Sports
Harshana, Devindya win gold medals
Western Asian Online Youth Chess Championships 2021
Sri Lanka number one ranked, International Master Harshana Thilakarathne and newly crowned Under 10 Girls World Chess Champion Oshini Devindya Gunawardena won their age category golds as the hosts bagged two golds, one silver and a bronze at the Western Asian Online Youth Chess Championships concluded on Monday.
Thilakarathne won the title in the Under 18 category as the Maliyadeva College player scored seven points out of nine. Thilakarathne beat Aljabari Mohammad (Palastine), Radwan Mahmoud (Palestine), FIDE Master Anees M Mohamed (India), Mazhkenov Alisher (Kazakhstan), Dhingra Aaditya (India) and Khazaei Parviz (Iran) and drew with Bosagh Zadeh Alireza (Iran) and Ranjan Aryan(India). His only defeat was at the hands of Sri Lanka national player LMST De Silva.
Young Oshini Devindya Gunawardena showed her supremacy by winning the Under 10 category. Though she lost her second game to Indian player, R. Charudharshini (India) she recovered well scoring wins against all other players Bhuchar Ridhima (India), A. Anjana (India), Reya Banker (India), Gunesh Dessai Saeeja (India), GHS Sanulya (Sri Lanka), Akbari Rosha (Iran),Ukkali Krupa(India) and Dongre Anshika (India) to score eight points out of nine. Oshini is from Furguson High School, Ratnapura and is coached by Akhila Kavinda, a prominent chess trainer.
The age category victories by Thilakarathne and Devindya will now make them eligible to compete in the FIDE World Youth and Cadet Chess Grand Prix 2021 conducted by the International Chess Federation.
Nalanda College player Susal de Silva and Dharmasoka College player Esandi Newansa were the winners of the silver (Under-18 category) and bronze medals (Under-12) in their respective age categories.
The Nalandian suffered two early losses in the second and third rounds to Ranjan Arayan(India) and Kusalwin Liyanage respectively but came back fighting to score 6 1/2 points in the other games. He beat Al Busaidi Hamood (Oman), Radwan Mahmoud (Palestine), Khalifa Essa Albalooshi (UAE), Khazaei Parviz (Iran), Dhingra Aaditya (India), Harshana and Mazhkenov Alisher (Kazakhstan).
The Sokian also scored 6 ½ points out of nine. She beat Anujana Hasandi (Sri Lanka), Sachi Jain (India), Rouda Essa Alserkal (UAE), Sirin Kalyani (India), Ebrahimi Rashti Asal (Iran) and Abaeva Aiana and drew with Alavi Mahsa (Iran). Iranians Imani Adrina and Davari Sara were the only players to defeat her.
There was a close contest for medals between India and Iran. India won five gold medals in the Under 16 (Jimmy Jubbin with a score of 7 ½ out of 9), Under 14 Open (Singh Sahib with a score of 7 ½ out of 9), Under-14 Girls (Sreekumar Anupam with a score of 8 ½ out of 9), Under 10 Open (Ethan Zaz with 7 ½ points out of 9) and Under 8 Open (B Vishruth with a score of 8 out of 9) categories. Iran’s four golds came in the Under 18 Girls (Mohammadi Melika with a score of 7 ½ out of 9), Under 16 girls (Mohammadi Melika with a perfect score of 9 out of 9), Under 12 Open (Gholami Armin with a score of 8 out of 9) and Under 12 Girls (Davari Sara with a perfect score of 9 out of 9) categories. According to Chess Federation of Sri Lanka the overall champions were to be decided on Tuesday after officials receive the fare play report of the Under 8 Girls category.
The Western Asian Online Youth Chess Championships conducted by the Asian Chess Federation and organized by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka attracted a total of 850 players. It was held on the Tornelo platform with a time control of 15 minutes.
Players from Bangladesh, India, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Palestine, Syria, UAE, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka participated in the event.
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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