Sports

Mihini and Nimesh win best judoka titles

Published

3 years ago

2023/08/1

Sahan Weerasooriya

Mihini Dassanayake and Nimesh Abeykoon with their awards.

Sri Lanka Schools Judo Championships

Mihini Dassanayake of Girls’ High School Kandy and Nimesh Abeykoon of Kingswood College Kandy emerged as the best players in the girls’ and boys’ categories respectively at the 24th Sri Lanka Schools Judo Championship held on July 26 and 27at the Jayathillake Indoor Stadium, Nawalapitiya. Mihini is trained by veteran coach and former international, Namal Rajasinghe, while former Navy stalwart Chandana Vipulaweera coaches Nimesh.

Jinaraja Balika Vidyalaya, Gampola, won the girls’ overall first place with a massive aggregate of 23 points, with Kandy Girls High School coming second, with 13.5 points. Pushpadana Girls’ College Kandy and Panvilathenna MV were tied for girls’ third place.

Wickramabahu National School won the boys’ title with a narrow 1.5 margin, beating Anuruddha Kumara National School Nawalapitya. Royal College, Colombo were placed third. Over 80 schools from all parts of the country participated in this competition, organized by the Sri Lanka Schools Judo Association.

The competition had a senior division for Under 20 school players, and a junior category for under 16 players. Some fast-paced and high-quality Judo was seen in both categories, raising future hopes for the sport in this country. Judo has been developing rapidly in the country, with the number of participating schools increasing yearly. Sri Lanka has been represented in Judo at the last two Olympic games.

The winners are as follows.

Under 16 Boys

-35kg –

1st place A. W. Hasitha Pabasara (Anuruddha Kumara National School), 2nd place A. A. K. N. Bandara Aragoda (St. Andrews’ College Gampola), 3rd place W. M. P. S Wanasinghe (Ulapane MV), W. W. M. T. D. S. Wanigasekara (Wickramabahu National School)

-40kg –

1st place W. M. K. A. Wijekoon (Anuruddha Kumara National School), 2nd place T. D. Gamage (Anuruddha Kumara National School), 3rd place W. G. I. H. Jayasena (Wickramabahu National School), M. M. S. H. B. Marasinghe (Gangasiripura KV)

-45kg –

1st place I. H. Umesh Nimsara (Buddhist College Gampola) 2nd place L. W. V. N. Weerasekara (Wickramabahu National School) 3rd place K. G. L. Sandaruwan (Panvilathenna MV), G. A. Gamage (Wickramabahu National School)

-50kg –

1st place S. S. Rajasinghe (Wickramabahu National School), 2nd place M. K. N. Fernando (Prince of Wales College), 3rd place T. D. Gihan Keshara (Godapola MV), S. S. de Silva (Anuruddha Kumara National School)

-55kg –

1st place W. W. G. I. Fernando (Prince of Wales College), 2nd place S. A. Nethmika (D. S. Senanayake College), 3rd place N. M. C. G. Jayawardena (Wickramabahu National School), W. R. T. Jayawardena (Prince of Wales College)

-60kg –

1st place W. H. S. T. Fernando (Kurunduwaththa Royal College), 2nd place K. B. G. T. D. Weerathunga (Anuruddha Kumara National School), 3rd place A. W. G. Matheesha Iroshan (Wickramabahu National School), W. P. H. G. C. R. Dissanayake (St. Sylvester’s College)

-66kg –

1st place W. A. A. C. Wijesinghe (Kurunduwaththa Royal College), 2nd place J. M. S. T. Jayasekara (Anuruddha Kumara National School), 3rd place W. G. Senarathne (Lyceum International School), M. G. Theekshana Shalana (St. Andrews College Gampola)

+66kg – 1st place B. W. H. N. Karunathilake (Kingswood College), 2nd place C. A. Kuruwita (St. Peter’s College), 3rd place S. M. I. C. Weerasinghe (Vidyartha College), K. K. Weerasinghe (Anuruddha Kumara National School)

Under 16 Girls

-36kg

1st place T. G. Hiruni Sansala Gunarathne (Nillamba MV), 2nd place D. K. Thamasha Sanjali Avindya (Doluwa MV), 3rd place R. M. Amasha Thathsarani (Gamini Dissanayake National School), K. W. Dharshani Wasana (Panvilathenna MV)

-40kg

1st place H. I. G. Hathurusinghe (Jinaraja BMV), 2nd place M. D. N. Mahanayake (Jinaraja BMV), 3rd place R. U. G. Methmi Mahisha (Vijayapura MV), P. A. Pavani Avishka Jayarathne (Mederigama MV)

-44kg

1st place Kalashi Nimsara Banjanawaththa (Jinaraja BMV), 2nd G. G. H. V. Bandara (Mayurapada Central College), 3rd M. N. Dilshara (Delta Gemunupura Vidyalaya), S. G. Hansi Randika (Lakshapana Central College)

–48kg 1st place B. M. Chamodi Vihangi (Welimada Ambagasduwa Royal College), 2nd U. G. K. Sewmini (Waththegama BMV), 3rd T. G. D. M. Dharmasena (Ogodapola MV), T. G. H. S. K. Piyathissa (Waththegama BV)

-52kg

1st place N. G. K. G. Nagoda (Manikkawa KV), 2nd place H. N. L. Ellewaththa (Giraulla MV), 3rd place W. H. A. Dewlini Prarthana (Pavilathenna MV), E. M. P. T. B. Ekanayake (Pushpapada BMV)

-57kg

1st place R. M. Kavisha Nethmini (Welimada Ambagasduwa Royal College), 2nd place S. H. S. T. D. Dias (Waththegama BV), 3rd S. R. Dinithi Vihanga (Mederigama MV), T. M. C. S. Jayasinghe (Waththegama BV)

-63kg

1st place U. D. G. Dilsara Nethmini (Viharagala National School), 2nd L. A. V. Vidunima (Doluwa KV), 3rd Y. M. K. G. S. Sithara (Viharagala National School), D. M. N. S. Dissanayake (Panvilathenna MV)

+63kg

1st place U. G. K. O. Perera (Jinaraja BMV), 2nd place J. M. A. S. Jayasinghe (Pushpadana BMV), 3rd R. P. S. U. Randunuge (Mayurapada Central College), P. Vishalani (Saraswathi National School)

Under 20 Boys

-45kg

1st place H. G. D. S. Jayasiri (Wickramabahu National School), 2nd place S. T. I. D. Karunarathne (Giraulla MV), 3rd place K. G. P. Sathsara (Mahanama MV), Steve Mitchell Xavier (St. Peter’s College)

-50kg

1st place G. P. Hashan Umayanga (Wickramabahu National School), 2nd place K. T. S. S. Bandara (Panvilathenna MV), 3rd place K. M. S. A. Bandara (Kurunduwaththa Royal College), E. G. Y. B. Karunathilake (Kurunduwaththa Royal College)

-55kg

1st place K. B. N. I. Abeykoon (Kingswood College), 2nd place W. M. K. M. Weerasinghe (Wickramabahu National School), 3rd place T. K. K. G. Gihan Priyadarshana (Kahawaththa MV), S. A. T. Sandaruwan Chandheera (Wickramabahu National School)

-60kg

1st place S. L. M. Pushpakumara (Wickramabahu National School), 2nd S. M. S. M. Bandara (Kingswood College), 3rd G. P. H. C. C. de Silva (Kurunduwaththa Royal College), K. G. T. M. Keerthirathne (St. Anthony’s College)

-66kg

1st place M. A. A. Kalith (D. S. Senanayake), 2nd place Y. N. S. de Silva (Jinaraja Vidyalaya), 3rd place G. G. H. S. Samaraweera (Udaaludeniya Vidyalaya), J. M. Vimukthi Nuwan (Wickramabahu National School)

-73kg

1st place M. S Arfath (Gampola Muslim College), 2nd place B. G. C. M. Bogahadeniya (Kurunduwaththa Royal College), 3rd place P. D. V. Rangadiv (Kingswood College Kandy), D. M. G. D. D. Wijekumara (Anuruddha Kumara National School)

-81kg

1st place K. A. P. Sandaruwan (Kahawaththa MV), 2nd place P. H. S. R. D. de Silva (Anuruddha Kumara National School), 3rd place P. G. I. Reshan (Gampola Buddhist College), W. D. B. S. Dissanayake (Kurunduwaththa Royal College)

+81kg

1st place S. T. B. Nishshanka (Anuruddha Kumara National School), 2nd place D. Y. S. B. Dharmasiri (Sumangala MV), 3rd place A. M. B. B. Aththanayake (Wickramabahu National School), R. A. Chanul Sithmika (D. S. Senanayake College)

Under 20 Girls

-44kg

1st place B. G. U. S. Bandara (Wickramabahu National School), 2nd place H. M. I. A. Sathsarani (Panvilathenna MV), 3rd place B. A. S. H. Hansamali (Somadevi MV), Kinuri Savindya (Gangasiripura MV)

-48kg

1st place K. S. K. Hansamali (Wickramabahu National School), 2nd place A. M. P. D. Dissanayake (Waththegama BV), 3rd place H. P. T. Devindi (Viharagama MV), Y. G. G. Rasangika (Wickramabahu National School)

-52kg

1st place I. G. Roshini Nivarthana (Panvilathenna MV), 2nd G. M. S. D. Gunarathne St. Joseph BV), 3rd place R. A. M. S. Y. K. Ranasinghe (Kurunduwaththa Royal College), T. D. G. S. Navarathne (Giraulla MV)

-57kg

1st place K. M. J. S. Karunanayake (Pushpadana BV), 2nd place J. M. P. A. Jayasundara (Kandy Girls’ High School), 3rd place P. F. Subhani Harshini (Welimada Ambagasduwa Royal College), E. M. T. Ekanayake (Pushpadana BV)

-63kg

1st place Mihini Dassanayake (Kandy Girls’ High School), 2nd place J. M. Malsha Heshani (Somadevi MV), 3rd place I. A. Udayangani Subodha (Lakshapana Central College), M. P. I. N. Dilhani (Somadevi MV)

–70kg 1st place D. G. G. Tharushika Deniyage (Jinaraja BMV), 2nd place W. G. Navodya Sathsarani (Panvilathenna MV), 3rd place P. G. K. Madhuwanthi Jayarathne (Panvilathenna MV), H. G. A. P. Dissanayake (Pushpadana BV)

-78kg

1st place Thanumi Jayarathne (Kandy Girls’ High School), 2nd place T. M. V. K. Abeyrathne (Pushpada BV), 3rd place A. M. H. D. Aththanayake (Swarnamali BV), S. G. Chathushi Janodhya (Gamini Dissanayake National School)

+78kg

1st place L. H. D. N. de Silva (Kurunduwaththa Royal College), 2nd place P. R. K. Mudunduwa (St. Josephs BV), 3d place S. Gadhafi (Kandy Girls’ High School), M. G. B. S. Abeykoon (Pushpadana BV)

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Draw on the cards, but Mominul and Shanto extend Bangladesh’s lead

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/12

Priyan

Mominul Haque made 56 before falling close to stumps [Cricinfo]

Bangladesh edged ahead of Pakistan on a day cut in half by rain and bad light, with Monimul Haque and Najmul Hossain Shanto stretching their lead to 179, with seven wickets still in hand.

With the afternoon session wiped out entirely by torrential rains, Bangladesh were solid either side of it, thanks primarily to 105-run stand between the pair, their century partnership this Test, and just the third time a pair has done so for Bangladesh.

Pakistan’s seam bowlers threatened early after removing the openers cheaply once more, but found themselves held up by the two left-handers, with a late strike from Shaheen Shah Afridi in the final session the only triumph they had to show for the rest of the day.

The lights were on almost from the outset on an overcast morning, and the first dismissal looked like the kind a seam bowler would get on a green top under the clouds.

Abbas got one to nip back in off the surface into Mahmudul Hasan Joy’s pads, right under the knee roll. With Pakistan constricting the run-scoring, they struck again through Hasan Ali, who took advantage of the variable bounce to rear one up that caught the shoulder of Shadman Islam’s bat.

The job of rebuilding fell once more to the pair primarily responsible for putting Bangladesh in this position of relative control. Mominul and Shanto merely picked up where they’d left off, settling in and taking the sting out of Pakistan’s attack. Mominul was the more cautious one while Shanto gradually picked up the scoring rate, every run appearing to tilt the match situation ever so slightly Bangladesh’s way.

In the final half hour of the session, the pair looked positively dominant and, in a repeat of the first innings, the runs in that period flowed easily. Salman Ali Agha’s spin posed a threat early on, with Mohammad Rizwan dropping a sharp chance off an outside edge, but even that threat faded soon after. In his final over before lunch, Mominul leapt down the wicket and whacked him over his head.

That the heavens opened might have been an advantage for Pakistan, in that it broke up the pair’s rhythm and made Bangladesh’s calculations about the pacing of their innings more complicated. However, nearly four hours since then previous ball, the resumption of play saw no semblance of a loss of control from either batter. Both ambled to their half-centuries unencumbered, with only Abbas’s unerring accuracy and incessant ability to squeeze movement from a placid surface occasionally discomforting them.

Shan Masood had held off turning to Noman Ali until 35 overs had gone by, presumably largely because he did not wish to bowl a fingerspinner to two left-armers.

But as soon as he was handed the ball, he demonstrated why that theory did not deserve the weight Pakistan appeared to put in it. In his first over, he got one to rear up to Mominul, who could only splice the ball to short leg, where Abdullah Fazal put down a sharp chance. He was not taken out of the attack for the remainder of the day, often exploiting the rough around the left hander’s off stump, and nearly snaring Mushfiqur Rahim when he mistimed a slog agonisingly over long-on’s head.

Bangladesh’s serene progress was only interrupted when Afridi found seam movement to bring one into Mominul, who could not get his outside edge out of the way. With some time remaining in the final session, Pakistan may have hoped to trigger a collapse, but between then and until bad light forced the end of play, Shanto and Mushfiqur ensured there was no such thing.

Brief scores:
Bangladesh 413 and 152 for 3 in 50.3 overs (Najimul Hossain Shanto 58*, Mominul Haque 56; Hasan Ali 1-23) lead Pakistan 386 in 100.3 overs (Azan Awais 103, Imam-ul-Haq 45, Abdullah Fazal 60, Salman Agha 58, Mohammad Rizwan 59; Mehidy Hasan Miraz 5-102, Taijul Islam 2-46, Taskin Ahmed 2-70) by 179 runs

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

Miller, Axar and Ashutosh keep Delhi Capital’s IPL alive

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/12

Priyan

Shreyas Iyer grimaces after another loss for Punjab Kings [Cricinfo]

In a topsy-turvy contest, Delhi Capitals (DC) pulled off the highest successful T20 chase by any team in Dharmasala to hand Punjab Kings (PBKS) their fourth successive loss. Most importantly, the win kept DC’s slim hopes of making the IPL playoffs alive.

The pitch assisted seamers so much that no over of spin was bowled in the whole game – the only time that happened in an IPL match of considerable length was back in 2008. After being sent in, PBKS rode on Priyansh Arya and Shreyas Iyer’s half-centuries to post 210 for 5. Iyer later said he felt it was 30 more than the par score. It seemed that way when DC lost three wickets in the powerplay but Axar Patel and David Miller kept them going. Both scored fifties and took DC close.

PBKS’ wayward bowling – they conceded 17 wides – didn’t help them either. Miller’s dismissal gave them a chance to come back into the match. But, with 36 needed from three overs, Ashutosh Sharma, Madhav Tiwari and Auqib Nabi wrapped up the game with an over to spare.

In the last few days, all the chatter about Arya had been around his dismissals against the short ball. But Mitchell Starc started with a full delivery outside off stump, perhaps looking for early movement. Arya lofted it over cover-point for a six. In the reverse fixture, too, he had opened his account with a first-ball six, that time off Nabi.

When Starc went short, it was too short and sailed over for five wides. Arya launched another six in the over before Prabhsimran Singh capped it off with a four. Starc went for 22, the most he has conceded in the opening over of a T20. He did not bowl another over until the tenth of the innings.

Arya showed no respect to Lungi Ngidi either, welcoming him into the attack with back-to-back sixes. By the end of three overs, PBKS had raced to 51 for no loss.

The ball was still seaming around, and Nabi and Mukesh Kumar used it to put the brakes on the scoring rate. While Arya brought up his fifty off 24 balls, PBKS managed only 21 in the next three overs, with Nabi finishing the powerplay with a two-run over. Prabhsimran struggled for fluency for most of his innings and eventually fell to Mukesh for 18 off 15. Arya fell soon after, caught at deep cover off Tiwari, leaving PBKS at 97 for 2 after nine.

Iyer, batting at No. 3, started positively but Cooper Connolly was slow to get going. As a result, PBKS scored only 33 runs from overs 11 to 14. Connolly finally got his timing right and hit Starc over long-off for a 96-metre six in the 15th over. In the next, he took Ngidi for a four and a six off successive deliveries.

Iyer, anyway, was picking up regular boundaries. After a six-run 17th over by Mukesh, he hit Tiwari for two sixes, the first one taking him to his fifty off 32 balls. However, Tiwari removed Connolly in that over, and when Starc started the 19th by dismissing Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh off successive balls, it looked like the innings might peter out. But Suryansh Shedge hit the hat-trick ball over the bowler’s head for a six. He smashed another six and a four off Starc’s remaining three balls to take PBKS past 200.

Playing his first game of the season, Yash Thakur didn’t take long to make an impact. Bowling around the wicket in the second over of the innings, he uprooted Abishek Porel’s middle stump. From the other end, Arshdeep Singh dismissed KL Rahul with a short ball, Marco Jansen completing an excellent diving catch after running 28 metres from first slip towards fine leg. Iyer’s decision to give Arshdeep a third over in the powerplay also paid off as he cramped Sahil Parakh, who was charging down the pitch, with a short ball and had him caught at short third.

Axar and Tristan Stubbs stabilised the innings from 33 for 3. Stubbs was given a life on 9 when Arshdeep dropped him at long-on off Ben Dwarshuis. But Stubbs could add only three more to his tally. After a mix-up with Axar, he failed to beat Connolly’s direct hit at the non-striker’s end.

After Stubbs’ run out, DC were 74 for 4 in the ninth over. It could have been 74 for 5 a ball later but Shedge put down Axar at deep square leg. The DC captain, on 25 at that time, added 64 in 34 balls with Miller to revive the chase.

In dewy conditions, PBKS got the ball replaced after the 13th over. It didn’t bring much relief, though, and Axar hit Stoinis for a hat-trick of fours, bringing up his fifty on the way. However, attempting a six off the following ball, he holed out to long-on.

Miller and Ashutosh took 15 off Jansen in the 16th over. Miller then muscled Dwarshuis for two sixes off the first two balls of the 17th to make DC the favourites. He fell off the next ball trying to hit another six but Ashutosh’s use of angles and Tiwari’s clean hitting shut the door on PBKS.

Brief scores:
Delhi Capitals 216 for 7 in 19 overs (Sahil Parakh 13, Tristan Stubbs 12, Axar Patel 56, David Miller 51, Ashutosh Sharma 24, Madhav Tiwari 18*, Auqib Nabi 10*; Arshdeep Singh 2-21, Yash Thakur 2-55, Ben Dwarshuis 1-51, Marcus Stoinis 1-44) beat Punjab Kings 210 for 5 in 20 overs (Priyansh Arya 56, Prabhsimran Singh 18, Shreyas Iyer 59*, Cooper Connolly 38, Suryansh Shedge 21*; Mitchell Starc 2-57, Mukesh Kumar 1-31, Madhav Tiwari 2-40) by three wickets

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Sigera’s 189 powers Mahanama to major honours in drawn Big Match

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/12

Sahan Weerasooriya

Dulnith Sigera

A monumental innings by Dulnith Sigera who put on a commanding opening stand with Sineth Veerarathne highlighted proceedings as Mahanama College posted 387 for nine declared and secured major honours in their annual Big Match against arch rivals DS Senanayake College at the SSC Ground on Sunday.

‎Resuming after DS Senanayake had posted 344 in their first innings, Mahanama built their reply around a superb 192-run opening partnership between Sigera and Veerarathne, laying a solid foundation for a dominant batting display.

‎Sigera emerged the chief architect of the innings with a magnificent 189, anchoring the batting for more than 70 overs in an innings that combined patience with aggression. Facing 209 deliveries, he struck ten fours and nine sixes in an entertaining knock before being run out, narrowly missing out on a double century.

‎At the other end, Veerarathne provided ideal support with a valuable 91, facing 135 balls and hitting seven boundaries and a six as the pair frustrated the DS bowling attack with the opening stand.

‎Mahanama continued to capitalise on the strong platform even after the opening breakthrough, with useful contributions from Chamika Heenatigala (30) and Sanul Weerarathne (28), enabling them to declare on 387 for nine in 87.4 overs and gain the upper hand in the traditional encounter.

‎For DS Senanayake, Oshadha Perera claimed three wickets for 63 runs, while Randisha Bandaranayake and Haamid Afdhal picked up two wickets apiece.

‎The drawn encounter was notable for three outstanding batting feats and an impressive six-wicket haul by left-arm spinner Chamika Heenatigala.

‎If seasoned campaigner Sigera stole the limelight for Mahanama on the final day, it was 14-year-old Miyuru Bandara who captured attention on day one with a composed century that helped DS Senanayake compile 344 in their first innings.

‎The young opener displayed maturity beyond his years, scoring a patient 100, while Randisha Bandaranayake (48) and Chanul Athale (47) made important contributions lower down the order.

‎Heenatigala was the standout bowler for Mahanama, bowling tirelessly to finish with impressive figures of six wickets for 100 runs in 41 overs.

‎In their second essay DS Senanayake reached 54 for one before the match ended in a draw, with Shevan Welgama unbeaten on 25 and Sithru Gunarathna not out on 14.