.

Muralitharan bows out with seven more wickets

LONDON, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan signed off for Lancashire with a seven for 39 haul against Derbyshire on Friday.

His effort took Lancashire to a 192-run win at Derby and lifted them into the top half of the English county championship.

Muralitharan had taken seven wickets in an innings — his match was haul 11 for 61 — four times previously and it boosted his tally of victims to 66 in six games.

Lancashire must now do without him for the rest of the season because he joins Sri Lanka for their test series against Australia.

Derbyshire medium pacer Paul Aldred had an even better return — six for 83 and seven for 101 — but his team fell for 135 in the chase for 328 to win.

Leicestershire’s pursuit of leaders Surrey was frustrated by bad weather at Leicester.

Surrey had beaten Glamorgan inside two days to take a 54-point advantage before second-placed Leicestershire even began their match against Warwickshire.

Leicestershire captured three for 69, only to be held up by Dominic Ostler with an unbeaten 83 and bad light as Warwickshire reached 214 for four.

Northamptonshire lost for the fourth time in five matches, crumbling against Somerset at Northampton by an innings and 85 runs.

Matthew Bulbeck had match figures of 10 for 108.

Nottinghamshire also won with a day to spare, beating Middlesex by eight wickets at Southgate. West Indies paceman Vasbert Drakes took 11 for 113 in the match.

At Headingley, Yorkshire defeated Worcestershire by nine wickets to move into the top three.

Ranatunga given OK to play in Canada

Deposed Sri Lanka cricket captain,Arjuna Ranatunga has been granted permission to play in an exhibition match in Canada by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka and took wing for Canada this week.

The interim Board of the BCCSL had earlier turned down a request by Ranatunga and three others to play in a series of exhibition matches.

A BCCSL spokesman said that this was a different request and Ranatunga had ben given the greenlight since the home test series against Australia starts a month hence.

Back from Italy, Anusha sees more opportunities for Lankan athletes

By Shirajiv Sirimane
National long jumper, Anusha Kariyawasam, back in Sri Lanka after a three year absence, said that the same athletes who had been winning in the local athletic arena then, still keep repeating their performances.

The lean and lanky Anusha, who took wing to Italy soon after her marriage to Prabath Eknaligoda,a javelin thrower,observed that in the long jump field there were several new faces. "But in the other areas the old block keep on winning and setting up records," she said. Airing her views on the present Sri Lanka athletic circuit,Anusha noticed that unlike in her days there were more international competitions and more sponsorship opportunites for athletes.

"For long as I remember I have been dreaming to represent the country in athletics and after being in the field for over 15 years I have no regrets," she said.

Anusha started her career at the tender age of 10 at Yashodara BMV. The games teacher of the school, Kamala Mendis gave her the elementary enlightenment of the sport and after three years of schools competitions, she joined coach Derwin Perera, who implicitly changed her life and made her a champion.

Two years with Derwin Perera saw Anusha make an impact in her first appearance at the National Championships. Up against the then long jump national record holder, Dileema Peterson, who had been at it for well over 5 years, Anusha, stunned all by whipping Dileema and stamping a new Sri Lanka mark. The overconfident Dileema did not know what hit her as she only could watch in surprise the 15- year old lass leaping ahead of her, to glory.

"I had been doing well in the run up to the nationals and I was confident that I could match any one and therefore getting the better of the SAF Games medallist Dileema was not a big surprise. But the Sri Lanka record at 6.01 meter was not a thing I bargained for", she recalled.

The 14-year-old Anusha, brought about her first triumphant moment one year before she stamped her mark at the nationals.

The Ibbagauwa born Sriyani Kulawansa had made an immense impact at the Mahaweli games and was the pre match favourite in the high jump event at the National Schools games in Colombo. However, once again the 15-year-old guided by the expertise of coach

Perera took another giant leap by beating Kulawansa. It was this motivation that gave courage and confidence for Anusha the year to beat Dileema and set up a new National record the following year.

The Colombo born Anusha was then selected to represent Sri Lanka at the Indian SAF games in the same year and as the baby of the team she returned with a bronze medal in the high jump event.

From this point on Anusha went from strength to strength and went on to improve the national mark on several occasions. She toured India, Malaysia Hong Kong and Indonesia and always returned with honour.

However she had her ups and downs in her career as the experienced Dileema took the spotlight from her on a few occasions

Very sad

Attached to Sri Lanka Athletic Club, Anusha now under specialized training in Italy at Sai Athletic Club, said that she was very disappointed that she missed the opportunity to take part in the Asian Games in 1998 Bangkok. "I had undergone a knee operation and could not recover for the games" she said. I cried when I read the reports on the Asian Games and the success our athletes had. I was so sad that I could not be a part of the action in Bangkok," she said.

The 27 year old Anusha, despite training for a long period and having a personal best jump of 6. 14 meters, did not make a good impact at the recently concluded nationals in her pet event, the long jump, clearing only 6.02 meters and being first. ‘Well I think I was too tired since the meet was held the day after I arrived in Sri Lanka," she explained. She also said that she had to be in transits in Dubai for nearly 24 hours.

However Anusha later lived upto her image at the nationals where 11 records were lowered. With a leap of 12. 81 meters she set up a new manuscript in the Triple Jump record.

Dream Olympics

As in the case of all athletes she too dreams of representing her country in the Olympics. "Well the flights delay and may be my knee injury did not bring out the best in me at the nationals. This also deprived me a berth in the August Spain World Championships,she said."

However,her 15-year-old career in athletics has also taught her tolerance. "I will do well at the forthcoming Nepal SAF Games and qualify for the Olympics" she promised.

Born to a family of two sisters she said that she hopes to come back to Sri Lanka next year.

"After the Olympics I may even give up," she said.

On selectors, discipline and exhibition games

by Mahinda Wijesinghe
They may change, but not their handiwork. I mean the selectors. First, however is a bouquet for having two separate squads. Perhaps, removing Arjuna and Aravinda from the One-day squads was not too much of a surprise. But deleting Roshan Mahanama, the best fielder in the country - and who has quite a few batting achievements to his credit despite many obstacles being placed before him - from the one-day & Test squads? This one act indicates the common denominator in local selectors; the lack of importance, despite much lip-service, given to fielding. The absence of Tillekeratne from the Test squad too is questionable, especially for the series against Australia, when experience is going to count. That Chandana too has yet found favour defies logic. And, is Nuwan Zoysa fit at last? However, the introduction of quite a few youngsters from the successful ‘A’ team is a step in the right direction. Anyway the new set of selectors did not have much time to observe the players and would have had to depend on hearsay, the first-hand knowledge of Manager Stanley Jayasinghe, what little of the players was available to see and their own gut-feelings. In the future, let us hope they will go around the country and watch potential national players in action. If it happens, that would surprise the Selectors as well!

Enfants terrible of Sri Lanka cricket

Aravinda’s fracas with a mediaman has left a foul taste in everybody’s mouth. A fracas one moment and settled in the next. Obviously, the whole truth has not been disclosed. That such an incident did take place did nobody any good, least of all to Aravinda, who of late has been reportedly displaying a short fuse. Now, the question can be asked, if discipline is to play a key role - and it should - and a lesser player did what Aravinda was accused of, would the consequences been the same? Hopefully, lessons must have been learnt, and it should be earnest wish of all right thinking well-wishers of Sri Lanka cricket that both Arjuna and Aravinda, who have contributed greatly to the image of our cricket, will bow out gracefully. They must be remembered as two of our ‘greats’ and not as enfants terrible of Sri Lanka cricket.

These so-called exhibition games

There was a time when the Sri Lankans used to play in these so-called exhibition limited-over games in various parts of the globe, at every available opportunity. Organized by entrepreneurs? who have a keen smell for money, these matches are staged, usually, in countries where cricket fans are deprived of international cricket. Or, in places like India where any game with international stars will ensure a bountiful gate. Bounty is what the organisers are looking for, a small portion of which the players too receive. Although the players are comparatively well paid, the competitive edge in these games would not be too sharp. Not when both sides are, more often than not, playing in a third country. Perhaps, cricketers being professionals, there is a case for players to ply their trade and earn a buck ‘on the side’. Cricket administrators would not grudge that. After all, for how long can cricketers earn? One injury could mean the end of his career, so they have to make the best of their playing days. Shane Warne for instance, was a near casualty.

Not Australia and South Africa

Yet, should not there be some sort of limitation? Would not participation in such games at crucial times - for instance, just before an international series - affect the focus of players? The primary duty of contracted national players is for ‘King and country’. After all, they are primarily sustained by their respective Cricket Boards. Let us, for the moment, leave the pride they should have in wearing their national colours. I do not think the South Africans and the Australians play too many of these games. No wonder, their commitment on the field and the intensity of their focus is for all to see. Being professional in your outlook is one thing, a mercenary another.

Why not the Commonwealth games?

Sometime ago? Sri Lankan cricketers returned from a - not too successful - overseas tour and practically took the next flight from Katunayake for one of these circus games! This meant the players would have been planning and discussing the jaunt whilst the main tour was in progress. That is just not good enough. We cannot win everytime but the team must not only do their best by the country but also preserve their best for the country. That the players for most of these games are not even selected by the national selectors reflect the fact that it is merely an opportunity for the players to make a packet. Yet, most of our senior players opted out of the last Commonwealth Games - when only medals were on offer - whereas only a few of the top South Africans and the Australians kept away. National pride should be the motivating factor for players. Money is the just reward that follows. They must not get their priorities mixed up, otherwise the players would be the ultimate losers. By participating in too many circus matches not only are the chances of an early burn out - through injuries and excessive strain due to long travel and ‘quickie’ games - possible, but also the players may be remembered by some for the wrong reasons.

Who were the selectors?

About a month ago, the Interim Committee turned down a request for the Sri Lankans to participate in the Siyaram Friendship Cup one-day match against an Indian XI at Mohali which was scheduled for July 10. The reason adduced by the Interim Committee being that the players should be concentrating on the forthcoming visit of the Indians and the series against the Australians. Judging from newspaper reports there was a lot of hot air where pressure was borne for permission to be granted - something which was almost automatic earlier - but the Interim Committee stuck to their guns. Here again, the national selectors were apparently not the ones who picked the team. There were a couple of strange names in the original team. (The final team that left had even stranger names, which gave an idea who the selectors would have been!)

Wooing possibility of injury

Then came the news of a few senior players again requesting time off to participate in an International All Star Cricket Cup tournament (what will the next circus be named? Millennium Cricket Cup?!) to be staged in USA and Canada! Having been refused permission for an earlier jaunt did not deter them from asking yet again with their national commitments having got still closer. The possibility of an injury in one of these pointless - from the point of view of cricketing experience - games cannot be ruled out. More importantly however is that all the players should be preparing - together - in earnest for the visit of the all-important games due shortly. This is the first step in building team-spirit. If preparations off the field are made piecemeal, the chances of getting the team into a homogeneous unit on the field would be difficult.

Richer in the purse but....

Sri Lanka cricket is currently in the dumps. The country expects the players, especially the senior ones, to help salvage our national pride. Yes, we know the eternal excuses about of ‘you can’t win all the time’, ‘when we win we are good, when we lose we are bad’, ‘don’t forget in 1996 we won the World Cup’. Such refrains are now jarring to the ear and may fool only the gram-sellers and the sycophants in the gravy train. Not even stage-managed TV shows have helped. The players, one and all, must put the shoulder to the wheel to restore national pride. Uttering rhetoric in the manner of politicians can only extend Sri Lanka’s cricket agony. We have rested on our laurels for too long. By repeatedly asking permission to play in these so-called exhibition games has exposed the attitude of these players. Probably such permission would have been granted in different times and the players would have been a little bit richer, though not in their preparation for national duty.

Deposed skipper Arjuna Ranatunga did accept responsibility for the current woes of our cricket during the now-infamous TV talk show. As a skipper, for the past decade that would be accepting responsibility. Sri Lanka also cannot forget and should be grateful for the fact that our national stocks rose sky-high during Arjuna’s reign. Sadly, it has now plummeted to the depths. Genuine penitence would be reflected if there is greater effort and commitment for the national - and not personal - cause.

A suggestion to the interim committee

Sometimes legislation is the only solution. May I suggest the following to the Interim Board? A stipulation, if it is not already there, should be included in the contract of each player that they will not be permitted to play, for a fee, in any game other than what is in the international calendar released by the I.C.C., unless prior permission is obtained. Further, and importantly, permission to participate in such games, in any event, would not be granted unless such game/s is/are held at least (say) six weeks before a national series. In other words, there must be reasonable time limit for the players to re-focus their minds for national duty. After all, those who pay the piper should call the tune. For too long, it seems, the piper had called the tune.

(Since this article was written,Roshan Mahanama has retired).

Jayasuriya to boost boxing in Sri Lanka

by Jatila Karawita
Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police Chandrasena Jayasuriya who has been a household name in Sri Lankan pugilism arena throughout his career as a professional boxer has been appointed to the National Sports Council by Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, S. B. Dissanayake. This appointment has been made with a view to harnessing his wealth of knowledge in boxing to further promote the sport in the ensuing years.

Jayasuriya who has been the President of the Amateur Boxing Association (A.B.A.) from 1983 to 1984 and from 1994 to 1995 has had quite a glittering boxing career during his heydays with many a landmark which would speak volumes to his undying love for the game of boxing. Since becoming the first Sri Lankan schoolboy to have represented the country in Boxing at the second Asian Games held in Manila, Philippines in 1954 where he grabbed a coveted ‘Bronze’ medal Chandrasena Perera Jayasuriya has not looked back as he went from strength to strength in an endeavour to bring that much glory to his motherland whilst at the same time making an effort to spread pugilism through every nook and corner of Sri Lanka.

Among some of his many milestones which he has established in the annals of Sri Lanka Boxing is winning a Silver Medal having represented the country at the South East Asian Championships held in Burma in 1957 which was followed by his representation at the Commonwealth Games held in Cardiff in United Kingdom in 1958.

He was also the overall manager of the Sri Lanka team at the XII Asian Games held in Heroshima, Japan in 1994. The very next year Chandrasena Jayasuriya remained as the overall manager of the Sri Lanka Boxing team at the XI Commonwealth Games held in Victoria (Canada) in 1995.

Jayasuriya who was also a former Olympic Boxer having represented the country at the Worlds greatest sporting event in Melbourne, Australia in 1956 speaking to ‘The Sunday Island’ said that his prime motive since being appointed to the National Sports Council by the Minister would be to promote the discipline of Boxing where past boxers have brought glory to this country. "I hope to improve and further improve the existing standards in this art of boxing particularly more so in outstation-school provinces and clubs. And I also believe we should be able to produce at least two or three outstanding pugilists who should be able to bring home two or three gold medals in the future competitions", said the ex-DIG of Police who added that he would be speaking to Sports Minister S. B. Dissanayake in due course to give more exposure to budding boxers to compete at International levels.

Jayasuriya also mentioned the importance of the private sector sponsorship for local boxing to go places in the future during his short interview with the Sunday Island.; "We must get more sponsorship from both-government and private if pugilism is to reach even more greater heights than at present and this is a long felt need" said the famed boxer turned now retired DIG of Police Chandrasena Jayasuriya who expressed confidence and much hope that Sri Lankan boxers would fare well at the forthcoming SAARC Games Boxing contests to be staged in Kathmandu, Nepal from late September this year.

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Could balanced psychology improve performance?

by Dr. Daya Athukorale
While first sport activity (wrestling) dates back to 5000 years, organised sports were started 576 to 776 BC.

Often psychological make up of a sportsman is not assessed at least when he has lack of consistent performance.

Experts note that in addition to above, factors like player picking up fights with other players or disobeying officials, not performing well when not playing at home grounds, choking under pressure, inability to maintain performance through out the tournament, inability to acquire certain skills, frequent tiredness, problems at home and in office, excessive indulgence in coffee and tobacco, frequent injuries, all these have some to do with the psychology of the player on one side and with the usefulness of a player on the other side.

While training improves the physical side mostly, the psychological guidance will further improve physical performance.

A few guidelines to improve players psychology

1. Having a ‘Routine’ for a player
A player must do specific routine work before the game. Must start the day before the match and continue for couple of hours.

Routine will consist of the events between the afternoon 2 days prior to the match/or competition. For example, this will cover the persons various activity such as training meals, sleep, massage, relaxation exercises, warming up, stretching etc., etc,

This helps to improve performance and skills in addition to giving both physical and mental support for the game or competition.

The player shall be at the venue 1- 2 hours before the game.

2. Achieving optimal arousal
Having confidence in achieving certain task with positive thought. Under or over arousal is bad. With arousal performance rises to a maximum and then drops.

A player must know this fact and also what factors affect his arousal level preventing him from being a top performer.

Over arousal causes drop in concentration, co-ordination and timing and racing the tension in the muscles and the mind. Both under and over arousal lead to injuries.

3. Having a set goal- this is done both in the short term and long term where a player tries to achieve standard during a specified period of time. This goal must involve psychological fitness, certain specific skills, dietetic goals, achieving power for the necessary game and even goals related to the job and the family.

4.Visualising - If a patient can visualise the circumstances of a game or can imagine how he would have handled better an erroneous move during the game, the performance will improve. This kind of psychological training must be done 3 times a week - twice a day in 5 minutes sessions and gradually increasing the periods and frequency later - starting a fortnight before the game or training session.

This programmes the mind to react to a situation with which he was familiar. This procedure can go on before and during a game. In addition to increasing performance this optimeses the skills the skills and arousal.

CAUTION Not advisable to do it just before a game as this will kill the sleep because of excess arousal.

5. Abdominal Breathing
This is a quick way of adjusting one arousal level. Must be done for 5 minutes x 6 times a day - Sit in a quiet place with eyes closed.

Take 3 deep breaths moving the stomach wall in and out when breathing out and breathing in, and not the chest. Follow it up with less deep breaths and at the end draw your attention to a specific target like the ball (if you expand the chest, the muscle tension rises whereas expanding the stomach relaxes the muscles, as time goes on the duration can be less and less)

6. Progressively Relaxing the muscle
By contracting and relaxing muscle one by one (from top to bottom) a player can become more aware of the different parts of the body and this will help to concentrate on the specific task during a game.

7. Physical Relaxation
A player must not worry. It is worry that kills a man. Worry affects the heart, the circulation, the glands and the nervous system.

a) To relax the body one must be in a quiet room with so it music. Lie down on a bed or couch. Start contracting the muscle of the foot; release after a few seconds. Go upwards - contracting one by one - the leg, the thigh, the buttocks abdominal muscles, spine, upper limbs, neck and face and relaxing. This process will take only a few minutes and for next few minutes, close your eyes and breathe slowly - in and out - counting I, 2, 3 ......

b) Breathing while lying down do once or twice a day. Lie down comfortably hands on the chest with thumbs touching each other. Take a deep breath, expanding the chest and stomach so that thumbs separate while breathing. Duration- 5 minutes.

MASSAGING
This relaxes tense muscles that gives tense mind, which causes more muscle tension. When massaging is done side by side with relaxation the two augment each other. Massaging improves blood circulation to the muscles. The best time is before you sleep or before a bath. Results come in one minute because of Endorphins (natural pain killers from the brain) . The player gets his stress controlled and sleeps better. No meals prior to massaging. No alcohol during the day. (This gives physical and mental relaxation).

Mental Relaxation
!! Sitting quietly doing nothing - spring comes and then grass grows by itself! Zenrin

1. Music - Different types of slow music that is not likely to cause arousal are very useful to the mind.

2. Daydreaming- sit in a quiet place, close your eyes, soft music allowed, go on imagining some happy past event for a few minutes.

3. Massaging

4. Good Sleep- 7 hours a day

What are the uses of relaxation?

a) Being aware of different muscle groups

b) Getting rid of unnecessary thoughts and ability to focus on one muscle group and thus concentrating on one aspect of the game

How could we help a player with negative psychological features?

01 Not trying to achieve goals that are unrealistic — causes - drop in concentration and skills

02 A player’s psychological state must be that he is fit during gain or loss in a game.

HOW COULD PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT IMPROVE PERFORMANCE?

1. Nutritional aspects - a player must have nutritional goals - the pressures of job, family and society and financial status will be odds against this.

2. Improving skills- a player on optimal arousal masters skills. If a player cannot repeat past good achievements, psychological state and technique made need help.

3. A player who is overmotivated but who is less successful needs help.

He will have less concentration and inability to make right decision and he will be injury prone. This type of player and others with poor mental state must become stress proof and avoid confrontations.

Players problems must be communicated to the coach but not to other players.

Guidelines mentioned above will improve fatigue, strength, stamina and speed because the muscles contract better and with this the opposite group of muscles, (ea. Hamstring vs quadriceps, biceps vs triceps ) relaxes better.

Shafeek Rajabdeen takes charge of the Moors

Shafeek Rajabdeen was elected as President of Moors Sports Club at their 87 Annual General Meeting held at the Club on 31st July 1999.

On assuming office as President, he called upon the membership to work toward a 5 years development plans to upgrade the Moors to international standards. Plans envisaged are extension of the new pavilion to house two modern dressing room, a fully equipped Gymnasium & Health Centre with most upto date fitness machines, construction of two Indoor Practice Wickets & Squash Courts.

Further he stressed the important of membership participation and his program towards membership development and retention with the vision toward the year 2000 for most upto date Swimming Pool for Moors.

Mr. Rajabdeen is the Ninth President of Moors Sports Club to take up reign to steer its Cricket Beyond 2000. Mr. Shafeek Rajabdeen Managing Director of Rajabdeen group of companies, former President of Billiards & Snooker Association of Sri Lanka, presently appointed by the Hon. Ministry of Sports S. B. Dissanayake to serve as member of Ranking, Seeding Selection Committee of Billiards & Snooker Association of Sri Lanka for 1999/2000.

Served as Treasurer of Moors for uninterrupted spell of 17 years during which period he was able to set the finances of the Club on a sound footing.

The outgoing President Mr. A. J. M. Muzammil said he was most pleased to hand over the reins of the club to the most deserving person as Mr. Rajabdeen, whose sense of dedication and commitment was of the be highest order.

The office bearers for the year.
Hony. Secretary, Mr. Shabbir Dawoodbhoy
Hony. Treasurer, Mr. A. J. Rumy
Hony. Ground Secretary, W. A. M. Aroos
Hony. Cricket Secretary, Mr. K. S. M. Zarook
Cricket Captain Chandrika Haturusinge

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