Sports

Rs. 440 lakhs spent by SLRFU in 365 days

By Lal Gunesekera

A former President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) and a former Deputy President  disclosed that an astronomical amount of Rs 44 million was spent by the DIG Nimal Lewke led SLRFU administration last year (2008).

This disclosure was made by the Chairman of the Interim Committee for SLRFU, Dr. Maiya Gunasekera, on Wednesday when meeting all Provincial Union heads and the Board of Advisory and Management at the SLRFU headquarter's.

Former President of the SLRFU, Priyantha Ekanayake, who was horrified to hear about the staggering amount spent by the Lewke administration only for last year, asked one of the former Council members who is President of the Sabaragamuwa Province RFU, Arjuna Dharmadasa, what they had done with all this money and that all previous Council members must be held responsible for this financial catastrophe.

Michael Stunned

The former Deputy President who was also stunned by this disclosure was Michael Jayasekera, who was denied the opportunity of holding the top post in the SLRFU in 2007, in which year, DIG Lewke, sprang a surprise to contest the post of President of the SLRFU on the "Blind side", using the president voting system for his own benefit. At this meeting, the Secretary cum Treasurer of the IC for SLRFU, Kiran Atapattu, had said the important audit query document sent by fax by the Auditor General's Department on February 17, was hidden by the office staff at the SLRFU Headquarters and not made available to either Atapattu or Dr. Gunasekera for two days until about 7 pm on February 18, when it was discovered on a "tip - off" received by Atapattu from Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lasitha Guneratne. It's a well known fact at the SLRFU, that Dilroy Fernando,  would have been acting on the instructions of some former Council members of the previous regime.

Cheques Discovered

Atapattu had also revealed that since being appointed on January 26, he had discovered many cheques addressed to various suppliers and service providers by signatories of the previous Council, been expenses for 2008 for approximately Rs. 1.5 million. He said that if that amount too was to be added, it would have reached over Rs 455 lakhs, but were surprisingly not issued.

Draft amendments

The Sunday Leader learns that Atapattu had tabled and read out to Minister Gamini Lokuge a letter by Army commander, Lt. General Sarath Fonseka, requesting that the present voting system be changed immediately.

Also writing to the Interim Committee on the same issue were DIG Nimal Lewke (Chairman of Police Rugby), Jehan Canagaratne (President, CR & FC), Priyantha Grero (President, Havelocks), Major Katuwegedera (Secretary, Army Rugby), Ranjan Canagasabai (Chairman of Gymkhana Club), Sqdr. Ldr. R.M.K.D. Ranasinghe (Secretary of Air Force Rugby Committee), SSP Clement de Silva (Director of Sports, Police SC), Captain N.K.D. Nanayakkara (Secretary, Navy Rugby) and Ahmed Fazli (President, Old Zahirians SC).

Taking action on these letters and on the instructions on Minister Lokuge, the IC of the SLRFU had presented the draft amendments to the constitution to all heads of Provincial Unions present at this meeting.

IRB kept informed

Dr. Maiya Gunesekara told The Sunday Leader that a detailed report about how the Interim Committee was appointed was sent to the international Rugby Board (IRB) and explained matters over the telephone too.

Dr. Gunesekera said that he was leaving for Dubai yesterday (March 7) for an IRB meeting at his "own expense" and will be returning to Sri Lanka on Monday (March 9) morning. He said: I will accompany Gerrard Gallagher, IRB's Development Officer for Asia, and David Carigy, another IRB official, form the Dubai meeting. They will have to sort things out and find out the development work done by the previous administration.

SLRFU's CEO, Lasitha Gunaratne, too flew to Dubai last Thursday (March 5) for the IRB meeting, and will occupy a single room!!

Whither South Asian bloc after Lahore infamy

A tour that was intended to help restore Pakistan's suitability to host Test cricket, tragically, has pushed the trouble-torn land into further isolation. After the appalling attack by some-dozen gunmen on the Sri Lankan cricket team, Tuesday in Lahore, it would be extreme naivety to think international cricket teams would want to set foot on Pakistan in the foreseeable future. 

Not surprisingly, the day after the Tuesday attack, New Zealand cancelled its November tour to Pakistan. The ICC reacted even more swiftly. Just hours after the attack, it sat down to reassess Pakistan's assigned role as one of four hosts for the 2011 World Cup. Of course, it's premature yet to make a definite ruling on an event that's three years away, but then there's no disguising the fact that the world body harbours serious doubts about entrusting a part of the WC program to Pakistan.

No South Asian country safe

For that matter, the entire event being moved from South Asia to somewhere else is not such a far-fetched prospect, either. Evidence of similarities between the attack in Mumbai last December and Lahore last Tuesday, suggests that those responsible might well be one and the same group of zealots. So, what has to be contended with here is a terror organization unrestricted by geographical boundaries. In other words, what happened in Lahore can happen in any South Asian city. No place can be deemed safe.

Pakistan itself admits its vulnerability, best reflected by influential cricket columnist, Kamran Abbasi's concluding view on the Lahore attack: This is the End - and suggests "the Pakistan Cricket Board should voluntarily arrange all future tours at neutral venues for the next year, maybe longer". That is sad, just not for Pakistan, but world cricket.

How Pakistan cricket can shake off Tuesday's nightmare and move towards normalcy is something only they can sort out. It has to be said though, the popular acceptance by the Pakistani cricketing fraternity that their official home fixtures should be taken overseas is a sensible first step. The more serious problems to be resolved are, of course, for their politicians to address - i.e. to take steps to improve law and order so that the country becomes a safe place to play international cricket in.

South Asia is perhaps one of the most divisive patches you can find on earth. Never mind the rest of the region, even among the four Test-playing countries political cordiality is hardly a virtue they can boast of. The differences between India and Pakistan may be the more publicised ones, but the two old foes' relationship with Bangladesh too has never been exactly cozy, certainly not at all times. Sri Lanka is a happy exception. We may have viewed India with some suspicion at certain times, but it is fair to say our political and diplomatic relationship with the region's other three Test countries have been friendly. 

Sri Lanka cricket benefited immensely from that cordial relationship. In fact, we have Pakistan and India to thank for our Test status. The case for our admission as full-members of the ICC was proposed far back as 1972 by Pakistan and seconded by India. That the ICC door was opened to us as late nearly a decade after was not so much due to any doubts about our cricketing ability as the fear that then balance of power might move out of the traditional holders.

Times have changed and indeed, too, cricket's balance of power. It resides now with South Asia, home to four of the nine Test countries - a strength of number that cynics might pooh-pooh and point rather to India's financial clout and claim all of the power is in the hands of India, not the other three. Maybe; but without the backing of the assured numbers, India's financial power will count for less. Let's face it. The South Asia bloc is a force within the ICC - a fact that might not please all. After all, if one bloc in any organization can have profound influence on decision-making, which the South Asia bloc of the ICC potentially can, it's a state of affairs not without political undercurrents.

Cancellation followed by renewal

It isn't wrong to perceive cracks in the South Asia bloc following the attacks on Mumbai and Lahore. India in fact called off their tour to Pakistan, in January-February, following the Mumbai attack and the surfacing of evidence that the miscreants were Pakistani fundamentalists. But it must not be forgotten that this isn't the first time a series between the old foes has been called-off. Sure enough, each cancellation has been followed by a renewal, and with time, so will it be this time round. Cricket has been the bridge used to hasten the thawing in the relationship between the feuding neighbours. It's only a question of time before they resume playing cricket with each other out of political necessity of the times.

The attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team in Lahore, no doubt, represents another threat to the unity of the South Asia bloc. Emotions are high and the blame game is being played out furiously. That reaction is understandable, but one hopes it isn't carried to the extreme that might harm the bonds that tie South Asia bloc. That won't do our and the region's cricket any good.

This is not to diminish the serious dangers our cricketers were exposed to, Tuesday in Lahore. Clearly, the security given our cricketers was not to the degree promised.

Pluck of bus driver

As Muralidaran points out, the presence in the team bus of at least a few armed security men might've been more reassuring than being left to the pluck of a bus driver to rescue them from the worse. That our cricketers had a brush with death, there's no denying. But the dignified and gentlemanly reaction of Jayawardene's men during the frightening crisis, and after, is a credit to the country. There was no blaming of host or any angry words of resentment - only expressions of gratitude to the brave coach driver. Fine ambassadors to the last, they were - all of which make the exchanges between rival politicians here sound rather silly, unnecessary and unhelpful.

The opposition questions why the tour to Pakistan was ever undertaken, especially after the ICC had ruled the country was unsafe to stage the Champions Trophy Tournament, as well as Australia, the West Indies and India opting out of their tours there for the same reason. All these cancellations were known well before the government-appointed interim committee agreed, in late November, to undertake the tour - which begs the question why the opposition didn't raise concerns over our players' security at that point in time. That it takes up the issue now, clearly, is not so much acting wiser after the event as using the near-death incident as a political football.

Be that as it may, this much is certain: playing a cricket match, overseas or here, isn't a case of planting two sets of stumps 22 yards of each other and then getting on with the game. That might be over-simplification, but surely all matters that were taken for granted approaching an international match can no longer be assumed. Clearly, a lot more precautions will have to be taken for future engagements, beginning with a tour here by Pakistan in June.

It, thus, makes sense for the government, security officials and cricket administrators to sit together and work out the new requirements prior to hosting or undertaking a tour. Surely there's a whole gamut of things to discuss after Tuesday's near-tragedy. So, it's laughable that the Sport Minister has to be reminded that for all those crucial discussions to be held, a Cricket Board has to be put in place.

An irony that escapes many is that, while Tuesday's dangerous drama was being enacted, the beleaguered cricketers had no proper Cricket Board to tell their troubles to.  Since the government sacked the Ranatunga administration last December, Sri Lanka has been without a controlling body for cricket.

No wonder, then, that in a television debate, Thursday night, on the infamous Lahore episode, we heard the representative for cricket administration, minister Lokuge, no less, say that the contract to re-decor cricket board office was awarded to the wife of Hashan Tillekeratne, a Ranatunga faithful whose apparent crime was to place the blame for the Lahore incident at the door of the Sport Minister.  

It's crazy, that even a debate on what really was a life-and-death issue should be reduced to a farce, a-la Andare. Pass the bottle of smelling salts around.

Chairman, SNSCA carries on regardless 

By Lal Gunesekera

The controversial Chairman of the Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Authority (SNSCA), Donald Abeysundera, who has disregarded a Sports Ministry directive to hand over the former office complex of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) to the Interim Committee of the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU), continues to occupy the former NOC office since February 24.

The Sunday Leader learns that Abeysundera had told the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Grandpass Police, that the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium cannot provide the necessary security for a senior minister like Maithripala Sirisena if he visits the former NOC office at the Indoor Stadium - Minister Sirisena heads the IC of SLASU with Kiran Atapattu as Secretary. The deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in charge of the area finds no difficulty in providing the security for Minister Maithripala Sirisena if and when he does visit the Indoor Stadium.

It will be recalled that even the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa used to conduct weekly meetings of the Management Board of the Sugathadasa Stadium Complex without any security fears, and even Minister Gamini Lokuge too visits the stadium complex minus any security threats. Other political leaders too attend various functions at this venue.

The Sunday Leader also learns that Abeysundera and his 'Companion' stayed at a hotel named Home Inn when they were in China for the Para Olympics last year (2008), and guess what? Abeysundera's companion had received media accreditation. What was the media she was representing? Why wasn't her credentials checked by the authorities and who was responsible? The President of the Baseball Association too had checked into the same Home Inn where Abeysundera and 'companion' were accommodated.

Audit clarifications again

The Sunday Leader also learns that the Auditor-General's Department has called for certain clarifications from the Chairman of the SNSCA by letter dated February 24 this year (2009) with copies to the Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and Public Recreation and also Director General of the Treasury.

They are regarding the Secretary to the Board of Management of the SNSCA drawing a payment of Rs. 22,500/- without Treasury approval from March 2008 to December 2008, not submitting this officer's attendance register and that three vehicles (32-5811, 30-6229 and 50 Sri 3746) had been utilized by this female employee for her journeys to office and back home (38 KM for one journey) which cannot be used for her private running.

The previous year too, numerous Audit queries were raised, but no action has been taken.

Ineffective Minister

The Minister of Sports, Gamini Lokuge, seems to be ineffective in this matter concerning Donald Abeysundera. The Sunday Leader was told that Abeysundera will be "sent home" if he cannot follow Ministry directives. This was on February 27, but no action has been taken to date. Why?

Derwin Perera " sent home"

By Lal Gunasekera

Deputy Director of Sports at the Ministry of Sports and Public Recreation, Derwin Perera, has been sent on compulsory retire ment after investigation conducted by the Presidential Investigative Unit (PIU), and the Pubic Administration Ministry.

Perera, who is a well known athletic coach, was found guilty of seven of the 20 charges inquired into by the PIU- The Public  Administration Ministry too conducted an inquiry into the allegations against Perera, while the Public Service Commission (PSC), recommended that he ( Derwian Perera ) be sent on compulsory retirement.

Perera was the former coach of Olympic Games medallist, Susathika Jayasinghe, who was cleared of drug charges on a technical point, while two of his other products (Jani Chaturangani and Pryadharshini ) were found guilty of taking a banned substance, and were suspended.

inter School U-19 Cricket

St. Peter's take major honours

St. Peter's College took major honours in their 75th annual inter school Battle of the Saints cricket encounter against their traditional rivals St. Joseph's College which ended in a draw at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium yesterday.

Set to make 193 runs from 38 overs St. Joseph's College collapsed to 113 for 5 with Hareen Silva again playing a dominant role with the bat. The stylish left hander struck an unbeaten 56 following his century in the first innings which was in fact a unique achievement.

Silva also put on an unfinished 51 runs for the sixth wicket along with Chaturanga Kumara after they had slumped to 62 for 5 at one stage. The vice captain of St. Joseph's College earlier completed a magnificent unbeaten century in the first innings that helped his team take a close 23 runs first innings lead.

 The Peterites batting the second innings declared at 215 for 9 with opener Andy Berenger completing twin fifties and all rounder Chatura Peiris stroking a sparkling 78 from just 64 deliveries inclusive of three sixes and eight boundaries.

 St. Peter's: 235 and 215 for 9 decl (A. Emmanuel 26, A. Berenger 56, A. Fernando 18, C. Peiris 78, D. Dhambarage 3 for 45, S. Weerasinghe 4 for 83) St. Joseph's: 258 for 5 decl (V. Jayasinghe 27, H. Silva 141 n.o, S. Perera 41 n.o,S. Jayaweera 3 for 62) and 113 for 5 (H. Silva 56 n.o, C. Kumara 26 n.o, C. Peiris 2for 11)

Bowlers call the tune

Bowlers called the tune as a total of seventeen wickets fell on the opening day of the 80th annual Battle of the Maroons inter school cricket encounter between the traditional rivals Ananda College ad Nalanda College which began at the SSC grounds in Maitland Place yesterday.

The Anandians after been put into bat collapsed to 140 runs with skipper Nipun Karunanayake claiming a superb six wicket haul. Middle order batsman Prabodha Seneviratne hit a top score of 46 with the aid of six boundaries.

Nalanda College too struggled for runs as they finished on 99 for 7 with Sachithra Perera and Matheesha Perera sharing the wickets. The match will be continued today.

Ananda: 140 (D. Chandimal 23, S. Devage 12, P. Seneviratne 46, N. Karunanayake 6 for30, S. Tennekoon 2 for 18) Nalanda: 99 for 7 (R. Wickremasinghe 29, D. Jayasinghe 21, S. Perera 3 for 27, M. Perera 2 for 26)

inter Provincial Cricket

Ruhuna by 87 runs

Ruhuna Province produced a splendid bowling performance to beat Kandurata Province outright by 87 runs with more than a day to spare in their SLT Inter Provincial cricket tournament match concluded at the R. Premadasa Stadium yesterday.

Ruhuna: 268 and 213 (U. Tharanga 39, I. Muthalib 29, A. Priyanjan 21, L. Fernando 24, D. Lokuhettige 34, S. Weerakoon 35 n.o, K. Weeraratne 2 for 48, C. Vidanapathirana 2 for 58, S. Mohamed 2 for 18, A. Ganegama 3 for 42) Kandurata: 206 and 188 (D. Ranaweera 22, S. Fernando 25, J. Mendis 40, C. Jayasinghe 59, S. de Silva 2 for 41, L. Fernando 2 for 25, S. Weerakoon 2 for 20)

Two superb centuries

Two superb centuries from Jehan Mubarak (136) and Lanka de Silva (103) put Wayamba Province well on course to an outright victory over Basnahira North on the third day of their SLT Inter Provincial cricket tournament match continued at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium yesterday.

 Basnahira North: 374 and 42 for 4 (I. Udana 2 for 9) Wayamba: 421 (D. Hunukumbura 55, J. Mubarak 136, L. de Silva 103, S. Karunanayake 47n.o, G. Wijekoon 2 for 58, M. Pushpakumara 2 for 92, N. Perera 3 for 90)

Two half centuries

Two unbeaten half centuries from Jehan Mubarak and Lanka de Silva put Wayamba Province well on course to a first innings victory over Basnahira North on the second day of their SLT Inter Provincial cricket tournament match continued at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Friday.

Basnahira North: 374 (N. Perera 38, I. Daniel 26, A. Mathews 118, K. Silva 36, G. Wijekoon 72, R. Perera 38, C. Welagedera 3 for 61, I. Udana 4 for 98)

Wayamba: 212 for 3 (D. Hunukumbura 55, J. Mubarak 81 n.o, L de Silva 61 n.o, G. Wijekoon 2 for 36)

18th Royal-Thomain past cricketers annual dinner date 11th March

Past cricketers of the prestigious colleges will meet for a fellowship dinner at the "Atrium Lobby" - Cinnamon Grand on the 11th of March 2009 at 7.30 p.m. to reminisce the good old days of golden memories.

You may contact the following for tickets & tickets also will be available at the dinner.  Prices are Rs 1,500/- per ticket and for under 23 and seniors over 65, the pricing will be Rs 1,000/- per ticket.

Mr Ajita Pasqual- 0777364635, Mr Neil Chanmugam - 0777300024, Mr Aruna Gunawardena - 0773187257, Mr L C Liyanage - 0777364610, Mr Ajita Jayasekera - 0773022442, Capt. Ajith Peiris - 0777743893, Mr Trevor Rajaratnam - 0777750786, Mr Shashi Ganeshan-8300754, Mr Anushka Polonowita- 0773028080, Mr Yasas Dharmaratne- 0777289672,Mr Manoj Mendis -0773255822

Prima Kottu Mee to spice up the 130th Battle of the Blues

Prima is proud to be the Specialty Food Sponsor for the 130th Battle of the Blues. This is the second year that Prima is involved in this event. With a history spanning over 130 years, the Royal-Thomian cricket match is one of the most anticipated sporting and social events in the calendar. This prominent event which is a unique display of sportsmanship and tradition is scheduled to be played on the 12th, 13th and 14th of March 2009 at the SSC Grounds, Colombo.

Unprecedented attack on players

The Sri Lankan team had to abandon the second test against Pakistan played at Lahoredue toan unprecedented attack on the players, the first of its kind, shocking the entire cricketing world.Cricket by and large was not targeted by any group in the sub continent due to its popularity with the masses. This seem to be changing.The subcontinentprovides the largest amount of money by way of sponsorships and this would be in danger if such incidents recur.

Let me move into a more positive and pleasing area of cricket which would warm our hearts.I refer to our development programme for junior and emerging cricketers, a talent search if you will at the initial stages, has now turned out to be a well organised coaching programme. Let me digress a little so that readers of The Sunday Leader get a better understanding into what I say below.With Sri Lanka getting into Test cricket, far reaching changes have taken place, particularly into coaching and more importantly in defining talent.We have benefitted by being exposed through playing suchnations as Australia and England. Their money, well spent on research and development of the game has rubbed off on our players too when they pit themselves against such teams on overseas tours.Over the years,though with relatively minute budgets, we have slipped into modern training methods but more importantly realised that raw talent is deserving as much as copy book style prowess.Read Jayasuriya, Muralitharen and Mendis.Now lets look at our cupboard for talent that is yet to come.

Sri Lanka Cricket's coaching and talent search commenced at school level. We have visited 460 schools playing cricket and had a look at the playing conditions and the standards.A rich back up indeed. The coaching programme included Cricket Board coaches and also those who were tasked with coching the outstation coaches. A pool was selected in the fifteen years category and those over eighteen. Nine camps have been completed, including a very successful camp (first of its kind) in the Northern province. One more camp and we will complete the ten scheduled so as to move into the final stage. Seven from each province will be short listed to make a super pool of seventy players in each category fulfilling the requirement for the short term needs(18 year olds) and the long term (15 year olds) for further coaching. These camps will take place in Colombo between 3rd to 5th April 2009 at the CCC,NCC and the SSC.

I have been involved in this process intimately and am delighted to share with the readers of The Sunday Leader that we do have exciting talent as back up.Sri Lankans cricketing future has potential to reach the top rungs in the years to come. I have seen youngsters bowl at 125 k's with accuracy!!!Yes.Bat with more flair and maturity than my school days.That toolads from rural areas and not from the metropolis.Am excited. More next week....

Peterite tennis' forward march

The Peterite tennis players have added another feather in their cap by fielding all three players representing the Sri Lanka under 14 tennis team at the World Junior pre qualifying tennis tournament.

This is a remarkable achievement of the Peterite tennis programme, which was begun in the recent past. The competition in which the all-Peterite team will compete is being held in Rangoon, Myanmar.

The players are: Nishangan Nadarajah, Aaron Assauw and Aritha Weerasinghe. What is even more commendable is the fact that even the fourth member of the team Sanjeev Mohankumar is also a Peterite.

The Peterites, potentially, are future national players and much is expected of them. They gave notice of their ambitions in the recently concluded ITF under 18 tennis tournament held in Colombo when another Peterite Thangarajah Dineshkanthan won the Doubles title with his partner, bringing honour to the country.

The Peterites who are the reigning All Island Overall School champions as well as the reigning All Island Mini tennis champions are going great guns in the National arena as well as in the schools tennis arena. Their quiet determination and mental toughness, as well as their unwavering commitment have been the cornerstone of their success.

This success story is also ably assisted by the unfaltering stability of the tennis program despite setbacks.

Well supported by Rector Fr. Travis Gabriel and the school authorities the Peterites are coached for over a decade by K. D. Y. Pathiraja with Bernard Jesuthasan as the master in charge.

Hockey equipment donated

By Nirmala Kannangara 

With the assistance of the International Hockey Development Programme and its well-wishers hockey equipment were donated to up and coming hockey players in seven schools in the Kalutara district on Thursday, March 5,at the Panadura cricket grounds by Kalutara District Parliamentarian and Construction and Engineering Services Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne.

The Sri Lanka Hockey Federation (SLHF) development committee organised the event attended by President SLHF, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Panadura, Sumith Edirisinghe, the Secretary SLHF Gamini Jayasinghe and Women's Hockey Coordinator for Kalutara District Sharmini de Fonseka.

"The hockey equipments worth Rs.3 lakhs were given to Sumangala Balika Vidyalaya, Sumangala Boy's School, President's College, Panadura, Kalutara Tissa Vidyalaya, Kalutara Balika Vidyalaya, Kalutara Central Boy's School and Panadura Balika Vidyalaya where children have shown a keen interest in hockey," SSP Edirisinghe told The Sunday Leader.

According to SSP Edirisinghe, similar hockey gears have been donated to schools in Jaffana, Kandy, Wennappuwa, Gampaha, Matara and Badulla while plans have been drawn to donate such equipments to the schools in Matale and Galle in the future.