sport in brief

Super eight teams found

VOLLEYBALL: The teams to compete in the super eight of the 7th Asian Youth Boys Volleyball championship were found after five preliminary round matches played at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday.

The teams in the fray are China, Chinese Taipei, Australia, Sri Lanka (Group 'A') Iran, Japan, India, Thailand (Group 'B').

The super eight matches were to be worked off on a cris-cross basis on both groups. These matches will begin from tomorrow, Monday, October 20. Today is the rest day. Yesterday all five teams which recorded wins showed tremendous team work. They put up a strong block and did the boosting job with fine power. Thailand, Iran, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Chinese spikers main asset was their strong defense and able to spike above the block.

The preliminary round match results.

Thailand beat Kazakastan 3/0 - 25-15, 25-16, 25-13 Iran beat India 3/1 - 25-20, 25-19, 24-26, 25-17, China beat Australia 3/1 25-21, 20/25, 25-13, 25-17, Chinese Taipei beat Sri Lanka 3-0-25/22, 25/20, 25/18.(L.F.)

ICC looks to prop up Tests in face of Twenty20

MOHALI, (AFP) - Concerned by dwindling spectator interest in Test matches, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday said it was looking into ways to jazz up the long version of the game.

"We are quite concerned at lack of spectator interest in Tests," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said here at a press conference. "We at ICC are very clear about preserving the primacy of Test cricket.

We want to promote and protect this form of the game and we are looking at it very seriously," he said without providing details. "We get evidence of interest in Test matches from attendance of spectators at the ground. Bangalore had a great crowd but we are certainly disappointed by the crowd numbers in Mohali."

Only a quarter of the stadium was full here on the first day of the second Test between India and Australia on Friday which saw Sachin Tendulkar break the record of West Indian Brian Lara for most Test runs.

The same stadium though was packed during the Twenty20 matches of the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, a fact not lost on Lorgat.

Royal in nine wicket win

By Ranjan ANANDAPPA

CRICKET: A combined team effort by Royal College helped them to beat Richmond College, Galle by nine wickets in their school cricket encounter played at Reid Avenue yesterday. The Galle school who were all out for 135 in their first innings were shot out for the identical score in the second innings leaving Royal to get 51 runs for victory which they achieved for the loss of one wicket in five overs. Royal who were 29 for 1 overnight declared their first innings at 220 for 7, Banuka Rajapakse (60) and Kithruwan Vithanage (73) were the main scorers .

Richmond going in for the second time with a deficit of 85 runs were up against some good bowling by spinner Haroon Mowjood (3 for 38) and Maneesha Thanthirigoda (3 for 17) and were dismissed for 135. Sahan Hettiarachchi was unbeaten on 30. Richmond: 135 and 135 (T. Nadeera 32, Yasoda Lanka 40, Prabasara Waduge 20, Kusal Prabodha 20, Haroon Mowjood 3 for 38, M.Thanthirigoda 3 for 17).

Royal: 29 for 1 overnight 220 for 7 declared (Banuka Rajapakse 60, Kithruwan Vithanage 73, Kusal Perera 39, Haroon Mowjood 15, Chalaka Bogoda 14) and 55 for 1 in 5 overs (Kusal Perera 17, Sahan Hettiarachchi 30 n.o.).

First innings win for Antonians

By S.M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Corr.

CRICKET: A tantalising spell of left-arm spin bowling by Adil Reyal helped St. Anthony's College to score a first innings win over Wesley College in their inter-school cricket match concluded at Katugastota yesterday.

In reply to Antonian total of 204, the Wesleyites were tottering at 85 for 8 at one stage appeared to be in the danger of being asked to follow on. But a face-saving ninth wicket stand of 55 between Shanika Jeewantha 40 not out and Sachin Jayawardena 15 helped them to recover to a total of 143. Left-arm spinner Adil Reyal in a deadly spell took 6 for 40 and five of his victims were trapped leg before bemused by the sharp turn. His figures read 27.5-12-40-6. Adil Reyal has now captured over 20 wickets this season.

Batting a second time, the Antonians scored 123 for 6 wickets declared with off spinner Dulanjan Wijesinghe again bowling well to capture 3 for 35 giving him a match bag of 7 for 100. Set a victory target of 185 in 11 overs, Wesley had scored 15 for no loss in 5 overs before badlight stopped play.

St. Anthony's College 204 all out in 58.4 overs (H.A. Wickremasekera 37, D. Kumarasinghe 30, M. Perera 13, A. Reyal 13, J. Siegertsz 24, Sahan Pallihakkara 50, Dulanjana Wijesinghe 4 for 65, Sachin Jayawardena 4 for 76) and 123 for 6 wkts decl. in 27 overs. (D. Kumarasinghe 23, K. Ekanayake 20, J. Siegertsz 22 not out, S. Pallihakkara 17, Dulanjana Wijesinghe 3 for 35).

Wesley College 143 all out in 75.5 overs (D. Samarasekera 18, D. Wijesinghe 12, T. Abeysekera 11, Shanika Jeewantha 40 not out, S. Jayawardena 15, T. Bandara 2 for 37, Adil Reyal 6 for 40) and 15 for no loss in 5 overs.

Annites hit back

By S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy sports corr.

Spinner Chanaka Silva took 6 for 26 to help St. Anne's College to restrict Vidyartha College to 92 for 9 in their inter school cricket match which began at university grounds, Peradeniya yesterday. The match will be continued today at 9.30 a.m.

Earlier the Annites were dismissed for 100 with spinner Lahiru Herath taking 4 for 41.

St. Anne's College 100 all out in 41.3 overs (C. Kumarasinghe 32, N. Lankeswara, 16, N. Ratnayake 11, L. Herath 4 for 41, S. Abeyratne 2 for 27, R. Weerakoon 3 for 14)

Vidyartha College 92 for 9 in 49.3 overs (S. Abayaratne 36, P. Dissanayake 10, U. Wickremasinghe 17, Chanaka Silva 6 for 26).

Thurstan pile up 296

The school cricket encounter between S.Thomas' College and Thurstan College ended in an inevitable draw at Mount Lavinia yesterday.

The Thurstanites in reply to the Thomians first innings score of 207 for 8 declared mustered 296 with Shehan Kamaleen top scoring with 91, he was ably supported by Prabodha Arthawidu 57 n.o.

S.Thomas' 207 for 8 declared.

Thurstan 296 (Indika Massalage 33, Shehan Kamaleen 91, Udara Munasinghe 24, N.Dharshana 34, P.Arthawidu 57 n.o, Chamalka Gamage 24 n.o. , Hemaka Ariyaratne 2 for 51, A. Kerner 2 for 17.) (RA)

Scrabble tourney

SCABBLE: The All Island Annual Senior Citizens Scrabble Tournament will be held on Sunday November 2 at the Colombo Hilton and it will provide a fine opportunity for those over 50 years to enjoy the skills involved in making the moves and also meet and greet old friends. The tournament will be conducted in two categories -