Sports
Sri Lanka express dissatisfaction after Gunathilaka ‘Obstructing the Field’ decision
Second Sri Lanka – West Indies ODI tonight
By Rex Clementine
Cricket contests between Sri Lanka and West Indies generally have been good natured but on Wednesday the teams were involved in an ill-tempered game as opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka was given out ‘Obstructing the Field’ during the opening ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. He became the first Sri Lankan cricketer to be dismissed in that fashion.
Obstructing the Field is such a rare dismissal in cricket and only Len Hutton has been dismissed in that fashion in Test match cricket while there are less than handful of such incidents in all international cricket put together – Tests, ODIs and T-20s. It is one of the ten methods a batsman could be dismissed in cricket. Law 37 of Laws of Cricket says that any batsman to be dismissed in that fashion, there has to be ‘willful obstruction’.
Gunathilaka’s intentions did not look like deliberate. The left-handed batsman had posted a half-century while adding 105 runs for the first wicket with skipper Dimuth Karunaratne as Sri Lanka got off to a solid start. Then in the 21st over, Gunathilaka was given out Obstructing the Field when he trampled on the ball as Kieron Pollard was searching for a run out opportunity at the non-striker’s end.
Debutant Pathum Nissanka had set off for a run but Gunathilaka, who had advanced down the pitch, sent him back. He did not see where the ball was and while recovering to the crease, accidentally knocked on the ball.
Pollard, who is also West Indian skipper, appealed and umpire Joe Wilson referred it to the third umpire. His soft signal was out. The third umpire had enough evidence to overturn the decision but he opted to go with the original decision ruling the batsman out. It was all happening in double quick time and Gunathilaka was hard done by.
The Island
learns that Sri Lanka’s team management expressed their dissatisfaction with regards to the dismissal.
Usually, in ODI cricket, one of the on-field umpires and the third umpire are neutrals but in this age of the pandemic, the International Cricket Council has decided to field local umpires for all international games. However, as cricket moves forward while dealing with the pandemic, the need to get the best match officials follow quarantine processes and be available for international games has been felt.
There was lot of support for Gunathilaka with former West Indian captain Darren Sammy – who won two T-20 World Cups – tweeting in support of the Sri Lankan batsman. ‘Don’t think that was willful at all. I wouldn’t have appealed,” Sammy said.
The dismissal proved to be a bitter blow for the Sri Lankans – who collapsed and were shot out for 232 runs after being well placed at 105 for none. The run chase was child’s play for the hosts who reached the target with eight wickets and three overs to spare. Shai Hope made 110 and was involved in a 143 run stand for the opening wicket with Evin Lewis.
Sri Lanka were sloppy with their running between the wickets with Angelo Mathews and Pathum Nissanka being run out.
Nissanka, who has been a prolific run scorer in domestic cricket, was one of the debutant for Sri Lanka in the first ODI with Ashen Bandara being the other. Both players aged 22 are from Galle. Nissanka looked a very busy player pushing his seniors for quick runs while Bandara became the fifth Sri Lankan to make a half-century on debut. Sunil Wettimuny, Chamara Silva, Kusal Mendis and Ashan Priyanjan are the others.
The second ODI will take place today; also in Antigua with the game getting underway at 7pm Sri Lanka time. All-rounder Dasun Shanaka will be not available for selections as he only ends his quarantine on Saturday and his participation for Sunday’s final ODI too remains doubtful as he would have had little training under his belt.
Shanaka is not the only player Sri Lanka have missed during ODIs. Kusal Janith Perera, Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis all are missing.
West Indies won the three match T-20 series 2-1. The teams will play two Tests after the ODI series.
Under 19 Cricket
Left-arm spinners Vishwa Peiris and Demion de Silva took five wickets each as St. Joseph’s cruised to an innings and 51 runs victory over St. Benedict’s in the Traditional Mack – Croner trophy cricket encounter at Darley Road on Tuesday.
St. Benedict’s came to the match having done well in the Tier B tournament matches but the spin might of the Joes was too hot for them to handle as they collapsed for 62 runs in the second innings.
The result somewhat exposed the gap between the Tier A and Tier B teams of the Under 19 Division I category as the team from Kotahena were bowled out within 25 overs. They were following on after being dismissed for 197 runs in the first innings, where Nushan Perera grabbed five wickets bowling the bulk of the overs for the Joes. He was adjudged the Best Bowler.
While Vishwa was the Man of the Match, Rishma Amarasinghe (Best Fielder) and Senuja Wakunugoda (Best Batsman) won the other individual awards.
The Joes made 313 in their innings with Senuja top scoring with 106 runs.
In the Division I Tier ‘A’ matches Gurukula (against St. Sebastian’s) and St. Anthony’s Katugastota (against Royal) registered first innings victories.
Maliyadeva took first innings points against De Mazenod in a tier B match.
(RF)
Organisers of the ICC T20 World Cup are sweating over after Pakistan refused to play nuclear-armed neighbours India in Colombo, a decision that has left administrators scratching their heads and staring at a potential financial googly.
The India–Pakistan contest, the jewel in the tournament’s crown, is the game that oils cricket’s economic engine. If the marquee clash is bowled out, the loss of revenue will have every stakeholder feeling the pinch from boardroom to boundary rope. Islamabad’s call to withdraw, taken at government level, has sparked fears the verdict will not be overturned.
Anticipation for the grudge match had reached fever pitch. Tickets vanished on day one of sales, while Colombo’s hotels were snapped up quickly. Five-star rooms that normally fetch 150 US dollars were hiked to 600 USD, some even soaring to 800 USD as the city braced for a carnival.
With the capital full to the rafters, tour operators shuttled visitors to nearby Negombo, an hour’s drive from the stadium, while others opted for apartments as accommodation ran dry. Flights, too, were booked well in advance, but uncertainty over the epic duel has now cast a long shadow.
“We haven’t had many cancellations yet, but we fear the worst. Everyone will take a hit if the game doesn’t take place,” aviation industry official Thusitha Perera told Telecom Asia Sport.
Gihan Wickramasinghe, representing Colombo’s hoteliers, echoed the concern. “Our hope is the match goes ahead. If not, we’ll have to refund bookings and the tour operators will be hit even harder.”
Tour operator Lisa Fernando said the anxiety was mounting. “Two groups from Dubai alone, 75 people, were coming. Corporate clients had planned trips down south as well. There’s a lot of money at stake and so much unnecessary stress.”
Indian fan Varun Kumar from Bangalore has already paid for flights and hotels but intends to travel regardless. “Sri Lanka has been on my bucket list. Whether the match happens or not, we’ll come to experience the country,” he said.
Sri Lanka Cricket remains optimistic the contest will be rescued before the final over is called. But if the showpiece is scratched, it would be a hammer blow to an economy only just finding its feet after years of setbacks, leaving the tournament badly caught behind.
SSC Open Tennis Championship 2026
Zacharia Akbar and Thishya Banagala were crowned champions in the Under 12 boys’ and girls’ singles respectively of the SSC Open Tennis Championships in Colombo.
In the boys final, Zacharia Akbar beat Kashya Seneviratne 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. The S.Thomas’ College player reached the finals with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Satheesh Appathuri in the semi-finals.
The Under 12 girls’ final saw Thishya Banagala beat Thiyansa de Silva 7-5, 6-2.
The Visakha Vidyalaya player reached the final after a 6-4, 6-4 win over Manuli Seneviratne in the semis.
Zacharia Akbar (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)
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