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Old Dharmapalians win on first innings Fine bowling figures of 5 for 66 by leg spinner Charith Silva and a superb knock of 61 by Sadun Senanayake enabled Old Dharmapalians to score a first innings victory over Nugegoda SC in a Under 23 Segment 'B' tournament cricket fixture played at Pannipitiya recently. NUGEGODA SC 197 all out. OLD DHARMAPALIANS 219 for eight wickets at close. (Nilakshar Abeyratne 40, Sadun Senanayake 61, Chamara Lasantha 57, Manjula Priyantha 15, W. Silva 3 for 25). (D.R.) CR and FC edged out CH and FC by 14 points (1 try, 3 penalties) to 11 (1 try 2 penalties) to enter the final of the Western Province Under 24 rugby tournament in a thrilling semi-final fixture which was worked off at Longden Place yesterday. The winner led 6-3 at half time. Erosh Fernando scored the try for the winners while fly half Sajith Mallikarachchi did the honours in the kicking department by obliging with three penalties. Sheyam Subahulla kicked right two penalties for CH and FC apart from the penalty try which came their way-mid way in the second half. Referee: Aruna Jayasekara. (RN) The Oval — England's Waterloo When England lost the one-off Test to Sri Lanka at what is now known as the Foster's Oval a few days ago, a strange hat-trick was completed. Namely, that India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka registered their first-ever Test wins in England on the same venue! First it was Pakistan who started the ball rolling, when under the captaincy of Abdul Hafeez Kardar, who had earlier played 3-Tests for India, they beat England in the 4th Test by 24 runs in the summer of 1954. Paceman Fazal Mahmood, was the match-winner capturing 12/99. Next, it was India, under the leadership of Ajit Wadekar, when they beat England by 4 wickets with leg-spinner B. S. Chandrasekhar bagging 6/38 in the second innings being the chief destroyer. The icing on the cake was of course when Sri Lanka completed the hat-trick on the same venue a few days ago by 10 wickets with our three musketeers Muttiah Muralitharan 16/220, Sanath Jayasuriya (213) and Aravinda de Silva (152) being the heroes. Come to think of it, even Australia way back in 1882, under W. L. Murdoch — registered their first Test win against England at the Oval as well! Australia's opening bowler Fred ('Demon') Spofforth claimed 14/90 as England dramatically lost the one-off Test by 7 runs. It was too much for England to stomach. A result which gave rise to the famous 'Ashes' when a mock obituary notice which appeared in London's Sporting Times stated that the body of English cricket would be cremated and the 'ashes' taken to Australia. With the impending visit by England for their traditional Ashes battle in Australia, after their trouncing from Sri Lanka, will history repeat, and another obituary notice appear? Women
cagers off to Japan The Sri Lankan Women's Basketball team left last night to participate in the 14th Asian Youth Basketball Championships in Tokashita Japan. The team led by Dilrukshi Hinatigala was in training for the past three months and have three players who represented Sri Lanka at the previous championships. Supun Wimal is the head coach on tour while Ayaz Haroon will be his deputy. Buddhika Kumudapperuma is the team referee while Francis Perera is the overall team manager. L. A. H. Ariyapperuma is the lady chaperone. The tournament will be conducted in four groups and Sri Lanka has been drawn up in the A group along with China, Vietnam and Malaysia. But there is a hint that the draw would be changed at the eleventh hour. At the last championships in Thailand, Sri Lankan lasses finished 11th out of 14. The Lankan team is expected to perform better this year according to the team coach. But the team management is disappointed that they could not have more indoor practices. Meet
Malaysia in opener Two days prior to the inaugural ceremony of the 16th Commonwealth Games, cricket, as a team event will begin with world champions of the one-day game, Sri Lanka meeting hosts Malaysia. While it cannot be predicted as to what type of sensation Sri Lanka would create at the Games, over here in Kuala Lumpur, both locals as well as the Commonwealth authorities feel hurt over the World Champions sending an under strength squad. This is because the sports loving public will not be able to see such stars like Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan which has caused much disappointment. Junka Imran, second son of the Malaysian King is said to be one of Sri Lanka's leading fans here. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Olympic Committee, Hemasiri Fernando, commenting on this, was of the view that by leading players skipping this event, the current players on tour were mentally down. He made out that the top players had kept out because there were no big stakes. "Here, only medals are on offer and nothing is falling into the pockets," he commented. He further said that prior to the contingent taking wing, skipper Arjuna Ranatunga had telephoned him and stated that some of the star players were unable to go because they needed a rest following injury. Fernando added that he had then told Ranatunga, "Arjuna, I knew you would say that". HASHAN DECLINES TO SPEAK Meanwhile, Hashan Tillekeratne, Captain of the Sri Lanka team in Malaysia refused to speak to the press saying, "I have been asked not to speak to the press." The Sri Lankan Manager, Ranjith Fernando, speaking to‘The Island’ said that the team would be selected on the morning of the match after a pitch inspection. The organisers have prohibited the use of sponsorship advertisements by both the Sri Lankan and Indian cricket teams. Only the names of manufacturers will be permitted to be exhibited by players. This was disclosed at a meeting of the cricket organising committee of the Games. Meanwhile, Australia has been made favourites to win the cricket championships. The other matches to be worked out today will be as follows: Australia, Canada, Barbados, North Ireland and Pakistan — Scotland. Following is the Games events itinerary: Competitions day by day 9.9.98 — Badminton — Team events, Cricket — Sri Lanka vs Malaysia, 10.9.98 — Badminton — Team events, Squash — Men’s Singles, 11.9.98 — Opening Ceremony, 12.9.98 — Badminton — Team events, Cricket — Sri Lanka vs Jamaica, Rugby — (No details available), Squash — Men’s singles; 13.9.98 — Badminton — Team events; Shooting; Squash — Men’ singles; 14.9.98 — Badminton — Team events; Netball — Sri Lanka vs South Africa; Rugby, Shooting, Squash — Men’s singles; 15.9.98 — Cricket — Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe; Netball — Sri Lanka vs Malawi; Shooting — Men’s singles, Squash — Men’s singles; 16.9.98 — Athletics — 400 M Men and women (first round), Badminton — Individual events; Cricket — Semi Finals; Netball — Sri Lanka vs Cook Islands, Shooting, Squash — Men’s singles, 17.9.98 — Athletics — 400 M (Men’s semi final and Women final), Badminton, Cricket — Semi final, Netball — Sri Lanka vs New Zealand; Shooting, 18.9.98 — Athletics — 400 M final (Men), Badminton, Netball — Sri Lanka vs Wales, Shooting, Weightlifting — Sri Lanka 84 kg; 19.9.98 — Badminton, Cricket — Bronze Medal game and finals, Netball — Semi finals; 20.9.98 — Athletics — 4 x 400 relay Semi final; Badminton; Shooting; 21.9.98 — Athletics — 4 x 400 Relay final, Netball — finals. School badminton champs
victimised again Sri Lanka's undisputed school badminton champions St. Anthony's college, Kandy have once again become the victims of conspiracy, as a college spokesman alleged yesterday. The school which has won almost all the titles on offer in School badminton for the past five years, has been informed of a trial to select the team for a tour, only after it had commenced, as the spokesman alleged. The selection trial to pick the tour party for the World Junior Badminton championships in Australia next month was held at Sri Lanka Badminton Association headquarters in Colombo from September 2 to 4. One Antonian player S. Sudhakaran received a letter asking him to attend the trials on September 2 while three other players Nuwan Abeysinghe, N.J. John and Gayan Sylvester received it even later on September 4. This delay effectively terminated their chance of attending the trial. The spokesman said they received a telephone call from the Schools Badminton Association asking them to be present at the trials while the trial was being conducted but he said it was too late to prepare for such an event. Pointing out the fact that the other schools in Kandy receiving the letters on time, he said this is nothing but a conspiracy which he said has been hatched by unscrupulous elements of the association who are leading a campaign to destroy their badminton success because of sheer jealousy. He said the postal seal on the envelopes of the letter would prove on what dates the letters had been posted. Schools Badminton Association officials were not available for comment yesterday while an SLBA official refuted the charges. He said their was no lapse on the part of the officials and in turn levelled allegations against St. Anthony's that they promised to come but did not turn up for the trial. "When we called them during the trials to ask why they did not come, they promised to come on September 3. All players and selectors spent their money and stayed back in Colombo, waiting for them to come but they never turned up" he said. Unique feats of nonagenarian Sir Don Bradman Below are unique feats of Sir Donald George Bradman, who recently celebrated his ninetieth birthday and acclaimed by the world, as the wonder Batsman of The Twentieth Century. These records, given below, have never been equalled nor surpassed by an other batsman, living or dead. STARTED FOUR TOURS IN ENGLAND WITH A BANG! He started the First Three Tours to England before World War II, with a double century and on his last tour with a century; all against Worcester at Worcester. His double hundreds were - 236 in 1930; 206 in 1934 and 258 in 1938. THOUSAND RUNS IN ENGLAND IN MAY - TWICE Sir Don is the only batsman to perform this unique feat in England twice. He performed this feat for the first time in England in 1930. His scores were - 236; 185 not out, 78, 9, 48 not out, 66, 4, 44, 252 not out, 32, 47 not out. From April 30 to May 31, 1930 - Total 1,001, average 143.00 For the Second Time - From April 30 to May 31, 1938. His Scores were - 258, 58, 137, 278, 2, 143, 145 not out and 5 and 30 not out. Total: 1,056, average 150.85 Seven other batsmen performed this feat, but only once. Graeme Hick was the last to perform this feat; he did so in 1988. SIX SCORES OF OVER 300 IN FIRST-CLASS GAMES 452 not out - New South Wales vs Queensland at Sydney, 1929-30. Batted for 415 minutes. Hit 49 fours stood as a world record for 29 years. 369 - South Australia vs Tasmania at Adelaide, 1935-36 357 - South Australia vs Victoria at Melbourne, 1935-36 340 not out - New South Wales vs Victoria at Sydney, 1928-29 334 - Australia vs England at Leeds, 1930 304 - Australia vs England at Leeds, 1934 The nearest was four triple hundreds by his vis-a-vis Walter Reginald Hammond with scores of 336 not out, England vs New Zealand at Auckland, 1932-33; 317, 302 not out and 302. His predecessor, William Harold Ponsford made 437, 429 and 352. TWO TRIPLE TEST HUNDREDS Sir Don is the only batsman to score two scores of over 300 in Tests. He hit 334 in 1930 and 304 in 1934; both against England and at Leeds. FOUR TEST HUNDREDS AT LEEDS Sir Don is the only batsman to score Test hundreds at Leeds in four tours. His scores were - 334 in 1930; 304 in 1934; 103 in 1938 and 173 not out in 1948. HIGHEST CAREER AVERAGE IN FIRST CLASS GAMES Sir Don in his career from 1927-1948, has aggregated 28,067 runs in 338 innings with 43 not outs and 452 not out as highest, at an average of 95.14 - 117 hundreds. The next highest is Vijay Merchant of India with an average of 71.22 and closely followed by W. H. Ponsford and W. M. Woodfull, two Aussies. Here is Sir Don's Test figures - 52 tests 80 inns'. 10 not outs 6,996 runs 334 highest score 29 hundreds 99.94 average. FIVE RECORD PARTNERSHIPS THAT STILL REMAIN UNBROKEN Sir Don is the only batsman who has shared in five record partnerships, two of them world records, in Anglo-Australia Test Series. All of them are still unbroken. Second Wicket — 451 - D. G. Bradman and W. H. Ponsford at the Oval, 1934; Third Wicket — 276 - D. G. Bradman and A. L. Hassett at Brisbane, 1946-47; Fourth Wicket — 388 - D. G. Bradman and W. H. Ponsford at Leeds, 1934; Fifth Wicket — 405 - D. G. Bradman and S. G. Barnes at Sydney, 1946 - 47 (Highest in Tests); Sixth Wicket — 346 - D. G. Bradman and J. H. Fingleton at Melbourne, 1936-37 (Highest in Tests). RECORD PARTNERSHIPS AGAINST OTHER COUNTRIES THAT STILL STANDS Against South Africa - Ninth Wicket — 78 - D. G. Bradman and W. J. O’Reilly at Adelaide, 1931-32: Against India-Second Wicket 236, D. G. Bradman and S. G. Barnes at Adelaide, S. G. Barnes at Adelaide, 1947-48; Against India - Fifth Wicket; 223 (unfinished) - D. G. Bradman and A. R. Morris at Melbourne, 1947-48. These record partnerships have withstood challenges for the past fifty years. MOST RUNS IN A FIVE TESTS SERIES Totalled 974 runs at an average of 139.14 in 1930 in England. Next Highest - Totalled 905 runs at an average of 113.12 by Wally Hammond in Australia in 1928-29. Zurfick
to stage comeback Former Motor Racing Champion M. J. M. Zurfick after a lapse of over two decades has decided to make a come back for the sport. The champion, rider who bowed out from the sport after a spine injury while in training, said that though Medical advice had kept him 'out' he has now decided to take the track once again . "I will negotiate with some of my Japanese counterparts who would provide me with a new vehical for my race, he said. Zurfick who is a highly respected Wrestler during his youth, says how he plans to compete in a Motor Ralley. "I am now looking out for a good navigator," he said. Remembering his past he recalled that his home people were dead against him competing. "I never told I was racing and when ever I went for a race told my home people that I was going to spend the day at a friend’s place" he said. Zurfick is planning to go back to Japan, his second home, next month and come back with his final plans for the Rally. There I will negotiate with a Japan Motor Company about a new car." He also suggested that the Sri Lankan Motor Racing Associations must conduct a SAARC Motor Racing Championship in Colombo. "Since the President of Sri Lanka Chandrika Kumaranatunga heads the SAARC and Sri Lanka celebrated 50 years, this would be an ideal opportunity to put my suggestion to practice," he said. "The Sports Minister too must take up this idea," he suggested. Zurfick with former Sumo World Champion Ake Buno in Japan. |
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