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Pam Fernando makes Guinness Book

Sri Lanka's well known woman golfer, Pam Fernando, has entered the Guinness Book of Records for becoming the oldest national golf champion on winning the Sri Lanka golf championship on July 17, 1981 at the age of 54 years 282 days.

The Guinness Book has written to Mrs. Fernando congratulating her and officially informed her that she is now a record holder on the Guinness Book of Records. A certificate to commemorate this fact was sent to her.

"The Keeper of the Records will now consider your record as the oldest national golf champion for entry into the world's biggest selling copyright book - The Guinness Book of Records itself. Although a certificate does not guarantee entry into the Book, all records are considered for publication on an annual basis", Guinness said.

REFLECTIONS
Sri Lanka to beat Australia in Australia ?

by Srian Obeyesekera
Sri Lanka's Australian sojourn is as good as another World Cup. For Arjuna Ranatunga leads his cricketers after a hiatus of three years since that acrimonious tour of 1995 which was the 'break and make tour' for the Sri Lankans. As Ranatunga and the then Manager, Duleep Mendis were to put it, it was the tour of Australia that changed the Lankan outfit into a really hardened band of cricketers in the wake of the much hyped Muttiah Muralitheran chucking controversy where our players were at the receiving end from all quarters. Sri Lanka went on to lose both the Benson and Hedges one-day championship as well as the three-match Test series. But it was the disastrous Aussie tour that was the beginning of the 1995 Sri Lankan World Cup winning success. The Sri Lankans were so broken by the on field as well as off field saucy attitude of the Australians they took it as a leaf to learn from. That was what saw Sri Lanka raise its game with greater commitment.

In the aftermath of their disastrous tour, Sri Lanka went on to crown themselves the kings of one-day cricket, rubbing salt into it by fittingly defeating the Australians in the final.

Thus, after 1995, Sri Lanka meets the Australians on Australian soil, a changed side having breathed new meaning into one-day cricket. With just over four months away from the next World Cup, Sri Lanka locks horns with a new look Australian side led by Steve Waugh in a three cornered Carlton and United Triangular Series. What adds to the intensity of the triangular is the participation of England who would be hosting the next World Cup. Sri Lanka meets Australia this time around as the kings of one-day cricket. The Australians, on the other hand, are a specialist one-day side with the selectors having decided on having two separate Test and one- day teams. Interestingly, the triangular championship carries much significance for all three countries.

Besides being the world champions, Sri Lanka will be looking to insulate their domination of the shorter version of the game by beating Australia in Australia. Australia, on the other hand will be looking to reverse fortunes having been badly beaten by the Sri Lankans in the World Cup final followed by another defeat in Sri Lanka in a one-day tournament a year later.

As for England, winning the Carlton and United Triangular would be as important. For Alec Stewart and his men face the Sri Lankans fresh from that humilating defeat just a few months ago where they were drubbed by Ranatunga and company. Not only in the one-day triangular also featuring South Africa, but also where the Sri Lankans dictated terms in the one-off Test match with a historic first ever win on British soil.

On paper, Australia look the favourites in the Carlton and United Triangular while Sri Lanka suffered humiliating defeats in successive tournaments in the Mini World Cup in Dhaka and the Sharjah Champions Trophy. However, Sri Lanka's one-day concept is such that the Australians will not underestimate Ranatunga's band of cricketers. Despite Sanath Jayasuriya's lean patch, he has the flair of giving Sri Lanka the advantage of wresting a match for his attacking batsmanship in the first 15 overs in hitting over the top with the restricted field. Jayasuriya's batting should be the swaying factor for his left hand-right hand combination with the hard hitting Romesh Kaluvitharana in opening the innings. The batting runs deep with Marvan Atapattu, the seasoned Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga capable of adding that much of stability to the batting.

Much of Sri Lanka's fortune will depend on key off-spinner Muttiah Muralitheran, who visits Australia under a cloud.

Aravinda - one of the top three batsmen in the World - Allan Border

by Mahinda Wijesinghe
While the Australian media will try to focus their attention on Muralitharan to upset the Sri Lankans, the Australian bowlers-will be trying their damnedest to dismiss Aravinda de Silva as early as possible

Their 'star' paceman Glenn McGrath, rated Aravinda at No 6 - after Tendulkar, Stev Waugh, Brian Lara, Saeed Anwar and Mark Waugh - when mentioning the world's best 10 batsmen Wrote McGrath: "...He is the danger-man in the Sri Lankan line-up Unlike many batsmen from the sub-continent, he is equipped with a game to succeed on Australian pitches as well. Never afraid to hook, he has brought up Test centuries that way with a six. "Slotting Jayasuriya at No 9, McGrath, while classifying Sanath as a 'scientific-hitter', comments: "Like most bowlers, I've seen some of my balls disappear over long-on or to third man when Sri Lanka's one-day hitter is on song. He does tend to get under his leg-side shots when the ball is pitched full so I'll often have a shortish fine-leg and a deep square-leg lying in wait "

Borders's views on Aravinda's batting
However, Allan Border, the former Australian skipper, now a Selector, who made his Test debut 20 years back almost to the day - when McGrath was an 8-year old toddler - and played the most number of Test matches in its history - 156 - has a better opinion of Aravinda

"This might seem a huge call to many, but I rate Aravinda de Silva ahead of Brian Lara right now and worth a place among the world's top three batsmen with Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Waugh. Aravinda has always had a special talent and all-round stroke-play equal of any.

The fact his temperament has been a bit loose was the factor which held him back for years. You could allways fire him up, and it wasn't always to the betterment of his batting. He's now much more control of his emotions and those rash strokes are far fewer.

It's borne out by his test record through 1997 & 1998, because I'm told he scored nine centuries in that period alone, quite a phenomenal effort. Over the same period Lara seems to have gone off the boil and he hasn't seemed totally switched on to batting....if a groin problem doesn't hamper him, Aravinda will be a major attraction during what shapes as a crackerjack One-day series this summer.

Australians have known of his shot-making class for years. I remember playing a Test against the Sri Lankans at the Gabba as far back as 1989-90. We picked four fast bowlers to monster them, and it turned out that Aravinda did the monstering! He struck a superb 160 odd, including a classic hook for six off Carl Rackemann, who towered over him.

Big Mervyn Hughes spilt a caught-and-bowled chance before he'd reached double figures, and I didn't hold back in reminding him of the fact we all expected that innings to be a catalyst to turn his career into something big, but consistency has taken longer than everyone might have imagined."

High praise indeed. I too was a proud spectator at the Gabba that day when Aravinda played that innings and made the few Sri Lankans on the ground feel ten feet tall. However, as Border wisely comments "consistency has taken longer than everyone might have imagined". In fact, the consistency came six years later, after his stint with Kent in the English summer of 1995. But, that is another story.

Let's hope Arjuna's bad luck has ended
Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga left to Australia on an inauspicious note after SSC lost the One-day final against Colts. Let us all hope that Arjuna's bad luck ends there. SSC fielding not less than eight members of the 16-strong Sri Lankan squad to Australia folded rather tamely to the Colts team ably led by Sri Lankan paceman Chaminda Vaas, who also earned the Man of the Match award - so adjudged by a Selector himself. Romesh Kaluwitharana showed that he is in good form with a scintillating knock by putting the three Sri Lankan paceman, Pramodya Wikremasinghe, Nuwan Zoysa and Ruchira Perera to the sword though the last-named came back to pick three wickets. It was also pleasing to note a left-arm spinner, Dinuka Hettiarachchi, breaking the back of the strong SSC batting with a haul of 6 wickets. And some say where are the spinners?

Where have all these bowlers gone?
Whether it be spinners, pacemen or batsmen, Sri Lanka has loads of them. Only, they may not be present in places where the Selectors - conveniently - want them to be. Or, it could be that the Selectors do not want to experiment any further. The recent memories of Jayantha Silva, the recall of Don Arunasiri from mothballs, Sajeewa de Silva, Malinga Bandara and Niroshan Bandaratilleke, to name only a few bowlers not in the limelight anymore, must be too fresh in their minds..... and don't tell me that spinners cannot be played in One-day cricket.

Susanthika heads for United States

By Shirajiv Sirimane
The controversial Sri Lankan athlete, Susanthika Jayasinghe took wing yesterday for the United States. Prior to her departure, Susanthika told the 'Sunday Island' that she was heading for St. Monica where "I will be doing advanced training".

The Sri Lankan athlete who fell out of grace of most of the athletic fraternity and public following her last minute pull out of the Asian Games in Bangkok last December on fitness grounds, said that however, she expected to return home to qualify to compete in the World Championships to be held in Barcelona in July. She said that she would compete in this selection trial.

It is understood that Susanthika Jayasinghe, facing a possible drug related ban, had obtained a one-year visa for entry to the United States.

She said she was leaving Sri Lanka especially to overcome the psychological hang over resulting by the ill treatment meted out to her by the local authorities.

Vidyartha meet St. Sylvester's in final

By Hafiz Marikar, Our Kandy Sports Corr.
Vidyartha College, Kandy will meet St. Sylvester's College, Kandy in the final of the Yasaratne Tennekoon Memorial Trophy Cricket Final at the Asgiriya Stadium today.

The late Tennekoon's widow will grace the occasion as guest of honour.

Both sides are equally balanced and a keen contest is on the cards. Vidyartha led by Sarath Ranaweera and the side's forte lies in its batsmen. However, they will come up against a formidable Sylvestrian pace attack spearheaded by G. Wijesinghe, A. Perera and L. Gunadasa. Vidyartha's batting will revolve around Sanjaya Nanayakkara, Daminda Ranaweera, Sampath Hewavitharana and skipper Sarath Ranaweera.

Meanwhile, Vidyartha's bowling attack will revolve around Ranil Bandara and Abangamage Sanjeewa.

St. Sylvester's will depend heavily on T. Z. K. Hajireen and C. Wijesinghe who are the side's inform batsmen.

Vidyartha (from): Sarath Ranaweera (Capt.), Dasun Jayakody (V. Capt.), Sampath Hewavitharana, Daminda Ranaweera, Gayantha Jayakody, Kelkoralage Ranjith, Sanjaya Nanayakkara, Ranil Bandara, Dileepa Wanasinghe, Abangamage Sanjeewa, Sujith Perera, Thamila Liyanage, Chamara Ranasinghe, Rasika Wijesinghe.

The St. Sylvester's team was yet to be announced.

Nalaka, Sajith for Kandy SC

Kandy: Nalaka Weerakkody and Sajith Mallikarachchi will get into the Kandy Sports Club jersey in the coming rugby season. They are expected to play in the inter club Sevens which take place next month if they are selected.

Sad to say Nalin Dissanayake has moved to Colombo, and Imthi Marikar too has gone back to Colombo.

Nalaka Weerakkody a product of Kingswood College, is one of the best full backs in the sport. He played for Kandy SC under Lasantha Wijesuriya in 1997 and helped the club to win several games with his boots and was in the unbeaten triple champion side, last season, he crossed over to CR and FC, due to some problems at Nittawela. He was brought to Kandy by Lasantha Wijesuriya last time.

The new find is Sajith Mallikarachchi, a fine outside half, who played for Isipatana MV and CR and FC in the last season. According to informed sources, both will be at Nittawela for practice this month.(HM)

Getambe playground to get a facelift

Kandy:Good news for sportsmen! Getambe Playground will get a face lift, courtesy of The Central Finance Co. A big hand should be given to its Chairman Chandra Wijenayake who has come forward to give a hand to the second stage.

Earlier, they did the fencing and also put up a scoreboard. If this ground is well maintained with green, under 13 and 15 cricket matches can be played, hockey and football. This ground is used for softball matches also.

So, today the Mayor of Kandy Harindra Dunuwille and Chandra Wijenayake will be visiting this ground and will decide about the improvements.

The Council has decided not to give the grounds in future for tamashas other than sports.

Parking of vehicles should be stopped, if it so, the gate should be removed and it should be just a small gate to enter the grounds.(HM)

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