Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage wants Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to probe the match-fixing allegations, involving Sri Lanka, by British journalist Ed Hawkins in his recent book.

The ministry spokesman Harsha B Abeykoon said that Aluthgamage wants the media stories probed and reported to him.

However, the SLC chief executive officer Ajith Jayasekera said that revelations in the ‘Bookie Gambler Fixer Spy by Hawkins was only a piece of work by an individual.

“We cannot probe anything until the ICC reports the matter to us. If the ICC asks us then we will conduct an investigation,” Jayasekera said.

Hawkins wrote that a bookmaker had told him that 2011 summer’s England vs Sri Lanka first Test at Cardiff was fixed.

Sri Lanka having made 400 in the first innings collapsed inexplicably under two hours of batting in the second innings to hand England an innings victory. (PTI)

Tillakaratne Dilshan made a sparkling 102, his 14th One-Day International hundred, and put on 127 for the unfinished fourth wicket stand with Angelo Mathews as Sri Lanka overpowered New Zealand by seven wickets in the third One-Day International in Pallekele on Tuesday (November 6).

Sri Lanka, who were set a revised target of 197 for victory through the Duckworth-Lewis method in a match reduced to 33 overs a side because of rain, surged to 200 for 3 with 11 deliveries to spare to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Sri Lanka won the second ODI by 14 runs on Sunday, while the opening match, also in Pallekele, had been abandoned without a ball being bowled.

New Zealand, who had been put in by Mahela Jayawardene, had ridden on a career-best unbeaten 96 by Bradley-John Watling, the opener, to post a competitive 188 for 6 in their 33 overs, an innings that was twice interrupted by rain.

Sri Lanka had a stiff target to chase down and appeared in trouble when they slipped to 73 for 3 in the 15th over, having lost Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara and Jayawardene.

Dilshan, who had dominated the early exchanges, however found an able ally in Mathews, the vice-captain, to repel the New Zealand charge. After a cautious start, Mathews too opened out to play some handsome strokes as the runs flowed in torrents towards the second half of the partnership.

Playing his 250th ODI, Dilshan remained unbeaten on 102 off 95 deliveries with 12 fours and one six, off Tim Southee with which he reached three figures, while Mathews’ 47-ball 54 contained seven fours.

Earlier, during a stop-start first session, Watling smashed 12 fours in his 88-ball knock, accelerating dramatically from 50 off 70 deliveries to amass 46 in his next 18. With Nathan McCullum (22 n.o.), Watling put on 71 for the unfinished seventh wicket in just 36 deliveries as Sri Lanka went to pieces towards the end of their bowling innings, conceding 67 in the last five overs. James Franklin was the other main scorer with a 25-ball 26.

New Zealand lost an early wicket after being put in to bat as Rob Nicol (7) was caught by Jayawardene in the slips in Lasith Malinga’s second over. Mathews then claimed his 50th one-day wicket when he trapped Brendon McCullum, the hard-hitting batsman, leg-before for 13.

Mathews also had a chance to dismiss Ross Taylor, the New Zealand captain, in the same over, but failed to hold on to a return catch when the batsman had not even opened his account.

New Zealand were under pressure at 49 for 4 after losing Taylor (7) and Jacob Oram (2), but Watling and Franklin steadied the innings with a 56-run stand for the fifth wicket.

New Zealand made two changes from the side that played the last match, bringing in Brendon McCullum, fit again, and Oram for Tom Latham and Andrew Ellis. Sri Lanka retained the team. (Courtesy The Nation Pakistan)

Rain played spoilsport for the 3rd time during New Zealand’s tour of Sri Lanka, but this time the match yielded a result as Sri Lanka, chasing New Zealand’s score of 250 got to 118/3 in the 23rd over before heavy rains settled in and no further play was possible, won the game by 14 runs via the D/L method.

Lasith Malinga starred with the ball picking up 2 wickets to ensure New Zealand never got away and restricted the visitors to 250 while T Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene batted well during the chase.

Earlier, Ross Taylor and Bradley-John Watling cracked half-centuries to help New Zealand post a competitive total. Skipper Taylor smashed two sixes and seven fours in a brisk 62-ball 72 for his 21st half-century in one-dayers, while Watling made an impressive 55 with six fours for his fourth fifty.

The New Zealand captain added 91 for the fourth wicket with James Franklin (35 not out) before being caught by Angelo Mathews in the covers off paceman Nuwan Kulasekara in the 46th over. Opener Rob Nicol (46) was the other main scorer.

Chasing a tricky target, Sri Lanka lost Upul Tharanga very early but T Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara got together to frustrate the visitors and deny them any further success. Rain made an appearance for the first time during the day and the match was stopped for close to an hour. On resumption, Sri Lanka lost Sangakkara off the 3rd ball, but Dilshan and Jayawardene batted well to put the home team back in command.

Dilshan was out soon after but Sri Lanka were ahead of the asking rate. Rain returned soon after and Sri Lanka were awarded the match via the D/L method as they were 14 runs ahead of the par score of 104. (Cric Buzz)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved day/night Test cricket as part of new playing conditions for Tests, One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) which will take effect with the series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand this month.

The amendments have been approved by the ICC Board following proposals made by the ICC Cricket Committee at its meeting in London in May, the ICC said in a press statement today.

It is important to note that the playing conditions are applicable to international cricket and must be read together with the Laws of Cricket. Whilst a playing condition may affect the Laws of Cricket as they may apply to international cricket, these changes are not amendments to the Laws of Cricket themselves.

The amendments to the playing conditions are:

GENERAL CHANGES (applies to more than one format)

Decision Review System (Tests and ODIs)

Clause 3.3 (ii) of Appendix 2, which deals with LBW protocols, has been amended and the margin of uncertainty applicable to the point of impact with the pad has been increased so that it is the same as provided for determining the projected point of impact with the stumps i.e. if the centre of the ball is shown to be impacting in line within an area demarcated by a line drawn down the middle of the outer stumps (and the bottom of the bails), then the decision will always be out.

If the whole of the ball is shown to be impacting outside the line of the stumps, then the decision will always be not out. If there is anything in between, the original on-field decision will stand.

As such, this clause will now read as follows: “If a ‘not out’ decision is being reviewed, in order to report that the point of impact is between wicket and wicket (i.e. in line with the stumps), the evidence provided by technology should show that the centre of the ball at the moment of interception is in line within an area demarcated by a line drawn below the lower edge of the bails and down the middle of the outer stumps.

“If an ‘out’ decision is being reviewed, in order to report that the point of impact is not between wicket and wicket (i.e. outside the line of the stumps), the evidence provided by technology should show that no part of the ball at the moment of interception is between wicket and wicket.”

No-balls (Tests, ODIs and T20Is)

A clause in the Appendix, which deals with No-balls in the Third Umpire TV Replay System, has been amended.

This now reads as: “Following any mode of dismissal that is not permitted off a no-ball and which is not the subject of an Umpire or Player Review, the third umpire shall, subject to the availability of suitable technology, immediately check the fairness of the delivery (foot-fault only). If the delivery was not a fair delivery, the third umpire shall advise the on-field umpire by two-way radio who should recall the dismissed batsman, indicate that the batsman is not out and signal no-ball.

“If suitable technology is not available to the third umpire, then if the on-field umpire is uncertain as the fairness of the delivery (foot-fault only), he shall be entitled to request the batsman to delay leaving the field and to check the fairness of the delivery (foot-fault only) with the third umpire. Consultation with the third umpire shall be by way of two way radio. If the delivery was not a fair delivery the on-field umpire shall indicate that the batsman is not-out and signal no-ball.”

Dead Ball (Tests, ODIs and T20Is)

Clause 23.4, Umpire calling and signaling ‘Dead Ball’, now reads as: “In a match where Spydercam is being used, either umpire shall call and signal ‘dead ball’, should a ball that has been hit by the batsman make contact, while still in play, with the Spydercam or its cable. The ball shall not count as one of the over and no runs shall be scored.”

Over-rates (Tests, ODIs and T20Is)

In the event of any time allowances being granted to the fielding team under 16.2 (d) (time wasting by batting team), then such time shall be deducted from the allowances granted to the batting team in the determination of its over-rate.

TEST MATCHES (only)

Day/night Tests

Participating countries may agree to play day/night Test matches. The home and visiting boards will decide on the hours of play which will be six hours of scheduled play per day while the two boards will also decide on the precise brand, type and colour of ball to be used for the match.

Intervals

Although the duration of the lunch and tea intervals remain unchanged i.e. 40 and 20 minutes respectively (as per Clause 15.1), the host team, with the consent of the opposing side, can apply to the ICC for an approval to depart from the standard playing conditions to provide for intervals of 30 minutes each.

ONE DAY INTERNATIONALS (Only)

Powerplays and fielding restrictions

Instead of three, there will be two blocks of Powerplays.

In an uninterrupted innings, the first Powerplay will be restricted to the first 10 overs with only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. The second five-over batting Powerplay (in an uninterrupted innings) will have to be completed by the 40th over and only three fielders will be allowed outside the fielding restriction area at the time of delivery.

In the non-Powerplay overs, no more than four fielders will be permitted outside the 30-yard circle.

For more details, please refer to ODI Playing Condition 41.2 Restrictions on the placement of fieldsmen.

Short-pitched deliveries

Law 42.6 (a) has been amended as: “A bowler shall be limited to two fast short-pitched deliveries per over.”

T20 INTERNATIONALS (Only)

One Over Per Side Eliminator

The following changes have been made to Appendix 7 which deals with One Over Per Side Eliminator (OOPSE):

In both innings of the one over per side eliminator, the fielding side shall choose from which end to bowl.

Only nominated players in the main match may participate in the OOPSE. Should any player (including the batsmen and bowler) be unable to continue to participate in the OOPSE due to (an) injury, illness or other wholly acceptable reasons, the relevant Laws and Playing Conditions as they apply in the main match shall also apply in the OOPSE.
Any penance time being served in the main match shall be carried forward to the OOPSE.
The fielding captain or his nominee shall select the ball with which he wishes to bowl his over in the OOPSE from the box of spare balls provided by the umpires. Such box to include the balls used in the main match, but no new balls. The team fielding first in the OOPSE shall have first choice of ball. The team fielding second may choose to use the same ball as chosen by the team bowling first. If the ball needs to be changed, then playing conditions as stated for the main match shall apply.
Over-rate time allowances

In addition to the available allowances under Clause 16.2 (Minimum Over-Rates), additional allowance of one minute will be given for the fall of each of the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth wickets.

Ben Gollings (Coach), Vishwa Mithra Jayasighe, Mithun Hapugodage, Diushan Chathuranga,, Dilip Selvam, Soyoru Anthony, Saliya Hadapangoda and Sajith Saranga

By Easwaran Rutnam

Pic by Dennis Muthuthanthri
The Sri Lanka rugby sevens national team is pumped up for the Asian Rugby Sevens tournament in Singapore this week and are hopeful of pulling off a surprise to qualify for the 2013 Rugby World Cup in Moscow.
Sri Lanka coach Ben Gollins, speaking to The Sunday Leader on the sidelines of a training session with the Sri Lanka team, said that China will be the biggest obstacle his team faces on the road to win the tournament in Singapore.
The Asian Rugby Sevens will be worked off in Singapore on November 2 and 3 and Sri Lanka is in Pool ‘D’ together with Japan and Indonesia while China is in Pool ‘C’ together with Malaysia and Kazakhstan.
The Asian Rugby Sevens is also the Asian qualifier for the 2013 Rugby World Cup and Gollins, a British national, feels Sri Lanka, on current form, is good enough to qualify.
“We have undergone good team preparation. We trained with a wide squad and cut it down to 16 players. The boys are excited after Mumbai and have shown great enthusiasm,” Golins told The Sunday Leader.
Sri Lanka clinched the plate championship of the Mumbai Sevens recently beating Malaysia 24-17 in extra time.
Gollins, who took over as Sri Lanka coach two months ago, says the team has built a close knit around him and have also progressed on the field.
“Don’t get me wrong these boys are good rugby players. I just gave them some ideas to improve their game and it has worked well,” he said.

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Radika Hettiarachchi, Saliya Kumara, Nigal Ratwatte, Chula Susanth, Srinath Sooriyabandara (Vice Captain) and Fazil Marija (Captain) a

Sri Lanka sevens Captain Fazil Marija said the presence of the new coach has helped the side in its performance on the field.
“He is a great coach. He brought in a change in our training and game plan. The boys are feeling good and are committed to do well,” he said.
Marija said the team has undergone a tight training schedule over the past few days in preparation for the Asian Rugby Sevens.
Sri Lanka face Japan in their first game of the Singapore tournament and Gollins says the team will take each game as it comes.
On his stay in Sri Lanka, Gollins says he has enjoyed his stint so far with the team and is also impressed with the facilities on offer for rugby in the country.
“Yes cricket is the biggest sport in Sri Lanka but rugby has a huge history in this country and the future looks very exciting. There are some really good facilities for the players and I am told more are coming up

Richard Browne in conversationwith Kumar Sangakkara

Q: Given the prestige attached to World Cup victories, does Test cricket suffer for the absence of that ultimate pinnacle (excluding the Ashes of course). Is the World Test championship the only answer, or is that a flawed concept in itself?
A: No and no. Putting it back has given us breathing space to rebuild, but this aside I was all in favour of starting it as soon as possible. It would only increase the drive and enthusiasm of Test players to really fight it out when the going gets tough and this can only increase the spectacle of Test cricket.
Personally and I expect for a lot of other players as well each Test match is a genuine event in itself and doesn’t require more meaning as you say, but what it would do is give more meaning for fans especially in Sri Lanka, where Test cricket is not ingrained and for a lot of the public does lack meaning.
After the two recently concluded World Cup’s in the shorter format of the games it would  have been an ideal way of gauging exactly where Test cricket does stand with the cricket watching public in comparison with ODIS and Twenty 20’s.
Putting it back is really disappointing, cricket does need it and I would be fascinated to feel the intensity of a Test final. Test cricket is the most intense format and I thrive on it, notching it up another gear, would be the ultimate test. Personally it’s a real shame that I will not be around to experience it now.
Q: I am presuming you never played a five-Test series… Does that annoy you or something you accept given Sri Lanka’s long-held status as minnows … what about England’s attitude to Sri Lanka, one-off Tests right up until Murali’s match in 1998 … are they actually to blame for limiting the scope of the version of the sport they hold most dear?
A: I think if in our early days we had been given more Tests the standard of Sri Lankan cricket would have improved a lot quicker and to me it was very short sighted to introduce a new country to the international stable then treat them with disdain, but such is life and we have managed to rise above it.
I know the players in the generation that preceded me felt deprived of opportunities in the Test arena. I would love to have experienced the challenge of playing a five Test series, especially from the mental side, but I never expected too and thus am not disappointed that I haven’t. What I can’t stand are two Test series, they cheapen the product and are not worth the trouble. Abolish them now and make it compulsory for all series to be at least three matches long.
I think the mistake the old guardians made was in not seeing where cricket was going in general and thus not being ready to deal with the challenges that Test’s faced when 20/20 exploded. In fairness even at the start of my career it was unforeseeable that the game would change so much in a decade.
To me though when the future of cricket is discussed it should be just that, cricket and not the individual formats. ODI’s kick started a more aggressive approach to the longer format of the game and 20/20 has accelerated it- look at Test run rates for example, Test cricket is definitely better to watch now. All the formats make up cricket and they should be seen as an entirety that all benefit the overall good of the game.
Q: Have you noticed a sea-change in Test cricket’s status in the course of your career? If so, how does this impact on younger players coming into Test cricket? Is it harder to motivate players for a five-day game than it might have been before the limited-overs boom?
A: No it isn’t. Players themselves love Test cricket. There are so many ODI’s and 20/20’s that players who have experienced Test cricket really start to crave it, when in our case for example we can go months and months without playing a Test. Just about every player accepts that Test cricket is the most complete test of skills and that the best in the long run always shine.
No matter how lucrative other versions get, hearts and minds are still held by Tests for the vast majority of players.
All the young players in the Sri Lankan set up are totally focused on Test cricket its where your name is made and you are recognized as a quality player.
There is obviously a lot more competition for the public’s attention since my career started and the challenge is to achieve the primacy that the game holds for the players with the public. There needs to be discourse between players and the public and players should take every opportunity to promote the game and establish its primacy.
Q: How culpable are the boards in undermining Test cricket as a spectacle, not least in Sri Lanka, by moving matches from beautiful atmospheric grounds such as Kandy to soulless concrete bowls. how vital is the spectator experience to the overall product? Seven hours for five days is a big investment to ask from viewers. How much does it affect the players when there’s next to no crowd?
A: I think some of our scheduling around Tests is not the best. Two Test series must go and playing the West Indies last season during the monsoons was not ideal. I saw you at Pallekelle, do you really think it’s a ‘soulless concrete bowl’???  – but I take your point. It is absolutely crucial especially in the subcontinent where as you know public transport is not of the same standard and reliability as in the west that internationals stadiums are built in areas of high population density, preferably in the cities themselves.
This is a bigger problem in India which is bigger than Sri Lanka and some of the outstation stadiums seem to be miles from anywhere. If people are 50/50 about coming to a day at the Test, then a two hour bus journey is not going to swing them.
In Sri Lanka we have to improve facilities at the grounds make it a real family day out, with more sheltered seating, kids attractions, better food etc. It’s vital that we get the kids watching Test cricket as they are the ones who will carry the tradition forward over here.
It would be a bit of a dream come true for me to play a test at the SSC in front of a full house of Sri Lankan’s, the only time it’s full is when we play you and the Barmy Army takes over. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have the Sri Lankan fans enjoying themselves like they do at the ODI’s and the Barmy Army all in the same stadium?
Sri Lanka is cricket mad and although most of our Tests outside of Galle are poorly attended the public will still be following. I would like to see a blackout of Test being shown on telly in the city their being played in, I’m sure that would get people inside. It’s a tricky one though; broadcasting money is so huge and so important to so many different levels of the game in Sri Lanka, that nothing should be done to harm the deals. But…”
Q: Is it too easy to find something else to do these days? Have attention spans been limited by proliferation of cable tv, smartphones, etc, or does that actually help people to follow the sport, albeit from a distance (that’s maybe one for an administrator first and foremost, but his answer I’m sure would be well considered…)?
A: I think technology is great for Test cricket especially. In Sri Lanka I reckon people are so intrigued by the technology that they tune in just to see what’s it’s all about. I would like to see more of it. Even get GPS involved. If Test cricket is to achieve the global primacy we want then the technology for it has to be world class and there is a lot more need for it in Test’s than the shorter forms of the game. I am all for using the social media to build up interest and following in the game, business’ are now using it, so why shouldn’t we. Technology and the decisions they produce are great talking points on social media forums.
One of the key points we need to get across to the public are the very high skill sets required to play Test cricket. DRS and the rest cuts out errors and will help the cream rise to the top, in time the public will respond to this and hopefully fully understand the  technical skills, stamina, courage and consistency Tests require.
Q: How will you be judged for posterity? what would it mean to be bracketed, say, with men such as Bradman, Hammond, Miandad and Gavaskar. Is that more important than the money that can be made from the game, and if so, do you feel that this take differs from your contemporaries?
A: Personally I would love to be remembered as the greatest player who ever lived. The great thing about modern day cricket is that you can you do both. No one should be scared of saying ‘this is my job, I have a family I want to make as much money as I can’, but the youngsters must realize that this entails hard work, serious work over years and that to sit on the top table of earners 99 times out of 100 you have to do your stuff in Test’s. I think anyway that superstar 20/20 specialists are a misdemeanor, look at Warner of Australia, if you can perform amongst the best in 20/20 you can do it in Test’s.
Eventually I would like to see a reversion to the old order and Test cricket returning to being the highest paid form of the game. Is this viable? I hope so, in fact think so eventually. It’s all about making Test cricket the pinnacle.

Drysdale about to part with his winning jersey and Drysdale with the children at the Dream Center

Gold Medallist at the 2012 Olympics and five-time Rowing World Champion Mahé Drysdale auctioned his Olympic Jersey in Colombo in a bid to raise funds for Children affected by Cerebral Palsy.
The sporting idol who is in the island on an invitation by t-sips, raised Rs. 2.35m for the Cerebral Palsy Lankan Foundation (CPLF) by auctioning his winning jersey.
The Olympian contributed to this worthy cause at a dinner in Colombo, hosted by t-sips, a brand by Expo Lanka Teas.
Representatives from the rowing community, the corporate sector, CPLF were among those present at the fund raising event.
Most rowing schools were also represented at the event, giving young oarsmen and women a unique opportunity to meet the sporting legend.
As the t-sips’s flagship CSR initiative the brand has been supporting the Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation to create awareness about the condition and a better environment for affected children.
Earlier in the day, the Olympian together with t-sips visited ‘The Dream’ Center’ for Children with Cerebral Palsy, in Wattala -the first organization in Sri Lanka for persons with the condition – in a bit to raise awareness. Children at the Dream Center got a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet and interact with the world sporting legend.
During his visit, Drysdale interacted with children and distributed gifts to them. He expressed his deep interest to support the cause together with t-sips.
The CPLF was founded 6th October 2011 with the objective of providing educational and therapeutic services for children with Cerebral Palsy and associated movement disorders.
Director and Chief Executive Officer of t-sips, Dhilshad Sideek speaking about the condition said, “We believe, as a responsible corporate entity we have a duty to create awareness about Cerebral Palsy, create a better living condition for these children and give them the gift of happiness whenever and where ever possible.”
“There is a lot we can do for them. Children with Cerebral Palsy do best when they get special help at an early age. While there is no known cure for Cerebral Palsy, there are many treatments and therapies, which can reduce the impact of the condition by easing symptoms such as spasticity, improving communication skills and finding alternate ways to function daily.  Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy also play an important part.” Sideek said.
The Dream Center, which began with three children now has 18 children from the ages of 3-13, and has six teachers and a Physiotherapist supporting them.  The center offers treatment, therapy and an educational curriculum to its children. The First center was started in Wattala and the second at Moratuwa.
Earlier this year t-sips through Expolanka Teas supported The National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Week 2012, which was organized by CPLF in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Society of Physiotherapy.
t-sips has a thee year mission to establish three more Dream Centers in the Kaluthara, Colombo and Gampaha districts. t-sips believes that this will create a better environment for children with Cerebral Palsy in these areas and also leading to job opportunities in these areas.
About Cerebral Palsy
It is a common misconception that a child born with Cerebral Palsy cannot have any hope of leading a normal life.  However, t-sips believe that there is tremendous potential for these children despite their health condition, to lead a fulfilled life with hope.  With this objective at heart, the brand is supporting the ‘The Dream’ Center for Children with Cerebral Palsy to encourage the children in their challenging journey through life.
While the exact cause for Cerebral Palsy cannot be determined, doctors believe it may be caused due to the interference of a child’s normal brain development or an injury to the brain tissues when the baby is still growing in the womb, during birth or shortly after. This disrupts the nerve signals between the brain and the muscles, leading to problems with movement, posture and coordination as the child grows up and is called Cerebral Palsy. While some people are severely affected, others have only minor disruption, depending on which parts of the brain are not functioning properly.
According to CPLF in the developed world, six cerebral palsy cases occur per 1000 births while in Sri Lanka this figure stands high at around 12 to 15 cases per 1000 births. According to available statistics in Sri Lanka, there are around 40,000 children in the country affected by Cerebral Palsy, with many unreported cases.

St. Joseph’s College First XI cricket pool for 2012/13 season:
Sachin Hewawasam (captain), Aravindh Fernando (vice captain), Sadeera Samarawickrema, Priyamal Perera, Dylan Fernandopulle, Yashan Samarasinghe, Pathum Madushanka, Fabian Fernando, Damith Weerasinghe, Kushan Weerakkody, Rajindu Rodrigo, Muditha Weerasinghe, Duran de Alwis, Nirvana Abeysekera, Trishan Thanuja, Shehan Perera, Stephan Anandappa, Shammi Seneviratne, Aravinda Akuragoda, Hasindra Perera, Suren de Silva, Brian Praneeth, Kalpa Ravihara, Vinura Mendis, Glenard
Leon, Kevin Cortling, Sandaruwan Rodrigo, Vimukthi Peiris, Tashan Perera, Kesara Kumarapperuma, Avishka Fernando.
Coach: Janaka Deegodagamage, Assistant coach: Kapila Manohara,
Master in Charge: Prasantha Ranaweera, Prefect of Games: Rev Fr. Samitha Rangana

St. Joseph’s College with a star studded batting line up are hoping to remain unbeaten and finish among the top five teams in the current inter school under 19 cricket season.
This year they have retained the services of some of their more senior players and with more talented players joining the squad St. Joseph’s College are confident that they could emerge as a major force.
Already they have produced two centurions from the couple of matches they have played so far in the third term and the bowlers are improving well to play under different conditions.
However St. Joseph’s College batting is the strong point this season where they have put up some impressive totals from the matches they have played so far against Isipathana, D. S. Senanayake, Thurstan, Holy Cross and Mahinda College Galle.
Senior coloursman Dylan Fernandopulle hit a superb century against Holy Cross College Kalutara while the consistent Sadeera Samarawickrema also reached the three figure mark in the game against Mahinda last week.
The other significant performance has come from skipper Sachin Hewawasam who had a top score of 91 in the opening fixture of the current season against Isipathana College at Darley Road in addition to a couple of 40’s in the other matches.
St. Joseph’s College have got off to a promising start with some splendid individual contributions from their senior players and are looking forward towards extending their dominance during the rest of the season.

Remaining fixtures:
November 1/2    v De Mazenod College at Kandana
November 12/13    v Maris Stella College at Negombo
December 28/29    v St. Sebastian’s College at Moratuwa
January 4/5    v Wesley College at Campbell Park
January 11/12    v Royal College at Darley Road
January 18/19    v Trinity College at Darley Road
January 25/26    v S. Thomas’ College at Darley Road
February 8/9    v St. Benedict’s College at Darley Road
February 11/12    v Moratu Vidyalaya at Moratuwa
February 15/16    v St. Anthony’s College at Katugastota
February 22/23    v Ananda College at Ananda Mawatha
March 1/2    v St. Peter’s College (Big Match) at the P. Sara Oval
March 9    v St. Peter’s College (50 over) at R. Premadasa Stadium

Sri Lankan batsman Thilan Samaraweera wrote his name into the cricket history books against England by scoring the two millionth run in Test cricket.

He brought up the milestone with a nudged four to fine leg off Steve Finn at the end of the 10th over of the day on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old went on to make 54 before falling lbw to Tim Bresnan.

The landmark comes 135 years after Charles Bannerman scored the first ever Test run for Australia against England in Melbourne in 1877.

Bannerman faced what is recognised as Test cricket’s first ball at Melbourne Cricket Ground, and scored the first run off the second ball of the day.

He went on to score the first Test hundred and become the first batsman to retire hurt in the same match.

Remarkably it took 109 years and 1,054 matches to score the first million Test runs, and it is still unclear which batsman was responsible for the historic moment.

It came in a match between Australia and India on 19 October 1986.

In the 83rd over of Australia’s second innings Allan Border hit what many believe to be the landmark run off the final ball from Raju Kulkami, although there is still some suggestion Dean Jones’s single off the ball before recorded the milestone.

That is because an innings by South Africa in a Johannesburg Test in 1906 has been changed from 34-1 to 33-1, supported by a surviving scorebook.

If that score is taken as correct then Jones and not Border scored the one millionth Test run, but no-one seems entirely sure.

What is certain is that it took 109 years to score the first million Test runs, and now just 26 years later the total has been doubled, with Samaraweera’s four during Sri Lanka’s second Test match against England in Colombo.

With an increased amount of Test cricket being played and higher than average scoring in Test matches, how long will we have to wait for the next run scoring milestone? (BBC Sport)