Sports
Steyn rejuvenates Kandy Tuskers
The arrival of Dale Steyn seemed to have rejuvenated Kandy Tuskers as they put up a splendid show to beat the in form Jaffna Stallions in a Lanka Premier League encounter at Suriyawewa yesterday. Steyn had missed six games that Kandy Tuskers had played as he had to spend time in quarantine. He was available for yesterday’s game and one of the world’s most feared fast bowlers was on the money.
Steyn dismissed Aviksha Fernando in the second ball he bowled and his ‘fishing celebration’ became an instant hit as the batsman had chased a wide delivery and was caught behind.
Steyn’s spell was the quickest by anyone in the competition. He was well backed up by the team’s other seamers – Vishwa Fernando and Nuwan Pradeep, who picked up two and three wickets respectively.
It was a fine effort by the bowlers to dismiss Jaffna Stallions for 150 and the run chase was completed with five balls to spare.
Asela Gunaratne, who had picked up two wickets top scored for Kandy Tuskers with an unbeaten 52 that came off 37 balls with seven fours and a six.
At 95 for four in the 14th over, Jaffna had things under control but an unfinished 56 run stand for the fifth wicket between Gunaratne and Irfan Pathan took them through the finish line. Pathan was unbeaten on 25. Interestingly Pathan didn’t bowl as he was nursing a groin injury. But he did the job his team required.
Kandy now have a good chance of making it to the semis of the five team competition.
Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute from a rebound yielded by backup Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens, and Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory.
Merino was the late hero for the second straight match for Spain, who advanced to face tournament favourite France in the semifinals on Tuesday in Dallas.
Merino came on in the 86th minute and scored from his second touch of the match, charging into the box and pouncing after Lammens spilled a Pau Cubarsi shot from outside the area.
The Arsenal forward also scored as a substitute early in injury time to secure Spain’s 1-0 victory over Portugal in the last-16.
Lammens, the Manchester United keeper, was forced into the match in the 71st minute after longtime Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois left with an apparent thigh injury.
Belgium desperately pressed for an equaliser in the final minutes, but Aymeric Laporte volleyed their best chance out of the box.
Fabian Ruiz scored the opening goal in the 30th minute for Spain after Courtois had parried a shot from Dani Olmo from Pedro Porro’s cut-back from the right of the area, but Belgium forward Charles De Ketelaere scored the first goal allowed by Spain in the entire World Cup in the 41st minute.
His header from Timothy Castagne’s cross from the right ended a record streak of 649 minutes without conceding at the World Cup.
The annual rugby encounter between Dharmaraja College and Kingswood College, played for the William Weerasinghe Memorial Trophy, is set to take place today (July 11, 2026), at 4:00 PM at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy.
The official unveiling of the trophy took place this week at the Dharmaraja College premises with the participation of the Principals of the two schools, teachers-in-charge of sports, coaches, the Rugby teams, and several distinguished guests, including Dharmaraja College Old Boys’ Association President Mahesh Wijetunga, Kingswood College Old Boys’ Association President Muditha Abeykoon,
Text and Pic by SK Samaranayake
The annual rugby encounter between Dharmaraja College and Kingswood College, played for the William Weerasinghe Memorial Trophy, is set to take place tomorrow (July 11, 2026), at 4:00 PM at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy.
The official unveiling of the trophy took place this week at the Dharmaraja College premises with the participation of the Principals of the two schools, teachers-in-charge of sports, coaches, the Rugby teams, and several distinguished guests, including Dharmaraja College Old Boys’ Association President Mahesh Wijetunga, Kingswood College Old Boys’ Association President Muditha Abeykoon,
by S K SAMARANAYAKE
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