Nominations for SLRFU council will be scrutinised - Dr. Gunasekera

By Lal Gunesekera 

The Sports Law supercedes the constitutions of controlling bodies and its very clear that office-bearers should have represented the country picked by the national selectors or have played in a premier league tournament - which is a the 'A' division in the case of rugby.

This was the opinion expressed by Dr. Maiya Gunasekera, who was appointed Chairman of the Interim Committee for the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU) on Thursday, January 22 by the Minister of Sports and Public Recreation, Gamini Lokuge. Also in the Interim Committee is businessman, Kiran Atapattu, who is an advisor to Minister Lokuge.

Dr. Gunasekera, who also heads the National Sports Council (NSC), and himself a former President of the SLRFU (1997-98), told The Sunday Leader that Minister Lokuge had told him to appoint 'A few others' for administration purposes and continue till the annual general meeting is held before March 31.

Interim Committee

The AGM was earlier scheduled for February 21.

"Minister Lokuge spoke to me about and Interim Committee for the SLRFU earlier in the week and wanted me an Kiran Atapattu to take over. We want to make sure that the correct people fit into the Council - those people who have toiled hard, undergone glory and misery in the Premier Division and Sri Lanka sides. We want to constitute a proper and eligible council. It's a mess now" Dr. Gunasekera told The Sunday Leader.

He further said: We cannot hold the previous Council responsible for this mess the SLRFU has fallen into. They have blundered, willingly or unwillingly. The time is now to put things right. We will be fair. We are not going on a witchhunt. We will look into the finances too, which has come into a lot of criticism from various quarters.

"We will call for nominations for the annual meeting and scrutinise every single nomination to see whether they are eligible or not. This may happen in the future too to prevent those not eligible, to sit in the Council" said Dr. Gunasekera.

SLRFU Council is unconstitutional

He further said that the report of former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Indra de Silva, clearly states that the SLRFU Council is unconstitutional and immediate measures be taken to dissolve the SLRFU. This was not an ad-hoc decision.

SP Duke Hameed, who was the Secretary of the SLRFU, tendered his letter of resignation to the Council on January 16, while senior DIG Nimal Lewke, who was the President, resigned on January 21. Hameed had not played Rugby at all.

"DIG Lewke in his statement about his resignation, comments on a Mafia that was responsible for this sad state of affairs in the SLRFU. Why doesn't he name who this mafia is without making silly allegations. Arjuna Ranatunga, too made the same comment when I removed him as Chairman of the Interim Committee for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). He too did not name who this mafia was" said Minister Gamini Lokuge.

Sri Lanka ruggerite

It was former Royal College, CR & FC and Sri Lanka ruggerite, Lasitha Gunaratne, a member of the NSC, who first brought the subject of persons not eligible to hold office in the SLRFU Council to the NSC, who in turn informed Minister Lokuge, who appointed ex-IGP Indra de Silva to inquire into this matter. This opened "a can of worms' when allegations were made and revealed exclusively by The Morning Leader and The Sunday Leader that the SLRFU had spent Rs. 5 million within the period of five months and that it was in deficit of Rs. 15 million.

What will the Dr. Maiya Gunesekera Interim Committee decide on the two local 7's tournaments scheduled earlier for February 6 and 7 at Nittawela and at Longden Place on February 28 and March 1? Will the Interim Committee finance them or will the clubs (Kandy SC and CR & FC) have to find the sponsors? Then what about the Hong Kong International 7's on March 27, 28 and 29?

The Interim Committee will have to "set the ball rolling" immediately on these matters.

WHAT a difference a day makes. Tuesday brought, perhaps, Sri Lanka's most ignominious defeat this century: an eight-wicket annihilation at the hands of Pakistan. Wednesday, the vanquished of yesterday gloriously turned the guns around on the victors to win as spectacularly as they had lost: by 129 runs.

If that age-old threadbare clich‚ about cricket's glorious uncertainties needed reminding, then, the remarkable transformations produced 24 hours of each other in Karachi provided it. The Tuesday defeat had been virtual surrender, so that, by any definition, Wednesday's comeback was an extraordinary display of grit and guts by Jayewardene's men.

The final dustup in the three-match series was last night, and just as much these lines in praise of our team's character might be given deeper relevance, so it might well be rendered irrelevant, depending on the outcome yesterday. But Jayewardene's team had to be the more buoyant approaching the decider.

 Lack of consistency

What ever the outcome was last night, questions over the lack of consistency of our batting specialists would not have been fully answered. Sri Lanka's 290 on Wednesday, after all, was the first in excess of 250 since the Asia Cup of last June - that is, in 14 ODIs, eight of which were against minnows Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. In the last seven months, the best Sri Lanka could manage was 227/6, v. India last August. 

Before we delve into the why and wherefores for this exasperating form of our batsmen, a prologue to the tour of Pakistan wouldn't be inappropriate.

After the recent successes in Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, the Sri Lankans, to be sure, were going to find Pakistan quite another kettle of fish, notwithstanding the host country's limited exposure to international cricket since 2007. As well, recent history favoured Pakistan, who had lost just thrice in their previous 21 ODIs, as against Sri Lanka's five losses in 20 ODIs. Results of Tuesday and Wednesday doesn't change that balance. 

The importance of the current series, though, is not about mending a discrepancy in our record vis-a-vis Pakistan's. Rather, the sub-standard performances against the minnows over the preceding six weeks had cast serious doubts about the quality of Jayewardene's team and their ability to cope with the challenges of more established opponents.

Ranatunga's prophesy

 Not wrongly, the harsher critics of the team were quick to conclude that Arjuna Ranatunga's prophesy about Bangladesh moving ahead of us was nearing its day of realisation. So the only reply Jayewardene's men could give the doubting Thomases was to acquit themselves creditably against the Pakistanis.

The first encounter, as you know, was a horrendous disaster, an invitation to those critics to enter the room with knives unscabbered. The outcome on Wednesday, however, held the plunging knives. No prizes for predicting how the critics will react should, God forbid, the series be conceded.

While a close and vigilant scrutiny on a national team is not a bad thing at all, the unblinking watch for perceived chinks in the armour of Jayewardene's team, it has to be said, has been more than a tad overbearing. If the criticism is intended to push the team to levels of perfection, the consequent can be the opposite.

But it has to be quickly added that the team's long sequence of poor performances opened itself to criticism, no more conspicuously than lately, in Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

Exaggeration of the true story

The five-zero whitewash of Zimbabwe is an exaggeration of the true story, which is that the outcome of the series could so easily have gone Zimbabwe's way, 3/2. And in the tri-nation final, it was the unlikely heroics of Muralitharan with the bat that got the team over the line, chasing a measly 152. 

Critics sifting through these disappointments have pointed the finger of accusation in different directions. The most popular point of settlement is the captaincy of Jayewardene and his inability to lead by example; in other words, the demoralising effects of his wretched run of low scores on the team.

And while Jayewardene's leadership is being debated, inevitably, his, and some dozen of his ilk's preference to appear in the big-money IPL tournament this April-May, as a consequence of which was the abandonment of the tour to England, has time and time again questioned their loyalty to the country. Critics of Jayewardene have not passed up the chance to link the 13 players' IPL interest to failures in the official engagements.

Co-existence

To simplify the issue to one of IPL v. country makes it look as if the two can't co-exist. The Boards of New Zealand, Australia and the West Indies showed co-existence is possible, allowing their star players to play in the IPL until such time they are required for national duty, as happened in the last IPL when their players took leave of the Indian Twenty20 midway.

Why you might ask did not Sri Lanka come to some sort arrangement with IPL (read: BCCI) and have its 13 players available for the English tour? There are two answers: 1) the English tour was never on our 2009 fixtures-diary and was foisted on us by a  unilateral decision taken by then cricket chief Ranatunga to help fill an empty space in England's diary, caused by the cancellation of Zimbabwe's visit.

So the IPL was a done deal at the time Ranatunga agreed to accept a tour to England. Even so a resolution was possible. 2) but the door to negotiate with the BCCI so as to accommodate the English tour as well, was firmly shut by Ranatunga's rude remarks of IPL cricket - remarks made months before the English tour was even conceived.

That might be quite another story, but to consistently interpret it as unpatriotic and the reason why Jayewardene's men find themselves in a deep hole isn't going to help him get the team out of it. The real reason for the drop in the levels of our cricket runs deeper. It has all to do with either myopic selections or the absence of a feasible feeder to the national team - or both.

First-choice opener

That Jayasuriya, nearing 40 and in the ODI game since 1989, should remain our first-choice opener yet isn't quite the most classical definition of progress. This is not to infer the brilliant left-hander is undeserving of his place, but it is pertinent to ask "aren't there other openers?" The current answer is no, which is why no.6 Dilshan has been upped to no.1. He performed splendidly in Karachi, but when you experiment as opener with one who's been around since 1999, as Dilshan has; it suggests a poverty of young talent.

But then 26-year-old Kandamby's inclusion on Wednesday and his impressive half-century, says another story: a neglect of the young talent we have. He made his ODI debut at 21, in 2004, against Zimbabwe, and then banished to be recalled only last November for the Zimbabwe tour.

He played in only the last of the five ODIs in Zimbabwe, and his doughty top score of 40 in a victory of margin of just 19 runs proved decisive. Jehan Mubarak played in four of the five ODIs v. Zimbabwe and had made an impressive top score of 60 in fourth ODI.

No dearth of talent

So it's not that as if there's a dearth of talent - rather it has been the lack of a systematic and meaningful handling of the emerging talent. Given the rapid post '96 turnovers of administrators, a system for grooming emerging players was hardly a priority. Each new regime rather chose to showcase their administration through triumphs on the field. Hence their emphasis on the national team - and left the future in the hands of fate.

The induction of World Cup winning captain Ranatunga as chief of cricket one hoped would've brought apolitical policies, and that he would personally have ensured a clearheaded and far-sighted selection policy was put in place. Alas, he instead went on a collision course with the players over their IPL involvement, so planting in public minds doubts about our leading players' loyalty to country. It's not the sort of mental baggage the cricketers want to be burdened with while trying to clamber out of a hole. 

Should they have triumphed last night, I am sure they would've left all the traumatic troubles behind them, convinced the public of their commitment to the country flag and would've re-gathered spirit and self-belief for this week's battles with the Indians

New pavilion, scoreboard at Thurstan grounds

Two distinguished old boys of Thurstan College, Kumar Dewapura and Lal Wijeratne, donated the newly constructed pavilion and scoreboard at a cost of nearly Rs. 20 Million at the school grounds at Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha

To mark the occasion, the organising committee has organised a Twenty - 20 school cricket tournament on  Friday, January 30  at the school  grounds for the Kumar Devapura Challenge Trophy. This will be an annual event.

The competing teams will be St.John's (Jaffna), Jamaliya (Trincomalee) combined team from the Eastern Province Wesley and Thurstan.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for 7.30 a.m. on January 30 with the chief guest being Minister of Sports and Public Recreation, Gamini Lokuge. IGP Jayantha Wickeremaratna too will grace the occasion.

Anura Rohana wins Sri Lanka Open Golf title for second year running 

By Lal Gunesekera 

Sri Lanka's professional, Anura Rohana, won the Sri Lanka Men's Open Championship for  the second consecutive year at the Ridgeway's on Friday by 7 strokes over young Mithun Perera. This was conducted by the Sri Lanka Golf Union (SLGU).

The experienced Anura Rohana had a gross 271 with rounds of 67,66,74,69 in the four round competition, while young Mithun Perera (Sri Lanka's reigning Amateur Champion) soon after his triumph at the Asian - Pacific Open at Mission Hills in China was the runner - up on 278 (71,68,69,70).

Tissa Chandradasa, another experienced player was third on 283 (68,69,77,69)

Ninety players teed off , but there were only 43 after the cut-off.

Jackie wins Mack woods Trophy

Jackie Dias won the Sri Lanka Mackwoods Women's Stroke- Play Championship also of the SLGU at the Ridgeway's on Friday by just two strokes from veteran Suwaneetha  Selvaratnam. Jackie had 243 over three round (76,82,85), while Suwaneetha had 245 (86,81,78) Maleena Awn was third on 265 ( 93,84,88) Eleven Women's players competed.   

Nimbus raises head again in Sri Lanka

By Lal Gunesekera 

Nimbus who has been granted TV broadcasting rights for the coverage of five one-day internationals and a Twenty-20 game against India from January 28 to February 10 was blacklisted by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for defaulting payment in the agreement signed with Nimbus Sport International (Private) Limited for $27 million for TV rights in 2001.

SLC had to pay $550 million as arbitration fees.

The Sunday Leader learns that Sony backed out, Ten Sports did not make any bid, while ESPN expressed interest, but did not bid in the end. Taj TV had the matching rights.

Nimbus has been given the rights for $6 million for the six games with India, while normally it brings $2.5 million for one game with India.

Tenders closed on Monday (January 19). Nimbus has defaulted payment in India too with the Indian Authorities sending a letter to Nimbus warning them that unless payments are met, the contract will not be continued.

What was the Evaluation Committee of SLC doing in this regard - paltry $ 6 million (Rs. 600 million) for six games when it should have been over $20 million?

Of to Dubai

Meanwhile, The Sunday Leader learns that the Competent Authority of SLC, S. Liyanagama is to attend a meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Dubai next week with Navin Marapana, who is not a member of the Interim Committee.

Shane Fernando

Also, the Media Manager of SLC Shane Fernando has been removed from office from Thursday (January 22). He has returned his official vehicle, but not his laptop. He was asked to resign but he failed to do so. The CEO of SLC, Duleep Mendis, made the request on the orders of Minister Lokuge.

Ten Sports secure rights

The Sunday Leader learns that Ten Sports have secured TV rights from SLC from 2009 to 2013. They already have the rights with West Indies, Pakistan and Zimbabwe too.

SLT wins convergence Trophy

Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the country's no 1 integrated communication service provider, and its mobile arm, SLT Mobitel, competed against each other in a Twenty - 20 cricket tournament for the Convergence Trophy at the Bloomfield grounds Reid Avenue.

This tournament involving the two companies to strengthen relationship between the two companies played two games in 'A' and 'B' categories won by SLT by 33 runs and three wickets respectively.

President of SLT Cricket Association, Kiththi Perera said that they believed in the merging of business with sports to further promote the values of competitiveness and team spirit.

Kandy Sports Club AGM today

By Hafiz Marikar

Malath Fernando will be the new President of Kandy Sports Club.  The champion Kandy Sports Club team sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka will have their  annual general meeting today Sunday at the club house, to announce their office bearers for the year 2009.

 So, Kandy Sports Club the glamour boys of the local rugby scene will aim high this season when they kick off in the inter club sevens, of which the fist leg will be played in Kandy at Nitawella on  February 7 and 8.

Kandy Sports Club, who have been in the fore front of the game in the last 18 years, will be all out to pocket all the tournaments the SLRFU offers.  They have been wining the  League 15 times in 17 years and the Clifford Cup 14 times in 16 years, and the Sevens  eight times in a row, and have been winning  triple several times in the recent past.  With such a superlative records they are sure to be at their best this season too.

Patron-   E.W. Balasuriya  one time great promoters of the game will be the Patron.  He is one man who gave a big hand to Kandy rugby in the 1960s and 1970s.  He is the founder of Kandy Lake Club which went places and also of Kandy  RFC later the second named club amalgamated with Kandy SC.

E.W's Kandy Lake Club and Kandy RFC produced some of the top players of that time.   He was one time President of Kandy Sports Club in 1975 and  1986.

Trustees -  Chandra Wijenayake - the most senior member of the club, was President on many a occasion, and gave his best for the club when they needed it.

Dr. Sarath Kapuwatha -  He is man who changed  tables at Nittawella, he took over in 1990 and he did lot of things to make this club a champion club  and his dream came true, when they won the Clifford Cup for the first time in 1992.

From there they have been winning tournament after tournament.  He  got a good promoter to join the club, that is Malik Samarawickrema he gave his best  backing to Dr. Sarath Kapuwatha.  So, Dr. Sarath Kapuwatha who was last year's President wanted a new face as President and now every one will be looking at Malath to see a good job.  Dr.Sarath Kapuwatha is  an old Thomian and excelled in sports at school and Medical College.

Malik Samarawickrema  is the man who brought Kandy Sports  Club to the present standard through his knowledge and experience.  This club would have not  reached its present position if not for Malik.  It was after his coming that this club started winning trophies.

Today Malik is the king maker of the game, and he has  proved it by presenting good teams.  As in the past, Malik will be giving the team a collective pat on the back for another wonderful season.

President , Malath Fernando - A keen follower of  the game, he has served in the Kandy SC committee as, committee member,  Bar Secretary, Vice President and now he is the President and takes over from Dr. Sarath Kapuwatha.  Malath is a product of St. Sebastian's College.

Senior Vice President - Iswan Omar a hard working ruggerite, who learnt his rugby at Trinity College and later played for Kandy RFC, Kandy SC and Up - Country and had the privilege of leading all three teams.  After taking up planting, he played for Uva,  Dickoya MCC and Dimbulla ACC.  He has given of his best for the club. The other two Vice Presidents are Hemantha Yatawara and H. Marikar.

Today at the AGM, the portrait of late Wiliam Weerasinghe, will be unveiled.  Late Weerasinghe who joined Kandy SC with Kandy RFC's amalgamation, was Team Manager, Committee member and Vice President.  He  did his best for the club and was a popular guy among the players and rugby circles.

Mahesh Weerasinghe after a layout of a year, comes back as secretary, a product of Dharmaraja College, like his father William Weerasinghe, he has been giving of his best for the club as both Secretary and Vice President.

The Committee comprises of Lesley de Zoysa a senior hand, Lasantha Wijasuriya (The Rugby Chairman), C.P.P. Raj better known in the cricket field (Ground Secretary), Janaka Pathirane (Bar Secretary), Mahinda Dias, Sujeewa Liyanage, Sanjeewa  Tennekoon, Rohan Daulagala will   be   Gymnasium Secretary, Nimal   Gunasekara. Malik Saheed (Social Secretary)

Sri Lanka Sevens Captian - Pradeep Liyanage is the captain and he is blessed with some top players the game.  Lionel Silva is the Administrative manager of the club).

Dilroy on “SLRFU clarification”

Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union (SLRFU), Dilroy Fernando, says that the “Clarification from SLRFU” in The Sunday Leader of January 18 on point 6 raised by the governing body is incorrect and that the minutes will prove it.

Fernando has informed the SLRFU in October that he is not available to continue after his contract expires on December 31, 2008. This letter was tabled at the November Council meting and he excused himself from the December Council meeting.

“I was asked to wait till February, but I declined” said Fernando, and it was incorrect to say that the SLRFU “unanimously decided not to extend the contract”. The minutes will prove me correct said Dilroy Fernando.

Cricket - Premier League Tier 'A'

Colts complete outright win

Middle order batsman Dhanuka Pathirana hit a splendid century (109) and Sajeeva Weerakoon took a matchbag of eight wickets to help Colts CC complete a six wicket outright victory over NCC with more than a day to spare in their SLC Premier League tournament Tier A match concluded at Maitland Place yesterday. 

Scores: NCC: 161 and 177 (C. Wijesinghe 66, S. Dias 41, D. Mapa 40, S. Weerakoon 4 for 63, R. Perera 3 for 23, C. Vaas 2 for 24)

Colts CC: 166 and 175 for 4 (D. Pathirana 109, R. Weerasinghe 29 n.o, J. Kulatunga 24 n.o, A. Ganegama 2 for 29, T. Kottahewa 2 for 64)   

Sajith Fernando unbeaten ton

Stylish opening batsman Sajith Fernando struck an unbeaten century to help Tamil Union reach an impressive 268 for 3 in reply to SSC’s massive first innings total of 454 runs on the second day of their SLC Premier League tournament Tier A match continued at Maitland Place yesterday. 

Scores: SSC: 454 (K. Magage 76, S. Senanyake 35, M. Lakmal 41, S. Lakmal 3 for 53, S. Serasinghe 2 for 27)

Tamil Union: 268 for 3 (A. Priyanjan 79, S. Fernando 104 n.o, G. Rupasinghe 73 n.o, S. Senanayake 3 for 100) 

Bloomfield take massive lead

All rounder Shanuka Dissanayake hit a sparkling century (106) to help Bloomfield take a massive first innings lead over Chilaw Mians SC on the second day of their SLC Premier League tournament Tier A match continued at Reid Avenue yesterday. 

Scores: Chilaw Marians SC: 178 and 124 for 2 (S. Niroshan 69 n.o, N. Perera 44)

Bloomfield: 377 (Y. de Silva 69, S. Dissanayake 106, C. Silva 61, P. Jayawardena 61, D. Hettiarachchi 2 for 103, C. Perera 3 for 72) 

Ragama in command

Penetrative bowling from Ruwan Dilruk (3 for 30) and Upul Indrasiri (3 for 32) helped Ragama CC take a good first innings lead over Sri Lanka Army SC on the second day of their SLC Premier League tournament Tier A match continued at Maitland Crescent yesterday. 

Scores: Ragama CC: 350 and 222 (L. Thirimanna 55, M. Bandara 54, D. Chandimal 45, C. Silva 3 for 27, N. Ratnayake 3 for 42, D. Balasuriya 2 for 20)

Army SC: 168 (S. Perera 44, I. Karunatilleke 32, M. de Soysa 24, R. Dilruk 3 for 30, U. Indrasiri 3 for 32, M. Bandara 2 for 38)   

CCC collapse  

Opener D. K. Ranaweera and Michael van Dort compiled superb half centuries before CCC collapsed to 304 for 7 in reply to Moors SC’s first innings total of 386 on the second day of their SLC Premier League tournament Tier A match continued at Braybrooke Place yesterday. 

Scores: Moors SC: 386 (S. de Silva 3 for 60, C. Vidanapathirana 2 for 85, S. Boralessa 3 for 80)

CCC: 304 for 7 (D. K. Ranaweera 72, M. van Dort 71, B. Perera 38, T. Mendis 43 n.o, S. Pathirana 29, D. Lokuhettige 3 for 35, R. Herath 2 for 113)

• Cricket - Inter School

St. Benedict’s beaten by 3 wickets

Dushantha Chameera and Ashen Silva captured four wickets each to help Maris Stella College Negombo beat St. Benedict’s College outright by three wickets in their inter school under 19 cricket tournament match concluded at Kotahena yesterday. 

Scores: St. Benedict’s: 53 (V. Dassanayake 7 for 18, D. Chameera 3 for 18) and 191 (R. Nandalal 74 n.o, S. Fernando 38, S. Silva 28, D. Chameera 4 for 55, A. Silva 4 for 25)