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 Sprint queen Susie
to call it
quits
By
Samiddha Rathnayake
Local sprint queen Susanthika Jayasinghe is finally calling it a
day. The Nation reliably learns that Jayasinghe, 33 is quitting
to start a family.
She is expected to make her plans for retirement public very
shortly ending a glorious 17-year athletics career the
highlights of which were her winning an Olympic medal and also a
medal in the IAAF World championships.
In 2000 at the Sydney Olympics, Jayasinghe became only the
second Sri Lankan athlete and the first female athlete to win an
Olympic medal. She also won two World Championship medals –
silver at Athens in 1997 and a bronze at Osaka ten years later.
All her medals were won at her pet event the women’s 200 metres
where her personal best timing is 22.28 secs. In the 100 metres
her personal best is 11.04 secs. She also won several gold
medals in the Asian Athletics circuit.
Susanthika’s last hurrah was at the Beijing Olympics where she
managed seventh place in the 200 metres semifinals.
Along with athletes Damayanthi Dharsha and Sugath Tillakaratne,
Susanthika lifted Sri Lanka athletics to international
competitive level.
According to a source close to her family, Susanthika has taken
this decision on advice from her doctors. “Most probably there
will be a function in the coming month to announce her
retirement,” Sunil Jayaweera, her one time coach said.
Jayaweera further stated that Susanthika has not yet decided
whether to start a second phase of her life as a coach, but said
that at the moment she would concentrate on her family life.
****
Under-23 division 1 cricket semifinals
Schools face defeat at the hands of champs
 Champs
SSC will probably eye a second successive final in the Under-23
division I championship after they batted themselves into a
winning position on the second day of the 3-day semifinal match
against Under-20 Schools at the NCC grounds yesterday.
At stumps SSC chasing a target of 213 were just 35 runs away
from recording a win with nine wickets in hand. Skipper Hans
Fernando (102 not out) and opener Naveen Perera (66 not out)
guided SSC from 6-1 to 178-1 when play ended for the day.
Right-handed Fernando returning to form, struck four boundaries
and a six in his 109-ball unbeaten century and shared an
unbroken 172-run stand for the second wicket off 241 balls with
Perera whose half-century has taken in 141 balls.
On the first day of play the Under-20 Schools managed only 115
runs but fought back well to bowl SSC out for 146. But
yesterday, the Schools batting in their second innings could
make only 243 runs with Dimuth Karunaratne striking an elegant
82 and skipper Ashan Priyanjana hitting a valiant 50 leaving SSC
with the task of scoring 213 for victory in more than a day.
NCC takes charge
In the other semifinal, NCC took charge of the day’s proceedings
against Colts after obtaining a first innings lead at the SSC
grounds. Colts were bowled out for 234 runs after NCC had scored
376 continuing from their overnight score of 362-9. NCC
all-rounder Eranga Gangoda who stroked 114 on the first day
grabbed 4 for 44 with his right-arm medium-pace to put Colts in
trouble. Kosala Kulasekara who brought NCC to a commanding
position on the first day took two scalps for 48. For Colts,
Peterite Angelo Perera sacrificed his wicket after hitting a
valuable 64 while Roshen Silva made 41. Batting a second time,
NCC were 68-0 at close of play. Both matches will continue at
10.00 am today.
Second day scores
At SSC:
NCC 362-9 contd 376 (91.2) (Kosala Kulasekara 133, Eranga
Gangoda 114, Lahiru Gamage 23 n.o., Kanishka Elvitigala 5/77,
Rajeewa Weerasinghe 2/57, Lakshan Rodrigo 2/88) and 68-0 (14) (Damintha
Dahanayake 33 n.o., Rajitha Mendis 34 n.o.)
Colts 234 (69.2) (Tharindu Attanayake 32, Kushal Perera 29,
Roshen Silva 41, Angelo Perera 64, Roshan Laksiri 2/62, Eranga
Gangoda 4/44, Kosala Kulasekara 2/48)
At NCC:
Under-20 Schools 115 (24) and 243 (62.5) (Dimuth Karunaratne 82,
Ashan Priyanjana 50, Nizam Mazahir 33, Sanjaya Fernando 23 n.o.,
Shalika Karunanayake 3/74, Dhanushka Colombage 3/49, Milan
Fernando 2/53)
SSC 146 (45.5) and 178-1 (43) (Naveen Perera 66 n.o., Hans
Fernando 102 n.o.) - (MNA) ****
Amerasinghe bowls SL ‘A’ to 3-run win
 Ishara
Amerasinghe’s five-wicket haul narrowly gave Sri Lanka ‘A’
victory in the first unofficial one-day international against
hosts South Africa A at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom. South
Africa, chasing 275, needed seven runs from the final over, but
Amerasinghe struck with the first and fourth balls to deny them
victory by three runs.
South Africa was given a steady, if mundane, start. Imraan Khan
and Heino Kuhn, who earlier took four catches behind the stumps,
added 57 before Kuhn departed in the 13th over. Khan and Alviro
Petersen, South Africa’s captain, then took the score to 107
when Amerasinghe removed Khan for 61. That became 107 for 3 when
Amerasinghe sent Henry Davids back for a first-ball duck. With
the asking rate increasing Petersen started hitting out - Gihan
Rupasinghe’s single over went for 21 runs - but once Dilruwan
Perera dismissed him for 60 from 62 balls, Sri Lanka were in
with a solid chance.
Vaughn van Jaarsveld (29) fell shortly after his captain, and
the battle swung both ways through a few small partnerships down
the order and further strikes from Amerasinghe. In the end,
however, the Sri Lankan fast bowler held his nerve to clinch a
tense win. Juan Theron (22) was bowled on the first ball of the
50th over, and Thandi Tshabalala was given out lbw for 11 three
balls later, as Amerasinghe finished with 5 for 44. These are
his best limited-overs figures.
Sri Lanka’s total of 274 came down to half-centuries from Upul
Tharanga (56), captain Thilina Kandamby (67) and Angelo Mathews
(70). Sri Lanka lost two early wickets after opting to bat, but
Tharanga and Kandamby added 67 and later Kandamby put on 64 with
Mathews. Wayne Parnell, who captained South Africa Under-19 to
the World Cup final earlier this year, returned the most
economical figures of 2 for 45.
Sri Lanka leads the five-match series 1-0. The second match is
on September 21 in Pietermaritzburg.
Sri Lanka ‘A’ 274 for 6 (50) (A Mathews 70, T Kandamby 67, U
Tharanga 56, K Silva 23 n.o., W Parnell 2/45)
South Africa ‘A’ 271 (49.4) (I Khan 61, A Petersen 60, I
Amarasinghe 5/44, D Perera 2/33). ****
 CIFL
Trophy 2008 gets underway at Negombo
The ‘CIFL Trophy 2008’ organised by Team 4x4 Negombo got
underway with the women’s events and the men’s qualifying events
taking place at the Negombo Beach yesterday. Bimali Fernando and
co-driver M\A Sumith won the women’s event. Niluka Costa emerged
runners-up with her co-driver Indika Dilhani while Mali Champika
with co-driver Leonard took third place in the event. The main
event, where 31 Off-Road Jeeps competed in a hardcore dual
track, will take place at the Rivers Edge Dual Track in
Kochchikade, Negombo today. Picture shows Mali Champika driving
her way through the sands to take third place.
(Pic by Pushpakumara Matugama)
****
No more cricket tours to Sri Lanka warns BCCI
NEW DELHI: Sri Lankan Cricket Board’s decision to lift
the ban on its Indian Cricket League players wasn’t well
digested by the BCCI, and hence, it now intends to take up this
matter with the International Cricket Council (ICC), an official
said on Friday.
The Sri Lankan Board dared to go against the BCCI and has
allowed its ICL enrolled players to play in domestic
tournaments.
The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) decision has surprised the Board of
Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which was instrumental in
persuading the other cricket boards to ban ICL players.
“We have come to know about it (lifting of ban). It is very
strange. We have not spoken to the Sri Lankan Cricket Board till
now. But will take up this issue with the ICC,” BCCI secretary
Niranjan Shah told reporters Friday.
SLC spokesman said the decision to revoke the ban was taken at
the interim committee meeting chaired by its chairman Arjuna
Ranatunga in Colombo. However, the ban from international
cricket will continue.
The decision comes close on the heels of Bangladesh Cricket
Board (BCB) banning 13 players for 10-years after they signed up
with the ICL. [Zeecric bureau]
**** Two International Carrom
C’ships in October
By Samiddha Rathnayake
October will be one of the busiest months in the local carrom
calendar, as the Sri Lanka Carrom Federation (SLCF) will be
hosting the 12th SAARC carrom championship and the 5th ICF
(International Carrom Federation) Cup under the auspices of the
ICF.
Langley Mathiasz, secretary of the organising committee told The
Nation that the SAARC championship will be held from October 11
to 13 with the participation of six countries – Bangladesh,
India, Pakistan, Nepal, Maldives and Sri Lanka. “After the SAARC,
players from nine more countries will be arriving in Sri Lanka
to compete in the ICF Cup making it a total of 15 countries. The
event will be held from October 15 to 19,” Mathiasz said.
The nine countries are: England, Germany, Italy, USA,
Netherlands, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and UAE.
Mathiasz further said this will be the first time that Sri Lanka
will host the ICF Cup. “As the 50th anniversary of the SLCF and
the 20th anniversary of ICF falls this year it will be a great
occasion in our local carrom history,” he said.
A budget of 3.5 million rupees has been prepared for the ICF Cup
tournament. Palm Beach Hotel, Moratuwa has been selected as the
venue for both tournaments.
**** BCCI
upset by Lanka’s decision NEW
DELHI: Sri Lanka Cricket’s decision to lift the ban on its
Indian Cricket League players wasn’t well digested by the BCCI,
and hence, it now intends to take up this matter with the
International Cricket Council (ICC), an official said on Friday.
The Sri Lanka Cricket dared to go against the BCCI and has
allowed its ICL enrolled players to play in domestic
tournaments. The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) decision has surprised
the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which was
instrumental in persuading the other cricket boards to ban ICL
players.
“We have come to know about it (lifting of ban).
It is very strange. We have not spoken to the Sri Lankan Cricket
till now. But will take up this issue with the ICC,” BCCI
secretary Niranjan Shah told reporters Friday.
SLC spokesman said the decision to revoke the ban was taken at
the interim committee meeting chaired by its chairman Arjuna
Ranatunga in Colombo Wednesday. However, the ban from
international cricket will continue.
The decision comes close on the heels of Bangladesh Cricket
Board (BCB) banning 13 players for 10-years after they signed up
with the ICL.
The previous interim committee of the SLC, led by Jayantha
Dharmadasa, had imposed a total ban on all national cricketers
playing the ICL tournament, preventing them from taking part in
all forms of cricket and cricket related activities locally and
internationally. [Zeecric Bureau]
**** Tame draw at Mt. Lavinia
The inter-school Under-19 match between S. Thomas’ and DS
Senanayake MV ended in a tame draw at Mt. Lavinia yesterday.
After declaring at 164-8, the Thomians set their visitors a
target of 155 runs in 26 overs. Eventually DSS scored 80-7 after
batting in their allotted overs.
S. Thomas’ 128 and 6-2 cont’d 164-8 decl. (Fahim Saleem 49,
Ravindraraja Nirushan 32, Chamod Pathirana 42 n.o., Nadun
Pathirana 4/18, Malshan Munasinghe 2/32)
DSS 138 and 80-7 at close (Chamod Kariyawasam 16, Charith
Jayampathi 29, Nadeesha Jayakody 20n.o., Hemaka Ariyaratne 3/14,
Chamod Pathirana 2/23) (MNA) ****
Tendulkar could miss Aussie Tests
India batting star Sachin Tendulkar could miss at least part of
the forthcoming Test series against Australia because of an
elbow injury.
The 35-year-old will miss a domestic game next week after
suffering the injury on a recent tour to Sri Lanka.
“He is not playing the Irani Trophy and has been advised a week
of rehabilitation,” said Board of Control spokesman Ratnakar
Shetty.
The four-match series against Australia starts in Bangalore on 9
October.
And although Tendulkar was well below his best in Sri Lanka,
where he managed a highest score of only 31 in three Tests, his
absence would be a major blow to India’s chances of avenging
their 2-1 home defeat by Australia.
He holds the record for the most centuries in Tests, with 39 in
150 matches, and is only 77 short of beating Brian Lara’s record
for the most runs in Test cricket, the former West Indies
captain having retired with a total of 11,953.
Tendulkar has had a number of injury problems in recent years
and missed the first two matches against Australia four years
ago because he was suffering from tennis elbow.
He underwent corrective surgery on his left elbow in May 2005,
but jarred the joint while attempting to take a catch during the
third Test against Sri Lanka in August. (BBC)
****
Chanderpaul century keeps Durham in title
hunt LONDON, (AFP) - Shivnarine
Chanderpaul, the International Cricket Council’s World Player of
the Year, scored an unbeaten 130 as Durham kept up their pursuit
of the English First Division County Championship title.
Left-hander Chanderpaul, a mainstay of the West Indies batting
order and Gareth Breese (63 not out) shared an unbroken stand of
192 as Durham made 325 for four against reigning champions
Sussex at the Riverside on Wednesday.
Nottinghamshire too stayed firmly in the hunt for the
Championship away to Surrey, whose long expected relegation to
the Second Division was confirmed Wednesday by the distribution
of bonus points in other fixtures.
Nottinghamshire piled up 420 for five, thanks to hundreds from
Mark Wagh (141) and Samit Patel (135), a lead of 153.
Surrey, who won the Championship three times around the turn of
the century, have yet to register a victory in the competition
this season.
Somerset, one of several teams who could lift the trophy with
only just one more round of fixtures remaining after the current
set of matches, fell 20 runs short of maximum batting bonus
points while making 380 against Yorkshire.
In reply, the hosts again saw Michael Vaughan fail with the bat,
the former England captain out for 14.
A rain-marred season means the top five teams in the First
Division all still have a chance of topping the table. That
includes Kent, chasing their first Championship trophy in 30
years.
Lancashire, bowled out for 107 in their first innings, were 257
for seven at stumps on Thursday, the second day of four, against
Kent at Liverpool.
That left them just 131 runs ahead of their southern visitors,
who made 233 in their first innings with former England
wicket-keeper Geraint Jones contributing 91.
Hampshire, whose August saw them go top in their first season
since the first-class retirement of their former captain and
Australia leg-spin great Shane Warne, are not involved in the
current set of matches.
Their bid for a first Championship title since 1973 concludes
away to Nottinghamshire next week in what could be a
winner-takes-all clash.
**** Salim
Malik wasn’t banned for life: Lawyer
LAHORE: Former Test captain Salim Malik’s
lawyer has claimed that there was no life ban on the batsman and
he was only contesting his case in a civil court in Lahore
against the one million-rupee fine imposed on him by a judicial
commission probing a match-fixing scandal way back in 2000.
His lawyer Shahid Karim said that although the judicial
commission had imposed a life ban on Salim, it had been dropped
by the Supreme Court, which referred the case about the fine to
a lower court. The commission had imposed a life ban on Salim in
addition to the fine.
Moreover, Shahid, who also represents the medium-fast bowler
Mohammad Asif in the dope testing case made out against him
during the Indian Premier League (IPL), said that his client was
ready to appear before the league’s anti-doping tribunal to
clear himself from the allegation.
Asif had challenged the positive report of his sample announced
by a Switzerland laboratory. Though his B sample also tested
positive, according to the experts, the difference of the weight
of the banned substance found in both the samples made a way for
Asif to get himself cleared from the allegation. He said all the
delay in this case was from the IPL’s side. [Bureau report]
**** IAAF
president due next month International
Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) president Lamine Diack is
expected to arrive in Sri Lanka for a four-day visit. Secretary
of the Amateur Athletic Association of Sri Lanka Prema Pinnawala
said Diack is coming on the invitation of the local athletic
body. He will be in Sri Lanka from October 19 to 22.
**** Victory for cricket says
ICL’s More NEW DELHI: Welcoming
Sri Lanka Cricket’s decision to allow the cricketers aligned
with the ‘rebel’ League to play in domestic tournaments, ICL
executive board member Kiran More said it was not only a
memorable day for the ICL but also ‘victory of cricket’.
The decision was taken by the interim committee of the Sri Lanka
Cricket, led by former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga.
More, who is also a member of the ICL’s executive board, hoped
the ICC would also change its mindset towards the ICL.
“This is a good and very important decision. This is the victory
of cricket as ICL are not doing anything wrong but only playing
cricket,” More said.
The former wicketkeeper also thinks that cricket’s highest
governing body also should show positive attitude towards the
rebel league.
“Everybody knows there is no difference between the IPL (Indian
Premier League) and ICL. The cricketers are opting for IPL or
ICL rather than going for county cricket, so what is wrong in
it,” More asked.
“We have been appealing to the ICC’s affiliation for the ICL,
but we know it will take some time. We are hopeful about
positive reply from the ICC,” he added.
More, however, declined to comment on whether the decision could
give a jolt to the BCCI and said, “Its good news for us as well
as the cricketers. The cricketers would get some alternatives,
which, in turn will surely encourage the players.”
He had also some words of praise for the Sri Lanka Cricket chief
Ranatunga, who moved the resolution to lift the ban on players
like Marvan Atapattu, Russel Arnold and Upul Chandana.
“He has played cricket for a long time and he understands well
the condition of the cricketers,” More said. – [PTI]
**** |
