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Restructuring Galle stadium
BCCSL cross Mayor, Commissioner didn't turn up

By Althaf Nawaz
The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) has vented its dissatisfaction over the failure of the Mayor of Galle and it’s Commissioner to turn up for discussions centering on the Galle Stadium. The Cricket Board had earlier written to both of them and made an appointment on October 17 (Saturday). The Board contingent included the President, Vice-president, Anuruddha Polonnowita and Sri Lanka Captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, Malcolm Perera, Director, Coaching.

But when they went to Galle only the Galle District Cricket Association President, Mahinda Deshapriya and Jayananda Warnaweera, Secretary Galle DCA were present.

Restructuring of the stadium, specially its drainage system was up on the agenda. Since the relevant officials were absent, the Board officials had decided to go ahed with the remaining work.

The Cricket Board is planning to stage a Test match in Galle against Australia next September.

Thilanga Sumathipala, Cricket Board President speaking to ‘The Island’ lamented that they were sorry about the absence of the Mayor and the Commissioner. But he assured that the remaining work will go ahead as scheduled. They plan to put things in order at least in another five months time and continue to play matches there. The project is fully funded by the Cricket Board.

Lankan Karateka specialises in ancient art

by Ravi Nagahawatte
Douglas Peiris, a fifty-year-old martial artist, looks at this ancient art as educational and character training. In his class, fighting or actual sparring is not something which is encouraged. But Peiris states that what ever methods of fighting when needed to be done are practised under his strict supervision. For him the bottom line in all his efforts is to help build a righteous society.

In an era where many martial arts masters have made a living out of it, Douglas sees the commercialising of this noble art as a thing which cannot be accepted. "The Japanese and Chinese are astonished at the fact that there are people who charge money to teach this art. You cannot take money from pupils since it is not a sport," opined Douglas. He added that people's minds are weakened easily by fear and desires, and that an internal character training along side the teaching of the art itself is necessary.

Peiris, in his interview with the 'Sunday Island' also revealed an interesting fact as to how Buddhism got involved with this art. According to him, it is an Indian monk named Bodhidharma who brought with him the deep Dhamma to China - a country where martial arts was practised in a big way - while on an official visit. After sharing with these Chinese priests, a little of the vast knowledge he had of the Dhamma, Bodhidharma later came to know that these Chinese monks had suddenly got sick, both mentally and physically. He had then come to the aid of these ailing monks by making them take upto Gong Fu which is known as hard way or workout. Their sickness had disappeared and Bodhidharma observed that the monks were even better than before. These monks at the Shalian temple in Hunam district had then become ready to learn the deep Dhamma.

Answering a question as to whether all these names which are used to identify different styles is really necessary, Douglas' answer was "when a person invents a style, a name is then needed. However, one cannot be sure of the value or quality of these new born styles. These new styles are mostly practised with extreme speed and the martial artists rarely has control of his movements. Its like a car without a driver, going out of control. But if there is a driver you can make the vehicle do what you want to do because there is full control. In martial arts, this comes with knowledge.

Douglas was quite frank when he said that most of the students who come to him at first want only to fight. But they have changed by listening to sermons of this venerated guru. "There was one student who did not change after coming to me for seven years. Later he dropped off on his own accord", reminisced Peiris. "If the motive is only to fight I do not teach," he said.

Douglas who teaches the valued art of Wado-Ryo in his home dojo - Gymnasium/Hall, has also seen his wife take to martial arts. However, she is more into a style called Tai Chi Chuan, which involves slight body movements combined with breathing exercises. Speaking further about this noble art of Wado-Ryo, Peiris went onto explain that in this form of martial arts, only a little strength is needed and used. "If you over exert yourself and perform these exercises you will lose all its values, both mentally and physically. Even too much stretching exercises are bad. They will weaken the joints."

And coming back to the topic of Tai Chi Chuan, Douglas pointed out that it was a highly valuable art in terms of its medicinal values. "There are sixteen lessons and I know eight. If one can learn this it can come handy in curing illnesses such as pressure, extreme desires or addiction to certain pleasures, constipation, piles and arthritis. When asked whether there was a cure for cancer, Douglas has this to say. "You can cure this ailment by an art named Gong-Fa. It is used for many more things.

Douglas' final word of advice to martial arts enthusiasts was to honour this noble art and never use it as a way of earning money or obtaining personal gains. "This is one way of how today's society can free itself from the mess it is in."

Senaweera to blow at Asian Cup

Sunil Senaweera a FIFA recognised soccer referee has been appointed a neutral referee for the 9th Asian Cup winners Cup soccer match between Happy Valley, Hong Kong and New Radiant SC and Maldives on October 24 in Male.

Sunil, a senior member of the Soccer Referees Association of Sri Lanka has completed several overseas assignments successfully. The Asian Football Confederation has appointed him this time to officiate in these matches.

Sunil Jayaweera, S. P. Tudor and A. G. C. Deshapriya too have been assigned to assist Sunil Senaweera. (AN)

Batheesha slams 94

A blistering 94 by Batheesha de Silva enabled Bloomfield to cross the 200-run mark against BRC in their inter-club under 23 cricket encounter which began at Reid Avenue yesterday.

After winning the toss and taking first lease, Bloomfield lost some early wickets. But Batheesha came in and flayed the BRC bowlers departing four runs short of his century. He slammed seven huge sixes and six boundaries. Right arm off spinner C. Mudalige had fine figures of six wickets for 65 runs.

* Scores:

Bloomfield 201 all out in 88 overs. (B. De Silva 94, T. Gunaratne 32, D. Amaraweera 19, C. Mudalige 6/65, S. Rajapakse 3/47) (AN)

Hunukumbura 95 in CCC's 315/6

A well compiled (95) by Damitha Hunukumbura helped CCC to post a mamoth 315 for six wickets declared in their inter-club under-23 cricket encounter at Maitland Crescent yesterday.

Taking first lease of the wicket Hunukumbura played a patient innings. He struck two towering sixers and four bundaries. Anushka Polonnovita too contributed with a brisk 64 inclusive of one six and two fours.

Moors, in reply, were 32, for one wicket at the close.

Scores:

CCC 315 for 6 wkts decl. (D. Hunukumbura 95, B. Ediriweera 21, A. Polonnovita 64, H. Boteju 45, n.o., I Gallage 28 n.o., C. Bandaratilake 2/41)

Moors 31 for one wkt. at close (T. Seneviratne 16 n.o.) (AN)

Colts 240

Colts totalled 240 in their under 23 cricket fixture against Tamil Union at Havelock Town yesterday.

Taking first lease of the wicket, Colts batsmen scored runs at ease. Bathiya Perera top scored with an unbeaten 92 which consisted two sixes and 13 boundaries.

Tamil Union were 32 for one wicket at the close.

Scores:

Colts 240 all out in 71 overs. (Sujith Janaka 48, Sameera Panapitiya 20, Bathiya Perera 92 n.o., Gayan Wijekoon 2/55, Sanjeewa Weerakoon 2/36, Sagara Kumara 3/49), B. Jeganathan 2/18)

Tamil Union 32 for one wicket at close. (AN)

Unhonour'd heroes of SL cricket given due place

by Mahinda Wijesinghe
How often has one heard, if at all, of a schoolboy from England, Australia, West Indies, India or for that matter, any of the other Test-playing nation - except Pakistan - representing their Test team? Yet in Sri Lanka from the early 1950's when schoolboys Stanley Jayasinghe and Carl Obeysekera (both from Nalanda) were picked for the national team, right down to modern times when 18-year-old Arjuna Ranatunga and Malinga Bandara followed suit, schools play an integral role in the development of our national cricket. In fact, it can be very easily said that schools cricket serve as a greenhouse for our national cricket team. It is this vibrant system which help sustain national cricket. One can count on the fingers of one hand - and still have a few to spare! - of those who did not play for their school first XI but went on to don the national blazer. One such exception was that large-hearted paceman Norton Fredrick with whom I had the privilege of playing with at club levels. A classic example of an exception to the rule.

THEY TOIL UNHONOUR'D, UNSUNG AND UNPAID
Effectively, in Sri Lanka, the cricket bug gets you at an extremely young age. And, if there isn't a proper system to channel all that talent, naturally it would all go waste. This is where the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association steps in. An association of honorary in the complete sense of the word - schoolmasters who have banded themselves and have been responsible for the conduct of cricket at school levels. They have toiled unhonoured, unsung and unpaid, passing the baton to their successors for the past half a century from one schoolmaster to the next. Administering tournaments embracing schools spread across the island at various age-levels without even a centralised office and a single paid official is an achievement, in my view, without parallel. It is no easy task to conduct any tournament which involves over-zealous students, hysterical parents, coaches who will not stop at anything to achieve their ends, limited venues and finances. The number of faux pas committed by those who conduct our first-class tournaments - with far more facilities and far, far fewer teams - is well known. Yet these schoolmasters keep performing. They are the unhonour'd heroes of our national cricket.

NO MORE WILL SCHOOLMASTERS....
So, it was with great preasure that I learnt a permanent premises to house the headquarters has been found at the former Race Course for the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association. From the time Mr. Merril Fernando, the former Principal of Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa was the President of the Schools Association I have campaigned for a centralised office - headquarters somehow sounds rather forbidding and hence too large a request! - and am personally very glad that at last a yawning need of Sri Lanka cricket has been fulfilled. No more will schoolmasters be asking for frantic telephone calls from not very willing school telephone operators to inform a last minute change of a venue or a date. No more will the Secretary or the Treasurer get his school documents mixed up with those of the Association. No more will the Association need the permission of a school to hold their fixtures meetings. No more will the Association be having the danger of losing any documents in their custody with officials from various schools holding office. A headquarters whilst giving stature to the Association solves most of the day-to-day problems.

Naturally their immediate requirement would be a computer system and qualified personnel to handle the workload along with well-paid officers who will function at the behest of the elected officials of the Association.

TIME THE UMBILICAL CORD WAS SEVERED
It is also time that the Schools Association be paid the respect they deserve. With Sri Lanka enjoying the reputation that they do presently in the international cricket world there is no doubt that the Schools Association should be paid their share of the credit. In other words the Association must be treated as an independent body. For instance why should the Board of Control interfere into team selection of the Schools Association? On more than one occasion,the Schools Association goes through the rigours of choosing a pool of schoolboys, conduct practices and play a series of matches - under the watchful eyes of the Association selectors - over a period of time. The national selectors are naturally not in the scene at this stage. However when the final squad, especially for a tour is selected the national selectors sit in judgement, perhaps after making a cursory visit to one practice game. And more often than not, an official from the Cricket Board will accompany the team on tour as well. If the school coaches and officials can combine to produce such cricketers year in year out surely they are also capable of selecting their own team and managing a tour? With the advent of a new headquarters, the act by the Board of Control will be more meaningful if they extend assistance to the Schools Association, when necessary whilst granting their independence. It is time the umbilical cord was cut. Well done the Board of Control!

Lion Stout volleys to win

On October 31, over 400 volleyball teams - some 5,000 individual players drawn from near and far will volley to win at the Lion Stout National Volleyball Championship.

"This is the largest volleyball championship of the year. Indeed, it is truly rare to find a sporting competition which can muster such massive interest, athletic participation and fanfare across the island. And this year Lion's Stout National Volleyball Championship is guaranteed to achieve much more," said Dr. Sunil Nawaratne, President of the Sri Lanka Volleyball Federation Interim Body.

After a series of district level qualifiers spread over two separate weekends (31 October-1 November, 7 - 8 November) the qualifying teams will make their way to the semi-finals. "We've actually changed the structure of this year's championship and the semi-finals will be held at two separate cities - Negombo and Nuwara Eliya" stated Brigadier P. G. Charles, Secretary of the SLVF Interim Body. "Division B teams will vie for the Lion Stout trophies at Negombo (12 - 15 November) and Division A teams at Nuwara Eliya (19 - 22 November). Travelling to these locations would add to the dynamism of the event, and let's not forget that they are heartlands of volleyball.

The climax of the championship will be the Lion Stout Superleague held at the NYSC Maharagama where teams who have demonstrated a consistent track record of ability at such a physically demanding level will vie for the coveted Lion Stout Superleague trophy. After close upon a week of Superleague semi-finals from November 30 to December 6 the match of the year will be held on December 13.

Herman Pereira, the Lion Stout Brand Manager said "this championship reflects the determination of young players throughout the country to better their lives and the sport. It proves the sheer popularity of a sport which demands prowess control and power. Lion Stout is not only proud to be the official sponsor of the championship but to play a pivotal role in the development of the sport."

REFLECTIONS
Test cricket

by Srian Obeyesekere
With the one-day cricket becoming fascinating as ever, Test cricket, the long-standing origin to the game has lost much of its clout. One-day cricket, which was ushered in with the advent of television tycoon, Kerry Packer, has developed in leaps and bounds. So much so as to calling the shots today for all the commercialism money has brought with it to the game of cricket.

In this light, news of orchestrating a World Test championship and Asian Test championship is a shot in the arm as far as the traditional version of the game which has been more or less relegated to a back seat today with the ever growing popularity of the shorter concept of cricket. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has for sometime been toying with the idea of staging a World Test Championship. Such a concept is bound to further dent the existing Test match framework of two countries meeting in a series which is how the game has been played in its century long existence.

Still more interestingly, the announcement last week by the Asian Cricket Council of a proposed Asian Test Championship is also bound to infuse a new meaning to the longer version of the game. The authorities intend staging this in February-March next year spreading to two venues - Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates of Sharjah involving Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

This proposed new Test match concept comes in the wake of five-day matches losing its appeal with spectators who have today come to embrace the one-day version as the thing for all its excitement. The ICC, in fact, last year set up a committee to explore how best to further market the game at all levels where it was felt that its membership should be further increased in view of other sports becoming more and more attractive to spectators despite one-day cricket going places. The general consensus was that Test cricket should be given a face lift to be better marketed to spectators. A reduced number of playing days was also considered the new Test concepts, if mooted, are expected to be a better draw which would further relegate five-day cricket to a backseat despite being the traditional version which is better loved by cricketers for what it has been through the ages of time.

Old Bens, Air Force & Otters emerge victorious

Old Bens "A", Air Force "B" and Otters emerged Champions in the recently conducted 5-A-Side Invitation Basketball Tournament at Police Courts Thimbirigasyaya by Colombo District Basketball Association.

Inspector General of Police, Lucky Kodituwakku was Chief Guest and Mrs. Kodituwakku gave away the prizes to the winners.

Army Commander Lt. Gen. Rohan Daluwatte the Guest of Honour gave away the cash awards to Ram Sunderalingam, and S. Kathirgamathamby who have done yeoman service for basketball for more than 50 years as player, coach, referee and administrator.

Sunda as he is known in Basketball circles has been a national coach and produced 40% of the former national players and was responsible in raising the standard of the players to international level. One of his products is Percy Perera who was judged the best shooter at the Asian Basketball Championships Tournament. Others to name a few are two brothers Cosmos and Malsiri Perera, Reienzie de Silva, Rohan Gunaratne and Vivian Saverimuttu all represented Sri Lanka.

Kathir, well known for his high standard of refeering, was one of the first to obtain the international licence from Federation International Basketball Association.

Air Force "B" beat Old Bens "B" by 25 points to 15 points after leading by 11 points to 04 points at half whistle to annex the BISON XTra Lager Trophy and cash award of Rs. 5000.00.

Otters beat Air Force by 13 points to 09 points after leading by 09 points to 04 points at short whistle to clinch the Kings Stout Trophy and cash award of Rs. 5000.00.

Old Bens "A", the most popular team in basketball, emerged champions by defeating Air Force "A" by 21 points to 18 points to annex the Kings Lager Trophy and cash award of Rs. 7500.00.

In the semi-finals, Old Bens "B" beat Army "B" by 19 points to 07 points after leading 09 points to 04 points, at half time.

In the other semi-finals, Air Force "B" beat CR & FC by 17 points to 14 points after getting 07 points each at lemons.

In the other group semi-finals, Air Force "A" beat Army "A" by 26 points to 19 points after leading by 14 points to 05 at the short whistle. In the second semi-finals, Old Bens "A" beat Kochchikade by 16 points to 13 points after leading 09 points to 07 points at half time.

The highlights will be telecast on ITN today from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

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