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Bloomfield through to final
By Bernie Wijesekera
The Bloomfield C&AC vs Colts CC 'A' Division Premier League limited over semi-final was marred by fickle weather and ended in a no-decision at the NCC Grounds yesterday.

Due to an overnight deluge the match was restricted to 46 overs instead of 50. Play got under way at 10.45 a.m. Bloomfield won the toss and invited Colts CC to take first lease of the pitch. Colts lost the wicket of Chaminda Mendis rather early for 2. Former Lumbini opener Nilakshan Abeyratne was joined by all rounder Sajith Fernando. The pair playing watchful cricket against the varied Reid Avenue Club's attack batted skillfully to put on 88 runs for the second wicket in 73 balls.

Sajith Fernando made 34 with two fours, Abeyratne, the lad who has been nursed and nurtured by former Sri Lanka batsman Roy Dias made 54 in 83 balls, with four fours. He was the mainstay of the batting.

The middle order batting fell on the way side against spinners Kaushalya Lokuarachchi (leg-spin) and Shanuka Dissanayake (left-arm). The pair shared six wickets between them while Dharmasena (left-arm) picked up two wickets. Kulatunga 24, with two fours was the other batsman to impress.

Bloomfield in reply were cruising well with 82 for two in 20 overs. Consistent run-getting opener Ian Daniel, batted with authority for an unbeaten 42 in 63 balls with three fours and a six and Dilshan was on 12 when rain halted play at 3.45 p.m. Finally the umpires called of play at 5.15 p.m. Bloomfield on a better run rate in the league entered the final.

Galle CC in final
By Marlon Fernandopulle
Galle CC were declared winners against CCC after rain intervened in their semi final of the Premier League Limited over tournament at the SSC grounds yesterday. After a minimum of 25 overs were unable to be bowled for the team batting second , it was decided that according to tournament rules the team that recorded more victories in the preliminary round game should be declared the winners. Thus, Galle CC who had recorded more wins than CCC went into the final.

CCC who won the toss invited Galle to take first lease of the wicket. The Southerners were in deep trouble after the CCC medium pacers Indika Gallage (2/25), Mario Villawarayan (3/43) and Anushka Polonowita (2/30) reduced them to 30 for 5 wickets. But a defiant 57 run stand for the 6th wicket between Anil Riddigammanagedara (42) and R. Galappathi(28) and some stubborn batting from the tail enders helped Galle to 175 for 9 in their 50 overs.

CCC started off badly when they lost two wickets to medium pacer Dilhara Lokuhettige with only eight runs to their account. But a 41 run stand for the third wicket saw them reach 49 for 3 wickets when rain intervened. Galle CC - 175/9 in 50 overs (Anil Riddigammanagedara 42, R Galappathi 28, P. Kumara 29 n.o, D. Lokuhettige 15; I. Gallage 2/25, M. Villawarayan 3/43, A. Polonowita 2/30) CCC- 76/3 in 20 overs (Daminda Ranaweera 20 n. o, A. Polonowita 20, L. de Silva 15 n.o; D Lokuhettige 2/14)

Ten new clubs in Badulla
Ten new clubs have been formed in Badulla after the second Beginners Football tournament in Badulla. This tournament was conducted after two decades and the first of its kind was conducted when the present President of the FFSL Mr. Gamini Randeni was in Badulla. Late Mr. S.A. Premaratne attached to the Ministry of Sports was responsible in organising the first Beginners tournament in Badulla where several new teams were produced.

The Badulla Divisional Secretary Mr. Sumith Suraweera conducted a similar tournament at the Vincent Dias Stadium in Badulla last weekend organised by the Badulla Sports Officer Mr. Anura de Silva assisted. Bulls S.C., Ekasath Pragathi S.C., Samagi Tharu S.C., Phalagama S.C., Family Guys S.C., Ranakami S.C., Navarella S.C., Same Blood S.C., were the new teams introduced at the Beginners tournament. -VTR

Business class to carry the towel on SA tour!
By Bernie Wijesekera
Imagine a young talented player, who was drafted to the Sri Lanka team after the two-Test series against South Africa, to participate in the five match one-day series, being kept in cold storage! The left-hander, with an appetite for big hitting in the mould of a West Indian could smash any attack to ribbons. The player along with four others took wings to Johannesburg in an Emirates Business Class. They stayed in a five-star hotel - Sandon - and were afforded with a red carpet reception.

But sad to mention the left-handed opener never got an opportunity of playing in any of the games, but was made to carry the towel, and the water bottle for others at the middle, when he should have been wielding the willow. What a colossal waste of funds. It even shocked some of the officials of the S.A. and the members of the media. It's not promoting and encouraging or infusing young talent for the future. Sri Lanka was hell bent with the 'Super Six' to win the series, who failed miserably and lost 4-1 to a South African team blended with youth and experience.

I was able to speak to the manager of the tour party, Ajith Jayasekera at the Dubai Airport, whilst being on transit. I questioned him about this player's omission. He said, the player came in as a stand-in for Sanath Jayasuriya, as an opener. Why bring him all the way to be on standby when there were two other left-handers, in young Jehan Mubarak and out of form Russel Arnold, who could have filled the breach?

No answer. What happened to the 'Super Six' you mentioned at the Wanderers nets. When asked why Mubarak was not given either to bowl even at the nets, put aside his batting skills, you replied that the 'Super Six' should be given preference for the big 'un, even in a side game. Did they deliver the goods? No.... Surely the player concerned should have been considered after Sri Lanka lost the series 1-3 at Kimberley. The final game at Bloemfontein was of only of academic interest.

Are you aware that the S. Africans brought in a couple of youngsters - Robin Peterson, Hall and 20-year-old fast bowler Zondeki - a future young prospect who captured Atapattu's scalp in his first international delivery? Despite the tour management insisting on the seniors for the final games, but still got whipped by six wickets with 4.5 overs to spare. Surely you could have insisted on a couple of youngsters as the outcome could not have made much of a difference losing 1-4.

Ajith, one time officer and a gentlman in the Air Force had no answer. It was a heart-warming win at Benoni to make it 1-2. But what happened after that? No answer. The cricketing public would like to know why this player was left out. National selector Ranil Abeynaike, was there as an observer.

The blazer
Here is another interesting point that I noticed, thanks to my sponsors Singer and Ceylinco Life. Tired as I was, I still had time to wander around Wanderers when I noticed a diminutive youngster sporting a Sri Lankan blazer with the official Sri Lanka cricket crest. I couldn't identify him as there were many new faces in the squad. A young South African boy came to get his autograph. With much difficulty he said, "I am not a player but a computer programmer."

Who gave this lad the right to sport the Lankan blazer? Again when I questioned Jayasekera about this glaring lapse, he said the person concerned was assigned to do computer work whilst on tour. He agreed that he should have had the words Computer Programmer on the crest - like the words Manager adorned on Ajit Jayasekera's blazer. No one could deny him the right of sporting a blazer, but not with the Lankan cricket crest! I was assigned by the Wijeya Group of Newspapers not merely to write scoreboards and do the run of play but to do some investigative reporting for the greater good of the game.

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