Monday 23rd June, 2008

Boys from Randles Hill become champs ahead of more fancied teams 56th National Billiards Championship Sirisoma aims for 18th title Kingswood all the way by Rukshan Razak Cohesive rugby supplemented with some dazzling exertion by full back K.H.Sirisoma Rajith Sansoni and fly half Roshan by Lakmadu Shanthiram Weerarartne enabled Kingswood College to outplay home town rivals Ports Authority’s Trinity College by 12 points to 5 and K.H.Sirisoma once again beat his old thus lift the Singer League inter-school rival S.M.Shaharwadi to qualify for yet rugby championship at the another final of the National Billiards Bogamabara Stadium yesterday. Championship at Reid Avenue yester- Kingswood, who lost the grip initial- day. ly, came back strongly as they played as Sirisoma took on the oldest player a unit and executed the game plan to in the competition by five to one frames its best disallowing Trinity three quar- margin in a seven frame semi-final ters to budge. In this process, it was played at Billiards & Snooker Rajith Sansoni together with their play- Federation headquarters. The event is conducted by Billiards and Snooker maker Roshan Weeraratne, who dis- Association of Sri Lanka for the 56th played some outstanding performances year. The event is sponsored by Finance by means of some classic slashes put- & Guarantee Group of Companies. ting the issue beyond doubt. They Sirisoma the 17 time champion, enabled to put the breaks on the opposi- overtook the legendary M.J.M. Laffir’s tion and in return to pave the way for tally of 16 titles last year, but looks the lads from Randles hill to gain terri- keen for a few more titles and make an tory. impact. Sirisoma competed Shaharwadi in the first semi-final of the day and the talents of both cueists were there for everyone to see. Shaharwadi lost his first three frames, but he retaliated to take the fourth frame, but Sirisoma regained the momentum by winning the fifth and sixth frames to qualify for yet another final. S.H.M.Aslam of Moors SC qualified for his second straight final when he beat his club mate M.J.A.Thasleem in a close encounter. Aslam picked up the first two frames, but the Thasleem Kingswood players celebrate winning the Singer League title after beating Trinity College 12-5 in their final game of the bounced back to win the third frame inter-school league championship at the Bogambara Stadium yesterday. Pic by Thiwanka Abeyratna and as Aslam made to look it easy by Trinity on the other hand failed winning fourth and fifth frames, miserably with handling in set pieces tory, but this did not last long as by the lions thus far to prove their that came from a rolling maul to score Thasleem hit back winning the sixth, and loose play. Trinity was nowhere Kingswood got their act together and in capacity and it was their dynamic an unconverted try far left to salvage seventh and eighth frames to square the nine frame semi-final competition. near to the game that they displayed the 12th minute after Trinity was number eight Rizwan Nazar, who some pride. Eventually, Aslam won the last frame against Royal and their three quarters penalized for an infringement in the went over to score an unconverted try Kingswood shot back valiantly and 102/80 to qualify for the final. were well marked and in the midst they scrum Kingswood skipper and flanker mid left. kept their cool disallowing the Gayan Ratnage made no mistake in Upon resumption, Trinity suc- Trinitians from gaining territory The final will get underway at 3:00 lost valuable possession with aimless pm. kicks and irresolute play. Kingswood touching down for Roshan Weeraratne cumbed to further pressure and lost except in the dying stages of the game were well calculated and exposed the to add the conversion points. focus and as a result they could not where Trinity had the opportunity to Results- (Semi-finals) weakness in the Trinity fly half berth. Trinity in the midst made a daring place the right finish to quite a few close the gap but that was too late as K.H.Sirisoma (SLPA) beat Kingswood, who led by seven points move at this stage in penetrating the moves. Mid way in the half, Trinity they knocked on just on the try line S. M. Shaharwadi (MSC) 5/1 to nothing at the breather, went on to opposition defence but they lost grip changed their plan whilst giving their for Kingswood College to clinch the (101/90), (100/75), (103/45), (83/101), collect their total of twelve points with of the ball on the try line only to forwards the control and it worked Singer League Championship for the (101/77), (101/44) one goal and a try while the lions could throw away their chances. As time this time around but not any further. third occasion since the new millenni- S.H.M.Aslam (MSC) beat muster only a solitary try. was ticking for the turn around, The Lions scored in the 16th um. Earlier, they won back to back M.J.A.Thasleem (MSC) 5/4 Trinity started off quite well whilst Kingswood made maximum use of minute through flanker Idris Omar, titles in 2004 and 2005. (100/69), (101/80), (66/101), (102/87), dominating play in the opponents terri- their forwards who were overpowered who joined the line to collect the ball Referee Asela de Silva. (102/93), (83/100), (98/100), (82/100), (102/80)

SLRFU spells out future plans Sri Lanka cricketers leave for Cup by Fazal IRB, which all Asian coun- Mohomed tries will have to participate, thus creating a competitive The Sri environment conducive to Lanka rugby in the region. The Rugby SLRFU has also worked on Football hosting an Asian All stars union spelt rugby team in Sri Lanka in out its plans October. The All stars team is DIG Nimal for the lat- scheduled to play Sri Lankan Lewke ter part of President’s 15 team for two the year at a matches. media briefing held at Jarrad Gallagher speak- CR&FC yesterday. The brief- ing to the media stated that ing chaired by the President the main focus of the IRB of the SLRFU DIG Nimal will be development of rugby Lewke was based on the in the region and that a satel- upcoming development pro- lite tournament involving all gramme for rugby in Sri Asian countries is a key Lanka and was also attended aspect in the programme. by Jarrad Gallagher, a region- The importance of the al development manager of national side to perform in the International Rugby the upcoming matches was Board. stressed and the President of Sri Lanka cricketers participate in religious observances at SLC headquarters in The SLRFU plans on initi- the SLRFU stated that they ating an Asian sevens tourna- plan on ending up fourth in Maitland Place before leaving to for the tournament yesterday. Sri ment in conjunction with the the Asian Region. Lanka are the defending champions of the tournament. (Pic. by Kamal Waniarachchi)

Published by Upali Newspapers Ltd, 223, Bloemendhal Road, 13. and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Monday 23rd June, 2008