Sports

Akeesha, Movindi win U14 doubles title

Published

5 years ago

2021/03/9

SSC Open Ranking Tennis

Akeesha Silva and Movindi Fernando won the Under-14 girls doubles title while Anandians Ransath Peiris and Hasal Ahangama and Ave Maria Convent’s Vishmi Serasinghe registered crucial wins in the singles before the evening proceedings of the SSC Open Ranking Tennis tournament was affected by rain on Monday.

Akeesha Silva and Movindi Fernando beat Inuki Jayaweera and Melasha Randini to clinch the Under 14 girls’ doubles title. They overcame a set defeat to win the trophy scoring 1-4, 4-2, 11-9.

Ransath Peiris and Hasal Ahangama won their respective semi-finals to make it an all Ananda final in the Under-18 boys’ singles.

While Peiris fought back from a set defeat to beat Anujaya Abeywickrama, Ahangama triumphed over Mateesh Nettasinghe in straight sets.

In the Under-18 girls’ singles semis Serasinghe beat Ruvi Lewkebandara 6-3, 3-6, 10-5, while Nelani Jayasuriya and Anithra Dharmarathne were set all in their match when rain prevented further play.

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Chamuditha’s 110, Akash four-for keep Sri Lanka’s hopes alive in Super Six

Published

1 hour ago

2026/01/29

Priyan

Viran Chamuditha scored a match-winning century (Cricinfo)

Viran Chamuditha’s 94-ball 110 helped Sri Lanka Under 19 chase 262 and keep their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Men’s Under-19 World Cup 2026 alive. Sri Lanka will now have to hope Afghanistan lose to Ireland; otherwise, Afghanistan will go through. South Africa on the other hand, have lost all four of their games and are placed fifth in the six-team group.

The day began well for South Africa Under-19, who won the toss, chose to bat and added 96 for the first wicket. Once Vigneshwaran Akash got Adnaan Lagadien, Jorich Van Schalkwyk – the other opener – had to do the bulk of the scoring, with regular wickets falling at the other end.

Akash finished with a four-for and Kavija Gamage got two. There was a missed chance off Van Schalkwyk in the 21st over off Gamage, when he was on 50.

Van Schalkwyk made Sri Lanka pay with a 130-ball 116, featuring 13 fours and two sixes. After he fell, Paul James (37* off 36) and Michael Kruiskamp (21* off 15) gave South Africa a good finish, with an unbeaten 40-run stand off 31 balls.

Sri Lanka’s chase started shakily as Dimantha Mahavithana fell cheaply to Kruiskamp. Chamuditha then began a match-defining 143-run stand off 130 balls with Senuja Wekunagoda. Chamuditha contributed 85 of those run, and brought up his century during his stand with captain Vimath Dinsara, who chipped in with 32 off 38 balls.

Chamuditha finished with 13 boundaries and a six. After he fell, there were two handy partnerships of 31 and an unbeaten 28 between Chamika Heenatigala and Dulnith Sigera, which took Sri Lanka home with four overs to spare.

Brief scores:

Sri Lanka Under 19s 265 for 5 in 46 overs (Viran Chamuditha 110, Senuja Wekunagoda 48, Vimath Dinsara 32; M8chael Kruiskamp 2-59, Come Botha 2-37) beat South Africa Under 19s 261 for 7 in 50 overs (Jorich Van Schalkwyk 116, Adnaan Lagadien 46, Paul James 37* ; Vigneshwaran Akash 4-64, Kavija Gamage 2-61) by five wickets

Akash Vigneswaran celebrates a wicket with his team-mates, South Africa vs Sri Lanka, Under-19 World Cup, Bulawayo, January 29, 2026 (Cricinfo)

(Cricinfo)

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Rathnayake in Sri Lanka squad for England T20Is; Thushara, Kamindu left out

Published

16 hours ago

2026/01/29

Priyan

Pavan Rathnayake made his maiden ODI hundred against England [Cricinfo]

Pavan Rathnayake has re-entered Sri Lanka’s T20I squad following his 121 off 115 balls in the third ODI against England. Omitted from the squad to play England in three T20Is, however, are fast bowler Nuwan Thushara and batting allrounder Kamindu Mendis. Legspinner Dushan Hemantha has also been left out.

Left-arm-spinning allrounder Dunith Wellalage retains his place in the T20I squad, though he hasn’t played a T20I since September. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga are the two other frontline spinners. Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka – who both bowl fingerspin – are in the squad too.

On the seam-bowling front, Eshan Malinga and Pramod Madushan are in the squad, in addition to Dushmantha Chameera and Matheesha Pathirana. Thushara had been a consistent presence in Sri Lanka’s T20I squads over the past two years, but his omission comes after several modest performances since September.

Aside from Rathnayake’s inclusion, the batting is largely as expected, with Kusal Perera coming back in the only format he now plays.

Sri Lanka are yet to announce their squad for the T20 World Cup, which will start on February 7. Teams have time till January 31 to make changes to squads, following which they will have to get the approvals from the ICC to make changes.

Sri Lanka squad for England T20Is:

Dasun Shanaka (capt.), Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana, Eshan Malinga

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U19 World Cup: Peake ton fires Australia into the semis

Published

16 hours ago

2026/01/29

Priyan

Australia captain Oliver Peake scored a superb century [Cricbuzz]

Australia qualified for the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup after beating West Indies by 22 runs in Harare courtesy of their captain Oliver Peake. The left-hander scored 109 off 117 balls to take Australia to 314 for 7 in the Super Six fixture. West Indies came close as Zachary Carter (64) and captain Joshua Dorne (62) scored sixties but they lost their way towards the death as they eventually ended at 292 for 9.

After West Indies opted to bowl at the HSC, the Australian openers – Will Malajczuk and Nitesh Samuel – once again gave them a good start with the former continuing to power the runs. They brought up the 50-run stand in the seventh over but Malajczuk’s fell on 48, as the 73-run stand in the ninth over. Steven Hogan fell cheaply as R’Jai Gittens picked up his second. Samuel and Peake then put on 85 runs in decent time for the third wicket as the former also moved past 50. But West Indies continued to stem the flow of runs which eventually led to the wicket of Samuel for 56. Peake moved to 50 in the next over and found an able partner in ‘keeper batter Alex Lee Young (45).

The duo began to find boundaries regularly between overs 31-40 and began to set up for a big finish but Young fell in the 41st over. Peake and Jayden Draper then combined to score 76 runs in the last nine overs. Jakeem Pollard picked up Draper and Aryan Sharma in back-to-back overs but Peake got to his century in style with a six down the ground in the last over. He was run-out off the last ball of the innings.

West Indies didn’t want to go down without a fight. Tanez Francis and Carter began to deal in boundaries straight away, espeically the latter as the 50-run stand came inside six overs. Carter raced to 50 off 29 balls, and the onslaught in the first 10 overs saw the chasing side knock 84 off the total. Charles Lachmund broke the dangerous stand as Francis was adjudged LBW but the runs continued to flow as Carter and Jewel Andrew took them past 100 in the 14th over.

Naden Cooray picked up the big wicket of Carter off his first delivery, much to Carter’s fury. Andrew fell in the 27th over after playing a fine hand of 44. Kunal Tilokani and Dorne batted the next period of close to 14 overs, as they found the occassional boundary but a bunch of quiet overs continued to take the required run-rate upwards. Dorne brought up his 50 off 81 balls as the game was heading towards a tight finish.

With 83 required off the last ten overs, Lachmund picked up the big wicket of Tilokani while Hayden Schiller scalped Dorne, dragging two new batters to the middle. The equation rose to 59 off the last 30 balls, and Jonathan van Lange began to flex his muscles, scoring 22 off the next two overs. Lachmund picked his third of the game as Shaquan Belle skied one to long-on. Aryan Sharma picked up van Lange and Gittens off successive deliveries as Australia began to assert their dominance. Lachmund scalped his fourth with the wicket of Vitel Lawes in the last over as Australia marched to the final-four undefeated.

Brief Scores:
Australia Under 19s 314/7 in 50 overs (Oliver Peake 109, Nitesh Samuel 56; Jakeem Pollard 2-37, R’Jai Gittens 2-45) beat West Indies Under 19s 292/9 in 50 overs (Zachary Carter 64, Joshua Dorne 62; Charles Lachmund 4-66, Aryan Sharma 2-47) by 22 runs

[Cricbuzz]