Sports
Sri Lanka thrash Dutch by eight wickets and 77 balls to spare
Rex Clementine in Sharjah
Sri Lanka finished off their World Cup qualifying round in style cruising to a massive eight wicket win with 77 balls to spare against Netherlands here in Sharjah yesterday. With Sri Lanka having already qualified and more than certain of number one slot in the group, the game was a dead rubber but they did not take the foot off the gas.
Netherlands were bowled out for 44 runs in just ten overs and then Sri Lanka knocked off the target without breaking a sweat.
This is the second lowest score in T-20 World Cups. The lowest also belongs to the Dutch who were bowled out for 39 against Sri Lanka in the 2014 World Cup. New Zealand’s 60 all out is the third lowest in World Cups and incidentally that was also against Sri Lanka.
Netherlands had made lot of noise prior to the tournament but they failed to live up to expectations losing all their games and finishing last in the group.
Sri Lanka left out struggling former captain Dinesh Chndimal brining in Charith Asalanka in his place.
They had things under control from the word go with Max ODowd run out by a brilliant piece of fielding by Dasun Shanaka, who is frequently scoring direct hits these days. .
Maheesh Theekshana shared the new ball and bamboozled the Dutch top order mixing up his deliveries cleverly and claimed two wickets in his first over. He went off the field with a side strain and did not return to the field. The Island learns that the bowler is out of danger and Sri Lanka kept him out as a precaution.
Then it was Wanindu Hasaranga’s show as the Dutch struggled to pick his googly and he claimed three wickets.
The Dutch lower middle order and tail were exposed to Lahiru Kumara and Dushmatha Chameera and their class was too good for the opposition as wickets fell at regular intervals. Kumara claimed three wickets for seven runs and bowled a maiden too. The quick has made tremendous progress in the last three months. Chameera settled for one wicket.
Sri Lanka now head into the World Cup with a lot of momentum behind them. Given three of their five World Cup games will be played here in Sharjah and one wonders whether they would have been better off batting first to give some exposure to their batters. However, all’s well that ends well.
Sri Lanka will meet Bangladesh on Sunday in their first World Cup game. Their other games are against Australia, South Africa, England and West Indies.
Latest News
U – 19 World Cup: Rowles, Bulbulia star in South Africa’s big win over Tanzania
South Africa monstered the Tanzania side over in Windhoek, Muhammed Bulbulia and Jason Rowles hitting hundreds to get South Africa to 397 for 5, before their bowlers blasted Tanzania out for 68.
Tanzania had begun encouragingly, although South Africa were always scoring quickly. They had taken two South Africa wickets inside the first 14 overs, and had South Africa at 93 for 2 at one stage. But then Bulbulia and Rowles came together, to take the game rapidly away from the opposition, with a 201-run partnership that came off 176 balls.
Rowles was the more aggressive of the pair in the end, clobbering five sixes and ten fours in his 125 not out off 101 deliveries. Bulbulia hit one six and ten fours in his run-a-ball 108. Paul James also produced a rollicking finishing knock, crashing five sixes and two fours in his 46 off 18.
Tanzania could not get off the blocks in the chase. South Africa took their first wicket in the second over, and just did not stop striking, the wickets spread between all five bowlers used.
Rowles added to his outstanding performance by claiming two wickets for 14 with his left-arm spin. Bayanda Majola also took two wickets, for six runs.
Brief scores:
South Africa Under-19s 397 for 5 in 50 overs (Jason Rowles 125, Muhammed Bulbulia 108, Jorich Van Schalkwyk 47, Paul James 46; Simba Mbaki 2-85) beat Tanzania Under-19s 68 in 32.2 overs (Simba Mbaki 17; Bayanda Majola 2-6, Jason Rowles 2-14) by 329 runs
(Cricibfo)
Latest News
U – 19 World Cup: Raza, Usman steer Pakistan to victory over Scotland
Pakistan quick Ali Raza rattled Scotland with his pace early on, before left-arm wristspinner Momin Qamar helped take down the middle order. Scotland showed some mettle, particularly during a 68-run seventh-wicket partnership that raised their total to a creditable 187.
But it was clear they were outgunned. Many Scotland batters were uncomfortable against Ali’s pace, and struggled to read Pakistan’s wristspinners. Raza deservedly emerged with the game’s best figures, taking 4 for 37 – two of those wickets having come in a memorable first over. Qamar took 3 for 46. Scotland’s highest scorer was captain Thomas Knight, who ground out a 72-ball 37, before Qamar slipped a beautifully-flighted delivery past his defences.
Despite some gutsy batting from Finlay Jones and Manu Saraswat down the order, Scotland always seemed headed to a sub-par score, even given the seamer-friendly conditions in Harare. When they lost two wickets in the first over – Raza bowling Theo Robinson and Max Chaplin with outstanding deliveries – they were in danger of being skittled quickly. But they battled through until the 49th over.
Pakistan’s chase was mostly straightforward. Scotland’s seamers got some movement with the new ball, and Ollie Jones was able to extract two wickets by the 12th over. But No. 3 batter Usman Khan struck 75, and Ahmed Hussain – who had earlier taken a sublime catch – joined him for a 111-run stand that made the game safe. They got home with six wickets to spare, in the 44th over.
Brief scores:
Pakistan Under-19s 190 for 4 in 43.1 9vers (Usman Khan 75, Ahmed Hussain 47; Ollie Jones 2-41, Manu Saraswat 2-46) beat Scotland Under-19s 187 in 48.1 overs (Thomas Knight 37; Ali Raza 4-37, Momin Qamar 3-46, Abdul Subhan 2-36) by six wickets
(Cricinfo)
Sports
Dinsara anchors SL Under 19s to post 267
ICC Youth World Cup
After in-form openers were dismissed cheaply skipper Vimath Dinsara held the middle order together with a top score of 95 runs for Sri Lanka Under 19 to post 267 for five wickets against Ireland in their Group A Youth World Cup encounter at Windhoek on Monday.
Ireland’s new ball bowlers dismissed Dimantha Mahavithana and Viran Chamuditha for one digit scores after Sri Lanka decided to bat first. The Sri Lankan openers had posted a record breaking first wicket stand against Japan in their first World Cup encounter at the same venue two days earlier.
Sri Lanka were 59 for three wickets when Royal College batsman Dinsara joined Kavija Gamage to steady the innings with a stand of 80 runs. While Kingswood batsman made 49 before being run out, Dinsara went on to add another hundred runs partnership with Mahanama batsman Chamika Heenatigala.
Dinsara was dismissed five runs short of the three figure mark in the 46th over.
Heenatigala remained unbeaten to post 51 in 53 balls.
Dinsara’s knock which came in 102 balls included six fours and a six.
For Ireland Oliver Riley took two wickets.
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