CR and FC face tough task against Kandy SC

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

CR and FC face the tough task of overcoming Kandy SC by a margin of six points or more if they hope to regain the Caltex 'A' Division League Title when they clash with defending champions Kandy Sports Club in their return match at Longden Place today.

Kandy SC which won the first round game by 26 points to 12 at Nittawela need only a draw in today's game to retain the title for a record 10th successive year while the Red Shirts will have to come up with a stupendous performance if they hope to bag the 'A' Division League Title which they last won in 1998 under the leadership of Champika Nishantha.

Up front a terrific tussle for supremacy can be expected as both teams boast of powerful sets of forwards.

The forte of the Red Shirts have been their power-packed 'eight' spearheaded by former Sri Lanka skipper Dushanth Lewke ably supported by Henry Terrence, Anuja Perera, Zaffer Jahn, Sharo Fernando and Danushka Perera.

But today they will be confronted by the marauding Kandy forwards Kishore Jehan, Achala Perera, Sajith Saranga, Sean Wijesinghe, Senaka Bandara and Kasun de Silva.

Kandy SC has a distinct advantage with a superior back division.

The halves combination of Roshan Weeraratne and Fazil Marija has hit off smoothly. Marija should have the CR defence in disarray with his daring breaks. Hard running centres Pradeep Liyanage and Gayan Weeraratne and that powerful runner winger Sanjeeva Jayasinghe are also likely to test the Red Shirts defence to the hilt with full back Saliya Kumara joining the line to form the overlap.

It is left to be seen how CR's new halves combination of Zulki Hamid and Niroshan Fernando will fare today.

If they click the Red Shirts 'threes' too could penetrate the Kandy defence as they have two powerful runners on the wings in Vishwamithra Jayasinghe and Dinusha Chathuranga.

CR and FC: Henry Terrence, Anuja Perera, Zaffer Jahn, Ishan Noor, Sharo Fernando, Roshenka Kodituwakku, Danushka Perera, Dushanth Lewkw (Captain), Zulki Hamid and Niroshan Fernando, Dinusha Chathuranga, Shabbir Mohamed, Nuwan Chamara, Vishmaithra Jayasinghe, Reza Mubarak.

Kandy SC: Eranga Swarnatilleke, Achala Perera, Kishore Jehan, Senaka Bandara, Sajith Saranga, Buddhika Thalagampola, Kasun de Silva, Sean Wijesinghe, Roshan Weeraratne and Fazil Marija (Captain), Sanjeeva Jayasinghe, Pradeep Liyanage, Gayan Weeraratne, Mohamed Sheriff, Saliya Kumara.