Sports
First innings win keep DSS on safe side
Under 19 Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
D. S. Senanayaka scored a first innings win over St. Benedict’s in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ relegation league match as Bihan Gamage produced a five wicket haul, his best figures this season to follow up his half century at DSS ground on Tuesday.
The first innings win will further cement DSS position as the top team in the four-team relegation league.
Maliyadewa and Richmond are the other two teams playing in this league. The last two teams at the end of this league will be demoted to Tier ‘B’.
Meanwhile Thurstan took first innings honours against Sri Sumangala Panadura in their match at Thurstan ground.
Chasing a target of 77 runs to win, they were 58 for seven wickets at close as Sadev Hettiarachchi grabbed five wickets.
Results
DSS on first innings win at DSS ground
Scores
DSS 314 all out in 83.2 overs
(Bihan Gamage 89, Maitha Perera 52, Sohan Yapa 74, Chanul Athale 50; Dinath Senila 2/51, Manikya Deshapriya 2/36, Mewan Dissanayake 2/59, Vihanga Rathnayake 3/57) and 138 for 4 in 35 overs (Bihan Gamage 35, Jaindu Ranasinghe 42n.o., Chaul Athale 41n.o.; Mewan Dissanayake 3/39)
St. Benedict’s 37 for 1 overnight 216 all out in 58 overs
(Didula Edirisuriya 20, Mewan Dissanayake 42, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 84, Samindu Peiris 33; Shanal Binuksha 3/44, Bihan Gamage 5/40) and 71 for 2 in 19 overs (Sharujan Shanmuganathan 32, Tehan Bitar 33n.o.)
Thurstan take first innings honours at Thurstan ground
Scores
Sri Sumangala 93 all out in 40.1 overs
(Akila Wedamulla 29; Yovun Silpa 2/21, Lasindu Punsara 2/19, Thanuga Palihawadana 4/23) and 193 all out in 64.3 overs (Sandeep Wijerathne 24, Neksha Iddamalgoda 28, Akila Wedamulla 20, Senira Wijegunasinghe 21, Mevindu Kumarasiri 45n.o.; Rachintha de Silva 2/19, Vihas Thewmika 2/48, Sethru Fernando 5/46)
Thurstan 210 all out in 60.3 overs
(Dinal Induwara 29, Thanuja Rajapakse 70, Palihawadana 24; Rusith Jayawardana 3/41, Mevindu Kumarasiri 4/71) and 58 for 7 in 18 overs (Vihas Thewmika 27; Sadew Hettiarachchi 5/31, Mevindu Kumarasiri 2/27)
Virat Kohli has communicated his desire to retire from Test cricket to the BCCI ahead of the big five-match series in England starting June 20, for which he is expected to be a part of the squad. ESPNcricinfo understands that Kohli has been having these conversations with officials of the BCCI for the past month or so.
If Kohli doesn’t change his mind, he will bring the curtain down on a glorious career that has spanned 14 years and included 123 Tests – 68 of them as captain – in which he has 9230 runs at an average of 46.85.
But it hasn’t been a particularly fruitful time in the format for Kohli of late. When he scored 100 not out in the Perth Test in November 2024, it was his first century in Tests since July 2023 (against West Indies in Port of Spain), and his average, 55.10 at its peak after he scored his career best of 254 not out vs South Africa in Pune in 2019, has been 32.56 over the last 24 months.
(Cricinfo)
The remainder of PSL 2025 has been postponed indefinitely. The PCB cited the “worsening of the situation” at the Pakistan-India border as the reason, saying the board had acted on advice from the Pakistan prime minister Shahbaz Sharif.
The board said it had “sincere regard for the mental well-being of participating players and the sentiments of our foreign players, and we respect the concerns of their families who want to see them back home” and that was considered when making the decision.
The development came less than 24 hours after the PCB had announced that the remaining eight games of the PSL would be played in the UAE, without specifying the dates or the venues, with the expectation that it would take about a week to resume.
Overseas players as well as Pakistani players who currently hold visas to the UAE were scheduled to leave on Friday night, with the remaining visas being applied for over the weekend. That, however, has changed, and the teams have begun disbanding with immediate effect, with travel back home being arranged for foreign players.
There is no word yet on when, or if, the remaining games will be played. The postponement came hours after the IPL was temporarily suspended owing to the tensions between the two countries.
The PSL held an emergency meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, and involved the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi meeting with foreign players, who overwhelmingly expressed a desire to relocate the league to the UAE.
“The PCB recognises the efforts and support of its partners, franchises, participating players, broadcasters, sponsors, and organisers in having ensured the smooth conduct of the tournament thus far, however; cricket while being a unifying force and a source of joy, must take a respectful pause…” the PCB statement said.
[Cricinfo]
World Relays 2025
A ‘full strength Sri Lanka 4×400 metres mixed relay team’ will compete against formidable European powerhouses when they take part in the first heat of the relay on day one of the World Relays in Guangzhou, China on Saturday.
“We will field our best four for the heats,” said W.M.G. Thushara, the mamager cum coach of the Sri Lanka team in an interview with The Island after reaching Guangzhou yesterday.
There is one junior athlete in the six member team but Sri Lankan authorities have decided to field the full strength team in the heats.
“It will be Nadeesha Ramanayake, Nishendra Fernando, Kalinga Kumarage and Aruna Dharshana as we are planning to produce our best performace,” Thushara said.
Ramanayake, Kumarage and Dharshana were part of the team that established a new national record in the mixed relay at the Asian Athletics Championship in 2023. Only missing member from that team is Tharushi Karunaratne.
Sri Lanka team will compete in the first heat where Switzerland, France, Belgium, Germany and hosts China are the others. The first two from the heats will directly qualify for the World Relays and also the World Championships to be held in Tokyo.
Sri Lanka fielded only the mixed relay team for the World Relays despite the men’s 4×400 team qualifying for the event. The World Relays starting today is the main qualifying competition for relay events at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25.
by Reemus Fernando
-
Opinion7 days agoRemembering Dr. Samuel Mathew: A Heart that Healed Countless Lives
-
Business5 days agoAitken Spence Travels continues its leadership as the only Travelife-Certified DMC in Sri Lanka
-
Latest News3 days agoNPP win Maharagama Urban Council
-
Business5 days agoLinearSix and InsureMO® expand partnership
-
Business3 days agoJohn Keells Properties and MullenLowe unveil “Minutes Away”
-
Features7 days agoTrump’s economic missiles are boomeranging
-
Latest News7 days agoThe Heat index is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern, Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Monaragala and Hambantota districts.
-
Business4 days agoNDB Bank partners with Bishop’s College to launch NDB Pixel awareness