By M.Shamil Amit
Fifty-five-year-old Ranjith Chandrasekera was one of the best motor cycle rider during the 70's and early 80s. He has locked horns with all the riders during his time such as Zacky Deen, Chandra de Costa, U.D.Jinadasa, Dallas Martnstyn, Rodney Mason, and Raja Perera who at one time was a household name in the motor racing circles. Raja dominated the Nuwara Eliya race track but had his winning streak stopped by Ranjith.
Ranjith is presently residing in Sydney, Australia since 1984 and is on a short holiday which was his second visit after 15 years. Ranjith was at the Katukurunda race track last Sunday as one of the judges at SLARDAR championship 2002 which reminded him of his good old days and speaking to The Sunday Times he recollected his past achievements. Listening to him Ranjith in a short span of time had performed some remarkable performances. Having retired from motor racing due to an injury Ranjith started the Sri Lanka Association of Racing Drivers and Riders which today is popularly known as SLARDAR. He was the founder of this association and the other members who joined him later on was Mahes Gammanpila, Yoga Perera, Dallas Martinstyn, Rodney Mason, Ajantha Dinamithra and Dayendra Samarasinghe who drafted the SLARDAR constitution. The main aim of this association was to safeguard the interest of the riders. For his services to the racing fraternity Ranjith was honoured with the first life membership on his visit this time by SLARDAR.
Ranjith started his racing career in 1972 and his first major race was the Indian Gran Prix in 1975 where he was placed second. Again that same year he won the Katunayake Gran Prix being placed first in three races which was the 250cc, 350 cc and 500cc. In 1978 invited by Brian Laurance he joined the Yamaha team and had the opportunity of riding the best during that time the 350cc TZ. In 1979 at the Ratmalana race meet Ranjith won every event he took part and was awarded the best rider and the best competitor of the day. The same year Ranjith proved his skills at the Nuwara Eliya race track and entertained the spectators by his daredevil riding beating Raja Perera who used to dominate the track. Ranjith also recalled the horrible accident when practicing the previous day. He negotiated the bend near Governer Hotel at full speed and a small misjudgement was curtailed and a fatal crash was avoided. Nevertheless though the bike was damaged it was ready to race the next day. The same year Ranjith was voted as the Most Popular Sportsman of the year organised by the Times Group of Newspapers pushing other prominent sports personalities of that time like Sriyan Senadeera (Tennis) and Duleep Mendis (Cricket) to second and third place.
In 1981 Ranjith was invited by Sumane Aiyer to ride for Suzuki and won all the races he took part that year. He was presented with a Suzuki sports bike for his excellent performance. But in 1982 at the Nuwara Eliya race track tragic struck Ranjith when he was competing in the 1000cc event he lost control of his bike and was thrown off and injured his right shoulder which he says is still affecting him.
Ranjith says he and Dallas Martynstyn set a record which will be very difficult to be equalled. They climbed Pidurutalagala mountains the highest in Sri Lanka on motor cycles. This was before a road was built to the mountain top. An old boy of Thurstan he was a member of the 1st XV rugby team and a boxer.
He left Sri Lanka in 1984 and worked with Rothmans of Pall Mall as a Technical Assistant in the product development and research department.
He was employed there for 15 years. He is a member of the Institution of Engineers Australia, Senior member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Sydney. He lives happily with his wife Nelum and three daughters Surangi, Seshanthi and Indika. He is due to leave the island on March 5.
By Aubrey Kuruppu
Sometime late last year, Trinity's cricket was in the doldrums and even the most ardent old Trinitian would have be against his team's chances in the 85th Big Match. However, even though the Trinitians lack consistency, there has been a sea change in their fortunes.
Randil Gamage, a quickish pacemen leads Trinity. The skippers form with the bat has been a revelation. He has scored three hundreds with a highest of 156 and has more often than not been the difference between drawing and losing.
Deputy Clifford Fernando, a centurion against Vidyartha, has been another tower of strength. A left hander with a solid defence, he has a lot of staying power. Another who almost falls into the same category is left handed opener Sisitha Jayasinghe who has made many patient contributions. Burly Roshan Munaweera has won back his place and batted well in the Royal match. He is capable of a solid contribution. Runs can also be expected from Punchihewa, Pieris, Ratnayake and the hard-hitting Mendis.
The Trinity bowling has a lot of variety but not a terrible degree of penetration. In addition to seemers, Gamage and Mendis, they have the left arm medium of Muneer and the right arm cutters of Pieris. The spinners are Chandrapala and Jayasinghe (off spin). Eriyagama (left arm) and leggie Udumulla.
The Anthonians captained by Sri Lanka under-19 player Prasad Ranawaka have had a better season than their counterparts. Ranawaka has a century against Maliyadeva plus several other good scores - 89 (Vidyartha), 99 (Maris Stella), 79 (St. Annes). As a left arm spinner, he took seven wickets in the St. Sylvester's match.
Vice Captain and stumper Nuwan Ratnayake has a highest of 114 against Wesley and over 550 runs. Namesake Nipuna has a top score of 140 against Dharmaraja. However, the leading all-rounder in the side is third year player Tyronne de Silva who is left handed in both batting and bowling. He has six fifties with a highest of 96 against St. Sylvester's. A left arm medium pacer, he has picked up 45 wickets.
Ashan Ariyaratne, the leading spinner, has taken forty wickets with his off breaks and has thrown in his weight with the bat. Rikas, a useful batsman and Priyantha Ekanayake in an all round capacity have contributed their mite. Ruzley, a left-handed opening batsman, has not really struck it rich.
Summing up, the Anthonians should have the better of the exchanges. However getting twenty Trinity wickets to win the match could be a tall order. The Trinitians have a habit of coming back strongly second time round, after succumbing tamely in the initial innings. They should play true to form in next week's big game at Asgiriya.
The series tally stands at 22 wins to Trinity and 13 to St. Anthony's, with 49 drawn games. Come the evening of the ninth, the chances are that draws would have notched up a sedate half century.
The Teams:
Trinity: Randil Gamage (Capt). Clifford Fernando, Hashantha Mendis, Chamira Punchihewa, Avanka Pieris, Susith Jayasinghe, Ishan Ratnayake, Mohamed Muneer, Kapila Chandrapala, Dhanushka Eriyagma, Roshan Munaweera, Arjun Naveen, Asiri Udumulla, Dhanushka Kulatunga.
St.Anthony's: Prasad Ranawaka (Capt), Nuwan Ratnayake, Nipun Ratnayake, Tyronne de Silva, Ashan Ariyaratne, Priyantha Ekanayake, Sajith Pinnaduwa, Mohamed Rikas, Hillary Pereira, Mohamed Ruzly, H.M.Tillekeratne, Dhanushka Bandaranaike, Gayan Ekanayke, M.Patrick, Neville Edirisinghe
The Royal- Thomian cricket encounter is the longest-running series in the history of the game and over the past 123 years we have had splendid entertainment-close finishes, tense draws and magnificent individual performances with bat and ball.
Exciting as these matches have been for the spectators, nothing compares to the experiences of those who have taken to the field in the cauldron of the SSC or Sara Stadium representing their schools in the Big Match. If you are a past cricketer of Royal or S. Thomas' you can relive those golden memories by attending the Past Cricketers Annual Dinner at the Taj Samudra Hotel(On Golden Pond) from 7.30 p.m. onwards on Wednesday March 6. This event has become as much a tradition as the Big Match itself and you will have the opportunity to reminisce with some of the greatest cricketers either school has ever produced.
Tickets are priced at Rs. 600 and can be obtained by contacting the following during office hours:
Neil Chanmugam 698908; Ajita Pasqual 341006; Lakshman Thalayasingham 448306; Trevor Rajaratnam 421547; Sashi Ganeshan 300750; Manoj Mendis 300750; Anushka Polonnowita 695527 and Anura Gunawardene 811333. A limited number of tickets will also be available at the door.
By Marlon Fernandopulle
CCC, Bloomfield and Moors were poised to clinch outright victories against Tamil Union, Galle and Panadura respectively in their Premier League games at the end of the second day's play yesterday.
Van dort Props CCC
Left hander Micheal Van dort stroked a fluent century as CCC set the stage for an outright victory against Tamil Union in a Premier League game at Braybrooke Place yesterday.
The tall lanky opener faced 184 deliveries and struck 19 boundaries as CCC went on to make 391 all out and gain a 126 run first innings lead. Medium pacer Mario Villawarayan then struck twice to reduce Tamil Union to 73 for 4 by the close.
Tamil Union - 265 & 73/4 at close(Ruwin Pieris 20 n.o; Mario Villawarayan 2/30)
CCC -391 all out (Micheal Van dort 144, P. Seneviratne 27, A. Polonowita 24 P. Jayawardene 32, H. Boteju 89, D. Arnolda 31; P Wickremasinghe 4/97, M. Gajanayake 3/98, L. Dias 2/83)
Duminda top scorer
Bloomfield looked set to pull off an outright victory against Galle CC in their Premier League game at Maitland Crescent yesterday.
Having bundled out Galle CC for 171 runs Bloomfield were made to fight hard to gain a crucial 42 run first innigs leadDuminda Perera top scored for the Reid Avenue club with 64. Batting for the second time Galle CC were 71 for 5 wickets with Kumar Dharmasena claiming 2 for 26.
Galle CC -171 all out & 71/5 at close(Kumar Dharmasena 2/26)
Bloomfield - 213 all out (Ian Daniel 46, Duminda Perera 64, Kaushal Lokuarachchi 24; Lasitha Malinga 2/44, Champaka Ramanayake 3/43)
Bhatiya century
Bhatiya Perera compiled an unbeaten century to guide Moors SC to a strong position in their Premier League game against Panadura SC at Reid Avenue.
In reply to Panadura SC 's first innings total of 179, Moors SC hit up 424 for 8 declared. Perera top scored with an unbeaten 107 with the help of 11 boundaries and received good support from Charinda Fernando(97) and Chandika Hathurusinghe (56).
Trailing by 245 runs and facing the prospects of an innings defeat Panadura were 81 for 3 wickets by the close.
Panadura SC -179 & 81/3 at close (Sarath Jayawardene 20, Anjula Perera 38 n.o)
Moors SC -424/8 decl. (Charinda Fernando 97, Chandika Hathurusinghe 56, Bhatiya Perera 107 n.o, Dilshan Witharana 32; Sarath Jayawardene 4/98 Chamara Silva 4/85)
Lanka off to Pakistan
The Sri Lanka Cricket team led by Sanath Jayasuriya will leave to Lahore today for the Asian Test Championship Final against Pakistan this week. The team will board a flight to Dubai and then to Lahore.T he final is scheduled from Mrch 6 to 10. (MF)
By Marlon Fernandopulle
The five ICC Match Refrees and the eight elite ICC Umpires Panel will be announced shortly following the completion of the shortlisting of candidates.
Each Full Member of the ICC was invited to make nominations for the referees panel. Over 30 nominations were received and candidates were interviewed by Chief Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle. The process so far has been painstaking and extensive with each nominee been carefully considered by Ranjan Madugalle
Ranjan Madugalle was appointed as ICC Chief Referee in November last year and was given the specific task of the initial screening of candidates for the panel and producing a shortlist of twelve candidates for consideration by Malcolm Speed ICC Chief Exective and Sunil Gavaskar, Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee. Speed and Gavaskar are expected to review Madugalle's recommendations and announce the four additional referees along with the eight elite Umpires Panel shortly.
The Motor Racing Association (MRA) created history in Motor sporting events in Sri Lanka by staging a phenomenal first ever FIA Standard Rally at Pelwatte Sugar Industries terrain at Buttala.
Acclaimed by the competing drivers as the best Rally of all time, they were put through some of the finest terrains for rallying under four different conditions. Never before have drivers and co-drivers had to psychologically and physically condition themselves to handle total average speeds of close to 100 kmph throughout the rally. The World Rally Championship is plotted to achieve a maximum of 104 kmph by the FIA rally body.
Dinesh Deheragoda won his Class T1 and was also overall winner before being stretched to the limit by second placed and Group A winner Mansoor Hassen. The difference between these two talented drivers was only a little over 3 minutes. Considering a total distance of 214.8 km this is accepted to be a very close finish.
However, the driver of the day was young Javidh Wahab who won his Class S2 and came in third overall driving a standard Toyota Sprinter. He took the lead in the final leg with a blinding drive under very wet and muddy conditions, getting the better of Deheragoda, the ultimate winner.
Dhanuka Nadeera co-driven by karting compatriot Sampath Karunaratne did a massive drive to finish 5 minutes ahead of Romani De Silva and Namaz Fowzie in Group S1 Class. The Group T1 Class saw Samin Attanayake being in the front with Deshan De Silva who drove a very consistent race coming in second and Rikaz Hussain being placed third. Chandana De Silva in the Group T2 Class driving a battered Mitsubishi pick up came in a credible second to the overall winner Dinesh Deheragoda. On persistent requests made by the competitors and the racing fraternity Chairman of the Rally Richard de Zoysa, identified his next rally route the day after the rally where he would couple Sevanagala Sugar Industries property together with Pelwatte Sugar Industries and also slotting a blistering 30 km tarmac section to add varying terrain to another scintillating pace FIA Standard Rally, scheduled to be held to the most latter part of the year.
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