Sri Lanka pins hopes on Susantha Boteju at Asian Snooker Championship

by Ranjan Anandappa

Sri Lanka will pin their hopes on number one cueist Susantha Boteju and will also have faith in Naren Samarawickrema to make any significant impact at the 22nd Asian Snooker Championship when it gets under way from June 30 to July 6 at the Pegasus Reef Hotel, Ranthambara Hall.

According to the tournament Director Sarath de Alwis forty two players from nine countries will be divided into eight groups with eight seeded players heading each group.

The draw for the championship consists of six groups with five players and six players in two groups. The groups will play round-robin matches, totalling 90 matches. Thereafter 16 players will be selected by re-seeding in order of merit to participate in the knock out stage to select the champion of Asia 2006.

The venue committee chairman Dr. Pani Somaratne has already imported the full size elegant tables to international specification for the conduct of the tournament.

China's Jin Long is the defending champion. The other seeded players are Mohammed Al-Joaker (UAE), Habib Subah (Bahrain), Issara Kachaiwong (Thailand), Athasit Mahitti (Thailand), E. Boon Aun Keith (Singapore), Mohamed M. Shehab (UAE), Pankaj Advani (India).

Along with Boteju, the other competitors who will represent Sri Lanka, are: Ryan Somaratne, Naresh Samarawickrema, P. Pushpakumara, M. I. Nagaria .

The Finance and Guarantee Company are the principal sponsors and all arrangements are finalised to stage this unique event in Sri Lanka. Originally the competition was to be held at the BMICH, but unfortunately it had to be shifted to the refurbished Pegasus Reef Hotel in Hendala that will most probably be featured in an international event for the first time.

"We were to conduct this prestigious tournament at the BMICH initially with accommodation provided to the players at Holiday Inn. But unfortunately we were compelled to shift the venue to Pegasus Reef Hotel as the expected sponsorship failed to materialize", said the Chairman Organising Committee Mervyn Jayasinghe.

Chairman Finance Committee Shafeek Rajabdeen said that the success behind every tournament is its finances. The estimated budget is Rs. 7 million and he said that he has invited multi-national companies, and with their assistance and with the principal sponsors the Finance And guarantee Company, he could bring in the necessary revenue for the successful conduct of the event.

The late M. J. M. Lafir won the world title in 1973, since then no one could emulate his feat. Not even at Asian level.

Mervyn Jayasinghe further said that it was a lovely opportunity to conduct a tournament of this nature, and it would provide great avenues for the Sri Lankans. The Lankans are hoping that they could at least reach the quarter final stage that will be fiercely contested among the best of Asia's players.

There will be rewards (Rs. 100,000.00) from the president of the B&SASL to any Sri Lankan player reaching the quarter final stage of the championship. He will also present a sum of Rs. 500,000.00 to a Sri Lankan player who reaches the final.

A press conference was held in connection with the event at the Fingara Hotel, and the others who were present were: Sam de Silva (Chairman Souvenir Committee), Tissa Samarasinghe (Secretary B&SASL), Joe Coonhe (Treasurer B&SASL).