Sports
Under 19 Division II Tier ‘A’ Cricket Final :Holy Cross encounter formidable Lyceum
Formidable Lyceum International, Wattala will meet Holy Cross College, Kalutara in the final of the Under 19 Division II Tier ‘A’ cricket tournament at BRC ground today.
Holy Cross, a former Division I team were at the receiving end when these two teams met during the first round. Holy Cross captained by Sasindu Kaushan will be looking forward to turning tables on Lyceum who suffered just a solitary defeat this season in the limited-overs format.
Skippered by Yugath Premathilaka, Lyceum have in their ranks one of the brightest prospects in the junior circuit in Garuka Sanketh who earned accolades at the recently held Inter-Provincial tournament.
Sanketh who has over 30 wickets against his name will spearhead the bowling attack with Mohammed Rifnaz. The duo played key roles for Lyceum to restrict their opponents to low scores this season.
Lyceum beat Karandeniya Central, Vidyartha College, Kandy, St. Peter’s College, Negombo, Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya, Holy Cross, St. John’s College, Panadura and Tissa Central, Kalutara in the first round. Their blemish against Sri Sumangala College, Panadura placed them second in the points table.
During the knockout stage, they edged out Piliyandala Central (quarter-final) and St. Sebastian’s College, Katuneriya to book a well-deserving spot in the final. While Nethmal de Zoysa ( over 300 runs), Lakshitha Udesh and Jayathu Chathuranga are their leading batsmen, Premathilaka, Chathumal Nimansa and Vihanga Theekshana also featured prominently in the batting department during the knockout phase.
For Holy Cross, Rashen Kethaka with over 200 runs and Sanuka Cheran are the leading batsmen, while Pasindu Wimansa, Hansaja Brian and Aakash Dewmina are the players to watch in the bowling department.
During the first round, the team from Kalutara beat St. John’s College, Panadura, St. Peter’s College, Negombo, Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya, Sri Sumangala, Panadura, Tissa Central, Kalutara and Karandeniya Central while going down to Vidyartha and Lyceum. During the knockout stage they beat Galahitiyawa Central (quarter-final) and Sri Sumangala, Panadura (semi-final).
Both schools have experienced the agony of not being able to earn the deserving promotion to the top division since the Covid 19 pandemic altered the dimensions of schools cricket tournaments in 2020. With normalcy returning this season the two teams will look forward to climbing up the ranks when the league tournament of the innings format commences shortly.
Teams:
Holy Cross (from):
Sasindu Kaushan (Captain), Deshan Perera (Vice Captain), Hansaja Brian, Kethaka Silva, Pasindu Wimansa, Sonal Perera, Hiven Kenula, Dewmina Fernando, Hansaka Fernando, Cheran Silva, Gimhan Fernando, Nethru Silva, Sathsara Gamage, Abhishek Samaraweera, Steeve Roshaka, Gayantha Nadeesha, Deshan de Silva, Tharuksha Silva, Patrik Thisera, Vishmitha Fernando.
Officials:
K.D.S.P. Samantha (Master in Charge), Nimal Dabare (Head Coach), Lakshitha Ranasinghe (Asst. Coach)
Lyceum International (from):
Yugath Premathilaka (Captain), Rayan Perera, Sanujan Baskaran, Nethman de Soysa, Laksitha Udesh, Jayathu Chathuranga, Garuka Sanketh, Mohammed Rifnaz, Madhuka Perera, Kevin Perera, Shahila Prabhashwara, Shavindu Silva, Vidusha Wijerathne, Bimsara Weerasinghe, Travin Nishanthan, Sadeesha Silva, Thushan Fernando, Omalka Hapuarachchi, Malinda Mulgama, Danidu Nawarathne.
Officials:
Manjula Prasanna (Master in Charge), Lal Senarathne (Head Coach), Dishan Saminda (Coach), Sanjeewa Mendis (Coach).
India’s untested lower order played a key role in turning a modest total into a competitive one. Amanjot Kaur added stability, scoring 21 off 18 balls and putting on a 61-run partnership with Harmanpreet for the fifth wicket, helping the innings regain momentum after regular wickets fell.
After her dismissal, Arundhati Reddy – promoted ahead of Sneh Rana – launched a late assault, hitting four fours and a six off 11 balls for an unbeaten 27, guiding India to 175 for 7. The team scored 32 runs in the final two overs.
With Chamari Athapaththu gone in the second over, Perera and Dulhani faced a daunting task. Dulhani, coming in at No. 3 again ahead of Harshitha Samarawickrama, played a confident innings, coming down the track and sweeping as needed, hitting five boundaries inside the powerplay. Perera rotated the strike well, keeping the scoreboard ticking. Aided by the dew, their 79-run second-wicket stand was broken in the 12th over when Amanjot dismissed Dulhani for 50, with her first ball.
Perera carried on, moving from 32 off 23 balls to register her maiden 38-ball fifty in her 89th T20I. Having debuted in 2014 and shuffled around the order, she opened this series for the first time in three years. When the equation came down to 55 off 24 balls, Perera struck a four and a six off Shree Charani before being yorked. Her 42-ball 65 included eight fours and a six.
When Sri Lanka needed 44 off 20 balls, India fought back hard. The visitors lost their key batters at the death, collapsing from 132 for 4 to 140 for 7, eventually falling short and remaining winless in India.
Brief scores:
India Women 175 for 7 in 20 overs (Gunalan Kamalini 12, Harleen Deol 13, Harmanpreet Kaur 68, Amanjot Kaur 21, Arundhati Reddy 27*; Nimasha Meepage 1-25, Kavisha Dilhari 2-11, Rashmika Sewwandi 2-42, Chamari Athapaththu 2-21) beat Sri Lanka Women 160 for 7 in 20 overs (Hasini Perera 65, Imesha Dulani 50, Rashmika Sewwamdi 14*; Deepti Sharma 1-28, Arundhati Reddy 1-16, Sneh Rana 1-31, Vaishnavi Sharma 1-33, Shree Charani 1-31, Amanjot Kaur 1-17 ) by 15 runs
[Cricinfo]
Under 19 Cricket
Manitha Rajapaksha collected a match bag of 11 wickets as Mahinda romped to an innings and 25 runs victory over Lumbini in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ cricket encounter at Galle.
Forced to follow on after being bowled out for 173 runs, the visitors managed to last only 33 overs as bowlers used the home advantage to good effect.
In a similar performance, Sri Sumangala reduced Isipatana to just 69 runs in the second innings to record an innings and 96 runs win in the Tier ‘B’ match at Panadura. While Mevindu Kumarasiri excelled once again to claim a match bag of 11 wickets, overnight batsmen Sandeep Wijerathna and Neksha Iddamalgoda went on to score centuries for Sri Sumangala to boost the score to 301 for eight wickets declared.
Meanwhile at DSS ground the home team scored a first innings win over Nalanda.
Match Results
Mahinda in innings win at Galle
Scores
Mahinda 284 all out in 72.2 overs
(Dulsith Darshana 63, Randula Mabarana 28, Manitha Rajapaksha 23, Kaveesha Githmal 43, Kavindu Nimsara 66; Yashod Kavindu 5/100, Dinal Sewmina 2/32)
Lumbini 76 for 4 overnight 173 all out in 53.4 overs
(Kisandu Dulneth 33, Yashod Kavindu 26, Jayanitha Mendis 41, Pasindu Mahisha 38; Manitha Rajapaksha 6/64, Sadev Nethmina 2/27) and 86 all out in 32.4 overs (Nikil Abilash 33; Manitha Rajapaksha 5/25, Gesandu Bisas 2/12, Arosha Udayanga 2/15)
Sri Sumangala in innings win at Panadura
Scores
Isipatana 136 all out in 47.2 overs (Yuveen Keshan 21, Dasith Senal 31; Mevindu Kumarasiri 6/54) and 69 all out in 25.2 overs (Janith Selaka 25; Mevindu Kumarasiri 5/32, Methum Fernando 4/23)
Sri Sumangala 158 for 2 overnight 301 for 8 decl. in 79.4 overs (Sandeep Wijerathna 100, Neksha Iddamalgoda 110, Mevindu Kumarasiri 34; Dasith Senal 2/86, Dimuthu Tharuka 2/34)
First innings win for DSS at DSS ground
Scores
DSS 365 all out in 79 overs (Savain Kalansooriya 54, Bihan Gamage 102, Janindu Ranasinghe 50, Shevan Welgama 73; Osanda Pamuditha 2/69, Dunitha Anusara 4/66, Sahas Godage 3/76) and 144 for 3 in 35.2 overs (Miyuru Bandara 41, Savain Kalansooriya 57, Shanaal Binuksha 34)
Nalanda 28 for 1 overnight 197 all out in 66.1 overs (Nemindu Akmeemana 40, Ranmith Dinuwara 42; Shanaal Binuksha 6/61, Randisha Bandaranayake 2/40)
by Reemus Fernando
India’s opening batter Shafali Verma and swing bowler Renuka Singh have moved up to sixth spots in the ICC’s T20I batting and bowling rankings respectively.
Shafali is the leading scorer in the ongoing bilateral series against Sri Lanka by a distance, her 236 runs nearly twice as many as second-highest scorer Smriti Mandhana’s 120. Renuka is also the leading wicket-taker, her four wickets level with team-mates Deepti Sharma, Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani.
Shafali went up four places with back-to-back scores of 69*, 79* and 79 in the second, third and fourth T20Is. Renuka, meanwhile, climbed eight places to reach the joint-sixth position along with South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba, particularly through her 4 for 21 in the third game of the series. Deepti leads the bowlers’ rankings after taking that position last week. Both Shafali and Renuka have also bagged one Player-of-the-Match award each in the series that India lead 4-0, with the last match scheduled for Tuesday in Thiruvananthapuram.
If India win today (30), this will be their third 5-0 series win in T20Is. They won by that scoreline in the West Indies in 2019 and in Bangladesh last year. Sri Lanka have, however, never before lost a T20I series 5-0.
(Cricinfo)
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