Sports
The return of the prodigal son
Rex Clementine in Sydney
It’s unlikely that we will see another like Sanga in our lifetime. His was not a case of extraordinary talent, but an insane work ethic. There was this Test match at the Basin Reserve in New Zealand, where he fell for a low score. He didn’t walk back to the comforts of the dressing room. Instead, there was a sign for the coach to turn up at the practice nets and throw downs would go on till lunch time.
Fresh from a triple hundred in Bangladesh, the team landed in Colombo on a Saturday and Sanga was back in the nets at his beloved NCC on a Sunday. He was addicted to nets like some of us are for Harry J’s Extra Special.
His work ethic was insane. His captaincy was a nightmare for the press, because the press conferences never started on time. Nobody could fault him either as if it was a rule those days that Sanga had to come out of the nets last.
That insatiable appetite for success saw him reign as world’s number one ranked batsman for a couple of years and there were hundreds not only on the docile tracks of Asia but the quick ones in South Africa, seaming tracks of England and bouncy wickets of Australia. Moral of the story is if there’s a will, there’s a way. But, that doesn’t mean every good cricketer can end up as President of MCC.
Sanga may have the numbers but for sheer domination of attacks and treating them with scant respect, Aravinda gets the nod any day.
The fact that he was part of a side that was still finding its feet at the big stage and that he proved his worth from the little opportunities he had got make his feats truly remarkable.
As Aravinda’s dashing career that lasted for 19 years ended, Sanga took on the baton and had a tremendous run for a decade and a half. But since then, the team has struggled to find a mainstay in their batting; a man whom they can rely on to bail them out time and again.
In recent months, Kusal Mendis has shown signs of getting ready to fill those big boots. He is currently the second highest run getter in this World Cup and has a chance to finish top of the ladder with another good show in Sri Lanka’s last clash against England in Sydney.
After an impressive debut year in 2016, where his efforts enabled Sri Lanka to whitewash Aussies 3-0, Mendis never really got going. There were the occasional spark, like in Port Elizabeth, where he made Dale Steyn look a pale shadow of his former self, but consistency was lacking. Then off the field distractions saw him getting suspended. You aren’t sure whether he’s settled down as yet, but one thing is for sure, he has shown consistency and of course application. Here’s why.
It was a smart move by the selectors to hand him the keeping gloves. Firstly, it enabled them to balance the side by playing an additional bowler and secondly, Mendis took things up a bit more seriously. Not only did he have to keep wickets, he had to open batting as well and which meant that he had to work harder on his fitness. That he has done and his keeping has been flawless. Naturally, when you keep wickets, your eye is in and you have a feel as to how the ball behaves and that’s helped his batting too.
Mendis has been one hell of a talent and when he’s on song there aren’t many better scenes in cricket. His causal approach and soft dismissals have often infuriated fans. But he seems to have turned a corner. Those shoes of Sanga’s and Aravinda’s are too large to fill, but if there’s one who can at least give it a try, that’s got to be Mendis. When the prodigal son returns, you are reminded to welcome him with open arms for there’s no saint without a past and no sinner without a future.
By A Special Sports Correspondent
St. Peter’s College did well to beat Royal College Colombo 10-5 in the final of the all-island ‘Elite Rugby Sevens’ and clinch the Cup Championship at Royal Sports Complex in Colombo on Sunday (April 21).
St. Peter’s did well to survive a scary second half where they were down to six men following a yellow card offense. But the Peterites managed to hold a second half charge by Royal, who won the hearts of spectators for playing well after half time and threatening to pull the game away from the winners. Their only hiccup in the final was being unable to score a try when the Peterites were playing minus one player for a few minutes in the second half.
All the scoring in the game was done in the first half which the Peterites dominated. Royal scored first through a try by Yohan Pathirana, but the Peterites came back strongly into the game scoring twice through Gayan Silva and Yumeth Shihara. Both the Peterite tries were scored in a manner which the ball carriers outpaced the opposition with sheer speed and skill. Shihara covered the entire length of the ground before scoring his try on the stroke of half time.
Royal failed to produce the magic they showcased in the semi-final against Isipatana and also throughout the two-day tournament. But Royal had the Peterites missing a beat in their hearts when they attempted a last gasp try with the buzzer having gone for full time which was followed by a scrum won and a well taken penalty; at which moment
they opted to run the ball. Unfortunately for Royal the ball carrier who was running well was bundled into touch with the goal line staring at his face. The champion Peterite team was captained by Dulaj Nawodya and coached by Sanath Martis. The runners up Royal team was captained by Thiven Perera and coached by Dushanth Lewke.
Vidyartha took away the Plate Championship by beating hometown rivals Dharmaraja by 24 points to 12. The winners led 19-0 at half time.Ananda College Colombo won the Bowl Championship beating Lumbini College by 24 points to nil.The inter-school rugby sevens tournament was conducted by the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association and sponsored by Dialog.
by Reemus Fernando
Spinner Malindu Dilshan picked up seven wickets to restrict Lyceum International to 118 runs and help Tissa Central secure a first innings win to book their much awaited Division I promotion in the Under 19 inter schools cricket tournament.
Tissa Central posted 138 runs before containing Lyceum Wattla to 118 runs in the Under 19 Division II Tier ‘A’ semi-final at the Surrey Village ground on Saturday.Dilshan’s seven wicket haul was crucial in Tissa Central’s victory as he bowled the bulk of overs to accomplish the target.
Dilshan has taken over 80 wickets this season.Tissa Central will now meet Sri Sumangala College Panadura in the Division II Tier ‘A’ final.
Both schools will play in the Division I cricket tournament from next season.Tissa Central are captained by Hirusha Nethsara while they are coached by Rishan Sajith.
Scores:
Tissa Central 138 all out in 59.3 overs (Ishara Malith 53, Hirusha Nethsara 21, Randika Mihiranga 26; Vidunsha Wijerathna 3/24, Sanujan Baskaran 2/12, Sadew Hettiarachchi 3/28) and 163 fo 4 in 64 overs (Malsha Kavishan 65n.o., Hirusha Nethsara 61n.o.; Theekshana Madurawala 2/22)
Lyceum 118 all out in 50.5 overs (Danidu Nawarathna 34, Sadeesha Silva 25; Malindu Dilshan 7/41, Tharuka Saminjith 3/17)
Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya showcased their supremacy in schools’ basketball marching their way to the All-Island Under-20 title with an unbeaten record. This is the fourth Under-20 title that HFC has won in a row. Since 2008, the school has become a powerhouse in basketball having won 18 national titles.
In the final worked off at Bambalapitiya, Holy Family Convent beat Good Sheperd Convent 58-49. HFC were trailing at the end of the first half by two points.
Dilhini Dharmadasa with 32 points was adjudged the Most Valuable Player while Binuthi Jayasinghe was declared the Best Defensive Player.
HFC beat Mahamaya Girls’ College, Kandy, St, Anthony’s Convent, Kandy and Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena in the preliminary round. The first-round matches were worked off at St. Anthony’s Convent, Kandy.
When the teams returned to Colombo for the knockouts, HFC overcame St. Joseph’s Girls’ School, Nugegoda in the semi-final while Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena beat Lyceum International, Wattala.
The final was a rematch between HFC and Good Shepherd Convent and HFC continued their dominance.The consolation final was won by St. Joseph’s Girls’ School, Nugegoda 43-28.
Sri Lanka Schools Basketball Association has come under severe criticism from all stakeholders of the sport for being highly disorganized. The sports body had postponed tournaments on multiple occasions not being able to stick to the scheduled time frames. This resulted in games being worked off in not only the festive season but also extremely close to vital exams such as GCE O/L.Despite all these hardships, the efforts of HFC need to be congratulated.
Israel military intelligence chief quits over 7 October
Three suspected Chinese agents arrested in Germany
President calls on Chief Prelates of the Malwatu and Asgiri Chapters
-
Business2 days agoCEAT Kelani launches three new radial tyre variants in ‘Orion Brawo’ range
-
Business6 days ago
SOEs seen as failing SL’s ordinary citizens
-
News7 days ago
Say no to NEPF! Say no to abolishing free education!
-
Midweek Review6 days ago
Between abstraction and empathy in Sarath Chandrajeewa’s visual paraphrases
-
Business4 days ago
Dialog-Airtel Lanka merger comes centre stage
-
Business6 days ago
Sri Lanka Tourism concludes another round of Roadshows in Australia
-
Latest News6 days ago
Former Member of Parliament Palitha Thewarapperuma passes away
-
Business4 days ago
SLFEA appoints JAT as a Facilitation Partner for training painters to provide overseas employment opportunities
