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Munchee Glucofit Schools Cricket Sixes organized by Old
Wesleyites concluded successfully at Campbell Park on the 12th
of October 2008 after 3 days of exciting and top flight cricket.
Two outstanding teams contested the finals – Thurstan College,
Colombo and Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa. With constant
drizzle during the finals the teams & umpires agreed to play the
final to a finish with Prince of Wales emerging winners and
therefore claiming the glittering “ Munchee Gluco Fit Sixes”
trophy. Thurstan College was awarded the Old Wesleyites’ runner-up
trophy. There were many noteworthy performances. The Trinco/Kantale
combined school shocked the fancied St Josephs College, Colombo
team with a superb victory in the 1st round and their
coach at the TV interview described the win as one they would
cherish for a long time. The Jaffna Schools combined team also
nearly pulled off an upset when they went down to D.S.Senanayake
College by just 2 runs. There were good
performances by Kegalu MV, Kegalle, Royal College Panadura and Joseph Vaz College
Wennapuwa, all of whom reached the 3rd round of the
tournament. The schools sixes tournament held for the 16th
consecutive year was this year sponsored by Ceylon Biscuits Ltd
for the first time. There were a many “firsts” this year
-
36 teams
(from 24 teams previously)
-
3 day
tournament instead of 2 days
-
2 days
live TV coverage instead of 1 day
-
TV
interview with outstation schools, sponsors, organizers,
spectators, players who performed well at the tournament adding
a new dimension to the tournament
The
Old Wesleyites did their organizing admirably. Led by the former
All Ceylon fast bowler and silver haired tough disciplinarian –
Lucky Goonetileke with expertise from Eric Gauder set plans for a
smooth running of the tournament. The organizing team responded
magnificently with all of them taking time off from their office
work on Friday to help roll out one of the most successful school
cricket tournaments in the recent past.
17
outstation schools took part in the tournament. Wesley College
hostel housed 7 teams – Jaffna Combined Schools team, Trnico/Kantale
Combined Schools Team, Ampara/Batticaloa Combined Schools team,
Polonnaruwa Schools team, St Thomas’ College Matale, Richmond
Galle and Nuwara Eliya/Badulla Combined Schools. A Police post was
set-up at Wesley College to provide security for the teams and our
team members Laksanda Gunewardena & Mohamed Nizam ensured that all
players, officials & members of the Police team totaling 100 were
comfortably housed with breakfast & dinner. Arrangements to get
mattresses from the Sri Lanka Army courtesy old boy Brig Mahesh
Samaraweera helped us in this regard.
The Jaffna Combined Schools team was flown in from Jaffna to Ratmalana Airport by courtesy Expo Aviation. A big “thank you” to
Mr. Azad Toufeek – Director Operations Expo Avaition for their
sponsorship and our own Laksanda Gunewardena for making this
happen. Thanks also go out to Principal Mr.M.A.P.Fernando for
graciously agreeing to accommodate all these teams at the hostel
and the Police team for their co-operation at the school and at
the grounds on all three days.
Accolades and praises were many from the sponsors – Ceylon
Biscuits Ltd and the media for Old Wesleyites’ outstanding
co-operation and expertise in handling the tournament.
The
organizing committee consisted of Lucky Goonetileke (Chairman),
Rohan Perera (Deputy Chairman), Eric Gauder (Advisor), Dharshana
Liyanage (Tournament Co-ordinator), Ivor Maharoof, Jeremy Brohier,
Richie Sappideen, Farman Cassim, Laksanda Goonewardena, Mohamed
Nizam, Dilshan Hossen, Teran Carrim (secretary), Fouzil Nawaz
(Treasurer) and Roshan Johar with back up coming from co-opted
members Prasanna Weerakoon, Prasad Amarasekera, S.Chandrasiri &
Mohamed Asif & the OWSC football team.
Ceylon Biscuits Ltd has signed a 3 year sponsorship deal with Old
Wesleyites’ and bigger and more elaborate plans are a foot at the
next edition in 2009. The chief architects of this partnership are
Mr.Nandana Wickramage – Head of Marketing CBL and Senior Vice
President OWSC – Ivor Maharoof.
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