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The 100: Originals hold off David Warner charge to record first win

Published

7 months ago

2025/08/12

Priyan

Josh Tongue picked up the big wicket of David Warner [Cricinfo]

Manchester Originals chalked up their first win of the season after a solid all-round batting performance, London Spirit coming up just short in their chase after a late flurry set pulses racing. The Originals’ score, based on their powerful top four all totalling above 20, proved to be enough despite the evergreen David Warner’s half-century in response, an innings which made him this year’s leading men’s run-scorer.

Ben McKinney wowed the crowd early on with three monster sixes and two fours in his 12-ball 29, while Phil Salt for once played second fiddle. When he was out for 31, the Originals were 85 off just 44 balls with their sights set on 200. From there, however, Jos Buttler (46 off 37) and Heinrich Klaasen (24 off 17) struggled with their timing but the home side seemed quietly content with 163, the joint highest score in the men’s competition this season, alongside the Spirit’s 163 against the Welsh Fire on Saturday.

At the start of the Spirit innings, Sonny Baker bowled an electrifying ten balls, repeatedly beating Warner and going for just four runs. Warner and skipper Kane Williamson used their experience to weather the storm and take their side to 75 but run-scoring was never straightforward. Baker, the best bowler on display, bowled an average of 87mph and his aggression proved to be a genuine game-changer.

Jamie Smith and Ashton Turner both hit big sixes but two runs a ball for the last 40 proved just too many. Warner was eventually strangled down the leg side by Josh Tongue, who ended up with three wickets, and the Spirit ended up 10 runs shy after Jamie Overton hit 19 off seven balls at the death.

Meerkat Match Hero, Baker, said: “Massive win against a good side. We’re really happy with that.

“I was just trying to bowl fast, to swing the new ball, especially with left-handers, where my preference is to go away from them. Especially to David Warner. He’s a great player so I was worried if I was too wide! You’ve got a small margin for error but I am really grateful for the challenge and chuffed to get the win here today.

“It’s awesome. First game I opened the bowling with Sir Jimmy Anderson from the Sir Jimmy Anderson End, which was surreal! Bowling fast is what I find fun about the game and I want to nudge up near where some of the big boys are!”

Brief scores:
Manchester Originals 163 for 6 in 100 balls (Phil Salt 31, Ben McKinney 29, Jos Buttler 46, Heinrich Klassen 24, Lewis Gregory 10; Jamie Overton 2-26, Olly Stone 2-27, Richard Gleeson 1-37, Jafer Chohan 1-36) beat London Spirit 153 for 6 in 100 balls (David Warner 71, Kane Williamson 19, Jamie Smith 12, Ashton Turner 13, Jamie Overton 19; Sonny Baker 1-21, Josh Tongue 3-29, Scott Currie 1-26) by 10 runs

[Cricinfo]

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Trump at a crossroad in US-Israel war with Iran

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/22

Priyan

Three weeks after the joint US-Israeli war against Iran began, the conflict has reached a fuzzy state of mixed messages and uncertainty, with Donald Trump’s public comments often seemingly contradicted by realities on the ground.

The war is “very complete, pretty much”, Trump has said, but new American ground forces – including a Marine expeditionary unit – are moving into the region. It is “winding down”, but US and Israeli bombing and missile strikes on Iranian targets continue unabated.

Opening the Strait of Hormuz, the geographic choke point through which 20% of the world’s oil export travels, is a “simple military manoeuvre”, but for now only Iranian-approved ships are transiting the waters.

The Iranian military is “gone”, but drones and missiles are still striking targets in the region and targets have extended as far as the joint US-UK base on Diego Garcia.

In a Friday evening Truth Social post published while he was flying from Washington to his Florida resort for the weekend, the US president provided a numbered list of American military objectives for the Iran war, which he said the US was “getting really close” to fulfilling.

The items, comprising his most detailed statement on the subject since the war began, included degrading or destroying Iran’s military, its defence infrastructure and its nuclear weapons programme, as well as protecting American allies in the region.

Not included was the goal of securing the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump said should be the responsibility of other nations that are more dependent on oil exports from the Gulf. The president has frequently noted that the US is a net exporter of energy and does not rely on oil from the Middle East – although such a view glosses over the global nature of the fossil fuel market, where price fluctuations directly impact the price at American gas pumps.

Trump’s Truth Social post also made no call for Iranian regime change. Gone are any references to approving the nation’s next leader or “unconditional surrender”, which Trump had insisted on in the early days of the war.

In Trump’s latest outline of his objectives, it is possible that the US could end its operation with Iran’s current anti-American leadership in power, its oil exports still flowing and its ability to assert some measure of control over the Strait of Hormuz intact.

If that is an unappealing resolution to a war that the president and his aides have said began with the 1979 Iran Revolution and that they would finish, there is an alternative route that involves the US ground forces presently on the way to the Middle East region.

Just over a week ago, US media reported that a Marine expeditionary unit, with about 2,500 combat soldiers and supporting ships and aircraft, had been dispatched from Japan to the Middle East, which it should reach in the coming days. Another Marine force of similar size recently departed its base in California with its arrival expected in mid-April.

Military analysts have suggested that the US could be planning to capture Kharg Island. an 3-sq-km (8-sq-mile) slice of land that contains Iran’s primary oil export terminal. Doing so could, in theory, cut off the nation’s oil shipments, depriving the nation of much-needed revenue and forcing it to make greater concessions to the Americans in exchange for an end to hostilities.

Trump on Friday said that he wasn’t sending ground troops to Iran, but added: “If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you”. Clarity, it seems, is not his intention.

The threat of such a move prompted Iran’s state media to report on Saturday that any attack on Kharg Island would lead Iran to cause “insecurity” in the Red Sea, another key global shipping transit point, and “set fire” to energy facilities throughout the region.

Iran’s warning underscores the dangers that would accompany a US escalation that further exposes American military forces to Iranian reprisals.

Earlier this week, US media reported that the Trump administration was preparing to ask Congress for $200bn (£150bn) in emergency funding for the ongoing Iranian military operation. Such a request would suggest that, far from winding down, the White House is preparing for a long, expensive fight.

The initial reaction from Congress, including from Trump’s Republican allies, was cautious at best.

“We’re talking about boots on the ground. We’re talking about that kind of extended activity,” said Republican Congressman Chip Roy of Texas.

“They have got a whole lot more briefing and a whole lot more explaining to do on how we’re going to pay for it, and what’s the mission here.”

The so-called “fog of war” doesn’t just cloud the thinking of military planners, it also affects the perception of politicians and the public.

The Iran war, it seems, is at a pivot. But which direction it takes from here is a puzzle.

(BBC)

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Heat Index likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Monaragala, Mannar and Vavuniya districts

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/22

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
at 3.30 p.m. on 21 March 2026, valid for 22 March 2026.

Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in
Anuradhapura, Monaragala, Mannar and Vavuniya districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.