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Halimdeen turns tide for CR
By Bernie Wijesekera
Defending Le Bond Trophy under 24 champions CH & FC who were leading 10-nil with the end just minutes away, saw a dramatic turn when CR & FC's full back Zulfikar Halimdeen planting two tries within the space of two minutes and force a thrilling 10-all draw (a goal, a penalty) to (2 tries) in the WPRFU final played before an enthusiastic crowd at Longdon Place yesterday. At half time the scores draw a blank sheet.

CH with a heavy and hardy set of forwards stood out in their defence with full back Dinuk de S. Wijeratne shining with a safe and sound pair of hands. It was a comedy of errors by the red shirts back division which threw away many opportunities. They fluffed with two easy penalty kicks at goal in the first half.

lOld Zahirians had their own way to win the Bowl final when they grounded Air Force by 35 points (5 goals) to 19 (2 goals, a try). Old Zahirians lead 21-7 at the turn around. Malik Manan was player of the match.

Kurunegala RFC drubbed Sabaragamuwa RFC by 25 points (5 tries) to nil to win the Plate final. Nimesh Wijewardena was adjudged player of the match.

Rajans beat Ananda
By M. Shamil Amit
A miss-fielding in the last ball by Anandian Pradeep Boteju denied them of at least becoming joint champions and paved the way for Dharmaraja to become the knockout champions of the Elephant Lemonade Cup inter-school cricket tournament in the final played at the SSC grounds yesterday. It was a fitting finale to end the inter-school cricket season for the year 2003.

The odds were against Dharmaraja as they had a weaker side with Ananda overcoming fancied teams like Lumbini MV, traditional rivals Nalanda and St. Sebastian's in the run up to the final they were the favourites to lift the title but it was not to be. While the Kandy side had only the win against DSS in the semi final to boast of.

Asanka in a do or die stroke pushed the ball towards mid on ran the first first run seeing the fielder miss-fielding ran for the second and succeeded giving them a well deserved victory and win the title for the first time in the history and the first instance an outstaion school winning it.

Ananda - 202 for 9 in 50 overs (Damindu Kularatne 19, Pradeep Boteju 58, Mahela Udawatte 39, Janudhika Sriyapala 27, Sachitra Senanayake 13, Rakitha Wimaladharma 29; Amal Ekanayake 3 for 34, Asanka Samarakoon 2 for 39)

Dharmaraja - 203 for 9 in 50 overs (Chamara Kapugedera 68, M. Wijekoon 32, M. Wijetileke 17, U. Wijesiri 22, Mahesh Weerasooriya 14, Maduka Rajapakse 22 n.o.; Thilina Kumarasinghe 5 for 28, A. Ranasinghe 3 for 36)

Old Thomians boost junior rugby
The Old Thomian Rugby Football Union's sixth Junior Rugby Football carnival aroused great interest among the juniors at grass root levels. Last morning the inter-house meet held in Mount Lavinia saw over 200 junior players in the age groups of 9, 11, 13 and 15 produce interesting rugby. The future of Thomian rugby holds good.
For the first time this year saw over 50 parents (specially the mothers) along with the coaches and teachers joining in.

An outside team, the junior CR & FC development team too took part. In the under 11 group CR juniors did well to beat STC 26-0. Warden of STC David Ponniah commended the organisers and the parents for the interest taken in promoting the sport at grass root level.

Warden Ponniah said the main sponsor, Union Assurance, has come forward to uplift the sport since its inception. - BW

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