• CR-Havies in 13-all thriller
• Trinity down Vidyartha
• Pakistan-Australia match in Sri Lanka was 'fixed'
• Donald Campbell admonished
• Royal overwhelm Zahira
• Sweet revenge for Hatton National
• Future bright despite impotent spin
• CR on the correct path
• Club Intersport Open Squash
• Turned Blind Eye
• In Brief
• Betting should only be on horse races
• Three players bag tennis doubles at Trans Asia open championships
• Lanka for Jnr. World Tennis
• Inter-Club basketball after 25 years
• Royal in three finals
• Lanka third at Fed. Cup tennis
• Rover pinpoints....

CR-Havies in 13-all thriller

By Bernie Wijesekera

The traditional first leg tie between CR&FC and Havelocks ended in a thrilling 13 all draw at Longden Place yesterday.

Just before the long whistle the Havies led13-10. During the second minute of injury time Zulfikar Halimdeen taking a spot-kick in front helped the Longden Place Club to a thrilling 13-all draw. (Two tries to a penalty) to (a goal and two penalties).

At the turn around, CR were leading 10-3.

With both teams plagued with injuries, players had to be changed constantly in either side. Both teams fought a relentless battle with no quarter given nor asked for. The Havies came in to this game as underdogs. This gave the erstwhile opponents a torrid time with their ferocious tackling. In the first half they even had the edge in the long throws with Shanaka Perera being outstanding. The red shirts hadn't a line out specialist in the calibre of Duminda de Silva to be in control. The CR 'eight' played in patches and lacked their usual mobility. To add to their woes in the second half granite hard flanker Savantha de Saram had to be carried out due to injury. Asanga Rodrigo played an intelligent game be it in attack or defence.

In the first half CR hadn't a competent place kicker which cost them dearly. The Havies had a fair share of the good ball. But fly half Jeffrey Saheed tendered the ball to the no man's area, instead of moving around where winger Sanjeeva Jayasinghe was starved.

The Havies had a good opportunity of breaking the five year jinx of beating the red shirts whilst leading at the 30th minute of the second half.

The last time they beat the CR was in 1995 at the 'Park'. Both sides didn't deserve to lose and it was a fitting result in the end. Sudath Sampath came in for Leonard de Zylwa mid way in the second half for the Havies. Sampath showed a touch of his old class. Anura Dhammika, who came in during the dying stages of the second half, stood out in defence. Alfred Hensman, just before the short whistle, was sent to the sin-bin by referee Nizam Jamaldeen for unwarranted play. Here it was a penalty for CR but it was revoked when he spotted Hensman.

In the 16th minute in the first half CR opened through a fine break by centre Haren Perera where the ball changed hands for Kishin Musafer to fall over for a corner flag unconverted try 5-0.

The Havies place-kicker, after missing two spot kicks, was lucky in his third attempt to make it 5-3. CR hit back with a peach of a second try. Full-back Sumith Premantha formed the overlap and bemused the defence to fall over for an unconverted try 10-3. After the short break Kishin Musafer was replaced by Zulfikar Halimdeen and Shamly Nawaz replaced Pavithra Fernando.

Dilshad Ansari scored the second penalty for the Havies to make it 10-6. Then came that superb mid-field interception by the Havies forwards for winger Sanjeewa Jayasinghe to make that dazzling 35 metre run to fall over under the posts. Ansari added the extra points to make it 13-10. CR paid dearly when they opted to run the ball, instead of taking the spot kick. But Zulfikar Halimdeen saved the blushes for the red shirts during injury time to make it 13 all, when referee Nizam Jamaldeen blew no side.

* TODAY: Kandy come down to Colombo to meet Police SC at Police Park at 5 p.m.

Trinity down Vidyartha

By Aubrey Kuruppu

Events other than rugby marred what was an enthralling game between Trinity and Vidyartha at Pallekelle last evening.

The final scoreline read 38 (4 goals, 2 tries) to 29 (3 goals, 1 try, 1 penalty) to Trinity but at half time Vidyartha had run up an impressive 29-12 lead.

Full back Disal Jayawardena was the match winner for Trinity. The fact that Trinity was able to pile 26 points in the second half was due to in the main to Jayawardena's exciting running. Winger Riaz and Selvam also touched down for Trinity.

The first half was dominated by Vidyartha even though Trinity had scored first.

Pakistan-Australia match in Sri Lanka was 'fixed'

By Alex Brown

Former national coach Bob Simpson is adamant at least one was fixed under his tenure but denied any Australian involvement.

Simpson, who refused to reveal the game in question, said the stunning turn of events during the well-documented match led him to believe the result had been contrived before a ball was bowled.

"At the time we were thrilled to win it but afterwards we thought the way we won was a little strange," Simpson said from England, where he is coaching county side Lancashire. "We were all out for 180 or so, and the other team appeared to be cruising.

"Then, all of a sudden there was a spate of very strange dismissals, including a few suicide run-outs, and it became pretty clear something was up."

It is believed Simpson was referring to a match in Sri Lanka in which Australia were dismissed for just 176 against Pakistan.

Pakistan surged to 1-90 but a dramatic collapse allowed the Australians an unlikely victory. The match was later described by Pakistan player Saeed Anwar as "fixed".

Meanwhile, ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed has responded to reports in Indian newspapers that the board would consider boycotting one-day tours to the subcontinent unless the ICC clamped down on illegal betting practices in the region.

"Those reports are completely inaccurate," Speed said. "We will play in all tournaments we have committed to."

Donald Campbell admonished

Donald Campbell, who was a late arrival to join the Zimbabwe 'A' team now on tour here, cut a sorry figure with his unwarranted behaviour on the field in the first unofficial Test match played atthe Welagedera Stadium.

He was constantly heard making filthy remarks whenever the local batsmen hit a four or a six.

His behaviour on the field was most unbecoming and a disgrace to the game.

He was reported to the Match Referee, who in turn summoned the two captains and the managers of the respective teams. They were told to get the message across to the players to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner.

The Manager of the Sri Lanka A team has mentioned that his players were not at fault at any stage of the game. The players were told along with their respective officials before the start of the match by the Match Referee to play it hard and clean, but refrain from unwarranted behaviour.

Despite all this advice, Campbell, thought it fit to cast filthy remarks.

The umpires too complained about Campbell's conduct to the Match Referee.

Campbell was hauled up and severely warned. He tendered an apology. The Sri Lankan Manager, however, has made an official complaint to the Match Referee and to the Cricket Board for action.

This complaint, in all probability, will be sent to the Zimbabwe Cricket Board. - (B.W)

Royal overwhelm Zahira

By Jatila Karawita

Royal College proved their overwhelming superiority in trouncing a hapless Zahira College side by 37 points ( 2 Goals, 4 Tries, 1 Penalty ) to 6 ( 2 Penalties) in their Milo Trophy Inter School league rugby encounter at Police Park yesterday.

At the breather the winners led by 20-0.

Royal who were the more superior side on the field yesterday, simply lived up to their high reputation, with an attacking display of running rugby by their 'threes', as the lads from Maradana being unable to withstand the tremendous onslaught, by the Reid Avenue boys,succumbed meekly in the end. The Royal back division led by skipper and dashing centre Harin Kaluarachchi, dished out a fabulous exhibition of fast paced rugby, as they put on show their penchant for scoring tries, with winger Indika De Silva leading the way planting two tries, while skipper Kaluarachchi added the icing on the Royal cake through, what turned out to be a breathtaking solo try moments, before the long blast of the referee.

Kaluarachchi who picked up the ball, off a loose maul in mid way of the field, simply punted ahead covering some 40 metres down the right flank, and finally having collected the ball which bounced off nicely through his own kick, the Royal skipper fell over to round off an excellent performance by the Royal 'outsides'.

For the winners No. 8 Suren Mendis, hooker Dilanka Hettiarachchi, and lock Vinod Rathnayake, also scored a try each in their try feast at Police Park last evening while place Kicker and full back Dave Wijewardene goaled two of the tries besides putting over a penalty as well.

For the Zahirians who looked a beaten side from the moment they stepped onto the field, their scrum half and place kicker Shan Kunchi converted two consolation penalties late in the second half.

Sweet revenge for Hatton National

By Marlon Fernandopulle

Hatton National Bank fought back to take sweet revenge and defeat East West Information Systems by 67 runs in a Mercantile A division game at the P Sara Stadium yesterday.

After being beaten in the MCA Sixes final last week by East West, the Bankers had their share of success yesterday despite being bowled out for 152 in 47.1 overs. They fought back after East West got off to a solid start and coasted to 50 for 1 at one stage.Kumar Dhrmasena triggered the collapse when he broke the crucial second wicket partnership after which spinners Sajeewa Weerakoon(3/6) and Malintha Warnapura(4/15) combined effectively to clean up the middle order and the rest of the East West team.

Earlier the Bankers who elected to bat first did not have things to their liking as their batsmen struggled on a wicket that had an uneven and unpredictable bounce.

Hatton National Bank-152 all out in 47.1 overs (Chaminda Handunhettige 22, Saman Jayantha 40, Kumar Dhrmasena 24, Malintha Warnapura16; Nisitha Rupasinghe 3/23, Sajika Abeynayake 2/31)

East West Information Systems -85 in 40 overs (Manjuala Fernando 24, Surath Liyanage 18, Sajika Abeynayake 15; Kumar Dharmasena 2/11, Malintha Warnapura 4/15, Sajeewa Weerakoon 3/6)

Easy meat for Access

A fine century from Gayan Wijeyakoon helped Access to record a crushing 119 run victory over John Keells at Reid Avenue yesterday.

Wijeyakoon who opened the batting for Access smashed 10 boundaries in his 158 ball knock as Access piled up 277 for 6 wickets in their alotted 50 overs. He was well supported by a run a ball 65 from Anil Ridigammnagedara who thumped three sixes and six boundaries.

John Keells never looked like scoring the required 5.5 runs per over required for victory as they eventually were bowled out for 158 in the 42 nd over.

Access -277/6 in 50 overs (Indika Galagoda 23, Gayan Wijeyakoon 117, Indika de Saram 15, Anil Ridigammanagedara 65; Ruwan Kalpage 2/44 )

John Keells -158 all out in 41.5 overs (Trevor Cramer 27, Ravi Subasinghe14 ,Punyakantha Abeyagunasekera 44; Priyankara Wickremasinghe 4/28, Anil Ridigammanagedara 2/32)

Seylan sews up Singer

Half centuries from Pradeep Hewage (58), Naweed Nawaz (60) and Chaminda Vaaz (50 n.o.) helped Seylan Bank to score a comfortable 43 run victory over Singer at Maitland Place yesterday.

Opener Hewage and Nawaz added 93 for the second wicket as Seylan took firm control and sent Singer on a leather hunt. All rounder Chaminda Vaaz joined in hitting two sixes and a boundary in a quickfire unbeaten half century that carried the bankers past the 250 mark.

Singer suffered an early double blow to be 7 for 2 wickets, but a century stand for the third wicket between Buddhika Perera (67) and Hashan Tilekaratne (50) gave Singer a glimmer of hope but the rest of their batsmen failed to carry the fight as they ended on 214/8 in their allotted 50 overs.

Seylan - 257/7 in 50 overs (Pradeep Hewage 58, Naweed Nawaz 60, Mahela Jayawardene 21, Sampath Perera 31, Chamimnda Vaaz 50 n. o; Lasantha Siriwardene 2/40, A Wijeyakoon 2/50)

Singer-214/8 in 50 overs (Buddhika Perea 67, Hashan Tilekaratne 50, Lasantha Siriwardene 31; Suranjith Silva 2/37, Sajika Abeyanayake 3/47)

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