Latest News

Kuhnemann takes five as Sri Lanka fold for 165, Australia enforce follow-on

Published

1 year ago

2025/02/1

Priyan

Matthew Kuhnemann celebrates his five-wicket haul [Cricinfo]

Australia’s mood brightened considerably under clear skies in Galle as they resumed their complete dominance of the first Test with spinners Matthew Kunhnemann and Nathan Lyon running through a hapless Sri Lanka early on day four.

Sri Lanka lost 5 for 9 to be bowled out for 165 in their first innings just 45 minutes into the day’s play. With a lead of 489 runs and with his bowlers well rested, stand-in captain Steven Smith as expected decided to enforce the follow-on.

Kuhnemann celebrated his first Test match in almost two years with three wickets in the morning session to finish with 5 for 63, while Lyon took 3-57.

Sri Lanka’s dismal performance in this match continued with only Dinesh Chandimal offering resistance with a classy 72 and they will have to muster a much-improved effort in their second-innings to save the Test.

After the final two sessions on day three were washed out, Australia’s nerves were heightened with rain forecast in the afternoon.

Resuming at 136 for 5, Sri Lanka found themselves with unexpected hope of surviving with a draw due to the wet weather. But they desperately needed Chandimal to kick on having compiled an attractive half-century on day three.

The pressure was on Chandimal and wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis as the last recognised batters before the tail.

Smith deployed spinners Kuhnemann and Lyon from the get-go as Chandimal unfurled the reverse sweep which he had used to good effect on the truncated day three.

It was a cautious start from Sri Lanka’s batters with Kuhnemann extracting awkward bounce that occasionally reared off the surface. Mendis went to his favoured sweep shot against Kuhnemann and he whacked a boundary to raise Sri Lanka’s 150.

But Australia were well prepared with their tactics and baited Mendis into the sweep shot with two fielders positioned deep square of the wicket. Mendis couldn’t contain himself and top-edged a sweep to be well caught by a running Todd Murphy at square leg.

The burden fell to Chandimal, who had been unable to recapture his fluency from earlier in the innings. His rearguard finally ended when he missed a reverse sweep to fall lbw to Lyon as he reviewed in vain.

Sri Lanka’s tail folded quickly with Kuhnemann claiming his second five-wicket haul of his Test career.

Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 165 in 52.2 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 72, de Silva 22, Kusal Mendis 21; Matthew Kuhnemann 5-63, Nathan Lyon 3-57, Mitchell Starc 2-13) trail Australia 654 for 6 dec by 489 runs

[Cricinfo]

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Latest News

Heat Index at Caution Level at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar and Vavuniya districts

Published

7 hours ago

2026/03/17

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. on 16 March 2026, valid for 17 March 2026

The general public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar and Vavuniya districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED

Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.

Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.

Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.

Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.

Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

Foreign News

Ecuador deploys 75,000 soldiers and police to combat drug gangs

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/17

Priyan

[pic BBC]

The Ecuadorean government has deployed more than 75,000 police officers and soldiers to four of the country’s most violence-wracked provinces, the interior minister says.

The authorities have also declared a night-time curfew in these areas as part of a “new phase” in their “war” on criminal gangs.

Since coming to office in November 2023, President Daniel Noboa has tried to quell drug-related violence but nevertheless Ecuador registered a record murder rate in 2025.

Noboa has also joined a US-led alliance of 17 countries aimed at fighting criminal cartels in the Western Hemisphere.

“We’re at war,” Ecuadorean Interior Minister John Reimberg told residents of the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Los Ríos and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas.

“Don’t take any risks, don’t go out, stay at home,” he added.

Ecuador’s geographical location – sandwiched between Colombia and Peru, the world’s largest producers of cocaine – has turned it into a key transit country for the illicit drug.

Around 70% of the cocaine produced in Colombia and Peru is estimated to be shipped through Ecuador.

Noboa’s government has been working with the administration of US President Donald Trump to quell the flow of cocaine from Ecuador to the US.

Last week, the FBI opened its first office in the Andean country, a move which came shortly after the two countries launched joint counter-narcotic operations.

Noboa was one of the Latin American leaders to attend an international meeting hosted by Trump in Mar-a-Lago, which the US authorities dubbed the “Shield of the Americas” summit.

At the summit, Trump likened criminal gangs to a “cancer” and urged his Latin American counterparts to use military force to root them out.

“We don’t want it spreading,” Trump added.

Following the meeting, Noboa posted a photo on social media of himself standing next to Trump with the words: “For too long, the mafias thought that America was their territory. That they could cross borders, move drugs, guns and [spread] violence without consequences. Their time has run out.”

Since coming to office, Noboa has tried to combat criminal organisations in his country with an iron fist and has declared several states of emergency but nevertheless the murder rate rose by over 30% between 2024 and 2025.

[BBC]

Latest News

Wednesdays declared a government holiday with effect from 18th March

Published

15 hours ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

The Commissioner General of Essential Services, Prabath Chandrakeerthi has announced that, after taking into consideration the current fuel situation in Sri Lanka, the Government has decided to declare Wednesdays of every week as a holiday for government sector employees, all government schools, universities, and courts with effect from March 18, 2026, until further notice

The holiday will not apply to essential service sectors including Healthcare, Ports, Water Supply and Customs.