Sports
Enjoy James Anderson’s skills for one last time
Rex Clementine at Galle Fort
Spinners dominate in Asia and fast bowlers have their work cut out in unresponsive and flat pitches. There are those of course who are crafty enough to overcome challenges and do their best to the team. James Anderson is one such. He was nicely setting up Sri Lankan batsmen on the opening day of the second Test in Galle that got underway on Friday.
With the new ball, he reduced Sri Lanka to seven for two– accounting for Kusal Perera (6) and Oshada Fernando (0) early in the innings.
Lahiru Thirimanne and Angelo Mathews ensured that there was not a repeat of the first Test – a collapse. Thirimanne was beginning to breathe easy. He added 69 runs for the third wicket with Angelo Mathews and Sri Lanka were 76 for lunch. In the second ball after lunch, Anderson struck again. His line and length were impeccable.
It was hot and humid in Galle. Anderson barely sent down a loose ball. Of his 19 overs on day one, ten were maiden. Such efficiency in Asia is rarely seen by a seamer. The likes of Sir Richard Hadlee, Wasim Akram and Mitchell Starc had done it before. Anderson is doing the job for England and that’s one reason why they have not lost a series in Sri Lanka since 2007.
Fast bowlers last a maximum of a decade and half. Rarely do they go beyond 15 years. Anderson has defied those numbers. Super fit at the age of 38, the Lancastrian is on his 19th year of international cricket and he may stretch it to two decades.
This is Anderson’s fifth tour to Sri Lanka. It is unlikely that he will visit the island again. So we must enjoy his art for one last time. He gets wickets with the new ball with his impeccable line and length and once the ball gets softer, he is deadlier reverse swinging the ball expertly.
Anderson is the world’s fourth highest wicket taker. The top three wicket takers are spinners and he is the leading fast bowler with 606 wickets so far. He has featured in a ‘small number’ of 158 Test matches. No fast bowler has featured in that many games.
When our fast bowlers are breaking down frequently barely lasting a full series, they have a lot to learn from Anderson who has gone onto achieve some remarkable feats.
Let’s enjoy Anderson’s skills for one last time.
Kusal Mendis and Binura Fernando have been ruled out of Sri Lanka’s upcoming T20I series against England, with the SLC saying that the two were “still undergoing rehabilitation” after injuries picked up at the 2026 Lanka Premier League.
The update came just over a day after the two were named in the 16-member squad, with Kusal retained as captain of both the T20I and the ODI sides.Charith Asalanka, who had returned to the vice-captain’s position for the series, will now lead the side in the T20Is. Though Kusal hasn’t been ruled out of the ODIs just yet, were he to miss out, Asalanka, as the designated vice-captain, might step in there too.
Kusal has been out of action since July 19 with a right hamstring injury, while Binura hasn’t played since August 5, SLC putting his absence down to a back injury.
Pavan Rathnayake, the 24-year-old top-order batter, has replaced Kusal in the T20I touring party, while Dilshan Madushanka, the fast bowler who was in the squad for the Tests against India recently but didn’t get to play, has come in for Binura.
(Cricinfo)
Devapathiraja College, Rathgama came up with a strong all-round performance to defeat Royal College, Colombo by 33 runs and secure the Under-15 Division I cricket title at the Ananda College Grounds on Thursday.
Chasing 193 to win, Royal looked well placed thanks to a determined 78 off 105 balls from Ramiru Thiranagama who scored eight boundaries. Herschel Dan chipped in with 33 off 69 balls and Ravinu Ranathunga made a brisk 22 off 21, but the middle and lower order struggled as Devapathiraja’s bowlers took wickets at regular intervals. After being 126 for three wickets at one stage, Royal lost their last seven batsmen for 33 run to be bowled out in the 44th over.
Diyath Sanjitha led the bowling attack with three for 47, ably supported by Deneth Dinuka’s three wickets, while Meneth Sankalana and Gauthem Surya picked up two apiece.
Batting first after winning the toss, Devapathiraja posted 192 for nine in their 49 overs. Shanidu Sineth Mikeshara anchored the innings with a patient 51 off 126 balls, while Gauthem Surya provided the acceleration with 45 from 56 deliveries, striking six fours and a six. Himansa Elithpriya (20), Denuwan Yositha (19) and an unbeaten 16 from Sineth Madhusanka helped push the total to a competitive mark.
Mahima Silva was Royal’s most economical bowler, returning figures of two for 22 from nine overs, while Wishmida Fernando also picked up two wickets.
The victory capped a successful campaign for Devapathiraja, who have now confirmed that they have formidable teams in each of the top three age categories. [RF]
Smriti Mandhana filled her batting coffers with her second T20I century, along the way surpassing Mithali Raj for the record for most runs in women’s internationals, to help India secure a second straight win on Thursday night in Dubai.
Hong Kong’s nerves showed on the field when they fell flat at the first sign of attack from India’s batters, and their timid approach in the chase further exposed the gulf in quality and experience. In the end, they lost by 137 runs – 13 more than what Mandhana managed on her own.
A second straight loss meant Hong Kong will only have some pride to play for, as a berth in the next round is now out of the equation.
India’s cautious start
At the end of five overs, India were 38 without loss – not concerning, but not dominating enough either. They took a while to suss up the lack of pace from the bowlers. Mandhana hogged much of the strike; Shafali Verma faced just six balls in the first five overs. Hong Kong couldn’t have been happier at having kept a lid on the scoring.
Shafali steps up
After a tight first over that went for just seven, offspinner Maria Lamplough was clobbered by Shafali for two fours and two sixes in a 22-run over that helped India take off.
Lamplough struggled for consistency and kept looping the ball up, with Shafali needing no second invitation. The first of the two sixes was a shovel over deep midwicket; the next even better – lofted inside-out over deep extra cover.
Shafali’s brief surge ended on 28 in the eighth over, when Marina took an excellent catch running in and diving full stretch from long-on off Ruchita Venkatesh’s bowling. By then, the openers had put on 74.
Mandhana prances towards record century
As new No. 3 Pratika Rawal took a while to gauge the pace of the surface, Mandhana reached her half-century – her 36th in T20Is – off 40 deliveries with a flat six over deep square. Mandhana’s default setting for much of this period was moving over to the off-side to set herself up for several variations of the slog in the arc between wide long-on and deep square.
Her next fifty came off just 18 deliveries. The century could’ve been nipped in the bud had she been taken at deep square leg in the 16th over off Siu Wai, but she accelerated even more soon after bringing up her century that helped her climb atop the list for most international hundreds in women’s cricket.
In the 18th over, she clobbered Venkatesh for three consecutive sixes, and in the same over also went past Mithali’s record for most international runs. This helped India finish strongly, the second half of their innings brought them 107 despite losing a clutch of wickets.
Nandani’s dream run continues
Coming off a three-for against Thailand, Nandani Sharma’s seam presentation and control was immaculate with the new ball as Hong Kong crawled to 4 for 1 in four overs. The wicket, off Mariko Hill, one of their most experienced batters, came off a superb in-ducker on the back of three successive away-swingers. Nandani added one more wicket to her kitty to finish with 2 for 6 off her three overs.
The collapse
The highest partnership of the innings was the 27 between Yasmin Daswani and Natasha Miles for the second wicket; a period where they hardly threw any caution to the wind, choosing instead to bat overs and gain some match time against an opponent they were playing for the first time in 14 years.
The partnership ended when Daswani’s attempt to heave into the leg side was intercepted by a leaping Bharti Fulmali at midwicket to give Deepti Sharma a wicket. Six balls later, Miles was out attempting to cut Prema Rawat’s sharp leg break, nicking behind to Richa Ghosh.
That was the start of the collapse, as India’s spinners closed in, each one getting onto the scorecard with a bagful. There were eight single-digit scores, with 15 the highest. They lost their last five wickets in 11 deliveries, collapsing from 54 for 5 to 56 all out.
India couldn’t have asked for an easier route into the semi-finals.
Scores:
India Women 193 for 5 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 124, Shafali Verma 28, Pratika Rawal 10, Richa Gosh 11, Harmanpreet Kaur 10; Marina Lamplough 2-46, Ruchitha Venkatesh 1-30, Joyleen Kaur 1-12) beat Hong Kong Women 56 in 16.2 overs (Natasha Miles 15, Yasmin Daswani 11, Marina Lamplough 14; Nandani Sharma 2-06, Shree Charani 2-16, Deepti Sharma 3-09, Prema Rawat 2-12) by 137 runs
[Cricinfo]
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka holds a bilateral meeting with Minister for Education and Skills Development of Bhutan
Prime Minister Meets His Majesty the King of Bhutan
Kusal Mendis, Binura Fernando ruled out of T20I series in England
SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa arrested by CIABOC
Devapathiraja clinch U15 Division I title with 33-run win over Royal
Mandhana’s record ton powers India into semi-finals
‘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
-
Features6 days ago“Wrap Me Up in My Blazer”— A Gentlemanly Bradby Reminiscence
-
Features5 days agoWhen Sri Lankan stories find their own voice
-
Features6 days agoJVP/NPP government as seen from outside by Lionel Bopage now domiciled in Australia
-
News5 days agoBASL takes exception to Justice Ganepola being denied a place in SC
-
Editorial7 days agoGovt. trying to dupe UN Rapporteur?
-
Features6 days agoProf. Savitri Goonesekere: What has she done?
-
News2 days agoDenied of promotion to SC despite vacancies, justice Gurusinghe retires
-
Latest News2 days agoGrade 5 scholarship exam results released