Year McIlroy, eighth-ranked Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth and US Open Champion Gary Woodland are just a few sprinkling more stardust.

In-form Thomas will be aiming to improve his incredible strike-rate with a fifth victory in 10 starts in Asia after his second CJ Cup win in three years on Sunday elevated him to number four in the world.

But most eyes will be on Woods, and his troublesome left knee, after the world number 10 underwent arthroscopic surgery two months ago.

A smiling Woods said on Monday his recovery “was ahead of schedule” before he played a full 18 holes in an exhibition match on the Zozo Championship course in Chiba Prefecture.

“I’m probably a week early. My season had ended a little bit earlier than I had expected it,” said Woods.

“I had the procedure a little bit early and got ahead of it.”

Japan golf fans might be seeing a lot more of Woods in the next 12 months.

The 43-year-old said one of his ambitions was to play in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“I would love to play in an Olympic Games,” he said. “Hopefully next year I can have a good year and qualify.”

The event is co-sanctioned by the Japanese Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) and the home hopes are led by world number 27 Hideki Matsuyama, who has won six times on the US PGA Tour, most recently at the 2017 WGC Bridgestone Invitational.

“This is the first time I’m playing in a PGA Tour event in Japan. I’m very excited to play,” Matsuyama, who is one of nine Japanese in the 78-man field, told reporters Tuesday.

Woods will begin on the 10th hole Thursday in a three-ball with Japan’s world number 162 Satoshi Kodaira and England’s Ryder Cup hero Tommy Fleetwood at 8:40am local time (2340 GMT Wednesday).

McIlroy starts an hour later on the first tee in a stellar grouping with Schauffele and Thomas. AFP

TOKYO, Wednesday - Former New Zealand boss turned England defence coach John Mitchell has suggested the All Blacks may have been spying on their opponents ahead of Saturday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final.

England were holding a training session on Tuesday when an unidentified cameraman was spotted in one of the residential buildings overlooking their practice ground in Tokyo.

Security officials with the team looked into the scene after spotting a suspicious red light.

Mitchell, New Zealand’s coach when they lost a 2003 World Cup semi-final to an Australia side under the guidance of now England boss Eddie Jones, hinted the All Blacks may have been behind the incident.

“If that is what they want to do, and that is the way they want to prepare, good luck to them,” he said. The coach said there was a “suspicious” red light in one of the apartments overlooking their “excellent” training facilities but insisted: “It doesn’t really worry me.”

“This game is so dynamic now so I don’t see any advantage in spying on a team,” he added.

“There is enough pressure at this level without chasing around some blokes that might be in a building with a camera.”

Jones also downplayed the incident, which took place just days before the most important match of his four-year spell in charge of England, saying it might have been a Japanese fan.

He said he used to engage in sporting espionage but had not since 2001, as modern technology had made it obsolete.

“You can watch everyone’s training on YouTube. There’s no value in doing that sort of thing, absolutely zero.”

New Zealand have won 33 of their matches against England and the two-time reigning world champions will be strong favourites to triumph this weekend in Yokohama.

But England wing Anthony Watson said the fact several players had been involved in the 2017 British and Irish Lions squad that drew a Test series in New Zealand meant they knew the All Blacks were not an invincible force.

“They’re humans at the end of the day,” said Watson.

“There will be 23 of them and 23 of us on Saturday and they’re human beings and rugby players just like us. – AFP

TOKYO, Wednesday - South Africa and Wales will meet in Sunday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final in Yokohama.

The Springboks have won 28 of the 35 games the two sides have played since the inaugural match in 1906, Wales winning just six, with one draw.

AFP Sport looks at five memorable matches:

BOKS EDGE 2015 CUP THRILLER

The two teams played each other at the World Cup four years ago, with the Boks edging the Welsh 23-19 in the quarter-finals at Twickenham.

They also ran up against each other in pool play in 2011, South Africa winning 17-16, but Wales survived to make the semi-finals.

In 2015, however, it was Fourie du Preez who broke Welsh hearts with a 75th-minute try after Wales had led going into the final 10 minutes.

Fly-half Handre Pollard, likely to be starting on Sunday, kicked five penalties and a drop-goal for the Boks, while Dan Biggar, also the current No 10 for Wales, scored 14 points and produced a try assist for Gareth Davies.

MUD BATH DRAW

South Africa’s 26-match tour of Britain and Ireland in 1970 was disrupted by anti-apartheid protests.

A police cordon was deployed for the match at Cardiff Arms Park after disturbances in the game against Swansea at St Helens. But the only problem in the Welsh capital proved to be the weather, which transformed the pitch into a mud bath.

Young Wales skipper Gareth Edwards slid in for a try in the corner, but his conversion went wide. The two sides had to settle for a 6-6 draw and would not play each other again until 1994.

POST-APARTHEID MATCH

In 1994, South Africa embarked on their first European tour since the end of apartheid, playing 13 matches and two Tests.

The Boks, representing the rainbow nation, lost to Scotland A and a Barbarians side, but managed victories over Scotland (34-10) and Wales (20-12) a week later.

South Africa, under president Nelson Mandela, would host, and win, the World Cup a year later.

NEW STADIUM, FIRST WIN

The home side’s first game at the newly-opened Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in 1999 proved one to remember as then-coach Graham Henry guided his team to a first-ever victory over South Africa by 29-19.

Rob Howley, who was assistant Wales coach in Japan until he was sent home in disgrace amid betting allegations, was then skipper of the Welsh side, for whom Neil Jenkins kicked 19 points.

Mark Taylor became the first try scorer at the new stadium, the capacity of which on the day was just 27,500.

HALFPENNY’S MATCH

In 2014, Wales finally snapped South Africa’s winning run of 16 matches since that Welsh win in the Millennium Stadium’s inaugural contest.

Leigh Halfpenny kicked all the points for the home side in Cardiff with the Springboks managing just two Pat Lambie penalties.

The 12-6 win was Wales’ second only victory over the Boks after a run of 22 successive defeats against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

– AFP

DUBLIN, Tuesday - Outgoing Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has expressed regret for the way he prepared his players for the World Cup, saying the team’s desperation to prove their credibility in Japan may have been their downf

Rated major contenders a year out from the tournament, Ireland crashed out of the quarter-finals with a 46-14 thrashing by the All Blacks, continuing their record of never winning a knockout game at the global showpiece.

“If I had one regret it’s the fact we talked about (the World Cup) a year ago,” the New Zealander told reporters after arriving back in Dublin.

“We built up to it and we probably went away from our week-to-week focus or our immediate tournament focus.

“Maybe we built it into something that became a bit of a self-consuming monster because we didn’t play as well as we could.

“I have to take responsibility for that.

“If I had my time over I might do it a little bit differently. Unfortunately my time is done.”

All the same, the disappointing World Cup has not greatly diminished the market appeal of a coach who took Ireland to three Six Nations titles and the Grand Slam in 2018 in his six years in charge.

Schmidt, who will be succeeded by assistant coach Andy Farrell, said he had been “blown away” by offers of coaching positions but would not entertain any until the middle of next year.

“I know I’m not going to do (coaching) in the near future,” said the 54-year-old.

“I made a commitment that I’m going to absolutely stick to, through to at least June or July of next year.

“It hasn’t been a job, it has been a way of life. It has been seven days a week and I think I can honestly say, in six and a half years I’ve not taken one full day off.”

Schmidt’s comments may disappoint some Australian rugby fans as the Wallabies look for a successor for Michael Cheika, who resigned a day after their own quarter-final exit from Japan.

Schmidt said he would enjoy being a spectator for a change and expected Farrell and the Irish team to continue to do a “super job”.

“I’m really looking forward to the Six Nations,” he added.

“Instead of looking through the glass, I might just have one in my hand and I’m looking forward to that.”

– Agencies

TOKYO, Wednesday - Eddie Jones went into his usual pre-match attack mode on Tuesday when he insisted that New Zealand would be buckling under the pressure of trying to retain the World Cup, while his England team had nothing to lose in their eagerly awaited semi-final.

It is well-trodden ground for Jones, who loves to toss in a verbal hand-grenade to stir things up before big games - and Saturday’s semi-final at Yokohama is obviously the biggest of his four-year tenure.

“No one thinks we can win, there’s no pressure on us, we’re going to relax and have a great week,” he told a news conference at the team’s new base in Tokyo’s rain-drenched Disneyland resort.

“New Zealand will be thinking about their ‘threepeat’. They talk about walking towards the pressure but this week the pressure is going to be chasing them down the street.”

Jones said he didn’t necessarily feel the pressure would make them vulnerable but insisted it was something they would have to address.

“The busiest bloke in Tokyo this week will be Gilbert Enoke, their mental skills coach. They have to deal with all this pressure of winning the World Cup three times and it is potentially the last game for their greatest coach and they will be thinking about those things,” he said.

With England having won only one of their past 16 games against the All Blacks, it is hardly surprising that Jones has been somewhat obsessing about them since the World Cup draw was made two-and-a-half years ago and their semi-final destiny became likely.

The teams have met only once since Jones took over, when the All Blacks won 16-15 at Twickenham a year ago after a late match-winning try for England was controversially ruled out.

“We trialled some things in November against them and we can do things a little bit better in this game and now we have the opportunity to do it,” Jones said.

“In the first meeting we had with the players (after taking over), we said we wanted to be the world’s best team. You could see the ability was there, we just needed to change a few things, change the way we train, the way we play, the way we think. We have progressively done that over four years, and we have put ourselves in a good position at this World Cup now.”

Jones also addressed what he considers the fickle nature of the coverage of his team, saying that after the Argentina game “I was going to get sacked, Owen (Farrell) couldn’t kick and there was going to be blood on the walls at Twickenham. Now we’re 80 minutes away from a World Cup semi-final.

“If you look at what we’ve done as a team over the last four years, we’ve had some great wins, we’ve had some significant losses,” he said. “We’ve learnt from those and there is a togetherness in this team that will carry them through.

“In a semi-final there will be big moments that will decide the game. I think we are well equipped to handle those moments,” Jones said.

– Agencies

TOKYO, Wednesday - All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick claims to have never seen it, Sam Cane says he’s only seen highlights, but it is highly unlikely they would be the highly paid sportsmen they are had Jonah Lomu not set alight the 1995 World Cup semi-finals.

In the only previous knockout stage match between New Zealand and England before Saturday’s Yokohama clash, Lomu rampaged his way to four tries in the All Blacks 45-29 victory in the semi-final in Cape Town.

The 80 minutes of carnage at Newlands was not only monumental in terms of Lomu’s performance as he electrified the rugby world but it ultimately shaped the future direction of the sport.

The performance of the 1.96m-tall, 119kg Lomu, who could run the 100m in under 11 seconds, attracted the interest of media companies who were engaged in a pitched battle for the broadcast rights for sports events to drive pay television subscriptions.

Popular legend has it that media mogul Rupert Murdoch, watching Lomu run over the top of England fullback Mike Catt, turned to one of his lieutenants and proclaimed “get me that man”, knowing that if they signed the giant winger, they had the marketable athlete they needed to sell the game.

The “Rugby War”, as former Wallabies lock and journalist Peter FitzSimons described it, forced rugby’s administrators to recognise the ethos of amateurism they had adhered to since the split with rugby league in 1893 was no longer relevant.

Rugby was declared open and South Africa, Australia and New Zealand created Super Rugby and the Tri-Nations, the precursor to the Rugby Championship, on the back of Murdoch’s News Corp playing $555 million for the rights for 10 years to matches between the southern hemisphere’s three major rugby powers.

Lomu became rugby’s first truly global personality and he garnered endorsement deals with numerous international brands, ranging from sportswear to fast food restaurants.

It was a far cry from just eight years earlier when World Cup winning winger Craig Green walked away from the All Blacks straight after they won the 1987 tournament because he could not afford to take more time off work as a building contractor.

“If you weren’t there (at work), you didn’t get paid,” Green told New Zealand’s Stuff Media earlier this year.

“You couldn’t pay the rent to stay in the flat, yet you were running around representing your country. It sort of got to the stage where I thought, ‘Oh well, I might be better moving on’.”

Most top-tier rugby players now earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, while some of the leading teams in Japan are in line for hefty performance bonuses.

The rematch of the 1995 semi-final, however, will be missing one key observer — Lomu.

He died from complications of kidney disease in late 2015 aged 40, the day after he had returned from promotional work at the last World Cup in England.

Sadly, Lomu, who was reported in his playing prime as being a multi-millionaire, faced limited earning potential afterwards because of the disease and was unable to fully capitalise on the seeds he helped sow for the next generation of players.

He died effectively broke.

– Agencies

New Delhi, Wednesday: Sourav Ganguly was one of the most astute captains ever and his move to take over the world's richest cricket body could be just another step to becoming one of India's future leaders.

Cricket's massive popularity in India has helped the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) become by far the wealthiest of all the sport's national boards, netting massive money from sponsorship and TV deals.

But it has also been embroiled in a series of scandals, including accusations of corruption and match-fixing that tarnished the Indian Premier League (IPL) -- the country's lucrative Twenty20 competition.

The only nominee to the post, Ganguly was appointed at a meeting in Mumbai, the board confirmed on Twitter.

The 47-year-old's appointment ends more than two years of a Supreme Court appointed committee overseeing the board's affairs.

Ex-chief Anurag Thakur and his number two Ajay Shirke were axed by the top court in January 2017 over their failure to enact a series of recommended reforms.

The order came after judges slapped restrictions on the BCCI's accounts in 2016 over its failure to implement changes put forward by a panel headed by a former top judge, Rajendra Mal Lodha.

The court since appointed a top anti-corruption troubleshooter, Vinod Rai, as head of a team to oversee the running of board.

He said the transfer of power has been smooth and satisfactory.

"BCCI administration could never have been better than this," Rai told reporters.

"Because you have a president who is one of our most successful captains. Our job was to implement the constitution. We got the election done as per the constitution."

A corruption and match-fixing scandal in the sixth edition of the IPL in 2013 brought about the downfall of the board's then-president Narayanaswami Srinivasan after his son-in-law was accused of betting on matches.

The elevation of Thakur and Shirke had been seen as representing a break with the past.

But the board's reluctance to implement Lodha's recommendations, which included age limits and term limits on office-bearers, had triggered a number of legal battles.

One of the most successful national captains in the sport, Ganguly promised to clean up the mess after he filed his nomination to the post last week.

But many observers see Ganguly's accession as a step closer to a key role in national politics -- a cricket god is a guaranteed vote-catcher for any party that manages to snare one.

Some reports say the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party wants Ganguly to be its candidate for chief minister in his native West Bengal state in an election in two years.

He met BJP president and Home Minister Amit Shah just before he emerged from backroom meetings as the only candidate to take the BCCI into its new era after more than two years being run by a Supreme Court appointed committee.

Shah's son is to be BCCI secretary in the changes.

Ganguly, who was born into a wealthy West Bengal family, was previously close to a fierce rival of the BJP -- the regional party that currently runs the state.

The talks with Shah unleashed feverish speculation.

"He seems to be very comfortable in working with a cabal that seems to have clear BJP political affiliation," Sanjay Jha, a spokesman for the opposition Congress party told NDTV television.

Nistula Hebbar, political editor with The Hindu newspaper, told AFP that Ganguly would be a top prize for the BJP.

"He is popular, iconic for Bengalis, a genuine achiever and has been above politics."

Hebbar said meeting Shah could be "just an opening gambit for greater involvement".

Ganguly was one of India's most successful captains, forging the team spirit that made the country a power in international cricket.

The "God of the Offside" retired from Tests in 2008 with 7,212 runs including 16 centuries -- one hit on his Test debut at Lords.

He began his innings as a cricket administrator after taking over as West Bengal state chief in 2015 following the death of Jagmohan Dalmiya. Dalmiya was one of the most clever cricket politicians, having guided South Africa back into international cricket in 1991 after the end of apartheid.

Batting icon Sachin Tendulkar has no doubt that Ganguly will succeed at the BCCI.

"The way he played his cricket, the way he has gone out and served the nation, I have no doubt that he will serve in same capacity and in the same manner," Tendulkar said of his former teammate. Paceman Irfan Pathan, who made his India debut under Ganguly, also has high expectations from Dada (big brother), as he is known.

"It was a wonderful era when he was captain. He changed the mindset of the team, instilled belief and aggression," Pathan told AFP.

"A lot of people knew Ganguly as an attacking captain. But he also has great man-management skills and valued everyone -- a quality that will serve him well in BCCI."

He is not the first Test star to become BCCI leader: Maharajkumar of Vizianagram (known as Vizzy), Shivlal Yadav and Sunil Gavaskar all held the post.

But the BCCI, placed under court administration in 2017 after a string of scandals, has changed. The Indian Premier League has brought enormous new wealth and pressures in the cricket-mad country.

Riven by factions and competing business interests, Ganguly can see there is more of the mess to be cleaned up.

"It's actually an emergency as I have said before and I'm happy to get the responsibility to turn it around," Ganguly said after filing his nomination last week. AFP

Sri Lanka hopes, junior and cadet table tennis teams left on Wednesday for Oman to take part in the ITTF World junior circuit, Oman junior and cadet open table tennis championship 2019.

The championship will be held from 24 to 28 October at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Bowshar, Muscat with the participation of 17 countries.

Former national player Buddhasiri Withanachchi functions as the manager cum coach and Ms. Siriyalatha functions as the lady chaperon for the team respectively.

The team manager is confident that Sri Lanka can compete equally with the world giants with exceptional performances as the team is well balanced with adequate experience and talent. Kingswoodian Chandupa Alahakoon and Thanushi Rodrigo from Mahamaya, Kandy will lead the Sri Lanka boys’ and girls’ teams.

The team comprises one Sri Lanka player Senura, four junior and cadet Sri Lankan caps Chandupa, Thanushi, Dewmith and Thisas. Also the under 12 team is strengthened with hopes on Sri Lankan cap Dewmeth along with nine freshers.

Table tennis interim committee chairman Sajith Jayalal who was behind the team from the beginning said that the championship will provide the most required exposure for the young paddlers to climb the ladder in the world rankings as per the new ranking system introduced by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).

JUNIOR BOYS UNDER 18: Chandupa Alahakoon (captain) Kingswood College, Kandy, Dewmith Weerasena, Lyceum International School, Nugegoda, Thisas Ranchagoda, Royal College, Colombo.

JUNIOR GIRLS UNDER 18: Thanushi Rodrigo (captain) Mahamaya Girls College, Kandy, Maneesha Shalindi, Karandeniya CC, Karandeniya

CADET BOYS UNDER 15: Senura Silva, Ananda College, Colombo, Danushka Wijesinghe, Kingswood College, Kandy, Vihandu Randina, Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda, Aathif Rusthi, Royal College, Colombo, Mahith Jayasumana, Lyceum International School, Gampaha, Vinuka Gunawardena, Royal College, Colombo

CADET GIRLS UNDER 15: Minna Hassim, Ladies College, Colombo

HOPES BOYS UNDER 12: Dawmeth Weerasena, Lyceum International School, Nugegoda, Kakeru Hennayake, Ananda College, Colombo, Danuk Lamasuriya, Ananda College, Colombo

HOPES GIRLS UNDER 12: Tamadi Kavindya, Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda

Some of Australia’s T20 World Cup aspirants will have the chance to stake their claims for selection when the Prime Minister’s XI tackles Sri Lanka in a T20 warm-up match on Thursday.

The likes of Chris Lynn and Ben Cutting will feature in the Twenty20 match at Manuka Oval, alongside co-captains Peter Siddle and Dan Christian.

Lynn will be the star attraction for the clash after he was a big-name omission from Australia’s 14-man squad to face Sri Lanka and Pakistan in back-to-back Gillette T20 International series in coming weeks.

Siddle said he was expecting a fierce contest from Sri Lanka, who will face Australia in a three-match T20 series, starting October 27.

“There’s probably a handful of guys who are looking to get selection in the World Cup and probably a legitimate chance of maybe getting the call-up,” Siddle said.

“I think it’s going to be a good hit-out for everyone, not just the young guys in the squad, but a few of the senior guys who are a chance of getting selected.

“They (Sr Lanka) are going to be taking it seriously because it’s their tour match before the start of their international campaign here. I think that makes it exciting.”

The Jason Gillespie-coached PM’s XI comprises five players with international experience – Siddle, Christian, Lynn, Cutting and Fawad Ahmed.

Jordan Silk (Tas), Daniel Fallins (NSW), Harry Nielsen (SA), Jason Sangha (NSW), Chris Green (NSW) have also been included, along with ACT products Djali Bloomfield and Daniel Leerdam (12th man).

“It looks really strong,” Christian said of the PM’s XI line-up.

“To have guys like ‘Sidds’ obviously, Chris Lynn, Ben Cutting, Chris Green, Fawad Ahmed – all of these guys who are specifically playing T20s – I think it’s fantastic.

“It’s a really good chance for all of us to show our wares I suppose in somewhere other than a Big Bash (game) or a T20 around the world.”

Lynn hasn’t played a competitive fixture since the Canada T20 competition in August, having opted out of this year’s Marsh One-Day Cup 50-over competition with Queensland.

His lack of recent match practice was something Cricket Australia’s National Selector Trevor Hohns cited after the T20 squad was announced earlier this month. Lynn is one of the country’s most explosive white-ball cricketers and boasts a T20 career record of 4,425 runs at a strike rate of 141.96.

“Hopefully plenty of sixes,” Christian said when asked what he expected from Lynn.

“Hopefully he gets off to a flyer and puts a bit of a show on, like we’ve all seen in the Big Bash the past few years.

“He’s an absolute superstar of the game and hopefully he can smack the Sri Lankans around and get us off to a good start.”

PRIME MINISTER’S XI: Dan Christian (co-captain), Peter Siddle (co-captain), Chris Lynn, Ben Cutting, Jason Sangha, Fawad Ahmed, Jordan Silk, Daniel Fallins, Harry Nielsen, Chris Green, Djali Bloomfield, Daniel Leerdam (12th man)

SRI LANKA: Lasith Malinga (captain), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Shehan Jayasuriya, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha.

DHAKA, Wednesday: Cricket’s global players’ representative group has lent its support to Bangladesh players in their unprecedented strike over pay and benefits.

The walk-off began on Monday and includes several members of the national squad, casting doubt on Bangladesh’s tour of India due to start in early November. The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations praised the players “for taking a stand together in order to secure fair conditions,” the body’s executive chairman Tony Irish said in a statement late Tuesday.

“This has happened despite the challenging environment for players to collectivize in Bangladesh and it is a clear indication of the need for change in the way players are treated in what we regard as an important cricket country.”

Announced by national Test and Twenty20 captain Shakib Al Hasan, the strike follows increasing criticism from players that the Bangladesh Cricket Board is not sharing its wealth.

Their demands include a 50 percent pay hike for first-class players, the expansion of national pay contracts, increased match fees in domestic four-day and 50-over games, and better benefits for grounds staff.

But in his first reaction after the strike, Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan called it a “conspiracy” unrelated to pay.

“I don’t believe they are doing it for money. There may be some other reasons, part of a plan, a conspiracy to destabilise cricket,” Hassan said Tuesday.

“The basic objective of this strike is to spoil the camp and India tour, some outsiders are working on this,” he added. AFP

Charith Asalanka and Harshitha Madavi will lead the men’s and women’s cricket teams for the forthcoming South Asian Games T20 tournament to be held in Nepal from December 1-10.

MEN’S U-23 SQUAD: Pathum Nissanka, Hasitha Boyagoda, Vishwa Chathuranga, Charith Asalanka (captain), Kamindu Mendis (vice-captain), Ashen Bandara, Shammu Ashan, Nishan Madushka, Jehan Daniel, Asitha Fernando, Kalana Perera, Duvindu Thilakaratne, Sachindu Colombage, Kanishka Anjula.

WOMEN’S SQUAD: Harshitha Madavi (captain), Kavisha Dilhari (vice-captain), Sathya Sandeepani, Umesha Thimashini, Tharika Sewwandi, Lihini Apsara, Jimanjali Wijenayake, Sachini Nisansala, Nilakshana Sandamini, Shayani Oshadi, Malsha Ranatunga, Tharuka Shehani, Shikari Nuwantha, Sachini de Silva, Janadi Anali.

Milan, Wednesday: Judy Murray has hailed son Andy’s stunning comeback from hip surgery to win his first title in more than two years in Antwerp as “a rebirth” for the former world number one.

“If he is well, Andy is capable of anything,” Judy Murray said of his return in an interview with Italian daily newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport on Wednesday.

“In a few days Andy and Kim’s third child should arrive,” she continued.

“We’ll all go to London, great-grandmother included, to celebrate all the events at once. After all, it’s also a rebirth for Andy.”

Three-time Grand Slam winner Murray has been selected for Britain’s Davis Cup squad after beating Stan Wawrinka to win his first tournament since 2017 at the European Open.

It was only the sixth singles event the 32-year-old has competed in since returning from a hip resurfacing operation in January. AFP