Sports

The Palmville Sports Promotions Group national pools championships will commence tomorrow with the winner of the Open male category set to receive a first prize of a whopping one million dollars.

A century from Tillakartne Dilshan and a five-wicket haul from left-arm spinner Rangan Herath added to the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB) President’s XI misery as the touring Sri Lankan cricketers continued their build-up ahead of Saturday’s first test against the West Indies.

Linden Wickham, Ronaldo Rodrigues, Niall Roberts and Jessica Stephenson will all be participating in the 2008 Junior Carifta Games from March 27-31 in Aruba, thanks to the generosity of Cara Lodge and Scotia Bank.

Three of the four swimmers who have been selected to represent the country at the 2008 Carifta Games which are to be held in Aruba at month-end, were in full throttle on Sunday at the Guyana Amateur Swimming Associa-tion’s Mashramani swim meet which concluded yesterday at the Colgrain swimming pool.

O pener Malinda Warnapura scored a century while Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene narrowly missed one as the touring Sri Lankan cricketers ended the first day of their three-day match against a Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) President’s XI (and not a West Indies Select XI as was previously reported) on 343-5 at the National Stadium at Providence yesterday.

Young Achievers and Stewartville recorded identical 2-0 wins over Beavers and Meten-Meer-Zorg respectively when the West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) West Side Cup Easter round robin competition continued at the Den Amstel ground on Friday evening.

Christopher Holder outsprinted John Charles of Linden to win the feature event of the sixth annual Diamond Mineral Water cycle programme organized by national cycle coach Hassan Mohammed and held at the inner circuit of the National Park on Saturday.

Former Guyana left-handed opening batsman Azeemul Haniff struck form over the weekend to lead Clico Preysal to a draw against Alescon Comets in the Eastern Credit Union league in Trinidad .

Philip Squires proved too strong for Anthony Downes in the men’s singles final while Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan secured victory over an injured Carol Humphrey to win the ladies’ singles title when the curtains came down on the Banks DIH sponsored `Plus Energy’ Lawn Tennis championships Saturday evening at the Le Meridien Pegasus Courts.

The Cola Cola Under-16 football tournament organized by the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) and sponsored by local beverage giants Banks DIH Ltd.

Guyana’s leading rifle shooters have stepped up preparations for two important events next month which are expected to test the ability of the Caribbean’s short range shooting champions.

The Lusignan Golf Club will come alive with two major tournaments this week, the first is set for Thursday (Youman Nabi) while the other is set for Easter Saturday (Phagwah).

Jayawardene feels test series is too short The Sri Lankan cricket team arrived in Guyana late Friday evening for the start of their Caribbean tour of two test and three one-day internationals.

Guyana’s world-renowned squash player Nicolette Fernandes returned to the squash courts last Monday for light training after being sidelined from competitive play for close to a year due to an injury to her left knee.

On March 22 at the All Saints Scots Church ground, Princess Elizabeth Road, New Amsterdam, the police Berbice Division will be holding a four- team Tape Ball Twenty20 competition as a fund-raising raising effort for the Police Cricket Club in Berbice.

Anthony Downes came back from being down one set to win the next two and close out Jeremy Miller to claim the boys’ 18 and under title last night in the Banks DIH Plus Energy Open lawn tennis tournament.

Today, the National Park Circuit comes alive with the 6th Annual Diamond Mineral Water Cycle Programme organized by National Cycling Coach Hassan Mohammed.

The much anticipated West Indies vs. Sri Lanka tour that is to be hosted in the Caribbean from the March 22 to April 15, will see the two teams clashing in two Test matches, three One Day Internationals and one Twenty20 match.

Last Sunday the Burnham Basketball Court came alive with teams from the East Bank of Demerara as the 14th Annual Basketball Championship got underway.

Pouderoyen and West Demrara recorded wins in the West Demerara Football Association’s, West Side Cup Round Robin/Knockout Tournament held last weekend.