Chennai, April 3: A spectacular mix of Bollywood razzmatazz and high-octane performances by international stars were the highlights of a glittering opening ceremony that set the ball rolling for the fifth edition of the IPL in Chennai on Tuesday night.

The glamour quotient was at an all-time high as a galaxy of stars, led by megastar Amitabh Bachchan, descended at the at the YMCA College of Physical Education and set the stage on fire with their performances.

Amitabh, returning to work after two abdominal surgeries earlier this year, started the proceedings for the evening with rendition of a poem If I were to be born again, written by renowned lyricist Prasoon Joshi.

The 69-year-old's baritone voice and inimitable style, coupled with a dance performance choreographed by Shiamak Davar  in the background provided an apt start to the glittering ceremony ahead of the 54-day extravaganza, featuring nine teams.

South African percussion band First Project, composer DJ Ravi Drums and Colonial Cousins then took the stage, churning out their brand of music.

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra then enthralled the audience with dance to hit tracks from her films such as Don, Don 2 and Kaaminey, which even saw India spinner Harbhajan Singh  shake a leg on the stage.

India's dancing sensation and Chennai's own Prabhu Dheva then burned the dance floor with a power-packed performance, dancing to songs from films like Wanted and Hum Se Hai Muqabla.

The audience's enthusiasm went up to the next level as the Tamil superstar performed his signature moves to songs like "Main aisa kyun hun" from "Lakshya" and "Tera hi jalwa" from "Wanted" in his hometown.

The 39-year-old even went down the stage to mingle with the audience while shaking a leg and people were seen enjoying his performance to the fullest. Agencies

Chennai, April 3 : Bollywood's "junglee billi" Priyanka Chopra took the packed audience at the opening ceremony of the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by surprise here Tuesday when she went up in the air during her performance, and got cricketer Harbhajan Singh to dance a little jig with her.

Looking chic in a black and white sequinned top, black pants and a red wrap-around skirt, the actress opened her act with her popular song "Aaj ki raat". She did away with her skirt for a sporty look as she was pulled up in the air with a harness for an aerial act on the "Don" tune. The 29-year-old mesmerised the audience with her confidence, and landed on the stage for a power-packed dance on the number "Dhantanaa" from the film "Kaminey".

She moved around in the audience, and urged the front row members, including Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan Singh, to dance. Bhajji, as the latter is lovingly called, was sporting enough to get up and join her for a jig.

Later, Priyanka took to the stage again to interact with the cricketers of title holders Chennai Super Kings, who are led by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

She pulled Dhoni's leg, and asked the boys to join her for a dance on hit Tamil song "Nakka mukka".

The ceremony was opened by megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who rendered a soulful poem penned by lyricist Prasoon Joshi. It was followed by a performance by Colonial Cousins, after which Priyanka took to the stage.

The fifth edition of IPL, starting Wednesday, has nine teams. with 76 games across 12 locations, it promises to be a treat for cricket fans. IANS

Kolkata, April 2: Describing the Kolkata Knight Riders as a balanced side, the Indian Premier League franchisee’s bowling coach Wasim Akram  exuded hope that the team would do well in the coming edition of the cash-rich league.

“There are slight changes in the team. The inclusion of (South African pacer) Marchant De Lange and (West Indies off spinner) Sunil Narine will work, I hope. In Gautam Gambhir we have a very good captain. Overall it’s a balanced side”.

“Last year we made it to the semi final. This year also I am hopeful will do well,” he said.

Lauding Yusuf Pathan, Akram said he was an explosive cricketer and wondered why he was not a regular in Team India.

On mental skills coach Rudy Webster, the former Pakistan speedster said: “He is one of the great sports psychologists. He has worked with West Indies greats like Vivian Richards, Brian Lara and Clive Lloyd in the past.”

“I am hopeful his presence will be good for the team. Because the IPL format is such that if you lose one or two matches it badly affects the team, and frustration creeps in, specially on youngsters. Webster’s presence and experience will be good for the team.” IANS

CHENNAI, April 3: Sights firmly set on a hat-trick of titles, defending champions Chennai Super Kings will open their campaign against last year’s Champions League Twenty20 winner Mumbai Indians in the inaugural match of the Indian Premier League 5 on Wednesday.

The season’s lung opener at the MA Chidambaram stadium could not have got any better as two of the strongest teams in the tournament will set the tone for the high-octane Twenty20 tournament over the next eight weeks.

Banking on their home advantage which enabled them to win back-to-back titles, the Chennai outfit, led by talismanic Mahendra Singh Dhoni, will be hoping for their third consecutive IPL crown, but for that to happen they will have to pull out all stops to ensure a winning start to their campaign as their rivals — Mumbai Indians — appear to hold a slender edge.

Dhoni, who led Chennai to two IPL titles and final and semi-final appearance once, besides the 2010 CLT20 crown, however, would like to put behind Team India’s recent poor run and utilise the Twenty20 event to ease the pressure.

Besides the big-hitting Dhoni, Chennai’s batting looks solid with Suresh Raina, S Badrinath and M Vijay being joined by all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, whom the India Cements-owned team bought for a whopping $2 million during the IPL 5 auctions.

However, Chennai would miss the services of opener Mike Hussey and fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus for the initial part of the tournament as they are busy representing Australia in the Caribbean till the end of this month.

Another Australian Doug Bollinger, who has recovered from an injury, and South Africa’s Albie Morkel are expected to form the pace attack for now, while the spin department will be spearheaded by local boy Ravichandran Ashwin.

Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, will be under a new captain in Harbhajan Singh after Sachin Tendulkar relinquished the position on Monday.

With a few new additions to the team, Mumbai looks a solid side this year and would be desperate to annex their maiden IPL title, which eluded the outfit for the last four years.

Mumbai’s confidence is high after Harbhajan led it to the CLT20 victory last year in the absence of an injured Tendulkar.

For Tendulkar, who would play a pivotal role in Mumbai’s batting line up along the likes of Rohit Sharma, it would be a special moment to play on his favourite ground in what is his first appearance on Indian soil after completing the historical 100 international centuries.

With the pressure of 100 international ton off his back now, Tendulkar is expected to fire on all cylinders and entertain his fans in the upcoming event.

Mumbai, owned by Reliance Industries, had strengthened their team by bringing in wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha through transfer window.

Mumbai also added Herschelle Gibbs, Mitchell Johnson, Robin Peterson, R P Singh and Thisara Perera to their squad through the auctions, while Sri Lankan speedster Lasith Malinga and Munaf Patel will hold the aces in the pace department.

In big-hitting Kieron Pollard, Mumbai has a devastating batsman who can change the complexion of any match single-handedly.

Though any team would like to start on a winning note, newly-appointed Mumbai skipper Harbhajan has downplayed the factor, saying he believed in finishing well. PTI

New Delhi, April 3 : The fifth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) boasts a plethora of talent from all corners of the cricketing world.

Here’s a list of stars to watch out for this season:

Chris Gayle: One name that would be on the lips of every bowler will be that of explosive West Indian batsman Chris Gayle. The man from the Caribbean took the tournament by storm in 2011 after being overlooked in the player auction.

Gayle was brought in as a replacement for Australian pacer Dirk Nannes and played a crucial role in Royal Challengers’ journey to the final. He struck two hundreds, three half-centuries and picked up eight wickets as the Bangalore outfit were thwarted in the final by the Chennai Super Kings. Gayle was the highest run-getter in last year’s competition with 608 runs at an average of 67.55.

Lasith Malinga: The slinging action of the Sri Lankan pacer has up-rooted many a stumps and Mumbai Indians will once again rely on his toe-crushing yorkers to put the opposition on the back foot.

In the past few years Malinga has been one of the most successful bowlers in Twenty20 cricket. His ability to take wickets and bowl economically is an asset for any team. The Sri Lankan took 28 wickets last year winning the purple cap and was also one of the most economical bowlers.

Suresh Raina: A sitting duck in Test cricket but as soon as the format changes to Twenty20, India’s middle order batsman Raina turns into a completely different player. The left-hander has been a revelation for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and has plundered runs in all the seasons.

Raina is the top run-getter in all four IPLs combined. He has scored a mammoth 1813 runs with an average of 36.26 and a strike rate of 140.32.

David Warner: In David Warner, the Delhi Daredevils have found the perfect partner for their captain Virender Sehwag. The diminutive Australian has been in sparkling form on national duty and has become a key member for the Australian team in all formats.

In the last T20 against the Windies, Warner smashed a brilliant 58 and was the main contributor for the Australians in their Commonwealth Bank Series triumph where he scored back to back centuries against the Lankans in the best of three finals.

Gautam Gambhir: Captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Gambhir will hold they key to his team’s fortunes in the tournament. The elegant left-hander can be a brutal hitter at the top of the order.

Along with New Zealand’s Brendon Cullum, Gambhir cam form one of the most dangerous opening partnerships in the IPL. After a dip in performance, Gambhir once again found his form in the ODI tri-series in Australia and also did well for India in the Asia Cup.

Dale Steyn: Tear away South African pacer Steyn, will lead the Deccan Chargers attack in the absence of India’s Ishant Sharma. His pace and swing has troubled many a batsman, and with a team short on batting heavyweights, it would be up to the South African to restrict the opposition.

Last year, Steyn took 14 wickets with an economy rate of 6.57 and will once again look to replicate his past performances.

Adam Gilchrist: The former wicketkeeper batsman of Australia donned the role of captain and coach for the Kings XI Punjab in 2011. One of the most destructive batsman in world cricket, Gilchrist’s lack of match practice might turn out to be his achilles heel.

Punjab, the 2008 runners-up will have a lot riding on the Australian at the top of the order. Gilchrist will have to carry the team on his shoulders as they are short in big name players.

Jesse Ryder: Pune Warriors, who managed only four wins out of fourteen matches in the last season, will be hoping New Zealand all-rounder Jesse Ryder can set the tournament alight.

However, this might be a lot to ask from the left-hander who was suspended from breaking team rules by drinking alcohol while injured after New Zealand’s second one-day international against South Africa, February 29. Ryder then took a break from the sport to deal with fitness and personal issues.

Shane Watson: Rajasthan Royals, the perennial underdogs of the IPL, will once again rely on the exploits of Australian all-rounder Shane Watson.

Watson will open the innings for the Royals for the fifth consecutive time and is rated as one of the most devastating batsmen in world cricket. The Australian known for his big hitting can easily intimidate any opposition bowler. Though, like many other Australians he would only be available at the end of the month when he returns from the Windies tour. Agencies

MUMBAI, April 3: Having “fed the 5,000” and fulfilled his duty of leading the Indian hockey team to Olympic qualification, coach Michael Nobbs has set the target of a top-six finish in London.

The former hockey powerhouse won the last of their eight gold medals in 1980 but their gradual decline reached its lowest ebb in 2008 when the team failed to qualify for the Beijing, the first time India missed a Games in 80 years.

So it was a huge relief for the nation when the team won a qualifying tournament in Delhi in February to seal a London berth.

“I was very relieved. I was quite apprehensive. I knew how Indian hockey had probably declined in the last number of years,” Nobbs, who took on the job in July 2011, said.

“They were just not going anywhere because they were sitting 10th in the world. And then everyone came up to me and said ‘you realise you have to qualify?’ At least 5,000 have told me and I was waiting for the rest of the nation to walk up to me and tell me. It was very stressful.”

A rumbling administrative row and cricket’s emergence as the most dominant sport in the country have not helped Indian hockey.

But the team’s qualification gave hockey some rare front page coverage in local dailies and also dominated the primetime news slots.

Sponsors and local governments have jumped on the bandwagon by announcing cash bonuses for the national hockey team.

Nobbs considers India an “unseeded player” when they face-off against their higher-ranked opponents that include Australia, Germany and Netherlands, during the London Games.

“Realistically, let me put it this way. Anything can happen,” Nobbs said by phone from Bangalore, where a national camp for the players was being held.

“We are an unseeded player, playing against top seeds and there is always a chance that we can knock a few of them off. I think if we can finish in the top six that would be realistic but it would be a pretty tough ask. If we can do anything better than that, we will be profoundly happy.”

India remained unbeaten in six matches and scored 44 goals during the qualifiers.

Nobbs felt more time was needed before the players could match the fitness and strength of their counterparts from Australia and Europe.

“One thing that is hindering us is the fact that our European and Australian counterparts are six to eight kilos heavier,” the Australian said. Reuters

BLACKBURN, April 3: Manchester United went five points clear at the top of the Premier League after late goals by Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young sealed a 2-0 win at struggling Blackburn on Monday.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side looked set for an evening of frustration at Ewood Park as an entertaining game appeared to be heading towards a goalless draw.

But Valencia broke the deadlock in the 81st minute with a sublime finish from an acute angle before Young sealed United’s 10th win in 11 top-flight games five minutes later from the edge of the area.

The result leaves United clear favourites to secure a fifth title in six seasons.

They will go eight points clear at the summit if they defeat QPR at Old Trafford in their next match as nearest rivals Manchester City are not in action until late Sunday afternoon.

With the title race at a critical stage, Ferguson had attempted to ease the pressure on his players by taking them on a golfing weekend to St Andrews.

And it looked like the trip to Scotland had the desired affect as the visitors dominated the opening exchanges at a ground where they had won just twice in their previous 11 top-flight visits.

With their 7,000 travelling fans in buoyant mood and clearly sensing a shift in momentum in the title race, Javier Hernandez twice went close in the opening 10 minutes.

Blackburn had already survived a narrow escape after Hernandez spurned a fine chance from close range following a delightful Wayne Rooney pass when the Mexican hit the post five minutes later after connecting with Valencia’s low cross at the near post.

Hernandez wheeled away believing he had scored but was left holding his hands on his head after realising his shot had come back off the post and hit Paul Robinson, the Blackburn keeper reacting quickly to prevent the ball crossing the line.

It was the closest United came to scoring in a goalless first-half.

Blackburn were guilty of affording Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick too much space while Valencia was proving United’s main source of ammunition from the left flank.

Carrick fired narrowly over from long range before United keeper David de Gea, who was dropped after Blackburn’s shock 3-2 win at Old Trafford at the end of December, made the first of three excellent saves by denying Junior Hoilett from 25-yards in the 18th minute.

Morten Gamst Pedersen did find the net for Rovers with an excellent finish from the edge of the are but the goal was ruled out after the ball was adjudged to have gone out of play before Steven Nzonzi crossed for the Norwegian international.

But United sealed victory with two goals in the closing stages. AFP

Chennai, April 3: Exactly a year and a day after India retained World Cup, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni feels that past season has been a “mixed one” for them.

“We had ups and downs. We won the World Cup which was very big for us. After that, we did not do well in England and Australia. It is a big season for us. The last T20 game we played was official last game of the season. We will get the break after the IPL. It was a mixed season for us,” Dhoni told the mediapersons in Chennai here on Tuesday.

Asked about his team’s goal next season, he said that improving the consistency level was key.

“We will like to be more consistent wherever we go. It was tough in the sense to play the World Cup at home. Too much of expectations, then you visit the countries where you are supposed to do well and you are hit by injuries. If your batsmen or bowlers are out of form, that also has an impact. This is something every side goes through. In the coming years, we would like to be consistent in whatever format we play,” he said.PTI

Colombo, April 3 : Ticket sales for the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka this year are on the rise after just one week of their start. More than 25 percent of tickets in the first phase have been already sold with an average of 10,000 tickets being sold each day.

Upekha Nell, the tournament director, said that she was delighted with the sale process and the interest shown in the tickets.

“There has been a great response from the wonderful Sri Lankan public and their enthusiasm is now being mirrored across the world after tickets went on global sale Friday,” she said in a statement.

“The global sale launch has obviously increased the number of on-line sales which now accounts for 40 percent of all purchases - again with the vast majority of website sales coming from Sri Lanka.”

Nell revealed that the most popular group game so far was the match between the hosts and 2009 finalist Sri Lanka and South Africa which will be played in Hambantota, September 22.

The World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012 is the first to be held in Asia and will take place between Sept 18 and Oct 7 in Hambantota, Pallekelle and Colombo.

A maximum of four tickets can be purchased by each person for the super eights, semifinals and finals, and a maximum of six tickets per person for the rest of the matches.

Ticket price start at as little as $0.25 for the single group games and the final itself has tickets ranging from only $2.50 up to $45. IANS

MADRID, April 3: Real Madrid’s prolific trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain are likely to sweep aside APOEL Nicosia in the Champions League on Wednesday, needing one goal to reach the 100 mark between them this season.

Jose Mourinho’s men had no time for sympathy as they won their quarterfinal first leg 3-0 in Cyprus last week, all but securing a semifinal place and ending tiny APOEL’s valiant first foray into Europe’s elite club competition.

The Cypriots failed to muster a shot on Iker Casillas’s goal in front of their own fans, and will face an onslaught from three strikers in rampant form at the Bernabeu.

Portugal’s former World Player of the Year Ronaldo has amassed 47 goals in all competitions this year, and scored two and set up two more as Real routed Osasuna 5-1 in La Liga last Saturday.

French international Benzema opened the scoring in Pamplona with a sumptuous volley reminiscent of Marco van Basten’s famous effort for Netherlands in the Euro 1988 final, and took his tally for the season to 28.

Argentina’s Higuain bagged two and took his season total to 24 as leaders Real closed on the league title, six points ahead of Barcelona with eight games left to play and having scored 100 goals in their 30 matches.

Mourinho will have one eye on Sunday’s league clash against third-placed Valencia and will probably use the occasion to rotate his squad.

APOEL will want to bow out of the Champions League with their heads held high, and will take some comfort from having held the Spaniards at bay for more than 70 minutes in the first leg.

They received a boost to morale with a 2-1 victory over bitter rivals Omonia Nicosia on Saturday, which left them second in the domestic league behind AEL Limassol.

“It is a very important win for us at a crucial stage of the league,” APOEL coach Ivan Jovanovic said. “We still have a long way to go, but I am pleased that my players responded the way they should. We had a tough week and we have another one ahead of us.”

Jovanovic will have Sunday’s game for the play-offs against Anorthosis Famagusta on his mind, but is likely to give his regulars the opportunity to play in what will probably be their final match in Europe this season.

Defender Marcelo Oliveira, whose early exit from last Wednesday’s game was a major setback, will be sidelined for several weeks after tests showed ruptured knee ligaments.

Ivan Trickovski will also miss the game after breaking his arm during the first leg. Reuters

Wellington, April 3 : Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi will be appealing against the High Court of London's verdict in the libel case filed against him by ex-New Zealand captain Chris Cairns, an aide said.

Modi's PR man, Phil Mepham told the Fairfax Media that the IPL founder would lodge an appeal before the April 20 deadline.

“The appeal is in the process of being lodged and will be done before the April 20 deadline. There is no advantage or disadvantage to it being lodged either sooner or later, so will be submitted once the technical details behind the appeal have been agreed,” said Mepham, who was head of media for England’s recent Fifa World Cup bid.

Modi last week had also hinted that he would appeal against the decision.

"I have seen the judgment. All I want to say at the moment is that we are appealing the judgment," he said on Twitter last week.

The High Court awarded Cairns 90,000 pounds in damages after a two-week trial last month. IANS

PARIS, April 3: World number nine Mardy Fish has pulled out of the United States’ Davis Cup quarterfinal against France, who will be without world number 14 Gael Monfils for this week’s tie.

Fish had a health scare on Thursday in Miami after suffering extreme fatigue and was told by doctors to rest, the US Tennis Association said on their website (www.usta.com) on Monday.

World number 66 Ryan Harrison replaces Fish in the squad. Monfils misses out with a stomach injury so Gilles Simon comes in, the French tennis federation said in a statement.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra are the other players already in the side for the tie starting on Friday on the claycourts at the Monte Carlo Country Club. Reuters

Sydney, April 3 : Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has once again highlighted the need for a separate window for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Ponting, who played in the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008 for the Kolkata Knight Riders, said that he understood the players point of view as well with many cricketers choosing to neglect their national duties to play in the cash-rich Twenty20 competition.

The Australian felt that scenario was unavoidable with players earning far more in T20 competitions than they would playing for their countries.

“You can understand the players that are opting out of international cricket to go and play IPL,” he told the Australian Associated Press (AAP).

“New Zealand’s a good case study there, they just don’t schedule any international cricket when the IPL’s on for the simple reason they would have lost most of their players to IPL and been left with next to nothing. I think there’s something to be learned there,” he said.

Ponting lamented the fact that explosive batsman Chris Gayle would be once again missing from the West Indies squad as he would be representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.

Young spinner Sunil Narine also looks set to be unavailable for the upcoming Test series against Australia as he is expected to choose a $700,000 IPL deal with the Kolkata Knight Riders over the Tests.

“A West Indies side without Chris Gayle in it will struggle but that’s the modern game and it’ll probably happen more and more with the amount of money that’s being spent in those Twenty20 competitons around the world,” he said.

Ponting, who was dropped from the ODI and T20 squads, is back in the Tests setup, said that it was Michael Clarke’s decision to play in the IPL and that the current Australian captain would have given it ample thought. IANS

LONDON, April3: A revitalised Fernando Torres is expected to lead Chelsea’s attack on Wednesday when they try to sweep Benfica aside to claim their sixth Champions League semifinal appearance in nine years.

Torres, 28, who scored his first Premier League goal since September in Saturday’s 4-2 triumph at Aston Villa, has netted three times in the last four starts and is set to continue at the expense of the injured Didier Drogba.

The Spain striker’s renewed sharpness has helped boost Chelsea’s team spirit in recent weeks as he has provided a series of key assists including one for Salomon Kalou in the 1-0 quarterfinal first leg victory at Benfica last week.

“Strikers feed off goals but apart from that Fernando’s been playing very well, even without the goals, by assisting on other goals,” interim manager Roberto Di Matteo told reporters. “He works so hard for the team. He’s enjoying himself. He’s enjoying playing. He’s got a smile on his face and he’s confident.”

Former Benfica player Luiz limped off at Villa Park with an ankle ligament injury and is likely to be replaced by England international Gary Cahill. Reuters

Madrid, April 3 : FC Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said his side’s performances this season should already be considered a success.

Guardiola was speaking ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League quarterfinal return leg against AC Milan. Barcelona drew 0-0 in Milan last week and are favourites to make it to the last four.

“As things stand today, success is being in the fight to qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions League for the fifth year in succession. That alone is a major success and it is one of the things I am most proud of,” he was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Although Barca are clear favourites to make it into the next round, the 0-0 draw away from home does leave them open to the risk of Milan scoring an away goal, which would leave Barca needing to score twice. Guardiola admitted that was something that could happen.

“I have the feeling that they are going to score, we have to find the way to create chances of our own, but if Milan have to defend with eight players in their own area, that is something they will do,” he said. IANS

Rio de Janeiro, April 3 : Former national coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has said Brazil’s 2014 World Cup campaign will be considered a failure if the team does not win the tournament.

Parreira, who coached the team at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, said Monday it was inconceivable to imagine Brazil not lifting the trophy on home soil.

“We have to win the World Cup in Brazil, we have that responsibility,” Parreira was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

“The pressure will be enormous, especially from the media. The players have to be prepared for that pressure and the impatience of fans. The team has to get things right, on and off the pitch.”

Parreira said current coach Mano Menezes had until the London Olympics in July to experiment with the team.

“He is going to have to make the most of every moment to define his team and strategy and then concentrate on that team for the World Cup,” said Parreira.

Parreira believes there is still a place in the national team for former FIFA world player of the year Ronaldinho. The former Barcelona and AC Milan playmaker was overlooked by coach Dunga for Brazil’s 2010 World Cup in South Africa. IANS

Colombo, April 3: Skipper Mahela Jayawardene cracked his second century in consecutive matches to pull Sri Lanka out of trouble in the second and final Test against England in Colombo on Tuesday.

Jayawardene followed his match-winning 180 in the first Test in Galle with a classy 105 after seamer James Anderson had reduced the hosts to 30 for three within the first hour at P. Sara Oval.

Thilan Samaraweera (54) added 124 for the fourth wicket with his captain as Sri Lanka recovered to post 238 for six by stumps on the opening day in a remarkable re-run of the Galle Test.

Sri Lanka had slumped to 15-3 in the first four overs of the match at Galle, before Jayawardene and Samaraweera rescued the hosts by putting on a half-century partnership.

A sell-out crowd of 5,000, mostly travelling English fans, applauded warmly when Jayawardene reached his 31st Test century with a single off left-arm spinner Samit Patel after tea.

The 34-year-old struck 11 fours and a six in his eighth hundred against England before he was trapped leg-before by off-spinner Graeme Swann with a sharp, turning delivery.

England, whose 75-run defeat at Galle followed a 3-0 rout by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates earlier in the year, need a win to level the series and retain their number one ranking.

Andrew Strauss’ men will slip to second spot behind South Africa if they lose or draw the match.

Jayawardene lost Samaraweera just before tea, leg-before to seamer Tim Bresnan, but there was no respite for the England bowlers who toiled gamely under the hot sun. Angelo Mathews, returning to the side after missing the first Test with a calf injury, was unbeaten on 41 after adding 62 runs for the fifth wicket with his skipper. Prasanna Jayawardene was caught behind off Steven Finn for seven, but Suraj Randiv saw out the day on five.

Anderson struck in his third over when he forced Tillakaratne Dilshan to edge a catch to wicket-keeper Matt Prior after the previous two balls had been driven for boundaries.

Kumar Sangakkara was dismissed first ball for the second match in a row when he was snapped up by Strauss in the slips, the England captain taking the catch at second attempt.

Jayawardene once again prevented a hat-trick, as he had done in Galle, and went on to master the England attack on a dry wicket that is expected to crumble in the later stages of the match.

Lahiru Thirimanne padded up to a straight ball from Anderson and was given out leg-before by umpire Bruce Oxenford, a decision upheld by the third umpire after the batsman asked for a review. (AFP)

Pune, April 3 : Stuck at the bottom of the league standings for quite some time, Mumbai FC has an ardous task of lifting up their game and morale if they hope to save themselves from relegation with only four league matches remaining in football I-League.

Up against Shillong Lajong FC, a side that shocked East Bengal in February, Mumbai FC has a lot of work to do if they hope to stop the Meghalaya side in the 23rd round match at the Balewadi Sports Complex Stadium here on Wednesday.

With 17 points from 22 matches, Mumbai FC are in the relegation zone given that Chirag United Kerala too has same points but a better goal difference and have played a game less.

Also, Mumbai FC will remember their loss against Lajong in the away tie when they were forced to suffer logistical problems when the Meghalaya side hosted them in Guwahati as their ground in Shillong was under prepared.

No doubt Mumbai FC has some quality players, but for reasons beyond comprehension, strikers Gbeneme Friday and Ebi Sukore haven't had a good run since the league restarted in the last week of March.

Strikers Cavin Lobo and Abhishek Yadav have done their bit, but the support they need to execute Jamil's plan has been lacking from both fronts. Midfielders Keegan Pereira and Faizal Rehman have been modest, while in the defence, Mumbai FC has depended on L Dhanachandra Singh and Haroon Fakhruddin.

In their last outing against East Bengal, Mumbai further plunged to a morass when they were beaten 1-3 by Kolkatans even as the Mumbai FC had taken early and ambitious lead.

The only respite that Mumbai can think of before taking on Lajong is that even the Meghalaya outfit has not been up to their best, also losing their two matches, first to bottom-scrappers Chirag United and then to Sporting Clube de Goa.

Lajong stays at 27 points from 22 matches, well clear of the relegation zone, and should they post a favourable result, the Meghalaya team will certainly save itself for the season, but in effect will cause a huge dent to Mumbai FC's aspirations. IANS