Sports
Petes cross rugby lake ahead of Isipatana, but next battle in the jungle
By A Special Sports Correspondent
The inter-school league rugby tournament found a winner in St. Peter’s last weekend and showed how big the sport is at school level in Sri Lanka. Rugby, simply, is far more popular and a much bigger money spinner compared to cricket in this island in terms of schoolboys being involved in a game. Just see the number of logos of corporate companies- backing this game as sponsors- pinned on the jerseys of the players and you’ll understand. And the games gave back in return top shelf rugby to spectators who were willing to pay as much as rupees thousand a ticket for each game.
The game at school level has grown by such large proportions that the product out there (Division 1 school rugby) is a virtual business that attracts both the good the bad and the ugly. And what followers of the sport cannot understand is why someone in the higher echelons in the government cannot put someone capable to have better control of school rugby. We all know that school rugby is controlled by a bunch of schoolmasters who have hardly any background in terms of being former players of the game. Hence the questionable decisions they take in administrative affairs of rugby. Earlier, before the seasons kicked off, there was much dissatisfaction shown by teams (schools) when the school rugby authorities insisted on neutral venues for matches during the super round stage of the tournament. One absurd outcome of this flawed thinking in administration is Royal and Trinity being forced to play a physically challenging third place play off so close to the upcoming crucial two-leg Bradby Shield, for which the dates were announced long time ago. Such an unexpected and unplanned for game before the Bradby Shield could have exposed the players of Royal and Trinity to unwanted injuries.
The Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) received another blow just a few days ago. The advisory committee backing them resigned due to policy and administrative differences with the SLSRFA. One official of the advisory committee was quoted in the newspaper saying that SLSRFA officials didn’t heed their advice or pay attention to pressing issues. From what we hear about what critics have to say, as for the SLSRFA, rugby is just another sport which schools masters use to gain some social capital or status. All the hard work in school rugby is done by individual rugby committees of respective school, their old boys, the sponsors and the referees’ society. The school authorities just come for matches in their Sunday attire with a file in hand to see whether others are working.
Another complain coming from many in the rugby fraternity, including members of the media, is that SLSRFA officials are not available for comment when their version is needed when reporting on controversial issues. Almost all school rugby officials are unreachable on mobile phone. There was a time when Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) provided an official of the SLSRFA with a mobile phone to keep a communication channel open, but the official armed with the phone chose not to answer any calls even from the highest authority in rugby. This is how bad the situation is in school rugby where administration is concerned.
Given the negative environment that exists with this type of rugby officials being in office it was credible to see the decider of the league rugby tournament being worked off sans crowd violence. Many thought that a heavy presence of police officers and private security officials at Havelock Park was uncalled for. But those with a deep rugby history know that security is so important at a ‘virtually rugby final’ that features two teams which generate much tension whenever they meet at rugby; most of this tension is fuelled by jealousy and personal animosity. Just imagine what would have happened if the heavy security was removed from the equation.
If a word is not said about the deciding game played at Havelock Park last Saturday it would amount to be a terrible miss. St. Peter’s deserved to win the final game, given that they had the major share of possession of the ball. This in itself is a feat. But the green shirts must also be given a pat on the back for defending their goal line so well because the game was decided on penalties. The only complain would have been the rain and soggy ground conditions. There is a school of thought that if the weather was sunny and the grass was not wet we could have seen fireworks by a star studded back division that represented St. Peter’s. But then again there was Shaheed Zumri on the other side who could have singlehandedly won the game for Isipatana if the ground was ideal for running rugby. Mud rugby is a spoiler, no doubt. But the two teams played their hearts out and gave an appreciative Saturday crowd enough memories for posterity. How the league rugby tournament concluded with the decider between these two schools was akin to how India’s celebrated writer Amish Tripathi finishes most of his books; with the promise that the action will continue in the next book of the series. Isipatana not allowing St. Peter’s to cross their goal line when they met this season still keeps the rugby challenge to find the ultimate winner for 2024 wide open. It just means we might have a different winner in the knockout tournament which will begin soon!
Latest News
Scotland face West Indies with a chance to reopen World Cup wounds
Scotland take on West Indies in Leeds at 18:30 local time (17:30 GMT) in Group 2 of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. Both teams won their opening matches in this competition – Shemaine Campbelle’s unbeaten 90 aided by New Zealand’s dropped catches saw West Indies emerging victorious, while a strong all round performance from Scotland brushed aside Ireland.
Scotland and West Indies have played each other only three times across formats – their lone T20I meeting coming at the last World Cup. Crucially, though, Scotland dealt West Indies perhaps their biggest blow in recent times with their win in the Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifier last year. Scotland staved off an all-round show from Hayley Matthews to eke out an 11-run win, denying West Indies a chance to qualify for the ODI World Cup last year.
Coming on the back of a comfortable win, expect Scotland to go in unchanged.
Scotland (probable XI): Darcey Carter, Katherine Fraser, Kathryn Bryce (capt), Sarah Bryce (wk), Ailsa Lister, Megan McColl, Priyanaz Chatterji, Rachel Slater, Chloe Abel, Kirstie Gordon, Gabriella Fontenla
West Indies head coach Shane Deitz had said that Chinelle Henry was close to playing their opening game. If fit, she can add heft to their lower-middle order as well as the bowling department.
West Indies (probable XI): Qiana Joseph, Hayley Matthews (capt), Shemaine Campbelle (wk), Deandra Dottin, Jahzara Claxton/Chinelle Henry, Jannillea Glasgow, Aaliyah Alleyne, Zaida James, Shawnisha Hector, Afy Fletcher, Karishma Ramharack
Players to watch:
Kathryn Bryce: The Scotland captain had a big role to play in their first win at this T20 World Cup. She scored a rapid half-century and picked up two wickets against Ireland. Bryce has picked up at least one wicket in 11 of the 12 T20Is she has played this year, apart from being consistent with the bat. Her experience of playing regularly in England’s domestic circuit could be key for Scotland against West Indies.
Deandra Dottin: She was at her brutal best in the last iteration of the T20 World Cup (strike rate 165.54, average 39.4, 12 sixes) but since the start of 2025, Dottin has only one T20I half-century at a strike rate of 122.84. Dottin had scored an unbeaten 15-ball 28 the last time she faced Scotland. Can she find her mojo back against them?
While Australia’s bowlers bulldozed Bangladesh, India’s batters made merry to show the batting-friendly nature of the surface in Leeds. Weather wise, the evening is likely to become cooler, with temperatures ranging from 19 to 22 degrees Celsius. There is no forecast of rain, even though it grew slightly overcast towards the start of Netherlands’ innings on Wednesday.
[Cricinfo]
Sports
Sooryavanshi to have parents with him on tour of Ireland and England
The BCCI has allowed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s parents to accompany their son on his maiden India tour of Ireland and England in June and July to help the 15-year-old cope with any challenges that may arise. The board secretary Devajit Saikia said the BCCI would cover their expenses on the trip.
“You see, not all national teams at the senior level have a 14 or 15-year-old in their squad. After many decades, we have someone like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi,” Saikia told PTI. “At one point in time, it was Sachin Tendulkar who made it to the national team at such a young age. When such a young kid is part of the senior team, there are obviously a lot of issues that can crop up.
“Therefore, to make him comfortable and help him get used to an adult environment, where all the other players are above 18 years of age, and the team management members are also adults, we felt it would be helpful.
“We are doing this because we believe it will ease a lot of issues as far as Vaibhav is concerned.”
Sooryavanshi was picked in India’s T20I squad for the first time following a stellar IPL 2026 season in which he top-scored with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.30, winning the Orange Cap, the MVP, and Emerging Player awards.
He is currently in Sri Lanka, representing India A for the first time, in a 50-over tri-series against Afghanistan A and Sri Lanka A, and became the focal point of an on field confrontation that involved physical contact during the game against the hosts.
While no official sanctions have been announced for any code of conduct breaches, the A-team tri-series falls within the jurisdiction of the host board – Sri Lanka Cricket – and not the ICC or BCCI. Saikia dismissed the notion of the BCCI taking any action.
“A lot of things are going on in the social media that BCCI is contemplating action, etc. Do you want BCCI to step into the domain of match referee?” Saikia said. “The BCCI is not an authority, we should not intrude into the area where the match referee and the umpires are the main persons who can take any decision regarding any incident that had happened in the playground.
“Whatever had happened, it was a part of the game, and the BCCI have no role to play. The role is of the match referee. If anything is going wrong, he will take a call, the umpires will take a call, and there is a system in place.”
Sooryavanshi has so far scored only 117 runs with a high score of 44 in four innings in the tri-series , but those runs have come at a strike rate of 153.94. India A have qualified for the final in Dambulla on June 21.
[Cricinfo]
Sports
Luis Diaz, Colombia defeat World Cup 2026 debutants Uzbekistan
Colombia opened their World Cup Group K campaign with a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan at the Estadio Azteca on Wednesday, as Daniel Munoz, Luis Diaz and Jaminton Campaz struck to overcome a spirited second-half response from the tournament debutants.
Uzbekistan were disciplined for long periods under their Italian coach Fabio Cannavaro, but Colombia’s greater quality stood out in front of a crowd of over 80,000 on a cool, rain-tinged evening in Mexico City.
Colombia the Copa America runners-up, had early sights of goal through Jhon Arias and James Rodriguez, but Uzbekistan sat deep, scrapped gamely and waited for mistakes. Bekhruz Karimov almost profited when he burst forward, only for Jhon Lucumi to intervene before he could shoot.
Diaz had the clearest chance of the opening half when he struck the post, before Abdukodir Khusanov slid in after the winger had knocked the ball past him, taking out both the Colombian player and a pitchside cameraman who required medical treatment.
Uzbekistan’s resistance finally cracked in the 40th minute. Diaz gathered the ball after an attack had broken down and clipped a fine pass into the path of Munoz, who guided home a neat finish for his third international goal.
The large Colombian contingent erupted, their yellow shirts making the Azteca look and sound almost like home. Chants of “Vamos Colombia”, adapted from a Club America-style chorus, rolled around the ground, while Uzbekistan’s small band of supporters answered with drums of their own.

Uzbekistan improved after the break and equalised on the hour with the country’s first World Cup goal.
Dostonbek Khamdamov fed Eldor Shomurodov, whose shot from the right side of the box was saved low by Camilo Vargas. The goalkeeper could not hold it, however, and Abbosbek Fayzullaev nodded in the rebound from close range.

However, Uzbekistan’s joy lasted only five minutes.
Gustavo Puerta released Diaz in the 65th minute, and the forward side-footed across goal to restore Colombia’s lead. The crowd responded with chants of “Lucho, Lucho”.
Uzbekistan kept pushing. Akmal Mozgovoy shot narrowly off target in stoppage time, Karimov hit the bar with an effort from distance, and Azizbek Amonov had a shot blocked after Otabek Shukurov’s pass.
But Colombia had the final word, Campaz scoring in the ninth minute of stoppage time to settle a contest in which Nestor Lorenzo’s side had 15 attempts to Uzbekistan’s nine, and extended their strong recent group-stage record to seven wins in eight World Cup matches.
Colombia face DR Congo on Tuesday in Guadalajara, after Uzbekistan play Portugal on the same day in Houston.

[Aljazeera]
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