sport in brief

St. Servatius wins 50-over encounter

A.W. Gunawardhana Matara central correspondent

The annual 50 over cricket match played recently between St. Servatius and St. Thomas' Matara at the Uyanwatta stadium Matara ended with a grand victory for St. Servatius.

St. Thomas' Matara who batted first made 104 in 49.4 overs (J.W. de Silva 18, D. Jayasanka 28 U.H. Ashan 3 for 20, Lahiru Kokila 3 for 07).

St. Servatius 105 runs for 3 wickets in 32.01 overs (A. Dilanka 30, N. Madusanka 22, Chathura Jayan 22, Ekanayaka 1 for 23, N.R. Ranaweera 1 for 30.

Kuznetsova survives Wozniacki fightback

Russian eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova reached the Sony Ericsson Open semi-finals after holding off a spirited challenge from Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki to win 6-4 6-7 6-1 on Tuesday.

Kuznetsova dominated the first set and took a 5-2 lead in the second but 18-year-old Wozniacki, the WTA's newcomer of the year for 2008, mounted a desperate bid to stay alive. She fought back to 5-5, saved a series of match points and won the tiebreak but then paid the price for her exertion in the Florida heat and struggled in the deciding set.

MIAMI, Wednesday (Reuters)

Pensions on April 7

The Pensions Department has made arrangements to pay the pensioners on April 7, before the New Year festival. Earlier, it was decided to pay the pensioners on April 8 Considering several public holidays at a stretch from April 9 to 14 Director General of Pensions K.A. Thilakaratne has taken this decision to pay pensions on April 7.

China makes Miandad adviser

Former Pakistan great Javed Miandad said Wednesday he had agreed to become an adviser to the Chinese Cricket Association and would do his best to promote the game in the sports-mad Asian giant.

“The Chinese Cricket Association in a letter offered me the role of their adviser on cricketing affairs, which I have accepted,” Miandad told AFP.

The 51-year-old toured China as cricket ambassador last month and predicted China would become a top team in the next few years.

“I have made a lot of suggestions to promote cricket in China which the authorities there liked very much and I see this new role as a reward,” said Miandad, who played 124 Tests for Pakistan and is regarded as a top batsman.

KARACHI, AFP

Colombo win Battle of the Medicos

The Colombo Medical Faculty cricket team defeated the Peradeniya Medical Faculty team by 70 runs in their annual limited over encounter for the prestigious Dean’s Challenge Trophy at the Asgiriya International Stadium recently.

Peradeniya team won the toss and elected to field. Colombo scored a favourable 182 on a low and slow track. Man of the Match Gavithra Dayananda played a captains knock of 56 and anchored the Colombo innings. He was ably supported by Yasiru Godakanda’s 44 for which he was adjudicated the best batsman, Thilina Damsiri of Peradeniya picked up 4 wickets for which he won the award for the best bowler.

Peradeniya team captained by Amila Kodikara, never looked in the hunt as they began their run chase for their first win in this traditional encounter. They lost wickets at regular intervals and non of their batsmen looked to dominate. Peradeniya team was eventually bowled out for 112 giving Colombo their fourth consecutive win since the inception of this contest in 2006. For Colombo, Basuru Dassanayake took three wickets and Dilan Seneviratne bagged two wickets.

Chameka NSWU shuttle champ

Former Sri Lanka National Badminton player Chameka Madurawe, a 16-year- old, won a double at the New South Wales University Open Badminton Chamionships held at the New South Wales University Stadium in Sydney last weekend.

She won the Women’s Singles (both Open Grade and ‘A’ Grade) Championships and the Women’s Doubles Championships with Suzan Barbara of Canberra as her partner. Chameka is now in the New South Wales State pool and recently took part in Australian National Pool trials in Melbourne.