12 Thursday 17th August, 2006 ‘It’s just a game man’ Sri Lanka Tour Diary

by Dileep Premachandran

As sports fans, we’ve heard all the clichés a million times. “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing”, “ is life, the rest mere details” and so forth. At times like this, you begin to The Sports Ministry Secretary S. Viritamulla handa a bag contain- The Sri Lanka athletic contingent for the SAG listen to Sports Ministry Secretary S. Wirithamulla realise just how much garbage it is. As ing athletic accessories to team Susanthika Jayasinghe. (not in picture) – Pic Gamini Munasinghe. a South African player told me in the hotel lobby a couple of hours after the bomb went off, “It’s just a game, man. Sri Lanka expects over 15 gold medals from athletes Heck, I want to bowl to Sachin [Tendulkar], but not if I can’t feel safe about where I am.” Another senior South African player was even more candid. “If we hadn’t been playing today, we’d probably have been out shopping. And a lot of us have been to Liberty Plaza before.” It’s time we paid our dues to

I found out about the blast on the our motherland – Wirithamulla way to the stadium. Pouring rain had already ruled out any prospect of play the island. this much expected showdown. the fancied Indian athletes. Brig. Parry Liyanage, starting before early evening, but by Revata S. Silva Wirithamulla, who addressed Among the participants of Derwin Perera, President, Manager, Sri Lanka athletics when the phone trilled, there was more In an emotional speech before the 73-member Sri Lanka athlet- the Sri Lankan athletics contin- other sports events, Sri Lankan Athletics Association of Sri than a weather forecast to worry team, his deputy Sujeewa ics team, that would perform at gent at the Sports Development athletes, who have won 12, 11 Lanka, said he had taken over as about. When told, my driver didn’t Somachandra, N.A.T. the 10th South Asian Games Department premises at and 10 golds respectively during President when the Association Jayasinghe, Vice President of panic. “Best not to go toward the stadi- Torrington Avenue before their the last three Games held in had only Rs.25, 000 in its coffers. starting tomorrow (Friday) at AASL, Palitha Fernando, um,” he said. So I asked him to turn Sugahtadasa Stadium, Colombo, departure to Mount Lavinia 1993, ’95 and ’99, have been the “Now we’re able to spend in mil- Secretary, Shantha Silva, around and head towards the Taj S. Wirithamulla, Sports Ministry Hotel where they will stay dur- key performers for the lions for our athletes. We’ve Treasurer, and Badra Samudra instead. Secretary, said it was time to pay ing the ten-day event, said there islanders. They recorded an picked these athletes through a It took us nearly an hour to get with- back what the athletes had got were a lot of people who would overwhelming 15-gold tally, gruelling three sessions of trials Gunawardena, Assi. Director, in range, the roads choc-a-bloc with from “Soppy akkas and Martin expect a great performance from when the Games were last held from this January. I expect fif- Sports Ministry, also met the cars and tuk-tuks full of people presum- ayyas” – the ordinary man - in their countrymen and women at in Colombo in ’91, while ousting teen golds,” he said. Lankan athletes yesterday. ably heading home. When he found out that I was from India, the driver’s mood deteriorated. “You Indians helped this LTTE Penalty helps (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam),” he S trauss urges England to make it three in a row said sourly, even as I sat mute, not Nepal hold India wanting to be drawn into a debate on a LONDON (Reuters) - With the Ashes taincy from the injured Andrew from "a minor blip in form, we all conflict where the fault-lines run so to a draw series on the horizon, Andrew Strauss Flintoff for the one-day series against know what a quality batter Tres is". deep. by Gamini Perera will urge his England team to make it Sri Lanka in June and July only for Pakistan, in contrast, will make We ended up getting nowhere near Nepal did well to hold the more fan- three wins in a row against Pakistan the home side to be whitewashed 5-0. several changes, including two new the Taj. The roadblocks had been put in cied India to a 1-1 draw on the second when the fourth and final test gets "I really want to improve on what opening batsmen in Mohammad place on Galle Road more than a kilo- day of the 10th SAF games football com- underway at on Thurday. we did against Sri Lanka," Strauss Hafeez and Imran Farhat after Salman meter away from the hotel, and the petition at the Sugathadasa Stadium, "Momentum is important," he told added. "If we win this test naturally it Butt and Taufeeq Umar were released driver suggested that I go to Cinnamon, yesterday. a news conference at the venue of the will give us a nice launchpad." from the squad. the South African team hotel, instead. India opened scoring midway in the fourth and final test on Wednesday. He said the test series against Coach Bob Woolmer must also After a twisting run through narrow back second half, when Soshil Kumar Singh "Winning becomes a habit. If we can Pakistan had showed that England decide whether to bring in pace streets full of puddles, we reached found the net with a sizzling 30-yard make it three in a row I think it remained a very competitive side, bowlers Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and another road-block. Another detour, and drive from top of the ‘box.’ makes really good momentum heading adding that there were now 15 or 16 Mohammad Asif after both missed the Nepal going into the leveller were a further obstruction on, he gave up. into the Ashes series and, more players who felt confident as members first three tests with injury. Woolmer rewarded off a penalty converted by “Best you get out here and walk,” he importantly, heading into the one-day- of the squad where previously there confirmed on Wednesday that both Sandip Rai. India’s defender, Gobin said curtly. ers." had been only 11 or 12. were now fit and in contention for a Singh was penalised for handling the The walk lasted just a few paces ball inside the box. He was sent out for England beat Pakistan by 167 runs England are due to name their side recall. before military personnel pounced, hav- the second offence by referee, at Headingley to take a 2-0 unassail- on the morning of the test and seem looks the most ing seen my fatigue-green backpack. Ravichandran. able lead in the test series. The teams certain to pick an unchanged lineup. vulnerable to make way after taking Flashing my media pass made not the In the first match, Afghanistan held are then due to contest five one-day Seamer Matthew Hoggard, said eight at 58.25 runs apiece in slightest difference. Cramped into a Bangladesh to a scoreless draw. internationals. Strauss, seemed to be fine after a knee the series. The 28-year-old Shahid shelter not big enough to accommodate Today and tomorrow are rest days England defend the Ashes in problem while he also backed fellow Nazir, however, recalled for the third two, I had to fish into the bag and come and on Aug.19 there are three more Australia with the first test starting opener despite a test after a seven-year absence, bowled up with my passport and other proof of matches, with Sri Lanka taking on in November. string of failures during the series. well at Headingley without any luck identity before I was allowed to go on. Pakistan at 6.00 pm. Strauss took over the England - He said Trescothick was suffering and will be harder to drop. By the time I trooped into the hotel, soaked to the skin, both team man- agements were in discussion with the Sri Lankan cricket board over a future course of action. The South African players milled around the lobby, talking to journalists and waiting for word. Only , Mr Cool at the best and worst of times, appeared unruffled, chatting to a friend with his feet up. Such composure, however, was beyond most, on a day when cricket came a distant second to the harshest reality of the time we live in - terror attacks.

Neru/Surendran combination to the fore by T. Rajah - Badulla Sports Correspondent A fine bowling performance by S. Neru (5 for 17 and K. Surendran (4 for 16) helped Saraswathie National School beat Bandarawela Central College by 80 runs in a low scoring cricket encounter played last Thursday at the Badulla Cricket grounds. A. M. H. W. D. G. B. Jayaweera of Trinity College, Kandy is on the defensive against C. P. A. D. Madushanka of Pannala National School attempts to land a punch on H. M. D. V. R. Herath of Vidyratha College at the This Under-20 Inter-School cricket E. M. N. Kumara of Wickramasheela National School. Kumara beat Jayaweera. T. B. Jayah Memorial Boxing Championships held at Pilimathalawa Central College. Madushanka beat Herath in the final bout. tournament is conducted by the Badulla District Cricket Association. Saraswathie National School bat- ting first scored 136 runs in 32.5 overs. Vidyartha bags T. B. Jayah Memorial Trophy D. S. Thusitha captured 7 wickets for 23 runs. In reply, Bandarawela Central College were bundled out for a mere 56 Text and pix by Rukshan Razak - Kingswood College, Kandy set- Over five hundred boxers, Vidayrtha obtained 29 four points adrift of runs. Kandy Sports Corr. tled for the second and third representing nearly 30 schools points. Giving a close fight to Vidyartha College. Chief Scores: places. This all island inter in the island competed at this the home team was the visit- The tournament got Saraswathie NS 136 (K. Vidyartha College, Kandy school boxing championship meet where the home team ing Seevali MV pugilists, underway on August 3. Nawaruban 38, S. Midunraj 23, M. was organized by the Sri Lanka Vidyartha College was out- who were leading right The Chief Minister of the Raguwaran 13, D. S. Thusitha 7 for 23). emerged champions at the T.B. Schools Boxing Association and Bandarawela Central College 56 Jayah Memorial Trophy Boxing standing. So were their tradi- through the meet, until the Central Province Sarath (D. S. Thusitha 11, S. Neru 5 for 17, K. Championships 2006, while worked off at Pilimathalawa tional rivals Seevali MV, last few bouts and they Ekanayake gave away the Surendran 4 for 16, J. Dinesh 1 for 07). Seevali MV Ratnapura and Central College, recently. Ratnapura. secured the runners-up berth awards to the winners.