Sri Lanka Army ‘A’ comprising Wathsala Marasinghe (Bow), Maheshi Liyanage (Two), Iresha Perera (Three), Kanchana Weerakoon (Stroke) and Tharika Weerasinghe (Cox) won the Women’s Open Fours event with a time of 7:53 minutes while Sri Lanka Air Force ended up second in a time of 8:10 minutes, followed by Army ‘B’ in third place. In the Women’s Over 18 Single Scull event, Samaakhya Gajanayake of Colombo Rowing Club won in 8:41 minutes competing in lane two. Sri Lanka Air Force’s AM Dilhari took second place in 8:49 minutes and Army’s Kumari Herath secured third place with a time of 9:15 minutes.

Hashen Hettigoda of Royal College Colombo clinched the Schoolboys Single Scull event with a time of 7:35 minutes, the best of the four finals worked off yesterday. Hettigoda competing in lane 4, out rowed Suchith Alexander of Ananda College, Colombo who clocked 7:41 minutes in lane two. Third place was secured by Arjun Wickramanayake of S Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia with a time of 8:11 minutes in lane 1.

In the day’s last final, Ishara Abbey of Ladies College won first place with a timing of 8:31 minutes in the Schoolgirls Single Scull event. Abbey, competing in lane two, beat Senuri Uththara de Silva of Musaeus College. De Silva clocked 8:38 minutes while Maedhini Saeli Pilapitiya de Alwis also of Musaeus College clocked 8:54 minutes to win third place.

Twenty-two finals are scheduled for today, the final day of the three-day meet.

The squads for the One-Day International and Twenty20 series were also picked.

Both Silva and Thirimanne have been struggling for form in the recent home Test series against West Indies and their places in the team will be taken by Kusal Mendis who has been promoted to be Dimuth Karunaratne’s new opening partner and, Udara Jayasundara who has been given the task of filling the vital number three slot.

Jayasundara, a 24-year-old left-hander from Ananda College who represents Ragama CC in the Premier league has scored 10 centuries in 56 first-class matches which include a highest score of 222.

Mendis, 20 made his Test debut in the West Indies series and scored 13 and 39 batting at number three.

“We have selected the squads solely on current form which has been the determining factor in the process,” said chairman of selectors Kapila Wijegunawardene.

“We have kept faith in the players who have shown form in the recent tour to New Zealand with the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team and picked Jayasundara and Kithuruwan Vithanage,” he said.

Wijegunawardene said that Kaushal Silva was dropped because the selection committee felt that “he wasn’t playing his natural game and his performances was not upto the expectations of the team”.

“We left Thirimanne out to give him time to sort out his form and regain his confidence,” he said.

In Silva’s case it was more than his failure to contribute the factor that weighed against him was his over cautiousness. He crossed the fifty mark only once in his last 11 innings.

Thirimanne on the other hand has not scored a Test hundred since March 2013 and gone through 28 innings scoring just two fifties. The left-hander however retains his place in the ODI squad.

In the absence of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara who are now retired and the exclusion of Kaushal Silva and Thirimanne the Sri Lankan batting line up will have a new look with the inclusion of players like Kusal Mendis, Udara Jayasundara, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Kusal Perera and Milinda Siriwardana with a heavy responsibility lying on the shoulder of skipper Angelo Mathews. The bowling unit has not undergone any major changes but for the inclusion of Jeffrey Vandersay. The 25-year-old leggie has been knocking on the door for recognition with some sterling performances for the Board President’s team and the Sri Lanka ‘A’ side in the past few months and richly deserves his selection. He has been included not only in the Test squad but also in the other two formats as well. “Jeffrey has performed well and we thought a wrist spinner would be of value to the side. His selection will depend on the conditions and pitches in New Zealand, but nevertheless we have picked him with a long term view,” said Wijegunawardene.

Hard hitting right-hander Chamara Kapugedera has been named in the ODI and T20 squads. In recent times Kapugedera has been picked to play only in the shortest format T20, but his inclusion for the ODI matches is an indication the selectors think he can still deliver in that format as well. He last played in an ODI in 2012.

Sri Lanka will play a series of two Tests, five ODIs and two T20Is during their five-week tour that commences with a three-day warm-up game against a New Zealand Board President’s XI at Queenstown on December 3.

THE SQUADS

TESTS

Angelo Mathews (captain), Rangana Herath (vice-captain), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Udara Jayasundara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Kusal Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilruwan Perera, Jeffrey Vandersay.

ODIs

Angelo Mathews (captain), Lahiru Thirimanne (vice-captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhanushka Gunathilaka, Sachitra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Dhammika Prasad, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Chamara Kapugedera, Jeffrey Vandersay.

T20Is

Lasith Malinga (captain), Kusal Perera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Milinda Siriwardana, Chamara Kapugedera, Kithuruwan Vithanage, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Nuwan Kulasekara, Dushmantha Chameera, Thisara Perera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Sachitra Senanayake, Isuru Udana.

Vidyartha College, Kandy stored off a late rally by Ananda College to register a good 31 points (three goals, two tries) to 22 (one goal, three tries) in their William Gopallawa Shield Rugby encounter played at the Nittawela Rugby Stadium, Kandy. At half scores were level at 12 all.

Vidyartha College were leading 31-12 till the last 10 minute of play when the Anandians fought back to reduce the gap with two unconverted and were pressing for the third one when time ran out for them.

It was Vidyartha who opened early in the game when fly half Chathura Perera went over and added the extra points himself.

But Ananda leveled the scores through a try by flanker Sandunika Perera and this was goaled by fly half Pramuditha Pushpakumara.

Vidyartha once again took the lead when centre Geeth Madhusanka scored far left off a three quarter move. Chathura Perera missed the conversion.

Minutes before the lemon the Anandian once again leveled the scores through an unconverted try by winger Senura Jayasinghe.

Sin binning of fly half Chathura Perera saw Vidyartha being reduced to 14 players but still they managed to breads Ananda’s defence through centre Geeth Madhusan and this was goaled by winger Dilum Paradiwatte. At this stage Ananda’s Avishka MAdhushan was sent on sin bin for tackling without the ball.

Fly half Chathura back in the field scored his second try and added the extra points for Vidyartha to lead 26-12. Midway in this half winger Dilum Paradiwatte out through the Ananda defence to score by the left corner flag.

Vidyartha led 31-12.

It was at this stage that the Ananda fight back was seen.

First it was winger Sachin Manujaya and later No 8 Tharuka Senaviratne who scored unconverted tries to close the gap to 31-22. Deepal Punnyawardena refereed.