A new league champion.? Dream on

AT THE media launch of the 2008 Caltex League in April, the head table expressed much optimism for a season of difference; meaning, this time round, Kandy SC's long hold on the title is not to be assumed.

For more seasons than one cares to count, it was automatically presumed that Kandy SC would take the title. The records supported the presumption: since its first league success in 1994, the hill capital club has retained the title all but only thrice, in '96, '98 (won by CR) and 2000 (CH) - that is, 11 of the last 14 leagues have been Kandy SC's; the last seven in unbroken sequence. In the 58-year history of inter-club rugby, no other club has even remotely managed such prolonged supremacy. Honestly, the monotony was turning the league matches a tad boring to watch.

So, hearing the optimistic April outpourings of the senior administrators was as welcome as April showers. The league's media launch, however, shouldn't be mistaken for being anything else but a PR exercise, and as media launches go, they are mostly hype, intended to dress up the importance of the event.

Hopeful promises

And even though experience tells us to dismiss blithely all those hopeful promises of an exciting 2008 season, it was irresistible to half-believe them - like half-believing the promise that little white clouds will end a long drought. It never does, but, then, in hopelessness, promise sounds as good as real.

To end the drought all other clubs have long endured, big spenders CR, perennially No.2 to Kandy SC, weren't the only ones spoken of as heir apparent to the title. DIG Nimal Lewke, SLRFU President, asked us to watch out for the Police, an outfit, he said, that is young, skilled and well-drilled, and capable of holding its own against any opposition. CH, long the league's No.3, was also spoken of as a possible champion-ouster.

On the basis of the 2007 records, CR, justifiably, was touted as the side most fancied ejecting the champions from the throne. Last season, if you remember, produced what probably was the closest contest seen in a long time.

The champions and CR ran neck-and-neck, and the title looked to be anybody's - and it would've been CR's had they overcome Kandy SC in at least one of the two league encounter. But they could not, and the champion club went on to complete the double.

Less invincible

To massage up CR's prospects this year, it was opined that Kandy SC looks less invincible, citing their defeat at the hands of CR in the Colombo Singer Sevens last February. As well, it was said the careers of the champion's star players are winding down and thus would be less effective than last year.

On such thoughts were hopes of a different season built - but alas, those hopes are increasingly turning forlorn. With the league's end three weekends away, the perennial champions look set to run off with league title for an eighth straight time. They remain the only undefeated side.

Closest rival CR's unbeaten run was punctuated a fortnight ago by the champions - a loss that meant; henceforth they can't concede points if title aspirations are to be kept alive. But in the week after their defeat in Nitawella, CR dropped a point in the drawn game with the CH and now is a defeat and draw in deficit of leaders Kandy SC - a gap that even a revenge-win over the champion team in the return at home would not help bring the title to Longden Place.

So, contrary to the April promise, the 2008 title is journeying down the well-worn path of the seven previous years: up the hill to Nitawella. And as that inevitability approaches, it is pardonable to believe in miracles - like, that a train of improbable upheavals hits the champion side, and a new champion emerges.

Remote chance

Miracles of the biblical sort, however, don't happen on playing fields; there has to be a ray of evidence, a remote chance, for the unexpected to happen in sport - and make the 'unexpected' plural if Kandy SC is to be denied the title that has come to be its own, virtually.

Wishing Kandy SC to be brought to grief in the final stretch is, realistically, utterly far-fetched, but then again not impossible. So let's enter the world of make-believe and work out how the impossible can be real. The first requirement would be for Kandy SC - take a deep breath - to lose three of their four remaining matches (v. CH today), Police (Jul.7), Havelocks (Jul.12) and CR (Jul.19).

The champions, of course, beat all of the above opponents in the eight-team first round. But, bar their defeat of CH in Colombo, the others were achieved in Nitawella, where it is a given that the home team is doubly difficult to overcome.

In Colombo, though, Kandy SC has had to exert a lot more for their successes. In fact, against the CH in Colombo last month the champions were in defeat's shadow until the final five minutes, nursing a 3-point lead.

Last season's Champions

Eventually they ran out 30/17 winners - a margin that grossly misrepresents the true story. It shouldn't be forgotten that although the champions last season didn't lose in Colombo, the CH and the Havelocks caused them quite some palpitations.

But should Kandy SC be hit by triple-defeats in Colombo, CR and Havelocks can figure in the championship race, just as they did during the halcyon days of rugby. For a throw back to those memorable times decades ago, the traditional rivals will have to win here on end.

CR currently is better placed, with one defeat and a draw on its debit side; Havelocks' are two losses in the red as at the time this writing, Friday. But were Havelocks, playing at home, to prevail over CR in the July 12 return - by no  means a distant prospect -long-forgotten victory celebrations could well revisit the Park club.

Spirit of rugby

Should that happen, few would begrudge the dear old club the glory - for no other reason than that (1) it has long showcased the spirit of rugby in a way most others haven't; their unofficial motto says it all: win or lose, we booze! ; (2) it would likely bring its legion of followers, driven into hiding by a near two-decade of failure, out of the woodwork.

Awake! Awake! my friend; enough time spent in the make-believe world. Let's get real. Kandy SC has won all of their eight matches, and won them so well that the bonus points earned give them a six-point cushion over No. 2.

Remembering that a win earns only two points, any catching up by rivals is too high a hurdle to clear. Kandy SC finished unbeaten in the 2007 league and has continued that run into the 2008 season so far. Thus the opinion of the head table that "waning" star players will make Kandy SC less effective is nonsense.

So, to think that the champions will be defeated thrice in their final four outings and a new champion will wear purple cloak of the king is. well, go tell that to the marines and pig-tailed Chinese. Or tell it to those of the head table who believed that little white clouds would a drought end.

The sun continues to shine on the club on the hill.

Rathnayake joins Indian Olympic team camp

SRI LANKA'S Olympic boxing representative, Anuruddha Rathnayake, shifts his training base to the Patiala Sports Institute in India this week-looking for the inches he lacks.

Rathnayake stands 5foot-two in his socks, which is three inches short of the fly weight average of five-foot-five. Two weeks in Patiala, he knows, won't miraculously put more inches into his socks. Rather, the aim of the exercise is to learn ways to negate the congenital disadvantage. "In boxing, conceding three inches is a huge disadvantage, and unless you've had loads of sparring with boxers of five-foot-five or six, the handicap might well be insurmountable in the Olympic ring," said Lt. Col. Hemantha Weerasinghe, ABA Secretary.

 "Unfortunately, there aren't many local fly weights of average height to spar with Anuruddha - and that's causing serious problem to his preparation" - so serious that the ABA last week shot out a SOS to the Army calling for boxers of five-foot-six and seven, even if they are bantam and feather weights, to be dispatched to the National Training Centre in Pannala.

Taller opponents

Rathnayake's weakness against taller opponents was brought into sharp focus in his bout against the five-foot-six South African, Jackson Chauke, earlier this month in the AIBA President's Cup meet in Taipei - a bout he lost by one point.

 "Anuruddha was expected to win the bout but desperation apparently cost him the fight. He tried to rush his taller opponent into non-stop infighting. Anuruddha's tactics became very predictable; the South African chose not to mix it up and instead fought from a distance. It was a close bout, but obviously his opponent had got in a punch more," said the ABA Secretary. "It is clear that Rathnayake has to learn other ways to negate his lack of height than the only method he employs: in-fighting."

Lt. Col Weerasinghe admits that the taller, and heavier, sparring mates conscripted into Anuruddha's training staff aren't boxers of quality, but there are other advantages. "Think of it as uphill and downhill. When you've absorbed punches from heavier boxers then punches of those of your weight feels less hurting -  like coming downhill after the strenuous climb uphill." explained Lt. Col. Weerasinghe. "Of course, punching above your weight carries greater risks to injuries than sparring with boxers of your own weight. But the coach and trainer are always around to make sure those risks are minimised."

Sparring partners

The ABA, however, is mindful that local makeshift sparring partners don't offer the best preparations with the August 8-24 Games only weeks away. It's against this backdrop that the ABA hurriedly arranged for Rathnayake and his coach to join the Indian Olympic team's training camp in Patiala, from July 1-15. The exercise will cost over Rs.800, 000.

The two-week stint in Patiala, a two-hour drive from Chennai, will climax Rathnayake's Olympic preparation, which began after his Games qualification in the November World Championships in Chicago. He is expected to have peaked on his return from Patiala in mid-July. And he will spend the final two weeks at Pannala exerting just enough so as to preserve his peak condition, before checking in at the Olympic Village in early August,

His 10-month preparation, it has to be said, hasn't quite worked out to plan, which, originally, didn't include any international competition. Rather, the decision was to confine him to only training - two stints of a month each in Cuba, two weeks in Thailand and the rest in Pannala - and set loose in the Olympic ring. But around April the boxer grew restive for a fight and wanted at least one international competition.

Golden Belt meet

One became three and eventually only two was possible - the French Open and the President's Cup in Taipei. He was eliminated in the first bout of both meets, reversals that might've dented morale. So, a third overseas meet was arranged, but unfortunately visa problems precluded him from the fighting in the Golden Belt meet in Romania, after which the ABA desperately tried to hustle him into the German Open, but organisers there said the request had come too late.

Officials, however, hope the defeats and disappointments that the 32-year old have endured will eventually inspire success in the Olympics. Anuruddha has proved he can triumph over adversity, just as he did when, after serving a two-year drug-ban, he returned to win qualification at the World Championship - and so become Sri Lanka's first Olympic boxer in forty years. The last was H. K. Karunaratne in the 1968 Mexico Games.

(The above is a corrected version of the June25 Morning Leader story, which erroneously omitted the opening four paragraphs).

Abc credit card appoints T.M. Dilshan as brand ambassador

ABC Credit Card Company, a member of the ABC Group of companies (established for over 25 years as a leading business entity) appointed T.M, Dilshan, the popular young Sri Lankan cricketer as their brand ambassador at a ceremony held on June 20 at the ABC Credit Card head office.

     Addressing the gathering at the press conference, Dilshan said that every citizen could win for our country the way he does by being a holder of an ABC credit card. He further said that the concept of this truly Sri Lankan card is that much needed foreign currency is saved on all transactions carried out due to the fact that the currency circulates only within the country.

    Speaking to the media at this ceremony Managing Director, ABC Credit Card Company,  Orville Pereira said that the he was extremely happy at the appointment of Dilshan as brand ambassador and that he was keen in introducing many new programmes and benefits in the near future.

ABC credit card was introduced on November 17, 2006 for the first time in Sri Lanka in all three languages fulfilling a need that prevailed for many years by a unique concept of Chairman, ABC group of companies, John Shiran Dissanayake. Having progressed rapidly in a short period of one and a half years, ABC credit cards are now used by many and is available in Silver, Gold and Platinum in all three languages which alone is a testimony of being a truly Sri Lankan card. The 24/7 online service and the SMS alerts were some of the super services that have already been introduced by ABC credit cards.

In addition ABC credit cards had also introduced a new concept in gifting making it very convenient for all who gift. These cards are available in three categories, for children, teenagers and for the corporate sector. Having many years of experience in the credit card business Orville Pereira also heads ABC Travels, ABC Advertising and ABC Films Company as managing director.

ABC Credit Card company and ABC Travels have opened branches in Kandy, Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Negombo, Matara and Wennapuwa within the first year of its existence. ABC has issued over 10,000 credit cards and has a merchant network of over 2500. All operations are conducted from its head office situated at No. 19 A, Duplication Road, Colombo 4, with its extended offices at No. 10, De Kretser Place, Colombo 4 and No.388, Galle Road, Colombo 3.

SLT supports Thilini for Olympics

Sri Lanka Telecom, the nation's telecommunication powerhouse and the driving force behind several major sporting events extends its support to Thilini Jayasinghe, the number one woman badminton player in Sri Lanka.

Leisha de Silva Chandrasena, chairperson, Sri Lanka Telecom handed over the sponsorship cheque to Jayasinghe who created history by becoming the first woman Badminton player to represent Sri Lanka at the Olympics.

She is in the Sri Lankan contingent to upcoming summer Olympic Games in Beijing and is also the number one female Badminton player in the country, according to current rankings.

Jayasinghe, who began to impress in international tournaments within the last one year has won as many as two golds, two silvers and one bronze medal in the last seven international badminton federation tournaments.

Speaking on the significance of the sponsorship, Chandrasena said "We are mindful of our role in helping to develop sporting talent in the country in order for them to make their mark in the international arena. Sports have played an important social and cultural role in Sri Lanka, helping to bring together both individuals and communities as well as crossing social boundaries."

Sri Lanka Telecom has been continuously supporting the Sri Lanka Badminton Association (SLBA), sponsoring their key events over a period of several years.

The company is committed to nurture the future talent in sports by supporting individual players, collaborating with sport governing bodies and partnering with major sporting events.

Holy Family Convent - Under 13 tennis champions

Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya U 13 Tennis Team became champions at the Inter School Tennis Tournament 2008 concluded at the SLTA Courts recently. On their way to the final Holy Family Convent beat Bishops College Colombo by 5 games to nil, Visaka Vidyalaya by 4 games to 1, and in the semi finals beat Ladies College Colombo by 4 games to 1.

In the final they beat Sumana Balika Vidaylaya Ratnapura by 3 games to 2.