25th March 2001
News/Comment|
Editorial/Opinion| Plus| Business|
Mirror Magazine
Mahesha and Vindya carry Lanka's vision for the future
Mahesha Seneviratne and Vindya Dayaratne both 14 year old players have been selected to represent Sri Lanka at the Federation Cup event which will be held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan from 7th to 15th April. Four players have been selected to represent the country at this event, which will see 10 countries competing in this Asia/ Oceania Group 2 event. The countries participating are Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, Fiji, Iraq, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka. The players are Sobhini De Silva, Shalini Pereira, Mahesha Seneviratne and Vindya Dayaratne. George Paldano is the non-playing captain, while Irsha Othman is the manager.The Federation Cup is the women's version of the Davis Cup. Each tie will consist of two singles and one doubles. Countries will be placed into two pools and teams will play each other to decide the top team in each pool. The top team in each pool will be promoted to the Asia/Oceania Group 2 in 2002.
The team is undergoing strenuous training under Paldano, the non-playing Captain-cum-Coach for the past 2 months. Paldano is an ITF Level 2 Coach and former national coach of Brunei. He also has vast coaching experience in Germany and Sri Lanka. The players play around 20 hours a week and are also subject to intensive physicals too, said Paldano. The players are shaping up well especially Sobhini and Shalini. It is very likely that Sobhini the No. 1 player in Sri Lanka will play the singles and partner doubles specialist Shalini in the important doubles, while the other singles match will be played by either Mahesha or Vindya. This is subject to change depending on our opponents, he further said.
Mahesha Seneveratne, a student of Bishop's College is the undisputed
number 1 junior player in the country, having won all the junior ranking
tournaments she participated in last year. At 14 years Mahesha stands around
5 feet 8 inches, which is a good height for a girl of the age, said Irshad
Othman, Manager of the Fed Cup team. She has a good serve as a result of
her height. On the other hand 14 year old Vindya Dayaratne is a hard hitter
which is very important in today's game. She also moves well on the court,
he further said.
Joes fight back to tie one dayer
By M.Shamil Amit
The 27th annual one day cricket encounter between St. Joseph's and St. Peter's played at the P.Sara Stadium ended in a thrilling tie which went to the wire with both sides scoring 205 runs each.St. Peter's after winning the toss sent the Josephians to bat. The Joes lost their first wicket when the score was 13 and fell into more trouble with last week's big match centurion Dilshan Perumal out for a duck and the score reading 68 for 3. However a useful partnership of 58 runs for the fourth wicket between Desmond Morel (46) and Thivanka de S. Wijeratne (53) and some useful contributions later helped the Josephians to get 205 for 8 wkts. in their 50 overs.
St. Peter's started their innings in style with openers Denver Faux (60) and Jehan Jayasuriya (32) hitting the Josephians bowlers all-round the field putting on 98 for the first wicket in just 15 overs when Denver Faux got out, from there onwards St. Peter's started losing wickets at regular intervals and lost the ninth wicket when the score was 186 in the 46th over and the Peterites had to get two runs to win in the last over. In the second ball the score was equalled and in the fourth ball Nadhula de S.Wijeratne was ruled out lbw and the match ended in a thrilling tie.
Special Awards: Best Batsman-Denver Faux (St. Peter's), Best Bowler-Anuk de S.Wijeratne (St. Joseph's), Best Fielder - Gihan de Silva(St. Peter's), Man of the Match-Thivanka de S.Wijeratne.
St Joseph's -205 for 8 wickets in 50 overs (Desmond Morel 46, Ranesh Perera 18, Thivanka de S.Wijeratne 53, Dishan Senanayake 13, Chamith Arvinda 27; Malin Silva 2 for 40, Nadhula de S.Wijeratne 2 for 36)
St. Peter's-205 all out in 49.4 overs (Denver Faux 60, Jehan Jayasuriya
32, Malin Silva 31, Nadhula de S.Wijeratne 13, Samindha Gallage 15 not
out; Anuk de S.Wijeratne 3 for 25, Thivanka de S.Wijeratne 3 for 41, Ranesh
Perera 2 for 49)
ICC plan to restrict one-day internationals
BANGALORE, March 24. After setting a 10-year schedule for the Test-playing nations, the International Cricket Council (ICC) will now come out with a comprehensive plan to restrict the number of one-day internationals.The ICC, according to reliable sources, will announce a plan after its
annual general meeting in London in June, to limit the rapidly increasing
number of one-day internationals all over. When approached for his comments,
ICC president Malcolm Gray did not deny the plan but, at the same time,
made clear his unhappiness at the excess limited overs matches and tournaments
being played currently.
Vidyartha Horana boxing champs
By Annesley Ferreira
Newcomers Vidyartha, Horana bagged the Phillips Memorial Shield by emerging Junior National Boxing champions at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. Seevali MMV Ratnapura were the runners-up.K.M. Sugathadasa of Seevali MV bagged the Best Boxer's award while M.P.S. Karunaratne of Veyangoda MV carried away the Best Loser's trophy.
The championships was conducted by the Amateur Boxing Association (AAA).
Results will be published next week.
Easy for Navy
By Channaka Silva
Navy scored a runaway 37 points (two goals, six tries and a penalty) to nil win over newcomers to rugby Galle RFC in their Inter-Club Under 24 rugby tournament encounter at Havelock Park last evening. At the breather score reading Navy 24-nil.This competition is being worked off for the Le Bond Trophy and is being sponsored by Hameedia. Shyam Pradeep scored a try and goaled two tries and putover a penalty. Rohan too scored two tries while I. Wilfred, S. Malawanna and L. Mahesh scored a try each.
Mahinda Jayawardena refereed.
Joseph Vaz champs
By Bruce Maurice
Joseph Vaz beat Christ Church, Matale by 1 goal to nil to bag the Invitation Inter-Schools Hockey title organised by S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia to celebrate their 150th anniversary. At half time it was nil all. In the second half no side asked or gave any quarter until M. Mahanama sent in a scorcher seconds before the long whistle to seal victory for Joseph Vaz.The umpires were, I. Herath, C. Herath and the third umpire was M.B Herath. .
The Chief Guest was one of S. Thomas' College's finest sporting products and Double International- Ishak Sahabdeen.
T T prizegiving postponed
The prize distribution of the Western Province Inter Schools TT championships which was to be held today has been postponed to the 8th of April as the All Island Inter Schools under 14 and under 19 team championships are in progress at S. Thomas' Indoor Stadium.All winners are kindly requested to be present at 10.00 a.m. on April 8th at S. Thomas' to receive their awards.
The championship was conducted by the OBA of St. John's College, Nugegoda. B.M..
Manchester SC and Victory SC champs
In two hard fought and keenly contested soccer matches played at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday, Manchester SC (Gampola) beat Matara Youth SC by 2 goals to nil in the Premier Division 2 final.In the Premier Division 1 final between Victory SC and Premil SC, the former beat the latter by 4 goals to nil. At half time it was 1-0 in favour of the victors.
- B.M.
In Brief
Not qualified
A Senior cricketer from a leading Buddhist school Rover learns is playing in the big match, though he is not qualified to play on the GCE 'O' Level ruling. This same school played a cricketer who had failed to qualify on the same issue in 1988, which saw them set up a record. Win at any cost it seems.Inaugural Asian Throwball Championships in Calcutta
Sri Lanka will participate in the inaugural Asian Throwball championships from March 24 to 26 in Calcutta. India will go out favourites in winning the title contested by Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan, Nepal, China, Japan, Bangladesh and South Korea. The Sri Lanka team will comprise W.P. Chula Dilhani (Captain), I.L.I.K. Gunatilleka (Vice Captain), D.S. Premaratne, K.L.C. Iresha Niroshini, L.A. Chithralatha, D.M.I. Damayanthi Kumari, A.M.N.N. Adikari, A.M. Subani Ajantha, G.S. Umesheni, Nimal Pushpakumari Koholangodayalage. Manager - June Perera, G.A.I. Perera - Coach, I.M. Somawathi.P&A Insurance beat Eagle Ins.
An unbeaten 71 by R. Kottage and supported by Arjuna Ranatunga 69 enabled P&A Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Limited to beat Eagle Insurance by 36 runs in their Mercantile E Division cricket encounter played at the MCA grounds. P&A Insurance batting first totalled 236 for 6 and Eagle Insurance replied with 200. P&A Insurance Brokers Private Limited 236 for 6 in 40 overs (D. Peiris 21, Arjuna Ranatunga 69, R. Galappatthi 21, R. Kottage 71 not out; R. Karunasena 2/33). Eagle Insurance Company Limited 200 all out in 36.5 overs (C. Boteju 50, P. Perera 41, H. Dilshan 39; T. Pathirana 2/38, K. de Silva 2/24, D. Peiris 2/28).Royal retain John H. Reid Trophy
Royal pipped D.S. Senanayake by 3 runs to 2 to retain the John H. Reid Trophy in the Under-19 Boys Baseball Nationals concluded at Police Park. D.S., newcomers to the sport did well to keep Royal in check when they tied at 2 runs each in the 9th innings and won in the 10th innings. On their way to winning the title, Royal beat Richmond, D.S. and Kingswood. Before the final, more than 20 matches were played in Colombo, Galle and Kandy in the nationals organised by the Sri Lanka Amateur Baseball/Softball Association. Rs. 15,000 worth of baseball equipment were distributed among the affiliated and new schools. The Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba Fermin Rodrigues was the chief guest.Kinross sea swim today
The 37th annual Open six-mile sea-swim conducted by the Kinross Swimming and Life Saving Club will be held today starting at 7 a.m. Trophies will be awarded to the men's individual champion, the inter-club champions, the women's individual champion and inter- club champions. The Trophies to be won are: the M.G. Sirimanne Challenge Trophy, John Roche Challenge cup, the Turab A. Jafferjee Challenge cup, the Tissa Ariyarathne Challenge Trophy and the Maharajah Challenge Trophy.Holy Cross, Kalutara Under-16 football team banned
The Holy Cross College Kalutara Under-16 football team has been banned from participation in any schools tournament for a period of one year. They have been banned on a protest lodged by Royal College Colombo in their playing of two players overage with forged photographs. Their Master-In-Charge, Dilan Silva, has been banned for a period of two years and not allowed to attend meetings of the Schools Football Association. The Under-12, 14, and 18 teams are allowed to participate in the tournaments.NOC to conduct new courses
The National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, continuing its efforts to improve and upgrade the administrative skills of sports officials, will initially conduct two Sports Administrative Courses, one in Colombo and one in Vavuniya. The course in Vavuniya is conducted to give an opportunity to those sports officials in the North and East to easily follow a Course in Sports Administration. The proposed dates for the two courses will be as follows: Colombo - 28th April to 1st May, 2001; Vavuniya - 2nd to 5th June, 2001. As the courses will be conducted in English with the aid of a manual, only those officials with a very good knowledge in English will be enrolled to these courses. They will be open only to those who are actively engaged in sports administration at present. Those who wish to follow these courses should forward their applications prepared in English giving details of experience in sports administration to the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee at the Sugathadasa Sports Complex, Colombo 13 before 5th April, 2001. Such applications should be recommended by the Director of Sports of the relevant Provincial Council or by the Hony. Secretary of a controlling body of sports. Applicants should be over 30 years of age and under 50 years of age.
Front Page| News/Comment| Editorial/Opinion| Plus| Business| Sports| Mirror Magazine
Please send your comments and suggestions on this web site to
