Sports
Royal, Richmond take unassailable leads, Pawan powers Devapathiraja
Under-19 Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
Royal College, Colombo and Richmond, Galle took unassailable leads in their respective groups when they emerged victorious in the Under-19 Division I Tier ‘A’ matches played on Saturday.
Royal scored their fourth consecutive win with 65 runs victory over Wesley as Isiwara Dissanayake scored an unbeaten century to guide them to 258 runs.
With that win Royal cemented their position as the leaders in their group also inclusive of Trinity, Gurukula, DSS and De Mazenod. They all have one match remaining but Trinity is the current runner up with three wins against their name.
Richmond remain unbeaten after four outings in Group ‘Z’. The battle for the second place in the group will be between St. Anthony’s, Kandy and Prince of Wales. That latter scored a crucial win over Nalanda to remain in contention.
In an notable turn of events Vinuja Ranpul scored a century for Nalanda against his former school, but Cambrians were the ultimate winners.
A blistering knock of 138 by Pawan Sandesh was the highlight in Tier ‘B’ matches as Devapathiraja beat Dharmasoka by 18 runs. Sandesh, who is among the consistent batsmen in the Division I tournament hammered 11 sixes and 14 fours in his knock. His 138 runs came in just 73 balls.
Results
Tier ‘A’
Royal beat Wesley at Reid Avenue
Royal
258 for 4 in 50 overs (Isiwara Dissanayake 107n.o., Sadisha Rajapakshe 44, Ahan Wickramasinghe 40, Kavidu Pathirathna 25; Anudith Wickramasinghe 2/16)
Wesley
193 all out in 45 overs (Sahil Dias 46, Sidath Dharmasiriwardena 28, Thenuka Perera 31. Kushan Chamalka 22; Sonal Amarasekara 2/37, Sadisha Rajapakshe 2/18, Prashan Kalhara 2/38)
Cambrians beat Nalanda at Campbell Place
Nalanda
211 for 9 in 50 overs (Vinuja Ranpul 119n.o.; Pasindu Pathum 2/44, Ashan Fernando 2/20, Achala Perera 3/49)
Prince of Wales
212 for 7 in 49.3 overs (Omesh Mendis 39, Dinura Fernando 46, Anupa Bandara 59n.o.; Lisura Sigera 2/36, Sajitha Vithanage 2/33, Raveen de Silva 2/36)
Richmond beat Maliyadeva at Galle
Maliyadewa
116 all out in 36.3 overs (Matheesha Weerasinghe 34; Kavindu Nirmana 2/14, Nalaka Jayawardan 4/27)
Richmond
117 for 3 in 32.3 overs (Vishara Fernando 42, Bhanuka Manohara 33n.o.; Sakindu Wijerathne 2/26)
Tier ‘B’
Devapathiraja beat Dharmasoka at Ambalangoda
Devapathiraja
248 all out in 49.4 overs (Dinitha Prabanka 20, Pawan Sandesh 138, Darshaka Sandeepa 27; Imanthaka Rajapaksha 2/35, Lohan de Zoysa 3/42, Sahan Sankalpa 2/31)
Dharmasoka
230 all out in 44.2 overs (Kaveen Samarahewa 41, Imanthaka Rajapaksa 86, Naveen Rasanga 41; Sudheera Weerarathne 4/36)
Zahira beat Dharmapala at Maradana
Dharmapala
143 all out in 47.1 overs (Bavindu Chamod 32, Kavinda Nishan 32; Rilwan Yoosuf 3/38, Ishan Ruhaim 2/17, Naleem Zeith 3/17)
Zahira
145 for 4 in 24.4 overs (Raaed Rizwan 52, Naleem Zeith 42n.o.)
Foreign News
Ex-Nascar driver and his family among seven killed in US plane crash
A former Nascar driver and his family were among the seven people killed in a plane crash at a regional airport in North Carolina, the car-racing organisation has said.
A highway patrol spokesman said people on the ground confirmed that Greg Biffle was among those who boarded the plane.
The Cessna C550 crashed while landing at Statesville Regional Airport around 10:20 local time (15:20GMT), officials investigating the incident told reporters.
“Greg was more than a champion driver, he was a beloved member of the NASCAR community, a fierce competitor, and a friend to so many,” Nascar said in a statement where it confirmed Biffle had died along with his wife, daughter, son, and three others.

“His passion for racing, his integrity, and his commitment to fans and fellow competitors alike made a lasting impact on the sport,” the company added.
Beyond the racetrack, Biffle was remembered for helping in North Carolina in the aftermath of last year’s Hurricane Helene, when he used his personal helicopter to rescue stranded residents and deliver supplies.
Tributes to the former racer poured in on Thursday.
“Heartbreaking news out of Statesville,” North Carolina Governor Josh Stein posted on X. “Beyond his success as a NASCAR driver, Greg Biffle lived a life of courage and compassion and stepped up for western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene.”
Motorsport YouTuber Garrett Mitchell wrote on Facebook that Biffle and his family were on their way to spend the afternoon with him.
“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane… because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us,” he wrote on Facebook. “We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.”
Statesville Airport Director John Ferguson described the aircraft as a corporate jet and said it was already engulfed in flames when he arrived on the scene.
The Cessna C550 aircraft is owned by a private company associated with Biffle, CBS, the BBC’s US partner, reported.
The jet took off around 10:06 local time and was in the air briefly before it crashed on the east end of the runway.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
Statesville Airport will remain closed until further notice as crews clear debris off the runway, Mr Ferguson told reporters.
Officials did not provide any information about deaths or people aboard the aircraft during their first media conference.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation has sent in a team to investigate the fatal crash.
The Statesville Regional Airport (KSVH) is owned by the City of Statesville, which is about 45 minutes north of Charlotte.
It also provides aviation facilities for Fortune 500 companies and several Nascar racing teams.
[BBC]
Latest News
Tannane goal from own half sets Morocco on way to FIFA Arab Cup 2025 title
Oussama Tannane’s wonder goal from inside his own half set Morocco on their way to their second FIFA Arab Cup title with a 3-2 win after extra time in the final against Jordan at the Qatar-hosted event.
A full house at Lusail Stadium in Doha on Thursday was quickly on their feet in the fourth minute when Qatar-based footballer Tannane drilled an effort from well over the halfway line – estimated at 59 metres – to catch out goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila.
The Jordan keeper desperately scrambled back to his line in an attempt to stop the shot and collided with the post, resulting in a lengthy four-minute stoppage before he was cleared to continue and play resumed.
It was only the start of a turbulent final that saw Jordan come back to claim the lead, for the match to be sent to extra time, with Jordanian hearts broken seconds away from their first FIFA Arab Cup title in normal time.

Jordan, who were defeated finalists at the 2025 AFC Asian Cup, pulled level on the night three minutes into the second period when Ali Oliwan pulled away from his marker to head home from close range after a well-worked corner.
Jordan then took the lead for the first time after Mahmoud Almardi’s shot hit the raised hand of Achraf El Mahdioui inside the box, allowing Oliwan to convert from the penalty spot for his second in the 68th minute.
The drama was far from over, however, as second-half substitute Abderrazak Hamdallah levelled in the 88th minute – tapping in on the goal line after a scramble from a corner.
It was Oliwan, though, who had the chance of glory with virtually the final kick of normal time when – put clean through on goal – he was unable to beat the keeper to seal the final for Jordan with what would also have been his hat-trick.
Where many may not have taken their seats for Tannane’s opener, the same may have been the case for the start of extra time as Mohannad Abutaha volleyed a spectacular left-footed effort into the top right corner from the left edge of the box.
Like Tannane’s, it was a strike worthy of winning any final, but VAR ruled out the goal for a controversial handball as the Jordanian controlled the ball before unleashing the effort.
Worse was to follow when Hamdallah tapped in his second time – and the winning goal – after Marwane Saadane’s bicycle kick from a set piece fell kindly into his path from close range.
Morocco previously lifted the Arab Cup in 2012, defeating Libya in the final staged in Saudi Arabia. The Atlas Lions succeed Algeria, who defeated their North African neighbours Tunisia in the final four years ago.
Earlier, Morocco dominated the first period and Tannane, who plays his club football for Umm Salal in the Qatar league, had a glorious opportunity to double the lead on the stroke of half time when Abulaila spilled a cross into his path, but the forward failed to make a clean connection with his left-footed follow up and Issam Smeir slid to clear off the line.
The Jordanian stopper had to be on his feet throughout the first period and produced his best save in the 17th minute when Karim El Berkaoui, after exchanging a one-two with Tannane, drove across the face of goal from the edge of the box, but Abulaila was equal to it, low to his right, to push the effort wide.
Morocco, the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal when they achieved the feat at Qatar 2022, will now turn their attention to hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where the squad will be further boosted by a number of their European-based stars who had to prioritise club over country during the Arab Cup.
The FIFA Arab Cup sold more than a million tickets for the 2025 event, doubling what was sold at the previous competition four years ago.
Sports
Kaveethra bags eight wickets as Mahanama record innings win
Venura Kaveethra completed a match bag of eight wickets as Mahanama registeted an innings and 62 runs victory over Lumbini in the Under 19 Division I tier A tournament match at Mattegoda on Thursday.
It was the first outright victory for Mahanama in the tournament.
After having declared their innings on the overnight score, Mahanama bowlers did well to restrict Lumbini to 103 runs as Kaveethra picked up four wickets.
Lumbini looked better in the second innings thanks to the resistance of late order batsmen Jayanitha Mendis (8 in 65 balls) and Binuka Ranhiru (12 in 89 balls) who made them last for more than 50 overs.
The day’s other highlight was the unbeaten century scored by Aron David for S. Thomas’. The Thomians were 269 for four wickets at stumps on day one of their match against St. Servatius’ at Mount Lavinia.
Mahanama in innngs win at Mattegoda
Scores
Lumbini
63 all out in 25.2 overs (Venura Kaveethra 4/17, Geeth Sandaruwan 3/31, Thaviru Perera 2/07) and 103 all out in 54.4 overs (Kisandu Dulneth 23; Venura Kaveethra 4/17, Sithum Vihanga 3/05, Geeth Sandaruwan 2/36)
Mahanama
228 for 4 in 41 overs overnight declared (Sithum Vihanga 82, Kaushika Thilakarathne 60, Venura Kaveethra 39n.o., Sanul Weerarathne 24; Mihisara Weerasinghe 2/53)
No decision at DSS ground
Scores
DSS
234 for 7 overnight 283 for 9 in 80 overs (Mayuru Bandara 22, Janindu Ranasinghe 23, Shevan Menusha 68, Randisha Bandaranayake 41, Haamid Afdhal 53, Chithum Baddage 44n.o. ; Ranindu de Silva 2/35, Minage Ariyadasa 2/63, Tenush Nimsara 2/81)
Richmond 90 for 7 in 41 overs (Ravindu Randinu 21, Bevin Jayawardhana 24n.o.; Oshada Perera 4/33, Shanaal Binuksha 2/18)
by Reemus Fernando ✍️
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