Sports
SL Youth players shine as Nalanda, St. Joseph’s continue unbeaten run
by Reemus Fernando
Sri Lanka Under 19 players including skipper Dunith Wellalage, Raveen de Silva, and Vinuja Ranpul excelled for their respective schools as St. Joseph’s and Nalanda concluded the league stage as group champions of the Under 19 Division I cricket tournament Tier ‘A’ competition on Tuesday.
At the match played at Hambantota, Raveen de Silva produced one of the best all-round performances of the tournament when he picked up four wickets after top-scoring with 104 runs to lead Nalanda to 57 runs victory over Richmond.
De Silva was ably supported in the batting department by Sri Lanka Youth cap Ranpul with whom he put on 194 runs for the third wicket. Their efforts powered Nalanda to 291 runs. While Ranpul scored seven fours and a six in his century, De Silva hammered 11fours and three sixes in his 81 ball knock.
Nalanda concluded the league stage unbeaten with five victories against their name. They are the champions in group ‘Y’. Richmond remain in the second place with three victories.
At Kotahena, the Joes overcame a fighting century by Sharujan Shanmuganathan to beat St. Benedict’s by 49 runs. Valuable half-centuries by Wellalage and Hiran Jayasundara helped the Darley Road team post 316 runs before Deshan Seneviratne led the bowling attack with a three-wicket haul to restrict the home team to 267 runs. Sri Lanka Youth Cap Shevon Daniel came up with good all round performances. The Joes concluded the league as champions in group ‘X’.
In Tier ‘B’, Isipatana regained the top position in group ‘Y’ as their late order batsmen helped them reach a target of 188 runs for the loss of seven wickets to beat St. Joseph Vaz’s College.
Lahiru Dawatage was the hero for St. Peter’s as his century helped the home team post 275 runs before cruising to 181 runs win over Dharmapala. The victory means the Petes further cement their top position in group ‘X’.
In the other Tier ‘B’ group ‘X’ match played yesterday, Mahinda registered a 79 run victory over St. Anthony’s, Wattala.
Match Results
Joes defy Sharujan to win at Kotahena
Scores:
St. Joseph’s
316 for 8 in 50 overs (Abishek Jayaweera 25, Shevon Daniel 29, Muditha Lakshan 25, Dunith Wellalage 74, Hiran Jayasundara 78n.o.; Sachin Senanayake 3/63)
St. Benedict’s
267 for 9 in 50 overs (Sharujan Shanmuganathan 108, Ashen De Soyza 33, Shenel Samarathunga 65, Yohan Soyza 21; Deshan Senaviratne 3/52, Shevon Daniel 2/58, Muditha Lakshan 2/50)
Raveen, Vinuja score centuries for Nalanda at Hambantota
Scores:
Nalanda
291 for 6 in 50 overs (Rusiru Vilochana 40, Vinuja Ranpul 100, Raveen de Silva 104; Kalpa Nethsara 2/48, Sharon Abhishek 2/65)
Richmond
234 all out 46.3 overs (Vishara Fernando 85, Janeth Kaushal 39, Malsha Tharupathi 30; Sajitha Vithanage 2/44, Raveen de Silva 4/53)
Tier ‘B’
Mahinda beat St. Anthony’s at Galle
Scores:
Mahinda
206 for 9 in 50 overs (Hareen Achintha 30, Pramesh Madubashana 45, Tharusha Dilshan 50, Ranmina Hettiarachchi 24n.o.; Pathum Vihaga 4/24, Amitha Sandeepa 4/36)
St. Anthony’s
127 all out in 42.3 overs (Abdul Rahuman 64; Tharusha Dilshan 4/30, Kushan Madusha 2/24, Hiruna Mandila 2/10)
Petes beat Dharmapala by 181 runs at Bambalapitiya
Scores:
St. Peter’s
275 all out in 49.3 overs (Lahiru Dawatage 117, Wanuja Kumara 29, Nimuthu Gunawardana 31, Niman Umesh 42; Ushan Galagedara 3/39, Thisara Sishara 3/52)
Dharmapala
94 all out in 29 overs (Pasindu Theekshana 24; Danal Hemananda 2/15, Wanuja Kumara 2/11, Niman Umesh 2/21, Shannon Rodrigo 2/06)
Isipatana win by three wickets at BRC
Scores:
St. Joseph
Vaz’s 187 all out in 44.4 overs (Chamath Fernando 76, Vishwa Rajapaksha 44; Akash Balakrishnan 3/21, Randunu Ganganath 3/23)
Isipatana
189 for 7 in 35.2 overs (Tharusha Nethsara 35, Yasith Kalupahana 44, Themiya Gunarathne 28, Randunu Ganganath 20n.o. ; Kaushan Wijerathne 2/42, Dhanuka Nirmal2/35, Raveen Chethana 2/35)
In his third IPL match, the 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi brought down to their knees seasoned pros from the best bowling unit in the tournament, some of whom have been playing for longer than he has lived.
The youngest T20 centurion, among the youngest handful centurions in all representative cricket, the second quickest century in the IPL in 35 balls, joint-most sixes – 11 – for an Indian in an IPL innings, highest boundary percentage in a T20 ton, with 94 of his runs coming in boundaries, Suryavanshi knocked off plenty of records. Oh, did we mention that it sealed the chase of 210 in 15.5 overs, the fastest successful chase of 200-plus in an IPL match, after Rajasthan Royals (RR) had lost three straight chases despite bossing 35 overs of those matches?
Suryavanshi’s opening partner Yashaswi Jaiswal played a lovely unbeaten T20 innings of 70 off 40, but he was the first one to admit he was left in the background by “one of the best innings I have seen”.
Suryavanshi tried to hit boundaries off 26 out of the 38 balls he faced. He nailed 15 of those attempts, but also got 25 off the 11 false shots when he tried to attack. The most impressive was a six over long-off off a slower hard-length ball from the tall Prasidh Krishna.
A perfect mix of intent, skill and luck. All at an age when most kids are dreaming of doing exactly what he did. Or do they even dare dream so high?
Surely, there must be teams thinking it is a matter of two wickets, and GT can be toppled. Yet their top three keep churning out runs while making them look easy and risk-averse. At the end of the 20 overs, GT had all their top three in the top six run getters in IPL 2025.
B Sai Sudarshan regained his orange cap, but he wasn’t quite at his most fluent. Dropped on nine, he was dismissed for 39 off 30, but thanks to Shubman Gill’s quick start, GT still had 93 in 10.2 overs. This was the fifth stand of 50 or more for the pair in just nine innings.
Sai Sudharsan’s wicket brought a period of lull created by Wanindu Hasaranga’s three boundaryless overs. There was a period of four overs for 23 runs, which Gill broke with two sixes off Yudhvir Singh’s pace in the 14th over. Immediately after that, Jos Buttler who had got off to a slow start of 7 off 10 balls, laid into Hasaranga first and then compatriot Jofra Archer.
Hasaranga’s figures were rearranged to 4-0-39-0, and Archer went for 19 in the 18th over. Thought RR pulled things back with just 21 runs off the two last overs, not many gave them a chance of avoiding being knocked out.
It might be tempting to think that RR had nothing to lose, which freed Suryavanshi up, but we have seen enough of him in the first two games to know he doesn’t need any external freedom. His first act of disdain came in the first over, off the second legal delivery he faced. Mohammed Siraj, rejuvenated after a break from international cricket, 12 wickets to his name, bowled on a good length, not half-volley, but Suryavanshi launched him over long-on.
At the start of the second over, Jaiswal was dropped, and he celebrated it with a six and three fours by the end of the third over. That was the last time Jaiswal enjoyed any kind of lead. Ishant Sharma was bowling that one extra over to Ricky Ponting in the Perth Test back in 2007-08. Suryavanshi was born in 2011.
Ishant tried to bounce the kid, the kid hooked him for six. He overpitched slightly, and Suryavanshi whipped him over midwicket. Ishant did him in with a slower one, but the momentum of charging down and his amazing bat speed put enough in the mis-hit to clear mid-off. Then he played the regulation cut so hard that the top edge flew over straight third for a six.
Missing Gill because of back spasms in the second innings, GT were being led by Rashid Khan, who went to the offspin of Washington Sundar to the two left-hand batters. At 21, Washington was helping India win the Gabba Test and with that the most ridiculous Test series win of all time. There are levels to it, he was being shown now. Pull, sweep, inside-out drive over cover, and we had the youngest IPL half-centurion of all time, and the quickest this season, in 17 balls.
Prasidh and Rashid brought some sanity to proceedings with ten runs in two overs. Prasidh is the second highest wicket taker this IPL. He is tall and generates disconcerting bounce from hard lengths. He can also bowl a mean slower ball into the pitch. That is exactly what he did. He might have expected some respect, but Suryavanshi hit him for a six over long-off off the back foot. The exclamation mark of the innings.
IPL debutant Karim Janat was just a lamb thrown to slaughter with his gentle medium pace as Suryavanshi hit a boundary off each ball of the 30-run tenth over to take RR to 144. And himself to 94 off 34. The asking rate was now only a trickle above a run a ball.
It was only fitting that the century came through a six. A six off someone who will be on the Mount Rushmore of T20 bowling. Rashid, who bowled four overs for just 24 amid all the mayhem. Just too quick and too accurate to punish. Suryavanshi kept trying without success, but finally broke even Rashid down.
It took a pinpoint yorker from Krishna to send Suryavanshi on a slow walk back. The night he made his debut, Suryavanshi went back with tears in his eyes despite having wowed everyone with a six first ball. He wanted to show more of his batting. Did he ever?
Brief scores:
Rajasthan Royals 212 for 2 in 15.5 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 101, Yashasvi Jaiswal 70*, Riyan Parag 32*; Prasidh Krishna 1-47, Rashid Khan 1-24) beat Gujarat Titans 209 for 4 in 20 overs (Sai Sudarshan 39, Shubman Gill 84, Jos Buttler 50, Washington Sundar 13; Joffra Archer 1-49, Maheesha Theekshana 2-35, Sandeep Sharma 1-33) by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
Bangladesh Under 19s leveled the Youth ODI series with nine wickets win over Sri Lanka Under 19s as they chased a target of 212 runs with 15 overs to spare at the CCC ground on Monday.
Chasing the target Bangladesh open batsman Zawad Abrar hammered an unbeaten 130 for them to seal the victory in the 35th over.
Abrar and skipper Azizul Hakim put on an unfinished partnership of 180 runs for the second wicket as the hosts toiled in vain for wickets.
Zawad Abrar’s unbeaten knock of 130 runs came in 106 balls and it included 14 fours and six sixes.
Skipper Hakim remained unbeaten on 69 runs after having scored five fours and three sixes. His knock came in 89 balls.
St. John’s College Jaffna speedster Kugadas Mathulan with one wicket was the only successful bowler for the hosts.
In contrast the open paceman of the visiting team, Al Fahad provided the keys for their success as he took six wickets to restrict the hosts to 211 runs.
Deciding to bat first Sri Lanka U19s lost wickets at reguler intervals before Mahanama College batsman Chamika Heenatigala and Gurukula College wicketkeeper batsman Dinura Dimansith joined to put on a partnership of 81 runs for the fifth wicket. Heenatigala for the second consecutive match top scored for the hosts (51 runs) and Dimansith made 47 in 52 balls. Both perished in the 45th over bowled by Fahad. Their dismissals proved to be crucial as the tailenders could add only 27 runs to the total.
Hartley College, Point Pedro spinner Vigneshwaran Akash was Sri Lanka’s match winner in the first Youth ODI.
Sri Lanka played the same XI that won the first Youth ODI by 98 runs.
Senuja Wanunegoda (50), Heenatigala (78n.o.) and Kavija Gamage (60n.o.) made half centuries in the first match played on Saturday, while Hartley College, Point Pedro spinner Vigneshwaran Akash took five wickets to restrict the visitors to 143 runs.
The two teams will meet in the third Youth ODI on Thursday.
Scores:
Sri Lanka U19s 211 all out in 48.5 overs (Dulnith Sigera 23, Dimantha Mahavithana 39, Chamika Heenatigala 51, Dinura Dimansith 47; Ak Fahad 6/44, Iqbal Hossain Emon 2/37)
Bangladesh U19s 215 for one in 34.3 overs (Zawad Abrar 130n.o., Azizul Hakim 69n.o.)
Taijul Islam sparked Zimbabwe’s batting collapse on the first day of the second Test between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, in Chattogram. He took the 16th five-wicket haul of his career, finishing the day with 5 for 60. The visitors were steadily batting at 200 for 4 at one stage, before Taijul got into the act with three quick wickets and a run-out. Zimbabwe eventually finished day one on 227 for 9, a far cry from how positively they had started their innings.
Sean Williams top-scored with 67, while Nick Welch got 54, before cramps on his hands forced him off the field shortly after tea. Welch was Taijul’s fifth wicket. Meanwhile, Nayeem Hasan picked up two wickets, and debutant Tanzim Hasan took one.
Zimbabwe began brightly, with Brian Bennett striking five boundaries in the first ten overs. He was lucky with the first one, but it was followed by a scrumptious straight drive, and his trademark cover drive. But once again, Bennett got caught behind trying to drive on the up to give Tanzim his first Test wicket.
Bangladesh could have had their second in a short span, but Shadman Islam dropped a sitter to give Welch a life in the 14th over. At that time, Welch was on 1. Shortly afterwards, Ben Curran and Welch went on a six-hitting spree. Curran slammed Mehidy Hasan Miraz over midwicket before Welch stunned Tanzim with a pull that produced a sweet sound off the bat. Welch followed it up with a slog-swept six against Mehidy in the following over.
Taijul removed Curran shortly afterwards, getting him to inside edge the ball on to his leg stump for 21 off 50 balls. But Zimbabwe consolidated by not losing a single wicket in the second session. Welch, who had struck a few boundaries in the morning, was more circumspect in the afternoon, adding just 22 runs in 77 balls after lunch. Williams, though, dominated their third-wicket partnership, hitting six fours during this time at the crease.
Williams struck the ball sweetly through the covers for two boundaries, apart from two more through point, and on the leg side each. His only six came against Mehidy, as he skipped down the wicket to deposit him over long-on.
Williams and Welch got into a mix-up once in the 33rd over, but Bangladesh messed up the chance with poor communication among themselves. First, the point fielder threw at the wrong end. Wicketkeeper Jaker Ali, to whom the throw went, in turn threw poorly towards the non-striker’s end while Williams struggled to get back. Zimbabwe’s only worry towards the end of the second session was Williams and Welch both suffering cramps. Williams needed attention on his calf and hamstring, while Welch’s hands were cramping up.
Welch, however, didn’t last long after tea, when he walked off with cramps after just playing one ball. Nayeem then got into the act, removing the Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine for 5. Williams was next to go, Tanzim taking the catch brilliantly at backward square leg. He struck a six and seven fours in his patient 67 off 166 balls.
Bangladesh conceded just 18 runs in the first 16 overs of the final session, before Wessly Madhevere struck a couple of boundaries against Nayeem. Taijul, however, removed Madhevere with a beautiful delivery that spun slightly away, and dismissed him for 15.
Taijul continued Zimbabwe’s collapse with the wickets of Wellington Masakadza and Richard Ngarava in the first over with the second new ball. Tafadzwa Tsiga was run-out after falling way short of the crease at the non-striker’s end, before Welch returned to the crease to continue his innings. It didn’t last long, though, as Taijul bowled him to complete his five-for.
Brief scores:
Zimbabwe 227 for 9 in 90 overs (Brian Bennett 21, Ben Curran 21, Sean Williams 67, Nick Welch 54, Taijul Islam 5-60, Nayem Hasan 2-42) vs Bangladesh
[Cricinfo]
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