Sports
Zampa four-for seals Australia’s Super Eight spot
Australia marched into the Super Eight of the T20 World Cup with a display of ruthless efficiency against Namibia as Adam Zampa brought up a century of T20I wickets before the top order needed less than the powerplay to chase down 73.
Mitchell Marsh’s team continued to look like one of the best-rounded and well-drilled sides at the tournament and can now start to ponder the next stage with a game in hand – although the fixture against Scotland could have a huge bearing on who joins them in the Super Eight.
From the moment Josh Hazlewood struck in the third over there wasn’t a moment where it did not feel as though this would be a vast margin of victory for Australia and they made sure that was the case. Mitchell Starc had been rested after not pulling up 100% after the England game and with an eye on a condensed schedule ahead, Nathan Ellis again slotted in seamlessly as all Australia’s bowlers got in the wickets.
The final margin of balls remaining in Australia’s charge to the line was 86, the second most in men’s T20Is.
There was a touch of extra bounce in the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium surface and Australia’s tall quicks made the most of it. Michael van Lingen managed a brace of early boundaries off Hazlewood and Marcus Stoinis – the latter handed the new ball in place of Starc – but Nikolaas Davin perished to Hazlewood when he slashed to backward point. In his first over, Pat Cummins had Jan Frylinck taken at mid-off after an uncomfortable three deliveries then in the next, van Lingen became the second to find Glenn Maxwell at backward point, unable to keep the ball down. Stoinis closed out the powerplay by conceding just a single off the sixth over and Namibia stood at 17 for 3 with their captain Gerhard Erasmus scoreless from ten deliveries.
Erasmus’ agony in getting off the mark would extend further. By the time he swept Zampa for a single he had faced 17 balls, and managed a wry smile as his score finally ticked over. Where ball-by-ball data is available, it set a new record in getting off the mark in men’s T20Is.
To his immense credit, he turned his fortunes around. The next ball Erasmus faced, he crunched Cummins through the off side then with Namibia, all-but finished, took eight runs off Hazlewood’s last over. Two more boundaries followed off Ellis before the best of the lot, an immense pull against Cummins landing on the terraces. When he was well caught by Maxwell attempting a repeat, he had turned 0 off 16 into 36 off 43.
This wasn’t a defining spell of Zampa’s career, but it was another full of class in what is becoming an outstanding tournament for him. When he cleaned up Bernard Scholtz with a lovely googly he brought up 100 T20I wickets, the first Australia men’s player to the landmark and following Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt. Half the runs he conceded – in a spell that included 17 dots – came when Rubel Trumpelmann put away a full toss over deep midwicket but he fell next ball when he picked out Maxwell on the boundary.
Travis Head could have been run out to the first ball of Australia’s chase as David Warner scampered to get off the mark. Warner then flayed 20 off eight balls, including four, four, and six against David Wiese before skying to mid-off. Head opened his shoulders against Ben Shikongo then took three consecutive boundaries of Trumpelmann. Marsh finished the game before the fielding restrictions were done as he took 14 off three balls from Jack Brassell and, as captain, could reflect on a job done perfectly.
Brief scores:
Australia 74/1 in 5.4 overs [David Warner 20, Travis Head 34*; David Wiese 1-15] beat Namibia 72 in 17 overs [Gerhard Eramus 36; Josh Hazelwood 2-18, Marcus Stoinis 2-09, Pat Cummins 1-16, Adam Zampa 4-12, Nathan Ellis 1-12] by nine wickets
[Cricinfo]
England Women 81 for 3 in 13.5 overs (Sophia Dunkley 22, Mala Bouchier 19*, Heather Knight 18; Bree Illing 1-20, Nensi Patel 1-07, Melle Kerr 1-18) beat New Zealand Women 80 in 19.1 overs (Isabella Gaze 17, Maddy Green 14, Jess Kerr 20; Linsey Smith 2-15, Issy Wong 1-20, Sophia Ecclestone 1-11, Charlie Dean 3-13, Dani Gibson 3-14) by seven wickets
Royal Challengers Bengaluru [RCB] might look at Gujarat Titans [GT] across the ring in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2026, and wonder if they helped create this monster. When GT went to Bengaluru on April 24, they were still a conservative side straddling the middle of the table, and happy with a 57-ball hundred from their opener. But they have been a changed unit since RCB cruised to that chase of 206 against them that day.
Since that match, the halfway point for GT, their run rate has increased by nearly a run per over. That is 20 runs per innings. By the time they faced RCB next, they were giving more importance to balls remaining than to wickets in hand while chasing. When batting first, GT were looking to score above par; there has been a pair of 229s in the two matches they have batted first in since that Bengaluru debacle.
The thing with GT is that they have a team with such strong basics that they don’t need to make only subtle changes to their approach. Their control rate has gone from 80% to 75%. A little more risk, a lot more rewards. Their bowling has only become more streamlined over this period with Jason Holder adding constant threat to an already good attack. The result is a 6-1 win-loss record in the second half of their tournament.
RCB, though, have been solid throughout, carrying forward the change in approach that took them to the title last year. They won five in the first half and four in the second. They have consistently looked to finish matches early or set above-par scores when batting first. A second consecutive top-two finish is just rewards for being the most consistently good side over this period.
They will want to make it straight from Dharamsala to Ahmedabad, where they won their first title last year. Not only to make the final but to also hope to avoid meeting GT in a final at their home, something that should be the right of defending champions. Not least because GT are on a four-match winning streak at home, which includes two wins despite losing the toss.
RCB have used the fewest number of players this IPL, a sign of a settled unit. It would certainly have been fewer if not for the injury to Phil Salt, who is now back in India and racing against time to be ready in time for the playoffs. If he doesn’t make it, though, it brings in the temptation to drop Suyash Sharma for Jacob Duffy considering Suyash has not had a great IPL, and night games in Dharamsala can negate spinners. In fact, Dharamsala hosted the only completed match this season where no spin was used.
Venkatesh Iyer has made a case for himself in the limited opportunities he has got, but Salt should be a no-brainer as opener if he is fit.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable): Virat Kohli, Phil Salt/Venkatesh Iyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Jitesh Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy/Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam
GT have played the second-fewest number of players. They seem to have their first XI figured with Nishant Sindhu being persisted with as the extra batter. Their only doubt remains around the Impact Player: extra fast bowler in Prasidh Krishna or extra spinner in R Sai Kishore or Manay Suthar.
Gujarat Titans (probable): Shubman Gill (capt), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Nishant Sindhu, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna/R Sai Kishore/Manav Suthar
[Cricinfo]
Aken Thilakawardhana produced an impressive all-round display as St. Sylvester’s registered a huge 101-run victory over Sri Rahula, Katugastota in their Under 17 Division I first round cricket encounter at Katugastota on Monday.
Chasing a target of 219 runs for victory, the home team never looked in contention as wickets fell at regular intervals before they were bowled out for 117 runs in the 34th over.
St. Sylvester’s bowlers struck early to put Sri Rahula under pressure, with Sasiru Dineth and Sakuna de Silva reducing the hosts to 18 for three wickets. Aken then joined the attack to further dismantle the batting line-up, claiming three wickets to cap an outstanding all-round performance.
Aken, who had earlier contributed a valuable 48 runs with the bat, finished with impressive figures of 3 for 24.
Sri Rahula’s innings was led by Savinu Mendis, who top scored with 28 runs, but lacked support from the other batsmen as St. Sylvester’s maintained control throughout the chase. Sasiru Dineth returned figures of 3 for 33, while Sakuna de Silva too two for 23.
Earlier, put to bat first, St. Sylvester’s posted a competitive 218 all out in 49.2 overs after receiving a brisk start from opener Adithya Ranamukage. He raced to a half-century in just 35 deliveries, smashing nine boundaries and two sixes in an aggressive knock.
Nithil Herath contributed 25 runs, Keshan Perera made 27, while Aken added 48 to strengthen the innings. Vihanga Perera also chipped in with 23 runs.
For Sri Rahula, Chamindu Sathsara was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 55, while Shehan Weddagala, Praboth de Silva and Savinu Mendis claimed two wickets apiece.
Scores:
St. Sylvester’s
218 all out in 49.2 overs (Adithya Ranamukage 50, Nithil Herath 25, Keshan Perera 27, Aken Thilakawardhana 48, Vihanga Perera 23; Shehan Weddagala 2/31, Chamindu Sathsara 3/55, Praboth de Silva 2/24, Savinu Mendis 2/31)
Sri Rahula Katugastota
117 all out in 33.2 overs (Savinu Mendis 28; Sasiru Dineth 3/33, Sakuna de Silva 2/23, Aken Thilakawardhana 3/24). (RF)
Cabinet approves sale of Paddy stocks held by the Paddy Marketing Board
Amendment to the Promotion of Export Agriculture Act, No. 46 of 1992 to be gazatted
Ms. M.K.D.N. Madampe, appointed as Director General of the Department of Management Services
Cabinet approves collaboration agreement between Sri Lanka and Brazil for the implementation of the “Sugarcane Project in Sri Lanka”
Cabinet approval for Implementation of a Project for the Joint Exchange of Genetic Resources between Sri Lanka and Vietnam and the Development of High-Yielding and Salinity-resilient Rice Varieties.
Landslide Early Warnings issued to the Districts of Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura extended till1600 hrs on Wednesday [27]
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