Latest News
Phillips, Latham fifties rescue the Black Caps
A solid 144-run stand for the fifth wicket between Glenn Phillips (71) and Tom Latham (68) helped New Zealand to post a challenging total of 288 against Afghanistan in Chennai on Wednesday (October 18). A whopping 103 runs came off the final ten overs as Afghanistan lost the plot during the slog overs. Their catching in general was also faulty and it allowed New Zealand to get about 30-40 runs more than it looked possible.
Put in to bat, New Zealand lost the usually reliable Devon Conway in the first Powerplay to Mujeeb-ur-Rahman but the Kiwis were on track thanks to a stroke-full fifty from Will Young who had good company from the impressive Rachin Ravindra. The surface being the one used in the New Zealand-Bangladesh game, there was enough value for strokeplay with a shorter boundary at one end. However, this being the second game meant that it was also a tough drier in that fixture. Young and Ravindra seemed to have things in control until Azmatullah Omarzai was introduced into the attack.
The all-rounder took just two deliveries to break the promising partnership and had both set batters out in the same over to jolt New Zealand. More trouble awaited the batting side as Daryl Mitchell fell next over to Rashid Khan. From 109/1, New Zealand were suddenly 110/4 with more than half the overs left in the tank. That’s when stand-in skipper Latham joined hands with Phillips to do the repair job. It wasn’t always easy going for them, particularly against the slower bowlers and when pace was taken off, but they hung in there. Like the earlier batters, both were also aided by some simply dropped catches in the field.
Afghanistan had to pay dearly for the lapses as both batters set themselves for the final flourish, and executed their plan perfectly. Phillips was the more fluent of the lot although he did rein himself in for a major part of the innings. Latham struggled to find his range until the back end but he too was then into the act with those trademark ramps and lofted strokes. Apart from the dropped catches, the bowling in the death overs was also quite wayward from Afghanistan who would have preferred a chase in the 260 range. But with dew expected later, this is still a target they can chase, just that it will take a lot more doing against the wily New Zealand attack.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 288/6 in 50 overs (Glenn Phillips 71, Tom Latham 68; Naveen-ul-Haq 2-48) vs Afghanistan
President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that steps will be taken to provide the necessary facilities to eliminate organized crime and drug abuse, as well as to introduce new legislation.
The President made these remarks during a discussion held today (18) at the Presidential Secretariat with the police chiefs of the Western Province.
He emphasized that maintaining the rule of law is a key responsibility of the Police Department.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake further stated that a just society cannot be established in Sri Lanka without ensuring the supremacy of the rule of law.
Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ananda Wijepala; Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala; Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Ravi Seneviratne; Acting Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasooriya; and several Western Province police chiefs were also present at the event.
The Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme has been implementing from 01-07-2023 and this scheme has been finally amended by the Extra Ordinary Gazette No 2415/66 dated 21-12-2024.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to publish the following through a Gazette Notification, amending the benefits provided under the presently empowered Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme within the provisions allocated by the budget estimate for the year 2025.
• To extend the period of entitlement of benefits for the transitional social category included in schedule 1 of the Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme up to 30-04-2025.
• To increase the monthly assistance payment from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 provided to persons with disabilities and receiving treatment for kidney diseases and elderly persons, respectively, that are included in Schedule II of the said scheme and to
implement the said decision from April 2025.
• To extend the period of payment provided for the disable persons, kidney patients, and elderly persons given in the Schedule II, up to 31-12-2025 subject to the above proposals.
• Even though the payment of allowances under the transitional social category will be stopped after April 2025, the period of payment for disabled persons, kidney patients, and elderly persons, of these families will be extended up to 31-12-2025.
• Payment of relevant eligible persons by inclusion of newly forwarded applications of disabled and kidney patients subject to the maximum limit up to 31-12-2025.
Latest News
Fertilizer, financial subsidy to farmers who are cultivating the paddy in the Yala season 2025
The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to grant the approval to provide a financial subsidy for the farmers who are cultivating paddy in the yala season 2025 and for the farmers who are cultivating other crops in the paddy land, taking into consideration the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation.
Two books written based on parliamentary legacy presented to PM
Strengthen law enforcement processes to protect public law and order without any external influence – President
President holds discussions with Western Province Police chiefs
-
Foreign News3 days agoSearch continues in Dominican Republic for missing student Sudiksha Konanki
-
Features6 days agoRichard de Zoysa at 67
-
News7 days agoAlfred Duraiappa’s relative killed in Canada shooting
-
Features3 days agoThe Royal-Thomian and its Timeless Charm
-
Midweek Review7 days agoRanil in Head-to-Head controversy
-
Features6 days agoSL Navy helping save kidneys
-
News4 days agoDPMC unveils brand-new Bajaj three-wheeler
-
Features3 days ago‘Thomia’: Richard Simon’s Masterpiece