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Upeka's 72 brightens up gloomy
day's play School boy Upeka Fernando smashed a blistering 72 as Sri Lanka 'A' reached 136 for 2 by stumps on the opening day of first unofficial cricket Test against South Africa 'A' at Asgiriya stadium yesterday. The 19 year-old Thomian blasted three sixes and nine boundaries in a 90-ball explosive innings which lighted up a gloomy day which saw dark clouds hanging over the ground threateningly right through. Having opened the innings, the dusky youngster showed maturity beyond his age as he took on the South African bowlers confidently, paying scant respect to them. Being dropped on 43 by Herschelle Gibbs at covers, Fernando continued unabated in his merciless assault on the bowlers before finally falling to a careless stroke. Attempting a big hit off left arm spinner Nicky Boje he was stumped by Nick Pothas with total on 113. By then, he had put on 111 runs for the first wicket with skipper Sajith Fernando. Left hander Fernando also batted fluently in making a stylish 44 in 101 balls with seven boundaries. Boje who dismissed Upeka in his second over, accounted for Sajith in his next over and Sri Lankans slumped to 129 for 2 in the penultimate over of the day. Bad light stopped play in the next over. The tourists asked Sri Lankans to bat first after winning the toss when game got off to a delayed start earlier at 11.30 a.m. due to wet ground conditions caused by overnight rains. But rains opened up again after just three deliveries were bowled causing another stoppage. But during those three deliveries opener Avishka Gunawardena retired having hurt his toe when a delivery from opening bowler Williams which was struck on the toe aggravated an old injury. Gunawardena returned to crease only after the dismissal of Upeka and was unbeaten on 11. Play resumed for the second time at 3.20 under heavy clouds which kept the light level very low. SCOREBOARD SRI LANKA 'A' First Innings AVISHKA GUNAWARDENA not out 11 EXTRAS (lb-4, nb-2) 6 TO BAT: Manoj Mendis, Malintha Warnapura, T. M. Dilshan, Tilan Samaraweera, Indika Gallage, Malinga Bandara, Ruchira Perera BOWLING (To date): Williams 8-0-33-0, Bakkes 7-3-27-0, Dawson 9-2-29-0, Crookes 9-1-39-0, Boje 4-0-10-2. SOUTH AFRICA 'A' Dale Benkestein, M. Buyns, M. Van Jaarsveld, H. D. Ackerman, Herschelle Gibbs, Derek Crookes, N. Pothas, A. Dawson, H. Bakkes, A. Williams, N. Boje. Mahanama offered scholarship to
Australian Cricket Academy Roshan Mahanama who was axed from England tour party has granted scholarship to the Australian Cricket Academy, said the Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports S. B. Dissanayake at the ceremony held to sign the Commonwealth Games Sponsorship worth Rs. 1.7 million with GSM Dialog. He said that this decision was taken by him as he felt that Roshan Mahanama is left with more cricket for us. "We have arranged a top level coach to take care of Roshan and he too has agreed to go on this short tour", he said. When asked if it was justified to drop Mahanama from the England tour party and include a bowler like Promodya Wickramasinghe who had gone wicketless in the Nidahas Trophy, the minister said that the Selection Committee had their reasons for these selections. "The Selection Committee wanted to call a press conference to spell out the details of the selection criteria of the England tour squad. But I advised them against that idea", he said. When asked what steps the Ministry would take regards Galle Stadium he said it was constructed in a hurry and few problems have arisen. "We will ask the Cricket Board to pump in 10 million for the drainage system." Board has all necessary funds he quipped. Asked if it was a good idea to put up a new Cricket Stadium in Dambulla rather than developing grounds like Kurunegala and Girandurukotte he justified the idea. The Minister also disclosed that nearly Rs. 10 million will have to be used for the commonwealth Games. "We are thankful to MTN Networks agents for GSM Dialog for shouldering atleast a part of the burden." he said. He also said the Test Cricket team would be fielded for this event in a bid to win the championship. "We are also banking our hopes on Athletes, Rifle Shooters and Netballers to produce good results", he said. Dr. Hans Wijesuriya, Chief Executive GSM Dialog said that they had been in to small time sports sponsorship. "But with our vast expansion programme we decided that we should give something in return by way of sponsoring sports. This is one major reason why we came in to sponsor the Commonwealth Contingent", he said. He also said that Dialog parent body was based in Malaysia and that too prompted them for the sponsorship. "We will also came in to settle a series of logistical problems in Malaysia while the Games are in progress from September 11 to 21 in Malaysia", he said. Hemasiri Fernando, President National Olympic Committee thanked GSM Dialog for their sponsorship. "Many local entrepreneurs do not know the value of sports sponsorship and I hope local firms will take a cue from GSM Dialog," he said. The Inter-Association Netball Championship conducted by the Netball Federation and sponsored by Hatton National Bank will be held on August 8 and 9 at the Mahaweli Stadium Embilipitiya. Three divisions are to be worked off and the regular open tournament should comprise a maximum of 3 players from any member club. Teams for mixed division should comprise 4 male and 3 female players per team. The family tournament should consist of 3 families per team. Entries for the event close on July 25 with Secretary NFSL 7A, Reid Avenue, Colombo 7. (SOS) Football Federation of Sri Lanka is to introduce football amongst women in Sri Lanka. FFSL plans to hold a Women's Seven-a-Side soccer tournament in late August or early September to promote the game. The tournament which will be completed in a day will be played at a venue which is to be arranged later. All clubs and leagues interested in fielding teams should send in their entries together with names of 12 players to Football Federation Secretariat on or before August 15 on forms obtainable from the Federation. Winners of this tourney will carry away valuable prizes, says the Federation. (BP). Kingswood-St. Peter's battle for U-17 Title A close contest for supremacy could be witnessed on Saturday when the country's oldest rugby playing school Kingswood meet St. Peter's College in the Under 17 Championship final at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. Interestingly both teams caught the pundits on the wrong foot and meet each other in the final as worthy contestants. Kingswood beat S. Thomas' College and Isipatana in the quarter and semi-finals respectively while the Peterites won over Royal and Trinity to enter the final. The occasion also marks the first time that Kingswood has entered the final of a major tournament. (CD) Netball finals at Police Park The seven finals of the Western Province Netball Association 'Eva' tournament will be held on July 26 from 3.30 p.m. onwards at Police Park. Defending Champions Hatton National Bank and Ports Authority have qualified to play in the final and a close match is on the cards. Finals of the 'Milo' Netball Tournament which was postponed due to rain last week-end at Kalutara will be worked off on Saturday morning. The Finals of the "C" Division and "D" "Division (Schools) Under 15 (for the first time) will be in memory of the late Ulrika Barr Fernando and the Under 19 will be played simultaneously on the adjoining courts. The Chief Guest for the Final will be Senarath Kapukotuwa. Group Director of he Maharaja Organization Ltd. who will also give away the awards. The Junior National Gymnastic Championships conducted by the Sri Lanka Gymnastic Federation will be conducted on August 11, 12 and 13 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. The event was earlier scheduled for July 26, 27 and 28. (S.O.S.) Have
Your Say Now that selections have been made and team sent to England and the 'A' team pool selected to play South Africa 'A' side, a few points have to be brought out. We Sri Lankans have always cheered the winners which is a good thing. On a side returning from abroad after winning, we meet them at the airport and garland them and sometimes even kiss them. But we also have the knack of turning a blind eye to injustice. For example cricketers with a lot of potential fall by the wayside on stupid prejudices that selectors or others who matter in selections have. The selection of Pramodya Wickremesinghe over Mahanama is already with the President and we need not delve on it. We are certain that whatever the decision, it will be a fair one. The 'A' team pool is another matter. What made the selectors think that Sanjeeva Ranatunga is better than Naveed Nawaz or Ruwan Kalpage to name two. As the current saying goes you need to be a name to play or control the game. I am sure a lot of sports writers would be dying to write on this but for the lack of guts. Her Excellency the President should take a closer look at the Sports Ministry which is supposed to guide all the controlling bodies in sports. SADDER BUT WISER |
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