Sports

Danushka Gunathilaka run out – a bone of contention

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/18

by Rex Clementine

Run outs over the years have played their part to decorate our beautiful game. There have been some famous ones; Allan Donald being run out in Birmingham to deny South Africa a place in the 1999 World Cup final and Sir Don Bradman being left stranded on 299 after his batting partner – Australia’s last man “Pud” Thurlow was run out in a Test match against South Africa in Adelaide in 1932 are just a few. The Lanka Premier League saw some high profile run outs as well.

Dambulla Viikings were knocked out in the semis by eventual champions Jaffna Stallions after their skipper Dasun Shanka attempted a cheeky single to short third man. Then in the final, the tournament’s highest run getter Danushka Gunathilaka was run out making several people to question the mode of his dismissal and whether the umpires could have done anything more to reinstate the batsman.

It has been a debate that has been widely discussed in cricket circles mainly because Galle Gladiators run chase was derailed soon after Gunathilaka’s departure and eventually it was an easy win for Jaffna Stallions.

The incident happened in the second over of the innings. Suranga Lakmal was bowling round the wicket to the left-handed batsman and he appealed for leg before wicket after Gunathilaka missed a flick shot to a full delivery. Lakmal had his back turned to the batsman as he was appealing and he had crossed onto the other side of the pitch – the lane in which Gunathilaka was running. The batsman was running blind as well looking at the ball and the two collided.

Jaffna Stallions skipper Thisara Perera was cool as a cucumber. He collected the ball, sprinted to the non-striker’s end and threw the stumps down before Gunathilaka made it.

What happened was an unfortunate incident and there is no law in cricket where a batsman could be reinstated after such an incident – it’s a funny game they say.

It certainly was no obstruction. Lakmal simply didn’t see Gunathilaka and vice-versa.

However, had Gunathilaka stood his ground after he collided with Lakmal and still if Perera had taken the bails off and appealed, then the umpires could have asked the question from the fielding side’s captain if he wanted to go ahead with the appeal. In most cases, captains withdraw their appeals. Thisara Perera would have probably done the same.

But the problem was Gunathilaka attempted to complete the run and therefore the umpires had Hobson’s Choice. Both on-field umpires – Ruchira Palliyaguru and Kumar Dharmasena are International Cricket Council umpires and they are well equipped to deal with situations like these.

It was a shame that Gunathilaka had to go that way. Boy, what a tournament he had. His 476 runs came at an average of 60 and Strike Rate of 145. No other batsman even managed to reach the 300 run mark in the competition. He is certainly going to have a massive impact not just in T-20 cricket but ODIs as well in time to come. If only he can stay out of trouble, we are going to hear a lot more of Gunathilaka’s exploits soon.

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Sports

St. Benedict’s, Devapathiraja record victories

Published

6 hours ago

2025/12/22

Thilina Walpola

St. Benedict’s registered innings and two runs win over Sri Dharmaloka College Kelaniya as Mevan Dissanayake excelled with impressive all round performances for the home team in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ Cricket encounter at Kotahena.

‎It was a baptism of fire for the team from Kelaniya as they faced a well established school in the Tier ‘B’ two-day tournament for the first time after being promoted to the top Division of the premier schools cricket tournament.

‎They faced St. Joseph Vaz’s College earlier but their opponents were making their return to the top division. They managed to draw the first encounter.

‎At Kotahena they were dismissed for 188 and 105. Dissanayake bagged eight wickets including a five wicket haul in the second innngs to follow up his knock of 91 which set the stage for victory.

‎‎Meanwhile in another Tier B encounter Devapathiraja bounced back to pull off one wicket victory over St. Anthony’s Wattala.

‎The boys from Wattala did well to restrict Devapathiraja to 95 runs and take a lead of 29 runs. But Pijith Wathsuka, Gimhan Rasanjana, Sandaru Malshan and Yasiru Lakshan teamed up well to pull off a stunning win

‎‎‎Bens in innings win at Kotahena

‎‎Scores

‎‎St. Benedict’s 295 for 9 decl. in 56.4 overs (Mevan Dissanayake 91, Vihanga Rathnayake 42, Yohan Edirisinghe 31, Ayesh Gajanayake 49; Sathindu Praboda 4/98, Tharusha Mihiranga 2/66)

‎Sri Dharmaloka

188 all out in 56.3 overs (Senuka Pehesara 53, Kaveen Deneth 79; Ayesh Gajanayake 2/31, Mewan Dissanayake 3/55, Vihanga Rathnayke 4/19) and 105 all out in 35.4 overs (Vipun Sasanka 21, Tharush Mihiranga 32; Mewan Dissanayake 5/29, Vihanga Rathnayake 2/36, Lithika Jayasundara 3/34)

‎‎Devapathiraja in exciting one wicket win at Wattala

‎‎Scores

‎St. Anthony’s 124 all out in 30.4 overs (Shehara Dewthilina 51, Sandil Chathuranga 21, Rima Bashika 21n.o.; Sandaru Malshan 2/23, Puljith Wathsuka 4/19, Gimhan Rasanjana 3/13) and 100 all out in 43 overs (Hithesh Ruwanda 42n.o., ; Sandaru Malshan 5/40, Gimhan Rasanjana 2/37)

‎Devapathiraja

95 all out in 33.2 overs (Gimhan Rasanjana 24n.o., Ridma Bashika2/36, Vishmitha Saroj 2/22, Kavindu Senadi 4/33) and 131 for 9 in 26.3 overs (Yasiru Lakshan 26, Pulgith Wathsuka 28, Gimhan Rasanjana 42; Rima Bashika 2/18, Kavindu Senadi 4/48, Wishmitha Saroj 2/43)

by Reemus Fernando ✍️

Latest News

Rodrigues fifty leads India’s chase after bowlers set up victory against Sri Lanka

Published

12 hours ago

2025/12/21

Priyan

Jemimah Rodrigues got off to a brisk start [BCCI]

There was a little bit of rustiness as India returned to action 50 days after becoming ODI world champions, but not so much to prevent them from registering a dominant win in the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam.

Despite dew being a constant presence on a cool evening, India’s spinners rallied to keep Sri Lanka’s top order in check – even if they did not pick up wickets in a heap – thus restricting them to 121 for 6. It was a below-par total given that the dew was only going to increase as the temperatures reduced – something Harmanpreet Kaur had alluded to while choosing to chase at the toss. India made easy work of it to get home with eight wickets and 32 balls to spare, starting their road to the T20 World Cup 2026 in June on the right note.

Jemimah Rodrigues, batting for the 100th time in T20Is, struck a 14th half-century in the format to help the hosts canter. There was a mild intrigue around India’s No. 3, with Harleen Deol batting at that spot for two games in England, and Harmanpreet signaling her intent to be India’s one drop at the last T20 World Cup. But Rodrigues’ 69 not out from 44 balls should dispel any doubts India would have had.

This was India’s sixth win in ten games since being knocked out in the league stage of the 2024 iteration.

Brief scores:
India Women 122 for 2 in 14.4 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 69*, Smriti Mandhana 25, Harmanpreet Kaur 15*; Kawya Kavindi 1-20, Inoka Ranaweera 1-17) beat Sri Lanka Women 121 for 6 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 39, Chamari Athapaththu 15, Hasini Perera 20, Harshita Samarawickrama 21; Deepti Sharma 1-20, Kranti Gaud 1-23, Shree Charani 1-30) by eight wickets

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

Sameer Minhas 172 powers Pakistan to Under-19 Asia Cup title

Published

13 hours ago

2025/12/21

Priyan

Sameer Minhas made the highest score by a Pakistan batter in Youth ODIs [Cricinfo]

Opener Sameer Minhas blitzed his way to 172 off 113 balls, setting up Pakistan’s demolition of India in thDeepeshe Under-19 Asia Cup final in Dubai. In response to Pakistan’s 347 for 8, India folded for 156 in 26.2 overs.

Minhas’ knock was the highest individual score for Pakistan, and also, the highest individual score by any batter in a final in Youth ODIs. He hit 17 fours and nine sixes during his stay, and fell in the 43rd over, finishing with a strike rate of 152.21.

In response, Vaibhav Suriyawvanshi – having scored 5, 50, 9 and 26 in tournament since his 171 against UAE – made an explosive start to India’s chase. He smashed three sixes and a four, but Ali Raza had him nicking off for 26 off 10 balls. India had reached their fifty in the fifth over and by the end of the powerplay, they were 68 for 5.

Pakistan came into the final having bowled out each of their opposing batting line-ups in the tournament. This contest was no different – four Pakistan bowlers shared wickets among them, with Raza prising out three more wickets to finish with match figures of 4 for 42.

India were reduced to 120 for 9, but Deepesh Devendran offered some late resistance with 36 off 16 balls, including six fours and two sixes. No other India batter passed 30 in the chase. India’s innings ended when Raza had Devendran holing out in the 27th over.

Earlier in the day, Devendran had copped punishment from the Pakistan batters, conceding 83 runs in his ten overs though he took three wickets at the death.

Minhas was well-supported by Ahmed Hussain – the only other batter to cross fifty in the innings. Hussain made 56 off 72 balls and added 137 for the third wicket along with Minhas.

Pakistan faced a slight slowdown in the death overs, especially once Minhas was dismissed – they only managed 71 runs in the final ten for the loss of five wickets. Devendran took three of those wickets, but his death bowling was a footnote by the time he swung for the hills in India’s chase, and was eventually caught at point.

Pakistan wrapped up a 191-run win and tuned up nicely for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup.

Brief scores:
Pakistan Under 19s 347 for 8 in 50 overs (Sameer Minhas 172, Ahmed Hussain 56, Usman Khan 35; Henil Patel 2-62, Deepesh Devendran 3-83, Khilan Patel 2-44 ) beat India Under 19s 156 in 26.2 overs (Deepesh Devendran 36, Vaibhav Suryawanshi 26; Ali Raza 4-42, Mohammed Sayyam 2-38, Huzaif Ahsan 2-12) by 191 runs

[Cricinfo]