• Pakistan tumble in Boje blitz 
• Visakha/Museaus a double in chess 
• Easy win for Kingswood 
• Thuhashini 13th in British Open 
• Uva draw with schools 2-2 
• Saman, Shivanthi Navin in quarters 
• Airmen go down fighting 
• Kandy SC to have a tough time 
• Marvan strikes Gold with patience, persistence and perseverance. 
• In Brief 
• Royal's glorious hour at Bogambara... 
• Lewke's presence gives Thomians invincibility
• Tale of lies 
• Rover pin points 
• Sri Lanka's new look outfit 
• Miracles on the Golf Course 

Pakistan tumble in Boje blitz 

By Marlon Fernandopulle

Lance Klusener and Nicky Boje engineered a superb fightback to help South Africa beat Pakistan by 18 runs in a Singer Triangular day-night game at the R Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Chasing 241 to win the Pakistanis were cruising steadily to be 125 for 1 in the 25 th over before medium pacer Lance Klusner picked up three crucial wickets and off spinner Nicky Boje four wickets to send Moin Khans team crashing to their second successive defeat in the tournament. Pakistan have now got to win the remaing two games if they are to qualify for the final.

South African captain Shaun Pollock won the toss and selected to bat first on a a placid Premadasa wicket.Openers Gary Kirsten(52) and Andrew Hall(27) provided another fine start adding on 57 runs in the first 10 overs.Right hander Hall was the aggressive partner punching the ball with power and placing his shots perfectly.However the entertaining opener was adjudged lbw to Razzaq just when he was looking to cut loose. 

Kirsten was then joined by Kalis who took some time to adjust to the slow wicket before unleashing an array of strokes.Together with Kirsten ,Kalis added 50 for the third wicket to provide a solid fondation for a sizeable total.However the Pakistanis struck at regular intervals to halt the free flowing South African batsmen.Medium Pacer Abdurr Razzaq was outstanding claiming three wickets while off spinner Arshad Khan pegged the South African batsmen with an accurate and economical spell.

Jacqe Kallis batted through the innings to compile a top score of 83 in 111 balis with the aid of four boundaries and a six.He received good support from Darryl Cullinan who struck a quickfire 37 off 40 balls.

Needing to score at 4.85 runs per over Pakistan were given a rollicking start by Saed Anwar and Imran Nazir.The pair added 101 runs in 20 overs before Anwar departed for 39.However it was young Imran Nazir who stole the limelight with some immaculate strokes.The 19 year old opener who was in Sri Lanka with his country's Youth team for the World Cup earlier this year, showed a lot of maturity and promise as he played some delightful strokes on both sides of the wicket.He finally departed bowled by Klusner for 80 which included 10 boundaries and came off just 86 deliveries.Klusner followed it up with the wickets of Azhar Mahamood and Inzamam Ul Haq in quick succession.

With the fall of three quick wickets and the introduction of Nicky Boje to the attack the Pakistanis crumbled.They lost eight wickets for just 48 runs as South Africa snatched a sensational win to keep alive their chances of qualifying for the finals.

Visakha/Museaus a double in chess 

Visakha Vidyalaya and Museaus College bagged a double each at the Western Province Inter Schools age group Chess Championships concluded last week.

Visakha won the under 20 and 18 titles while Museaus won the under 11 and 13 titles. 

Result - Under 20 - Visakha, Devi Balika Colombo 8, St Bridgets, Museaus. Under 18 - Visakha, Museaus, Sirimavo Bandaranaike BMV, St. Lawrence's School. Under 15 - Devi Balika BMV, Anula Vidyalaya, Museaus, Visakha. Under 13 - Museaus, Outr Lady of Victories Moratuwa, Ratnavali BMV Gampaha, Devi Balika MV Colombo 8. Under 11 - Museaus, Viharamahadevi BMV Kiribathgoda, Visakha, St. Lawrence's School.

Easy win for Kingswood 

By Jatila Karawita 

President's trophy schools rugby champions and league runners-up Kingswood concluded the 2000 Inter school rugby season on a grand note by scoring a facile 23 points ( two goals, three penalities) to 9 (three penalties) win over Wesley College in their Blaze trophy second leg fixture worked off at Bogambara Stadium last evening. 

The winners led 7-3 at the short whistle of referee D. Nimal. Thus Jayamal Vithanage's side from the hill-capital not only retained the glittering trophy in the 15th encounter of the Blaze series with a higher aggregate of points, but proved to all and sundry of their uninhibited prowess in the Inter school rugby arena for the new millennium. 

Kingswood won the first leg of the Blaze trophy match by 22-12 played at Sugathadasa Stadium a fortnight ago. 

Thuhashini 13th in British Open 

Thuhashini Selvaratnam finished 13th in the British Open Golf Championships which concluded last month with a British girl emerging the winner from the 140 participants. 

She was placed 13th with a net score of 150,751 75. 

Thuhashini will participate in the US Amateur Open Championships On July 12 with the finals scheduled to be played in August.

Uva draw with schools 2-2 

By Bruce Maurice 

Uva came fom behind to hold the strong Schools Maroons to a 2 all draw in their 28th Junior Hockey Nationals encounter played at the Astro Turf yesterday sponsored by Singers. 

Schools were leading 2 nil and then cracked up to sudden breakaway moves to come so close in securing their place into the semi-finals. 

Defence Services the defending champions will meet Mercantile in the first semi-final while Schools Maroons will battle Matale in the second semi-final. 

In the run-up to the semi-finals, Defence Services beat Uva 9 nil, Schools beat Wennappuwa 1 nil and Uva held Schools Maroons to a 2 all draw, Mercantile drew nil all with Matale. 

Saman, Shivanthi Navin in quarters 

Saman Thillekerathne , and Navin Samarasinghe recorded good wins to make it into the Quarter finals of the Plate Events showing some progress from the earlier encounter. 

Hong Kong

Saman beat Yan Ka Ho of Hong Kong 9/7, 10/8, 4/9, 9/1 to book himself a bench into the quarter final round, whilst Navin had to put all he had once again, to get the better of his opponent in a gruelling five setter when he beat the No 1 player from Thailand Louis Boonsinsukh 7/9, 5/9, 10/9, 9/7 , 9/5 .

Hirantha lost his match with Yan Tse Keung of Hong Kong in straight sets 9/6, 9/2, 9/7 whist Janaka Suwaris also lost to Navneet Narain of India 9/1, 9/1, 9/2. 

Saman is now due to meet Yan Tse Keung in the Qtrs and Navin will meet Akiro Ito of Japan 

Shivanthi Kotage who met her own compatriot Kushani Daluwatte in the second round got her sweet revenge for the loss she suffered at the trials when she beat Kushani in straight sets 9/6, 9/5 , 9/1. 

Dharahika Kempitiya lost to Lee Hae Kyong of Korea - 9/6, 9/0, 9/1.

Sulakshana Dias Abeygoonawardena lost to Tan Chee Wee of Singapore 9/5, 9/3, 9/2. 

Shivanthi now moves into the quarter finals where she is expected to meet D.V.Anvekar of India. 

Airmen go down fighting 

By Bernie Wijesekera 

Table leaders CH&FC after leading 10-0 at the short whistle had to sweat hard to overcome the gallant Airmen, who went down fighting by 36 points ( three goals and three tries) to 17 (a goal and two tries) in a Calter 'A' div. league rugby second-leg match played at Katunayake, last evening. 

Though the Air Force took the field as underdogs, they gave a sterling performance through their hardy forwards to contain the fancied CH XV which included some outstanding national players. It was no let up in the first half and the CH back division was constantly seen back pedalling. The Airmen matched their counterparts, but it was due to the lack of better rugby skills that prevented them of crossing the CH line in the initial half.

It was in the 20th minute when CH decided to run the ball initiated by centre Jude Dimitri which resulted in their first try scored by Ajit Upawansa, for an unconverted cornerflag try. 

The Airmen had two fine opportunities of scoring when the entire CH defence was in a disarray but infringements cost them dearly. The Airmen were on the offensive, but lady luck lured them. But minutes before the short eluded Upawansa scored his second try for the CH, which went unconverted - 10-0. 

CH after the short break scored their third try through scrumhalf Milinda Jayasinghe, who made a solo run to fall mid-right. Nalin Dissanayake added the extra points 17-0.

The Airmen were rewarded for their efforts. They won a penalty five yards from the line. Off a short tap they shoved furiously. Off a five-yard scrum, winger Ruwan Chan-dratilleke crashed over the line, for an unconverted try - 17-5. 

Spurred by this the Airmen scored their second try also off a short tap, when they shoved beautifully for prop Ajit Prasanna to fall over for an unconverted try - 17-10. 

At this stage CH's two seasoned players T. Jayalath and Bimal Perera took the field. The visitors scored their fourth try through hooker Sameera Wije-singhe which was converted by Dissanayake - 24 -10. Undaunted the Airmen scored their third try off a ruck close to the line for scrumhalf Dhammika Mada-gedera to corkscrew over the line. Ranjit Anthony added the extra points. CH forced their way for the fifth try through Sashika Cooray, which went unconverted - 29-17. Just before the long whistle Nalin Diss-anayake had a 40-yard solo run to fall under the posts. Nalin, himself added the extra points to win 36-17, when Ref. Mahinda Jayawardena blew no sides. Today the Army take on Havelocks S.C. at the 'Park'. This match will be played for Yen Foo- Pakstun trophy. Kick-off at 5.15 p.m 

Kandy SC to have a tough time 

By Aubrey Kuruppu

The Inter Club rugby tournament resumed this weekend and last year's champion team, Kandy SC take on the Police at Nittawela today (Sunday).

The Police are not the hottest rugby property around. Yet they cannot be taken for granted. When they clashed with Kandy SC at Police Park in the first round, the law-enforcers played their hearts out and provided the sternest of tests. Kandy did win 24-18, but by common consent they were extremely fortunate to pull it off in their favour. That probably has been Police's finest hour todate. 

That Police match sowed the seeds of doubt about the invulnerability of the champions. 

These doubts and suspicions were confirmed not long after when Kandy SC were outgunned by the Army 24-26 and stickly outmonoeuvred by the CH 11 - 33. 

The CR game was played when all these self doubts had surfaced. However the Nittawela side showed that they could rise phoenix-like from the ashes. CR was brushed aside 22 - 10 and the Longden Place club's invincibility had been ended. 

Yet the question of why Kandy SC under perform when playing away from Nittawela remains. Thus Kandy SC will not only have to win all their games but also proclaim to the local rugby world that their earlier losses in Colombo were mere aberrations. Heroes in Kandy, zeroes in Colombo, Dunstan de Silva's men are certainly not! 

Possession poses no problem with jumpers of the calibre of Jayasena and Basnayake. With Buksh to hook and Pushpakumara to set the threes in motion, Kandy SC should make optimum use of that possession to run the ball. In spite of having a near Sri Lanka back division and a running, full back (a la J.P.R. Williams, if my memory isn't playing tricks) Kandy has not produced the much anticipated and eagerly-looked-forward to glut of tries. 

The surfeit of rugby that some of Kandy's players have been having notwithstanding, it is inconceivable that they will lose. The game's the thing and one hopes that Kandy will be tested to the full. 

Marvan strikes Gold with patience, persistence and perseverance.

By Dr. Baptist Croos F.S.C

Amidst the clumsy and gloomy weather in Kandy, Marvan the maestro's sparkling double century shone with brilliance and splendour that enlivened the dampening spirit of his ardent supporters. Well done Marvan Atapattu and hearty congratulations to you. Now tread on achieving your goals and attaining heights of glory with your indomitable spirit, and inimitable style of concentration.

Patience, Persistence, Perseverance

Notching up his marvellous third double century at Asgiriya during the third Test, and a record-breaking stand of 335 run with his dashing Captain Sanath Jayasuriya in spite of some hostile bowling from Wasim Akram, Marvan majestically carved a niche for himself in the hall of fame of Sri Lankan cricket. There were anxious moments when he was on 199 and the intermittent rain seemed to wash out the rest of the innings. But thanks to the bright sunshine that prevailed for a brief moment on the third day, Marvan was able to add another feather in his cricketing cap quite comfortably and convincingly.

Marvan had not been deterred by a string of ducks he had had at the initial stages of his remarkable Test career. Putting all his miserable failures and fumblings behind, he has forged ahead with enough patience, persistence and perseverance that carried him to the summit of success.

The administrators and selectors responsible for cricket in Sri Lanka were really farsighted in keeping Marvan in the team and experimenting with him in different positions in the batting line-up and finally promoted him, quite justifiably, as the opening batsman. Their gallant gamble has paid dividends beyond measure. Now Marvan is well set in the enviable position as the Sri Lankan opening batsman with the irrepressible Sanath Jayasuriya.

A model of patience, persistence and perseverance Marvan has taught not only the cricketers, but all of us, how to get a task nobly accomplished unpertubed and unruffled. These are lofty virtues and sterling qualities attributed to eminent explorers, inventors and adventurers who never gave up their pursuits until tangible results were achieved. 

Discipline, Dedication, Determination 

Cricket, like other sports or any other human activity and endeavour for that matter, possesses certain characteristic traits. Naturally a player must revel in these traits. Marvan has them in abundance. Watching him bat, facing fearsome and ferocious bowlers, one begins to realize what this enchanting and absorbing game called cricket is all about. 

Marvan's splendid double century made under trying circumstances, will go down as one of his best. It was brilliant but not aggressive; nonetheless power-packed. The way he reached his first hundred from ninety, with a superb six and a fantastic four, was certainly classic. Discipline, dedication and determination were written on his face right from the commencement of his memorable innings. 

Class, Character, Courage

A player need not indulge in unwanted histrionics in the field . His concentration and composure will assist him immensely in exhibiting his inborn and acquired talents. Adherence to simple rules of cricket will surely bring out the best in a player. 

Marvan's batting is sedate and stylish; less sensational, it shows his class, character and courage under pressure. He will stand serene and solid as a rock, when other super-stars lose their shine and glitter and fade away in a flash. Marvan's ability to put his head down and wait patiently, when others wilt and wither, has been noticed time and again. 

Mild, Modest, Mellow 

The rain-marred 3rd Test, although fizzled out to a draw, swung in Marvan's favour. His personality has a charm of its own. Unassuming and genteel, he is very gracious in his ways. He hasn't a charismatic figure or a flamboyant style, but he is defintely mild, modest and mellow. He gives one the impression that he is dependable and durable. At last Sri Lanka has found a very reliable and resilient opener. We wish him good luck and length of days in his cricketing career. 

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