Wednesday 13th May, 2009

by Rex Clementine through his secretary, whom he appointed as ing television rights of Sri Lanka . The deal Some of the clauses in the agreement the Competent Authority. with Nimbus, a company that has Minister has signed are baffling. Already troubled by the sale of television rights In the meanwhile, in an unprecedented move, he blacklisted, too was struck by the Minister and the One such is that the need for country’s national of Sri Lanka Cricket for the brief tour of India to entered into two television agreements running into company so far has delayed payment of 2.8 million cricket team to play an annual bilateral or triangu- Nimbus Pvt. Ltd. under dubious circumstances, 73 million US$. US$. lar tournament in Dubai. Clause 2:7 of the agree- Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge is sure to get into Although a television deal had to be signed for Former Sri Lanka Hashan Tillekeratne ment states, “The SLC shall make its full National hot water having signed an agreement with Dubai the series against India that was hastily arranged in cried foul and took the Minister to the Bribery team available (subject to Player consent) once per based Taj TV Ltd. (owners of Ten Sports) unilateral- January this year, the Minister’s decision to enter Commission over the Nimbus deal. year to play in a bilateral/triangular or other such ly at a time when there was no elected or appointed tournament consisting of ODIs or Twenty-20 body running the affairs of the cricket board. against other international sides in Dubai Sports After dismissing the Interim Committee headed !Sale of television rights worth US$ 67 million City, Sharjah or another venue as agreed between by former Sri Lanka captain Arjuan Ranatunga in the parties.” December 2008, the Minster Lokuge has already signed an agreement with dragged his feet on the Board of Control for Cricket in India to free appointing a new com- leading Sri Lankan players for a period of ten years mittee or calling for the Indian Premier League tournament amidst cricket elections. stiff opposition from the cricket fraternity. Instead he continued Although it has been claimed that the latest the administration Lokuge on a agreement brings an additional amount of US$ 5 of the sport million to SLC compared to the initial agreement signed by Dharmadasa, a careful study of the agree- ment reveals that SLC’s gains will be far less. “… a sum of 500,000 US $ will be paid by the Taj directly to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to be utilized by the said Ministry for the establish- ment of a ‘Sportsman Welfare Fund” bad Furthermore, cricket series involving India has got special mention and the term classifying “Indian Tours” could place SLC in an uncomfort- into an agreement with Taj TV Ltd, ‘The Island’ learns that the agreements signed able position. The agreement has given pride of through his secretary S. Liyanagama with both Nimbus and Taj TV were not made avail- place to Indian tours and in one instance it states, and CEO of the Board Duleep able to Sri Lanka Cricket offices until recently and ““Indian Tours” shall mean the tours specified in Mendis for a period of four years the Minister had entered into agreement without the Schedule 1 hereto and also any additional Tours in has raised many an eyebrow. knowledge of the Marketing Department of SLC. which the Indian cricket team participates and The four-year deal with Taj TV Furthermore, it has been the standard practice at includes the Indian Tours/Matches specified in is valid from January 2009 to SLC to inform the media of the new television deal Schedule 1 and additional Tours/Matches during March 2013 and is worth a though a press conference or media release, but this the term which goes beyond the “Period” whether whooping 67 million US $ time around the whole deal was kept under wraps. they be bilateral or triangular.” (67,874,000 US$) and barring Originally Taj TV’s television rights with Sri The agreement goes on to say, “SLC warrants the deal signed in January Lanka Cricket that began in December 2004 was to that it shall utilize its best efforts to schedule any with Nimbus Pvt. Ltd. for expire in December 2008, but former Interim and all Indian Tours and Matches between the the Indian series, this is Chairman Jayantha Dharmadasa during the year months of September through to May (in other the first time a 2007 extended the agreement. Minister Lokuge can- words avoiding the months of June to August in any Minister of Sports celled the controversial agreement claiming given year) and that all ODIs and T-20 matches in all has got him- Dharmadasa had no mandate to do so. Tours would be scheduled as Day-Night matches self A mere few weeks later, the Minister entered unless the said matches are played on Saturdays involved into an agreement with the same company without and Sundays.” in sell- calling for bids.

Inter-School Under-19 Twenty-20 Tourney WG Grace bat goes to Pacies guide Maris Stella to massive win by Reemus Fernando Scores: Sotheby's auction Scores: Ananda 168 for 4 in 20 overs (Shameera Wijesuriya 54, New ball bowlers Dushmantha Chameera and Maris Stella 147 for 6 in 20 overs (Ashen Silva Ruwinda Shamen 34n.o, Ruchira Herath 30, Dinesh Vimukthi Dassanayake shared seven between 76n.o, Dasun Gamage 15, Angelo Jayasinghe 11, Chandimal 28; Gayan Madawatte 2/18) them for Maris Stella College, Negombo, to cruise to a Prasansana Jayamanne 11; Nuwan Alwis 2/29) 62 run victory over Maliyadeva College in their Inter- Maliyadeva 85 all out in 19.2 overs (Nuwan Alwis Nalanda 110 al out in 19.5 overs (Adeesha School Under-19 Twenty-20 pre quarter-final match 25, Aruna Bandara 15; Dushmantha Chameera 4/13, Nanayakkara 25, Dinuk Jayasinghe 26, S. Somasinghe played at Welagedara Stadium yesterday. Vimukthi Dassanayake 3/15) 3/25, Sachithra Perera 3/31, Matheesha Rasuwan 2/20, After Ashen Silva top scored with an unbeaten 76 Pasindu Madushan 2/07) runs in 50 balls inclusive of six fours and four sixes for Ananda edge out Nalanda Maris Stella to post 147 runs in 20 overs, Chameera A top score of 54 runs from Shameera First two quarter-finals today and Dassanayake rattled the Maliyadeva top order Weerasinghe and three wickets each by S. The first two quarter-finals of the inaugural Inter- with impressive spells. Somasinghe and Sachithra Perera were the highlights School Under-19 Twenty-20 Tournament will be played at Their first six wickets (1-0, 2-0, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-8) fell as Ananda College beat their arch-rivals Nalanda the Moratuwa Stadium today. While Mahinda College, for just eight runs and a top score of 25 runs from College by 58 runs in their Under-19 Twenty 20 pre- Galle, will meet Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda, in the Nuwan Alwis could not make amends for the initial quarter-final played at Ananda Mawatha yesterday. morning, Maris Stella College, Negombo, will encounter collapse. They were bowled out for 85 runs. D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo, in the afternoon.

Kishu names rugby as most admired sport in Sri Lanka the headlines for refusing to contest a playoff, Rugby Interim Committee Chairman Dr Maiya Gunasekere said that he believed that all stake hold- ers of rugby were living in an interesting time. “The interim committee has been appointed to put rugby union on the map. The present rugby administrators’ task is to make the atmosphere fer- A full size Cobbett cricket bat used by the legendary tile for rugby. I believe rugby has shown sponsors British cricketer W. G . Grace to score his 1000th Test that it is worth sponsoring this sport. Rugby will cricket run on show at Sotheby's Auction House in attract more sponsors in the future,” said London, Tuesday May, 12, 2009. Grace's 1000th Test Gunasekere. run came in June 1896 during the Lord’s Test against Gunasekere was quick to highlight the inertest Australia, and the bat is signed by many notable cricketers present. (AP Photo/Alastair ,Grant) generated by the competitive inter-school rugby tournament. He said he wished to see some of these by Nelson Clare players continue playing and go on to represent sen- ior rugby teams. Gunasekere added that he wanted A piece of English cricketing history will go under them to sacrifice a year or two from their education the hammer when the bat WG Grace used to score his so that they can play serious rugby. “For this, the 1,000th Test run is sold at Sotheby's in London . Rugby Interim Committee Chairman Dr. Maiya Gunasekere (Second from right) addressing the media players should be paid an incentive,” he said. Grace hit those runs against Australia at Lord's in June 1896 in a match England won by six wickets. It was at a press briefing held at the SLRFU Headquarters in Colombo in connection with the 2009 inter-club Gunasekere said that the Society for Rugby the last time Grace ever played at the famous ground. rugby tournament which is expected to begin this Friday. (Pic by Dharmasena Welipitiya) Referees in Sri Lanka (SRRSL) were demanding The bat, being sold by Graham Budd Auctions, is extremely high fees and said, “I will have to tell estimated to fetch between £25,000 and £30,000. By Ravi Nagahawatte why Old Zahrians Sports Club (OZSC) wasn’t grant- them that they are too expensive and they need to The first Test match was played in 1877 with the Kishu Gomes Managing Director/CEO Chevron ed a slot amongst the eight teams in the tournament. lower their price”. SRRSL will play a key role in the only competing nations being England and Australia at Lubricants Lanka PLC named rugby as the most But the organizer of the tournament, SLRFU, main- tournament by supplying referees for the inter-club the outset. England lost the first Test by 45 runs. admired sport in the country at a press briefing held tained the fact that the reason for OZSC’s omission tournament. Grace's debut came in 1880 and he soon became an in connection with the 2009 Inter-club rugby tourna- from the tournament was based on a decision to Gomes said that there were moves to televise automatic selection for home matches. ment, at the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union have only the best eight teams in the tournament. matches. “Despite the economic meltdown, Caltex Due to his commitments as a doctor, he travelled on (SLRFU) Headquarters, in Colombo yesterday. Gomes said that when a game was popular it will offer a sponsorship package which is similar to only one Test-playing tour of Australia and played in 22 Gomes confirmed the support from Caltex for attracted both the good and the bad and added, “As what was given last year,” assured Gomes. Tests overall. rugby in Sri Lanka for the 10th consecutive year at with rugby I believe this is what has happened”. In keeping with the performances of the teams Grace played for 44 consecutive seasons, scoring the press conference which was organized to launch Gomes said that he wanted rugby to achieve its last season, the eight teams in the tournament 54,896 runs and taking 2,876 wickets in first-class crick- the Caltex Inter-club rugby season. The tournament due position in the county and wanted all energies (Except Navy SC) have been seeded as follows: 1. et. The all-rounder scored 1,098 Test runs for England, is scheduled to commence on May 15 (Friday) with directed towards making the sport more successful. Kandy Sports Club, 2. CR&FC, 3. Havelocks Sports including two centuries. CH&FC playing against Police Sports Club at Despite the topics discussed yesterday; like the Club, 4. CH&FC, 5. Police Sports Club, 6. Army The bat being sold is autographed by former prime Maitland Crescent. court cases, a disciplinary committee investigating Sports Club, 7. Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club, 8. minister David Lloyd George as well as Grace and other There were a lot of queries from the media as to the conduct of national players and OZSC making Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club. cricketers. © The Telegraph Group, London, 2009

Wednesday 13th May, 2009