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Royal unbeaten champs

Royal Captain Zulkaranain Hamid with the winning team after receiving the Milo President's trophy. They beat Wesley 20/6 in the final on Friday.

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Lanka head for final of Morocco Cup
Pulasthi Gunaratne best bowler with 4 for 44

Pakistan's Wasim Akram (R) celebrates taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya (L) during the one day game against Sri Lanka in The Morocco Cup match at The Tangier Cricket Stadium 17 August 2002. Jayasuriya scored 97 runs.

TANGIERS, Morocco, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Inspired bowling performances by Pulasthi Gunaratne, who captured 4 for 44 and Chaminda Vaas who had 3 for 30 enabled Sri Lanka to beat Pakistan by 39 runs in their Morocco Cup triangular tournament match at the Tangiers Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Sri Lanka are now heading the Morocco Cup Points Table with two wins while South Africa and Pakistan have gained one win each. After yesterday's win Sri Lanka have emerged as the favourites for the trophy.

In reply to Sri Lanka innings of 242 all out in 49.5 overs. Pakistan were able to reply with 203 all out in 43.4 overs. Yousuf Youhana batted threw cautionto the winds as he scored a dashing 80 but he fell victim to Pulasthi Gunaratne's bowling when he was caught by wicket-keeper Kumar Sangakara. Sahid Afridigave the Pakistanis somehope when he scored a cavalier 26 but he was caught by Upul Chandana off Gunaratne's bowling for 26 and the Pakistan innings fell to pieces.

Earlier Sanath Jayasuriya fought an almost lone battle against Pakistan's bowlers making a brilliant 97 as his team limped to a disappointing 242 all out.

Jayasuriya's typically explosive innings ended in the 35th over when Wasim Akram trapped him lbw with his second delivery after being recalled to the attack and it immediately ended Sri Lanka's hopes of a commanding total on a good pitch. The Sri Lankan captain required just 94 balls for his 97 in which he struck a dozen fours and one six.

The innings promised so much more when Mahela Jayawardene (43) added 111 for the fourth wicket with Jayasuriya. Smart work from wicketkeeper Rashid Latif saw Jayawardene run out in the 32nd over, however, and Jayasuriya followed three overs later.

Russel Arnold was the only other batsman to produce a score of note by battling to 34 from 51 balls but Pakistan's three senior seamers, Wasim Akram, captain Waqar Younis and Abdur Razzaq kept a tight grip on the closing overs.

Waqar accepted a return catch from Arnold to finish with three wickets for 43 runs in nine overs while Razzaq claimed two for 37 in 10 overs and Akram an admirable two for 29 in one ball less than his full quota.

Emmanuel creates tennis history
Fourteen-year-old Franklyn Emmanuel of Royal College created history when he beat the top seed and the defending champion Renouk Wijemanne in a thrilling five setter to become the youngest National Champion in the history of Sri Lanka Tennis.
Renouk who started the first set on an aggressive note by forcing Franklin to make a series of unforced errors won the set 6/1.

However Franklin regained his rhythm in the second set to get the better of Renouk and win 6/2. The experienced Renouk bounced back to win the third set 6/2 and to lead the fourth set 2/1.But a gutsy Franklin fought back to win the forth set 6/3.

Franklin started off the fifth set on a positive note attacking Renouk at the baseline and moving his opponent from side to side before finishing off with a high percentage of wins.He finished the final set in style by winning five straight games and not giving his opponent any chance of coming back.

In the Women's Single finals top seed Dinali de Silva overcame stiff opposition from 15-year-old Jancy Paramanathan to win the title 6/4,6/4. Men's Singles Semi Finals: Franklin Emmanuel beat Amrit Rupasinghe 2/6,6/3,6/4

Final: Franklin Emmanuel bt Renouk Wijemanne 1/6, 6/2, 2/6, 6/3, 6/1 Women's Singles Semi Finals: Jancy Paramanathan bt Sobhini de Silva 6/3,7/6,(7/3); Dinali de Silva bt Nawchali de Silva 6/3,1/6,6/3 Final: Dinali de Silva bt Jancy Paramanathan 6/4,6/4. -(M.F)

Army guns boom
CH&FC after being led 19-13 at the turn around went down fighting losing by 20 points (2 goals and 2 penalty goals) to 33 (2 goals, 2 tries and 3 penalty goals) to the Army in the second leg match played at the Army Grounds at Galle Face last evening.

The robust Army forwards took control in the initial half and tackled the CH 'eight' to a standstill. The soldiers did well to score three tries in the initial half through their back division: centre Vijitha, flanker H. Karunaratne and winger Fernando. Fullback T.A. Silva fired over two of them to add the extra points. For CH Nalin Dissanayake put over a penalty.

In the second half CH played with a better game plan and decided to move the ball which resulted in centre Lasantha Ediriweera scoring two tries. Both tries were converted by Dissanayake. Nalin did well to put over another penalty for the losers.

Army in the second half scored their fourth try through Sanjaya. K.A. Silva who had a good game in the last line, put over two more penalties for the soldiers to win 33-20. This win helps Army to the third spot in the League Table. -Referee D. Nimal. (B.W)

Sweet revenge for CR&FC
By Bernie Wijesekera
Unbeaten defending 'A' Caltex league champions Kandy SC met their Waterloo when they were outplayed by the gritty CR&FC in the final second leg match at Longden Place yesterday. The red shirts who lost the first leg at Nittawela 31-17 in a rousing contest, did well to beat them by 32 points (2 goals, 3 tries and a penalty) to 15 (a goal, a try and a penalty) to dent their unbeaten record.

Both teams before the start of the match were introduced to the chief guest Mr. Kishu Gomes, CEO Caltex by the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union Capt. Harsha Mayadunne.

The red shirts inspired by Casilan power, their main sponsor, did not let up in this battle of attrition and took control with some sweeping moves despite Kandy dominating the line-outs through flankers Pradeep Basnayake and Asoka Jayasena.

The Hill Capital side lacked fire-power of the granite-hard Haris Omar to lead the pack. Omar who was injured in the last game was sidelined. Further to their woes, sleek running winger Sanjeewa Jayasinghe who suffered a serious injury to his ankle (fracture) will be out for three months.

The Longden Place Club capably led by Asanga Rodrigo who are placed second in the League Table, had nothing to lose from this match. They displayed abundant grit and determination and had Kandy constantly running for shelter. Hawk-eyed flanker Pavithra Fernando was the showpiece. The wiry forward helped his team's cause immensely. In the process he scored two tries.

Though beaten on this day Kandy SC were not found wanting that too without four regulars. Vidyartha schoolboy Dhanuska Pushpakumara manned the last line in the absence of Weerakkody. Radhika Hettiarachchi on the wing was the most eye-catching with his hard running. Kandy SC opened scoring in the fifth minute off a line out in the '25'. Centre Sajith Mallikarachchi rolled over. Ibrahim added the extra points. The second Kandy try was a fine bit of thinking. Centre Chamara Withanage did a solo 40 yards. When challenged he slipped the ball to Niloufer Ibrahim who fell over. Ibrahim himself added the extra points. CR hit back off a five-yard scrum. Nippy Champika Nishantha crashed over to score by the posts. Halimdeen added the extra points.

Just before the short whistle CR were awarded a penalty in front, but opted for a short tap. Pavithra Fernando pounced on the ball for an unconverted try. The score was dead locked at 12-all at the break. CR continued with their rhythm which resulted with another try off a ruck five yards out. Sumedha Jayasinghe rolled over for the try. The next try was scored from a defensive position. Pavithra Fernando picked the ball from the loose and slipped to winger Hamesh Gunaratne, who made a 60-yard solo run to touch down. Kodagoda added the extra points. Radhika put over a penalty for Kandy SC (24-15). Kodagoda put over another penalty for CR to lead 27-15. A Pavithra 'special' put the icing on the cake for CR to win 32-15. Referee Anura Jayasekera.


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