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Premier Limited Overs Final
SSC, Colts battle for supremacySinghalese Sports Club (SSC) led by Sri Lanka Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and Colts Cricket Club (CCC) skippered by test paceman Chaminda Vaas will battle it for the top honours when the Premier Limited overs Tournament one day finals get underway at the R. Premadasa Stadium today at 2.30 p.m.
Formidable SSC goes into the one day finals on the back of a few good performances from some of their key players such as test bat Mahela Jayawardene, Opener Avishka Gunawardene, fast improving left arm pacemen Ruchira Perera and Nuwan Zoyza, No. 3 bat Marvan Atapattu, and speedster Pramodya Wickramasinghe. Captain Ranatunga who is a seasoned campaigner in this format of the game has also chipped in with a half ton or two when the chips were really down, but the Maitland Place club would still have to be at their very best to ward-off a spirited challenge mounted by Colts if they are to lay their hands on the coveted Premier Limited overs trophy.
The Havelock Park Club who make their way into the floodlit finals with a hundred percent record unlike their erstwhile rivals who went down to Panadura SC in a preliminary league match boasts of a well balanced all round outfit which would give Arjuna Ranatunga's side a run for their money today.
Explosive Sri Lanka opener and wicket keeper bat Romesh Kaluwitharana, No. 3 bat Sajith Fernando, Duleep Samaraweera, Indika de Saram, all rounders skipper Vaas, Dulip Liyanage, Eric Upashantha, and Malinda Warnapura form the nucleus of the talented Colts XI which will strive hard to topple the much fancied SSC and pocket the inaugural Premier Division 1 limited overs tournament.
Overall an absorbing contest between two eventually matched club teams could be witnessed by the discerning local cricket fans, days before the national team is due to undertake an important tour of Australia on the 28th of December. Meanwhile the Premier Limited overs tournament sponsored by the Hatton National Bank will give away handsome cash awards of Rs. 150,000 to the winning team and Rs. 75,000 to the runners up. There will also be four individual awards of Rs. 10,000 each for Man of the Finals, Man of the Series, Best Batsman, and Best Bowler. Each of the losing semi finalist teams also stands to receive Rs. 25,000 each. The two umpires for the match will be K. T. Francis and Peter Manuel with T. M. Samarasinghe acting as the third umpire.
Teams
SSC from: Arjuna Ranatunga (Capt.), Avishka Gunawardene, Mahela Jayawardena, Marvan Atapathu, Sanjeewa Ranatunga, Hematha Wickramarathne, Tilan Samaraweera, Malintha Perera, Promodya Wickramasinghe, Nuwan Soyza, Ruchira Perera, and Suresh Perera.Colts from: Chaminda Vaas (Capt.), Romesh Kaluwitharana, Duleep Samaraweera, Sujith Fernando, Chaminda Mendis, Indika de Saram, Jeewantha Kulatunga, Malinda Warnapura, Dulip Liyanage, Eric Upashantha, Dinuka Hettiarachchi, and Bathiya Perera. - (J.K)
By Hafiz Marikar our Kandy Sports Corr.
President of the Kandy District Cricket Association Thilina Tennakoon, said all arrangements have been finalised for the Yasaratne Tennakoon Memorial Trophy inter school limited overs Cricket Tournament, which is coming off for the first time.Yasaratne Tennakoon a former MP for Kandy was a cricketer at Dharmaraja College.
If the weather keeps fine, then a good cricket tournament can be expected from 28 in this month.
Former Vidyartha and Rajans Cricketers M.Z. Zarook and Harold Ranasinghe are the tournament coordinators, the match referees are Bernard Perera, U. Kodithuwakku, C. Kodikara, L. Panditharatne, David Karunaratne, and Ananda Wijesekera.
The tournament gets off to start on the 28th, with two games in the A group, Wickramabahu MMV and St. Sylvester's playing at the Police Grounds matting wicket, and on the following day (29th) at the same venue Dharmaraja will play St. Anthonys.
On 28th at Asgiriya in the Group B, Trinity will play Kingswood and on the following day Vidyartha will play Sri Sumangala.
Semi finals will be played on the 30th at Asgiriya and Police Grounds.
The finals is fixed for 3rd January at the Asgiriya stadium.
