Wednesday 27th September, 2006 11

by Rex Clementine It’s a very thin line and what has made Madugalle so success- ri Lanka’s former ful is that he’s able to draw the Ranjan Madugalle is in the line more or less at the exact Snews again as he arrived in point. London to chair the ICC Code of Madugalle in the Conduct hearing against A turbulent year Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq When responsibilities are not for alleged ball tampering and thrust upon him, the Madugalle bringing the game into disrepute. you see is an easy going charac- The hearing will begin today and ter. But for this charming per- Madugalle is expected to give his sonality, everything didn’t go as verdict on Friday. Madugalle has smooth as they should have mid been in the ICC panel for well spotlight again way through his high profile over a decade now and since 2001 career. His career as Match has been the International all-rounder for failing to take For Match Referees’ it becomes Referee began in 1993 and Council’s Chief Match swift action during the aban- imperative to point out why they seemed to have come to an Referee. doned Test. If Procter had inter- are being penalised. abrupt end when Now 47, the former middle vened, the Test could have gone If the takes up Cricket stupidly withdrew his order batsman is the most on without coming to an abrupt an uppish stance fining and ban- name from the panel when the respected Match Referee in a end. ning players for every minor ICC asked for recommendations panel of eight former players Pakistan in fact welcomed the offence he’s bound to be seen as a in 2000. which has some big names like appointment of the Sri Lankan to school headmaster. Certain The reason to withdraw Clive Lloyd, Mike Procter and chair the hearing and on most Match Referees, instead of carry- Madugalle was purely due to . Apart from being the occasions the ICC has chosen him ing on with the game have found ‘cricket politics’ that is rampant Chief Referee, Madugalle also to sort out many tricky issues. it appropriate to carry out the in Sri Lanka cricket nowadays. gets most of the high profile And to his credit, Madugalle has strict letter of the law and there- Madugalle has been an independ- games and series like the World managed to sort out differences by have failed in crisis manage- ent man, not siding with either Cup final, the Ashes the Indian- and has been projected as the ment. of the factions who have been Pakistan games and he performs man ideally suited to intervene This is where Referees like destroying the country’s cricket his duties with a minimum of on tough calls. in recent times and instead of developing it, for the fuss, earning the respect of peers While other former respected India’s Hanumant Singh before last ten years or so. The faction and players. cricketers on the Match Referees’ him have failed miserably. that’s been ousted from holding panel have come under spotlight Cricket needs characters and the job at the moment got rid of Why the Code of Conduct and for criticism on certain players like Andre Nel and Tino him and passed it onto someone hearing instances for handling situations, Best do like to be aggressive on they thought was close to them. The latest hearing was called Madugalle, has managed to keep the field and occasionally get The failure of the home board to for by the ICC after the acrimo- the critics at bay. involved in a bit of ‘chatter’ and name him for the panel came as nious fourth Test between As he revealed to ‘The Island’ Match Referees need to under- a bitter blow for Madugalle and England and Pakistan at the Oval Ranjan Madugalle with NCC stalwart and one time mentor Ranjit Fernando at a func- sometime back, his motto in car- stand this aspect instead of after the incident he took up where the tourists refused to take tion held recently. rying out his responsibilities has demanding players to put a com- commentaries with Ten Sports the field as a protest against been, “Dialogue at any cost.” plete stop to their antics. in 2001. But the ICC stepped in umpire Darrell Hair who changed England as a forfeit. Test as he returned home due to Madugalle further stated that Madugalle is actually known as a and knowing his worth not only the ball during England’s second Madugalle officiated the first personal reasons. Mike Procter when you are dealing with high strict disciplinarian but while brought him back in 2001, but innings and accused Pakistan of three matches of the Pakistan- was brought in for the final Test profile players it is extremely maintaining discipline, he has also made him its Chief Referee ball tampering. Finally, the England series but was not and independent analysts have vital to explain things as most of not forgotten the fact that the above Lloyd, Procter, Wasim Raja umpires awarded the Test to around for the fourth and final blamed the former South African these superstars have big egos. game is above all else. and Gundappa Vishwanath. HNB Student Bankers’ Six-aa-SSide Cricket Red Cross National Youth Wesley beats DSS in final by Reemus Fernando with Ryan Kern cracking a fiery Sports Festival 48. The National Youth onship is to provide an opportu- Wesley, batting first on all Wesley College warmed up for Athletics Championship, organ- nity for the youth who have ral- three occasions, namely in the next weekend’s prestigious Inter ized by the Youth Department of lied round the Red Cross Society School Invitational Six-a-Side quarter finals, semis and in the the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and are engaged in various cricket extravaganza when they final, did well to restrict their (SLRCS), will be held at activities, to enhance their clinched the inaugural HNB opponents to end up winners. Uyanwatta ground, Matara, sporting skills. Student Bankers’ Six-a-Side Having scored 62 runs against Cricket Challenge Trophy when Lumbini they managed to restrict from October 5 to 7. Over 1000 This will also create an they beat D. S. Senanayake College them to 61 runs to make it to the Red Cross members represent- environment where youth from by ten runs in the final last final. ing the 25 districts in the island various parts of the island can Sunday. In the final, it was a quick fire will take part in this annual meet and build up friendships Wesley College started their 34 runs by Anoj Ketapearachchi event. and work with mutual under- hunt for the HNB challenge trophy which set the stage for Wesley’s The meet is open to youths standing. with a ten run victory. They beat victory. Wesley scored 73 for 3 as between the ages of 16 and 23 This is the second youth Royal College in the first match Ketapearachchi found form. years. The events to be worked sport meet organized by the Red off include 80, 100 and I10 Cross Society. The first one was Match results meters hurdles, 100, 200, 400, held in in December St. Peter’s 54 all out (D. Samarakkody 3/20) Quarter finals 800, 1500 and 5000 meters races, 2005 and it was dedicated to the DSS 56 for 2 (Isuru 36) Wesley beat Royal by 10 runs long jump, high jump, 4x100 and children of families affected by Semi finals Scores: 4 x 400 relays. the tsunami. Over one thousand Wesley beat Lumbini by 1 run Anoj Ketapearachchi of Wesley College who was adjudged the Player of the Wesley 104 for 1 (Ryan Kern 48) The objective of conducting children par7ticipated at last Scores: Tournament, receives his award from HNB’s Public Relations Manager, former Sri Royal 94 for 2 (Banaka 45) Wesley 62 for 3 Lanka cricketer, Kumara Dharmasena. this youth athletic champi- year’s meet. Lumbini beat Ananda by 32 runs Lumbini 61 for 4 Scores: DSS beat Isipatana by 4 Incidentally, he was adjudged the the tournament. Lumbini 86 for 2 (Geeth 45) Scores: Player of the Tournament. Wesley The victory last Sunday should Ananda 54 for 4 (Geeth 2/05) Isipatana 54 for 4 restricted DSS to 63 for 3 to win the prove a confidence boost when DSS 57 for 2 trophy and their bowling spear- Isipatana beat S. Thomas’ by 10 runs they take on the winners of the Final head Dulanjana Wijesinghe won Scores: match between defending champi- Wesley beat DSS by 10 runs the Best Bowler’s award. Isipatana 94 for 3 (Kanishka 50) ons Nalanda and Maliyadeva on Scores: Meanwhile, Dimuth S. Thomas’ 84 for 2 (S. Pussegolla 32) Wesley 73 for 3 (Anoj Ketapearachchi 34) Saturday in the Inter School DSS beat St. Peter’s by 4 wickets Samarakkody of D. S. Senanayake DSS 63 for 3 Lemonade Six-a-Side tournament. Scores: College was the Best Batsman of

U-15 cricket sixes in Badulla Media briefing regarding the Red Cross Sports Festival, 2006: (L-R): M. M. Association, is being conducted to improve the Thomas’ College Bandarawela, Badulla by T. Rajah - Badulla Sports Corr. Ruwan Mapa, Y. K. Kularatne, Bharatha J. Hewa, S. B. Madugalle and Namal Ten schools will participate at the Badulla standard of the game in the district. Central College, Saraswathie National School District Under-15 inter-school cricket tourna- Dharmadutha College Badulla, S. Badulla, Uva College Badulla and Spring Jayantha. ment for the ‘Hatton National Bank’ Trophy, Thomas’ College Gurutalawa, St. Joseph’s Valley Tamil MV Badulla will play in Group 2. which commences on September 28. College, Bandarawela, Bandarawela Central The tournament will be restricted to 50 The tournament, which is being organ- College and Sri Shanmugananda MV Hali Ela overs and the winner of each group will meet ised by the Badulla District Cricket will play each other in Group 1 while S. in the final. Budo Camp in Wadduwa by Reemus Fernando word Budo is unfamiliar to most A seven nation Budo Camp, of us, it is the seventh time that with the participation of repre- a Budo camp is being held in Sri The Board of Nugawela Central sentatives from various martial Lanka. Investment of Sri arts, will get underway at The The seventh international Lanka (BOI) ‘A’ team Blue Water Hotel Wadduwa, on Budo Camp will see the partici- emerged Nationalised crush D.B. Wijetunga October 2. pation of martial artists from The organisers of this inter- Germany, Switzerland, Services ‘B’ Division Nugawela Central College recorded an netball champions national martial arts event, hav- Belgium, China, Canada, outright victory over D. B. Wijetunga ing observed the success of pre- England and hosts Sri Lanka. when they beat National College in their Under-20 Inter vious events held along the A total of 19 instructors People’s Bank 15-13 School Cricket encounter played at north western beaches of Sri from Sri Lanka and from the and National Savings Nugewela Central Grounds, recently. Lanka decided to conduct this rest of the countries will join Bank 12-6 at Henry D. S. Senaratne who scored 53 runs year’s event at Wadduwa. This the seven day camp where over Pedris Park recently. and had a match bag of 5 wickets excelled was revealed at a press confer- 14 martial arts disciplines will The champion team - for the home side while H. G. S. C. ence held at the camp venue on be taught. The week long camp will Standing from left: Jayaweera scored back to back half cen- Monday. Speaking at the press turies for the visitors. briefing Olaf van Ellen, the consist of six hours of training, Nita Goonatilleke, Scores: founder of the Budapro move- both in the morning and anoth- Sudharma Perera Nugawela Central 275 all out (D. S. ment said that the martial arts er six hours in the afternoon. (Capt), Nadeeka Senaratne 53, N. M. Premakumara 46; camp will be a learning curve Jetwing Hotels together with Perera, D. M. Sriyani, K.S.M. Peiris 7/72, Anil Karunaratne 2/48) for all those taking part in it. The Blue Water Hotel are the Preethika Fernando and 24 for 2 “A Budo Camp is a Martial joint sponsors of this interna- and Mallika D. B. Wijetunga National School 134 Arts training camp where those tional martial arts event. The Budo Camp will commence with Thambavitage. all out (H. G. S. C. Jayaweera 64; D. S. who practice a variety of an opening ceremony where the Senaratne 3/34, S. P. S. Amunugama 2/32) International Martial Arts Seated from left: national flags of all participat- and 164 all out (H. G. S. C. Jayaweera 60, Styles come together to train Chamila Kumari, and learn from each other,” said ing countries will be hoisted fol- Manoratne Attanayake 36, Anil Karunaratne Sakura Perera and Ellen, explaining the objectives lowed by the national anthems 36; D. S. Senaratne 2/15, S. P. S. Nethma Dissanayake. of the camp. of each country and a brief Amunugama 2/20, D.D. Gayashan 2/22) Incidentally, though the Budo demonstration. (RF)