Sri Lanka may have had tea to boast about themselves internationally long before cricket got into the boots of the heroic lions who won the World Championship in 1996, but from that point the nation took to cricket as ardent followers to boost themselves internationally. But imagine if the two products partner themselves to promote the other.

Thus the tagline; A partnership of Sri Lanka s Finest Exports may well suit to the occasion when Dilmah, Ceylon's freshest and finest tea, announced that it is honoured to be the official sponsor of the Sri Lankan cricket team. The partnership between Dilmah and the Sri Lankan cricket team, which runs for a period of three years, is set to go a long way, since the two can take pride for the truly Sri Lankan flavour.

Sri Lankan cricket has come a long way since the British, our colonial masters taught us the game and so has the Ceylon tea industry, as Malik Fernando, Director MJF Group of Companies. Dilmah, stated that both tea and cricket were a legacy of the British. Although it was the British who implanted the seeds in us, in both areas, it was the Ceylonese who started with humble beginnings; and sheer perseverance and grit to help the nation grow to be the lions in the global arena in these spheres.

MJF hopes that its partnership will help it enhance and leverage the Sri Lankan identity of the Dilmah brand in the countries where the team will play. Dilmah's Malik Fernando is hopeful that they would enjoy an increasingly strong presence in many of the cricketing countries, where Dilmah tea and cricket are Sri Lanka's finest exports. These synergies make winning the sponsorship deal a true victory for Dilmah. The sponsorship, which amounts to 3.3 million US dollars for three years, will include using the Dilmah logo on all official team clothing and the team's participation in selected promotional activity.

The sponsorship cheque was handed over at a special launch on Friday at Taj Samudra Hotel by Dilmah's director Malik Fernando to the deputy chairman Michael Tissera of the Interim Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka. However, due to the ongoing legal dispute with the WSG Nimbus, who were sacked by the BCCSL, there were doubts over the signing of the sponsorship deal since it was WSG who had canvassed the sponsors. After the sacking, it was the BCCSL sponsorship committee who had liased directly with Dilmah and ensured that they would not lose the sponsorship. Michael Tissera's negation of knowledge over the other bidders cast doubts as to whether the BCCSL has followed proper tender procedure in signing the agreement or had rushed into the deal, which WSG has been negotiating.

Nevertheless, with an increased amount in the sponsorship, Sri Lankan cricket seems to have well set for the future.

Leonard Ratnayake thewicket.com.

The Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union in its reply to the article published in the Sunday Leader of 14 October 2001 under the headline "No Supporting documents for Rs. 4.8 million" by Ranil Prematilake has at length drawn many assumptions and the unions' observations as to the ethics of journalism. The writer of this particular article affirms in regards to its contents which to any person of average intelligence it is clear that the audit report so quoted is nothing more than what it is borne out as an audit report. Those facts so produced are not the writer's personal opinion.

There are no receipts produced in this connection. An annexure of the hotel package agreement to the payment voucher of the union is no proof that the money had been received.

It's a straightforward case - A qualified report of the auditors shows a discrepancy and its up to the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union to inquire into the matter as the authorised authority of the game in this country and clarify the position. An inquiry would provide a detailed report in regard to this issue. Finally it must be said that there is no need to change the auditors as suggested in the reply of Harsha Mayadunne, the President of the S.L.R.F.U., but if there is a discrepancy in this transaction perhaps the member unions - the backbone of Sri Lankan Rugby may want a change of the office bearers.

Note:

The Sunday Leader had always been accurate in their investigative journalism. We are extremely careful in gathering facts and figures before a story is published. In this case too we have all the relevant documents to prove our story correct. We stand by our correspondent's report.

Sports Editor.

P.H.D. Waidyatilaka was unanimously re elected President of the Ceylonese Track & Field Club for another term at the annual general meeting held at the AAA head quarters recently. Capt. Jayanath Colombage was elected as general secretary.

The newly elected office bearers are as follows: President - Mr. P.H.D. Waidyatilaka, General Secretary - Capt. J.S.K. Colombage, Vice Presidents - Mrs. Shanthi Podimahatmaya, Miss. Muditha Rodrigo, Mr. Sumith Dalpathado, Mr. Anil Weerasinghe, Mr. Dougles Dhanawardena, Asst. Secretary - Mr. K.P.A.N. Serasinghe, Athletic Secretary - Mr. Yasorohan de Silva, Treasurere - Mr. Bandula Athukorala, Committee - Capt. Shemal Fernando, Mr. Asoka Amarasena, Mr. R.W.H.T. Waidyasekera, Mr. Suresh Dematapitiya, Mr. H.G. Ananda, Mr. Asoka Mendis, Mr. Prasanna Perera, Mr. Lal Wijewickrama, Mrs. Susila Palihawadena, Mr. Neville Rodrigo, Mr. P.D.R. Samantha, Mrs. Dulari Rajapaksha, Mr. Gamini Costa, Mr. S.A.D.B. Subasinghe.

The Sri Lanka Association of Senior Citizens with its aim of dignifying the image of aging, has organised a scrabble tournament for the senior citizens. The tournament which will be held on November 11 at the Hilton, Colombo will be open for any over 50 citizens islandwide.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader, officials from the association explained that programmes conducted by the association mainly concentrate on loneliness alleviation. They said that senior citizens are many a time a forgotten segement in society, and as a result they suffer from depression and loneliness. Through the association these people get the chance to meet up with ones from their age group for companionship.

The association meets every Friday from 9 a.m. - 12 noon at the St. Paul's Milagiriya parish hall. At these meetings, the elders get together and take time out to relax, talk to each other and unwind. They also take part in various activities - indoor games (carrom, bridge, 304 and scrabble), music for singing, skits, charades, etc. Every last Friday of the month the association organises a lunch for the members to enjoy.

All island scrabble and bridge tournaments are organised each year by the association in order to interest elders in mind stimulating activities. It also enables them to keep in regular touch with friends sharing similar interests. The officials of the association further explained that as people grow older, they have know one to listen to them and notice them, and as a result they become depressed and begin to look at themselves with pity. But when there are tournaments such as these, they do not have the time to get depressed and begin to think of othersas well as their minds are not at ease.

Other activiteies of the association include at least two picnics per year, guest speakers who attend the get togethers to entertain the members, a sales table to encourage elders to make plants, clothes, etc.

The association has branches in Nawala and Kandy and has plans to broadbase their network into other areas as well.

The scarbble tournament will award a losers plate and the grand championship trophy. Registration for the scrabble tournament will be from 7.30 a.m. - 8 a.m. on November 11 at the Hilton, Colombo. Entries will close on November 5 and late entrants will have to pay an extra charge. Entry forms priced at Rs. 225 could be obtained from I. Atukorale, 102/1, Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 7. Tel: 696993; Nimal Gunasekara, 12/1, Palm Grove Avenue, Colombo 3. Tel: 573311.