Something in the water as players fall ill

THE brand of bottled water provided to players in the World Twenty20 has been changed after some complained of stomach ailments and one even needed hospital treatment.

New Zealand seam bowler Tim Southee was hospitalised last week after he developed symptoms of stomach flu and later needed treatment for dehydration, while former captain Daniel Vettori and Rob Nicol also fell ill. Some players from Australia, South Africa and Ireland were also reported sick.

The International Cricket Council said yesterday that authorities decided to replace the water brand provided to players, officials, media and hospitality areas even though it found no proof of contamination.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka could turn to uncapped teenager Akila Dananjaya if spinner Ajantha Mendis fails to recover from injury in time for the Super Eight game against New Zealand at Pallekele today. “He’s certainly very close to playing,” said Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford. “He was probably going to play against South Africa and then the game got reduced and there was the chance he would’ve been bowling with a wet ball.”

Ford said the 18-year-old Dananjaya, who bowls four varieties of spin, could be a useful weapon. “He’s got a lot of variations with good control and it’s going to take any batsman who hasn’t seen him a bit of time to work out what he does,” said Ford.