Sports
Bashan, Kaveen take day’s top honours
Under 17 Division I Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
St. Aloysius’ College, Galle skipper Bashan de Silva, Maris Stella College batsman Kaveen Fernando and Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda spinner Lahiru Kavinda produced notable performances as their teams recorded impressive victories in the Inter School Under 17 Division I tournament matches played on Monday.
Bashana produced the day’s best all-round performance taking five wickets with his off spin to (9-1-33-5) contain Mahinda to 205 runs. Later he anchored the batting line up with an unbeaten 67 runs (in 93 balls, 6x4s) to pull off a nerve tingling one wicket win at Galle International Stadium.
At Godigamuwa, Kaveen Fernando top scored with 108 runs in 95 balls (14x4s, 3x6s) for Maris Stella to post 326 runs, the highest team score of the day. In reply Suban Sanuka also scored a century but lack of support from the rest of the batsmen saw Galahitiyawa Central losing by 73 runs.
Spinner Lahiru Kavinda returned impressive figures 5.5-1-18-5 to set the stage for Sri Devananda to record 72 runs win over Devapathiraja.
Quick fire half centuries by Viduneth Wilson (59 in 42 balls, 10 fours and a six) and Kojitha Himsara (79 in 47 balls, seven fours and five sixes) powered St. Benedict’s to a crushing nine wicket win over Henegama Central as the home team cruised to 161 runs in 17 overs.
While Royal had Bulan Weeratunga coming up with all-round performances to beat Isipatana at BRC ground, S. Thomas’ romped to massive 173 runs victory over St. John’s, Panadura.
Meanwhile Sahan Divyanjana scored an unbeaten century for Taxila to set the stage for a 143 run victory over Dharmapala.
Results
Maris Stella beat Galahitiyawa Central by 73 runs at Godigamuwa
Scores:
Maris Stella
326 for 7 in 49 overs (Sadew Rathnayake 47, Shane Wijesinghe 58, Kaveen Fernando 108, Rahumath Deen 49; Suban Sanuka 3/71, Pamoth Laksen 2/47)
Galahitiyawa Central
253 all out in 47.4 overs (Pramoth Laksen 31, Suban Sanuka 109, Eshan Sayuranga 30; Mineth Fernando 3/30, Navindu Wijesuriya 3/60)
St. Aloysius’ beat Mahinda
by one wicket at Galle
Scores:
Mahinda
205 for 9 in 50 overs (Dhanuja Induwara 25, Dinura Kalupahana 45, Pramesh Madubashana 43; Bashana de Silva 5/33, Vishwa Indunil 2/38)
St. Aloysius’
206 for 9 in 49.2 overs (Dilshan Kavinda 28, Maneth Yeran 21, Bashana de Silva 67n.o., Dineth Nimsara 31; Kaveen Rukshan 2/36, Tharusha Dilshan 2/31)
Royal beat Isipatana by 44 runs at BRC
Scores:
Royal
211 for 9 in 50 overs (Sineth Jayawardana 26, Hiruna Ranawaka 28, Venusha Akash 60, Bulan Weeratunga 29, Sandesh Ramanayake 24; Kevin Samuel 2/40, Buddhika Rathnayake 3/36)
Isipatana
167 all out in 43.1 overs (Tharusha Silva 30, Naveen Kanishka 28, Yasith Kalupahana 25, Yuneth Vindiya 38; Bulan Weeratunga 3/41, Ovina Ambanpola 3/17)
S. Thomas’ beat St. John’s by 173 runs at Panadura
Scores:
S. Thomas’
241 for 9 in 50 overs (Senadhi Bulankulame 56, Thisen Ehaliyagoda54, Mahith Perera 29, Yumal Bollegala 34, Ashen Perera 26n.o.; Nimesh Ariyatunga 3/55, Ravindu Karunarathne 3/46)
St. John’s
68 all out in 23.3 overs (Akash Fernando 3/30, Nathan Caldera 5/19, Rajindu Tilakaratne 2/05)
St. Benedict’s beat Henegama Central by nine wickets at Kotahena
Scores:
Henegama
157 all out in 46.2 overs (Mandeepa Nimsara 51, Mithila Vishwajith 31; Hasanga Nanayakkara 2/29, Shenel Samarathunga 2/37, Naviru Adithya 3/26)
St. Benedict’s
161 for 1 in 16.4 overs (Viduneth Wilson 59, Kojitha Himsara 79n.o.)
Taxila beat Dharmapala by 143 runs
Scores:
Taxila
265 for7 in 50 overs (Sahan Divyanjana 122n.o, Charith Harshana 22, Chirantha Dewruwan 36n.o.; Sithum Chamalka 2/30)
Dharmapala
122 all out in 40.5 overs (Praveen Kumarapperuma 35, Sahan Lithmina 34; Tharuka Senitha 4/19, Chirantha Dewruwan 3/15)
Sri Devananda beat Devapathiraja by 72 runs at Ratgama
Scores:
Sri Devananda
183 all out in 47.4 overs (Mayura Malshan 51, Rasindu Kumara 30, Mithila Achinthaka 37; Irushka Thimira 4/25)
Devapathiraja
111 all out in 31.5 overs (Sandaru Theekshana 48; Wanith de Silva 2/17, Lahiru Kavinda 5/18)
St. Mary’s beat Vidyartha by
one wicket at Kegalle
Scores:
Vidyartha
112 all out in 28.4 overs (Bashitha Keshan 33; Lakmal Wimalarathna 2/24, Madushan K Arachchi 3/06, Sampath Madushanka 2/27, Themiya Nilakshan 2/05)
St. Mary’s
115 for 9 in 40.2 overs (Madushan K Arachchi 33; Anishka Gunaratne 5/23, Gihan Bandara 2/20)
The New York Knicks won the National Basketball Association championship for the first time in over 50 years, sending the city and fans into a frenzy after the long-awaited victory.
The Knicks clinched the title on Saturday night against the San Antonio Spurs, 94-90, in the fifth game of the best-of-seven series.
While the game was in Texas, New Yorkers took to their hometown streets in droves to watch and celebrate the milestone for fans and the city.
Some fans also made their way to Texas where the two teams faced off at the Frost Center, the Spurs’ home arena.
Elizabeth Madigan flew to San Antonio from New York Friday night ahead of Saturday’s game.
“I’ve been waiting for this, honestly most of my life. The last time the Knicks won, I was 6 months old, and so I can’t begin to describe how excited I am. It’s been unbelievable,” she said.
“I definitely had my doubts. But we did pull it off. Knicks forever.”
This season has represented a stunning reversal of fortune for the Knicks after decades as one of the worst teams in the league. The last time they made it all the way to the finals was in 1999, also against the Spurs, who ultimately beat them. Their last finals win was even earlier, in 1973.
They held a 3-1 lead in the series heading into Saturday’s game.
One fan who only gave his first name, Max, said that winning the game away from the Knicks’ home arena in New York, Madison Square Garden, isn’t important.
“I don’t think it matters [that they won in Texas]. New York is going crazy right now and there’s a million Knicks fans here right now, so it doesn’t matter.
US President Donald Trump posted congratulations to the team and Knicks owner Jim Dolan, who invited him to game 3 of the series in New York.
“What a year it has been but, even more so, what incredible playoff wins we have all witnessed, especially the last four – Maybe the greatest in the history of basketball,” the post read.
Fans’ anticipation before the game was like a champagne bottle about to pop.
“This city is electric,” said Jake Minicucci, while waiting with friends at a Manhattan sports bar for the game to start. “I’ve never gotten so many head nods, everybody knowing we are in it for the Knicks together.”
The 50-plus year drought was very much on the minds of some Knicks fans including Daniel Brown who said the evening had the potential “to be one of the best nights in the history of this city.”
“I’ve lived here all my life, I’ve never experienced anything like this,” said the 24-year-old.
Fans celebrated into the early hours Sunday morning with crowds taking over parts of Midtown Manhattan, including several blocks near Times Square. Some subway lines were altered with trains skipping stations due to the large crowds.
“HISTORY,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on social media.
A ticker-tape parade and ceremony at City Hall to celebrate the team’s victory is scheduled for Thursday.
Ahead of the game, Mamdani said in a post that the city was working with the Knicks to host watch parties at the Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Wollman Rink.
“As we celebrate, be responsible, look out for one another, stay safe, be smart, and make this a night that reflects the very best of our city,” the mayor said.
His call for safety came after a few instances of violence in New York against Spurs fans, including one assault that landed a fan in the hospital and another in which a fast food worker wearing a Spurs jersey was attacked, according to local reports.
Madigan said that in San Antonio, even as a Knicks fan, she felt welcome.
“Honestly, the San Antonians have been so loving and welcoming despite the obvious competition,” she said.
Ahead of Saturday’s Game 5, fans travelling to San Antonio from New York for the game were furious about possibly getting locked out of the arena.
In a note on its website for the game, Ticketmaster said purchases by those living farther than 150mi (241km) from the San Antonio arena would be cancelled and refunded without notice.
Later Ticketmaster assured fans that no tickets purchased on its platform “have or will be canceled”.
(BBC)
Dasun Shanaka produced the batting ballistics, Kamil Mishara held the innings together, and Sri Lanka’s spinners dominated the middle overs, comfortably defending their 194 for 6. This 37 run victory brings Sri Lanka level 1-1 in the series against West Indies, with one match to play on Sunday night.
Sri Lanka had been struggling at 88 for 4 in the 13th over when Shanaka joined Mishara at the crease. The pair then blasted 103 off 42 balls together to propel Sri Lanka to a commanding score of 194 for 6, hitting seven sixes and nine fours between them
Although Sri Lanka struck twice with the new ball, West Indies had still looked confident in pursuit at 89 for 2, until Sri Lanka’s spinners went to work. A run out would spark a collapse that cost West Indies six wickets for 32 runs. They struggled to recover from 122 for 8 after 15 overs. Dushmantha Chameera, who had struck early in the innings and was effective in the other phases as well, closed out the match in the 19th over, taking three wickets for 9 runs. West Indies were 157 all out, despite Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer having put on 81 off 47 for the third wicket.
Although he arrived at the crease with Sri Lanka in some trouble, Shanaka was almost immediately aggressive, blasting Roston Chase’s offspin onto the roof of the Sabina Park stadium fourth ball, before crashing him for a four and thumping another six next ball. All three of these boundaries came through deep midwicket. He also struck a huge six down the ground, and hooked a ball over fine leg as well, as he stormed to a 19-ball fifty. This equalled his own record for fastest Sri Lanka men’s half century in T20Is. There were also five fours in his 58 off 24, the most memorable of which was a four over extra cover, also off the bowling of Springer.
Having come to the crease in the fifth over, Mishara remained unbeaten until the close. He took a while to get going as wickets fell around him. He only found his first boundary off the 16th ball he faced. But having sauntered to 22 off 23 after 15 overs, he took cues from Shanaka and unleashed some big hitting of his own at the death. He took a particular liking to the bowling of Matthew Forde, whom he walloped twice down the ground in the 17th over. He finished with 61 not out off 40.
Sri Lanka struck twice in the first 10 balls to have West Indies at 9 for 2, but Hetmyer and Powell soon revived the chase, striking judicious boundaries through the powerplay before looking to up the scoring rate in the middle overs. They looked like they were putting the hosts on track for a series win when they reaped 18 runs off the eighth over, bowled by Maheesh Theekshana, then 11 off the next one bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga. But on a track taking a little spin, they had some close calls, particularly Hetmyer who was bowled by Theekshana in the ninth over. However, that delivery turned out to be a no-ball.
It took a run out from Pavan Rathnayake to break the Hetmyer-Powell stand, but the spinners soon took the chase by the collar. Theekshana had Powell caught off the leading edge in the 10th over, then Hasaranga struck twice in two balls to remove Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd in the 13th over, his googly proving dangerous again. Dunith Wellalage and Chameera – who had both struck with the new ball – continued to strike. By the time West Indies arrived at the 16th over, they were already eight down, with a required rate approaching 15. Hasaranga and Chameera closed the innings out, finishing with three wickets apiece.
SCORES:
Sri Lanka 194 for 6 in 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 31, Kamil Mishara 61*, Kamindu Mendis 24, Dasun Shanaka 58; Matthew Forde 2-38, Shamar Joseph 3-32, Shamar Springer 1-40) beat West Indies 157 in 18.5 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 36, Rovman Powell 43, Sherfane Rutherford 13, Roston Chase 17, Akeal Hosein 14, Shamar Joseph 11*; Dunith Wellalage 2-28, Dushmaantha Chameera 3-09, Maheesh Theekshana 1-34, Wanidu Hasaranga 3-38) by 37 runs
(Cricinfo)
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