Contents

• Lanka too good for England
• England - the ultimate tour
• Woman smarter, that's right
• Junior Tennis from April 30
• Priyantha from able sports to disabled
• Fitness, a must in rugby - Matt Lee
• More sports

They have virtually clinched the three Test series which is being played for the Austasia Sports Trophy. England are ranked No 2 in the sport behind Australia. The Indoor Cricket Test Series is sponsored by Austasia Sports with Jet Asia Travels, Mobitel, Hotel Galadari and East & West Marketing as co-sponsors.

The Sri Lankans winning the toss took first lease of the wicket. The opening pair of Nilam Jaymon and Roshan Weerasinghe made a bold start by making 43 runs in the allotted four overs a pair can bat. With this sound start the second pair of Chrishantha Peiris and Thusendra Zoysa kept the scoreboard ticking putting on another 32 runs.

The third pair of Lyndon Hannibal and Chandika Sisira were able to muster only 11 runs in their allotted 4 overs. And the last pair skipper Asela Pathirana and Sanjeewa Jayaratne gave the Sri Lankans a valuable contribution of 26 runs to help them total 112 in the allotted 16 overs and put them in a strong position.

The Englishman started off disastrously with the opening pair Ian Parkin and Chris Norton not being able to settle down and succeeded in only putting minus 7 runs in their allotted 4 overs. The second pair Jason Green and Tom Windscheffel gave some respectability to the scoreboard hitting 19 runs between them but gave them only 12 runs in the 8 overs they faced.

The writing was on the wall for the England team with the big task of scoring 100 runs in the remaining eight overs which proved too much. The third and fourth pair were able to score only another 28 runs. In the end running short by a massive 72 runs. Chrishantha Peiris was adjudged the Man of the Match. The third and final Test of the series will be played today at the same venue starting at 3.15 p.m.

Scores:
Sri Lanka - 112 in 16 overs (Nilam Jaymon 16, Roshan Weerasinghe 27, Chrishantha Peiris 23, Asela Pathirana 15, Sanjeewa Jayaratne 26; Tom Windscheffel 4 for 2, Paul Thorburn 3 for 2)
England - 40 in 16 overs (Jason Green 17, Paul Thorburn 14; Thushendra Zoysa 2 for 3, Chrishantha Peiris 2 for 2, Lyndon Hannibal 3 for 3, Chandika Sisira 2 for 2)

Lanka reach healthy 332/5

Aravinda de Silva

Mahela Jaywardena

Canterburry, England - Sri Lanka reached a healthy 332 for 5 in 74.2 overs on the second day of their three-day match against Kent shortly after the tea break yesterday.

Sri Lanka won the toss after the first day's play was washed off by rain but ran into trouble when skipper Sanath Jayasuriya was out for a 'duck'. However a fighting 119 runs by Mahela Jayawardena in 180 minutes scored in 134 balls boosted their score and the other batsmen Aravinda de Silva, who is playing for Sri Lanka aftera near one year lay off, played a fine innings to score 62.

At the time of going to press Russel Arnold (81 not out) and and Tilan Samaraweera (25 not out) were at the crease. On Friday Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore said his team has enough strength to mount a serious challenge on their tour of England, even without leg spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.

Whatmore, speaking after the opening day of the first tour match was rained off, said Muralitharan could be fit to play in the second Test. "He's just had an operation on his shoulder, his arm is in a sling and he won't make it for the first Test," said Whatmore.
"We're hoping he'll be fit for the second Test at the end of May." The first Test between England and Sri Lanka starts on May 16.

Whatmore said Murali's absence was the ideal opportunity to blood some new young bowlers. Sri Lanka have brought six fast medium seam bowlers on tour. After winning their last nine Tests, all but one at home, Whatmore believes it's time Sri Lanka begin to make their mark abroad.

"Getting the victories overseas, especially in difficult conditions like in England, is what cricket is all about," said the Sri Lankan-born former Australian international.
Whatmore also said he was delighted that veteran Aravinda de Silva had been selected after an absence of more than a year. "He knows England well and is just the type of calming influence this young team needs," said Whatmore.

England - the ultimate tour
For three months the Sri Lankans will be travelling the length and breadth of England doing what they like best - playing cricket. It is the first full tour for a national team and what an experience it will be.

The game in its birthplace cannot be explained easily. The history, the traditions, the social atmosphere is all something very special. The attractions of the country for nay tourist is fascinating and educating. All outdoor sport comes alight during the summer and there is sporting action choking every venue.

For the first timer it will be an experience out of the world. For those who have been through it before, it will be a revisit of memorable moments. One player will be treading on English soil almost as comfortably as at home. Aravinda de Silva makes his fifth tour with the national team. To add to that he had a very successful season of county cricket with Kent.

The selectors have pinned their faith on de Silva because of his wealth of experience of the conditions. Now in the twilight of his playing career he will be playing by memory and he will certainly like to conclude what will be his last tour of England on a high note.

Sri Lanka play four warm up games before the first Test. These days players are expected to acclimatize in double quick time. Four three-day games is a short spell should be necessary to try out some of the players. With Muttiah Muralitharan and Dilhara Fernando not having embarked on the tour sixteen players will have to share the games before they face upto the Englishmen at the headquarters of the game - Lords.

In terms of coming to grips with the conditions Sri Lanka has drawn the tougher half. India arrive at the peak of the summer and will be confronted with warmer weather and batsmen friendlier pitches. Mid May still contains moisture and plenty of juice on the pitches. Seam bowlers can make life miserable for the batsmen. England will pack their team with the best of those who move the ball around with pace.

Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa will have to play major roles in the first Test and even in the seond which commences at the end of May. They will need support from two other quick bowlers. At this stage Charitha Buddika and Eric Upashantha look the likely candidates. Both are capable of wobbling the ball around. Upashantha has experience of these conditions too. Ruchira Perera may miss out because variety is needed in the attack and playing three left armers may not be the best option.

With hardly any exposure at the highest level Ishara Amarasinghe will have to learn the trade at practices, whatever side. Games he plays in and by watching and absorbing what he experiences. Experienced campaigners Hashan Tillekeratne and Aravinda de Silva will have to make the most of every opportunity they get in the middle to play long innings and stay in good touch.

On paper Sri Lanka's strength is in their batting. It will be testing time for the brilliant young Mahela Jayawardena and the fast improving Kumar Sangakkara. They have proved the capabilities in local and sub-continent conditions. Their promise will be fulfilled should they get amongst the runs at Lords, Edgbaston and Old Trafford. Whatever the outcome for one and all in the team it will be an ultimate experience!

Foxhill Supercross at Diyatalawa
Woman smarter, that's right
By Tania Fernando
A girl's place normally at a motor race is sitting among the spectators and cheering the drivers on to victory. But now leaving behind the powdered faces and the high powered boardrooms, they have invaded the race track too.

To most, motor racing is a man's sport, but to some its just 'a sport'. Even though the spectators fear for those who are whizzing past at breakneck speed leaving the adrenaline pumping, the one behind the wheel is just concentrating on getting started and making it to the end.

Shehara de Silva, is no exception to a normal 22-year old, working overseas, but having the love for the sport of racing, she won the Foxhill Supercross at Diyatalawa last week. The only female at the race and also her first time at the Foxhill, she proved her mettle by beating the rest of her male opponents who had more experience and more exposure, by coming first.

She said that she is so busy concentrating at the start, that she barely has time to think about the scary part of the sport. "I am so busy concentrating on the lights and keeping my foot on the pedal that I have no time to think of anything else and it goes so fast", and this time her concentration helped her roar away in her Nissan March to victory.

Having started off at just 15 years with go-carting, she switched to motor racing after having obtained her licence. Although with little time with studies and work on her schedule, she said that she wants to take part in races whenever time permits.
Shehara says that with her dad Rohan de Silva being a racer, she just got into it naturally. "I love cars and I love the sport and it does not worry me to be among all the males", she said.

She also came third in the all Island Yamaha Go carting Championship in 2000 and also took part in a go-carting championship in Malaysia and puts it down as a good experience, even though she did not make it among the top. In addition to the Foxhill Shehara participated at the Mahagastota Hill Climb at which she came second and at Radella, where she came in number four.

One of the incidents that stand out in her mind when talking about racing, was she said when she was participating at the Gajaba races and one of the competitors knocked her car and she was spinning and everyone had left her and she had to start off again from the grid.

According to Shehara racing is not just about getting into a car and whizzing away, there is a lot of technicality involved and her father is the one who trains her. "Initially my dad never discouraged me or encouraged me, but now he encourages me", she said adding that she was happy to be doing something like her father.

Even though she is presently working overseas, she said that she plans to continue racing for as long as she can and is looking at in a very serious manner and would definitely compete at any international event if she is given the opportunity. Shehara said that she loves to drive fast if the road is clear, but she knows that she is not on a track and has to pay heed to the road rules.

Her favourite racers whom she looks upto and admires in Sri Lanka are her dad of course, Bri Ponnambalam, Romani de Silva, and Dinesh Jayawardene, and her favourite foreign racer is the late Ayerton Senna and Monatoya a Formula 1 racer. She said she would like to thank the Mobil Auto Color team (her sponsors) her dad, Bri Ponnambalam and Romani De Silva, who has helped her and treated her as one of the team.

Junior Tennis from April 30
The Under 14 World Junior Asia/Oceania Group Tennis Championship will be held from April 30 to May 6 at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts in Greenpath. Fifteen countries Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand and Uzbekistan will battle for honours in this championship. The co-sponsors of this championship is Idac (Pvt) Ltd and Bernard Philkent (Ceylon) Ltd.

Two members of the Sri Lankan team Franklin Emmanuel and N.S.Nishendran will be the cynosure of all eyes in this championship. At the recently concluded ITF East Asian Under 14 Tennis Championship held in India Franklyn Emmanuel secured first place and N.S.Nishendran was placed third. These two come into the third tournament with full confidence and are one of the favourites. Along with Udith Wickramasinghe who is the third player of the Sri Lanka team possess a strong combination. Udith is also an up and coming player who is capable of pulling off a few upsets.

At a press briefing held at the Trans Asia Hotel Boshan Dayaratne, the tournament director said Sri Lanka was placed tenth in the previous championship with Korea placed first and Indonesia second whilst Hong Kong and China taking third and fourth places. Due to the Sri Lankan juniors performing creditably in the recent past for the first time the Sri Lanka team has been seeded sixth in this championships. Korea is seeded number one followed by China, Australia, Japan and India fifth.

Suresh Subramaniam the newly elected President of the SLTA addressing the media said that he is confident that the Sri Lanka team will fair better than last year specially with Franklyn Emmanuel who is in fine form at the moment. He could be considered as one of the best Under 14 player in Asia. He also stressed that they are in the process of setting up a Junior Development Fund and the estimated target is Rs. 25 million and this money will be utilised to send players abroad as well as for tournaments overseas. The championship will be a team event and Davis Cup rules will be in force.

Priyantha from able sports to disabled
Priyantha Peiris was unanimously elected as the Hony. Secretary of the National Federation of Sports for the Disabled (NFSD) at its Annual General Meeting held in Colombo. Few years ago, Priyantha met with an accident while studying in Russia, sustaining serious injuries to his spine and as a result became a paraplegic. Today he moves about in a wheelchair as he is paralysed in the lower limb.

At present he is heading the Spinal Injuries Association of Sri Lanka (SIA) which provides services to people with disabilities and also works as the South Asian Representative for the British Charity Organisation Motivation who have initiated projects which produces and distributes wheelchairs and mobility equipment for persons and children with disabilities in over 15 countries in 4 continents.

An old boy of St. Joseph's College Colombo, Priyantha was a member of the College athletic team in 1984/85 who excelled in long distance events and was an all-round student during his school days being actively involved in many extra curricular activities. He became a popular student among both the staff and the students and whilst being a studious youth he was a school senior prefect and captained the college 2nd xv Rugby team. For his exceptional leadership qualities he was appointed as a College house captain (Bonjean ) in 1985.

After leaving school he decided to join the Navy, and with the formation of the patrolman branch of the Sri Lanka Navy in 1987, he applied to join the first intake as an officer cadet. He was short listed among the 9 cadets chosen to be trained in Pakistan along with the Army officer cadets, but however he had to be left out at the last moment due to a skin ailment he had on his forefoot preventing him of commencing immediate training.

Then he joined the mercantile sector and later continued to take part in athletic events at the zonal meets in the Katunayake FTZ representing Korea Lanka Garments. In contrast to his long distance events at school, Priyantha took part in the 100mt dash and the 4x100 relay for his company.

While studying in Russia he did swimming as his sport event where sports is compulsory in the university curriculum for all university students beside major subjects offered at the degree. He also took part in organising and competing in chess tournaments for Sri Lankan students in the Patrice Lumumba University Moscow.

Even since becoming a wheelchair user Priyantha did not give up the thought that sports makes a man healthy, and has been trying his utmost efforts in promoting sports, especially wheelchair marathon and wheelchair basketball for wheelchair users within the spinal injuries association. At the 2001 AGM of the NFSD he became the assistant secretary and having recognised his potential and capabilities, the membership of the National Federation of Sports for the Disabled this year nominated his name for the post of Secretary.

Despite his busy work schedule and other commitments he came forward to accept the post of Secretary in order to contribute his services in uplifting the standards of sports for people with disabilities in Sri Lanka. He pays a glowing tribute to some of the past and present office bearers who have rendered yeoman services in sacrificing their time and energy in bringing Sri Lankan disabled sports to its present high standards. Sq. Ldr. Cyril Siriwardena, Major. Rajeev Wickremasinghe, Maj. J.R. Ampemohotty, Mr. D.M. Premadasa, Mr. Sriya Wanniarachchi, Mr. Ranjan Mahadivulweva and Maj. Pradeep De Silva are few names worthy mentioning.

Anyone who wishes to find out more details about the activities of sports for people with disabilities are welcome to contact the NFSD office on 689287 and 959039 or on email motislka@sri.lanka.net. Priyantha stressed the point that it is very important to broadbase the activities of the federation and encourage as many a people with disabilities to take part in sports.

The newly appointed office bearers will shortly meet with the Minister of Sports to discuss matters pertaining to the organisation. The newly elected office bearers of the NFSD are as follows: These names are subject to approval from the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs.

President: Mr. D.M. Premadasa; Vice President: Major. J.R. Ampemohotty; Vice-President: Mr. Alex Jayawardena; Secretary: Mr. Priyantha Peiris; Asst. Secretary: Capt. Upali Premadasa; Treasurer: Maj. Pradeep De Silva; Asst. Treasurer: Capt. L. Karawitage.

Ex-Co members: Mr. Ranjan Mahadivulweva; Capt. U.H.C.J. Wijesekara; Miss Nalini Ranasinghe; Mr. R.M.H.P. Gunaratne, Attorney-at-law; Mr. D.S.K. Athulathmudali; Capt. A.C.J. Wasage; Mr. Kusiri Kulendra.

Fitness, a must in rugby - Matt Lee
By Bernie Wijesekera
CH and FC, a Club that has done much for the uplift of rugby in the country has got the services of Matt Lee from New Zealand an international coach to train the squad for the coming season and develop the game at grassroots level - Matt Lee from New Zealand.

Lee, started his coaching programme on Tuesday (April 22) under ideal wet conditions. A squad of 40 attending the training, with several schoolboys, who have joined the Crescent Club. Lee, will be here for the entire season, and was interviewed by The Sunday Times. He looks a burly prop forward and still looks good to play.

Q. What is your initial formula?
A. "Firstly, fitness which is a 'must' especially in rugby one has to be 100 percent fit for the entire duration. The player concerned has to do it by himself, with his own training. The coach could improve their skills and motivate them. But they must work hard. There should be total commitment. They must have self belief, discipline and determination.

The administration could plan the structure. Rugby is a game in which the prime objective is to ground the ball across the goal line to score a try. To achieve the players must co-ordinate to gain possession to breach the opponents' defence".

Q. What is your game plan?
A. "I can't perform miracles overnight. Must study the players individually and then must map out strategy accordingly.

Q. What's your first impression with the squad?
A. They seem to be bit sluggish. This could be overcome with a tight training programme. As I mentioned earlier fitness is a must. The CH rugby committee has retained the services on a long-term three -year programme with an eye for the future. Last year CH was placed third in the table.

This year the team will be led by gutty prop forward Shashika Cooray. Most of the last year's players, the likes of flanker Sanjay Shanmuganathan, Duminda de Silva, hooker Shamila Wijesinghe, Milinda Jayasinghe, Nalin Dissanayake, centre Tharanga Jayakody, Uganthara Karunaratne, Narein Perera, Kukum Seneviratne, Asela Jayasinghe (of cricketing team who turns out for Ragama CC and Sampath Bank) will play for the CH for this season.

Among the schoolboys who have joined the CH scrum, is that outstanding No. 8 from Isipatana, Asanka Talagalarachchi. He was a member of the Lankan Under-19 team to Chile. The training is being co-ordinated by Grahame Raux, Rohan Abeykoon, Nasim Mohamed and Imethy Marikar.

Team manager Risvie Illyas will be assisted by Rohan Anthony. Anthony will handle the administration. Anthony said the juvenile training will be opened to all would be players, who could contest the Gymkhana Club rugby section.