Sports
Anuga, Rajindu shine with centuries
Under 17 Division I Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
Wesley’s Anuga Pahansara and Rajindu Thilakaratna of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia scored match defining centuries as their schools reached the quarter-finals of the Under 17 Division I cricket tournament yesterday.
In the pre-quarter-finals played yesterday, St. Joseph’s, De Mazenod, St. Anthony’s (Wattala), Moratu Vidyalaya, S. Thomas’, Wesley, Mahanama, Gurukula, St. Benedict’s, Mahinda and St. Peter’s registered victories to confirm their places in the quarter-finals of the Division I tournament.
Anuga Pahansara’s century was crucial in setting up the stage for Wesley to post 240 runs before off spinner Rashmika Amararathna and left-arm spinner Jathon Wieman joined to reduce St. Sebastian’s to 117 runs at Moratuwa.
For S. Thomas’ Thilakaratna anchored the batting line up with an unbeaten century (101 runs in 132 balls, 13x4s, 1×6) and put on a fourth wicket stand of 116 runs with Dineth Goonawardena for them to record a five wickets win over President’s College at Kotte.
The day’s lowest score came in the match between St. Joseph’s and Holy Cross as paceman Maanasa Madubashana and spinner Yenula Dewthusa rattled the visitors for 43 runs at Darley Road.
Match Results
St. Joseph’s beat Holy Cross at Darley Road
Scores:
Holy Cross 43 all out in 28.2 overs (Akash Gamage 15; Maanasa Madubashana 4/16, Yenula Dewthusa 3/09)
St. Joseph’s 46 for 2 in 8 overs (Sahan Dabare 22)
De Mazenod beat St. Servatius’ at Kandana
St. Servatius ’ 139 all out in 44 overs (Risinu Kithnuka 36, Raveen Kavintha 28n.o.; Jude Shenal 3/37, Thareen Sanketh 3/25)
De Mazenod 143 for 1 in 30 overs (Kenul Dhananjaya 82n.o., Janith Karindra 22, Hasintha Dasunpriya 30n.o.)
St. Anthony’s (Wattala) beat St. Sylvester’s at Lake View Scores:
St. Anthony’s Wattala 148 all out in 48.3 overs (Shehara Dewthilina 21, Chamod Sandeepa 47, Dilanka Madushan 29; Kashyapa Dissanayake 2/35, Thimira Liyanage 4/24, Nimesha Silva 3/31)
St. Sylvester’s 126 all out in 30.3 overs (Yoshitha Isuranga 47, Dilanka Madushan 3/36, Chamod Sandeepa 3/16)
Moratu Vidyalaya beat Thurstan at Moratuwa Scores:
Moratu MV 289 for 6 in 50 overs (Hasindu Senanayaka 41, Deneth Sithumina 87, Dulen Silva 48, Malith Fernando 22, Shehara Fernando 49n.o.; Thanuga Palihawadana
Thurstan 244 for 9 in 50 overs (Kaushala Balasooriya 30, Thanuga Palihawadana 53, Vihas Thewmika 85; Vihanga Nethsara 4/40, Malith Fernando 4/44)
S. Thomas’ beat President’s at Kotte Scores:
Presidents 226 all out in 47.1 overs (Dinal Induwara 61, Tanuja Rajapakse 55, Punsara Nethmina 29, Kaveesha Yashmika 25; Achintha Rumean 3/35, Darien Diego 2/21, Kavindu Dias 2/39, Dineth Goonawardena 2/40
S. Thomas ’ 227 for 5 in 47.3 overs (Rajindu Thilakaratna 101n.o., Dineth Goonawardena 48; Sanithu Nethmina 4/50)
Wesley beat St. Sebastian’s at Moratuwa Scores:
Wesley 240 for 8 in 50 overs (Anuga Pahansara 104, Senila Senarathne 36, Rukshan Tharanga 29, Manuth Samarakoon 28; Malindu Daham 2/43, Maheesha Sithum 2/44)
St. Sebastian’s 117 all out in 42.4 overs (Vihanga Theekashana 47, Venuth Kavimira 28, Rashmika Amararathna 4/07, Jathon Wieman 3/17, Ravindu Sigera 2/29)
St. Peter’s beat Maliyadeva at Kurunegala Scores:
St. Peter’s 247 for 8 in 50 overs (Dilana Damsara 68, Nethan David 35, Ethan Ransiluge 27, Ovin Salgadu 23, Erosh Peterson 27, Sasindu Silva 29n.o.; Thaveesha Balasooriya 3/45, Vinuda Mapa 3/52)
Maliyadewa 205 all out in 48.5 overs (Sandeepa Bandara 66, Vinuda Mapa 42; Lashmika Perera 2/26, Dilana Damsara 3/35, Salith Gallage 3/49)
Mahanama beat Prince of Wales at Moratuwa Scores:
Mahanama 243 for 9 in 50 overs (Dulnith Sigera 59, Gimantha Dissanayake 56, Sithika Kulathunga 24, Uden Rajapaksha 22; Prince Fernando 4/40, Nishel Hewajulige 2/24)
Prince of Wales 159 all out in 39.3 overs (Rivith Jayasuriya 54, Kenul de Zoysa 39, Oshan Maneesha 24; Dulnith Sigera 2/20, Osanda Muthugama 4/20, Sihan Karunarathne 2/25)
St. Benedict’s beat Vidyartha at Kotahena Scores:
Vidyartha 167 for 9 in 50 overs (Pubudu Tharaka 23, Nishmika Kaveesha 57n.o.; Mevan Dissanayake 3/25)
St. Benedict’s 168 for 1 in 49.2 overs (Dumindu Yehen 38, Yohan Edirisinghe 22, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 23, Onesh Michael 29n.o.; Kalana Kumarasiri 4/23)
Gurukula beat St. Anthony’s (Katugastota) at Wattala Scores:
Gurukula 261 for 8 in 50 overs (Thathsara Eshan 80, Pasindu Dilshan 37, Daham Vimukthi 28, Janith Mihiranga 42n.o.; Tharusha Dasun 2/57, Senura Abeysekara 3/37)
St. Anthony’s 127 all out in 34.1 overs (Januka Bandara 34, Dinura Oshan 30; Tharusha Kodikara 3/31, Hiruna Fernando 3/18)
Mahinda beat Maris Stella at Galle Scores:
Maris Stella 187 all out in 47.5 overs (Levin Fernando 55, Mineth Fernando 31; Arosha Udayanga 4/20, Senuka Dangamuwa 2/31, Nikil Jayaweera 2/29)
Mahinda 188 for 5 in 35.1 overs (Nikil Jayaweera 52, Dineth Pahasara 32, Senuka Dangamuwa 50n.o.; Hasthika de Silva 2/27, Ramith Bandara 2/18)
There will be no auction for this year’s Lanka Premier League, Sri Lanka Cricket has announced, with a player draft set to take place instead on March 22.
The sixth edition of the LPL had originally been slated for early December 2025, but was postponed on account of ensuring the readiness of venues for the 2026 World Cup set to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India. The league has since been scheduled to take place from July 8 to August 8, which is the SLC’s preferred window.
This will be the first time since 2022 that a draft system is being utilised in the LPL, with both of the past two seasons hosting player auctions.
“During the draft, franchises will select both Sri Lankan and overseas players for the upcoming season of Sri Lanka’s premier domestic T20 tournament,” an SLC media release confirmed.
The inclusion of a sixth team had also been mooted prior to the competition’s postponement, however there have been no developments on that front since. Each of the first five editions of the LPL saw five teams representing Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Dambulla and Jaffna compete.
Earlier this year, Jaffna Kings – formerly the longest-standing franchise, having joined in the tournament’s second edition – and Colombo Strikers were terminated by SLC for “failure to uphold contractual obligations.” As a result, the LPL currently has no franchise owners with a history stretching back beyond 2024. New owners for both the Jaffna and Colombo teams are yet to be announced.
[Cricinfo]
Sri Lanka’s leg-spin spearhead Wanindu Hasaranga has warned rivals not to write off the hosts ahead of the World Cup, after his four-wicket burst in the final T20I against Pakistan helped Sri Lanka square the three-match series on Sunday.
Hasaranga’s spell turned the game on its head and restored belief in a side that has blown hot and cold. Speaking after being named Player of the Match and Player of the Series, the leg-spinner said Sri Lanka, buoyed by home conditions, remain very much in the hunt for a semi-final berth.
Under head coach Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka have made steady strides over the past 18 months. There have been a few distractions recently like changes in selectors and captaincy among them, but the dressing room, Hasaranga insisted, is quietly confident.
“We know the conditions and we’ve grown up playing in these conditions,” Hasaranga said. “If we use them well, we can have a major impact. Players need to identify their roles. Once that happens, we can put on a good show.”
Sunday’s decider was reduced to 12 overs a side after rain delayed the start by more than two hours, but Hasaranga felt the shortened contest still offered valuable lessons.
“Today we looked good,” he said. “We’ve been lacking a bit of consistency in recent years. In a World Cup, you have to minimise mistakes and keep moving forward.”
Bowling with a wet ball tested the spinners’ skills and patience, but Hasaranga viewed it as useful match practice rather than an inconvenience.
“It was challenging with a wet ball,” he explained. “But it’s good these things happen before a World Cup. It prepares you for all kinds of situations. I even spoke to our batters about what deliveries they’d prefer to face, and that input helped when we went out to defend.”
Sri Lanka now enjoy a week’s breather before hosting England with Hasaranga keen to see his side peak at the right time.
“When this series started, we had six games leading into the World Cup,” he said. “Rain in Dambulla meant things didn’t always go to plan. As a team, we wanted winning momentum. There are only a couple of games left now and we need to be firing on all cylinders when the World Cup begins.”
Sri Lanka had stumbled in the opener, losing by six wickets after being bowled out inside 20 overs, while the second match was washed out without a toss. A 14-run win in the final game, however, ensured honours ended even.
Rex Clementine
in Dambulla
It will be a four-way battle for the top post of Sri Lanka Athletics as fresh nominations for the election of office bearers closed at the Sports Ministry on Monday. Former president Sunil Gunawardana, Bimal Wijesinhge, Sugath Kumara and Prasanna Indika are the nominees for the post of president and they are subjected to objections.
This is the second time the Ministry of Sports called for nominations after different stakeholders successfully challanged the earlier niminations alleging that there were errors in the process.
Informed sources said that this time too the Ministry of Sports has left enough room for allegations as it announced the names of the nominees without waiting for the nominations sent by post.
”There was a fundamental error as they did not wait for nominations sent by post. They informed the stake holders by post. Some member federations had received the letters only on last Thursday. They were in a mighty hurry to announce the names of the nominees soon after the nominations closed,” a source close to athletics told The Island.
Following are the nominees for various posts of Sri Lanka Athletics.
President: Sunil Gunawardana, Bimal Wijesinhge, Prasanna Indika, Sugath Kumara
Vice President: Prasanna Indika, Lal Chandrakumara, Lt. Col. G.N. Jayathilaka, Irangani Rupasinghe, Jagath Silva, G.J. Siyamudali, Prasanna Aluvihare
Secretary: Dr. Dhammika Senanayake, Sameera Perera, Madawa Herath
Asst. Secretary: Sameera Perera, Aloy Wickramasinghe (RF)
Lanka Premier League draft set to take place on March 22
Trump to meet Venezuelan opposition leader Machado at the White House
Festival advance for government officers to be increased
Providing underutilized lands/properties to suitable investors for optimal utilization.
Implementation of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy
Expressions of Interest called to develop selected locations within the Pelawatte Sugar Factory premises
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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