Sports
Mahanama look for maiden Under 19 cricket title
Braced with a strong batting lineup and a balanced bowling attack, Mahanama will take the field as strong favourites when they meet Richmond in the Under 19 Division I Tier A limited overs cricket tournament final at Surray Village ground today.
Mahanama are in their first ever Division I tournament final. But historical data doesn’t seem to have any bearing as the team captained by Dulnith Sigera look formidable in the batting department than their counterparts who have frequented this territory before.
From openers Sineth Weerarathne and skipper Dulnith Sigera, Venura Kaveethra, Chamika Heenatigala, Sanul Weerarathne, Yashen Gunathilake, Sithum Vihanga to Eshan Withanage all have made contributions with the bat during the limited exposure they received this season. With the top order batsmen sealing victory early, the middle and late order batsmen had their work cut short. The only time the entire batting lineup came to bat was when they batted first in the quarter final.
In the bowling department, Sigera will lead the pace attack with Geeth Sandaruwan.
Left-arm spinners Chamika Heenatigala and Sithum Vihanga and off-spinners Venura Kaveethra and Sanul Weerarathne share slow bowling duties.
Mahanama have remained unbeaten throughout and will look to extend the same to bag their maiden title.
Richmond have produced some exciting results during the knockout stage having eliminated the defending champions and strong title contenders St. Joseph’s in the quarter final with a strong bowling performance.
The team captained by Bevin Jayawardhana also produced an impressive semi-final win after being four wickets down for 30 runs at one stage to beat Gurukula by five wickets.
Richmond’s confidence will be high after Bevin Jayawardhana and Tenusha Nimsara eased middle order tensions in the semi final with a match turning sixth wicket stand.
The odds are stacked heavily against Richmond but as they have proven during the knockout stage, they will be looking to upset the favourites.
For Richmond, Tenura Dias and Nethsara Akash will share the new ball. They have three left-arm spinners, namely, Nethuja Basitha, Tenusha Nimsara and Hiruk Akalanka performing slow bowl duties with off spinner Minaga Ariyadasa
Teams:
Richmond (from):
Bevin Jayawardane (Captain), Minaga Ariyadasa, Tenusha Nimasara, Nethuja Basitha, Risinu Rupasinghe, Ameesha Rasanjana, Daham Mendis, Shevan De Zoyza, Ranindu Chanik, Hiruk Akalanka, Randinu Abeysirigunawardena, Tenura Dias, Nethsara Akash Hewa, Senuk Dulneth, Gayuka Kavishka, Udula Kumudaka, Vihansa Thejas, Arosh Jerial, Tharul Shanilka, Chalindu Dulmina, Vihanga Indusara.
Official:
Chamith Rangana (Master in Charge), Mahesh Sandaruwan (Head Coach), Lahiru Maduwantha (Asst. Coach), Avindu Theekshana (Asst. Coach), Sidath Priyankara (Asst. Coach).
Mahanama (from):
Dulnith Sigera (Captain), Chamika Heenatigala, Eshan Withanage, Gimantha Dissanayake, Sithum Vihanga, Venura Kaveethra, Geeth Sandaruwan, Sineth Weerarathne, Sanul Weerarathne, Sithum Sathnindu, Yashen Gunathilake, Yenitha Gunasekara, Kaushika Thilakarathne, Thaviru Perera, Vimash Madanayake, Navindu Rodrigo, Yasith Angammana, Tehnuj Rashmin, Sanuka Ganepola, Abhinu Thathsuka, Dulnith Algewatte.
Officials:
Akila Rajapaksha (Master in Charge), Ashan Priyanjan (Head Coach), Sonal Dulshan (Asst. Coach).
by Reemus Fernando
Kusal Mendis’ 93 not out off 117 balls provided the backbone, Janith Liyanage punched out a 46, and DunithWellalage produced late burst, as Sri Lanka strode to 271 for 6. On a track that offers turn, and at a venue at which chasing has historically been difficult, Sri Lanka’s is a solid – if not imposing – score, even if the hosts are resting some key bowlers.
Adil Rashid added to his excellent Sri Lanka record with 3 for 44, and was unsurprisingly England’s primary weapon, given the conditions. Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, and Rehan Ahmed claimed a wicket each, as England found frequent-enough breakthroughs to cut partnerships short before they grew truly worrying. Although Sri Lanka will be pleased with their score, England will believe it is within their reach.
Mendis was cautious early on. Arriving in the 11th over, he faced out 12 scoreless deliveries – 10 of those from England’s legspinners – before he nurdled himself onto the scoreboard. He was awake to scoring opportunities, particularly in his favoured zones square of the wicket, such as when he struck Rehan for successive boundaries behind point in the 15th over.
But as England continued to bowl tightly to him, and the spinners extracted turn from a dry surface, Mendis chose to proceed in a middling gear, pushing for singles and twos instead of dusting off his more aggressive sweeps. He got to 50 off 62 balls, but slowed down a little after that, particularly after he lost Liyanage, with whom he had put on 88 for the fifth wicket.
Although Mendis hit only a single four after the 41st over, Sri Lanka had Wellalage to crash the finishing boundaries. He hit three fours and a six in his 12-ball 25 not out. Mendis was in the 90s in the last two overs, but Wellalage claimed the majority of the strike, taking a particular shine to Jamie Overton in the final over, which went for 23.
Rashid was masterful with the ball almost from the outset. He slipped a googly past the defences of Kamil Mishara 10 balls into his first spell, then later trapped Dhananjaya de Silva in front, having beaten the batter in the flight. Then in the 43rd over, he cramped Liyanage up and took a simple catch off his own bowling, just as Liyanage was preparing to press the pedal to the floor.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 271 for 6 in 50 overs (Pathum Nissanka 21, Kamil Mishara 27, Kusal Mendis 93*, Janith Liyanage 46, Dunith Welalage 25*; Adil Rashid 3-44) vs England
[Cricinfo]
Asif Nazrul, the Bangladesh government’s sports advisor, on Thursday said that the ICC and the BCCI made no effort to convince the the Bangladesh Cricket Board of the security for their players in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. He also added that they did not deliver justice to their plea of shifting matches to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first in the opening ODI in Colombo, a venue that has historically been difficult for chasing teams. England captain Harry Brook said his team would have batted first as well.
England made one change to the XI they had named on the eve of the match, with allrounder Will Jacks having taken ill overnight. Jacks, an offspin-bowling allrounder, has been replaced in the XI by legspinning allrounder Rehan Ahmed.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have opted for a young attack, perhaps with a view to resting the more experienced bowlers for the T20Is coming up. There is no Wanindu Hasaranga or Maheesh Theekshana in the XI. Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage and legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay will lead the spin attack instead, with the likes of Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka also able to bowl.
Asitha Fernando and Pramod Madushan are the frontline seamers.
Although conditions were warm and fair at the toss, there is a chance showers could roll through later.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (capt.), Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Ratnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
[Cricinfo]
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