Kandy Youth to promote cricket
In 1985 Kandy Youth SC made a modest beginning by playing inter club matches and entered the Division III tournament conducted by the Board of Control for Cricket. Later this club was promoted to Division II and in that too they did well and rose up to Division I.
This club was formed by a few keen promoters like HB Uduwella, JD Shaw Willson, H. Marikar and the main man behind everything was none other than Malcom Perera.
At that time the club was known as Kandy Youth CC. Then H. Marikar invited the then SSP Kandy Division BM Liyanage to take over the presidency. They introduced rugby and played as Kandy Youth Sports Club and played in the inter club B division.
Nalaka Weerakoddy started with this club at rugby. In the last few years the club has not been at the position where it should be but once again they are back to review and bring it back to its old position. Some of the past cricketers of this club were Ajith Naranpanawa, Ajith Abeyakoon, Anton Perera, Ravi Dias, Roland Perera, Malcolm Perera, Mervyn Perera, Tudor Gunarathne, Naushad Samath, HNT Gamage, Ronnie Gunarathne, Nalak Fernando, Ajith Rajapakse, Tony Udagedera, A. Samayamthiri, A. Ratmalsinghe, Gyan Fernando and TA Miskin.
Old Sylvestrians to host TN
Tamil Nadu Veterans hockey team who are on a tour to Sri Lanka will play Old Sylvestrians SC in a friendly game of hockey at St. Sylvester’s College ground at Asgiriya on April 25. The Tamil Nadu team played against Sri Lanka masters, Malay SC and Mercantile HA will go all-out to give a good performance. Old Sylvestrians SC are blessed with some top players and should give them a good run.
Viper Gunaratne new CPRFU secretary
The Central Province Rugby Football Union which at one time had a membership of 18 clubs held its AGM at the Kandy Club and veteran player Viper Gunaratne was elected as its secretary. Tuan Dole was elected as president for the fourth time.
The following officials were elected.
Patron: Dharmasiri Madugalle
Trustee: Malik Samarawickrema
President: Tuan Dole
Vice President: M. Waidyaratne
Secretary: Nihal Viper Gunaratne
Treasurer: DP Gamini Jayasinghe
Immediate Past Presidents:
Iswan Omar and
Mohan Samarakoon
Rugby Development Officer: Abdul Rasheed Committee: Milroy Mendis (KSC) Uditha Tennakoon (DACC) Manjula Samarakoon (DMCC) Kumar Dias de Singhe (OTSC), P.Wijesekera (Peradeniya University) Indika Perera (OARFC), Sampath Wijesinghe, M. Faizal, Viper Gunaratne and CPP Raj.
Bogambara Stadium needs a face-lift
The historic Bogambara ground currently used for spots meets, is in bad shape and renovation is the solution. The running track is like a concrete surface and the ground has hardly any grass and sportsmen and sportswomen are at a great risk of injuring themselves due to the rock-like surface.
Whatever said and done the Management staff is good and they are doing their best. It is high time that the sports minister who is keen to give a hand for the development of sports intervenes and inspects the stadium and upgrade this multi-purpose ground in Kandy considered one of the oldest in the country.
It is used mostly for rugby, athletics, football and hockey at school level. It was in 1897 that the ground was converted from a lake to a playing field.
At one time it was the site for carnivals, games circuses and gymkhana activities and even as an execution ground during the regime of the British. Almost every school and club in Kandy used Bogambara to conduct their sporting activities.
Bogambara was renovated and converted into a stadium in 1972, thanks to the Special Commissioner the late MB Samarakoon and EW Balasuriya the famous sports promoter in Kandy who masterminded development with generous donations. In 1998 the late Anuruddha Ratwatte as the Defence Minister was instrumental in providing some facilities.
This stadium was originally owned by the Kandy Municipal Council who maintained it well with reasonable rates for users. St. Anthony’s, Trinity, Sri Rahula, St. Paul’s , Dharmaraja and Kingswood made use of it to play cricket, football, rugby, hockey and athletics.