The Sunday Times on the Web Sports
12th April 1998

Front Page|
News/Comment|
Editorial/Opinion| Business| Plus |
Mirror Magazine

Home
Front Page
News/Comment
Editorial/Comment
Business
Plus
Mirror Magazine

President's College win on higher run-rate

The limited = over cricket encounter for the Milo Trophy between President's College, Kotte and Mahanama College,Colombo was played at the R.Premadasa Stadium on April 5.

Mahanama College batting first scored 208 for 8 wickets in 46 overs. President's College, chasing this total, were 201 for 8 wickets in 44 overs when rain interrupted play. President's College emerged winners on a higher run-rate.

An excellent unbeaten 87 by Praneeth Chamara Jayasundara, and his 6th wicket partnership of 73 with Prabhashitha Caldera contributed towards this victory. Praneeth Chamara Jayasundara was adjudged Man of the Match.

Mrs. Soma Munindradasa, the first Principal of President's College was Chief Guest and Mr. Hector Bethmage,the Chief Government whip and member of the Western Province Provincial Council, was Guest of Honour and presented the awards.

Mahanama College:- 208 for 8 wkts. in 46 overs ( C.Fernando 36, D.Perera 32, L.Munasinghe 27, Y Gamlath 19, Ruvinda Sampath Jaya-wickrama 35 for 3 wkts).

President's College:-201 for 8 wkts in 44 overs. (Praneeth Chamara Jayasundara 87 not out, Chanaka Chandrasekara 38, Prabhashitha Caldera 18, Ruvinda Sampath Jayawickrama 17, Saman Rajapakse 37 for 2 wkts, Pubudu Sathyapala 37 for 2 wkts, Dinesh Bandara 31 for 2 wkts).

Best Batsman:- Praneeth Chamara Jayasundara.
Best Bowler:- Ruvinda Sampath Jayawickrama.
Man of the Match:- Praneeth Chamara Jayasundara.


Kalutara's Wilson bags another milestone

By Bhahi Sampanthan

Wilson Suriyara-chchi, the versatile sportsman of Kalutara, who had created many unique records in his illustrious career, has reached another memorable milestone. He has completed 50 years of membership at the Kalutara Town Club.

In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times, Mr. Suriyara-chchi looked back on some of his noteworthy highlights and achievements during his career. Below are the extracts of the interview.

Q: You have been attached to the Kalutara Town Club for 50 years. Can you tell us when you joined the Club?

A: I got enrolled as a student member of the club in 1948. During that time, the club was well-known to everyone, especially to the 'elite' Sri Lankans. It was a prestigious club, and the members during that time were confined to Lawyers, Doctors, Planters, and top officilas of the Police. I think I was the only student member then. Other than plying cricket at the club, I also had a keen interest in billiards. I had a feeling that even at that time I was the best player around.

Q: You say that you had better capabilities in billiards than others at that time. How did you learn to play the game?

A: I learned my billiards at the Kalutara Billiards Table, while I was a member of the Police Boys' Brigade. I entered for the annual billiards tournament of the club in 1951, and won the Open Title, and went on to create a Cueman's record by winning the title for 30 years without a break (1951-1981).

I won the all-island Lanka Plate Billiards championship in 1978, bringing honour and credit to the club and my town. I represented the club at the Billiards Association and Control Council meetings for over two decades. I had the honour of being a referee at the World Billiards championships held here in 1979, and was a member of the tournament committee.

After the championships, I invited many of the participants to play exhibition matches at our Kalutara Club. Many local members of the club were fortunate to see world class billiards being played. Many famous players such as M.J.M. Lafir, Paul Mifsud, Michael Ferreira, Subas Agarval, and Norman Dagley were in action.

Q: Can you elaborate on your cricket career at the Club?

A: I represented the club cricket team in the Sara Trophy Cricket Tournament while I was a student. I also played in Division II and III tournaments, conducted by the Cricket Board. I have also represented the club at the Board of Control meetings for over a decade.

Q: Can you tell me more about the activities of the Town Club during days gone by?

A: The club was inaugurated in 1888. Today we are 110 years old. I must mention with deep regre that we were not able to celebrate the centenary in 1988 due to a court case that was pending over a constitutional dispute. As a result of this altercation, the general committe was not functioning from 1981 to 1993.

I am proud to mention that between 1982 and 1993, I single-handedly co-ordinated the affairs of the club. Also, I conducted three major tournaments of the BCCSL.

The past presidents of the club, M/S. Cyril de Zoysa, P.A. Cooray, Manuel Wanigarat-nam, Kingsley Wick-remasinghe, Dr. E.C.D. Ratnayake, Tissa Almeida and Siri Perera devoted most of their time for the betterment of the club. Special appreciation should be accorded to M/S. Kingsley Wick-remasinghe, Manuel Wanigaratnam, and Dr. E.C.D. Ratnayake who parted with their own money for improvements to club buildings.

To end, I would like to heartily thank everyone who had helped me during my work at the Kalutara Town Club. A special appreciation is lended to to the current President Mr. Kingsley Wickremasinghe who awarded me a Honorary Life Membership at the club.


Earth Summit lands top steeplechasing prize easily

By Ismail Khan

The greatest steeplechasing event in the world, the Grand National Handicap Steeplechase 1998 sponsored by Martell Brandy and run at Aintre, Liverpool, Saturday last saw N. Twiston Davis trained Earth Summit (C. Llewellyn) take the event by 11 long looking lengths from a plodding Suny Bay ridden by Graham Bradley. R. Dunwoody ridden by Samlee finished third while St. Mellion Fairway taken by Andrew Thornton filled up the fourth berth. The winner was a rare favourite going at 7/1.

Earth Summit owned by S.P. Two combined team has uptodate collected £122,882 as prize money having won races including Handicap Steeplech-ases over a career run of 33 races excluding the 1998 Grand National which fetched him a record £300,000. He has won over long distances but not the rigorous 36 furlong, 4 miles 4 furlongs of the national distance. And the most important thing he has not won at Aintre, Liverpool where the Grand Nationals are run. Yet he cut down from 12/1 to 7/1 Saturday last and to the surprise of all hammered the 37 horse event by 11 lengths others sprawled out behind in almost a procession.

As the 37 horse field got off Earth Summit was seen tugged behind the early leaders with rider C. Llewellyn content to bide his time, as he was jumping the big fences perfectly. Gimme Five a 25/1 chance was trying his hardest at halfway to get on terms with the leaders at one time brushing past Earth Summit taking on the 13th fence but C. Llewellyn on second thoughts had to swerve right on the outside to avoid him and the falling horses. As heads were turned for home having negotiated the water jump for the last time it was Earth Summit in the lead and the gelding drawing clear on the run-in left others in the cold winning by 11 or more lengths. Suny Bay plodded on to take second place while Samlee at one pace finished third. St. Mellion Fairway crept up from behind in the dying stages to take fourth place while Gimme Five could manage only fifth place. No less than nine horses fell by the wayside.

The Grand National day began with Gerry Balding's 5-year-old Bellator successfully taking the opener - the Cordon Bleu Handicap Hurdle from Advocat by 27 lengths just drawing away from the nearest pursuer sending the punters off to a good start.Having unfortunately unseated rider at his last attempt at Cheltenham on March 17 Bellator ridden by Brian Fenton made every post a winning one, the young rider smiling away as he passed the winning post in a common canter. Advocat (P. Carberry) ambled along to get into second place. Race number two, the Martell Red Rum Chase, a limited handicap worth £40,000 over 12 fences of the treacherous Aintree track was fought out neck and neck upto the winning post with Jeffell getting the day in a photo-finish from Flying Instructor (J.A. McCarthy).

Trained by A.L. Moore in Co Kildare, Ireland, and ridden by C.O'Dwyer, the 8-year-old who had amassed £92,513 in stake money todate and having unseated the rider at his latest start at Naas Ireland in a race won by Opera Hat jumped well Saturday last and having got a head start had to beat off a sustained challenge from P. Webber's Flying Instructor who gave him a torrid time at the finish. Follow this Instructor for a good priced win before the 1998 jump season comes to an end. And keep in mind the winner Jeffell for another win this time at Fairyhouse, Ireland on the Irish Grand National day.

Then came the supporting big race of the day, the Martell Aintree Hurdle, a Grade One event run over 20 furlongs and worth £75,000 in which the raging hotpot the Champion Hurdle winner Istabraq met his Waterloo in Martin Pipe trained Pridwell who beat him in a tight finish by a head.

Istabraq lay handy upto 8 flights from home and then sensing danger from behind took up the running. But A.P. McCoy on Pridwell marking time well upto that point brought his ride and kept him within striking distance and once the pressure was on after the penultimate flight caught up the runaway favourite and beat him to the post in taking style though he won it by only a head. The others were strung away nearly 25 lengths behind.


Row erupts over Sydney Olympics

Sydney, April 10- Australian politicians have demanded VIP tickets for the Sydney 2000 Olympics in return for continued funding of the Games, an Australian newspaper reported on Friday. According to the Sydney-based Daily Telegraph, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet had secretly requested tickets for "all federal ministers and key heads of departments" in return for funding concessions. The federal and New South Wales state governments have been locked in a bitter dispute over the funding of a range of Olympic services and facilities. Olympic officials have still not finalised their ticketing policy for the Games but the issue is expected to be extremely sensitive because of the high demand for tickets. The paper quoted an unnamed Olympic official as saying he was outraged by the demand: "The politicians get enough lurks and perks, there is no reason why they shouldn't pay for their tickets." Federal Sports Minister Andrew Thomson released a statement on Friday saying the story was inaccurate. "The commonwealth had asked for an allocation of tickets after being invited by the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games to set out its requirements for the Games," Thomson said. "But the beneficiaries would be a couple of hundred visiting trade officials and overseas dignitaries, not federal or state ministers." Meanwhile, organisers of the Paralympics are planning major cutbacks because of their inability to attract sponsors. With less than three years before the Paralympics — an Olympic-style games for the physically challenged — the Sydney Paralympic Organising Committee (SPOC) was looking for another A$60 million (US$39.6 million) to stage the event. "We are at a critical stage," SPOC chief executive Lois Appleby told Reuters. "It's not quite doom and gloom just yet but it is a definite worry." The Paralympics will be held in Sydney between October 18-29, 2000. They were originally scheduled for October 14-24 but were put back after an analysis of complaints over the running of the 1996 Atlanta Games. The Sydney Olympics will be run from September 15 to October 1. Although the two events are intrinsically linked, they are organised by different committees and have separate budgets. "Although we are working very closely with the Olympics, we are also competing against them for sponsorship," Appleby said. "There is only so much money around and they seem to be taking most of it." SPOC needs a total of A$135 million to stage the Games. They have been given grants by the Australian and New South Wales governments but need another A$60 million. Appleby said the organisers had so far managed to attract just two sponsors and were now looking at making cutbacks to the "look" of the games. "If you haven't got the money you can't do everything you want to do," Appleby said. "We won't be cutting anything that will affect the athletes but we may have to cut back on things like posters, streamers, banners, the sort of things that give the Games their look." (A$1 = US$0.66). - Reuters.


The great betrayal

By Neville Abeygunawradene

Reflecting on our performances in the field of sports three or more decades ago, it often comes to mind the inescapable query 'How was it then and why not now?"

In those green years every competitive sport had an abundance of quality athletes and each one of them was a class by himself. What we have witnessed in recent times are one or two that achieve high quality performances and that too over a staggered period of 15 to 20 years. It clearly shows that these one or two stars who appear far between the years are not the result of any broad based national sports planning but sheer self made stars via their inherent talent. Once brought into the city, a little polishing is done andthey showered with goodies and luxuries. These rare specimens are then portrayed as great 'finds' of organized methodical planning.

Upto the early sixties and long before a ministry for sports was established, all major sports were seriously promoted in schools. Sports was never the preserve of the urban schools. Since space will not permit me to touch on most of the sports, I shall endeavour through a few sports to show numerically how these sports produced a galaxy of stars in those days gone by. Let us take athletics and its products in the blooming years.

In soccer the names of great exponents of the sport needs a volume to describe, and with their International records the picture is simply marvellous. All these stars did not come out from a magicians hat, but from schools and their nurseries spread islandwide, supported by junior, as and youth competitions before enlisting in clubs at senior and national level. Today, except in cricket, gone are the nurseries - gone are the schools that seriouly and regularly took part in major sports. Of the six thousand and over schools in this country, what is the olympic sport that has even five percent of this number in regular annual competitions?

Sports in the ministry of sports is an exercise in fanfare and extravaganza - a fulfilment of a stereotype programme for the purpose of record. Never is sports in schools geared today for the technical enhancement of the athlete and the sport. It's from high schools and universities that other nations produce world champions in sport and what about us? Your guess is as good as mine.

It's all a hocus-pocus. Gone are those exemplary men of commitment and character that once guided school sports and who offered selfless service for the sheer love of the sport. It's all a rat race now. Gone are those days of care, concern, commitment and conduct - Gone with the wind!


Lankan women thrash Pakistanis

By Bandula Jayasekera

The Sri Lankan women's cricket team convincingly defeated the Pakistan women's eleven by seven wickets with 23 overs to spare, in their first one-day international cricket match, played at the SSC grounds yesterday.

The Sri Lankan skipper, Rasanjali de Silva scored an unbeaten 37 with Chaturi Talagala not out on 19.

Vasantha Ratnayake top scored with a fine 48 runs. Sharmeen Khan of Pakistan took 1/21.

The Pakistan women who batted first, scored 135 runs all out at the end of 34.4 overs. Asane Farzand scored 30 runs with Kiran Baluch contributing 14. Rose Fernando, a schoolgirl, bowled best for the Lankans, taking 4 wickets for 13 runs. Chamani Seneviratne took 3/34.

Pakistan all out for 135 in 34.4 overs.

Asane Farzand 30, Kiran Baluch 14; Rose Fernando 4/13 and Chamani Seneviratne 3/34.

Sri Lanka 136/3 wickets in 27 overs.

Vasantha Ratnayake 48, Rasanjali de Silva 37 n.o., Chathuri Talagala 19n.o.

Sharmeen Khan took 1/21.


Tiger's latest approach at Masters

April 10 - The new, mature TigerWoods stayed cool and calm in the face of brutal conditionsThursday to put himself in a prime position to defend his Masters title at Augusta National.

"I thought I would be a little bit more nervous than I was because last year I was really nervous on that first tee box,"Woods said about setting out for his first Masters round as reigning champion.

"And I think that's probably one of the reasons I shot what I shot going out." Woods was referring to the four-over-par 40 he shot over the first nine holes last year before responding to a pep talk he delivered to himself on the way to the 10th tee. From that point on, Woods was in a class by himself, going 22 under par over the last 63 holes on the way to a record-breaking win.

This time, Woods gave himself the appropriate advice right at the start and battled through the wind-blown first round in one-under 71, two shots behind leader Fred Couples.

"When I got out on the first tee, I said, 'Okay. Tough day.Let's accept it and go," said Woods. "Going out there I figured par or better's right there in the ball game. Nobody's going low."

Woods kept to his game plan. He went out in two-under 34,six shots better than last year, and held on through the blustery back nine to post a 37 for 71.

Last year, Woods caught fire and shot six-under 30 on homeward nine. "Last year's last year," he said. "We had perfect conditions last year. These aren't perfect conditions this year."

Woods streaked to a record 18-under-par total of 270 last year and won by a record 12 strokes in becoming the youngest Masters champion.

He envisions a different sort of tournament this year.

"I think the forecast for tomorrow's the same, supposed to be blustery and a little dryer," he said. "So if that's the case, it may be like — what year was it? The year Larry Mize won.

It was '87. It was like four under or five under par was a playoff (actually three under).

"If the wind blows like this, that might be the winning score again."

Woods, victimized by his bravado last year on several holes at the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championships, showed his restraint at the 15th where the game's longest hitter laid up at the par-5 because of the wind.

"This year, I learned from last year's mistakes," said the22-year-old Woods. "You just have to live and learn."


Briefly

Ladies College win 3 titles

Ladies' College who won the girls under 18 tennis title and also the under 16 and 20 titles too emerged as overall tennis championships at the Public Schools girls tourney concluded at the National Tennis Courts at Greenpath.

In the under 12 finals St Bridget's beat Holy Family Convent.
Under 14- Visakha beat Ladies.
Under 16- Ladies beat Musaeus.
Under 18- Ladies beat Bishops
Under 20- Ladies College beat Holy Family Convent.

This championship was organised by the Sri Lanka Girl Schools Tennis Association. - (AP)

Gateway's Solomon on top

At the conclusion of two successive days of keen competition of the Gateway International School meet, held on April 3 and 4, the following were selected champion athletes:

Under-11 Championships (Boys): Clifford Thalayaratne of Lionel House; Under-11 Championships (Girls): Yashoda Amarasekere of Lionel House and Ayanthi Philo Perera of Solomon House; Under-13 Championships (Boys): Pramodh Kahanda Liyanage of Stephen House; Under-13 Championships (Girls): Natalie Phlemin of Stephen House; Under-15 Championships (Boys): Mohamed Nazim Lanthra of Stephen House and Bashitha Nanayakara of Dudley House; Under-15 Championship (Girls): Aishath Shanoona of Solomon House; Under-17 Championships (Boys): L.L. Mihiru T. Perera of Dudley House; Under-17 Championships (Girls): Darshanie Shanika Fonseka of Stephen House; Under-19 Championships (Boys): Samantha Ekanayake of Solomon House; Under-19 Championships (Girls): Maneshka Eliyatambi of Solomon House; Over-19 Championships (Boys): Yohan Abeysekera of Stephen House and Atheek Dilfaseez of Stephen House.


Asian Wings donate 'Ahmed Didi Cup'

Mr. Shelton de Alwis of Asian Wings (Pvt) Ltd donated the "Ahmed Mahir Didi Cup" to trainer Mr. Denzil Jayawardena. The race was won by "Gyselle" owned by Miss. Parveen Herath, at the racecourse, Nuwara Eliya recently.

Mr. Ahmed Mahir Didi, Marketing Director of Universal Resorts of Maldives sponsored the "Ahmed Mahir Didi Cup" for the five furlong crossbred horse race.

Mr. Didi is a keen lover of horses, and is presently the only Maldivian to be a member of the Sri Lanka Turf Club. Next year (1999), he has promised to get a few more Maldivian hoteliers to sponsor a race day in Nuwara Eliya.

Sri Lanka Turf Club is happy to note that people like Mr. Didi are taking a keen interest to foster better understanding and to promote the sport.


England faces rugby banishment

London, April 9- England could be barred from competing in next year's Rugby World Cup unless there is a swift resolution to the long-running power struggle between the top English clubs and the Rugby Football Union (RFU). In the latest twist to the battle over who controls England's international players, Lions manager Fran Cotton and England coach Clive Woodward revealed on Thursday the clubs had made an application to the European Commission challenging, among other things, the regulations of the International Rugby Board (IRB) regarding player release for test matches. If it were to become law, players would not necessarily be freed to play for England when Woodward required them and other leading nations are already voicing their concern at the consequences. All the leading unions, including New Zealand, have appealed to the IRB, insisting England abide by the current regulations and have said they would not play any English side, at any level, containing players "deemed to be outside the jurisdiction of the RFU."

Most call for England to be expelled from the World Cup if a club breakaway occurs or the RFU lose direct control.

Angered by the recent storm which broke when Northampton threatened not to release their players for close season tours, Scotland have also weighed in, accusing the RFU of "abdicating its responsibility to world rugby" and demanding severe financial penalties. The application, which the clubs' legal advisors say is irreversible, has been seized on by Cotton, who resigned as vice-chairman of the RFU management board over the weekend, and Woodward as clear evidence that those running the clubs are intent on wresting control from the RFU.

"This overturns every single agreement currently in place or about to be negotiated," said Cotton, describing the legal documents in front of him as affecting "not just the future of the game in England but throughout the world". The RFU council, famously dismissed by former captain Will Carling as "old farts", unquestionably appear to have sidelined Cotton and RFU management board chairman Cliff Brittle as they pursue an agreement with the clubs. Diplomatic progress has been made and a deadline of May 1 has been set. - Reuters


Negombo triumph

Negombo CC helped by 17 - year-old Maris Stella schoolboy Mevan Fernando with an attractive top-score of 95 (with 12 fours) helped them to register an eight wicket outright win over Lankan CC, in a Div. 1 Segment 'B' cricket match, played at the Air Force ground, Katunayake.

It was Negombo CC's second outright win. Earlier, they defeated Air Force Katunayake and got the better of Navy on the first innings.

Lankan CC 194 - (M. Hadji 48, Sujit Perera 36, L. Jayamanne 31, Ruwan Fernando 4 for 49, Lakmalka Fernando 2 for 35), and 174 (Sujit Perera 38, N. Gunasekera 36, L. Fernando 4 for 53 N. Priyankara 3 for 45).

NCC 277 - (Mevan Fernando 95, N. Priyankara 44, Asoka Jayamanne 23) - B.W.


Cicero as President

Cicero Fonseka was elected President of Petersons Sports Club at its Annual General Meeting. Following are the others elected to hold office for the ensuing year:

Vice Presidents: M.R. Illyas, B.K. Ramachandran, I. Wahid, D. Dalpatadu, T.Marikkar, M,Wanigasekera.

Sec : F. Mohamed

Asst Sec:-
M.R. Visva, (Asst. Secretary)
F. Lahir (Treasurer)
R. Anthony (Asst. Treasurer)
M.D. Ifthikar (Rugby Coach)
R. Anthony (Rugby Manager)

Presented on the World Wide Web by Infomation Laboratories (Pvt.) Ltd.

More Sports  *  Cricket was the winner  *  Golfers given formula for perfect swing  *  Proteas cricket more English than English  *  An allegation: Men who run Lord's are duffers  *  Nelson starts cricket school at Colombo CC

Return to Sports Contents Page

Sports Archive

Front Page| News/Comment| Editorial/Opinion| Business| Plus | Mirror Magazine

Hosted By LAcNet

Please send your comments and suggestions on this web site to

The Sunday Times or to Information Laboratories (Pvt.) Ltd.