Tuesday 25th October, 2011 13 All-Island Div II Inter-Schools Rugby Nugawela Central clinch Milo Trophy Nugawela Central College clinched the Milo trophy when they beat St. Sebastian’s College, Kandana, by 17 points to 14 in the final of the U-18 Div II Inter-School Rugby Tournament, which was held at the Vincent Dias Stadium, Badulla, recent- ly. More than 400 school- boys from 127 schools par- ticipated in the tourna- ment, which was organ- ised by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association and spon- sored by Nestle Lanka PLC. The champion Nugawela Central College team with the Milo trophy. They were captained by I. G. Kasun Dharmapriya Cup runners-up, St. Sebastian’s College, Kandana, with the runners-up trophy. The team was led and coached by Deepal Puniyadasa. by Ishara Madhushanka and coached by Shanath de Silva. (Pix by M. Farook Lantra) Unsung hero of three Deaf Six-A-Side Softball Cricket Tourney on Dec. 4 The Deaf Six-A-Side President of the Sri Lanka Softball Cricket Deaf Cricket Association Royal-Thomians Tournament for the Sri stated that he was grateful Lanka Central Federation of to Mohamad Niyas, who was by Sharm de Alwis Geoff Wijesinghe. Full name was repeated as and with what dint of patient batsmanship the the Deaf Trophy, is to be the brainchild of this tour- Geoff Wijesinghe’s first ‘Big Match’ was in 1952 Geoffrey Lionel William Wijesinghe. No percep- two pulled the chestnuts out of the fire was an held on Sunday December 4, nament. The champions and under the captaincy of Conrad Barrow. Others in tion. Initials were suggested and one bright spark epic in small proportions. Geoff was not out on 42 at the G. H. Buddhadasa runners-up will receive tro- the Thomian team that won the game by 8 wickets lit his mind, “Konnappu! He is in Miller House. and Michael chipped in with 48, before he was Stadium, Pelawatte, phies and cash awards. were his future captains, P. I. Peiris and Ba I’ll fetch him.” Hunger is the abiding memory of snared by Crozier. They had staved off defeat and Battaramulla, commencing Special awards are also Wijesinghe. Geoff had shown his mettle in the any boarder and through the ages they are known it was the only occasion in which Geoff ’s team did 8.30 am. on offer for the Best Trinity-Thomian game which has always been the to help in such matters, because they know there not triumph in a glorious manner. This tournament is being Batsman, Best Bowler and forerunner to the ‘Big Match’ and he would bat six would be booty to be shared. At the end of the third year, Geoff had estab- held to mark World Disabled Man of the Series. down, last of the recognised batsmen before the Geoff ’s second year in the team had been con- lished three records - the 5th wicket partnership Day, which falls on He thanked Kaduwela MC solidated with some fine cameo knocks and once of 186 which still stands after 58 years; highest advent of bowlers, Aldons, Geddes and Koch. December 3. Mayor, G. H. Buddhadasa, In an innings in which only Sidat Sri again the precursor against Trinity clinched his aggregate of 146 in four innings (overhauled by The deaf associations the management of the G. Nandalochana and Tyrrell Gauder entered double place with a promotion to bat three. Michael Tissera’s 179 in 8 completed innings) and figures with 23 and 40 respectively, Geoff scored 40 Batting first, STC were precariously placed the highest average of 73, which was pocketed by which are affiliated to the H. Buddhadasa Stadium, the not out for the Thomians to reach respectability at with wickets fallen at 4, 4 and 13. Desperate meas- Ronnie Reid with 325 in five innings two of which Sri Lanka Central Executive Committee, mem- 158 when they had to bat second. With P. I. Peiris ures were called for to stem the tide and Geoff were not completed, thereby giving him an aver- Federation of the Deaf, par- bers of the Sri Lanka Deaf snaring 4 wickets for 25 runs and Aldons chipping was by now considered an anchor. He was sent age of 108. ticipating on a knock-out Cricket Association, well in with 3 for 11, Royal were bundled out for 94 ahead of the captain, P. I. Another quick wicket I am certain in the belief that the memories he basis are defending champi- wishers and the donors for runs, despite S. S. Jayawickrema (Jnr) scoring 44 fell at 15 and from then on it was roistering crick- cherishes would be the winning run taken by ons Matara, Kalutara, their valuable support and and T. Nirmalingam getting 28. et with PI bludgeoning boundaries galore and ‘Dido’ Keerthiratne and Zakroff Cader when the Colombo, Kurunegala, encouragement. In Royal’s second essay, they fared even more Geoff keeping a steady head. The strains that rent score was tied against St. Joseph’s in 1952 and Ratnapura, Kegalle, Galle, Entry forms can be disastrously, being all out for 87. The main wreck- the air of the Oval was “P. I. P. I. P. I.” sung in high paceman captain Ken Serpanchy was to hurl the Gampaha, Anuradhapura obtained from Asela er was once again P. I.P eiris with Geddes, Aldons decibels to the tune of ‘Yippy Yippy Ay, Ay’. last delivery.The two batsmen had a pow-wow in and a few other teams. Jayatilleke, Hony. Secretary, Geoff went for 64 as the score read 203, but the the middle and ‘Dido’, who had a fine cricketing and Barrow chipping in with 2 wickets each. STC The event is organised by Sri Lanka Deaf Cricket won by 8 wickets with only Sri Nandalochana and team’s cause was served and STC were out of the brain, told Zakroff to take off for a run before the the Sri Lanka Deaf Cricket Association. Gauder as casualties. woods. When the final wicket fell at 290, PI had ball reached the keeper. Geoff by then had just turned the corner to be scored a boisterous 123 and with his 2 and 4 wick- The other memory would be of Nirmalingam Association. Entries close November 17 years and Thomian lore has it that he was soon ets, helped enormously by Dan Piachaud’s first on a dashing and even reckless innings in Royal’s Shivantha Vivekanandan, 27. to lose his first name as a popular form of innings haul of 7 for 50 and Aldons chipping in 290 in 1954, hammering for the ball to come to address. The boys were at History which was con- with 3 wickets in the 2nd Innings, STC were home Geoff. Nimoo thought it was a ‘bokku’ as Geoff ’s sidered one of the Humanities along with English and dry with a win of an innings and 34 runs. The second love next to the matting wicket at Mount Lit. The subject of the morning was The Fall of icing on the cake was PI being chosen to play for was the turf at Asgiriya, so much in close proxim- Napolean. All-Ceylon and the consensus of opinions was ity to the Mahaiyawa ‘bokku’. The ball had Geoff had been wool gathering when the that Geoff ’s batting was the wind beneath the wedged in Geoff ’s trouser leg and he deftly picked Master shot the question at him: “Wijesinghe, you wings of PI’s success. it up and threw it to the skipper/keeper Ba there, who defeated Napolean at the Battle of 1954 would be Geoff ’s third year and he would Weerasinghe for Nimoo to be stranded midfield on Waterloo?” Geoff ’s mind was in a fuddle. wind off in the manner of a ‘Swan Song’ despite 69. “Konnapu, Sir” he answered through a haze of Royal amassing 290 with Nirmalingam and his Geoff and ‘Dido’ both played for SSC, then the cobwebs, “Konnappu Bandara,” he repeated. And brother Jothilingam running riot with 69 and 47 bastion of the country’s cricket. They played in the name stuck. respectively. With Gauder, Weerasinghe and the heady company of F. C. de Saram (a captain When a batch of his cousins comprising both Zakkroff Cader back in the tent and the prospects and guru), Bertie Wijesinghe, Lucien de Zoysa genders wished to pay him a call at the boarding of an innings defeat staring them in the face, and the other creme de la creme of the country’s and inquired for him by name, no one knew of Geoff was joined by 14 –year-old Michael Tissera cricketers. BY JEFF LATZKE OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Two- time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant can still fill up a stat sheet, Chris Paul can still orchestrate a team and LeBron James is still a highlight waiting to happen. What they haven’t been able to do is find a deal with the NBA that they find “It’s just not. We set our acceptable enough to play real games number. We’ve already again. dropped, but we set our num- The All-Stars all took part in a char- ber at 53 and that’s what ity exhibition game Sunday night in we’re sticking to,” James Oklahoma City, with hometown hero Harden said. Durant recording a triple-double with The first two weeks of the 42 points, 26 rebounds and 11 assists to season, which would have lead his team to a 176-171 victory in started Nov. 1, have already overtime.