Sports

School kids top men’s and women’s tables after 1st half

Published

5 years ago

2020/09/16

National Chess Championships

Ranindu Liyanage of Ananda College and Nethmi Fernando of Girls High School, Kandy topped the tables at the end of the first half of the National Chess Championships held at the Sri Lanka Chess Federation Headquarters, Colombo. The tournaments are held according to a round-robin system with 14 players each battling out in the men’s and women’s category to be crowned as National Chess Champion. Amidst the prevailing health situation, the Chess Federation has successfully been able to conduct the topmost tournament in the Sri Lankan Chess Calendar. Chess Federation of Sri Lanka is offering Rs. 320,000.00 in cash and other attractive prizes for the winners. The champion will receive Rs. 100,000.00.

The men’s section ended the week with the top three seeded players finishing on the top of the tables but as history suggests the second half of the tournament is likely to bring a few surprises. The tournament started on Friday with the top two seeded players Susal de Silva (Nalanda College) and Ranindu Dilshan Liyanage facing off against the two veteran Sri Lankan players IM Romesh Weerawardane (Fischer CC) and FM Anuruddha Chinthaka (Kandy YMCA) where the two youngsters came on top scoring wins to kick start their battle for the title. Ranindu then stormed to take the lead after the fifth round victory over Maheesha Dabarera (Maliyadeva College) whilst Susal and FM Minul Doluweera (Royal College) conceded defeats. At the end of the 1st week, Ranindu was leading the pack with six points. Minul (5 points) and Susal (4.5 points) were behind him.

There were a few interesting mid-table performances as well, notably from the new attacking player from Jaffna S. Sivathanujan (Grand Prix Chess Club) who went on to upset a few experienced players by scoring strong wins. He is tied at 6th place with Maheesha Dabarera, Theekshana Denuwan (Ananda College) and Rasika Samaranayaka (University of Peradeniya) whilst the veterans Anuruddha and Romesh were in the fourth and fifth positions respectively.

In the women’s section Nethmi Fernando stormed to a massive lead by the end of the week. She has already played against the next two players chasing her for the title as well as the reigning National Champion. It was simply a dominant performance where only Ehsha Pallie (Visakha Vidyalaya) could hold her to a draw in the opening week. Ashvini Pavalachandran (Wycherley International) who was leading the chase was 1.5 points behind Nethmi whilst two Visakians Ehsha Pallie and WFM Nevanjee Hewawasam were two points behind.

Defending Champion Sayuni Gihansa Jayaweera (Dharmasoka College) had a slow start to the tournament and was sitting in the bottom half of the table whilst former National women’s Champion, WIM Sachini Ranasinghe (NF3 CC) also had a slow start to the tournament. Ranasinghe later caught up the pace and was in the fifth place and yet may pose a serious threat to the title contenders with a strong second half.

The rest of the pack sharing the fifth place include Hashara Abeysinghe (NSBM), Tharushi Sandeepani (Devi Balika Vidyalaya) and Tharushi Niklesha (Visakha Vidyalaya).

The next set of games will be conducted from 19th (Saturday) to 21st.

All News Advertisement

Latest News

Nissanka ton stuns Australia, puts Sri Lanka in Super Eights

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/16

Priyan

Pathum Nissanka celebrates his second T20I century [Cricinfo]

Sri Lanka survived an early onslaught to qualify for the 2026 T20 World Cup Super Eights, leaving Australia right at the exit door and hoping for a miracle.

The returning captain Mitchell Marsh and the returning-to-runs Travis Head were brutal in taking Australia to 104 in the first 50 legal deliveries, but some spectacular fielding and spin bowling helped Sri Lanka take 10 for 77 off the last 70 balls.

In front of a partying full house in Pallekele, Sri Lanka’s two most prolific batters, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, brought out both the axe and paper cuts to slice through the chase. Nissanka, who had earlier dropped Glenn Maxwell and then dismissed him with a stunner, went on to score an unbeaten hundred and take Sri Lanka home with two overs to spare.

In the absence of Matheesha Pathirana, who walked off with a calf injury in his first over, their spinners contributed six wickets to go with excellent closing from Dushmantha Chameera. Australia’s lead spinner Adam Zampa, among the best T20 spinners of all time, took no wicket and was lucky to go for only 41 in his four overs.

Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 184/2 in 18 overs [Pathum Nissanka 100*, Kusal Mendis 51, Pavan Rathnayake 2*; Marcus Stoinis 2-41] beat Australia 181/10 in 20 overs [Mitchell Marsh 54, Travis Head 56, Josh Inglis 27, Glenn Maxwell 22; Dushmantha Chameera 2-56, Maheesh Theekshana 1-37, Dushan Hemantha 3-37, Dunith Wellalage 1-33, Kamindu Mendis 1-19] by eight wickets

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

New Zealand eye Super Eight spot against Canada

Published

4 hours ago

2026/02/16

Priyan

Tim Seifert and Finn Allen are among the best dangerous openers in world cricket [Cricinfo]

A win against Canada in their first T20I against them on Tuesday will firm up New Zealand’s spot in the Super Eight. This result will also knock out Canada; South Africa have already qualified for the next round from Group D with three wins in as many games.

New Zealand have faced Canada just three times in international cricket so far – each time in ODI World Cups. Their most recent meeting coming in the 2011 edition in Mumbai. They have won all three games and are poised to make it 4-0 against Canada in World Cups, despite the absence of Lockie Ferguson. The fast bowler has returned home for the birth of his first child and is expected to link up with the side ahead of the Super Eight. In Ferguson’s absence, Kyle Jamieson, who wasn’t even in the main squad in the first place, is set to make his T20 World Cup bow.

As for Canada, they had their moments against South Africa and UAE but they have failed to convert those into wins. On Friday in Delhi, they had UAE at 66 for 4 in the 13th over in a chase of 151, but they left the door ajar for Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan to sneak home. Canada can’t afford such slip-ups against New Zealand – and then Afghanistan – if they are to notch up a win in this World Cup.

Kyle Jamieson doesn’t quite have Ferguson’s express pace, but can bang it away on a hard length and stifle the opposition batters. He also has some slower variations in his repertoire and his high-arm release could pose a big threat, especially to batters who are facing him for the first time.

Once known as “Vettori” in Canada’s club cricket circuit, Saad Bin Zafar will run into the team that was once captained by one of his heroes. The Canada left-arm spinner often attacks the stumps and keeps it tight, as his economy rate of 6.02 across 67 T20Is suggests. At 39, Saad knows he won’t be playing the game for long and will be eager to cause a few upsets on the big stage.

Jamieson is set to slot in for Ferguson unless New Zealand want to give veteran legspinner Ish Sodhi a game.

New Zealand (probable): Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner (capt), Jimmy Neesham, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy

Canada are likely to play the same XI that lost to South Africa and UAE.

Canada (probable): Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva (wk), Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

Pathirana under injury cloud as he leaves the field early

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/16

Priyan

Matheesha Pathirana walked off midway through his opening over (Cricinfo)

Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana left the field four balls into his first over, after collapsing to the ground clutching his left calf, and did not return to the field during Sri Lanka’s bowling innings against Australia. Having briefly received treatment from the Sri Lanka physiotherapist immediately after sustaining the injury, Pathirana hobbled off the field with assistance from support staff.

He then spent the majority of the innings being treated in the dressing room. Sri Lanka will likely send him off for scans as soon as the match finishes.

“Matheesha Pathirana experienced discomfort in his left leg calf while bowling during the match and was unable to continue,” a statement read. “He will not bowl further in this game. A scan will be conducted tomorrow to determine the extent of the injury.”

Pathirana had begun well against Australia, bowling two dot balls and giving away three runs (including a wide) in those first four deliveries. The last two balls of the over were delivered by Dasun Shanaka, who gave away a four and bowled a dot.

Pathirana is the quickest bowler in Sri Lanka’s attack, and a key part of their death-bowling plans for the tournament in particular. He is also the second Sri Lanka bowler to come under an injury cloud, with Wanindu Hasaranga already having been ruled out of the World Cup with a hamstring injury of his own.

After this game against Australa, Sri Lanka have another group match to play, against Zimbabwe. They have not earned qualification for the Super Eights yet.

(Cricinfo)