• Last gasp penalty seals Patana victory
• S.Thomas', Visakha are swim champions
• Match called off
• Trinity warm-up
• Black Sunday at Nittawela
• A Correspondent from Kandy threatens: Don't write about the incident.....
• Rover pinpoints.....
• SLARDAR 1000 km '98 attracts twenty-seven
• Eva Open Netball Championships
• World Cup: What fans have to say
• Godolphin snatches Gold
• 57 Schools in U-17 cricket 2nd round

Last gasp penalty seals Patana victory

By Saif Izzadeen

Isipatana retained the Abdul Jabbar shield for another year, as they scored a close nine points (three penalties) to five (one try) win over traditional rivals Thurstan, in a thrilling inter-school rugby match at the Sugathadasa Stadium yesterday.

Isipatana were very lucky to win the match. They were out of place in the face of some attacking rugby by Thurstan. Isipatana were given a rough ride through some excellent play by both the Thurstan forwards and three quarters. However, Isipatana were able to stave off defeat due to poor finishing from their counterparts.

Thurstan didn't deserve to lose as they dominated play for almost the entire match and thus allowed the Isipataians to show off their colours in only fits and starts.

Thurstan should have nailed Isipatana in the middle of the second half but a bad pass from a three-quarter move deprived them of this golden opportunity. Thurstan also made some tactical blunders at crucial stages.

The game started at a slow pace but picked up as it progressed. Thurstan opened scoring in spectacular fashion through No.8 Aruna Ariyaratne in the third minute. Isipatana won a scrum close to their own goal line and a desperate kick of clearance by Roshan Pieris was smothered by Aruna Ariyaratne and Ariyaratne followed the loose ball and fell over for the try. The conversion was fluffed by Mohammed Rilwan to give Thurstan a 5-0 lead. After this, Isipatana went on the offensive through some daring rugby and earned a penalty in the fifth minute but Roshan Pieris fluffed it.

Isipatana kept up their attacking mood and in the15th minute reduced the lead to 5-3 through 30 metre penalty by Roshan Pieris. Two minutes later Isipatana regained the lead for the first time in the match when Roshan Pieris put over a 35 metre penalty which gave Isipatana a 6-5 lead. This was the score at the end of the first half.

At the turn around it was Thurstan all the way as they pinned the green shirts in their own territory for the most of the time and were rewarded when they earned a penalty in the sixth minute, but Mohammed Rilwan fluffed it.

Thurstan played as men possessed and had the chance of scoring in the20th minute of the second half. They won a scrum mid field, and opted to work the line. But poor handling deprived them of a certain try. Isipatana showed their brilliance only in the last ten minutes and gained a penalty at the stroke of full time which was goaled by Roshan Pieris to give Isipatana this close win. Referee - Asela de Silva Isipatana won the junior game 31-0

S.Thomas', Visakha are swim champions

By S.M.D.Sirisena

S.Thomas' Mt. Lavinia and Visakha emerged as senior champions for boys and girls respectively at the 25th Sri Lanka Schools Swimming and Diving Championships conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Aquatic Sports Association concluded at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium pool yesterday.

S.Thomas' aggregated 209 points winning by a four point margin over St. Joseph's with Royal in third position with209 points. Trinity were fourth with 77 points.

Visakha won the championships with 228 points followed by Mahanama Kandy 149, St. Bridget's 135 and Ladies College 132 points. The junior champions were Mahamaya Kandy and Royal.

Mahamaya aggregated 300 points with Ladies College second with 90 points and Anula Vidyalaya third with 79 points. Royal finished on top with 294 points followed by S.Thomas' 209, St. Joseph's 116 and Ananda 105 points.

The senior girls diving championships was won by Visakha with Anula Vidyalaya Nugegoda finishing as Junior Champions.

St. Joseph's won the senior championship for boys in diving while Royal won the Junior Championships.

Match called off

The Singer-Akai Nidahas Trophy match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand that was to be played yesterday at the Galle Stadium. was called off, without a ball being bowled, due to heavy rain.

The chances of the India versus New Zealand game fixed for tomorrow isalso in doubt

Trinity warm-up

By Shane Seneviratne

Trinity warmed up is style for the second leg of the Bradby Shield in Kandy when they pulled off a hard fought 13-10 win over St. Peter's at Pallekelle yesterday. The scores were deadlocked three all at the breather.

The Kandy school's points were made up of one goal and two penalties while the Peterite's points were made up of one goal and a penalty.

Hooker Rajiv Mendis scored the try for the 'lions' which was converted by skipper Prassana Jayawardena who also put over two penalties.

The try for St. Peter's was scored by Charuka Silva with conversion being put over by Mohammed .Mustaq who also put over a penalty.

Referee- Nizam Jamaldeen

St. Sylvester's win

St.Sylvester's Kandy showed they will be tough nuts to crack in the knock-out tournament when they scored a runaway 39 points to nil win over Sri Sumangala Kandy in an inter-school rugby match at Nittawela. The Sylvestrians points came off two goals and five tries. The winners led 15-0 at half time.

C.Dias and P.Wickremasinghe scored two tries each while D.Wijesuriya, M.R.Basnayake and S.P.R.Yapa scored a try each.

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