Inspiration, perspiration and team work bear fruit
By Bruce Maurice
Inspiration, perspiration and unselfish team work and Hatton National Bank
were crowned worthy champions at the first Netball Ranking Tournament conducted
by the Netball Federation at the NYSC recently.
Thirty teams were divided into eight groups, with HNB slotted into Group
'B' with Speedbirds, Playgrounds and Kalutara Balika. All preliminary games,
quarters and semi finals were of 10 minutes duration, while the final was
a one hour battle.
After coming through the preliminaries undefeated, HNB defeated Speedbirds
in the quarter final, Air Force in the semi final and SLPA in the final
after the game went into extra time.
The Ports Authority with six national players doing duty for them must
have thought they were the only hens in the yard and the other teams including
the bankers were there for the picking. This would also have been due to
the fact that HNB were minus three of their national players. Gayathri
Lankatileka (wing defence), Jayanthi Somasekeram (goal attack), Somitha
Kumari (centre) and H. K.N. Dilrukshi who was away in Thailand for the
ABC Basketball Championships.
These players were replaced by rookies Manoja Ranchagoda, Nazleem Hassim,
Sumudumali Geekiyanage while the evergreen Anne Weerakkody who gets better
as the years roll on, was coaxed out of semi retirement.
In the final, HNB were behind the SLPA by eight points at half time.
It was here that stand-in coach Somitha Kumari read the Riot Act and got
them to pull their socks up. And with it also came some sweeping and inspiring
changes in positions. Goal Defence and Goal Keeper swopped places. Goal
attack was replaced by former national skipper Deepthi Rupasinghe. Wing
Defence was replaced by Anne Weerakkody. Thushari Kodituwakku who played
in the Wing Defence position was switched to Wing Attack and when the final
blast was sounded the scores were tied at 50 - 50.
The SLPA who must have thought the game was all sewn up at half time
would never have thought that, that final blast was to be the 'Last Post'
for them. In the extra five minutes, a tornado in the from of HNB hit them.
The HNB damsels fired four broadsides and romped to a thrilling 54-52 win.
What made the victory taste sweeter for HNB was that they were without
a coach. Lourdes Jayasekera , who had been coaching them is now doing duty
in the Maldives. So Somitha Kumari who should have been playing, stepped
into Lourdes' shoes. This girl without any experience in coaching, proved
her worth in no uncertain terms. She proved she knew her coaching onions.
She knew exactly where and when to throw her cards and they all tuned up
trumps. Well Done ! Take a bow Somitha.
Victory was also due to superb team spirit and all pulling in one direction.
There was no selfishness to hog the limelight. Instead, each one gloried
in the others triumphs.
Marlon Nathaniel Samuels
Born: 5 January 1981, Kingston, Jamaica Major Teams: Jamaica, West Indies.
Known As: Marlon Samuels
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break
Test Debut: West Indies v Australia at Adelaide, 3rd Test, 2000/01 ODI
Debut: West Indies v Sri Lanka at Nairobi (Gymk), ICC KnockOut, 2000/01
Travis John Friend
Born: 7 January 1981, Kwekwe Major Teams: CFX Academy, Zimbabwe, Midlands.
Known As: Travis Friend Also Known As: Testosterone,Chunks Batting Style:
Right Hand Bat Bowling Style: Right Arm Fast
Career Statistics:
TESTS
Batting & M I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Ct St
Fielding 3 4 0 66 30 16.50 35.10 0 0 0 0
O M R W Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ
Bowling 106.4 19 373 9 41.44 3-87 0 0 71.1 3.49
Russel Premakumaran Arnold
Born: 25 October 1973, Colombo Major Teams: Nondescripts Cricket Club,
Sri Lanka. Known As: Russel Arnold Batting Style: Left Hand Bat Bowling
Style: Right Arm Off Break
Profile:
Russel Arnold, a strong Christian and keen fan of rugby, secured a regular
place in the Sri Lankan team after the 1999 World Cup in England. He started
his career as an opening left handed batsman and made his Test debut against
Pakistan at Premadasa International Stadium in 1996/7. Since then he has
dropped down the order and is considered an ideal number six because of
his cool temperament and ability to adjust to different match situations.
Although capable of playing shots all round the wicket, he has concentrated
on limiting his range of shots and playing the percentages. He is particularly
strong off his legs and quick to drive. To the spinners he is an avowed
and unrepentant sweep-a-holic. He plays his domestic cricket for Nondescripts
Cricket Club and has developed into a useful off spin bowler, who is being
increasingly used by Sanath Jayasuriya in one-day cricket. Despite a penchant
for strange haircuts he is considered a potential captain in waiting. However,
for the moment, he is struggling to retain his place in the Test side.
He was dropped in the recent Asian Test Championship match against after
two lean years - in 2000 he averaged 22.52 and in 2001 he averaged just
21.50. This compares poorly to when he first came into the side as an opener
and averaged 49.70 in 1999. In the one-day game, though, his place is assured.
He averages 40 with a high strike rate of 75 runs per 100 balls and has
the knack of taking important wickets at crucial times.
Hurry!
Get your copy of The Official BCCSL Tour Publication!
The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka has published an Official
Brochure to mark the visit of the West Indies and Zimbabwe. It comprises
80 pages of articles on the history of the game in Sri Lanka, the West
Indies and Zimbabwe, plus a Special Supplement on the 125th Anniversary
of Galle Cricket Club.
Only a limited number are available, so make sure you get your copy
at the Tests or One-Day-Internationals. At a very nominal price, it's a
collector's item that no cricket enthusiast should miss!
West Indies won by 9 wickets in 1975
The first One-Day International between Sri Lanka and West Indies was played
during the inaugural World Cup in England in 1975. To date 32 matches have
been played between the countries with the Carribeans winning 21 of them.
Sri Lanka has won only 10 games. One match has ended in no result.
Prudential World Cup, 1975, 4th Match Sri Lanka v West Indies, Group
B Old Trafford, Manchester 7 June 1975 (60-overs match) Result: West Indies
won by 9 wickets Points: West Indies 4, Sri Lanka 0 Toss: West Indies Umpires:
WL Budd and A Jepson ODI Debuts: IVA Richards, AME Roberts (WI); DS de
Silva, ER Fernando, PD Heyn, LWS Kaluperuma, LRD Mendis, ARM Opatha, HSM
Pieris, AN Ranasinghe, APB Tennekoon, MH Tissera, B Warnapura (SL). Man
of the Match: BD Julien
Sri Lanka innings (60 overs maximum) R B 4 6
E.R Fernando c Murray b Julien 4 6 0 0
B. Warnapura c Murray b Boyce 8 49 2 0
A.P.B Tennekoon c Murray b Julien 0 3 0 0
P.D Heyn c Lloyd b Roberts 2 16 0 0
M.H Tissera c Kallicharran b Julien 14 36 1 0
L.R.D Mendis c Murray b Boyce 8 12 1 0
A.N. Ranasinghe b Boyce 0 2 0 0
H.S.M. Pieris c Lloyd b Julien 3 12 0 0
A.R.M. Opatha b Roberts 11 18 1 0
D.S de Silva c Lloyd b Holder 21 50 2 0
L.W.S. Kaluperuma not out 6 23 0 0
Extras (b 3, lb 3, nb 3) 9
Total (all out, 37.2 overs) 86
FoW: 1-5 (Fernando), 2-5 (Tennekoon), 3-16 (Heyn), 4-21 (Warnapura),
5-41 (Tissera), 6-41 (Mendis), 7-42 (Ranasinghe), 8-48 (Pieris), 9-58 (Opatha),
10-86 (de Silva).
Bowling O M R W
Roberts 12 5 16 2
Julien 12 3 20 4
Boyce 8 1 22 3
Gibbs 4 0 17 0
Holder 1.2 0 2 1
West Indies innings (target: 87 runs from 60 overs) R B 4 6
R.C .Fredericks c Warnapura b de Silva 33 42 4 0
D.L Murray not out 30 44 2 1
A.I. Kallicharran not out 19 39 0 0
Extras (b 2, lb 1, w 1, nb 1) 5
Total (1 wicket, 20.4 overs) 87
DNB: RB Kanhai, C.H Lloyd, I.V.A Richards, B.D Julien, K.D Boyce, V.A
Holder, A.M.E Roberts, L.R Gibbs. FoW: 1-52 (Fredericks).
Bowling O M R W
Opatha 4 0 19 0
Pieris 2 0 13 0
de Silva 8 1 33 1
Kaluperuma 6.4 1 17 0
Havies dethrone CH & FC 17-3
By Bernie Wijesekera
Havelocks SC 'A' playing cohesive rugby in the initial half, outplayed
defending Under 21 champions CH & FC in the Cup semi-finals of the
Western Province RFU second annual tournament by 17 points (2 goals and
a penalty) to 3 (a penalty) at Longden Place yesterday.
Havies playing to a better game plan, ran the ball to score two tries
after being led by a penalty put over by Dev Wijewardena.
Undaunted the Park Club scored a dandy try, fullback Charith Kodagoda
formed the overlap gave it to Tissaratchchie who passed it to Tisal Jayawardena
to touch down. Kodagoda added the extra points. The second try was scored
by prop T. Amarasinghe who barged over. Kodagoda converted it. Before the
short whistle Kodagoda put over a penalty to lead 17-3.
CH who defeated Kandy SC in the quarters, played below form. The pack
was made to look a scrap heap and they lost two certain tries with the
line staring at them. There was no scoring after the turn around.
Havies player D.S. Jayakody was shown the Yellow Card and was sent to
the sin-bin.
Easy for Kandy
Kandy SC outplayed and outclassed SLRFU Outstation Development Squad
by 54 points (3 goals, 6 tries and a penalty) to 5 (a try) in the Plate
semi-final at Nittawela yesterday.
Referee Anil Jayasinghe. (BW)
Today: Galle Rugby FC led by Bandaranayake take on CR&FC in the
Cup semi-finals to be kicked off at Longden Place at 5 p.m.
In the Plate semi-finals at 3.30 p.m. Kandy Youth take on Havelocks
B. The final will take place on November14 at Longden Place. The chief
guest will be Capt.Harsha Mayadunne, President of the SLRFU.
An exhibition to help disabled
'We are a family' - an exhibition to assist the handicapped (disabled)
sponsored and organised by Hameedias will be on display at the Taj Samudra
today, commencing at 9 a.m.
Sri Lanka skipper Sanath Jayasuriya will be the chief guest, while Ambassador
for Saudi Arabia H.E. Mohamed M. Al-Ali will be the guest of honour.
The purpose of this exhibition is to display the talent of those handicapped
persons who could still contribute their knowledge and skills.
Today is also Poppy Day. This exhibition is open to the public and will
go a long way to help them said a senior official of Hameedias. Quite a
number of people have promised to help this worthy cause - including sportsmen.
Aravinda de Silva is helping the deaf and blind school inmates at Ratmalana.
(B.W.) |