Sri Lanka's first ever woman medalist at Commonwealth Games Sriyani Kulawansa credited Sri Lanka's foremost sports sponsor Hatton National Bank as the main source of inspiration for her in scaling to the international glory.

Overcome with emotion, Kulawansa paid this tribute to her employer while being lost for words, at a grand ceremony arranged by the Bank to felicitate her.

The short haired, lanky athletic star who had arrived at the island only in the early morning of Thrusday after her fantastic performance in Malaysia was accorded this honour on the night of the same day.

Hatton National Bank has arranged this function in a hurry at a Colombo Five Star Hotel, but in grandeur and perfection it superceded many such functions held in recent times.

Bank's General Manager Rienzie Wijetilleke described his firm's strong belief in sports pormotion and put celebration of Kulawansa's achievement as one of the most joyous moments in the Bank's history. Bank's chairman Chrisantha Cooray presented the glamour girl with a special medal.

Many of the Bank's elite customers joined them in rewarding Kulawansa. Browns Group presented her with a refrigerator, Nawaloka chairman H.K. Dharmadasa was in attendance to present Kulawansa with a colour television while Stassen Foods presented her with a huge package.

In addition to that, famous sports promoter Kishin Butani of Butani Exports, Shiran Garments and Darley Butler, also customers of the Bank presented Rs. 20,000 each to Kulawansa.

Kulawansa's parents and husband were also present at the ceremony.

Sports minister S.B. Dissanayake who attended the ceremony described Hatton National Bank as the biggest among sports promoters of the country.

Several other distinguished guests including Kulawansa's coach Derwin Perera also graced the occasion.

The Old Wesleyites Sports Club organised six-a-side cricket tournament which is conducted on its sixth year saw Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa creating the days biggest upset when they turned tables on the more fancied St. Sebastian's College Moratuwa by 32 runs at the end of the first round games which was worked off at Campbell Park yesterday.

Among the other main highlights yesterday besides this stunning upset by Joseph Vaz, was the tied match that took place when De Mazenod College met S. Thomas' College Kotte. Replying to Mazenodians score of 63 for 5 in 50 overs Kotte Thomians also made identical score of 63 for 4 wickets in the allotted 5 overs.

Finally a wicket keeper's match was played to decide the winner and in that game the Kandyan boys scraped through to the finals at the expense of their Kotte counterparts. The lowest score for the day was recorded by Kingswood College Kandy who were shot out for 37 by Zahira College Colombo.

Meanwhile the defending champions of this six-a-side tournament Prince of Wales College Moratuwa remained in contention for the top-honours at the end of the first round fixtures when they got the better of the Royal College team by 12 runs in an exciting game under fading light.

The day's highest score by a batsman was recorded by Nalin Balasuriya of Wesley who struck an unbeaten knock of 49 with eight fours in his sides 31 run win over Science College Mount Lavinia. And the day's best bowling figures of 3 for 4 was registered by Nalanda paceman Kelum Gangodawila with the Campbell Place side going on to down St. Benedict's College Kotahena by just two runs.

At the end of the first round fixtures the following schools qualified to play in the second round today at Campbell Park.

Teams are as follows.
Group A
S. Joseph's College Colombo

Lumbini College received a walk over from Sri Rahula College Matara. Zahira College Colombo De Mazenod College Kandana.

Group B
Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa, Wesley College Colombo, St. Peter's College Colombo 4. D. S. Senanayake M.V.

Group C
Nalanda College Colombo, Maris Stella College Negombo.

Group D
Joseph Vaz College Wennappuwa, Katutara M.V.

Sri Lanka Junior Women spikers who faced Malaysia in the second game went down 4 - sets to 1. The first set was won by Malaysia with a scoreline of 15 - 6.

Sri Lankan Girls fought back to secure the second set 15 - 11. But Malaysians came back strongly to grab both sets comfortably 15-4, 15-8.

Sri Lankans serves were not upto expectations, If his was the main cause for Sri Lanka's downfall.

If the Lankan girls worked as a team they could have overcome their opponents. Their passes too were not accurate which caused spiking hard for frontliners.

Skipper Nanda Kanthi who excelled in the first game against Thailand was at her best again. Other games on Thursday saw Korea maintain their unbeaten record beating Taipe in straight sets 3 - 0 scores reading as 15 - 7, 15 - 8, 15 - 3.

Japan too had a easy passage overcoming Singapore 3 - 0 (15 - 3, 15 - 0, 15 - 0). Australia had a bad day going down to China 3 - 0 (15 - 1, 15 - 5, 15 - 1).

The matches scheduled for Friday (25) were as follows: Malaysia vs Thailand, Sri Lanka vs. Korea, Japan vs Australia Singapore vs. Vietnam and Malaysia vs Singapore.

Sri Lankan Manager Fernando said if we can have another player to partner skipper Nanda Kanthi our team could be a balanced one. He further added that the players put up a better show than on the first day.

A press release issued by the organisers showed Sri Lanka skipper Nanda Kanthi as the top scorer of the tournament upto yesterday scoring 69 points.

Sri Lanka Army 'A' continued their dominance in the boxing ring when they clinched the coverted Clifford Cup in the inter-club team championship which concluded at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday.

The Sri Lanka Army, which had ten of their puggilists in the finals yesterday, won six out of the twelve bouts and took top spot with a total of 34 points. Sri Lanka Air Force came second with 19 points followed by Vidyartha Boxing Club ( 9 points ) which settled in for third place .

Yesterday came a crowning moment for K.S.Rajapakse when he earned a split decision against his adversory, M.D.K. Wanniarachchi, before being declared as the Best Boxer. The Airman took on the challenge right from the start and kept the more experienced Wanniarachchi at bay with many well exicuted punches. Rajapakse came good in the third and final round to nail his opponent and made his last scoring effort through a powerful 'right' seconds before the end. Wanniarachchi was declared Best loser in this Feather Weight final bout.

A.G.N. Premachandra (Army), R.K.Sumith Prasanna (Army), S.K.Kiribanda (Army), L.T.Bandara (Air Force), R.M.S.N.Bandara (Air Force) and Ajantha Gamini (Police) all scored easy wins with the referee coming to the rescue of their lesser aggresive opponents. Premachandra, Kiribanda and Bandara (Air Force ) floored their opponents in the first rounds which saw Premachandra registering the quickest victory which came in a matter of seconds.

The results as follows-
Light Fly Weight - B.Wickremasinghe (Vidyartha BC) beat E.A.S Aragoda (Army),

Fly Weight -M.M.D.Paris(Air Force) beat R.M.A.B Ratnayake(Vidyartha BC),

Bantam Weight - R.M.U Bandara (Vidyartha BC) beat A.B.Weeraparakrama (Air Force)

Feather Weight - K.S.Rajapakse (Air Force) beat M.D.K.Wanniarachchi (Vidyartha BC),

Light Weight - L.J. Perera (Army A) beat S.P.C.S. Jayatileke (Army B),

Light Welter Weight - A.G.N. Premachandra (Army A) beat B.G.S.C Perera (Nugegoda BC),

Welter Weight - R.K.Sumith Prasanna (Army A) beat R.Marikkar (Air Force ),

Light Middle Weight - E.P.D.S.Pathirana (Army A ) beat J.M.D.N.J ayasinghe (Police B ),

Middle Weight -S.K.Kiribanda (Army A) beat W.P.Mendis (Police A),

Light Heavy Weight -L.T.Bandara (Army A) beat B.H.S.Fernando (Army A),

Heavy Weight - R.M.S.N.Bandara(Air Force) beat H.A.U.Rupasena (Army A),

Super Heavy Weight -A.Gamini (Police ) beat S.D.C.Vithanage (Air Force )

Colombo Hilton Hotel will meet Trans Asia Hotel in the final of the Coca-Cola 30 over Five Star-City Hotel Tournament today at MCA grounds. Play commence at 9.45 a.m.

Colombo Hilton the defeating Champs defeated Oberoi Hotel by 60 runs in the semifinal which Trans Asia Hotel overcame Galadari Hotel by 26 runs at the MCA ground yesterday.

Pure Beverages Ltd sponsors the tournament.

A keen tussel in expected today.

Rufus Pereira General Manager Trans Asia Hotel will be the chief guest while Jagath Pattiarachchi (Business Development Manager Pure Beverages) and Nalinda Jayamanne will be guests of honour.

Awards for Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Best Fielder of the Tournament, Man of the Match and for the Batsman who scores the highest number of sixes are on offer.

'Murali' - Muttiah Muralitharan is a young man who is at the prime of his life's career to reach greater heights and fame. It is said that 'fame is the spur that the clear spirit both rise to scorn delights and live laborious days - ', yet his fame has not touched him in the least to lose his head with any unnecessary pride, but he is just a simple humble character, very gentle in his ways and manners who could fit into any society.

Muralitharan was born on 1972.04.17 to parents 'Sinnasamy Muttiah - and 'Lakshmi'. He has three brothers Sri Dhanan, Sashi Dhanan and Prabhakaran'. He is 5 feet 7 inches in height, weight 60 kilos. He cricket coach at St. Anthony's College, Katugastota was Sunil Fernando. His cricket favourites are Vivian Richards, Sunil Gavaskar, Arjuna, Roshan, Aravinda, Richie Richardson. He first participated in Test cricket in 1993 against England.

Meadow Cricketer
I have watched hundreds of teenagers play cricket in the meadows right around Nattaranpotha, Kundasale, the birthplace of Muralitharan whose father I am aware is a businessman manufacturing biscuits named Luckyland located at Nattaranpotha where the Muralitharans have been living for generations. Despite facing deadly problems in the not so remote past, the business has been able to survive for nearly three decades, now which speaks of its stability. Murali was very fortunate enough to do what he liked and liked, what he did all the days of his life without any hindrance from his good natured wealthy parents.

As I mentioned above those hundreds of Nattaranpotha meadow cricketers 99.9% claymour to bat. So Murali mad about spinning to see how he could beat the anticipations of batsmen went on spinning and spinning most probably in these Nattaranpotha meadow cricketing tournaments. Aged 26 years, he must have started his spinning in the late 1970s. So with all the essential factors for specialising in spin bowling virtually offered on a platter, it is not surprising he was able to reach international fame. It was the Nattaranpotha meadow cricket the launching pad for his subsqauent attainments. His entry into St. Anthony's College, Katugastota gave him the opportunity to make his mark as a spin bowler of no small repute. Thereafter, it was a matter of just walking up the steps.

The zig-zags a few paces progressing very quietly and slowly along the turf or ground to a point of his own reckoning. This slow walk barely a run and without much of the crab-like feats of feet so pronounced in those one time Pakistani spinners so wonderful to watch, is in Murali's case a lack of lustre, sober and sedate initiation.

So much of evidence has been brought to light by the cricketing world in administration, sympathy and in defence of the controversial bowler, who has played many Tests and captured over hundreds of wickets.

'Murali' is a young man who is at the prime of his life's career to reach greater heights and fame. We are all born to this world with various hidden talents and 'Murali's life purpose seem to be the cultivating and directing that particular talent, which is a 'God given gift' to be followed to the hilt. If not, such gifts will lie dormant and be lost for ever, it almost amounts to a sin against one's self.

Cricket is a gentleman's game introduced to the world by England. It has produced great men of character although some refer to cricketers as 'flannelled fools.'.

Verdict
Today, despite some notable controversial decisions - or perhaps because of them - Darrel Hair is regarded as one of the top three umpires of international cricket. The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka to safeguard the good name of 'Murali' and of Sri Lanka were victorious with the best piece of evidence of Australia's most respected coaches, Derryl Foster, Foster's report was signed along with David Lloyd, a Lecturer in Biomechanics and Angus Burnett, a Biomechanic's Ph.D., student which clears 'Muralitharan' from chucking.

Muralitharan's selection to the World Cup team hung in the balance until a report was received from one of Australia's respected cricket coaches attached to the Bio-Mechanics and Sports Medicine Unit of the University of Western Australia. Darryl Foster, cleared him from a suspected bowling action.

Muralitharan did not play for Sri Lanka since being no-balled in the World Series Cup Match against West Indies at Brisbane on January 5th, 1996.

Special Test
Bowling action of Muralitharan was checked by Ravindra S. Goonetilleke, Ph.D. M.Sc., M.S.A.E., BSc., (Hons) MHF and Es of the Hongkong University of Science and Technology - Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management with the assistance of muwanaraja Perera, BS, B.Eng. (Hons)., C.Eng., M.I. Cheme E.M.I.W.E.M. and Ajith Samarasekera - Stanley Sze (Technician). The letter of intent and an outline of the method was initially submitted to the Minister of Sports, S. B. Dissanayake on January 1996. Subsequently, the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) made arrangements to have 'Muralitharan' visit Hong Kong on his way back to Sri Lanka after the tour of Australia.

The computerised data analysis showed beyond any reasonable doubt that Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action was legitimate as defined in Law 24.2' Fair Delivery - The Arm' of the ICC rules.