• Lanka ready to deliver the knock-out punch
• Honours for Vidyartha in big match
• Nalanda on top in 'Battle of Maroons'
• Rover pinpoints
• DSS are firm favourites
• Rathnavali champions
• Sri Rahula bowling vs Sumangala batting
• Football fever is set to sweep the island
• Team Mobil - A new look
• First to get a life ban
• In defence of Asgiriya
• Exclusive T.V. Channel for Sports coverages
• Sponsorship for golf 
• Mahesha and Vindya carry Lanka's vision for the future
• Joes fight back to tie one dayer
• ICC plan to restrict one-day internationals 
• Vidyartha Horana boxing champs
• Easy for Navy
• Joseph Vaz champs
• In Brief

Lanka ready to deliver the knock-out punch

By Marlon Fernandopulle

I think the batsmen have to concentrate more, apply themselves well, and most of all think and use their mind to a great extent." The skipper praised his bowlers for routing England for just 143 in the first game which paved the way for the batsmen to get at the target with ease. "Our bowlers did extremely well to restrict and bowl out England for a small total. We also delayed bringing on Muralitharan until the 20th over to put more pressure on the England batsmen. The move paid off", said a beaming Jayasuriya. Sri Lanka are expected to field the same team for today's game. 

However England are expected to make a couple of changes. Skipper Graham Thorpe said that he was not happy with his team's batting and expects to strengthen the department with the inclusion of Nick Knight and may be even all rounder Mark Elaham. It is likely that Michael Vaughan will not retain his place while the chances of England leaving out one of the three medium pacers who played on Friday is certain as the wicket at the R. Premadasa Stadium offers little or no assistance to the fast bowlers." "It's not easy defending 143 in a game. However that is all over now and we are looking forward to our next game. 

We came back very well in the test series and I don't see why we can't repeat that in the one dayers", said a confident Thorpe who is captaining England for the first time.

Honours for Vidyartha in big match

The Sylvestrians who were reeling at 19 for 4 overnight, batted through to 134, conceding a lead of 125. Skipper Sanjaya Nanayakkara grabbed six wickets with his off cutters.

Acting skipper Weerasinghe (deputising for Chanaka Wijesinghe) top-scored with 34. Consistent scorer Refai made 28 and followed it up with an unbeaten 53, second time around.

All honours in this game were claimed by the Vidyartha team, even though a win eluded them.

Vidyartha - 259 for 4 dec.

St. Sylvester's - 19 for 4 contd., 134 (M. Refai 28, J.Weerasinghe 34, S. Matotaarachchi 26, M.Hamid 18; S. Nanayakkara 6 for 60, K. Dunusinghe 2 for 23) and 112 for 4 (C. Ranaweera 10, J. Weerasinghe 18, S. Matotaarachchi 16, M. Refai 53 n.o; B. Chandrasiri 2 for 26) - A.K.

Nalanda on top in 'Battle of Maroons'

By Leonard Ratnayake

Nalanda finished the day at 111 for four at stumps after bowling their opponents our for a mere 168 runs.

Nalanda winning the toss made a wise decision to give first lease of the wicket to Ananda who were reeling at two wickets for four runs in the fifth over of the match. 

Opener Bagya Thalagala and inform Yohan Wickramage failed to deliver the good for Ananda who are crippled by the absence of two of their best batsmen in the side as skipper Mutumudalige Pushpakumara and his deputy Thilina Kandambi are in Australia doing national duties against an Australian Under 19 XI. 

Nalanda skipper and the season's greatest schoolboy batsman Sukitha Peiris too is away in Australia. 

Thus the glamour of seeing these two star players in action was a big disappointment.

However Damidu Kularatne and skipper Lakshan Fernando were building their innings before the latter got out for 24. Kularatne led a solitary fight to resist the opposing bowlers but eventually was bowled by Ishan Dilshan for 70 made in 198 balls. Dilshan struck at regular intervals to cause severe damage to the Ananda innings as he grabbed five wickets for 47 runs.

Dinesh Danthanarayana, coming in at number nine, launched a valuble 32 runs to take the Anandian total to 168 all out in 74.4 overs.

In reply, the Nalandians played positive cricket with almost every batsman doing his bit.

Experienced Mevan Porage made only 22 while Amila Kiriella made 30 runs.

Ananda College - 168 all out in 74.4 overs (D. Kularatne 70, 

L. Fernando 24, U. Dantanarayana 32, I. Dias 6 n.o; M. Gamarachchi 1 for 26, C. Kumarasiri 2 for 26, I. Dilshan 5 for 47, D. Jayasundera 2 for 24)

Nalanda College - 111 for four in 27 overs. (M. Porage 22, A. Kanchana 30, M. Dunusinghe 13, C. Kumarasiri 16 n.o., T. Perera 12 n.o;

I. Dias 1 for 35, M. Somaratne 1 for 18, Wickramage 1 for 30)

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