SPORTS

Lanka - a decent start The match got under way with an eventful over from Garnet Kruger. Atapattu getting off the mark easily turning the ball behind square on the leg side and then Arnold dabbing one wide of the slips to third man for a four. Next ball he got one on line, played past it and trapped leg before for four and Sri Lanka 7/1 in the first over. Kumar Sangakkar and Atapattu put on a 77 run partnership matching each other run for run before Sangakkara got sent back for what he thought was a run to extra cover. A direct hit from Garnett Kruger had a scampering Sangakkara well short and run out for 40 and Sri Lanka 84/2. Atapattu was next to go, just after the drinks break, when driving at Pierre Joubert he edged to Jon Kent at first slip to

be caught for 36 and Sri Lanka losing a quick wicket now 86/3.

Sanath Jayasuriya came to the crease and was soon into his stride, taking three boundaries off a Brent Kops over. Mahela Jayawardene in contrast was prepared to push the ball around for the odd run. With tea looming, Kruger was returned to the attack, and he had the two at the crease ducking to some aggressive bowling. Jon Kent also bowling back of a length stemmed the flow of runs as tea approached with Jayasuriya on 28, Jayawardene on 12 and Sri Lanka 126/3.

Sri Lanka start their second tour match in South Africa against a Rest of South Africa XI at the Lenasia Cricket Stadium just west of Johannesburg. With the SuperSport final taking place in Benoni, the match had to be moved to Lenasia.

After heavy overnight rain left the outfield wet the scheduled start was delayed by two hours. Under cool and overcast conditions, with more rain predicted, Sri Lankans won the toss and decided to bat first. 

Old tales won't bring life to dead deeds

By T.M.K. Samat

BOXING was one of few sports that didn't have to go cap in hand or dip into its own kitty to make it to the last Asian Games. The National Olympic Committee (NOC) picked up the tabs of a team of three boxers and two officials. The luxury of gratis was also given to athletics. The others were not so lucky: some paid for themselves and others, after much pleading, were funded partially.

The partiality is not of whim or fancy. Funds of the NOC aren't an inexhaustible thing, and so naturally, it must adhere to some sort of criteria by which to dole out the money. Obviously, the ones most deserving have to be the disciplines thought to have a realistic chance of medals. Like athletics. Of course, more than two gold and as many bronze medals achieved were expected. Injuries and the lack of specialized medical support, it is claimed, denied a bigger taking. That is a matter for conjecture, but it has to be conceded though, athletics justified the faith the NOC reposed in it. Boxing did not.

Distant history

Why boxing ever was thought of as a medal prospect in the same breath as athletics is difficult to reason out. After all, there was no boxer with an international record even remotely resembling that of Susanthika Jayasinghe, Damayanthi Darsha or Sugath Tillekeratne. International boxing medals are distant history. H K Karunaratne and H M Marzook delivered the last medals of significance from the Asian Championship of 1967, winning gold and bronze respectively.

Our boxers' 44-medal haul, including five gold medals, from the SAF Games, 1984 to '99, however, has been weighty, but these are of far less value than Asian Games metal. Just ask the three Sri Lankan boxers who tried to lay hands on them in Busan last month. Bantamweight Manjula Wanniaratchchi and light-fly Harsha Kumara didn't survive their first fights; the former lost on a third round t.k.o and the latter was out-pointed. Flyweight Anuruddha Ratnayake won his opening bout over a Nepalese, but was out-pointed in the next by a boxer from China, a country with no great tradition in the sport. It adopted boxing only in the mid-80s after the country opened its doors to the world after decades of self-imposed isolation.

Standing exaggerated

The point to make here is that our boxing officials have, wittingly or unwittingly, tended to make too much of its successes in the SAF Games and so exaggerated our standing in international boxing. The NOC bought those claims and regularly accommodated Sri Lankan boxers to Asian and Commonwealth Games. The magnanimity might have been extended to the Olympics as well, except that our boxers inevitably fail in the qualifying rounds of the Asian zone.  The bitter truth is, even by Asian standards, Sri Lanka boxing hardly packs a medal-winning punch. The notion that boxing is a medal prospect, I think, is derived from its old reputation _ of winning gold, silver and bronze in the Commonwealth Games, then named Empire Games, and the Asian Games and Championships. The absence of measurements (like time and distance in athletics) to gauge standards helps lend currency to the old deeds.

This is not to say money spent on boxing's Busan campaign was a waste. To be fair, the present SSP Thangavelu-led ABA is attempting to rearrange the priorities, which for years had put officials above boxers. Ironically, since the 70s more ABA officials have qualified as international judges, referees and jurors than boxers have won medals in internationals, outside of course the SAF. That's another story.  If it can be said that the NOC's recent generosity is in appreciation of the present ABA's honesty to the cause of giving the boxers a better deal, then, there can be no quarrels over the money spent. But the job of selecting sports deserving of NOC funding for Games representation isn't the same as altruistic development of sport. There are other agencies and funds for that.  Here it is a case of merit alone deciding whether a sport deserves an all-expenses-paid participation or not. And when a poor martial arts athlete turns up at Busan at his own expense and wins a karate bronze, the partiality boxing enjoyed shows up like a sore thumb.

The next multi-national event will be the SAF Games, scheduled for next March in Islamabad. Coming barely six months after the Asian Games, the timing undoubtedly will be convenient for boxing. Another clutch of medals will be won, raising probably the SAF medal total to 50 (from the present 44). If the old script is to be followed then much official brouhaha will be made of the SAF success. The Busan failures will drift to be among the forgotten things, old glories will be exhumed and Sri Lanka boxing will live happily, at least till the bell is rung at the next Asian or Commonwealth Games. For whom it tolls, Busan has the answer.

The question begs to be asked: why has boxing declined from a medal-winning prospect, late 30s through to the late 60s, to its impoverishment since the 70s. At the centre of the problem is, of course, the neglect of boxers, the blood and bones of the sport. Not surprisingly, one-time champion clubs like St Michael's and St Mary's quit boxing, as did top schools, including St Michael's Polwatte, St Mary's Dehiwela, St Matthews Dematagoda, Zahira and Hameedia El Hussein, all Stubbs Shield champions. The popular notion that boxing is dangerous only helped hasten the decline. As well, the dedicated coaches of old are no longer around _ the likes of Danton Obeysekera, L V Jayaweera, Edward Gray, Barney Henricus, Wolsey Fonseka. Anton John, K. Edwin, D C Wickremasinghe, Mahasena Welivitigoda, Dr Larry Foenander, Major Kandiah, et al. The list of woes goes on.

The changing times, with sport heading in the direction of professionalism, problems weren't only boxing's. But where other sports adjusted to the changes in the best way they could, boxing sat on its haunches and hoped the problems will disappear. While other popular sports busied themselves thinking out marketing strategies and taking their wares to the corporate world, the ABAs of the 70s through to the 90s rather preferred to remain in the old world of tranquility, living from one meet to another. And in between, officials pursued their own agendas, which were mostly about preserving their power and sojourns overseas.

Pledged redress

Thangavelu's administration wasn't bequeathed with the best of legacies. Unlike many of the previous administrations, the present one at least admitted the flaws and pledged redress. It tabooed ABA funding of officials' overseas trips and promptly secured a Cuban coach for a year. Besides coaching the national pool, a program has been arranged for the Cuban to train our coaches. As well, the ABA has a generous benefactor in Slimline Company, whose sponsorship philosophy is unique, as it is bravely ambitious. Its enthusiastic CEO Dian Gomes, who is also ABA vice president, has recruited more than a few national champions and believes that through the company's investments in the boxers' future Olympic medals can be won.

The Thangavelu committee will argue, with some justification, that the failure to win a medal in Busan has more to do with the long indifference of previous regimes. ''We are just beginning to arrest the decay _ and that's a good start to restoring the good health boxing once enjoyed,'' said SSP Thangavelu. ''We're obviously disappointed we couldn't win even a bronze, but our boxers did much better than they had for decades.''

At Busan, the eventual gold medallist defeated Wanniarachchi, while Harsha Kumara lost on points. Ratnayake won a fight and lost narrowly the next. At the Commonwealth Games last August, Ratnayake was one win short of a bronze medal while four other Sri Lankan boxers lost with their feet on the ground. This hadn't been the case in many of the previous international competitions with our boxers being either floored in the early rounds or holding their hands up in virtual surrender. ''The ambition was no more than merely making the trip,'' said Gomes. ''A fresh start has to be made, beginning for boxers' attitudes''.

And officials' attitudes too, beginning from ridding the habit of relating old stories again and again. Lest, the white in boxing's history book between 1967 and 2002 is taken for endless mourning for the once upon time glories.

Rugby's old fight over a new bone 

OF LATE Sri Lanka rugby has developed the knack of making headlines _ for all the wrong reasons. Sample last week: Tuesday it was news of the abdication of incumbent skipper Harris Omar; Wednesday, national coach C P Abeygunawardena walks out on his job. And as the week approached its close, the air was thick with rumours of that Kiwi technical advisor George Simpkin would join the procession to the exit door.

Omar's reason: barely two weeks of preparation is insufficient for the Asiad and so he rather opt out of the responsibility of leading a half-prepared team. And Abeygunawardena's, insufficient time for training and the selectors' rejection of some players he wants included.

Players' boycott is not new a phenomenon; Kandy SC players as recently as August thumbed their noses on the last Commonwealth Games. But the country's skipper and coach rejecting national duties is without precedence, and suggests an implosion of rugby's long simmering troubles. It is patently clear the new crisis is another manifestation of the protracted feud between champions Kandy SC and the parent body.

Of course, Kandy SC will try to disassociate itself with the controversy, saying it has no control over any of the decisions its members make so long as their agreement with the club has not been breached. Just the same as they said when five of their players turned down Commonwealth Games selections. As a stand-alone argument it does hold water, but any club, as a constituent to the union, has obligations to fulfil in the larger interest of the game. Making available their players for national duty is one of them.  Whether Kandy SC did all it could, as it should, to restraint Omar and Abeygunawardena from committing the extreme, no one is sure. But given the history of bickering between the Kandyans and the union, it is not difficult to believe the club didn't. It is likely that the club sided with the coach and captain.

But one has to quickly add that the union isn't blameless either. The spirit of Omar and Abeygunawardena's decision may be questionable, but there is some validity in their reasons for resigning.  The Asiad has always been singly the most important event in our rugby requiring ungrudging investment in time and resources on preparation. More so this time round. The humiliation Sri Lanka were subjected to at last month's Asian Games clearly begged for a long and thorough preparations for November 16 Asiad.  Duly, Simpkin was appointed to help Abeygunawardena early October. And Omar's appointment covered the Asiad as well. But the practice itself never got underway. With the squad scheduled to fly out on November 14, they would've had only about 10 days of collective practices _ a driblet in the ocean, really.

Solid reasons

The union of course will say, what better mode of preparation than competing in the ongoing Premier Champions Trophy, which Kandy SC, however, declined to participate in.  Therein lies the heart of the present spat _ and an opportunity for the antagonists, the union and the champion club, to pick up cudgels again. Same old fight, over a different bone.

It is hard to imagine a climb down by the Kandy SC captain and coach because their decisions are founded on pretty solid reasons, though political motivation cannot be excluded. It would surprise no one if other chosen Kandy SC players too join the march out through the door. As the governing body, the union too can't give the impression that it's allowing for a case of the tail wagging the body.

Thus, for the union there is case for sending even a weak national side to show the world that Kandy SC, or who ever, is not bigger than the game. But the country's prospects of beating opponents, Thailand and Kazakstan, can't be enhanced _ not that it would be better at full strength either.  After all, we were beaten by the Thais at the last Asiad and suffered the same fate at the hands of Kazaks in the World Cup qualifier earlier this year.

Given the present confused mood, the challenge from our third opponent, newcomer India, acquires a different proposition. Normally a win over India would be assured; this time, less so. A happier and better-prepared team at the last Asiad finished seventh out of eight. The chances look a lot worse this time. So, there's a sound argument for giving this Asiad a miss, though that wouldn't give the union the satisfaction of having taught Kandy SC a lesson.  But scoring a point over Kandy SC could well end up with the proverbial cutting of nose to spite your face, for the union. To go or not to? It's a tough call for Mayadunne's men.

TMKS

Herath boosts HSBC's bid to oust NDB

THE National Development Bank's bid for a hat-trick of mercantile tennis championship titles will face a sterner challenge with the recruitment of a former Davis cup player into the ranks of the Hong Kong and Shangahi Banking Corporation for this year's annual event.

The NDB won the title last year and in 2000, when the once popular mercantile tennis tournament was revived after a hiatus of nearly two decades. The HSBC this year issued a warning of their ambitions for the title by securing Dishan Herath, a Davis Cup player in the mid-90s. They also have two other one-time Davis Cup representatives in Arjun Fernando and Sanjay Wijemanne, Davis Cup of player two years ago and currently non-playing captain.

''The inclusion of Herath is certain to raise the hopes of HSBC though NDB as defending champions will be determined to make it a hat trick. The rivalry will only enhance the overall quality of the competition," said Irshad Othman, the tournament secretary.

Fronting the NDB challenge will be former Davis Cup players, Asiri Iddamalgoda and Arjan Perera, supported by Kumar Gunawardena and Nihal Welikala, the bank's CEO.

The popularity of the event is growing since its resurrection two years ago. ''In 2000 we had 14 companies competing and last year we had 20 teams with over 60 competitors. With the general interest in tennis growing this year we are hopeful the number of teams will be bigger than last year," said Othman.

The championship will have a card of 11 events. The Men's Singles is to have three divisions, graded according to the experience of the players. There will also be events for veterans over 35 and 45. All events will carry points for wins with the team with the highest tally adjudged the champion.

The event is scheduled for Nov.9-24. Entries close on Nov.2 and the draw will be held on Nov.5.

Veterans seven-a-side soccer tournament

The Sri Lanka Veteran's Football Association for the 41th consecutive year will conduct a Seven-a-side Soccer tournament at a grand scale on November 10 at the Reid Avenue Sport Complex commercing at 9 a.m.

A team must comprise of 5 players of over 40 years and two over the age of 50 years. Many a renowned soccer players at the past are expected to be seen in action in this years event where teams from Kegalle, Negombo, Chilaw, Gampola, Badulla, Sri Lanka Police, C.M.C., Colombo Central, Colombo North, Colombo South wiel vie for honours.

The Mayor of Colombo Prasanna Gunawardena will be the chief guest.