• India favourites to lift ICC trophy
• Ranaweera stuns Neraj at tennis
• Ruwan's try burst knock Havies out of U-21 final
• Match refree and umpires for Sharjah Triangular
• Dulip Mendis heads Asian Cricket Council to promote, foster cricket
• Rare feat by Ransilu of Kingswood, Kandy
• Hillwood college girls now have their own pool
• NCC and CCC favourites in today's under 23 semi final clashes
• Mastery SC win Mayor's Cup
• Sevens saga
• Kandy CC continues their lean run
• Up-country cricket ground is neglected
• ICC to focus on corruption
• 'Battle of Uva' ends in a draw
• Central College wins hockey title
• Badulla district junior football champions
• ROVER pinpoints....

India favourites to lift ICC trophy

New Zealand's strength lies with their batsmen

By Jatila Karawita

India led by swashbuckling left handed opening bat Saurav Ganguly will go as odds on favourites to annex the glittering ICC knock out trophy when they lock horns with underdogs New Zealand in a keenly contested final at the Gymkhana grounds in Nairobi Kenya today.

India who dethroned defending champions South Africa by as many as 95 runs in a one sided semi final on Friday will be the team to beat the New Zealanders who themselves qualified for the final at the expense of strong Pakistan.

The high riding Indians who earlier downed reigning one day world champions Australia by 20 runs in the quarter final will once more look to their awesome batting card to keep the Kiwis at bay.

Skipper Ganguly who is fresh from his stunning unbeaten innings of 141, one drop bat Rahul Dravid, Vinod Kambli, all rounder Robin Singh, and the revelation of this tourney for India teenager Yuvraj Singh will be the linchpins if at all the Indians are to make a commanding total by electing to bat first or in chasing a target.

Youngster Yuvraj has so far been in his element in the two games that he batted and he seems to be a genuine all rounder in the making for the Indians.

Also one cannot rule out a vintage knock by the little master in Sachin Tendulkar who by his usual lofty standards has experienced a modest tournament but his prowess with the willow is such the New Zealanders better watch out for the fireworks from the 'Mumbai Blaster'.

In the bowling, India though not boasting of a deadly line up have a ideal combination in new comer Zahir Khan, Venkat Prasad, Ajith Agarkar and 'Smiling Assassin' Anil Kumble, whom on their day could well be a handful for their opponents.

Meanwhile New Zealand's strength in this final will be with their batsmen but their bowlers if they combine as a unit might put the skids on the Indians to throw up a fitting finale to the two week long tourney.

Batsmen and Skipper Fleming, Craig Spearman, in form bat Roger Twose, Craig Macmillan, Nathan Astle, and Chris Harris along with Adam Parore will be New Zealand's key players, while left arm speedster Shane 'O' Connor, Geoff Allot, Harris, and off spinner Paul Wiseman will be in charge of the bowling.,

Champion all rounder Chris Cairns who has been sidelined for much of this series due to injury will take to the field today and if he plays it should further boost the confidence of the Kiwis in a game which might go down to the wire in deciding who the ICC knock out champions will be ?

India

Saurav Ganguly (Capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Singh, Vinod Kambli, Vijaya Dahiya, Anil Kumble, Ajith Agarkar, Zahir Khan, and Venkat Prasad.

New Zealand

Craig Spearman, Nathan Astle, Stephen Fleming (capt), Roger Twose, Craig Macmillan, Adam Parore, Chris Harris, Geoff Allot, Shane 'O' Connor, Paul Wiseman, and Chris Cairns.

Ranaweera stuns Neraj at tennis

By Bruce Maurice

There was only one upset at the Moors Junior Open Ranking Tennis Tournament 2000, when unseeded J.A. Ranaweera beat number 6 seed Neraj Wickremasinghe in a boy's under 12 singles match.

The tournament will be continued today at 9.00 a.m.

Results

Boy's under 12 singles: R. Mayuresh beat Dilum Gunasekera 6/1, 6/4; Kavinda Nagodavitharne beat Shalinda Kekulawala 6/2, 7/6, (7/5); Chanuk Algama beat Yuki Nagai 6/4, 4/6, 6/4; J.A. Ranaweera beat Neraj Wickramasinghe 7/5, 6/2; Chari Thalagala beat Ashan Malish 6/0, 6/3; Ravindra Kohulan beat Rajitha Dolamulla 6/0, 6/0; Dinesh Kanthan beat Emmash Sudusinghe 6/0, 6/3;

Boy's under 14 singles: H. De Silva beat M. Subian 6/2, 6/0; C. Wickramaratne beat E. Sudusimghe 6/2, 6/2; S. Lokuvitharne beat C. Cabraal 6/3, 6/0; B. Abeysinghe beat M.N. Hassan 6/0, 6/0.

Boy's under 16 singles: M. Ruwan beat C. Wickramaratne 7/5, 6/3.

Close for Cooray

Cooray Sports Club, which is sponsored by Hameediyas, scored two good wins over Renown SC Colombo and Red Diamonds Kandy in their Premier League football matches in the competition conducted by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka.

Cooray beat Renown 2-1 with Sherone and Sisira Kumara scoring a goal each in the second half while Renown scored their goal through N.C. Abeysekera in the first half.

Cooray beat Red Diamonds 3-1 at the Police Park. The scores were level at one each at the half time.

M.R.M. Imran scored two goals for Cooray SC while M.H.M. Rishmy booted in the third and A.M. Risa scored the solitary goal for the losers.

In other fourth round matches played Jupiters beat York 2-1, Java Lane drew 2 all with Hyline SC, Old Bens beat Ratnams 2-1, Negombo youth beat Wanathamulla Youth 2-0, Saunders beat Maligawatte Youth 7-0 and Renown beat Pettah United 1-0.

Additional bonus

The winners at the Tennis Nationals are in for an additional bonus, as Sri Lankan Airlines have agreed to present two players with return air tickets to the Far East.

"We are glad that Sri Lankan Airlines has decided to sponsor a tennis event. We hope to further strengthen our relationship with Sri Lankan Airlines in the future," said Suresh Subramaniam, Chairman, Tournament Committee and Sponsorship Committee.

The 85th Tennis Nationals were delayed due to bad weather. However the prize giving is expected to be held on October 31.

Rajitha Lalindra 5 for 8

A fine bowling performance by off spinner Rajitha Lalindra, who captured 5 wickets for 8 runs helped Sri Pagnananda MMV Raddoluwa to beat Christ King College Hekitta by an innings and 41 runs in their Horlicks Trophy Division 4 Under 13 cricket encounter at Raddoluwa.

Assisting Lalindra was paceman Roshan Buddhika who claimed 4 for 8.

Christ King College - 41 all out in 20.2 overs (Sanjaya 13; Rajitha Lalindra 5 for 8, Nirosh Sanjeewa 2 for 16) and 74 all out in 19 overs (Manoj 18, Chamil 13; Roshan Buddhika 4 for 8, Nirosh Sanjeewa 3 for 4, Suraj Priyadarshana 2 for 6)

Sri Pagnananda B - 156 for 7 dec in 45 overs (Chameera Madusanka 27, Nirosh Sanjeewa 12, Rajitha Lalindra 24 n.o, Rajitha Gunawardena 32 n.o; Sanjaya 3 for 12, Yayan 2 for 20)

Under 21 Knock out Rugby

Ruwan's try burst knock Havies out of U-21 final

By Jatila Karawita

Trailing by 13 points to nil at half time, Navy spearheaded by a superb display by the forwards turned on the heat in style in the second half. This effort knocked out the Havelocks, by 20 points (one goal, two tries, and a penalty) to 13 (two tries, and a penalty) in their Western Province Under 21 rugby union, cup semi final worked off at Havelock Park yesterday.

Led from the front by experienced lock forward Ruwanthileke, who scored two wonderful pushover tries, the sailors got their act together in the latter half, thanks to their match fitness after the Havies dominated the first half. They eventually pulled off an exciting win to qualify for next Saturday's final.

Navy opened scoring, in the fifth minute of the second half, when right winger M. Saleem added the finishing touches to a second phase move, which arose from a three quarter play. But fly half Shiyam Pradeep missed the conversion as they trailed 13-5.

Full back Niyathagala, who took over the kicking duties from Pradeep, after the latter had fluffed two vital penalties in the first half, then fired across a 20 metre penalty in the 17th minute, as the sailors further reduced the scores to 13-8.

Navy forwards playing power-packed rugby at this stage, scored their second try when skippering Ruwanthileke, falling over for a pushover try, which ensued from a five metre short tap.

Though Niyathagala missed the conversion, the scores were deadlocked at 13 all, with the partisan crowd at the edge of their seats.

With minutes ticking Navy skipper Ruwanthileke put the issue beyond doubt for his side when he virtually repeated his first try in similar fashion to spark off celebrations in the Navy camp.

Earlier it was Havies who did the entire running as they scored two tries and a penalty in the opening exchanges to subdue the sailors.

Full back Lakala Perera, and number eight Rajive Ganapathy, scored a try each while Perera also put over a penalty.

But the Havies never bargained for the tremendous fight back by the gutsy sailors who came from behind to subject the Park Club into submission and book their place in the Under 21 final at Longden Place.

Match refree and umpires for Sharjah Triangular

South African Denis Lindsay will make his debut as a match refree in next weeks Coca Cola Sharjah Cricket tournament.The ICC have also named George Sharp(England),Steve Dunne (New Zealand) and Daryl Harper (Australia) as the Neutral Umpires for the Triangular tournament which will be played between Sri Lanka,India, and Zimbabwe from the 20 th to the 27 th of this month.

Meanwhile Steve Bucknor(West Indies) and David Shepherd(England) have been named as Umpires for Bangladesh's inaugural test match against India next month. Raman Subba Row will officiate as the ICC match refree. (MF)

Dulip Mendis heads Asian Cricket Council to promote, foster cricket

By Leonard Ratnayake

The newly appointed Development Committee of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has its work cut out.

Their task is to make Asia the best cricket playing region in the world by the Year 2005.

The six-member committee met in Colombo for two days behind closed doors to map out their strategy .

The man who will be responsible for the task is Sri Lanka's former cricket captain Dulip Mendis. He is the chairman of the Development Committee and comes under the patronage of Thilanga Sumathipala, Sri Lanka's Cricket Board President, on whom the ACC have a lot of faith for the future of the game in the Asian region.

The committee is made up of a representative from the United Arab Emirates, Mazhar Khan, Anil Kalavar of Singapore, P. Krishnasamy from Malaysia and J. Shah of Nepal . On their shoulders rest the future of Asian cricket,. This is in addition to the four Test playing countries in Asia of course (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka)

The task to marshall this task has fallen on Sri Lanka after taking into stock the primary structure of all Asian countries. Sri Lanka has proved themselves to be best in this sphere.

Despite the fact that India possess a formidable primary level cricket programme and squads, Sri Lanka has outshone their counterparts in development at grass-root level, which will produce a host of promising cricketers in the future.

Asia Cup 2002

There will be six one day international teams for the next Asia Cup competition in 2002. They will be made up of the four Test playing nations in Asia and the two teams who will figure in the final of the ACC Tournament in 2002

The committee also plans to increase the number of 'Fast Track' countries from the present four to six in two years time. Fast Track countries are where there is a rapid growth in cricket such as interest, participation and performance levels in the game.

Asian Test Championship

The Asian Test Championship will be played among the four Test playing nations. Bangladesh will take part in this tournament for the first time. The tournament will be held on three occasions before the year 2005, with the first for the millennium taking place next year

Youth Asia Cup

An youth Asia Cup tournament will be held once in two years starting next year. Originally 10 teams will vie for the championship and the aim is to increase the number of playing nations by two for the next competition. They also plan to have Under 17 and 15 tournaments annually with many teams from the region participating.

New project

The new project is estimated to cost around 36 million US Dollars and the amount will be pumped in by the Asian Cricket Council. The Asian Cricket Council get its revenue out of a 50 percent share from the ICC Knock-Out tournaments and other tournaments held in the regions for development work.

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