World cup champions Sri Lanka got off to a roaring start in the Kenya quadrangular yesterday when they thrashed the host nation by 7 wickets with more than 15 overs to spare.
Leading the Lankan batting assault this time was Romesh Kaluwitharane who with a sizzling unbeaten century lead Sri Lanka to a powerful reply of 190 for 3 off 30 overs after Kenya had recovered from a precarious 93 for 8 to finish on a respectable 188 for 9 of their 50 overs.
Sri Lanka had begun their innings disastrously losing their bomb shell opener Sanath Jayasuriya and no. 3 Asanka Gurusinghe within 3 overs with only 7 runs on the board. But the depth and power of the Sri Lankan batting was seen again when Kaluwitharane and Aravinda De Silva slammed their way out of the crisis with a quick fire 121 run stand. Then skipper Arjuna Ranatunge joined the little master Kaluwitharane in racing to the victory target. Appropriately Kaluwitharane's winning hit to the rope also lifted him to his first century in one day internationals.
Earlier as the four nation tournament began in Nairobi, watched by a relatively small but enthusiastic crowd, Sri LankaÕs top spinner Muttaih Muralitheran sent the inexperienced Kenyans reeling.
Muralitheran, man of the series in Sri Lanka' recent test against Zimbabwe got appreciable turn from the Nairobi pitch to put Kenya in a quagmire.At 93 for 8 it seemed Kenya might not even reach 100 but 9th wicket pair Hitesh Modi and Asif Karim hammered their way out with the normally fiery paceman Chaminda Vaas taking a rare beating. The Indian born Hitesh Modi who top scored with 78 not out and Karim(24) put on 89 runs for the 9th wicket before the latter was run out in the 49 th over.
Though Kaluwitharane's innings appeared to be the sensation of the match, the match adjudicators chose Muralitheran ,who took 4 for 18,off 10 overs as the man of the match. Adjudicator Ravi Shasthri said it was a difficult choice, but many cricket analyst pointed out that batsmen too often get the plum in preference to hard working bowlers.It was Muralitherans carrier-best performance in one day internationals.
Cricketing legend, Sir Garfield Sobers, rates Aravinda De Silva, Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara as the World's premier batsman today, Sobers said this when he was interviewed by the Toronto Star, and wide publicity was given to the statement in the Canadian newspapers.
Sobers was a guest at the recently concluded Sahara Cup between Pakistan and India, held in Canada.
"Lara and Tendulkar seem to have received most of the attention, but I think De Silva deserves better," said Sir Garfield and added "he is brilliant, but unfortunately, it hasn't been until this year, people have started paying attention to De Silva, because of his country's World Cup triumph," Sobers told the Toronto Star.
Meanwhile, Sachin Tendulkar had a disappointing batting performance in the recently concluded five-match cricket tournament with Pakistan. His highest score was 89 not out in the first match, and his last two innings produced a paltry 27 runs.
Since Lara had his problems with the West Indies Cricket Control Board, his batting hasn't sparkled. After Aravinda De Silva's excellent performance in the World Cup and his 334 runs with being dismissed in the Singer Cup will put him in the top spot as the world's best batsman.
The tremendous success of the India-Pakistan five match tournament, International Management Group, the organisers of the Sahara Cup, has signed a Contract with India and Pakistan to play in Toronto for the next five years.
Army Sports Club with all its commitments to national duties proved their ascendency by beating the more fancied CH&FC on September 21 by 12 points (4 penalties) to 6 points (2 penalties) in the President's Trophy preliminary round.
Army went on to prove their dedication and determination by defeating the Police Sports Club by 24 points (1 goal, 1 try and 3 penalties) to 9 points (3 penalties) on September 25 in the President's Trophy tournament game.
Army sans players like Sena De Silva, Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Juppana Jayawardane and Lucky Witharane who all came from Trinity College.
This will do a great deal for Sri Lankan Rugby. But still the two leading Rugby Clubs CR&FC and Kandy SC continue to dominate the local rugby scene with smashing wins over Police by 48 points (5 goals, 2 tries and 1 penalty) to 15 points (1 goal, 1 try and 1 penalty) and Kandy Sports Club crushing the Havelocks by 56 points to 3 points.
It will be again a "Block Buster" between CR&FC, the Carlsberg League Rugby champs and Kandy Sports Club the Clifford Club winners.
Kandy proved their supremacy on Wednesday by beating their homesters, Old Trinitians by 51 points to nil
Bloomfield are set to meet Colts C C in the finals of U-24 Division-I Cricket tournament.
At Braybrook Place, BloomfieldÕs batsmen took advantage of the poor fielding of CCC who dropped catches.
Naveed Nawaz scored a fine 100 which included 10 fours in 210 minutes. He was supported by Suranga Kumar Perera in a 128 third wicket partnership.
Bloomfield 260 all out in 78.2 overs:
Naveed Nawaz 100, Suranga Kumar Perera 62, Sampath Perera 26, Hemantha Boteju 15, Shaluka Dissanayake 50 (n.o.), Mario Vellawarayan 3/83, Renuka Nonis 2/29, Amal Dalugoda 4/71.
At Reid Avenue, SSC were reeling at 113 for 9 after batting first. ColtÕs Suchithra Alexandra did the damage with his right arm seam bowling.
SSC 113 for 9 in 58.1 overs at close.
Suresh Gunasekara 10, Praveen Wettimuny 31, Mahela Jayawardena 32, Suranjit Silva 18, Suchithra Alexander 5/27.
CH&FC will be celebrating 100 years of rugby football on October 5, with a rugby carnival and centenary ball at the club premises at Maitland Crescent from 8 a.m. onwards.
The club has organised a "sevens" tournament, with a team from Bombay participating with CR&FC, Havelocks, Petersons, Police, Army, Air Force, Navy, Kandy University, Dimbulla, Uva and CH&FC the only absentees being Kurunegala and Old Trinitians.
Any number of foreigners would be allowed to turn out for the respective participating teams.
A 15-a-side tourney will be conducted in March next year.
A Ladies flag rugby tournament is also on the cards with four teams in the fray hosts CH&FC, Army, Police and the University.
The ladies final will be played at 5.40 p.m. followed by the mens "sevens" final at 6.00 p.m.
Come what may, the rugby dished out at Longden Place this evening will be of the best. The PresidentÕs Trophy will be awarded to the winner in the final between defending champions Kandy and challenger CR&FC.
Kick off at 5.15 p.m.
Going by their league play-offs, Kandy will have a slight advantage because they are the defending champions and the only minus marks being that they are playing on the home grounds of their opponents.
In the last yearÕs final, Kandy beat CR&FC by 12 points to 8, and won the Clifford Cup at Nittawela in a cliff hanger 7-6.
The match winner for the Longden Place club, will be the full back, Nalaka Weerakkody who has so far aggregated over 220 points by his conversions and try scoring.
CR&FC will be searching for their third title having ta-ken the Carlsberg league and knock-out.
KANDY - Upul Wijesiri, Imthie Marikkar, Etonia Qoro, Lasantha Wijesuriya, Suranga Kodituwakku, Nalin Dissanayake, Sudath Sampath, Haris Omar, Kitti Ratudradra, Asoka Jayasena, Priyantha Ekanayake, Suranga Amarasinghe, L.V. Ekanayake, Dunstan de Silva, Malith Silva.
CR&FC - Nalaka Weerakkody, Sumith Premantha, Junior Nixon, Ajantha Cooray, Naufer Rahim, Asanga Rodrigo, Champaka Nishantha, Alfred Hensman, Savantha de Saram, Tavita Talugesu, Chelaka Hapugoda, Shanitha Fernando, Shantha Rohana, C. Siriwardena, Viraj Prasantha.
Referee - David Vicars.
Malaysia could host a leg of the Formula One motor racing championship in 1999 after getting the greenlight from race organisers Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA), the New Straits Times reported.
In a Lisbon datelined report, the daily quoted FOCA chief Bernie Ecclestone as saying: "We will be in Malaysia in 1999.Ó
Ecclestone briefed Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on his visit to the Estoril race track, to tour the facilities and watch the Protuguese leg of the Grand Prix, the daily reported.
Mahathir, on an official visit to Portugal, also visited Estoril to push Malaysia's bid to host a leg of the championship.
Ecclestone said Mahathir's enthusiasm convinced FOCA that it should make Malaysia the second Asian leg of the Grand Prix besides Japan. China and Indonesia are rival bidders.
"He (Mahathir) is very enthusiastic. He knows what Malaysia has to do and what we have to do. So, we have to build a good track," Ecclestone was quoted as saying.
He said FOCA and the sports" controlling body, the International Automobile Federation, would be assisting in the design and construction of the track and its facilities.
Basir Ismail, chairman of Malaysia Airports Bhd and the official assigned to bring a Formula One race to Malaysia, said a track would be built near the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Malaysia state oil company Petronas sponsors the Red Bull Sauber team in the current Formula One championships.
(Reuter)
Schools, the defending champions in both the boys and girls groups will defend their titles at the Lifebuoy Junior National Cager championships conducted by the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation from October 5 to 12 at the Depot Police Courts at Bambalapitiya.
Schools will take on Ratnapura in the opening match in the girls section at 5 p.m. followed by the match between schools and Kalutara in the boys section under lights at 7 p.m.
The teams participating in the boys section numbering 13 are: Group A - Batticaloa, Kalutara, Kurunegala. Group B - Badulla, Puttalam, Galle. Group C - Anuradhapura, Ratnapura, Matara. Group D - Gampaha, Kandy, Trincomalee.
Girls: Group A - Schools: Matara, Kandy, Ratnapura. Group B - Matale, Galle, Kegalle, Kurunegala.
The semi-finals will be worked off on October 11 with the losers final and final fixed for October 12 at 7 p.m.
Indian Captian, and prolific run getter, Sachin Tendulkar is back on top in the CEAT cricket ratings, the slot he now shares with EnglandÕs ray of hope Nick Knight.
Tendulkar and Knight have a total of 28 points each to their credit.
Tendulkar just at the start of the Singer World Series, was displaced by EnglandÕs Dominic Cork for the top ranking. But his brilliant century in his debut as Captain against Sri Lanka, brought him back on top.
Tendulkar and Knight are followd by Dominic Cork and Alec Stewart who are tied in the number two position with 25 points each.
ratings after the Singer World Series are:
Sachin Tendulkar (India), Nick Knight (England) 28 points. Alec Stewart, Dominic Cork (England) 25 points. Jack Russell (England) 23 points. Mustaq Ahmed (Pakistan) 22 points. Venkatesh Prasad (India) 20 points. Saurav Gangully (India) 19 points. Nasser Hussain, Chris Lewis (England) 18 points. Michael Atherton (England) 17 points. Ijaz Ahmed, Saeed Anwar (Pakistan) Graham Thorpe (England) 16 points. Moin Khan (Pakistan) 15 points. Romesh Kaluwitharana (Sri Lanka) 13 points. Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka) 12 points. Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka) 11 points. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) 10 points Upul Chandana(Sri Lanka) 9 points Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka) 8 points Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) 7 points Jayantha Silva (Sri Lanka) 5 points Arjuna Ranatunga (Sri Lanka) 4 points Hashan Tillekaratne (Sri Lanka) 2 points Kumar Dharmasena, Ravindra Pushpakumara and Asanka Gurusinha (Sri Lanka) 1 point.
P. H. D. Waidyatilaka, former Vice President and Chairman, Technical Officials Committee of the A. A. A. of Sri Lanka has been appointed Technical Official Education and Certification System (TOECS) Level I Lecturer by the International Amateur Athletic Federation.
He has been successful at the final examination for Level I lecturers held by the IAAF in December 1995 and is in a unique position as he is the only technical official in Sri Lanka recognised by the IAAF to conduct Level I courses for Technical Officials.
Waidyatilaka is an Area Technical Official (ATO) for Asia, having passed the ATO examination in 1991. He also had the rare honour of officiating at the Asian Track and Field Championships held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the same year.
Waidyatilaka was responsible for the compilation of a Technical OfficialsÕ Directory for the first time in the 74 year history of the A. A. A. of Sri Lanka and conducted the Technical Officials examination, and released the results within one month in 1995.
Waidyatilaka was instrumental in. reviving the popular National Relay Carnival and inviting foreign athletes to participate at the National Championships in 1992 after a lapse of over ten years.
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