Sports
Madumali, Pushpakumara, Kasuni and Jaliya win cross country events
by Reemus Fernando
Marathoner Madumali Perera and many time men’s steeplechase champion R.M.S. Pushpakumara won the senior women’s and men’s races, while W.M. Kasuni and Jaliya Sangeeth clinched victory in the junior women’s and men’s events respectively of the cross-country trial held at Diyagama on Sunday.
Pushpakumara clocked 32 minutes and nine seconds to finish the 10 kilo metres as he finished almost head to head with S.R. WIjewickrama (32:10 secs). K. Shanmugeshwaran finished third, more than a minute later. They were the favourites from the time they entered the third lap in a two-kilometer loop and maintained the lead throughout the last two loops.
Run on natural terrain, the athletes were tested by heat, dirt, mud and hillocks that are located around the vicinity of Mahinda Rajapaksa stadium.
Perera completed the women’s 10 km race in a time of 38 minutes and 22 seconds. The Navy athlete finished more than a minute ahead of the rest. The Army duo Wathsala Herath and Chamini Herath finished second and third respectively.
The junior events which commenced around 8:45 am were hit by heat but was conspicuous by the absence of medical staffs. With several sports events happening around the country, the Sports Ministry’s Sports Medical Unit seemed to have given priority to others. Several junior athletes who suffered mid race injuries and would have otherwise been attended to by medal staffs were seen aided by their coaching staffs.
W.M. Kasuni clocked 25 minutes and three seconds to finish the six kilometers distance and win the junior women’s event.
The junior men’s event was dominated by Jaliya Sangeeth who clocked 28 minutes and 59 seconds to win. Jehan Angelo (29:05) and A. C. P. Madubashana (30:09) finished second and third respectively. They ran eight kilo metres.
The event was conducted by Sri Lanka Athletics to pick teams for the South Asian Cross Country Championships which will be held in India.
Results
Senior Men’s
1 R.M.S. Pushpakumara SL Army 32:09 secs
2 S.R. Wijewickrama SL Army 32:10 secs
3 K. Shanmugeshwaran SL Army 32:23 secs
4 H.D.S.D. Gunasekara SL Army 33:03 secs
5 V. Valshan SL Army 33:19 secs
Senior Women’s:
1. M.S.P. Madumali Perera Sri Lanka Navy 38:22 secs
2 G.W.M. Herath SL Army 39:40 secs
3 H.M.C.S. Herath SL Army 39:41 secs
4. Velu Krishanthini SL Navy 40:07 secs
5 W.M. Nimesha Sl Army 40.51 secs
Junior Women’s
1 W.M. Kasuni 25:03 secs
2 G.W.O.N. Fonseka 25:39 secs
3 Hashini Lakshani 26:22 secs
4 W.T. Peshalika 26:28 secs
5 Nayana Sewwandi 27:31 secs
Junior Men’s
1 Jaliya Sangeeth 28:59 secs
2 Jehan Angelo 29:05 secs
3 A. C. P. Madubashana 30:09 secs
4 M. T. N.M. Bandara 30:18 secs
5 A.K.D. Dilhara 30:53 secs
Kusal Mendis’ 93 not out off 117 balls provided the backbone, Janith Liyanage punched out a 46, and DunithWellalage produced late burst, as Sri Lanka strode to 271 for 6. On a track that offers turn, and at a venue at which chasing has historically been difficult, Sri Lanka’s is a solid – if not imposing – score, even if the hosts are resting some key bowlers.
Adil Rashid added to his excellent Sri Lanka record with 3 for 44, and was unsurprisingly England’s primary weapon, given the conditions. Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, and Rehan Ahmed claimed a wicket each, as England found frequent-enough breakthroughs to cut partnerships short before they grew truly worrying. Although Sri Lanka will be pleased with their score, England will believe it is within their reach.
Mendis was cautious early on. Arriving in the 11th over, he faced out 12 scoreless deliveries – 10 of those from England’s legspinners – before he nurdled himself onto the scoreboard. He was awake to scoring opportunities, particularly in his favoured zones square of the wicket, such as when he struck Rehan for successive boundaries behind point in the 15th over.
But as England continued to bowl tightly to him, and the spinners extracted turn from a dry surface, Mendis chose to proceed in a middling gear, pushing for singles and twos instead of dusting off his more aggressive sweeps. He got to 50 off 62 balls, but slowed down a little after that, particularly after he lost Liyanage, with whom he had put on 88 for the fifth wicket.
Although Mendis hit only a single four after the 41st over, Sri Lanka had Wellalage to crash the finishing boundaries. He hit three fours and a six in his 12-ball 25 not out. Mendis was in the 90s in the last two overs, but Wellalage claimed the majority of the strike, taking a particular shine to Jamie Overton in the final over, which went for 23.
Rashid was masterful with the ball almost from the outset. He slipped a googly past the defences of Kamil Mishara 10 balls into his first spell, then later trapped Dhananjaya de Silva in front, having beaten the batter in the flight. Then in the 43rd over, he cramped Liyanage up and took a simple catch off his own bowling, just as Liyanage was preparing to press the pedal to the floor.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 271 for 6 in 50 overs (Pathum Nissanka 21, Kamil Mishara 27, Kusal Mendis 93*, Janith Liyanage 46, Dunith Welalage 25*; Adil Rashid 3-44) vs England
[Cricinfo]
Asif Nazrul, the Bangladesh government’s sports advisor, on Thursday said that the ICC and the BCCI made no effort to convince the the Bangladesh Cricket Board of the security for their players in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. He also added that they did not deliver justice to their plea of shifting matches to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first in the opening ODI in Colombo, a venue that has historically been difficult for chasing teams. England captain Harry Brook said his team would have batted first as well.
England made one change to the XI they had named on the eve of the match, with allrounder Will Jacks having taken ill overnight. Jacks, an offspin-bowling allrounder, has been replaced in the XI by legspinning allrounder Rehan Ahmed.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have opted for a young attack, perhaps with a view to resting the more experienced bowlers for the T20Is coming up. There is no Wanindu Hasaranga or Maheesh Theekshana in the XI. Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage and legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay will lead the spin attack instead, with the likes of Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka also able to bowl.
Asitha Fernando and Pramod Madushan are the frontline seamers.
Although conditions were warm and fair at the toss, there is a chance showers could roll through later.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (capt.), Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Ratnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
[Cricinfo]
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