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 6th December 1998 |
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 The swimming pool of St. Joseph's college, Colombo was updated tointernational standards.... Pic. by Dunstan Wickremaratne. See more on Swimmers drown in official silence |
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Death before dishonourby Callistus DavyCricket Board President Thilanga Sumathipala has received the shock of his crisis-ridden stint and is awaiting any police investigation after his deputy Abu Fuard made a statement to the law enforcement authority that his life was endangered by threats of death. The Board chief expressed outrage over the former firebrand cricket manager alerting police and dismissed suggestions that the Board was on a course to stifle Fuard who is believed to have gone against it on issues ranging from constitutional ammendments, the construction of new Test venues and heavy spending to renovate office cubicles and the unearthing of the infamous bribery scandal. "I am disappointed. This is all rubbish.The Police have so far not questioned me on anything. I have all the powers to hold an inquiry if he (Fuard) told me he was threatened, I don't run an administration to bulldoze anyone," said Sumathipala. Fuard is known to be an outspoken critic of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka. He whole-heartedly supported the present administrators in their quest to secure office early this year and is now seen as an administrator who is determined not to compromise on any deals that are contrary to his recognition and intergrity. "Abu can stand up to any threats against him. But what if Abu was someone else who will just cave in. Is cricket administration run by people from the street? I think it is time the powers that be take serious note of this", said one observer. But the latest fiasco is destined to take a turn for better or for worse as the two heavy-weight officials revealed their secrets that may threaten to crack an already turbulent administration. Sumathipala said he believed that Fuard could be perturbed over the Board's refusal to pay him in excess of Rs. 100.000/= per month for coaching a junior squad. "He wanted more than 100,000/= rupees to coach an under-15 squad, but we told him this was not possible. We were prepared to pay him Rs. 35.000/=, said Sumathipala. But Fuard lashed out at the Board saying he would rather do an honorary job than accept a professional task for a low salary in comparison to what is doled out for other contractors. "I have served Sri Lanka cricket as an administrator for 18 years without taking a single cent. I did not ask for anything. But they (present Board) wanted me to coach for a fee I cannot accept as fit enough for a professional. I'll rather do it free of charge as I have done in the past than devote all my time, experience and competence to be tagged as a professional coach working for just 35.000/= bucks. Do you know how much unrecognised coaches are paid by the Board today. I told them (Board) don't bloody insult me", said Fuard. Fuard reported the death threat to Police last Sunday morning before taking part in an aborted meeting regarding constitutional amendments. The meeting was abandoned due to a presentation flaw. Sumathipala said that with issues involving Australian umpire Darrel Hair, the upcoming tour down under, the World Cup and Asia Cup, it would not be possible to push ahead with the amendments for the next seven months at which time the election of office bearers will have ended.
Daniel to the foreJosephian batsman Ian Daniel is on course to becoming one of the first batsmen to reach 500 runs in the current season. Daniel who is 17 years old, has aggregated 463 runs from just six innings which includes centuries against Dharmaraja (118), Mahinda (140) and Raddoluwa (119). He also scored 126 not out against Hongkong while representing a junior side recently. Daniel started his career as a medium pacer taking seven wickets for no run in an under-13 match against Ananda and went on to represent Sri Lanka at the mini World Cup in England in 1996.(CD)
Hair issue:Board to fight to the endBy Marlon FernandopulleAs the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka(BCCSL) continued to demand for a ruling from the ICC on Australian Umpire Darrell Hair there was increasing suspicion and some speculation over the conduct of the Australian Cricket Board(ACB) and the ICC in the handling of the Muralitharan-Hair issue. ICC Cheif Executive Dave Richards who conveyed the joint decision made by the ACB and Darell Hair earlier this week to Cricket Board President Thilanga Sumathipala has also suggested to the local Cricket Board not to pursue the matter further and promised to take up the issue at the next Executive Committee meeting of the ICC in January. However the BCCSL has not agreed and is determined to fight the issue untill the ICC gives a ruling on the umpire."The ICC informed us earlier that a decision on the umpire will be made before the tomorrow and we expect the ICC to act accordingly.The decision taken by Hair not to stand in the Sri Lanka games is of no use to us.It has no bearing on our Complaint which was based on the Umpire's violation of the ICC Code of Conduct",said Mr Sumathipala in an interview with the Sunday Times. The Cricket Board President said he was also surprised to note that the ACB had come forward and made a joint statement with umpire Darrell Hair."It's strange that the ACB associates with a person who has even violated their own Code of Conduct,It's the last thing a Cricket Board should be doing". Sumathipala said he was also concerned that the Umpire Hair had consulted his colleagues before deciding to step down from the Sri Lankan games."If he could have written a book on his own I wonder why he had to consult his colleagues before taking this decision". When asked whether Sri Lanka was concerned about any other umpire calling Muralitharan,Sumathipala replied saying I dont think umpires in Australia can be influenced by Hair,unless they decide on their own. The BCCSL hirearchy along with their consultant Lawyers will meet this morning to decide on the next course of action
Stewart hits 72MELBOURNE, Dec 5 (Reuters) - England captain Alec Stewart bounced back to form to post an unbeaten half-century before tea on the first day of England's four-day match against Victoria on Saturday. Stewart, who had been badly out of touch on tour, rediscovered his touch to reach 72 as England cantered along to 162 for four by tea at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.England opener Michael Atherton also made a solid 46 before he departed shortly after the lunch break. John Crawley and Nasser Hussain both fell cheaply in the opening session while lefthander Graham Thorpe made 19. Mark Ramprakash was not out 10 when tea was taken. REUTERS
Mahanama cricketers victoriousMahanama College U-13 Cricket Team had two convincing victories over S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia and Basilica College, Ragama recently in the "Horlicks Trophy" tournament. S. Thomas' College 66 all out (Kasun 3/11, P. Nuwan 3/14, Malinga 3/14). Mahanama 69 for 3 wkts (Nuwan 30, Gayan 14). Result Mahanama won by 7 wkts.Mahanama College 245/8 wkts (Maduranga 50, Gayan 58, Anjana 68). Basilica College, Ragama 140 all out (K. Nuwan 30, P. Nuwan 03/21, E. Dhanudhika 03/09, K.Dheerasekara 02/14).
Nimesh slams 57 for Sebs. before the rainsAll matches in the Cricket Board's premier limited overs tournament were washed off by rain yesterday. Nimesh Perera struck a polished half century to help Sebestianites to176 all out against SSC. Batting against a formidable SSC attack comprising Promodya Wickremasinghe, Suresh Perera and Ruchira Perera, Nimesh batted fluently to strike four boundaries and a six to help the visitors to a challenging total before the heavens opened up. A 109 run fourth wicket stand between Hashan Tilekaratne (41) and Anil Ridigammana-gedara (67) helped NCC to 225 all out against Singha SC. Ridigam-managedara hit seven boundaries and a six and once again displayed his capabilities as a utility allrounder. For the visitors Ranil Pushpa-kumara was the pick of the bowlers claiming 6 for 14. CCC did well to hit up 205 against Bloomfield at Reid Avenue.Wicketkeeper batsmen Lanka de Silva top scored with 44 and was associated in a 61 run stand for the third wicket with Anushka Polonowita (205) to help the visitors cross the 200 run mark. Gayan Wijekoon hit a solid 65 as Tamil Union hit up 191 against Galle CC at the Sara Stadium. At Maitland Place: SSC vs Sebestianites - No decision. Sebestianites -176 in 46 overs (Nimesh Perera 57, Manoj Mendis 40, Anusha Perera 17; Ruchira Perera 2/36, Mahela Jayawardene 3/25, Thilan Samaraweera 2/22) At Maitland Place: NCC vs Singha SC - No decision NCC -225 all out in 49.3 overs (Kumar Sangakkara 30, Naweed Nawaz 21, Hashan Tilekaratne 41, Anil Ridigammana-gedara 67, Ruwan Kalpage 24; Ranil Pushpakumara 6/14) At Reid Avenue: Bloomfield vs CCC - No decision CCC-205 all out in 47.2 overs (Damitha Hunukkumbura 26, Lanka de Silva 44, Bradman Ediriweera 20, Anushka Polono-wita 36, Chaminda Handun-nettige 23; Batheesha de Silva 3/37 Sanath Jayasuriya 2/29) Bloomfield 2/0 in 1.4 overs At the Sara Stadium: Tamil Union vs Galle CC - No decision Tamil Union-191 all out in 46.4 overs (Gayan Wijekoon 65, Chaminda Jayasinghe 25; J C Gamage 3/36 Gamini Perera 2/30) - MF
Susanthika vows sprint double in record timeHer major rivals here are likely to be the Chinese sprinters, led by Li Xuemei, BANGKOK, Saturday (AFP) - World silver medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe, facing a drugs probe which could see her banned for two years, vowed here today to win an Asian Games sprint double in record time. The 23-year-old, who is being allowed to run here despite failing a drugs test in April, said: "I won't just win the 100 and the 200 metres - I'll win them in record time. "There's only one good sprinter here and that's me. "I want to run in both the 100 and the 200 - and we'll also try to get a medal in the relay." The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), the sport's governing body, will decide early next year whether to ban Jayasinghe or accept her claim that her failed drugs test, which revealed the anabolic steroid Nandrolone, was tampered with. The 23-year-old's claims were accepted by the Sri Lankan Amateur Athletic Association in August but the IAAF has doubts about her innocence and have reopened the case. They have confirmed that she can run in Bangkok but will be stripped of any medal she wins if she is declared a drugs cheat by an IAAF arbitration panel. Her two-year ban would then run from the date of her original test in April 1998 and all her results since then annulled. Jayasinghe, her hair in beads aned looking happy and relaxed, conceded: "I've had problems and yes, I'm worried. There has been pressure. Some officials have not helped my cause. But I'll win through." The sprinter, who burst onto the world stage by coming second in the 200 metres at the World Championships in Athens last year, earlier claimed one top Sri Lankan sports official had tried to force her to have an affair and was behind a plot to have her banned for drug abuse. Her critics, however, point out that she has already tested positive for drugs in 1994 and 1996. She argued successfully that those results were due to medecines she was taking. Jayashinge won a 200m silver in the 1994 Asian Games as a teenager. Her recent training has been interupted by the drugs scandal but she still managed to record a 100m of 11.28sec at the national championships last month. Her major rivals here are likely to be the Chinese sprinters, led by Li Xuemei, who was second-fastest in the world over 100m last year.
'Panic button' is not the remedyFrom Trevine Rodrigo in Melbourne, AustraliaFive consecutive defeats in a row seems to have turned Sri Lanka cricket on its head plunging it into frantic turmoil. But a sensible analysis would suggest that the panic button is not the required remedy at the present time. History will reveal that many of the world's best teams have hit peaks and troughs at some stage and Sri Lanka's current bad form which is well before the World Cup could actually be a blessing in disguise. What they need to do is take stock of the themselves, shake off the indiscipline that appears to be taking them back to the days when the world looked upon them as a bunch of losers, and prove their mettle once more. The heartache of a one-off at the mini-World Cup in Bangladesh and the tragedy of Sharjah must have stirred the passions of the players not forgetting the millions of disappointed fans at home and overseas who will them to win whereever they go. And here in Australia there is keen anticipation their form reversal is only a passing phase although the Australian squad will be licking their lips in anticipation of an easy kill. Cool calm precision in their thinking is the key to surfacing from the mire they have slid into. The Australians will do everything to stir their emotions to gain a psychological edge. And Sri Lanka have been known from the past to be sucker bait if they are touted by a calculated opposition. The psychology associated with gaining an advantage over the adversary in countries such as Australia is based on mind games, with subtle tactics like on field sledging, open aggression and an extremely one-eyed campaign by the media to drive home that advantage. Even before the Lankans have arrived here, the media is raving on about bad blood flowing between the two countries and are anticipating a hot confrontation between the two teams whenever they meet. It must be remembered that the past few encounters between the teams have been heated to say the least since Sri Lanka's controversial tour to Australia in 1995/96. Add the extremely stupid comments by England's coach David Lloyd after Sri Lanka beat them convincingly in the one-off Test and one-dayers and the summer of '98 should sizzle as much as Australia's weather is expected to when the three teams meet. Sri Lanka's minders will need to drill the team to focus on what they do best on the field and nullify the opposition strategy by not getting involved in emotional happenings which will effectively deny them of their pleasure. The Australian expedition will serve as a benchmaking exercise on their progress to the next World Cup so Sri Lanka need to put all those defeats in perspective and focus on the task at hand which is to rebuild its fragmented image and think through a positive plan that will put them back on track to defend their crown. It must be remembered that since Sri Lanka stormed to World Cup champion status, they brought with it a new dimension to the one-day game. Even the best exponents of the one-day game at the time Australia and the West Indies were grudgingly forced to admit that the Sri Lankan approach which was to plunder and pillage as many runs as possible during the field restricted first 15 overs was the best formula to setting up a solid platform for victory. and that acknowledgment came from no less a player than current Australian skipper Steve Waugh, a ferocious competitor, but he does not shy away from giving the devil his due. But it is truly folly to rest on one's laurels once they have climbed to the pinnacle of success. And that is exactly what seems to be creeping into the Sri Lankan game. Countries such as South Africa and India have showed that they have not been idle since Sri Lanka began their domination of the one-day game. They have formulated a masterly plan on how to blunt the lethal effectiveness of Sri Lanka's run machine Sanath Jayasuriya in particular with intelligent field placing cutting off his favourite shots and frustrating him into offering his wicket cheaply. Another part of the ploy is to give him a few hits to the boundary building in him a false sense of security before delivering the ball that gets him. The strategy is percentage winner if a player of such devastating potential is kept to 20 or 30 runs. Sri Lanka's strategists must work with Jayasuriya and his partner Romesh Kaluwitharane and counter the opposition if they are to re-emerge as the two most exciting opening batsmen in the world in the one-day circuit, a mantle that is being hotly challenged by India's Sachin Tendulkar and Saurav Ganguly and Australia's new combination of Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh. Video replays of the opposition strike bowlers such as Glen McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Damian Fleming and Shane Warne and England's Darren Gough, Dominic Cork, Allan Mullaly and Alex Tudor must be scrutinised closely to be able to pick up their different deliveries because Sri Lanka's batting has been in a sudden slump due to obvious lack of homework. Another significant lapse that Sri Lanka will need to seriously address is their noticeable deterioration on the field, an aspect of their play that was one of the keys that took them to world champion status. They had the world marvelling at their brilliance and Steve Waugh pointedly remarked after Australia was beaten in the World Cup final that Sri Lanka's better fielding performance was what made the ultimate difference. And while the Lankans have been languishing in the corridors of the past, the South Africans and the Australians have lifted their work rate.Australia's Ricky Ponting and Michael Bevan and South Africa's Jonty Rhodes to name a few are fantastic to watch in full flight. Ironically for Sri Lanka their current coach Roy Dias was himself a brilliant cover fielder during his playing days. So it seems strange that their fielding has dropped off while he holds the reins.
Netball final on TuesdayAir Lanka will meet Hatton National Bank in the Mixed Division netball final on December 8 (Tuesday) at the Police Park commencing at 3 pm. The competition is being sponsored by Masons Mixture Limited. In the semi-finals AirLanka received a walk-over from Union Assurance Limited while Hatton National Bank beat Air Lanka in their league match by 14 goals to 2. Ceylinco turned in a fine performance to defeat Dianichi 'A' by 23 goals to 15 to secure the third place in the C Division final. Ceylinco will now meet Sampath Bank in the final on December 8 starting at 2 pm. Kandy A will meet Hatton National Bank in the Open Final also on December 8 at 4 pm. In the semi-finals Kandy A beat Kandy 'B' 20-14 with superior team work and Hatton National Bank beat Track Masters by 25 goals to 21 in a very close encounter which kept spectators screaming at the top of their voices. In the earlier matches, Kandy A beat Track Masters 22-20 in another close game. Kandy 'B' had an easy time defeating the inexperienced Vavuniya team 29-10, Hatton National Bank too took it easy to beat Vavuniya 33-16 and Hatton National Bank beat Kandy 'B' 21-14. The A Division final will be played between Hatton National Bank and Arthur Andersons at 5 pm where a keen game is expected. This will be followed by the prize distribution. Disabled soldiers will be spectators at the finals.
ROVER PINPOINTSThe know-allA leading umpire in SriLanka, who is in the senior panel, has questioned the authority of the 'supposed to be know-all,' whether he knows what he is talking about over the Muttiah Muralitharan issue.He says Murali when called in a match for suspected throwing, can bowl from the other end! Let's hope he knows the Laws of the Game. 'Of being punctual'All participants for the Asian Games were told to report at the BMICH at 8.30 am. But some came even after 9 am thus delaying the Minister and other higher-ups and sponsors from urgent work. Couldn't some action be taken against them? After all sportsmen and women should know the importance of being punctual. At any costThe names of some sportsmen and women in an indoor sport for a tour of Germany were forwarded for visas. In this list was the name of a daughter of an official. This was brought to the notice of the Sports Minister. Declare assetsThe Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to get their players to declare their assets. The Sri Lanka Cricket Board too should follow suit
Liquor bannedAnnesley Ferreira Reporting from BangkokAll forms of intoxicants have been banned for the Asian Games where 38 disciplines are to be worked off after fighting broke loose between fans at the Thailand-Hong Kong football match. Meanwhile the swimmers complained that the weather was too cold while the organisers fought insects who swarmed in their thousands towards the bright floodlights. Then came the news that bogus tickets are being sold out for the grand opening ceremony to be heldtoday, SriLanka time 4.20 pm at the Rajamangala National Stadium which has a seating capacity of 68,000. The first Sri Lankan to be seen in action today will be Susantha Boteju when he takes part in the snooker championships. James Wattana of Thailand is the favourite for the title. India's Leander Paes has pulled out of the tennis championships due to injury while athlete P.T.Usha is also doubtful of taking part due to injury.The first medal to be won today will be in the women's marathon which is scheduled to start at 6.30 am.
Bedi heads Golf ClassicBy Bernie WijesekeraH.S. Bedi of India is leading with 39 points in the men's section while in the ladies' section Niloo Jayatilleke with 34 points is in front at the end ofthe first day of the third annual AirLanka Golf Classic at the RCGC yesterday. This popular golf classic co-sponsored by Walker Tours and Trans Asia Hotel had drawn tremendous interest from foreigners and there were golfers from Delhi, Dubai, Karachi, Madras, Riyadh, Japan, Switzerland and Hong Kong, numbering 29, for the first day of the AirLanka Stableford Classic. There were also 95 local golfers. Fickle weather marred play in the afternoon but still provided keen competition. The Classic will be continued at 6.45 am.
Ananda Colours Nite on Dec.10The Ananda College annual colours nite will be held this Thursday (December 10th) in the patronage of Minister for Youth affairs and Sports S.B.Dissa-nayake at the Kularatne Hall starting at 5.30pm. There will be 96 colours winners, six Ananda Padma awards winners with the most Outstanding sportsmen award going to Sri Lanka youth cricketer Thilina Kandambi who was a member of the under 19 cricket team which toured South Africa for youth World Cup
Asian Games on RupavahiniThe National Television station Rupavahini will telecast Asian Games - 98 in Bangkok, December 06 to 20 from 10.30 p.m. Following is the schedule for this programme. Opening Ceremony - December 6 - 3.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. Closing Ceremony - December 20 - 3.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. Highlights of everyday's programme daily from 10.30 p.m. 10.30 p.m. to 10.50 p.m. - Highlights of Sri Lankan participants. 10.50 p.m. to 11.45 p.m. - Highlights of other participants.
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