Thursday 10th April, 2008 Hundreds of mourners bid farewell to young hero by Reemus Fernando all written in tears at Porape on Wickramaratne, the PTI of Porape Tuesday. MV,Siriwardena and his friend On the day when a towering fig- Hundreds of students, to whom Preethiraj Somaratne were the ure in local athletics bid farewell to Siriwardena was a hero, gathered at only students from Porape to have the nation in Colombo, Nalaka his residence despite heavy show- won medals at the Junior National Siriwardena, a 17-year-old would be ers. And there was not a single pair level in recent times. future prospect of the nation, went of eyes devoid of tears at Porape While Siriwardena went his last on his last journey amidst the when his cortege left home for the journey yesterday, his friend mourning of hundreds of students Porape cemetery. Somaratne was left with severe of Porape Madya Vidyalaya, Porape, While dozens of village leaders, injuries after the bomb blast at a humble hamlet situated several the Principal of Porape MV and Weliveriya. Somaratne still nursing miles off Rambukkana, on Tuesday. representatives of several Sports injuries couldn’t come to the funer- Seventeen-year-old marathon Clubs of the area delivered funeral al house but made himself present runner, whom his coach and mentor orations, Siriwardena’s colleagues at the cemetery to bid farewell to Palitha Wickramaratne believed of Porape MV,delivered tear-jerk- his colleague with whom he took would become a top ranking nation- ing speeches. Several poems writ- his school’s name to the National al runner in the near future, came ten by the students were distrib- level. to Weliweriya on Saturday with the uted among the people who gath- The two horse race has now hope of winning a half marathon ered to give their village hero a become a lone run and how and title that had eluded him on several final goodbye. when he could start the campaign occasions. The demise of Siriwardena was is still early to predict. Having finished third in the Meta a huge loss to their school, stu- Their coach Wickramaratne is Marathon last year and winning dents’ lyrics said. While a number heart broken and so are the school second place in the Sabaragamuwa of students sung those lyrics writ- officials. Province Championship last year, ten about the heroics of Born in a downtrodden family, Siriwardena’s dream was to win a Siriwardena aloud, a young monk, Nalaka Ruwan Siriwarneda was title at Weliweriya last Sunday. probably a colleague of the only male child of the family. What the barbaric terrorist bomb Siriwardena, couldn’t hide his emo- His sister and mother who had tions when reciting a fairly long great hopes of seeing a national attack had done to the dreams of School Children of Porape MV weep as their hero, Nalaka Siriwardene goes on his final journey. Siriwardene was the youngster and to the hopes of lyric. athlete in him will be the worst his many supporters at Porape were Having trained under Palitha affected from the tragedy. one of the 15 who were killed at the Weliveriya bomb blast on Sunday. (Pix by Kamal Bogoda) Mahela laments poor batting Rebel players poised Sri Lanka skipper Mahela under pressure but then that those two were the danger "It is good to have him back, Jayawardene felt bad batting Thilan(Samaraweera) and players and they batted really he looked the part and I have was to blame for his side's six- Chaminda (Vaas) batted really well, we had a few half-chances to give him credit. to sue ECB wicket defeat to West Indies. well and put us in a position but couldn't get the break- "I hope he can build on this The home side levelled the where we could win the test through. and capitalise on his good two-match series in Trinidad, match. "It happens, we played a starts and get those hundreds - by Simon Briggs and Paul Control for Cricket in India, who view chasing down a target of 253 "It gave us an opportunity pretty good Test match, did big hundreds." Bolton the ICL as a direct competitor to their Indian Premier League. If no, they can thanks to a century from but we let ourselves down in well, credit to West Indies they The Daily Telegraph Ramnaresh Sarwan. that first 10-15 overs - we knew played good cricket and came expect to receive injunctions from However, the turning point on this wicket the harder ball strong in this game and played Fitch-Holland and his learned friends. At least eight cricketers from Meanwhile, the ECB have another of the contest came on is going to do a bit, we needed really good cricket for four around the world, including Shane Saturday when the tourists, to make sure we didn't lose to days and won the Test match". awkward decision to make regarding Bond and Jason Gillespie, were wait- the 20-over boom: what should they do trailing by 16 runs, slumped to many up front and then build a West Indies captain Chris ing yesterday, whether the England 99-6 in their second innings. platform for our bowlers." Gayle admitted the return of with the English Twenty20 Cup? They and Wales Cricket Board will agree to need to address the expanding market Although a century from Jayawardene was quick to Sarwan to the middle order register them for the coming county Thilan Samaraweera meant praise Sarwan and Shivnarine had been a major boost for the for the short-form game, otherwise season. independent operators they finished up with 268, Chanderpaul, who saw the team. All seven have Jayawardene felt the top-order Windies home with an unbeat- The 27-year-old had been such as the ICL are been involved with likely to pop up over collapse was crucial. en 85. out of action for 10 months the Indian Cricket My clients are suffering "After the first two days, we "We would have taken 250 through various injuries but here. League, an unautho- A report drawn up knew it was going to be a on this wicket, we knew it had came back with a bang rised competition because of the arbitrary tough battle, it was pretty a bit of something and we in the series against by the Domestic which the ECB have fact that they have Structure Review even," Jayawardene said. hoped to take four or five wick- Sri Lanka. accused of cannibal- "Then we lost four wickets ets early with the new ball - we "Missing Sarwan signed contracts that Group will be consid- ising the sport's rev- ered today. It recom- pretty early in the second took three but it wasn't really hurt us and it is enue streams.But innings and that was probably enough, those guys batted real- good to have him back start this summer. But mends an early-season lawyers operating for 20-over competition, where we went wrong. ly well to take control," he out there," Gayle said. the players warned we have been through "Our openers got out early, added. "He showed how along the lines of the again Tuesday that old Benson & Hedges we lost wickets to a couple of "At three down we thought important he is at they would bring this before, in Greig v bad shots and we put ourselves we had a chance but we knew number three. Mahela Jayawardene Cup, followed by an restraint of trade Insole during the Kerry English Premier suits if the players League in high sum- are unable to take up Packer revolution 30 mer, which would their county con- include teams from tracts. years ago. The courts on condition of anonymi- Australia, South England stars "Whatever happens found the establish- Africa and India. ICC quizzes Akthar ty, did not identify the in this case, there will ment's position to be However, the other players. be people in county DSRG's report has not could face IPL cricket this summer restraint of trade, and if been well-received by Pakistan’s representa- who played in the tive in the ACSU, retired many stakeholders about bribery ICL," said the barris- it comes to it, I'm sure within the game, dilemma colonel Nuruddin ter Andrew Fitch- they will again. including the Khawaja, assisted Holland, who is repre- Professional Giles Clarke admits England players senting Andrew Hall who do not renew their central contracts An International Peacock in the investiga- –Barrister Andrew Cricketers' and Hamish Association and the would be free to play in the Indian Cricket Council investiga- tion, the source said. Marshall. "And guess Fitch-Holland Premier League - but they could also Test-match counties. tor has questioned Shoaib In a television inter- what - the sky isn't In the words of one jeopardise their international futures. Akthar about the fast view last week, Akhtar going to fall in. critic, "it is as if they England's star names will not feature "My clients are suffering because of have put all the same balls into the in the IPL later this month as it clashes bowler’s claims that he claimed that he was the arbitrary fact that they have was offered money to offered — but refused — hat, shaken them around a bit and with the Test series against New signed contracts that start this sum- taken them out again". Zealand, and Clarke does not expect throw matches. money to throw matches mer. But we have been through this Now it seems that the ECB will before, in Greig v Insole during the coach Peter Moores to release players for Akthar, 32, was banned during the 2003 World reject the report and commission Kerry Packer revolution 30 years ago. the 2009 tournament when there is a gap another, this time from a firm of cor- for five years a week ago Cup in South Africa and The courts found the establishment's in the calendar. porate consultants, who they hope will for criticising the in India. He did not say position to be restraint of trade, and if Kevin Pietersen recently indicated come up with a more radical vision. that England players would want to Pakistan Cricket Board. when the alleged incident it comes to it, I'm sure they will again." So far only one English player, eventually feature, and an option is not He later alleged that he in India happened. Hampshire's Dimitri Mascarenhas, being on a central contract yet still be The other names under considera- had refused offers of The claims came after tion include Johann van der Wath, has signed for the IPL. But yesterday available for international selection. bribes to under-perform the PCB banned him over Wavell Hinds, Saqlain Mushtaq and Leicestershire announced that their Clarke, chairman of the England and Shoaib Akthar in international games a series of breaches of Justin Kemp. If any of them should be one-day captain, Jeremy Snape, would Wales Cricket Board, said: "It would free be joining the Rajasthan Royals, the during his career. will make recommenda- the players’ code of con- turned down by the ECB, whose execu- him up in that sense. It's a risk he would tive board meeting concludes today, same franchise as Mascarenhas, as take. “Alan Peacock of the tions to the ICC over any duct, including publicly they will still be able to appeal. But as "performance coach". Snape will spend "KP runs the risk, as anyone does, of ICC Anti-Corruption and further action,” a source criticising the board for the process could take up to six weeks, three weeks in India. Leicestershire losing his place or ending up getting Security Unit interviewed on the Pakistan Cricket not giving him one of 15 this would raise another question: can will be without him for one Friends injured. Akhtar and some other Board told AFP. central contracts. they appear for their counties while Provident Trophy match and three "Employment contracts are a matter the cases are pending? If yes, the ECB championship games - but he is not a between the employer and the employee players on Sunday and The source, speaking (sapa) will face the wrath of the Board of four-day regular in any case. - they are not compulsory. If you don't want to be employed by somebody you don't have to. "Then you run the risks of not being employed by that person. That is a risk you may choose to run. Cricket careers IPL snares leading local cricketers can come to an end as well as begin." As it stands, the IPL will not use play- by Ruchira Mendis the lucrative IPL Series in The purpose of including a round, the four teams with the briefing the media pointed out ers if there is a clash with international India. SLC officials confirmed schools invitation team was to most number of points will quali- that despite the absence of the cricket, but next year's tournament will this at a media briefing at SLC give them exposure at top level fy for the Super4 round. All glamour boys, the sponsors have be between England's tour of West The inaugural Inter- headquarters on Tuesday. cricket and to identify talented Super4 round matches will be still showed up and he promised Indies and the Ashes series. Provincial Twenty-20 Sudat Pasqual, Manager- youngsters. played at the Welegedara that the cricket displayed will be Clarke highlighted the need to max- Tournament, organized by Sri imise the chances of defeating Australia Lanka Cricket will get under- Provincial Cricket, introducing The first round matches will Stadium, Kurunegala, from April first class. next summer. way on April 17, but the tourna- the tournament format said that be played in Colombo where all 28 to May 1, with SLC taking pain The winner of this tourna- "I couldn't see anyone centrally con- ment will be without Sri Lanka there will be six teams; the teams play against each other to popularize the sport inthe out- ment will receive Rs.2,250,000 tracted playing," said Clarke. "I can't see Cricket’s top nine contracted Kandurata, Ruhuna, Wayamba, once. Each team will play a total stations. while the runner- up will take Peter Moores determining that he wish- players, who’ll be earning a Basnahira North, Basnahira of five matches in the first round. Sidat Wettamuny, a member of home Rs.1,125,000 as cash es to release him handsome package playing in South and a Schools Invitation XI. At the conclusion of the first the SLC Interim Committee, prizes.