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 31st January 1999 |
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Lanka to face awesome 4Sri Lanka play Australia at the same venue (Perth) and will come up against the awesome foursome, in McGrath, Adam Dale, Shane Lee and Brendon Julian, who will be firing all cylinders against the Lankan batsmen. The Lankans floundered against McGrath on January 24 - at the Adelaide on a docile pitch. The Adelaide pitch is certainly a goodish track for batting, but McGrath still exploited it with some hostile bowling aided and abetted by poor batting. McGrath, in the process returned one-day career best of 5 for 40. Aravinda de Silva, playing after a long wait due to injury looked rusty. The chances of reaching the final has drifted much after losing to England on Friday - two wins in 7 games. Let's hope the Lankans show better grit and determination in today's match against the Aussies rather than succumbing to the Aussie pacemen, and resurrect their tranished image. It has to be a 100 percent allround team effort. Losing is part and parcel of the game, but not with disgrace, when the Lankans were bowled out under 100 at the WACA twice. Emerson, is not umpiring and was removed. It surprised everyone over here, how come the ACB wasn't aware that Emerson was on two months sick leave? It's also surprising that the umpire concerned didn't tell them. What action is the ACB going to take against him, put aside calling 'Murali' for an illegal delivery.
Double for GautamBy Annesley FerreiraSheetal Gautam of India beat the dark horse Valariya Kazova of Kazakhastan 6-2 and 6-1 which enabled her to win the girls under 18 singles title at the 18th ITF junior tennis championships played at the National Tennis Centre Courts at Greenpath yesterday morning. With this win Gautam partnered by Sonia Schellaz bagged a double earlier winning the girls under 18 doubles defeating team mates R.Tulpule and A.Manoke 1-6, 6-4 and 6-1. Mark Weaver of England and Henrick Chasse of Switzerland won the boys under18 doubles final downing the Indian pair Karan Doctor and Ashay Vishal Rao in two straight sets 6-4, 6-4. In the boys under 18 singles final the 14-year-old Wang Ten Tzuoo of Chinese Taipei beat the youngest of the Ratiwatna twins, Sanchai of Thailand, 6-4, 6-4. Sanjiv Paramanathan of Sri Lanka won the boys under18 singles consolation final defeating J.Seramie Jezyk of Australia 6-1, 6-1 while Olga Dzuba beat Swini Fernando 6-0, 6-0 to win the girl's under18 singles consolation final
Ruchira helps RoyalBy Saif IzzadeenA back-to-the-wall 89 by Ruchira Jayasuriya of Royal was the highlight in their drawn Inter-School cricket match against Ananda which ended in a high scoring draw at Reid Avenue yesterday. This was a key fixture in the Lemonade Cup Cricket Tournament. Ananda, resuming from their overnight score of 121 for 2, piled up 254 for 6, before declaring their innings. This was in reply to Royal's first innings score of 234. For Ananda, skipper Jithendra Perera (50) and Thilina Kandambi (85) put on 124 for the third wicket which was the backbone of their innings. Perera had seven fours while Kandambi had 14 hits to the ropes. Others to make useful contributions were Mutumdaliage Pushpakumara (47) and Eshan Abeysinghe (53 n.o). Abeysinghe had seven fours and two sixes. Royal should have been in a better position if not for their fielding lapses. In the 63rd over of the match an Ananda bowler had to bowl seven balls due to a miscalculation by the umpire. Jeh-an Mub-arak took 2 for 48 and was the pick of the bowlers for Royal. Royal taking strike for a second time, 20 runs behind, started off shakily and were 86 for 4 one stage. However their last six batsmen batted on doggedly and held the innings together to see them through for a draw. Royal were 215 for 9 when the stumps were drawn. For the Reid Avenue school, Ruchira Jayasuriya made a well compiled 89 which had eight fours and one six. Others to make useful scores were Thushan Amarasuriya (11), Jehan Mubarak (13), Ravi Peiris (36) and Andrew Perera (16). Thilina Kandambi(2 for 34) and Kasun Fernando (2 for 50) bowled well for Ananda Royal - 234 all out and 215 for 9 in 68 overs (R. Jayasuriya 89 , T. Amarasuriya 11, J. Mubarak 13, R. Peiris 36, A. Perera 16; T. Kandambi 2 for 34, K. Fernando 2 for 50) Ananda - (121 for 2 overnight) 254 for 6 dec in 60.2 overs (J. Perera 50, T. Kandambi 85, M.Pushpakumara 47, E.Abeysinghe 53 n.o; J.Mubarak 2 for 48) Mahanama heldTime saved St.Aloysius from certain defeat in their Inter-School cricket match against Mahanama at the BRC Grounds yesterday. Pubudu Sathyapala of Mahanama made his presence felt with a fine allround performance, but it was not good enough to steer Mahanama to a victory. Mahanama - 181 all out (P. Sathyapala 47 n.o, D. Ratnayake 27, D.Bandara 22, D.Perera 20; A.Silva 3 for 40, N.Nanayakkara 2 for 29) and 111 for 9 dec. (Y.Gamlath 33, P.Jinasena 29, C.Fernando 21; U.Irandika 2 for 35, N.Kudagamage 4 for 22) St.Aloysius - 100 (A.Randika 31, M. Dilshan 18; P.Sathyapala 3 for 30, D.Ratnayake 2 for 23, D.Bandara 2 for 12) and 73 for 7 (S.Bandara 29; P.Sathyapala 4 for 13, D.Ratnayake 2 for 16) DrawBy Nadarajah GokulanThe Inter-School cricket match between St. Peter's and Prince of Wales ended in a draw at Bambalapitiya yesterday. Batting first St. Peter's put on a massive 331 for 7 dec. In reply the Cambrians were all out for 166. Following on, with a deficit of 165 runs, the Cambrians were bowled out for 230. This left St. Peter's the task of scoring 66 runs to win in 5.2 overs but they managed to score only 16 for no loss. St. Peter's - 331 for 7 dec. (Suranga Pinto 62, Anjelo Fonseka 58, Dilshan Rupasinghe 50, Sean Gunasekara 37, Jerome Fernando 36, Mahesh Perera 27; P. Ranaweera 4 for 100) and 16 for no loss (Jerome Fernando 13 n.o). Prince of Wales - 166 (Janaka Wannakuwatta 67, San Wijeyaratne 31; Nirmal de Silva 5 for 26, Aman Samsoodeen 3 for 40) and 230 (Rashan Peries 69, Hasantha Fernando 40, Buddhika Dananjaya 31 , Manjula Bandara 15 n.o; Kaushal Lokuarachchi 4 for 54, Dilshan Rupasinghe 2 for 48, Aman Samsoodeen 2 for 12).
Priyankara sends Moors reelingBy Marlon FernandopulleA tantalizing spell of right arm leg spin bowling by Priyankara Wickremasinghe (8/47) helped Bloomfield to bowl out table leaders Moors for 148 in their Premier Inter-Club game at Reid Avenue yesterday. Wickremasinghe sent down 24 overs and had the Moors batsmen in all sorts of trouble with his wily leg breaks. Earlier Kumar Dharmasena struck an enterprising century to help his side to 236 all out. Dhrmasena batted for over five hours, faced 291 balls and struck 13 boundaries as he anchored the Bloomfield innings with a resolute knock. A century opening stand between Russell Arnold (52) and Pradeep Hewage (43) helped NCC 248/8 and to take first innings points against Colts SC. SSC were made to work hard to take a first innings lead against CCC in their encounter at Maitland Place. Chasing CCC's total of 204, SSC made 240 all out with Thomian schoolboy Upeka Fernando top scoring with 48. At Reid Avenue: Bloomfield vs Moors SC Bloomfield: 236 (Kumar Dhrmasena 111; Kesara Jayasinghe 4/41, Chaminda Hathurusinghe 2/48, Rangana Herath 2/27) & 4/0 Moors SC-148 (Heshan Tilekaratne 42, Primal Salgado 42, Chandika Hathurusinghe 19 n.o; Priyankara Wickremasinghe 8/47) At Maitland Place:NCC vs Colts SC Colts SC -215 (Ruwan Kalpage 5/47) NCC - 248/8 (Russell Arnold 52, Pradeep Hewage 43, Naweed Nawaz 52, Kumar Sangakkara 28, Chintaka Jayasinghe 15, Asela Pathirana 14 n.o; Sajith Fernando 4/43, Ishan Amarasinghe 2/38). Comment A great white conspiracy?Leadership qualities are born in man. The way that Arjuna Ranatunga stood by his team in the recent debacle in Australia not only makes him an outstanding leader but a fearless one as well. The ultimate price was a suspended sentence while England's Captain Alec Stewart got away scot free for a deleberate offensive physical contact with an opposing player! Ranatunga's image as 'Captain Cool' was somewhat tarnished but the incident which angered him was more in defence of his team rather than himself. Arjuna Ranatunga has always been known to lead from the front and when the occasion demanded, he did not hesitate to lead his team in protest, to what he thought was the correct thing to do under the circumstances. Many who watched the incident on TV felt a twinge of pride at what Arjuna did. He had the nerve to tell the umpire what he thought of the affair and led the team out in defiance. Having made his point and in consultation with the team management Ranatunga came back to 'fight'. He has certainly made his point. We cannot be pushed around by anyone! The sporting public in Sri Lanka stood by Ranatunga. And for what? Just for standing up for his star bowler, Murali! He has paid the supreme penalty by being punished for standing up for his colleague. If that isn't leadership. I wonder what is? We previously had occasion to find fault with Ranatunga leadership qualities. There was the Whatmore episode.Then came the Mahanama issue. No doubt there are plusses and minuses in his decisions, but here we feel that he has been trapped by a great white conspiracy. The Australian Cricket Board has not been asked why Umpire Ross Emerson was given to umpire in the first place, given the background. In conclusion all we can say is: 'Oh! Arjuna you have paid a small price but you have made a greater point' - Sports Editor
Golfing honours for Badhra, FranThere could not have been two more deserving and popular prize-winners of the Oberoi Trophy than the winner Badhra Jayaweera and the runner-up Fran de Mel. When Stefan Pfeiffer, the General Manager of the Lanka Oberoi (a golfer himself) offered to sponsor a Tournament of the Ladies' Section of the Royal Colombo Golf Club, it gave the Committee an opportunity to introduce a tournament that rewarded players who competed regularly in a monthly event. The tournament calculated on the total Stableford points during the year, does not necessarily favour those who take top monthly honours, but those keen golfers whose dedication to the game make them true sportsmen. The Prize-giving took place at the Oberoi Supper Club. The panoramic view of the city and the sumptuous buffet dinner hosted by the Oberoi that preceded the prize-giving, added glamour to this inaugural event. RESULTS Winner Badhra Jayaweera 303 Stableford points Runner-up Fan de Mel 299 ,2nd runner-up N. H. Yoon 298, 4th S. H. Lee 296, 5th S.A Jin Choy 290, 6th - Y. Sakarta, 7th Usha de Silva, 8th Suwaneetha Selvaratnam, 9th S. J. Choy and 10th H.S. Hawang. Pam Fernando
Stephen House championsStephen House emerged Junior and Senior champions in the Field events in the Gateway International School Sports Festival. The track events will be held on February 12 and 13 at the Shalika Sports Complex at Narahenpita with the Commander of the Airforce, Air Marshal Jayalath Weerakody being the chief guest. The results of the team events conducted so far. are, Stephen House Senior and Junior champions in cricket and basketball too. Swimming and tennis champions, Solomon House, while Dudley House emerged champions in table tennis and badminton. Rover pinpointsBelieve this?Recently cricket equipment was distributed to the Kalutara District by a leading official of the Board of Control for Cricket. Rover learns that it was heard that this official had requested the clubs in the district not to play in the oncoming District tournament But will give them voting rights. This has been done as these vital votes could go against this top official. Scrap the Selection CommitteeIt would be better if the Minister of Sports scraps the Selection Committee since it is noted to swing to and fro to the likes of leading cricketers. Why not appoint this cricketer as the sole authority in selecting teams? Funds transferredA leading Cricket Board official has transferred Sterling Pound funds to a bank in London against the wishes of the President Rover learns. Rover also learns that cricket equipment when purchased for distribution among the poor clubs is purchased from a choice of this same cricket official! Reported for chuckingHot on the heels of the Muralitheran chucking issue comes another case where a youthful cricketer playing for a Colombo club has been reported for an illegal (throwing) bowling action. Rover learns the player has been "booked" while representing the Under-19 team during the Youth World Cup in South Africa last year and also England A in a home series that same year. He has been filmed while playing for his club and reported to the Sri Lankan Umpires Committee. Rover learns the player is still performing without remedial action taken to correct his bowling. Will he go on to face bigger embarrassment some day?
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