Thursday 10th January, 2008 15 Defending champions face uphill task Ruwantha Fernandopulle Dimuth Karunaratne Shameera Thisara Perera Roshane Silva Sahan Wijesiri Prabuddha Sankalpa Anton de Livera Treshan Rajasuriya (Captain) (Vice Captain) Weerasinghe etermined to reign supreme for against the Joes on those occasions. best all rounder in the side. have complemented the hard work of bit of a disappointment for him that his yet another year, St. Joseph’s With Sri Lanka Under-19 players With an aggregate of over 325 runs their pacemen and spinners alike. The best bowling figures, a five wicket haul DCollege’s two victories in eight Thisara Perera and Roshane Silva hav- with four half tons and 20 wickets, he fourth year coloursman was adjudged (St. Sebastian’s) and his best batting per- matches this season barely depicts the ing to dedicate more time for national leads the all-rounders performance list. the best fielder in school circles last year formance, an unbeaten 50, have all come toil and guile they had to apply to strive duty, the Joes had to do without a good The safe hands of Sahan Wijesiri and he has so far accounted for over 20 in drawn affairs. for victories to retain the championship chunk of their batting and bowling in dismissals. Weerasinghe and fourth year colours- title in the on-going Inter School First XI crucial encounters. In Cricket’s matrix Fourth year coloursman Shameera man Prabuddha Sankalpa control the tournament. Weerasinghe, with 23 wickets, is the lead- spin department and they have the sup- Having some of the best players in Top performers by Reemus Fernando ing wicket taker. He is also a useful mid- port of Roshane Silva and Nirmal the school arena, including two Sri When they had the full team, St. dle order batsman. However, it must be a Rajapakse. Sankalpa has picked up over Lanka Under-19 players and a former Sri Joseph’s were on song. Third year 12 wickets and his best of 4 for 35 came in Lanka Under-19 player to brace their coloursman Thisara Perera, together St. Joseph’s College First XI Squad their encounter against De Mazenod. ranks, the Darley Road College had to be with 15-year-old Dinal Dhambarage In the batting department, skipper satisfied with first innings victories in make up a good pace combination. Ruwantha Fernandopulle carries the six encounters after getting close to at Sharing 9 wickets between them to flagship. Fernandopulle has accumulated least three other outright victories. reduce Maris Stella College to 74 runs over 350 runs with five half tons. Under the captaincy of fifth year without the help of other strike bowlers, Former Sri Lanka Under-19 player coloursman Ruwantha Fernandopulle, provides an indication of the strength Dimuth Karunaratne and Roshane Silva St. Joseph’s recorded their first victory and venom of their pace attack. Perera are the other leading scorers. against minnows Susamayawardena MV. has taken 14 wickets in 3 matches and Karunaratne, who was not at his best They destroyed the minnows within six Dhambarage, who was not available for during the third term has come back to hours. After several disappointments, some matches due to injuries has picked the Joes recorded their second victory, up 16 wickets with two five wicket hauls form with 71 runs against St. Sebastian’s. their first against a leading college on in five matches. His timely second All rounders Nishika de Silva, Tuesday, when they cruised to an eight innings five wickets against St. Nirmal Rajapakse and left hander wicket victory against St. Benedict’s, at Benedict’s paved the way for St. Joseph’s Hareen Silva who have scored two half Kotahena. to record their first victory in 2008, and tons so far, are the other coloursman in undoubtedly he is a future prospect for the side and the rest of the team consists Disappointments the college. of Jaan Jayasinghe, Graham Vincent, Having reduced their opponents to Fourth year coloursman Treshan Chathuranga Kumara and Rosco Thattil. low scores, they had either bad light or Rajasuriya handled the new ball well in With St. Joseph’s striving for victo- rain standing in their way when they the absence of Perera. He is the highest ries, they have put aside the quest for were seemingly cruising to victory on wicket taker, having picked up 20 wick- more than one occasion. ets. His best performance came in the personal milestones and that has left St. Joseph’s outplayed all their oppo- match against St. Sebastian’s when he their batsmen without any centuries. nents on the first innings and had con- picked up seven wickets to skittle out the With only two outright victories siderable first innings leads against all opposition for 101 runs. His ability to under their belt, St. Joseph’s face an teams. Except for D. S. Senanayake bowl leg spin is an added advantage to Seated from left: Anton de Livera, Dimuth Karunaratne (Vice Captain), Ruwantha uphill task during the remainder of the Fernandopulle (Captain), Shameera Weerasinghe, Sahan Wijesiri Middle row stand- College and St. Sebastian’s College, who the team. season and they have to record at least ing from left: Treshan Rajasuriya, Hareen Silva, Nishika de Silva, Dinal Dhambarage, defied the Joes with some spirited rear- All rounder Anton de Livera’s pace four outright victories if they are ever to Rosco Thattil Back row standing from left: Chathuranga Kumara, Graham Vincent, guard actions, all other teams struggled and ability to use the old ball has stood realise the dream of retaining the cham- in the second innings, but luck was them in good stead. He is probably the Nirmal Rajapakse, Prabuddha Sankalpa and Jaan Jayasinghe. (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi) pionship. All-Island Inter-Club Tennis 2007-08 by Revata S. Silva Neshan Gunasekara, Amresh Jayawickrema, Shalini de Silva, M. Seneviratne, Jithmie Singhalese Sports Club (SSC), totally Eshan Jayamanne and Thivanka Athukorale Jayawickrema and Sherine Wijesinghe dominated their rivals, by clinching Runner-up: Dehiwala – Mt. Lavinia Runner-up: SSC seven out of a total of ten titles on offer, Titles galore for SSC Cosmopolitan Women’s Division-II (3 Teams) – SSC in this year’s All-Island Inter-Club Division-III (2 Teams) – SLTA – Playing Rekha Karunaratne, Nadine Jayaratne, (Singles) Tennis Tournament conduced Wijesuriya, Amritha Muttiah and and Moratuwa. Even the regular repre- Section Dinukshi Ranasinghe, Anisha Madugalle, by the Sri Lanka Tennis Association. Nilupul Goonasekara. sentatives in this historical annual tour- Mahesha Seneviratne, Suresh Tashaya Ratnayake and Dhanya Madugalle SSC, is a solid, young and experienced Lack of outstation participation ney,Carlton Club, Moratuwa, Panadura Subramaniam, Niranjan Cassiechetty, Ashan Runner-up: SLTA – Playing Section team.They won four out of the five regu- A total number of 51 teams entered TC, Negombo TC, Marawila TC, and Dep and Gazhali Ghouse Seniors Over-35 (4 Teams) – SSC lar divisions before winning the Seniors this year’s event representing 15 clubs in clubs from the tennis-friendly areas like Runner-up: SSC R. de Silva, Jayendra Wijeysekara, Sanjay Over-35 and 45 events too. They were vic- five regular, two women’s and three sen- Kandy, Bandarawela, Matale, Batticaloa, Division-IV (6 Teams) – SSC Wijemanne, Gihan Perera, J. Kelegama and torious in the Women’s Division-II cate- ior divisions. The noteworthy feature this Galle didn’t participate in this year’s Janak Melvani, Roshan Kaluarachchi, Janaka Fernando gory as well. year was, unfortunately, the fact that the tournament. Muffadel Hazari, Amritha Muttiah, Nilupul Runner-up: Queens Club SSC was represented this year by for- event, though being an all-island competi- Goonasekara and Shamal Dissanayake Seniors Over-45 (6 Teams) – SSC mer Davis Cup players like Rohan de tion, attracted only two outstation clubs; Winners List: Runner-up: Police TC A. Seneviratne, R. Subramaniam, E. Silva, Rajeev Rajapakse, Jayendra Kurunegala TC and Kalutara Lawn TC. Division I (3 Teams entered) - SSC (Red) Division-V (11 Teams) – SSC Chatoor, A. Udeshi, V. Wijesekara and H. Lee Wijeysekara, Sanjay Wijemanne and top The rest of the 13 clubs were from the Rohan de Silva, Rajeev Rajapakse, Sankha Vasantha Wijesekara, Anant Udeshi, Ejaz Runner-up: Police SC Greater Colombo Area and its immediate Atukorale, Michael Siyaguna, Dinusha players like Sankha Atukorale, Aruna Chatoor, Homer Lee, Ashan de Silva and Seniors Over-55 (7 Teams) – Queens Club suburbs like Dehiwala, Mount Lavinia Wijesuriya and Arvind Fernando Seneviratne, Michel Siyaguna, Dinusha Yasas Dewage Mjr. Gen. S.V. Jayakody, T. Endo, C. Runner-up: SSC (Blue) Runner-up: SLTA – Playing Section Werkmeister, B.J.C. Perera, Dijen de Sarem Division II (3 Teams) – SSC Women’s Division-I (2 Teams) – SLTA – and Ranjith David Ravi Subramaniam, Aruna Seneviratne, MBA celebrates Silver Jubilee Playing Section Runner-up: YMCA TC Inter-Provincial L/O Cricket Kandurata enter final by Revata S. Silva Ruhuna 238 all out in 43.4 ovs (U. Dilhara Lokuhettige 18, Kosala Kulasekara Kandurata registered a 43-run win Tharanga 50, Gayan de Silva 23, A. 30, S. Senanayake 12; T. Thushara 3-29, (under the D/L Method), their third con- Rideegammanagedara 17, I. de Saram 52, K. Weeraratne 2-46). secutive win in the ongoing Inter- Provincial Tournament against a hapless Ruhuna on Tuesday night under lights at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. ‘High & Mighty’ wins ‘Mahaweli Cup’ Chasing a massive 282 to win in 47 overs, Ruhuna were bowled out for 238 in ‘High & Mighty’. owned by Anura furlong Thoroughbred Class II horse the 44th over. Delgoda, and ridden by Jockey Ashok race, at the Nuwara Eliiya Race Kandurata made 284 for eight in Kumar and trained by Sridher Course, during the X’mas horse race their innings, reduced to 49 overs.