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Ranatunga misconduct hearing today PERTH, Australia, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga’s misconduct hearing will resume on Thursday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced. Ranatunga was charged with breaching the players’ code of conduct after his team’s controversial limited-overs match against England in Adelaide on Saturday. The Sri Lankan captain faces a possible suspension if he is found guilty, although one former Australian Test umpire has already called on the ICC to ban him for life. "If I had my way, he would be scrubbed from the game now," Lou Rowan told Australian television on Wednesday. "He does not have the right, in law or morally, to dictate to anyone how to dictate the game of cricket. "Cricket was going a long time before Sri Lanka entered the game. While Ranatunga might be king in his own country, he doesn’t amount to too much here," Rowan said. Ranatunga’s original hearing in Adelaide was adjourned after just two hours on Tuesday morning but ICC match referee Peter Van der Merwe said it would proceed in Perth after the Council had consulted its lawyers. Van Der Merwe said Sri Lankan players Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya and team manager Ranjith Fernando had also been asked to attend along with England captain Alec Stewart, team-mate Graeme Hick and Australian umpires Ross Emerson and Tony McQuillan. Ranatunga was ordered to appear before the disciplinary panel after he was cited following incidents in the triangular series day-night match against England. Ranatunga was charged with misconduct after leading his players to the boundary in protest after Emerson no-balled Muralitharan for throwing. Play was halted for about 12 minutes and a visibly angry Ranatunga and Emerson could be seen pointing fingers at each other. Ranatunga also pointed his finger at van der Merwe during the delay. Sri Lanka went on to snatch a one-wicket victory in the match that was marked by heated exchanges between opposing players. Emerson had been scheduled to umpire Friday’s triangular series match between England and Sri Lanka in Perth but he was stood down by the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) after it was revealed he is on stress leave from his regular job. Horse
races in Nuwara-Eliya Holiday makers to Nuwara-Eliya during the April season, will have the opportunity of witnessing four days of horse racing during this period. It is expected that more thoroughbred horses will be on track with the return of well known horse owners. In addition to these events, there will be races for ponies and halfbred horses aswell. The owners, who are expected to field thorough bred horses are Raja Sellamuttu, Helmut Hendricks, Suranjith Premadasa and Nigel Austin. Racing dates for the season are April 10 (Saturday), 12 (Monday) 14 Wednesday and 17th Saturday. All interested owners are requested to register themselves with Mrs. Rohini de Mel, 23 Horton Place, Colombo 7 on or before January 30. There were upsets galore on the third day of the 16th ITF under-18 Junior International Tennis championships at the SLTA courts, Greenpath yesterday. Thailand’s Sanchai Ratiwatana toppled the No. 1 seed Kader Tembe of India 6-3, 6-3, while India’s N. Mukunda detected his compatriot bottom seeded Akshey Vishal Rao 7-6, 6-2 in the Boys Singles. Sri Lankan-born Rishan Kuruppu representing Canada also caused a major upset when he defeated third seeded Karen Doctor of India in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. Results BOYS SINGLES: S. Ratiwatana (THA) bt. Kader Tembe (IND) 6/3, 6/3, Hendrik Chasse (SUI) bt. Mark Weaver (GB) 7/5, 2/6, 6/1, Liang U TA (TPE) bt. M. Nazrin Fuzi (MAS) 6/2, 6/2, S. Ratiwatana (THA) bt P. Ravi Krishna (Ind) 7/6, 6/4 (7-5), Ahmad Wahla (Pak) bt. C. S. Mohanti (Ind) 7/5, 6/4, Rishan Kuruppu (Can.) bt. Karen Doctor (Ind.) 6/2, 6/1, Wang Yeu Tzuoo (Tpe) bt. Ashutosh Singh (Ind.) 6/2, 6/0, N. Mukundan (Ind.) bt. Akshey Vishal Rao (Ind.) 7-6, 7-2, 6-2. GIRLS SINGLES: Shital Gautam (Ind.) bt. Nona Wagh (Ind.) 6/3, 6/1, Sonal Phadke (Ind.) bt. Radika Manke (Ind.) 6/3, 7/6, P. Ratnakrong (Tha) bt M. Senaviratne 6/0, 6/0, Lai Yi Ying (Tpe) bt. Chen Yi Ting (TPE) 6/0, 6/2, Nida Wasim (Pak) bt. Chiang Yun Han (Row) 4/6, 6/4, 6/1, Liza Pereira (Ind.) bt. P. Chairerg (Tha.) 6/1, 6/0, Radika Tulpule (Ind.) bt. Sonia Shellar (Ind.) 6/3, 6/4. Bangalore U-11 cricketers on tour The visiting Bangalore under-11 cricket team will meet Khettarama Cricket School players in their match which commence today at R. Premadasa Stadium at 2.30 p.m. This is the first time an under 11 team is touring Sri Lanka. The Bangalore team: Sri Kasthur, Sri Nidi, M. D. Amith, Sanjaya Sukumar, Anudath Dat, A. Rahul, G. Rahul, C. Chirajith, N. B. Rivikiran, C. Babu, Sundar Ram, D. Godwin. Two Sri Lankan players Chatur Alwis and Rajindra Wijeratne will also play with this Bangalore team. MCA ‘D’ division tourney
commenced Fifteen teams will battle in the Mercantile ‘D’ Division Cricket tournament which commenced last Sunday. The matches are scheduled to be played on MCA grounds, Health grounds, Malays grounds, Shalika grounds and Campbell Park. Access Group sponsors this tournament. According to the President MCA Gihan Siribaddana, the teams are divided into two groups. Nine new teams that have entered this year are Union Assurance Ltd, M. J. F. Group, Samson Silva SC, Habib Bank, Ceylon Shippling SC, Amico Group, Mebroc Teas, J. L. Morison Sons and Colombo Dockyard. Brian Obeysekera Director Access Group said that they hope to support not only cricket but also the other sports. He said the winners and runners-up will receive Access Group trophies and cash awards. In addition there will be traphies and cash awards to Best Bowler, Best Batsman of the Tournament and Man of the Final. The final will be held on March 13 at MCA grounds. Lakshman Rodrigo Secretary Access Group Cricket Club and its President Amul de Mel, MCA Secretary Tissa Madigasekara and Tournament Chairman Basil Perera were present at the press briefing. The teams Group A - Union Assurance Ltd, M.J.F. Group, Samson Silva SC, Arpico ‘B’, Habib Bank, Forbes and Walker Hemas Group, Ceylon Shipping SC. Group B — Maritime Holdings, Amico Group, Mebroc Teas, J. L. Morison Sons, Kelani Cables, Colombo Dockyard, Air Lanka Catering ‘A’. Lumbini MV recorded their fifth victory this season when they beat Ananda Sastralaya, Kotte by 85 runs in their inter-school cricket fixture concluded at BRC grounds recently. Ananda Sastralaya set a target of 235 runs were all out 150 with Lumbini paceman Nilakshan Abeyratne doing most of the damage claiming six for 56. (DR). SCORES LUMBINI MV 202 and 144 (Nilakshan Abeyratne 61, Sajith Dilantha 20, Chamara Perera 33, W. Warnapura 4/53, T. Mendis 2/28, Imran Samsudeen 4/35). ANANDA SASTRALAYA 111 and 150. (P. K. Fonseka 15, S. Kumarapperuma 27, N. V. Perera 19, M. P. Perera 16 n.o., Chamara Perera 2/12, Nilakshan Abeyratne 6/56). More one-dayers during U-19 tour The Sri Lankan Under-19 cricketers who are preparing for a tour of India next month are likely to play five one-day matches. The Cricket Board President Thilanga Sumathipala speaking to ‘The Island’ said "I’m trying my level best to increase the number of one-day matches. This will enable the boys to gain more match experience and gear them for the under-19 World Cup hosted by us". According to the present schedule the team is to play three tests and three one-day matches. Meanwhile, the Board is making necessary arrangements to play the under-19 World Cup matches throughout the island. Unlike in the past, the matches (up to semi-finals) will be held in Kandy, Galle, Matara, Kurunegala and other districts where facilities will be developed to conduct matches. The final of this tournament will be held at Premadasa Stadium under light. So far 10 teams have confirmed their participation and India is the defending champions. Anti-hooliganism measures at 120th
‘Battle of the Blues’ The ‘98-99’ inter-school cricket season reaches a climax in the month of March with the blue riband in local ‘Big Matches’ and the world’s oldest running annual cricket match ‘Battle of the Blues’ Royal-Thomian match being scheduled for March 11, 12. 13 at SSC grounds, Maitland Place. The equally popular limited overs fixture between the two elite schools for the Mustangs Trophy is to be worked off on March 20, also at the same venue. This was disclosed to the media by Nimal Dias Jayasinghe, Chairman Security and Match Arrangements of the Royal-Thomian Organising Committee at a press conference on the arrangements made for the Royal-Thomian cricket match in March. He said: "The Royal-Thomian match, the biggest of the big matches here will be played for the 120th time, with neither World Wars nor national insurrections being able to prevent the staging of such an event. The time-honoured cricket series is looked forward to by the young and old not only with ties to the two foremost schools in the country, but by the rest of the society as well due particularly to the wholesome fun the event provides," added Jayasinghe. Lyle Pieris, Chairman Joint Organising Committee, airing his views said much effort has been made by the two schools to ensure that the venue of the game is purged of any undesirable elements in order the school boys and spectators alike could enjoy the ‘Big Match’ amidst clean fun and frolic. Peries emphasised: "We shall not leave room for hooliganism and no interruption to the game will be permitted at any stage during the three days it will be on. Of particular importance to us is the safety of the school boys of the two schools." It was also revealed that Police and Military Police personnel will be deployed in uniform and in mufti within and outside the playing areas to check indisciplined and unruly behaviour from whatever quarters. The Royal-Thomian Match Organising Committee, meanwhile, has taken note of the oncoming millennium and is to have an exclusive ten named as the ‘millennium tent’ with a very limited number of seats. This tent, which will be erected behind the bowlers arm adjacent to the sightscreen, will provide ticket holders new benefits and surprises. This year, Royal College is led by Thushan Amarasuriya and S. Thomas’ College by Naren Ratwatte — The Royal-Thomian three-day encounter is to be sponsored by Seyland Bank Ltd., while the one-day match will be sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka Limited. The big match tickets will be available at the two schools from February 13. HAVE YOUR SAY The Sri Lanka tour of Australia if not so hilariously funny could be considered serious. What with so many controversies, Murali’s action, media heavy guns turned on Sri Lanka without a care for cricketing/media ethics, Umpire Hair’s diabolical statement, I.C.C. silence negating their power to control international cricket, the normally sporting Aussie spectators hounding Murali and now the icing on the cake. Shane Warne objecting to skipper Arjuna utilising a runner because of injury during the match. In short, this is like Germany playing England during the second World War. No wonder such a great sporting country like Germany is not playing the game of the flannelled fools. However all this can be a blessing in disguise, recollecting the awful aggression we were subjected to before we smashed everything before us to be the glorious World Cup champions. How happy we were to see the Aussies bite dust and grovel at our feet. It is sad even concerned to note that our players were or was losing "The Killer Instinct" so necessary in top one-dayers. Now thanks again to the dear Aussies the latent instinct is getting on top. In fact we are getting our heckles up and when that happens, the lions will smash everything before them. Mark my words. Look out: "The honours and rewards of life always go to those who fight courageously against suppresion and agression, even though handicapped." Major S. Mervyn Dunuwille, Merc. Soccer ‘D’ & ‘E’ League tourney from Feb. 1 The League Tournament of the Mercantile Football Association’s ‘D’ Division and ‘E’ Division will commence on February 1. The ‘D’ Division has attracted six teams while the ‘E’ Division will be competed by ten teams dIvided into two groups A & B. All matches will be played at City League grounds Slave Island. The ‘D’ Division fixtures come to an end on March 3 and the ‘E’ Division on March 8. The participating teams are ‘D’ Division — Air Lanka Catering Services, Colombo Hilton, Hotel Lanka Oberoi, Lipton and Brooke Bond, Smithkline, Beecham Mackwoods and Union Assurance. ‘E’ Devision — Group ‘A’ Maritime Holdings, Pan Asia Bank, Puttalam Cement, State Bank of India, United Motors. Group ‘B’ — Baurs, Janashakthi, General Insurance, Hongkong Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Tractors Group. (BP) |
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