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The National Selectors in naming a 14-member squad have reinstated Aravinda de Silva as Vice Captain of the Sri Lanka cricket team for the forthcoming Singer Akai Nidahas Trophy Championships from June 19 Friday to July 8. Earlier, de Silva had been replaced by Sanath Jayasuriya for the recently concluded Test series against New Zealand which 'The Island' reliably understands caused much embarrassment to the veteran batsman who has pulled Sri Lanka out of many a crisis. The squad for the triangular also featuring New Zealand and India, also includes the inform hard hitting batsman Avishka Gunawardena who smashed a top score of 96 runs against the New Zealanders for a Board XI in a warm-up game at Kurunegala on Tuesday. The squad :-
Indian women spikers drub Maldives The Maldives went down in straight sets to India in their Central Asian qualifying round Women's Volleyball fixture at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium last evening. The Maldivian team which took to the sport only three years ago, went down 1/15, 2/15, 0/15. The Indians, capitalizing on weak receiving by the Maldivians scored heavily from their services with Geetha Raju outstanding scoring 9 points. The victors once again displayed their superior spiking ability scoring 30 out of 45 points. Evergreen Skipper Hemalatha Ursal was once again in a punishing mood spiking 5 points while the dependable Salomi Zaweer too shot 4 points. International referee candidate Priyantha Seneviratne refereed. Meanwhile, the home and home battle between Sri Lanka 'A' and 'B' finished in the favour of the 'A' team, last Tuesday. Zahira 15-13 in pulsating finish Zahira College playing an expansive game of rugby registered a nail-biting 15 points (1 goal, 1 try, 1 penalty) to 13 (1 goal, 2 penalties) win over a gutsy Wesley XV in a cliff-hanger Milo Trophy Inter School Rugby fixture at Longden Place yesterday. At lemons, Zahira led at 5-0. In a match which was played at a furious pace with no quarter being asked nor given, Zahira's bulldozing pack combined smoothly with their speedy three quarters to ultimately prevail over their rivals by a narrow margin. The winners drew first blood when in only the second minute of play their packing a terrific forwards rush, sent their hooker P. R. Suburdeen to fall over handsomely for the first try. Place kicker M. M. Fazmy failed with the conversion to put them ahead by five points to nil. After this most unexpected setback Wesley did well to play well within themselves, but yet found it tough to breach the dynamic Zahira defence with all the players excelling by tackling their opponents to a standstill. This eventually put paid to Wesley's chances of making any headway during the first half. However, if it was Zahira who dominated the first half, it was Wesley who simply took a cue from the Zahirian and scored as many as thirteen points in the second half. Though still not sufficient to steer them to victory. Zahira's prop forward Jihan Rahim planted their second try in the fifteenth minute when he virtually used his brute strength to breeze through unopposed to give them a 12-0 lead. The try was goaled by Fazmy. From there onwards it was Wesley all the way as wing-forward Nalin Wijesundera signalled his side's intentions to come back into the game when he touched down for a pushover try. It was converted by stand-off Sulfikar Halimdeen to reduce the scores to 12-7. Halimdeen then brought the crowd to their feet when he fired across two easy penalties to bring the contest to a head with scores at 12.13 in favour of Wesley. But just when it looked as if though it as almost over for the Maradana school their place-kicker M. M. Fazmy put over the match winning penalty in injury time amidst thunderous applause to round off a cracking game of Inter-school rugby. Refree — Dilroy Fernando Warnapura in line to play today New Zealand will confront Board President XI in their second warm-up one-dayer at De Soysa Stadium today. The visitors are likely to make a few changes with Skipper Stephen Fleming and spinner Mark Priest to be rested in view of their opening game in the triangular on Sunday. Daniel Vittori will make a comeback after resting in the first warm-up game at Kurunegala. Chris Cairns will captain the side. Meanwhile, Hashan Tillekeratne will lead the local team. Russel Arnold, Chandika Haturusinghe, Malintha Warnapura, Tilan Samaraweera, Malinga Bandara and Ruchira Perera who were in the first squad are included along with a few new faces. This match will also give an opportunity to Tillekeratne to prove himself at one-day level. NEW ZEALAND :- Graig Spearman, Nathan Astle, Mathew Horne, Graig McMillan, Bryan Young, Chris Harris, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori, Paul Wiseman, Adam Parore, Chris Cairns (Capt.), Shane O'Connor. PRESIDENT'S XI :- Hashan Tillekeratne (Captain), Russel Arnold, Sajith Fernando, Sanjeewa Ranatunga, Manoj Mendis, Chandika Hathurusinghe, Prasanna Jayawardena, Malintha Warnapura, Tilan Samaraweera, Indika Gallage, Eric Upashantha, Malinga Bandara, Ruchira Perera, Dinuk Hettiarachchi. Asanka and Chandimali Judo Open champs H. Asanka (Men's) and Chandimali Gunasekara (Women's) shone in the recently concluded Novices Judo Championships which was worked off at the Young Men's Christian Association's Gymnasium in Fort. Both judokas walked away with the open titles in doing proud their club, National Youth Services Council, Maharagama. Kegalle Judo club were declared overall champions for an outstanding performance. The championships was organised by the Sri Lanka Judo Association. Results: Men's 45 kgs and Under — (1) Chandana Thushan (Kegalle JC), (2) C. P. Udagedera (St. Andrew's, Gampola) 50 kg and Under — (1) A. Attanayake (St. Andrew's Gampola), (2) Janaka Chandrakumara (Kegalle J.C.) 55 kgs and Under — (1) S. Sampath (S. L. Navy) (2) R. Nandakumara (St. Andrew's, Gampola) 60 kgs and Under — (1) Nalinda Pushpakumara (C.M.C.) (2) A. Jayaratne (Kegalle J.C.) 65 kgs and Under — (1) H. Asanka (N.Y.S.C., Maharagama) (2) A. U. Navaratne (Jinaraja Gampola) 71 kgs and Under — (1) H. Thushan (Kegalle J.C.), (2) Y. Cyril (Anuradhapura J.C.) 78 kgs and Under ‚ (1) E. Amarasena (C.M.C.) (2) B. Peiris (S. L. Navy) 86 kgs and Under — (1) M. Weerabansa (S. L. Navy) Open Men's (1) H. Asanka (N.Y.S.C. Maharagama) (2) M. M. Weerawansa (S. L. Navy) Women’s Events 44 kgs and Under — (1) Kanthi Podimenike (Kegalle) (2) H. A. S. Hathurusinghe (St. Andrew's Gampola) 48 kgs and Under — (1) C. P. Welagedera (St. Andrew's, Gampola), (2) U. Abeyratne (Kegalle J.C.) 52 kgs and Under — (1) G. Ranaweera (St. Andrew's, Gampola), (2) Nilmini Arachchige (Kegalle J.C.) 56 kgs and Under — (1) C. Gunasekara (N.Y.S.C. Maharagama), (2) N. Herath (St. Andrew's, Gampola) 61 kgs and Under — (1) K. Suneetha (C.V.S.S.) (2) H. Vithanage (St. Andrew's, Gampola) Open Women’s (1) Chandimali Gunasekara (N.Y.S.C. Maharagama) (2) K. Podimenike (Kegalle J.C.) Overall Winners — Kegalle Judo Club Runners-up — S. L. Navy, CMC, N.Y.S.C. Maharagama Dinesh
bids adieu.... The seventy five friends who thronged the Liberty ballroom of the Holiday Inn made memorable the farewell dinner to Dinesh and Chitty, hosted by the Colombo Branch of the Trinity College OBA. Dinesh Selvarajah will not die in the minds of his numerous friends. He has always been larger than life even if he got matters moving in an unobstrusive manner. He had occasion to stump President J. R. Jayewardene. At the Trinity Prize Giving in '79, the President waxed eloquent, recalling the cricket match he played in for Royal against Trinity. "I remember I got a good 24 runs under my belt against an attack which included R. B. Ettipola, Fred Murray, Hary Delwita and Philip Buultjens." Ryde Gold Medallist, Senior Prefect and Cricket Captain and Lion, Dinesh was not to take cover under such a barrage of hits. When his turn came to propose the vote of thanks, Dinesh, with a wry smile, said, "I had just enough time to take a peek into the records and I find: J. R. Jayewardene, bowled R. B. Ettipola — 0." That doyen R. B. Ettipola was in the audience, offering hearty applause. Yes, Dinesh and Chitty will soon start life over again in Melbourne and those he has left behind will know he is only a phone call away. He is a fine acquisition to the Melbourne Branch of the Trinity OBA. Taking wicket in first over in Test Cricket Left-arm spinner, Niroshan Bandaratilleke, who bowled Mathew Horne for 15 in his fifth delivery of his first over in the first innings of the First Test Match against New Zealand at R. Premadasa Stadium on 27. 5. 1998, became the fourth Sri Lankan to take a wicket in their first over of their Test "debut". The other Sri Lankans — all fast-medium bowlers who performed this feat are:- SALIYA AHANGAMA who dismissed Mohammed Azharuddin for 3 in his fourth delivery in the first innings of the First Test match with India at SSC (Colombo) in 1985; KOSALA KURUPPUARACHCHI who dismissed Mudassar Nassar for 3 in his third delivery in the first innings of the Second Test Match against Pakistan at CCC (Colombo) in 1986; DULIP LIYANAGE who dismissed Tom Moody also in his third delivery for 1 in the first innings of the Second Test Match against Australia at R. Premadsasa Stadium in 1992. WICKET WITH MAIDEN DELIVERY IN A TEST The first cricketer to take a wicket with his maiden delivery in a Test match was Arthur "Conny" Conningham of Australia in the Second Test Match against England at Melbourne in 1894 when he had Archie Maclaren caught by Trott. The others who have performed this feat for their respective countries are:- ENGLAND: W. M. Bradley vs Australia at Manchester in 1899, E. G. Arnold vs Australia at Sydney in 1903-04, C. G. Maccauley vs South Africa at Cape Town in 1922-23, M. W. Taute vs South Africa at Birmingham in 1924, R. Howarth vs South Africa at The Oval in 1947, Richard Illingworth vs West Indies at Nottingham in 1991, Chris Cowdrey vs India at Bombay in 1984. NEW ZEALAND — M. Henderson vs England at Christchurch in 1929-30, H. D. Smith vs England at Christchurch in 1932-33. WEST INDIES — T. F. Johnson vs England at the Oval in 1939. PAKISTAN — Intikhab Alam vs Australia at Karachi in 1959-60. INDIA — Nilesh Kulkarni vs Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa Stadium in 1977. Maurice Goonesekera |
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