PERTH Reuter: Australia aim to kick start the second phase of their cricket revival by thrashing Sri Lanka in the second test match between the two countries starting on Friday.

The home side is confident they can end a successful season in style, but Australia coach Bob Simpson is not making the mistake of taking the Sri Lankan challenge lightly.

“We’ve always believed Sri Lanka can play so we’ll go in as hard as against any other test side, Our aim is to beat them by as much as we can,” Simpson told journalists on Thursday.

Captain Allan Border agrees that fielding any less than Australia’s best side would be asking for trouble against a Sri Lankan team who earned many plaudits in their draw earlier this week against Victoria,

“As soon.as you underestimate your ‘opponents it gets you into trouble, I want to go out and nail the mas hard as we can, we won’t take any prisoners,” said Border,

Border was hurt by criticism of his side during the drawn bicentennial test against an injury hit England two weeks ago, a match Australia were expected to win with ease after their recent series defeat of New Zealand and World Cup win,

Border blamed his side’s ineffectual performance in the first three days of the Bicentennial test on “One Day it is”, a Malady which may well affect Sri Lanka in Perth,

PERTH, Reuter: Sri Lanka capitulated on Monday losing their last six wickets for 75 runs as Australia won only they second cricket test match between the two countries by an innings and 108 runs.

Australian paceman Mery Hughes Look over wickets in the first session on the fourth day as Sri Lanka slumped to II out in their second innings

The touring side hit 194 in their first innings in reply to Australia’s 455, the first Sri Lanka/Australia test in 1982/3 in Kandy also ended in an innings victory for the Australians

CHRSITCHURCH, New Zealand: A World Cricket record could fall at Lancaster Park, venue of the first England New Zealand cricket test, but it is unlikely to go to a Richard Hadlee.

New Zealand’s Mark Greatbatch, not even selected in the final XI, could take a record number of catches for a substitute fieldsman.

Ironically, the 22year old selected for the first time in the New Zealand 12 is only on the field because Hadlee injured himself.

CALGARY, Alberta, Canada: Tears of tragedy and triumph were shed on the second day of the Winter Olympics on Sunday.

The first three gold medals of the Games were celebrated but world champion speed skater Dan Jansen o¢ the United States had disaster heaped) on Sorrow as he crashed out of the ‘men’s sprint test after learning of the death of his sister hours earlier.

Titles went to Finnish Skip jumping Phenomenon MAtti Nykaenen and Soviet cross country skier Vida Ventsene, while East German JensUwe Mey profited from Jansen’s accident with a winning, world record performance in the men’s 500 meters ice race

ADELAIDE, Reuter: Former Australian Javelin Champion Reg Spiers was sentenced to 10 years in jail on Thursday for trying to smuggle cannabis worth 1.2 million dollars (850,000 U.S.) into the country.

Spiers, 46, who fled Australia in 1981 while awaiting trial, pleaded guilty. He was involved in a scheme to smuggle the drugs in cassette recorders.

Spiers was arrested in Sri Lanka in 1984 and sentenced to death for trafficking in heroin but won an appeal. He was extradited to Australia last year.

RABAT, Reuter: World 1,500and 5,000meter world record holder said Aquita of Morocco broke a toe in training on Tuesday, the official news agency Map said on Thursday.

Aquita will be immobilized for a month and need therapy for two weeks afterwards. He will not be able to run for six weeks.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 19, 1988