Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunge finally broke the ice on the Whatmore issue when he attributed the censorship on the coach, to a Television Interview given in Australia in last year's controversial Sri Lankan tour to Australia.
In a live interview over National Television yesterday, Ranatunge said that Whatmore was muzzled as coach, due to a remark given over Muralitharan's alleged chucking controversy in Australia, last year. According to the skipper, Whatmore had stated in a Television interview during the tour, that Muralitharan's action from a particular angle resembles throwing or chucking but from other angles Murali's bowling was legitimate.
The Australian media went to town on this interview, which according to the captain aggravated the Muralitharan controversy.
Answering another question on Whatmore's exit, Ranatunge said, "Dave Whatmore had approached Manager Mendis and myself during the Kenyan tour and indicated that he was leaving before the South Africa game." But I insisted that he should not do it immediately as it would have a detrimental effect on the team."
The under 13 inter schools cricket tournament played for the Horlicks Trophy has attracted 142 schools, played in three divisions comprising 430 matches in every nook and corner of the country.
This tournament which has already got underway has seen an increase of 18 new schools, from the provinces Vidyadarsh MV Nochchiyagama, Al Azhar Central Akurana, Wadduwa MMV, Seevali MMV Ratnapura, Kadugannawa MV, Loyala College Negombo, and Bandaranaike MV Veyangoda. In the matches played so far,
Division 1.
St. Peter's beat De Mazenod by 77 runs at Kandana.
St. Peter's 317 for 4 in 50 overs. Jehan Jayasuriya 185, Aravinda Herath 65, Lakshan Perera 26.
De Mazenod 240 for 9 in 50 overs. Laksiri Pieris 36, C. Chirantha 38, Dhammika Gunasekera 27, Mahesh Pillai 31, M. Wijetunga 22, Jehan Jayasuriya 3 fro 67, Indika de Silva 2 for 49.
St. Anne's beat Dharmaraja on the first innings, at Lake View.
St. Anne's 212 for 6 in 50 overs. D. Wijesinghe 35, Roshan Abeyratne 68, M. Dhanuskha 38 not out, D. Dharmaratne 2/8, and 55 for 5 in 26 overs.
Dharmaraja 132 all out in 43.2 overs. N. Wickremaratne 30, P.Ranaraja 43, D. Wijesinghe 4/31, R. Abeyratne 3/26.
Thurstan A beat D.S. Senanayake by 3 runs at Thurstan Road.
D.S. Senanayake 102 for 9 in 50 overs. N. Sumithipala 24, Indika Liyanage 5/25, and 54 for 6. Hazar Raheem 3/16, Indika Liyanage 2/23.
Thurstan 105 for 8 in 50 overs. Damith Indika 17 not out, Sahan Karunaratne 15 not out.
St. Thomas' Gurutalawa beat Gankanda MMV Pelmadulla by 72 runs at Gurutalawa.
Gankanda MMV 55 all out. T.S. Dayaratne 5/10, L.S.P. Dasanayake 2/10. D.M. Riyas 2/14 and 11 for 4 - T.S. Dayaratne 3/2.
St. Thomas' Gurutalawa 117 for 6. S. Leelasena 20, S. Weerawatta 5/19.
Division 2.
Lumbini MV beat Veluwana MV by 3 wickets at the Colts grounds.
Veluwana MV 104 all out in 50 overs. D.S.D. Iddamalgoda 15, J.C. Perera 21, Sanjaya Taranga 2/20, S. Amila Gunawardena 4/31, Dinesh Lasantha 2/2.
Lumbini MV 108 for 7 in 35 overs. Harsha Cooray 41 not out, S.D.S. Upendra 19, W.P. Harshana 2/19, D.S.D. Iddamalgoda 4/20.
Division 3
Thurstan C beat Dudley Senanayake MV by 51 runs at Thurstan Road.
Thurstan 192 all out.
Osuka Maharachchi 36, Prabath Amila 33, A.S.C. Silva 3/69, S. Siriwardena 3/36.
Dudley Senanayake MV 141 all out. S. Siriwardena 63, R.L. Lutus 24, C. Pradeep 3/35, Roshan Balasooriya 2/10, Osuka Maharachchi 2/17, Asela Chandimal 2/18.
The Late President J. R. Jayewardene who died on Friday, was a fine sportsman when he was at Royal College at the time when Mr. H. L. Reed was principal, and Mr. L.H.W. Sampson was the vice-principal.
JR played soccer in the school's first eleven in 1923 and was vice-captain in 1924 and soccer captain in 1925.
In 1925, JR was in the school's first eleven cricket team and played that year in the Royal-Thomian match.
One of his team mates was the Late Douglas Leiversz, who died a year ago.
The masters in charge of cricket that year were Mr. F.D. Wijesinghe and the Late Major L.V. Gooneratne, who later became the first Mayor of the Dehiwela-Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council.
In 1924 JR fought in the school's inter-house boxing team and was beaten in the heavy weight division by C.D.R. Bastian (later C.D.R.B.J. Bandara and a respected member of the Royal College staff).
About his performance on the rugby field, the newspapers of circa 1923/1925 praised JR for his hard tackling and dribbling wizardry. He was playing in the forward line in the match against Trinity College Kandy, the unbeatable team of that year.
His abiding interest in cricket did not end with school, university and law college. He was elected President of the Board of Control for Cricket and the Ceylon Cricket Association from 1953 to 1955 and was President of the Sinhalese Sports Club for over ten years.
JR was a legend: sportsman, lawyer and politician, he rose to be the highest in the land.
All sportsmen in the country, surely grieve his death.
Sajith Fernando and Saman Jayantha yesterday virtually booked a place in the Sri Lanka A team for next week’s test against the West Indies, with a powerful 149 stand for the Board President XI in a three day match against the tourists at CCC grounds in Maitland Crescent yesterday.
Jayantha hit 97 with two sixers and eight fours while Fernando scored 56 with six boundaries in a third wicket stand that steered the Board XI to a commanding 318 for six in their three day match.
Besides Jayantha and Fernando, the Board XI openers put on 46 but skipper Ruwan Kalpage fell cheaply, while Mahela Jayawardena who took time to settle down, was unbeaten on 49.
For the West Indies skipper Roger Harper and Rawl Lewis took three wickets and but it was tough going for them and Sri Lanka are expected to top the 400 mark when the match resumes today.
SCOREBOARD
Board Presidents XI Ruwin Peiris ct Wallace b Harper 30. Chaminda Mendis ct Cuffy b Harper 29. Sajith Fernando b Lewis 56. Saman Jayantha ct Cuffy b Lewis 97 Mahela Jayawardena not out 49 Ruwan Kalpage LBW b Lewis 03 Hemantha Wickremaratne ct Ford b Harper 20. Chamara Dunusinhe not out 06. Extras - L. Byes - 5, Noballs 12 17 Total for 6 wickets in 106 overs 420 minutes 318 Fall of wickets.46, 72, 221, 238, 256, 296 Bowling. Ottis Gibson 16-4-42-0 Cameren Cuffy 14-1-64-0 Roger Harper 28-11-46-3 Rawl Lewis 26-5-86-3 Avidesh Samaroo. 22-0-64-0.
The Wesley College schoolboy Rakitha Wijetunga proved his capabilities astride his YZ 125 CC motorbike winning two races at the revived Pannala Motocross, worked off last Sunday conducted by the Sri Lanka Racing Riders Association.
Rakitha beat India’s National Motocross champion Ashok Raja in the Racing Motocross Bikes Unlimited class, run over 5 laps with Ananda Wedasinghe finishing third.
The other win by Rakitha was in the Racing Motocross Bike 125CC class run over 8 laps defeating the two Wedasinghe brothers Udesh and Ananda.
The Indian National champ scored his solitary win in the Racing Motocross 250 CC class on his Honshu Special, with Keerthi Premlal on his Kawasaki and Wijetunga on his YZ 125CC finishing second and third.
Shane Gunawardena too took the chequered flag in the 4 stroke open 8 laps event astride his 349 CC with Laksitha Perera and Rohana Jayaratne Daelim coming second and third respectively.
In the other events the following were the results:
Novices 80 CC 3 laps-Saman Kumara, M. Ramsan, Manjula Udayakumara.
Novices 125 CC & 250 CC- Laksitha Perera, Mahinda Peiris, Diruk Cooray.
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