Sports
When Susantha’s trainees triumph, Minister dumps his progressive proposal
by Reemus Fernando
Tharushi Karunaratne’s outstanding achievement of winning three medals including two golds at the Asian Junior Athletics Championship once again turned the spotlight on her school, Ratnayake Central, Walala and coach Susantha Fernando who has the rare distinction of training nearly one third of Sri Lanka’s Asian Junior Athletics Championship medallists in history.
From Manoj Pushpakumara’s back to back silver winning efforts in Thailand and Malaysia (in 2002 and 2004) to Karunaratne’s double golds in South Korea, Fernando’s trainees of Ratnayake Central, Walala have been part of ten medals Sri Lanka won at these championships.
Since the inception of the Asian Junior Athletics Championships in 1986 Sri Lanka have won 34 medals. Being part of ten of those medals is a huge achievement and no other coach has even come closer to achieving such a mighty accomplishment. Fernando has also trained many others to represent Sri Lanka at these championships.
A close analysis shows that most of his medals at this biennial event have come in the 800 metres and the 400 metres. Those who are familiar with records and Schools Athletics statistics know that Ratnayale Central dominate 800 metres at All Island Schools Championships more than any other school. Incidentally, at a particular juncture (2021) almost all of Sri Lanka’s 800 metres records from boys and girls National Youth 800 metres to boys and girls National Junior 800 metres to men’s and women’s National 800 metres records were simultaneously held by either his charges or the athletes who had his guidance at junior level.
Though his long association with Ratnayake Central make him a highly respected school coach, he has a fair share of international medals at senior level including the Asian Athletics Championships and the South Asian Games. Fernando’s more than three decades long experience coaching athletes in middle and long-distance events has made even the Ministry of Education respect his opinion in formulating competition structures. That was why all his proposals (seen by The Island) to change the track and field competition structure received the approval of the Education Ministry authorities recently.
Inclusion of the 3,000 metres to the Under 18 age category, reintroduction of the long-distance medley relay to the Under 18 are category and above and the 4x800metres relay to the Under 16 age category of the Relay Carnival were among his proposals. He also made a request to include either 600 metres or 800 metres to the Under 14 age category as a talent identification event to be conducted only as a ‘merit standard event’.
His reasoning was that the particular age category had only short-distance events which does not help identify athletes who have the potential to compete in long-distance events in the future.
The 800 metres was included to the Under 14 age category as a competition discipline (not as a talent identification event conducted for merit standards as proposed by Fernando). Incidentally, when Fernando’s charges were winning medals in South Korea, the Minister of Education here was convinced by a group of enthusiasts including officials from the Sports Ministry to scrap the newly introduced event.
It is a pity that the Minister did not even consult the officials of his own Ministry before reversing the gazette. It was not for nothing that the event was introduced to the age category. He should have inquired as to why the event was not included as a talent identification event instead of giving the status of a fully-fledged competition event. Minister’s kneejerk reaction has put many Masters in Charge of track and field in schools in a quandary as they had already sent entries for the said event for upcoming Zonal Championships. It would have been a different story had the discipline been discontinued after the Zonal stage or the provincial stage.
The Education Minister needs to respect the opinion of its own officials who have proven credentials.
Eshan Malinga returned career best figures of four for 46, but his impressive spell could not prevent Pakistan from breaching the 300 run mark in the curtain-raiser of the ODI tri-nation series in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
Pakistan were bowled out for 305, with former captain Salman Ali Agha leading the charge with his fourth ODI hundred.
Agha struck a fluent 107 off 90 deliveries, peppering the boundary with ten fours and a six before falling to Asitha Fernando. The Sri Lankan seamer was equally impressive, returning tidy figures of three for 39.
Agha featured in a 97 run partnership with Hasan Nawaz and at 215 for four with 13 overs remaining, Pakistan appeared poised for a formidable total. However, Sri Lanka’s bowlers clawed their way back into the contest, applying the brakes just when the hosts threatened to run away with the game.
On a surface tailor made for batting, Sri Lanka’s late fightback could prove crucial, with the visitors fancying their chances of chasing down the target.
Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka finished with two for 67, although his figures flattered him somewhat. He was guilty of straying onto the pads far too often, offering the Pakistan batters several scoring opportunities.
Sri Lanka went into the contest with just four specialist bowlers, leaving the part timers to shoulder a fair share of the workload. To their credit, the makeshift attack rose to the occasion, sharing ten overs between three bowlers without allowing Pakistan to completely dictate terms.
Dasun Shanaka did the lion’s share of the work, sending down seven overs, while Sahan Arachchige and Kamindu Mendis chipped in with the remaining three.
Sri Lanka also welcomed back top order batter Avishka Fernando, who returned to the ODI fold after spending several years on the sidelines.
England are the third team in the tri-nation competition, which serves as valuable preparation for next year’s World Cup.
The opening three matches will be played in Rawalpindi before the tournament shifts to Lahore for the remaining fixtures, including the final.
Sri Lanka are in the midst of a marathon 50 day tour of Pakistan. Having already completed a three-match T20I series, they will turn their attention to the tri-nation tournament before playing a First Class warm-up fixture followed by two Tests.
19 Division I – Tier ‘A’ Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
The top eight teams begin their battle for the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ limited-overs title today, when Mahinda College, Galle, take on St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, in the first quarter-final at Dombagoda.
Led by Dulsith Dharshana, Mahinda qualified for the knockout stage with wins over St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota (by five wickets), Royal College, Colombo (by six wickets) and Lumbini (by ten wickets). Their only defeat came against St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya, the only side to top 200 against them. In their other matches, Mahinda’s bowlers kept opponents to low totals.
That bowling unit, spearheaded by left-arm paceman Sadew Nethmina, appears to have peaked ahead of the crucial clash. They bundled Lumbini out for 40 in their last match, with Nethmina and Vishmitha Sathsara sharing nine wickets between them.
St. Sebastian’s reached the knockout stage on the back of wins over Maris Stella College, Negombo, and D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo. Their match against Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, ended without a result because of rain, while they lost by two wickets to Richmond, the eventual group champions.
St. Sebastian’s boast a strong batting line-up, with Hirusha Perera, Navinu Fernando, Lashen Fernando, Thivanka Fernando and Meshone Ferdinando all making notable contributions in the group stage. Skipper Koshendra Fernando is expected to lead the bowling attack with his spin, supported by Adeesha Lakshan, Lashen Fernando and Risinu Prabesh.
Teams
Mahinda (from):
Dulsith Darshana (Captain), Sadew Nethmina (Vice Captain), Randula Mabarana, Manitha Rajapaksha, Sehas Ashinsa, Kaveesha Githmal, Thiyon Helika, Kavindu Nimsata, Gesandu Bisas, Vishmitha Sathsara, Buddhima Tharupathi, Naviru Nishitha, Nihindu Sesitha, Anuga Palliyaguru, Senuja Vehan, Kevin Geemitha, Bakshara Jayarathne.
Officials: Denuwan Rajakaruna (Head Coach), Sandaru Nethmina (Asst. Coach), Y. Nishantha Kumara (Master in Charge)
St. Sebastian’s (from): Koshendra Fernando (Captain), Meshone Ferdinando, Nisila Dimath, Navinu Fernando, Hirusha Lochana, Lashen Fernando, Thejan Bandara, Chamath Wellalage, Risinu Prabesh, Sanoj Perera, Deneth Keshara, Adeesha Lakshan, Dilena Fernando, Thiwanka Fernando, Shenas Hashein, Pathiv Vehan, Dineepa Wickramsooriya.
Officials:
Lahiru Kanishka (Head coach), Nishantha Fernando (Asst. Coach), Sandaru Tharusha Perera (Master in Charge)
The other three quarter finals will be played on Tuesday as per the below schedule.
Mahanama Colombo V St. Joseph’s Darley Road at Mattegoda
Nalanda Colombo V St. Anthony’s Katugastota at Campbell Place
Richmond Galle V Wesley Colombo at Weeraketiya
Several big names fell at the first hurdle, including last year’s finalists Royal College, Colombo, as well as S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, Trinity College, Kandy, and St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya. Royal and St. Peter’s were in the same group and finished behind Mahinda and St. Anthony’s. S. Thomas’ were in Group ‘A’, where Mahanama and Wesley edged out the rest to book their places.
by Reemus Fernando
Asian Junior Championship medallist Mihinsa Dewmini Abeyratne broke a ten-year-old meet record to win the Under 20 high jump at the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship at Diyagama on Sunday.
The President’s College, Embilipitiya, athlete cleared 1.75 metres, equalling her personal best, to erase the record of Poornima Gunarathne of Leeds International, Panadura. Gunarathne’s mark of 1.74 metres had stood since 2016.
Trained by retired sports officer Gamini Dias, Mihinsa was expected to achieve something special this season after setting a personal best of 1.75 metres at the same venue earlier this year. She followed that with a bronze medal at the Asian Junior Championship in Hong Kong.
Hers was one of six meet records to fall by the time this report was filed on day three of the meet.
In the girls’ category, Lyceum International School, Wattala, and Ave Maria Convent, Negombo, set new marks in relay events. In a closely contested Under 14 4×100 metres final, Lyceum clocked 51.35 seconds to erase Musaeus College’s 2019 record. Ladies’ College, who finished second in 51.52, also bettered the previous mark.
Ave Maria Convent edged Nimala Maria Balika in another tight finish to win the Under 16 girls’ 4×100 metres in a new meet record of 49.49 seconds. Nimala Maria Balika also bettered the old record.
In the boys’ category, Sadeesh Denuwan of Halmillaketiya MV stole the limelight with a new meet record of 11.22 seconds in the Under 14 80 metres hurdles. Maneesha Samarasinghe of Lyceum International, Wattala, set a new record of 13.09 seconds in the Under 16 100 metres hurdles.
Lyceum International, Wattala, also set a new meet record of 3:13.76 in the Under 20 4×400 metres relay.
Showers or thundershowers will occur in most parts of the island after 1.00 p.m
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