Sports
We have to dissect this – Silverwood on Sri Lanka’s ‘inconsistent’ campaign
Bangalore’s November rain, predicted and promised, never came to hamper the clash at the Chinnaswamy Stadium Yet, Sri Lanka sank. And with them, also sank the hopes of their Asian counterparts – Afghanistan and Pakistan, unintentionally invoking the spirit of Gulbadin Naib 2019. “Hum to doobe hai sanam, tum ko bhi lekar doobenge” (If I’m going down, I’ll take you with me).
On Thursday, their challenge wasn’t blown away the way it was against India in the Asia Cup final. Not by an inspired bowling spell by the opposition in helpful conditions, but by a more uninspired batting performance of their own. There were patches of dominance when Kusal Perera took the attack to the New Zealanders early on. There were patches of fight with both bat and ball, but too late to repair much of the early damage. But the momentum – on a pitch that was much slower and vastly different from the one offered in the previous game at the same venue – never swung their way.
Such was the enormity of the context of this one contest, that its result eventually impacted the fortunes of four teams in the tournament. As it stands now, New Zealand are almost through to the semifinals, and Pakistan and Afghanistan are almost out. All this while Sri Lanka have their hopes of qualifying for the 2025 Champions Trophy in the hands of four other teams who will be competing over the next couple of days.
There have been better days in Sri Lankan cricket, and there will be many more better days in the future. But Thursday wasn’t one of those. It was, if anything, a disappointing culmination of a forgettable tournament that was far removed from the performances of the same team a couple of months ago. At the moment, head coach Chris Silverwood isn’t in a position to reflect on the team’s performance at the World Cup. He was hesitant to even open up about the possible positive takeaways from it.
“We have to let the emotions settle at the moment, we have to dissect this,” Silverwood said following Sri Lanka’s loss against New Zealand in their last league game of the tournament. “We have to have a very good debrief and dig deep into what has worked and what hasn’t worked and then try and plan that way forward obviously for the next cycle.
“They’re the positives that we need to take from this now, is how do we best prepare the boys and the generations that are coming through to actually compete in the next World Cup and make sure that come that World Cup, we are competing and we’re ready.”
At the Asia Cup, in home conditions, they seemed to have had most of their bases covered despite the absence of a few key players. While injuries, the turmoil in the board, the captain leaving the team mid-way and the Timed Out controversy would’ve likely played a part in impacting the team in India, their on-field performances left a lot wanting.
Skills-wise, Sri Lanka are far from the team that turned up for the World Cup, as evidenced by their Asia Cup performance where they reached the final. Silverwood pinned the poor performance down to ‘inconsistency’.
“I think it would be fair to use that word.”
He further added, “We’ve played some good cricket along the way, and I think we’ll look back on certain games and rue missed opportunities, to be honest. There have been certain games during this campaign that if we’d have taken the opportunities that were put our way, this could have looked a lot different. But the fact is that we have been inconsistent and it’s something that we’ve been working on for a long time and something we need to continue working on. So, yeah, I think inconsistent is a word we can use.”
To begin with, their strength – the spin attack – was blunted, eventually ending the tournament with the worst returns among all teams. While Wanindu Hasaranga’s injury would’ve played a part, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha and Dunith Wellalage – to go with the part-time options of Charith Asalanka and Dhananjaya de Silva – couldn’t pose enough of a threat.
Theekshana, who had picked 31 wickets in 15 games at an average of 17.45 in 2023, ended up picking only six wickets at an average of 63.66 in the World Cup. Dunith Wellalage, who had emerged as the breakthrough young star in the Asia Cup, picked up only two wickets at an average of 98 in India.
On the batting front, while Sadeera Samarawickrama and Pathum Nissanka had a fairly successful tournament, the team rarely clicked as a unit. The second opener’s slot was never sealed, and their in-form batter Kusal Mendis fizzled after starting with a century and a fifty in. Angelo Mathews, who joined the team mid-way, couldn’t give its batting a facelift.
Silverwood admitted that there is a long-term issue to fix with respect to the collapse of the batters. “It’s happened a couple of times now, a few times,” he admitted. “And it’s something that certainly during the debrief, when we get back and when we dissect what’s happened in this tournament, it’s something that we have to look at and we have to find some answers because clearly, we need to start putting runs on the board on good wickets and putting other teams under pressure. And we haven’t done that.”
Fielding remained a major concern, with as many as 10 catches dropped in the tournament. Even as the fielding coach Anton Roux believes seven of those were half chances missed, even as it’s unlikely that more successful teams have afforded to let go of those opportunities.
Silverwood wasn’t defending the fielding effort of his team and said, “It’s frustrating because certain catches that we’ve put down during this tournament have cost us heavily. It’s again something that we’re constantly working on. Our fielding coach is constantly working on that and trying to obviously push the standards higher. But clearly, there’s still work to be done as well. We are getting ourselves in positions where there’s more catches coming our way. We’ve been brave and going for half chances more, but clearly, we have to start hanging on to these if we want to start turning games in our favour.”
It’s been a collapse on all fronts. Sri Lanka came up second best in all aspects of the game for long periods of their time on the field. Now languishing second last on the points table – a reflection of their performance at the World Cup more than the available skill – they would hope that the only option going ahead after the World Cup is to go up, for the gloomy clouds to make way for the sun. Much like it did figuratively, and unexpectedly, at Chinnaswamy on Thursday.
(Cricbuzz)
Eshan Malinga returned career best figures of four for 46, but his impressive spell could not prevent Pakistan from breaching the 300 run mark in the curtain-raiser of the ODI tri-nation series in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
Pakistan were bowled out for 305, with former captain Salman Ali Agha leading the charge with his fourth ODI hundred.
Agha struck a fluent 107 off 90 deliveries, peppering the boundary with ten fours and a six before falling to Asitha Fernando. The Sri Lankan seamer was equally impressive, returning tidy figures of three for 39.
Agha featured in a 97 run partnership with Hasan Nawaz and at 215 for four with 13 overs remaining, Pakistan appeared poised for a formidable total. However, Sri Lanka’s bowlers clawed their way back into the contest, applying the brakes just when the hosts threatened to run away with the game.
On a surface tailor made for batting, Sri Lanka’s late fightback could prove crucial, with the visitors fancying their chances of chasing down the target.
Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka finished with two for 67, although his figures flattered him somewhat. He was guilty of straying onto the pads far too often, offering the Pakistan batters several scoring opportunities.
Sri Lanka went into the contest with just four specialist bowlers, leaving the part timers to shoulder a fair share of the workload. To their credit, the makeshift attack rose to the occasion, sharing ten overs between three bowlers without allowing Pakistan to completely dictate terms.
Dasun Shanaka did the lion’s share of the work, sending down seven overs, while Sahan Arachchige and Kamindu Mendis chipped in with the remaining three.
Sri Lanka also welcomed back top order batter Avishka Fernando, who returned to the ODI fold after spending several years on the sidelines.
England are the third team in the tri-nation competition, which serves as valuable preparation for next year’s World Cup.
The opening three matches will be played in Rawalpindi before the tournament shifts to Lahore for the remaining fixtures, including the final.
Sri Lanka are in the midst of a marathon 50 day tour of Pakistan. Having already completed a three-match T20I series, they will turn their attention to the tri-nation tournament before playing a First Class warm-up fixture followed by two Tests.
19 Division I – Tier ‘A’ Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
The top eight teams begin their battle for the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ limited-overs title today, when Mahinda College, Galle, take on St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, in the first quarter-final at Dombagoda.
Led by Dulsith Dharshana, Mahinda qualified for the knockout stage with wins over St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota (by five wickets), Royal College, Colombo (by six wickets) and Lumbini (by ten wickets). Their only defeat came against St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya, the only side to top 200 against them. In their other matches, Mahinda’s bowlers kept opponents to low totals.
That bowling unit, spearheaded by left-arm paceman Sadew Nethmina, appears to have peaked ahead of the crucial clash. They bundled Lumbini out for 40 in their last match, with Nethmina and Vishmitha Sathsara sharing nine wickets between them.
St. Sebastian’s reached the knockout stage on the back of wins over Maris Stella College, Negombo, and D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo. Their match against Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, ended without a result because of rain, while they lost by two wickets to Richmond, the eventual group champions.
St. Sebastian’s boast a strong batting line-up, with Hirusha Perera, Navinu Fernando, Lashen Fernando, Thivanka Fernando and Meshone Ferdinando all making notable contributions in the group stage. Skipper Koshendra Fernando is expected to lead the bowling attack with his spin, supported by Adeesha Lakshan, Lashen Fernando and Risinu Prabesh.
Teams
Mahinda (from):
Dulsith Darshana (Captain), Sadew Nethmina (Vice Captain), Randula Mabarana, Manitha Rajapaksha, Sehas Ashinsa, Kaveesha Githmal, Thiyon Helika, Kavindu Nimsata, Gesandu Bisas, Vishmitha Sathsara, Buddhima Tharupathi, Naviru Nishitha, Nihindu Sesitha, Anuga Palliyaguru, Senuja Vehan, Kevin Geemitha, Bakshara Jayarathne.
Officials: Denuwan Rajakaruna (Head Coach), Sandaru Nethmina (Asst. Coach), Y. Nishantha Kumara (Master in Charge)
St. Sebastian’s (from): Koshendra Fernando (Captain), Meshone Ferdinando, Nisila Dimath, Navinu Fernando, Hirusha Lochana, Lashen Fernando, Thejan Bandara, Chamath Wellalage, Risinu Prabesh, Sanoj Perera, Deneth Keshara, Adeesha Lakshan, Dilena Fernando, Thiwanka Fernando, Shenas Hashein, Pathiv Vehan, Dineepa Wickramsooriya.
Officials:
Lahiru Kanishka (Head coach), Nishantha Fernando (Asst. Coach), Sandaru Tharusha Perera (Master in Charge)
The other three quarter finals will be played on Tuesday as per the below schedule.
Mahanama Colombo V St. Joseph’s Darley Road at Mattegoda
Nalanda Colombo V St. Anthony’s Katugastota at Campbell Place
Richmond Galle V Wesley Colombo at Weeraketiya
Several big names fell at the first hurdle, including last year’s finalists Royal College, Colombo, as well as S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, Trinity College, Kandy, and St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya. Royal and St. Peter’s were in the same group and finished behind Mahinda and St. Anthony’s. S. Thomas’ were in Group ‘A’, where Mahanama and Wesley edged out the rest to book their places.
by Reemus Fernando
Asian Junior Championship medallist Mihinsa Dewmini Abeyratne broke a ten-year-old meet record to win the Under 20 high jump at the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship at Diyagama on Sunday.
The President’s College, Embilipitiya, athlete cleared 1.75 metres, equalling her personal best, to erase the record of Poornima Gunarathne of Leeds International, Panadura. Gunarathne’s mark of 1.74 metres had stood since 2016.
Trained by retired sports officer Gamini Dias, Mihinsa was expected to achieve something special this season after setting a personal best of 1.75 metres at the same venue earlier this year. She followed that with a bronze medal at the Asian Junior Championship in Hong Kong.
Hers was one of six meet records to fall by the time this report was filed on day three of the meet.
In the girls’ category, Lyceum International School, Wattala, and Ave Maria Convent, Negombo, set new marks in relay events. In a closely contested Under 14 4×100 metres final, Lyceum clocked 51.35 seconds to erase Musaeus College’s 2019 record. Ladies’ College, who finished second in 51.52, also bettered the previous mark.
Ave Maria Convent edged Nimala Maria Balika in another tight finish to win the Under 16 girls’ 4×100 metres in a new meet record of 49.49 seconds. Nimala Maria Balika also bettered the old record.
In the boys’ category, Sadeesh Denuwan of Halmillaketiya MV stole the limelight with a new meet record of 11.22 seconds in the Under 14 80 metres hurdles. Maneesha Samarasinghe of Lyceum International, Wattala, set a new record of 13.09 seconds in the Under 16 100 metres hurdles.
Lyceum International, Wattala, also set a new meet record of 3:13.76 in the Under 20 4×400 metres relay.
Showers or thundershowers will occur in most parts of the island after 1.00 p.m
CTU: Teacher shortage casts doubt on govt.’s education reforms
Norochcholai to remain offline for several days after blackout
President links businessman held with arms to politicians
CID probe sought into tusker’s death amid fears of elephant-killing syndicate
Bill to allow remote witness testimony in courts
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Latest News7 days agoNissanka’s return headlines Sri Lanka’s Test squad against Pakistan
-
News6 days agoSri Lanka, India caught in US-Iran ship crisis
-
Latest News7 days agoImran Khan’s PTI braces to fight federal takeover of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
-
News3 days agoAsgiri Mahanayake calls for immediate release of Gnanasara Thera
-
Latest News6 days agoMissiles intercepted near Riyadh after Saudi coalition hits Yemen fuel depot
-
Features2 days agoKotahena:A Small Enclave, An Extraordinary Legacy
-
Latest News6 days agoKusal Mendis’ unbeaten 87 hands Sri Lanka consolation win
-
News7 days agoMahinda and Shiranthi hospitalised