|| - LankaNewZ - ||

Sri Lanka Army 59 Division soldiers lead by Brigadier Nandana Udawatta have entered the LTTE's main garrison town Mullaittivu this evening (Jan 25).

According to the battlefield sources, troops of 593 Brigade lead by Lieutenant Colonel Jayantha Gunarathne have made a surprise attack across the Nanthikandal lagoon and entered the Mullaittivu town area this morning. Infantrymen of 7 Gemunu Watch (7 GW) lead by Lieutenant Colonel Chaminda Lamahewa have been in first to enter the town amid heavy terror resistance, the sources said.

The Mullaittivu town is situated in a narrow stretch of a land between Nanthikandal lagoon and the Indian Ocean. The town fell to the terrorists in 1996 and since then LTTE established its main military base there.

Once mop up operation completed the area will be declared liberated, the sources said.

It was over before the thousands of fans at the Gaddafi Stadium could blink. Sri Lanka inflicted one of the biggest annihilations in one-day internationals and trampled over Pakistan to post a 234-run win and take the series 2-1. It was the hosts' largest margin of defeat in ODIs: they were dismissed for 75 in reply to Sri Lanka's 309.

Sri Lanka's struggles against weak sides in recent months seemed a distant memory after the rout. The victory brought back memories of the time their bowlers dismantled India for 54 at Sharjah in 2000, after the batsmen had posted 299. They were not favourites to win this series, primarily due to an out-of-form top order, but the batsmen collectively shrugged off their poor form. Tillakaratne Dilshan set it up with a mature 137, Jayasuriya contributed 45, and Sangakkara made 50.

However, it was the speed at which the new-ball attack scythed through Pakistan that startled. Nuwan Kulasekara and Thilan Thushara used swing and seam movement to make up for the lack of express-pace and proved too difficult to handle for Pakistan's batsmen. Six Pakistan wickets fell before the tenth over, putting an end to the contest.

The conditions were predicted to favour the fast bowlers at the start of play but they got deadlier when Sri Lanka began bowling under lights. Thushara struck in the second over, trapping make-shift opener Younis Khan lbw, before Kulasekara found Salman Butt's edge to hand him a first-ball duck. It got worse for Pakistan when Kamran Akmal was caught in front by a Thushara delivery which cut in, skidded, and hit him low on the pads. The inspired bowling was backed up by superb fielding: Farveez Maharoof pulled off a blinder at short wicket, intercepting a full-blooded pull from Khurram Manzoor.

Even Misbah-ul-Haq had no answers to a delivery from Thushara and he edged to the wicketkeeper. Shahid Afridi fell four balls later, shouldering arms to a delivery that jagged back and had his off-stump flattened. Sections of the crowd that had cheered his entrance moments before began to leave.

Umar Gul walked in and began to time the ball through the gaps on the off side like a genuine batsman while Shoaib Malik stood helpless at the other end. Pakistan were 22 for 6 with no hope of recovery. The spinners wrapped up the tail and Muttiah Muralitharan picked up the final wicket, bowling Sohail Khan, to become the second bowler after Wasim Akram to take 500 ODI wickets. Pakistan's total of 75 was their lowest at home.

Students displaced from LTTE controlled areas arriving in Vauniya on Saturday were able to sit the G.C.E. (O/L) mathematics paper which was held for the second time following complaints about the paper. Here a part of the students seen sitting the exam held at a centre in Vavuniya

Sri Lanka levelled the series 1-1 with a crushing win, thanks to a convincing all-round performance in Karachi. Tillakaratne Dilshan hit a sparkling half-century to take Sri Lanka to a strong total, before Nuwan Kulasekara and Muttiah Muralitharan shot out the hosts cheaply. Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik resisted with a 108-run partnership, but Muralitharan removed Malik to trigger a stunning collapse.

Sri Lanka were much more disciplined today. Though they contrived to lose pole position time and again, someone did put up their hand up to help them tide over the various mini-crises. The attacking Dilshan made good for Sanath Jayasuriya's hit-wicket dismissal and Kumar Sangakkara's suicidal run-out. And after Dilshan's exit, Thilina Kandamby - who replaced Jehan Mubarak from the XI in the first ODI - took charge of the run-making, allowing out-of-form captain Mahela Jayawardene to find his bearing.

A country starved of international cricket for over six months celebrated with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka to take a 1-0 lead in the series, thanks to the efforts of Salman Butt and Khurram Manzoor, who made light work of the 220-run target. Pakistan took full advantage of a jaded Sri Lankan side still circumspect with their form after struggling against weak sides in the recent months.

Sri Lanka were outclassed particularly in the batting and the wounds are taking way too long to heal. Their relatively potent bowling attack struggled to script a turnaround for the team's fortunes as a whole and with the first breakthrough coming as late as the 38th over, it was curtains for Sri Lanka.

Pakistan's discipline, impressive for a team denied of opportunities to play as a unit in the last year, carried them through. Save for a poor start with the ball, there were no other signs of rustiness and the positive body language showed they were happy to be back and performing against stronger opposition. - Cric

2 bodies of LTTE terrorists killed during the sea confrontation with Navy, yesterday, were recovered while floating in the seas off Mullaittivu, Tuesday (Jan 20).

According to Naval media sources, an immediate search operation was launched following the fierce gun battle that erupted at around 11.30p.m., on Monday. 4 LTTE attack craft were destroyed by the naval craft on patrol, forcing terrorists to retreat with heavy damages, the sources said. A fast attack craft sustained damages when an LTTE suicide boat exploded during the intense naval gunfire assault, the sources further said.

The Government has planned to initiate an intercity bus service from Colombo to Jaffna shortly.

A spokesman for the Transport Ministry told the Daily News the Government will streamline the passenger bus service in the recaptured areas of the Northern Province with immediate effect for the benefit of commuters.

He said the Government will rehabilitate the A9 road which it had taken full control of after 23 years. The intercity bus service will commence soon after reconstruction work of the A9 road was completed," he noted.

"We have planned to operate five return journeys on the A9 road per day from Colombo to Jaffna," he said.

Meanwhile, a passenger transport service will be initiated from Vanuniya to Jaffna as well. At present, the Vavuniya depot is providing a good service by operating buses on 19 routes for the convenience of those living in these areas.

Pakistan's batsmen have been practising on shorter pitches to try and counter the threat of Ajantha Mendis in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, which begins on Tuesday at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Mendis, the quickest bowler to 50 ODI wickets, has been a dominant theme in Pakistan's thinking ahead of the short series. Pakistan have come across Mendis twice, once in the Asia Cup and then in the final of the four-nation Twenty 20 in Canada. Seven wickets in 14 overs in the two games means Pakistan aren't wrong to focus heavily on him.

One man who has succeeded against him is Misbah-ul-Haq, who made 76 in a losing cause during the Asia Cup and an unbeaten 23 in the Twenty20 final. The Pakistan vice-captain took 27 runs off 24 Mendis deliveries in Karachi last year, including two sixes and a four, before he was bowled slogging. He believes a similarly aggressive approach might help dent his effectiveness.

"Sri Lankan Tamils are being used as human shields by separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)", former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa said on Saturday (Jan 17).

"In Sri Lanka what happens now, Sri Lankan Tamils captured by the LTTE cannot move anywhere. Tamils were used as shield by LTTE. If LTEE keeps them there then there will be dire situation for Sri Lanka's innocent Tamils..." the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader said, addressing a public rally in Chennai.