Investigator Desmond Fernando, who was appointed by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board to probe the allegations against both cricketers, declared them ‘not guilty’, rejecting the ‘inadequate and untested’ testimony of bookmaker Mukesh Gupta, Sunday Times reported today.

Fernando confirmed the extracts published in the newspaper were true. “I submitted the report a week ago to the board and it is up to them to make it public,” he told PTI.

The clearance to the Sri Lankan duo comes close on the heels of the clean chit given to former England captain Alec Stewart, who was also named by Gupta, by the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit following Gupta’s failure to turn an approver and substantiate his allegations.

Ranatunga, De Silva and Stewart were among the nine foreign cricketers named by the CBI in its report on betting and match-fixing on the basis of Gupta’s deposition.

However, Fernando felt that CBI should not have named overseas players without getting their side of the story. “It would have been just and fair on its part if it had deleted those portions relating to foreign cricketers and sent it to the respective foreign governments and their cricket authorities,” he said in the report.

The mention of overseas players in the CBI report was “one-sided and adversely affected the reputation of highly respected foreign cricketers,” the report said.

Fernando said Gupta’s charges could not be acted upon as he had refused to be questioned or cross-examined. “Mr Gupta’s statement was inadequate, untested and had infirmities which rendered it impossible to be acted upon,” he said.

“Gupta’s statement lacked precision and gave no details about where the alleged conversations with the players took place, where the money was allegedly handed over and whether it was in cash or otherwise,” he said.

On the other hand, both De Silva and Ranatunga were very cooperative with the investigations, Fernando said.

“Both Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga were ready to answer questions put by me, and indeed did so. I accept their evidence,” he said.

The two cricketers appeared with their lawyers before the inquiry officer and answered questions in May.

De Silva, in his deposition, admitted that he knew Gupta as ‘Mukesh’ and had met him in New Delhi as a ‘cricket fan’. But, he denied that former Indian all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar had introduced Gupta to him.

He also denied under-performing in the Lucknow Test for which Gupta alleged to have paid him $ 15,000.

India will play Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the one-dayers besides a three-match Test series with the islanders.

Sourav said Sri Lanka would be a formidable opponent both in the limited over and the test series. “However, I am sure by this time we had been able to get out of the hangover of our defeat to West Indies in the final of the limited over series in Zimbabwe and not being able to clinch the Test series there”.

Sourav felt that the performance of the bowlers would be a key factor in the coming tour. The bowlers who are able to perform according to conditions prevailing there would definitely provide advantage to their side, he said.

Sourav expressed his satisfaction about the tour itinerary as unlike in Zimbabwe the one dayers would be played before the test series.

However, he was a bit apprehensive about the weather conditions. The weather in Sri Lanka would be hot and humid and would take a lot from us, he said.

When asked which of the two teams would be India’s main opponent in the one day series, the Indian captain said in international cricket specially in the limited overs one, no team could ever be written off. Though world champions Sri Lanka were known for their prowess in limited over matches, the Kiwis would not be pushovers either, Sourav added.

Regarding Sachin Tendulkar’s absence during the initial matches of the triangular series, Sourav said the Indian side would definitely have been a stronger one if the little master could join the squad from the beginning.

Sachin is not accompanying the Indian team at the initial stage as he is now recuperating from an injury he received in the final of the last triangular series at Zimbabwe. Sachin is scheduled to join the team in Sri Lanka from the last league match of the tri-series limited over tournament and then continue till the end of the Test series.

Nash is back after being out for almost a year with a stress fracture in his back. Vettori has missed international cricket for almost the same duration, also due to a back injury.

“We would just like to make the final. That would really be our objective,’’ Trist said after a practice session on Sunday.

“Now with Vettori and Nash back, I’m confident we can achieve that. It shows we’re out of the carnage of injuries that have rocked us for the last year”.

“In fact, if India and New Zealand both make the final it will be a great plus for both sides since it will mean we knocked out the tough Sri Lankans at home.’’

But Trist said he was still not certain when Nash would be fit to play.

“It’s a slow day-by-day process with Dion. He’s going to play at some stage in the tournament. We’ll have to wait and see.’’

He said Vettori was a certain pick for the tournament’s opening game against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Wednesday.

“He is simply one of the best spinners in the world. When you take him out of a side, it’s a huge blow to the team. We’re glad he’s back but it may take some time for him to be at his best again,’’ Trist said.

But the New Zealand coach could have another reason for hoping India reach the final alongside his team.

The Indians have lost seven one-day finals in a row, one of them to New Zealand in the ICC Knockout Cup in Kenya last year.

Trist, who will be replaced after this series by former Otago and Canterbury coach Denis Aberhart, said the tournament would sorely miss injured New Zealander Chris Cairns and Sachin Tendulkar of India.

“Chris is such a valuable player. As a team, it’s very difficult to get used to missing him. Sachin is so exciting to watch. His absence actually gives us a toe-hold against India.’’

Cairns, who had a major operation on his right knee in February is expected to be out of international cricket at least till September.

Tendulkar, out with a foot injury, will join the Indian team ahead of their last round-robin match against New Zealand on August 2.

Colombia made sure of advancing to the last eight thanks to a 30th-minute goal from victor Aristizabal yesterday.

Ecuador, one of the in-form teams in South American football at the moment, had been desperately seeking victory against the Colombians after suffering a 1-4 humiliation against Chile in their opening match last week.

But with a fiercely partisan 40,000-crowd at the Metropolitan Stadium here roaring on the home team, Ecuador were always struggling to impose themselves on the hosts.

Aristizabal’s winner came after neat work from Elkin Murillo, who centered perfectly for his striking partner to finish nonchalantly, prodding past Jose Cevallos in the Ecuador goal.

Fired-up Colombia dominated most of the match, and created several clear-cut opportunities in the second-half. Eulalio Arriaga, a 69th-minute substitute for Aristizabal, was the main culprit squandering two glorious chances.

Yet Colombia were forced to work for the win in the final minutes of the match as Ecuador — down to 10 men following the dismissal of Alex Aguinaga in the 83rd minute - mounted wave after wave of attacks.

The win left Colombia with six points from two matches following their win against Venezuela last Wednesday. The Colombians are level on points with Chile at the top of group A.

Ecuador, however, are in trouble. Hernan Dario Gomez’ team’s impressive form of South America’s World Cup qualifying campaign has deserted them in Colombia, and their hopes of scraping into the knockout phase hinge on whether they can finish as one of the two best third placed sides.

Chile lead group A on goal difference after they secured their place in the quarterfinals courtesy of a late strike from Cristian Montecinos against Venezuela in other match.

In-form Montecinos took his tournament tally to three goals in two games with a 78th-minute deflected effort to guarantee his team’s place in the last eight.

Chile coach Pedro Garcia admitted his team had been fortunate to win.

“We had a bit of luck. I’m relieved because we didn’t play well and started badly,” Garcia said. “But we had the luck tonight and they didn’t,” he added.

For long periods it looked as if Venezuela might grab a victory or at least a draw from Chile, who had been surprising winners over Ecuador last week.

The Venezuelans created better chances and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession against Chile, who struggled to rediscover the fluency which had put paid to Ecuador.

Montecinos’ goal came after a build-up down the right flank. The 30-year-old Concepcion striker controlled and rifled in a shot towards Venezuela ‘keeper Rafael Dudamel. Dudamel had the shot covered until it appeared to take a deflection off defender Jose Rey to fly into the net.

And Thorpe, a triple Sydney gold medallist, is ready for any who dares to challenge him at the ninth World Swimming Championships, warning he is in better shape than ever.

“I’ve actually lost weight since the Olympics and I’m physically and mentally stronger,” said the 18-year-old, who is poised to add another chapter to his burgeoning legend which began at the Pan Pacific Championships in Fukuoka four years ago.

“If there was a let-down after the Olympics I certainly didn’t suffer it. It was important to get away and recover mentally and then get back in the water and swim when I was ready and that’s why I feel so fresh.”

Thorpe will contest the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle and play a key role in all three men’s relays as Australia seeks revenge for failing to topple the USA’ from their medal pedestal in Sydney.

Sixty-one gold medals are up for grabs in the 14 days of competition at Fukuoka, where world swimming body FINA will be desperately hoping to avert the Chinese-led doping scandals that blighted the last championships in Perth.

Just days after securing the 2008 Olympics, China cannot afford the publicity that comes with drug cheats and have selected a relatively young and inexperienced team. Chinese swimmers sank like stones in Sydney.

The action starts tomorrow with synchronised swimming and open water swimming.

Diving and water polo complete the five championship disciplines but the real action kicks in on July 22 when the big names make a splash at the Marine Messe Fukuoka in a specially built 50m pool.

The championships, the first in Asia, will be missing some all-time greats, but there are plenty of swimmers looking to fill their costumes with an eye on the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Notable absentees include Kieren Perkins and Susie O’Neil of Australia, who both called it a day after the Sydney Olympics, as did America’s Jenny Thompson and South Africa’s Penny Heyns.

Grant Hackett has already assumed Perkins 1,500m mantle but will be looking to smash his seven-year-old world record of 14:41.66 to finally lay to rest the ghost of his nemesis. He will also face Thorpe in the 800m.

With 1,800 athletes from 135 countries taking part, there are plenty of other mouthwatering duels in prospect.

Five new events are on the calendar from the 1998 championships - the 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke and 50m butterfly (for men and women), and the 800m freestyle for men and the 1,500m freestyle for women.

There will also be a 10km event for men and women in open water competition.

Russia’s Roman Sludnov has set up an explosive 100m breaststroke showdown after nabbing the world record from American Ed Moses late last month, clocking under one minute for the first time ever.

The two men have broken the world record three times in the past 15 months, with the Russian holding the current mark of 59.97 and warning: “Right now, I am at my peak.”

Moses is in the mood for battle: “It does excite me, and if I was looking for something to push me and motivate me, that (the record) was definitely it,” he said.

Unheralded Italian Domenico Fioravanti, who shocked Moses and Sludnov by beating them in Sydney, should also be in the hunt.

Gary Hall Jr and Alex Popov, rocked by drugs allegations against his coach Gennadi Touretski, will renew their rivalry in the 50m freestyle with the Russian great looking to make amends for his shock loss to Hall in Sydney.

Popov, the record holder, has the world’s fastest time this year in the one-lap sprint, 21.91. Britain’s Mark Foster, the world short course record holder, will be looking for an upset.

Popov will also have the knives out for Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband, who ended his eight-year 100m freestyle Olympic reign. Hall was third.

Australian pinup Michael Klim was shut out of the medals in that race and will be seeking to spoil the party, although an ankle injury threatens his campaign.

Klim won seven medals, including four gold, in Perth. “Life has been very trying lately but I’ve been happy with my preparation and it’s important for me to do well in Fukuoka,” said Klim, also coached by Touretski.

Perhaps the most anticipated showdown though will be between Van den Hoogenband and Thorpe.

The 22-year-old Dutchman shocked Thorpe in the Olympic 200m freestyle, not only grabbing the gold but obliterating the young Australian’s world record.

In typical fashion, the almost supernatural Thorpe snatched it back at the Australian Swimming Championships in March with a time of 1:44.69 to better the previous mark of 1:45.35.

He smashed Perkins’ world 800m freestyle mark at the same meet.

Van den Hoogenband’s Dutch team-mate Inge de Bruijn, swimming’s hottest female star, could also set new world marks. She barrelled into the Olympics with eight world records and swept out with three more.

American teenage starlet Megan Quann, who scored two gold and one world record in Sydney, will be looking to make the 100m breaststroke her own.

Fellow newcomer Leisel Jones of Australia finished second to Quann at her first major international competition and their battle should rival Sludnov/Moses.

Brooke Bennett has the opportunity of cementing her reputation further. Still only 21, she has won successive Olympic 800m freestyle crowns and is defending her world title.

Five candidates are lined up to take over from the 80-year-old Spaniard who has run the International Olympic Committee for 21 years, but who retires tomorrow when his successor will be chosen.

The election will not attract the media glare and widespread world reaction according to Friday’s historic vote for Beijing, but to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members it is just as vital. The second day of the four-day IOC Moscow session was devoted to largely mundane topics — with no mention of Monday’s election.

But two of the main presidential hopefuls, Belgian surgeon Jacques Rogge and Canadian lawyer Dick Pound took every opportunity to exude charm, confidence and competence in a last-minute quest for votes. The post is, after all, one of the most attractive jobs on the planet.

In addition to organising the games, the President travels around the world mixing with heads of state as a roving ambassador for sport.

Now that Samaranch has decided to give up the job as he heads towards his 81st birthday on Tuesday, there has been a scramble to succeed him.

The new President will shape the next eight years of the IOC as the body attempts to reform itself after the Salt Lake City bribery scandal in 1999, the biggest corruption affair in the history of the Olympic movement.

There are three heavyweight candidates Rogge, Pound and South Korean politician Kim Un-yong and they could hardly have more contrasting personalities.

The other two candidates, former US Olympic rower Anita Defrantz, the only woman in the contest, and Hungarian diplomat Pal Schmitt, are not expected to make a great impact in the vote of all IOC members.

Rogge (59) is the favourite to win but he faces a fierce challenge from Kim with Pound, the IOC marketing chief, expected to finish third.

Rogge is known in the IOC as a problem solver and diplomat who can woo the IOC members with his charm and ability to speak a handful of tongues with ease including the official IOC languages English and French. He also speaks fluent Spanish, a huge advantage in communicating with South American members.