Sports
Giant killers Devapathiraja meet unbeaten Mahanama
Under 17 Division I Cricket Final
Giant killers Devapathiraja College Ratgama will encounter unbeaten Mahanama College, Colombo in the final of the Under 17 Division I Cricket tournament at Thurstan ground, Colombo today.Devapathiraja led by dynamic all-rounder Arosha Sithumina have been enjoying remarkable success this season. They are in their first ever Division I final after having turned tables on some of the powerhouses of schools cricket. Their rivals, Mahanama too have enjoyed similar success but have reached Under 17 Division I finals before. Their most recent final was in 2019. They went onto win the title that year.
If the recent records of the two teams are of any indication to the exceptional form they are in, an absorbing contest could be expected.
Devapathiraja’s journey to the final was remarkable. Some of the teams Devapathiraja eliminated during the business end of the tournament have been playing school cricket for more than a century. In contrast, only a couple of decades have passed after Devapathiraja started taking cricket seriously. The passion with which they have been playing this season has powered them to a position no other Devapathiraja team has ever reached.
They thrashed some of their first round opponents by big margins. They beat Rahula College, Matara (by 210 runs), Richmond (by 96 runs) and Vidyaloka (by 128 runs) in the first round. Their only blemish was a nine wicket defeat to Mahinda in a 20 overs match.
During the knockout stage, Devapathiraja beat St. Servatius’ (by 7 wickets), St. Sebastian’s, Moratuwa (by 4 wickets), St. Benedict’s (by 43 runs) and Nalanda (by 9 wickets).
A prominent feature in the Devapathiraja line up this season is the major contributions made by the top order batsmen.
Sithumina with three half centuries and a belligerent 150 (in 97 balls), Sandaru Malshan with three half centuries, Puljith Wathsuka and Yasiru Lakshan with two half centuries each and Oshen Kalhara have contributed well with the bat.
Left-arm spinner Harsha Madushanka and off-spinner Puljith Wathsuka lead the bowling charts for Devapathiraja, while new ball bowler Sasrika Nethuranga, Sandaru Malshan and Arosha Sithumina have made notable contributions.
Mahanama captained by Thaviru Perera reached the knockout stage as the champions of their group. They were in terrific form from the start, if the analysis of the first match was of any indication to their real strength. They bundled out S. Thomas’ Mount Lavinia for 72 runs within ten overs before sealing three wickets victory to takeoff.
They beat S. Thomas’ (by 3 wickets), Christ King Ja Ela (by 7 wickets), De Mazenod (by 56 runs) and Asoka Vidyalaya (by 102 runs) in the first round.
During the knockout stage they eliminated Sandalankawa Central (by 9 wickets), Mahinda (by 3 wickets), Maris Stella (by 8 wickets) and Royal (by 5 wickets) respectively.
Sineth Weeraratne with a century, Kaushika Thilakarathne with valuable 30s and a half century, Sanul Weeraratne, Yashen Gunathilake and Tharun Munaweera have made notable contributions with the bat.
Vimash Madanayake, Kaushika Thilakarathne, Achintha Lakshan, Thaviru Perera and Thenuja Rashmin are the bowlers to watch in the Mahanama camp.
Teams
Mahanama (from) :
Thaviru Perera (Captain), Dulneth Algewatte, Sanul Weerarathna, Kaushika Thilakarathne, Sineth Weerarathne, Yashen Gunathilake, Vimash Madanayake, Vihanga Perera, Achintha Lakshan, Tharun Munaweera, Janidu Kevitiyagala, Danupa Jithen, Sandil Methnula, Binara Edirisinghe, Tharindu Abesekara, Thenuja Rashmin, Binula Pannila.
Officials:
Akila Bandara Rajapaksha (Master in Charge), Ashan Priyanjan (Head Coach), Dulshan Elwalage (Asst. coach).
Devapathiraja (from) :
Arosha Sithumina (Captain), Yasiru Lakshan, Puljith Wathsuka, Sandaru Malshan, Oshen Kalhara, Harsha Madusanka, Nethusha Nirmal, Kaweeshwara Abegunawardana, Sasrika Abegunawardana, Vihanga Nimsara, Adeesha Sanjana, Hirusha Pramod.
Officials:
Charuka Gunathilake (Teacher in Charge), Ranjan Lasantha (Head Coach), Sudheera Weerarathne (Asst. Coach), Tharindu Rukshan (Asst. Coach).
by Reemus Fernando ✍️
A meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Jay Shah, Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), was held on Friday (19) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat.
Vinicius Junior scored and assisted on one of Matheus Cunha’s two goals as five-time champion Brazil eliminated Haiti from the World Cup with a 3-0 victory.
Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation that qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974, became the first team guaranteed not to reach the knockout round. Meanwhile, the Selecao got the decisive performance they needed on Friday.
Cunha, the Manchester United standout, got the start and showed with every surf-and-slide goal celebration why he should have been in the starting lineup in Brazil’s listless 1-1 draw against Morocco. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti made the surprising decision in the opener to instead insert Cunha as a late substitute.
Cunha thrilled the Brazilian fans who made up the bulk of the 68,324 spectators at Philadelphia Stadium when he tapped in a rebound for his first career World Cup goal. He then sent a left-footed strike into the upper left corner for a 2-0 lead in the first half against the over matched Haitians.
Brazil forward Raphinha, who was subbed out with an injury in the first half, had an early goal disallowed on an offside call that only temporarily muted the yellow-clad Selecao fans in an otherwise festive atmosphere at the home of the two-time Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles — whose cheerleaders did their part to rally the crowd.
Haitian fans danced and sang “Grenadye Alaso” (“Grenadiers to the Attack”), the traditional battle cry of the national team. Brazilians chanted back, reminding them their country is the five-time World Cup champion and the home of the king of football: “A thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals, a thousand goals! Only Pele, only Pele!”
Cunha added to the frivolity in Philadelphia, home to nearly 6,000 Brazilian immigrants, when he flashed his familiar surfing celebration.
Vinicius, whose 32nd-minute goal helped Brazil earn the tie against Morocco, helped Brazil get on the board when his shot was stopped by goalkeeper Johny Placide, and Cunha was there to slam home the rebound to make it 1-0. Cunha extended both arms as if trying to catch some tasty waves and was mobbed by his teammates.
Vinicius slid a pass through the defence to find Cunha, and he powered one high into the net that Placide never had a chance to stop to make it 2-0. Cunha slid on his stomach and mimicked a swimming motion that all but put Haiti in the drink — and validated the Brazilians’ fans’ decision not to tempt fate and dress the Rocky statue in team gear for bad luck.
Vinicius closed the half with a goal, and that was enough to keep Brazil — seeking its first World Cup title since 2002 — happy before it closes Group C play against Scotland on Wednesday in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Neymar was ruled out of Brazil’s second straight match because of a lingering calf injury.
[Aljazeera]
World leader Rumesh Tharanga registered his third consecutive Diamond League victory as he beat two-time world champion Anderson Peters for the top place in Doha on Saturday.
The 23 year old delivered a throw of 88.68m to beat Peters (86.38m) by more than two metres.
While USA’s Curtis Thompson finished third with a throw of 85.99m former World and Olympic champion Niraj Chopra was placed fourth with a throw of 85.69m.
With yesterday’s victory in Doha Tharanga now has the top five winning marks of the season. (RF)
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