Sports
Power Play overs cost us the game – Asalanka
Rex Clementine
in Dambulla
Sri Lanka’s cricket team has been riding high on a wave of success these past three months, but the forward march came to a grinding halt in the opening T20 International against the West Indies, as the team was blown away by a hurricane in the form of openers Brandon King and Ewin Lewis.
Sri Lanka posted a respectable 179 after being put in to bat, but West Indies turned the chase into a stroll in the park. Their openers amassed a staggering 107-run partnership in just nine overs, making the Power Play look like an express lane that Sri Lanka’s bowlers couldn’t close. Those six costly overs bled 74 runs, and though the bowlers fought tooth and nail to regain control after the openers were dismissed, the damage had already been done.
“We gave away too many runs in the Power Play,” Asalanka admitted to journalists post-game. “Going forward, we need to tighten up those overs. Our best bowlers come after the sixth over, but when you leak runs that freely up front, even they can’t always turn the tide.”
Sri Lanka had outplayed India on Colombo’s spin-friendly tracks in the July ODI series, forcing India’s free-flowing batsmen to stumble on pitches that turned. A similar spin-heavy approach was expected to keep the big-hitting West Indians in check. However, for the first T20, the pitch turned out to be a batting paradise – the kind West Indies relish. For them, it was as inviting as handing a politician a microphone.
“We’d hoped for pitches with a bit more bite,” Asalanka remarked, “but the rain’s been relentless. The covers were on most of the time to shield the pitch, adding moisture. It seemed to zip around a bit when we batted. Hopefully, we’ll get pitches with more spin as the series progresses.”
On a personal note, Asalanka had a stellar day with the bat, smashing 59 off 35 balls, and was well-supported by his schoolmate Kamindu Mendis, who added 51 off 40 balls, both combining for an 82-run fourth-wicket stand.
Kamindu’s been enjoying a purple patch since rejoining the team, scoring five Test centuries this year and even matching Sir Don Bradman’s record for the third-fastest player to reach 1,000 Test runs. Sunday marked his second T20 half-century.
“I’ve played alongside him since school,” Asalanka shared with a smile. “I’ve known his talent since he was just 13. It always felt like he should have broken into the senior side sooner, but now that he’s here, he’s leaving a mark. I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the games ahead.”
The ICC has decided to send officials to Dhaka this weekend to meet the BCB’s top brass in a bid to resolve the impasse over Bangladesh travelling to India for the T20 World Cup that starts in three weeks.
The ICC’s team is expected to provide the BCB with security details including an independent assessment as part of the discussions. The development comes days after the BCB reiterated its stance of not sending Bangladesh to play in co-hosts India’s venues owing to “security concerns.” So far meetings and discussions have taken place via video conference; this will be the first time the two parties will meet in person.
During the January 13 virtual meeting, the BCB asked the ICC to move Bangladesh, who are placed in Group C, outside India. However, the ICC said it would not tweak the original schedule, with the tournament start date – February 7 – less than a month away. Bangladesh are scheduled to play on that opening day, against West Indies, in Kolkata.
With relations between India and Bangladesh tense in recent times, the BCB sent a letter to ICC on January 4 stating it would not be safe for Bangladesh to travel to India for the World Cup where its four group matches are scheduled. That was in response to the BCCI “authorising” Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh left arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. No specific reason was given for that decision.
A Risk Assessment report for the World Cup, compiled by an independent security agency, and accessed by ESPNcricinfo, says the threat to teams playing in India is in the moderate-high band but there is “no information to indicate a direct threat against participating teams.”
The ICC shared that security assessment report with the BCB in their last call, which indicated no specific or heightened threat to the Bangladesh cricket team in India. The assessment was shared with the BCB’s security team and concluded there was no overall threat to the side, but pointed to low to moderate risks in some venues and low to nil in others – standard ICC categorisations around the world that do not ordinarily constitute sufficient reason to move games.
[Cricinfo]
Steven Hogan’s century, which included a 186-run stand with Nitesh Samuel, helped Australia brush aside Ireland for an eight wicket win in Windhoek.
After being put in to bat, Ireland openers James West and Freddie Ogillby were off to a slow start, before John James struck to remove West for 11. Sebastian Dijkstra was the next one to go, with Charles Lachmund pinning him in front in the 18th over. That brought Rob O’Brien to the crease, who then slowly rebuilt the innings in Ogilby’s company to put up a 43-run stand.
Offspinner Will Malajczuk, however, denied Ogilby his half-century, having him caught behind for 49 in the 29th over. O’Brien continued to build steadily and found the boundaries occasionally, before departing for a 98-ball 79 in the 49th over, helping push Ireland’s total to 235.
Australia got off to a strong start in the chase, with Malajczuk hitting a four and six in the first over. After he fell in the third over, Samuel and Hogan continued to build towards the target, scoring their half-centuries off 62 balls and 50 balls respectively. Their 100-run stand came up in the 21st over, and Hogan continued to find boundaries, bringing up his ton off 97 balls in the 32nd over.
Medium-pacer Luke Murray provided the breakthrough in the 36th over, having Hogan caught behind for 115. In his 111-ball stay, Hogan hit 11 fours and a six. By then, Australia needed only another 20 runs to win. Ollie Peake then joined Samuel, who finished unbeaten on 77, and together they completed the chase with 62 balls remaining to get Australia off to a rollicking start.
Brief scores:
Australia Under 19s 237 for 2 in 37.2 overs (Steven Hogan 115, Nitesh Samuel 77*; Luke Murray 1-46) beat Ireland Under 19s 235 for 7 in 50 overs (Freddie Ogilby 49, Rob O’Brien 79; Charles Lachmund 3-41) by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
England Under 19s 210 in 46.5 overs (Ben Dawkins 33, Caleb Falconer 66; Ali Raza 2-36, Ahmed Hussain 3-38, Abdul Subhan 2-24, Momin Qmar 2-45) beat Pakistan Under 19s 173 in 46.3 overs (Farhan Yousaf 65; Alex Green 2-21, James Minto 2-23, Ralphie Albert 2-23) by 37 runs
Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf lacked support even as he fought back from 85 for 6 in their chase of 211 against England. Yousaf scored 65 off 86 deliveries, but the next highest score from Pakistan was Momin Qamar’s 18*. Eventually, they were bowled out for 173 as England started with a 37 run win after themselves being rescued by Caleb Falconer.
England’s No. 5 arrived at 67 for 3 in the 16th over, which soon became 90 for 4 after 19 on a slow pitch where the ball kept low. But Falconer then added 80 for the fifth wicket with Ralphie Albert, and dominated that partnership. He scored 50 of those runs, and on the way, brought up a run-a-ball half-century in the 29th over.
Four overs later, Ahmed Hussain broke that partnership by bowling Albert for 25, and finished with 3 for 38 off his ten overs. Falconer fell for 66 off 73 deliveries soon after, and England’s tail folded quickly.
In the chase, Alex Green and James Minto reduced Pakistan to 28 for 3 in the ninth over. There were only brief recoveries thereafter: Hussain and Yousaf added 26, while Yousaf and Huzaifa Ahsan had a stand of 23. Batting with the tail, Yousaf kept Pakistan’s faint hopes alive. But once he was caught off Minto, Pakistan needed another 67 to win with two wickets remaining. That turned out to be too much for their tailenders.
Brief scores:
England Under 19s 210 in 46.5 overs (Ben Dawkins 33, Caleb Falconer 66; Ali Raza 2-36, Ahmed Hussain 3-38, Abdul Subhan 2-24, Momin Qmar 2-45) beat Pakistan Under 19s 173 in 46.3 overs (Farhan Yousaf 65; Alex Green 2-21, James Minto 2-23, Ralphie Albert 2-23) by 37 runs
[Cricinfo]
Trump names Tony Blair, Jared Kushner to Gaza ‘Board of Peace’
The Government is taking steps to regulate early childhood education to ensure quality education while enhancing the professionalism of preschool teachers. — PM
ICC officials to meet BCB in Bangladesh to solve T20 World Cup impasse
U – 19 World Cup: Hogan’s ton helps Australia brush aside Ireland
U-19 World Cup: England overcome Pakistan by 37 runs
U-19 World Cup: Afghanistan stun South Africa
‘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
-
Business3 days agoKoaloo.Fi and Stredge forge strategic partnership to offer businesses sustainable supply chain solutions
-
Business7 days agoDialog and UnionPay International Join Forces to Elevate Sri Lanka’s Digital Payment Landscape
-
Editorial2 days agoThe Chakka Clash
-
News7 days agoSajith: Ashoka Chakra replaces Dharmachakra in Buddhism textbook
-
Features7 days agoThe Paradox of Trump Power: Contested Authoritarian at Home, Uncontested Bully Abroad
-
Editorial13 hours agoCrime and cops
-
Features7 days agoSubject:Whatever happened to (my) three million dollars?
-
Business3 days agoSLT MOBITEL and Fintelex empower farmers with the launch of Yaya Agro App