Sports
Mendis 87 leads Sri Lanka’s batting charge on day one
Impressive knocks from almost the entirety of the Sri Lankan top order, particularly Kusal Mendis, gave Sri Lanka a promising start in their pursuit of an unlikely World Test Championship final berth, as they put up 305 for 6 on the opening day of the first Test at Hagley Oval. However the persistence of Tim Southee and Matt Henry, who picked up five wickets between them, ensured the visitors would at no
point run away with proceedings.
At the close of play Dhananjaya de Silva was at the crease unbeaten on 39, with Kasun Rajitha alongside him on 16. That Rajitha is even at the crease with just six wickets down speaks towards the length of Sri Lanka’s tail. Rajitha, however to his credit, has thus far provided an able foil during the 37-run stand.
The first hour or so of the morning session saw Henry and Southee beat the edge with regularity, and their relentless lines and lengths – just outside off, angled in, shaping away, off a good length – eventually paid off. Ironically, it was one drifting down leg that did the trick, as Oshada Fernando was strangled down leg.
That however brought Mendis to the crease, and Sri Lanka’s approach was transformed. Carrying over his recent white-ball form, Mendis accounted for 15 of the 21 boundaries scored in the session, on the way to a 51-ball 73 at the break – he would end on 87 off 83. His partnership with Dimuth Karunaratne meanwhile would yield 137.
A majority of his scoring came on the leg side, particularly behind square. Henry and Neil Wagner were punished as they looked to test the diminutive Lankan with some short stuff, while Southee and Blair Tickner were whipped in front of square for deliveries that veered a little too full or straight.
There were a few dicey cuts over gully as well, but Mendis’ only genuine moment of peril came when he was yet to get off the mark. A ball nipping back off a good length had seen him struck in front of middle on the back pad. The umpire felt this was hitting middle and off, but DRS showed the ball bouncing over the stumps – something neither the New Zealand players nor on-air commentators could quite believe.
Mendis’ aggression coincided with New Zealand’s seamers losing the lengths that had served them so well in the early part of the morning. They would correct this after lunch, however, and within the first hour of the second session they would see the backs of both Mendis and Karunaratne.
Mendis was surprised by one that jagged back in off a length from outside off, as he failed to offer a stroke and was struck on the back leg, while Karunaratne was out caught on a loose drive an over later, offering a thick edge to second slip.
While the pair were at the crease Sri Lanka had been cantering along at nearly five an over, however the scoring rate slowed a touch once Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal set about their rebuild.
Both underwent testing periods, with New Zealand’s battery of seamers teasing both edges of the bat. However the pair remained unflustered, and once the bowlers began to tire, the runs began to flow – much like in the morning session.
The pair of Blair Tickner and Daryl Mitchell in particular afforded the Lankans a degree of comfort, and in the final over before tea Chandimal took full advantage with three consecutive boundaries – the first an uppercut over the slip corden, and then two consecutive off-drives.
Following a brief rain stoppage at the start of the final session, Mathews and Chandimal proceeded to push the scoring at around four an over, but the hosts would strike back one final time.
Chandimal would be the first to fall, edging a drive into the slips – a rare slip in an otherwise disciplined innings. Mathews would stay a bit longer alongside Dhananjaya, before he too edged one to first slip, one ball after becoming the third Sri Lankan to reach 7,000 Test runs.
When Niroshan Dickwella was trapped leg before shortly after, going for a sweep off the part-time off spin of Michael Bracewell, it looked like Sri Lanka had thrown away their enterprising start. But Dhananjaya and Rajitha have ensured that it was just about Sri Lanka’s day.
First-season champions Mumbai Indians (MI) finished the league stage second behind Delhi Capitals for the third year in a row, after failing to chase down 200 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Brabourne Stadium. Needing a win to top the table and seal a direct final berth, MI put on a shoddy fielding display that gave RCB a competitive total. In their reply Nat Sciver-Brunt was the only batter to cross 23 as the hosts fell to their first loss at Brabourne in six games.
RCB’s 11-run win was the third victory in a row for the team batting first at WPL 2025 after the early trend was heavily in favour of teams chasing. Their win that helped them off the bottom of the table was set up by a half-century from Smriti Mandhana, free-flowing strokeplay from S Meghana. Ellyse Perry’s anchoring role, and boundary-laden cameos from Richa Ghosh and Georgia Wareham.
For MI, Sciver-Brunt did the heavy lifting after the losses of Hayley Matthews and Harmanpreet Kaur, but once she fell for a stunning 69 off 35 in the 15th over, MI had too much to score (71 runs) in too little time (31 balls) with no big names to follow.
With nothing to lose in this campaign, RCB came out all guns blazing in their last game and they did it audaciously by targeting MI’s best bowlers. Meghana clubbed Sciver-Brunt for two fours in the second over before seeing Mandhana end the third over with a four followed by a glorious straight six against Shabnim Ismail. Meghana then welcomed Matthews with 4, 6 and 4 but Matthews’ riposte came in the form of a 102.8kmh bouncer which she top-edged to short fine leg for 26 off 13.
RCB finished the powerplay on 53 for 1, and Perry made MI pay for gifting her three lives. The next bowler to be carted all around was Amelia Kerr. Once her first ball – a long hop – was pulled for four by Perry, Mandhana swept her for six, flicked for four and swung her down the ground for a 22-run over. Briefly after MI pulled the run rate down from 9.62 to under 8.50 an over, Mandhana collected two consecutive aerial fours to reach her fifty off 35 balls.
Kerr’s second over was even more dramatic. She gave Perry a life on 16 when she failed to hold on to the ball that was smashed back to her. Two balls later, Mandhana, on 52, skied a sweep but Sanskriti Gupta put down a sitter at midwicket. That didn’t cost MI much as Mandhana found long-off on her next ball.
What did cost MI was Perry’s life. She gloriously lofted Ismail for a six next over and drilled Parunika Sisodia for four after Ghosh had already collected two fours in the 14th over. Ghosh was also living dangerously. She miscued a couple of swings before tearing Ismail apart. A reverse-scoop edged for four, a mighty straight six and a scoop right over the keeper fetched 15 from the over to give Ismail figures of 0 for 41. Ghosh miscued Matthews for 36 off 22 next over but Perry and Wareham piled on more boundaries.
The duo went after Amanjot Kaur – whose tight lines saw her concede just nine off her first three overs – for four fours all around, which included the reliable Sciver-Brunt putting down a dolly at deep midwicket after being distracted by the spidercam. Perry was dropped on the first ball of the last over, bowled by Kerr, that went for four. Wareham swept and reverse-swept Kerr for 4, 2, 4 and 6 to give RCB 199 with her scintillating 31 not out off 10 that helped them collect 65 off the last four.
MI’s opening woes continued as Kerr again failed to put on a decent score. While Matthews got going with spectacular hits off Perry, Kerr faced just nine balls in the first 30. Sneh Rana snared the two openers in consecutive overs when she had Matthews hole out to deep square leg and Kerr sky one towards cover for 9.
MI needed a big lift from 45 for 2 in the powerplay. Harmanpreet survived an lbw appeal and review from WPL debutant Heather Graham and found the gaps with two confident boundaries. But Mandhana brought back the wily Kim Garth and she foxed the MI captain with a back-of-the-hand legcutter that drew an edge which was pouched nicely by Ghosh.
Needing 71 to get from 31 from there was a tall ask for MI but their lower order didn’t give up. The charge was led by the hard-hitting Sajeevan Sanjana mainly at the end after the wickets of Yastika Bhatia, Amanjot and G Kamalini. With 44 to win from 12, Sajana packed some power against Garth’s slower ones and then with 24 to get from five, she hammered Perry in the ‘V’ down the ground for two sixes. She missed the next ball and then miscued one to be dismissed for 23 off 12 and MI fell short.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women 199 for 3 in 20 overs (Sabbhineni Meghana 26, Smriti Mandhana 53, Ellyse Perry 49*, Richa Ghosh 36, Georgia Wareham 31*; Hayley Matthews 2-37, Amelia Kerr 1-47) beat Mumbai Indians Women 188 for 9 in 20 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 69, Hayley Mathtews 19, Harmanpreet Kaur 20, Amanjot Kaur 17, Sajeevan Sajana 23, Sanskriti Gupta 10; Kim Garth 2-33, Ellyse Perry 2-53, Sneh Rana 3-26, Heather Graham 1-47, Georgia Wareham 1-49) by 11 runs
[Cricinfo]
Bloomfield stormed to the pinnacle of Sri Lanka’s First-Class cricket, clinching their first title in 15 years with a commanding victory over the star-studded NCC in the final last week. With a half-dozen Sri Lanka internationals in their ranks, NCC entered the contest as outright favourites, but one man turned the game on its head with a marathon innings that will be talked about for years to come.
Left-handed opener Ron Kashyapa Chandraguptha batted for two full days under the sweltering Colombo sun, crafting a career-best 237 – his maiden First-Class double hundred. His monumental knock propelled Bloomfield to a mammoth 508 all out in the first innings, virtually shutting the door on NCC. While time ran out for an outright win, Bloomfield only needed the crucial first-innings lead, and they wrapped it up in style, bundling out NCC for 312.
“It was my maiden double hundred, and to score it in a final was extra special. They had a top-class attack, probably the best pace unit in domestic cricket, so getting a big knock against them felt really satisfying,” Chandraguptha told Telecom Asia Sport.
NCC, at least on paper, had all the firepower, but cricket is played on turf, not team sheets. Chandraguptha knew that to take the wind out of their sails, he had to bat long and anchor the innings.
“They were the favourites coming into the final, but I was determined to take responsibility. If I could weather the storm against their quicks, I knew partnerships would flow. Our plan was simple – pile on a big first-innings score and make life difficult for them,” he explained.
The final was played at the R. Premadasa Stadium, where Colombo’s relentless heat tests even the fittest cricketers. But Chandraguptha, a man on a mission, batted through six grueling sessions without breaking down.
“It was brutally hot out there, but I had worked hard on my fitness. Thankfully, I never cramped up, and credit goes to our trainer for keeping me hydrated throughout the innings,” he added.
Unlike some of their more glamorous rivals, Bloomfield had no big names in their lineup. However, their biggest advantage was consistency – no players missing due to international or franchise commitments, allowing them to gel as a unit. Chandraguptha himself had moved to Bloomfield this season after stints with Tamil Union and Colombo Cricket Club, and he made an immediate impact.
His opening partner, Hasitha Boyagoda, a schoolmate from Trinity College, Kandy, provided the perfect foil. The duo laid the foundation with a 119-run opening stand, before Chandraguptha stitched together a match-defining 200-run partnership for the second wicket with Asitha Wanninayake.
“Boyagoda is one of the finest openers we have. He’s had his share of injury setbacks, but he was solid in the final, handling extra pace brilliantly. As for Wanninayake, I just told him to enjoy the occasion. You don’t get to face such quality attacks in a final too often, and he made the most of it,” Chandraguptha said.
Wanninayake, a product of St. Anthony’s College, Kandy, fell agonizingly short of a century in the first innings, run out for 96. However, he made amends in the second innings, crafting an unbeaten 104 to drive the final nail in NCC’s coffin.
With such a commanding performance in a title clash, will Chandraguptha’s knock force the selectors to sit up and take notice? He remains unfazed, keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
“The NSL tournament is coming up, and all I want to do is keep performing there. That’s my focus right now,” he said.
For now, Bloomfield are basking in the glory of their long-awaited triumph, and at the heart of it is a gritty left-hander who stood tall when it mattered most. If Chandraguptha continues to pile on the runs, it won’t be long before a national call-up beckons.
(Telecom Asia Sport)
By A Special Sports Correspondent
Kandy Sports Club have proved their might this season with their irresistible style of rugby. They have crowned themselves undisputable rugby champions by bagging the ‘Cup Championship’ in the domestic league tournament which was contested by eight other teams. Skipper Srinath Sooriyabandara and his teammates have restored some of the pride they lost during the 2023/24 season at the hands of CR&FC, which bagged the league title last year.
Most importantly Kandy has rebuilt their side with new blood. Given the brutal and physical nature of rugby, there are now many young players who have proven that they are ready to take over after the senior brigade call it a day. Players in the likes of Thilina Bandara, Chathura Soysa, Dahan Wickremaarachchi, Wewala Panditha, Heshan Jansen, Shahid Zumri, Asiri Senevirathne, Kudalige Chathuranga and Diluksha Dange have complemented the playing of the seniors with their contributions on the field. Mention must also be made of front row forwards Malitha Wijesundara, Dilshan Fareed, Milan Weerasinghe and lock forward Nalan Premanath.
Fly half and playmaker Tharinda Ratwatte had an outstanding season with the boot and also in the ‘loose’. He is one player who can scan the field and initiate a try; especially at difficult times when no one can score. There is much for the juniors to watch and learn from him.
His cousin Nigel is a smart player who knows the value of teamwork. He has been amazing as a centre three quarter and initiated many try scoring moves this season. The other players who made Kandy proud this season were Dhanushka Ranjan, Dinal Ekanayake, Kavindu Perera and Sooriyabandara, who was a tower of strength at the last line of defense. Mention must also be made about head coach Fazil Marija and forwards coach Terrance Henry for molding the players.
The winning of a prestigious rugby tournament like this means much to the hill country folk who otherwise have less than a handful of crowd-pulling events taking place in Kandy. The Dalada Perahera (pageant) is one and for a selected few there is the Brady Shield, which is played between Royal and Trinity. Kandy rugby has general overall appeal as a spectator sport and can give the people of the Central Hills the feeling that ‘they too belong’ in the rugby crowds that flock to Nittawela to see the men clad in red, blue and white jerseys pummel the opposition.
There is one more prestige game for Kandy this Sunday against Havelocks, scheduled to take place in Nittawela. There is no bearing on the title fight even if Kandy SC loses this game. But hats off to the Park Club side for giving a run to the best sides this season. In all probability Havelocks Sports Club should finish as runners up in the Cup Championship.
The other teams in the tournament, Sri Lions, Army, Navy, CH and Police did well, recording outstanding performances. CH and Army have done exceptionally well this season and are contenders for the Plate Championship.
The tournament is organized by Sri Lanka Rugby and sponsored by Dialog.
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