Sports
Hosts Trinity face uphill task against Royal in Bradby opener
By A Special Sports Correspondent
Trinity College will be hoping for an all-round performance from both backs and forwards when they host traditional rivals Royal College at Pallakelle in the first leg of the 77th Bradby Shield encounter on Saturday (July 22).
Led by fly half and playmaker Atab Manzil the Trinitians have had a modest season this far in the schools under 19 league rugby tournament beating Vidyartha 20-10 and Science 55-10, but losing to Dharmaraja 17-15 and St. Peter’s 22-10. The Trinitians are coached by former Sri Lanka rugby captain Fazil Marija. The Trinitians have the home advantage and their backs are fast. The forwards too have done well and are capable of playing a very physical game.
Royal on the other hand are the favourites in this game; coming into the big one with smashing wins against Science (45-10), Vidyartha (47-3), Zahira (44-3) and Dharmaraja (36-18). Their only setback came against St. Peter’s where they lost a close contest by 11 points to 5. Royal have a fast back division and an equally enthusiastic set of forwards who can steamroll their way over any opposition. The Royalists are coached by old boy and former Sri Lanka player Dushanth Lewke.
Royal are the present custodians of the shield having won last year’s two-match encounter with an aggregate of 50 points to 26. Last year Trinity came back strongly in the second leg to win 26-21, but lost the first leg badly; suffering a thumping 29-0 defeat at the hands of the boys from Reid Avenue.
The Bradby Shield was presented to the organizers of this annual rugby fixture to be given away to the winner by one-time principal of Royal College E.L Bradby in 1945. However, the Royal vs Trinity rugby encounter received top billing even before the shield was introduced and became a two-leg series in 1943.
In other key matches of the under 19 inter-school league rugby tournament scheduled for week six D.S. Senanayake take on S. Thomas’ at Havelock Park on Friday. On Saturday Isipatana lock horns with Wesley at Havelock Park while St. Peter’s scrum down with Science at Bambalapitiya. On Sunday Vidyartha host Zahira at Bogambara while Kingswood play St.Anthony’s at Pallakelle.
The teams:
Trinity College Rugby pool: S. Alexander, D. Watagoda, M. Silva, J. Basnayake, V. Kumarage, N. Kumarasinghe, H. Samaraweera, C. Dhanapala, M. Raizan, Atab Manzil (Captain ), H. Faizal, R. Wanasinghe, Anuhas Kodithuwakku, S. Satheeskumar, Shan Althaf, J. Samarakoon, T. Dissanayake, J. Peter, R. Bandaranayake, R. Ilangarathne, Y. Ariyawansha, I. Munasinghe, M. Usman
Royal College rugby pool: T. Gamage, I. Azeer, H. Hussein, B. Malalagama, Y. Rajasinghe, Randul Senanayake (Captain), Y. Senewirathne, T. Hassen, Simak Shafeek, Thivain Perera, C. Senewirathne, P. Samarakoon, Philio Calyanarathne, Disas Pathirana, Nabel Yahiya, A. Akram, R. John, Y. Weerasuriya, Y. Ethugala, C. Samarasinghe, H. Hussein, N. Mohammed, D. Gamanayake.
(Cricbuzz)
The remainder of the tenth edition of the PSL has been moved to the UAE amid escalating border tensions between Pakistan and India. The PCB has said that the dates and venues of the remaining eight games in the PSL 2025 season would be officially confirmed in due course.
On Thursday, Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi were due to play a game at the Rawalpindi Stadium, which was rescheduled following an emergency meeting. At the meeting, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met with overseas players in the league, who overwhelmingly expressed a desire to relocate the league to the UAE.
ESPNcricinfo understands that foreign players are already on their way out of Pakistan to the UAE, where the rest of the league will be played. It is likely to be several days before the next game is played as the PCB works out which venues to play the games at.
The original schedule would have seen four of the remaining games in Rawalpindi, one in Multan, and the final three in Lahore. An earlier update from the PCB had said the league would be rescheduled, but did not confirm at the time it would be taken out of Pakistan, with Karachi considered a likely option.
The PSL, now in its tenth season, is familiar with the UAE, having started there back in 2016. It was played there in full – barring the PSL 2017 final – for the first two seasons. Part of season six, in 2021, also had to be played in the UAE because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Any delays to the PSL are likely to impact Pakistan’s international calendar, too. Bangladesh are due to arrive in Pakistan three days after the PSL final, originally slated for May 18, with the first of five T20Is to begin on May 25 in Faisalabad. The PCB told ESPNcricinfo that no decision had yet been taken on the fate of that series.
(Cricinfo)
Bangladesh Under 19s won the six-match Youth ODI series 3-2 after the final Youth ODI against Sri Lanka Under 19s ended without a result due to rain at the Colts ground on Thursday.
Sri Lanka came to the final match with the hope of leveling the series but rain prevented a full match.
Deciding to bat first, the visitors were 188 for three wickets in the 40th over when rain prevented further play.
Skipper Azizul Hakim led Bangladesh with 94 runs inclusive of seven fours and two sixes. For the hosts, Tharusha Navodya, Kugathas Mathulan and Himal Ravihansa took a wicket each.
Sri Lanka Under 19s won the opening encounter by a big margin but three consecutive defeats thereafter saw the visitors take command. Sri Lanka Under 19s bounced back in the penultimate match to keep alive the series but rain spoilt their plans in the final encounter.
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