• Jaffna girls go down fighting
• Upekha (84) gives S.Thomas' victory
• Flatters' cricket on April 5
• Taylor (102 n.o), steers Australia to victory
• Death threats to outgoing cricket chief
• Hat-trick by Pasidu Liyanaarachi
• Talking point
• Sri Lanka in great fight back
• Court restrains AGM
• Lanka's 119 n.o. boosts CCC
• The 'lethal combination' in sports
• All Weather performers show their fangs
• Susanthika for World's Fastest Woman race in China
• Triplets shine at table tennis
• Moratuwa MV vs Sri Sumangala

Jaffna girls go down fighting

The Jaffna District netball team went down fighting to the Sri Lanka schools side by 31 goals to 22 at the National Youth Services Courts at Maharagama. The Jaffna girls will be pitted against the Kandy District team today (Sunday, March 29) in Kandy. They will then travel to Galle to play two matches there on Monday. The Jaffna team is seen with the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports S.B.Dissanayake - Pic by Ranjith Perera

Upekha (84) gives S.Thomas' victory

By Marlon Fernandopulle

A blazing innings of 84 by skipper Upekha Fernando helped S' Thomas's to register a crushing 6 wicket victory over Royal in their tradtional limited-over encounter at the SSC grounds yesterday.

Chasing Royal's 225 for 7 in 50 overs S' Thomas's knocked the daylights out of their opponents to reach the target in only the 39th over.

Fernando who scored twin fifties in the big game continued, from where he left off as he pulverized the Royal attack in his 59 ball knock. Making full use of the field restrictions in the first 15 overs, Fernando thumped 15 boundaries and a six before departing in the 16th over with the Thomians sitting pretty at 120 for 2, and assured of victory. He added 68 runs for the first wicket with Sumudu Perera(13) and 52 for the second wicket with Janaka Siriwardene(18).

After Fernando's departure, Nilanka Peiris struck a quickfire 47 with seven boundaries to keep the momentum in the Thomian innings Peiris added 50 runs with Mishard Perera (13 n o) for the 5th wicket as S' Thomas's coasted home to their eleventh victory in the series.

Earlier in the day, Royal taking first lease of the wicket rattled up 225 for 7 wickets in their 50 overs. The innings was built around a solid half century from left hander Jehan Mubarak(62) and a sedate 46 from skipper Shanaka Perera.

Mubarak struck 8 fours and a six in his 72 ball knock, but failed to receive any support from his team mates. Only skipper Perera stuck in the middle with a determined 46 in 75 balls as the Thomian bowlers did well to restrict the Royalists to a modest score.

Royal 225/7 in 50 overs (Ravi Peiris 27, Jehan Mubarak 62, Shanaka Perera 46, Naren Ratwatte 2/59, Harith Rajakaruna 2/34, Lakmal Fernando 1/28, Upeka Fernando 1/25).

S. Thomas'-228/4 in 38.3 overs (Upeka Fernando 84, Sumudu Perera 13, Janaka Siriwardene18, Gehan Fernando 34, Nilanka Peiris 47 n o, Mishard Peiris 13 n o, Harith Rajakaruna 1/31, S. Perera 1/39).

Flatters' cricket on April 5

The past flatters of Bambalapitiya Flats will take on their present counterparts in a fellowship soft-ball cricket match, on April 5, at the Bambalapitiya Flat grounds.

The inaugural get-together cum cricket match played ina lighter vein, is to bring about bon homie among those who lived there in the past and at present.

The 'Flats' have produced some outstanding sportsmen, with some of them playing at international level. All are invited for this cricket match.

Taylor (102 n.o), steers Australia to victory

• Scoreboard

Bangalore, India, March 28 (Reuters) - Skipper Mark Taylor blazed a brisk century after Mike Kasprowicz dramatically ran through the Indian batting to give Australia an eight-wicket victory in the third and final cricket test on Saturday. Looking for a face-saving win after two humiliating defeats at Madras and Calcutta that gave India the rubber, Australia passed the victory target of 194 in less than two sessions with a day to spare.

The left-handed Taylor seemed in a hurry to win the match and save Australia's honour, hitting all around the ground.

His aggressive, unbeaten 102 helped Australia race to 195 for two after India collapsed for 169 in their second innings from the overnight score of 99 for three. Australia were all out for 400 in their first innings in reply to India's first innings total of 424. Fast bowler Kasprowicz set the pace earlier in the day bagging five wickets for only 12 runs. He ended with five wickets for 28.

Taylor took over from the bowlers, slamming 17 boundaries including a drive to extra-cover off left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju that won the match. He hit three boundaries off one over from leg-spinner Anil Kumble.

He had an opening stand of 91 with Michael Slater and put on 81 runs in the unbroken victory partnership with Mark Waugh who remained unbeaten on 33. Waugh hit an unbeaten 153 in the first innings.

Slater, with 42, hit three fours and a six but then edged a leg-break from Sachin Tendulkar to Mohammad Azharuddin at first slip. Tendulkar seemed more comfortable as a bowler as his bowling team-mates looked lacklustre. Kasprowicz struck early in the day, taking a return catch off his own bowling to dismiss Tendulkar for 31.

The paceman then uprooted skipper Azharuddin's leg stump with an inswinger that went through the gap between bat and pad.

Left-hander Saurav Ganguly and Anil Kumble both fell to off-spinner Gavin Robertson before Kasprowicz brushed aside the tail by taking the last three wickets.

"I played some terrible shots in the first innings. Today I played positive," Mark Taylor said.

"We played some positive cricket. We have fought back here. That's a good sign for the guys."

The Indian skipper said he would give all credit to Australia for the series win. "They played better than us," he said.

Azharuddin said Kasprowicz, named man of the match, was the key person who helped in the victory.

Scoreboard

India first innings 424 (S.Tendulkar 177, N.Sidhu 74)

Australia first innings 400 (M.Waugh 153 not out, M.Slater 91, D.Lehmann 52, A.Kumble 6-98).

India second innings (overnight 99-3)

N.Sidhu c Lehmann b Warne	44
V.V.S. Laxman c Ponting b Warne	15
R.Dravid c Healy b Robertson	6
S.Tendulkar c & b Kasprowicz	31
M.Azharuddin b Kasprowicz	18
S.Ganguly b Robertson	16
N.Mongia not out	12
A.Kumble lbw b Robertson	9
Harvinder Singh lbw b Kasprowicz	0
V.Raju b Kasprowicz	2
Harbhajan Singh lbw b Kasprowicz	0
Extras (b-5 lb-5 nb-6)	16
Total	169

Fall of wickets: 1-50 2-61 3-93 4-111 5-127 6-144 7-158 8-159 9-163.

Bowling: Kasprowicz 18-5-28-5 (nb-1), Dale 5-1-21-0, Warne 25-6-80-2 (nb-5), Blewett 10-2-0, Robertson 12-2-28-3

Australia second innings

Fall of wickets: 1-91 2-114.

Bowling: Harvinder Singh 3-0-17-0, Kumble 22.4-5-63-1, Raju 15-4-37-0, Harbhajan Singh 6-1-24-0, Tendulkar 11.2-1-41-1Result: Australia won by eight wickets. First test: Madras - India won by 179 runs ; Second test: Calcutta - India won by an innings and 219 runs. India win three-match series 2-1.

Death threats to outgoing cricket chief

By M.H.M. Manasique

The battle for the most prestigious post in Sri Lankan sport reaches a climax today when the cricket board hold its highly controversial annual general meeting at the board headquarters.

On the eve of the meeting which has provoked charges counter charges and a court of appeal battle, outgoing president Upali Dharmadasa told the 'The Sunday Times' he and other executive members had received death threats from 'cowards who cannot come forward'. Mr. Dharmadasa, the Nawaloka business tycoon is stepping down from the board today after a two year term during which Sri Lanka consolidated their position as world champions in one day internationals and moved steadily towards a similar goal in test cricket.

Two days before the widely awaited cricket board meeting the court of appeal rejected a plea by four petitioners to postpone the meeting until a dispute over a decision by the sports minister and subsequent rejection of some nominations to the board was settled.

The board's executive committee recently rejected two of the four nominations for the post of board president on the basis that those two nominees had not played major tournaments as interpreted by Minister Dissanayake. One of those nominations rejected was that of former cricket board president and soft drink tycoon Ana Punchihewa. Several nominations for other posts were also rejected on the minister's decision.

In the race for the cricket board presidency today are vice president Thilanga Sumathipala and M.M. Muzammil, indications yesterday were that Mr. Sumathipala would win convincingly.

One of the explosive issues that came up during Mr. Dharmadasa's term was the allegation that a senior cricket board official had sought a bribe of 100,000 US dollars to wrap up a deal with the Worldtel company for exclusive rights for Sri Lanka's international matches. It was alleged that the official claimed the bribe on the basis that half of it would be given to the minister.

The case was referred to the permanent commission against bribery and corruption and to the CID. Mr. Dharmadasa who initially brought the allegation to light said yesterday he has done his duty and the CID was continuing investigations while the lawyers were re-negotiating the deal with the Worldtel.

Asked what he would regard as his most notable achievement in the past two years Mr. Dharmadasa said that he was very happy about mending of the cricketing relationship with Australia in the aftermath of the crisis of the world cup. Mr. Dharmadasa and Tryphon Mirando had gone to Australia and persuaded the cricket board there to come here for the four nation singer cup. Mr. Dharmadasa regarded as one of Sri Lanka's top entrepreneurs said he had given a full commitment to the cricket board although it was an honorary job and he would continue to offer his services in any capacity that was required. He said that a two year term was sufficient for any good administrator to work out plans and he had not sought an extension.

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