Congrats to the Navy gold rugby nuggets on their double bubble

We would like to leave our pet cricket field and the round ball and move on to the field where an oval ball is used in rugby. It’s time to offer our congratulations to the Navy gold rugby nuggets led by the irrepressible Rohitha Rajapaksa for their double bubble. After Navy won the Dialog League title, they were the envy of all teams in the Clifford Cup Knockout tournament, with all teams determined to knock them out and not let them lay their hands on the Clifford Cup. But Rajapaksa led them admirably. By example he rowed the Navy boat ashore leaving all other teams mid sea to hug the Clifford Cup and in the process remaining unbeaten throughout the two tournaments and becoming the first Navy team to attain double success - the League and the knockout. It is a failing, be it in life or in sport, for one to relax or allow complacency to set in once an objective has been achieved or a title has been won.

Did not rub off on the Sailors

But this failing did not rub off on the Sailors. They kept their heads above water took the field hungry for more fish in the rugby sea and playing 22 carat rugby grabbed the Clifford Cup Knockout title. In the knockout they had it easy against Air Force in the quarters, Up-Country Lions in the semis and in the first game beat Havies. But their strength and endurance and the trophy winning urge had to be maintained in the rough rugby sea against reigning champions Havelocks. And to make a long story short, while appreciating and congratulating the Sailors for the eye-catching and wonderful rugby they put on show to come from behind and win and for skipper Rohitha Rajapaksa to hold aloft the trophy was great.

So near and yet so far for Havies

As for the Havelocks, it was so near and yet so far. They had victory in their grasp. But a misdirected a pass from Chamara Dabrera helped Saliya Handapangoda to grab the ball and dart to plant the ball under the posts and with it, Havelocks released the trophy they hugged for one year to Navy Sports Club.With the Navy shone in a blaze of rugby double glory, the coach Leonard de Zilwa needs special mention. The primary object and a vital aspect of a coach is to get the ruggerites to play as one delta force. And this de Zilwa achieved which was commendable.

It was also another poignant moment to watch First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa beaming with smiles watching President Mahinda Rajapaksa presenting the Clifford Cup to son Rohitha. It was a repeat of the League presentation final.It was also a poignant moment to see Parlimentarian Namal Rajapaksa saying finis’ to his chequered rugby career that first saw the light of day at S.Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia which college he played with distinction and captained.

Namal Rajapaksa quits rugby

Rajapaksa quits rugby to continue another style of sport politics, for which he has shown natural promise and promises to score better tries for man and country.Also kudos to President, Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union Asanga Senevirathne and his efficient band of officials for tournaments conducted to international standard.

Also lighting up the stage was Dialog Axiata PLC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Hans Wijesuriya who sported a winsome smile because as proud and principal sponsors of sport, especially rugby and cricket his product achieved the maximum mileage. The cricketers obliged by winning the Asia Cup.We must also acknowledge the good job done by our rugby columnist Hafiz Marikar who was on the ball covering the league and the knockout for the ‘Daily News’ and the ‘Sunday Observer’.

Incidentally Marikar is the nephew of the late ‘king’ of Sports writers and outstanding sportsman Enver Marikar in Kandy in an era when Kandy sports held sway.

Hafiz sported Kandy SC colours in 1975 playing under the captaincy of Izwan Omar, and then Jadi Dissanayake, Sunil Munasinghe, Irwin Howie and Nimal Malagamuwa. He has also been KSC Rugby Convenor for six years. He is now Vice President and Vice President and Secretary - Central Province Rugby Football Union and one time KSC’s representative in the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union.

Twenty20 World Cup in B’desh from today

From the Oval ball we now move on to the round ball and the International Cricket Council’s Twenty20 World Cup beginning in Bangladesh today where the hosts Bangladesh will play Afghanistan at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. As for the Sri Lankan cricketers now that they have won the Asia Cup, their stocks should be high and confidence sky high, although this is a different ball game.The cricketers must now shed the euphoria of having won the Asia Cup and take the field in Bangladesh in a different frame of mind and their minds should be focused on winning the elusive Twenty20 World Cup that they had in their grasp in 2012 and gifted to the West Indies in Sri Lanka.The front runners for this trophy are the big guns, reigning champions West Indies, Australia, England, South Africa, India, Pakistan and New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Twenty20 cricket, like all cricket is a funny game and it has the knack of providing the shocking of results and throwing the favourite tags into the bins. And it should not be any different this time round.

In the cauldron of two finals before

Sri Lanka has been in the cauldron of two finals before. But having played the better cricket that took them to the finals on two occasions in England and in Sri Lanka, sadly came a cropper in the finals.

It is too early to predict. But if the Lankans believe in their tremendous ability and hit it into them and take the field with that second to none feeling then the trophy is good as won.The selectors have given skipper Dinesh Chandimal the best possible set of warriors who can take on the best that other countries can throw to battle and fight the good fight with both bat and ball. Once again the batting will be in the capable hands of the senior statesmen Tillekeratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayewardene. The trio have figured in finals before and know the heat that is generated in this short form of game and have it in them to remain cool and deliver. Whoever opens with Tillekeratne Dilshan, be it ‘man of the series’ in the Asia Cup Lahiru Thirimanne who struck a rich vein of runs or Kushal Janith Perera have it in them to make big runs.

Have the hunger for quick runs

Skipper Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera have the hunger for quick runs and when the opportunity knocks must let fly and all batsmen must not admire dot balls passing by.

When it comes to the turn of the bowlers, they will have only 24 deliveries to work their magic. And in slinger Lasith Malinga who shot and nailed the early Pakistan batting and buried the Pakistani victory coffin in the Asia Cup final can repeat even with the limited overs.Supporting Malinga will either be Nuwan Kuleskera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera or Suranga Lakmal. The Lankans are spin heavy with Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis, Seekuge Prasanna, Chaturanga de Silva, Sachitra Senenayake with also Dilshan to chose from and call on if necessary.

In the shorter form of game it is paramount that the fielding be top of the pops. No excuses however good for dropped catches, missed run outs, poor ground fielding letting ones into twos will be accepted.Here’s hoping and wishing the Lankan cricketing gladiators whose every cricketing action will be followed by the millions of cricket crazy fans in the country and who will be baying for a Sri Lankan victory and the elusive Twenty20 Trophy.

The 20-man Sri Lanka warrior squad

The Twenty20 Sri Lanka squad: Dinesh Chandimal (Capt), Lasith Malinga (VC), Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayewardene, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Kushal Perera, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Sachitra Senenayake, Chaturanga de Silva, Rangana Herath, Nuwan Kulesekera, Tisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal and Seekkuge Prasanna.

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