Navy have the edge over Police

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

The Sri Lanka Navy which is enjoying a wonderful season having emerged runners up in the Caltex 'A' Division League will go out favourites when they confront Sri Lanka Police in their Caltex Clifford Cup knock-out quarter-final match at the Royal Sports Complex today.

The sailors scored a hard fought 20-14 win in the league match against Police at Welisara but since then they have improved tremendously scoring three smashing wins over Kandy SC (29-25), Havelocks (35-19) and CR and FC (33-13) and should run out victorious against the policemen who have failed to impress in the second round matches.

Navy will once again rely on their power-packed forwards to deliver the goods. Skipper Yoshitha Rajapaksa has been a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play and has been ably supported by Bilal Hassen, Sathya Ranatunge, Kalana Amarasinghe, Namal Rajapaksa and sturdily built Sumedha Malewana who should maintain their supremacy in the loose.

With playmaker Dev Anand still on the injured list Mohamed Afzal will occupy the pivotal fly half berth and will pair off with Suranga Pushpakumara while Shailendra Chandrasekera will man the last line of defence.

The policemen have made some positional changes for today's game and it is left to be seen how they will fare.

Lock forward Dinesh Kumara has been moved to the front row and will bind down with Sivadason with former skipper Champika Thushara playing in the unaccustomed position of hooker.

Navy Sports Club - Piumal Manchanayake, Bilal Hassen, Sathya Ranatunge, Kalana Amarasinghe, Sumedha Malewana, Danushka Perera, Yoshitha Rajapaksa (Captain), Namal Rajapaksa, Suranga Pushpakumara and Mohomed Afzal, Chula Susantha, Kosala Tissara, Dilip Methruwan, Samantha Lakshan, Shailendra Chandrasekera.

Police Sports Club- Sivadason, Champika Thushara, Dinesh Kumara, Romesh Archarige, Gayan Fernando, T D Seneviratne (Captain), U B Gonewala, Gemunu Indrachapa, Mohamed Rizwean and Harshana Wijeweera, Jeevan Amaradasa, Priyantha Ekanayake, Viraj Devasurendra, Chanaka Fonseka, Hashan Gomes.