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Rana’s 10-wicket haul wraps up India’s victory over South Africa

Published

9 months ago

2024/07/1

Priyan

Shafali Verma set the game up and helped finish it off [BCCI]

India won the one-off Test against South Africa by 10 wickets on the final session of the final day at Chepauk, keeping the visitors winless in the series so far. Shafali Verma’s double-century, Smriti Mandhana’s 149, Sneh Rana’s sensational 10-wicket haul were multiple high-points for India. The match will also be remembered for the way South Africa fought hard for almost 240 overs in testing conditions.

That South Africa forced India to bat for the second time after declaring at 603 for 6 showed the visitors’ extraordinary determination, coming on the back of the limited red-ball practice. From being bowled out for 266 in the first innings, South Africa rose thanks to centuries each from Laura Wplvaardt and Sune Luus and a resolute Nadine de Klerk to keep the contest alive till the final session.

South Africa started a gloomy day four on 232 for 2, trailing by 105 runs, with Wolvaardt seven short of her maiden hundred. She brought up her century in 259 balls, punishing anything short and wide of off stump, but 15 overs into the game, South Africa lost Marizanne Kapp when she played down the wrong line and was trapped lbw by Deepti Sharma. Delmi Tucker was the next one to fall in the following over when Jemimah Rodrigues took a sharp at cover off Rana. Not long after that, left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad, in her first over of the day, dismissed Wolvaardt for 122. After pitching the first four balls outside off stump, she darted one on middle and leg and it went in quicker than Wolvaardt anticipated to trap her in front.

Thirty overs, 70 runs, three wickets in the morning. India needed just five more for victory but were made to toil for those.

The afternoon session was a quiet one with South Africa scoring 34 runs in 29 overs. De Klerk was an unsung hero in that period. There was joy in her slow-burn, and was a test of her ability to play the long game. She is usually ultra-aggressive in white-ball cricket. De Klerk spent 213 minutes on the field, and notched up her maiden Test fifty in 174 balls with seven fours. It was one of the great blockathons, almost giving away nothing to the Indian spinners.

Sinalo Jafta, retired hurt due to lower limb cramps at 9, came back to bat in the second session, lasting 36. At tea, South Africa were 336 for 8, trailing by one run and seemed like they would bat out the overs to eke out a draw if de Klerk continued her resilience.

But then, a wicket came out of nowhere. Shafali, in her third over of the second innings, got one to turn in to clean up Masabata Klaas. In the next over, Gayakwad ended de Klerk’s innings with a flighted delivery to disturb her stumps. South Africa had managed to push into the lead, but it was only 36 runs. Shafali and Shubha Satheesh, who came in ahead of Smriti Mandhana, took 9.2 overs to chase it down.

The focus shifts to the T20Is quickly in a few days’ time but this was cricket at its finest at Chepauk, where women’s Tests returned for the first time since 1976.

Brief scores:
India Women 603 for 6 dec in 115.1 overs (Shafali Verma 205, Smriti Mandhana 149, Jemimah Rodrigues 55, Richa Ghosh 86, Harmanpreet Kaur 69; Delmi Tucker 2-141) and 37/0 in 9.2 overs (Shafali Verma 24*) beat South Africa Women 266 in 84.3 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 20, Anneke Bosch 39, Marizanne Kapp 74, Sune Luus 65, Nadine de Klerk 39; Sneh Rana 8-77, Deepti Sharma 2-47) and 373 in 154.4 overs (Sunee Luus 109, Laura Wolvaardt 122, Marizanne Kapp 31, Nadine de Klerk 61; Sneh Rana 2-111, Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2-55, Deepti Sharm 2-95) by 10 wickets

[Cricinfo]

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May this Eid-ul-Fitr bring peace, reconciliation and the fulfillment of our shared hopes for a new era of renewal and prosperity – President

Published

10 hours ago

2025/03/31

Priyan

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his Eid-ul-Fitr message wished that, this Eid-ul-Fitr bring peace, reconciliation and the fulfillment of our shared hopes for a new era of renewal and prosperity.

The full text of the President’s message:

“Eid-ul-Fitr, celebrated by Muslims worldwide after a month of fasting and upon sighting the new moon, holds great significance in the Islamic religious calendar.

Fasting during Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam, embodies the values of sacrifice, self-discipline and simplicity by distancing oneself from worldly desires. This period serves as a reminder of the importance of generosity towards those suffering from hunger and as an opportunity for self-restraint and spiritual growth, which devout Muslims deeply cherish.

As Sri Lanka undergoes various social, economic and political transformations, the teachings of Islam provide an excellent example for building a society rooted in freedom, equality, solidarity and human dignity. I strongly believe that these values serve as guiding principles in our collective journey toward a just and harmonious nation.

Furthermore, as we strive to foster a responsible and ethical political culture, one that values accountability over corruption and the misuse of public resources, the principles of self-restraint and sacrifice emphasized during Ramadan offer an inspiring model. They remind us of the need to cultivate a governance system that is sensitive to the aspirations and well-being of its people.
Eid-ul-Fitr is a celebration that transcends religious boundaries, promoting unity, compassion and selflessness. On this auspicious occasion, I extend my heartfelt wishes to all Sri Lankan and global Muslim communities.

May this Eid-ul-Fitr bring peace, reconciliation and the fulfillment of our shared hopes for a new era of renewal and prosperity.
Eid Mubarak!”

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IPL 2025: Rana, Hasaranga give Rajasthan Royals first points with tight win

Published

10 hours ago

2025/03/31

Priyan

Wanidu Hasaranga picked four wickets to dent CSK in the chase. [BCCI]

Rajasthan Royals clinched a thrilling six-run victory over Chennai Super Kings to bring up their first win of IPL 2025. Starring with the bat for the Royals was Nitish Rana who hit a powerful 81 before Wanindu Hasaranga helped defend the total with crucial strikes right through .

Where was the match won?
While Rana’s onslaught in the powerplay set RR up to get a total that was above-par, CSK had managed to pull things back at the back-end. In the chase, however, RR managed to keep things in control with regular strikes right through. The chief architect of that was Wanindu Hasaranga who struck at important junctures not allowing CSK to get away.

RAJASTHAN ROYALS

Powerplay – Nitish Rana runs amok
Phase score – 79/1 [RR: 13.16; 4s/6s: 9/5]

Nitish Rana found himself coming in just the first over of the innings after Yashasvi Jaiswal chipped a simple catch to mid off. What had started off well for Khaleel Ahmed and CSK, who had opted to bowl, soon took a turn for the worse. Rana hit the second ball he faced for a boundary to get going. Jamie Overton, making his IPL debut, was carted for 14 runs in his first over and 16 in his next as CSK struggled to get their lengths right. In a bid to shake up things, R Ashwin was brought in but Rana employed the sweep behind square to good effect as RR picked up 19 in that over. Khaleel erred in lengths once again in his third over of the powerplay and allowed Rana to cash in further on a surface that was not offering much for the bowlers. Out of RR’s 79 inside the powerplay, Rana alone accounted for 58.

Middle overs – Spinners pull things back for CSK
Phase score – 66/4 [RR: 7.33; 4s/6s: 4/2]

Rana remained CSK’s biggest threat from one end but Noor Ahmed managed to strike straightaway at the other bagging a well-set Sanju Samson caught at long off. It helped apply the brakes on the scoring-rate although RR had a good base already. Rana though was taking one of CSK’s main weapon in R Ashwin out sweeping him for another four and a six when the offspinner returned. But Ashwin had the last laugh throwing one wide when Rana danced down the track early to be stumped for a 36-ball 81. This helped further CSK’s cause as they applied the squeeze through their spinners. Both Ahmed and Ravindra Jadeja chipped in getting Dhruv Jurel and Wanindu Hasaranga caught off mishits as CSK bounced back successfully.

Death overs – RR stutter at the finish
Phase score – 37/4 [RR: 7.4; 4s/6s: 2/2]

Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer, who was dropped first ball, were the only other batters from RR who found the boundaries apart from the top-order. But neither could get them at the frequency that RR would have liked. Parag was yorked by Pathirana in the 18th over while Hetmyer was caught in the final over. Through it all CSK stitched together overs without boundaries that helped keep them in the game. RR still managed to get past 180 thanks to the initial onslaught from Rana.

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

Powerplay – Blows exchanged in tight phase
Phase score – 42/1 [RR: 7; 4s/6s: 6/1]

The Guwahati pitch began to assist the pacers more as the game progressed and both Jofra Archer and Tushar Deshpande extracted appreciable bounce from it straihgtaway. The former got one of the balls to kick up and angled across Rachin Ravindra to have him caught behind. Shot-making was not easy through the line in this phase with Ruturaj Gaikwad also being struck on the elbow once. After Archer’s maiden over to start, CSK had put on only 5 on the board after the first three overs. But gradually both Gaikwad and Rahul Tripathi found other ways to get the boundaries. They began to use the pace behind square on the onside and put the bowlers off their lengths. As a result, CSK got some useful boundaries in the latter half of the powerplay which helped get the chase back on track.

Middle overs – Hasaranga keeps CSK in check
Phase score – 80/3 [RR: 8.88; 4s/6s: 6/3]

This was a phase of play that CSK were threatening to break free with wickets in hand. But Rajasthan were almost single-handedly kept in the game by Wanindu Hasaranga’s three strikes through the middle overs. He struck with his first ball having Tripathi caught at deepmidwicket. But CSK had their best spin-hitter in Shivam Dube walk in and he took the attack straight back to Hasaranga hitting him for a six down the ground. He continued the onslaught in Hasaranga’s next over hitting him for a four and a six, readying to get that one big over that could tilt the equation. But Dube fell immediately after thanks to a magical catch at cover by a diving Riyan Parag. But CSK hit back through their skipper Gaikwad who picked up three boundaries off Kumar Kartikeya to keep the run-rate up. When he needed more support at the other end, Vijay Shankar briefly promised to do so hitting Hasaranga for a six but only to be fooled by a googly off the very next ball. Gaikwad brought up his fifty soon after but heading into the final five overs, CSK needed 61 with a set Gaikwad being their biggest bet.

Death overs – CSK fall just short
Phase score – 54/2 [RR: 10.8, 4s/6s: 2/4]

Hasaranga once again played his part in the final overs with Gaikwad trying to take charge. CSK’s captain managed to tonk Hasaranga down the ground for a crucial six but became the legspinner’s fourth victim of the night when he holed out to long on next ball to fall for 63. Hasaranga finished with figures of 4-35 and ensured that he played a major part in RR’s defence of a middling total. For CSK, the onus lied on Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni to make a match out of this in the final stages of the game. RR got back Matheesha Theekshana for the 18th over and the spinner conceding only six with no boundaries, leaving CSK needing 39 off 12. Both the experienced campaigners picked up a six apeice from Tushar Deshpande’s penultimate over and got 19 in all leaving Sandeep Sharma to defend 20 in the final over. Interestingly, RR had turned to him even though jofra Archer [3-1-13-1] had an over left. But to their relief, Sharma saw Dhoni drag a low full toss wide of deepmidwicket where Hetmyer took a sharp running catch under pressure. Sharma saw off the threat from debutant Overton, who lofted him for one six, to eventually take RR home as CSK fell 6 runs short.

Brief Scores:
Rajasthan Royals 182/9 in 20 overs (SanjuSamson 20, Nitish Rana 81, Riyan Parag 37, Shimron Hetmyer 19; Khaleel Ahmed 2-38, Ravichandran Ahwin 1-46, Noor Ahmed 2-28, Matheesha Pathirana 2-28, Ravindra Jadeja 1-10) beat Chennai Super Kings 176/6 in 20 overs (Rahul Tripathy 23, Ruturaj Gaikwad 63, Shivam Dube 18, Ravindra Jadeja 32*, MS Dhoni 16, Jamie Overton 11*; Wanindu Hasaranga 4-35, Jofra Archer 1-13, Sndeep Sharna 1-42) by 6 runs

What next?

Both teams have a five day-gap before their next encounter on April 05 when CSK host the Delhi Capitals while Rajasthan Royals go to Mullanpur to take on the Punjab Kings on the same day.

[Cricbuzz]

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Myanmar quake toll passes 1,600 as people dig for survivors with bare hands

Published

2 days ago

2025/03/30

Priyan

The Red Cross has warned that about 90 people may still be trapped under this apartment block in Mandalay [BBC]

The number of people known to have died following the devastating earthquake in Myanmar has risen to more than 1,600, with people in some areas telling the BBC they had been left to dig through rubble for their loved ones with their bare hands.

An acute lack of equipment, patchy communication networks and wrecked roads and bridges were also hampering the search for survivors.

The quake has flattened much of Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city. There was applause when rescuers pulled a woman alive from the wreckage of a 12-storey apartment block some 30 hours after it collapsed, but the Red Cross says more than 90 people may still be trapped there.

In a nearby township, rescue workers found the bodies of 12 preschool children and a teacher under a building housing a kindergarten.

Cracks and surface distortions to the main highway between the biggest city Yangon, the capital Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay had caused severe transport disruptions, UN humanitarian agency OCHA said.

There were also shortages of medical supplies including trauma kits, blood bags, anesthetics, essential medicines and tents for health workers, it said.

Although rescue teams have been at work since yesterday and international aid has begun to enter the country, help is yet to reach the worst-hit areas and ordinary people have been trying to dig survivors out by hand.

Widely shared footage shows two men moving rubble to pry out a young woman trapped between two concrete slabs.

The BBC has spoken to locals who said that people were screaming for help from under the debris.

Elsewhere, other rescue workers have been listening out for signs of life. ”We can only rescue people when we hear them,” one said.

Earlier on Saturday, a rescue team in the Sintkai township in Mandalay’s Kyaukse district pulled out a number of people trapped in the debris of a private school. Six of them – five females and one male – had died by the time the rescue teams arrived. Among the victims were students, teachers and school staff.

A lack of equipment is greatly slowing down the rescues, a worker told BBC Burmese: “We are making do with the equipment we have. We have been trying for hours to pull out a girl trapped under the collapsed school.”

Another worker in Mandalay told a BBC reporter in Yangon that communication had been near impossible.

“The main thing is that we don’t have internet lines, we don’t have phone lines, so it’s very difficult to connect with each other. The rescue team has arrived. But we don’t know where it will go, because the phone lines are down.”

A Mandalay resident said people were doing their best in the chaotic circumstances.

“There is no coordination in the rescue efforts, no one to lead them, or tell them what to do. Locals have had to fend for themselves. If they find dead bodies in the debris, they don’t even know where to send the bodies; hospitals are overwhelmed and unable to cope,” the resident said.

The junta has put the number of damaged buildings in the Mandalay region, the epicentre of the earthquake, at more than 1,500. Power outages have exacerbated the situation, and according to officials restoring power could take days.

Mandalay airport is not functional as the runways were damaged during the earthquake. The military council said that it had been working to resume operations and a temporary hospital, medical relief camp and shelter have been set up there.