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Polonnaruwa Royal College under 16  stickers emerges Joint Champs

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M.H. Yakeem 

In the History of the sport of Hockey, an All Island Boys/Girls under 16 Hockey tournament was held for the first time in Polonnaruwa, which was hosted by Royal College Polonnaruwa under the direction of the Sports Minister, Roshan Ranasinghe.

At this first ever Hockey tournament, the host Royal College Polonnaruwa competing in the “C” division at this championship 2023, emerged as Joint Champions with Maris Stella College, Thimbirigaskatuwa. This was an initiative taken by the Sri-Lanka Schools Hockey Association, under the guidance of the Ministry of Education to promote the Sport in Polonnaruwa, which was held at the Royal College ground, Polonnaruwa from the 29th of October to the 01st of November 2023.

The Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, who is also an Old Boy of Royal College Polonnaruwa, played an instrumental role in getting this tournament to be staged in Polonnaruwa and the Principal, Ravilal Wijewansa giving his fullest support and cooperation along with the Vice Principal, Manjula Undugoda and MIC Dinesh Rathnayake made all arrangements to host this first-ever tournament in Polonnaruwa. Sports Minister,  Roshan Ranasinghe,  who was very keen to have this tournament In Polonnaruwa was the Chief Guest,  who graced this wonderful occasion. 

Royal College Polonnaruwa, in their league matches played,  won against Harischandra Vidyalaya Gampaha and Upananda Vidyalaya Galle, and drew with Kengalla Vidyalaya.  In the semi-final, they beat Girandurukotte National School on penalty strokes 2/1, and in the final, they drew against Maris Stella College,  Thinbirigaskatuwa to emerge as Joint Champs.  All credit has to go to the Coach, Dhammika Abeyrathne, an ex-National Hockey player from Christ Church College Matale, who represented Sri Lanka from 1997 to 2010 and had the distinction of Captaining the National team in 2010 at the SAF games. As he is now residing in Polonnaruwa,  it will be an asset to develop the game in Polonnaruwa. 

The team comprises Achiru Yapa  Kavisha Costa, Anuhas Amaraweera, Reshan Mayantha, Dineth Nirupama, Dineth Gankewela, Ashith Navodha, Bosura Seneviratne,  Damhiru Kasthuriarachchi, Keshan Perera,  Nagana Dineth, Akidu Anujitha, Hasaral Chandika, Hirun Gamitha, R.kodithuwakku, Theekshana Navarathne, Thinura Thulitha, D. Kumarasinghe A. Navarathne, Leethicha 

Caption 

1 – The Royal College Polonnaruwa under 16 winning stickers with Sports Minister,  Roshan Ranasinghe, Principal Ravilal Wijewansa, and other officials. 

2 –  Coach Dammika Abeurathne, guided the team to emerge as Joint Champs at this first-ever tournament. 

Cricket

Chamindu Wickramasinghe’s bowling action under scrutiny?

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Sri Lankan fast bowler Chamindu Wickramasinghe has come under the spotlight after his bowling action was officially reported as suspicious during a recent domestic encounter.

The incident occurred in a match of the National Super League held from April 6 to 9, where the Dambulla side faced Colombo. Wickramasinghe, representing Dambulla, drew attention from match officials, prompting concerns over the legality of his action.

The on-field umpires, Deepal Gunawardena and Ravindra Wimalasiri, made the report in accordance with standard procedures. Match referee Manoj Mendis also oversaw the process, ensuring that all regulations were followed.

Following the report, the matter has been referred to the Sri Lanka Cricket High Performance Unit for further assessment. Wickramasinghe may now be required to undergo biomechanical testing to determine whether his bowling action complies with the laws of the game.

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Sri Lanka lasses continue to impress

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Sri Lanka Under-19 Women extended their impressive run in the Tri-Series with a composed four-wicket victory over Australia Women Under-19 cricket team at Bill Pippen Oval Today.

After being put in to bat, Australia U-19 struggled to build momentum against a disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack. Ayla Johnson top-scored with 18 off 29 balls, while Alyssa Dermody added a quick 13. However, regular wickets halted their progress as they finished on a modest 91 for 9 in 20 overs. Limansa Thilakarathne led the bowling effort with an impressive 3 for 26, well supported by Chamudi Praboda, who claimed 2 for 21.

In response, Sri Lanka Women Under-19 cricket team chased down the target with 92 for 6 in 19.3 overs. Despite a few setbacks, Pramudi Methsara anchored the innings with an unbeaten 21 off 17 balls, while Danodya Sewmini contributed a steady 14. Australia’s Filippa Suesee (3 for 18) and Ira Aery (2 for 13) fought hard, but Sri Lanka held their nerve.

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Football Chief Jaswar Umar Enters Race for NOC Presidency

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Jaswar Umar, President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka, has officially submitted his nomination to contest for the presidency of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka at the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

Umar becomes the fourth candidate in the race, joining Shirantha Peiris, Deva Henry, and Asanga Seneviratne, who are also contesting for the top position in the country’s Olympic body.

His time as football chief has created divided opinions among sports professionals who evaluate his performance. On one hand, Sri Lanka’s national team has shown improvement in international results, including a rise in the FIFA rankings from 204 to 191, along with notable performances against stronger opposition.

However, his approach has also faced criticism. Stakeholders have raised concerns over the increased reliance on Sri Lankan-origin overseas players, with claims that it has limited opportunities for local talent. The long-term vision for developing youth and building grassroots football programs has become a subject of public inquiry.

Umar now aims to advance his career through NOC while he leads Sri Lankan football with both positive results and ongoing public criticism of his work.

The upcoming election will become a competitive battle because four candidates will vie for control of a key position which holds major power within the country’s sports system.

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