14 Wednesday 23rd November, 2011 Mahela’s stumping, Chandimal’s dismissal, turning points Under-19 Div-I Cricket Jason impresses for Bens again BY REEMUS FERNANDO Snatching defeat from Jason Perera impressed with another notable performance as he scored a century for St. Benedict’s College to take major honours in their Under-19 Division-I cricket tourna- ment match which ended at Kotahena the jaws of victory! yesterday. In reply to Royal’s paltry 97 runs, BY RAVI LADDUWAHETTY Farhat is not an improviser, ing! With the departure of Mahela – Victim of wrong the Bens batsmen put on 218 for eight but plays the bowling on its own One might have wondered Dilshan, it was left to Mahela umpiring decision wickets declared with Perera leading ach time that one drop merits. Mohamed Hafeez, on the whether the Nelson factor was Jayawardene and Dinesh Mahela Jayawardene was bat- from the front with a 159-ball century, batsman and former skip- other hand, could improvise and going through the mind of Chandimal to try and repair the ting with great composure and that included 18 fours. Eper Kumar Sangakkara is make a good delivery look very Sangakkara with the score at innings. confidence. It was during the Commencing their second essay at dismissed it appears, as if it is ordinary. 111, but he wanted to push the Chandimal, no doubt, is a tal- Power Play overs that third around 2.30 p.m., Royal batted through lights off, good night and bed- But in the end, the openers ball to Afridi. Dilshan was not ented batsman but the question umpire Richard Illingworth gave to the end and posted 100 for eight at time for the Sri Lankan Cricket got 151 runs after which Sri watching and a direct hit at the is whether he is batting in the him out. The third umpire’s deci- close to deny Bens their third straight team!! Lankan made the vital break- stumps by Afridid at mid on and right spot right now. It would sion to give him out stumped victory. In an impressive spell, left-arm It is amazing! If one takes into through and kept a tight leash saw Sangakkara back in the hut have been better for the think was disgusting to say the least. spinner Yohan Soysa picked up six consideration the third one day on the Pakistani batsmen. It was for a well compiled 45. tank of the national cricket team That dismissal of Mahela wickets. international between Sri Lanka nice to see Seekkuge Prasanna to have put Jayawardene at num- Jayawardene and that of Kumar The match was hampered by rain and Pakistan in which Sri Lanka getting Hafeez bowled, though Problems follow ber four and push Chandimal to Sangakkara saw Sri Lanka fold- and wet ground condition on day one performed very well, to ultimate- not off a good delivery. It was a Then came the problems for number five. ing up at 236. With support from where only 46 overs were possible. ly restrict Pakistan to 257/8, half volley which Hafeez missed Sri Lanka. With the score at Chandimal, given his youth Angelo Mathews. Scores: which was very good. There was out and the Sri Lankans had 112/2, Dilshan should have put and experience, tends to get All credit must go to the Royal, Panadura 97 all out in 45.2 a time that Pakistan looked well them in difficulty with some his head down and batted, taking excited, but he could have, in Pakistani bowlers who were far overs (Suranjan Charith 34, Kavindu poised to get well past 300 after excellent fielding, as they bowled the responsibility as the skipper. hindsight, stuck with Mahela to superior in both spin and seam. Ashan 27; Sachin Peiris 2/33, Yohan winning the toss and on what to their field. He should have resolved himself actually get closer to the target. The game looked close but the Soysa 3/15, Dilan Angelo 2/19) and 100 was a placid batting track. Now, let’s talk about the Sri to bat through the 50 overs to see He danced down the track to a Pakistanis had the control of the for 8 wkts at close 52.4 overs (Madawa Openers Muhammad Hafeez Lankan run chase. 258 was Sri Lanka through. delivery that spun away from game after the dismissal of Nimesh 41, Dulanjan Charith 34; and Imran Farhat did not do attainable in the light of skipper What did he him. It was a doosra and ulti- Dinesh Chandimal. So, these fac- Yohan Soysa 6/24) anything spectacular. They did Dilshan, at last, had got his act do? mately he got the outside edge of tors resulted in Sri Lanka St. Benedict’s 218 for 8 wkts decl not have the flamboyance of a right. He got the bat and the ball, ballooned in snatching defeat from the jaws of in 57.3 overs (Jason Perera 103, Thilina Virender Shewag or an Adam How did he get his act right? a deliv- the air for Shoaib Malik to take a victory. After all, this was a Silva 26; Kavindu Ashan 2/83, Gilchrist or, for that matter, a He read the wicket better and ery simple catch at deep extra match that Sri Lanka Thenuka Dananjaya 2/20, Ashan lesser mortal like Thilakaratne read the ball that did not have to cover. richly deserved to Harshana 2/42) Dilshan. All that they did was to be stroked outside the off stump. It was then that the Sri win to go two play the bowing according to its He also studied the pace of the Lankans started up in the Division-II Cricket merits. wicket and pushed through the smelling a little bit series. Shehan put Ibbagamuwa in The initial gateway that they line. He hit through the line in from of trouble. command got was through Lasith Malinga, his batting zone and looked very Afridi Paceman Shehan Dharmapriya who unfortunately, was very composed. But there again it is just out- helped Ibbagamuwa Central take com- erratic and the Pakistan open- the mindset of Dilshan. side the mand in their match against St. ers, picked up ten runs in his Mind you, Upul Tharanga got off stump Thomas’ College, Matara as he pro- very first over. an excellent delivery from Umar which he did duced a six-wicket haul to restrict Cardinal errors were made by Gul who is rated as one of the not read. It was their visitors to 73 for nine wickets at bowlers Lasith Malinga, Thisara best seamers in world cricket. a quicker deliv- close in reply to their 155 runs in the Perera and Dilhara Fernando. Gul had the opportunity to hand ery which Dilshan U-19 Div-II tournament match which As usual, they were bowling out- the ball and swing it the air at cut on the back foot commenced at Ibbagamuwa yesterday. side the off stump to Imran the last moment. and almost got himself Scores: Farhat who is known to be very Dilshan and Kumar bowled. However in the Ibbagamuwa Central 155 all out powerful on square of the off- Sangakkara played some excel- very next delivery from in 39.1 overs (Udeeptha Balasuriya 76, side. He was given an opportuni- lent cricket. Sri Lanka lost the Afridi, Dilshan did the Ranga Wijekoon 17, Shanuka ty to free his arms, instead of first wicket with the total on five Pakistanis a favour and got the Chandrasiri 15; Sameera Chathuranga playing square of the off side but the pair took the score to 111 ball on to the wicket. 3/28, Kalhara Kottasinghe 3/27, and collect his runs. We all know in the 23rd over. Lasindu Nimsara 3/28) St. Thomas’ 73 for 9 wkts at close what Mohamed Hafeez could do. It was then, the two gates Mahela Jayawardene bats He is a dangerous player who opened. What happened then? in 37.5 overs (Lasindu Nimsara 25; improvises after he gets his eye Kumar Sangakkara was run out during the third ODI against Shehan Dharmapriya 6/36, Ranga in. as Dilshan was guilty, ball watch- Pakistan at Dubai Sports City. Wijekoon 2/08).

BY ROSHEN STEELMAN

AIS girls victorious in Inter-int’l Red Bull, at a media briefing held in Colombo on Monday, Nov. 21, announced its first-ever Air Show in Sri ‘Red Bull School BB Lanka which is scheduled to take place on Dec. 3 on the Unawatuna sea beach. This will be a new experience for Sri Air Show’ in Lanka sports fans as this will be the first time that this sort of an event is held in the country. Unawatuna Red Bull Air Race champion Peter Besenyei will fly across the beaches of Peter Besenyei Unawatuna in this first-ever Air Show on Dec. 3 of the island. The Hungary-born turns through a slalom course consist- Besenyei is considered as one of the ing of pylons, known as ‘Air Gates.’ best air rider stunt men in the world. Prior to the event, Besenyei will The races are held mainly over attempt to fly above Sigiriya which is waters near cities but the event Red considered the eighth wonder of the Bull will be hosting at Unawatuna will NTB beat world. The ‘teaser shoot’ will be held on not be an Air Race but an Air Show Dec. 2 and it will be followed by the Air and, according to Ifham Ariff, sports Sampath 85-80 Show the following day. and events specialist, the Red Bull Air The Red Bull Air Race, established Show ‘will set the tone for the country at extra time in year 2003, is an international series to host air races in near future.’ BY ROSHEN STEELMAN of air races which has been develop to Chandima Weerakkody, MP for Galle challenge even the best pilots in the District and also the Deputy Speaker of Nation Trust Bank (NTB) ‘A’ world. Pilots fly individually against the present parliament, also participat- recoded a 85-80 victory at extra the clock and have to complete tight ed at the above media briefing. time to defeat defending cham- pions Sampath Bank in a thrilling ‘A’ Div. match of the Asian International School, Colombo (AIS) had a successful outing when they won this year’s girls title Mercantile Semi-league Basketball Tournament, played Nalanda ruggerites take wings of the Under-19 Inter-international School Basketball Championship, beating Overseas School, Colombo, at Otters Aquatic Club, recently. AIS scored 56 points against Overseas’ 30. AIS were powered by Amani Perera and Isurika Colombo last Monday. The full- to Malaysia tomorrow Pathirana who scored 17 and 12 points respectively. In the picture is the victories AIS team posing for a time score read 71 all. It was photograph by our staff photographer Gamini Munasinghe. NTB who got into a flying start and the half time scores read 41-26 in favour of them. But Sampath fought back in the sec- Sri Lanka Masters Athletics AGM on Nov. 30 ond half to make it a ‘ding-dong The Annual General Meeting of the been sent to all members but, due to the battle.’ Charitha Kulawardane top-scored for the winners with Sri Lanka Masters Athletics (SLMA) will prevalent postal strike, the letters may 17 points, supported by be held on Nov. 30 at the National not have reached the members on time. Prageeth Pushpakumara who Institute of Sports Sciences, Torrington A press release issued by the SLMA netted 12. Avenue, Colombo 7, commencing at 3.30 also said that it was decided at an emer- DPMC enjoy 51-20 win p.m. gency meeting of the SLMA, held on Nov. David Pieris Motor The SLMA informed the press yester- 21, to extend the deadline for nominations Company had a fine outing as day that the AGM notices have already till midnight of Nov. 28. they enjoyed a 51-20 win over Mobitel in Women’s ‘B’ Div. match of the Mercantile Semi- League Basketball Tournament worked off on Tuesday. Shalika ‘Save the Globe’ world cycle tour Gomez, with 16 points, and Rajah Ratnasingham Dilani Fonseka, with ten, pow- ered the DPMC team while Goonesekera and Gayani Wijesiri top-scored for Army Sergeant J. H. N. the losing team with eight C. Adikari of the points. Gajaba Regiment are DFCC in comfortable win The rugby team of Nalanda College, Colombo, captained by Asanka Maduranga, involved in a cycling DFCC recorded a comfort- will leave the country tomorrow (Nov. 24) for the Jonah Jones Seven-a-side trip from Kataragama able 81-56 win over Avant Garde in another ‘A’ Div. match of the International Rugby Tournament which will be held in Malaysia. The team posed to Jaffna carrying the Mercantile Semi-league for a photograph prior to their departure with two coaches. (From L-R, seated): message ‘Save the Basketball on Monday. Asanka Maduranga, skipper, Milind, Coach, Suranga, Coach, and S. U. G. Globe’ to the previous- Expolanka beat Virtusa Deegalla, Vice Captain. First row standing (L-R): Thilina Anuradha, Chalana ly war-torn land. They Expolanka got the better of Deshan, Akila Athale, Lankshan Withanage, Waruna Nethmal, Kushan Nimantha, will be planting trees Virtusa when they tasted a 59- Yashoda Dilshan, Buddhika Lakshan and Kasun Jayanath. Second row standing 45 victory in a ‘D’ Div. match of (L-R): Vikum Hasinda, Thanura Kasthuriarachchi, Uditha Mendis, Achira and will be involved in the Mercantile Semi-league BB many other charitable Tourney also on Monday. Samaranayake, Pasidu Mageeshan and Dulaj Tharaka. Last row (L-R): Chamuka activities in different Expolanka were ahead 27-22 at Nalinda, Dulakshitha Marasinghe, Isuru Prasad, Jayod Bandara, Saduneth cities on their way to the halfway mark. Weerasinghe, Chathura Indika, Hirantha Sirikumara, Bodana Jeevantha, Dileep Jaffna. (Pic courtesy H. Weerasinghe scored 12 Shayamantha, Nadun Dias and Chethiya Kavindu. (Pic by Siripala Halwala) Palitha Gunasena) points for the winners.