Sports
Gardner, Sutherland crack South Africa’s resistance to secure huge innings win
Australia’s versatile and talented attack overcame a resolute South Africa mustering belated fight to complete a comprehensive Test victory at the WACA late on day three.
Having been pushed in tight T20I and ODI series victories, Australia’s experience in red-ball cricket came to the fore as they clinched the inaugural multi-series between the teams 12-4.
Australia’s attack were made to work against gritty batting on a surface that flattened out as the match wore on, but their bowling depth shone with six bowlers taking wickets in South Africa’s second innings of 215.
Captain Alyssa Healy was forced to unfurl her deep attack with eight bowlers used, including allrounder Annabel Sutherland who finished with five wickets for the match to go along with her historic double century.
Debutant Delmi Tucker and Chole Tyron helped stretch the match longer than expected with maiden Test half-centuries as South Africa salvaged some respectability after a torrid initiation into Test cricket against Australia.
Tucker, Tryon and debutant Tazmin Britts faced more than 100 deliveries each as South Africa lasted 97.2 overs in a considerable improvement on their meek first innings of 31.2 overs.
After being routed for 76 on day one, their lowest ever Test score, South Africa had been in danger of humiliatingly losing within two days when they crashed to 13 for 3. South Africa resumed their second innings at 67 for 3 with Brits and Tucker hoping to continue their rearguard after defying Australia late on day two with a half-century stand.
In warm conditions, Brits looked tentative as Australia’s seamers targeted a dangerous length outside off-stump. Darcie Brown’s extra pace proved a handful and she was unlucky not to take a wicket when Brits edged just in front of second slip.
She also had Tucker top-edging over wicketkeeper Healy, but the batters settled on a sun-baked surface offering little movement. They put away rare loose deliveries and were untroubled by short deliveries coming off the wicket relatively slowly compared to earlier in the match.
Tucker had a couple of anxious moments as she neared her half-century, including miss-hitting a pull shot off Ellyse Perry that narrowly was out of reach of Alana King running back from square leg.
But Tucker regained her composure and notched her half-century on the very next delivery. Healy resisted using her three frontline spinners and she was rewarded with her faith in the seamers when Perry ended the 96-run partnership after Brits edged low to second slip where replays confirmed that Phoebe Litchfield had her fingers under the ball.
But Australia were again made to wait as Tryon showcased a mix of power and finesse to continually hit through the off-side as Healy finally reverted to spin.
It almost paid off immediately when Sophie Molineux, playing her first international since late 2021, had Tryon inside edging onto her pad only for Healy to drop a tough chance moments before lunch.
Ashleigh Gardner and King, who received warm applause on her home ground when she entered the attack in the 42nd over of the day’s play, bowled well in tandem after lunch and found turn and bounce. They shackled Tryon with four fielders around the bat as runs crawled to a halt.
The pressure built on Tucker, who was undone by extra bounce as she chipped a return catch that was well taken by Gardner. She trudged off in disappointment, but earned a strong ovation from the crowd after making 64 off 180 balls in four hours at the crease.
King was denied a first wicket of the match when Mooney dropped a straightforward catch at slip to reprieve Tryon, who capitalised to notch her half-century soon after.
But an Australia victory was always just a matter of time as Sutherland capped a memorable match by clean bowling Tryon with hometown hero King claiming the final wicket to punctuate Test cricket’s return to the WACA.
Brief scores:
Australia Women 575 for 9 dec in 125.2 overs (Annabel Sutherland 210, Alyssa Healy 99, Beth Mooney 78, Ashleigh Gardner 65, Sophie Molineux 33, Kim Garth 49*; Masabata Klaas 3-85, Nadine de Klerk 2-96, Chloe Tryon 3-81) beat South Africa Women 76 in 31.2 overs (Sune Luus 26; Darcie Brown 5-21, Annabel Sutherland 3-19, Tahlia McGrath 2-04) and 215 in 97.2 overs (Tazmin Britts 31, Delmi Tucker 64, Chole Tryon 64; Kim Garth 2-55, Darcie Brown 2-47, Ashleigh Gardner 2-29, Annabel Sutherland 2-11) by an innings and 284 runs
Under 19 Cricket
Sri Lanka Under 19 batsman Sharujan Shanmuganathan hammered an unbeaten double century- his best batting performance in the school circuit- to propel St. Benedict’s to their highest total of the season in the Under 19 traditional cricket encounter at Kotahena on Tuesday.
The Bens’ skipper cracked 17 fours and eight sixes in his unbeaten knock which powered the home team to 410 for seven wickets declared against St. Peter’s. His 202 runs came in 183 balls. He reached his century in 107 balls and consumed 156 balls to pass the 150 mark. The last 50 runs of his double century needed only 27 balls.
The Bens have been struggling the whole season and had to play the relegation league before retaining their place in the top tier of the Under 19 Division I tournament.
On such a backdrop their performance yesterday was a huge turnaround as they earned first innings honours against Petes.
At Darley Road Trinity restricted St. Joseph’s to 164 runs to take first innings honours, while St. Anthony’s Katugastota and Mahanama took first innings lead in their matches ended yesterday.
Match Details
Bens amass 410 runs at Kotahena
Scores
St. Peter’s
378 all out in 81 overs (Oween Salgado 70, Dilana Damsara 54, Jason Fernando 64, Enosh Peterson 65, Thareen Sanketh 34, Lashmika Perera 28, Virul Amarapala 23; Hashen Olagama 2/55, Mewan Dissanayake 5/57) and 22 for 2 in 5.4 overs
St. Benedict’s
20 for 1 overnight 410 for 7 decl. in 83.2 overs (Didula Edirisuriya 32, Janindu Nandasena 115, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 202n.o., Mewan Dissanayake 20, Trishen Silva 27; Lashmika Perera 2/83)
Trinity on first innings at Darley Road
Scores
Trinity
264 all out in 84.3 overs (Dimantha Mahavithana 38, Rajindu Thilakarathne 33, Vathila Udara 51, Oshana Lokuge 39, Mahendra Abeysinghe 43; Yenula Dewthusa 4/66, Demion de Silva 2/52, Nushan Perera 2/53)
St. Joseph’s
5 for 2 overnight 164 all out in 61 overs (Yenula Dewthusa 20, Rishma Amarasinghe 38, Pamod Dalpadado 22, Nushan Perera 28, Senesh Solangarachchi 28; Ranul Gunarathna 3/37, Vathila Udara 2/25, Sweath Anurajeewa 3/71)
St. Anthony’s on first innings
at Katugastota
Scores
St. Anthony’s
207 all out in 79.5 overs (Januka Rathnayake 83, Kevan Fernando 29, Tharusha Dasun 35n.o.; Sadaneth Yahampath 2/32, Sachithra Tanuka 4/28, Nishitha Fernando 2/39) and 21 for 3 in 9.5 overs
Moratu Vidyalaya
53 for 3 overnight 188 all out in 64.2 overs (Isuru Nidharshana 30, Sanjana Senavirathne 67, Sithum Silva 26n.o.; Tharusha Dasun 4/47, Kevan Fernando 3/30)
Mahanama win on first innings
at Thurstan ground
Scores
Mahanama
218 for 7 overnight 291 all out in 95.5 overs (Anuka Wijewardana 37, Sithum Vihanga 32, Dulnith Sigera 80, Eshan Withanage 27, Chamika Heenatigala 23, Gimantha Dissanayake 22; Binupa Thathmira 3/40, Sanvidu Dissanayake 2/33, Thanuga Palihawadana 3/95, Sethru Fernando 2/39) and 33 for 2 in 8 overs (Sethru Fernando 2/22)
Thurstan
207 all out in 51.5 overs (Thanuja Rajapaksha 53, Sethru Fernando 29, Sanvidu Dissanayake 22n.o., Dinal Induwara 21; Anuka Wijewardana 4/54, Chamika Heenatigala 4/58)
by Reemus Fernando
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) appointed Chamara Silva as the head coach of the Sri Lanka U19 National Team.
Silva, a former Sri Lanka international cricketer, is an ICC Level III Qualified Coach with extensive coaching experience in Sri Lanka’s first class cricket.
Before joining SLC, he served as the head coach of Police Sports Club and previously coached Bloomfield Cricket Club and Panadura Sports Club.
As a player, Silva represented Sri Lanka in 75 ODIs, 11 Test matches, and 16 T20Is, amassing 2,269 international runs, including a limited-overs century.
His appointment which became effective on March 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026.
Chamara will be responsible for preparing the Sri Lanka U19 team for the ICC U19 World Cup in 2026.
With less than 50 days to go for the ASBC Asian Under-22 and Youth Boxing Championships in May, Chairman of the Organising Committee, Tharanga Perera expressed his enthusiasm and confidence about Sri Lanka hosting this landmark event, marking the first major boxing championship since the Asian Championships held in Colombo in 1967.
“We have everything in place to ensure Sri Lanka delivers a world-class tournament from May 12 to 23 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium,” Perera, also Chairman of the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Development Committee, affirmed. “The stadium is currently undergoing renovations, but it will be ready on time to welcome the athletes. We anticipate at least 25 of ASBC’s 43 member countries to participate, bringing around 400 to 500 boxers and officials to Sri Lanka.”
Highlighting the significance of the event, Perera remarked, “This is a pivotal moment for Sri Lankan boxing. We’re hoping to field approximately 15 boxers — both men and women — and setting our sights on at least five medals, including two golds. We are planning to have a selection trial for the 48-member pool at Royal MAS Arena on March 29. Our athletes are inspired, especially with Umayanga Mihiran leading the charge after his historic bronze medal win at the Asian Championships in Chiang Mai — Sri Lanka’s first medal in 37 years. This championship isn’t just about the present; it’s a long-term investment in the future of our boxing program.”
Tharanga Perera, Chairman of the
Organising Committee expressed his
enthusiasm and confidence in hosting
a successful championship.
The championship will feature a new, IBA-approved scoring system, complete with a newly imported ring, gloves, and headgear. Perera, 1-star international referee himself, emphasized the importance of training local officials for this system. “International experts will come to train our team, ensuring our operators are up to speed with the latest technology. It’s crucial for our officials to gain this experience to elevate their standards. Sri Lankan 1-star officials will also get an opportunity to perform different technical roles apart from officiating. We’ll also have referees and judges (R & Js) from neutral countries to ensure complete fairness and transparency as well.”
He also mentioned the possibility of ASBC President attending the finals, adding prestige to the event.
Perera acknowledged the extensive support from the government, armed forces, and various ministries. “We’re truly grateful for the blessings and backing from the Sports Ministry and other relevant authorities. A dedicated task force, including Sri Lanka Police, Navy, Air Force, and Army, has been established to ensure smooth operations. Immigration, customs, and all logistics are under control. We’re leaving no stone unturned.”
The event is also expected to give a significant boost to Sri Lanka’s sports tourism. “Hosting a championship of this magnitude showcases Sri Lanka’s ability to handle major international sporting events,” Perera remarked. “If we deliver a successful tournament, it could open doors to more international competitions.
“Hosting a championship of this scale will showcase Sri Lanka’s capabilities on the international stage,” Perera said. “If we pull this off successfully, it could open doors to more major international tournaments. This would mean more exposure for our athletes and officials, giving them invaluable international experience — a stepping stone towards the South Asian Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.”
“This is more than a boxing tournament — it’s a chance to prove Sri Lanka’s potential as a sports hub and create lasting opportunities for our boxers and officials. We’re committed to making this a memorable, world-class event,” Perera concluded.
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