News

Royal regain the Rt. Hon D.S. Senanayake Memorial Shield

Published

2 years ago

March 19, 2023

Editor

Royal College, Colombo registered a memorable 180-run win over S. Thomas’ College in the 144th ‘Battle of the Blues’ annual cricket encounter played for the Rt. Hon. D.S Senanayake Memorial Shield, which concluded on Saturday at the SSC Grounds, Colombo.

On day three the Royalists declared their overnight score setting a target of 342 runs, and in reply, the Thomians had no answers for the Royal dominance as they were bowled out for 161 runs to hand the Royalists a famous win.

The Thomian batters never looked comfortable in the second essay and none of their batters impressed apart from Senesh Hettiarachchi. He was the only batter to post a threat to the Royalists with a watchful 46 runs off 87 deliveries including 7 boundaries. Apart from him, none of the other batters was able to at least go past the 30-run mark.

Senesh and Charuka Peiris (22) looked to steady the Thomian innings at one stage in the chase, but their partnership was cut short when Peiris was bowled by spinner Ramiru Perera.

Adding salt to their wounds, Thomians was struck with a double blow when Akash Fernando walked back to the pavilion for a golden duck to make things worse for the boys from Mt. Lavinia.

With all recognized batters back in the pavilion, Thomians’ hope was all on Senesh Hettiarachchi’s shoulders, but the pressure was too much for him to handle as he was caught at short mid-wicket, and the Thomians were bowled out for 161, as Royal wrapped things up in style to regain the prestigious D.S. Senanayake Shield.

The Royal College bowling was spot on with Sineth Jayawardena, Ramiru Perera and Nethwin Dharmarathne sharing two wickets apiece, while Ranuka Malaviarachchi, Bulan Weerathunga, Sandesh Ramanayaka and Dasis Manchanayake picked up a wicket each.

Earlier, in the second innings, skipper Dasis Manchanayake once again came to the rescue with another quick-fire 57 in 49 balls to steady the Royals’ innings. He was once again well supported by Ramiru Perera who smashed an unbeaten 46 runs.

Brief scores:

Royal: 326-8 d and 168-4 d (Dasis Manchanayake 57, Ramiru Perera 46, Akash Fernando 4-59)

S. Thomas’: 153 and 161 all out (Senesh Hettiarachchi 46, Charuka Peiris 22, Sineth Jayawardena 2-14, Nethwin Dharmarathne 2-27, Ramiru Perera 2-25)

Individual Awards

Best Fielder – Uvindu Weerasekara (RC)

Best Bowler – Akash Fernando (STC)

Best Batter – Ramiru Perera (RC)

Player of the Match – Dasis Manchanayake (RC)

ගරු ඩී.එස්. සේනානායක අනුස්මරණ පලිහ රාජකීයන්ට යළි හිමිවේ

තෝමස් විද්‍යාලයට එරෙහිව කොළඹ රාජකීය විද්‍යාලය 144 වැනි ‘Battle of the Blues’ වාර්ෂික ක්‍රිකට් තරගයෙන් ලකුණු 180 ක අමතක නොවන ජයක් වාර්තා කළේය. ගරු. D.S සේනානායක අනුස්මරණ පළිහ සෙනසුරාදා කොළඹ SSC පිටියේදී අවසන් විය.

තුන්වන දිනයේදී රාජකීය ක්‍රීඩකයින් සිය එක්දින ලකුණු සංඛ්‍යාව ලකුණු 342ක ඉලක්කයක් ලෙස ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කළ අතර, පිළිතුරු ලෙස තෝමියානුවන් ලකුණු 161කට දැවී ගිය අතර රාජකීයයන්ට සුප්‍රසිද්ධ ජයග්‍රහණයක් ලබා දීමට තෝමියානුවන් සමත් විය.

තෝමියන් පිතිකරුවන් දෙවන රචනයේදී කිසිවිටෙක පහසු බවක් නොදැක්වූ අතර සෙනේෂ් හෙට්ටිආරච්චි හැරුණු විට ඔවුන්ගේ කිසිදු පිතිකරුවෙකුගේ සිත් ගත්තේ නැත. ඔහු පන්දු 87කදී හතරේ පහර 7ක් සමඟින් ලකුණු 46ක් ලබා ගනිමින් රාජකීයයන්ට තර්ජනයක් එල්ල කළ එකම පිතිකරුවා විය. ඔහු හැර සෙසු පිතිකරුවන් කිසිවකුට අඩුම තරමින් ලකුණු 30 සීමාව පසු කිරීමටවත් නොහැකි විය.

සෙනේෂ් සහ චාරුක පීරිස් (22) හඹා යාමේ එක් අවස්ථාවක තෝමියන් ඉනිම ස්ථාවර වනු ඇතැයි අපේක්ෂා කළ නමුත් පීරිස් දඟ පන්දු යවන රමිරු පෙරේරාගේ පන්දුවක් හමුවේ දැවී යාමත් සමඟ ඔවුන්ගේ සබඳතාව බිඳ වැටුණි.

ගල්කිස්සේ කොල්ලන්ට තත්ත්වය තවත් නරක අතට හැරීම සඳහා ආකාෂ් ප්‍රනාන්දු රන් තාරාවෙකු සඳහා නැවත මණ්ඩපය වෙත ඇවිද ගිය විට ඔවුන්ගේ තුවාලවලට ලුණු එකතු කරමින් තෝමියානුවන්ට ද්විත්ව පහරක් එල්ල විය.

පිලිගත් පිතිකරුවන් සියල්ලන්ම නැවතත් මණ්ඩපය වෙත පැමිණීමත් සමඟම තෝමියන්ස්ගේ බලාපොරොත්තුව සියල්ල සෙනේෂ් හෙට්ටිආරච්චිගේ උරහිස් මත රැඳුණු නමුත් ෂෝට් මිඩ් විකට් අතට උඩපන්දුවක් දෙමින් තෝමියානුවන් ලකුණු 161කට දැවී ගිය අතර රාජකීය ලෙසින් තෝමියානුවන් දැවී ගියේය. කීර්තිමත් D.S. සේනානායක පළිහ නැවත ලබා ගැනීම සඳහා දේවල් අලංකාර ලෙස ඔතා ඇත.

රාජකීය විද්‍යාලයේ පන්දු යැවීමේදී සිනෙත් ජයවර්ධන, රමිරු පෙරේරා සහ නෙත්වින් ධර්මරත්න කඩුලු 2 බැගින් බෙදී ගිය අතර රනුක මලවිආරච්චි, බුලාන් වීරතුංග, සන්දේශ් රාමනායක සහ දාසිස් මංචනායක කඩුල්ල බැගින් දවා ගත්හ.

මීට පෙර දෙවැනි ඉනිමේදී තවත් වේගවත් පිතිහරඹයක නිරත වූ නායක දාසිස් මංචනායක පන්දු 49කදී ලකුණු 57ක් රැස්කරමින් රාජකීය ඉනිමේ ස්ථාවර තත්ත්වයට පත් විය. ඔහුට නැවත වරක් හොඳ සහයක් ලබාදුන් රමිරු පෙරේරා නොදැවී ලකුණු 46ක් ලබා ගත්තේය.

කෙටි ලකුණු:

රාජකීය: 326-8 සහ 168-4 (දාසිස් මංචනායක 57, රමිරු පෙරේරා 46, ආකාෂ් ප්‍රනාන්දු 4-59)

එස්. තෝමස්: සියලු දෙනා දැවී 153 සහ 161 (සෙනේෂ් හෙට්ටිආරච්චි 46, චාරුක පීරිස් 22, සිනෙත් ජයවර්ධන 2-14, නෙත්වින් ධර්මරත්න 2-27, රමිරු පෙරේරා 2-25)

තනි පුද්ගල සම්මාන

හොඳම පන්දු රකින්නා – උවිඳු වීරසේකර (RC)

හොඳම පන්දු යවන්නා – ආකාෂ් ප්‍රනාන්දු (STC)

හොඳම පිතිකරු – රමිරු පෙරේරා (RC)

තරගයේ වීරයා – දසිස් මංචනායක (RC)

கெளரவ டி.எஸ். சேனாநாயக்க நினைவுக் கேடயத்தை ரோயல் மீண்டும் கைப்பற்றியது

Rt அணிக்காக விளையாடிய 144வது ‘Battle of the Blues’ வருடாந்த கிரிக்கெட் போட்டியில், கொழும்பு ரோயல் கல்லூரி, S. Thomas’ கல்லூரிக்கு எதிராக 180 ரன்கள் வித்தியாசத்தில் மறக்கமுடியாத வெற்றியைப் பதிவு செய்தது. கௌரவ. D.S சேனநாயக்க ஞாபகார்த்த கேடயம், கொழும்பு SSC மைதானத்தில் சனிக்கிழமை நிறைவு பெற்றது.

மூன்றாவது நாளில், ராயல்ஸ்டுகள் தங்கள் ஓவர்நைட் ஸ்கோரை 342 ரன்களை இலக்காக நிர்ணயித்ததாக அறிவித்தனர், பதிலுக்கு, தோமியன்ஸ் ராயல்ஸ்டுகளுக்கு ஒரு பிரபலமான வெற்றியை வழங்க 161 ரன்களுக்கு ஆட்டமிழந்ததால், ராயல் ஆதிக்கத்திற்கு எந்த பதிலும் இல்லை.

தோமியன் பேட்டர்கள் இரண்டாவது கட்டுரையில் ஒருபோதும் வசதியாகத் தோன்றவில்லை, செனேஷ் ஹெட்டியாராச்சியைத் தவிர அவர்களது பேட்ஸ் எவரும் ஈர்க்கவில்லை. 87 பந்துகளில் 7 பவுண்டரிகள் உட்பட 46 ரன்கள் எடுத்து ராயல்ஸ்டுகளுக்கு அச்சுறுத்தலாக இருந்த ஒரே பேட்டர் அவர்தான். இவரைத் தவிர மற்ற வீரர்களால் 30 ரன்களைக் கூட கடக்க முடியவில்லை.

செனேஷ் மற்றும் சாருக பீரிஸ் (22) துரத்தலில் ஒரு கட்டத்தில் தோமியன் இன்னிங்ஸை சீராகப் பார்த்தனர், ஆனால் பீரிஸ் சுழற்பந்து வீச்சாளர் ரமிரு பெரேராவின் பந்துவீச்சில் ஆட்டமிழந்ததால் அவர்களது பார்ட்னர்ஷிப் துண்டிக்கப்பட்டது.

அவர்களின் காயங்களுக்கு உப்பு சேர்த்து, ஆகாஷ் பெர்னாண்டோ மவுண்ட் லவீனியாவைச் சேர்ந்த சிறுவர்களை மோசமாக்குவதற்காக தங்க வாத்துக்காக பெவிலியனுக்கு திரும்பிச் சென்றபோது தோமியன்ஸ் இரட்டை அடியால் தாக்கப்பட்டார்.

அனைத்து அங்கீகரிக்கப்பட்ட துடுப்பாட்ட வீரர்களும் பெவிலியனில் திரும்பிய நிலையில், தோமியன்ஸின் நம்பிக்கை அனைத்தும் செனேஷ் ஹெட்டியாராச்சியின் தோள்களில் இருந்தது, ஆனால் அவர் ஷார்ட் மிட் விக்கெட்டில் கேட்ச் ஆனதால், அவரைக் கையாள முடியாத அழுத்தம் அதிகமாக இருந்தது, மேலும் தோமியன்ஸ் 161 ரன்களுக்கு ஆட்டமிழந்தார். மதிப்புமிக்க டி.எஸ். சேனநாயக்க கேடயத்தை மீண்டும் பெறுவதற்கு பாணியில் விஷயங்களைச் சுற்றிக் கொண்டார்.

ரோயல் கல்லூரி பந்துவீச்சில் சினேத் ஜயவர்தன, ரமிரு பெரேரா மற்றும் நெத்வின் தர்மரத்ன ஆகியோர் தலா இரண்டு விக்கெட்டுகளையும், ரணுக மளவியராச்சி, புலன் வீரதுங்க, சந்தேஷ் ராமநாயக்க மற்றும் தாசிஸ் மஞ்சநாயக்க ஆகியோர் தலா ஒரு விக்கெட்டையும் கைப்பற்றினர்.

முன்னதாக, இரண்டாவது இன்னிங்ஸில், அணித்தலைவர் தாசிஸ் மஞ்சநாயக்க மீண்டும் 49 பந்துகளில் 57 ரன்களை எடுத்து நிலையான ராயல்ஸ் இன்னிங்ஸை மீட்டார். அவருக்கு மீண்டும் ஒருமுறை சிறந்த உறுதுணையாக இருந்த ரமிரு பெரேரா ஆட்டமிழக்காமல் 46 ரன்கள் எடுத்தார்.

சுருக்கமான மதிப்பெண்கள்:

ராயல்: 326-8 டி மற்றும் 168-4 டி (தாசிஸ் மஞ்சநாயக்க 57, ரமிரு பெரேரா 46, ஆகாஷ் பெர்னாண்டோ 4-59)

எஸ். தோமஸ்: 153 மற்றும் 161 ஆல் அவுட் (செனேஷ் ஹெட்டியாராச்சி 46, சாருகா பீரிஸ் 22, சினெத் ஜயவர்தன 2-14, நெத்வின் தர்மரத்னே 2-27, ரமிரு பெரேரா 2-25)

தனிப்பட்ட விருதுகள்

சிறந்த பீல்டர் – உவிந்து வீரசேகர (ஆர்சி)

சிறந்த பந்து வீச்சாளர் – ஆகாஷ் பெர்னாண்டோ (STC)

சிறந்த பேட்டர் – ரமிரு பெரேரா (ஆர்சி)

ஆட்ட நாயகன் – தாசிஸ் மஞ்சநாயக்க (RC)

Football

Sri Lanka Women Finish Qualifiers with 0 Goals, 20 Conceded – Who Will Take Responsibility?

Published

4 hours ago

July 5, 2025

Editor

Colombo, July 3 – Sri Lanka Women’s National Football Team wrapped up their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers campaign with a third straight defeat — a 2-0 loss to Laos — confirming their position at the bottom of Group F, with 0 wins, 0 goals scored, and 18 conceded in just three games.

But beyond the scorelines lies a far more serious issue: a complete collapse of women’s football development in Sri Lanka. And this time, the blame does not lie on one individual — but on a system that has failed the sport, from top to bottom.

Match-by-Match Recap

Match 1: Sri Lanka 0 – 10 Uzbekistan

Possession: 30%
Shots on Target: 0
xG: 0.0 vs Uzbekistan’s 3.60
A game that exposed a lack of preparation, structure, and fitness from the very start.

Match 2: Sri Lanka 0 – 8 Nepal

Possession: 50%
Defensive errors gifted goals, including a hat-trick by Sabitra Bhandari.
xG: Nepal 3.76 vs Sri Lanka 0.60
Tactical breakdown: Midfield collapsed under pressure, backline failed to close space.

Match 3: Sri Lanka 0 – 2 Laos

Possession: 50%
Shots on Target: 5
xG: 2.56 (Laos) vs 1.08 (Sri Lanka)
A more balanced performance, but defensive lapses in the 73rd and 90+2 minutes led to defeat. Sri Lanka couldn’t convert chances despite their best game statistically.

Final Group Standings – Group F

Team	MP	GF	GA	GD	Points
🇳🇵 Nepal	2	17	0	+17	6
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan	2	17	0	+17	6
🇱🇦 Laos	2	2	16	-14	0
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	3	0	20	-20	0

Tactical Issues Across All Matches

No clear formation or transition play.
Lack of defensive coordination — players failed to track runners, especially on the flanks.
No attacking identity — only 1.08 xG across three games.
In-game management absent — few substitutions or tactical shifts despite being outplayed.

While public criticism often targets the President of the Football Federation, this decline in women’s football runs deeper:

Who Is Accountable? Not Just the President

Women’s Football Committee:

Failed to organize any domestic tournament in recent years.
Selected the squad via open trials, with no league performance data to back selections.
No consistent training camps or fitness programs.

Executive Committee:

Remains silent on the recurring failures.
No inquiries, reviews, or structural reforms have followed Sri Lanka’s repeated humiliations — including the U20 Women’s SAFF defeat earlier this year.

Technical & Development Staff:

No tactical framework or youth development.
No modern coaching methods or international exposure for players.

The Bigger Problem: Silence and Stagnation

Sri Lanka is not just losing matches — it’s losing direction. The current state of women’s football is not the result of one bad campaign. It’s the product of years of neglect, political appointments, and a failure to treat women’s football with equal priority.

Even now, there is no explanation from the Executive Committee on how the women’s team was prepared or what plans exist for recovery.

Time for a Reset, Not Excuses

If Sri Lanka is serious about competing in international football, the following must be addressed:

✅ A national women’s league
✅ Provincial and school-level competitions
✅ Professional coaching staff and structured fitness programs
✅ Regular international friendlies and camps
✅ Transparent selection processes based on performance, not politics

🔚 Conclusion

Sri Lanka’s 2026 AFC campaign should not just be remembered for the scorelines — but as a call for change. It is time for every stakeholder — from the Women’s Committee to the Executive — to reflect, respond, and rebuild.

News

Sri Lanka Set to Face UAE in Crucial Rugby Clash Tomorrow in Colombo

Published

2 days ago

July 4, 2025

Editor

The Sri Lanka national rugby team will lock horns with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a much-anticipated international rugby encounter set to take place today (July 4) at the iconic Racecourse Ground, Colombo.

As part of their final preparations, the Sri Lankan team held an intensive training session today under the watchful eyes of the coaching staff. The team looked sharp, focused, and ready to bring their A-game to home soil.

This clash promises to be a key test for the Tuskers as they look to strengthen their footing in the regional rugby scene and gain momentum ahead of upcoming international competitions. UAE, a rising force in Asian rugby, will also be eyeing a big performance away from home.

Both teams are expected to field strong lineups, and the match is anticipated to draw significant interest from local fans eager to witness top-tier rugby action.

📍 Match Info
🗓️ Date: July 4, 2025
📍 Venue: Racecourse Rugby Grounds, Colombo
🕒 Kick-off: TBA

Stay tuned for live updates, photos, and post-match coverage on Sri Lankan Sports TV.

Football

Sri Lanka Women Crushed 8-0 by Nepal in AFC Qualifiers – Tactical Collapse Raises Alarm

Published

3 days ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

Colombo, July 2 – Sri Lanka Women’s National Football Team suffered another brutal defeat in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, going down 8-0 to a confident and clinical Nepalese side. Coming just days after a 10-0 hammering by Uzbekistan, this latest loss highlights deeper tactical, technical, and structural issues within Sri Lanka’s women’s football system.

Full-Time Score: Sri Lanka 0 – 8 Nepal

Half-Time: 0 – 4
Venue: Group F – AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers

Key Match Statistics

Stat	Sri Lanka Women	Nepal Women
Possession	50%	50%
Total Shots	4	26
Shots on Target	3	18
Shots off Target	1	8
Expected Goals (xG)	0.60	3.76
Corners	0	14
Fouls	4	6
Cards	0	0
Offsides	0	3

Tactical Breakdown – Why Sri Lanka Lost 8-0

Despite the possession being even at 50%, Sri Lanka was thoroughly outplayed. This is a classic case where possession stats mislead the reality on the pitch.

1. Poor Defensive Organization

Sri Lanka conceded 14 corners and 18 shots on target, indicating that Nepal constantly penetrated both flanks and delivered into the box unchallenged.
There was no compact defensive line, and Nepal exploited space behind Sri Lanka’s fullbacks repeatedly.

2. Ineffective Midfield Structure

While Sri Lanka held possession equally, it was largely passive and in non-threatening zones.
Nepal, on the other hand, converted their possession into 3.76 xG, showing how effective and vertical their transitions were.

3. Repeated Failures in Closing Down Key Players

Sabitra Bhandari scored a hat-trick within 26 minutes (14’, 36’, 40’) and was left unmarked multiple times.
Nepal’s attackers were given space and time to shoot – evident from the 18 shots on target.

4. No Offensive Threat

Sri Lanka managed only 4 shots in the entire game, with an xG of just 0.60.
With no corners and no real pressing, the team offered nothing going forward, allowing Nepal to push numbers up comfortably.

Back-to-Back Heavy Losses: Structural Failures Exposed

This defeat comes after a 10-0 loss to Uzbekistan, meaning Sri Lanka has now conceded 18 goals in two matches without scoring once.

This isn’t just a reflection of players’ on-field performance — it’s a glaring indictment of:

FFSL’s failure to conduct any women’s football league in years
A rushed team selection based on a short trial, without competitive match practice
No structured coaching program or international exposure
Lack of scouting, fitness programs, and tactical planning

Nepal, though not an Asian powerhouse, had better coaching structure, player chemistry, and clear tactics, which led to their dominance.

What’s Next for Sri Lanka?

If the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) and the Ministry of Sports continue to ignore these warning signs, Sri Lanka risks becoming irrelevant in women’s football on the Asian stage.

What’s needed:

✅ A proper national women’s league
✅ Regular youth-level competitions and scouting
✅ Appointing qualified coaching staff with modern tactical knowledge
✅ Consistent international exposure for players

Conclusion

An 8-0 defeat to Nepal isn’t just a bad result — it’s a mirror held up to a broken system. Unless real change is implemented beyond symbolic participation, these results will become Sri Lanka’s norm in women’s football.