Sports
CCC, Negombo CC record wins as domestic cricket resumes in Sri Lanka
The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Premier League Tier A tournament 2019/20 resumed on the 10th of August after a hiatus of almost five months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The tournament which was postponed at the end of the group stage in March 2020, saw the top 8 teams progressing to the super 8s while the other six teams were left to battle it out in the Plate Championship.
The current table toppers of the Super 8s (CCC) and Plate Championship (Negombo CC) recorded the only two wins of the 7 matches that concluded during the week respectively, with some of the top national players turning out for their respective clubs with no national cricket duties.
Super 8s
Angelo Mathews made a grand return to domestic cricket with an unbeaten 173* which was the highest score of the round, but Colts CC had to be satisfied with a first-innings victory over Saracens SC. Santhush Gunathilake also hit a century for Colts, following on from a ton in his previous game before the break against Negombo CC.
Centuries from Upul Tharanga and Lahiru Udara secured first-innings points for NCC, before former Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal lit up the game with a 2nd innings century for the soldiers as the match ended in a tame draw at the SSC ground in Colombo. Thulina Dilshan also made an unbeaten century in the Army 2nd Innings, but it was left arm seamer Dilesh Gunaratne who ended with 7 wickets in the match for NCC who stole the limelight on a familiar batting paradise at the SSC.
CCC’s title defence was hardly threatened as Ragama CC succumbed to an innings and 125 runs defeat at the hands of the table toppers in their game that concluded in Katunayake. Kusal Mendis was the star with the bat for the winners top scoring with 139 before Malinda Pushpakumara went about his business to end with 8 wickets in the match. CCC are well ahead in the title race with NCC almost 18 points behind them in second place.
Kamindu Mendis’ all-round efforts was the highlight of the drawn game between BRC and Chilaw Marians that concluded at the CCC grounds. Mendis hit an unbeaten 150* to go along with four wickets with the ball in BRC’s 2nd innings. BRC managed to hang in for 80 overs to save the match, with Dilshan de Soysa playing out of his skin to remain unbeaten on 105*.
Brief Scores:
Colts CC vs Saracens SC
Colombo Colts Cricket Club – 408/6d (128.2) Anjelo Mathews 173*, Santhush Gunathilaka 100, Avishka Fernando 66, Sadeera Samarawickrama 41, Kasun Rajitha 3/85, Promod Maduwantha 2/72
Saracens Sports Club – 182 (81.2) Gamindu Kanishka 45, Saliya Saman 38, Navindu Vithanage 32, Milinda Siriwardana 27, Nisala Tharaka 3/34, Dilshan Madushanka 2/37, Prabath Jayasuriya 2/41 & F/O 106/3 (40) Navindu Vithanage 34*, Sithara Gimhan 27, Gamindu Kanishka 23, Akila Dananjaya 2/19
Army SC vs NCC
Army Cricket Club 269 – (84.1) Janith Silva 54, Asela Gunaratne 50, Himasha Liyanage 46, Mahesh Kumara 41, Dilesh Gunarathna 5/42, Chathuranga De Silva 3/90 & 255/3 (60) Dinesh Chandimal 129, Thulina Dilshan 116*, Dilesh Gunarathna 2/13
Nondescripts Cricket Club – 417/7d (88) Upul Tharanga 121, Lahiru Udara 105, Mahela Udawatte 77*, Chamika Karunarathna 30*, Angelo Perera 29, Sahan Arachchige 25, Seekkuge Prasanna 3/91
CCC vs Ragama CC
Colombo Cricket Club – 499/7d (117) Kusal Mendis 139, Minod Bhanuka 88, Wanindu Hasaranga 88, Ashan Priyanjan 58, Lahiru Madushanka 57*, Sonal Dinusha 29, Binura Fernando 4/72
Ragama Cricket Club – 132 (41.2) Janith Liyanage 43*, Roshen Silva 27, Malinda Pushpakumara 4/35, Lahiru Madushanka 2/16, Wanindu Hasaranga 2/36 & F/O 242 (58.3) Janith Liyanage 50*, Roshen Silva 41, Ishan Jayaratne 35, Binura Fernando 29, Nishan Madushka 29, Saminda Fernando 23, Malinda Pushpakumara 4/55, Ashan Priyanjan 2/64, Wanindu Hasaranga 2/66
Chilaw Marians CC vs BRC
Chilaw Marians Cricket Club – 195 (47.2) Oshada Fernando 42, Pulina Tharanga 40, Kasun Vidura 38, Thikshila De Silva 35, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 3/26, Hashen Ramanayake 3/43, Duvindu Tillakaratne 3/54 & 385/8d (89.2) Kamindu Mendis 150*, Kasun Vidura 87, Thikshila De Silva 41, Shehan Jayasuriya 35, Oshada Fernando 30, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 3/40, Duvindu Tillakaratne 2/71
Burgher Recreation Club – 87 (34.2) Deshan Dias 24, Asitha Fernando 4/42, Nimesh Vimukthi 3/06, Thikshila De Silva 3/13 & 231/8 (80) Dilshan De Soysa 105*, Deshan Dias 28, Shanuka Dulaj 25, Hashen Ramanayake 20, Kamindu Mendis 4/43, Pulina Tharanga 2/32, Thikshila De Silva 2/23
Plate Championship
Negombo CC came-from-behind to record a thrilling five wicket win over Lankan CC who secured a vital 32 run 1st innings lead earlier in the match. While young right arm off-spinner Lakshitha Rasanjana captured five wickets in the first innings for Negombo, it was veteran left arm tweaker Upul Indrasiri who did the damage in the second innings with a match winning five wicket haul. Lankan CC skipper Chanaka Ruwansiri made 124 in his teams’ 1st innings, but a 2nd innings collapse meant Lankan CC could not drive home the advantage. The win also put Negombo on top of the Plate Championship with Tamil Union not too far behind with two more rounds of cricket remaining.
Badureliya SC held on to a nervy draw, as they finished their 2nd innings on 120/9 in pursuit of 497 set by Moors SC, who managed to dominate most of the game. Fast bowler Kavishka Anjula was the star for Moors as he captured 11 wickets in the match at the Colts ground in Colombo.
SSC’s torrid season continued as they were beaten by Tamil Union CAC on first-innings at the NCC ground, in Colombo. Sri Lanka seamer Suranga Lakmal’s 1st innings four-wicket burst set the game up for Tamil Union, before Ranmith Jayasena top scored with 82 runs.
Lankan CC vs Negombo CC
Lankan Cricket Club – 270 (68.2) Chanaka Ruwansiri 124, Lahiru Dilshan 43, Dunith Wellalage 37, Lakshitha Rasanjana 5/85, Upul Indrasiri 3/79 & 111 (50.3) Risith Upamal 36, Chanaka Ruwansiri 30, Kasun Abeyrathne 20, Upul Indrasiri 5/34, Roshen Fernando 3/29
Negombo Cricket Club – 238 (69.2) Madawa Warnapura 64, Roscoe Thattil 63, Ashen Silva 53, Dunith Wellalage 3/66, Geeth Kumara 2/33, Chanaka Ruwansiri 2/45 & 147/5 (36.5) Roscoe Thattil 38* Madawa Warnapura 33*, Pasindu Lakshanka 29, Dilshan Munaweera 25, Dunith Wellalage 3/60
Moors SC vs Baduraliya SC
Moors Sports Club – 340 (100.2) Ayana Siriwardhana 83, Adeesha Thilanchana 53, Dinuka Dilshan 46, Kavishka Anjula 42, Ramesh Mendis 40, Nipun Karunanayake 27, Anuk Fernando 27, Lahiru Samarakoon 5/86, Dushan Hemantha 2/57, Buddika Sanjeewa 2/75 & 305/6d (69.1) Ramesh Mendis 61, Sachithra Serasinghe 60, Nipun Karunanayake 58, Mohammed Shamaaz 48, Pabasara Waduge 36, Adeesha Thilanchana 28*, Lahiru Samarakoon 2/33
Badureliya Cricket Club – 149 (45.5) Salinda Ushan 67, Dushan Hemantha 25, Dunith Jayatunga 22, Kavishka Anjula 5/39, Sachithra Serasinghe 3/12, Ramesh Mendis 2/37 & 120/9 (40) Dushan Hemantha 43, Salinda Ushan 23, Kavishka Anjula 6/35, Praveen Jayawickrama 3/43
SSC vs Tamil Union CAC
Sinhalese Sports Club – 254 (77.5) Sachithra Senanayake 81, Akash Senaratne 37, Sandun Weerakkody 35, Dasun Shanaka 35, Charith Asalanka 24, Dhammika Prasad 21, Suranga Lakmal 4/36, Isuru Udana 2/43, Pramod Madushan 2/53 & 271/5 (63) Charith Asalanka 94, Sandun Weerakkody 68, Sammu Ashan 37, Dasun Shanaka 30, Krishan Sanjula 20*, Maduka Liyanapathiranage 2/51
Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club – 349 (98)Ranmith Jayasena 82, Tharanga Paranavitana 71, Dhananjaya De Silva 53, Dhakshitha Fernando 49, Yohan Mendis 31, Maduka Liyanapathiranage 25, Jeffrey Vandersay 4/91, Sachithra Senanayake 3/63, Dhammika Prasad 2/37
South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history, an astonishing turnaround after a dismal opening defeat.
Bafana Bafana, playing at the tournament for the first time since South Africa hosted it in 2010, were widely written off after their 2-0 loss to Group A winners Mexico.
But they battled to a draw against the Chez Republic and came out on top of what was effectively a shootout with South Korea for second place in Monterrey, thanks to Thapelo Maseko’s second-half strike.
South Korea coach Myung-Bo Hong made a shock call by leaving captain Son Heungmin – considered by many to be Asia’s greatest-ever player – out of the starting lineup.
The Asian team started strongly, with stand-in captain Kim Minjae’s powerful header blocked on the goal line by Aubrey Modiba, before Lee Kangin flashed wide.
South Africa quickly settled, playing with hunger and adventure, but their finishing was wasteful.
They seemed certain to take the lead in the 30th minute when the ball fell to Evidence Makgopa after South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seunggyu parried Thalente Mbatha’s shot. But Makgopa could only tamely poke the ball straight at the goalkeeper from close range.
Son came on at the start of the second half, one of three changes made by coach Hong as he sought to change the script.
Early in the second period, Maseko squandered another good position, while South Korea forward Oh Hyeongyu tested goalkeeper Ronwen Williams at the other end.
As news filtered through from Mexico City that the host nation were leading against the Czech Republic, there was an added sense of urgency.
South Africa seized their moment, with Tshepang Moremi crossing to Maseko, who this time kept his cool, firing home inside the near post in the 63rd minute.
South Korea pushed hard in the closing stages but ran out of time, meaning South Africa will face cohosts Canada in Los Angeles on June 28 .
Mexico topped the group with nine points after winning all three of their matches.
[Aljazeera]
Morocco twice overcame the shock of conceding to Haiti to win a World Cup thriller 4-2 in Atlanta, but missed out on the top spot in Group C to Brazil.
Haiti bowed out with their first World Cup goals in 52 years, as a Yassine Bounou own goal and Wilson Isidor’s stunning strike twice gave them the lead on Wednesday.
Achraf Hakimi and Ismael Saibari, with his third goal in as many games at the World Cup, levelled before half-time.
Soufiane Rahimi was nearly brought to tears when the 30-year-old’s deflected effort found the top corner to give Morocco the lead, before Gessime Yassine rounded off the scoring.
But Morocco missed out on the top spot in the group to Brazil on goal difference, meaning they will head to Monterrey for a likely meeting against the Netherlands or Japan on Monday.
Despite bowing out without a point, Haiti’s performances at their first World Cup since 1974 have done a nation gripped by poverty proud.
Les Grenadiers were already eliminated after losing to Scotland and Brazil , but the thousands of Haitian expats in the stands in Atlanta were undeterred as every attack was met with deafening cheers.
Morocco boss Mohamed Ouahbi made four changes to the side that had impressed in holding Brazil and beating Scotland in their opening two games, and the Atlas Lions started sloppily.
Haiti’s long wait for a goal on the global stage was ended after just 10 minutes, when Jean-Kevin Duverne got to the byline, and Lenny Joseph flicked the resulting cross into the net via a deflection off Bounou.
Hakimi has continued to captain Morocco despite learning mid-tournament that he is to face a trial on rape charges in France.
The reigning African footballer of the year stormed forward from right-back at every opportunity and was in the right place to equalise on 39 minutes.
In his final game for Haiti, 38-year-old goalkeeper Johny Placide could only parry Bilal El Khannouss’s strike, and Hakimi had a simple task to force the ball over the line.
Within four minutes, though, Haiti had restored their lead in far more spectacular fashion.
Sunderland striker Isidor pounced on a loose ball and let fly from outside the area with a shot that arrowed into the top corner.
Hakimi and Ouahbi were visibly angered by conceding for a second time, but the 2022 World Cup semifinalists responded before half-time.
Saibari stroked home his third goal of the tournament with a cool finish from Hakimi’s low cross.
Brahim Diaz nearly gave Morocco a half-time lead when his curling effort shaved the post to end a thrilling first half.
With Brazil cruising to victory over Scotland in Miami, Morocco knew that only a comprehensive victory would secure them the top spot in Group C.
Ouahbi began turning his attention to the last 32, as Bayern Munich-bound Saibari and Real Madrid’s Diaz were replaced with more than 20 minutes remaining.
But two of his substitutes came on to win the game for Morocco.
Rahimi’s powerful strike from a corner flew into the top corner via a deflection off a desperate Haiti defender.
He then turned provider by robbing possession on the Haiti byline and crossing for Yassine to roll into an empty net.
(Aljazeera)
Brazil advanced to the knockout stages of the World Cup in style after Vinicius Junior netted twice in a 3-0 win over Scotland in their final Group C match, while Neymar also made his first appearance in a Brazil shirt in three years.
The victory on Wednesday came at a full house in Miami Stadium, where 64,478 fans watched Carlo Ancelotti’s side top the group with seven points, while Morocco finished second with a 4-2 win over Haiti.
Vinicius has scored in every game so far, and the 25-year-old has four goals in the tournament to find himself in elite company, level with Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, and sitting just one goal behind Lionel Messi.
Scotland boss Stephen Clark said he expected Brazil to attack from the outset, and the South Americans needed seven minutes to go 1-0 up when Scott McKenna failed to clear the ball, allowing Rayan to nick it and find Vinicius unmarked.
As goalkeeper Angus Gunn scrambled to stop him, the Real Madrid forward simply took one touch to move the ball past him and tap it into an empty net as the fans in yellow erupted.
Brazil nearly made it 2-0 just before the first hydration break, when Vinicius nicked the ball off Jack Hendry to score, but Scotland earned a reprieve after a VAR check, and the goal was overturned by the referee for a foul by the Brazilian.
That remained the theme in the first half, with Brazil being more combative to win the ball back, while Scotland failed to capitalise on set-pieces – the only time they had opportunities to score – as they finished the half with no shots on target.
Brazil’s second goal was a dagger to Scotland’s hearts on the stroke of half-time, when, once again, they won the ball high up the pitch and Bruno Guimaraes crossed the ball to the far post, where a grateful Vinicius headed home his second.
In the second half, Brazil pressed for a third goal, and it came with another scything move through the midfield as Guimaraes grabbed his second assist, dancing into the box before setting up Matheus Cunha for his third goal of the tournament.
But the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Neymar, as Ancelotti brought the 34-year-old on for his first appearance in a Brazil shirt since October 2023.
(Aljazeera)
Venezuela earthquakes: At least 164 dead, 971 injured as toll rises
Representatives from the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce meet PM
Progress of Housing Project for Malayagam Community families funded by India reviewed
South Africa stun South Korea to reach World Cup knockouts for the first time
Tremors of 7.5, 7.2 kill 32, injure hundreds in Venezuela
Former Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe’s son arrested by CIABOC
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News7 days agoCreditor receives USD 2.5 mn as Lankan public bears loss from theft of Treasury funds
-
News6 days agoCreditor not yet paid
-
News6 days agoConsumers bearing 22% tax burden despite 18% VAT claim: Dr. Harsha de Silva
-
Features5 days agoNanda Pethiyagoda Wanasundara as three generations of family saw her
-
Features4 days agoSri Lanka developing independent hydrographic capabilities
-
Opinion7 days agoSriLankan Airbus struck by lightning
-
Editorial5 days agoFuel crisis: Beyond price debate
-
Latest News4 days agoSooryavanshi thumps fastest List A fifty as India A win tri-series