Sports

Schoolboy players must come out of their shackles

Published

4 years ago

2021/12/14

Sahan Weerasooriya

Western Province Rugby Sevens

by A Special Sports Correspondent

The much looked forward to schools rugby sevens is expected to kick off this weekend in Colombo as scheduled unless the restrictions imposed by the Covid pandemic upsets the applecart.

According to school rugby authorities and news published in newspaper, the inter-school rugby sevens tournament will be commenced with a ‘leg’ for Western Province schools at the Royal College Sports Complex in Colombo on December 18 and 19.

It’s good that the schools’ rugby authorities are having the sevens tournament for schools spread out in the provinces and with no involvement of spectators largely to protect the spectators. Just for the record sevens tournaments for schools have been lined up in Central Province (December 27), North Western Province (December 28), Sabaragamuwa Province (December 30) and Southern Province (December 31). We still don’t know whether the Sri Lanka Schools Rugby Football Association (SLSRFA) would get the winners of each category in these respective provincial tournaments to perform in a final showdown. Even if they don’t this is a good enough start for school rugby because we haven’t seen any rugby with schoolboys in action after March 14, 2020.

Schools produce much talent each year and this helps clubs absorb these products. But over the last two years clubs were severely handicapped because there was no school rugby; hence the feeder system for the clubs was derailed for some time. These sevens events are just what the doctor ordered for domestic rugby. Some schoolboy rugby players, who are hell bent on propping their profiles with sports achievements, had to bid adieu to their schools prematurely and migrate to better their prospects because of the absence of competitive rugby. It’s a small percentage of rugby players who manage both their studies and sports and excel as allround students.

It’s at a time like this that we must mention-despite this achievement being recorded at the Medical College and not in school rugby- how former Royalist Dr Maiya Gunasekera represented Sri Lanka while still being an undergraduate at Medical College. That record still stands; just showing what effort it takes for a player to balance reading for a degree in medical science and balancing sport at the national level.

Coming back to the schools rugby sevens it has been a much looked forward to event. Unlike in club rugby, schools rugby players have often made amends for their disappointments in the 15-a-side version of the game by coming on top when playing this abbreviated form of rugby. One good example came during the 1988 season where the all-conquering Royal College team- led by Lasitha Gunaratne- had to bow out of the semi-finals when they were shown the door by S. Thomas’ in a closely contested semi-final. There have been many memorable moments like that in schools rugby. Once Dharmaraja College, relegated to the B Division, produced thunder at the Royal College Sports Complex in 2012 when they beat Kingswood in the final. Then in 2019 Trinity, under the leadership of Reshan Bandaranayake, played cohesive rugby to down St. Peter’s College in the finals. Trinity hadn’t won this event till 2019 having last won the sevens plum under Ravi Balasuriya in 1977. Two schools which have enjoyed great success in the sevens version of rugby are Isipathana College and St. Peter’s College and both these academic institutes are expected to field teams for the Western Province schools rugby sevens coming up this weekend.

Sevens rugby is dazzling and eye-catching and players who are extremely fit and agile will have a field day. This form of rugby also serves in player identification and finding members for the 15-a-side version of the game.

Rugby Sevens has its own place in rugby union after the expansion of seven-a-side rugby in the world and its inclusion as a discipline at the Olympic Games. Hence schoolboys have everything to play for in the seven-a-side version of rugby union. Let the games begin!

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Sports

Nuwan Thushara files lawsuit against SLC for IPL NOC

Published

2 hours ago

2026/04/3

Priyan

Nuwan Thushara was denied NOC to play in the IPL for RCB (BCCI)

Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has filed a lawsuit in the Colombo District Court against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after he was denied a no objection certificate (NOC) to play in the IPL as a result of failing new and stricter fitness tests.

Thushara’s legal argument centres around his contract with SLC ending on March 31, 2026 – after which he intended to step away from international cricket – making the enforcement of an NOC for SLC unreasonable and a barrier to his livelihood. While Thushara’s argument notes the loss of income from missing the IPL – he’s part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad – the timing of the legal action has almost certainly ruled him out of the tournament.

The case, in which SLC president Shammi Silva, secretary Bandula Dissanayake, treasurer Sujeewa Godaliyadda and CEO Ashley de Silva have been named defendants, is set to be taken up again on April 9. That date is the earliest the case can be heard as Sri Lanka’s courts will be closed over the Easter weekend, and even then it is extremely unlikely that it will be settled in a single hearing. This means Thushara will at the very least miss two more weeks of the IPL, which began on March 28.

ICC regulations stipulate that an NOC from a home board is required to participate in overseas leagues, but they do not mention specific criteria a home board must use to grant or deny it. The ICC leaves the conditions for issuing an NOC to the discretion of the individual boards. This allows boards to follow their own internal policies for granting the NOC; for example, SLC has previously denied NOCs based on players being allowed to participate in two overseas leagues a year.

The question of whether SLC can legally withhold that certificate from a player who is no longer under a central contract is now set to be tested. As per legal documents seen by ESPNcricinfo, SLC had formally informed Thushara that he would not be granted an NOC on March 24. Thushara claims to have requested an NOC multiple times, verbally and in writing on March 15 and 23, before eventually being denied. While SLC is yet to respond to his follow-up on March 28, Thushara claims he was informed unofficially that he would once again be denied the NOC.

SLC’s reasoning centres around its new mandatory fitness requirements, which have been spearheaded by the selection committee led by former fast bowler Pramodya Wickramasinghe following Sri Lanka’s poor performance in the recent Men’s T20 World Cup.

There are five components to the SLC fitness test: a 2 kilometre run, 20 metre sprint, a 5-0-5 agility test, a skinfold test, and a counter movement jump (CMJ). Each of these tests allows for a player to gain a maximum of 29 points total – players need to attain at least 17 points to be considered for selection – with the 2km run and skinfold test holding the most weight.

“If you fair poorly in those two, it will be very hard to pass,” a SLC source told ESPNcricinfo. These tests have been a regular part of player training since 2021. However, they were not used as strict selection criteria, rather as a guide, particularly when making calls between two similarly skilled players.

Central to Thushara’s argument is that such fitness requirements were not a prerequisite for an NOC in the past, and that his current fitness levels are consistent with what he has maintained over his career, including in 2024 and 2025 when SLC had granted him NOCs.

Thushara’s case has similarities to that of South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi, who took Cricket South Africa (CSA) to the Johannesburg High Court in December 2025. He was not centrally contracted by CSA and had withdrawn from an SA20 league contract. CSA refused to grant him a full-duration NOC to play in the rival International League T20 (ILT20), aiming to protect its own tournament’s player pool. Shamsi argued that because he held no active contract with either CSA or the SA20 franchise, the board’s withholding of the NOC was an act of “bad faith” to protect its own commercial interests. The South African High Court sided with Shamsi, issuing an interim order forcing CSA to grant the full NOC, setting a major precedent for global player mobility.

The Shamsi ruling proved that when a player is outside a central contract, a board cannot use the ICC’s NOC policy purely to protect its commercial interests. Thushara’s case takes this a step further, and asks whether a board can legally enforce its internal selection policies on a player who has walked away from the national set-up.

(Cricinfo)

Sports

Rehan’s 146 guides Royal to 319 on day one

Published

2 hours ago

2026/04/3

Thilina Walpola

Rehan Peiris

A superb knock of 146 runs by Rehan Peiris held the Royal College top order together as they posted 319 in their first innings on day one of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ quarter-final against Mahanama College at the D.H.H. Ground, Madampella on Thursday.

‎Royal looked set for a strong start before three quick wickets disrupted their progress and left the innings in a difficult position. With the early damage threatening to derail the innings, Rehan stepped up with a determined batting effort to guide the recovery.

‎Rehan first stitched together a useful partnership with Ramiru Perera to stabilize the innings before combining with Thevindu Wewalwala for a crucial fifth wicket stand worth 117 runs. The partnership proved vital in helping Royal regain control and build a competitive total.

‎Wewalwala provided excellent support with a solid 57, while Hirun Matheesha contributed 28 runs and Ramiru Perera added 27 to strengthen the innings around Rehan’s impressive knock.

‎For Mahanama, Venura Kaveethra was the pick of the bowlers with a five wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5 for 86, while Chamika Heenatigala chipped in with two wickets.

‎At stumps on the opening day, Mahanama were four for no loss.

‎‎Scores

‎Royal – 319 all out in 87.2 overs

‎(Rehan Peiris 146, Thevindu Wewalwala 57, Hirun Matheesha 28, Ramiru Perera 27; Venura Kaveethra 5/86, Chamika Heenatigala 2/80)

‎Mahanama – 4 for no loss at stumps.

‎‎Wesley book semi-final spot

‎‎Wesley booked a semi-final berth in the Under 19 Division I Tier B tournament as they overcame formidable Devapathiraja Rathgama with a convincing 107 runs victory at Katuneriya on Thursday.

‎‎Scores:

‎Wesley

197 all out in 52.1 overs (Shamma Fernando 23, Rasheed Nahyan 34, Rashmika Amararathna 30, Lithum Senuja 24, Senura Lakshan 27; Sandaru Lakshan 3/71, Puljith Wathsuka 4/31, Harsha Madusanka 2/13) and 219 all out in 64.4 overs (Rashmika Amararathna 43, Senura Lakshan 37, Lavindu Hettiarachchi 41, Dinuja Samararathna 31; Sandaru Malshan 6/88, Diyath Sanjitha 4/46)

‎Devapathiraja

142 all out in 57.1 overs (Diyath Sanjitha 20, Arosha Sithumina 33, Sandaru Malshan 30; Rashmika Amararathna 4/23, Aadhyan Zian 4/34) and 167 all out in 60.3 overs (Sandaru Malshan 22, Yasiru Lakshan 71, Gimhan Rasanjana 31; Aadhyan Zian 2/25, Dinuja Samararathna 4/52)

(RF)

Sports

Brook, Bethell receive warnings from Cricket Regulator after Wellington incident

Published

15 hours ago

2026/04/2

Priyan

Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook have escaped further censure after their incident in Wellington (Cricinfo)

Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell have escaped with a slap on the wrist from England’s Cricket Regulator after they were found to have brought the game into disrepute for their late night antics in Wellington last year.

Brook was disciplined by the ECB after admitting that he had been out drinking the night before he captained England in their third ODI against New Zealand on November 1 and that he was “clocked” by a bouncer when trying to gain access to a late-night venue. England considered stripping him of the captaincy but instead opted to fine him in a process that was not made public.

The incident only came to light shortly after England’s defeat in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, over two months later, via a report in the Telegraph. Brook initially insisted that he had been on his own but later admitted that he had been accompanied by Bethell and Josh Tongue and that he had lied to protect his team mates.

The case was referred to the Cricket Regulator – an independent body which enforces the game’s regulations in England and Wales, and is ring-fenced from the rest of the ECB – which found that Bethell and Brook were both in breach of Regulation 3.2 of the ECB’s Professional Conduct Regulations.

The regulation reads: “No Participant may conduct themself in a manner, do any act or make any omission at any time which is improper or which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute.”

Bethell and Brook have both accepted the ‘caution notices’ issued to them, which effectively places them on a final warning. They will not be issued with a ‘charge letter’ but the notice will remain on their disciplinary record for the next three years.

Tongue, who said this week that he had “learned from” the incident, has had no further action taken against him.

Rob Key said in December that England had encountered “none of these issues” since he became managing director, when asked about footage that showed players out drinking on the night in question. He also denied that any formal disciplinary action had been taken, though he has since claimed he meant specifically as a result of the footage.

Key admitted after the ECB’s post-Ashes review – which focused in part on England’s culture and environment – that he was concerned by some players’ drinking. “Like a lot of teams, there’s two or three players that can be irresponsible with alcohol given the opportunity,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is try to find that happy medium.”

England introduced a midnight curfew ahead of their tour to Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup earlier this year, which is expected to remain in place this summer.

Brook, England’s Test vice-captain, is expected to play some County Championship cricket for Yorkshire before England’s three-match series against New Zealand in June. Bethell, who is also Brook’s de facto vice-captain in white-ball cricket, is at the IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

(Cricinfo)