Monday 16th October, 2006 11

t has been an inter- Wessels to use it. clause that and paragraph some- made a good story. friend and generous Indian col- aster area. esting and enter- Wessels was not keen thing or other, he was in trouble , then South league now covering the The benefits of the US$16.8- Itaining few days, at all and didn’t fall in for what amounted to conduct African coach was furious when Champions Trophy games in million boost to upgrade grounds Yahaluweni. with Cronje’s plans. unbecoming of a national team he was told of the offer and had Jaipur, about Maharoof ’s bowl- throughout the country will help And before we get Second-guessing is member. Gibbs was mystified by words with the players (including ing. Last year, during the Sri the game as well. Better facilities into Farveez a dangerous game all the jargon. Cronje) and put it in his tour Lanka Test series, Sandeep sug- can improve the general standard Maharoof ’s brilliant though, but of the so- ‘Say, I thought this hearing report. Ali Bacher, then gested that the young Bloomfield of the game and lift the playing execution of the West called two names that was because I went to a nightclub Managing Director of the UCB, all-rounder didn’t have what it levels to make for a more compet- Indies batsmen in Gibbs gave the Indian and stayed up late. I don’t know has denied ever seeing Woolmer’s takes. On Saturday night, he itive game. It will make other Mumbai on Saturday, police it wouldn’t sur- about all this law stuff you are report, the newspaper headlines, admitted he was ever so humbly sports take note of how the crick- and the International prise if Henry telling me.’ or the story when it broke in munching on his words. et is moving forward and as such Council’s by Trevor Williams is one. The He was then fined 15 000 rands early December 1996. As with Upul Tharanga, become more attractive to play. impressive support for Chesterfield former swing bowler (about US$3500), of this 10 000 There has long been a suspi- Maharoof is a player of the Top players can expect to be bet- the game in this coun- was part of the squad rands (about US$2000) was sus- cion of what Bacher knew of the future and another who Sri ter prepared for international try, there is another subject that selected by the discredited panel pended, as was a three-match malpractices in which Cronje was Lanka will depend on for success. tournaments and will help fur- needs some airing. headed by Rushdi Majiet that ban. Again, Gibbs was baffled: involved. At the high-profile No one likes to deliver four balls, ther develop players of all age This is what made such a mess of selection ‘That ten grand suspended, is media conference at a Durban no-balls or wides; it is not deliber- groups, and that is what it is may have, or may not have told policy that it cost coach Graham that like a deposit in case I get beachfront hotel hours after ate. Just that sometimes it hap- about. the Indian interrogators last pens. As with the England tour, Floodlights for day/night Thursday. So far, all that has Sri Lanka’s bowling will become games at SSC will help the club emerged is the same ole . . . same more disciplined as the as well as the venue. Hopefully, ole record that has been played Champions Trophy progresses. the print media centre will be since the King Commission in There is also much to smile replaced by something more in Cape Town mid-2000. It is a bit It is the Gibbs and Maharoof about in Maitland Place these keeping with an international like watching those tasteless fast days. The ICC have found much venue. There is also a plan to put food variety events that pass for to their liking with the workings in electronic scoreboards. sport that has Brian Thomas of Sri Lanka Cricket under the If Moratuwa is to have a ceaselessly warbling off-key. interim committee and discus- facelift (hopefully something will Sifting through Indian news- show while ICC plans for SLC sions with some of the ICC hier- done about the appalling media paper columns and the various archy indicates how Jayantha facilities as well), so too at all websites it is surprising that the Ford his job. Cronje manipulated into trouble again?’ Cronje’s confession, Bacher said Dhamadasa has earned the coun- other venues. It is one thing to Indian police have failed to seek Williams to the extent that he had It would have been quiet he felt betrayed. Yet in the biogra- cil’s respect and faith which is uplift the standard of venues to the help of the ICC’s anti-corrup- the bowler playing when he was entertaining to have been in the phy Ali, it is hinted that Bacher mainly the reason for millions of international level, but unless tion unit to sort out any number unfit during that 2000 tour of room when Gibbs answered ques- knew Cronje had been in the pay United States dollars being put thought is given to print and web- of areas that India. tions by Indian police on match- of bookies before the 2000 tour of into the game in this country. site media needs to meet those of unveiled when he talked to the Gibbs is usually a quiet guy fixing and played with a dead bat. India. Most interesting and a Such paean praise is not a foreign journalists, there might ACU sometime before or after the on the field. But off it, he is a dif- It seems strange that having messy business that is still unrav- matter of acknowledging good be a worry. After all, TV with King Commission first sat. ferent character. nailed Cronje, Indian police have elling. leadership; it is also a way of say- non-broadcasting rights are given Surprising because much of what In 2000, days after Cronje had by their own admission, not pro- Far more entertaining is the ing that Sri Lanka have the man- too much preference while the Gibbs spilled last Thursday is in turned South Africa upside down gressed their case much beyond Maharoof demolition of the West agement abilities and resources, daily working journalist often the commission’s transcripts. with the match-fixing scandal, the initial 2000 findings and have Indies batsmen on a slow pitch especially those in Colombo and have to put up with scraps. Cronje was a great one for the mercurial batsman was at a waited six years for Gibbs to that was more in keeping with Galle, to stage a series of ICC This is because the facilities devious manipulation. Sure he nightclub at 3 am before that arrive to tell them more. Gibbs, it Sri Lanka conditions, especially sanctioned games. The island is available are outdated and one of used Derek Crookes as an open- Newlands limited overs game seems, has told them nothing those at Premadasa. Anyone who now seen as a neutral venue for the reasons that visiting journal- ing bowler; Crookes had on occa- against Australia in Cape Town. they did not already know. He is, has closely followed this likeable future Test and limited-overs ists cringe when they hear of a sions been successful in the same The story, as related to me by you see, an old hand at talking to young man’s career and seen the games involving other countries. Test being played at Asgiriya in role for the Johannesburg-based a former member of the discipli- disciplinary committees and has brickbats fly cannot but help This has already happened when Kandy. It is easier to watch the Gauteng Lions. New Zealand had nary committee, was of how now confronted one of the smile at Saturday’s rapid execu- Pakistan played Australia in 2003 game from the comfort of a hotel also used the ploy in the 1992 Gibbs arrived at his disciplinary demons from his past. It takes a tion of the West Indies middle- when Saravanamuttu Oval was room than put up with archaic World Cup with Kenya-born hearing in a T-shirt and sans any brave man to do that. order. used. conditions. Dipak Patel opening the bowling legal representation. The United What is surprising is how the He has always been an Upgrading facilities to inter- It has been suggested too that when the Kiwis management Cricket Board’s disciplinary old story of Cronje asking the impressive player and his - national level is part of this Colombo might stage the next used the slow pitches prepared to guys, all lawyers with fancy bookies in Mumbai to raise the to-wicket line on Saturday, where scheme and the way it is being ICC Super Test and limited overs exploit the plan. No one accused degrees, asked him where his stakes an extra US$100 000 for a he had the length and angles handled suggests that the ICC games, scheduled for next year. the up-front Kiwis of using dodgy lawyer was. He felt he wasn’t in benefit match in 1996 has made right was a good example of just will be sending in a team to look Well this is interesting. After the tactics. need of one because he ‘trusted’ headlines yet again a decade how he has improved his game. at what is needed to improve any fiasco in Australia last year, Cronje though, admitted when the committee because they were later. It was headline material He is a hard worker in the nets number of venues. One is Malcolm Speed said ‘it is unlikely discussing sub-continent strate- fair-minded types. weeks after it happened in South and his display is an example of drainage. So much time is lost we will entertain such a scheme gies that he remembered this par- When the charge was read Africa when a couple of players making the most of the condi- through poor drainage that for a while’. Now it seems he has ticular New Zealand gameplan out, citing that under his contract spilled it to a couple of trusted tions already exploited by games are often rained off with- changed his mind, or is it that when first touring India in 1993 guidelines, did he know that journalist friends. As the info Chaminda Vaas. out a ball being bowled. The that ICC board has done it for and tried to persuade Kepler under law such-and-such, sub- was offered without coercion, it It was fun teasing a close Moratuwa venue is one such dis- him. We’ll have to wait and see. Leading school cricketers in Spinners to play key role in under-17 provincial final by Reemus Fernando apiece in the tourney will be the players to watch. All-rounder Umesh Cambrian Rumesh cricket final Karunaratne of Thurstan College Thirimanna who has scored over will lead Western Province 250 runs in three matches (123 and by Reemus Fernando Colombo ‘B’ against Western 89) is easily the beat batsman for Defending Champions D.S. Province Colombo ‘A’, captained Colombo ‘A’, while captain Umesh Senanayake College, Colombo by Ashan Priyanjana of Nalanda Karunaratne, Chamesh (joint champions last year with College, in the SLC organised Fernando, Chamalka Gamage St. Peter’s) will take on Inter Provincial Under-17 cricket and all rounder Shivanga Thurstan College, Colombo in final at R. Premadasa Stadium Ranasuriya are the other leading the Inter School Under-15 today. figures in the side. Division I cricket final at BRC The sides comprise of cream of In the bowling department for grounds today. under-17 cricketers from cricket Colombo ‘A’ Royalist Haroon D.S. have gained momentum playing schools of the Western Mawjood (15 wickets with a best ahead of the final having beaten Province and should be a closely of 7/51) and Charaka Fernando the formidable St. Peter’s and St. contested game. (15 wickets with a best of 6 for 5) Joseph’s teams in the knockout Western Province Colombo ‘B’ will play a major role. stages and will be looking for skipper Priyanjana has been in another strong performance terrific form having smashed two Teams: today against Thurstan, who hundreds and a half-century (107, WP Colombo A : Umesh beat Prince of Wales College, 125 n.o and 50) in the league Karunaratne (Cap), S.A. Moratuwa to qualify for the matches and the team has got Wijeratne, H. Mawjood, Chamesh final. plenty of batting options in Fernando, Rumesh Thirimanna, The defending champions are today’s final. Apart from the Chamalka Gamage, Shivanga captained by all-rounder right-handed Priyanjana, Lahiru Ranasuriya, Nizam Mazahir, Nimesh Gunasinghe while Weeragala, who scored an impres- Angelo Perera, M.N.G. Asrof, Thisura Madurapperuma leads sive 105 and 92 in the tournament, Chathura Peiris, M.G.C. Thurstan. is there to strengthen his side’s Fernando, A.N. Perera, W.K.C. The tournament so far has batting. Botheju. been dominated by the bowlers Colombo ‘B’ has one of the WP Colombo B : Ashan and both teams will be looking best fast bowlers in the tourna- Priyanjana (Cap), Hasitha up to their slow bowlers to take ment in St. Joseph’s Thisara Dharshana, Premosh Perera, them through. Perera who has claimed 13 wick- A.Weragala, Thisara Perera, Thurstan captain ets with a best of 5 for 24 includ- Ranganath Wijetunga, Ryan Madurapperuma has been inspi- DS Senanayake Under-15: Nimesh Gunasinghe (Cap), Y.U. Nanayakkara, C. Satharasinghe, R. Senadeera, C. Jayampathi, M. ing a hat trick. In the spin depart- Kern, Ishan Jayaratne, Dilshan rational with his leg spin during Jayakody, M. Perera, H. Perera, T. Silva, J. Premasiri, M. Ijaz, T. Tillekeratne, D. Sandaruwan. ment, off spinner Dilshan Munaweera, Nadeesha Jayakody, the knockout stages of the com- Munaweera of Nalanda College Sameera Weerasinghe, Nirmal petition and he will have to play and St. Joseph’s leg-spinner Rajapaksa, Nishika de Silva, S. a key role for his side. He will Sameera Weerasinghe with 13 Nandalal. bowl in tandem with fellow leg- spinner Ashwin Haneefa, their leading wicket taker. While the captain picked up five wicket PGS, Sangamitha, Maliyadeva and hauls in the knockout stages Haneefa has been the most suc- HFC record wins cessful bowler in first round matches having already picked by Lakmal Fernando Galle beat Sri Sumangala Balika, up 30 wickets in the tournament Presbyterian Girls’ School, Weligama 44 point to 35 at the same with four five wicket hauls. Dehiwala cruised to a comfortable venue later on Saturday. The win- Nimesh Gunasinghe and M. 40 point victory over Bishop’s ners were leading 19-15 at the short Ijaz have been leading figures for College, Colombo on the 2nd day of whistle. D.S. with Gunasinghe claiming the all island ‘B’ division under- 19 Meanwhile, Maliyadewa 20 wickets with his off-spin. Ijaz basketball tournament at Colombo Balika, Kurunegala cruised to a has picked up 15 wickets so far. International School court on comfortable 37 point victory over De Mazenod College, Kadana at However, the key player for Saturday. Ananada College court also on the D.S. is all-rounder Charith PSG took an early 21-7 lead and same day. The winners were lead- Jayampathi. The left-arm seam- went onto win 60-20. ing 20-5 half way through the er has so far picked up 35 wick- Lakshmi Gomes and Ruwani ets and has been the most suc- game. Liyanage were the top scorers for Holy Family Convent, cessful batsman for his team the winners with 14 and 11 points having scored in excess of 400 Bambalapitiya beat St. Lawrence Thurstan Under-15: Thisura Madurapperuma (Cap), Jehan Javeed Siyambalapitiya, Ashwin Haneefa, Milan de Silva, Ranga respectively while Gayanga Girl’s School, Wellawatta 62 points runs. Charith Satharasinghe is Botheju with 12 points excelled for the other in form batsman for Wijewickrama, Nuwan Kavinda, Yasiru Kularatne, Udara Munasinghe, Sajith Peiris, Sachith Sandeepa, Theekshana Kadiragonna, to 49 in anther match at Ananda the losers. D.S. Ashen Weerasinghe, U. Ishara, Uditha Wijesinghe, S. Sachintha, Sachith Dias, Harith Dias, A. Soheil College court. The score was in Meanwhile Sangamitha Balika, favour of HFC at 32-19 at half time.