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Sri
Lanka aim to finish with glorious bang The Sri Lankan quartet comprising former gold medal winner Sugath Thilakaratne, Rohan Pradeep Kumara, Ranga Wimalawansa and Prasanna Amarasekera zoomed the four laps in the best timing of 3 minutes 4. 75 seconds with Kazakhstan finishing second best in a time of 3 minutes 6. 02 seconds. Sri Lanka's hopes of finishing with a golden bang rose yesterday with the news that top star Sugath Thilakaratne - plagued by injury which cost him a medal in his pet 400 metres event - was fully fit and would take part in today's 4x400 relays final at starting at 8 a.m. Sri Lankan time. Sri Lankan officials said they were confident of Thilakaratne's participation and he would anchor the country to another golden triumph in this relay - 28 years after W. Wimaladasa, Kosala Sahabandu, A. Premachandra and Sunil Gunewardena brought glory to Sri Lanka in the Teheran Games. Significantly Sunil Gunewardena is the coach of three members of today's quartet and Sri Lanka would be hoping the trainees would do as well if not better than the coach. Victory for Sri Lanka in the 4x400 metres relay today, in the afterglow of the country's victory in this event at the recent 14th Asian Athletics Championship in Colombo, would help restore Sri Lanka's presitge as South Asia's champions in track and field though India have already overtaken Sri Lanka by five golds to two. At the Asian Athletics Championship, Sri Lanka won six golds. While hopes glittered for the men's relay, a shadow of gloom hung over the women's 4x100 metres relay team. With supersprinter Susanthika Jayasinghe pulling out due to injury, which cost her a second gold medals in the 200 metres, two members of the relay team would end up as virtual tourists here. Jani Chathurangani and Anoma Suriyarachchi of the women's sprint relay team faced a similar fate at the Manchester Commonwealth Games two months ago and find themselves as passengers again for no fault of theirs. Off the track, Sri Lanka achieved another surprise and significant medal for the first time in karate, showing the growing popularity of this event in the country. Edward Jebamalai, compelled to pay his own fare to the Asian Games, shared a bronze medal with a Malaysian. Jebamalai told The Sunday Times he was delighted to bring karate honour to his country though he like many others in the Sri Lankan team had to pocket out their own expenses. In rugby, Sri Lanka who were thrashed 11-70 by Korea and 06-129 by Japan could win a bronze medal if they beat Taiwan today. But there is a catch. Only these four teams are taking part in the Asian Games rugby. Pakistan
thrashed in Sharjah Pakistan had been dismissed for their previous record low of 59 in their first innings on Friday and their match total of 112 was the fourth worst in test history. The result means Australia, who won the first test by 41 runs in Colombo, take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-test series. Opener Matthew Hayden had top-scored with a patient 119 - his ninth test century - to help Australia take a commanding first-innings lead of 251 over Pakistan on the second day. The left-handed Hayden, unbeaten on 74 overnight, came close to carrying his bat but was the ninth batsman to be dismissed before Australia were bowled out for 310. The Australian bowlers once again ripped apart their opponents' batting order with only two Pakistan players making double figures - opener Imran Nazir top-scoring with 16 and Misbah-ul-Haq totalling 12. Shane Warne took four for 13 to add to his four for 11 from the first innings. After humbling Pakistan to 59 all out on the first day, Australia were comfortably placed on 191 for four in reply overnight. Hayden, however, took time to settle down early on in the morning session in the company of Damien Martyn, who had resumed on 19 not out. Jaffna,
Batticaloa and Polonnaruwa giant killers at OWSC Lemonade Sixes
Trincomalee Combined was the other team expected to take part but failed to turn up. Jaffna Combined was the first to achieve it when they defeated Nalanda convincingly by 25 runs but was unfortunate to lose in the second round against last years runner up De Mazenod, Kandana which put them out of contention but they showed the world that with all the shortcomings they had to undergo they have the talent and if given the opportunity they can compete with better teams, Polonnaruwa Combined overcame St. Anthony's Wattala by five wickets and Batticaloa Combined beat fancied Isipathana also by five wickets. Lumbini MV registered the highest when they scored 70 for 2 against Royal Institute. Aruna Rajawasam of S.Thomas' hit the highest individual score of 34 against Royal in the second round. Royal who are the reigning champs bowed out of the tournament when they were beaten by arch rivals S.Thomas'. Results: |
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