Sports
A loose cannon!
by Rex Clementine
After government-backed goons attacked peaceful protesters at the Galle Face Green on Monday plunging the country into further turmoil, fingers have been pointed at former Minister Johnston Fernando for instigating the attacks. Successive leaders have failed to rein in Minister Fernando, who has a reputation for being a loose cannon.
The UNP won the General Elections in 2001 and Johnston Fernando was one of the confidants of Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe ahead of several seniors. For example, Fernando and Gamini Jayawickrama Perera had contested from the same district (Kurunegala) and Perera, a veteran in politics had obtained some 25,000 more preferential votes than rookie Fernando. But for some reason, Johnny emerged as one of Ranil’s blue-eyed boys and he was handed the Sports Ministry at a time when the nation was set to host its biggest sporting event – the ICC Champions Trophy.
Not sure why Ranil then and even the current leaders allow Jonny to have a considerable say in decision making. His deep pockets are thought to be one reason.
As Sports Minister, Johnny made the headlines for the wrong reasons. One of the first events that he attended was a basketball tournament at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Johnny was in a rush and he walked off soon after the awards presentation. At this point, the national anthem was sung. Johnny kept walking without stopping. The press reported it the next morning. Johnny was busy shooting the messenger.
Around the same time, Zimbabwe were in Sri Lanka for a three-match Test series. The national cricket team was enjoying a good run having won a hard-fought series against India and whitewashed West Indies in Test match cricket. Soon it was clear that Zimbabwe weren’t going to be any match for formidable Sri Lanka.
The selectors were keen on blooding some young players against the weak opposition and wanted to hand Chamara Silva his Test debut in the Asgiriya Test match.
The seniors didn’t like this and had arguments with the selectors. The selectors stood their ground. Eventually, the seniors took the matter up to Johnny, who had the final say on selections as the appointment of selectors came under his purview.
Johnny in an unprecedented move overruled the selectors and gave in to the wish of the seniors. Poor Chamara Silva suffered in silence and had to wait for five more years to make his Test debut.
As for the selectors, they were replaced by Johnny and a new panel was announced. Johnny ensured there was representation from Kurunegala in the new selection committee. That was Johnny’s way of handling a crisis. A bull in a China shop is less troublesome than Johnny.
Delhi Capitals’ (DC) signing of Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizure Rahman for the remainder of IPL 2025 has hit a snag, with the BCB stating that it hasn’t been approached for a no-objection certificate (NOC).
Usually, the IPL only announces signings after a player has received an NOC from his home board. According to its CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury, however, the BCB had yet to receive a request for one.
“Mustafizur is supposed to go with the team to the UAE according to the schedule,” Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo on Wednesday. “We have not received any communication from IPL officials. I have also not received any such official communication from Mustafizur either.”
Mustafizur is part of the Bangladesh T20I squad that is due to play back-to-back away T20I series against UAE and Pakistan, both of which clash with the IPL. On Wednesday, hours after the IPL announced his signing as a replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mustafizur flew out to Dubai with the rest of Bangladesh’s squad.
Bangladesh are due to play two T20Is in the UAE on May 17 and 19, followed by five in Pakistan on May 25, 27 and 30, and June 1 and 3. Those two series are in conflict with the IPL; DC are set to play their last three league matches on May 18, 21 and 24, followed by the playoffs should they get there.
ESPNcricinfo has sought a response from DC on this development.
[Cricinfo]
Sprinter Aruna Dharshana who is undergoing treatments for an injury he sustained during the World Relays, is racing against time to recover for the Asian Athletics Championships which will be held in South Korea later this month.
The 400 metres specialist is one of the two sprinters slated to compete in the one lap race. He is also a key member of the men’s 4×400 metres and 4×400 metres mixed relays alongside Kalinga Kumarage.
“Currently Dharshana is undergoing treatments. We are hopeful that he will recover in time for the Asian Championships,” Dharshana’s coach Asanka Rajakaruna told ‘The Island’.
“Sri Lanka Athletics will conduct a fitness test before the Asian Championships. Hopefully he will be ready by that time,” said Rajakaruna.
Sri Lanka Athletics earlier said that a fitness test will be held to assess the strength of the 20 strong team selected for the biennial event.
Sri Lanka fielded only a mixed relay team for the recently held World Relays in Guangzhou, China where an injury to Dharshana cost them a chance to achieve a top performance and a probable ticket to the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.
Sri Lanka won a historic gold medal in the men’s 4×400 metres at the last edition of the Asian Athletics Championship in Bangkok Thailand where the team inclusive of Dharshana beat India to the second place with a new championship record time of 03:01.56 seconds.
Kalinga Kumarage who did the anchor leg and Dharshana are the only members from that gold winning team selected for the upcoming event.
Dharshana is the only Sri Lankan athlete to have clocked sub 45 seconds in the 400 metres after legendary Sugath Thilakaratne.
Dharshana and Kumarage hold the second and third places respectively in the list of fastest times achieved in the 400 metres by Sri Lankan athletes. Dharshana has a personal best of 44.99 seconds achieved during the last Olympic games.
by Reemus Fernando
110th Colombo Championships
Dinara de Silva bagged her second title of the Colombo Championships as she partnered Inuki Jayaweera to record straight sets victory in the women’s doubles final played at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association clay courts on Wednesday.
Dinara and Inuki beat Venuli Jayasinghe and Sandithi Usgodaarachchi 6-2, 6-3 in the doubles final.
Incidentally, it was the second title of the tournament for both Dinara and Inuki.
While Dinara won the women’s singles and doubles titles, Inuki was the winner of the mixed doubles and the women’s doubles.
Women’s doubles results
Semi-finals
Dinara de Silva and Inuki Jayaweera beat Dulkini Ranasinghe and Tania Doloswala 6-3, 6-2
Venuli Jayasinghe and Sandithi Usgodaarachchi beat Bovindee Imihamy and Siyara Devappriya 6-3, 6-0.
Quarter-finals
Venuli Jayasinghe and S. Usgodaarachchi beat Tuvini de Alwis and Hasali Gajaba 6-4, 5-7, 10-3.
Dinara de Silva and Inuki Jayaweera beat Nimasha Shehara and Arushi Thomas 6-1, 6-3.
Dulkini Ranasinghe and Tania Doloswala beat Diyansa de Silva and Lihini Jayakody 4-6, 6-3, 10-6.
Bovindee Imihamy and Siyara Devappriya received a walkover from Gehansa Methnadi and Akeesha Silva.
Second lot of luxury and decommissioned vehicles owned by the Presidential Secretariat sold
President approves establishment of Anti-Corruption Investigation Units in Provincial Councils and LG Institutions
Seven new envoys to Sri Lanka present credentials to the President
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