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COMMENT The limbs were rusty. The reflexes were slow. The timing was off. But he proved in no uncertain terms that he had not lost his sting. More than a year of inactivity can make even the best in the business ring rusty. It can be even more frustrating when that period is spent trying to get back the licence. Like any other sportsman making a comeback after a long lay-off, 'Iron' Mike Tyson was sluggish in the opening rounds of his eagerly awaited comeback against former IBF heavyweight champion Francois Botha, with the legendary fight doctor Ferdie Pacheco commenting that Tyson was fighting in slow-motion. There were also reminiscences of the ear-biting fiasco during his last fight against Evander Holyfield, when Botha appeared to be enraged by Tyson's ‘arm-twisting’ which produced ugly scenes at the end of the first round. But mercifully for the sport and fortunately for Tyson, he managed to control his emotions and got his act together to deliver a phanton punch to end the bout conclusively. I said mercifully because another incident such as the previous one would have killed the interest in the sport for good. Fortunately for Tyson, because he has earned the right to continue to ply his trade. When he brought notoriety to the sport with his barbaric behaviour the last time he fought, there were many who advocated that he be banished from the ring for life. But with the sport poorer by his absence and even Holyfield willing to forgive him, the former convict got another lifeline. James 'Bonecrusher' Smith ended his invincibility in the ring with a 10th round knockout while Holyfield exposed his sporting frailties. Botha too seemed to have got the measure of Tyson, who seemed to be in a confused state of mind until he started breathing fire. Botha was no cannon-fodder though giving the appearance of a lumbering heavyweight awaiting his big pay-day. He managed to keep Tyson at bay and unsettle him with solid combinations, and even grew in confidence to lower his guard and taunt his adversary Ali-style. But when Tyson started bobbing and weaving, and sneaked in his killer right, it was the signal that the two-time heavyweight champion had arrived. Under new trainer Tommy Brooks, the 32-year-old street fighter from Catskill, New York, seems to have matured as a boxer. No longer does he go hell for leather from the opening bell. Speaking his mind at the post-fight conference, Tyson said he waited patiently for the opening. He is also aware of his limitations. When asked who his next opponent would be, he said quite wisely "I'll take one step at a time." But Tyson should stop whining and concentrate on exhibiting the skills that made him the youngest heavyweight champion, if he is to earn the respect of detractors. He certainly cannot demand it with his emotional outbursts both on and off the ring. If Tyson is to be remembered as a boxing great, his fists should do the talking in the ring with a greater velocity and frequency that earned him the epithet 'baddest man on earth'. AT THE
SCHOOL NETS Nalanda College, Colombo, one of the country’s foremost cricket playing schools with a proud history behind it, will field a well-knit strong outfit with no less than seven coloursmen in their ranks. The school from Campbell Place which delivered Sri Lanka’s first ever Test captain in Bandula Warnapura besides a host of other illustrious cricketers who covered themselves in glory down the years has done yeoman services for the enhancement of the game in this country. Nalanda is skippered this year by fourth year coloursman and right arm fast bowler Niranjan Kumar Manikage. Niranjan Kumar, who emerged as the leading wicket taker for his school last season, has continued from where he left off with a tally of 15 wickets in the four matches they have played thus far. Kumar’s deputy, right handed No. 4 bat Mavan Porage has turned out to be Nalanda’s leading run getter upto now with an aggregate of over 250 runs with a highest score of 85 against St. Sebastians, Moratuwa. Porage, a third year coloursman, has shown immense promise as a batsman with a sound technique and an ideal temperament for the big league and should in all probability emerge as one of the brightest of stars in the local cricketing firmament in the years to come. Sugitha Pieris is a first year coloursman and has scored over 200 runs for his side batting at No. 6, while he has proved to be quite useful with his right arm leg breaks as well. Pradeep Hadigalle, a third year coloursman and a utility all rounder s, has also done his fair bit in the handful of inter-school matches they have played in the first term. Hadigalle, who bats left hand, has collected over 200 runs with the willow, while his orthodox left arm spinners have fetched him 15 wickets with a best return of 3 for 30 against Thurstan. Second year coloursman Kelum Gangodawela, who is a right arm pacie, comes as Nalanda’s first change bowler and has bagged over 15 scalps while turning out to be their match winner against Sri Sumangala, Panadura. A game which the Colombo school won by 8 wickets in the third term. Another second year player, Dilhan Jayasundere who opens batting and bowls right arm off cutters, is also one of their key players. Jayasundera has so far picked up 10 wickets with a best return of 3 for 20 against Thurstan. Wicket keeper batsman Harin de Mel has been a safe stumper in the process accounting for over 20 victims. De Mel bats right hand as a tail end batsman. Apart from the seven coloursmen, Nalanda also possess eight other freshers who are all vying for places in the first XI side. Among them, players such as Kaniskka Gamanayake, Kanishka Bandarathileke, Buddhika Ranaweera, Renuka Prasanna and Amila Kiriella, can be counted to carry forward Nalanda’s outstanding cricketing image in the years to come. The Campbell Place school is managed by Trevor Nugegoda, while one of their versatile former stalwarts in Jayantha Senevirathne continues to function as the team coach. Another hindrance which has affected the Nalandians has to be pointed here. That is the non availability of their home grounds ‘Campbell Place’ which is presently undergoing a complete reconstruction programme which also put paid to their chances of playing more inter-school fixtures in the third term of 1998 unlike the previous years.(J.K) Pen-sketches of Nalanda cricket squad for 1998-’99. Niranjan Kumar - Captain and fourth year coloursman. Right arm fast bowler who opens the attack. Scalped over 50 wickets last season and was among the wickets in the ‘97 season as well. Reliable late order batsman and looms as a good prospect for Sri Lanka cricket as a speedster with genuine pace and the ability to move the ball both ways. Mevan Porage - Vice Captain and No. 4 bat. He is the leading run getter with 250 runs. A very correct batsman with a natural flair for stroke play. Another very firm future prospect if put through the correct paces. Sugath peries - Right handed top order batsman. First year coloursman. Has aggregated over 200 runs. Bowls right arm leg spin. Pradeep Hadigalle - Third year player and a useful all rounder. Left handed middle order batsman with a fair aggregate of 200 runs and has claimed 10 wickets with his wily left arm leg breaks. Kelum Gangodawela - Second year player, comes as first change. A right arm paceman opened the attack last season. Has bagged over 20 wickets this season while bowling his alma-mater to victory over Sri Sumangala Panadura in the thrid term. Bats right handed. Dilhan Jayasundera - Opening batsman has so far had a lean season with the willow. His right arm off cutters have fetched him 15 wickets. Harin De Mel - Wicket keeper and right hand batsman. Has had a hand in accounting for 15 dismissals behind the sticks with 10 catches and 5 stumpings. However, he is yet to impress his followers with a big innings. Hiran Gunawardene - Left handed No. 3 batsman. Has scored 150 runs with a top score of 68 versus Sri Sumangala Panadura. Bowls right arm medium pace. Kanishka Gamanayake - Left handed opening batsman. Kanishka Bandarathileke - Right arm off spinner. Viranga Perera - Right handed opening batsman. Buddhika Ranaweera - Opening bowler with right arm action. Has over 12 wickets. Renuka Prasanna - Right arm off spinner. Amila Kiriella - Right hand middle order batsman. Chaminda Gunathileke - Reserve wicket keeper of the side. Left handed batsman. Premier League cricket championship A fighting 57-run alliance for the seventh wicket between Kesara Jayasinghe (70) and Charith Bandaratilake (24 n.o.) guided Moors SC to a nerve-tingling one-wicket victory over BRC in a Premier League Championship cricket encounter at Havelock Town yesterday. Chasing a target of 166 runs, Moors reached it with just one wicket to spare an hour after lunch for their second win in a row. They defeated NCC last week. It has to be mentioned that batsmen of both teams had a tough time on a wicket which was unsuitable for any type of cricket. Some of the players suffered injuries owing to this reason, which was also a reason for the low scoring affair. Resuming from the overnight score of 19 for none, Moors collapsed dramatically. At one stage they were reeling at 102 for six wickets. But the seventh wicket pair of Jayasinghe and Bandaratilake played sensibly to steady the ship. Jayasinghe slammed a six and six power-packed boundaries. Left arm leg spinner Duminda Perera captured two wickets to have a match bag of eight wickets. Galle CC crush Antonians A fine all-round performance by Charinda Fernando enabled Galle CC crush Antonians by an innings and 35 runs in their cricket encounter at Galle Esplanade yesterday. After dismissing the Antonians for 189 runs in the first innings, Galle CC went on to pile up a formidable 312 all out in their first essay. Right hander Charinda Fernando hit a well compiled 63. Opener Ruwin Peries made a brisk 70. Antonians in their second innings failed in the face of some hostile bowling. Galle CC coach cum player, Champaka Ramanayake put the skids on the visitors with a devastating spell of seam bowling to claim five wickets for 45 runs. NCC fall short NCC chasing a target of 313 in 90 overs were 274 for seven at stumps against CCC at Maitland Cresent yesterday. CCC declared their second inning at the overnight score of 176 for seven wickets after bowling out NCC for a paltry 105. NCC were set a victory target of 313 runs in 90 overs. Their openers Kumar Sangakkara (33) and Pradeep Hewage (96) gave them a solid start to put them on course for victory. The duo created havoc for the hosts by merciless plundering the CCC bowlers. Hewage who has been promoted to open the inning due to the absence of regular opener cum captain Russel Arnold did a wonderful job. He played key role and hit 11 well timed boundaries. He fell just four runs short of his maiden first class century. Co-opener Sangakkara had four boundaries in his knock. The third wicket pair of Hewage and Asela Pathirana (45) carried on the good work and put 79 runs. Pathirana hit three fours. Later in the NCC innings Ruwan Kalpage swung his bat to score a quick-fire 48 inclusive of five boundaries. Gunaratne rescues Bloomfield A timely unbeaten 42 by Pulasthi Gunaratne saved Bloomfield from outright defeat against SSC at Reid Avenue yesterday. Chasing a victory target of 193 runs, Bloomfield were struggling at 170 for eight wickets at close. SSC resumed the day at 149 for three wickets, and went on to declare at 274 for eight wickets. Shantha Kalavitigoda top scored with 135 runs. He hoisted two sixes and struck 15 boundaries. Skipper Hemantha Wickremaratne chipped in with 62 inclusive of two huge sixes and six fours. Victorious Disabled Athletes return today Esco-Sri Lanka’s Disabled Athletes created history in the annals of Sports in Sri Lanka, when they gained the highest number of medals to the country in any International or Regional Sports Events. The victorious delegations will return to the island on Monday by Air Lanka, which supported their air travel magnanimously. Sri Lanka won three gold, three silver and four bronge medals. More than 2,000 disabled athletes and 761 officials from 37 countries attended out of 426 member countries. Nineteen competitors from ESCO-Sri Lanka participated. The entire delegation comprised 26, including officials and helpers. Furthermore, in parallel with FESPIC Games, the National Culture Commission in Thailand organised a Cultural Festival of the Disabled at the National Cultural Centre in Bangkok. In further strengthening the age-old cultural and Religions ties with Thailand, the internationally reputed ESCO Performing, Arts Troupe of the Disabled, invited by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Thailand, conducted four Cultural Shows. The ESCO delegations were headed by Anver Dole, Hony. Executive Chairman, ESCO as Team Manager to the FESPIC participants, and Sri Lanka ‘Thilaka’ Tissa Kurukulanatha, Secretary General ESCO and Pioneer architect of National Sports and Arts for the Disabled in Sri Lanka, overall in charge of both the delegations. In honour of the Sri Lanka delegations, Ambassador Karunatilleke Amunugama hosted two dinner parties at his official residence in Sukkumvit, Bangkok. Rajika Jayatilleke, Counsellor, Information of the Sri Lanka Embassy and W. A. M. N. Bandara, Coordinating officer for FESPIC/ASIAN Games coordinated the participations. President Chandrika Bandaranike Kumaratunga the Denzil Kobbekaduwa Trust Foundation, Air Lanka, Ministry of Social Services, Southern Province Provincial Council, Bank of Ceylon and the Mt. Lavinia Hotel sponsored the participation of the FESPLC delegations. A superb century by Nimesh Perera (150) helped President's College, Rajagiriya amass 332 for nine declared against De Mazenod, Kandana in a high-scoring inter-school cricket match at Rajagiriya yesterday. Perera struck 17 fours and four sixes in his knock. Not to be outdone, De Mazenod replied with 208 for six by the close with Charith Fernando being unbeaten on 102 which contained 17 hits to the ropes. (AN) Scores President's College 332 for 9 dec. (D. Suriarachchi 52, Nimesh Perera 150, Charith de Silva 37, P. Munasinghe 33, R. Tilina 2-77, S. Chiranthana 3-45) De Mazenod 208 for 6 at close (Charith Fernando 102 n.o., T. Almeida 20, G. Maduranga 21, S. Fernando 27, Praneeth Chamara 3-55) Raddoluwa College trounced Gurukula MV by an innings and seven runs in an inter-school cricket match ended at Raddoluwa on Saturday. Dushantha Ranatunga slammed his second consecutive century to help Raddoluwa declared at 416 for six. His knock of 127 was spiced with 13 fours and four sixes. He shared in a 137-run partnership for the fourth wicket with N. Pannilavithanage (92). Pannilavithanage capped a fine all-round performance to capture five wickets for a miserly 19 runs to dismiss Gurukula for a meagre 125 in their second essay. Left arm spinner Marage bowling in tandem with Pannilavithanage had a return of five for 51. (AN) Scores Gurukula MV 284 and 125 (S. Suharshana 20, M. Dinesh 24, S. Nimantha 20, D. Marage 5-5, N. Pannilavithanage 5-19) Raddoluwa College (211 for 3 overnight) 416 for 6 dec. (Dushantha Ranatunga 127, N. Pannilavithanage 92, D. Marage 25, Chinthaka Kulasinghe 53 n.o., D. Samaraweera 3-92) |
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