Sports
What next for Wanindu?
Rex Clementine
in Sydney
It remains to be seen whether Wanindu Hasaranga can end up a second T-20 World Cup as the leading wicket taker. In the last event in 2021 in UAE, he finished with 16 scalps, which is the most by a bowler in a T-20 World Cup of which the eighth edition is being played in Australia. In the ongoing tournament, with the game against England left, he has accounted for 13 victims . Hasaranga is one of the most feared bowlers in the world and it’s just a matter of time before he goes onto become the next global star of the game.
T-20s certainly changed cricket’s world order with franchise cricket bringing unimaginable reaches to players. They say that Sanath Jayasuriya’s one year IPL contract of US$ 975,000 was more than his entire earnings from national contracts. He was T-20 cricket’s first global star and others like Chris Gayle, A.B. de Villiers and Lasith Malinga followed. Hasaranga topped the scale with an IPL salary of US$ 1.3 million last year. He has been highly sought after and had to forgo a lucrative deal for The Hundred conducted by English and Wales Cricket Board for fear of burnout lead up to the World Cup.
Now that Hasaranga is not picked for Test match cricket, if Sri Lanka’s international schedule provides slots, he should engage in other franchise competitions for the simple reason that exposure will enable him to further enhance his game.At 25, we are yet to see the best of the leg-spinner and already he’s breathing down the neck of Lasith Malinga having taken 83 wickets in 51 T-20 games compared to Malinga’s 107 scalps in 84 games. By next year, he would have gone past Malinga and become the leading wicket taker of the world.
When Wanindu took a hat-trick on debut at the age of 19, we reckoned that authorities had found a special talent. But he was surprisingly overlooked for the 50 over World Cup in England in 2019 as the team management made a mess of selections picking players who had not featured in an ODI for four years. England captain Eoin Morgan’s comment that Sri Lanka were the surprise package in the tournament summed up the sorry state of affairs.
Following the arrival of Mickey Arthur, Hasaranga was brought back in and he has become the mainstay in the attack. Hasaranga comes to bowl after the Power Play overs and picks up key wickets. Although leg-spinners usually go for runs, he’s been able to remain economical unless he is up against someone like Marcus Stoinis, who destroyed him in Perth the other day. There seems to be a tendency that Hasaranga picks up wickets of more right-handed batsmen than lefties and tactically, opposition teams have left their left-handers tackle the leg-spinner.
The best thing about Hasaranga is his fighting ability. He’s in the deep while fielding and at a ground like Gabba you can get a closer look at what exactly is going on and apart from being alert, he also keeps other fielders on their toes.
With the bat, he has failed to click during the World Cup, but Hasaranga is capable of producing knocks like that of Pakistan’s Shadab Khan, who ended South Africa’s unbeaten run in the tournament with
a 20 ball half-century. There was far more consistency from Hasaranga with the bat during the Asia Cup. Number seven is a position where you don’t get much of an opportunity but in the death overs a couple of clean hits can give your team an above par total. Or in the case of a collapse, like we saw during the Asia Cup, his batting skills have come in handy. All in all, the stage is set for Wanindu to go onto become the game’s next big super star. His skill, work ethic and competitiveness all point in that direction.
Eshan Malinga returned career best figures of four for 46, but his impressive spell could not prevent Pakistan from breaching the 300 run mark in the curtain-raiser of the ODI tri-nation series in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
Pakistan were bowled out for 305, with former captain Salman Ali Agha leading the charge with his fourth ODI hundred.
Agha struck a fluent 107 off 90 deliveries, peppering the boundary with ten fours and a six before falling to Asitha Fernando. The Sri Lankan seamer was equally impressive, returning tidy figures of three for 39.
Agha featured in a 97 run partnership with Hasan Nawaz and at 215 for four with 13 overs remaining, Pakistan appeared poised for a formidable total. However, Sri Lanka’s bowlers clawed their way back into the contest, applying the brakes just when the hosts threatened to run away with the game.
On a surface tailor made for batting, Sri Lanka’s late fightback could prove crucial, with the visitors fancying their chances of chasing down the target.
Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka finished with two for 67, although his figures flattered him somewhat. He was guilty of straying onto the pads far too often, offering the Pakistan batters several scoring opportunities.
Sri Lanka went into the contest with just four specialist bowlers, leaving the part timers to shoulder a fair share of the workload. To their credit, the makeshift attack rose to the occasion, sharing ten overs between three bowlers without allowing Pakistan to completely dictate terms.
Dasun Shanaka did the lion’s share of the work, sending down seven overs, while Sahan Arachchige and Kamindu Mendis chipped in with the remaining three.
Sri Lanka also welcomed back top order batter Avishka Fernando, who returned to the ODI fold after spending several years on the sidelines.
England are the third team in the tri-nation competition, which serves as valuable preparation for next year’s World Cup.
The opening three matches will be played in Rawalpindi before the tournament shifts to Lahore for the remaining fixtures, including the final.
Sri Lanka are in the midst of a marathon 50 day tour of Pakistan. Having already completed a three-match T20I series, they will turn their attention to the tri-nation tournament before playing a First Class warm-up fixture followed by two Tests.
19 Division I – Tier ‘A’ Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
The top eight teams begin their battle for the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ limited-overs title today, when Mahinda College, Galle, take on St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, in the first quarter-final at Dombagoda.
Led by Dulsith Dharshana, Mahinda qualified for the knockout stage with wins over St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota (by five wickets), Royal College, Colombo (by six wickets) and Lumbini (by ten wickets). Their only defeat came against St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya, the only side to top 200 against them. In their other matches, Mahinda’s bowlers kept opponents to low totals.
That bowling unit, spearheaded by left-arm paceman Sadew Nethmina, appears to have peaked ahead of the crucial clash. They bundled Lumbini out for 40 in their last match, with Nethmina and Vishmitha Sathsara sharing nine wickets between them.
St. Sebastian’s reached the knockout stage on the back of wins over Maris Stella College, Negombo, and D. S. Senanayake College, Colombo. Their match against Sri Sumangala College, Panadura, ended without a result because of rain, while they lost by two wickets to Richmond, the eventual group champions.
St. Sebastian’s boast a strong batting line-up, with Hirusha Perera, Navinu Fernando, Lashen Fernando, Thivanka Fernando and Meshone Ferdinando all making notable contributions in the group stage. Skipper Koshendra Fernando is expected to lead the bowling attack with his spin, supported by Adeesha Lakshan, Lashen Fernando and Risinu Prabesh.
Teams
Mahinda (from):
Dulsith Darshana (Captain), Sadew Nethmina (Vice Captain), Randula Mabarana, Manitha Rajapaksha, Sehas Ashinsa, Kaveesha Githmal, Thiyon Helika, Kavindu Nimsata, Gesandu Bisas, Vishmitha Sathsara, Buddhima Tharupathi, Naviru Nishitha, Nihindu Sesitha, Anuga Palliyaguru, Senuja Vehan, Kevin Geemitha, Bakshara Jayarathne.
Officials: Denuwan Rajakaruna (Head Coach), Sandaru Nethmina (Asst. Coach), Y. Nishantha Kumara (Master in Charge)
St. Sebastian’s (from): Koshendra Fernando (Captain), Meshone Ferdinando, Nisila Dimath, Navinu Fernando, Hirusha Lochana, Lashen Fernando, Thejan Bandara, Chamath Wellalage, Risinu Prabesh, Sanoj Perera, Deneth Keshara, Adeesha Lakshan, Dilena Fernando, Thiwanka Fernando, Shenas Hashein, Pathiv Vehan, Dineepa Wickramsooriya.
Officials:
Lahiru Kanishka (Head coach), Nishantha Fernando (Asst. Coach), Sandaru Tharusha Perera (Master in Charge)
The other three quarter finals will be played on Tuesday as per the below schedule.
Mahanama Colombo V St. Joseph’s Darley Road at Mattegoda
Nalanda Colombo V St. Anthony’s Katugastota at Campbell Place
Richmond Galle V Wesley Colombo at Weeraketiya
Several big names fell at the first hurdle, including last year’s finalists Royal College, Colombo, as well as S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, Trinity College, Kandy, and St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya. Royal and St. Peter’s were in the same group and finished behind Mahinda and St. Anthony’s. S. Thomas’ were in Group ‘A’, where Mahanama and Wesley edged out the rest to book their places.
by Reemus Fernando
Asian Junior Championship medallist Mihinsa Dewmini Abeyratne broke a ten-year-old meet record to win the Under 20 high jump at the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship at Diyagama on Sunday.
The President’s College, Embilipitiya, athlete cleared 1.75 metres, equalling her personal best, to erase the record of Poornima Gunarathne of Leeds International, Panadura. Gunarathne’s mark of 1.74 metres had stood since 2016.
Trained by retired sports officer Gamini Dias, Mihinsa was expected to achieve something special this season after setting a personal best of 1.75 metres at the same venue earlier this year. She followed that with a bronze medal at the Asian Junior Championship in Hong Kong.
Hers was one of six meet records to fall by the time this report was filed on day three of the meet.
In the girls’ category, Lyceum International School, Wattala, and Ave Maria Convent, Negombo, set new marks in relay events. In a closely contested Under 14 4×100 metres final, Lyceum clocked 51.35 seconds to erase Musaeus College’s 2019 record. Ladies’ College, who finished second in 51.52, also bettered the previous mark.
Ave Maria Convent edged Nimala Maria Balika in another tight finish to win the Under 16 girls’ 4×100 metres in a new meet record of 49.49 seconds. Nimala Maria Balika also bettered the old record.
In the boys’ category, Sadeesh Denuwan of Halmillaketiya MV stole the limelight with a new meet record of 11.22 seconds in the Under 14 80 metres hurdles. Maneesha Samarasinghe of Lyceum International, Wattala, set a new record of 13.09 seconds in the Under 16 100 metres hurdles.
Lyceum International, Wattala, also set a new meet record of 3:13.76 in the Under 20 4×400 metres relay.
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