Thursday 1st June, 2006 11 LETTERS Dim-Dicks bring rugby back to Radella Death does by Rukshan Razak - Kandy Sports Sri Lanka Limited, Hemaka League and Clifford Cup champions. rugby.Talented players are available in Correspondent Amarasuriya. Singer Sri Lanka Hemaka Amarasuriya is confident that the district and once they attend prac- Radella was the venue of an A Limited is the main sponsor of Dim- with the passage of time Dim-Dicks tices, a professional training pro- not make a Division rugby tournament match Dicks this year. Dimbulla last played A will follow the winning trend of Kandy gramme will be conducted, with the after a lapse of 31 years, when new- Division rugby in 1974, while Dickoya Sports Club. assistance of the Central Province comers Dim-Dicks hosted Air Force in gave up a few years earlier. When the Chairman - Rugby of the Rugby Football Union. their Caltex A Division Group (B) Incidentally, Dimbulla will be celebrat- Dim-Dicks, former Trinity, Up-country The Secretary of the Central man better rugby tournament match last ing its 150th anniversary this year. and Dickoya hooker Devaka Province RFU, Iswan Omar said that It is indeed commendable that Wickremasooriya was asked about the I read with interest and with consid- Saturday. Air Force won 44-5. the Dim-Dicks, in their first outing, erable the disbelief a letter by Manmath Before the commencement of the Singer Sri Lanka has come forward to club’s plans, he said that the committee gave a good account of themselves. The sponsor the game in the hills. They did has taken a decision to work out a Deshpande of India (‘The Island’ 29/5). match both teams were introduced to CPRFU will provide them with train- the same to Kandy Sports Club in the strategy towards making Dim-Dicks a As Glenda Jackson once said of the chief guest and Chairman, Singer ing and technical know-how, he added. late 90s. Now Kandy Sports Club is the force to be reckoned with in local Richard Nixon — death does not make a man better. Cronje is the man who said to his teammates in the dressing room; ‘Come on boys, let’s fix this match.’ Treachery of deeper density for a sports- C. W. W. Kannangara College pocket Milo Trophy man is unimaginable, especially when one represents one’s country. The writer has decided to ignore the fact that his confessions came due to the possibility of his disgusted teammates informing the cricket authorities. Whilst one must sympathize with his family on his death, shoe boxes stuffed with money belie the sheer selfish greed of a man trusted and loved by cricket fans all over the world. Topped off by the portrayal as a devoutly religious man, he has surely lived a shameless lie. The world is full of people who con- tinue to break the law but this does not mean we should be lenient with those who confess. Mr. Deshpande may want to rethink his campaign to absolve Cronje and to consider the irreversible disserv- ice done to a gentlemanly sport. Athula Senanayake. The skipper of C. W. W. Kannangara College, Pathum Chathuranga receives the Milo Cup Champions trophy from the chief guest, Hemantha Premathilake. Victory for The skipper of Embilipitiya Central College, Krishan Sampath receives the Plate trophy Vandort the from Dr. K. A. D. Punyadasa, Principal, Isipatana College. Text and pix by M. Farook Lantra 12 points to 5, while the Bowl was ‘Victim’ won by Nugawela Maha Vidyalaya, In the recent past, a lot of fans have been stand- C. W. W. Kannangara College Katugastota, who beat Welagedara ing up and calling to be fair by Michael Vandort, who Colombo 8, bagged the Milo Cup MV, by 17 points to nil. has a career track record with more ‘punch’ than the when they outclassed Rahula The joint Shield champs were ones who were preferred above him, time after time. Royal College, Wayamba and College, Katugastota, by 8 points (1 Cricket fans, including myself, put it down to sheer Maliyadewa Model School, try, 1 drop goal) to nil. victimisation. But, finally our calls have been The lads from Colombo 8 played Kurunegala. answered and the lad was given an opportunity to their hearts out and won all their The tournament was sponsored play in the second Test against England. matches. The tournament was held by Nestle Lanka Ltd., and conduct- I am sure all those who viewed or read about the at the Maligawa Sports grounds, ed by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby match will agree that Vandort played his heart out Kurunegala, on May 27 and 28. Football Association (SLSRFA). The there. He not only batted, but battled as well till the The Plate was won by chief guest was Hemantha end. This is what we have seen and heard of him in The skipper of Nugawela Maha Vidyalaya, Katugastota Giman Danushka receives the Embilipitiya Central who beat St. Premathilaka, President, SLSR- the past. He plays with an attitude that is essential Bowl trophy from J. G. Amarajeewa, Vice President, SLSRFA. Thomas’ College, Bandarawela by FA/Principal, Nalanda College. for a Test cricketer. Sri Lanka needed a batsman like him, who can stay and stay long. He has now delivered, yet again. At least now, give him a fair run and groom him so Isipatana College Old Boys’ Rugby that he will be a great asset for Sri Lanka cricket. Uncharming Mubarak Even whilst on tour, he received a shock when Several knowledgeable commenta- the crease for what seems like an eter- they opted for Mubarak due to Vandort’s failure ver- Sevens Tournament tors on cricket and correspondents nity. sus an English A side, in trying conditions. Who did- have in the last few weeks and months, Who can forget how he remained n’t fail in that match is another point to ponder. by M. Farook Lantra donned the green jersey. queried the continued presence of scoreless from about 35 consecutive Mahela himself, after the match said that the The Rugby Committee of the The Rugby Committee is working out Jehan Mubarak in the Sri Lanka crick- deliveries in a recent one-day interna- conditions they faced in that match was very difficult Isipatana College Old Boys’ Association, the details of the tournament, to be held et team. Reader Mahaname Ellepola’s tional, unable to just push for a single and he too failed in both innings. headed by retired Navy Cmdr. H. K. on Saturday, June 17, at Havelocks letter in ‘The Island’ of Wednesday 24 to rotate the stake and keep the score- Then came the de Mel fiasco and the shadow of Sisira, a former Sri Lanka player and Sports Club grounds. May is the latest one. Mubarak seems to board moving, even slowly? national selector, is to stage a Seven-a- All funds generated by this tourna- have a charmed life in the team, for the I am tempted so ask, what is the Sanath hovering around the two openers. This too Side Tournament which will bring ment will be utilised for the development more he fails, the more opportunities secret of his apparent invincibility? has been overcome and Sanath may well use the together all old Isipatanians, who have of rugby at Isipatana College. he gets. When undeserving individuals get time in the benches to prepare himself for the His life may be charmed, but at the plum positions, the usual culprits are, upcoming ODI series, for which I wish him all the crease he is anything but charming; a of course, money, or influence of par- very best. Donovan Andree final rescheduled talent-less (at international level, that ents or other close relatives who count In the past, Vandort was shabbily treated. At is), flat-footed and dour-faced batsman among the ‘great and the good’ in any least now, in the interest of Sri Lankan cricket and in The Donovan Andree Trophy final the P. Sara Stadium on June 3 and 4 has lacking proper temperement, he is society. the interest of fair play, I appeal to all those who are between Moors SC and United Southern been postponed. It has been rescheduled wont to respond with wild swings of Surath Meedeniya, decision makers, to make the right calls. SC which was scheduled to be played at for June 9 and 10. the bat when he remains scoreless at Gampaha. Whatever the outcome of this series, the young- sters have shown that they can play at that level and the series itself has suddenly become intense. Well done and keep our flag flying over there. I would also like to commend the team management for Royal College Colours Awards Ceremony 2005 held in grand style sticking to the team rebuilding strategy. Ajith Fernando, Negombo. The Royal College Colours Liyanagunawrdena. ents of this prestigious award. The the ‘Royal Crown’ for tennis having Awards Ceremony for the year 2005 As the list of trophies won by Wickramasinghe brothers stole the won the bronze medal in the Asian was held in grand style on May 17, these fine Royalists sportsmen was limelight at this event by winning School Games tournament and 2006 at the Navarnagahala, recog- read out, it was evident that the the ‘Royal Crown’ for their outstand- being runner-up in the doubles nizing the achievements of nearly Royalists this year too have once ing contributions in the field of ten- event at the ITF World Ranking 150 sportsmen representing 22 dif- again dominated the schools sports nis. It should be noted that it is the Tennis Tournament.