CR and Cops battle for final berth

 Zubair Doray being outstanding this season for Red Shirts

By Shamseer Jaleel

CR and FC, celebrating their Centenary year will play Sri Lanka Police in the first semi-final of the Nippon Paint Clifford Cup knock out rugby encounter which will take place at the Race Course rugby ground today.

Kick-off is scheduled at 4 p.m.

Red Shirts who ended as number 2 in the league were ranked the top position after the pull out of Kandy Sports Club while Navy SC who were number 3 in the league were promoted to number 2. The top two teams received bye in the quarter final encounter as both CH and FC and Kandy SC pulled out of the knock out event.

CR and FC hold one of the best young outfits this season with players in the caliber of Suhiru Anthony, Vageesha Weerasinghe and skipper Kavindu de Costa being top class players. Lasindu Ishan the former Science College player will be starting off in this game after coming in as a replacement in their Kandy game. Both Gemunu Chetiya and Zubair Doray are good finishers and Thenuka Nanayakkara kick at goal will be vital for the Red Shirts,

Meanwhile Police SC will miss their skipper, Nisala Samadhi who is injured and his place taken over by Mohan Wimalaratne. Chanaka Sooriyapperuma and Akash Madushan are quality players who could make a difference. A close game is expected and CR holds the slight edge in this encounter to move forward to the final on Sunday.

CR and FC

Lahiru Pavithra, Amith Gurusinghe, Kalinda Kariyawasam, Raveen de Silva, Suhiru Anthony, Achintha Radeeshan, Vageesha Weerasinghe, Lasindu Ishan, Kavindu de Costa (Capt), Thenuka Nanayakkara, Kalinda Nandila, Manilka Ruberu, Chatura Seneviratne, Gemunu Chethiya, Zubair Doray

Police

Amjad Fawmy, Dulanjana Wijesinghe, Hashan Fernando, Hafiz Thabeeth, Mohan Wimalaratne (capt), Chanaka Sooriyaperuma, Lahiru Thilakaratne, Hashan Thilakratne, Premesh Dhanushka, Prince Chamara, Janith Chanaka, Ruckshan Madushanka, Akash Madushanka and Sujan Kodituwakku

Referee will be Raveen Alexander and the Assistant Referees are Gihan Yatawara and Hashantha Weranga.