The national cricket selectors yesterday named a 26-member pool in view of the South African 'A' team's tour of Sri Lanka commencing from July 17 to August 16. But the selectors in the wake of the controversial Roshan Mahanama omission, again left room for questions leaving out the outstanding Ruwan Kalpage, Malintha Warnapura and Saman Jayantha and Varuna Waragoda. The South Africans, led by Test player, Gerhard Leebenbery, will play three unofficial test matches, three one-days against the Sri Lanka 'A' team and three three-day warm up matches.

Some of the notable Lankan poolists are the in form batsman, Avishka Gunawardena, Sanjeewa Ranatunga, wicket-keeper batsman Lanka de Silva and the very promising Pradeep Hewage of NCC and the only schoolboy, Thomlan Upeka Fernando. In the pace bowling department, the selectors will choose from right arm Colts CC medium paceman Eric Upashantha, Hassan Rushdee of Moors and Hemantha Boteju (Bloomfield), Vajera Ranaweera (Kalutara TCC), Indika Gallage (CCC) and all-rounder Hewage and Ajantha Lankatilleke (Matara SC).

The spin bowling area would revolve around left arm leg spinner Malinga Bandara, (Kalutara TCC) Suranjith Silva (SSC) and Amal Dalugoda (CCC).

The presence of Singhalese Sports Club's Avishka Gunawarden, in particular is expected to generate much interest with the hard hitting batsman seen in the Sanath Jayasuriya mould expected to draw the crowds. The South African tour will offer the opportunity for the future aspirants tapping on the door for recognition at higher level. It should be the grooming ground for such players like Hewage who had a good taste of the South Africans when he led the Sri Lanka youth team at last year's Youth World Cup in South Africa, Indika de Saram, Upeka Fernando and Hemantha Boteju who like Hewage is looked upon as future allround hopefuls.

As for the bowling hopefuls, playing against the formidable South Africans would be the ideal ground for candidates like Upashantha, Test discard Sajeewa de Silva, Rushdee and Gallage to come into the reckoning. Particularly Sajeewa, who has been an accomplished one-day bowler who used the yorker as an useful weapon at crucial times in checking batsmen, this tour should give him the chance to make a comeback and force himself back into the national team.

Meanwhile, a cloud of uncertainty continued as regards Mahanama left out of the Sri Lanka squad to England. There was speculation that Mahanama would be called upon to lead the Sri Lanka 'A' against South Africa 'A' However, Mahanama, it is understood had requested of the Cricket Board to grant him two months leave. At the time of going to press, it was not known as to whether the Board had granted this request.

The Pool
Sanjeewa Ranatunga, Dulip Samaraweera, Sajeewa de Silva, Lanka de Silva, Malinga Bandara, Avishka Gunawardane, Hemantha Wickramaratne, Eric Upashantha, Sajith Fernando, Bradman Ediriweera, Manoj Mendis, Ajantha Lankatileke, Pradeep Hewage, Ruchira Palliyaguru, Indika Gallage, Hussan Rushdee, T. M. Dilshan, Upeeka Fernando, Indika de Saram, Tilan Samaraweera, Amal Dalugoda, Hemantha Boteju, Vajira Ranaweera, Ruchira Perera, Suranjith Silva, Anil Redeegammanagedara. Malintha Warnapura D. Hettiarachchi.

Horse Racing at Nuwra-Eliya in August

After a very successful April race meeting this year, the President and members of the Committee of Management of the Sri Lanka Turf Club has decided to hold a two-day meet on August 8 and 9. This will be the first August meet after a lapse of many years, according to the Hony. Secretary Sri Lanka Turf Club, Rajah Sinnathuray. He said that this decision followed requests by most of the owners to hold a two-day weekend meeting to maintain the level of Sri Lankan racing which has had an upturn this year. In view of the interest displayed, the Committee of Management had therefore decided to hold the meet. There had been a very good response from the main sponsor Sheahan Wijeyaratne. "We look forward to other sponsors who will make this meet a total success and thank Sheahan Wijeyaratne for coming forward as a sponsore," said Sinnathuray who added that it was intended to restore the old traditional August festival seasons races such as the Roberts Cup, Madras Cup, a Special Nuwara Eliya Mayors Cup, the Donald's Classic Cup, Hitachi Nicam Cup, the Nuwara-Eliya Derby, and if entries permit the Classic-Cup for the new class of locally bred horse (popularly known to be the 3/4 breed).

For those who wish to participate, entries close on July 25 at the Club’s Office in Nuwara-Eliya and in Colombo with the Chairman of the Board of Stewards, Office at 64 W. A. D. Ramanayake Mawatha, Colombo 2.

Large crowds are expected to attend the races as this would be during the August holiday season.

Ladies Strokeplay C'ships tees off

A field of 20 lady golfers teed off on Sunday morning at the Royal Colombo Golf Club in bright sunshine and a strong and variable wind. The Mackwoods Trophy is up for grabs and this strokeplay Championship is one of the most important tournaments in the Ladies golfing calendar. Anouk Chanmugam, Thuh-ashini Selvaratnam, Neesha Nirmalalingam, Suwaneetha Selvar-atnam and Shyanika de Silva will be making a big effort to carry away major Championship honours. Notable absentees are Yvonne Abhayaratne and Nonita Qureshi.

Neesha Nirmala-lingam and Anouk Chanmugam adjusted mendfully to the strong wind and carded rounds of 76 respectively which should place them well to make a charge on the final day. Thuhashini Selvaratnam played axceedingly well to be 1 under going to the 9th but thereafter unsettled by the wind faltered at the 14th 15th and 17th to end up with a gross 79.

She was timing the balls but could not put a score together.

Young Shon Kern played an exceedingly good round to return nett 69.

ASIAN SQUASH C’SHIPS
Yasmin beat Korean Sook to enter second round
by Dhammika Ratnaweera

Sri Lanka’s Yasmin Zarook the national squash champion moved into the women’s second round at the 9th Asian Squash Championships worked off at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia yesterday.

Yasmin, the most experienced Sri Lankan player dominated the second day defeating Hyo Sook of Korea 3-2 to wrap up the match in a thrilling five-setter in the women’s first round. Yasmin lost the first two sets 6-9, 1-9 but used her vast experience to fight back strongly to outsmart her Korean opponent taking the final three sets 10-9, 9-2, 9-3.

Yasmin now goes into the second round where she will be pitted against Korean Eum Ok Park who had a relatively easy passage after second seed Mah Li Lian of Singapore pulled out of the competition.

Padmini Samarasinghe, the Manager of the team in a fax message said, "Due to the absence of Mah Li Lian in this half it has been made wide open and Sri Lanka is hoping Yasmin will go through as the Korean opposition is weak." If Yasmin wins her second round match she would have to play Sandra Wu of Malaysia, the fifth seed in this tournament.

Meanwhile, Disna Ranjani lost to Chris Banoaa of the Philippines, who is seeded 10 in the first round of the tournament in straight sets 9-4, 9-0, 9-0.

In the men’s open qualifying round, N. S. Jayashantha and Hirantha Goonasena won their matches against Chinese Taipei’s and Macau players respectively while Prabath Wood and E. Ravichandran received walk overs. However, all the men’s team members lost in their first round matches and now play in the plate events.

Padmini Samarasinghe, further says, "We have to play with tough competitors. Eighteen countries from the Asian region participate in the men’s event while eleven countries will play in the women's segment".

South Africa 'A' play more matches in outstations
By Dhammika Ratnaweera

South Africa 'A' team will play three four day unofficial tests and three one day matches against Sri Lanka 'A' during their one month tour which commences from July 17 and concludes on August 17.

The tour will open with the three day warm up match at SSC followed by the first unofficial test match scheduled to be played from July 22 - 25 at Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy.

The second test will be from August 1 - 4 at Welagedera Stadium Kurunegala while third and final test will be at Uyanwatta Stadium Matara from August 7 - 10.

The first one day game will played on August 13 at Galle International Cricket Stadium while second game is scheduled for August 14 at De Soyza Stadium Moratuwa, and the final one dayer will be at SSC grounds on Aug. 16. Most of the matches with South Africa 'A' will be played at venues, outside Colombo.

Weather which caused many problems during the Independence Cup featuring India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka is expected play a vital role for this tour too. The South Africans arrived in the Island yesterday.

The itinerary is as follows:

July 14 - Arrival

July 15 - 16, Rest and Practice

July 17 - 19 Three day warm up game at SSC.

July 20 - 21 Rest and Practice

July 22 - 25 First Unofficial Test at Asgiriya Stadium

July 26 - 27 Rest and Practice

July 28 - 30 Three day warm up match at De Soyza Stadium Moratuwa

July 31 - Rest and Practice

August 1 - 4 Second unofficial test at Welagedera Stadium Kurunegala

Aug. 5 - 6 Rest and Practice

Aug. 7 -10 Third unofficial Test at Uyanwatta Stadium Matara.

Aug. 11- 12 Rest day

Aug. 13 - First one day game at Galle International Cricket Stadium

Aug. 14 - Rest day

Aug. 15 - Second one day game at De Soyza Stadium, Moratuwa

Aug. 16 - Third one day match at SSC

Aug. 17 - Departure.

Sajith to lead Board XI

Sajith Fernando will lead the Board President's XI against the visiting South African 'A' team on their three day warm up game a scheduled tob e played from July 17 to 19 at SSc grounds.

Colts CC opener Sajith Fernando who was among the runs in the recently concluded Sara Trophy Division I tournament is also a useful spinner.

England tour discard Avishka Gunawardane the hard hitting left hander and former Peterite skipper Malintha Warnapura are also included for the first three day game . Sanjeewa Ranatunga and school boy Upeka Fernando too have made their way for this three day game.

The team
Sajith Fernando (Capt.), Upeka Fernando, Sanjeewa Ranatunga, Avishka Gunawardane, Manoj Mendis, Malintha Warnapura, T. M. Dilshan, Amal Dalugoda, Anil Redee-gammamagedara, Ruchira Perera, Hassen Rushdee Reserves Hemantha Boteju, Bradman Ediriweera, Indika de Saram. (DR).

Roshan to represent Canada

Roshan Amendra won four medals at the Canadian National Gymnastic Championships held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada recently.

Roshan Amendra competed in this Championships and won an All Round Bronze medal which entitled him to compete in the Commonwealth Games to be held in Malaysia in October 1998. On the first day of the championships Roshan was placed overall fourth missing the first place by .45 points.

On the final day of the Championships Roshan defeated the two candidates who represented Canada at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. to earn the Third Place. Roshan won two individual Silver medals on the High Bar and Pommel Horse. He also won a Silver Medal for the Team Championship.

Roshan has come within the first four who will represent Canada at the Commonwealth Games, he still has to qualify at the upcoming International Championships, (Canada versus Europe) to be held at New Brunswick, Canada next week.

The Sri Lankan Community is proud of Roshan who is working steadily towards his goal, the 200 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, said his father Percy who is now in Sri Lanka.