Thursday 25th March, 2010

47th Senior National Basketball Tournament Faisal and Mithila add muscle to Mercantile Services by Roshen Steelman Mercantile Services, which lost Umpires’ rift gives their title after eight years at the pre- vious tournament, will be the favorites to win the 47th Senior school teams National Basketball Tournament. Officials of the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation (SLBF) told the jitters media personnel yesterday that the senior basketball nationals will get by Reemus Fernado under his directives. underway on Friday.It is important to With S. de S Jayasinghe, note that this is last year’s tourna- Mahanama College, managed by Dilshan de ment which is being held following a Panadura, who are the hosts Silva, threatening to pull postponement. The 2010 senior nation- of their Big Match against out from the match, in case als will be held in December in Kandy, S. de S. Jayasinghe College the umpires they invited according to basketball officials. this year, had to bear an were not allowed to offici- The finals of the 2009 senior additional cost regarding ate in the match, the host- nationals are scheduled under lights umpires’ fees, yesterday, ing of the match had at the Police Park Grounds in when they had to pay for the become almost impossible. Colombo on April 23 (Tuesday). umpires provided by the However, with the interven- Defending champions Colombo Umpires Association. It is tion of the two principals Nishantha Edirisinghe (L), Divisional Manager, Sales and Marketing David Peiris Motor Company (DPMC) hands Basketball Club, which made a huge reported that their and after the Mahanama impact at last year’s final by beating over the sponsorship cheque to Sarath Ekenayake, President, Sri Lanka Basketball Federation in connection (Umpires’) services were not College officials paid the eight-time-Champions Mercantile with the 47th Senior National Basketball Tournament while Shanaka Jayaweera, Deputy General Manager, Sales requested by the school. officials from the Umpires Services will be weakened somewhat and Marketing (DPMC/extreme right) and Brig, Janaka Ratnayake look on (Pic by Gamini Munasinghe) There was great uncer- Association their fees (although they were not following the exit of last year’s cap- nine teams divided into two groups Group B: SL Schools, Air Force BC, tainty about who would offi- Men’s Tournament Draw ciate the Big Match between official umpires) they had tain Faisal Mohamed and top scorer with defending champions Group A: Colombo BC, Kandy BC, Kandy BC, Jaffna BC Mahanama and S. de S left the ground leaving the in the final Mithila Abeysekara. The Mercantile Services pooled with Puttalam BC, Kurunegala BC, Police Jayasinghe in the morning APCU umpires to officiate duo is expected to join Mercantile Galle, Colombo, Kurunegala and SC Friday’s matches Services. as the Umpires Association in the match. Ratnapura. Group B: Gampaha BC, Ratnapura Opening ceremony at Police Park Incidentally, APCU This year, Mercantile Services will and the breakaway group of Nine time Defending champions BC, Army SC, Navy SC (4.00 pm) umpires officiated in a be captained by Chamath Danawansa umpires, the Association of Mercantile Services will be the Group C: SL Schools, Jaffna BC, Schools team vs Hambantota at number of Big Matches while Colombo BC will defend their Professional Cricket favourite team to win this year’s Hambantota BC, Batticaloa BC Police Park (4.30 pm) this season including the title under the captaincy of Umpires (APCU) both sent women’s tournament with a chal- Group D: Mercantile Services, Mercantile Services vs Badulla at Royal-Thomian big match Sivashakthi Slverraja. umpires to officiate in the lenge expected from the Sri Lanka Badulla BC, Kegalle BC, Air Force SC, MCA Courts (5.00 pm) with no involvements of The Men’s tournament will feature match which commenced at Schools women’s team. Galle BC Kandy vs Police at Police Park (5.30 members of the Umpires 18 teams which will be pooled into De Soysa Stadium yesterday. Sri Lanka Telecom has come for- pm) Association. It is disap- four groups. Defending champions The officials of ward as the main sponsor of the Women’s Tournament Draw Air Froce vs Galle at MCA Courts pointing that the rift within Colombo BC are grouped with Kandy, Tournament while David Peiris Group A: Mercantile Services, (6.30 pm) Mahanama College Panadura said that as hosts the umpiring fraternity, at Puttalam, Kurunegala and Police. Motor Company Limited will be the Galle BC, Colombo BC, Kurunegala Colombo Vs Kurunegala at Police times can cause unwanted The women’s tournament will feature co-sponsor. BC, Ratnapura BC Park (7.00 pm) of the match requested the service of umpires only expenses to developing from the Association of cricket playing college. Professional Cricket Umpires for the Big Match No matches due to wet and the association had duly ground conditions Cager Right Royally Nailed assigned Test The Inter School Under- Ashoka de Silva and K.C. 19 Limited Overs Fernando for the match. Tournament matches However, to their sur- between Moratu Vidyalaya prise the Umpires and St. Benedict’s College Association too had sent (at Moratuwa), and the pre- their umpires to officiate in quarter-final match the match. Incidentally, between Mahinda College Dilshan de Silva, the Master and St. Sebastian’s College in Charge of Cricket at S. de (at Ratgama) were not S. Jayasinghe College, is played yesterday due to wet also the incumbent secre- ground conditions. Both tary of the Umpires matches will be played Round two Association. The officials of today with Mahinda Vs St. the said Association had Sebastian’s match shifting begins today arrived at the grounds venue to Moratuwa. by Revata S. Silva The second round of the five- Hindu College beats Australia round Inter-Provincial 4-day Cricket Tournament, organised by SLC, will begin today (March High Commission at cricket 25). A team from Australia’s College where over 200 stu- Results of Round-1: High Commission in dents from the north are cur- * Wayamba bt Basnahira South Colombo played a friendly rently undergoing rehabilita- by seven at Pallekele Twenty/20 cricket match tion. Unfortunately for the under three days as Jeevantha against students from Hindu Australians, it was also an Kulatunga struck a 101-ball centu- College (Ratmalana) on opportunity for their team to ry and Rangana Herath had a Saturday, 20 March. The experience firsthand the stu- match-bag of eight for 141 for match was organised in con- dents’ considerable cricket- Wayamba. junction with the ing talents, as the Hindu * Kandurata recorded a sound Commissioner General for College team won. (Press first innings win by recording a Rehabilitation to support the release by Australian High 1st innings total of 727 all out work being done at Hindu Commission Colombo) over Basnahira North’s 530 all out, the highest domestic 1st class cricket total in an innings pass- ing the previous best of 683 all Inter-international Schools Football out made by Colts CC against Galle CC in 2003-04. Kandurata’s acting Thilan During Tuesday’s Under-15 Colombo South Zone Basketball final between Royal College and S. Thomas’ College, Mt. The British School Samaraweera, who led the team Lavinia, several players were sent off by referees asking players to trim their fingernails. Here, referee Christopher in absence of Kumar Sangakkara, Karunasingha sends off one of Royal’s players. S. Thomas’ won the final by eight points. Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha. made 214 while sharing 274 for all the way the fifth with Jeevan by Manjula D. Phillips organised and conducted by Mendis (150) after their opener The British school in Nadeera Nawela stuck 113. All those who gathered at Colombo. It was creditable Round-2 matches starting Obesekerepura Park yester- for the hosts to see their today: England sweep Bangladesh 2-0 day had the opportunity of boys’ and girls’ teams enter Basnahira South vs Kandurata witnessing a thrilling soccer the finals and win. at Bloomfield, Colombo DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - to a on 19 said. encounter when The British In the boys’ finals The Ruhuna vs Basnahira North at Stand-in captain from a throw by Jaharul Islam. Brief scores: Bangladesh, 1st school in Colombo took on British School, after trailing Galle. smashed an unbeaten 109 to lead smashed 74 not Innings: 419 (Tamim Iqbal 85, England to a nine-wicket win out and put on 167 with Cook in 31 Mahmudullah 59, Naeem Islam 59; Royal institute in the boys’ 1-0, managed to bounce back over Bangladesh in the second overs to lead the visitors to victory at 4-114, 2- grand final of the under 18 and beat Royal institute 3-1. test Wednesday to sweep the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. 57). England, 1st Innings: 496 (Ian boys and Girls open inter The win was possible largely two-match series. “It was really a good effort. We Bell 138, Tim Bresnan 91, Jonathan international schools soccer due to goals from Jun Seok Offspinner James Tredwell are very happy to have won the Trott 64; Shakib Al Hasan 4-124, tournament. Kwak and Thomas Dittus. claimed his fourth wicket, and series,” said Cook, who also hit 173 Abdur Razzak 3-132). Bangladesh, The Under 18 boys & Girls In the girls’ finals, played sixth of the match, shortly as England won the first test by 181 2nd Innings: 285 (Tamim Iqbal 52, open inter international earlier, The British School in after lunch to dismiss runs in Chittagong. Jahurul Islam 43, Shakib Al Hasan schools soccer tournament Colombo routed Leighton Bangladesh for 285 and leave Bangladesh captain Shakib Al 96; 2-72, Graeme Swann which commenced on March Park international School 6-0 England to require 209 runs to Hasan said his team had fought back 2-73, James Tredwell 4-82). England, 11 came to a conclusion yes- victory. Avanthi win. well after the first test loss. 2nd Innings: 209-1 (Alastair Cook terday. Nine boys’ teams and Arsecularathne and Coco England reached the target “We now look forward to our visit 109 not out, Kevin Pietersen 74 not three girls’ teams participat- Chant scored two goals each comfortably, losing only to England in May-June,” Al Hasan out, Jonathan Trott 19). ed in the tournament. It was for the winners.

Thursday 25th March, 2010