Tuesday 13th March, 2012 Desperate to restore their bat- Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. tered reputation after the recent Sri Lanka have been a resurgent debacle in Australia, title holders side this year. They narrowly lost the India would be hoping for a positive five-match series in South Africa 2-3 start to their campaign in the Asia early this year and reached the finals Cup when they take on Sri Lanka of the just-concluded tri-series in today. Australia, only to lose it but not The Asia Cup will provide India a before giving a tough fight to the chance to make amends for their dis- home team. mal performance in the tri-series in “The intensity (of the CB series) Australia where they won just three was really high because we were per- out of eight matches. forming at a very high level. Even After having flopped in two con- though we lost the finals I thought secutive overseas tours in England the commitment of the players and and then Australia, Indian skipper the energy level was very good,” Sri Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows the Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene importance of a good start that will said. hold them in good stead in the “International cricket is such now, regional tournament. you need to adapt very quickly men- “Over the years the format has tally and physically to the schedules changed in the sense now there are that we have,” he said. four good sides. It is a very short series, and it is very important to India (From) start with a positive note because it’s M. S. Dhoni (Captain), Virat Kohli, not very often that you play in a tour- Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, nament where all the Asian coun- Manoj Tiwary, Suresh Raina, Rohit tries are playing together,” Dhoni Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, said. Ashok Dinda, Ravindra Jadeja, India are coming into the tourna- Praveen Kumar, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf ment with just a few changes in the Pathan, Rahul Sharma and Vinay squad that played in Australia with Kumar. hard-hitting batsman Yusuf Pathan Sri Lanka (From) and pacer Ashok Dinda drafted into Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), side, while Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Khan and Umesh Yadav have been T.M. Dilshan, Nuwan Kulasekara, rested. Suranga Lakmal, Farveez Maharoof, But looking at India’s inconsistent Lasith Malinga, Thisara Perera, showing in Australia, Dhoni has a lot Seekkuge Prasanna, Kumar Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene inspects the wicket before his side’s to ponder ahead of his side’s tourna- Sangakkara, Sachithra Senanayake, opening game of the Asia Cup tournament against India in Dhaka today. (AP) ment opener against Sri Lanka at the Upul Tharanga, Lahiru Thirimanne. Light at the end of the tunnel for Joes Ananda reaches ‘target’ of 100 BY ROSHEN STEELMAN wickets as match ends in one day onto a foul trouble at the start. After a fortnight of absolute Such was his influence in the final BY REEMUS FERNANDO and Lumbini College and Division mayhem, where they lost the inter- towards the end, even a three point- Zahira College spinner II rivals President’s College, Kotte school Big Match and the limited er he attempted from the left wing Pradeep Ananda achieved his sea- and Sri Jayawardenapura MV, overs cricket encounter, there was produced that ‘swash’ sound going son’s target of taking 100 wickets Kotte this season with Ananda fea- light at the end of the tunnel for St. through the net sweetly. with a match bag of 13 wickets as turing prominently in those victo- Joseph’s as their basketball team Praneeth Udumalagala, fresh Zahira College beat Sri ries. put up a sensational show to win from his heroics of leading Sri Jayawardenapura MV by an Ananda first played cricket at the All Island Inter-School Under-19 Lanka Schools to the National innings and 90 runs with a day to Ruwanwella Central. He was one Basketball Championship beating Basketball Championship, was at it spare at Moors Ground yesterday. Pradeep of the first few junior cricketers to another basketball powerhouse St. again driving through heavy traffic Towards the end of the third Ananda play hard ball cricket when the Benedict’s College, Kotahena at and causing plenty of damage. He term Ananda had bagged 40 wickets game was introduced there. The Royal College courts in Colombo. was named Best Player of the Final and in an interview with ‘The Island’ school played only at Under-15 and The two week period has been a and brought what has been an illus- said that his target for the season was Under-17 levels and his abilities in crick- testing one for Rev. Fr. Sylvester trious playing career at St. Joseph’s reaching the 100 wickets milestone while et impressed the visiting coach who Ranasinghe, the Rector of St. to an end. his team was aiming at becoming the influenced him to join St. Thomas’ Joseph’s and he was present yester- Udumalagala collected 34 points best team. College, Kotte, a school playing in day to savour the moment as St. The victorious St. Joseph’s College basketball team as St. Joseph’s won by 78 to 64. St. Ananda went to the match with 90 Division II (played there for one season). Joseph’s overcame some anxious poses for photographs after winning the All Island Benedict’s Clinton Stallone with 22 wickets under his belt yesterday and His talent was later spotted at Malay moments on their way to the title Under-19 ‘A’ Division Basketball Championship. St. points was named Best Offensive bagged 13 wickets to lead Zahira College Grounds by Zahira coach Mahesh win. Player. Praveen Ganlath, still in his to their seventh outright victory. Weerasinghe when the spinner joined Joseph’s beat St. Benedict’s in the grand final. (Pic It was St. Joseph’s fourth first year of under-17 was the sec- The left-arm spinner is one of the five Malay Club for an Under-23 season. Last straight win in a final against St. by Sajith Jayasekara) ond highest scorer for St. buddhist players making the First XI season Ananda took 59 wickets. Benedict’s and there were ques- Benedict’s with 15 points. squad of Zahira dominated by Muslims. Pradeep Ananda’s performances tions asked whether the Benedictines St. Benedict’s were leading by four In the consolation final, mean- Ananda has taken five wicket hauls on 12 against each team this season are as lacked big match temperament as points (35-31) at half-time, but the while, Royal College, Colombo beat St. occasions this season and yesterday’s follows: Gurukula 5/36 & 5/52, there were some costly errors made third quarter proved to be crucial as Anthony’s College, Wattala by nine match bag of 13 wickets was the fourth Dharmapala 2/26 & 3/15, Revata 6/43 & throughout the game. several Josephians who had looked points. The final score was 52-43. time the player took a match haul of over 5/43, Kalutara Vidyalaya 3/51, Maris St. Benedict’s earlier on in the out of touch refusing to fight the loose Sandeepa Ratnayake and Sameera ten wickets for the season. Stella 3/50, Sri Sumangala 5/59 & 8/43, game enjoyed a 12 point advantage ball turned things around. Chanaka scored 12 points respectively As admitted by the player, his entry Dharmasoka 5/90, St. Servatius’ 3/103, prior to the half-time and the Joes After some sloppy work earlier on, for the winners while Milan into the College at Maradana has helped Mahanama 3/56, Nalanda 5/78, Mahinda changed the tempo of the game by let- big man Yohan Keyser, who is also St. Chathuranga top scored for the losers the school and himself. Zahira beat 2/33 & 6/46, President’s 4/58 & 4/15, ting 17-year-old Brendon Keyser drive Joseph’s rugby captain, turned things with 16 points. Division I schools Revata, Gurukula, Lumbini 3/45 & 6/46, Dharmaraja 3/55 to the basket. around for his side despite getting Dharmapala, Sri Sumangala (Panadura) and Sri Jayawardenapura 7/32 & 6/40. Tuesday 13th March, 2012.