Sports
Sri Lanka U19s pull off one run win
Sri Lanka Under 19s took a 2-0 lead with a stunning one run victory over Bangladesh as bowlers did well to defend a total of 228 runs in the second Youth ODI at Dambulla on Monday.
Chasing a target of 229 runs to win Bangladesh were in control after top order did well to take them past 100 runs for the loss of two wickets. They were troubled by spinners Dunith Wellalage and Treveen Mathew and paceman Matheesha Pathirana in the middle overs but the visitors still had hope as they needed just 19 runs in the last three overs. That was when Pathirana changed things picking up two wickets in the 48th over.
The match went to the last over with visitors just eight runs behind the target but Sri Lanka kept their cool to inflict a run out to pull off a stunning win with three balls remaining in the Bangladesh innings.
Earlier electing to bat first home team lost their first wicket for 11 runs before the St. Joseph’s College pair Sadeesh Jayawardena and Shevon Daniel added 66 runs for the second wicket. While Jayawardena top scored with 58 runs (4x4s) Daniel added 34. That was before Trinity batsman Pawan Pathiraja came up with his second consecutive half century of the series to make the middle order strong.
The late order batting by Raveen de Silva and Chamindu Wickramasinghe who added valuable 20s and a run a ball 15 by skipper Wellalage enabled the hosts reach their eventual total.
The two teams will next meet in the third Youth ODI on Wednesday.
Scores:
Sri Lanka U19s
228 for 8 in 50 overs (Sadeesh Jayawardena 58, Shevon Daniel 34, Pawan Pathiraja 51, Raveen de Silva 25, Chamindu Wickramasinghe 27; Ashikur Zaman 2/54, Ripon Mondol 3/49)
Bangladesh U19
227 all out in 49.3 overs (Mahfijul Islam 75, Iftikher Hossain 36, SM Meherob 33, Ariful Islam 23; Dunith Wellalage 3/30, Treveen Mathew 2/47, Matheesha Pathirana 3/26)
Latest News
Rose Bowl expanded to include Australia vs New Zealand T20Is
The Rose Bowl, which has been awarded to the winner of ODI series between the women’s teams of Australia and New Zealand since 1985, has now been expanded to include T20Is as well.
New Zealand’s three match T20I tour of Australia, which begins on Sunday at the North Sydney Oval, will be the first T20I edition of the Rose Bowl. The teams will get to face off again for the trophy in March 2027 when they meet again for three ODIs, also in Australia.
For Rose Bowl series that include matches in both white-ball formats, the trophy will go to the team with the most wins overall. In case of a drawn series, the current holder will retain the trophy.
“The Rose Bowl is a prestigious trophy that holds a lot of meaning to current and past players, and it’s a series we’ve always taken a lot of pride in competing in,”Catherine Campbell, NZC’s chief cricket operations officer and a former New Zealand player, said. “With so much T20I cricket now being played, this is a brilliant opportunity to keep the Rose Bowl relevant and to build on the history between us and our Australian rivals.”
New Zealand captain Melie Kerr was excited by the broadening of opportunities to compete for the Rose Bowl.
“We’re all aware of what the Rose Bowl represents and the importance it holds in the White Ferns whakapapa [genealogy],” said Kerr. “Great players and teams have fought for it over the years and we’d love the opportunity to claim our own piece of that history.”
Australia have held the Rose Bowl continuously since wresting it back from New Zealand in 2000. Since that 3-0 win, Australia have won 18 times with one series – in 2008-09 – shared 2-2. Overall, Australia have won 26 of the 31 ODI series played for the Rose Bowl, with New Zealand winning three times and three series drawn.
North Sydney will host all three T20Is of the upcoming Rose Bowl series, on October 18, 20 and 22.
[Cricinfo]
Sports
Sastralian Premier League to boost school cricket in Matugama
The inaugural Sastralian Premier League (SPL), a T10 cricket tournament aimed at strengthening the cricketing fortunes of Ananda Shasthralaya National School, Matugama, will get underway next month, bringing together eight teams.
Organised by the Old Sastralians Cricket Association in collaboration with the school, the tournament is designed to provide a platform for emerging talent while generating much needed financial support for the school’s cricket development programme.
Each franchise will be required to assemble a squad of 16 players, excluding the captain, with the competition featuring a unique set of regulations aimed at encouraging participation across different age groups.
Cricketers from other schools in the Matugama area will also have an opportunity to showcase their skills under the ‘Guest Players’ category. Each team can recruit up to six guest players, with four required to feature in the playing XI.
In a move designed to nurture the next generation, every team must include two current school cricketers in its squad, with at least one guaranteed a place in the playing XI.
The tournament will also accommodate experienced campaigners, with teams permitted to select five players over the age of 20 and three over 40. The provision to use an ‘Impact Player’ is another feature of the competition.
The eight teams have been divided into two groups. Group A comprises JSD Challengers, Jagath Express, Liveka Power Lions and Rexhill Warriors, while JPI Royals, Five Star Heroes, Marine Titans and Finnk Falcons make up Group B.
A total of 16 matches will be played across November 7, 8 and 15, with November 16 set aside as a reserve day.
Beyond the action on the field, organisers hope the tournament will provide a financial boost to school cricket while forging stronger ties between past and present cricketers.
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Iyer to lead in last two New Zealand ODIs, Kushagra earns maiden call-up
Squad for the first three ODIs: Shubman Gill [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer [VC], KL Rahul [WK], Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan [WK], Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna*, Kuldeep Yadav
Squad for fourth and fifth ODIs: Shreyas Iyer [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan [WK, VC], Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Naman Dhir, Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Arshdeep Singh, Kumar Kushagra [WK], Mohammed Siraj, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav
[Cricbuzz]
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