Sports
Await, a fast bowling fest
by Rex Clementine
If you wonder why Delhi Capitals have had a decent run in the IPL, there are several factors. One of the key reasons being that they have the luxury of having two of the quickest, meanest fast bowlers around. They are both South Africans and will share the new ball during the six match bilateral series against Sri Lanka.
Both Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are from different backgrounds. Rabada is from Johannesburg and attended one of the top schools in the country; St. Stithians College. Nortje is the complete contrast. He is Afrikaans and hails from a small town called Uitenhage close to Port Elizabeth. They don’t have much in common, except perhaps, they constantly touch 150kmph.
It will be an absolute delight to watch the duo having a crack at the Sri Lankan top order and it will be a good learning process for the likes of Avishka Fernando and the other young top order batsmen, who have rarely faced such speed from both ends.
While Rabada has established himself in the side, Nortje is still finding his feat having played just a handful of games for South Africa. RPS will rarely have anything for the quicks but as we have seen time and again, the South African quicks hardly need any assistance off the surface to make an impact. Remember Brett Schultz!
Fans have not heard much of Lizaad Williams, who has just played one ODI but he is another player who could generate serious pace.
Left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi is the number one ranked bowler in T-20 cricket in ICC Rankings. Wanindu Hasaranga is ranked second and the battle of the two wrist spinners will be interesting to watch during the series.
The South African team arrived in the early hours of yesterday and underwent Rapid Antigen test before entering their team hotel. All of them turned negative. Their PCR tests also turned negative and the Proteas are expected to resume training shortly.
Meanwhile South African Head Coach Mark Boucher is under fire for using offensive language during his playing days. Former spinner Paul Adams has revealed that he was nicknamed ‘brown s***’ by a group of white players including Boucher. The former wicketkeeper has apologized and blamed it on lack of ‘maturity and consciousness’ immediate post apartheid era.
Oman made a couple of changes in the last two fixtures without success. Shakeel Ahmed went in and out of the side in the three games, but picked three wickets against Ireland and should keep his place. Jatinder might look at giving top-order batter Karan Sonavale another go.
[Cricbuzz]
Zimbabwe marched into the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup with the swagger of a side that refuses to read the script, completing the group phase unbeaten after a polished six-wicket win over co-hosts Sri Lanka at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.
Ranked 11th in the world, the African side have been the tournament’s disruptors-in-chief. Having already sent former champions Australia packing last week, they now added 2014 winners Sri Lanka to their growing list of scalps, underlining that this is no flash in the pan but a team riding a serious wave of momentum.
Chasing 179 on a surface that demanded both muscle and method, Zimbabwe found themselves at crossroads when 65 were needed off the last 36 balls. Enter Sikandar Raza, sleeves rolled up and eyes locked in.
The all-rounder flipped the contest on its head in one decisive over from Dushan Hemantha, plundering 20 runs with two towering sixes and a rasping boundary. In the blink of an eye, the asking rate dipped and Sri Lanka’s shoulders sagged.
Raza and Brian Bennett stitched together a match-defining 69 off 40 deliveries for the third wicket, mixing clean ball-striking with smart running between the wickets. Zimbabwe crossed the line with three balls to spare.
While Raza provided the late fireworks with 45 off 26 balls, peppered with two fours and four sixes, opener Bennett was the glue that held the innings together. His composed 63 off 48 deliveries, studded with eight fours, ensured Zimbabwe never lost sight of the target.
Even when Raza departed with 13 still required from two overs, Sri Lanka sensed a sniff. But Tony Munyonga calmly clubbed Maheesh Theekshana’s first delivery of the final over into the stands, draining the tension from the contest. Fittingly, Bennett sealed the deal with the winning boundary. Raza was named Man of the Match.
It was Zimbabwe’s second-highest successful run chase in T20Is.
Earlier, after opting to bat, Sri Lanka were once again anchored by Pathum Nissanka. Fresh from becoming the tournament’s first centurion earlier in the week, Nissanka produced a polished 62 off 47 balls, bringing up his seventh T20 World Cup half-century, equalling Mahela Jayawardene’s record for the most by a Sri Lankan.
He and Kusal Perera gave the innings early impetus with a brisk 54 off 30 balls for the opening stand before Nissanka added a further 46 in 43 deliveries alongside Kusal Mendis.
Pavan Rathnayake provided the late thrust, clearing the ropes twice in a 44 off 25 balls as Sri Lanka posted a competitive 178.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers, however, ensured it was a chaseable target rather than a daunting one. Veteran leg-spinner Graeme Cremer led the way with 2-27, applying the squeeze in the middle overs, while the towering Blessing Muzarabani struck twice to finish with 2-38.
Sri Lanka now turn their attention to a Super Eight showdown against England in Kandy on Sunday, a contest that promises high stakes and little margin for error. Zimbabwe, brimming with belief, head to Bombay to face the West Indies on Monday, no longer the underdogs but a side that has earned its place at the top table.
Yuhansa Peiris is set to meet Aaraa Aasaal Azim of Maldives in the girls’ singles final after emerging victorious in the semi finals of the J30 ITF Junior Week 4 tournament continued in Colombo on Thursday.
She was the only Sri Lankan player reaching the finals as Ganuka Fernando was eliminated in the boys’ semi final.
Semi Final results
Girls
Yuhansa Peiris beat Aarioda of Japan 6-4, 6-1.
Aaraa Aasaal Azim of Maldives beat Chiu Kwan Nina Wang of Hong Kong 4-6, 6-2, 7-6
Asahi Yamazaki of Japan beat Ganuka Fernando 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
Kenshin Sato of Japan beat Eunho Park of Korea 6-3, 6-1
Fairly heavy showers likely in the Eastern province and in Matale, Badulla, Mullaitivu and Polonnaruwa districts
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PM reveals allowances and perks available to MPs
CID expresses regret to Natasha; IGP to issue guidelines on ICCPR arrests
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