Aim at the stars and end up in the moon
Just a few days ago, the cricket buzz in this part of the world was a reported attempt by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Thilanga Sumathipala to move to the hot seat at the International Cricket Council (ICC) after its Chairman Shashank Manohar decided to step down for personal reasons. But, sanity prevailed, and the [...]
Miami, Florida, rolls out the red carpet
On March 20, Crandon Tennis Centre in Miami, Florida, came alive with its 32nd Tennis Championships, the Miami-Open (MO) 2017. The man who started this event was former US player Butch Buchholts. At one time, the Australian-Open, now held in January, was held in December, and was referred to as the Winter Wimbledon. At that [...]
‘Teaching’ schoolboy Ruggerites sidestep/break laws
Most would remember the bandied lyrics of the baila, “Kussi Amma Sera was in love with one Perera, and the home people didn’t know what to do”, which came to mind as I settled myself at the Royal Complex, waiting for the whistle, to watch the much hyped match. The tragicomedy unfolded before the game [...]
Chamindu and Shashika help Dharmapala force a draw
A forty five-run last wicket stand between Chamindu Samarasinghe (36) and Shashika Dilshan (9) helped Dharmapala College avert follow-on and force a draw in the 6th Ruhunu-Maya encounter which concluded at the Tyronne Fernando Stadium at Moratuwa yesterday. Rahula continued from their overnight score of 187/7 and declared their first essay at 210/9. Lakindu Chamodya [...]
Asoka MV advance to semi-finals
Asoka MV Colombo advanced to the final of the Under 19 Division Three inter-school limited over cricket tournament when they defeated Ananda Sastralaya Matugama by eight wickets in the quarter-final encounter played at Hanwella yesterday. The low scoring match saw Ananda Sastralaya taking first lease of the wicket make a score of 89 and then [...]
Reigning champ Fazil seeking to retain title
The Billiards and Snooker Association of Sri Lanka (BSASL)has finalised all arrangements to conduct the Junior National Snooker Championship which is scheduled to get underway at the Otters AC billiards table from today. This will be the first tournament for the year 2017 that the BSASL will be conducting which will go on for seven [...]
Sri Lanka, Pakistan qualify for final
Sri Lanka and Pakistan qualified for the final of the Under 23 Asian Cricket Council Emerging Teams Cup team cricket tournament by securing easy wins against the Bangladesh U23 and Afghanistan U23 teams in the semi-final encounters played at the Zahur Ahmed Stadium and M.A. Aziz Stadium in Chittagong, Bangladesh yesterday. Sri Lanka U23 thanks [...]
St. Sebastian’s dominate drawn game
St. Sebastian’s Katuneriya dominated proceedings in their inaugural Battle of Sea Gulls big match against St. Peter’s Negombo concluded at Kadirana yesterday. The second day’s play saw St. Peter’s in reply to the Sebs score of 282 for 9 declared were bowled out for 173 and made to follow-on with a deficit of 109 runs [...]
Lifetime ban on three SLBA ex-officials
“Former President of the Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA), Suraj Dandeniya, Secretary- Wing Commander Amal Dias and Treasurer- Ruwan Gallege, cannot represent the SLBA in future,” said Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera. This is in consequence to the Sports Law and the advice of the Director General of the Ministry of Sports regarding SLBA 2017 elections, [...]
Title holders Isipathana thrash hapless DSS
In a totally one-sided affair title holders Isipathana College recorded a smashing win by 69-13 against the hapless D.S. Senanayake College side in their Singer Schools Under-20 League Rugby Championship match played at Welisara. Isipathana led 38-8 at halftime and scored from 11 tries and seven conversions. DSS scored from two unconverted tries and a [...]
Antonians gallant in the second half
The Antonians came back with a bang in the second half to their impending defeat into glorious triumph in their match against Dharmaraja at Nittawela yesterday. The Rajans had gone into the lead at the breaks, and at 24-17 at lemons, they must have fancied their chances. However, they had a terrible second half and [...]
Java Lane qualify
Java Lane SC qualified for the finals of City Football League President Cup Tournament beating Moragasmulla SC by 2-0 in the semi-final match played at City Football League ground in Colombo yesterday. Java Lane SC scored their two goals at the first half of the match through Mohamed Rizkan who struck when in the 14th [...]
Joe’s Saints were marching allover
There were many at the ground and, no doubt, a countless number of outsiders, who would have wished to go marching in with the Josephian Saints as they cruised to a relatively comfortable win over St. Peter’s at Bambalapitiya yesterday. The scoreline gave the correct message. It was 25 to the winners (three tries, two [...]
Kegalle and Colombo in final showdown today
The curtains of the Inter-District limited over cricket tournament will come down today with the final clash between Kegalle District and Colombo District scheduled to be played at the SSC ground. In the run up to the final Kegalle District led by Ishan Jayaratne overcame Badulla District in the quarter final and then coasted to [...]
Navindu still on top after twelve counts
Navindu Nirmal continues to call the shots for yet another week as the All-Island Schools segment of the Dialog 4G-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2017 competition reaches its 12th week. Navindu, of St. Aloysius College, added 7155 combined votes during the ended week which takes his tally to 77417. By [...]
Lankans hold their nerve and make it easy for themselves
In the run up to the game, it promised to be a blockbuster but, the marauding Lankans had other ideas. The game started with Lankans losing the toss. But, they were invited to bat by the opposition. The result was a resounding seventy run win for the home team to level the series at one-all [...]
FFSL legitimacy at risk
The Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) is at the risk of losing its recognition as a legitimately appointed governing body by the FIFA if it fails to move forward with the Annual Congress or being placed under the authority of an Interim Committee. The FFSL could not conduct its Annual Congress in 2016 after [...]
Lanka SportsRizen pioneers SL T’ Cup Cycling classic
Organisers Lanka SportsRizen (LSR) has introduced a new dimension to Cycling in Sri Lanka (SL), by pioneering the SL T’ Cup Cycling classic the first international cycle race, scheduled from April 6 to 8 from the east to west coast in Sri Lanka. Man with a vision, LSR Managing Director Thilak Weerasinghe who launched the [...]
80th Police Inter-Divisional Athletic Meet Mar.31-Apr.2
The 80th Police Inter-Divisional Athletic Meet held for 3 days from March 31, concludes today at the Police Park. This important event in the Police Sports Calendar, has produced many outstanding athletes who brought fame to the Police Force and to Sri Lanka, nationally and internationally. The inaugural Meet, pioneered by the 4th Inspector General [...]
Lanka’s Netball coach not convinced
Tamara Liyanage, Coach of the Sri Lanka Youth Netball team to South Korea to take part in the Tenth Asian Youth Netball Championships from May 6 to 13, says that she is not fully satisfied with the team entrusted to her. “It was the Sri Lanka Netball Selection Committee which handed over the team to [...]
Desktop Publishing take top honours
Desktop Publishing ‘B’ defeated Hokandara ‘B’ by 18 runs to claim the D.R. Wijeyawardene Challenge Trophy at the Inter-Department Cricket Tournament of Wijeya Newspapers held at the Janaka Ranawaka ground in Rajagiriya last weekend. Desktop Publishing ‘B’ became the best cricket team among other department sides of Wijeya Newspapers for the first time as they [...]
ALL IN VAIN
An official felicitation was organised for two famous cricketers by the Past Cricketers Association of their school. Invitations were sent and none of them had informed of their availability. One had put spin if he gets the visa, he may go abroad while had arrived on the night of the ceremony. But none of them [...]
NSSF conducts first ever Electronic Shooting Target Course
The National Shooting Sports Federation (NSSF) of Sri Lanka held its first ever Electronic Shooting Target (EST) Course with Aado Maranik, a qualified Course Instructor from Australia conducting the course. The 3-day Course was held at the Concord Hotel, Dehiwela, with the participation of 35 officials. The EST Course was made possible due to the [...]
Alcazaba in line for bigger deeds
Hot favourite Alcazaba, owned by Deepthika Jayakody, will be one of the thoroughbreds on line to claim the Selvaratnam Challenge Trophy, Royal Turf Club’s (RTC) first race for the April Season, at the Racecourse in Nuwara Eliya today. Alcazaba has had the privilege of claiming success in the recent races conducted by the RTC, which [...]
The Law catches up with Cricket: Changes to the game
For all its rapid latter-day modernisation, Cricket lives with such a hidebound past that, sometimes, plain common sense comes across as a radical new idea. The updates to Cricket’s rulebook, announced by Marylebone Cricket Club on Monday, are mostly obvious and certainly commendable in themselves but, with this caveat: Why so long? 1. RESTRICTION ON [...]
Sanjeewa Pakistan bound, wins GP
B.A. Sanjeewa returned a record 13 under par over four rounds to win the CAT SOLAR Pin Fernando Grand Prix, March Edition by a clear 12 strokes. Sanjeewa has been consistently performing well, but his March Grand Prix four rounds of 68, 68, 66, 69, were truly exceptional. J.M.D. Indika — the only other player [...]
2016 Presidential Sports Awards on May 19 at the BMICH
The 2016 Presidential Sports Awards Ceremony will be held on May 19 at the BMICH, with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as Chief Guests. The Sports Ministry and the Sports Development Dept (SDD) are conducting this event for the second successive year, with the Sports Ministry making the awards. Altogether, 56 Sports [...]
MCA Over-40 ‘Sixes’ today
The Annual MCA Over-40 ‘Sixes’ 2017, for ‘Elephant House Lemonade’ Trophy,will be held today at the MCA and Thurstan College Grounds, commencing 8.30 am at both venues. The highest number of teams- 18- in the history of the tournament, will be participating. Cricketing veterans of CEAT Kelaniya, Laughs Holdings, The Finance Co., Deutsche Bank AG [...]
HNB Grameen, Asia Asset Finance meet in Final
Unbeaten HNB Grameen (HNB) and Asia Asset Finance (AAF) will meet in the final of the 15th David Pieris Group of Companies (DPGC) sponsored, ‘DPGC’ Challenge Trophy, MCA ‘E’ Division 30-Over League Tournament 2017. In the semifinalsplayed last Sunday, HNB scored a hard fought 3-wickets win over Mercantile Investments Ltd. (MIL), while AAF scored a [...]
Fair First Insurance emerge Champions
The experience of Roshan Randima and the court-craft of Isuru Perera gave Fair First Insurance (FFI) (formally Union Assurance General) a thrilling 9/7 win over DFCC Bank (DFCC) ‘B’ in the Men’s Gold Category Final at the 2nd edition of theMercantile Services Basketball Association (MSBA) – Dialog Axiata 3×3 Basketball Championships 2017, at the Sir [...]
Manchester Football in Kolonnawa
In order to promote football in Sri Lanka former national players have opened up an academy, named the Manchester Soccer Academy in Kolonnawa. Those in charge of the training are former Sri Lankan national players holding the AFC ‘C’ License. Their primary aim is to promote the game at the grass-root level. The Technical Director [...]
Debutants Siam City Cement, Ansell Textiles make winning entry
Debutants, Siam City Cement (SCC) and Ansell Textiles (Ansell) made their entry to MCA Cricket in style, as they recorded their first ever wins, in the opening week of the 2nd Commercial Credit & Finance PLC sponsored MCA ‘F’ Division 25-Over League Tournament 2017, which commenced last weekend. SCC snatched a thrilling 1-wicket win over [...]