Sports

Pressing the self destruction button

Published

2 years ago

2021/07/18

by Rex Clementine

The Cricket Committee chaired by former great Aravinda de Silva and comprising some of the finest brains to have played the game is one of the best things to have happened for the game in the last ten years. Methodically, they seem to be building up a structure which will make domestic cricket and the game at grass root levels stronger and it will help in the longer run. But there are also one or two areas they need to bring their expertise in and maybe put their foot down. They simply can not let amateurs handle key aspects of the sport.

You can understand the fact that the Cricket Committee does not want to interfere in selections but certain things they can not simply let go. At the moment, there is little clarity on some of the selections that are being done. Even K.M. Nelson, not the most popular cricket selector around, would have fared better.

Sri Lanka’s batting looked thin in England where they failed to bat out their 50 overs. Now that Kusal Janith Perera is out of the series, batting looks even thinner. There are just four front line batsmen for the 50 over format and it remains to be seen what’s the team’s strategy going to be to utilize their full quota of overs leave alone beating India. Against the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal this is going to be a tough ask.

Some say that this is a second string Indian team and Sri Lanka should fare better but make no mistake. This is a well drilled side under Rahul Dravid, who is known for his meticulous planning. Having tasted success with India Under-19 team and the ‘A’ team, this is Dravid’s first international exposure and he would be wanting to prove his credentials that he is the right man to take over the senior side from Ravi Shastri.

Sri Lanka’s planning has to improve leaps and bounds. You can be assured that some schools that are playing cricket do much better planing than the national cricket team. Here’s why. With KJP on the mend, the indications were that he was going to miss out on the series. The authorities did not bother to include a wicketkeeper in the squad.

Eventually, Minod Bhanuka was pulled out from the Dambulla bubble and rushed to Colombo. But giving someone who has featured in just one ODI a mere 48 hours ahead of the game is poor planning. It is like asking Basil Rajapaksa to fix the economy in two months.

It was also strange that KJP had to be named in the squad and then we had to be told that that he is injured. Media reported that KJP will not be part of the series two days before the squad was announced.

The selectors seem to be not keen to pick the players who are on war path. So leaving out the likes of Angelo Mathews, Dimuth Karunaratne and all others is understandable. But then, should they have picked some of the players like Roshen Silva, Angelo Perera or Ashan Priyanjan. They had been already in a bubble and surely once KJP was out, at least one of them should have been retained.

The first ODI will get underway today at RPS. All games will be played at RPS. The T-20 will follow the ODIs.

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Jadeja’s nerveless hitting gifts Chennai Super Kings fifth IPL title

Published

20 hours ago

2023/05/30

Priyan

Jadeja finished the chase with a 6 and a 4 off the last two balls from Mohit Sharma in the 20th over

Chennai Super Kings became IPL champions for the fifth time in a game befitting a title clash. With 10 needed off the last two deliveries, Ravindra Jadeja smacked a six down the ground and a four to fine leg off Mohit Sharma to seal one of the most dramatic finales in the history the tournament.

Brief Scores:

Gujarat Titans 214/4 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 96, Wriddhiman Saha 54; Matheesha Pathirana 2-44) lost to Chennai Super Kings 171/5 in 20 overs (Devon Conway 47, Shivam Dube 32*) by 5 wickets (DLS method)

Sports

Chameera returns after surgery but no place for KJP

Published

20 hours ago

2023/05/30

Sahan Weerasooriya

Dushmantha Chameera returns to the side after a seventh month layoff.

Fast bowler Dushmanta Chameera returns to the side after a seven month layoff having undergone ankle surgery as the selectors picked a balanced squad for the three-match series against Afghanistan starting later this week at Suriyawewa.

Although Chameera has been named in the squad, there was no place for top order batsman Kusal Janith Perera, who had returned to 20 side in New Zealand two months ago. KJP on that occasion had only been picked for T-20s and there are question marks about his fitness for the 50 over format.

Fans will be hoping that by the time the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe begin next month, KJP will be cleared to feature in the 50 over format as well. One of the most destructive batters in the side, KJP has been in and out of the team due to injuries.

Opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne also makes a comeback to the ODI outfit having been axed from the 50 over format two years ago. Sri Lanka’s problems of not being able to bat out 50 overs in recent times is seen as the reason for Dimuth’s return to the side.

Uncapped leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha has also been named in the squad but now that Wanindu Hasaranga has recovered from an injury, he’s expected to play ahead of the 29-year-old.

There’s no place for left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka either although there was lot of excitement when he first made an impact during last year’s Asia Cup. Young all-rounder Dunith Wellalage has also been overlooked for the three-match series.

The selectors are not expected to do too many changes from the 16-member squad chosen for the Afghanistan series for the World Cup qualifiers.

The first ODI gets underway Friday (2nd June) followed by games on June 4th and 7th. The series was drafted in to give the Sri Lankan team some competitive games ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.

Sri Lanka Squad:

Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Kusal Mendis (Vice-Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha

Afghanistan Squad:

Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmat Shah (Vice-Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhail (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujib ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Abdul Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Farid Ahmad Malik.

Sports

Yupun out of competitions for few weeks due to injury

Published

20 hours ago

2023/05/30

Sahan Weerasooriya

Yupun Abeykoon

by Reemus Fernando

Sprinter Yupun Abeykoon who suffered an injury during last week’s 100 metres final of the Savona International Meet will ‘stay away from competitions for few weeks.’

“After the MRI test which I took after my race in Savona, it is unfortunate that I have to inform you all that due to a minor hamstring injury I have to stay away from competitions for a few weeks due to medical advice given by experts,” said the Italy based sprinter in a statement yesterday.

Abeykoon was placed second behind Reece Prescod of Britain in the final of the Savona International Meet last week. The national record holder returned a wind-assisted 10.01 seconds (+2.7) performance to open his season in the 100metres. However, despite placing second in the final, he was seen struggling during the last few metres of the race. The injury means he must skip one of the major 100 metres events this week.

The first South Asian Sprinter to break the ten seconds barrier in the men’s 100 metres, Abeykoon was expected to compete against a star-studded lineup at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Florence later this week.

The world-class lineup includes world champion Fred Kerley and Kenyan world leader in the 100 metres this season, Ferdinand Omanyala.

“I have already started my rehab process with my physio, doctors and the rest of the staff and I am looking forward to coming back stronger than I was in the upcoming competitions,” he further stated.

The highest-ranked Sri Lankan male athlete, Abeykoon is the prime medal hopeful at this year’s Asian Games. Sri Lanka Athletics is relying heavily on Abeykoon to end the country’s medal drought in track and field at the quadrennial event.

He is also the only male athlete to be in the required range in the world rankings to be eligible for selection for this year’s World Championships.