Sports
Hasini, Hasara settle for women’s doubles silver at South Africa International
Hasini Ambalangodage and Hasara Wijayaratne settled for the silver medal in the Women’s Doubles after being beaten in straight sets at the South Africa International 2024 Badminton Tournament at Access Park in Cape Town.
Hasini and Hasara enjoyed success in a series of competitions in the African continent, as they clinched their third medal, a silver, following a gold medal win in Botswana and a bronze victory in Zambia.
The Sri Lankan pair were defeated by Amy Ackerman and Deirdre Laurens of South Africa. Incidentally, Hasini and Hasara, defeated the same opponents in Botswana. On their home soil the South African pair dominated scoring 21-14 and 21-14.
Earlier in the semi-final Hasini and Hasara defeated Vilina Appiah and Tiya Bhurtun of the Mauritius in straight sets to book the final berth against the South African duo.
The Mauritius pair, Vilina and Tiya, were no match for the marauding Sri Lankans, who dominated both sets in the semi-final clash of the Women’s Doubles as they recorded 21-9 and 21-10 wins, while their opponents in the final, Amy and Deidre, too recorded inspiring straight sets win against compatriots Chloe Lai and Yiwen Li (21-6 and 21-7).
Earlier on, Hasini and Hasara overcame Deborah Godfrey and Anri Schoonees of South Africa in the quarter-final in straight sets.
Last week, Hasini and Hasara clinched the Women’s Doubles gold medal at the Botswana International 2024, defeating South Africa’s Amy Ackerman and Deidre Laurens in the final. A week earlier, the pair claimed the silver medal at the Zambia International 2024, after a grueling battle against Maldivian pair A. Abdul Razzaq and F. Abdul Razzaq.
New Zealand’s fast bowlers tore through Sri Lanka’s top order to set up a big win, before their own top three clinched it, Will Young hitting 90 not out off 86 balls in a nine-wicket victory.
On a grassy Basin Reserve pitch, on a cold day beset by biting southerlies, New Zealand had had Sri Lanka 23 for 4 by the end of the powerplay. There were resurgent innings from the likes of Avishka Fernando especially, but Sri Lanka never seemed headed to a healthy total. They were out for 178 in the 44th over. New Zealand ran that total down with 23.4 overs to spare.
It was Matt Henry who set the tone for the early exchanges with his first spell, and claimed the first wicket on his way to figures of 4 for 19 from ten overs. He caught Pathum Nissanka’s leading edge with a full away-seamer in the fifth over, the ball floating out to mid-off for a simple catch. In his first five overs, Henry seamed the ball substantially, and conceded only six runs.
At the other end, Jacob Duffy was delivering probing overs as well. He took the second wicket with a short delivery that surprised Kusal Mendis, and which he inside edged into his leg stump. Three overs later, Kamindu Mendis – batting at No. 4 now – was run out attempting a suicidal single. Dropping a ball towards cover he called his partner through for a run, only for Mitchell Santner to swoop on the ball, and fire in an underarm throw that hit the base of the only stump Santner had to aim at. In general, New Zealand’s fielding was exemplary, with Mark Chapman also outstanding in the point region. On the rare occasions, New Zealand’s quicks strayed in the early overs, an act of spectacular fielding would tend to ensure the pressure stayed on Sri Lanka.
The last wicket to fall in the powerplay was that of captain Charith Asalanka, who initially only seemed to be beaten by a sharply rising Nathan Smith delivery outside off stump, only for Smith to insist on the review, and for Snicko to show that the ball had brushed the shoulder of the bat. Asalanka, so often the batter who arrests Sri Lanka collapses, was out for a duck.
This brought Janith Liyanage to the crease to join Avishka, and the pair set about the repair work, finding boundaries square of the wicket after much of the seam movement of the early overs had disappeared. Avishka played the short balls well through the middle period, as New Zealand’s seamers switched occasionally to that mode of attack. In any case, the pair put on 87 together, Avishka scoring his ninth ODI fifty, before Liyanage miscued a Mitchell Santner ball to deep midwicket and was out for 36.
Sri Lanka had contributions from Wanindu Hasaranga, who hit 35, and Chamindu Wickramasinghe, who made 22. But New Zealand always had Sri Lanka by the collar – no passage of retaliation lasted very long.
Given the trouble New Zealand’s quicks had given Sri Lanka, the chase was exceptionally smooth. Rachin Ravindra was strong on the front foot early on, finding six boundaries in the arc between backward point and mid-off. Young, meanwhile, was excellent whenever Sri Lanka’s bowlers pitched short, playing a number of powerful pulls and hooks. New Zealand were 70 for no loss at the end of the powerplay, Sri Lanka’s seamers guilty of a little indiscipline. There were no serious wicket chances, aside from one missed run-out by Asitha Fernando, who had fielded the ball in his follow-through.
Ravindra would be dismissed attempting an ambitious leg-side flick off a full delivery down the leg side, but the remainder of the chase was straightforward. Young continued to find those leg-side boundaries and sped past his tenth ODI half-century. Mark Chapman was a steady presence at the other end. Their unbeaten stand of 87 took the hosts home.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 180 for 1 in 26.2 overs (Wiull Young 90*, Rachin Ravindra 45, Mark Chapman 29*; Chamindu Wickramasinghe 1-28) beat Sri Lanka 178 in 43.4 overs (Avishka Fernando 56,Janith Liyanage 36, Wanidu Hasaranga 35, Chamindu Wickremesinghe 22; Matt, Henry 4-19, Jacob Duffy 2-39, Nathan Smith 2-43) by nine wickets
[Cricinfo]
Australia regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a silverware that had previously eluded them for a decade, and confirmed their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final alongside South Africa, after finishing off India inside three days at the SCG.
India’s hopes of staying in contention for the WTC final rested on Jasprit Bumrah but without him those faded away. For someone who had a huge influence on this series, with the most wickets by an India bowler on a tour of Australia, it was a shame he couldn’t play a part in the final act.
After having left the SCG on the second day for scans on his back, Bumrah returned to bat at No.11 on the third day but wasn’t fit to bowl. All the early visuals had portended Bumrah’s absence. He didn’t warm up with the other bowlers and only did a bit of shadow-bowling. Then, after becoming the last India batter to be dismissed, for a duck, he didn’t take the field at all for India’s defence of 161. Given his history of back issues, India wrapped him up in cotton wool.
The target was a substantial one for Australia, especially on this spicy SCG surface, but it did appear a whole lot smaller when Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna sprayed the new ball around. The pair conceded eight runs via wild leg-side wides in the first two overs. Though Prasidh tightened up and took three wickets, including that of Steven Smith, Bumrah’s absence hung like Coleridge’s albatross around India’s neck.
The batters didn’t make it any easier for India’s depleted attack. They lost 4 for 16 in 7.5 overs on the third morning to fold for 157. Scott Boland, who might not have played this series had Josh Hazlewood been fit and might not be a certainty for Australia’s next Test assignment in Sri Lanka, bagged his first ten-wicket haul in professional cricket to hasten India’s collapse. Having taken four wickets on the opening day at the SCG, Boland added six to his tally – his second five-for in Test cricket since his 6 for 7 debut, which was just as glorious.
Boland had started the day with a maiden and continued to stalk both the edges by hitting a perfect length. He had Siraj caught at first slip and castled Bumrah in the 40th over to wrap up India’s innings. Boland then, fittingly, held the ball aloft and led Australia off the field, with the SCG crowd giving him a rousing reception.
His captain Cummins had earlier accounted for Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Jadeja had been dropped by Smith in the slips on 6 on day two, but it cost India just 7, with Cummins going much fuller to kiss Jadeja’s outside edge. He then nipped one through Washington’s gate to expose India’s tail to Boland.
Australia capitalised on some wayward new-ball bowling from Siraj and Krishna, running away to 39 for 0 in the fourth over. Prasidh provided India with the breakthrough when he had Konstas miscuing a slog to mid-off for 22 off 17 balls.
After the second day’s play, Prasidh spoke of how he shifted from his stock length (back of a length) to a much fuller one after a chat with the analyst. However, on Sunday, with the harder, newer ball, he gleaned more bounce and seam movement with his natural length. After smacking Marnus Labuschagne on his elbow, Prasidh had him steering a catch to gully.
For the second time in two days, more than 40,000 fans at the SCG were poised to celebrate Smith scaling 10,000 Test runs, but Prasidh had other ideas and snared him one shy of the landmark with a prancing delivery. Smith will now have to wait until the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle later this month for his next opportunity to become the 15th Test batter to join the 10,000 club.
India had to wait until after lunch to get rid of Usman Khawaja. The opener misjudged Siraj’s length, bottom-edging a pull to Pant for 41 off 45 balls. India felt that they were onto something. Siraj roared while Virat Kohli, who stood in as captain, charged towards his bowler from the slips and animatedly pumped his fist.
Travis Head and debutant Beau Webster, however, changed the mood and the game quickly. When Nitish Kumar Reddy offered up a wide half-volley in his first over, Head stayed leg-side of the ball and unleased a rasping blow through the covers. At the other end, Webster was less adventurous, but still scored at a fast clip, thanks to his long reach, which messed with the lengths of the bowlers.
Brief scores:
Australia 181 in 51 overs (Beau Webster 57, Steven Smith 33; Prasidh Krishna 3-42, Mohammed Siraj 3-51, Jasprit Bumrah 2-33, Nitish Kumar Reddy 2-32) and 162 for 4 in 27 overs (Usman Khawaja 41, Beau Webster 39*, Prasidh Krishan 3-65) beat India 185 in 72.2 overs (Rishabh Pant 40; Scott Boland 4-31,Mitchell Starc 3-49, Pat Cummins 2-37) and 157 in 39.5 overs (Rishabh Pant 61; Scott Boland 6-45, Pat Cummins 3-44) by six wickets
[Cricinfo]
Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ Cricket
By Reemus Fernando
St. Thomas’ College Matara have started the year as the undisputed leaders of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ cricket tournament as the team captained by Pesandu Sanjan have averaged 14.94 points to top the Group ‘Y’ points table.
The outright victory in the year end match over Tissa Central Kalutara and the first innings win over St. Sebastian’s Katuneriya on the new year day have further cemented their top position.
The Thomians are the only team to have recorded two outright victories in their group.
Skipper Pesandu Sanjan has guided the team from the front and is the leading scorer of both the Tier ‘A’ and ‘B’ segments of the Under 19 Division I cricket tournament.
He has scored 551 runs at an amazing average of 137.75. His total includes four centuries, the highest by a batsman in the Under 19 Division I tournament. His highest knock of 141 runs came in the match against Tissa.
Not may batsmen have scored centuries when the tournament reaches the halfway mark. St. Thomas’ have four more matches in the tournament proper. It will be interesting to see how the lads from Matara perform against formidable opponents Mahinda and Thurstan who are closely following the table leaders in the second and third positions respectively. Holy Cross who are struggling at the bottom of the points table and Ananda are their other two opponents in the group.
In group ‘X’, Isipatana are the table leaders. They have scored two outright victories. They scored back to back victories last month to secure the top position in the group after a six wicket defeat at the hands of St. Aloysius’ put their position in jeopardy.
Devapathiraja have averaged over 10 points to be in the second position despite two of their matches ending without a result. Devapathiraja, Dharmaraja and St. Aloysius’ are the only teams to have scored outright victories in their group. St. Sylvester’s are at the bottom of the table after suffering two defeats in the tournament proper. They have conceded two other defeats against Division I teams in traditional matches.
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