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Advantage Australia despite Kohli-Rahane stand

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Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane put on an unbeaten 71-run stand (pic Cricbuzz)

Australia ended Day 4 of the World Test Championship’s summit clash in a dominating position, after setting India a Test record 444 to win in just over four sessions, and scalping their top three by Stumps.

Australia started Day 4 with a lead of 296 with 6 wickets remaining. India were disciplined in the morning session and were rewarded early with the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne, courtesy a peach of an away-seamer from Umesh Yadav that got him caught in the cordon. Cam Green and Alex Carey then put up a dogged fight, but Green eventually fell to Ravindra Jadeja, attempting to pad the ball away but playing it onto his stumps instead.

Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey frustrated India further with a flurry of quick runs, and after Mohammed Shami got rid of Starc, Pat Cummins came out to bat. The Australia captain decided they had enough and declared with the lead of 443, setting India a record 444 to chase in the final innings to win the World Test Championship.

India started off fluently, with openers Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma scoring at nearly 6 runs an over in the 7 overs before Tea. However, Gill’s wicket caused the controversy of this Test match, as Green took a phenomenal diving catch at gully, but there was much doubt whether it was taken cleanly or if the ball had made contact with the ground. The third umpire ruled in favour of the fielding team, much to the dismay of both Gill and Rohit.

Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara looked fluent while rebuilding for India, putting on 51 runs for the second wicket, but in a puzzling phase of play, they both perished in uncharacteristic ways: Rohit attempting to paddle sweep Nathan Lyon on a pitch that is drying up, and was trapped LBW, and Pujara, even more shockingly, attempting an upper cut and got a feather of an edge to the ‘keeper.

Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli, however, played out nearly 20 overs and scored 71 runs to take India through to Stumps, leaving them with 280 to get on the final day of cricket’s summit clash.

Brief scores:

India 296 & 164/3(Virat Kohli 44*, Rohit Sharma 43, Nathan Lyon 1-32) need 280 to win vs.Australia 469 & 270/8 dec.(Alex Carey 66*, Mitchell Starc 41, Ravindra Jadeja 3-58).



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Decision on sexual assault case against Danushka Gunathilaka next Thursday (28)

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Danushka Gunathilaka is accused of "stealthing" a woman he met online (pic ABC Net)

The hearing of the sexual assault case against Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilake before the New South Wales District Court concluded today (21) and Judge Sarah Huggett will hand down her decision next Thursday (28).

(ABC net)

For full story:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-21/danushka-gunathilaka-sexual-assault-closing-arguments/102883700?utm_campaign=newsweb-article-new-share-null&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web

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Selectors make ‘U’ turn after requesting Shanaka to step down

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Dasun Shanaka has been retained as Sri Lanka’s ODI captain.  

by Rex Clementine

The national selection panel that met yesterday made a complete ‘U’ turn having earlier requested captain Dasun Shanaka to step down in the lead up to next month’s ICC Cricket World Cup to be played in India. After Sri Lanka’s horrendous show in the Asia Cup final, where the team was bowled out for 50 runs, their lowest total at home, someone had to be scapegoated and Dasun Shanaka fitted the selectors’ bill.

The captain had been informed to step down so that a new captain could be appointed and accordingly Kusal Mendis was tipped to take over. Team management had endorsed Mendis highlighting him as the player who contributed most during team meetings. He was anyway deputy to Dasun in ODIs.

Although Dasun had expressed his willingness to step aside so that the selectors could make the change, the national selection panel decided to retain Dasun following a meeting yesterday.

While a section of the public had wanted the captain gone due to an extended run of poor form with the bat, some others had argued that axing the captain on the verge of an event like the World Cup wasn’t the most sensible move.

Had Dasun stepped down, he was in fear of not finding a place in the team as well as the selectors had wanted the new captain to make the call of having or not having the misfiring ex-captain in the team.

Despite the debacle in the final, Sri Lanka had done well to progress to the finals of the Asia Cup having beaten Afghanistan and Pakistan and Bangladesh twice. There were fears of the team not progressing beyond the first round after the bowling attack was completely depleted with injuries.

Although Dasun has been now retained as the captain, he will be under tremendous pressure to deliver following a string of low scores. Having said that, he was Sri Lanka’s best batter when the national cricket team toured India earlier this month.

Sri Lanka will leave for India next week and will be based in Guwahati where they will play two warm-up games against Asian rivals Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Sri Lanka’s first game of the World Cup is against South Africa on the 7th of October in Delhi.

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Arachchige to lead second-string Sri Lanka side at the Asian games

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Sahan Arachchige has two ODI caps to his name

Sri Lanka have announced a young squad for the 2023 Asian Games – essentially a Sri Lanka A side – with Sahan Arachchige set to lead the 15-member squad.

Among those with international caps, Ashen Bandara tops the list with 11 white-ball games under his belt. Nuwanidu Fernando and Nuwan Thushara have played four games each, while Arachchige has played two ODIs.

A majority of the team have however appeared in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), so fans may not be completely unfamiliar with some of these names, but this will be a good opportunity to observe them over a more consistent period.

Most of the excitement will arguably surround the batters, with the likes of Lasith Croospulle, Shevon Daniel, Fernando and Arachchige having popped up on the radar during the most recent LPL season.

Croospulle was part of ESPNcricinfo’s LPL 2023 team of the tournament for his 232 runs at an average 33.14, while Daniel too had some exciting cameos opening the innings. At just 19, he also has a first-class double ton to his name.

Fernando meanwhile has the distinction of having played one of the most impactful innings in last year’s LPL, when he scored a 42-ball 63 on a surface all other batters had struggled on. This year as well he compiled an unbeaten 39-ball 56 against Dambulla Aura but wasn’t able to take his side over teh line. As for Arachchige, despite having a subdued LPL, he has impressed in recent games for the Sri Lanka A side, notably notching a pair of centuries against England Lions earlier this year.

In Bandara, Sri Lanka have one of the best fielders in the tournament, while his six ODIs for the national side have already brought about two fifties – his relative experience will hold them in good stead. Rounding out the batting will be wicketkeeper Lahiru Udara, lower-middle order batter Ahan Wickramasinghe and allrounders Lahiru Samarakoon, Nimesh Vimukthi, Ranitha Liyanarachchi, Sachitha Jayathilaka and Ravindu Fernando.

On the fast bowling front, a lot will depend on Thushara. Dubbed podi (little) Malinga due to his slingy action, Thushara has been consistently among the better performers in recent LPL seasons. He makes up for his lack of searing pace with good control and variety. Thushara will be supported by 26-year-old quick Isitha Wijesundara, and allrounders Samarakoon and Liyanarachchi.

In the spin department, Sri Lanka boasts a fair degree of variety. Legspinner Vijayakanth Viyaskanth will the lead the way, having broken into the starting XI of Jaffna Kings – and played a key role in their 2022 championship. Nimesh Vimukthi will share the burden with his slow left-arm orthodox, while Ravindu and Arachchige provide offbreak options. Jayathilaka meanwhile is capable of zippy leg breaks pushed quickly through the air.

Sri Lanka have a direct entry into the Asian Games quarter-finals and play their first game on October 4. All matches will be in the T20 format.

Full squad:

Lasith Croospulle, Shevon Daniel, Ashen Bandara, Sahan Arachchige (capt), Ahan Wickramasinghe, Lahiru Udara (wk), Ravindu Fernando, Ranitha Liyanarachchi, Nuwanidu Fernando, Sachitha Jayatilaka, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Nimesh Vimukthi, Lahiru Samarakoon, Nuwan Thushara, Isitha Wijesundera

(Cricinfo)

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