Sports
Aruna to seek Olympic qualification in Bahamas
by Reemus Fernando
Sprinter Aruna Dharshana will seek to achieve Olympic qualifying standards when he competes in a World Athletics Silver lable meet conducted by North American and Caribbean Athletics Association in the Bahamas on June 16.
The Asian Games medallist is the sole Sri Lankan competitor taking part in the ‘B’ grade competition. He was set to leave for Bahamas yesterday.
Sri Lanka could not take part in the World Relays in Bahamas due to the delay in obtaining visas for their transit in the US. When the US embassy in Colombo issued visas finally there was barely any time left for the team to make the long journey to reach the Bahamas before the start of the event. But obtaining the US visas has not gone in vain as Dharshana uses it to take part in a competitive event where he will attempt 45.00 seconds in the 400 metres which is the direct qualifying standard for the distance.
Dharshana and experienced campaigner Kalinga Kumarage are currently ranked just outside the ‘ Road to Paris 2024’ rankings. They will have two more local competitions to improve their ranking before the qualifying period expires on June 30. They need to be within the top 48 in the ‘Road to Paris 2024’ rankings for them to compete in the Olympics.
Dharshana will be accompanied by Daminda Bandara as the manager and coach.
Sri Lanka Cricket have appointed Ramakrishnan Sridhar as the national team’s fielding coach, with his tenure set to run until the completion of the ICC men’s T20 World Cup in March next year.
A BCCI Level 3 qualified coach, Sridhar previously served as India’s men’s team fielding coach from 2014 to 2021. More recently, he served as a consultant coach with the Afghanistan team. He will now turn his attention to improving Sri Lanka’s fielding standards, working closely with the squad on the upcoming tours of Pakistan and England before overseeing preparations for the T20 World Cup.
“Sri Lankan players have always stood for instinctive brilliance, resilience, and collective spirit,” Sridhar was quoted as saying by an SLC release. “My role is not to impose a system, but to nurture an environment where athleticism, awareness, and pride in the field can grow naturally.”
Sridhar is already familiar with the Sri Lankan setup, having conducted a 10-day specialised fielding programme at the National High Performance Centre earlier this year. “Fielding thrives when players feel connected to the ball, to each other, and to the moment,” he added.
“Sri Lanka’s traditional strengths – quick hands, sharp reflexes, and fearless intent, can be further enhanced by creating realistic, game-like learning environments.” [Cricbuzz]
Venura Kaveethra excelled with a good double as Mahanama ended day one in a strong position in the Under 19 Division I cricket tournament match against Lumbini at Mattegoda on Wednesday.
Kaveethra shared seven wickets with paceman Geeth Sandaruwan to rattle Lumbini for a mere 63 runs and later put on a partnership of 118 runs for the fourth wicket with Sithum Vihanga.
Vihanga top scored with 82 runs while Kaushika Thilakarathne made 60.
Mahanama dominate at Mattegoda
Scores
Lumbini 63 all out in 25.2 overs (Venura Kaveethra 4/17, Geeth Sandaruwan 3/31, Thaviru Perera 2/07)
Mahanama
228 for 4 in 41 overs (Sithum Vihanga 82, Kaushika Thilakarathne 60, Venura Kaveethra 39n.o., Sanul Weerarathne 24; Mihisara Weerasinghe 2/53)
DSS post 234 for seven wickets at DSS ground against Richmond
Scores
DSS 234 for 7 in 72 overs (Mayuru Bandara 22, Janindu Ranasinghe 23, Shevan Menusha 68, Randisha Bandaranayake 41, Haamid Afdhal 27n.o., Chithum Baddage 25n.o. ; Minage Ariyadasa 2/63, Tenush Nimsara 2/65)
St. Sebastian’s 93 for 3 against Trinity at Asgiriya
Scores
St. Sebastians’ 93 for 3 in 41.5 overs (Kaveesha Perera 48n.o.)
by Reemus Fernando
Former fast bowler Pramodya Wickremasinghe will head Sri Lanka’s new national selection committee, which picks both men’s and women’s senior squads. Also in the committee are former cricketers Vinothan John, Indika de Saram, Rasanjali de Alwis and Tharanga Paranavithana.
While the committee headed by Upul Tharanga is now defunct, there is some continuity for this fresh committee, with Paranavitana and de Saram also having served under Tharanga. Wickramasinghe has been chief selector before – between 2021 and 2023 – with Sri Lanka men’s poor performance in the 2023 World Cup prompting his removal. He was also part of a selection committee headed by Sanath Jayasuriya – now head coach – between 2013 and 2015.
The change in selectors was announced by Sri Lanka’s sports ministry. SLC chief executive Ashley de Silva said the board had been involved in the process. Sri Lanka’s Sports Law dictates that such appointments go through the sports ministry.
“Sri Lanka Cricket sends a list of about ten names to the ministry, and they have chosen from that,” de Silva told ESPNcricinfo. “There is no term as such. The appointment is until further notice.”
De Silva also said that the Tharanga-led committee had simply come to the end of its term. Internally, there had been no push towards extending their term until the end of the men’s T20 World Cup in February and March. In fact, it had been a little over three weeks ago that Tharanga suggested captain Charith Asalanka may be replaced in the coming weeks. That decision now passes to the new committee, whose first major assignment will be to select the World Cup squad.
All five members of this new committee have represented Sri Lanka at the highest level. Both Paranavitana and de Saram played domestic cricket into this decade. John is the oldest selector among them, having played his last match for Sri Lanka in 1987.
[Cricinfo]
Officials of NMRA, SPC, and Health Minister under pressure to resign as drug safety concerns mount
China pledges full support for Lanka’s recovery
Pope fires broadside: ‘The Holy See won’t be a silent bystander to the grave disparities, injustices, and fundamental human rights violations’
Pakistan hands over 200 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Lanka
Ramakrishnan Sridhar appointed Sri Lanka’s fielding coach until T20 World Cup
Expert: Lanka destroying its own food security by depending on imported seeds, chemical-intensive agriculture
‘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
-
Business7 days agoCabinet approves establishment of two 50 MW wind power stations in Mullikulum, Mannar region
-
Features4 days agoWhy Sri Lanka Still Has No Doppler Radar – and Who Should Be Held Accountable
-
Features6 days agoDitwah: A Country Tested, A People United
-
News6 days agoRs 1. 3 bn yahapalana building deal under investigation
-
News7 days agoCabinet approves the transfer of the constructions and land reserved for the Kiinniya University to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism
-
Opinion6 days agoComfort for some, death for others: The reality of climate change
-
News6 days agoFormer SAARC SG Esala Weerakoon calls for ‘South Asian Climate Compact’
-
Business6 days agoFluctuating fortunes for bourse in the wake of selling pressure