Sports

Sports

Indika cracks par round
Much credit to Joseph Kenny and Free Lanka Trading Co. Ltd. for a genuine effort to encourage and develop talent by inviting the poolists (Caddies) where much of our talent is to participate in the elaborate competition at the Ridgeways sponsored by them.

The poolists justified their inclusion on with creditable scores heaps better than any other participant. I re-state they are the backbone of Golf in Sri Lanka and every effort must be made and every opportunity given to these lads from lowly backgrounds to sharpen their talent. The Sri Lanka Golf Union who must take responsibility have been shirking for years with deafening silence which is absolutely shameful. Development of golf should be their main object and they have done comparatively little.

C. Twerenbold the most senior expatriate on the golf scene came good with a great nett score of 2 under par 69 to take the "A" Division Classic. A couple of years ago Twerenbold was playing off 18 and today at 9 he hits a great ball and he is certainly no spring chicken. Arashad Ahamed, another very talented golfer but a trifle hefty was encouraged with a nett par round of 71. This win was Twerenbold's first major success.

Mahesh beaten
Mahesh Hirdaramani was sharping excentionally. Close and miserly with his strokes he was building a formidable score when looseness set in to create untidy shots. He dropped to nett 68 beaten by F.U. Park whose nett 67 was a well calculated and planned effort. Park was the "B" Division Champ.

Best score
S.Y. Kin had the lowest score for the day. A raw rookie with a 28 handicap he shed inhibitions and in gay abandon went for shots which were rewarding. He shot nett 65, took the "C" Division Trophy and beat Sanjay Gunewardene who shot a most creditable nett 66.

Seniors and masters
M.M. Ismail moved into the scene again to beat Norman Chandraratne convincingly and take the trophy for Seniors. C. Twerenbold had the Masters securely in his possession with nett 69 beating the well preserved Priya Samarasinghe by 2 strokes.

Poolists
J.M.L. Indika completed a splendid par round of gross 71. A rousingly smart player all eyes are on him. N. Amarapathma is another rising star. Both are craving for more encouragement particularly more opportunities to play competitive golf. Over to S.L.G.U.

Disaster
The disaster zone was packed to capacity. Dozens of balls hit the ponds and a lesser number moved deeper on the roofs of the huts in the neighbourhood. Free Lanka Trading Ltd. deserve much credit for their outstanding support for golf development. Particularly the encouragement given to the poolists.

Royal out to secure unblemished record
Royal College and S.Thomas’ CollegeMt. Lavinia will reach another milestone in their cherished cricketing history when they play the 125th traditional 'Battle of the Blues' on March 11, 12 and 13, 2004 at the SSC Grounds. The Reid Avenue school will start their inter-school cricket season for 2003-04 with a heavy calendar with an addition of another fixture against Mahinda College, Galle, a first term match to be played in Galle said Sarath Karunaratne, the master-in-charge of cricket.

Third year coloursman all-rounder Tharaka Kottehewa will have the privilege of leading the team in this epoch-making 125th year game. Royal look a well-knit side with seven coloursmen in their squad in preparation for this fare festival match which will be played amid a carnival atmosphere.

They will play six third-term matches with the opening game against Isipatana on Oct. 4 and 5 at Reid Avenue. This match will be followed by against Dharmapala, Dharmasoka, Ambalangoda, (away), Thurstan (home), St. Sebastian's Moratuwa (away) and Richmond Galle (away).

Ganganath Ratnayake, the most accomplished all-rounder in the school circuit - a future young prospect is a fifth year coloursman. He captained the school in year 2002. Naveen Dias is the Secretary and vice-Captain. A dandy little batsman, Dimithri Siriwardena, a sedate opener, Janith Jayawardena at No. 3, looks good to play a long innings.

Heshan Morawake, a left-arm leggie in the mould of Coach Roger Wijesuriya and Dhammika Edirisuriya (off-spin) will give variety to the attack. Last season Royal enjoyed an unblemished record - never lost a game outright. In the coming season they have a side blend with experience and freshers, who are raring to go. According to sources the team will be picked on merit and performance at the middle. There should be total commitment.

Coach Roger Wijesuriya, who came up in the hard way has instilled on his charges to play the game in the correct spirit. No sulking for setbacks, but fightback. The game that matters in the end. There is no room for complacency. Every match is important. Discipline is a must. At the end of the day all is forgotten. Fellowship prevails, said mild mannered, Ranjith Senanayake - the Prefect of Games.-BW

First ever Horse Show
The newly formed Sri Lanka Equestrian Association (SLEA) will hold its first ever Horse Show in Sri Lanka on September 28 (Sunday) at the Parliament grounds.
The event will be a two hour show where the horses will show off their talents in the field of horse dancing, tent pegging, hanky picking, fire arch runs and many more activities which have been derived from the war concept.

All these activities by the horses were derived from the battlefield where a king ordered his cavalry to attack the enemy camp with their lances, spears and uproot the wooden pegs which were holding the ropes of the tents. Similarly the art of making horses dance also originated from the battle days. These will be exhibited by the Mawari horses specially broughtdown from India.

The SLEA anticipates this Horse Show to be a promotional event with the idea of encouraging and promoting equestrian sport in the country. The SLEA plans to establish a grand stand with tickets priced at Rs.1,000 and will be available for reservation via a hotline number which will be informed in the days to come. -MSA

Back to Sports