awaited World Cup rematch with co-host Sri Lanka was washed away by a torrential downpour Sunday, the first in this year's tournament to fall victim to bad weather. The Group A match, a replay of the 2007 final, was tantalizingly poised when the skies opened. Sri Lanka was 146-3 after 32.5 overs having won the toss. Captain Kumar Sangakkara (73 not out) and Thilan Samaraweera (34 not out) were sharing an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 71 runs when the players scampered off the field. With no result possible, the teams will be awarded one point each. Brief scores: Sri Lanka 146-3 in 32.5 overs (K. Sangakkara 73 not out, T. Samaraweera 34 not out, M. Jayawardene 24, Lee 1-27, Tait 1-23). ICC dismisses Hair criticism of Murali International cricket chiefs insisted Saturday they had “full confidence” in their umpires after a former official reiterated his doubts about Muttiah Muralitharan's unorthodox bowling. Former Australian Test umpire Darrell Hair called Sri Lanka's Muralitharan, the leading wicket-taker in Tests and one-day internationals, for throwing in 1995. “A couple of current umpires have said to me, ‘something is wrong', but they prefer to let it go,” Hair told Melbourne's Herald-Sun newspaper. Hair said umpires were prepared to turn a blind eye as the player edged towards international retirement. But International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat backed the international team of officials. Hair said he felt that some of the Sri Lankan legend's deliveries during the World Cup may not have been legal. “But this is his last World Cup, he's going to bow out with a lot of fanfare and no umpire will be bothered by it,” he said. Hair could not be reached for comment Saturday. Champions Trophy on way out, says ICC The Champions Trophy could be axed as part of a reorganization of the global cricket calendar, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said Saturday. The one-day tournament, which started in 1998, and has usually been held every two years since, may be squeezed out by the new Test world championship, set to be played in England in 2013. Lorgat said the ICC wanted to create a “pinnacle” in all three formats with a Test world championship, the 50-over World Cup and World Twenty20. He added it was difficult to see where the Champions Trophy, currently held by Australia, would fit into such a schedule. “What we're trying to work towards is a pinnacle event in each format,” Lorgat said. “So if we're looking to our next cycle we might think definitely about (losing) the Champions Trophy.” Security tightened Bangladesh World Cup security chiefs Saturday said they would tighten safety procedures after the West Indies team bus was hit by two stones following their big victory over the co-hosts in the capital. “We have reviewed the whole security system and decided to strengthen it further,” said Mesbah Uddin, the security director of the World Cup's local organising committee. “We will keep the bystanders away from footpaths during the team's travel and will put search lights deep into the dark, narrow alleys on the way,” he said. Bangladesh fans vented their anger after the host was skittled for its lowest ever ODI score of 58 before falling to a nine-wicket defeat Friday. As the victorious West Indians sat in the bus shortly after leaving the Shere-Bangla Stadium to return to their hotel, fans threw stones, two of which hit the window and broke the glass. “Stoning the West Indies team was an isolated incident, an emotional outburst of a fan, who mistakenly had targeted the West Indies team,” he said. Bangladesh captain's house attacked Angry fans attacked the house of Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan after his team crashed to a humiliating nine-wicket World Cup defeat against the West Indies, police said Saturday. Shakib's mother and sister were inside the three-storey house in the western district town of Magura when several motor-cycle riders stopped and threw stones at the house Friday evening, local police chief Proloy Chisim said. Shakib's father Mashrur Reza told reporters that a number of windows were shattered on the first floor, including those of the captain's room. Sibanda cleared The International Cricket Council has approved Vusi Sibanda as the fourth replacement player in Zimbabwe's World Cup squad after batsman Sean Williams was ruled out by injury. Sibanda was cleared to join the squad Saturday after Williams fractured his right thumb in training.
