Sports
Devapathiraja retain Tier ‘B’ place, Zahira relegated
by Reemus Fernando
Devapathiraja College, Ratgama, one of the newest teams in the Division I category retained their place by scoring enough points (taking nine Zahira wickets and scoring 90 runs for just one wicket) against Zahira in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ relegation match at the Army Ground Kuruwita on Thursday.
The match ended in a no decision after Devapathiraja posted 90 for one wicket in reply to Zahira’s 251 for nine wickets declared.
While Devapathiraja retained their place in the top Division, Zahira will have to play in Division II next season.
Meanwhile, at Royal College ground Polonnaruwa, Gayana Weerasinghe helped Maliyadeva retain their place in the Tier ‘A’ category as he top scored with 152 runs after taking six wickets for them to score a first innings win over arch rivals St. Anne’s in the Under 9 Division I Tier ‘A’ relegation match.
In reply to St. Anne’s 264 for nine wickets declared, Maliyadeva posted 296 for seven wickets. While Maliyadeva remain in the Tier ‘A’ category of the Division I tournament, St. Anne’s will have to compete in the Tier ‘B’ category from next season.
Relegation Match Results
No decision in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ Relegation match at Kutuwita
Scores:
Zahira 251 for 9 decl. In 103.2 overs (Ranidu Malith 42, Umar Imran 68, Salman Refai 56; Arosha Sithumina 3/26, Sandaru Malshan 2/75)
Devapathiraja 90 for 1 in 36 overs (Arosha Sithumina 19, Chamindu Padmika 29n.o., Darshaka Sandeep 36n.o.)
First innings win for Maliyadeva in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ Relegation match at Polonnaruwa
Scores:
St. Anne’s 264 for 9 decl. in 90.3 overs (Yashmin Jayasundara 28, Chamith Sasenjana 39, Shehan Kumara 65, Mahima Kotuwila 32, Kushan Subasinghe 68n.o.; Gayana Weerasinghe 6/99)
Maliyadeva
296 for 7 in 101.1 overs (Pehesara Bandara 38, Praveen Rukunayake 23, Gayana Weerasinghe 152, Dimantha Arusha 44)
The final week of the year is like a Roman feast for the Test cricket fan, and Boxing Day this year promises mouth-watering contests in Melbourne and Centurion but look this way too, will you? Bulawayo is set to host Zimbabwe’s first Boxing Day Test 8n 28 years too, and with unpredictable Afghanistan on the other side, a real tussle is expected between the two teams, who despite their recent underwhelming performances, would feel like they’re favourites. After all, the last time either side won a Test was against each other.
But that was way back 8n 2021. Since then, they have not found a way to win. And one look at the Zimbabwe and Afghanistan squads for this two-Test series suggests that they’re both looking to change that by taking a different direction for 2025 and beyond. A splattering of Test debutants are expected – theoretically, there could be as many 15 debuts across the two XIs – and this series could very well be the one that births a new generation.
Under 19 Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
Mahinda College, Galle took firm control of their two-day Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ cricket encounter as they reached 213 for nine wickets at stumps after restricting Moratu Vidyalaya to 96 runs at Galle on Wednesday.
After Arosha Udayanga grabbed five wickets to trouble the visitors, the home team topped 200 runs thanks to a century by open batsman Dulsith Darshana and a half century by Senuka Dangamuwa.
While Darshana scored 13 fours and a six in his 106 which came in 143 balls, Dangamuwa hammered nine fours and a six in his 50 which came in 51 balls.
Mahinda are in search of their first outright victory in the tournament proper after having earned first innings points in two out of the three matches in their group.
Moratu Vidyalaya too have completed three matches and have scored first innings points on one occasion.
Scores
Moratu Vidyalaya
96 all out in 45.2 overs (Sanjana Senavirathna 31, Shehara Fernando 20; Arosha Udayanga 5/35)
Mahinda
213 for 9 in 52 overs (Dulsith Darshana 106, Senuka Dangamuwa 50; Isuru Nidharshana 2/64, Nishitha Fernando 5/45)
by Reemus Fernando
Sri Lanka Athletics has suspended track and field official S. W. Nimalsiri for four years after a three member committee appointed by the sports governing body found him guilty of manhandling leading athletic official G.L.S. Perera within the Sri Lanka Athletics premises in Torrington.
“The executive committee of Sri Lanka Athletics decided to hand Nimalsiri a four year suspension after the three member committee concluded that he was guilty of manhandling the respected official,” Saman Kumara Gunawardhana, the secretary of Sri Lanka Athletics told The Island.
At the time of the suspension Nimalairi was a committee member of Sri Lanka Athletics and is the president of the Ace Athletics Club and secretary of the Colombo District Athletics Association.
The three member committee that inquired the incident involving Nimalairi and Perera was headed by retired district court judge Upali Samaraweera. Others in the committee were former director of sports Padma Siriwardana and disciplinary committee chairman of Sri Lanka Athletics Chandana Ekanayake.
Nimalsiri has also been suspended from officiating in track and field competitions.
Winless in three years, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan set for rare Boxing Day Test
Fair weather except for a few showers in Northern and Eastern provinces
Most bribery cases fall through owing to CIABOC’s lapses
-
Sports7 days agoSri Lanka to mend fences with veterans
-
Sports5 days agoPathirana set to sling his way into Kiwi hearts
-
Opinion7 days agoIs AKD following LKY?
-
News3 days agoOffice of CDS likely to be scrapped; top defence changes on the cards
-
News6 days agoSL issues USD 10.4 bn macro-linked bonds
-
Opinion7 days ago‘A degree is not a title’ – a response
-
Editorial6 days agoRanil’s advice
-
Editorial7 days agoLest watchdogs should become lapdogs