aratne Dilshan last played limited-overs cricket for Sri Lanka, he was the warhorse dragging a meek top order forward. He now en

When youre as wealthy as Roman Abramovich its not uncommon to splash the cash and treat yourself when say 40th birthdays and significant anniversaries appear on the horizon. In June 2003 Abramovich secured a majority stake in Chelsea. We now know what he got himself to celebrate 10-years at Stamford Bridge: A return engagement from manager Jose Mourinho. A “Special 1 Mark 2,” if you will. Estimated show room price on the four-year lease? A rather cool 40 million pounds ($63 million Canadian). Chelsea released a statement just before noon on Monday confirming Mourinho was returning to the Stamford Bridge fold. The Blues did not simply issue a statement inviting the media to attend a press conference. Instead, their 11-word-long statement doubled up as an invitation to apply for accreditation to attend June 10ths unveiling. An unveiling which will be staged in one of the more luxurious corporate suites that litter Stamford Bridge - where theres likely not going to be a dry eye in the house - for what is sure to be the most entertaining press conference of the off season. If the events around Stamford Bridge on Monday afternoon were anything to go by - where even CNN pitched up with a cameraman and a reporter following the news Mourinho was officially back in town – the unveiling will most certainly draw a record standing-room-only crowd. Say what you like about Mourinho or his methods but theres no player in world football who charms and strokes the ego in equal measures as the 50-year-old who has taken the old adage ‘all publicity, is good publicity to levels not previously imaginable. Let there be no doubt the media who cover the Barclays Premier League up and down the country have not ever properly recovered from Mourinhos shock Chelsea departure just a month into the 2007-08 season. Things had not got off to the best of starts in a season that ultimately culminated in Chelseas first appearance in a Champions League Final. However, Mourinhos firing was not down to a lack of success or silverware. The previous season Chelsea had finished in the runners up position after securing back-to-back BPL titles in Mourinhos first two seasons. The seeds were sown the previous summer when in July 2006 Chelsea announced the signing of Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan when it was younger, hungrier players Mourinho was looking to bring in. The Special One was looking to build on retaining the title in a season that included a Champions League Round-of-16 exit at the hands of a majestic Barcelona. Then the ominous shadow of Avram Grant pitched up as Chelseas Director of Football exactly a year later in July 2007. Grant knew Abramovich from his days as manager of the nation hosting this springs UEFA Under-21 Finals; Israel. Those who know Grant and those that know Mourinho knew the appointment meant one thing: Stamford Bridge wasnt big enough for both of them. Abramovich had no designs like last fall when Roberto Di Matteo was let go and an outsider was appointed as interim head coach. He already had his guy. One who had spent the previous two months soaking up Mourinho and his training methods, building key player relationships as he went. Grant eventually took that side of Mourinhos to Moscow, the site of the 2008 Champions League Final. Beaten by Manchester United who had pipped Chelsea to the BPL title on the final day of the season shortly after the Moscow meltdown, Grant became the first of seven managers who have come and gone in the five-plus seasons Mourinho has been away. In late February of 2012 Mourinho used the smokescreen of an England friendly to tip off the media he would be arriving into London on the eve of what was a crucial Euro 2012 warm up match against Holland at Wembley. Mourinho wasnt letting the media know he was attending Wembley. He had far better things to be doing whilst in London like going house hunting a mere stones throw away from Stamford Bridge. The England theme revisited itself this past Saturday. The England players were likely going through their final paces at the Maracana, the venue of next summers World Cup final, on Saturday ahead of their friendly against Brazil when Mourinho let a Spanish TV show know he was travelling to London on Monday and that by the end of the week he would be appointed Chelseas manager. Those critical of Mourinhos appointment point to his so-called ‘spotty record in his three seasons with Real Madrid at the Santiago Barnebeau and they back their theory up with ‘its never the same the second time round. Yes, in the history of the BPL and its predecessor the English First Division there is a laundry list of managers who have had matters end in tears when they return to the scene of their greatest managerial accomplishments. Prime examples are Kevin Keegan at Newcastle, Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool and Howard Kendall at Everton. What they had in common was that the game had moved on from them and their styles of management. Mourinho devours styles and systems for breakfast and for good measure senior club executives for dessert. It was Mourinho that likely had the greatest influence in the U-Turn performed so embarrassingly by the Chelsea hierarchy towards the end of last season. They finally saw sense in re-signing a player who sits atop the clubs all-time BPL scoring chart, Frank Lampard, who received his final Chelsea contract after receiving the backing and praise of the incoming gaffer. Whether or not Mourinhos agent Jorge Mendes managed to get Abramovich to vastly overpay in the same manner Sir Alex Ferguson did when he had nothing but fluttering eyelids for Bébé‎ only time will tell. We wont though have long to find out. Chelseas pre-season training camp is set to get under way in just over three weeks. The first match under “Special 1 Mark 2” is less than six weeks, when Chelsea kick off their three-match Malaysian tour on July 17. Before that is Mondays unveiling. Bring some tissues. You can reach and follow Noel Butler at: Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel Wholesale Salomon Shoes . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Wholesale Salomon Shoes China .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. http://www.wholesalesalomon.com/ . -- On the field, it was business as usual for Jameis Winston and No. Cheap Salomon Shoes Free Shipping . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. Wholesale Salomon Shoes Cheap . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday. Match factsAugust 21, 2016 Start time 2.30pm local (0900GMT)Big PictureIf ODIs and Tests occurred in parallel universes, Australia might be the pre-series favourites. They have been generally good in this format this year, defeating India 4-1 at home, and winning four out of seven completed matches in the Caribbean to claim that tri-series - though there was a series loss in New Zealand. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have been uniformly terrible - their top order has been unsteady and a toothless attack has gummed its way around the planet. In the field, Sri Lanka have sometimes seemed more interested with dating the ball than collecting it; theyve approached it tentatively, caressed it lovingly towards the boundary, then escorted it gallantly to the rope.But Tests and ODIs are played in the selfsame universe, so the business of picking a favourite becomes more difficult. On the one hand, some of Australias batsmen have been so traumatised in the Tests, they are likely to struggle with spin in ODIs as well. Yet, on the other hand, it is Rangana Herath who had them breaking out in cold sweats in the dressing room, and they will not have to face him in the shorter formats.Where Sri Lanka may have a minor edge is in the confidence of a dynamic top order. Every batsman in the likely top seven has a broad range of strokes, and the batting has rarely been weak in home one-day series. But the bowling is short of experience. Seekkuge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan and Amila Aponso have played fewer than 100 ODIs between them.Australia will also know that while Sri Lanka cannot field their best player of the Test series, their own spearhead is now moving in to what has so far been his preferred format. Mitchell Starc has taken 98 wickets at 19.79 in ODIs. He is capable of defining this series.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)Australia: WWLWLSri Lanka: LLLTWIn the spotlightWhen Tillakaratne Dilshan last played limited-overs cricket for Sri Lanka, he was the warhorse dragging a meek top order forward. He now enters a side that has experienced significant regeneration, and has a sense of fresh excitement about it. Less than three months out from his 40th birthday, Dilshan may now wish to impress on the selectors that he remains integral to this side. That is - if he himself wishes to continue for some time.Steven Smith appears to have taken the series whitewwash harder than most, admitting that he finished the Test series with many regrets, and with dismissals playing over and over in his mind.dddddddddddd But Heraths absence in the ODIs might benefit him most of all - he had been out to Herath five times in the Tests. Rarely does a tour go by without a major contribution from Smith, and his one-day form in the Caribbean was excellent. He hit a tournament-high 264 runs at an average of 52.80.Teams newsSri Lanka will probably push Dhananjaya de Silva into the lower middle order to round out their top seven. But on the even of the match, Angelo Mathews admitted the attack was proving a selection headache. One of either Amila Aponso or Lakshan Sandakan may get a debut however.Sri Lanka(possible): 1. Kusal Perera, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt), 6 Dhananjaya de Silva, 7 Milinda Siriwardana, 8 Dilruwan Perera, 9 Amila Aponso/Lakshan Sandakan, 10 Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan PradeepThere is a little uncertainty in the top of the order, given there are four openers in the squad. With the Khettarama track expected to take turn, two spinners may play, with Josh Hazlewood perhaps sitting out.Australia(possible): 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh/Usman Khawaja, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 George Bailey, 6 Matthew Wade (wk), 7 James Faulkner, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Adam ZampaPitch and conditionsMathews said the pitch looked quite dry again, and it almost always turns at Khettarama - particularly in the second innings of a match. There is a chance of showers, around dusk.Stats and triviaIf Mitchell Starc gets two wickets in the first ODI, he will be the fastest bowler ever to 100 wickets. He has played 51 matches so far. Saqlain Mushtaq - the current record-holder - achieved the milestone in 53 games.Of the 22 completed ODIs between these two teams, in Sri Lanka, the hosts have won 13 matches and lost nine.QuotesTo win a series against a number one team - especially against Australia - meant a lot to us. The confidence levels turned around after that Pallekele match. The confidence levels are pretty high now and we hope to continue that in the one-day format as well.Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews on the good vibes flowing from the Test series whitewash Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '