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Chamari Athapaththu named in ICC Women’s T20 Team of the year 2024

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Chamari Athapaththu has been named in ICC’s Women’s T20 team of the year 2024

Chamari Athapaththu had a delayed start to her ODI year, playing her first match in April, but she wasted no time making an impact. She struck a half-century in the second ODI against South Africa before producing a career-best knock of 195* in the final match. She has scored 458 runs and captured 9 wickets in 9 matches.

Her outstanding form carried into Sri Lanka’s home series against West Indies, where the team secured a 3-0 clean sweep. Athapaththu played a pivotal role, smashing a brilliant 91 in the final ODI, narrowly missing out on a century by just nine runs.



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New fires erupt in southern California ahead of Trump visit

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Fire crews battle the Laguna Fire as it burns near California State University Channel Islands in Ventura County, California [BBC]

Five new fires have erupted in southern California ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to the state.

The blazes – named Laguna, Sepulveda, Gibbel, Gilman and Border 2 – flared up on Thursday in the counties of Los Angeles, San Diego, Ventura and Riverside.

Meanwhile, firefighters have made progress in bringing the 10,000-acre Hughes Fire in Los Angeles under control, containing it by 36% since it broke out on Wednesday.

Fires have devastated the US state over the last few weeks, with the Palisades and Eaton fires scorching a combined total of more than 37,000 acres and killing at least 28 people.

Here are some details about the latest fires, based on updates from California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire):

  • The Border 2 fire in San Diego spans 800 acres. Evacuation orders are currently in place
  • The Laguna blaze in Ventura covers 94 acres and 70% of it has been brought under control
  • The Sepulveda fire in Los Angeles spans 45 acres and is 60% contained. In an update posted on X, the Los Angeles Fire Department said they had stopped the blaze from spreading and evacuation orders had been lifted
  • The Gibbel fire erupted in the Riverside County, covering 15 acres. Fire crews have managed to stop the fire from progressing
  • A bush fire dubbed Gilman in San Diego covers two acres, but the blaze’s progress has been stopped

Trump was set to visit Los Angeles on Friday to examine the wildfire damage.

The newly inaugurated president has been critical of the response to the fires and has threatened to withhold federal assistance if California fails to alter the way it manages water supplies.

He has criticised California Governor Gavin Newsom and repeatedly made claims that the state had water issues because it diverted supplies to save a small fish called a smelt.

When asked by US media if he would cut off funding to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), Trump said: “I might have to do that. Sometimes that’s the only thing you can do. California’s a great example of it.

“If you actually poll the people, they don’t want sanctuary cities, but Gavin Newsom does. And these radical left politicians do.”

Brian Rice, the president of the California Professional Firefighters, told the BBC that he hopes Trump does not deny the state federal aid.

“The most important focus we have is getting federal aid into California, into these communities where people have lost their lives, their homes,” he said.

“In the history of this country, federal disaster aid has never been tied to if you do this, you get that. This is the discussion that’s going on, it’s never happened.”

The Hughes fire – the third largest blaze in the state after the Palisades and Eaton fires – forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate after it broke out on Wednesday.

According to Cal Fire, crew managed to make progress in containing the fast-moving blaze on Thursday.

Los Angeles is under an elevated fire risk area today with brisk winds, according to BBC Weather.

Rain is expected over the weekend in the county, as well as snow up in the mountains of southern California.

[BBC]

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Kuhnemann given all-clear to travel to Sri Lanka

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Matthew Kuhnemann is one of three frontline spinners in the squad [Cricinfo]

Matthew Kuhnemann has been cleared to join the Australia Test squad in Sri Lanka after recovering sufficiently following surgery to repair a thumb fracture.

Kuhnemann, the left-arm spinner, had broken his right thumb while playing in the BBL last week, but has been able to bowl in training this week. He will reach Sri Lanka over the weekend along with Oliver Peake, the young Victorian batter, who has been invited as a development player.

On Thursday, around 24 hours before confirmation he would join the tour, Kuhnemann had said that his surgically repaired thumb was almost pain-free as he bowled, batted and fielded in Brisbane.

Kuhnemann, 28, is a key member of the Australia side for the two Tests in Sri Lanka, with both Tests in Galle on what are expected to be turning pitches. But his tour looked in jeopardy when he was struck on the thumb during Brisbane Heat’s game against Hobart Hurricanes last Thursday.

He was driven to the hospital that night by Heat team-mate Daniel Drew, and he had the dislocation put back into place before having surgery the following morning to put a pin in the fracture. His recovery since then has been quick.

At Allan Border Field on Thursday, Kuhnemann bowled eight overs and also batted, facing throwdowns from Heat and Queensland bowling coach Andy Bichel. While fielding, he took a few catches, all overseen by Heat physio Adam Smith.

Kuhnemann is one of three frontline spinners in the Australia squad, alongside Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy, though the squad does have a number of part-timers, Travis Head the best among them.

Steven Smith, the stand-in captain for the series with regular captain Pat Cummins on paternity leave, was the other injury concern for Australia after he picked up an elbow injury during the BBL. Smith, who has a history of elbow problems, sustained the injury to his right arm, the one he had surgery on in 2019, while throwing in the field for Sydney Sixers in their match against Sydney Thunder last week.

He was also cleared to join the squad at their training camp in Dubai after seeing a specialist about the elbow issue.

The two-match World Test Championship (WTC) series doesn’t have a bearing on the final after Australia won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India 3-1 to book their place in the WTC final,  where they will take on South Africa, but the visitors are aiming for a first series win there since 2011.

The two Tests will be played from January 29 and February 6, and will be followed by two ODIs – on February 12 and 14 – that will help Australia prepare for the Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19. Sri Lanka haven’t qualified for the tournament.

[Cricinfo]

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Mahato brilliance keeps Malaysia winless

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Puja Mahato top-scored in Nepal's chase

Nepal, made sure hosts Malaysia‘s campaign ended as it had gone all along as they eked out a seven-wicket win in the later match in Johor. Captain Puja Mahato was the standout performer for Nepal, first picking up four wickets with her medium pace and then top-scoring in the small chase.

Malaysia, who came into the match after putting up scores of 23, 31 and 59 in the group stage, only managed 45 in 16.5 overs this time after being asked to bat. Nurimaan Hidayah was the only batter to get into double-digits as she scored 15 from 23 balls, with Mahato (4 for 9) and left-arm spinner Rachana Chaudhary (3 for 5) doing most of the damage.

The chase was straightforward, and Nepal got there in 11 overs for the loss on three wickets, with Mahato scoring a 32-ball 23 not out. Marsya Qiatina Binti Abdullah,  the left-arm spinner, picked up all the wickets to fall.

Brief scores:
Malaysia Women Under 19s 45 in 16.5 overs [Nuriman Hidayah 15; Pooja Mahato 4-09, Riya Sharma 1-05, Rachana Chaudhary 3-05, Seemana KC 1-09] lost to Nepal Women Under 19s 47/3 in 11 overs [Pooja Mahatoa 23*; Marsya Qistina Binti Abdullah 3-18] by seven wickets

[Cricinfo]

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