Kandy SC won't have it easy against CH

S.M. Jiffrey ABDEEN - Kandy Sports Correspondent

The defending Caltex Clifford Cup champions should win but they will be given a tough time by CH and FC when these two teams clash in the semi- finals of the Clifford Cup knock out rugby tournament match to be played at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium in Kandy on Sunday - August 30 with the kick off at 4.30 p.m.

Last week the champions Kandy Sports Club put up a record win of 102-3 against Havelocks Sports Club and this was also the first time a team had scored a century of points in the Premier Division rugby tournament this season.

A score of this nature against the one time mighty Havelocks Sports Club would have been only a pipe dream in the pre 1992 era of Kandy Sports Club when they conceded big scores to their opponents though they were a tough outfit at home.

When CH and FC and Kandy Sports Club met in the first round match of the league tournament at Nittawela, Kandy with a second half blitz beat their opponents 32-3 after leading 5-3 at the breather. They were up against some skilful and power play by the halves combination of Saliya Kumara and Fazil Marija with the support of full back Radhika Hettiarachchi who punched holes in the defence of their opponents with winger Sanjeewa Jayasinghe and centre Pradeep Liyanage too doing their bit.

That day their forwards especially Kishore Jehan, Eranga Swarnatillake, Senaka Bandara, Dilip Selvam and No. 8 Sajith Saranga played their hearts out to rock the Maitland Crescent Club especially in the second half.

In the return game played in Colombo after early hiccups Kandy Sports Club won 30-10.

In this game the early fireworks provided by CH and FC dimmed down after the turnaround and Kandy Sports Club scored a comfortable victory.

In the last game CH and FC put up a gritty performance to down the soldiers 24-6 emphasising the fact they that they are capable of an upset this season. If they are to upset the Kandyans skipper Achala Perera, Sathya Ranatunga, Dilanka Wijesekera, Milinda Jayasinghe, Sajith Bandara and Senthil Kumar should give polished displays. The weather up in the hills is dry and the ground has been kept in good condition by constant watering under the guidance of former Sri Lanka Flanker Iswan Omar.

The Teams:

Kandy Sports Club (from) Kishore Jehan, Anuranga Walpola, Eranga Swarnatillake, Senaka Bandara, Jaffer Jhan, Buddhi Talagampola, Dilip Selvam, Sean Wijesinghe, Sajith Saranga, Prasad Chathuranga or Krishantha Rajapakse and Fazil Marija, Sameera Silva, Pradeep Liyanage (captain), Gayan Weeraratne, Sanjeewa Jayasinghe, Saliya Kumara or Mohamed Sheriff.

CH and FC (from) Jayantha Ratnaweera, Achala Perera (captain), Dinesh Sanjeewa, Sathya Ranatunga, Gayashan Wijesinghe, Sharo Fernando, Dilanka Wijesekera, Senthil Kumar, Milinda Jayasinghe and Sajith Bandara, Lakala Perera, Avantha Hettiarachchi, Ruchira Fernando, Heshan Guneratne, Asanka Perera or Indika Udayakumara.