Ghulam Razick who died of cancer after a brief illness on Saturday at the age of 76 was perhaps the last cricketer to represent Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) from Zahira College, Maradana. Following his retirement from the game after representing Moors SC for 25 years from 1962 no cricketer from Zahira has ever made it to the national team so far.

It is very seldom that you find cricketers in the calibre of Razick, who dominated the local and international cricket scene in the sixties as an all-rounder. He was a hard hitting right-hander with a good technique to adapt to any kind of situation, a right-arm fast-medium bowler who bowled a good outswinger and outstanding slip fielder.

Educated at Zahira College Colombo, Razick learnt his entire cricket at school. “When I was in Grade 4 we played cricket during the intervals. We carry our books in Ford suitcase which we used as a wicket. At that time the Zahira coach was Mr Bahar. He used to walk around and observe us play,” said Razick in an interview.

“One day a circular came with a few names mentioned including mine to be present after school at the indoor nets. I was about 10 years then and some of the senior cricketers would also come and watch us play. Mr Bahar found out that we had cricket in our blood. We used to go for indoor practices after school and Mr Bahar will throw a few balls at us to make us play the forward defensive stroke. That’s how we picked up the game.”

From the inception Razick played as an all-rounder in the under 12, 14 and 16 age group teams. He played his first game for Zahira first eleven in 1961, but after that he had to wait for another one and a half years for his next match because the fasting period fell during the cricket season and Zahira suspended all cricket activities for the period of time.

“We resumed from 1963 and we really played cricket. At that time we didn’t have a proper coach. One Mr Wahid was in charge of cricket at Zahira and a few cricketers who were still schoolboys played club cricket for Moors,” said Razick who captained Zahira in 1963/64 and was later their coach for two years.

“We played S. Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia 1962/63 and I took six wickets for five runs and we won the match. The Thomian side was captained by Randy Morrell and they had players in the calibre of Roger D’Silva, Tony Sirimanne and Premalal Goonesekere. Anura Tennekoon didn’t play in that match which was a low-scoring one played on matting,” recalled Razick.

“I used to get five wickets regularly and head the bowling averages in school. I was equally good at batting (scoring fifties against Ananda and Royal) and bowling and we played about 5-6 games for a season unlike today where you play anything between 15-20 matches. We had a very good side. The important thing was we played Sara trophy cricket for Moors while at school. That is what really brought us up in cricket. Even without a proper coach we could achieve certain things because the club experience was there,” he said.

Razick started playing for Moors from 1962 and captained them on seven occasions. Recalling his first game for Moors, Razick said, “My first game was against SSC captained by Ian Pieris. Three cricketers from Zahira were asked to come because the club’s recognised bowler AR Farcy wasn’t available as he had to play in a firm match. Of the three players I was selected to play. It was like getting into the Ceylon side. Moors had top class players like Makkin Salih, Tony Buhar and MEM Nawaz and I was a little bit nervous playing with such stalwarts. I went in last and was 8 not out. In the second innings I was asked to bat one down and I scored 42. Everybody appreciated my batting and the newspapers said it was great-hearted batting by a schoolboy. From that day my position in the team was one down for Moors.”

In 1974 under the captaincy of MS Shaharwadie, Razick recalled how he bowled a marathon spell of 42 overs from the tennis court end in a Sara trophy match against Nomads at the Moors grounds. “Moors were dismissed for 135 and Dr Gamini Ambepitiya and I took the new ball and bowled unchanged for 54 overs, before Ambepitiya was changed after 27 overs. I continued to bowl unchanged even taking the second new ball (which was then available after 65 overs) until Nomads passed our total and won the match on first innings. In another Sara trophy match, Moors were bowled out for 56 by Liberty CC, but I took four wickets for five runs and Liberty was shot out for 46.”

Razick won selection to the Ceylon team on his performances in the Sara trophy tournament. “I got a hundred against Colombo University who were then the Sara trophy champions and had cricketers like Lareef Idroos, Sarath Wimalaratne, Dr Nihal Gurusinghe and Raja de Silva. I followed it up with 87 against Moratuwa SC at Moratuwa and 40 against SSC. I was picked for the Ceylon Board President’s team against Madras in the Gopalan trophy matches in 1966 and 1968 and then against MCC captained by Colin Cowdrey in the limited-over match in 1969. We beat the MCC on a faster run rate to record our first victory over them. I took three wickets (John Edrich, Roger Prideaux and Keith Fletcher) for 47 runs and also hit the winning runs making 15 not out performing my role as an all-rounder.”

On that performance, Razick was selected to play for Ceylon in the unofficial test against MCC that followed where he bowled first change after TB Kehelgamuwa and Daya Sahabandu. Razick ten not out overnight fell for 14 the next morning trapped lbw by Derek Underwood. Ceylon went onto post a total of 283-9 declared with Tennekoon scoring a century. MCC replied with 406-4 declared and Ceylon in their second innings made 118-0. Razick toured India with the Ceylon team for the Gopalan trophy the same year but after that although he was in the national pool failed to gain selection.

“It was very difficult to get into the Ceylon side but if you were good you definitely had a chance of playing. The selectors had a problem picking the players who were all top class performers. You had to be lucky to get into the Ceylon side. At that time the selectors looked at a player’s technique especially those who were playing on matting because they tend to play across the line too often,” said Razick. “I am very proud to say that being a matting wicket cricketer to get into the Ceylon side is a good achievement because you have to be very good in your technique to adjust from matting to turf.”

At one time Razick was the best slip fielder in the country. “On more than one occasion I have taken five catches in an innings and in one Sara trophy match for Moors I held 13 catches when I was captaining the team. It may have been a world record but the cricket we played during our time didn’t go into the record books because the matches were not recognised as first-class. I remember a match against Nomads who had a top class side. We were all out for 89 and Nomads were dismissed for 65. I held six catches at first slip and I was still a schoolboy then. That particular day, my colleague BN Mahmood who was playing for Saracens against SSC scored 27 runs and won the match for his team. The following day the papers said that schoolboys were the match winners.”

Razick who believed in perfecting anything he undertook revealed that he used to take 100 catches on the slip machine every day to become a good slip fielder. “I held onto 99 percent of the catches that came my way. All the time you have to say to yourself the catch was going to come your way and concentrate 100 percent. From the delivery up to the bat you have to concentrate. You don’t stand up too soon or otherwise when the snick comes you don’t have sufficient time to go down again to hold it. You only get up after the wicket-keeper. If you concentrate hard you can take 99 percent of your catches. I used to get a little advice from seniors like Tony Buhar and others. Buhar used to tell me to raise my heel and put my weight on the toes so that you will be flexible and light on your feet to move either way.”

ACM Rauf, a former treasurer of the Cricket Board was one person who was personally interested in Razick reaching the top of the ladder in cricket. “He was really behind me. He was a committee member and a former captain of Moors SC. He was a very knowledgeable person. He wanted me to somehow get into the Ceylon team and there were occasions when he would come home to see whether I was getting to bed early before a match. When I eventually played for Ceylon I fulfilled his ambition. He will never say anything openly to you. If I scored a fifty he would say you should have got a hundred. He might be appreciating what I had done inside him but he never showed it.”

Razick was also coached by Bertie Wijesinghe (the former Ceylon all-rounder) at Moors when he was in charge for a couple of months. “He gave some useful tips which helped me in my batting,” said Razick. “My favourite shot was to go down on one knee and sweep. It is where I got most of my runs. Once he spotted me and told me, ‘you can play that shot but always say to yourself you are getting only one run for it then you’ll keep the ball along the ground. When you sweep the ball hard it will either go for a six or a catch’. Those were very important hints I learnt from him. He told me not to stop playing the sweep shot because it was my favourite but to keep the ball along the ground.”

Razick was the women’s cricket chairman of selectors for two years and also served in the Cricket Board tournament committee and was a committee member and honorary life member of Moors SC.

Razick’s maiden name was not Ghulam but Gnani. Ghulam was a nickname given to him at school which stuck to him right throughout his career and even after that. He is the youngest in a family of eight children (3 brothers and 5 sisters). Razick and his elder sister were born in India because his father who was a businessman frequently travelled there. He lost his father at a very young age of 2½ years and was brought up by his mother, brothers and brothers-in-law. He continued his family business of manufacturing shoes and running a garment factory and was married to Zeenath Munawar, a relation of former Moors SC cricketer Dr Aziz Mubarak (father of former Sri Lanka cricketer Jehan Mubarak). Razick had one daughter and two sons and lived at Baudhhaloka Mawatha. His Janaza took place on Saturday at the Jawatte Muslim burial grounds.

MANCHESTER, Saturday - Manchester City closed the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to three points with a 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday, while a hat-trick by American Christian Pulisic helped steer Chelsea to a 4-2 victory at Burnley.

City struggled to get going in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, with Villa having several chances to take the lead, but three second-half goals saw the home side move to 22 points and put pressure on Liverpool, who host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Chelsea moved level on 20 points with third-placed Leicester City — who recorded the biggest ever English top-flight away victory with a 9-0 mauling of Southampton on Friday — after a Pulisic-inspired success at Burnley’s Turf Moor.

City, though, aiming to avoid a second successive home league defeat, looked a shadow of the unstoppable juggernaut that stormed to the title last season, with Villa troubling the champions in the first half in the pouring rain.

However, just 20 seconds into the second half, Raheem Sterling latched onto a Gabriel Jesus flick to score his 13th goal of the season in all competitions to give City the lead.

Kevin De Bruyne’s cross seemed to go all the way into the bottom corner for City’s second, with the goal initially awarded to the Belgian, but a Goal Accreditation Panel review after the match adjudged David Silva to have got a touch.

VAR was heavily involved at The Etihad, with City’s second goal undergoing a lengthy review for a potential offside call against Sterling, but it was allowed to stand, much to Villa’s frustration.

Ilkay Gundogan made sure of the three points with a scissor kick finish, with Fernandinho’s late red card tarnishing the result for the hosts.

“Six days ago we were eight points (behind Liverpool), now it’s three,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “That’s good experience for us but they have to play tomorrow. I’m not concerned with the table.

“If we play like we did in the first half we’ll be in the relegation positions.”

U.S international Pulisic has been forced to wait for his chance to really make a mark on English football following a close-season move to Chelsea after he signed for the west London club in January but stayed at Borussia Dortmund on loan.

However, making his first start in the league since the end of August, Pulisic registered his first goal in English football in the 21st minute with fine finish, and never looked back.

The 21-year-old added a second on the stroke of halftime, before a brilliant header sealed his hat-trick and made him the youngest Chelsea player to score a Premier League treble.

“I think he (Pulisic) has had to bide his time but when he has come in he has done really well,” Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori told Sky Sports. “And to score a hat-trick, there’s nothing better and I’m really happy for him.

“Winning is a habit and the longer we keep on going, who knows where we can end up.” – Agencies

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has offered 20 national and 15 Emerging team women cricketers, with six and three months contracts respectively, commencing from 1st October, 2019.

The national women cricketers are offered contracts under four ‘rate’ categories, namely A, B, C and D, whilst the emerging women cricketers were offered a fixed monthly rate and an attendance allowance.

The national cricketers are also given an additional monthly allowance to purchase supplements.

The ‘contracted’ players were nominated by the National Women’s Selection Committee, based on the performance, availability and future requirements.

CONTRACTED NATIONAL WOMEN PLAYERS

Group ‘A’: Chamari Atapattu, Shashikala Siriwardene, Inoka Ranaweera

Group ‘B’: Anushka Sanjeewani, Yasoda Mendis, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Nilakshi de Silva, Sugandika Kumari

Group ‘C’: Udeshika Prabodhani, Dilani Manodara, Hasini Perera, Ama Kanchana, Prasadini Weerakkody, Kavisha Dilhari, Harshitha Madavi

Group ‘D’: Imalka Mendis, Inoshi Fernando, Achini Kulasooriya, Hansima Karunaratne, Madushika Meththananda

CONTRACTED EMERGING WOMEN’S PLAYERS

Malsha Shehani, Sathya Sandeepani, Lihini Apsara, Tharika Sewwandi, Umesha Thimashini, Jimanjalee Wijenayake, Harshani Wijeratne, Shashikala Silva, Saduni Nisansala, Eresha Shayamali, Tharuka Shehani, Nilkashana Sandmini, Rose Perera, Shayani Oshadi, Janadi Analee.

Max Sports Club, Kaluwanchikudy became champion of the ‘Nagendren Memorial Trophy 2019 limited overs softball flood-lit cricket tournament conducted by Central Sports Club, Thurai Neelavanai at the Public Play Grounds, Thurai Neelavanai recently.

Thurai Neelavanai Central Sports President S.Aranganathan and family members of the late Nagendren were organized the tournament while 64 prominent teams from Eastern Province took part.

Kaluwanchikudy Max Sports Club beat Thirukkovil Udayasooriyan Sports Club in the final.

Champions Kaluwanchikudy Max Sports Club were awarded cash prize and trophy by the guests and the runner up Thirukkovil Udayasooriyan Sports Club was awarded cash prize and the trophy.

Wife of the late Nagendren Mrs. Nesamani Nagendran, Paddiruppu Zonal Education Director Naguleswary Pullanayagam, Retired Vidatha Resource Centre Manager N.Pullanayagam, Manmunai South & Eruvil Pattu Pradeshiya Sabha Member K.Sarawanamuthu and Late Nagendren family members were also present on the occasion as the guests and awarded the trophies and prizes to winning team and players.

Sports Clubs officials, players and many others graced this occasion.

LONDON, Saturday - Ten-man West Brom missed the chance to extend their lead in the Championship as Charlton forced a dramatic 2-2 draw in stoppage time at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

The Baggies went ahead in the 10th minute through midfielder Matt Phillips but Charlton equalised on the hour from Macauley Bonne’s header.

In the 67th minute, West Brom saw defender Nathan Ferguson shown a straight red card for a foul on Chris Solly.

Substitute Hal Robson-Kanu then looked to have secured the hosts’ victory with just nine minutes left but Charlton were awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time and Josh Cullen kept his cool from the spot.

Earlier, Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds both spurned the opportunity to move to the top of the table.

The Yorkshire rivals had to settle for a point from a 0-0 draw at rain-soaked Hillsborough.

Preston took advantage to move up into second place after coming from 2-0 down to beat Blackburn with a late goal from Tom Barkhuizen.

Rovers had taken the lead inside the opening minute when Preston goalkeeper Declan Rudd spilled Sam Gallagher’s header. The forward then curled home a second.

Barkhuizen’s header reduced the deficit early in the second half following a mistake by Rovers keeper Christian Walton.

Preston were level in the 65th minute through a penalty from Dan Johnson after Elliott Bennett had fouled Alan Browne.

Barkhuizen completed the turnaround when he curled in a shot from the edge of the penalty area to send Preston above Leeds on goal difference.

At the other end of the table, Huddersfield moved out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win over struggling Barnsley.

New Millwall boss Gary Rowett got his first win with a 2-0 defeat of former club Stoke and Birmingham beat Luton 2-1 with a late goal from Lukas Jutkiewicz. In-form forward Jarrod Bowen scored both goals as Hull beat Derby 2-0.

Middlesbrough dropped into the bottom three after a goalless draw at home to Fulham.

Nottingham Forest’s home game against Reading was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch. – AFP

Bandaranayake Central College,Veyangoda recorded three first innings victories in the Singer Trophy Inter-School Under13 Division II Group J cricket matches recently.

Kanchana Sampath of BandaranayakeCentral College bagged 5 wickets for 22 against St. Thomas College, Matale.Bandaranayake Centralians elected to field when they won the toss and Thomians were bundled out for 50 in 24.1 overs. Sahas Abrew scored 26 while Hasindu Perera obtained 2wickets for 18. In reply Centralians scored 133 for 5 wickets in 23.2 overs while Shanil Sasintha contributed 44 not out, Hasindu Perera 32. Kaveesha Liyanaarachchi 2 for 25.

In another match Hasindu Perera of Bandaranayake Central helped to gain a first innings victory over TrinityCollege (B), Kandy with 4 wickets for 25 and Sasintha Dissanayake bagged 3wickets for 7.

Trinitians batted first and collapsed for 76 in 35 overs while Bandaranayake Centralians piled up 117 runs for 8 wickets. Isuranga Kumara and Shenu Galgamuwa made 31 and 21 not out respectively while Parakrama Sooriyabandara took 4 for 13 and Shenuka Menikgamage 3 for 25.

Bandaranayake Central College made another first innings victory over St. Joseph’s College, Negombo while Centralians Kanchana Sampath and Hasindu Perera obtained three wickets each for 3 and 27 runs respectively. Josephians scored 98 all out in 55 overs while highest scorer Thimuthu Shevone made 42 and Odhil Fernando 27.

In reply Centralians scored 100 for 4 wickets and Sasintha Dissanayake contributed 41 not out while HasinduPerera made 22. Thimuthu Shevone took 2 wickets for 47.

Chief Scores:

Vs St. Thomas College, Matale

St. Thomas, Matale: 50 in 24.1 overs(Sahas Abrew 26, Kanchana Sampath 5 for 22, Hasindu Perera 2 for 18).

Bandaranayake Central: 133 for 5 in 23.2overs (Shanil Sasintha 44 not out, Hasindu Perera 32, Kaveesha Liyanarachchi 2 for 25).

Vs. Trinity College, Kandy

Trinity College: 76 in 35 overs (ParakramaSooriyabandara 16, Hasindu Perera 4 for 25, Sasintha Dissanayake 3 for 7).

Bandaranayake Central: 117 for 8 dec.in 27.2 overs (Isuranga Kumara 31, Shenu Galgamuwa 21 not out, ParakramaSooriyabandara 4 for 13, Senuka Manikgamage 3 for 25)

Vs. St. Joseph’s College, Negombo

St. Joseph's College: 98 in 55 overs(Thimuthu Shevone 42, Odhil Fernando 27, Kanchana Sampath 3 for 3, HasinduPerera 3 for 27) and 36 for 6 in 14 overs (Gimhan Rajapakshe 30)

Bandaranayake Central: 100 for 4 in 22.5Overs (Sasintha Dissanayake 41 not Out, Hasindu Perera 22, Thimuthu Shevone 2for 47).

Sakindu Dassanayake of Trinity College and Navoda Kalpani Jayaweera of Jinaraja BMV Gampola) emerged the Best Boys’ and Best Girls’ Judokas at the All Island Judo School Games, organized by the Education Ministry, which took place at the Jayathilake Stadium in Nawalapitiya recently. More than 300 players took part in this event which improved this time compared to last year.

Gangasiripura Vidyalaya Gampola won the overall championship in the Boys’ event for the second consecutive year while Jinaraja BMV Gampola showed their class by winning all the overall Girls’ title.

Wickramabahu National School Gampola was the runner-up, while Anuruddha Kumara MV Nawalapitiya was placed number 3 in the Boys’ segment. Meanwhile in the Girls’ event, Jinaraja BMV won the event while Panwilathenna MV was placed second with St Joseph BMV Gampola placed third.

The Overall Champion School Gangasiripura MV and Sakindu were coached by Namal Rajasinghe, while the Jinaraja outfit was looked after by their coach Inoka Wickramage.

Results Girls’

36kg 1st: T. L. Munamalge (Jinaraja BMV); 2nd: K. M. Kanchana Kumuduni (Panvilathenna MV); 3rd: K. G. R. Wickramasinghe (Jinaraja BMV) and M. C. T. Mahanayake (St. Joseph’s BMV)

40kg 1st: K. M. H. Prabodha (Panwilathenna MV); 2nd: U. K. G. A. N. Premalal (Jinaraja BMV); 3rd: K. K. A. Royal (Girls’ High School Kandy) and G. M. S. Deepika (St. Joseph’s BMV)

44kg 1st: H. M. D. Anuradha (Panwilathenna MV); 2nd: B. G. N. K. Bandara (Jinaraja BMV); 3rd: M. N. D. Mahanayake (St. Joseph’s BMV) and K. S. K. Hansamali (Gangasiripura Vidyalaya)

48kg 1st: D. G. U. S. Bandara (Jinaraja BMV); 2nd: Y. M. K. Thakshila (Panvilathenna MV); 3rd: M. A. K. A. Perera (St. Joseph’s BMV) and M. G. K. B. Gunathilake (Gamini Dissanayake MV Hasalaka)

52kg 1st: K. L. W. N. K. Jayaweera (Jinaraja BMV); 2nd: K. H. K. Fernando (Rivisanda BMV); 3rd: W. G. K. G. Ranashinghe (St. Joseph’s BMV); 3rd: W. G. K. G. Ranasinghe (St. Joseph’s BMV) and R. M. S. Buddhika (Gamini Dissanayake MV Hasalaka)

57kg 1st: W. P. H. G. D. Navanjana Dissanayaka (St. Joseph’s BMV); 2nd: R. R. T. Harshani (Panvilathenna MV); 3rd: K. G. S. Sewwandi (Morahenagama MV) and H. L. S. M. Wijewantha (Jinaraja BMV)

63kg 1st: H. Yemeena Rifaz (Girls’ High School Kandy); 2nd: H. V. P. C. S. D. Samaraweera (St. Joseph’s BMV); 3rd: L. D. Uresha Prabhodini (Jinaraja BMV) and K. G. S. Udeshini (Panvilathenna MV)

+63kg 1st: H. M. S. M. Bandara (Jinaraja BMV); 2nd: C. H. Sinhathilake (Wickramabahu MV); 3rd: J. M. B. D. Jayasinghe (Ulapane MV) and T. M. L. Dewmi (Divulankadawala BMV)

Open 1st: K. L. W. N. K. Jayaweera (Jinaraja BMV); 2nd: H. L. S. M. Wijewantha (Jinaraja BMV); 3rd: J. M. B. D. Jayasinghe (Ulapane MV) and W. P. H. G. D. N. Dissanayake (St. Joseph’s BMV)

Boys’-35kg 1st: K. T. S. Sapumal (Panwilathenna MV); 2nd: H. G. D. H. Jayasiri (Wickramabahu NS); 3rd: R. M. D. Didulika (Gangasiripura Vidyalaya) and B. W. N. Jayawardena (Wewathenna MV)

-40kg 1st: H. L. K. D. Wijewantha (Gangasiripura Vidyalaya); 2nd: K. B. N. Y. Abeykoon (Gangasiripura Vidyalaya); 3rd: N. V. P. Priyadarshana (Wewathenna MV) and M. D. N. Indika (Wewathenna MV)

-45kg 1st: M. K. G. J. Lakmal (Wewathenna MV); 2nd: K. M. K. S. C. Lakshan (Gangasiripura Vidyalaya); 3rd: L. G. P. D. Bandara (Wickramabahu NS) and M. G. S. D. Dayarathne (Anuruddha Kumara NS)

-50kg 1st: D. G. C. L. Jayasundara (Gangasiripura MV); 2nd: P. V. S. Kaushalya (Jinaraja MV); 3rd: K. K. G. Y. D. Ekanayake (Ulapane MV) and K. U. R. D. Kumara (Wickramabahu NS)

-55k 1st: K. T. H. Hansamal (Anuruddha Kumara NS); K. M. D. D. S. Wipulaweera (Kingswood College Kandy); 3rd: G. G. Malinda Lakshan (Gangasiripura Vidyayala) and M. K. A. D. G. Kumara (Wickramabahu NS)

-60kg 1st: K. M. D. D. Aloka (Kingswood College Kandy); 2nd: G. K. C. W. Madushanka (Wewathenna MV); 3rd: K. A. T. Sudarshana (Anuruddha Kumara NS) and W. M. A. M. Unanthenna (Wewathenna MV) -66kg 1st: K. A. S. Thushara (Anuruddha Kumara NS); 2nd: W. G. P. K. Jayasena (Wickramabahu NS); 3rd: N. G. I. H. Priyalal (Jinaraja MV) and T. C. R. D. Silva (Wewathenna MV)

+66kg 1st: J. D. K. Bopitiya (Wickramabahu NS); 2nd: S. Hapuarachchi (St. Thomas’s Mount Lavinia); 3rd: K. B. A. C. A. Kodithuwakku (Delta Gemunupura MV) and S. R. Dassanayake (Trinity College Kandy)

Open 1st: S. R. Dassanayake (Trinity College Kandy); 2nd: K. M. D. D. A. Wipulaweera (Kingswood College Kandy); 3rd: S. K. C. K. Madhushanka (Wewathenna MV) and K. A. T. Sudharshana (Anuruddha Kumara NS)

INZAI, Monday - Jack Nicklaus led the tributes to Tiger Woods on Monday after the golfing great secured a record 82nd US PGA Tour win at the weather-disrupted Zozo Championship.

“Incredibly happy for @TigerWoods -- and for game of golf -- on his 82nd @PGATOUR win,” tweeted Nicklaus, who has won 18 majors.

“For a number of years, all we wanted was to see Tiger healthy again, but for his quality of life.

“But it’s very obvious that the surgery and the hard work Tiger put in resulted in quality of golf!” Nicklaus added after Woods tied Sam Snead’s all-time mark for PGA Tour wins. Woods carded a final-round three-under 67 for a three-stroke victory over home favourite Hideki Matsuyama after play spilt over into Monday after Friday was washed out.

Woods had been one victory short of Snead since winning his 15th major at the US Masters in April and had not played for nine weeks after having left knee surgery in August.

World number 14 Tony Finau, who was also in the field in Japan, called Woods a “Living legend!” on Twitter. “Congrats on No. 82 @TigerWoods!” he added as social media lit up on the news of yet another career comeback milestone.

PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan was watching from home in the US and told AFP by phone: “It’s just one of those ‘wow’ moments. When you see something happen in sport that you didn’t think was possible, it’s just a really historic and special moment for our sport.”

World number two Rory McIlroy who tied third, a distant six strokes behind Woods, said he’d quickly done the maths and said he would have to win “six times a year for the next 10 years” to get close to Woods.

US Open champion Gary Woodland had a front-row seat as Woods’s playing partner for the last two rounds and said it had been a privilege to watch.

“I think it’s a lot harder to win week-in and week-out out here, “ he said.

“Obviously the majors speak for themselves, but 82’s just a crazy number. You look at the guys that have won 10 times and it’s pretty special.

“To battle through the injuries he’s dealt with, gosh, he’s young and he’s playing unbelievable. I think there’s a lot more in store.”

The last word belonged to Monahan, who said it was fitting that he should tie Hall-of-Famer Snead in an overseas event.

“To be our inaugural event and to have Tiger win it, when you think of Tiger, you think of his global reach and his global relevancy,” said Monahan as Woods notched up a PGA Tour win in a record seventh different country. – AFP

ADELAIDE, Sunday - After his team suffered a 134-run defeat in the opening Twenty20 international against Australia in Adelaide, batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa justified Lasith Malinga’s decision to bowl first, saying it was the collective call since they didn’t know what to expect from the surface.

After inserting Australia to bat, Sri Lanka were buried under a mountain of runs, with the hosts zooming to 233/2 on the back of David Warner’s 56-ball century – his first in T20Is. Australia then followed it up with a clinical performance with the ball to limit the visiting side to 99/9.

“It was a short stay for us in Adelaide, so we didn’t know what sort of wicket it would be and we knew it wouldn’t be bad for us to bat second,” Rajapaksa said. “So we didn’t want to take a chance, and that was a collective decision of the players and we decided to bowl first and look at how the bowlers would go. But it was clinical to us.”

“We had some plans to keep them under a good score but things didn’t come off for us as well as we planned during the tour. But we don’t want to lose our hope and we don’t want to put our heads down.”

Fighting against the pressure of a daunting total, Sri Lanka lost several wickets to miscued hits and expansive strokes, and Rajapaksa thought there was plenty to be learned from the way Australia approached their innings.

Though they collected over 68% of their run through boundaries, Australia ran hard between the wickets, and when they did find the boundary, pierced the gaps on the vast outfield expertly. The large dimensions of grounds in Australia offer mean that finding boundaries isn’t always easy, and necessitates efficient running between the wickets.

“Looking at Warner, Finch and Maxwell and how they batted, I think there’s a lot to learn,” Rajapaksa said. “Especially the way they ran between wickets, and I’m sure we got a lot to learn a lot about that. In Australia, it’s about hitting the gaps and getting the doubles. There’s a lot of runs on the boundaries.

“We’d like to have another couple of days to practice on, but we’ve got so much travelling as well so we need to adapt really soon. So we’re hoping to get ourselves back together and deliver better.”

ADELAIDE, Sunday - Australia opener David Warner, who registered his maiden century in Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka in Adelaide, said that Australia’s performance on Sunday was a blueprint for how they should approach games as they build towards next year’s ICC Men’ T20 World Cup.

Aaron Finch and Warner, the Australia openers, began in brutal fashion after being put in to bat by Lasith Malinga. They racked up 112 runs in the first ten overs, with both batsmen reaching their half-centuries in 31 or fewer balls.

While the Australia skipper was dismissed after a 36-ball 64, Warner stayed put at the other end, raising the hundred in the final over. Glenn Maxwell, who replaced Finch at the crease, was also at his destructive best, smashing 62 runs off just 28 balls.

The stellar top-order performance powered Australia to 233/2, their highest T20I total at home. The bowlers then backed up the batsmen’s performance with a clinical effort in the chase, restricting Sri Lanka to 99/9 to set up a 134-run victory.

“We ought to come out and try to be positive with the bat. I think the way forward is exactly that,” Warner said, “where we try and set the tone at the top, and then Maxi [Maxwell] coming in and doing what he does. For once, the plan actually came off. That was, all in all, a great batting performance, and obviously, the bowlers finished it off there.”

The series against Sri Lanka is Australia’s first home assignment since they hosted the same opposition for a Test series in January this year. For Warner, it was his first international appearance on home soil in one-and-a-half years, and he loved every bit of the support he received.

“It’s always fantastic to get that,” he said. “You sit back and watch on TV, when you watch highlights of other people’s packages and stuff, and you forget how much it actually drives you when you’re out there. We absolutely love the peoples’ support, love the Australian crowd coming out and supporting us, and we always try and put on a show for them.

“They don’t realise how much of an impact it has for us players when we’re out there. When you’ve got that support behind a team, or you’ve got that support yourself, it’s a massive boost in confidence for us and for the other people who are out there playing.”

The second T20I takes place at The Gabba on Wednesday, 30 October.

Sri Lanka’s newest boxing star Purnima Jayasuriya won a silver medal on her maiden international while Dhananjaya Weerasinghe bagged a bronze medal at the Eindhoven Box Cup International Boxing Tournament in The Netherlands.

The Police duo brought glory to Sri Lanka in this competition which attracted 128 boxers from 23 nations including Russia, Kazakhstan, France, England and Germany in Eindhoven city from October 17 to 20.

Weerasinghe fighting in the Light Welter weight (64kg) beat Afghanistan’s national champion Tasal Mosazai in the quarter-finals and met Youth Olympic Games gold medalist Thailand’s Atichai Phoemsap in the semifinals. The Thai boxer who won the World Youth Championships and Asian Youth Championships in 2018, went on to claim the gold medal in Eindhoven while Weerasinghe had to settle for the bronze medal.

Jayasuriya has swept all before her in the Middle weight (75kg) since making her local debut this year winning the Novices, Intermediates and major championships such as the Layton and Clifford Cup meets. Purnima fought gallantly against France’s national champion Davina Michela who enjoyed reach advantage, in the finals at Eindhoven to win a silver medal which is the first medal claimed by a woman Sri Lankan boxer in an international tournament this year.

“The development of second layer of boxers was one of the strategies of Executive Committee of Boxing Association of Sri Lanka,” states a press release.

ADELAIDE, Monday - Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has decided his brother’s wedding is more important than a game of cricket, pulling out of the second Twenty20 against Sri Lanka to witness him tie the knot.

Billy Stanlake or Sean Abbott are likely to replace Starc as Australia target an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-game series in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Cricket Australia reported the Starc move on its website Monday, saying he had been granted a release as part of an increased focus on family time under coach Justin Langer.

Regardless of whether Stanlake or Abbott get their chance, vice-captain Pat Cummins told reporters Monday Australia’s effective use of the short ball would continue.

“(Bowling short is) something we speak about, no doubt, especially at the Gabba or Adelaide Oval, where it’s quite fast and bouncy,” he said.

“And all our bowlers are 6 (foot) four (inches) or 6’5.”

Australia emphatically won the opening T20 in Adelaide on Sunday by 134 runs, with David Warner celebrating his birthday with a return to form, clubbing an unbeaten 100. – AFP

Test match cricket is likely to make a return to Pakistan in December 2019 with the PCB putting forward Rawalpindi and Karachi as possible venues for the two-match series against Sri Lanka.

Progress has been made with regards to ensuring the Test series takes place in Pakistan - the first of its kind since 2009 - with the board just awaiting the go-ahead from Sri Lanka Cricket. As for the players themselves, it is not yet clear which, if any, are reluctant to tour.

As per the PCB’s proposed schedule, the Test series will last only a fortnight, roughly the same amount of time Sri Lanka were in the country for a limited-overs tour earlier this year.

They played three ODIs in Karachi and two T20Is in Lahore between September 27 and October 10, and though several of their senior players pulled out, the fact it went off without a hitch, plus the better-than-expected results for what was called a second-string team, may have convinced some of them to travel to Pakistan again.

The decision to schedule a Test in Rawalpindi, which last hosted five-day cricket when India toured in 2004, would represent the first expansion of cricket beyond the major hubs of Lahore and Karachi.

That Lahore has been overlooked as a venue for the series is something of a surprise, though it is believed the lack of daylight hours and the high likelihood of seasonal smog were the major reasons for the PCB looking elsewhere.

The last completed Test to be played in Pakistan took place in Karachi, which will host the second game of this series, should it go ahead. The last recorded Test in Pakistan was the one that was abandoned after two days in Lahore, following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009.

BASEL, Sunday - Roger Federer clinched a record-extending 10th Swiss Indoors championship title in his hometown of Basel with a crushing 6-2 6-2 victory over Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Sunday.

The 38-year-old Swiss has now won 103 singles titles in his career and the record win in Basel - where he once acted as a ball boy - was the second time he had won a tournament 10 times after achieving the feat in Halle in June.

Federer converted four of 10 break points and did not drop serve to wrap up the match in 68 minutes for his fourth title of the year after wins in Dubai, Miami and Halle.

“It was fast but very nice, I think I played a great match,” an emotional Federer said after lifting the trophy.

“I thought Alex played a great tournament as well, and I think we both can be very happy. But what a moment for me to win my 10th here in my hometown of Basel.”

Federer and De Minaur traded blows with long baseline exchanges early in the match, including an absorbing 39-shot rally when Federer led 2-1, before the Swiss stepped up a gear to break his opponent twice and take the opening set.

Federer was ruthless on his serve and retained his momentum and intensity in the second set, moving into a 3-0 lead after winning five games in a row before De Minaur held.

“It was a tough opener... the first five games, we had some great rallies,” Federer added. “I never looked back.

“I was great on the offence, made very few unforced errors and came up with the big shots and served well when I had to.”

De Minaur’s rare success only delayed the inevitable as Federer set up match point and forced the 20-year-old to fire a forehand wide as the crowd rose to their feet to salute the 20-times Grand Slam champion. – Agencies

MEXICO CITY, Sunday: Lewis Hamilton won the Mexican Grand Prix for Mercedes after a first-lap scare on Sunday but the Briton will have to wait another week to wrap up his sixth Formula One world championship.

Hamilton’s 10th win of the season, and 83rd of his career, was also a 100th for Mercedes as a constructor.

The victory stretched his lead over third placed Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas to 74 points — making the title a mere formality that will surely be secured in Texas next weekend.

“We came here thinking we were on the back foot, knowing it was a difficult race for us, but we pulled through,” said Hamilton, who had not finished on the podium in Mexico for the past two years despite taking his 2017 and 2018 titles there.

“I had quite a bit of damage on my car so the race was quite a bit of a struggle,” said Hamilton, referring to the consequences of an opening lap clash with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen that he described as ‘hair-raising’.

“I don’t mind (not taking the title in Mexico).

Bottas now has to win in Austin with a fastest lap to stay in the mathematical reckoning while Hamilton need score only four points — an eighth place — to be sure of the title whatever his team mate does.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was a close second with team mate Charles Leclerc, who started from pole position and set the fastest lap but was undone by a two-stop strategy and a problem pitstop, fourth.

Hamilton made his car’s hard tyres last for 48 laps to the finish on a one-stop strategy despite questioning the wisdom of that approach.

Without regular race engineer Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington for the first time in seven years, Hamilton suggested he had pitted too early — with chief strategist James Vowles having to reassure him over the radio that the win was possible.

Bottas, who crashed heavily in qualifying and started sixth after a lengthy car rebuild, said he could not have done much more on a slow-burning afternoon that was all about tyre management.

“I enjoyed it, considering yesterday. It’s a good result,” he said.

Mercedes have already secured the constructors’ title for the sixth year in a row, and are also sure of an unprecedented sixth successive championship double.

Both Mercedes drivers lost out at the start, with Vettel squeezing out Hamilton, who had lined up third behind the two Ferraris but had to take avoiding action.

Four-times champion Vettel apologised to Hamilton, saying he had not seen him in his mirrors and was trying to get into Leclerc’s slipstream for a tow down the straight. Hamilton tracked across the grass runoff, wrestling with the steering wheel to prevent a race-wrecking spin, and returned in fifth place with Bottas losing a place to seventh. As Leclerc led Vettel away, Red Bull’s British-born Thai rookie Alexander Albon made the most of the mayhem to catapult himself into third place.

Verstappen, who was stripped of pole on Saturday after failing to slow for warning flags, dropped to the back after contact with Bottas left the 22-year-old limping back to the pits on a wheel rim after a right rear puncture.

The Dutchman, winner in Mexico for the past two years, carved his way back through the field to sixth at the chequered flag with Albon fifth. – Agencies

India Women’s Emerging will meet Sri Lanka Women’s Emerging in the final of the ACC Women’s Emerging teams Asia Cup 2019 at R Premadasa Stadium today.

Sri Lanka Women’s Emerging Squad: Harshitha Madhavi (Captan), Kaveesha Dilhari, Hasini Madushika, Umesha Thimeshani, Sathya Sandeepani, Lihini Apsara, Madushika Lakmali, Imalka Sanjeewani, Malsha Shehani, Jimanjali Wijenayake, Sachini Nissansala, Tharika Sewwandi, Shikari Nuwantha, Nilakshana Sandamini, Sayani Oshadi, Iresha Shyamali, Malsha Madushani, Dewmi Vihanga, Sulesha Sathsarani

India Women’s Emerging Squad: Devika Vaidya (Captain), Meghana Sabbhineni, Yastika Bhatia, Tejal Hasabnis, , Simran Bahadur, Tanusree Sarkar Nuzhat Parween, Prativa Rana, Manali Dakshini, Kshama Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Minnu Mani, Sushree Dibyadarshini, Tanuja Kanwar, Rashi Kanojiya, Vrushali Bhagat, Tejashwini Duragad. YK

Match drawn between St. Sebastian’s College Moratuwa and Lumbini College College in their fixture of the ‘Singer Trophy’ Under 19 inter schools cricket tournament played at Havelock Park yesterday.

Janishka Perera of St. Sebastian’s shown good all-round performances against Lumbini Colombo. He scored 64 runs in the first inning and took 6 wickets for 20 runs.

* At Havelock Park: St. Sebastian’s Moratuwa: 144 (47.1) (Janishka Perera 64, Dunith Jayathunage 39, Ravinda Rasanka 5/40, Ramesh Madushanka 3/46) and 87/3 (27.2) (Dunith Jayathunge 70, Chavindu Hansaka 2/12)

Lumbini Colombo: 54 (47/7 o/n) (23.2) (Janishka Perera 6/20, Kavindu Sandeepa 2/8, Shashika Perera 2/24)

On Day One

* At Ibbagamuwa. St.Xavier’s Maravila: 73/8 (43) (Chanuka Fernando 35 n.o., Nisal Nethsiri 4/12, Malik Methsiri 3/26) Vs Ibbagamuwa Central College

* At Kalutara. Welapura MV Kalutara: 2/0 (2) vs St. Thomas Kotte. YK

All matches were drawn in the Major Emerging Inter Club tournament at P. Sara Oval and Dombagoda yesterday.

* At Dombagoda: Army CC: 73 (21.5) (Pethum Kumara 19, Avindu Theekshana 5/22, Stefan Stephan Susai 38 n.o., Shehan Wijerathne 3/25, Harshajith Virendra 2/18, Heshan Hettiarachchi 2/43, Hansa De Silva 2/49)

Lankan CC: 213 (49.3) (Lahiru Dilshan 45, Kevin Perera 41, Stephan Susai 38 n.o., Shehan Wijerathne 3/25, Harshajith Virendra 2/18, Heshan Hettiarachchi 2/43, Hansa De Silva 2/49)

* At P. Sara Oval: Moors SC: 110 (44.3) (Lahiru Attanayake 26, Damitha Silva 4/31, Supun Waragoda 3/32)

Tamil Union Cricket & AC: 49/1 (20)

Not a ball was bowled on day one between CCC and NCC at CCC. YK

DUBAI, Sunday - Papua New Guinea will make their first ever appearance at a World Cup after beating Kenya in Dubai on Sunday to book their place at next year’s T20 World Cup.

PNG hammered Kenya by 45 runs at Dubai International Stadium but had to wait for the result of the Netherlands’ game against Scotland before they could celebrate their automatic qualification for the tournament in Australia next year.

The Dutch beat Scotland by four wickets but failed to knock off the 131 they needed for victory in 12.3 overs which meant that PNG topped the group with a higher net run rate.

“I am feeling a little emotional,” PNG’s Australian coach Joe Dawes told the ICC. “It’s been a pretty big two years, for them to achieve this is pretty special.”

The former Queensland fast bowler said planning for the World Cup in Australia next year could wait.

“We’ll start thinking about that tomorrow. We are just going to enjoy the moment. For them to achieve this is a great thing for us and for the nation.”

PNG were facing disaster as they slipped to 19-6 in four overs but Norman Vanua led the recovery, clubbing 54 from 48 balls and sharing a seventh wicket partnership of 77 with Ses Bau.

Kenya needed to reach the target of 118 in 12 overs to have any chance of qualifying for the play-offs but the batsmen were unable to get out of first gear.

Opener Irfan Karim was the only person to hit a boundary and top-scored with 29 as Kenya slid to 73 all out. Nosaina Pokana was the most successful of the PNG bowlers with 3-21.

Ireland also made sure of a place in the finals in Australia courtesy of results elsewhere going in their favour, with Jersey defeating Oman on the final day of group-stage action.

Jersey made 141-7 and then limited Oman to 127-9 to win by 14 runs.

As well as reaching next year’s showpiece, both PNG and Ireland will also progress to the semi-finals of the ongoing qualifying tournament, where they play the winners of the two semi-final play-offs.

The first of those will see Netherlands, who finished second in Group A, face UAE as the third-ranked team in Group B. The winner of that match will face Ireland while they will also qualify for the World Cup. – AFP

Dhaka, Monday: Cricketers in Bangladesh’s main domestic league will see match payments almost double under a new deal that ended a player strike last week, the sport’s ruling body said Monday.

Players in the top-tier of the National Cricket League will receive 60,000 taka ($705) instead of 35,000 taka per four-day match, a Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) statement said.

Other expenses were also increased as part of the deal, which ended a three-day strike started by players last week.

Payments for the second-tier of the competition were increased to 50,000 Taka.

Players had demanded at least 100,000 taka per match when they called the strike.

The action was called off after the BCB accepted most of their demands.

The strike had cast doubt on a tour of India starting November 3, but the national squad is now due to leave on Wednesday. AFP