* Ben-Wesley cricket announces Cartman Cup and Luke Shield

St. Benedict’s College and Wesley College of Colombo announced on Wednesday (7) their annual cricket encounter for the inaugural Cartman Cup and Luke Shield in celebration of a 125-year legacy. The teams first met on a cricket pitch back in 1896. This year’s encounter is scheduled to be played on 23 and 24 April (this Friday and Saturday) at St. Benedict’s Grounds. The one-day encounter will be played for the Luke Shield, named in honour of Rev. Bro. Luke Gregory FSC, a former Director of St. Benedict’s. The match will be played on 8 May (Saturday) at P. Sara Stadium. Both matches will be organised and hosted by the Bens-Wesley Joint Committee, along with the patronage of the two schools.

* The hills are alive with Summer Season Open Badminton

This year’s edition of the Summer Season All Island Open Badminton Championships, organised by the Central Province Badminton Association together with the Nuwara Eliya District Badminton Association, under the patronage of Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), will take place at the Municipal Council Indoor Stadium in Nuwara Eliya from 20-27 April. The organisers have received 1,159 entries for the tournament which makes it one of the major events in the Sri Lanka badminton calendar. A total of 993 shuttlers will be in action. According to the draw which had been released by SLB, 1,117 matches will be played under 39 categories over the eight days.

Some of the top shuttlers in the country, including this year’s singles finalist at the Badminton Nationals, Rasindu Hendahewa, as well as former top stars of the caliber of Buwaneka Goonathileka, Viren Nettasinghe, Chamath Dias, Ranthushka Sasindu, and Dumindu Abeywickrama light up the men’s singles draw. Ashini Fernando is seeded at the top in the women’s division which also includes prominent players such as the 2019 Champion Dilmi Dias, Veteran Chandrika De Silva, Chamudi Abeywickrama, Kavindika De Silva, Jananuwani Amanda, and Nadeesha Gayanthi. The tournament has received approval of the Ministry of Health and the auspices of the Ministry of Sports, ensuring that all Covid-19 protocols are carefully observed by organisers and the participants throughout the event. In the picture are Sachin Dias and Buwaneka Goonathileka

* St. Thomas’, Matale lose to Revatha yet qualify for Q/F

After recording four wins in a row St. Thomas’ College, Matale lost their fifth and last league-round match to Revatha MV, Balapitiya by 58 runs in the ongoing Under-19 Division-II limited-over cricket tournament match concluded at St. Thomas’ ground, here at Matale last Friday. Invited to bat first, Revata MV ended their innings at 231 all out in 38.2 overs. The Matale Thomians, in their turn, were able to muster only 173 all out. Chamara Dissanayake had a top-score of 69 for Revatha. St. Thomas, Matale thus ended the league round with four wins and a loss to qualify for the quarter-finals. They beat Asoka Vidyalaya – Colombo, Taxila Central – Horana, St. Mary’s – Chilaw, and Christ King College - Tudella while losing to Revatha MV in the last game. St. Thomas will meet Taxila in the quarter-finals, to be played in due course. Scores: Revatha MV 231 all out (Chamara Dissanayake 69, Kaveesha Mendis 31; Dudila Kularatna 4/39. V. Subasinghe 3/ 39, S. Wijesekara 2/43); St. Thomas’, Mataĺe 173 all out (Sithuĺ Wijesekara 36, D. Madushanka 31, S. Sheron 23; Kaveesha Mendis 3/37, Kamesh de Silva 2/18).

(By L.D. Chandrasiri, our Matale sports correspondent)