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Sri Lanka dig deep through de Silva, Rathnayake after top-order collapse hands England control
Dhananjaya de Silva justified his own decision to bat first with a gutsy 74 from 84 balls, while Milan Rathnayake followed his captain’s lead with a startlingly composed knock of 72 from 135 balls, the highest by a debutant at No.9 in Test history. Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, however, even those exceptional efforts couldn’t quite atone for a dreadful top-order collapse that had handed England control of the first Test by stumps on day one at Emirates Old Trafford.
By the time Vishwa Fernando was last man out, run out for 13 from 61 balls in an innings that echoed his famous tail-end defiance in partnership with Kusal Perera at Durham in 2019, Sri Lanka had been bowled out for 236 in gloomy half-light that had caused England to rely exclusively on spin bowling for the final hour of their bowling stint – an early challenge for Ollie Pope’s tactical acumen on his first day as Ben Stokes’ captaincy stand-in.
Despite channelling a bashful schoolboy while being presented with his Test cap by Kumar Sangakkara before the start of play, Sri Lanka’s debutant was more than man enough to withstand England’s eager attempts to dislodge him. His first role was to act as de Silva’s doughty sidekick, which he did to superb effect, picking off the first of his four fours in an eighth-wicket stand of 63.
And then, when disaster had seemingly struck just before tea, with de Silva fencing a Bashir offbreak to Lawrence at leg slip to leave his team on 176 for 8, Rathnayake took up the cudgels for his team with impressive results. Despite boasting a previous best of 59 in 52 previous first-class innings, he picked the perfect moments to cut loose, first with a lusty swing over long-on to reach his half-century, and then a sweet drill over long-off to move along to a new career-high.
England did at one stage attempt to bring Wood back into the attack to break up his burgeoning 50-run stand with Vishwa, but with his jumper halfway over his shoulders, the umpires stepped in to insist that the light was too poor for the pace bowlers. And though it took a while, Bashir eventually did the needful, tempting Rathnayake into one lofted launch too many, as Woakes back-pedalled at mid-off to end his fun.
With half-an-hour to the close, Sri Lanka also turned instantly to slow bowling as the reply got underway, with two spinners sharing the new ball in a men’s Test in England for only the second time since 1970. With Lawrence opening the batting in place of Zak Crawley, he and Ben Duckett showed the probable riches still on offer in the surface, in clattering along to 22 for 0 in four overs.
Prior to the start of play, both sides lined up on the outfield for a tribute to the late Graham Thorpe, who died on August 4, aged 55. England will be wearing black armbands throughout the match in memory of an England great who averaged 44.66 in a 100-Test career, and went on to play a key role as a batting mentor to many of the current team, including Pope, Root and Stokes.
Brief scores:
England 22 for 0 in 4 overs (Ben Duckett 13*, Dan Lawrence 9*) trail Sri Lanka 236 in 74 overs (Kusal Mendis 24, Dhananjaya de Silva 74, Milan Rathnayake 72; Chris Woakes 3-32, Gus Atkinson 2-48, Shoaib Bashir 3-55) by 214 runs
(Cricinfo)
Russia has marked the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II with a massive military parade on Red Square in Moscow.
Attended by President Vladimir Putin, alongside foreign leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the “Victory Day” spectacle, celebrated on May 9, is Russia’s most important secular holiday.
The parade and other ceremonies underline Moscow’s efforts to project its global power and cement the alliances it has forged while seeking a counterbalance to the West amid the conflict in Ukraine that has dragged into a fourth year.
The fight against the Nazis in World War II – known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War – is a rare event in the nation’s divisive history under communist rule that is revered by all political groups. Putin has used that sentiment to encourage national pride and underline Russia’s position as a global power.
The Soviet Union lost 27 million people as it fought Germany’s forces in 1941-45, an enormous sacrifice that left a deep scar in the national psyche.
Speaking at the parade, Putin hailed Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, saying that “we are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory”.
The event featured at least 11,500 soldiers and more than 180 military vehicles, including tanks, armoured infantry vehicles and artillery used on the battlefield in Ukraine. As a reminder of Russia’s nuclear might, launchers for the Yars nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles rolled across Red Square.
Fighter jets from the air force’s aerobatic team flew by in close formation, followed by jets that trailed smoke in the colours of the national flag.
After the show, Putin shook hands with Russian military officers. He also talked to a group of medal-bedecked senior North Korean officers who watched the parade, hugging one of them.
Last month, Putin thanked North Korea for fighting alongside Russian troops against Ukrainian forces and hailed their sacrifices as Pyongyang confirmed their deployment for the first time.
Putin had declared a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire starting on May 8 to coincide with the Victory Day celebration, but warned that Russian troops would retaliate to any attacks.
The events were overshadowed by Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Moscow and severe disruptions at the capital’s airports.
Russian flag carrier Aeroflot on Wednesday morning cancelled more than 100 flights to and from Moscow, and delayed at least 140 others as the military repelled repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on the capital.
Russian authorities tightened security ahead of the parade and mobile phone internet outages were reported amid electronic countermeasures aimed at foiling further drone attacks.
Military vehicles roll into Red Square during the parade.[Aljazeera]
Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov is driven along Red Square in an Aurus car [Aljazeera]
[Alljazeera]
The remainder of PSL 2025 has been postponed indefinitely. The PCB cited the “worsening of the situation” at the Pakistan-India border as the reason, saying the board had acted on advice from the Pakistan prime minister Shahbaz Sharif.
The board said it had “sincere regard for the mental well-being of participating players and the sentiments of our foreign players, and we respect the concerns of their families who want to see them back home” and that was considered when making the decision.
The development came less than 24 hours after the PCB had announced that the remaining eight games of the PSL would be played in the UAE, without specifying the dates or the venues, with the expectation that it would take about a week to resume.
Overseas players as well as Pakistani players who currently hold visas to the UAE were scheduled to leave on Friday night, with the remaining visas being applied for over the weekend. That, however, has changed, and the teams have begun disbanding with immediate effect, with travel back home being arranged for foreign players.
There is no word yet on when, or if, the remaining games will be played. The postponement came hours after the IPL was temporarily suspended owing to the tensions between the two countries.
The PSL held an emergency meeting in Islamabad on Thursday, and involved the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi meeting with foreign players, who overwhelmingly expressed a desire to relocate the league to the UAE.
“The PCB recognises the efforts and support of its partners, franchises, participating players, broadcasters, sponsors, and organisers in having ensured the smooth conduct of the tournament thus far, however; cricket while being a unifying force and a source of joy, must take a respectful pause…” the PCB statement said.
[Cricinfo]
The new Pope, Leo XIV, has called in his first Mass at the Vatican for the Catholic Church to “desperately” counter a lack of faith.
Speaking the day after he was elected as the 267th Pope and first US leader of the Church, he warned that people were turning away from faith and instead to “technology, money, success, power, or pleasure”.
Leo said he had been elected to be a “faithful administrator” of a Church that would act as a “beacon that illuminates the dark nights of this world”.
The ascension of Robert Francis Prevost has been celebrated by the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, with joyous outbursts in his US homeland and in Peru, where he served for 20 years.
In his sermon on Friday, the new Pope said there were many settings where the Christian faith was considered “absurd” – with power, wealth, and technology dominating – but it was precisely there that missionary outreach was needed.
“A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society,” he said in the address delivered in Italian.
Pope Leo, 69, wore a white papal robe trimmed in gold as he addressed the seated cardinals in the Sistine Chapel, an event broadcast live by the Vatican administration.
In an unscripted introduction before the homily, Leo also called on Church unity from his cardinals, telling them in American-accented English: “I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me”.
Following weeks of anticipation, the previously-unknown Prevost was introduced as the new Pope to the world on Thursday evening in St Peter’s Square.
Tens of thousands of worshippers in the square burst into cheers when white smoke curled out of the Vatican’s chimney on the second day of the conclave’s voting.
Shortly after, the Chicago-born Prevost appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. In his first words to the crowds he outlined a vision of a “missionary” Church which “builds bridges, which holds dialogues, which is always open”.
He echoed his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in calling for peace.
“Help us, and each other, to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, to come together as one people, always in peace,” he said.
World leaders have rushed to congratulate Prevost on his election, pledging to work with him on global issues amid uncertain times. US President Donald Trump called it a “great honour” to have the first American pope.
Prevost, who had previously been the Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, was only made an archbishop and then cardinal in 2023. He was elected by his fellow cardinals in what is believed to be four rounds of voting in the secret conclave that took place two weeks after Francis died.
He is seen as being aligned with the progressive late Pope, who was viewed as a champion of human rights and the poor and celebrated for his charismatic style that sought to make the Catholic Church more outward-facing.
Vatican watchers have noted that Francis appeared to have brought Prevost to Rome in recent years, perhaps to set him up as a potential successor.
The Augustinian missionary worked for decades with the poor and marginalised in Peru, where he obtained nationality in 2015.
In his previous role as Cardinal Prevost, he had also expressed or amplified criticism of the US administration under President Trump, including its anti-immigration policies.
On an X account under his name, he had criticised Vice President JD Vance in February. Vance, who is a Catholic convert, had said Christians should love their family, neighbours, community and fellow citizens in that order. Prevost had written: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others”.
As Pope now, he faces a momentous task in leading the Church in a time of significant global conflicts. Observers have expressed hope that he can offer a counterpoint to more divisive voices on the world stage.
His next appearances, at Sunday’s midday Regina Coeli prayer in St Peter’s Basilica and a Monday news conference with journalists, will be closely watched for signs as to which direction he intends to lead the Church and what kind of Pope he will be.
[BBC]
Showers will occur at several places in Western, Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Southern provinces and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts
Russian military parade marks 80 years since victory over Nazis
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