Britons get poorer; steal Sri Lankan cricket team’s petrol

The touring Sri Lankan cricket team was left stumped when thieves stole £ 700 worth of petrol from their team coach following their three-day match against Middlesex at Uxbridge this week.

The team had been based at the Heathrow Crowne Plaza Hotel, in Stockley Road, West Drayton.

Anura Tennakoon, Sri Lanka’s Team Manager, confirmed to the Gazette that the theft was discovered on Tuesday, when the team were checking out of the hotel.

He said: “Yes we did suffer a theft of petrol from the coach, it was around £700 worth. However it has not upset our plans at all, the problem was quickly resolved and the coach company is dealing with it.”

Tennakoon did not confirm to the Gazette which coach company the team uses, but added that the crime was logged with the Police.

The team had fought back from a torrid first day on Saturday against Middlesex, at Uxbridge Cricket Club, in Gatting Way, Uxbridge, to recover to win their first match of the summer on Monday against a side which included England test captain Andrew Strauss.

England plays its first test of a three test series against Sri Lanka in Cardiff on 26 Thursday.

(Source: www.uxbridgegazette.co.uk)