Sports
Exciting series on the cards
by Rex Clementine
in Galle
Every time Sri Lanka play Pakistan, they introduce a teenage prodigy who has played little First-Class cricket, but the rookie takes up to Test cricket like a duck taking to water. In the 1980s it happened with Saleem Malik and Saleem Yousuf. In 1990s, it was Saqlain Mushtaq and Ijaz Ahmed. Since the dawn of the new millennium there have been champion players like Younis Khan, Mohammad Amir, Fawad Alam, Abid Ali.
Each of the players mentioned above made their Test debuts against Sri Lanka and went onto have a major impact in the game. You wonder what’s in store this time? We will have a better idea on Sunday when the first Test between the teams gets underway in Galle.
Sunday will mark the return of Shaheen Afridi to Test cricket. It was last year around this time, ironically at the same ground, the 23-year-old was fielding in the deep and dived to stop a boundary and hurt his knee. It looked like a minor niggle but not so. Not only did he miss the second Test but has been out of Test cricket for a year. He was on 99 Test wickets and with the new ball due was expected to become the 11th Pakistani quick to the milestone, but it has been a long wait.
There’s no better sight in cricket than to see Shaheen charging in from the Dutch Fort End armed with the new ball. You are in awe at the rate Pakistan are producing quality left-arm quicks. It’s as good as the quality chocolates that Kandos put out all too frequently.
Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan is Pakistan’s vice-captain, but he may not get a game on this tour as Sarfraz Ahmed pipped him as Pakistan’s leading stumper.
Sarfraz of course is no stranger to Sri Lanka. In 2006, he skippered Pakistan to the Undre-19 World Cup tittle at RPS beating arch-rivals India in the final. It was a star-studded Indian side comprising Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja. Pakistan had only made 109 but their quicks bowled a couple of unplayable spells to bowl out India for 71 inside 19 overs.
Sarfraz was also the captain of Pakistan when they won the Champions Trophy in England beating India again in 2017. Pakistan were down and out and were almost knocked out of the competition by Sri Lanka in Cardiff but then Thisara Perera at mid-on dropped a dolly, Sarfraz survived and sealed Sri Lanka’s fate. Like Imran Khan, he didn’t quite say ‘we will fight like cornered tigers’, but he got under the skin of Sri Lankans by saying, ‘I’ll remember that dropped catch for the rest of my life and Thisara will remember it for the rest of his life.’
As for Sri Lanka they are a very settled unit. Test cricket is one form of the game where they have been quite steady and were in with a chance to make it to the finals of the World Test Championship.
Skipper Dimuth Karunaratne was contemplating to quit but kudos to the selectors for convincing him to have another go at the World Test Championship.
The absence of Asitha Fernando has opened up a slot. A selection panel headed by Sidath Wettimuny or Aravinda de Silva that aren’t afraid to take bold decisions would have handed someone like Dilshan Madushanka his Test debut. But the current lot are as conventional as the Vatican and they are unlikely to take the new ball away from Kasun Rajitha and Vishwa Fernando.
A few questions have been asked about Ramesh Mendis as he struggled with his lines and lengths during the recent Ireland series. Fellow off-spinner Lakshitha Manasinghe, the former Nalanda College player, has done well in recent months and it remains to be seen whether he makes his Test debut.
Sri Lanka (Probable XI)
Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Kasun Rajitha and Vishwa Fernando.
Pakistan (Probable XI)
Babar Azam (Captain), Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Noman Ali or Mohammad Nawaz.
Umpires: Alex Wharf (Eng) and Rod Tucker (Aus)
Television Umpire: Chris Gaffaney (NZ)
Match Referee: David Boon (Aus)
Lasith Malinga has once more been retained as consultant bowling coach for Sri Lanka’s men’s team, as they prepare for the T20 World Cup they are due to co-host from early February.
Although this is only a 40-day appointment, running from December 15 to January 25, it is essentially a continuation of Malinga’s work with key bowlers in the national set-up. Malinga has worked officially as a fast-bowling consultant at least twice before, but has also worked unofficially with top bowlers over the years, and has been advising the coaching team led by Sanath Jayasuriya, over the past two years.
With round-arm bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara both in Sri Lanka’s preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup, and likely to make the final 15, Malinga will be especially well-placed to assist.
“Sri Lanka Cricket aims to leverage Malinga’s vast international experience and renowned expertise in death bowling, particularly in the shortest format of the game to strengthen Sri Lanka’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup,” the board release said.
Sri Lanka are set to co-host their first men’s global tournament since 2012, from February 7. Three Sri Lankan venues will be used – Khettarama and SSC in Colombo, and Pallekele.
The T20 World Cup will run from February 7 to March 8. Sri Lanka are in Group B along with Australia, Ireland, Oman and Zimbabwe.
[Cricinfo]
India’s untested lower order played a key role in turning a modest total into a competitive one. Amanjot Kaur added stability, scoring 21 off 18 balls and putting on a 61-run partnership with Harmanpreet for the fifth wicket, helping the innings regain momentum after regular wickets fell.
After her dismissal, Arundhati Reddy – promoted ahead of Sneh Rana – launched a late assault, hitting four fours and a six off 11 balls for an unbeaten 27, guiding India to 175 for 7. The team scored 32 runs in the final two overs.
With Chamari Athapaththu gone in the second over, Perera and Dulhani faced a daunting task. Dulhani, coming in at No. 3 again ahead of Harshitha Samarawickrama, played a confident innings, coming down the track and sweeping as needed, hitting five boundaries inside the powerplay. Perera rotated the strike well, keeping the scoreboard ticking. Aided by the dew, their 79-run second-wicket stand was broken in the 12th over when Amanjot dismissed Dulhani for 50, with her first ball.
Perera carried on, moving from 32 off 23 balls to register her maiden 38-ball fifty in her 89th T20I. Having debuted in 2014 and shuffled around the order, she opened this series for the first time in three years. When the equation came down to 55 off 24 balls, Perera struck a four and a six off Shree Charani before being yorked. Her 42-ball 65 included eight fours and a six.
When Sri Lanka needed 44 off 20 balls, India fought back hard. The visitors lost their key batters at the death, collapsing from 132 for 4 to 140 for 7, eventually falling short and remaining winless in India.
Brief scores:
India Women 175 for 7 in 20 overs (Gunalan Kamalini 12, Harleen Deol 13, Harmanpreet Kaur 68, Amanjot Kaur 21, Arundhati Reddy 27*; Nimasha Meepage 1-25, Kavisha Dilhari 2-11, Rashmika Sewwandi 2-42, Chamari Athapaththu 2-21) beat Sri Lanka Women 160 for 7 in 20 overs (Hasini Perera 65, Imesha Dulani 50, Rashmika Sewwamdi 14*; Deepti Sharma 1-28, Arundhati Reddy 1-16, Sneh Rana 1-31, Vaishnavi Sharma 1-33, Shree Charani 1-31, Amanjot Kaur 1-17 ) by 15 runs
[Cricinfo]
Under 19 Cricket
Manitha Rajapaksha collected a match bag of 11 wickets as Mahinda romped to an innings and 25 runs victory over Lumbini in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ cricket encounter at Galle.
Forced to follow on after being bowled out for 173 runs, the visitors managed to last only 33 overs as bowlers used the home advantage to good effect.
In a similar performance, Sri Sumangala reduced Isipatana to just 69 runs in the second innings to record an innings and 96 runs win in the Tier ‘B’ match at Panadura. While Mevindu Kumarasiri excelled once again to claim a match bag of 11 wickets, overnight batsmen Sandeep Wijerathna and Neksha Iddamalgoda went on to score centuries for Sri Sumangala to boost the score to 301 for eight wickets declared.
Meanwhile at DSS ground the home team scored a first innings win over Nalanda.
Match Results
Mahinda in innings win at Galle
Scores
Mahinda 284 all out in 72.2 overs
(Dulsith Darshana 63, Randula Mabarana 28, Manitha Rajapaksha 23, Kaveesha Githmal 43, Kavindu Nimsara 66; Yashod Kavindu 5/100, Dinal Sewmina 2/32)
Lumbini 76 for 4 overnight 173 all out in 53.4 overs
(Kisandu Dulneth 33, Yashod Kavindu 26, Jayanitha Mendis 41, Pasindu Mahisha 38; Manitha Rajapaksha 6/64, Sadev Nethmina 2/27) and 86 all out in 32.4 overs (Nikil Abilash 33; Manitha Rajapaksha 5/25, Gesandu Bisas 2/12, Arosha Udayanga 2/15)
Sri Sumangala in innings win at Panadura
Scores
Isipatana 136 all out in 47.2 overs (Yuveen Keshan 21, Dasith Senal 31; Mevindu Kumarasiri 6/54) and 69 all out in 25.2 overs (Janith Selaka 25; Mevindu Kumarasiri 5/32, Methum Fernando 4/23)
Sri Sumangala 158 for 2 overnight 301 for 8 decl. in 79.4 overs (Sandeep Wijerathna 100, Neksha Iddamalgoda 110, Mevindu Kumarasiri 34; Dasith Senal 2/86, Dimuthu Tharuka 2/34)
First innings win for DSS at DSS ground
Scores
DSS 365 all out in 79 overs (Savain Kalansooriya 54, Bihan Gamage 102, Janindu Ranasinghe 50, Shevan Welgama 73; Osanda Pamuditha 2/69, Dunitha Anusara 4/66, Sahas Godage 3/76) and 144 for 3 in 35.2 overs (Miyuru Bandara 41, Savain Kalansooriya 57, Shanaal Binuksha 34)
Nalanda 28 for 1 overnight 197 all out in 66.1 overs (Nemindu Akmeemana 40, Ranmith Dinuwara 42; Shanaal Binuksha 6/61, Randisha Bandaranayake 2/40)
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