      |
||
|
||
Sri Lanka - India curtain raiser Today's curtain raiser between world champions Sri Lanka and India is expected to be a battle between the batsmen more than the bowlers knowing the Sharjah grounds here been conducive for batsmen. And both sides are equipped with the type of batsmen capable of unleashing the one-day thrills. In the Sri Lankan camp there is Sanath Jayasuriya, the 'Master Blaster', Romesh Kaluvitharana, and star batsman Aravinda de Silva, Marvan Atapattu, and skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, all who are renowned for the type of strokeplay that has seen Sri Lanka insulate itself as the kings of one-day cricket in recent times. The Indians, on the other hand, have in their fold the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, a batsman who can evoke so much suspense with his bat that brings spectators to their feet. Also in the fold are Sourav Ganguly, skipper Mohammed Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and the inform Robin Singh. Going on current form both Sri Lanka and India failed to reach the finals of the recently concluded Mini World Cup in Bangladesh. However, that in no way has dented the reputation of the two countries. Sri Lanka is yet fresh from its clean sweep in England having won the one-day Emirates Trophy at the expense of England and South Africa, and going on to whitewash England in the one-off Test match. India, on the othe hand, beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka to take away the Nidahas Trophy this year. Today, Sri Lanka will badly miss the services of key bowler, off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who is sidelined by injury. There was much speculation here in Sharjah of Sri Lanka going into this match with the hard hitting Avishka Gunawardena. If so, Gunawardena would in all probability open the batting with Sanath Jayasuriya, and Kaluwitharana coming down the order. However, options were still wide open as to the final XI. There was also the possibility of Tilan Samaraweera being brought in place of Muralitharan or paceman Pramodya Wickramasinghe coming in as a third pacie. Sri Lanka (from) - Arjuna Ranatunga (Capt.), Aravinda de Silva (V. Capt.), Sanath Jayasuriya, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Marvan Atapattu, Roshan Mahanama, Upul Chandana, Kumara Dharmasena, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Avishka Gunawardena, Hashan Tillekeratne, Tilan Samaraweera, Pramodya Wickramasinghe. India (from) - Mohammed Azharuddin, (Capt.), Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Robin Singh, Ajay Jadeja (V. Capt), Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Sunil Joshi, Nayan Mongia, Ajith Agarkar, Venkatesh Prasad. He is the 'Master Blaster' for his batting heroics.For how he wields his bat like a magic wand.In short,Sri Lanka's cricketing sensation,Sanath Jayasuriya has won the hearts of the ecricketing world for the new dimesion he has infused not only into the one-day game,but for how he also sometimes converts Test cricket into seeming one-day contests.As he did this year against England on British soil in taking Sri Lanka to that historic away-Test triumph against the old masters of the game. Today,Jayasuriya basks in the type of fame that brings him not only record after record,but award after award as well.Last Tuesday was one of those golden moments for Sanath Jayasuriya who was the cynosure of all eyes when he received his award for the CEAT Cricketer of the Year 1997-'98 in Bombay. It was 'another six' for Jayasuriya. Our country cousins are country squires I thank Dr. Lincoln Bastian for having given us tit bits from England's newspapers vis a vis the cricket tour of Old Blighty by our wonder boys. One impression that was stark was that the Sri Lanka cricketers were considered country cousins. "Little brown men with unprounceable names!' The country squires of England have been epitomised by Chatterlay of the mansion who was ill-equipped to move in circles. But, sirs, our Country Squires are of a fine breed. They even have a home in the city, kept closed for their visits. Recoil the mind to Sir Francis Molamure, his illustrious ancestor, Maduwangedera Dissawe and to today's celebrities like Nahil Wijesuriya who has a country home in London! Our country cousins are Country Squires. Aravinda de Silva is of that ilk. He may not choose to have a home away from home but, by gad, sirs, he's got the cars to match the Englishmen from pompous Grace to pimpy Stewart. Sports Ferrari, converstable two-door Benz, 4-wheel drive, Toyota Land-cruiser, Sportaag 4-wheel drive. And he bats like he's driving on the autobahn. In our captain we have a re-live Frank Worrel: calm, collected. Captain Cool. Never a moment of crisis for him. And no wonder either; he's got a man for every occasion. First things first the openers. Sanath and Kalu. They are the opposite of the dour Geoff Boycott whom the crafty Clive Lloyd dropped in a Limited Overs game because as long as Boycott was batting West Indies were on the win. Sanath and Kalu took the game by the scruff of its neck and turned it around. Rival captains have been at pains to work out new stratagems to curb the devil-may-care, swashbuckling batsmanship. Aravinda is regal and dictates terms to any bowler. Arjuna waits for the ball to come to bat to glide it like a sculptor "engraving crystal glass." Then we have Marvellous Marvan, named so even in his school days when he was the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year, Roshan Mahanama and a host of a mighty tail. In the bowling department we do not have fire power of Donald but we have the guile of Muttiah Muralitheran, the craft of Chaminda Waas and Nuwan Soysa and the low trajectory of Sanath Jayasuriya, Aravinda de Silva,the baffling spin of chilly-hot-tempered Kumar Dharmasena and of Upul Chandana. Our fielding and safe catching is breath-taking on the lines of Johnty Rhodes. As printed in the English newspapers, we were not country cousins but Country Squires who set the Oval afire for the prospects of Sunil Wettimuny's grand knock at the Lords to bear repitition. Lankan Schools Cricket XI cruise along
in Hong Kong The Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association Under-17team ended a one week tour of Hong Kong on a winning note.They won all four matches. Led by Arshad Junaid,the Lankan cricketers fared superbly.They beat the Hong Kong Colts XI by 117 runs,he Kowloon CC by by 136 runs,Hong Kong CC by 161 runs and rounded off the tour with a n easy nine wicket win over the Hong Kong President's XI. Among the runs for the Lankan Schools XI were Anandian Tilina Kandambi,Josephian Ian Daniel,and Royalist Jehan Mubarak who struck centuries in this four-day match.Peterite Mahesh Perera fell short of a well deserved century by 4 runs.Lumbini MV allrounder Chamara Lasantha Perera scored two half centuries on this tour. Tilina Kandambi was the most outstanding bowler claiming five wickets and three wicket hauls on the tour The Lankan Schools XI coach,Nihal Gunawardena said that the young cricketers had performed admirably .That he had produced many a fine cricketer at his school Richmond College,Galle and one of his products,C.K.Hewamanne was the current coach of Richmond. The Manager of the Lankan team,M.T.A.Rauf said that winning all four matches was a fine achievement SCORES: SLSCA XI beat Hong Kong Colts by 117 runs SLSCA XI 247/7 wkts.,in 43 overs.(Chamara Lasantha Perera 56,Ian Daniel 37,Muthumudalige Pushpakumara 27,Jehan Mubarak 26,Kaushalya Weeraratne 26 not out,Adrian Wotamiyar 2/1). Hong Kong Colts XI 130/7 wkts., in 43 overs.(Adrian Wotamiyar 20,B.Chawudri 20,Thabarak Dar 29,Muthumudalige Pushpakumara 2/12,Chamara Lasantha Perera 2/15) SLSCA XI beat Kowloon CC by 136 runs. SLSCA XI 333/5 wkts., in 43 overs.(Jehan Mubarak 123,Thilina Kandambi 93,Kaushalaya Weeraratne 31 not out,Lama 3/69,M.Subeer 2/47). Kowloon CC 197 all out in 42.2 overs.(D.Green 62,R.Sujani 53,M.Subair 21,T.Kandambi 5/42,N.de Silva 2/39) SLSCA XI beat HK CC by 161 runs. SLSCA under-17 XI334 all out in 45 overs.(Thilina Kandambi 109,Mahesh Perera 61,D.Pathirana 25,S.Haweenkas 3/70,Adrian Wotamiyar 271) HK CC 173 all out in 42,2 overs.(Nazeer Ahamad 30,S.Haweenkas 29,S,Atkinson 27,Chamara Lasantha Perera 3/19 , Muthumudalige Pushpakumara 2/21). SLSCA Under-17 XI beat Hong Kong President's XI by 9 wkts., HK Presidernt's XI 241 all out in 50 overs.(Saleem Malik 125,M/\.Subair 29,Tilina Kandambi 3/41,Ian daniel 2/28,Arshad Junaid 2/40)SLSCA Under-17 XI 243/1 wkt., in 35 overs.(Ian daniel 126 not out, Mahesh Perera 96). Negombo CC to encounter Wennappuwa CC
today Negombo CC will meet Wennappuwa CC in the under 23 Segment 'B' final cricket fixture which will commence today at SSC grounds. Negombo CC beat Old Anandians, Ragama CC, Peterson SC and Ambalangoda Rio SC. The unbeaten Negombo CC have to play game with Wennappuwa CC who are also the unbeaten with having four victories and two no decisions. Asoka Wijeratne is the skipper of Wennappuwa SC and is the key leg spinner of the side. Together with Trinity Anthony Fernando and Deputy Skipper Malintha Siyabalapitiya the Wennappuwa SC players are bound to make a tremendous impact Displaying their superiority, they beat Malay SC, Narammala SC, Saracens SC, Old Cambrians, Chilaw Marians CC, Ratnapura CC, Moratuwa SC and Matale CC. An innings victory was registered over Narammala SC and Saracens SC. The teams: Wennappuwa SC: Asanka Wijeratne (Capt.), Malintha Siyabalapitiya (V. Capt.), Shean Cooray, Anton Fernando, Suneth Fernando, Indika Sunimal, Sharman Fernando, Ravindra Kurera, Dharshana Abeysinghe, Tisara Perera, S. Liayanarachchi, Roshan Sujeewa, Mahinda Ransara, Anura Balasuriya (Coach). Negombo CC: Nuwan Priyankara (Capt.), Ranga Dias (V. Capt.), Ruwan Fernando, Canaric Croos, Lakmal Fernando, Mevan Fernando, Damian Fernando, Sanahasa Fernando, Lakmalka Fernando, Kasun Bulathsinghala, Venura Fernando, Suranjan Silva, Ajith Pushpakumara, Guttika Wijayamuni, Batheesha de Silva, R. Suranimala and Malik Jayawardane. Otters Aquatic Club newcomers to Basketball registered their wins in the Men's & Women's matches played on the opening day of the Inter Club Invitation Basketball Tournament worked out at Kings Court and organised by Otters Aquatic Club on behalf of Colombo District Basketball Association. Otters AC blacks beat Bambalapitiya Catholic BC by 40 points to 27 points after losers leading by 19 points to 13 points at short whistle. Otters boys used the basketball skills when they started to play attacking game and man to man which the Bambalapitiya lads could not meet in the second half. Chief Scorers. Otters AC: Upendra, Ranil, Viraj, Chalanka - scored 10 points each for the winners. Bambalapitiya Catholic BC: J. Charles & R. Ramachandran scored 10 points each for the losers. Sisira Fonseka & Anton Lazarus refereed. Otters AC beat SL Army (novices) in the Women's match by 42 points to 18 points after leading by 32 points to 10 points at lemon. Otters girls played with confidence from the first whistle while the novices to the game SL Army showed and improved team work in the second half. Chief Scorers: Otters AC: Shenika Herman 15, Monica Fernando 12, Priyangani Jayawardena 10. SL Army: Kalpage 10, Kusumalatha 8. S. Kathiragamathamby & Nowfel Mahroof refereed. School
Cricket Preview The inter-school cricket fixture between S. Thomas' Mount Lavinia and Thurstan will be the key game today at Mount Lavinia Thomians have a well balanced side packed with all rounders and they could enforce a decision on their home grounds. Thurstanites who drew against Wesley last Monday are bound to battle with the strong Thomians Upeka Fernando the last year's skipper who stroked a century in their victorious game over Kingswood is expected to repeat his performances. Meanwhile St. Peter's who played his last match against President's College take on St. Sylvester's Kandy in their home grounds Bambalapitiya. Mahesh Perera who performed well with the schools under 17 team against Hong Kong is bound to be a match winner. The two Moratuwa schools St. Sebastian's will meet St. Anthony's Katugastota while Prince of Wales will clash with Maliyadeva Kurunegala. Both matches are at Moratuwa. Wesley College will travel to Galle to play with St. Aloysius while Raddoluwa MV will meet Sri Sumangala Panadura at Katunayake. 'Frosty'
Golf on Saturday The November monthly golf medal rally sponsored by Frosty Ice Cubes will be held on November 7 at Royal Colombo Golf Club. The event saw a tremendous response with over 120 competitors down for competition. A press conference in this regard was held at RCGC and Lalin Samarawickrama, member RCGC said that the increased number of competitors prove the popularity of the event. "These monthly medal ralleys are of tremendous importance to us since we calculate the points obtained from it for our Grand Prix," he said. He also disclosed that the event will have four categories. "A handicap for under 9 and a handicap for 10 to 18 will be held. In addition two masters events for over 55 will be held", he said. Mukkthar Marrikar, Managing Director, Frosty Marketing (Pvt) Ltd. (FML) said that they would be awarding a Silver Medal each for the winner and runner-up of all events. "This too may have attracted more competitors', he said. Shanil Perera, Assistant General Manager FML said that Frosty Ice Cubes having been served at RCGC for a long period of time. "Our products are very popular since we do not use any chemicals," he disclosed. |
||
 |
||