Connect with us

Sports

CR start Clifford Cup battle without Kandy SC

Published

on

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.



Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest News

Maliban Biscuits, Brandix Apparels, Star Garments, Mobitel, Future Life Holdings, Alliance Insurance, Stafford Motors and CDB ‘B’ through to quarter finals

Published

on

By

Maliban Biscuits, Brandix Apparels, Star Garments, Mobitel, Future Life Holdings, Alliance Insurance, Stafford Motors and CDB ‘B’ qualified for the quarter finals of the Stafford Motors sponsored MCA G division T20 cricket tournament on Friday.

The quarter finals will be played  today  [Sunday 3rd May], and  Maliban Biscuits are to meet Allianz Insurance at the Royal College grounds in the morning while Brandix Apparels will meet Future Life Holdings at the same venue in the afternoon. At the Thurstan College ground, Star Garments will meet CDB in the morning game while Mobitel will meet tournament sponsors Stafford Motor company in the afternoon.

The four undefeated teams in the tournament, namely Maliban Biscuits, Star Garments, Mobitel, and Brandix Apparels will look forward to continue their good form and qualify for the semi- finals which are to be played next weekend.

SCORES: PRE-QUARTER FINALS

At Darley Road:

Maliban Biscuits ‘B’ beat Fairfirst Insurance ‘B’ by 7 wickets 

Fairfirst Insurance ‘B’ 117/7 in 20 overs [Azeem mohomed 33, Lahiru Madushanka 51, Sajitha Samarasinghe 12*; Dilip Sandaruwan 2-17, Tharindu Siriwardena 2-11, Mohamed Shilmi 1-05, Dilan Alwis 1-17, Chamara Rathnayake 1-21]

Maliban Biscuits ‘B’ 118/3 in 17.0 overs [Tharindu Siriwardena 19, Gihan Ranasinghe 38, Mohomad Shilmi 38*, Anjula Perera 15;  Kasun Liyanage 1-15, Prashein Fernando 1-24, Azeem Mohomed 1-06]

Sasitha , bowlers star in Brandix Apparel’s  12 run win

 Brandix Apparel 137/10 in 17.2 overs [Sampath Jayalath 15, Sasitha Ashan 51, Anton Lakshan 16, Tharaka Silva 19; Budhdhika Herath 2-18, Uneda Nadushan 1-41, Melvin Fernando  1-31, Udara Atapaththu 4-21, Udesh Nishan 1-14]

Pyramid Wilmar 125/9 in 20 overs [Sahas Vihanga 47, Lasith Fernando 36, Udesh Nishan 23*; Janaka  Weerapokuna 1-20, Kalpa Udesh 1-13, Akila Dhanuddara 2-39, Tharaka Silva 1-15, Sampath Jayalath 3-12]

At Thurstan College grounds:

Star Garments  beat JF and  I Packaging by 8 wickets

JF and I Packaging 110/8 in 20 overs [Sameera Lackruwan 10, Dinesh Wishwajith 16, Sarinda Malavige 2, Chamod Sulakshana 22; Dunik Perera 1-16, Suwahas Yapa 2-17, Dhanuka Dulanjana 3-20, Rishantha Anushka 1-12]

Star Garments 111/2 in 11.3 overs [Nadeesha Rajakaruna 25, Dileepa Fernando 35, Sanjaya Mihiran 32*, Chathuranga Dilshan 11*;Dinesh Wiswajith 2-29]

Mobitel  Pvt Limited beat LOLC Insurance by 4 wickets

 LOLC Insurance 100/10 in 18.2 overs [Pinsara Nanayakkara 18,  M Z Osman 20*, Hashan Shalinda 22, Chamara Sampath 12; Sachin Indrarathne 3-17, Sandeepa Halangoda 2-25, Dinidu Samodana 2-07, Dasun Bandara 2-08]

Mobitel Pvt Limited 101/6 in 18.3 overs [Sasun Bandara 12, Sachi Indrarathne 14, Sachin Bulathsinghala 16, Sandeepa Halangoda 23*, Damith Rangana 11; Chamara Thennakoon 2-32, Deneth Nissanka 1-09, M Z Osman 2-16, Neranjaya Madusanka 1-20]

At Nalanda College Grounds:

Future Life Holdings beat MAS Active Kreeda by 6 wickets

 MAS Active  Kreeda 123/8 in 20 overs [Jineetha Malith 19, Suventhiran Subikaran 42, Anju Amaradasa 21, Akila Silva 12; Shehan Fernando 1-15, Praveen Wanniarachchi 1-19, Prabath Wijesinghe 2-32, Malshan Lakshitha 3-20]

Future Life Holdings 124/4 in 15.1 overs [Sonal Dilmith 50, Shehan Fernado 12, Savindu Rodrigo 24*, Lasal Lakshitha 25; Anju Amaradasa3-32, Chandula Welivita 1-28]

Allainz Insurance crush Alaris Lanka bu 108 runs

 Allainz Insurance 238/9 in 20 overs [Yohan Ravishka 74, Charinda Fernando 15, Praveen Shashanka 42, Sameera Fernando 62, Dhanushka Fernando 14; Vishmitha Silva 1-38, Asuntha Indika 1-35, Lakshitha Peiris 1-44, Srihan Anurudhdhika 1-38, Hansitha Madushan 4-28]

Alaris Lanka 130/9 in 20 overs [Vishmitha Silva 21, Srihan Anuruddhika 55, Sameera Rukghan 21, Asuntha Indika 10*; Charinda Fernando 2-28, Malik Peiris 3-34, Mayura Ranasinghe 1-14, Ranga Dias 2-21]

At the MCA Ground:

Stafford Motors edge out Amana Bank by 6 wickets

 Amana Bank 137/10 in 19.4 overs [Ramesh Fernando 22, Azher Samsoodeem 11, Shaeed Rizwan 68; Janith Maduwantha 1-32, Shanaka Sampath 2-21, Vihanga Malith 2-22, Sajeewa Vishan 1-18, Sanjaya Fernando 2-25, Asanka Kumarage 1-06]

Stafford Motors 143/4 in 18.1 overs [Gajindu Yasas 30, Vihanga Malith 22, Shanaka Sampath 38, Dammika Kumara 26, Sanjaya Fernando 16*; Ishrath Zarook 1-25, Alawi Nazeer 1-22, Shamsul Muneer 2-21]

CDB B beat VS Information Systems  by 5 wickets

 VS Information Systems 95/10 in 18.1 overs [Shamilka Wickremathilake 10, KisalRanathunge 18, Kasun Bandara 15, Nimnada Kirindage17, Adeesha Bandaranayake 14; Vishwa Dhananjaya 3-21, Praveen Abeysinghe 2-30, Chamathkar Hettiarachchi 1-18, Chamod  Madushan 1-18,   Savin Gunasekera 3-08]

CDB B 97/5 in Savin Gunasekera 10, Chathuranga Dikkumbura 23, Chamathkar Hettiarachchi 29, Themira Kumarage 15; Chamath Chamupathi 1-18, Shan Aniketh 1-19, Nimnada Kirindage 2-06, Ayesh Lakmal 1-04]

 

 

Continue Reading

Latest News

Jacobs’ blazing 62* counters Shoriful three-for as New Zealand level series

Published

on

By

Bevon Jacobs bashed 62* off 31 balls [Cricinfo]

New Zealand 104 for 4 in 11.4 overs (Tim Robinson 23, Bevon Jacobs 62*, Dean Foxcroft 15*; Mahedi Hassan 1-2,  Shoriful Islam  3-19) beat Bangladesh 102 in 14.2 overs (Saif Hassan 16, Litton Ds 26. Towhid  Hridoy 33; Nathan Smith 2-14,  Ben Sears 2-12. Jayden Lennox 1-28,  Josh  Clarkson 3-09, ) by six wickets (DLS method)

Bevon Jacobs’ cracking unbeaten 62 took New Zealand to a six-wicket win against Bangladesh in the third T20I. The win in the rain-affected match in Dhaka ensured the three-match series was levelled 1-1 after the second game was rained out.

On Saturday, rain interrupted the Bangladesh innings for nearly two hours after it came down hard at 2.37pm local time. Play resumed at 4.30pm, and the match was reduced to 15 overs per side.

New Zealand, however, bowled Bangladesh out for 102 in the 15th over, with Josh Clarkson taking 3 for 9. Later, it was Jacobs who struck 62 off 31 balls, including five fours and three sixes, to get them home with 20 balls to spare.

Shoriful Islam gave Bangladesh a stunning start in their defense. He bowled a teasing outswinger with his second ball, that Katene Clarke couldn’t help but chase, thus edging to wicketkeeper Litton Das for 1. Shoriful rounded up the first over with Dane Cleaver’s wicket, also caught behind – this time off the inside edge.

Tim Robinson looked promising at the other end, crashing Ripon Mondol for a sweetly timed four and a brutally struck six over point, but he fell trying to slog Shoriful in the fourth over. Mahedi Hasan got into the act too, when he bowled captain Nick Kelly for one.

Jacobs went after Shoriful in his last over, striking him for two fours through midwicket, before Dean Foxcroft swung him down the ground for a third boundary. Jacobs struck Rishad Hossain through midwicket soon after, before Mondol was sent high over mid-off for a six.

Jacobs reached his fifty with a six off Rishad’s next over. Parvez Hossain Emon could have taken a catch at long-on, but instead punched it over for the maximum. Jacobs then slammed a straight boundary, before slog-sweeping Rishad for a six over midwicket to complete the chase with a sequence of 6, 4, 6.

Before the rain, Nathan Smith gave New Zealand a solid start with two wickets off consecutive deliveries in the fifth over. Smith burst through Tanzid Hasan with a delivery that held its line as Tanzid went for a heave across the line. Next ball, Parvez Hossain’s upper cut was poorly timed, as it lobbed towards Ish Sodhi at short third.

Before the double strike, left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox became the third New Zealander to take a wicket with his first ball in T20Is. On debut, Lennox outfoxed Saif Hassan into giving a simple catch to Robinson at cover. Before Lennox did on Saturday, Lockie Ferguson and Cole McConchie had taken wickets with their first ball on debut.

When play resumed after a lengthy rain break, Clarkson removed Litton, who was caught at the deep-cover boundary after he made 26 off 17 balls. Towhid Hridoy survived a run-out chance in the next over when wicketkeeper Cleaver dislodged the stumps before the throw came in from the point fielder, with Hridoy stranded outside the crease.

Bangladesh’s luck, however, ran out soon, when Sodhi removed Shamim Hossain in the 12th over. Clarkson dismissed Hridoy and Mohammad Saifuddin off consecutive balls in the next over. Robinson took a great low catch, about which he was unsure of initially; he eventually finished with three catches in the innings,the most by a New Zealand outfielder in Bangladesh.

Rishad was run out trying to complete a second, before Ben Sears, fresh off the plane from the PSL, bowled Shoriful and Mondol early in the last over.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Chamari Athapaththu’s all-round heroics carries Sri Lanka to 3-0 sweep of Bangladesh

Published

on

By

File photo: Chamari Athapaththu played her shots from the get-go [Cricinfo]

Sri Lanka completed a clean sweep of Bangladesh after winning the third T20I by three runs. In the rain-affected match in Sylhet, Chamari Athapaththu once again led the visitors with an all-round show. After her 41 runs from the bat helped Sri Lanka to 87 in nine overs, she bagged 2 for 15 with the ball when defending the total.

Sent in to bat first after a two-and-a-half hour delay, Sri Lanka sped off to 40 runs in the shortened powerplay of three overs. Offspinner Sultana Khatun removed Imesha Dulani in the fourth over after she made 19 off 10 balls with four boundaries.

Athapaththu played a lone hand henceforth while wickets fell at the other end. She struck five fours and a six, some of them blistering through the in field, and a couple of flicks, as she held the Sri Lanka innings on her own.

Harshitha Samarawickrama fell to Sanjida Akter in the fifth over, before Sultana removed Hansima Karunaratne and Nilakshika Silva in the sixth. Kavisha Dilhari struck two fours and a six in her seven-ball 15 which bolstered Sri Lanka towards the end of their innings.

In the chase, Athapaththu removed Dilara Akter in the second over before Juairiya Ferdous and Sobhana Mostary added 30 runs for the second wicket. Captain Nigar Sultana couldn’t get a move on, as she made 13 off nine balls, and Bangladesh couldn’t get to the target in the end. They needed 14 runs off the last over, with Sultana only getting a single boundary off Athapaththu.

Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Women 87 for 6 in 9 overs  (Chamari Athapaththu 41, Imesha Dulani 19, Kavisha Dilhari 15; Sultana Khatun 3-08, Sanjida Akter Meghia 1-16) beat Bangladesh Women 84 for 6 in 9 overs (Juairia Ferdous 15, Sobhana Mostary 21, Nigar Sultana 13; Chamari Athapaththu 2-15, Sugandika Kumari 2-22, Nimasha Meepagr 1-16, Mithali Ayodhya 1-13 )  by three runs

[Cricinfo]

Continue Reading

Trending