Sports
Galle’s splendour charms everyone in cricket

by Rex Clementine
A mouth-watering contest began this week at the Galle International Stadium between Sri Lanka ‘A’ and England Lions and the future stars will have a feel of a venue where many a great like Steve Waugh, Shane Warne, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar and Babar Azam have had their moments, gave local fans brief pains but ended up stealing our hearts. How can you not fall in love with Chris Gayle smashing sixes to Galle bus stand and then upon reaching his triple hundred lying down on floor soaking it all in.
Everyone wants to play in Galle, everyone wants to watch cricket in Galle, most reporters rate it the best ground in the world. The press box provides you direct entry from the road like they have in Birmingham. And the view is stunning. The press conference room and the dining hall are next to each other, right behind the press box.
A survey conducted in UK with voting from cricket fans across the world saw Galle being rated the most picturesque ground in the world. Even 15 years after achieving full status of the ICC, Test cricket was secluded to Colombo and Kandy and there were attempts to take the sport to the other parts of the country.
Galle, Matara and Kurunegala were highlighted as key centers and regular four day fixtures were awarded to these venues when overseas teams visited Sri Lanka. These centers had a lot of political backing too with local politicians running the district associations.
Galle for a variety of reasons was given Test status in 1998. Matara wanted to be elevated for Test status as well. Thilanga Sumathipala declined saying only one Test venue for an outstation province. He angered a few men by the names of Mahinda Wijesekara, Dallas Allahaperuma and Mangala Samaraweera, staunch SLFPers of Matara district.
Galle’s gone through some remarkable changes over the years particularly after the tsunami when the ground was redone.
There were some challenges the authorities had to face as the archeological department argued that the new construction covered the view of the majestic Dutch Fort.
After much negotiations, a compromise has been reached between parties and cricket in Galle continues on the condition that there will be no new constructions.
As a result, Galle has been made to feel the pinch as there are no indoor nets here and a scoreboard.
Former captain Kumar Sangakkara suffered most due to the non-existence of a scoreboard. Playing against Pakistan, Sri Lanka were down to the last pair and Sanga was keen to complete a double hundred and celebrated the moment. But he had got the calculation wrong. The last man was dismissed without much resistance and Sanga was left stranded on 199. As a result, he was denied an opportunity to equal the record of Sir Don Bradman’s 12 double hundreds.
Despite winning the hearts of players and fans all over the world for its natural beauty, Galle has been also in the news for the wrong reasons. The ground’s popular curator who was loved and hailed by the players remains suspended for non-cooperation into a corruption investigation.
An assistant manager of the ground was caught on camera claiming the pitch can be doctored for the right price. Education has been done on the temptations in the game but the daily wage earners remain vulnerable.
Like all venues Galle has faced its challenges. At one point, angry politicians wanted to take away all traces of cricket from here on flimsy grounds. But the venue has survived it all. It still remains the go to place in cricket.
Sports
Asalanka vows to bounce back after Dambulla drubbing

Skipper Charith Asalanka has promised a swift turnaround after Sri Lanka’s crushing defeat in the second T20I against Bangladesh left the three-match series level at 1-1.
The hosts were blown away for just 94 in a calamitous run chase at Dambulla on Sunday, their lowest T20I total on home soil and heaviest defeat to Bangladesh in the format, as the tourists romped home by 83 runs.
“Very disappointed with the batting effort. But these collapses can happen in T20 cricket,” Asalanka told reporters. “What matters is how you bounce back. We’ve done it before in the ODI series. We’ll dust ourselves off and come back hard in Colombo.”
Bangladesh had posted a competitive 177 for seven after being put into bat, but Sri Lanka’s response never got out of the blocks. The top order floundered and the innings fell apart like a house of cards.
“Once you restrict the opposition to 180 on that wicket, it should be a gettable target,” said a visibly frustrated Asalanka. “But we were nowhere near it. The batting was a big letdown.”
The team’s brittle middle order has long been a soft underbelly, with Chamika Karunaratne batting at number seven and Avishka Fernando, under scrutiny, struggling at four.
“We need to sit down and sort this out,” Asalanka said. “Number four and six have been problem positions. With the World Cup coming up, we can’t afford to shuffle without clarity. We’ve got to lock down our best XI.”
Despite the debacle with the bat, there were a few silver linings. Left-arm seamer Binura Fernando delivered a probing spell, returning career-best figures of three for 31. However, Sri Lanka’s sloppy fielding let the game slip further from their grasp.
Litton Das, who top-scored with a fluent knock, was handed two lives, once on 30 when Kusal Mendis fluffed a stumping and again on 56 when Maheesh Theekshana spilled a regulation chance. Both reprieves came off the bowling of leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay.
“Binura was excellent — he bent his back and dragged us into the contest during his second spell,” Asalanka said. “But we let ourselves down badly in the field. You can’t afford to gift chances at this level.”
A full house witnessed the Dambulla encounter, and another sell-out crowd is expected in Colombo for the series decider. Tickets for the final game were snapped up a week in advance, and with the series now on a knife edge, fans are hoping for a blockbuster finish.
by Rex Clementine
Sports
Idupa joins sub 46 club, bags best athlete title

Schoolboy Kalhara Idupa Silva joined an elite group of Sri Lanka’s 400 metres sprinters when he achieved a massive personal best time of 45.99 seconds to win the men’s 400 metres at the Western Province Athletics Championship of the National Sports Festival concluded at Diyagama on Sunday.
In the 100 year old track and field history in Sri Lanka only six men had run the one lap race under 46 seconds according to official counts. Idupa became the seventh athlete to accomplish the target and proved beyond doubt that the impressive performance displayed at the last selection trial was not a fluke.
Eyebrows were raised when he clocked 46.62 seconds in April to get selected to the Asian Championship in Gumi.
He also became the second athlete in the Under 20 age category to run the distance under 46 seconds. Reigning national champion Aruna Dharshana was the first.
Commenting on his achievement his coach Sumith Jayantha said that Idupa was groomed carefully to achieve success at senior level. “He did not get deceived by the talent scouts of Colombo schools. When he started winning podium places there were interest from Colombo schools. We have seen many talented athletes failing at senior level after peaking at junior level in those schools,” Jayantha said in an interview with The Island.

Sumith Jayantha (Coach)
“He deserves the support of a sponsor. He could not get the Mas Holding sponsorship as he could not attend the trial. I am hopeful the authorities would act swiftly to aupport him,” said Jayantha.
Idupa and national sprinter Sayuri Lakshima Mendis stole the limelight at the weekend when they bagged the best athlete titles of the Western Province Athletics Championship.
The 400 metres specialists were adjudged the most outstanding athletes for their impressive performamce during the two day meet where the winners of the three district meets of Colombo, Kalutara and Gampaha clashed for supremacy.
Indupa from Ananda Sastralaya Kotte excelled in both the men’s 200 metres and the 400 metres as he established new meet records in both events. The up and coming athlete who formed country’s 4×400 metres relay team with seasoned campaigner Kalinga Kumarage in Gumi, slashed nearly one second off the meet record when he stopped the clock under 46 seconds to win the 400 metres. In the 200 metres Idupa returned a time of 21.10 seconds.v
Lakshima clocked 53.93 seconds to win the 400 metres. She was adjudged the best athlete in the women’s category ahead of H.R.D. Sithmini who cleared 6.10 metres in the long jump.
by Reemus Fernando
Sports
Sinner beats Alcaraz to win first Wimbledon title

World number one Jannik Sinner won his first Wimbledon title by wearing down Carlos Alcaraz in another high-quality Grand Slam final between the dominant forces of the men’s game.
Italy’s Sinner claimed a 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory at the All England Club, avenging his brutal French Open defeat by Spanish world number two Alcaraz just 35 days ago.
Sinner led by two sets – and held three championship points – before Alcaraz roared back to win a five-set classic lasting more than five hours.
The 23-year-old has responded by taking two-time defending champion Alcaraz’s crown on the Centre Court grass, following another gripping contest which again showcased the pair’s shot-making, athleticism and star power.
“It is so special,” Sinner said. “I’m living my dream.”
Sinner, who served a three-month doping ban earlier this year, has claimed the fourth Grand Slam title of his career and a first major victory not on a hard court.
A composed and clinical performance from the top seed ended Alcaraz’s 24-match winning streak.
[BBC]
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