Sri Lankas spin bowlers are as innocuous a group of people as you may care to encounter.The gangs kingpin, Rangana Herath, is approaching the age and shape whereupon Sri Lankan men begin taking abrupt daytime naps on the verandah while the tea they had been drinking is incrementally spilt upon themselves. He has never been known to sledge, through a career that now spans 318 wickets. And such is his commitment to cricketing honesty, that he once famously walked with five balls remaining in a Lords Test, when he wasnt actually out, and only Nuwan Pradeep stood between a draw and defeat. (Pradeep, by the way, had been out comically falling onto his stumps in the first innings, and bless him, has the batting competence of a coconut husk).Dilruwan Perera, meanwhile, seems more likely to produce vomit than a coherent reply when a reporter poses a question. Lakshan Sandakan is chattier, and more excitable - but in the way of a toddler still discovering the world around him. When he appeals, you can almost picture a child on the supermarket tiles, pleading for a chocolate bar.But in Pallekele, and now in the first two days in Galle, these men have led unsuspecting Australia into a dark alley, withdrawn shivs, and merrily stabbed away. They have smiled their way through the brutality. They have benigned their way through 29 wickets. And seven days into the series, its time to start preparing the large black trash bags. It is time to make room in the boot of the black sedan, and pick out a spot in the woods.A spinners menace is often in the turn he extracts. Yet in this series, Steven Smith has repeatedly warned Australia about that seemingly-harmless straight ball. In being dismissed by that very ball by Herath early on day two, Smith was like the police commissioner who read out the description of a known area suspect, then was found in a city dumpster the next day, all rolled up in an old carpet. Usman Khawaja was out to Pereras slider, just the previous ball. Late in the day, the same ball, from the same bowler, took his off stump out again. So stricken by fear of this sliding mass-murderer was he, that not even a stroke was offered. Not a shot was fired in self-defence.Mitchell Marsh and Adam Voges attempted to solve the case of the non-spinning delivery through their 8.3 over morning stand, but were beaten lavishly and repeatedly throughout. Marsh blocked out a Herath delivery to end the 23rd over. When he got to bat again, three wickets had fallen at the other end. In this he was like the inspector who gets knocked unconscious in a gang fight, and finds his team completely overrun when he comes to. People have woken up from long comas with less having changed in their world.Nathan Lyon then fell prey to the same ball. Josh Hazlewood was gone almost as soon as he appeared. Sri Lanka are sometimes criticised for never considering an XI with five frontline bowlers, but the incredible thing about this innings, is that for its majority, two of their four main bowlers were completely superfluous. Sandakan finally got the ball in hand with nine wickets down, and he struck almost immediately, what else, but with a ball that drifted a little, but pitched and went virtually straight on.In the afternoon, like criminals who receive plea deals and begin working for law-enforcement, Herath and Perera picked up their bats, and made Australias bumbling seem even more ridiculous. They swept gaily away as Lyon told Perera, that he can only play f***ing Tests at home because he is the second spinner. They drove Mitchell Starc down the ground, and pulled Hazlewood to midwicket. Just to rub it in, it was with a six that Perera moved to a score that was higher than any Australia batsman had mustered so far in the series. They put on 61 together. Australias best partnership in Pallekele had brought 62.The visitors will now begin day three 388 runs adrift, on a pitch they do not like, facing bowling they do not understand, playing for a trophy they are very likely to lose. All this thanks to the work of three undemonstrative men who, on the surface, appear as inoffensive as a slow, loopy ball that lands on the pitch, and continues in the same direction.If a Sri Lankanised Scorsese character introduced any of these spinners, hed say: Youre going to like this bugger. Hes all right. Hes one of us, no? Hes a good fellow. Adidas Superstar Sale Uk . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. Adidas Superstar Clearance Sale . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). http://www.superstarukdiscount.com/ . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. Cheap Adidas Superstar Trainers UK . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. Adidas Superstar Wholesale Uk . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. WASHINGTON -- The World Anti-Doping Agency didnt immediately investigate allegations of systematic cheating by the Russian Olympic team because it lacked the authority to conduct such an inquiry, according to the watchdogs president.Sir Craig Reedie told the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee in a letter that the panel released Friday that the anti-doping agencys investigative powers were expanded early in 2015. Thats five years after Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said the agency was made aware of allegations of widespread government-sanctioned doping among Russian athletes.Before the agency received more authority, its practice was to assist governments and local anti-doping authorities with their investigations, Reedie told Thune in the letter, dated July 5. That assistance included developing protocols for proper evidence gathering and information sharing between governments and sports organizations, he said.There was no delay on our part in furthering the information that was received over a period of time in regard to these allegations, Reedie wrote. He also told Thune the initial reports of cheating by Russian athletes that the agency received from a whistleblower were not shared with Russian authorities. To do so would have been a grave lack of judgment on our behalf, he wrote.Russian track and field athletes are banned by the International Association of Athletics Federations from competing globally, including in the Rio Olympics, because of systematic doping. But IAAF President Sebastian Coe said 136 Russians have applied for clearances.The Senate Commerce Committee has legislative and oversight jurisdiction over sports. Thune wrote to Reedie last month, outlining in a seven-page letter his numerous concerns with how the watchdog group handled the allegations of cheating by the Russian team.ddddddddddddThe senator said a robust anti-doping agency is indispensable to fairness in sports and the health and safety of athletes. But the agencys response to reports of an elaborate state-sponsored doping program in Russia called the agencys strength and credibility into question, he said.Thune said his committee independently confirmed media reports that the agency knew of the doping among Russian athletes and Moscows involvement in February 2010. But the watchdog didnt establish an independent commission to examine the claims until December 2014.Thune also questioned whether the anti-doping agency is adequately independent, noting that board members are permitted to serve in executive positions with sports organizations.Reedie said his agencys power to investigate didnt officially become part of the world anti-doping code until January 2015 and it set up the commission a month prior in anticipation of this authority coming into force.The agency does not have any concrete information of any state-sponsored doping program beyond Russias, Reedie said. If that information is forthcoming, then we would not hesitate to institute an investigation, he wrote.Reedie also defended the agencys integrity and impartiality. He said members of the agencys board and executive committee sign conflict of interest statements.---Follow Richard Lardner on Twitter: http://twitter.com/rplardner ' ' '
