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Allen’s 51-ball 151 consigns Freedom to 123-run defeat in MLC 2025 opener
For a little while in Washington Freedom’s chase against San Francisco Unicorns in the MLC 2025 opener, it looked like we might be in for something special. As it turned out, all the special stuff was already done in the first half by Finn Allen, whose record breaking 51 ball 151 powered Unicorns to 269 for 5, and despite a promising start, scoreboard pressure told on Freedom, who eventually went down by a massive 123 runs.
Freedom, the defending champions, got what they wanted after they won the toss and opted to field, Jack Edwards getting rid of Tim Seifert and Jake Fraser-McGurk falling to Saurabh Netravalkar inside the powerplay. But Allen was already looking ominous, and the six-over phase ended with Unicorns on a solid 67 for 2.
The real mayhem, though, came in the middle overs. The seventh over, bowled by Mitchell Owen, went for just four runs, but Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Finn’s partner, set the agenda in the next, taking Rachin Ravindra for 24 runs – with four consecutive sixes. Allen then hit Owen for three sixes in the next over, which went for 21, and was followed by 12, 20, 12, 12 and 22 in the next five, as Unicorns got to 194 for 3 after 14. At that stage, with Allen past his century – he got there off 34 balls – even 300 wasn’t out of the question.
Allen didn’t let up, and reached his 150 off just 50 balls on the last ball of the 17th over, but the scoring rate had fallen – only in comparison, of course – a little bit by then, and Allen’s dismissal for 151 off the first ball of the 18th meant Unicorns would need a new star to keep them going.
Hassan Khan was that man. He hit three fours and three sixes in an 18-ball 38 not out, and though not 300, Unicorns’ 269 was still a huge score, studded with records: no one has hit more sixes in a T20 innings than Allen’s 19, no one has scored 150 in a T20 quicker than Allen, no one has scored more runs in an MLC match than Allen, among other records.
Owen and Ravindra were quick off the blocks for Freedom in their chase. In fact, where Unicorns got 67 for 2 in the powerplay, Freedom had 89 for 1. The wicket of Ravindra, though, appeared to hurt the momentum, since he was going faster than Owen at that stage.
The flourish at the start had come from Owen, who was on 36 from 13 by the end of the third over. But Ravindra then got going, hitting Xavier Bartlett for four sixes off the first four balls in a 25-run over. But he was dismissed by Liam Plunkett in the sixth, and Owen went in the seventh, and then it was steadily downhill for Freedom.
Edwards, the No. 3, and Ben Sears, the No. 10, were the only others to get into double figures as Freedom hurtled towards the inevitable, folding for 146 in 13.1 overs. Haris Rauf and Hassan picked up three wickets each for Unicorns, while Carmi le Roux got two.
Unicorns next play on Saturday afternoon local time, against Los Angeles Knight Riders, while Freedom are in action later the same day, against Seattle Orcas.
Brief scores:
San Francisco Unicorns 269 for 5 in 20 overs (Tim Seifert 18, Finn Allen 151, Sanjay Krishnamurthy 36, Hassan Khan 38*; Saurabh Netravalkar 1-57, Jack Edwards 2-39, Mitchell Owen 1-33, Ian Holland 1-30) beat Washington Freedom 146 in 13.1 overs (Rachin Ravindra 42, Mitchell Owen 39, Jack Edwards 21, Ben Sears 15*; Haris Rauf 3-30, Liam Plunkett 1-09, Hassan Khan 3-38, Carmi Le Roux 2-35, ) by 123 runs
[Cricinfo]
The Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, stated that the goal is to limit the number of students in a classroom to 25–30, emphasizing that it is not possible to deliver quality education in classrooms with around 50 or 60 students.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in a program held on July 19 at the Dakshinapaya Auditorium in Galle, organized to raise awareness among education authorities in the Southern Province regarding the new education reforms.
Addressing the fourth provincial awareness program on the new education reforms, the Prime Minister further stated:
“First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude for the cooperation you extend toward the education reforms. Implementing a new education reform was something we discussed and planned even before our government came into power.
In line with government policy, we held discussions with experts, gathered opinions from various sectors, and have formulated the relevant policies.
The new education reform is not only about updating the curriculum but also about enhancing teacher professionalism, reforming the educational administrative structure, and developing the necessary infrastructure to ensure all children have access to equal and quality education.
This is not something we are doing for personal gain, it is a responsibility we must fulfill with an understanding of the needs of the country.
There are people in society who initiate constructive dialogue about this with genuine intent, and there are also others who criticize it without proper understanding. Some even critique it for political gain. We know this reform process is a challenge and it is not easy. However, it cannot be ignored. The people gave us their mandate to correct these issues.
There’s a lot to be done in terms of reforming education. The curricula in teacher training colleges have not changed in 16 years. These must be revised. Teachers and education professionals must be provided with continuous training. From August onwards, steps will be taken to train the teacher trainers in order to deliver proper teacher training”.
Addressing the event, the Deputy Minister of Vocational Education Mr. Nalin Hewage said that at present, steps are being taken to integrate vocational education institutions with the new education reform, which will create an opportunity for students to enter vocational education with dignity based on talent and skills, during their school years, instead of directing only under-performing students toward vocational paths.
The event was attended by Southern Province Governor Bandula Harischandra, Member of Parliament Nihal Galappaththi, Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwawa, Southern Province Chief Secretary Sumith Alahakoon, officials representing the Ministry of Education, the Department of Examinations, the National Institute of Education, the Southern Provincial Department of Education, Zonal Education Directors, and education authorities from the Southern Province.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Oleksandr Usyk further cemented his place as one of boxing’s greats by stopping Daniel Dubois in round five to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion.
The Ukrainian put on a masterclass in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium to dash Dubois’ dreams of being the first Briton to unify the division in the four-belt era.
Usyk, 38, put Dubois down twice in the fifth and the Londoner was unable to return to beat the count the second time round.
He also stopped Dubois in 2023 and extends his perfect record as a professional to 24 victories.
“I’m sorry Dubois, it’s sport. My people wanted this win,” Usyk told DAZN.
“Nothing is next. It’s enough. Next, I want to rest. My family, my wife, my children, I want to rest now. Two or three months, I want to just rest.”
Dubois – who beat Anthony Joshua to defend his IBF title in September – tastes defeat for the third time in 25 contests as a professional, with each of those losses coming inside the distance.
Usyk reclaimed the IBF title, which was stripped from him just weeks after unifying the division in 2023, and added it to his WBA (Super), WBO and WBC belts.
“I have to commend him on the performance, I gave everything I had. Take no credit away from that man, I’ll be back,” Dubois told DAZN.
“I was just fighting, trying to pick up round by round. It is what it is.”
[BBC]
Sectarian clashes have continued in southern Syria despite an “immediate ceasefire” announced by the country’s president.
Over the past week fighters from the minority Druze community have been battling armed Bedouins in Suweida Province, with both sides accused of atrocities.
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa deployed troops but the government forces were accused of joining in attacks on the Druze. More than 900 people are reported to have been killed in the violence.
Israel declared support for the Druze earlier this week and intervened, hitting government forces and the defence ministry in the capital Damascus.
Sharaa announced the ceasefire on Saturday as Syrian security forces were deployed to Suweida to end the clashes. The deal included a halt to Israeli military strikes and was approved by Israel as part of US-brokered pact, as long as the Druze citizens were protected.
Government troops have set up checkpoints to try to prevent more people joining the fighting. But gunfire was reported from inside the city of Suweida later on Saturday.
A correspondent for AFP news agency said they had seen armed men looting shops and setting fire to them.
Also on Saturday, Israel’s foreign minister cast doubt on the renewed pledge by the president to protect minorities and all Syrians.
Suweida’s Druze community follows a secretive, unique faith derived from Shia Islam, and distrusts the current government in Damascus. They are a minority in Syria, as well as in neighbouring Israel and Lebanon.
In a social media post, Gideon Saar said it was “very dangerous” to be part of a minority in Syria, and “this has been proven time and again over the past six months”.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to prevent harm to the Druze in Syria because of their ties to those living in Israel.
Long-running tensions between Druze and Bedouin tribes in Suweida erupted into deadly sectarian clashes last Sunday Sunday, following the abduction of a Druze merchant on the highway to the capital, Damascus.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR), 940 people have been killed since then.
The ceasefire between Israel and Syria on Friday was announced by US special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack on Friday.
“We call upon Druze, Bedouins, and Sunnis to put down their weapons and together with other minorities build a new and united Syrian identity in peace and prosperity with its neighbours,” he said.
The BBC’s Middle East correspondent Lina Sinjab, reporting from Syria, said violence towards the Druze has been spreading across the country.
Earlier this week, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said his office had received credible reports indicating widespread violations and abuses during clashes, including summary executions and arbitrary killings in Suweida.
Among the alleged perpetrators were members of the security forces and individuals affiliated with the interim government, as well as local Druze and Bedouin armed elements, Türk said in a statement. “This bloodshed and the violence must stop,” he warned, adding that “those responsible must be held to account”.
In his comments on Saturday morning, the Syrian leader said that his government “is committed to protecting all minorities and sects in the country and is proceeding to hold all violators accountable from any party. No-one will escape accountability.”
[BBC]
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The goal is to limit the number of students in a classroom to 25 or 30- Prime Minister
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