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Malith, Kaveesha excel as Trinity, Richmond win

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Under 19 Cricket

by Reemus Fernando  

Trinity cruised to an innings and 25 runs victory over St. Thomas’ College, Matara as Malith Rathnayaka ripped through the visitors’ batting line up with a seven wicket haul in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ tournament match which ended with more than a session remaining on the final day at Asgiriya.

Left-arm spinner completed a match bag of 13 wickets as St. Thomas’ were bundled out for 42 runs in the second innings.

Jayavi Liyanagama added 32 runs to propel Trinity’s late order before coming to take two wickets in the second innings.

Rathnayaka was the star in the bowling unit as Trinity consolidated the top position in the Tier A tournament points table with the second win in the tournament.

Incidentally, Rathnayaka has 21 wickets from the two tournament matches.

In a traditional encounter, Richmond pulled off a four wickets victory over Maliyadewa as off-spinner Kaveesha Induwara bagged ten wickets.

In a Division I Tier A encounter (which is also a traditional match) St. Joseph’s late order fought hard to boost the score against S. Thomas’ at Mount Lavinia.

After Aveesha Samash held the top order together with 96 runs, number seven batsman Senuja Wakunugoda scored an unbeaten 82 runs in 132 balls for the Joes to post 267 runs.

Match Scores:

Trinity home for tea  at Asgiriya

Scores:

St. Thomas’ 99 all out in 46.2 overs (Pesandu Sanjan 59; Malith Rathnayake 6/39, Jayavi Liyanagama 2/05)  and 42 all out in 20.4 overs (Malith Rathnayake 7/21, Jayavi Liyanagama 2/10)

Trinity

99 for 4 overnight 166 for 9 decl. in 50 overs (Dimantha Mahavithana 64, Jayavi Liyanagama  32; Loshitha Diksith 3/56, Kansilu Gimhana 2/25, Punal Pamuditha 3/21)

Richmond pull off  four wickets win at Kurunegala 

Scores:

Maliyadeva 134 all out in 55.3 overs (Praveen Rukunayaka 44, Vinuka Galappaththi 28; Kaveesha Induwara 5/54, Sharon Abhishek 2/41) and 91 all out in 42.3 overs (Dimantha Nisanka 26, Vinuka Galappaththi 25;Sharon Abhishek 4/44, Kaveesha Induwara 5/40)

Richmond 165 for 8 overnight 170 all out in 48.4 overs (Chehan Subasinghe 52, Thamindu Pradeeptha 23, Sharon Abhishek 45, Kaveesha Induwara 19; Thaveesha Balasooriya 3/71, Dimath Abeysinghe 6/57) and 56 for 6 in 19.1 overs (Sharon Abhishek 20 n.o.; Thaveesha Balasooriya 2/29, Dimath Abeysinghe 3/23)

Late order battle for Joes at Mount Lavinia

Scores:

St. Joseph’s 267 all out in 75.2 overs (Aveesha Samash 96, Yenula Dewthusa 24, Senuja Wakunugoda 82n.o., Kenath Liyanage 22; Kavindu Dias 4/66,  Abheeth Paranavidana 2/65)

S. Thomas’ 37 for 2 in 17.5 overs



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With Sridhar on board, Sri Lanka eye fielding gold

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Sri Lanka have roped in former India Fielding Coach R. Sridhar for a ten day stint to sharpen skills.

When Sanath Jayasuriya walked into his first media briefing as Head Coach, he didn’t waste time playing it safe. He went straight to the point — fielding was going to be a game-changer. And true to his word, what the team has pulled off over the last 12 months is nothing short of a stunning comeback.

Here was a side that had just been bundled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup with a wooden spoon finish — ninth place — and failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy. But under Jayasuriya’s stewardship, Sri Lanka has punched above its weight, defeating the top two ranked teams in the world — Australia and India. And in this remarkable turnaround, fielding has been the unsung hero, the silent game-winner.

Doubling down on the importance of fielding, the team management roped in India’s former fielding guru R. Sridhar for a ten-day high-intensity camp. A coach who comes with a glowing reputation, Sridhar isn’t just focusing on the big boys — he’s spreading the gospel of fielding to the development squads and the under-19s too. It’s a move that signals intent — Sri Lanka wants to be sharp, not just with the bat and ball, but in the field as well.

These efforts to lift fielding standards deserve a standing ovation. One can only wonder how different things might’ve been if this sort of proactive thinking had been in place two years ago. The writing was on the wall even then — dropped catches, fumbled run-outs, and lazy throws were costing games. But instead of addressing the problem head-on, the management handed the reins to an overhyped foreign coach and, in cricketing terms, ended up hitting their own wickets.

Since Jayasuriya took over, he’s turned the tide. He brought in Upul Chandana — Sri Lanka’s very own livewire in the field — from within the SLC coaching system. Chandana, with his unconventional drills and energetic approach, has injected fresh blood and urgency into the unit. The players now seem to have caught the fielding bug.

That’s how it should be. While someone like Chandana remains as a permanent fixture, brief stints from specialists like Sridhar allow new ideas to bounce around the dressing room.

Earlier, even Jonty Rhodes, arguably the Michael Jordan of fielding, spent a few days in Colombo. He quickly identified the blind spots and sharpened Sri Lanka’s fielding toolkit.

That said, no matter how many big-ticket coaches you bring in, no fielding revolution can succeed unless the players themselves buy in. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it dive full-length in the covers.

And for too long, that buy-in was missing. Thankfully, the tide seems to be turning — especially with the next-gen stars who appear hungrier, more agile, and aware that in modern cricket, fielding can win you matches.

Look no further than T.M. Dilshan. Initially groomed as a wicketkeeper, his path was blocked by a certain Kumar Sangakkara — who, let’s face it, wasn’t giving up the gloves anytime soon. So Dilshan pivoted. He transformed himself into a brilliant outfielder, arguably the best in the side. His work ethic was legendary.

After every net session, he’d drag Fielding Coach Trevor Penney to the boundary and aim for ten direct hits a day. In the early days, it took him hours to meet that mark. But with persistence and practice, he was hitting the target in just 15 minutes. That’s the stuff champions are made of — grit, grind, and getting your whites dirty.

What Sri Lanka needs now are more players with that Dilshan mindset — willing to do the hard yards, chase leather like it’s gold, and throw themselves around like they’re defending their mother’s dowry.

With Jayasuriya calling the shots, Chandana in the dugout, and experts like Sridhar chipping in, Sri Lanka’s fielding fortunes are finally turning a corner. It’s early days, but if this momentum continues, the Lions might just roar again — not just with the bat and ball, but in every blade of grass they defend.

by Rex Clementine

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11th edition of Pera 6s Hockey Championship concludes today

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The 11th edition of the Pera 6s annual 6-a-side Inter-University and Inter-Club Hockey Championship, organised by the University of Peradeniya Hockey Team, which commenced at the Univeresity of Peradeniya play ground on Saturday, will conclude today [11 May]

First played in 2006, the tournament has been featured ten times, and provides a unique opportunity for university hockey players to display their skills and prowess on a competitive platform. It is also an eye-catching attraction on the university’s sports calendar.

In the last edition the Inter University championship was won by University of Peradeniya (Men’s) and University of Moratuwa/Sabaragamuwa University (Women’s) while Creators Sports Club and Old Aloysian Sports Club were joint champions in the men’s club championship, and Wennapuwa Hockey Club clinched the women’s championship.

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ASBC Asian U22 and Youth Boxing Championships from Monday 

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(Seated from left) Terrence Fernando, General Manager Cinnamon Red, Dushyantha Tittawella, Manager Cinnamon Grand, Tharanga Perera, Secretary BASL, Anuruddha Shanaka Bandara, President BASL, Marina Ni, Sports Director ASBC, Brigadier Kasun Adikari, Asst. Secretary BASL, Ruchira Weerakoon, Chief Officer SLT-MOBITEL PEOTV and Group Captain Buddhika Nissanka, Chairman Air Force Boxing Committee were present during the official press conference held at Cinnamon Grand Hotel -Colombo.

ASBC Asian Under-22 and Youth Boxing Championships, one of the most prestigious international sporting events ever to grace Sri Lankan soil will be held from May 12 to 23 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.

This landmark tournament marks the historic return of top-tier Asian boxing to Sri Lanka after 57 years. Over 400 athletes and officials from more than 24 countries are set to participate. Boxing powerhouses such as India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Australia, and Thailand will be among the competing nations, making this one of the most significant multi-nation sporting events the island has hosted in recent times.

The event is being organised by the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), in collaboration with the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) and the International Boxing Association (IBA). It also receives crucial support from Sri Lanka’s Tri-Forces, Police, Customs, and Immigration departments.

Speaking about the significance of the tournament, Tharanga Perera, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, stated that this is about showcasing Sri Lanka’s potential as a sports destination, developing local talent, and placing the country firmly on the global sporting map. He further added that thanks to the Ministry of Sports, the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, and Cinnamon Hotels, the official hospitality partner, Sri Lanka is fully prepared to deliver a world-class experience for athletes, officials, and spectators. According to Perera, this tournament is more than just a boxing event, it is a moment of national pride.

Perera also announced that SLT-Mobitel, PeoTV, and Peo Sports will serve as the official TV broadcasters of the championship. All matches will be aired live in true HD quality on Peo Sports 1. Viewers will also be able to watch the tournament live and free of charge on the Peo Mobile App making it accessible to audiences nationwide. Additionally, boxing enthusiasts around the world can watch every match live on Peo Sports’ Facebook page and YouTube channel, ensuring broad accessibility to this milestone event.

Powered by Slt Mobitel’s high speed Fibre Broadband connectivity and exceptional coverage by Peo Sports, the event will captivate audiences, showcase the power of sports to inspire and unite, and pave the way for a brighter future for Sri Lanka’s boxing community.

With anticipation building across the region, Sri Lanka is ready to welcome Asia’s brightest young boxing talents. This championship promises to be a spectacular display of skill, speed, and sporting spirit, and it will stand as a landmark moment in the country’s sporting history.

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