Monday 24th July, 2006 11 Seethawaka off to a fine start Delmege win Ram Ratnavel Trophy by Reemus Fernando New kids on the block, Seethawaka by Rex Clementine MMV started their Under-15 Division IV tournament with a stunning elmege Group proved that they innings and 166 runs victory over are the strongest basketball team Dudley Senanayake College, in their Din the mercantile sector, when match played at Seethawaka MMV they cruised to a 13 point victory over grounds, last Thursday. Sampath Bank to win the Ram Rathnavel The Seethawaka lads, who bundled Trophy, in the grand final at the Otters out Dudley Senanayake College for 90 Basketball court in Colombo on Friday. runs in both innings, hammered 346 Delmege had suffered a shock defeat in runs in just 32 overs. last year’s competition and were out Denuwan Rangana hit eight fours there to prove a point and they did it and seven sixes in his hurricane 31 well. ball 84. Aloka Malshan and Nuwan Delmege’s height advantage was Sunila also scored fifties. going to play a decisive role in the game After his half ton, Malshan picked and they took maximum advantage up five wickets for 32 runs to finish through their tall players, veteran with a match bag of eight. Roshan Gunasekara and Diluk Rasika Prabath of DFCC Bank receives the Duminda de Silva, the captain of DFCC Bank SCORES Himantha, as they cleared both offensive ‘Best Player’ award of the ‘B’ Division. receives the ‘B’ Division trophy. Shanaka Perera of Delmege Group receives the Dudley Senanayake College 90 all out in 30 overs and defensive rebounds while Prageeth (B. Maduka 17, M. Aolka Malshan 3/20, Nipuna Pushpakumara, Shanaka Perera and ‘Best Player’ award from the chief guest Theekshana 2/02 runs, Denuwan Rangana 02 for no Roshan Randima did the outside shoot- Pradeep Kirthirathna, Senior Manager, runs) and 90 all out in 23 overs (B. Maduka 20; Aloka ing. Distribution, Dialog Telecom. Malshan 5/32, Sajith Wickramasinghe 4/15) Although the difference between the Seethawaka MMV 346 for 8 in 32 overs (Denuwan final of the ‘B’ Division competition that two teams was 13 points, it was a close Rangana 84, M.A. Malshan 57, Rajitha Samadi 38, preceded the big final. The scores were game. Delmege took a 13 point lead at Nuwan Sunila 58, M. Ramesh 20, M. Wickramasinghe level at 33-33 at the break, but DFCC won half-time, but Sampath Bank fought back 30, Dulaj Sahan 25; Anuruddha Perera 2/78) 66-56. to equal the scores in the third quarter. It Rasika Prabath Jayasuriya top scored was in the fourth and final quarter that for the bankers with 28 points and was the game slipped away from the defend- adjudged the Best Player. Chaminda de Under-15 Division I ing champions. Alwis scored 17 points while Duminda de Once again, Delmege’s strong bench Silva netted 13. was a massive plus for them as they For Delmege ‘B’, Gamunu Ananda Vs could cleverly substitute players at cru- Sandaruwan scored 11 points while cial moments to drive home the advan- Sydney Sashimal and Ranga Pathum net- tage. Dharmapala ted 15 each. Despite being in the twilight of his career, Roshan Gunasekara played a vital role for Delmege as he top scored Union Assurance beat insurance rivals ends in a draw with 26 points, while Prageeth Union Assurance cruised to a com- A fine century by N. T. Rajapakse for Pushpakumara netted 24. Shanaka fortable 24 point victory over Ceylinco Ananda and an unbeaten ton by S. A. Perera chipped in with 15 and exhibited Group to lift the ‘C’ Division title on Ruberu for Kottawa Dharmapala his all-round ability and was named the Thursday at Otters Basketball court. The victorious Delmege Group team with the Ram Ratnavel Trophy. College were the highlights of their Player of the Tournament. Union Assurance, who at one time com- Attanayake (20) were the scored 13. For at half-time. The final score was 76-68 in Under-15 Division I match which ended For Sampath Bank, Mithilia peted in the elite ‘A’ Division, have been Ceylinco Group, Nilan Sameera netted favour of Kelani Cables. in a draw at Pannipitiya last Thursday. Abeysekara was the top scorer with 19 gradually demoted and victory in the 20, while S. Genibet scored 13. W. S. Daluwatta scored 23 while points while Tisara Chaturanga and third segment means they’ll have auto- SCORES Thamindra Fernando was adjudged the Anurudda Amaratunga (21) and N. Chamath Danawansha netted 18 and 17 matic promotion to the next level. Ananda College 269 for 6 declared in 69.2 overs (N. Best Player. Dissanayake (16), made useful contribu- points respectively. Union Assurance were leading 44-35 T. Rajapakse 103, U. S. Jayasundara 92, M. R. Perera halfway through the game and won 87-63. The ‘D’ Division final between Kelani tions. Despite ending on the losing side, 30; W. M. D. Duminda 3/58, A. B. T. D. Gunaratne 2/50) DFCC win ‘B’ Division title Cables and HSBC ‘B’ was closely contest- Imran Noor of HSBC ‘B’ made 28. Dasun Meanwhile, DFCC Bank secured a ten Thamindra Fernando (26), Aruna Kottawa Dharmapala 176 for 5 (S. A. Ruberu 101 n.o, ed with the former winning by eight Manage scored 22. Daluwatta was named W. M. D. Duminda 25, K. A. D. K. P. Perera 22; U. S. point victory over Delmege ‘B’ in the Wickramage (24) and Sanjaya points after the scores were level at 35-35 the Best Player. Jayasundara 4/38, M. R. Perera 1/45) n his last tour of Sri Lanka, Jacques Kallis already sidelined about Nasser Hussain’s ‘race and In an ironic twist, he was sition, where the one way to give an argument that Neil McKenzie Ashwell Prince’s presence with a major elbow injury, the colour’ when he was made captain praised by the same committee six the previously disadvantaged com- and Martin van Jaarsveld (now a Opassed off largely unno- selectors opted for Prince to play a of England? Certainly not! That years later for his work in organis- munity a chance is through expo- Kolpak player with Kent), are bet- ticed, as did that 1998 South stand in role. Within hours, sever- would smack of pure racism. ing World Cup 2003 in South sure at top provincial level. ter organised batsmen. But the African A team tour of the island. al emails from South Africa proph- There is of course some weird Africa, when he headed the organ- In many ways, South Africa and selectors have gone with Amla in This was mostly because he scored esied disaster and called the twisted logic among some letter ising committee. the United Cricket Board’s experi- the firm belief that he has an so few runs and most attention choice ‘tokenism’ to satisfy politi- writers in this country over For those who have followed ment is unique in a modern socie- international future. anyway was on Herschelle Gibbs, cians. Hussain’s Chennai roots, but that South African cricket develop- ty and country where cricket’s He has paid back the selectors also making his first tour of this Then came the crass media is being petty minded. ment for a decade, as opposed to development programme would with a Test century against New country. comments that seriously smacked Then again, earlier this year, say the tiresome kick boxing, mud involve the community, help Zealand in a South African season So, yes, Yahaluweni, eight years of bigotry and deprived the young when Monty Panesar was selected wrestling, head-butting style broaden the social base in a uni- that ended in May when frost was can be a long time in the life of a man of further dignity by refer- for England to tour India, the only sports, the so-called quota system fied (non-racial), democratic man- carpeting part of the open areas of young man making his way in the ring to him as the ‘first black to reference was to his being a Sikh – was scrapped by the UCB in 2002. ner and create an opportunity the highveld. It was a ridiculously game at international level. Also, captain South Africa’. Such com- nothing at all about colour. And It caused such a rumpus at the through cricket to become part of long season, but the New Zealand if you remember, 1998 was the year ments deserve to be flat batted. there have been enough players time that the country’s overweight a growing system that allowed the series gave him a chance to re- the senior team’s of both countries The day before the team arrived, these days with Asian and West buffoon Sports Minister, Ncgonde advancement of all. You don’t find establish his credentials as a bats- were in England and Graham Ford South Africa, and much of the Indies roots popping up wearing Balfour displayed the sort of intol- that among other sports pro- man South Africa could depend was the A team coach. world, celebrated former president England caps, that no one blinks erance at the decision that it bor- grammes. on. Also, Nicky Boje, vice-captain Nelson Mandela’s 88th birthday. an eye about colour. dered on racism and comments Sure, Prince is proud to be Maybe not as fluent or as classic of that team, sacrificed his place made captain, the seventh since as say Jacques Rudolph whose cen- in the side a couple of times to give isolation ended in 1991, and has tury on Saturday underlined again others a chance.