President’s Balika Nawala, won the girls’ hockey title at the All Island Schools Games, held recently at the Astro Turf, Reid Avenue. It was the second consecutive year the school had claimed the title.

Nethuli Dinethmi, who played a vital role in the team’s success, was named Best Player of the tournament.The victorious team is pictured here with the school’s officials, namely, H.P.M.P.D.Hasanthi Pathirathna, Principal, S.K.Tharsha Ranasinghe, Vice Principal, M.D.D. Aloka Dissanayake, Teacher in Charge of Sports, R.P.D. Dilrukshi, Teacher in Charge of Sports and Chathura Kalum Rupasinghe (Coach).

(Pic by Thushara Athapaththu)

by Rex Clementine

Sri Lanka were once pioneers in limited overs cricket, setting the bar so high that the rest of the world was left scrambling to catch up. And mind you, this was not confined to the 50 over format, where Sri Lanka tore up the coaching manuals, embraced an unconventional brand of cricket and took the world by storm.

Even in T20 cricket, despite not possessing an abundance of power hitters, Sri Lanka punched well above their weight.

Clever improvisation, fearless innovation and a willingness to back unorthodox talent helped them make the cricketing world eat humble pie. Fast forward to the present, however, and the picture is anything but rosy. Sri Lanka’s T20 cricket is in a sorry state, and there is no hiding the mountain of work ahead.

In Pakistan, their shortcomings have been laid bare, with the team repeatedly found wanting and left high and dry.

Successive administrations have tried every trick in the book to arrest the slide. Power hitting coaches have been brought in, psychologists engaged, players given unrestricted access to franchise leagues and emerging talent afforded regular exposure. Yet, for all these efforts, Sri Lanka’s players, particularly the batters, have struggled to raise the bar.

The series defeat to Pakistan was Sri Lanka’s fifth this year. Add to that the disappointments at the World Cup and the Asian Games and the picture becomes even more depressing. True, Sri Lanka returned from Japan with a bronze medal, but India provided a brutal reminder of the widening gulf between the haves and the have nots.

So, where do Sri Lanka go from here?

The Cricket Committee would do well to pick the brains of captains and coaches who have cracked the T20 code in recent years. There is no shame in learning from those who have mastered the format. The challenge is to identify a blueprint for su ccess and see how best those ideas can be adapted to Sri Lankan cricket.

Head coach Gary Kirsten himself has worked with successful franchises around the world. Perhaps he should be given a free hand to bring in specialist expertise if he believes that is what the team needs.

For all the disappointments in T20 cricket, fielding had remained one area where Sri Lanka could still hold their heads high. Alarmingly, even that department is beginning to unravel. The wheels appear to be coming off in a discipline that was once a hallmark of Sri Lankan cricket.

There were, however, a few encouraging signs in the final game against Pakistan. The manner in which Kusal Mendis went about his business was a breath of fresh air. The Sri Lankan captain struck at an impressive 181, combining clean hitting with the sort of innovation that has been conspicuously absent from the team’s batting.

Kamindu Mendis, too, showed signs of returning to form and Sri Lankan supporters will be hoping the pair can carry that momentum into the triangular ODI competition, also featuring England, which gets underway later this week.

Sri Lanka badly missed Pathum Nissanka, their highest ranked T20I batter at number nine in the ICC rankings. His absence robbed the batting line up of much needed quality and consistency. To compound matters, a troublesome hamstring has left his participation in the ODI leg uncertain as well.

The occasional flash of brilliance may offer some comfort, but it cannot disguise the larger malaise. Sri Lanka were once the trendsetters in limited overs cricket. Today, they are struggling to keep pace with the rest. Unless there is a serious rethink, the gap will only grow wider.

by Reemus Fernando

Richmond College, Galle wrapped up their group stage unbeaten as Tenusha Nimsara claimed his second five-wicket haul of the tournament, steering them to a thrilling two-wicket win over D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo, in their U19 Division I Tier A Limited Overs Tournament Group B encounter at Karandeniya on Wednesday.

‎Chasing a modest target of 118, Richmond reached 118 for eight in 44.2 overs, surviving a tense battle after DSS had put up a determined fight with the ball.

‎Earlier, DSS were bowled out for 117 as Richmond’s bowlers delivered an impressive collective performance. Left arm spinner Nimsara was the standout performer, claiming five wickets for just eight runs in eight overs, including two maidens. Hiruk Akalanka and Punal Hansajith claimed one wicket each, while Tenura Dias and Gayuka Manawadu took two and one wickets respectively. It was Nimsara’s second five-wicket haul. He has 14 wickets against his name going to the quarter finals.

‎Richmond struggled in their essay as DSS bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the chase. Sadil Dias led the attack with three wickets for 26 runs, while Oshadha Perera claimed two wickets.

‎Vinuda Ravishan played a crucial role in Richmond’s chase, scoring 44 off 114 deliveries.

Unbroken seventh-wicket stand steers Wesley

‎Wesley College secured a vital four-wicket victory over S. Thomas’ College in their Tier A match at Mount Lavinia thanks largely to an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership.

‎Chasing a modest target of 140, Wesley were in trouble at 82 for six before Lithum Senuja and Lithma Perera joined forces to guide their side home. The pair shared an unbroken 58-run partnership for the seventh wicket, taking Wesley to 140 for six in 44.1 overs.

‎Senuja anchored the innings with a patient unbeaten 46 off 116 balls, while Perera provided valuable support with an unbeaten 25 off 43 deliveries. Their composed partnership ensured Wesley overcame a difficult situation to claim victory.‎

St Joseph’s secure quarter-final place

‎St Joseph’s College, Darley Road scored a 46 run win under the DLS method against Thurstan in their encounter at Darley Road to secure a place in the quarter finals.

‎Batting first, St Joseph’s posted 193 all out in 44.4 overs, with Kavith Fernando top-scoring with 53 off 53 balls. Yenula Dantanarayana contributed 38 and Aveesha Samash made 36.

‎Thurstan reached 112 for seven in 30 overs against a revised par score of 158. Rachintha De Silva scored 42 off 27 balls, while Vigneswaran Akash starred with three wickets for 21 runs. Nushan Perera and Vishwa Peiris claimed two wickets each.

‎Earlier in the tournament they beat Gurukula and St. Servatius’ while conceeding their only defeat against Nalanda.‎

Mahanama beat Cambrians

‎Mahanama College, Colombo, beat Prince of Wales’ College, Moratuwa, by five wickets in their match at Moratuwa. Prince of Wales’ scored 141/9 in 27 overs, with Matheesha Aponsu top-scoring with 58. Mahanama chased down the target, reaching in 18.4 overs. Sineth Veerarathne scored 48 off 26 balls, while Dulneth Algawatte remained unbeaten on 30. Ojash Shankar took three wickets for Prince of Wales.‎

‎Janith Panditharathna took four wickets as St. Peter’s College Colombo beat Lumbini by 58 runs in their match at Colts ground.