Sports

Lyon’s 8-64 puts Australia in sight of a famous win

Published

2 years ago

2023/03/3

AUSTRALIA TOUR OF INDIA, 2023

Nathan Lyon led the way with the ball for Australia picking up a magnificent 8-64, his second-best Test figures, as India were bowled out for just 163, setting Australia a target of 76 to seal a famous win.For India, Cheteshwar Pujara led the way with a masterclass on a spinning pitch, scoring 59 and dragging India along with him even as he kept losing partners at the other end. His defiance was ended by a moment of brilliance from Steve Smith, at leg slip, topping off a great day out for him as a captain.

Marshalling his resources expertly, Smith did not allow the game to drift away and kept making changes to his bowling attack to not allow the batters to get on top. His moves paid off well when Shreyas Iyer, who had counterattacked with a 27-ball 26 against the spinners, fell as soon as the pacer was brought on, with Usman Khawaja taking a sharp chance at midwicket.

This stemmed any momentum that India had a little into the third session, before the lower order capitulated on a raging turner, with the innings ending eerily similar to how it started with Mohammad Siraj swinging wildly against Lyon to be bowled.

It had started in similar fashion with Lyon getting past a wildly swinging Shubman Gill in the first over after the Lunch break. While Rohit Sharma kept Pujara company for 58 balls, he too copped one that shot through a tad low from Lyon and was out LBW, with DRS too going against his wishful call. Virat Kohli had a nervy stay in the middle getting past a few close shaves, but on 13 after he had slapped a short ball from Matthew Kuhnemann to the cover boundary, he tried to pull one and was trapped LBW again. The trend continued minutes before Tea, when Lyon ended Ravindra Jadeja’s dogged 36-ball stay getting him out LBW with the aid of a review.

All through this, Pujara managed to be more confident with his footwork drilling a couple of drives to keep the scoreboard ticking along and shaving off the deficit, and briefly along with Iyer India threatened to take a significant lead, with the No.3 registering his 35th Test fifty in the process. However it all came to a rapid halt thanks to some relentlessly accurate spin bowling from Australia.

Earlier in the day, despite a collapse that saw Australia lose their last six wickets for 11 runs, the visitors finished with a possibly pivotal lead of 88 runs.

Starting the day with a lead of 47, Cameron Green and Peter Handscomb made it Australia’s first hour seeing it out without much problem. India opted to start with their two left-arm spinners after a brief spell from Mohammed Siraj in that hour and it did not yield the desired results.

Both Handscomb and Green used their long reach to smother the spin and defend confidently, and ground the attack out while adding 30 invaluable runs through that hour.

However, things took a drastic turn after R Ashwin and Umesh Yadav started operating in tandem in the second hour. Ashwin was the first to get the breakthrough having Handscomb caught at short leg and breaking a stoic partnership worth 40 in 134 balls.

In the next over Umesh hit Green on the backfoot and had an LBW decision upheld by the barest of margins as the batter reviewed. This was followed by a demolition job of the tail with Umesh sending the stumps flying to send back Todd Murphy and Mitchell Starc, while Ashwin cleaned up Lyon who missed a big sweep.

The collapse saw Australia lose six wickets in less than half an hour, giving India a slight opening but Lyon and Co. ensured that there was no let-up.

Brief Scores:

India 109 (Virat Kohli 22; Matthew Kuhnemann 5-16, Nathan Lyon 3-35) and 163 all out (Cheteshwar Pujara 59; Nathan Lyon 8-64) lead Australia 197 (Usman Khawaja 60, Marnus Labuschagne 31; Ravindra Jadeja 4-63, R Ashwin 3-44, Umesh Yadav 3-12) by 75 runs.

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Sports

Four relay teams in 20 member team picked for Asian Athletics Championships

Published

2 mins ago

2025/05/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Rasara Wijesuriya / Kalinga Kumarage

Sri Lanka Athletics has picked a team of twenty athletes inclusive of four relay teams for the upcoming Asian Athletics Championship.

The men’s and women’s 4×400 metres, 4×400 metres mixed relay and men’s 4×100 metres are the realy events taken part by Sri Lanka. Kalinga Kumarage and Aruna Dharshana who were part of the gold winning men’s 4×400 metres team at the last edition are joined by juniors Sadew Rajakaruna, Omel Shashintha and Kalhara Indupa for the Gumi, South Korea event taking place from May 27 to 31.

Experienced campaigners Kalinga and Dharshana will also be part of the mixed relay.

Italy based sprinter Yupun Abeykoon and reigning national 100 metres champion Chamod Yodasinghe will compete in the 100 metres and are joined by Deneth Weeraratne, Merone Wijesinghe and H.D.M.C.B. Dissanayake to form the 4×100 metres relay.

Nadeesha Ramanayake who won the women’s 400 metres at the last edition will feature in the women’s 4×400 metres alongside Sayuri Lakshima, Jayeshi Uththara and Nishendra Fernando and Jithma Wijetunga.

Ananda College Colombo athlete Lesandu Arthavidu will compete in the high jump. His recent performance of 2.22 metres has stood in good stead for the school athlete to be in the senior team.

Sri Lanka will have high hopes on javelin throwers Sumeda Ranasinghe and Rumesh Tharanga who are the leading throwers in Asia this year.

In the women’s category javelin thrower Dilhani Lekamge and long distance runner Rasara Wijesuriya are the other members.

Lekamge won the bronze medal with a Sri Lanka national record performance of 60.93 metres at the last edition. Wijesuriya is in top form after creating records in long distance events. She will compete in both the 5000m and the 10,000 metres.

Tharushi Karunaratne who won the gold medal in the 800 metres is the notable absentee. She is currently studying and training in the USA.

Team

Men’s:

Yupun Abeykoon (100m, 200m, 4x100m), Chamod Yodasinghe (100m, 4x100m), Deneth Weeraratne (4x100m) Merone Wijesinghe(4x100m), H.D.M.C.B. Dissanayake (4x100m),

Kalinga Kumarage(men’s 4x400m, mixed relay), Aruna Dharshana (men’s 4x400m, mixed relay), Sadew Rajakaruna (4x400m), Omel Shashintha (4x400m), Kalhara Indupa (4x400m), Sumeda Ranasinghe (javelin), Rumesh Tharanga (javelin), Lesandu Arthavidu (high jump).

Women’s

Nadeesha Ramanayake (400m, 4x400m, mixed relay), Sayuri Lakshima (4x400m), Nishendra Fernando(4x400m), Jayeshi Uththara (4x400m), Jithma Wijetunga (4x400m), Dilhani Lekamge (javelin), Rasara Wijesuriya(5000m, 10000m).

by Reemus Fernando

Sports

Galle secure NSL title

Published

4 mins ago

2025/05/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Galle captain Ramesh Mendis receives the championship trophy from SLC Secretary Bandula Dissanayake after his side won the First Class title at SSC yesterday.

Galle secured the country’s premier First Class cricket title – National Super League (NSL) – when they overcame Dambulla on first innings points in the final that concluded at SSC yesterday.

Galle and Dambulla qualified for the final after topping the points table in the league stage and Galle were declared champions after their first innings victory.

Put into bat first, Galle posted 370 thanks to a hundred by Oshada Fernando and Dinesh Chandimal (80) as they shared an 118 run stand for the second wicket. Quick Mohammad Shiraz was the pick of the bowlers finishing with six wickets.

Wicketkeeper Vishad Randkia held Dambulla’s innings together posting a hundred after opener Ron Chandgraguptha had hit 65. Dambulla were bowled out for 313 with Nimsara Atharagalla picking up five wickets.

The fact that Dambulla ended up with a first innings deficit meant that they had to win the game outright to clinch the title.

All what Galle had to do was to bat out time with a bit of bad weather around the corner and that’s exactly what they did to secure the title.

They posted 246 for five with Dinesh Chandimal scoring another half-century in the second innings.

At 162 for five, Dambulla still had an outside chance but Dunith Wellalage and Ramesh Mendis posted unbeaten half-centuries to ensure the title was theirs.

Ramesh Mendis finished as the second highest leading run scorer in the competition with 454 runs followed by Chandimal with 453 runs.

Sports

Six players from Sri Lanka reach second round

Published

5 mins ago

2025/05/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Mayooran Kubherane (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)

ITF Junior Circuit J30 Week I Tennis

Dinara de Silva, the winner of the ITF Junior Circuit J30 week one tournament advanced to the second round of the week two tournament with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Shreeya Deshpande of India at the SSC courts in Colombo.

While Gehansa Methnadi reached the second round with a 7-4, 6-4 win in the girls’ singles, Mayooran Kubherane and Ganuka Fernando booked second round berths in the boys’ singles. Yuhansa Peiris and Ashlin de Silva reached the second round earlier.

The second round matches were scheduled for yesterday evening.