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Kingswood/ Royal Hockey encounter for the Lennie De Silva Memorial Trophy on 22 September 2023

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M.H.Yakeem 

The annual Hockey encounter between Kingswood College Kandy stickers and Royal College Colombo stickers, for the Lennie De Silva Memorial Trophy,  will be played on the 22nd of September 2023 at the University of Peradeniya ground, Peradeniya, Kandy. 

The trophy was inaugurated in 2004 to honor and commemorate the services of Kingswoodian, Lennie De Silva. He was a well-rounded sportsman, as he played Cricket,  Tennis, and Soccer for Kingswood College and Government Teachers’ Training College. Most notably, he introduced the game of Hockey to Royal in 1955 and was a part of the academic staff of both Kingswood College and Royal College. 

Kingswood Hockey boasts a rich and proud history with a legacy that spans generations. When India’s National Hockey side toured Sri Lanka in the 1960s, former Kingswood College star players, Freddie White and Derrick Harvie got the opportunity to Captain the Ceylon Team in the game against India. Moreover, in the Indo-Ceylon test series, Kingswoodian Iqbal Jumar spearheaded the Mercantile Hockey team, while Roy De Silva captained the Kandy district Hockey team and was also the National Olympic Committee Chairman for several years. 

In the recent past, Kingswoodians have been going through a purple patch. Particularly in 2023, Kingswood College stickers clinched the Championship of the under 20 Central Province Hockey tournament and also emerged as the Champions of the Ritzbury Thomian Hockey, all Island Schools 7’s as well. Certainly, they will be hoping to continue this winning momentum. Kingswood College, Kandy stickers will be Captained by S.D. Thushara and O.D. Ranathunga will be his deputy. A.B. Godigamuwa is the Head Coach and will be assisted by C.I. Sumanarathna. 

Royal College, Colombo srickers will be Captained by Akash Wijesekera and Himsara Caldera will be his deputy. Head Coach, Insaka Samaranayake along with Assistant Coaches, Damith Panditharathne and Shahid Kuthubdeen, have been entrusted with the duties of the development of Hockey at Royal College.MIC Prabath Gallage, with  Senior games MIC, Riyaz Aluhser has always been a tower of strength to these young lads. In the series, Royal College stickers are leading with 7 wins. 

Caption  Action from last year’s Kingswood/Royal encounter 

Football

Stafford vs. Colombo International: The Second Edition of the Big Match Kicks Off!

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Football fever returns as Stafford International School and Colombo International School gear up for the second edition of their highly anticipated Big Match! This year, the rivalry intensifies with four matches across different age and gender categories:

U15 Girls
U15 Boys
U20 Girls
U20 Boys

🏆 Stafford International’s Rising Stars:

  • U15 Girls: Defending TISSL U14 and Colombo SLSFA District champions, featuring standout players like Keshalee Ranatunga and Sonja Ratanayake (just 10 years old!).
  • U15 Boys: All-Island U14 runners-up out of 462 schools, led by goalkeeper Yash Amarasekara, who was named Best U14 GK in Sri Lanka.
  • U20 Girls & Boys: Both teams finished as TISSL runners-up, boasting stars like Raya Rikaz, Yumna Safraz, Adnaan Ameen, and Nidurshan Mohan.

🏆 Colombo International’s Key Players:

  • U15 Girls: TISSL U16 runners-up, featuring top defender Khadeeja Niyas and striker Ozra.
  • U20 Girls: TISSL U20 runners-up, with Fioni Dedhia named Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
  • U20 Boys: Defending Big Match champions, looking to retain their title behind stars like Krishwen and Habib.

👀 Who will come out on top this time? Watch the action LIVE at the link below! 🎥👇

#BigMatch2025 #SchoolFootball #SriLankaFootball #StaffordVsCIS #RivalryRenewed

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Cricket

Shammi Silva Re-Elected as Sri Lanka Cricket President for Fourth Consecutive Term

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Shammi Silva has been re-elected as the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president for the 2025-27 term, marking his fourth consecutive tenure at the helm of the nation’s cricket governing body. Silva secured the position uncontested at the 64th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Colombo on Monday.

A Controversial Yet Dominant Tenure

Silva’s leadership has not been without controversy. His previous term saw a high-profile clash with former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe in 2023, which led to an interim committee being appointed after Sri Lanka’s poor performance in the ICC ODI World Cup. This move resulted in ICC suspending SLC, which led to Sri Lanka losing the hosting rights for the U19 Men’s World Cup, which was later held in South Africa.

Despite these setbacks, Silva regained control after a court ruling reinstated his administration, and he was later appointed as the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in December 2023, replacing Jay Shah.

Challenges & Future Outlook

Sri Lanka Cricket has long been seen as a powerful and influential body, with internal politics often shaping its leadership. With financial mismanagement concerns highlighted in the Auditor General’s report, Silva’s administration faces the challenge of restoring credibility and ensuring better governance.

With the ICC ban lifted, Sri Lanka looks to rebuild its cricketing structure and improve performance on the international stage. The focus now shifts to upcoming bilateral series, the Asia Cup, and preparations for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Stay tuned for more updates on Sri Lanka Cricket and the latest in the world of sports!

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Cricket

Stephen Fleming Defends MS Dhoni’s Batting Position Amid Criticism

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has defended MS Dhoni’s late entry in the batting order, stating that the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman cannot play an extended innings at full intensity due to lingering knee concerns.

The 43-year-old Dhoni faced criticism after coming in at No. 9 during CSK’s 50-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk. In the next match against Rajasthan Royals on March 30, 2025, he batted at No. 7 when CSK required 54 off 25 balls but managed just 16 off 11 as his team fell short by six runs.

Fleming’s Explanation on Dhoni’s Role

Fleming emphasized that Dhoni carefully assesses the match situation before deciding when to bat.

“It’s all about timing. MS judges his body and situation. His knees aren’t what they used to be, so he can’t bat for 10 overs at full intensity. He will step in based on the game’s demands,” Fleming explained at the post-match press conference.

The CSK coach reiterated that Dhoni remains too valuable to the team for his leadership and wicketkeeping and that sending him in too early could be a strategic misstep.

“From around the 13th or 14th over, he assesses the situation and decides. He trusts other batters early on but steps up when needed.”

CSK’s Struggles in the Powerplay Cost Them the Match

Fleming also pinpointed CSK’s poor powerplay performance as a key reason for their loss against Rajasthan Royals. While RR blasted 79/1 in the powerplay, CSK only managed 42/1,

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