Sports

CR have forced Kandy ‘lions’ to enter a cold rugby winter

Published

2 years ago

2024/02/16

By A Special Sports Correspondent

The Kandy SC vs CR&FC game schedule for February 18 (Sunday) in Colombo will be the decider in the Inter-Club league rugby tournament and the Red Shirts are slated to pull this one off. This is the ninth week of rugby and after last week’s games CR&FC head the points table followed by Kandy SC, Havelock Sports Club and CH&FC in second, third and fourth places respectively.

Last week CR&FC edged out Havelock Sports Club 12-9 in a cracker of a game and one more win, especially against the dangerous looking Kandy outfit, in this tournament would ensure that the Longden Place club are the winners this season. But the standings in the points table of the tournament would change dramatically if Kandy pulls off something special and end CR’s unbeaten run.

A Kandy SC win is highly unlikely because the game is played at Longden Place in Colombo this week. Kandy SC have a ferocious ‘Lion’ as the emblem in their club’s flag. But CR have made the Nittawela players worry this season akin to a pack of lions forced to hunt throughout a frost-biting ‘winter’.

On paper CR&FC has a talented side with the bench being equally strong. Two of the finds this season for the Red Shirts are number eight Lasindu Karunathilake and place kicker and fly half Thenuka Nanayakkara. Karunathilake has been in fine form and punched holes in the opposition defences with his fierce play in the loose. Nanayakkara has been right on target with his spot kicks and kept the scoreboard ticking during tight games.

The others to watch in this game are second row forward Adeesha Weerathunga, hooker Venura Kodagoda, lock forward and skipper Suhiru Anthony, scrum half Kavindu de Costa, dashing centre Manilka Ruberu, Gemunu Chethiya and the young wing three quarter Kushan Tharindu. CR has made massive strides this season under coach Dushanth Lewke, who is now looked upon as a coach who can make a difference where ever he goes and sets up camp.

Kandy SC will travel to Colombo with worries outweighing hopes this time around. They have already got into a distracting mode by writing to the organizers of domestic rugby tournaments making demands about a preferred venue (Nittawela) for the next tournament on the cards – the Clifford Cup- when they still have to complete this present rugby event they feature in. Kandy want all the matches they feature in to be played at Nittawela.

Even last season they made same request which was turned down by SLR. Kandy, as a result, pulled out of the Clifford Cup knockout tournament and had to be satisfied winning the league tournament. This mentality can be a distraction for a team which his season sees its dominance in the sport being checked unlike in previous years.

The good thing which happened for Kandy was that they came back strongly in last week’s game against CH&FC before pulling off a convincing 32-24. It’s heartbreaking for Kandy fans to see the Nittawela side lose or struggle at matches this season, but what spectators from the central hills must fathom is that other teams have also focused on learning the art of wining and mastering how the game must be approached in a professional manner.

If one steps into a Colombo club these days there would be no difference in the way these Western Province clubs are training and eating when compared to how Kandy SC are setting about this task. Kandy can no longer stake a claim for heading the teams when it comes to deciding which side is being bigger, faster and stronger on the field.

This side is oozing with talent with players in the likes of the Ratwatte brothers, skipper Lavanga Perera, Kavindu Perera, Danushka Ranjan and Dinal Ekanayake running as backs and players in the likes of Jason Dissanayake, Dishan Fareed, Fawmy Wajeed and Dahan Wickremaarachchi doing the honours in forwards play. Centre Tharinda Ratwatte has been a tower of strength to the side and is in his devastating best this season. He has dazzled both as a place kicker and is also one of the leading try scorers this season. Utility player Srinath Sooriyabandara can play as fullback and shift to manning the base of the scrum if Kandy is wilting under pressure. Kandy’s players are put through their paces this season by head coach Fazil Marija and he is assisted by Viraj Prashantha. Kandy SC are the reigning league champions while CR&FC finished as runners-up in the tournament last season.

In the other match of the Cup Championship CH&FC host Havelocks SC on Saturday (February 17) in a game scheduled to take place at Royal College Sports Complex. (This venue was confirmed by SLR)

In the Plate segment of the tournament Navy SC scrum down with Army at Welisara on Friday while Air Force host Police (who are heading the Plate Championship points table and already declared the winners) at Ratmalana on Saturday (February 17). Air force won the Plate Championship last season.

The teams:

CR&FC rugby pool from:S. Nanayakkara, A. Gunasinghe, S. Perera, T. Nanayakkara, Y. Kavindu, Lasindu Karunathilake, C. Muthunayake, A. Weerathunga, S. Adikaram, S. Anthony (Captain), E. Harshana, I Ariyapala, Naveen Marasinghe, K. De Costa, M. Ruberu, Gemunu Chethiya, R. Ekanayake, K. Tharindu, T. Mariyadas, R. Senanayake, W. De Mel, Rinesh Silva, Randy Silva, Raveen De Silva, V. Kodagoda

Kandy SC rugby pool from– M. Wijesundara, K. Bandara, M. Weerasinghe, Wawala Panditha, C. Soysa, C. Kudalige, Jason Dissanayake, Dahan Wickremeaarachchi, Heshan Jansen, L. Ranaweera, Dinal Ekanayake, Tharinda Ratwatte, Lavanga Perera (Captain), D. Dange, Srinath Sooriyabandara, A. Mohomed, D. Fareed, M. Chandradas, F. Wajid, S. Abeywickrama, S. Tennakoon, O. Perera, Danushka Ranjan.

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ICC-PCB in back-channel talks to resolve India boycott at T20 World Cup

Published

24 mins ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

The ICC and PCB are engaged in back-channel communications as the global governing body tries to find a way for its showpiece group match at the 2026 T20 World Cup between Pakistan and India to go ahead.

On instructions from their government, Pakistan will not take the field against India in Colombo on February 15, though they will play their other matches. The Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the decision was to show solidarity with Bangladesh, who were excluded from the T20 World Cup because they did not want to play in India, one of the co-hosts along with Sri Lanka.

Though the PCB has not publicly commented on the boycott of the group match against India, the ICC responded to the decision – originally conveyed by the Government of Pakistan on its ‘X’ account – saying it expected the PCB to “explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders.”

That resolution has been the subject of calls and meetings between Imran Khwaja, the ICC deputy chair, and Mubashir Usmani of the Emirates Cricket Board, who is also on the ICC Board. They have been in communication with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Salman Naseer, who is the PSL head but also a senior advisor to Naqvi.

The efforts had begun a week before the boycott was announced, when Naqvi had first raised doubts over Pakistan’s participation in the T20 World Cup and said it would depend on the government. Naqvi travelled to the UAE that week as part of a state visit but is believed to have sought advice from officials there and met Khwaja on that trip. With Khwaja back in Singapore, where he is based, and Naqvi in Pakistan, discussions have since continued.

Initially the PCB was informed of potential sanctions Pakistan could face should they withdraw from the tournament entirely, though its response was that the issue is not about financial consequences. After the decision to exclude Bangladesh was taken, Naqvi criticised it, accusing the ICC of “double standards” and of doing an “injustice” to Bangladesh.

Since the announcement of the boycott, however, contact from the ICC has focused on addressing PCB’s grievances so that the game goes ahead. Khwaja has stepped in as a mediator in other recent disputes involving the PCB, BCCI and the ICC.

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru to second WPL title

Published

1 hour ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

Radha Yadav finished the job Smriti Mandhana began [BCCI]

Georgia Voll and Smriti Mandhana masterminded the highest ever chase in WPL history to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their second title, denying Delhi Capitals (DC) for the fourth time in a final.

The match went down to the wire, with RCB losing three wickets in just 14 balls towards the end. With eight needed off four balls, Radha Yadav hit two consecutive boundaries off N Shree Charani to complete a thrilling chase.

Mandhana and Voll came together at 9 for 1 in RCB’s chase of 204, and put on 165 off just 92 balls. It was the highest-ever partnership for any wicket in the WPL. This win marked the second time RCB have triumphed over DC in a WPL final, the first coming in 2024.

After being put in, DC began steadily before Lizelle Lee took charge, launching back-to-back sixes off Sayali Satghare in the fourth over. In a chaotic over that included six runs off wides, Satghare ended up conceding 20 runs and also spilled a chance of Shafali Verma.

Shafali, however, could not capitalise on her chance. Though she hit two fours off Arundhati Reddy in the sixth over, she edged to the keeper in the same over, departing for 20 off 13 balls.

Laura Wolvaardt then joined Lee, and the duo took charge of the innings, hitting 19 runs off offspinner Shreyanka Patil in the seventh over which included three fours and a six.

Then Nadine de Klerk came on and created an impact straightaway. After Lee had an lbw decision reversed, de Klerk struck back in the same over, drawing her into a big swing and a miscue that went straight up and was taken by Grace Harris charging in from long-on.

Jemimah Rodrigues having found form in recent games, was in full flow on the day. She looked in sublime touch, punishing remotely wide, not letting the momentum slip away after Lee’s dismissal.

When Radha Yadav strayed full, she caressed her past extra cover for her first boundary of the day. She kept peppering that region, driving de Klerk twice and Patil once for fours in the 10th and 11th overs respectively. Then she hit Patil for two more fours in the same over, bending her back knee to slog over short midwicket and rocking back to cut behind point.

She soon brought up her half-century off 32 balls but departed shortly after, holing out to deep backward square leg off a full-toss.

Wolvaardt began steadily before finding her rhythm and clearing the ropes twice. But it was Chinelle Henry who inflicted late damage, hitting de Klerk for three fours and a six to score 24 runs off the 19th over. The final over bowled by Satghare went for 15, propelling DC to 203 for 4. It was the second-highest first-innings total in any Women’s T20 tournament final.

RCB faced a record WPL chase. But they were the only team in the tournament’s history to have successfully chased a 200-plus total before, and had dominated this season from start to finish, picking up five consecutive wins up front to top the table.

Grace Harris started the chase with a bang, hitting two fours off Marizanne Kapp in the first over. But Henry, carrying on from where she had left with the bat, struck with her very first ball to flatten Harris’ middle stump for 9. Voll joined Mandhana at the crease and started to innovate straightaway, shuffling across early to scoop over short fine leg for her first boundary.

The pair ensured RCB kept up with the asking rate, finding the gaps often and targeting all of DC’s bowlers. Mandhana looked in imperious form, punishing anything in her arc. When Nandani Sharma bowled a slower one right into the slot, Mandhana got down on one knee to send it over deep square leg for the first six of her innings.

Voll brought up her half-century off 36 balls, with RCB at that point having cleared more than half their target. Mandhana too continued her masterclass, driving Sneh Rana over extra cover for four to bring up her half-century off 23 balls, her fastest in the WPL.

The runs continued to flow: Rana and Shree Charani went for 15 each off the 12th and 14th overs, and Mandhana and Voll seemed to be turning a record chase into a stroll.

DC finally made a breakthrough, Minnu Mani getting Voll to hole out for a 54-ball 79. This left RCB needing 30 off 21 balls, with two key batters in place.

But Nandani struck in the 18th over to remove Richa Ghosh cheaply, and Henry delivered a critical blow in the next over, bowling Mandhana for 87. DC could sense a remarkable comeback, but with 13 needed off 8, Mani failed to hold on to a steepling chance in the covers off new batter Radha.

With RCB needing 10 from the final over, Radha sealed the win with back-to-back boundaries, breaking DC’s hearts.

Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women 204 for 4 in 19.4 overs (Smriti Mandhana 87, Georgia Voll 79, Radha Yadav 12*; Chinelle Henry 2-34, Nandani Sharma 1-41, Minnu Mani 1-19) beat Delhi Capitals Women 203 for 4 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 57, Laura Wolvaardt 44, Lizelle Lee 37, Chinelle Henry 35*, Shafali Vearma 20; Sayali Satghare 1-46, Arundhati Reddy 1-40, Nadine de Klerk 1-48) by six wickets

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Captain’s knock helps Petes

Published

2 hours ago

2026/02/6

Thilina Walpola

St. Peter’s skipper Enosh Peterson produced his best knock of the season, a valuable 75 runs for the home team to recover from an initial collapse to post 194 runs against St. Aloysius’, Galle on day one in an Under 19 traditional cricket encounter at Bambalapitiya on Thursday.

‎The Petes were struggling at 40 for four wickets at one stage, before the skipper decided to hold the middle order together with his knock.

‎Incidentally, it turned out to be Peterson’s best batting performance of the season, having not done so well during tournament matches.

‎The Petes were playing for the third consecutive day after meeting Thurstan on Tuesday and Wednesday.

‎They conceded first innings points to Thurstan on Wednesday after a below par first innings score (154) at Thurstan ground. Bowlers prevented the home team taking a big advantage restricting them to 204 runs with Sadeesha Silva taking seven wickets.

‎In their second essay, the Petes were better posting 222 for nine wickets declared thanks to an unbeaten 125 from Asadisa de Silva.

‎However, yesterday he was dismissed for eight runs and the Petes needed a rearguard action to prevent a low score. That was when Peterson came up with his top batting feat of the season.

‎In reply, St. Aloysius’ were 13 for one wicket when bad light stopped play.

‎‎Scores

‎St. Peter’s 194 all out in 74.5 overs (Enosh Peterson 75, Sadeesha Silva 27; Chanul Nethmina 3/29, Dulsath Nimviru 4/29)

‎St. Aloysius’ 13 for 1 in 2 overs

‎

by Reemus Fernando