Sri Lanka sports news at-a-glance (22 Sep 1996)

Sunday 22, September 1996

SRI LANKA SPORTS NEWS AT-A-GLANCE

Compiled by Dinesh Weerawansa

* World champions Sri Lanka will meet New Zealand in the `curtain raiser' of the Champions trophy triangular tournament which starts on November 7 in Sharjah, UAE.

The tournament is organised by the Cricketers' Benefit Fund Series and will be played at Sharjah Cricket grounds starting from 11 a.m. SL time each day. The two teams, along with former World champions Pakistan, will play each other twice in the preliminary round of the three-nation one day international tournament. The top two teams will qualify to play in the final on November 15.

Sri Lanka's other league match against New Zealand will be played on November 11. Arjuna Ranatunga's world beaters in one day cricket, will play Pakistan on November 8 and 12. The Sharjah Champions trophy draw will be as follows: November 7: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, November 8: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, November 9: Rest day; November 10: Pakistan vs New Zealand, November 11: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, November 12: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka; November 13: Pakistan vs New Zealand, November 14: Rest day; November 15: Final.

* The Colombo District Cricket Association team, led by former Sri Lanka Test opener Chandika Haturusinghe, had a successful tour of India and entered the semi-finals of the Moin-ul Dowlah Gold Cup tournament played in Hyderabad. Sri Lanka's CDCA team were unlucky as they were on the road to victory in the first semi-final before rain stalled them at the Osmania University grounds.

Chasing Indian Karvy-Hyderabad X1' total of 255 for 8 in 50 overs, Colombo District team were well placed at 91 for 2 in 17 overs before the `usual' 20-minute Dowlah rains brought a premature end to the game. Later, Karvy-Hyderabad tossed out Colombo DCA. Left-hander Arvind Shetty cracked a solid hundred to give the home side a healthy total. Skipper Haturusinghe excelled in bowling returning figures of 4 for 39.

On their way to the `semis' Colombo District CA team had a fine eight-wicket win over Hyderabad CA Colts. The wet weather also hampered the visiting Lankan team's match against Concept X1 which ended in a no decision. Colombo District also beat MRF Pace Foundation by 25 runs in their third first round match. The CDCA were one of the fancied teams in the limited over tournament and were unlucky to miss a place in the final due to rain. (Home):

World Cup champions, Sri Lanka will use their Singer World Series Cup victory as a morale booster towards winning the Kenyan Cricket Association Centenary four-nation tournament which starts in Nairobi next week.

Skipper Arjuna ranatunga said earlier that Sri Lanka have a splendid side. "If we play the way we did in the World Cup and Singer World Series, we have a pretty good chance to win". But, Ranatunga will not underestimate the other three sides, especially South Africa and India.

World champions Sri Lanka will meet the hosts Kenya in the `curtain raiser' in Nairobi on September 28. Pakistan and South Africa are the other two teams which will play in the four-nation tournament to be played from September 28 to October 6. Sri Lanka's other preliminary round matches of the tournament will be played on October 1 (vs. South Africa) and October 4 (vs. Pakistan).

* Nimesh Perera of St. Sebastian's, Moratuwa was unanimously picked as the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 1996 and Sri Piyaratne Maha Vidyalaya, Padukka skipper Chandana Samarasinghe - the Outstation Schoolboy cricketer of the Year 1996 by the panel of umpires.

The fact is that 10 of the present Sri lanka squad of 16 cricketers have been winners of various titles at the Schoolboy cricketer of the year contest for the last 19 years.

Arjuna Ranatunga won the top award twice, Roshan Mahanama twice, Asanka Gurusinha once, Aravinda de Silva was runner-up to Mahanama in 1984, Marvan Atapattu, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumara Dharmasena, then Aravinda de Silva, Hashan Tillekeratne, Romesh Kaluwitharana have won sectional awards. Sanath Jayasuriya from St. Servatius College, Matara won the Outstation Schoolboy cricketer of the Year Award in 1988.

* Two cricketers who toured England with the Sri Lanka under 15 team for the Junior World Cup in England also figure among the award winners at the 1996 Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contests.

St. Anthony's Wattala wicketkeeper J. Sivanesharaja who distinguished himself well in England, was picked as the runner-up in the best fielder's award in the Outstation Section, while Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya's Ranil Dhammika was picked for the merit award. Ranil Dhammika, while still being under 15, has taken 99 wickets this season conceding 896 runs for an average of 9.05 runs per wicket.

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