After conceeding a first innIngs deficit, St. Sebastians’ College Moratuwa bounced back in the second innings to record a six wickets victory over Richmond in the Under 19 Division I Tier A match at Ambepussa on Friday.

‎Adesh Almeida took seven wickets to dismiss Richmond for 149 runs in the first innng but the Sebs failed to capitalize as they were bowled out for 127 runs. The most of the scoring was done by Meshone Ferdinando (44) and Lashen Fernando (39).

‎When Richmond came to bat for the second time, Koshendra Fernando led the way with a five wicket haul to reduce them to 102 runs.

‎Chasing 125 runs to win, the Sebs were 53 for four wickets at one stage before Koshendra and Chamath Wellalage joined to dissapoint Richmond. They put on an unbroken 74 runs stand for the fifth wicket to seal the victory.

‎Scores:

‎Richmond 149 all out in 46.3 overs

(Minaga Ariyadasa 26, Ranindu de Silva 28, Adesh Almeida 7/58) and 102 all out in 44.3 overs (Bevin Jayawardhana 34; Koshendra Fernando 5/42, Adesh Almeida 2/08)

‎St. Sebastian’s 127 all out in 43.4 overs (Meshone Ferdinando 44, Lashen Fernando 39; Hiruk Akalanka 3/35, Thenusha Nimsara 5/45) and 127 for 4 in 30.5 overs (Koshendra Fernando 43n.o., Chamath Wellalage 39n.o.; Thenusha Nimsara 2/45)

by Reemus Fernando ✍️

Charith Asalanka faced the media for the first time since being stripped of Sri Lanka’s T20 captaincy and there was no bitterness in his tone. Instead, he sounded like a man choosing to play with a straight bat, pragmatic, reflective and determined not to let emotions drag him into more trouble after a bruising few weeks.

Asalanka has long been earmarked for leadership. Groomed for the role for more than a decade, he cut his teeth at Richmond College, Galle, winning multiple titles alongside a cohort that included Wanindu Hasaranga, Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya Lakshan. He was the obvious choice to captain Sri Lanka Under-19s and repaid that faith handsomely, steering the side to a series victory in England. Coached then by former great Roy Dias, Asalanka was marked out early as a special talent with an old head on young shoulders.

When he graduated to the senior side, the signs were clear, this was a captain-in-waiting. He did little to disappoint his backers. Under his watch, Sri Lanka ticked off important ODI series wins over Australia and India, arresting a worrying slide in the 50-over format. T20 cricket, however, proved a trickier pitch. Progress there was slow and the Asia Cup became his stumbling block. Questionable bowling changes, coupled with perceptions that he didn’t fully trust his bench, led to murmurs of clique-building, a charge that stuck.

Matters came to a head in Pakistan when players, despite security assurances from both boards, revolted and demanded an early return home. Asalanka was widely believed to be the ring-leader, summoned back and relieved of the captaincy. There is little doubt he had begun to look a touch too big for his boots. But cricket, like life, rarely deals in absolutes; there is no sinner without a past and no saint without a future.

Having paid his dues, Asalanka now deserves clarity and backing to move forward at least as the leader of the ODI side. He has continued to deliver with the bat, scripting several come-from-behind victories. It is the calmness he brings to nerve-jangling run chases that sets him apart, ice in the veins, eyes firmly on the prize. He remains Sri Lanka’s sole representative in the ICC’s top ten ODI batters, a testament to his consistency and temperament.

If Asalanka can recalibrate his leadership, steering the team by destiny rather than chasing cheap popularity, Sri Lanka may yet reap rich dividends in the years ahead. In cricket, as ever, the long game matters most.

https://www.telecomasia.net/