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Katukurunda
races today Prizes are awarded to three motor car and two motor bike events - Motor Cars - (A) Group 'A' - Over 12kg/hp (B) Group M and T - Upto 3500cc (C) Group 'F' Formula Ford 1600cc. Motor Bikes - (A) Group 'R' - Racing Thoroughbred upto 250cc (2 Stroke) and upto 600cc (4 Stroke) (B) Racing Motorcross Bikes upto 125cc.-MSA Heart-warming
win for Royal over SPC
Royal in their second innings despite a first innings, despite a first innings lead of 65 runs, batted on till the end and were all out for 183 runs with two overs left in the allotted mandatory overs. The Peterites fielding was much better in this innings and runs were hard to come. The feature of Royal's second innings was the entertaining knock by Tharanga Edirimuni, who top scored with 58 with four fours and a six. Edirimuni playing in his third match for the season with deft foot-work, smothered the Peterite spinners effectively. Finally he fell at long on for a stylish 58. The other two batsmen to impress were all rounder Ganganath Ratnayake who made a sedate 46 with two fours and Janith Jayawardena, an aggressive 41 with four fours. Heshan Nanayakkara (4 for 69) and P. Perera (3 for 9) bowled best. Royal - 202 in 76.1 overs (D. Siriwardena 38, G. Ratnayake 34, D. de. Saram 33; H. Nanayakkara 4 for 40) and 183 all out in 58.4 overs (T. Edirimuni 58, G. Ratnayake 46, JanithJayawardena 41; H. Nanayakkara 4 for 69, P.Perera 3 for 9) St.Peter's -
Overnight 0 for 1 contd. 138 (P. Jansz 21, Gihan de Silva 36, Hans
Fernando 27; H. Morawake 4 for 33, D. Edusuriya 2 for 18, G. Ratnayake
2 for 48) The Elephant Lemonade Trophy Inter-School cricket match between St. Benedict's Kotahena and St. Sebastian's Moratuwa was cancelled due to the death of former St. Benedict's Primary School Principal Rev, Brother Modastus. This encounter will now be played at the St. Sebastian's Grounds in Moratuwa on February 10 and 11. Rev. Bro. Modastus served St. Benedict's Primary Schools for a long time. - Shamseer Jaleel Ananda on
top Half centuries from Kularatne and Boteju greatly helped the visitors to overtake the Anthonian total.Heavy scoring Rizlan made another half century for the home team. St. Anthony's - 163 for 8 dec. (T. de Silva 45, S. Pinnaduwa 30 n.o P. Vithanage 30, A. Ariyaratne 26; R. Wimaladharma 2 for 26, A. Ranasinghe 2 for47,I. Dias 2 for 44) and 110 for 5 (M. Rizlan 60, A. Ariyaratne 14; C.Jayaweera 2 for 19, A. Ranasinghe 2 for 24) Ananda - 240 for 9 dec. (D. Kularatne 60, P. Boteju 50, T. Dissanayake 31,T. Kumarasinghe 20,S. Senanayake 31; S. Pinnaduwa 3 for 34,P. Vithanage 2 for 5) - A.K. Massive scores Trinity - 390 for 6 dec (Ishan Ratnayake 211, Clifford Fernando 55, S.Pathirana 43, R. Munaweera 19; N. Perera 2 for 71) Kingswood - 286 for 8 (Rachitha Ariyadasa 105, N. Wattegedera 35, S. Wijesinghe 21, I. Senaratne 17, N. Perera 34,I. weeraratne 12; S. Pathirana 3 for 46, R. Munaweera 2 for 63). - A.K. Wijekoon 105A stroke filled 105 (one six and 14 fours) by Dharmaraja skipper Muditha Wijekoon enabled his team to finish day one of the Bandula Warnapura Trophy match against Nalanda at the Police Grounds in a fairly comfortable position. Dharmaraja - 284 for 5 (Muditha Wijekoon 105,J. Chandratilleke 84 n.o, C. Kapugedera 25, K. Ariyadasa 18, P. Karunaratne 19; H. Dharmaratne 2 for 42) - A.K. Royal Panadura
on top St. Aloysius - 86 (H. Indika 18, S.D. Balaharuwa 18, N.R. Gunasekera 16; M. Chanaka 5 for 39, E. Jayantha 3 for 20) and 66 for 2 (N.R. Gunasekera 17, D. Ratnayake 22 n.o.) Royal Panadura - 191 (S. Fernando 62, P. Nisadas 30, S. Ashen 21, M. Chanaka 29; S.D. Balaharuwa 5 for 63, H. Indika 2 for 27)-MSA Upali: Son of
the soil of many parts The young Upali who lost his father at the tender age of l 1/2 years was brought up by his mother Anula Kalyanawathie Wijewardene. Upali had his primary education at Ladies College and Royal College Colombo. He later graduated from Queen's College of Cambridge University in England. On his return to Sri Lanka Upali commenced his business career as a Management Trainee at Lever Brothers. Thereafter, he ventured out on his own and founded the Upali Group of Companies under the sign of the eternal symbol of energy "THE SUN". Upali's maternal uncle the late Sarath Wijesinghe, President of the Senate and Chairman, Board of Stewards of the Ceylon Turf Club was a great inspiration to him in both his business and horse racing career. "Upali Group" pioneered by one man, began as a small candy manufacturing factory under "Delta" brand in Sri Lanka. Next he was the pioneer to assemble radios, clocks and TV's under the "UNIC" Brand. Upali Motor company was next on line. The UMC Mazda and Upali Fiat were assembled at his Industrial Complex in Homagama in the early 70's. He also started the first domestic airline and helicopter service "Upali Aviation". Upali next acquired Ceylon Chocolates Ltd. from his uncle Sarath Wijesinghe. His next venture was "Consumer Products" such as "SIKURU" and "CRYSTAL" soap which are a household name in Sri Lanka today. He also started the Upali Newspapers Ltd. in publishing "Island" and "Divaina" Newspapers. His paternal uncle the late Mr. D R Wijewardene, Founder of Lake House was his inspiration for this venture. The Upali Group employed 33,000 workers worldwide during Upali's time. Upali Wijewardene was a man of many parts. He was the Basnayake Nilame of the "Raja Maha Viharaya, Kelaniya". This position he inherited from his father, the late Don Walter Wijewardene son of Helena Wijewardene Lamathani, who renovated the present Kelaniya Temple after Its destruction by the Portuguese. His religious belief was such that whatever he produced, he first offered to the Kelaniya Temple. The name Upali Wijewardene is synonymous with the "The Sport of Kings, Horse Racing". Upali was the Chairman, Board of Stewards of the Sri Lanka Turf Club, he was a keen turfite and raced in Sri Lanka, England - where he won the "Royal Ascot" with "Rasa Penang" ridden by the world famous Jockey "Lester Piggot". He also won the "Singapore Derby" and "Perak Derby" - 1980 with his horse named "Varron". He raced "General Atty" too and won many races in England. He flew to all these countries where his horses were racing, in his private aircraft. Upali made it a point to fly from Newmarket to Nuwara Eliya to watch his horses and ponies racing there too. He would land in Katunayake Airport and make a quick tarmac change to his private helicopter to fly to Nuwara Eliya. Upali was responsible in reviving pony racing and thereafter to horse racing during the time there was a lull in racing. His pony mare "Amal" won 40 races and entered the Guiness Book of Records. He imported 3 horses "Kandos Man", "King of Zulu", "Cornwall Garden" to revive horse racing in Sri Lanka. Upali Wijewardene raced under the famous racing colours first used by his uncle Sarath Wijesinghe "Red and Gold Cross Slash". At present these colours can be seen at our turf on the horses raced by Dhammika Attygalle nephew of Upali Wijewardene. Upali had two sisters namely Anoja Wijesundera and Kalyani Attygalle, two nieces and six nephews. One of his nephews Dhammika Attygalle is the current President of the Sri Lanka Turf Club. Shalitha Wijesundera was the past Treasurer of the Sri Lanka Turf Club and Dr. Rohan Wejesundera is also very keen on promoting horse racing in Sri Lanka. Another hobby of Upali was rearing Pedigreed Dogs. He imported 4 higher pedigreed Labrador retrievers from England to revive Labrador breeding in Sri Lanka in the 70's. The first two Labrador dogs imported by him were "CH Kingsbury Caramel" and "CH Royalwood Jane" the next two were "Lady Lyndhurst Raqual" and his favourite yellow Labrador male "Charlie" who missed his Master so much when Upali disappeared and waited daily by the back gate for his dear master to return. He enjoyed handling his dogs himself at the dog shows organised by the Ladies Kennel Association of Sri Lanka. He showed these dogs under his kennel name "Sunny Croft". Upali was keen on Motor racing too. Having raced his mothers "Opel Kapitan' at the Katukurunde Races early 60's. He was so enthusiastic about racing that he imported a "M.G.A. Sports Twin Cam", which he raced at the Mahagastota Hill Climb His enthusiasm to motor racing made him phone from London and buy a "Mitsubishi Lancer" to be raced at the Nuwara Eliya Road Races and Mahagastota Hill Climb in 1980. Upali imported a luxury S-Class Mercedes Benz 126 from Malaysia. This was the first car of this type in Sri Lanka. He was married on 7th November 1975 to Lakmini daughter of Dr. & Mrs. Seevali Ratwatte. The creation of GCEC (now the BOI) was the brainchild of Upali Wijewardene. His Excellency the President J.R. Jayewardene appointed his cousin Upali Wijewardene as the first Director General of the GCEC. Upali had political aspirations too. He worked for the welfare of the people of Kamburupitiya and to serve his motherland. He was the Founder of the Ruhunu Udanaya which developed and uplifted the economy of the southern people. The Sri Lanka Turf Club is thankful to the Upali Group for the sponsorship of 'The Upali Wijewardene Kandos Trophy" for Class I Thoroughbred Horse Race held at the Nuwara Eliya Race Course in April and the press publicity given by them in memory of their Founder Chairman to promote and develop this sport. It sad to say that the disappearance of Upali Wijewardene at the prime of his life has left a void in Sri Lanka which cannot be filled. May he attain Nibbana! - Rajah Sinnathuray |
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