Sports
Jaffna look to break Galle hoodoo in final showdown
Lanka Premier League 2021 – Final
By Roscoe Thattil Reporting from Suriyawewa
Jaffna Kings finished the league phase at the top of the table, they have seemed to be the most consistent team throughout LPL 2021 and they definitely look the best all-round team on paper. But for some reason they haven’t been able to get past the Galle Gladiators in each of their three previous encounters in this edition. However, it all comes down to who plays the better cricket in the final 40 overs of the competition to be crowed the champions of the LPL 2021.
The Afghanistan pocket rocket Rahmanullah Gurbaz has found his mojo in the latter part of the tournament and will be a threat to the Gladiators at the top of the order, while his opening partner Avishka Fernado hit a memorable century in the second qualifier on Tuesday(21). Fernando’s century is also the only time a batter reached the three figure mark this season.
The Kings have a devastating batting line up to follow in the likes of Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Shoaib Malik, Thisara Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga, while the less known soldier Ashan Randika could be devastating and win a game on his own with the bat too.
There seemed to be plenty of life for the fast bowlers at the Sooriyawewa Stadium in the second Qualifier and the Kings might be tempted to replace Chathuranga de Silva with youngster Chamika Gunasekara who is a decent right arm quick bowler. Jayden Seales seems to be a handful on this pitches and the Kings missed a trick by not playing him in the first Qualifier.
The ever reliable Wanindu Hasaranga has gone under the radar a bit during the past couple of games and is due a performance while Maheesh Theekshana’s stocks continue to rise with continuous impressive performances and will be a man to watch out for in the final.
The Galle Gladiators had their ups and downs during the league phase but a smooth game in the first Qualifier meant they reached the final without breaking a sweat thanks to a stunning century opening stand between the returning duo of Danushka Gunathilake and Kusal Mendis. These two will hold the key once again in the batting department for the boys from the south while the likes of skipper Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Mohammad Hafeez and Samit Patel will need to step up with the bat.
Nuwan Thusara also known as “podi Mali” had a dream game in the first Qualifier capturing five Kings’ wicket and will once again be a threat to the same opposition. He has the experienced Mohammad Amir as his opening bowling partner who will look to swing the new ball to breakthrough early while also be the key for the Gladiators at the death.
Patel has been the star spinner for the Gladiators and skipper Rajapaksa has plenty of other spin options too in the likes of Hafeez, Pulina Tharanga and Sahan Arachchige. Isuru Udana has gone under the radar but he has been very smart with the ball for the Gladiators and his variations will be a key once again in the final.
Interestingly, this is also a repeat of the final of the 2020 Lanka Premier League, where the Jaffna Kings went on to clinch the inaugural LPL title.
Probable XIs
Jaffna Kings:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz(wk), Avishka Fernando, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Shoaib Malik, Ashan Randika, Thisara Perera(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chathuranga de Silva/Chamika Gunasekara, Jayden Seales, Suranga Lakmal, Maheesha Theekshana
Galle Gladiators:
Kusal Mendis(wk), Danushka Gunathilaka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa(c), Mohammad Hafeez, Sahan Arachchige, Samit Patel, Anwar Ali, Pulina Tharanga, Isuru Udana, Mohammad Amir, Nuwan Thushara
Gujarat Titans (GT) became pnly the second team in all T20 cricket to chase down a target of 200 or more without losing a wicket. That’s how clinical B Sai Sudarshan and Shubman Gill were against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Sunday night as they took GT into the playoffs. Sai Sudharsan finished on 108 not out off 61 balls and Gill on 93 not out off 53 as they overhauled DC’s 199 for 3 with an over to spare. That meant KL Rahul’s 112 not out off 65 balls ended in a losing cause.
The result also took Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS )into the playoffs. DC, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants are the three teams in contention for the remaining one spot.
Sai Sudharsan came out all guns blazing. He got off the mark with a four off Axar Patel before hitting three more fours and a six off T Natarajan in the second over. By the end of the third over, he had scored 35 off 13 balls. Even though Mustafizur Rahman and Dushmantha Chameera gave away only 16 in the second half of the powerplay, GT were 59 for no loss after six overs.
While Sai Sudharsan brought up his fifty off 30 balls, Gill had a slow start. He was on 21 off 19 after eight overs. But in the next three, he hit three sixes – one each against Axar, Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam. He reached his fifty off 33 balls, with a four off Dushmantha Chameera. It was his first four of the innings. As if he had committed a mistake, he hit the following delivery for a six over square leg.
GT reached 154 for no loss after 15 overs. As a last throw of the dice, Axar brought Mustafizur for the 16th. Sudharsan hit his first two balls for fours to stamp GT’s domination. Two overs later, he hit Kuldeep for a straight six to bring up his second IPL hundred, off 56 balls. Fittingly, it was Sudharsan with yet another six that sealed GT’s win.
Earlier, DC’s struggled to get going after being sent in. Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan stuck to good length with the new ball and gave little room to free arms. There were 15 dot balls in the first four overs. Faf du Plessis, who tried to break the shackles and charged at Arshad, was caught at mid-on for 5 off ten balls. After five overs, DC were 28 for 1.
Rahul played plenty of exquisite shots during his hundred. In the first over of the match, he had punched Siraj through covers off the back foot. Then he injected momentum into the innings by hitting Kagiso Rabada for two sixes and a four in the last over of the powerplay. This was Rabada’s first match after a one-month ban for using recreational drugs. He bowled just two overs, was wicketless and went for 34.
Coming into this game, Rahul had a strike rate of 96.96 (64 runs off 66 balls) against Rashid Khan in T20 cricket. Here, he took him for 19 off 14. It was with a four off him that Rahul brought up his fifty, off 35 balls. Alongside Abishek Porel, who made 30 off 19, Rahul added 90 for the second wicket in just 8.4 overs.
Luck also favoured Rahul. In the 14th over, he got three fours off R Sai Kishore’s first three balls, all through luck. The first one was drilled back and went through Sai Kishore’s hands. Rabada misfielded the next before an outside edge sped past short third.
Axar has been superb against spin this season. Still, Gill gave the 16th over to Sai Kishore. Axar ensured he faced all six balls and took 15 from them. Prasidh Krishna returned in the next over and dismissed Axar with his second ball.
Rahul brought up his hundred off 60 balls. In the 19th over, he hit Prasidh’s hard-length delivery for a straight six with a straight bat. Two balls later, he pulled him to square leg for four to get to the three-figure mark. Tristan Stubbs played a hand of 21 not out off ten, as DC scored 48 from the last four overs. But it was not enough.
Brief scores:
Gujarat Titans 205 for 0 in 19 overs (Sai Sudharsan 108*, Shubhman Gill 93*) beat Delhi Capitals 199 for 3 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 112*, Abishek Porel 30, Axar Patel 25, Tristan Stubbs 21; Arshad Khan 1-07, Pradish Krishna 1-40, Sai Kishore 1-47) by ten wickets
[Cricinfo]
Sri Lanka batter Kusal Mendis took to social media yesterday to acknowledge an act of generosity that ensured he made it to the IPL crease fully kitted. His gratitude was directed at a Sri Lankan living in Pakistan who went above and beyond to deliver Mendis’ cricket gear to Colombo just in time. While Mendis mentioned the name – Mr. Wayne Jansz – what he left out was the man’s cricketing pedigree.
Wayne Jansz isn’t just another good Samaritan; he’s a former cricketer who turned out for St. Joseph’s College in the 1970s before donning the whites for Tamil Union. In fact, Jansz still holds bragging rights for a marathon 352-run opening stand with Athula Samarasekara in 1981, breaking the longstanding record set by the legendary pair of Herbie Felsinger and Markin Salih for Moors.
The following season, Tamil Union clinched the domestic title under the captaincy of the ever-graceful Mr. S. Skandakumar. That side was a Who’s Who of Sri Lankan cricket: Ashley de Silva, now CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket and Channa Wijemanne, the man who has run the travel desk for George Steuart like a maestro orchestrating a symphony. In cricketing circles, if you needed to be flown out last minute or pulled out of a visa muddle, you don’t have to look beyond anyone but Channa or Bernard Wijetunga. Legend has it Channa once whisked Sanath Jayasuriya off to the Netherlands from the UK, no visa in hand, no questions asked.
Back to Mendis. When tensions flared between India and Pakistan earlier this year, the players were evacuated from Islamabad via military aircraft. In the chaos, Mendis was forced to leave behind his kit bag – a batsman without his gear, as naked as a knight without his sword.
So when the IPL came calling, Mendis’ team scrambled to retrieve the bag. Couriers told them it will take several days. That’s when Channa stepped in. And like any good fielder who knows where the ball is headed before it’s hit, he knew exactly who to call – Wayne Jansz.
Now a high-flyer in Pakistan’s garment industry, Jansz didn’t hesitate. He hopped on a flight from Karachi to Islamabad, collected the kit bag, flew back to Karachi, and from there dashed to Colombo – delivering the prized possession just in time for Mendis to catch his connection to India. All in a day’s work for a man who plays the long innings in service and humility.
It’s people like Wayne Jansz who don’t make the headlines but play match-winning knocks behind the scenes. Juggling a demanding corporate job while batting for the country’s cricketers takes the kind of commitment you won’t find in any stat sheet.
by Rex Clementine
Stage one competition of the Sir John Tarbet Junior Athletics Championship was held at Beliatta on May 17. Junior school athletes from the Southern and Sabaragamuwa Provinces and Moneragala district took part in this leg. Here are some action pictures of the event.
-
- S. L. Vithanage of Seevali Central Ratnapura competes in the Under 15 boys’ discus throw
-
- Buvindu Hansana of Deniyaya Central College cleared a distance of 40.61 metres in the Under 15 boys’ javelin throw.
-
- Winuki Dinewna of Sujatha Vidyalaya Matara produced the best long jump feat in the Under 15 girls’ event.
-
- Loshini Kodituwakku of Lyceum International Rathnapura had the best throw in the Under 15 girls’ javelin throw.
-
- Sanithu Kumodh of Rahula College Matara, the top performer of the Under 15 boys’ 800 meters.
(Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)
Joe Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ prostate cancer
IPL2025: Sai Sudharsan and Gill help clinical GT book playoffs berth
Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Puttalam, Nuwara-Eliya and Kandy districts
-
Features1 day agoSearching for George Keyt
-
Midweek Review5 days agoBronze statue for P’karan, NPP defeat in the North and 16th anniversary of triumph over terrorism
-
Features1 day agoThe Strategic Imperative:Why Sri Lanka Could Transform Indo-Pacific Security Through Space
-
News3 days agoChikungunya spreading rapidly in Colombo and suburbs
-
Life style1 day agoBehind the sparkle
-
News6 days agoExpert: Mismanagement of CEB hydro resources increases costly oil-powered electricity generation
-
News5 days agoFrench Navy Ship ‘BEAUTEMPS BEAUPRE’ sets sail from Colombo
-
Business2 days agoHameedia launches ‘We Create’ – Sri Lanka’s first-ever online tailoring platform