• Islam cracks 145 as Bangladesh post 400 in maiden Test
• CBI report yet to arrive
• First Royal-Thomian tennis encounter
• Can women do what men did?
• foreign tennis coach
• Anouk’s victorious return
• In brief
• No more poor and honest
• Football school not an academy
• Daluwatte re-elected
• Orient Lanka sponsors golf
• Rover Pinpoints....
• Sirisoma shines at world billiards
• Attapatu sends Antonians on leather hunt in Premier League
• Colts hold the gun
• Scores at a glance:
• Nalanda post highest score

Islam cracks 145 as Bangladesh post 400 in maiden Test

DHAKA, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Aminul Islam hit 145 as Bangladesh made 400 in the first innings of their maiden Test against India on the second day of the one-off match in Dhaka on Saturday.

Islam became the third batsman to hit a century for a country playing their first test with an innings that included 13 fours and a six.

Bangladesh’s score was the second highest first innings total by a team in their maiden test, bettered only by Zimbabwe’s 456 against India in 1992-93 at Harare.

Islam’s innings electrified a packed crowd and was watched by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Islam sparked delirious celebrations when he reached his century, from 282 balls, with a sweep.

He was finally dismissed when he edged a catch to Javagal Srinath at long-on off medium pacer Ajit Agarkar.

His 85-run seventh wicket partnership with Khaled Masud lifted Bangladesh’s overnight score of 239 for six to 324. Spinner Sunil Joshi was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of five for 142. Zaheer Khan and Agarkar finished with two wickets apiece. In reply, India were 81 for one at the close. The player out was test debutant Shiv Sundar Das (29) who was bowled by Bangladesh skipper Naimur Rahman.

Sadagopan Ramesh (40) and Murali Karthik (seven) were the not out batsmen.

Bangladesh became the 10th test playing nation when they were granted full status in June this year by the International Cricket Council.

Desmond to probe match fixing issue

CBI report yet to arrive

By Chandani Kirinde

President’s Counsel Desmond Fernando is still awaiting a copy of the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) report to begin inquiring into whether there is evidence of a prima facie case against the two Sri Lankan players who have been named in it as having being involved in match fixing.

Mr. Fernando said that he had requested a copy of the report as well as transcripts of the evidence of the Indian bookie who made these allegations to begin his inquiry.

He is yet to receive them.

The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) has asked Mr. Fernando to study the report and advise the Board whether there is evidence to implicate the said players with match fixing.

Two of Sri Lanka’s top players former Captain Arjuna Ranatunga and Aravinda De Silva have been named by an Indian bookie as having accepted US $ 15,000 to fix a test match in Lucknow, India in 1994. Both players have denied the allegations.

The Board’s President Thilanga Sumathipala told reporters on Monday that Mr. Fernando has been given a free mandate to obtain the assistance of any persons or organizations at his discretion to enable him to advise the Board.

Mr.Sumathipala said that once the recommendations were received they would decide what course of action the Board could initiate in this regard.

He said the BCCSL had no doubts about the credibility of the CBI report, the release of which early this month threw the cricketing world into a disarray with some of the top players in the world being named in it as having being involved in fixing matches.

Mr.Fernando who is the BCCSL’s representative to the International Cricket Councils (ICC’s) Code of Conduct Commission said he is in touch with the ICC’s chairman regarding this matter.

Mr.Fernando has been given one month to study and make his recommendations. This is the first time that any Sri Lankan player have been accused of match fixing.

First Royal-Thomian tennis encounter

By Bruce Maurice

Today all roads in Colombo will lead to the Queen’s Club, Colombo, when two of the oldest institutions lock horns for the first time on a tennis court. Although players from these two schools have opposed each other at various tournaments, this will be the first time they will be confronting each other in a Battle of the Blues tennis encounter.

Both colleges have produced top class players who have represented this country in the Davis Cup. From S. Thomas’, Rupert Ferdinands who played for Ceylon while still a schoolboy, David Selvadurai, Ranjan Wattegedare, Rajah Praesody, P.S. Kumara, who will be the chief guest at the first Royal/Thomian tennis duel, the late G.N. Perera and the late Everard De Silva. While Royal has produced the brothers Arjun and Suith Fernando, A. Seneviratne and R. Rajapakse.

The matches will be played in three age groups. Under-12, 16 and 20 and no player will be permitted to play more than one match. Seven players will play in each age group. In the Under-16 and Under-20 age groups, the results will be decided on the best of 17 games. While in the Under-12 age group, the results will be decided on the best of 13. In the senior and intermediate age groups, the tie-breaker will be at 8 all and in the junior age group, the tie-breaker will be at 6 all.

The honour of leading the two senior teams for this historic encounter will fall on the shoulders of D. Gajanayaka of S. Thomas’ and Sanjaka Wirasinghe of Royal. Today, these two youngsters will create a record that leave alone will never be broken - but will never be changed. It will be like trying to change the alphabet. What a story it will be for them to relate to their future generations when they will be crusty old men.

The winner will be the school that wins two out of three or, all three categories. The senior and intermediate matches will be played on a best of 17 games and the junior games will be played on a best of 13 games.

The challenge trophy donated by Mr. D.L. Seneviratne will honour a duel Royal Thomian personality, Mr. E.F.C. Pereira, a product of Royal College from 1922-30. The other well known Royalists of his vintage were, Dudley De Silva who was later called on to guide the destinies of the College, B.R. Heyn who played both cricket and hockey for Ceylon and later went right to the top of the Army ladder, H.S. Roberts who played in the 50th Royal/Thomian cricket encounter and also for Ceylon and R.G. Senanayaka, the politician who in 1956 created a world record, when he became the member of two seats in the same Parliament, Kelaniya and Dambadeniya.

After obtaining his B.A. (English Hon) from the University of Colombo, he started guiding future generations where he himself “learnt the way before them.” However after fifteen years, he had a change of heart and joined the staff where students in their blindness bowed down to Wood and Stone. For the next fifteen years he served S. Thomas’ as if he was a Thomian himself and not a product of the rival College. But after 15 loyal and devoted years at STC, his old school started tugging at his heart strings. So back once again to Royal he went.

That was in 1949, where he did another stint on the staff till 1972. When he left S. Thomas’ Mr. Pereira had not burnt his boats behind him. So back to S. Thomas’ once again in 1973 where he served the school until 1987. As a student and teacher, Mr. Pereira was totally devoted to both schools. He associated with each school for 30 years. A record that will be unmatched and remain unique. And to whom the students that he taught at both schools can truly say, “To Sir With Love”. Finally in 1989, he went on that journey from which no traveller ever returns.

Therefore, it is nothing but fair that both schools share him equally, and the challenge cup donated in his memory is a fitting tribute to his memory.

Royal - U-20 Sanjay Wirasinghe (Capt), Sanjiv Paramanathan, Roshan Peiris, U. Walgampaya, E. Weerakoon, Ravi Munasinghe, A. Jayaweera Bandara.

S. Thomas’ - Dasitha Gajanayaka (Capt), Eraj Sirisena, D. Kaneshayoga, D. Ratnayake, R. Soyza, J. Seneviratne, R. Ratnatileka.

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