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New Zealand set 275 to win after Ajaz Patel six-for

Published

2 years ago

2024/09/22

Priyan

Ajaz Patel picked up a six-wicket haul

Sri Lanka lost six wickets for 72 runs as New Zealand wrapped up the Lankan second innings inside the morning session on day four of this first Test in Galle. It meant they have been set a target of 275 to take a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.

New Zealand needed to negotiate just five overs before lunch, but lost the wicket of Devon Conway, who chopped on one from Asitha Fernando that jagged in sharply from a good length outside off. Prabath Jayasuriya also got a few to grip and turn from an increasingly volatile surface, but New Zealand made it to break without any further damage, 262 runs from victory.

Ajaz Patel was undoubtedly the star of the session, grabbing five wickets in a little over an hour to finish with figures of 6 for 90. William O’Rourke, who bowled a slightly off colour spell with the second new ball, ended with figures of 3 for 49.

The only bright spark for Sri Lanka was Angelo Mathews reaching a 43rd Test fifty in an otherwise scratchy knock, but it was all New Zealand aside from that. With play continuing following a rest day owing to Sri Lanka’s presidential elections held on Saturday, and in front of a sparse crowd limited by an island-wide curfew (due to election vote counting), New Zealand wasted little time in breaking a burgeoning 72-run between Mathews and Dhananjaya de Silva .

Ajaz, who had started the session well with probing lines and lengths – and good use of the cross-breeze – had de Silva out stumped in just the fourth over of the morning, four overs before the second new ball was due.

One ball prior to his dismissal de Silva had come down the track and missed the flight of one outside off. The turn and bounce on that had deceived both the keeper and first slip, to reprieve the Lankan skipper. But he would have no such luck one delivery later, again being beaten by the drift, dip and turn, but this time unable to slide his back foot back into the crease before Tom Blundell whipped off the bails.

Kusal Mendis joined Mathews in the middle, and the pair proceeded to put on a fairly quick fire 36-run stand, but three overs into the second new ball Mendis shouldered arms to one from Ajaz outside off, only for it to deflect on to his stumps off his elbow.

Mathews, with Ramesh Mendis for company, became the third half-centurion of the innings, but was dismissed shortly after, edging an attempted forward defence off Ajaz through to first slip where Daryl Mitchell just about got his fingers under the ball for a good, low grab.

On a five-for, Ajaz didn’t have to wait for long to achieve the feat, trapping Ramesh in front off a missed sweep, before swiftly getting his sixth a few balls later as Lahiru Kumara chipped an easy one to mid-off.

Prabath Jayasuriya put forward a valiant effort to stir up some quick runs, with a pair of boundaries off Tim Southee, but Mitchell Santner – bowling his first over of the day – needed just two deliveries to end his cameo, as he was out caught sweeping at long-on.

Brief scores: (lunch day 4)

New Zealand 340 and 13 for 1 (Tom Latham 5*, Kane Williamson 4*, Asitha Fernando 1-5) need 262 runs to beat Sri Lanka 305 and 309 ( Dimuth Karunaratne 83, Angelo Mathews 50, Ajaz Patel 6-90)

(Cricinfo)

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Flood warning issued to the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa, Udunuwara, Yatinuwara, Gangawata Korale, Harispattuwa, and Pathadumbara

Published

7 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

Due to heavy rainfall received in the upper catchment areas of the Mahaweli River over the past few hours, there is a risk of minor flooding in the low-lying areas surrounding the Mahaweli River within the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa, Udunuwara, Yatinuwara, Gangawata Korale, Harispattuwa, and Pathadumbara.Residents living in the above mentioned areas and motorists using roads passing through these areas are urged to exercise extreme caution and remain highly vigilant regarding the prevailing situation.

Furthermore, residents living in close proximity to the Mahaweli River in these areas are advised to remain highly alert to the situation and take all necessary precautions to protect themselves from any potential flooding.The relevant disaster management authorities are requested to take all necessary measures in response to this situation.

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Landslide Red Alerts issued to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya

Published

7 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

The National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide Red Alerts to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya effective from 14:00 hrs on 20.09.2026 To 14:00 hrs on 21.09.2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, Dehiowita, Aranayake, Deraniyagala, Mawanella and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Kothmale West, Kotmale East, Ambagamuwa and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district

LEVEL II [AMBER] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Padukka in the Colombo district, Nagoda, Thawalama and Neluwa in the Galle district, Bulathsinhala, Palindanuwara, Walallawita and Agalawatta in the Kalutara district, Ganga Ihala Korale in the Kandy district, Bulathkohupitiya and Kegalle in the Kegalle district, Akuressa and Pitabeddara in the Matara district, Thalawakele in the Nuwara Eliya district and Pelmadulla, Ratnapura, Ayagama, Kuruwita and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I [YELLOW] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka in the Colombo district, Niyagama and Baddegama in the Galle district, Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Ingiriya in the Kalutara district, Udapalatha and Yatinuwara in the Kandy district, Galigamuwa, Warakapola and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Kotapola, Pasgoda and Athuraliya in the Matara district, and Eheliyagoda, Kalawana and Elapatha in the Ratnapura district.

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Shafali dazzles with 49-ball unbeaten 100 and India march into Asian Games final

Published

7 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

Shafali Verma raises her bat after scoring her maiden ton in white-ball internationals [BCCI]

A 49-ball unbeaten hundred from Shafali Verma and three-wicket hauls apiece for Nandani Sharma and Deeoti Sharma helped India march into the final of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

Batting first in Nisshin against Bangladesh, India posted 195 for 4, with Shafali bringing up her maiden white-ball international hundred off the final ball of the innings. She pummelled nine sixes and three fours in an innings that left Bangladesh needing a record chase to reach the final.

Smriti Mandhana gave India a rapid start with a 19-ball 37, during which she became the leading run-scorer in women’s T20Is, while Harmanpreet Kaur found some form with a 33-ball 40 from No. 4.

India’s innings began with a 36-ball opening stand of 72, with Shafali setting the pace by smashing 34 off her first 17 deliveries, while Mandhana initially played second fiddle before gaining pace. G Kamalini, at No. 3, failed to make use of another opportunity, while Richa Ghosh made only two. Harmanpreet started sluggishly, as she has tended to in the recent past, but overcame those early struggles to land some lusty blows towards the end of the innings. She added 94 off 55 balls with Shafali for the third wicket.

Bangladesh never seriously threatened the target. Dilara Akter made 27 at the top of the order, but opening partner Juairiya Ferdous was dismissed for a duck and Bangladesh’s Nos. 3 to 5 were unable to get going. Sultana Khatun, batting at No. 9, was their second-highest scorer with just 12.

Nandani got the first wicket in the second over after which fellow new-ball bowler Kranti Gaud delivered a second blow in the third over. Shree Charani then sent Nigar Sultana back in the final over of the powerplay to leave Bangladesh at 38 for 3.

There was no way in as Bangladesh failed to get any partnership going and a double-wicket 11th over from Nandani exposed the tail. Deepti then trapped Marufa Akter lbw and had Sanjida Akter holing out in the 16th over to complete the resounding win.

India will now face Sri Lanka in the gold-medal match, a repeat of the final from 2023. Bangladesh will meet Pakistan for the bronze-medal fixture.

Scores:
India Women 195 for 4 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 37, Shafali Verma 100*, Harmanpreet Kaur 40: Marufa Akter 1-43, Sanjida Akter Meghla 1-25, Rabeya Khan 1-35, Nahida Akter 1-45) beat Bangladesh Women 81 in 15.4 overs (Dilara Akter 27, Sharmin Akhter 10, Sultana Khatun 12*; Kranti Gaud 1-20, Nandani Sharma 3-25. Shree Charani 2-07, Shreyanka Patil 1-22, Deepti Sharma 3-07) by 114 runs

[Cricinfo]