Sports
Australia secure Ashes retention as weather thwarts England
Australia have retained the Ashes after escaping a fourth Test dominated by England with a rain-ruined draw. They will leave Manchester on Monday morning with a 2-1 lead, and have the opportunity to clinch a first series win in England since 2001 at The Oval next week.
After only 30 overs of play were possible between showers on Saturday, Australia trailed by 61 runs in their second innings with five wickets remaining heading into the fifth day at Emirates Old Trafford. But persistent showers meant that Sunday’s play was abandoned without a ball bowled, with the draw finally confirmed at 5.24pm.
Heavy overnight rain delayed the start on the fifth day at Emirates Old Trafford, and planned inspections were then pushed back by persistent showers which swept across the ground. A start time of 1pm was announced during an early lunch break, but the rain returned almost immediately and then set in for the rest of the afternoon.
England’s players kicked a football around on the outfield, as if to signal their willingness to play, but eventually returned to the dressing room after being drenched. The rain only became heavier, with a substantial volume of standing water on the covers and puddles forming on the outfield.
By the time the umpires decided to call play off for the day, the vast majority of the sold-out crowd had gone home – with the Party Stand utterly deserted. Pat Cummins shook hands with Joel Wilson and Nitin Menon, before telling his team-mates that they could celebrate retaining the urn.
Ben Stokes spoke in the build-up to the Test about the prospect of the weather forecast forcing England to “push the game on even more” than usual and there was not much more they could have done. They scored at 5.49 runs per over in their only innings, and took 15 wickets in 161.2 overs in the field.
But the rain – and sluggish over-rates from both teams – limited the Test match to 269 overs, which proved insufficient for a result on either side. This was England’s first draw in the 17 matches they have played since Stokes’ appointment as captain last year, after 12 wins and four defeats.
For Australia, the result means that they cannot lose the series despite being on the back foot for the last two Tests. Four years ago, they left Manchester 2-1 up but lost at The Oval, missing the opportunity to win outright; they will be desperate to make amends next week.
Brief scores:
Australia 317 (Labuschagne 51, Marsh 51, Woakes 5-62)and 214 for 5 (Labuschagne 111) drew with England 592 (Crawley 189, Bairstow 99*, Root 84, Brook 61, Moeen 54, Stokes 51, Hazlewood 5-126)
(Cricinfo)
England Women 81 for 3 in 13.5 overs (Sophia Dunkley 22, Mala Bouchier 19*, Heather Knight 18; Bree Illing 1-20, Nensi Patel 1-07, Melle Kerr 1-18) beat New Zealand Women 80 in 19.1 overs (Isabella Gaze 17, Maddy Green 14, Jess Kerr 20; Linsey Smith 2-15, Issy Wong 1-20, Sophia Ecclestone 1-11, Charlie Dean 3-13, Dani Gibson 3-14) by seven wickets
Royal Challengers Bengaluru [RCB] might look at Gujarat Titans [GT] across the ring in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026, and wonder if they helped create this monster. When GT went to Bengaluru on April 24, they were still a conservative side straddling the middle of the table, and happy with a 57-ball hundred from their opener. But they have been a changed unit since RCB cruised to that chase of 206 against them that day.
Since that match, the halfway point for GT, their run rate has increased by nearly a run per over. That is 20 runs per innings. By the time they faced RCB next, they were giving more importance to balls remaining than to wickets in hand while chasing. When batting first, GT were looking to score above par; there has been a pair of 229s in the two matches they have batted first in since that Bengaluru debacle.
The thing with GT is that they have a team with such strong basics that they don’t need to make only subtle changes to their approach. Their control rate has gone from 80% to 75%. A little more risk, a lot more rewards. Their bowling has only become more streamlined over this period with Jason Holder adding constant threat to an already good attack. The result is a 6-1 win-loss record in the second half of their tournament.
RCB, though, have been solid throughout, carrying forward the change in approach that took them to the title last year. They won five in the first half and four in the second. They have consistently looked to finish matches early or set above-par scores when batting first. A second consecutive top-two finish is just rewards for being the most consistently good side over this period.
They will want to make it straight from Dharamsala to Ahmedabad, where they won their first title last year. Not only to make the final but to also hope to avoid meeting GT in a final at their home, something that should be the right of defending champions. Not least because GT are on a four-match winning streak at home, which includes two wins despite losing the toss.
RCB have used the fewest number of players this IPL, a sign of a settled unit. It would certainly have been fewer if not for the injury to Phil Salt, who is now back in India and racing against time to be ready in time for the playoffs. If he doesn’t make it, though, it brings in the temptation to drop Suyash Sharma for Jacob Duffy considering Suyash has not had a great IPL, and night games in Dharamsala can negate spinners. In fact, Dharamsala hosted the only completed match this season where no spin was used.
Venkatesh Iyer has made a case for himself in the limited opportunities he has got, but Salt should be a no-brainer as opener if he is fit.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable): Virat Kohli, Phil Salt/Venkatesh Iyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Jitesh Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy/Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam
GT have played the second-fewest number of players. They seem to have their first XI figured with Nishant Sindhu being persisted with as the extra batter. Their only doubt remains around the Impact Player: extra fast bowler in Prasidh Krishna or extra spinner in R Sai Kishore or Manay Suthar.
Gujarat Titans (probable): Shubman Gill (capt), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Nishant Sindhu, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna/R Sai Kishore/Manav Suthar
[Cricinfo]
Aken Thilakawardhana produced an impressive all-round display as St. Sylvester’s registered a huge 101-run victory over Sri Rahula, Katugastota in their Under 17 Division I first round cricket encounter at Katugastota on Monday.
Chasing a target of 219 runs for victory, the home team never looked in contention as wickets fell at regular intervals before they were bowled out for 117 runs in the 34th over.
St. Sylvester’s bowlers struck early to put Sri Rahula under pressure, with Sasiru Dineth and Sakuna de Silva reducing the hosts to 18 for three wickets. Aken then joined the attack to further dismantle the batting line-up, claiming three wickets to cap an outstanding all-round performance.
Aken, who had earlier contributed a valuable 48 runs with the bat, finished with impressive figures of 3 for 24.
Sri Rahula’s innings was led by Savinu Mendis, who top scored with 28 runs, but lacked support from the other batsmen as St. Sylvester’s maintained control throughout the chase. Sasiru Dineth returned figures of 3 for 33, while Sakuna de Silva too two for 23.
Earlier, put to bat first, St. Sylvester’s posted a competitive 218 all out in 49.2 overs after receiving a brisk start from opener Adithya Ranamukage. He raced to a half-century in just 35 deliveries, smashing nine boundaries and two sixes in an aggressive knock.
Nithil Herath contributed 25 runs, Keshan Perera made 27, while Aken added 48 to strengthen the innings. Vihanga Perera also chipped in with 23 runs.
For Sri Rahula, Chamindu Sathsara was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 55, while Shehan Weddagala, Praboth de Silva and Savinu Mendis claimed two wickets apiece.
Scores:
St. Sylvester’s
218 all out in 49.2 overs (Adithya Ranamukage 50, Nithil Herath 25, Keshan Perera 27, Aken Thilakawardhana 48, Vihanga Perera 23; Shehan Weddagala 2/31, Chamindu Sathsara 3/55, Praboth de Silva 2/24, Savinu Mendis 2/31)
Sri Rahula Katugastota
117 all out in 33.2 overs (Savinu Mendis 28; Sasiru Dineth 3/33, Sakuna de Silva 2/23, Aken Thilakawardhana 3/24). (RF)
Cabinet approves sale of Paddy stocks held by the Paddy Marketing Board
Amendment to the Promotion of Export Agriculture Act, No. 46 of 1992 to be gazatted
Ms. M.K.D.N. Madampe, appointed as Director General of the Department of Management Services
Cabinet approves collaboration agreement between Sri Lanka and Brazil for the implementation of the “Sugarcane Project in Sri Lanka”
Cabinet approval for Implementation of a Project for the Joint Exchange of Genetic Resources between Sri Lanka and Vietnam and the Development of High-Yielding and Salinity-resilient Rice Varieties.
Landslide Early Warnings issued to the Districts of Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura extended till1600 hrs on Wednesday [27]
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