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Miller stands tall amidst ruins as South Africa fold for 212
A century from David Miller saw South Africa to 212 in tricky batting conditions against Australia in the second semifinal of World Cup 2023. Miller’s sixth ODI hundred, coming on an Eden Gardens surface assisting both seamers and spinners, helped South Africa recover from 24 for 4 after opting to bat.
Batting under overcast skies was something even Pat Cummins admitted wanting to do, but it took only a few overs from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood to hammer home the point that batting wasn’t going to be easy against the new ball. Bavuma lasted all of five deliveries at the crease, edging behind a delivery from Starc on nought but it was Hazlewood at the other end who proved to be more of a menace.
Hazlewood’s first spell read 6-1-12-2, the two wickets being that of de Kock (caught at mid-on after a string of dot balls) and Rassie van der Dussen (edged to second slip). Starc wasn’t too far behind at the other end, bowling seven overs on the trot and picking 2 for 18 in his first spell. Markram was the other batter Starc accounted for with an edge to backward point
So tight were the lines and lengths from the new-ball bowlers, and so good Australia’s ground fielding, that South Africa huffed and puffed to 18/2 at the end of 10 overs. The first boundary of the match took as many as 53 balls to come.
What followed the four wickets was a 95-run association between Miller and Heinrich Klaasen, both of whom laid into inconsistent lengths from Adam Zampa. Six of the eight sixes hit in the innings were off Zampa’s bowling, with both Miller and Klaasen hitting two each.
Just when SA looked a bit steady after having added 44 runs between overs 21 and 30, Travis Head struck gold in his first over and returned two wickets off two balls. Bowling slow and accurate, Head beat Klaasen for length and bowled him by skidding one past his outside edge. Next ball, Marco Jansen was pinned in front by one that spun in from a long way outside off. That’s how difficult and fickle the conditions were in Kolkata.
There was another 53-run rearguard between Miller and Gerald Coetzee for the seventh wicket, with Miller doing most of the scoring in that partnership. It could have gone on for longer had Coetzee reviewed the decision for caught-behind; the short ball wasn’t top-edged as the on-field umpire thought but deflected off his arm behind to the keeper.
Miller got to his hundred off 115 balls, hitting 8 fours and 5 sixes en route to a memorable innings in a World Cup knockout but he would rue not batting until the end of 50 overs. Two balls after reaching the milestone, Miller fell while trying to pull one of the many short balls that Pat Cummins bowled from round the wicket.
Brief Scores:
South Africa 213 in 49.4 overs (David Miller 101, Heinrich Klassen 47 ; Mitchell Starc 3-34, Pat Cummins 3-51, Josh Hazlewood 2-12) vs Australia
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Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended till 1600 hrs on Tuesday [09]
The Level III RED landslide warnings issued to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale by the landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] have been extended till 1600 hrs on 09th December 2025.
Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Hatharaliyadda, Yatinuwara, Ududumbara, Pathahewaheta, Medadumbara, Pasbage Korale, Deltota, Poojapitiya, Ganga Ihala Korale, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Udapalatha, Harispattuwa, Kundasale, Minipe, Doluwa, Thumpane, Akurana, Udunuwara and Pathadumbara in the Kandy district, Kegalle, Galigamuwa, Mawanella, Bulathkohupitiya, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana and Warakapola in the Kegalle district, Mawathagama, Mallawapitiya and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Naula, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Ambanganga Korale, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Rattota, Matale and Yatawatta in the Matale district have been extended.
In the meantime,
LEVEL II AMBER warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Hali_Ela, Ella, Lunugala, Welimada, Haputhale, Passara and Haldummulla in the Badulla district, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Alawwa and Polgahawela in the Kurunegala district, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha, Mathurata, Norwood, Kothmale West, Nuwara Eliya, Thalawakele, Nildandahinna, Walapane and Kothmale East in the Nuwara Eliya district, and Kahawatta, Godakawela and Kolonne in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I YELLOW warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Yakkalamulla and Elpitiya in the Galle district, Attanagalla, Mirigama and Divulapitiya in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Eheliyagoda, Opanayake, Kalawana, Imbulpe, Kaltota, Kiriella, Kuruwita, Nivithigala, Ayagama, Pelmadulla, Balangoda, Elapatha and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district
A special District Coordinating Committee meeting, convened to review the damage caused to the agricultural sector in the Nuwara Eliya District due to Cyclone Ditwah and to discuss the urgent measures required, was held this morning (08) at the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with the participation of the relevant responsible officials.
Due to adverse weather conditions, 1,421 hectares of vegetable cultivation in the Nuwara Eliya District has been damaged. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructed the relevant officials to take the necessary measures to provide compensation to farmers without delay.
Officials stated that although there has been crop damage, the reduction in the vegetable harvest in the Nuwara Eliya District would be around 25%. They added that Nuwara Eliya district would be able to meet the daily demand, but a decrease in the daily demand has been observed.
Officials further pointed out to the President that the reason for this decline is the spread of false information claiming a vegetable shortage in the Nuwara Eliya District and that prices have excessively increased.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in London today [Monday] amid a continuing deadlock in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
Zelensky will attend the talks in Downing Street alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Cabinet minister Pat McFadden said on Sunday that Ukraine’s security and self-determination would be “at the heart” of the leaders’ discussions in London. He said that US-led talks were at a “really pivotal moment”.
After three days of discussions in Miami, US President Donald Trump’s outgoing Ukraine envoy said that a deal to end the war was “really close” but hinged on Russia’s co-operation.
Negotiations remain stuck on issues including the size of Ukraine’s army after the conflict with Moscow ends and Russian control of the Donbas.
“If we get those two issues settled, I think the rest of the things will work out fairly well,” US special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg told Reuters. “We’re almost there.”
Monday’s in-person talks are the latest attempt by Ukraine’s European allies to carve out a role in the ongoing efforts to end the war.
Confirming the meeting on Sunday, Downing Street said the leaders would “focus on the ongoing peace negotiations and next steps”, without providing details.
The White House has been pushing Kyiv and Moscow to agree to a multi-point plan to end the war but there has been little sign of a breakthrough, despite both sides engaging with the process.
The latest US-Ukraine talks concluded over the weekend – with Zelensky saying he was “determined” to continue working with the US after speaking to Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
European leaders have pushed back against early versions of the US-led peace plan, which has since been revised after criticism it was too favourable towards Russia.
It has sought to win US support for its own proposals, including a European-led security force to police any peace deal in Ukraine, an idea that has been rejected by Moscow.
The original version of the US plan faced criticism from Ukraine and its allies for accepting Russian demands including on Nato involvement, restrictions to Ukraine’s army and control of the eastern Donbas region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has in turn rejected the revisions.
Despite blows to Russia’s economy and heavy losses on the battlefield, Putin has been unwilling to compromise on key points.
He has said Russia would take the Donbas by force if Ukraine did not cede control of the region, 85% of which is currently held by Russia.
“Either we liberate these territories by force, or Ukrainian troops will leave these territories,” Putin said in an interview with India Today.
While talks continued, Russia launched another large aerial bombardment on targets across Ukraine overnight into Sunday.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Russia had launched 653 drones and 51 missiles on Ukraine, triggering air raid alerts across the country.
Macron was among the European leaders to offer his “full solidarity” to Ukraine amid the attacks and that he would “continue efforts with the Americans” to secure peace.
Meanwhile, the US National Security Strategy, which was unveiled last week, did not consider Russia to be a threat to Europe.
Moscow responded that the strategy was consistent with its own vision and was a “positive step” forward.
With further diplomatic negotiations on the horizon, EU officials have urged the US to keep historic ties between the two continents intact.
“This is the only reasonable strategy of our common security,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said in response.
[BBC]
Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended till 1600 hrs on Tuesday [09]
President chairs Nuwara Eliya District Special Coordinating Committee Meeting
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