Sri Lanka News Round-up (14 Mar 1998)

Saturday 14, March 1998

Sports in brief

Daily New

Antonians struggling at 28 for 3 wickets

SSC had Antonians SC struggling at 28 for 3 chasing a victory target of 168 on the second day of their division one Sara trophy (Segment 'A') cricket match continued at S. Thomas' College grounds, Mt Lavinia yesterday.

Replying to SSC's first innings of 257, Antonians were dismissed for 201. Antonians however, hit back in the second innings to bowl out SSC for 111 with left-arm leg-spinner Gamini Perera claiming 6 for 46 for match figures of 11 for 111. The match continues today at 9.45 a.m.

SSC 257 and 111 in 32.1 overs (S. Ranatunga 12, H. Wickremaratne 29, H. Jayasuriya 13, Suranjith Silva 29, Gamini Perera 6 for 46, K. Dharmasena 2 for 33, T. Dammika 2 for 23)

Antonian SC 40 for 2 contd. 201 in 60 overs (S.K. Silva 10, P. Wanasinghe 88, Upul Fernando 38, K. Dharmasena 14, Suresh Perera 2 for 38, H. Jayasuriya 4 for 25, J. Silva 2 for 49) and 28 for 3 at close in 15 overs (Y. Tillekeratne 11 n.o., Suresh Perera 2 for 11) - [R.D.] Bloomfield strongly placed

Bloomfield were strongly placed at 101 for 2 in reply to Matara SC's 203 on the first day of their division one Sara trophy (Segment 'A') cricket match at Reid Avenue yesterday. The match continues today at 9.45 a.m.

Matara SC 203 in 68 overs (P. Siriwardena 20, K. Guruge 46, S.M. Foumy 50, I.S. Gunawardena 29 n.o., R.L. Perera 2 for 47, R. Palliyaguru 3 for 20, P. Wickremasinghe 2 for 42)

Bloomfield 101 for 2 at close in 25 overs (S.K. Perera 52, T. Gunaratne 30, S.M. Foumy 2 for 7) Bold reply by Richmond

Richmond, in reply to Wesley's first innings total of 209 all out, were strongly placed at 106 for two at close on the opening day of their E. R. de Silva Shield cricket encounter begun at Campbell Park yesterday.

Wesley 209 (B. Senadhira 16, Musadiq Zainudeen 20, A. Jaldin 20, Prasad Amarasekera 53, M. de Silva 57 n.o, O. Wijesiriwardena 3 for 33, Oshadhi Sumathipala 3 for 22).

Richmond 106 for 2 at close. (P. Buddhika 44, Oshadhi Sumathipala 23, I. Udayanga 19 n.o, M. Chaturanga 10 n.o.).

SSC seeks information from members

The Singhalese Sports Club which will be celebrating its Centenary year in 1999 are seeking assistace from its members in compiling a comprehensive and fascinating history of its institution over the years.

The club is inviting members (and their wives) who are no longer actively engaged in other pursuits to join a team led by the editor of the souvenir Kumar Abayanayaka of Sampath Bank and Harris Silva, a former director of National Archives and give them the necessary guidance.

Those interested in assisting the club with information should write to its president Ryle de Soysa at 35, Maitland Place, Colombo 7. The club will arrange interviews in staggered groups adopting new methods of extracting information from the printed word without the humdrum exercise of copying extracts from old and recent newspapers. The club also invites letters and photographs and participation of new friends and admirers into its fold.

Seneviratne runs through Kingswood batting line-up

By S. M. Jiffry Abdeen - Kandy south group correspondent

Deadly bowling by off spinner Ananda Seneviratne who captured 5 for 28 helped Dharmaraja College to dismiss Kingswood College to 160 all out in their 92nd 'Battle of the Maroons" which began at the Asgiriya Stadium yesterday. The match continues today at 9.30 am.

At close Rajans had replied with 70 for 3. But the Kingswoodians have taken the prized wicket of Pubudu Seneviratne who earlier this week passed the 1000 - run mark for 13. Pubudu Seneviratne - usually on aggressive bat paid the penalty for being over cautious, instead of playing his normal game.

Rajans won the toss and sent their apponents in to bat which paid rich dividends as the Kingswoodians were reeling at 55 for 5 at one stage which moved up to 86 for 5 at lunch. Some stubborn batting by their late order batsmen saw them reach 160. Young Chanaka Amunupura (47) with 6 fours off 159 deliveries, Amila Weerasuriya (35) with 5 fours off 37 deliveries were the pick of the Kingswood batsmen. Kingswood were all out by tea time.

This match appears to be heading towards a draw.

Inaugural Big Match

Battle of the favourites in Galle this weekend

by Mahinda P. Liyanage, Galle central special correspondent

Much revelry and enthusiasm will be witnessed in Galle when for the first time the Big match between Galle's Vidyaloka MV and Akmeemmana, Meepawala's Amarasooriya MV takes place on the Galle esplanade on March 14 and 15.

These two institutions are among several schools where cricket was introduced recently under a special program of the Southern Province. Department of Education with the encouragement and assistance of the Galle District Cricket Association within this short period, these schools have exhibited good progress in the game.

The organisers who intend to hold this encounter annually, have called it "The Battle of the Favourites". The organisers spoke highly of the chairman and the general secretary of the GDCA, Messrs Mahinda Deshapriya and Jayananda Warnaweera respectively, for the unstinted support rendered towards the promotion of the game among the two schools. Mr. Richard Pathirana, Minister of Education and Higher Education, has also been a great source of inspiration in getting this inaugural Big Match off the ground, the organisers added.

Cricket fans and the observers in Galle see the event as a boon to popularising cricket in outstation schools which several years back was only limited to a few leading schools.

Ranawaka, Pallihakkara spin Antonians into reckoning

By S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy south group correspondent

Two good bowling spells by spinners Prasad Ranawaka 4 for 23 and skipper Mahes Pallihakkara 4 for 77 helped St. Anthony's College to restrict Trinity College to 245 all out in their 82nd Battle of the Blues of the hill capital which began at Katugastota yesterday.

At close the Antonians had replied with 38 for no loss.

The match will be continued today at 9.30 a.m.

Fourteen-year-old left arm spinner Prasad Ranawaka straight from the under 15 team appeared to be the secret weapon of the Antonians as he mesmerised the Lions with some penetrative bowling. At tea the Lions were sitting pretty with the scoreboard reading 216 for 5 but with the first ball after resumption he had Kaushalya Weeraratne caught off his own bowling for 43. This started Trinity's slide and they were all out for 245 soon after.

Earlier Trinity wining the toss took first lease of the wicket and they started on a confident note with the openers Chintaka Molligoda (14) and Dasun Weeratne 59 (5 fours, 115 balls) putting on 60 before they were seperated. The second wicket pair of Dasun Weeraratne and Rodney de Raffayal 54 (4 fours. 1 six, 94 balls) put on a further 63.

At lunch Trinity were 112 for 1 and they continued steadily upto tea when they collapsed. Kaushalya Weeraratne batted aggressively to score 43 with 3 fours and 1 six in only 46 balls before he was trapped by Ranawaka.

The Antonians who batted for one hour had scored 38 for no loss in the 13 overs they batted and the match appears to be heading to a draw unless something dramatic takes place today.

Sanjaya - Nalanda's only hope,

Ananda forges ahead with confidence

by Chris Dhambarage

Ananda College with six victories to their credit in the current season will be hoping to continue with the good work when they meet their traditional rivals Nalanda College in the 69th annual 'Battle of the Maroons' cricket encounter which begins at the R.Premadasa Stadium today.

The Anandians are enjoying a successful season and are also strong contenders for the Coca Cola Division one league championship. This game has great significance for them and another fine performance would certainly increase their chances of winning the title.

In contrast the Nalandians are still recovering from a shock defeat at the hands of St. Peter's College mid-way in the season. They have failed to produce anything extraordinary and have recorded only a solitary win during the current season. However the return of Sri Lanka under 19 player Sanjaya Rodrigo has certainly lifted their morale and will be hoping for an improved performance in this vital encounter.

But the Anandians are confident and will be out to exploit the opposition through their penetrative bowling attack. In addition they have a strong batting line up too and their target would be a total of over 275 runs which would give them a good chance of pressurising the opposition.

The Anandians recorded their last win in the series in 1982 under the captaincy of Deepal Dharmasekera while Nalanda enjoyed their last success in the series way back in 1953 under the captaincy of W.W.Silva. The Anandians are currently leading the series with a total of 11 victories While Nalanda have won six matches.

The teams:

Ananda (from): Lahiru Chaturanga (captain), Sajith Rupasinghe, Rajith Basnayake, Nuwan Jayawardena, Sanjeeva Panapitiya, Jithendra Perera, Thilina Kandambi, Maduranga Mallawarachchi, Muthumudalige Pushpakumara, Lakshan Fernando, Akalanka Ganegoda, Danushka Peiris, Chamara Peiris, Gayath Samaraweera, Mohammed Ramzi

Nalanda (from): Sanjaya Rodrigo (captain), Niranjan Kumara, Danushka Fernando, Dantila Dayaratne, Danuka Dayaratne, Pradeep Hedigalla, Arunalu de Silva, Harin de Mel, Dilhan Jayasundera, Shankajaya de Silva, Kelum Gangodawila, Mevan Porage.

Umpires: J. W. K. Boteju and A. Jayasundera. Stand bye: Lester Fernando.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)