Category Archives: welfare through sport

April 28, 2013 · 3:39 am

Northeastern youth-pacemen get tips from Chaminda Vaas

 Ranjan Anandappa, in Sunday Observer, 28 April 2013

chaminda-vaas-918635 In the quest of strengthening the Sri Lankan fast bowling armoury which cannot be considered the best at the moment, former Sri Lanka left arm fast bowler Chaminda Vaas is exploring the possibility of having a formidable set of speedsters for the future. Five talented medium pace bowlers from the north were specially brought down to Colombo by Vaas under the instructions of his former fast bowling colleague Ravindra Pushpakumara, who is in charge of fast bowlers in the Jaffna district.

This is not the first time that fast bowlers from the north and the east have emerged in the local cricket arena. In the past there were some lively fast bowlers from the northern province to name a few, the late Donald Ganeshkumar (Police), Anton Benedict (BRC) and R. Naguleswaran (CCC) who were fit enough to gain national honours. But with the ethnic problem and the civil war, the influx of cricketers from the north and the east gradually came to a standstill.  And now with the thirty year conflict ending, the Sri Lanka Cricket are on a hunt of spotting potential pace bowlers from the North and also from the East. In time to come, hopefully there should be a couple fast bowlers from the two provinces. Continue reading →

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February 4, 2013 · 1:05 pm

Murali Cup Package for 2013

murali cup picMurali Cup 2013 Tournament Summary= A community focused charity fund-raising cricket initiative

 INTRODUCTION:  The Murali Cup is an initiative of the Foundation of Goodness (FOG), a grassroots charity championed by the great Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena.  The simple idea is to bring together young cricketers from different backgrounds to foster cross-cultural friendships and harmony as well as develop cricket skills. The tournament was started in 2011 with an eight-team schools tournament in Seenigama on Sri Lanka’s beautiful south-west coast.  Then in 2012 we staged a special reconciliation tournament with the assistance of the International Cricket Council in the previously war-torn northern province with a total of 20 local teams. Continue reading →

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January 22, 2013 · 1:29 am

My Friend. Sri Lanka’s Friend. We will all miss TONY GREIG

Ranijit Fernando, courtesy of the Sunday Times

52585.2On the 27th if December 2012, I had a mail from Tony Greig and the family which read “Hope you had a great Christmas”, and to it was also attached a video clip of the wonderfully happy family by the Christmas tree and gifts, together sending their Christmas Greetings. The photos that were attached showed Tony with Vivian, his wonderful wife and children Mark, Samantha, Beau and Tom, all around him, looking as happy as they could be, with Tony even playing table tennis with his son Mark. I quickly reciprocated the kind wishes, and told Tony how delighted I was, to see him make such great progress. I had been receiving encouraging updates about his health from his close buddy, Shiran Manasuriya, after he was diagnosed with lung cancer, and what I saw was looking good. Continue reading →

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November 2, 2012 · 5:46 pm

Unity Tour of Singapore turns out to be a success story

Aided by Emirates Airways and others the Unity Team chosen after the recent U 19 MURALI CUP played several cricket matches in Singapore and participated in several fundraising events for the FOUNDATION OF GOODNESS and its programme of reconcilition via sport. The presence of Kumar Sangakkara and Ravindra Pushpakumara as coaches and Russel Arnold as commentator and raconteur spiced and enhanced the programme. And then, of coure, was Murali the livewire — here there and everywhere. What better ambassadors for Lanka and for the paths of reconciliation: two Tamils, one mixed Sinhala-Tamil (Ravi) and two Sinhalese (Kumar and Kushil).

FOG has committed itself to dividing the proceeds into two halves, with one half being committed to the enrichment of sport in the north and the other in the south.

For the Unity Tour Fundraiser Story, visit  http://www.unconditionalcompassion.org/sub/23102012_unityTour.php

For the Unity Tour Photo Gallery, visit  http://www.unconditionalcompassion.org/sub/Murali_Harmony_Cup_Unity_Tour_2012_Gallery_pics.html

The Unity Team comprised of the outstanding players who made their mark during the Murali Harmony Cup tournament in the North, and most often they were recognized as man of the match during the games. Lead by team captain and Man of the Series Jason Buultjens, the Unity Team is as follows:

    • Jason Buultjens (captain) – St Peters’ College-Colombo
    • Tharindu Kaushal (vice captain) – Seenigama FOG Academy
    • L.P.Dilantha – Debarawewa Central College-Debarawewa
    • Yohan De Silva – Dharmasoka College-Ambalangoda
    • Rasanjana Jayaratne – Maliyadeva College-Kurunegala
    • Sandeep Nissansala – Anuradhapura Central College-Anuradhapura
    • Chemila Obeyesekera – St Peter’s College-Colombo
    • Guster Tuder – Jaffna Combined Colleges
    • Edward Edin – Jaffna Combined Colleges
    • S.Sanjeeve – Trinco & Batticaloa Combined Colleges
    • L.G.Asela Sampath – Trinco & Batticaloa Combined Colleges
    • Gahnesh Lakitharan – Kilinochchi Combined Colleges
    • Paramakuru Aruna – Mullativu Combined Colleges
    • Koneswaran Haripranvan – Vavuniya & Mannar Combined Colleges

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October 11, 2012 · 2:54 am

ICC and others who helped Murali Cup and Northern Empowerment — via Sanga’s ESPN interview

THIS IS AN AUDIO ONE MUST LISTEN TO … it is about the Sri Lankan cricketers, aspects of theie cricket, the work of the Foundation of Goodness and so many aspects of the ramifications of cricket in Lanka and its promotion of reconciliation       http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/video_audio/585472.html  Alison Mitchell and Kumar Sangakkara in conversation.

Summary Points of interview presented here by Michael Roberts

* ICC invested 100,000 dollars towards the Murali Harmony Cup

* MCC continued its support

ALSO SEE http://cricketique.live/2012/09/08/murali-harmony-cup-in-the-north-launched-by-mahela-and-sanga/ Continue reading →

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September 8, 2012 · 11:05 am

Murali Harmony Cup in the North launched by Mahela and Sanga

Sri Lanka cricket legends Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara launched the 2012 Murali Harmony Cup on Saturday by opening the newly-built IODR Oval in the previously war-affected northern town of Oddusuddan in Mullaitivu Province. The school cricket ground is the flagship venue of the 20-team reconciliation tournament staged to promote community-building and friendship in post-war Sri Lanka. The tournament has been jointly organised by Muttiah Muralidaran’s charity the Foundation of Goodness, travel company Red Dot Tours, the International Cricket Council and the Sri Lanka Army.

The IODR Oval was built thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Indian Ocean Disaster Relief Fund (IODR) and Grange Hotels from the United Kingdom. The development transformed a hitherto barren sports field into a functioning cricket facility for local children with the addition of a large pavilion, toilets, astro-turf cricket nets, scoreboard, sightscreens, an improved outfield, coconut-matting centre wicket and general beautification including the planting of trees.

“This is a wonderful development that will help hundreds of children play and enjoy the great game of cricket,” former Sri Lanka captain Sangakkara told the media shortly after ceremonially opening the venue in front of hundreds of school children, local invitees and spectators. “The children and families of these areas have suffered terrible hardships through three decades of war, but now we are blessed with peace and they deserve the chance to play sport and live a full life.” Continue reading →

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April 23, 2012 · 2:13 pm

Bothan walks … and walks for CHARITY

Hannah Betts in the Daily Telegraph, …. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/children_shealth/9216735/On-the-road-for-Ian-Bothams-10000-mile-odyssey.html

Botham at Mankulam

Botham, Kushil & David Cruse at Lauereaus media event

ir Ian Botham has mouldy toenails. He also has rather beautiful calves; both doubtless the product of his 27-year pounding of almost 10,000 miles of the British landscape in a mission to raise £13 million and counting for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. This week, he is walking 150 miles between Glasgow and London, arriving at his final destination today. And so I find myself in a Manchester bedroom admiring said calves, while Rooster, his trusty physio, places ice cubes between the Botham toes, the scent of man-sweat hanging in the room.

Time was when being in Beefy’s bedroom might have held more racy connotations, reminiscent of the tabloid fantasy in which he broke a bed with Miss Barbados. Rest assured, today not only is his wife of 36 years, Kath, now Lady Botham, in the bath next door, his two-year-old grandson Kieran is playing next to him, his aunt Sarah keeping him entertained, while Botham’s mother-in-law stands chuckling behind me.

For the legendary England all-rounder’s walks are a multi-generational jamboree that goes some way to compensate for the time he used to spend absent on foreign tours (up to five months a trip). Indeed, the only occasion he is at a loss for words is when Continue reading →

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March 19, 2012 · 1:56 pm

Mahela and Kumar: Two Kings bearing Gifts

Steve Brown

More than 250 people attended the Knox Tavern recently for the fundraiser in aid of the Foundation of Goodness, the special guests being Sri Lankan superstars Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, who hold the world record for any wicket in Test match history and responsible for in excess of 45,000 international runs.

The evening was hosted by well-known cricket author, the quick whited Gideon Haigh who created plenty humour and friendly banter.    Following a video presentation of the achievements and work of the Foundation of Goodness in Sri Lanka, post tsunami, founder of the charity, Kushil Gunasekera, thanked everyone for their attendance,

Cricket Australia’s Chairman, Wally Edwards, Cricket Victoria CEO Tony Dodemaide, both former Australian Test players and Sri Lankan Cricket Foundation of Victoria Chairman, Dr Quintus DeZylva were also present, lending their support.

Sangakkara addressed the audience first and he opened his innings by promising not to speak for one hour and ten minutes as he did in his address to the MCC at Lords in London last year. A polished performer, those in the room would not have minded if he broke his promise as he had the audience in his hands, with a personal plea for compassion in regards to the village of Seenigama, and for the new projects in the war torn north of Sri Lanka.

Continue reading →

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March 17, 2012 · 10:15 am

Peter Roebuck’s foster-sons seek share of his African estate

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March 4, 2012 · 2:11 pm

Ravindra Pushpakumara in search of talent in Mullaitivu

News Item in The Sunday Island, 4 March 2012

A talent search was conducted in Mullaitivu district with the aid of Sri Lanka Army by World Cup winning fast bowler Ravindra Pushpakumara. The picture on left shows Pushpakumara, who is a Provincial Coach attached to Sri Lanka Cricket responsible for the development work in North and East Provinces showing how to bowl the in-swinger. In the other picture, Security Commander of Mullaitivu district Major General L. B. R. Mark is seen alongside Brigade Commander Brigadier Ranjith Samarasinghe and General Staff Officer 59 Division Lieutenant Colonel Sanjaya Wanasinghe.

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