Sports

CR start Clifford Cup battle without Kandy SC

Published

3 years ago

2024/02/28

CR&FC which won the domestic league rugby tournament are hot favourites to win the Clifford Cup Knockout tournament (Pic courtesy SLR Media)

By A Special Sports Correspondent

Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club (CR&FC) will be hot favourites to win the knockouts when the ‘Clifford Cup’ unfolds another chapter with seven out of the eight A Division teams battling for honours. The knockout tournament is scheduled to start today (February 28) with a quarter-final match between Police SC and Air Force which is scheduled to take place at Longden Place this evening. The other quarter final matches are: Havies vs Navy (February 29) and CH&FC vs Army (March 1). CR&FC receives a bye and moves to the semi finals.

This year’s runners-up at the league rugby tournament, Kandy SC, has pulled out of the tournament citing disagreements over venue arrangements for the knockout tournament. Kandy SC wanted all their matches in the Clifford Cup to be played at Nittawela, but the organizer of the tournament- Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR)-was not in favour of this request. This was the same scenario at the tournament last year too with Kandy SC pulling out of the tournament due to a similar disagreement.

Kandy SC could end up being the ‘looser’ for the decision taken to hold the SLR to ransom. They are not the champions this season and fans and the team’s sponsor would have received a golden opportunity to see the Nittawela side bounce back from two defeats had they opted to play in the knockouts. This Kandy SC side is a young outfit and the players need match practice and exposure at top level games. Given that most of the Kandy SC players also shun national duty, playing in all domestic tournaments would be just what the ‘doctor’ ordered for the players based in the cool climes of central province.

The Clifford Cup will now have to proceed without Kandy SC. CR&FC has taken over the slot that Kandy SC occupied as ‘kings of local rugby’. The second and third best teams in the knockout tournament will be planning their game around CR&FC, which has raised their game many notches with hard work, commitment and discipline. Changes like this in the top spot of rugby serves the game well. This writer is not writing with malice directed at Kandy, but there is now a breath of fresh air in the domestic rugby scene with a team from Colombo breaking Kandy SC’s dominance in the game played with the oval shaped ball. It would have been good for CR&FC if Kandy SC played in this tournament because that would have presented them with an opportunity of beating them thrice in a row and apart from giving western province the feel that there is a rugby kingdom here as well.

This concept of ‘the enemy or rival’ at sport is an interesting one. The Kandy-CR&FC rivalry began during the early 1990s when several players from Longden Place left Colombo and headed for Kandy SC over a captaincy dispute. Since then, these two teams have made their traditional encounter one hell of a contest; akin to a cricket big match like the Royal-Thomian. Despite whatever disagreements Kandy SC should have played in the knockout for the sake of playing against their arch-rival, CR&FC. Kandy’s absence is surely going to make CR mourn the loss of a much looked forward to battle at rugby; akin to a quarrel by two lovers.

By the way, the last week of matches at the league tournament was hectic and rugby analysts and statisticians at SLR probably had to work on their calculators and recall lessons on arithmetic to make the final points table. Interestingly after the first and second slots were decided it would have taxed the brains of SLR’s recorders of the game to find the third and fourth place finishers of the league tournament. Now, we are told by the SLR that Havelocks SC finished third and the fourth place was taken by Police SC (The eventual Plate Championship winner in the league) despite the ‘cops’ not booking a slot in the Cup Competition of the tournament. Only the teams finishing among the top four places in the points table after the first round of the league tournament were pooled into contest the Cup Competition. The rest of the teams contested the Plate Championship and Police did well to win that tournament despite losing to Air Force in the 10th and final week of the tournament. The surprise is that CH&FC, despite playing in the Cup Championships, finished fifth in the league tournament. A cursory look at the rest of the places in the points table reveals the following: Air Force Sports Club (sixth), Army Sports Club (seventh) and Navy Sports Club (eighth).

Havies can find itself being rated as the ‘dark horse’ at the upcoming Clifford Cup tournament; given the fact that they have improved with every game this season. Led by hooker and playmaker Azmir Fajudeen the players from the ‘Park Club’ have given CR&FC a run this season; losing 25-10 in the first round of the league tournament and then going down fighting 12-9 in the second-round game in the league tournament. However, CR&FC will receive a bye in the quarter finals of the knockout and move to the first semi finals scheduled for March 5. The second semi final of the tournament is scheduled for March 6 and the final on March 9. Both semi finals and the final are scheduled to be played at Race Course.

CH&FC can pat themselves on the back for a ‘well done’ this season, because they finished a hopeless eighth (Last) during last year’s league tournament. But it must be commended that the Gymkhana Club players have decided to stay in contention for more honours this season and contest the Clifford Cup. Last season (2022/23) even CH&FC pulled out of the Clifford Cup knockouts.

The Clifford Cup is one of Asia’s longest used pieces of silverware given away during presentation ceremonies at sport. The trophy came into being on September 2, 1911 when Lady Clifford presented this trophy to be given away at the game between All Ceylon and United Services and played in Kandy. The cup later served as the trophy given away in a quadrangular tournament. It was later on offer for the winner of the domestic inter-club league rugby tournament. Rugby records show the huge fan following for rugby when teams contested for the Clifford Cup. The cup was then used to be presented to the winner of the inter-club knockout tournament in 1985 and served this purpose for many years.

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Related Topics:Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Clifford Cup battle Sri Lankan Rugby

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India to host inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in February

Published

9 hours ago

2026/09/3

Priyan

The Brabourne Stadium hasn't hosted an international game since December 2022 [BCCI]

The inaugural six-team Women’s Champions Trophy has been moved from Sri Lanka to India, and will be played in Mumbai and Vadodara from February 14 to 28 next year.

The Brabourne Stadium and the Vadodara International Cricket Stadium will host the T20 tournament. Despite losing the hosting rights because of government interference in their cricket board, Sri Lanka will still be part of the tournament, having qualified after being in the top six of the T20I rankings on the July 6 qualification cut-off date. Australia, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa are the other teams.

According to a media release, the ICC assessed three candidates – Bangladesh, India and South Africa – against its established host evaluation criteria before recommending India as the replacement host on Wednesday.

The Brabourne Stadium hasn’t hosted an international game since December 2022, when India women hosted Australia for a T20I series. It hosted the first-ever season of the WPL in 2023 and also a few matches in 2025. Vadodara, meanwhile, has hosted WPL matches in 2025 and 2026.

The Champions Trophy was due to be Sri Lanka’s second ICC event in two years after they also co-hosted the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup with India. The six participating teams will compete in a round-robin league, with the top two sides advancing to the final on February 28.

The SLC is under interim administration, called the Transformation Committee, which was put in place by the Sri Lankan government and will oversee major board changes including those to its constitution. The ICC does not recognise politically appointed administrations and SLC representatives have not been at ICC board meetings since the Transformation Committee was put in place.

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Mendis, Nissanka return for England white ball series

Published

19 hours ago

2026/09/3

Sahan Weerasooriya

Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka return to the side after missing India Tests due to injuries.

by Rex Clementine

Prolific batsman Pathum Nissanka and white-ball captain Kusal Mendis are back in the fold after being named in Sri Lanka’s ODI and T20 squads for the six-match tour of England later this month.

Both Mendis and Nissanka missed the recent Test series against India through injury. Nissanka was recovering from wrist surgery, while Mendis suffered a hamstring injury during the LPL. It was the first major injury setback for the wicketkeeper batter, who has been a fixture in the Sri Lankan side for more than a decade.

Interestingly, Charith Asalanka has returned to the leadership group as vice-captain. Asalanka was stripped of the captaincy in both white ball formats earlier this year and subsequently fell out of favour with the selectors. His elevation suggests that the experiment of grooming Kamindu Mendis as the all-format vice-captain has, for the moment at least, been shelved.

There are, however, a few concerns heading into the tour. Kusal Mendis and Dushmantha Chameera have not featured in the ongoing domestic tournament, leaving them short of competitive cricket. Chameera’s lack of preparation will be particularly concerning given the fast bowler’s lengthy history of injuries. Pathum Nissanka did turn up for NCC though during this week’s T-20 competition but didn’t make an impact.

The inclusion of 28-year-old leg-spinner Sachindu Colombage in the ODI squad has also raised a few eyebrows.

While Sri Lanka’s T20 game remains a work in progress, their ODI fortunes have taken a significant turn for the better. The side has found consistency and made rapid strides, underlined by automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup in South Africa. It is a marked contrast to the build-up to the 2023 edition, when Sri Lanka were forced to travel to Zimbabwe and negotiate the qualifying tournament to earn their place at the World Cup.

Sri Lanka will begin the tour with the T20 series, with Southampton hosting the opener on September 15. The teams then travel to Cardiff and Manchester before the ODI leg gets underway at Chester-le-Street. Headingley will stage the second ODI, with the tour concluding at The Oval.

The Sri Lankan squad will leave for London on Saturday, September 5, giving them ten days to prepare for the six-match white-ball assignment.

ODI squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (vice-captain), Kusal Mendis (captain), Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Sachindu Colombage, Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga, Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka.

T20 squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Lahiru Udara, Kusal Mendis (captain), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (vice-captain), Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Tharindu Rathnayake, Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga, Nuwan Thushara and Binura Fernando.

Sports

Sampath, bowlers steer Golden Green Plantations to title

Published

19 hours ago

2026/09/3

Sahan Weerasooriya

MCA Premier League Champions 2026 Golden Green Plantations

MCA – ABANS PREMIER LEAGUE 2026

A skipper’s innings of 70 runs off 89 balls by T M Sampath and a four fer by Hesham Madushanaka and two wickets by Upul Hettiarachchi helped new comers to the MCA cricket arena Golden Green Plantations defeat David Pieris Group of Companies by four wickets in the final of the MCA-Abans Premier League 2026 and become the first winners of the ‘Abans Challenge Trophy’.

Electing to bat first David Pieris Group of Companies were restricted to 147 runs in 39.3 overs. Santhush Gunathilake who opened innings topped the score card with a fluent 53 off 50 balls with seven fours and a six. Asitha Wanninayake chipped in with 31 off 59 balls. Heshan Madushanka captured four wickets for 11 runs.

Chasing 148 to win, skipper T M Sampath scored 70 runs off 89 balls with seven boundaries and two sixes before being stumped off the bowling of Dilanka Auwardt, with score on 122/5. Shammu Ashan and Mohamed Shamaz shared a 25 run partnership to equal the scores at 147/6 and Shammu Ashan scored the winning runs with a four.

The Golden Green Plantation Team led by T M Samapth comprised, Heshn Madushanka, Malith Mihiranga, Mohamed Shamaz, Randika Mihiranga, Upul Httiarachchi, Dhanuja Induwara, Gimadu Malkam, Sammu Ashan , Vikum Sanjaya and Johan Pathirana

With only four teams entering the prestigious MCA Premier Leaguethis year, DFCC Bank secured third spot having a slightly better run rate over Nawaloka Hospitals and were unlucky that the opportunity for securing a spot in the final was washed away as qualifier 2 was abandoned on two consuecutive days due to rain.

Player of the Final T M Sampath of Golden Green Plantations receives his trophy from Sajith Athapaththu Chairman of the MCA Social, Bar and Restaurant Committee

Special Awards:

Best fielder of the Final :

Dhanuja Induwara of Golden Green Plantations [3 catches and 1 runout]

Best bowler of the Final:

Heshan Madushanka of Golden Green Plantations [4 wickets for 11 runs]

Best batsman of the Final:

Santhush Gunathilake of David Pieris Group of Companies [53 runs off 50 balls]

Player of the Final ;

T M Sampath of Golden Green Plantations [70 runs and 1 wicket]

Best bowler of the Tournament:

Tharinda Nirmal of David Pieris Group of Companies [13 wickets in 4 innings]

Best batsman of the Tournament: