Friday 9th June, 2006 11 CCC School of wins U-12 Championship in Bangalore The Under 12 cricketers of The CCC juniors, apart from 410 runs. With the ball it was the spin- Jalill, Ramindu Lakshan, succession, but lost to CCC School of Cricket, crowned winning the Under-12 He was also involved in two ning duo of Tharindu Mendis Sadeera Samarawickrema, Sashisharma Cricket Academy, themselves with glory when they Championship, carried away all massive opening partnerships of and Ramidu Lakshman who did Sachinda Karunaratna, Ayesh New Delhi, in the semi-final. ended up unbeaten to clinch the individual awards except for one. 187 and 225 runs with Sadeera well. Tharindu equalled the Paranamanage, Sadir Hassen, Among those who did well for Championship at the All India Among the awards won were Samarawickrema, another record of 15 set up by Moditha Weerasinghe and the U-13 team were allrounder Pepsi Cup Tournament conduct- Man of the Series, Man of the Thurstanite who unfortunately Neomal Wickremasekera last Kavindu Kulasekera, Head Sajeewa Salgado, ( 77 and 83 his ed recently in Bangalore, India. Final, Best Batsman and Best missed out on two centuries. year and won the Man of the Coach, Nelson Mendis and best), Irfan Rahim, Chathura This prestigious and popular Bowler. Woshantha Silva, the skipper Final award, while Ramindu, Coach, Hemantha Ranasinghe. Jayasinghe, Sisuru tournament was conducted by Imal Liyanage, the 11-year old from Nalanda College, was the popularly called 'Murali' grabbed Samarasinghe and skipper the Imtiaz Ahmed Cricket left hand opening batsman from other centurion. He won the Best 10 wickets with his offspinners Under 13 team Heshan Kumarasiri. Academy, for 20th year in succes- Thurstan College won the Man of Batsman's award. He scored a and 'doosras', and won the Best win six matches The bowlers who impressed sion. the Series award for his brilliant swashbuckling ton with 21 fours Bowler's award. CCC School of Cricket's were left arm spinner Sampath According to Nelson Mendis, , scoring two centuries and one six in the semi-final. Vice The champion team: Under-13 team, which also partic- Hewage and peaceman Irfan the Head Coach at CCC School of and three half centuries, in six Sarinda Malavige also Woshantha Silva (Capt.) Sarinda ipated in the All India Pepsi Cup Rahim while off spinners Cricket, this is the first time that matches. His average was a stun- shone with the bat scoring one Malavige (V capt.), Tharindu Tournament in Bangalore also Salgado and Chathura they had won the championship. ning 82.5 and his aggregate was half century. Mendis, Imal Liyanage, Manhaj excelled, winning six matches in Jayasinghe also bowled well.

Text and pictures by Mixed T. Rajah - Badulla Sports Correspondent fortunes Al Adhan Muslim Al Adhan win Maha Vidyalaya proved their superi- for Hatton ority when they won the Under-17 soccer sevens Football Champion- Renown ships at the Inter- Schools Football Provincial Council, Ministry of M. A. M. Rishan (2), T. F. Ikram by T. Rajah - Badulla Sports Seven-a-Side tour- Sports. and M. J. M. Rifkhan scored the Correspondent nament conducted It was a home and home affair goals. Hatton Renown Sports Club at the Vincent Dias in the Under-15 final where S. Supun Rajapakse officiated. beat Gampola Young United SC Stadium, Badulla Dharmadutha College A met the W. M. Pubudu Chaminda and but lost to Java Lane SC in their recently. B team. A edged out B 2-1 in the Naminda Lakshan, both of FA Cup football encounters The Under-15 and penalty shootout. Dharmadutha College were played recently at Hatton and Under-17 tourna- Eighteen teams from 12 adjudged the Best Player and schools participated in this tour- Best Goalkeeper respectively in City League grounds, respec- ments were organ- nament. Shantha Ananda offici- the Under-15 segment, while T. F. tively. ised by the Badulla ated. Ikram and M. F. M. Sameel, both At the Dunbar Grounds, Football League. The Under-17 tournament from Al Adhan Muslim MV were Renown SC beat Gampola They were spon- Under-17 Seven-a-Side football champions Al Adhan Muslim Maha Vidyalaya team with their provided some exciting fare with adjudged the Best Player and United by a solitary goal and sored by the Uva Master-in-Charge S. M. Nazim (Center). 12 teams from 10 schools compet- Best Goalkeeper respectively, in qualified for the fourth round of ing. Mahiyangana MMV did the Under-17 age group. this tournament, organised by creditably well to reach the semi- The Badulla Football League the Football Federation of Sri finals, where they lost to the ulti- also selected a pool of players Lanka. mate champions - Al Adhan SC who will undergo training from However, Renown SC went by 2 goals to nil. Dharmadutha whom a squad of 18 will be down fighting to Java Lane SC 2 College, who reached the final selected for the Inter-Province - 4 at the City League Grounds. defeating Uva College 3-1, faced Under-17 tournament, scheduled It was Renown SC who led 2-0 at problems with two players play- to be held on June 15, 16 and 17, the short whistle. ing under one name, and the in Badulla. In the Hatton Football organisers had to restrain the The new Mayor of the Badulla League President’s Trophy foot- two players concerned from par- Municipal Council, Upali ball encounter, Renown SC beat ticipating in the semi finals. The Nishanka Gunasekera declared Fordyce Sports Club by 3 goals Teachers-in-Charge of open the tournament by hoisting to nil. S. Tirulogasunderam (2) Dharmadutha College were the National Flag while the Uva and S. Neson scored the goals. notable absentees at the tourna- Provincial Council Minister of In another encounter, Panmoor ment. Sports, Dayaratne Banda was the SC beat Manahara SC 2-1, after In the Under-17 final, Al chief guest on the day of the sharing two goals at the short Adhan SC scored an easy 4-0 vic- finals and distributed the whistle. tory over Dharmadutha College. awards. Under 15 champions and runners-up Dharmadutha College A and B teams together with match officials.

Nobody gave a prayer when they slumped to 91 Sri Lanka defy the doomsayers for 6 in reply to England's 551 at haps more instrumental even his importance he was careful- both occasions. An important made the difference between an than Murali's bowling, for with- at No. 3, ly used by his ally for Murali in his role at assailable target for England, and Lord's, but not only out his stoical half-century and although each captain in a short-leg, where he held onto four an impossible one. did they cling in that cool marshalling of the tail at of his half-cen- perfectly bal- catches, including three in match, they sprung a Lord's, Sri Lanka would have turies con- anced four- England's great collapse. 5 surely lost that match. He batted tributed to the two most impor- prong attack. Found English batsmen to be a surprise of their own for longer than any other player tant innings of the series - the Michael Vandort tougher proposition than they by winning the final in the series, was twice unbeaten rearguard at Lord's and the con- Jon Lewis had his number all had been three years earlier, with crucial contributions at solidation at Trent Bridge. His A strangely high mark for a summer, dismissing him three when he helped skittle them for Test to square the Trent Bridge, and his 184 runs keeping was tidy save the odd specialist batsman who mustered times in eight balls at Worcester 88 on ODI debut at Dambulla. series 1-1. came at an obscene average of 92. blemish standing up, but it was just 8 runs in two innings, but and Trent Bridge, but he emerged This time, he went wicketless in An indispensable performance. his role as Jayawardene's deputy Jayasuriya's influence at Trent as the best placed of the three consecutive Tests, as Pietersen in Andrew Miller that really set him apart. An Bridge came as Murali's spin- competing openers after his fight- particular savaged his lack of marks their Mahela ing century at pace, and by Trent Bridge he had Jayawardene Edgbaston. He made way for the extra spinner. performances out Aspersions were rode his luck on Nevertheless, he played his part of ten. cast about his cap- that occasion - and with a vital 64 at Lord's - joining taincy capabilities, it deserted him forces with Vaas to extinguish but he answered them thereafter - but the England's last hopes of victory. 9 all with a cool and experience of suc- Saved his best for last with a authoritative per- ceeding in hostile mesmeric performance on the formance that conditions will A promising allrounder in the fourth day at Trent Bridge where, dripped with quiet stand him in good making, although his bowling but for an over-enthusiastic piece determination. His stead. never settled and he went unused of fielding, he could have been century at Lord's was in the final Test. Admirable eyeing up all ten English scalps. his second in consec- efforts as a nightwatchman at The panic he instilled at utive appearances - A constant pres- Lord's, however, where he Edgbaston suggested that, with a and neither match was lost - and ambitious and outspoken man, twin. He took just three wickets ence at the top of the Sri Lankan repelled England's attack for an few more runs to play with, he provided inspiration to his young he was nevertheless content to but conceded his runs at barely order, he started well with a half- entire session on the fourth day might have swiped that match charges to follow suit. His irrita- play the perfect second-fiddle to two an over, as England had a century at Lord's, faded with a to sow the seeds of Sri Lanka's from England as well. Talking of tion at falling for 45 at Trent his friend and team-mate. tourniquet applied to their run- pair at Edgbaston, and rallied resistance. runs, his 33 in partnership with Bridge led to a small fine for flow for the first and only time. slightly with 34 and 46 at Trent Vaas was absolutely pivotal to the smashing his stumps, but the His late inclusion in the squad Bridge. Had problems against the 3 outcome of the series. If this is incident was rightly played The selectors erred in omit- threatened to undermine the tour moving but clung on One chance, two failures, as his final appearance in England, down. What it did do, however, ting him for Lord's, because party, but he took his omission at when it most mattered. Hoggard zipped the ball through he has left a legacy that should was reiterate his singular Malinga's impact on the series Edgbaston on the chin and came his fragile defences twice in the never be forgotten. resolve. Sri Lanka's future is in proved explosive. He didn't quite good in the role that most suited Chamara Kapugedera match. safe and nurturing hands. get it right at Edgbaston, but Sri Lanka's needs. A 19-year-old with a big future, 8 come Trent Bridge he was right Kapugedera was overawed on Until Sangakkara stood up to 7 on the money, sending 6 debut at Lord's, where he fell to A big matchwinning hundred the stumps at Trent Bridge, At times he batted with a God- Collingwood to hospital for an X- Two gutsy innings at Lord's his first ball in and on his last appearance against Vaas's bowling was a shadow of like assurance, which makes his ray on his ribs and unsettling and Edgbaston, though he - like failed in the second innings as England in 2003-04, but England former glories, but outswingers series figures of 231 runs at 38.50 even the mighty Pietersen. None many others - was unable to build well, making just 10. But he came in May proved a different propo- were not the story of his series. seem a little earth-bound. A high- of England's batsmen could mas- on his starts. Shelved his natural good at the last gasp of the series, sition. His revelatory batting was per- est score of 66 did a disservice to ter his unorthodox approach, and flamboyance to good effect on forging a vital half-century that