Sport briefs Sri Lanka win first England Test

KANDY – Sri Lanka defeated England by 88 runs in the first cricket Test yesterday to take the lead in the three-match series.

England, set a victory target of 350, were dismissed for 261 in the last hour of the fifth and final day’s play at the Asgiriya stadium. The second Test starts at the Sinhalese Sports Club in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo on Sunday.Brief scores: Sri Lanka 188 and 442-8 declared; England 281 and 261.Chinese frogmen at Beijing Olympics BEIJING – A team of 78 Chinese navy frogmen will be on duty to keep the Beijing Olympics safe from underwater security threats, state media said Wednesday.The frogmen from China’s East Sea Fleet will patrol water sports venues for the Olympics next August, the official Xinhua news agency said, quoting the People’s Liberation Army Daily.Major water sports sites for the 2008 Games include the yachting venue at Qingdao, a coastal city southeast of Beijing in Shandong province, and the rowing and canoeing venues in Shunyi in the northwestern suburbs of the capital.Shabana looking to inspire Egypt CHENNAI – Fresh from his triumph in the World Open in Bremuda last week, Egypt’s World No.1 Amr Shabana will be hoping to keep the momentum going to help his country regain the men’s World Team Championship starting today.Shabana, who became only the fourth player in history to lift the World Open title for a third time, and Egypt are regarded as the favourites by coaches and players to win the title for the second time in the 40 years history of the championship.Egypt will be looking to take revenge for their loss to England in the last edition in Islamabad in 2005 when James Willstrop got the better of Shabana 3-1 and Peter Nicol won over Abbas 3-0.France defeated Canada 2-1 playoff for third place on that occasion.Clarke to captain Australia in Twenty20 SYDNEY – Michael Clarke was yesterday named Australia’s captain for next week’s Twenty20 clash with New Zealand in Perth in the absence of Ricky Ponting, who is being rested.He was handed the leadership of Australia’s 12-man squad for the one-off clash, while Ponting and opener Matthew Hayden take a break ahead of the Chappell-Hadlee one-day series against New Zealand.Clarke said he was surprised when told the news by chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch, initially fearing he had been dropped from the side.Nampa-Reuters and AFPThe second Test starts at the Sinhalese Sports Club in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo on Sunday.Brief scores: Sri Lanka 188 and 442-8 declared; England 281 and 261.Chinese frogmen at Beijing Olympics BEIJING – A team of 78 Chinese navy frogmen will be on duty to keep the Beijing Olympics safe from underwater security threats, state media said Wednesday.The frogmen from China’s East Sea Fleet will patrol water sports venues for the Olympics next August, the official Xinhua news agency said, quoting the People’s Liberation Army Daily.Major water sports sites for the 2008 Games include the yachting venue at Qingdao, a coastal city southeast of Beijing in Shandong province, and the rowing and canoeing venues in Shunyi in the northwestern suburbs of the capital.Shabana looking to inspire Egypt CHENNAI – Fresh from his triumph in the World Open in Bremuda last week, Egypt’s World No.1 Amr Shabana will be hoping to keep the momentum going to help his country regain the men’s World Team Championship starting today.Shabana, who became only the fourth player in history to lift the World Open title for a third time, and Egypt are regarded as the favourites by coaches and players to win the title for the second time in the 40 years history of the championship.Egypt will be looking to take revenge for their loss to England in the last edition in Islamabad in 2005 when James Willstrop got the better of Shabana 3-1 and Peter Nicol won over Abbas 3-0.France defeated Canada 2-1 playoff for third place on that occasion.Clarke to captain Australia in Twenty20 SYDNEY – Michael Clarke was yesterday named Australia’s captain for next week’s Twenty20 clash with New Zealand in Perth in the absence of Ricky Ponting, who is being rested.He was handed the leadership of Australia’s 12-man squad for the one-off clash, while Ponting and opener Matthew Hayden take a break ahead of the Chappell-Hadlee one-day series against New Zealand.Clarke said he was surprised when told the news by chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch, initially fearing he had been dropped from the side.Nampa-Reuters and AFP