Sports

Sri Lanka Junior National Sailing Team makes waves at IODA Championship

Published

3 years ago

2022/12/25

Royalist Yusef Hazari, reigning national champ placed 7th

The Sri Lankan junior national sailing team successfully completed seven days of the IODA Asian and Oceanian championship in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday.Sri Lanka’s reigning national sailing champ, Yusef Hazari of Royal College, clinched seventh place in the Silver fleet, coming in second in the final race.

“It was my first experience at an international sailing event on seas outside Sri Lanka, and it was fantastic,” said Yusef. “I hope to win a podium place next year,” he said.

Despite being the underdogs amongst the 101 participants, the team sailed alongside champions of the seas including Thailand, the US, Belgium, Japan and Singapore. For most of the youngsters aged between 13 and 15, this year’s IODA Asian and Oceanian championship was the first international event, as they missed out on the previous two years’ championship due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and they are determined to win next year.

“Out of all the sporting events we have participated in, this has been the most competitive and exciting one,” said twins Kyoshi and Kyasha Samarakkody. “We’re looking forward to qualify and win at the next one.”

The young Sri Lankans made up for their lack of experience on international waters, with grit and determination. While other teams funded by government bodies including the army and the navy, participate in at least six international events throughout the year, for the self-funded Sri Lankan team, the annual Asian and Oceanian championship is the only international event they participate as a team.

“We have a fantastic team with incredible talent,” said Krishan Janaka, Sri Lanka’s national sailing coach. “The more the children participate in different seas with different sailors, the more experience they will gain. We have world champion material amongst our midst, they just don’t have enough experience,” he said. “With the right exposure, these are world class sailors.”

This year 13 teams with 101 participants raced at the annual IODA Asian and Oceanian championship, which is one of the most prestigious Optimist racing events.

The event began with a gala opening ceremony on December 13, followed by practice races December 14. The individual races kicked off on December 15 where the Sri Lankan team was placed in the Silver Fleet. The young sailors did well throughout the individual races on December 16 with Yusef Hazari placed 9th, followed by Tharen Nanayakkara in 17th place.

Team racing kicked off on day four, with Sri Lanka’s A team consisting of Yusef Hazari, twins Tharen Nanayakkara and Nikhil Nanayakkara, Minuga Hettigamage and Chathuni Marapperuma, pitted against Thailand, that won overall second place. Sri Lanka’s B team made up of Akash De Simon, Vinuk Senaratne, twins Kyoshi Samarakkody and Kyasha Samarakkody and Sohanya de Mel went up against the final winning team Singapore.

The last two days of individual racing on December 18 and 19, saw trials and tribulations by the young Sri Lankan team as they fought alongside experienced sailors. Yusef Hazari sailed in 2nd place with Kyoshi Samarakkody coming in 10th position and Nikhil Nanayakkara following close behind in 11th place on the last day.

At the end of the seven-day event, Yusef Hazari was placed 7th, Kyoshi Samarakkody came in 22nd place, Kyasha Samarakkody in 26th place, Nikhil Nanayakkara in 28th , followed by Tharen Nanayakkara in 30th place. Minuga Hettigamage was placed 35th, Sohanya de Mel came in 42nd, Vinuk Senaratne in 44th place, Akash De Simon following close in 45th place and Chathuni Marapperuma in 47th place.

The sailors raced in low winds of 6 to 9 knots and low tides the first three days. The winds picked up in the last two days of racing to 15 to 19 knots. The last of the 10 races was cancelled due to time constraints.

This year’s 10-member Sri Lanka team is made up of Yusef Hazari and Minuga Hettigamage from Royal College; Twins Tharen Nanayakkara and Nikhil Nanayakkara, Akash de Simon and Vinuk Senaratne from S. Thomas’s College, Mt. Lavinia; twins Kyoshi Samarakkody and Kyasha Samarakkody and Sohanya de Mel from Ladies’ College; and Chathuni Marapperuma from Visakha Vidyalaya.

Thailand’s Chanatip Tongglum was the overall winner of the IODA Asian and Oceanian championship this year, with Ethan Chia and Nicol Lim from Singapore coming in second and third respectively.

“Although we did not obtain a medal, our sailors have done really well and gained a wealth of experience,” said Sarath Kuragama, COO of the Yachting Association of Sri Lanka

This year’s IODA Asian and Oceanian championship participants came from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia, Belgium, the USA, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Taipei, the UAE and host nation India.IODA holds world championships as well as regional championships each year, and next year’s Asian and Oceanian championship is scheduled to be held in the UAE.

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India hit back but Sutherland, Hamilton impress to give Australia the edge

Published

8 hours ago

2026/03/7

Priyan

Lucy Hamilton produced an impressive debut with three wickets [Cricinfo]

Retiring skipper Alyssa Healy fell cheaply late on a bowler-dominated opening day that saw debutants Lucy Hamilton and Sayali Satghare produce spectacular starts to their Test careers.

Thirteen wickets fell on a grassy WACA surface, including Healy who on 13 hit Satghare straight to backward point with 30 minutes left before stumps. Healy trudged off the field – perhaps not for the final time – to a loud ovation as India, fielding four debutants, hit back after being bowled out in 62.4 overs.

Annabel Sutherland, backing up her earlier standout bowling effort, steadied before the close alongside Elllyse Perry, who is playing as a specialist batter after recovering from a quad strain.

After Healy elected to bowl to kick-start her swansong, left-arm quick Hamilton ignited Australia by clean bowling Smriti Mandhana for 4 in a brilliant start to her Test career.

She also claimed the wickets of Jemimah Rodrigues, who top-scored with 52, and Sneh Rana to finish with 3 for 31 off 11 overs in an impressive first up effort after earning selection over uncapped Maitlan Brown.

Australia’s seamers relished the conditions as they swung the pink ball menacingly to cause nightmares for an India side returning to Test cricket for the first time since mid-2024.

Sutherland was unplayable for long stretches as she hooped the ball around to finish with 4 for 46 off 17 overs, figures that could have been even better if not for four dropped catches off her bowling.

Australia’s sloppy performance in the field prolonged India’s first innings and meant they had the tough task of fronting up to bat under lights. Satghare lifted India by knocking over Georgia Voll with a menacing delivery that pitched well outside off-stump before swinging back to hit leg stump.

Fellow debutant Kranti Gaud also had a first wicket to remember when she dismissed Phoebe Litchfield, largely thanks to a brilliant catch from Rodrigues at backward point.

It led to Healy walking out to a mighty ovation, but India weren’t in a generous mood as they clawed back into a contest they must win if they are to draw the multi-series format.

Healy’s day had started brightly when the coin fell in Australia’s favour for the first time in the multi-format series. Her decision to bowl caused a groan in the terraces with fans itching to watch her bat.

But the supporters were soon in full voice when Hamilton, 19, was introduced into the attack in the second over. She came close to a wicket on her fourth delivery but a reviewed lbw shout on opener Shafali Verma was unsuccessful due to an inside edge.

Hamilton only had to wait until her third over to get through Mandhana with a cracking full-pitched delivery that comprehensively beat the bat and smashed into middle stump.

She was mobbed by her teammates before bowling a fierce short delivery to fellow debutant Pratika Rawal, who streakily opened her account through the slip cordon.

Hamilton, who earlier received her baggy green from Beth Mooney, returned the impressive figures of 1 for 12 from five overs in her first spell. But India hung tough with Shafali – maturely resisting her attacking instincts – and Rawal combining well in a rearguard to get through the new ball.

Sutherland entered the attack and started a fabulous bowling performance by cutting short Shafali’s blossoming knock on 35 with a terrific delivery that was caught behind.

It was a reward for Sutherland who had earlier been desperately unlucky not to pick up the wicket of Rawal after Hamilton fumbled in the gully. In what proved to be a costly missed chance, Rodrigues was reprieved by Voll at short-leg on 0 when she fended a fierce short delivery from Sutherland.

But Sutherland was not to be denied after she enticed Rawal into edging to gully where Hamilton hung onto her first catch at Test level. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur started swiftly before her off-stump was knocked by a pearler from Darcie Brown as India entered the tea break in trouble at 99 for 4.

Sutherland continued to be irrepressible after the resumption and dismissed Deepti Sharma with a length ball as the pressure heightened on Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh, who was purely in survival mode early in her innings.

Local hero Alana King was held back until the 40th over and Rogrigues decided it was time to put the foot down, counterattacking to devastating effect with four consecutive boundaries.

She sped to her half-century off 74 balls with the milestone reached in fitting style with a gorgeous drive as she continued to take a liking to King’s legspin.

Just when the partnership started to gather momentum, Ghosh threw it away when she hit a dragged down delivery from Ashleigh Gardner straight to short midwicket before Rodrigues tamely flicked a loose delivery from Hamilton to square leg.

Hamilton bagged Rana as India spiraled to 157 for 8 before debutant Kashvee Gautam attacked just like she had done during the ODI series. She eventually ran out of support with Sutherland claiming her fourth wicket when she dismissed Satghare.

The hectic day’s play also launched a new era at the revamped WACA ground with most spectators nestled in the rare shaded areas – still an issue even after the redevelopment – as the temperature peaked at 37 degree Celsius with a similar forecast set for day two.

Brief scores: [Stumps Day 1]
Australia Women 96 for 3 in 27 overs (Ellyse Perry 43*, Annabel Sutherland 20*; Kranti Gaud 2-28) trail India Women 198 in 62.4 overs (Shafali Verma 35, Jemmimah Rodrigues 52, Kasnvee Gautam 34*; Darcie Brown 2-41, Annabel Sutherland 4-46, Lucy Hamilton 3-31) by 102 runs

[Cricinfo]

Sports

St. John’s four wickets away from victory

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/7

Thilina Walpola

St. John’s College, Jaffna were just four wickets away from victory at stumps on day two of the Battle of Jaffna Big Match at the Central College Groud Jaffna on Friday.

‎St. John’s restricted their arch rivals to 120 for six wickets after a valuable century by Uthayanan Abijoyshanth helped them post 247 runs.

‎Uthayanan’s century was the highlight on the second day as he almost singlehandedly guided the destiny of the visiting team.

‎He faced just 105 balls for his 121 as he struck 15 fours and four sixes in his knock before being given lbw to Murali Thison who took seven wickets.

‎Thison completed a match bag of 12 wickets with his big haul of wickets in the second innings.

‎While Central were largely depending on Thison for wickets in both innings, St. John’s were sharing bowling honours.

‎Despite having in their ranks Sri Lanka Under 19 paceman Kugathas Mathulan, St. John’s saw Ganeshamoothy Kowsikan (5/41) and Murfin Randyo (3/19) sharing bowling honours in the first inning.

‎Mathulan took his first wicket of the match in the afternoon on Friday.

Sports

Jamie Siddons appointed Sri Lanka Women head coach

Published

23 hours ago

2026/03/6

Priyan

Jamie Siddons has over two decades of high-level coaching experience (Cricinfo)

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has appointed former Australian cricketer Jamie Siddons as the new head coach of the the women’s team. Siddons, a Level 3 qualified coach, will officially begin his one-year tenure on March 16, 2026.

Siddons takes over from outgoing coach Rumesh Ratnayake, who had quietly concluded his tenure at the end of 2025. And he will be building on some solid foundations.

Appointed in February 2023, Ratnayake oversaw the transformation of the women’s team from bottom-of-the-table scrappers to a regularly competitive force.

While they remain a notch below top tier sides such as Australia and India in terms of consistency, under his guidance, Sri Lanka secured their best-ever return – a historic Asia Cup title in 2024, defeating India in the final.

The inconsistency of the side however was on display throughout his term, as the team struggled at the 2024 T20 World Cup, exiting in the group stage without a win. And despite other highs, including series wins against South Africa and England, the side seemed to have plateaud following a middling home 50-over home World Cup in October.

Siddons however will be taking over a youthful side in the midst of a good run of form, with them this month completing ODI and T20I series wins against West Indies.

His immediate focus will be preparing the squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup set to be held in England this June. His first official assignment is a tour of Bangladesh in April-May.

He brings over two decades of high-level coaching experience to the role, most notably serving as the head coach of the Bangladesh men’s side from 2007-2011, where he lead them to their first overseas Test series win against West Indies.

“Siddons has also served as Head Coach of the South Australia Cricket Team (Redbacks) from 2015 to 2020 and Head Coach of the Wellington Firebirds, New Zealand, from 2011 to 2015,” added an SLC media release.

In his playing career Siddons was a prolific run-scorer in Australian domestic cricket, captaining both South Australia and Victoria, finishing his career with over 10,000 Sheffield Shield runs.

(Cricinfo)