Sports

Singer-Srilankan granted Asian satellite status

By Ranil Prematilake 

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has confirmed the participation of Japan and Guam at the forthcoming Singer Sri Lankan Sevens tournament. Jamie Scott whilst communicating this, has informed the organizers that the 2005 tournament was not an Asian Games Qualifier. "There would be no 'Qualifiers' either for the World Games, the Asian Games or for the Commonwealth Games in relation to the selection of participating teams"- said Scott.

The 2005 Singer Sri Lankan Sevens would be conducted as a 12 team format event, the participating Unions for 2005 being invited on current IRB/ARFU Sevens rankings based on the RWC Sevens 2005 -Asia - qualifying process. The participating nations that finish 11th and 12th respectively would be relegated. Thereafter invitations for 2006 for the 2 slots would be extended in sequence to the other IRB -ARFU unions from India, Pakistan, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia.

Cash Grant

The 2005 tournament is to be supported by an IRB cash grant. This is as a result of the discussions had in Dublin at the general meeting of unions. Sri Lankan envoys Priyantha Ekanayake and Dilroy Fernando have successfully negotiated with Mark Eagan. This shall, however, be subject to the terms and conditions of the SLRFU and RWC Dublin. 'The ARFU will not be a party to this agreement for the reason that the ARFU does not presently have the capacity to contract or to enter into contractual relationships' revealed the IRB.  These funds are to be utilized to help cover the costs of the return airfares for the teams for travel from destinations not serviced by Sri Lankan Airlines and to help cover the costs of accommodation and meals beyond 3 or 4 nights which may be required.

The Chairman of the Organizing Committee of Singer Sri Lankan Sevens Iswan Omar told The Sunday Leader that upon receiving confirmations from the participating nations the flight reservations and hotel accommodation are being now attended to by the organizers. The organisers have also taken steps to invite Mark Eagan, Jamie Scott, Chris Thau and Ross Mitchell from the respective bodies.

The relevance of having satellite events would be to establish an IRB - ARFU member union rugby sevens ranking for each one year period following the satellite tournament and in particular, with due regard to the ranking, to better enable informed decisions to be made as to which IRB - ARFU member unions would be invited to participate in various IRB Sevens tournaments for each one year period following each satellite tournament.

Following are the teams that would be taking field at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium. Hosts Sri Lanka, Arabian Gulf, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Guam, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Secretary of the SLRFU Dilroy Fernando told The Sunday Leader that at the IRB meeting in Dublin, the Sri Lankan contingent had requested inter alia for video clippings of the weekly rugby show titled 'Total Rugby'. The request has been acceded to by the IRB and will be made available to the SLRFU free of charge with a nominal charge to be paid to the television rights owners. Requests have also been made for a coach and the response had been positive from the authorities.

Singapore game on the 25 of June. 

The tickets have been priced at Rs.100 for the pavilion and Rs.20 for the terraces. The SLRFU informs the schools that upon submission of letters from respective principals each school would be issued 20 complementary tickets. Tickets would be available at all 'A' division clubs from tomorrow.  The kick off is scheduled for 4.30pm.

RWC prestige boost for Colombo Asiad

By T.M.K. Samat

THE Colombo Rugby Asiad next year is set to receive an unexpected prestige-boost with the ARFU poised to designate it as the Rugby World Cup (RWC) Asian final - and so, possibly bring the SLRFU a windfall from the sale of television rights.

Japan and Korea have perennially fought it out between themselves for the single slot available to Asia in the once-in-four-years RWC finals. The battle for Asian representation at the next RWC wouldn't be any different, and the winner of the assured meeting between Asia's nos. 1 and 2 in the Colombo event next year, it is proposed, should be the Asian qualifier for the 2007 RWC finals in France.

"Japan and Korea are to play in Group A of the Asiad and their meeting is certain. So, the ARFU has suggested that the issue of who qualifies should be decided in the Colombo Asiad rather than have a separate playoff," said Dilroy Fernando, Secretary SLRFU. "It would be cost-effective to both teams and also eliminate the risk of injuries which a separate play-off involves."

The proposal put forward by ARFU Secretary General, Jamie Scott, will come up at the ARFU meeting in Guam today. Sri Lanka will be represented in the Guam meeting by union president Priyantha Ekanayake, who last week replaced Mohan Balasuriya as ARFU president.

SLRFU officials are confident that Scott's proposal will be accepted as, according to Fernando, "it's inconceivable that the Secretary General would make this proposal without some sort of prior approval" from the contending countries. "I think approval in Guam would be a formality."

Should the Colombo event be tagged the RWC Asian final, the SLRFU has plans to market the event profitably. "What it means is that the Colombo Asiad will have a direct link to the IRB World Cup finals in 2007 - and we see a heightening of interest among rugby-playing countries, especially in Asia; obviously international television broadcasters too will evince interest in the tournament," said Fernando. "We would want to get the best deal possible and intend to appoint a committee of professionals to market the event." 

Benaud calls for ban on minnows

Richie Benaud added his voice to call for Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to be dropped from senior international cricket. The Australian cricket great, currently in England where he is commentating for Broadcaster Channel 4, made his comments after witnessing Bangladesh's innings and 261 run defeat in the first Test at Lord' s. The match, Bangladesh's first Test in England, finished before lunch on the third day with Benaud labelling it an "absolute shambles".

Benaud, writing in the News of the World, Britain's biggest selling Sunday tabloid, was adamant that the presence of Bangladesh-whose only win in 37 Tests has come against fellow strugglers Zimbabwe -was neither good for the game as a whole or for the teams themselves.

"After witnessing this two-and-a bit day farce at Lord's, I am convinced our game's governing body-the ICC-must make a firm and swift decision," Benaud said.

"They must remove Bangladesh and Zimbabwe from full-time international cricket until their ability and infrastructure warrant their re-inclusion.

"Both teams need to be put on hold for the good of cricket. They are simply not good enough to be pitched against proper Test match countries." Benuad added. "What should be done is to have both countries scheduled to play a carefully programmed series of matches against "A" teams and minor teams from the other eight (Test) countries and they should play against one another as well.

"They can undertake short tours where none of the opposition will be of international standard and we can see if they are improving, standing still or going backwards.

 The ICC is due to hold its annual meetings at Lord's in June. However, it is unlikely that the standing of either Bangladesh or Zimbabwe will be on the agenda given that the governing body has repeatedly said the duo's Test status is not up for discussion.

Benuad, 74, one of cricket's best-known broadcasters, was the first layer to compete the all-round double of 2,000 Test runs and 200 Test wickets. The leg-spinner led Australia in 28 of his 63 Tests and never lost a series as captain.

It's win or bust against S'pore

Samat on Sunday

THERE'S more than one reason why Singapore will be a proposition quite unlike Thailand. And prudence would ask Sri Lanka to not overstate its win of a fortnight ago over the Thais, accomplished though that performance was. Obviously, the 48/38 triumph can't be anything but a confidence-enhancing beginning to our World Cup campaign, but any favourable assumptions based on the excellence of two Saturdays ago would be at our peril.

Before we dwell on why the Singapore opposition will be a different kettle of fish - on June 25 at Longden Place -, a brief explanatory note on the competition. World Cup Qualifier it is named. The rather grandiloquent title at once gives the impression that Sri Lanka is in the race, alongside the likes of England, the All Blacks, the Wallabies, et al, for a place in the next Rugby World Cup finals- and theoretically, that is true. Realistically though, that scenario is as far removed as planet Mars is from Nittawela.

The competition is about deciding which country represents Asia at the once-in-four-years World Cup finals - and Japan it is that has been Asia's perennial flag bearer on rugby's world stage. Sri Lanka plays for the lesser goal of improving its place in the Asian hierarchy, which, over the past half decade or so, has taken quite a dramatic tumble. The nadir was at the last Asiad when we were lumped with minnow-nations India, Pakistan and Macao.

That's quite a fall from grace for a nation boasting one of the longest rugby heritages in Asia. It will be remembered that barely a decade ago, we would routinely defeat Thailand and Singapore; Hong Kong and Taiwan, presently Asia's 2 and 3 respectively, were regarded as fellow-contenders for Asia's no. 3 slot.

Against the background of that steep descent, union officials would like to see the recent triumph over Thailand as the dawning of better days. Of course, a single swallow does not a summer make. But after the admirable triumph of a fortnight ago, Sri Lanka rugby hasn't felt so inspired in a long, long while. It is nice to hear officials talk in terms of qualifying for the next phase of competition.

Here, I must hasten to correct the competition's format, as stated in last week's Sunday Leader. Only the top team from the group of Sri Lanka/ Thailand/Singapore will qualify for the next phase of competition - not two, as mentioned in last Sunday's issue. The winner next Saturday will meet the top team of the Kazakhstan/India/Guam/Malaysia group. The Kazaks, already with wins over Malaysia and India, look the likely qualifier here.

The Kazaks and Sri Lanka/or Singapore plays each other twice, home and away, with the winner moving on the next phase: a meeting with China, winners of their group, which also included Taiwan and Arabian Gulf.

To get as far as to a confrontation with China is difficult but not impossible. If Singapore can be prevailed over, psychologically, half the journey to China would've been completed - because the Kazaks, our next opponents, isn't as strong as Singapore. At the Asiad last November, Singapore finished two slots ahead of the seventh-placed Kazakhstan. Sri Lanka finished tenth in the same competition, but after their impressive display against the Thais, the scrap against Singapore is expected to be, in the words of an IRB report, "one that will go down the wire."

Playing in home conditions will be a huge, huge advantage. That, coupled with the present confidence might just well tempt Mallikarachchi's men to presume glad tidings, which, as a people, we're notoriously good at. It's best though, to wipe out of the memory the success over the Thais, and see June 25 as another day, another battle.

Any psychological advantage Sri Lanka might have presumed after Suphan Buri was valid only till the Singaporeans themselves took on the Thais - which was last week in the city-state, and ended in a canter for the Singaporeans, winning 47 points to 27. Their margin of victory is better than Sri Lanka's 48/38, and instantly raises different prospects. But let's put aside for later a perspective reading of the respective margins in the context of next Saturday's match.

First though, let's dwell on why Singapore might well be tougher customers. Where the Thais had none, the Singaporeans will have three-to-four expatriate players - Kiwis, Australians and Britons, all having resided in Singapore for three years, as required by IRB's player-eligibility rule. A majority of the expats no doubt will be forwards, which means that the relative freedom Sri Lanka's forwards enjoyed against the all-national Thai "eight" is not likely to be available against Singapore.

Against the Thais, our forwards won an abundance of ball, especially from rucks and mauls, and so, subscribed to the backs' prosperity. They spun out quite some wondrous moves, scoring all of the seven tries, some breathtaking. After the sweeping advances in Suphan Buri, trench warfare seems the likely prospect at Longden Place. In other words, defence will replace attack.

As well, possession is likely to be strictly on ration against the bigger Singapore forwards. So, the Lankans can ill-afford to put ball to boot, a habit they can't seem to curb even in situations that don't require it. Coach George Simpkin might have to imprint the words 'handle-with-care' on the ball.

Now to the respective margins of victory over the Thais: Singapore won by 20 points and Sri Lanka, 10. So, the figures say that the Singaporeans were twice as better against Thailand. The tally of tries too favours Singapore: nine to Sri Lanka's seven. And to complete the statistical superiority, Singapore fared better in defence as well, conceding 27 points to Thais, as against 38 given by us.

Behind those statistics, however, home team Singapore was blessed with heaven-sent conditions at Yio Chu Kang Stadium. With Singapore's forte being their forwards, the heavy deluge prior to the match meant the heavy going was to their advantage. And so it proved with the slighter Thai pack helpless to cope with their bigger opponents. In fact, all of Singapore's nine tries reportedly were scored by their forwards. 

It is pretty clear what Sri Lanka can expect next Saturday: an opposition, heavier and bigger, intent on grinding down their opposite numbers of slighter physique. The answer would be to minimize the mauling and bring the three quarters into play at every opportunity.

As well, every scoring chance must be converted to points, something that didn't always happen against the Thais. Five conversions went pointless, as well, two penalties, all which, if translated to points, might have put the issue beyond doubt long before the end. Instead the Thais were allowed to get back into the game on three occasions, from down 3/18 to 17/18, from 17/23 to 24/23 and then from 24/38 to 38/38. On each of those occasions, Sri Lanka overcame the threats because the opposition was inferior, which Singapore won't be.

Singapore's rugby has come a long way from the days when they were regarded as merely making up the numbers in the Asiad. Those were the times when rugby in Singapore was largely played by the more exclusive schools, willing to dip into their funds to have the sport on the list of extracurricular activities.

Consequently, the numbers coming through to the club and national level were sparse. In 1995 Singapore decided to do something about the starvation of talent and established a full-time union office with a paid CEO. A series of development programs followed, aimed at schools all the way up to the national level. The number of  rugby-playing schools have now catapulted to 100, from the pre-1995 ten. It has now 7,200 registered players of all ages. And the city-state of a few millions is now ranked fifth best in Asia.

As well, the government marked rugby as a high priority investment. It took a leaf off Hong Kong, whose International Sevens inspired a huge interest in the game among the local population. The government provides the annual US$100, 000 hosting fee required by IRB to bring World Series International Sevens to their backyard. Singapore has staged the event since 2002. No doubt there have also been government investments made at the grass root level. And, I am told, their more talented younger players are sent on all-expenses-paid training programs to New Zealand and Australia.

If our World Cup qualifying round campaign is brought to grief by Singapore, then, their government's investments, and the lack of it by our government, would've to be a contributory reason.

Singer mega bucks for rugby 

SINGER (Sri Lanka) played Santa Claus to local rugby, Wednesday, handing the sport a bundle of cheques in the gleaming, chandeliered Cat's Eye Ballroom of Ceylon Continental Hotel.

The company disbursed over Rs.7 million to just about every component of local rugby, from the high-profile National team down to the impoverished, frequently-maligned referees, encapsulating the depth and breadth of the corporate giant's commitment to local rugby.

As well, a pledge of assistance was made by Mr. Singer himself, Chairman Hemaka Amarasuirya, to construct a new rugby stadium in Kogalla, Galle; to enlarge the Royal College stadium in Colombo and to hasten the completion of Trinity College stadium in Pallekelle, in time for the Kandy leg of this year's Bradby Shield - all of which adds up to another Rs.7 million.

"The sponsorship we lent to cricket in the early 90s, directly or indirectly, climaxed with the '96 World Cup triumph, after which cricket was able to look after itself," said Amarasuriya. "Now the company has committed itself to support rugby, and we like to think that our involvement would provide the happy results of cricket, at least in Asia. The win over Thailand recently suggests the game is heading that way." 

Development being the theme of Singer's sponsorship, the greatest beneficiaries, not surprisingly, was the schools. The company's investment in schools rugby is not new, dating back to the 80s. But then it was individual sponsorship of those schools involved in traditional fixtures. In 2002 however, it decided to launch a help-the-schools scheme with the idea of broadening and enriching the nurseries. Initially, the scheme enlisted 11 schools. This year the list of beneficiaries has doubled to 22, seven more than last year. 

"We are happy with the progress made by the schools program. The money has been put to good use; the standard of rugby is better and the schools games draw a better crowd," said Asita Abayasekera, Marketing Director, Singer. "We've enlisted seven more schools this year, primarily to broad base the grass root level.

A good case in point is Moratu Vidyalaya: They have yet to graduate to first XV level, but we had reports of  their promising under 14 rugby and so decided to assist their future development." Among the other new beneficiaries are Piliyandala Central, Prince of Wales, Maliyadeva and Richmond, all comparatively recent recruits to rugby.

The sponsorship to each school varies between Rs.100, 000 to Rs.350, 000, with the total handout nearly Rs.4 million - an investment made not only for the cause of rugby development. Let Abayasekera explain the nobler cause: "The company would also like to make its contribution towards making a better society by helping make better citizens of the school leavers - and there's no better way of doing that than by encouraging the young to engage in sport ''- and so imbibe the virtues of fair play, team work and leadership. 

And to give back sportsmanship its deserved place in schools rugby, Singer has thought out an extraordinarily creative idea to help achieve that goal. At the end of the season it is to award Singer Lions to 10 players who've demonstrated exceptional qualities of sportsmanship on the field. Called the Singer Lions "Caught in the Act" program, the selections will be made by a panel of judges appointed by the Schools Association. As well, the season's Most Valuable Player award will be on offer for the first time- and as emcee Chandrishan Perera said, "It's all going to climax with an Oscars-like night."

2005 could be quite a season.

Dozen for Delhi training

IN a far-sighted move to inspire provincial development, the SLTA last week dispatched a team of a dozen under 12s and two coaches from the outstations for a three-week coaching program in New Delhi. 

The program is a consequence of discussions SLTA president, Suresh Subramaniam, had with Anil Kannah, secretary of both the Asian Tennis Federation and the All-India Tennis Association. "We are indeed indebted to the ATF and AITA for stepping in to help develop our juniors. India's juniors have improved to a level where they can hold their own on the world stage - and obviously the 12 attending the Delhi coaching camp will benefit hugely from it," said president Subramaniam. "It also gives us an opportunity to encourage and foster outstation talent, and hopefully, fast-track their entry to national tennis." 

A significant feature of the program is that all attendees are products of the SLTA highly-popular mini tennis program. "With the mini-tennis program drawing more than 40, 000 newcomers in the 5-10 years group, it is only fair that we initiate programs that will benefit those kids who want to pursue tennis at the senior level," said Subramaniam.

It costs each of three girls and nine boys only half the airfare; accommodation, meals, internal travel and coaching fees will be borne jointly by the SLTA and ATF. 

Two of the best players from each of the six regions - Kandy, Ratnapura, Jaffna, Batticaloa, Kurunegala and Negombo - make up the Delhi-bound dozen. 

The girls' squad has two from Ratnapura - Madhavi Suraweera and Deshani Liyanage, both of Sumana BV - and Tania Krishnamenon, a student of an international school in Kandy. 

The boys' squad: S Mohankumar and S Susanth (St, Michael's Batticaloa); S Sailan and T Thusainthan (St. Patrick's Jaffna); Pramoda Udugampola (Trinity); Pulasthi Ratnayake (Maliyadeva, K'gala) and Harsha de Silva (Sir John Kotelawela MV, K'gala); Haritha Pieris and Prashan Fernando (St. Peter's, Negombo).

Coaches Franklin Jacob of Kandy and J Vasanthan of Batticaloa will make a study of the Delhi program, to be held in R K Kannah Stadium, and make suggestions to upgrade SLTA's provincial coaching schemes. Barathiraj Pillai, SLTA junior tennis coordinator, will also attend the Delhi program.

Stars flock for Tsunami match

By Hishan Welmilla At Lords

Just six days after the MCC tsunami appeal cricket match played between  MCC team and International XI on 14th June at Lords, the new forrm of the game -twenty 20 will be held tommrrow (20th June) .

The game will see an Asian team take on an International XI. After securing some of the top names in the world of cricket, Surrey County Cricket Club has done a wonderful job of work towardsr the Oval Cricket Relief Trust Game in aid of Tsunami victims in Sri Lanka and other areas hit by natural disasters. The game starts at 5:30pm local time (11.30 pm sri Lankan time)

The Surrey County Cricket Club hopes to raise in excess of œ1million for the Oval Cricket Relief Trust.

"Having been to Sri Lanka I am acutely aware of not only the need to help those affected by the Tsunami, but also to ensure that the money given is spent for the benefit of those who need it most. At this end we will donate the money to a Cricket Aid village named after Surrey in Sri Lanka.

"The game itself will be a festival of cricket, where the best players from all over the world will be seen in action at the Oval.

The MCC beat an International XI bythe comfortable margin of 112 runs at Lord's in the tsunami fund-raiser on June14.

The Sri Lankans who took part in the game did well but unfortunately Muttiah Muralitharan had to pull out from the game due to an injury. Kumara Sangakkara made 46 for MCC and Sanath Jayasuriya made 21for the International XI while Chaminda Vass took 2 wickets for the International side.

      The organisers intend raising 500,000 pounds from the event and Sarvodaya. Cricket Aid and Foundation for Goodness of Sri Lanka will benefit from the funds.

A fund-raising event involving Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar during the tsunamiappeal match has been cancelled because of internet hoaxers.

Warne was to have joined up with Tendulkar in offering a fan an unforgettableexperience in the mid-innings interval at Lord's.

The highest bidder in an auction would receive coaching from Tendulkar beforefacing Warne on the pitch.

However, the highest bids came from people who had no intention of paying.

Organisers had hoped the auction would raise a five-figure sum.

The MCC said in a statement: "As the auction ended on Saturday afternoon,there has been insufficient time to arrange for the highest legitimate bidder to come to Lord's."

Assaf Admoni, director of fund-raising for the Leonard Cheshire Foundationwhich arranged the auction, said: I'm appalled that people could do this.

Austasia's members night with a difference

Austasia Sports & Leisure Club which has had a successful line up of special nights on a monthly basis will have an exciting Fashion show featured in this month's event scheduled for June 25.

The fashion show organised by Dilrukshi from Rukshi Arts & Crafts will commence approximately at 8 p.m. and is open to the public. Tickets are priced at Rs 250.

This is the right opportunity for young and not so-young fashion lovers to get in to the spotlight for the evening and walk the ramp in an identified competition where Austasia would gift a membership/grand prize to the fashion icon of the evening.

How zat !

By Pelham Juriansz

A double century in school cricket at the age of 14 and a partnership of 351 for the first wicket with Makin Salih for Moors was the highlight of his career.

He played for 3 clubs BRC, Moors and Saracens the longest being for 11 years. But he is best remembered as being an umpire of repute and one of the longstanding and outstanding umpires of yore.

An umpire, especially today, comes under a lot of fire. More so because of the television replays and the use of technology! The armchair critic is ever ready to criticise the umpire and even the commentators take the "man in white" to task. He has to count the balls and have literally about ten eyes to watch what is going on. Sometimes he may fall asleep and wake up o the sound of a ferocious "Howzat" blasting his ear drums. He then considers the volume of the sound. Better to give the batsman out as then he leaves the crease than to face the wrath of eleven men crying for his blood. And especially if one has a bowler of the ferocity of Dennis Lillee appealing one is tempted to raise the finger.

Well, enough of meandering.

We are talking of Herbert (Herbie) Clemen Felsinger. He scored a rare double century (202 not out) in January 1948 when playing for Carey College against St.John's Nugegoda at the Wesley College grounds.

In 1952/53 he was selected to play for Ceylon vs India under the late F.C. de Saram. In 1979 he umpired the 100th Royal-Thomian match at the SSC and in 1982 he stood once again with K.T Francis for the first Test match against England at the Oval.

Having umpired in England in 1985 he expanded his horizons.

One of his unforgettable experiences is having umpired with the legendary Dickie Bird in Sharjah. He even has a stump autographed by the great man.

He was selected to umpire the first World Cup to be held in Australia.

He was one of the 16 local umpires felicitated by the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers at the P.Sara Stadium in January 2003. He was awarded a medal of excellence and a certificate of merit by Chandra Schaffter, MD of Janashakthi Group.  

Some of the outstanding players whom he watched as an umpire were Sunil Wettimuny, Roy Dias, Ranjan Madugalle,

Describing the First Test match vs England Felsinger said that Sri Lanka had a good side, with the Wettimuny's , Madugalle, Dias, Arjuna Ranatunga and bowlers like John and Ashantha de Mel.  Sri Lanka was in a winning way at one stage. I thought that Sri Lanka could save the match but they failed," said a disappointed Felsinger.

For 20 years as an umpire from 1971-1991, till a stroke overtook him, he was yet  another umpire struck down by tragedy, the other being Ajith Perera.

As for the pre Test era, he mentioned that Sri Lanka had a good side. "Umpiring today is easy. All you do is that you watch the ball when it is in the air and see whether it is going to strike the stumps or not. If in doubt you can refer to the third umpire."

Celebrating his 75th birthday on June 4 and also coincidentally his 50th Wedding Anniversary on the smae date, Felsinger said that the umpires of his era were better.

Talking of good bowlers during his umpiring era he mentioned Ajith de Silva and Ravi Ratnayake, not Rumesh. "He could swing the ball a lot." He added. He also described Sunil Wettimuny as a class bat. "There is too much of money in the game now" he lamented.

As for recent umpires he singled out S. Venkataragan and Asoka de Silva. Venkat played against me when I represented Ceylon. Steve Bucknor takes too much time to give a decision" he said.

"The standards of umpiring have deteriorated. The standards were of a high calibre at one time.  He particularly referred to the late M.A.Jayasinghe as being an outstanding umpire. Others he mentioned were K.T. Francis and Basil Anthony.

As for cricketing standards he said that that too had deteriorated because of the lure of money. 

Wicket keepers of note were Ben Navaratne and the two Fernando's Ranjit and H.I.K. Fernando. Special mention was made of Mahes Goonetilleke and Russell Hamer.

In later years "Little Kalu" was good but the selectors have opted for Kumar Sangakkara, whom he doesn't consider the best.

Recently Stanley Jayasinghe in an article that Felsinger was omitted from a list of umpires given recognition by Thilanga Sumithapala. Umpires are remembered after they are dead and not always thanked for the thankless job they do out there.

Boteju meets Aslam in the final

The U.W.Sumathipala memorial trophy snooker Nationals final between Susantha Botejue of YMCA and S.Aslam of MSC will be held at the Snooker Assocaition at Reid Avenue on Saturday June 18.

In the semi final Aslam met Nazeer and beat him six frames to one while Boteju overcame Naresh Samarawickrema of YMBA, Galle by a similar margin.

The winner will receive Rs 25,000.00 while the runner up will receive Rs 15,000.00 and the highest break Rs 2,500 and for each break of 75 or more there will be a prize of Rs 1000.

Scrabble tourney

Conceived 68 years ago by the unemployed American architect, Alfred Butts, scrabble still fascinates and delights people worldwide. This is mainly because scrabble is a board game that can be played by anyone of any age or physical ability-an ideal family game for holidays and rainy days.

In Sri Lanka scrabble enthusiasts meet every Sunday from 1.00 p.m. to 6.p.m. at the Sumithrayo Training Centre, 60, Horton Place, Colombo 7.

The Sri Lanka Scrabble League (SLSL) is a anon profit organisation  whose aim is to popularise  scrabble in Sri Lanka, and provide opportunities for people of all ages, from all walks of life, to play socially and competitively at national and international levels. Anyone is welcome to join the league.

The SLSL organises the all island scrabble competition annually. The event is held in 3 categories.

Open-Open to anyone. Juniors -For those below 15 years of age. Sub-juniors-For those below 12 years of age.