Sports
Kamindu Mendis promises much moving forward
by Rex Clementine
Any player who has featured in two ICC Under-19 World Cups has to be special. Such unique talents are groomed early in their careers and eventually go on to captain the team when the time is ripe. Angelo Mathews is one such and so is Upul Tharanga. Kamindu Mendis like the two men who went on to captain Sri Lanka featured in two Under-19 World Cups – 2016 in Bangladesh and 2018 in New Zealand. He became a sensation overnight. Not for his exploits with the bat, but his ambidextrous abilities.
Kamindu was bowling left-arm orthodox spin in the 2016 edition of the tournament when he played under Charith Asalanka. But in the middle of an over, with a left-hander on strike, when he informed the umpire that he wants to bowl off-spin, he left the umpire bemused, the commentator amused and the poor batsman confused.
Kamindu is a left-handed batsman. So, you expected him to be a strong left-arm bowler too. But for some reason off-spin is his strong forte.
Why such unique talents have prospered over the years at Richmond College, Galle, is because cricket coaches at that school think out of the box. Dhammika Sudarshana ran a programme where he didn’t have many batters who scored 1000 runs in the season or claimed 100 wickets, but they won a record number of games. Players with the x-factor were backed heavily and their cricket has been a huge success story.
Although it’s Katmandu’s bowling that was highlighted in the early days, his batting has been always a sensation. Given the package he was offering, he should have been fast tracked to become a regular by now but he had to fight out tooth and nail to cement his place.
A half-century on his Test debut that too against the mighty Aussies proved to be not good enough, but two years later, he delivered the knockout punch with hundreds in each innings on his return to the side. He is the seventh Sri Lankan to the milestone and the youngest. Kamindu and his skipper Dhananjaya de Silva deserve lot of credit for their efforts came on a tough wicket.
Now that Kamindu has made it look all too easy, the temptation will be there to push him to number three. There’s sound reasoning as well for he bats there in domestic cricket and players with good temperament batting top of the order rather than being wasted at number seven serves the team well.
However, the other side of the coin is that it’s a very rare skill to bat at number seven. More often than not you get to bat with the tail and it’s a tough job. You’ve got to take calculated risks and farm the strike from the tail. Kamindu has done that well and should remain at number seven. Sri Lanka are unlikely to do any changes as of now, but in the long run, getting one of your best batters higher in the order is going to happen naturally.
This means Kusal Mendis will keep the number three slot and continue to keep wickets. But he’s under tremendous pressure. Lead up to Sri Lanka’s next Test series – three Tests in England, they might look at handing the gloves to someone like Dinesh Chandimal.
Opening batter Nishan Madushka will survive too, but only for the time being. Unless he gets something big in Bangladesh, it’s only a matter of time before Pathum Nissanka returns to the opening slot.
The much anticipated Juventus Training Camp organized by the Colombo Kickerz Football Academy will take place from 6th to 10th July at the CR&FC Grounds Colombo.
The Camp will be conducted by two official Juventus Academy coaches from Italy, and will provide 50 young footballers from across the country to participate in an intensive program based on the renowned Juventus methodology, focusing on technical development, tactical understanding, team work, discipline and personal growth.
Romario de Silva CEO of Colombo Kickerz Football Academy said that the objective of the Academy was to provide young footballers with access to world class coaching and international development opportunities.
He added that the Training Camp was made possible through the valued support of Hilton Colombo Residencies, Aitken Spence travels, The Pappare and Lady J.
Sri Lanka have been hit by a spate of injuries and an illness ahead of the secondbTest against West Indies, in North Sound, a game they must win to take something away from the series after suffering an innings defeat in the first.
The injuries have forced the team management to pick from a squad of 13, rather than the 17 they took on tour. The seam-bowling department has been especially hard hit, with Lahiru Kumara and Vishwa Fernando both going down with injuries.
The most serious injury, however, seems to be that of opener Pathum Nissanka, who left the squad on June 30 to undergo surgery on an injured wrist in the United Kingdom. Lahiru Udara will take Nissanka’s place at the top of the order for the second Test. Nissanka’s surgery casts a cloud over his Lanka Premier League participation as well.
Vishwa, meanwhile, has not sufficiently recovered from back and side pain to become available for the second Test. And Sri Lanka’s quickest bowler in the squad, Kumara, remains unavailable after having walked off the field with a hamstring complaint (a recurring injury) having delivered just one over in the previous Test.
These injuries, plus Kasun Rajitha’s modest performance in the first Test, have paved the way for seamer Isitha Wijesudera’s Test debut.
In addition, offspin-bowling allrounder Ramesh Mendis has contracted a bacterial infection on tour. As such, he is also unavailable for selection. Prabath Jayasuriya – Sri Lanka’s top specialist spinner over the last three years – will enter the XI.
(Cricinfo)
Substitute Goncalo Ramos’s headed goal edged Portugal into the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after a gripping 2-1 win against Croatia.
Ramos connected with a superb pass from Rafael Leao in the fourth minute of stoppage time on Thursday to snuff out a Croatia team that had created the lion’s share of the chances in sapping evening heat in Toronto.
In a dramatic ending, Croatia thought they had equalised in the dying seconds, but Josko Gvardiol’s goal was chalked off for offside.
The Croatians were left stunned by the decision, while Portugal’s players celebrated.
Cristiano Ronaldo played his role in the victory, stroking home a penalty that cancelled out Ivan Perisic’s opener.
It was Ronaldo’s first-ever goal in the knockout phase of the World Cup, and his remarkable international career will have another chapter when Portugal face Spain in Dallas on Monday.
Perisic had stunned the Portuguese by slotting the ball under the advancing Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa in the 53rd minute.
Within minutes, Ronaldo had the ball in the net after controlling a long pass, but his effort was disallowed for offside.
But Portugal got level when Renato Veiga was grabbed by Croatia’s Nikola Vlasic in the penalty area, and after a VAR check, the referee pointed to the spot.
Ronaldo stepped up to convert the penalty with ease, hitting the ball straight down the middle of the goal and pumping his fists with joy afterwards.
In a pulsating game, Manchester City forward Mateo Kovacic’s low shot was pushed onto a post by goalkeeper Costa’s fingertips.
Still, Croatia pushed, and Petar Sucic had the ball in the net, but the assistant referee’s flag was up for a clear offside.
Ronaldo was withdrawn in the 81st minute to allow Ruben Neves to come on.
Croatia continued to create more chances than their opponents, and Mario Pasalic came so close to winning the game with a header at the far post, but it bounced just wide.
But when Ramos connected, the net bulged, and Portugal were through.
(Aljazeera)
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Ronaldo scores as Portugal come back to win, Croatia denied by late VAR
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