Mahanama leaves for Australia tomorrow

By Bernie Wijesekera

Roshan Mahanama, who retired form International cricket recently will leave for Australia tomorrow (Oct. 25) to play district cricket in Victoria.

In some quarters it was made to understand that he has given up the game and hung up his boots. But sources close to Roshan say that he retired only from the international scene, but will continue to wield the willow for his club Bloomfield.

He has left an indelible mark in Sri Lankan Test cricket wth a world record of 436 with Sanath Jayasuriya for any wicket.

Mahanama's stint to play district cricket in Melbourne was made possible, thanks to David Cruse - a senior official of the Sri Lankan Cricket Foundation in Victoria.

Sri Lankan born Cruse is a die-hard supporter of the game. He has played a decisive role with both men and material, for further development of the sport in his motherland.

Mahanama, at the height of his career, retired pre-maturely. His former Nalanda and Sri Lanka team mate Asanka Gurusingha took a similar decision.Asanka was the first Sri Lankan player to score a Test 100 at the MCG - 147 against Australia in 1996. He is now domiciled in Australia - (Victoria). Both players will be seen in action playing district cricket in Melbourne. District cricket is very competitive, with some outstanding players turning out for the respective clubs.

Last season Pakistan's spin Wizard Abdul Qadir was one of them. He, too played in Victoria, and was an instant success.

Lumbini rout Zahira 44 nil

Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya showed their strength by routing Zahira 44-0 and booked a birth in the Cup quarter-finals of the All Island Under 15 Ten's Tournament at Havelock Park yesterday.

The lads from Havelock Town dominated their Group ('F') and so did Royal and Isipatana who also made it to the all important Cup competition on the second day of the tournament.

The quarter-finals of the Cup championship will take place today at 8 a.m while the finals will be worked off at 12.20 p.m.

Vice President of the Sri Lanka Referees Society Tony Amith will be chief guest at today's final.

The Cup championship (quarter-finals): Royal vs Wesley, D.S.Senanayake vs St. Sylvester's, St.Anthony's vs Lumbini, Prince of Wales vs Isipatana.

Plate Championship (semi finals): Kingswood vs St. Joseph's, St. Thomas' 'Prep' Kollupitiya vs S.Thomas' Mount Lavinia.

Bowl Championship: (semi finals): Dharmaraja vs St.Peter's, Sri Rahula vs St. John's Nugegoda (RN)

CH take on Havies in U-24 final today

By Ravi Nagahawatte

An exhuberant CH&FC meet an equally talented outfit in Havelocks in the 'Cup' final of the Under-24 Inter-Club Tournament which is scheduled to be played at Havelock Park this evening.

The team from Maitland Crescent emerged as the favoured side to win the trophy after their smashing 27-14 win over a strong Old Isipatanian side played on Monday. The team which includes two promising schoolboy ruggerites in Ishan Hettiarachchi and Dinuk de S. Wijeratne (both from St.Joseph's) also scored a runaway victory over Navy in their opening fixture of this tournament.

In the final with them is Havelocks Sports Club which has obtained 'young blood' by recruiting three Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya players. They are Lasantha Sumith (flanker), Roy Nishantha (scrum half) and Sham Pradeep (fly half). They beat CH 'B'33-0 and Tri Star 17-0 to qualify for the finals.

The teams:

Havelocks - D. Ekanayake, D. Pushpakumara, D.A. Gunawardana, D.Dodanwela, Miskin Deen, S.Wanasinghe, Lasantha Sumith, H.Marasinghe or S.Jayaweera, Roy Nishatha, Sham Pradeep, R.Suranga or S. Murad, Kelum Seneviratne, J.Saheed, S.Jayasinghe, I.Silva.

CH&FC-S.Cooray, Sameera, N. Perera, Galagoda, I. Hettiarachchi, R.Athukorala, Kokum Seneviratne, Shayam Subulla, T.Boran, S.Jayakody, Manjula Damitt, D.de S. Wijeratne, Nuwan Kumara, A.Peiris, M.Jayasinghe.

ACB removes Emerson, McQuillan from Panel

By Marcus Joseph

Two of the umpires who called Muttiah Muralitharan for 'throwing', Tony McQuillan and Ross Emerson have been removed from the Australian Cricket Board's International umpiring panel.

Both had no-balled him seven times during a one-day match against West Indies in Brisbane in 1995-96. They stood together again in a One-day International against England in Adelaide on January 23 when Emerson called him once more, prompting Arjuna Ranatunga to lead his players off the field.

The ACB's list which has been reduced from eight officials to five still includes Darrel Hair, the third Australian to have called Muralitharan, whose action was pronounced legal by the ICC before the 1999 World Cup.

CIS, S. Thomas' Nationals swim champions

Gheffari, Melanie swimming champs, Gayan diving champ

Colombo International School and S.Thomas' Mount Lavinia emerged overall girls' and boys' champions at the swimming and diving nationals concluded at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium Pool.

Colombo International School aggregated 167 points to win the title for the third successive year with Bishop's College second with 66 points and Asian International School third with 48 points.

The Thomians regained the title after two years with 118 points followed by SSC 67 points and Trinity 61 points.

Setting up the second national record was Thanju Dayananda of Otters Aquatic Club in the under 12 boys' 50 metres free style clocking 38.96 seconds with the old record belonging to Jehan Mubarak of Royal in 1992 of 39.16 seconds.

Gheffari Dulapandan the former Thomian swimmer, swimming in the colours of SSC won six events while Melanie Bauman of the Colombo International School were the best swimmers at the Nationals.

Theekshana Ranasekera of Colombo International School and Sujendra Mather of Rainbow Aquatic Club won the 50 metres freestyle dash and emerged as the fastest swimmers.

Theekshana won the 50 metres freestyle in 31.19 seconds followed by Rasansi Lankage and Melanie Bauman also of the Colombo International School second and third in 31.45 seconds, 31.55 seconds respectively.

Jayamal Wijeratne of Ananda came in second to Mather in 25.32 seconds while Gheffari Dulapandan took the third spot in 25.65 seconds.

Gayan Ranatunga of S.Thomas' Mount Lavinia who represented Sri Lanka at the World Junior championships was selected as the best diver at the National Diving championships and was awarded the Andy Vitharana Challenge Trophy.

Gayan won the one and three metre springboard dives and the platform aggregating 437.50 points. with Royal's Chanaka Wickremasinghe the runner-up.

Harini Jayasekera of Visakha won the one and three metre and platform events with 271.50 points for girls.

Eranya Silva also of Visakha finished in second place in the one, three metre and platform events.

In all, only two records were established in the two-day meet with notable swimmers missing in action due to exams.

Rover pinpoints.........

Leaking?

The roof of the headquarters of a leading sports body is leaking, and much damage has been done to its floors after the recent rains. If not checked, the cupboards, where files are kept could also be affected.

Doctor threatens?

A doctor's name has been mentioned at the recently detected drug case of an athlete at the SAF Games.

The doctor concerned, Rover learns, has threatened to sue those implicating him.

Believe this?

A former top athlete now employed at a shop down Hospital Street, owned by a bigwig in the Sports Ministry has been given the appointment of a Sports Officer. We wonder whether the Minister is aware of this.

The athlete caught on drug charge at one time is amongst the newly appointed sports officers by this bigwig Rover learns.

Among the twenty appointed Sports Officers six are top athletes.

Referees blow hot and cold

The talk in some rugby circles is that a section of members of the rugby referees society is ganging up against Isipatana rugby by threatening to boycott its matches following the alleged striking of a referee with a bottle during the under -15 final between Royal and Isipatana. But according to an official connected to Isipatana rugby, the threat has been masterminded by an individual for personal reasons and that as many as 15 referees have said they would not join the boycott.

Cheating remarks

An official of the Rugby Referees Society made an alarming statement in public recently that players of a school team were using performance enhancing drugs. He is said to have made these remarks at an under 15 inter-school match between Royal and Isipatana. But he made a hasty exit from the scene when one spectator told him that he was the cause of all problems in the referees society.

Referee goes crazy

Rover also learns that a rugby referee in a shameful act of misconduct went onto the field during an under-19 inter-school match and demanded that he be allowed to blow the second half. The referee officiating in the match was thunder-struck and reported the matter to officials who promptly told the rule-breaker to stay away.

The unwelcome referee was a laughing stock as he functions as a member of the General Committee.

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