• Sri Lanka crash to disgraceful defeat
• Malin dazzles in drawn Battle of Saints
• Isipatana take on Ananda at rugby
• Battle of Lovers drawn
• Slow overs by Kingswood
• Series record by Wijeratne
• Rover Pinpoints....
• Ananda and Nalanda craving for victory
• Golden memories & silver sensations
• English cricketers coach promising youngsters
• D.S.-Bens at the CCC grounds...
• ICC should be blamed and not the umpires
• Int. race circuit, a daring possiblity in Sri Lanka
• Test cricket as played in the Botham barracks.
• Robbialac Junior Masters
• In brief

Sri Lanka crash to disgraceful defeat

By Marlon Fernandopulle

On a sensational day of Test cricket where 22 wickets tumbled for just 229 runs Graham Thorpe batted resolutely to steer England to a dramatic four wicket win at the end of the third day in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka at the SSC grounds yesterday. The 31-year-old left hander from Surrey stroked an unbeaten century in the first innings (after having a bat pad catch ruled not out when on 77 by Umpire Orchard) to help England take an eight run lead in the first innings and later batted stubbornly in England’s victory charge to be unbeaten on 32 as Sri Lanka battled desperately to defend 74 runs that was required for victory.

The emphatic victory marked a remarkable comeback for the Englishman who lost the first test by an innings in Galle, but won the second test in Asgiriya and followed it up with a series clinching victory yesterday.

Sri Lanka can only blame themselves for another disgraceful and pathetic batting display that has lately become a very familliar sight. After medium pacer Chaminda Vass reduced the England first innings to 249 all out with a fine spell of bowling that earned him six wickets, the Lankan top order batsman failed to capitalise as they played some irresponsible strokes to gift their wickets.

Opener Marvan Atapattu and Russell Arnold collected a pair of ducks, while Jayasuriya and De Silva managed just 23 runs each as the Sri Lanka wickets crumbled like a pack of cards to be bowled out for just 81 runs, their second lowest total in tests. Needing only 74 runs to win England had a few hiccups on their way but it was a total that the visitors always looked like acheiving.

Malin dazzles in drawn Battle of Saints

By M. Shamil Amit

Another “Battle of the Saints” ended in a draw. The Peterites went for the runs in the first innings and tried to make a match of it by hiting up a good score of 289 for 5 wickets in just 60 overs from their overnight score of 203 for 2 wickets. Thanks to a fine batting display by all-rounder Malin Silva who cracked an unbeaten hundred which included six boundaries and three sixes.

He was involved in two good partnerships first for the third wicket of 73 with Shenal Fernando (33) and the other for the fourth wicket of 58 with Anuradha Gallage (23). St. Joseph’s batting the second time with a deficit of 51 were obviously playing for a draw. When they eventualy declared at the score of 200 for 8 wickets it was obvious that there would be no outcome leaving the Peterites to get 153 runs to win in just 11 overs.

When stumps were drawn the Peterites were 80 for 1 with Jehan Jayasuriya hiting a quick-fire 52.

The Peterites bagged most of awards that were on offer:

Awards: Best Batsman- Dilshan Perumal(St Josephs), Best Bowler- Malin Silva (St. Peter’s), Best Fielder- Ruchira Fernando (St. Peter’s), Best Allrounder- Malin Silva (St. Peter’s), Man of the Match - Malin Silva (St. Peter’s).

By virture of the fact that the match ended in a draw the Fr. Maurice Legoc Challenge Trophy presented by Chittampam Gardiner remains with St. Peter’s who won it in 1978.

St. Joseph’s -238 for 8 wickets dec. (Desmond Morel 26, Dilshan Perumal 104, Ranesh Perera 38, Suren Perera 40; Malin Silva 5 for 77) and 200 for 8 dec. (Dilshan Perumal 68, Ranesh Perera 23, Dilshan Senanayake 40; Nadhula de S Wijeratne 2 for 42, Samindha Gallage 2 for 29)

St. Peter’s-289 for 5 wickets dec. (Denver Faux 50, Malin Silva 105 not out, Jehan Jayasuriya 65, Shenal Fernando 33, Anuradha Gallage 23; Chandan Arvinda 2 for 82) and 80 for 1 at close (Jehan Jayasuriya 52 not out).

Isipatana take on Ananda at rugby

By Channaka Silva

Isipathana will take on Ananda in the opening match of the Cup championships in the inter-schools ten-a-side rugby competition conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Association at Havelock Park today. The other matches in the Cup lined-up for today are: St. Joseph’s vs Wesley; Lumbini vs D.S. Senanayake, Prince of Wales vs St. Peter’s. The matches in the Plate Championships are: Mahanama vs St. John’s; Prince of Wales A vs Zahira; Nalanda vs Isipathana B; Asoka vs Thurstan.

Battle of Lovers drawn

The 96th Battle of the Lovers between Mahinda College Galle and Richmond College Galle ended in a draw at the Galle Esplanade yesterday.

The highlight of the match were the two half centuries - one scored by Tharindu Randima (58) of Mahinda and the other by Mohamed Faizer (60) of Richmond.

Richmond-163 (Chatura Arvinda 40, Chatura Piyadharshana 29, Tharindu Weerasinghe 14, Iresh Chaturanga 10, Wimal Wijerupa 10, U.P.G.Ravindra 25; Lasith Malinga 4 for 37, Chatura Athukorala 3 for 15) and 95 for 2 at close(Mohamed Faizer 60, Sampath Udayakumara 21 not out)

Mahinda -242 for 8 dec;(Tharindu Randima 58, Sampath Sumanasekera 12, Geethanga Liyanage 20, Rohan Wijeratne 12 not out, Chatura Athukorala 39, Lasith Malinga 33, Sanjeewa Priyachinthana 32; Dayan de Silva 2 for 49, W.P.G.Ravindra 2 for 67, Suranga Kapuge 2 for 32) -MSA

Slow overs by Kingswood

By U.J. Jezeem, Kandy Sports Corr.

An extremely poor over rate resulted in the 95th Battle of the Maroons between Dharmaraja College and Kingswood being played up to 6.30 p.m. and the match ended in a tame draw at the Asgiriya Stadium yesterday.Kingswood were guilty of a slow over rate in both innings

Dharmaraja - 201 for 9 dec. and 179 for 3 in 46 overs (Muditha Wijekoon 50, Haresh Ratnayake 80, Amal Silva 17, Vindika Liyanage 20 n.o)

Kingswood - 240 for 8 dec in 67.1 overs (Ranjith Ariyadasa 79, Millinda Wattegedera 37, Buddhika Ekanayake 27, Chamara Seneviratne 28; Nirmal Wickremaratne 2 for 64, Manjula Herath 3 for 38)

Series record by Wijeratne

By S.M.D. Sirisena

Shan Wijeratna set up the new series record in the Battle of Moratuwa when he knocked an unbeaten century in the first innings and an unbeaten half century in the second innings in their 51st encounter against St. Sebastian’s which endedin a draw at Moratuwa yesterday.

Resuming from their overnight score 66 for one, St. Sebastian’s were 257 for 8 declared in reply to Cambrians first innings total of 191 for 5. Suranga de Silva knocked 135 with 21 boundries

Suranga de Silva put on 85 runs partnership for the fourth wicket with Malashan Fernando (14. the second innings the Cambrians were 141 for 4 declared. Sri Lanka under 17 captain Shan Wijeratna who toured Bangaldesh for Asian cup scored an unbeaten 51 with four hits to the ropes.

Prince of Wales - 191 for 5 dec. (S.Perumpili 11, S. Galappatti 31, Shan Wijeratna 100 n.o, B. Dananjaya 18, C. Indrajith 12 n.o; Lasith Fernando 2 for 36, and 141 for 4 in 45 overs (Shan Galappatthi 15, Manjula Bandara 45, Shan Wijeratna 51 n.o. Dananja Buddhika 19 n.o; Manjula Silva 2 for 33, Premesh Perera 2 for 36)

St. Sebastian’s - 257 for 8 declared in 71.1 overs (Suranga de Silva 135, Nuwan Perera 15; Manjula Bandara 3 for 54, Suranga Ranjith 4 for 53, and 18 for 2 (Suranga de Silva 13 no, Manjula Bandara 2 for 2)

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