Friday 27th April, 2012 SLRFU big boss announces Caltex’s sponsorship with rugby will be scrapped Low rank (20) ends Peiris’ Olympic hopes BY REEMUS FERNANDO

Sri Lanka’s chances of qualifying a Senewiratne wants 2012 weightlifter for the London Olympics at the Asian Weightlifting Championship ended in disappointment as Commonwealth Games medalist Sudesh Peiris was ranked 20th out of 29 com- petitors at the end of the men’s 69kg domestic season postponed competition at Pyeongtaek, South Korea yesterday. BY RAVI NAGAHAWATTE The Japan based weightlifter was the only Sri Lankan to have contested the There was a rugby shock awaiting Asian Championship which served as press personnel who went to cover the the Continental Qualifying event for the media briefing, in Colombo yesterday, London Olympics. According to Sri Lankan Weightlifting Federation arranged to discuss matters regarding sources Peiris needed to be ranked the Asian 5 Nations when SLRFU among the top eight even to have an President Asanga Senewiratne outside chance of securing a place in announced that he wished to postpone the London contingent. the upcoming 2012 domestic league sea- Competing in Group B, Peiris lifted a son to November. total weight of 275 kgs (120kg in snatch, Senewiratne said that he wanted to 155kgs in clean and jerk) on Wednesday. see this change in rugby to enable The competi- national players to be in peak form dur- tion in Group ing the international season. National A was worked coach Phil Greening, who attended the off yesterday press briefing, backed Senewiratne’s where Chinese and thinking by saying the players not hav- Iranian ing played an international as long as in weightlifters six months had a telling effect on the dominated. overall performance of the side. SLRFU President Asanga Senewiratne (third from left) addresses the media in Colombo where he announced the Even India’s Senewiratne said the idea to change the Ravi Kumara scheduled start to the domestic season future plans for rugby among which top priority would be given to changing the domestic rugby structure which who won a was his and he wished to put it to the will allow the players to be in peak form during the international season. Also in the picture are national coach gold medal at council to decide at a meeting scheduled Phil Greening (extreme left) and national Yoshitha Rajapakshe (second from left). the for today (Friday). 91 days to go Senewiratne also said that he would opened the eyes of the players to inter- Senewiratne said that the SLRFU press briefing said that though Sri inform the rugby union’s executive com- national rugby. “Rugby at Test level is General Committee will hand over the Lanka was represented by a small team, Commonwealth Games could secure only sixth place. mittee to cancel the new contract the about high performance. The boys need matter to the disciplinary committee to the boys were confident and ‘played Shi Zhiyong and Liu Weihuang of SLRFU signed with rugby’s sponsor to think clearly at Test level. I think we warn the players who opted out of the from their hearts’. Rajapakse said that kicked too early in the game and a few tour to Philippines. “I believe the best the Kandy SC players were missed by China both lifted a total of 324 kgs each Caltex Lubricants because the money to share the gold and the silver medal offered wasn’t enough. The Caltex spon- refereeing decisions went against us. way forward is not to suspend players, the players on the tour, but their absence Overall I believe Philippines didn’t beat but educate them about the importance didn’t have a great impact on the team’s respectively, while Iranian duo of sored interclub rugby season is sched- Behrouzi Sajad and Rezaeian Morteza us. We allowed them to beat us,” said of playing for one’s country. In future, overall performance. “Everyone who uled to commence in June. When con- were placed third and fourth respective- tacted Chief Executive Officer Managing Greening. players who don’t represent the country went on the tour had the attributes of a ly. Director Chevron Lubricants Lanka PLC Greening defended the members in won’t be allowed to play in the domestic rugby player. They all wanted with the Peiris was ranked 20th for his lift of Kishu Gomes told The Island that Caltex the front row which looked suspect in tournaments organized by the SLRFU,” mindset of representing the country, so 275 kgs and the first nine weightlifters had conveyed to the SLRFU yesterday the scrums, against Philippines adding, senewiratne said. we were a strong team at the tourna- lifted total weights above 300kgs. (Thursday) that it was not in a position “The scrum got better and better as we Greening responded to the players’ ment,” the skipper said. to increase the agreed amount of the progressed in the tournament”. The boycott by saying, “All players must fit Rajapakse said that unlike in the past new sponsorship deal and the rugby British national had praise for school- into the environment which is national there were no problems within the team. union was free to scrap the agreement boys Rehan Weerakoon and Sandun rugby. No player can get bigger than the “This time the problems were outside Longtime cross between the two parties and go in search Herath for their courageous performanc- environment we are talking about”. the team,” Rajapakse said. of a party which is willing to pump in es at Test level despite taking the leap The national coach praised the leader- There was praise for the analyst of more money for rugby. from school level to the national side ship skills of Yoshitha Rajapakshe dur- the team, a British national, and the country coach Greening speaking on Sri Lanka’s without having a transitional period in ing the Asian 5 Nations and said Sri manager for their contributions towards performances at the recent Asian 5 club rugby. Lanka had a bright future in rugby the team when contesting the Asian 5 Vordenberg resigns Nations said that the experience of con- There was a lot of talk about the play- union. Nations where Sri Lanka failed to earn a testing the division 1 tournament had ers who skipped this tour and Skipper Rajapakse speaking at the promotion to the Top Division. PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Two-time Olympian Pete Vordenberg has announced his resignation as a U.S. ski team coach to spend more time with his family. Vordenberg began coaching in 2002 and Australia builds lead of led the U.S. cross country team to some of its greatest achievements. Those included the first World Championship medal won by a U.S. woman and first World Cup medal in 25 310 against WIndies years. Vordenberg was a member of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team for six years and BY CRAIG COZIER SCOREBOARD competed in two winter Olympic Games before making the transition to coaching. ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) — Ed Cowan Australia 1st Innings 328 E. Cowan c Sammy b Deonarine 55 He most recently was the men’s World and both hit half cen- West Indies 1st Innings S. Watson c Sammy b Shillingford 5 Cup head coach. turies Wednesday as Australia built a A. Barath c Cowan b Lyon 29 R. Ponting c Chanderpaul b Roach 57 Vordenberg said in a statement K. Brathwaite c Harris b Hilfenhaus 0 M. Clarke c Bravo b Shillingford 25 healthy lead of 310 on the third day of released by the U.S. Ski Association K. Powell b Lyon 40 M. Hussey 17 the third and final test at Windsor Park. Tuesday that continuing on would require Ponting topscored with 57 while D. Bravo c Cowan b Warner 10 M. Wade lbw b Deonarine 4 S. Chanderpaul lbw b Starc 68 R. Harris not out 4 more travel, time and energy than he Cowan contributed 55 as Australia N. Deonarine lbw b Harris 7 Extras: (b10, lb7, w1, nb4) 22 could devote now that he has a new family. reached 200-6 in its second innings by C. Baugh c Cowan b Lyon 5 TOTAL: (for 6 ) 200 close. D. Sammy run out (Cowan) 10 Overs: 65 The 37-year-old Ponting, in what is S. Shillingford b Starc 0 Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-25, 3-112, 4-168, 5- likely to be his last test in the R. Rampaul c Warner b Lyon 31 171, 6-196 Sachin’s nomination for Caribbean, struck four fours off 130 K. Roach not out 9 To bat: Mitchell Starc, , Nathan balls in 3¼ hours. Left-hander Cowan Extras: (b1, lb2, w1, nb5) 9 Lyon hit five boundaries off 123 deliveries in TOTAL: (all out) 218 : Rajya Sabha approved 161 minutes. Overs: 87.2 Ravi Rampaul 9-1-37-0, Kemar Roach 11-0-40-2 There were two wickets apiece for Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-62, 3-73, 4-85, 5-96, 6- (w1, nb4), Shane Shillingford 29-6-69-2, Darren The nomination of India’s celebrated off-spinners Narsingh Deonarine (2-28) 103, 7-120, 8-120, 9-186, 10-218 Sammy 6-3-9-0, Narsingh Deonarine 10-1-28-2 cricketer to Rajya and Shane Shillingord (2-69) and pacer Bowling: Ben Hilfenhaus 18-6-30-1, Mitchell Toss: Australia Sabha has been approved, the Hindustan Kemar Roach (2-40). Starc 12.2-4-29-2 (nb3), Ryan Harris 13-0-36-1 Series: Australia leads 1-0 with one test left Times reported on Thursday. The visitors had earlier secured a (nb1), 4-0-12-0 (w1), Nathan Umpires: According to Hindustan Times, first innings lead of 110 after the West Lyon 33-7-69-4, 5-0-21-1, Michael Marais Erasmus, South Africa, and Tony Hill, Tendulkar’s nomination had been Indies were bowled out for 218 having Clarke 2-0-18-0 (nb1) New Zealand approved by President Pratibha Patil yes- resumed on 165-8. Australia 2nd Innings TV umpire: Ian Gould, England terday (Thursday). Shivnarine Chanderpaul topscored David Warner c Chanderpaul b Roach 11 Match referee: Jeff Crowe, New Zealand. Tendulkar would be the first active for the hosts with 68 while off-spinner sportsman and a cricketer to be nominat- (4-69) and left-arm pacer first slip off Deonarine. ed to Rajya Sabha. Mitchell Starc (2-29) led Australia’s attack. Ponting’s half century nearly Australia found it difficult to dislodge FLASH did not materialize as the veter- Chanderpaul and his overnight partner, an almost ran himself out going Australia were all out for 259 in the Ravi Rampaul, in the morning session. for a frantic single to reach his Messi, Drogba, Eto’o to second innings. Rampaul contributed 31 and his partner- landmark. The throw from ship with Chanderpaul grew to 66 before Adrian Barath just missed with play in Burkina Faso Ponting a yard short. the visitors broke through. and the West Indies were boosted again OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) But the former captain and Rampaul, after hitting five fours in 31 off straight after the break when Shane — Barcelona forward Lionel Messi will Michael Clarke added a further 56 for 50 deliveries, tried to launch Lyon into the Watson (5) turned a catch to backward Australia’s Ricky Ponting walks off the pitch after head a team of international stars in a the fourth to solidify leg side stands and only skewed a catch to short leg off Shillingford to leave Australia being caught by West Indies’ Shivnarine charity match against Burkina Faso’s Australia’s position of strength. backward point. in peril at 25-2. Chanderpaul for 57 runs during the second innings national team in June, a government Ponting could not press on and Chanderpaul and last man Roach fur- But Cowan and Ponting rode some anx- spokesman said Thursday. Roach claimed him in bizarre fash- on the third day of their third and final Test ther frustrated the Aussies in a stand of 32 ious moments at the start of their innings Sylvain Vebamba said Messi, Chelsea ion as he tried to duck a bouncer. The match in Roseau, Dominica, Wednesday, April 25, before the second new ball ended the defi- to build a solid stand of 87 for the third striker Didier Drogba, Cameroon’s ball cannoned off the back of the bat 2012. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton) ance as Chanderpaul was plumb leg before wicket. The pair went to tea at 84-2 and Samuel Eto’o and Manchester City and and looped to slip. to Starc. gradually blossomed after the break. Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure will Clarke followed for 25, at 171-5, top- David Warner (11) edged Roach to first Cowan’s fifty arrived first, off 107 deliv- maker late in the day, appear in the game in Ouagadougou on edging a pull at Shillingford. Deonarine slip as Australia limped to lunch at 18-1, eries, but he departed soon afterwards as plumb leg before. June 16. Darren Sammy grasped a sharp catch at added the wicket of first innings century-