Wednesday 15th March, 2006 11

LETTER Chapa, U-12 champ at Youth Centenary ‘Battle Sports Festival Badminton of the Maroons’ in The oldest between two schools in Kandy is the encounter between Kingswood College and in turmoil! Dharmarajah College. This big match is known as the adminton seems to be Guruge acted as the de-facto whose Annual General ‘Battle of the Maroons’ as both colleges have maroon on in a state of turmoil president and was responsi- Meeting was held minus the their college flags. This year, these two colleges will be Bwith three candidates, ble for alienating many coun- required quorum for the playing the 100th encounter as they battle it out for the T. namely, incumbent President cil members and affiliates. meeting. B. Tennakoon Trophy at the Asgiriya Stadium on March 24 Sumith Guruge, Vice Under these circum- (b) The initial decision President Louie Karunaratne stances, the standard of bad- not to award any votes to the and 25. and immediate Past minton continues to deterio- government services on the The first match in the series was played in 1806. But President Riza Jumar unoffi- rate and some salient issues basis that their Annual there was a lapse in the series during the time of the cially having declared their are as follows: General Meeting did not com- Second World War when the precincts of Kingswood candidature for the post of ply with that of the College was shared by Kingswood and S. Thomas’, as S. president for the forthcoming (1) Sumith Guruge com- Badminton Association Thomas’ Mt. Lavinia was used as the South East Asian Sri Lanka Badminton menced his tenure two years requirements while the Headquarters of the Allied Forces. Association elections. back, with a sponsorship established norm and prece- Traditionally, this big match was played alternatively at This has resulted in the package of Rs. 5 million. dence has been to accept Randles Hill, the Kingswood grounds and Lake View, the countrywide badminton Todate, after two years, he sports associations within Dharmarajah grounds. Both these grounds were very Chapa Mevandi de Vaas Gunasekara of Kalutara North emerged overall champi- administration being divided has been unable to sustain their own constitution and small in extent, with some boundary lines being so close on in the Under-12 category at the inaugural ‘Youth Sports Festival – 2005’ into various groups, which the sponsorship package or finally, three votes were only that a mere flick would sail over for six or rush to the has and will seriously affect negotiate for a new sponsor- granted owing to pressure which was held at the Race Course Grounds in , recently. The festival boundary line for four before the fielders could turn the game of badminton. ships and as a result of this, from the house and that too around! At Randles Hill a powerful hit would take the ball was organised by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society. This unfavourable situa- the Sri Lanka Badminton linking it to granting the Chapa, who is a student of Panadura Balika MV, came first in the following tion was set up by the incum- Association will enter the Mercantile Badminton over the fence onto the paddy fields or canal on one side, while at Lake View it would sail over and go down the three events at the above Sports Festival: 100m (15.70 secs), 75m (11.71 secs) bent president, who got his administrative year Association three votes and long jump (4.08m). Chapa’s coaches are M. Nihal and Domica of Panadura name proposed by two mem- 2006/2007 without an official which had an illegally consti- precipice onto the school buildings. But now the play- Balika MV. bers of affiliates without the sponsor, which will certainly tuted meeting. ground at Randles Hill has been developed to meet the consent of their relevant affect the game and its medi- (8) This all points to requirements for , at senior level. Chapa is seen receiving her trophy for emerging Under-12 champion, from the associations for a further um to long-term develop- manipulation of procedure Later, in the 1950s the ‘Battle of the Maroons’ was Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Jeevan Kumaratunga, after the conclusion extension of his tenure as ment. to protect the president’s vote shifted to the Police grounds, which was a neutral ground of the Youth Sports Festival – 2005. (RSS) president, despite having (2) Sponsorships resources base. and a larger one. And from recent times the match has completed the legally permis- available have not been uni- (9) Ministry approval has been played at the Asgiriya Stadium, which meant that the sible two years. formly distributed to the var- been obtained for the presi- cricketers of both schools have to play on a turf wicket, The reward that these two ious affiliates, but have been dent to contest a further term quite different from the matting wickets at their home personalities have received doled out to affiliates whose and the minister himself grounds. for proposing his name is to may not be aware of the cur- It is noteworthy that Dharmarajah College has pro- be continuously appointed as rent predicament when per- duced outstanding cricketers who have donned national manager and coach for prac- mission was granted. tically most of the Sri Lanka (10) The association has caps. T. B. Kehelgamuwa was the most famous of them, Badminton Association over- also shown scant respect to being a regular in the team as an open- seas team visits. The presi- the Ministry of Sports and ing fast bowler. He had the ability to bowl so well that dent has not come down hard one event worth mentioning when the MCC team played in Colombo, he clean bowled on them for non-submission was that in relation to the Geoffrey Boycott. The other fast bowler produced by of tour reports, within the last Junior Nationals, where- Dharmarajah was Sonny Yatawara (though Yatawara was expected time frame as has in the ministry had given a produced and nurtured by Dharmarajah, he later shifted to been stipulated by the directive to the association Ananda College, Colombo and from there to club cricket Ministry of Sports. and this directive had not at and the national side. At present too, a product of More surprising is why all been adhered to, upon Dharmarajah is in the national side (in the ODI side). This the current president is so which a complaint was is the young Chamara Kapugedera, the 19-year-old who keen to extend his term as at representatives have sup- lodged with the Ministry of impressed everybody with his fearless strokeplay in the present he holds three top ported the president in his Sports arising from which first match he played against Australia, which had the positions, namely; Vice system or administration. the ministry had called for an Atamie International School, Wattala held their 2nd Annual Sports Meet at world’s best and fearsome opening bowlers in Brett Lee President of the Mercantile (3) Coaching fees have not explanation from the Sri Welisara Nawaloka grounds, recently. the chief guest was First Lady Shiranthi Badminton Association, yet been paid to a number of Lanka Badminton and Glen McGrath. Rajapakse. Mrs. Shiranthi Rajapakse is seen with the winning house captain President, Sri Lanka districts and provincial Association. Three names that come to one’s mind of cricketers Dinesh Attanayake. Founder and Managing Director, Azard Uduman is among Badminton Association and coaches which certainly will from Kingswood who did their alma mater proud are Bin those in the picture. (Pix by Harold Vithanage, Wattala) Vice President, Asian affect the development of the However, the Sri Lanka Ismail, Maurice Fernando and Owen Mottau. All three Badminton Confederation. game. Badminton Association, were club cricketers who played in the P. Sara Trophy matches. Of these three, Maurice Fernando, the captain of It is unthinkable as to how (4) Rs. 2 million Tsunami todate, has chosen to ignore a human could justify giving funds received from the the 1958 Kingswood team was adjudged the Schoolboy Hatton Siri Pada College President's this letter. out his best to such a wide Asian Badminton Cricketer of that year, which title was won in 1957, the array portfolios and the only Confederation, over a year The overall position since year it was initiated by W. Preamaratne, the captain of St. in round two Trophy reason seems to be to project back have not yet been com- the current president took Anthony’s College, Katugastota. A cheque was presented one’s self-esteem, while pletely disbursed for the pur- office has been a consider- by our Badulla Sports Correspondent to Fernando by the Kingswood Union, Colombo Branch at Hatton Siri Pada Central College qual- soccer in depriving opportunities for pose they were sent and over able deterioration of the the luncheon organized to celebrate the anniversary of the ified to play in the second round of the All other competent persons to Rs. 1 million is still with the administration, finances, founding of Kingswood College. serve in office. association. Island Under-17 Inter-Schools Football Hatton development programmes Kingswood College cannot boast of any cricketers who It may also be interesting (5) Conducting of council Championships when they beat the more by our Badulla Sports and goodwill, while on the to evaluate justification for meetings have been vary have represented the country at cricket at national level, fancied St. John Bosco College by 3 goals Correspondent his request and if one has to autocratic and the position of positive side it has only pro- unlike in hockey and rugby football where Kingswood has to 1, at the Hatton District finals played at The Hatton look back on his performance affiliates have been under- vided personal gain to the had a number of outstanding players who have shone in the Dunbar grounds recently. District Football as the president of the Sri mined with the Executive president who was elected as these two sports. Freddie White, Derrick Harvie, Iqbal and Six schools participated in this tour- League has organised Lanka Badminton Committee stating that they a Vice President of the Asian Mohamed Jumar have been leading players in the national nament organised by the Hatton Football a football tournament for the “President's Association, the chronolo- have absolute authority over Badminton Confederation, hockey side while Owen Mottau, Nalaka and Eranga League on behalf of the Football gy would be as follows: the affiliates, who constitute Weerakkody, etc. have been members of the Sri Lanka Federation of Sri Lanka. Trophy” which is thanks to the support of our expected to com- •Guruge accepted the posi- the council. rugby football teams. President, Hatton FL, B. W. Harrison incumbent Sri mence on Saturday tion of Sri Lanka Badminton (6) The recent commu- The highest total scored by Kingswood was 401 for 9 Silva was the chief guest and distributed Association President on two nication calling for the Lankan IBF Executive (18), at the Dunbar wickets in 1958 with Maurice Fernando, the captain scor- the awards. Grounds. conditions; he would have the Annual General Meeting was Committee member and for- ing a century. The lowest total recorded in the series is 9 Co-ordinator K. B. H. Silva who organ- Eighteen teams finances and be uncontested. a comedy of errors with tra- mer ABC Vice President and runs by Dharmarajah in 1918. The highest individual score ised this tournament introduced the have entered this •Accordingly, the Sri ditional practices being done also the elevation of the pres- in the innings was 6 runs scored by U. Banda while three “Green Card” system for the first time in tournament accord- Lanka Badminton away with and vote alloca- ident’s brother, Oliver batsmen scored one run each and seven were out for Hatton for excellent behaviour. Shan ing to the secretary, Foundation arranged for Rs. tions being made prior to the Guruge to a continental ref- Watupola of St. John Bosco College and K. B. H. Silva. closing date for document ducks. Murray and Abeykoon took 3 wickets each. In this 5 million as sponsorship and Thilina Hettiarachchie of Siri Pada The champions the affiliates appointed him handing over. eree. match, Kingswood scored 125 runs with R. W. College were awarded prizes for excellent and runners-up of uncontested, giving him the (7) At the subsequent The game looks forward to Bartholamuesz scoring 19 runs. Dharmarajah were bun- behaviour. this tournament will freedom to appoint office General Council Meeting to a sensible approach by the dled out for 60 runs in their second essay and Kingswood receive a cash prize of The champions and runners-up were bearers. discuss and confirm vote affiliates in selecting compe- won the match by an innings and 56 runs. The highest Rs. 15,000/- and Rs. awarded certificates while Shalitha •However, in selecting his allocations, blatant irregular tent people to lead the Sri individual score by a Rajan is 200 not out by Senaka 10,000/- respectively Lakmal Perera of St. John Bosco College office bearers he appointed to rulings were made by the Lanka Badminton Dissanayake in 1958, which is the highest in the series in addition to the tro- and Madushanka Ponnamperuma of Siri phy. The Best Player the council his brother Oliver president. Association, without divi- todate. The highest individual score by a Kingswoodian is Guruge. (a) The award of three 167, by skipper Clifford Ratnavibhushana, in 1959. Pada Central College were adjudged the and Best Goalkeeper sion. Best Players while Asiri Maduhansa won will also receive Owing to the shortcom- votes to the Mercantile H. M. Nissanka Warakaulle. ings of the president, Oliver Badminton Association ‘Shuttler’ the Best Goalkeeper’s award. awards. Sabaragamuwa Province bags honours Text and pix by M. Farook Lantra Sabaragamuwa Province 'A' emerged girls’ Under-18 champs at the Rugby Sevens, beating Western Province 'Yellow' by 29 points (three tries, two goals) to nil. The event was staged at Havelocks Park, on March 11. Three spectacular tries from Sabaragamuwa 'A' skipper, Sandika Hemakumari was the highlight of the day. More than 100 participants from eight combined schools took part in this tournament. They were: Western Province (Red), Western Province (Yellow), Western Province (Purple), North Central Province, Wayamba and Sabaragamuwa Province 'A', 'B' and 'C'. The tournament was organised by the Western Province RFU and conducted by the Rugby Development Committee, SLRFU. The chief guest was Tyronne Coonghe (Chairman T. C. Distributors/Secretary Havelocks Sports Club). Results: Cup - Sabaragamuwa 'A' beat Western Province The skipper of Sabaragamuwa 'Province 'A' Sandika Hemakumari (Yellow) 29 points to nil. receives the Cup champions trophy from the chief guest Tyronne The skipper of Wayamba Province, Chathurangani Plate: Wayamba Province beat Sabaragamuwa 'B' 7 points to 5. Coonghe (Chairman T. C. Distributors/Secretary Havelocks Sports The skipper of Western Province (Purple), Nilusha Subashini receives the Plate trophy from Beauty Bowl: Western Province (Purple) beat Sabaragamuwa 'C' 10 Club). N. J. Mudannayaka (Rugby Development Chairman, SLRFU and Nimanthi receives the Bowl trophy from B. K. Gunaratne (Coach, Western Province). points to nil. Ajith Fernando (Technical Officer, SLRFU) are also in the picture. Ramachandra (Technical Officer, Uva Province Rugby).