Sports
Promising Ranhinda smashes 18 year old National Junior record
by Reemus Fernando
On a day highlighted by the return of Asian Games medallists Tharushi Karunaratne and Jayeshi Uththara to top national schools competitions, Royal College, Panadura thrower Jayavi Ranhinda Alwis stole the limelight with a record breaking feat in the Under 20 boys’ shot put at the All Island Schools Games Athletics Championship at the Sugathadasa Stadium on Monday.
Ranhinda concluded his event with a massive throw of 16.64 metres to shatter the national junior record in the boys’ shot put that had remained unshaken since 2005.
Ranhinda erased Oshan Ranjith Perera’s 2005 national junior record of 16.56 metres in his final attempt. When he produced his best he had also improved the meet record four times during the competition.
Five out of his six throws landed beyond the previous meet record mark of 15.43 metres (2022) held by Uvindu Sudharaka of Rahula College, Matara. He also cleared the 16 metres barrier twice. His six throws were measured at 15.46, 15.41, 15.95, 16.42, 15.62 and 16.64 metres.
As expected both Tharushi Karunaratne and Jayeshi Uththara lived up to their billing as they produced impressive performances in their respective heats in the Under 20 girls’ 400 metres to advance to the final as the two fastest athletes.
Asian Games gold medallist Karunaratne clocked 55.87 seconds to win her heat comprehensively. Uththara eased to a 56.90 seconds finish in her heat. Both Ratnayake Central, Walala and Holy Cross College, Gampaha athletes are expected to produce a thrilling climax to the Under 20 400 metres finals today.
Maris Stella College, Negombo commenced the meet bagging the gold and silver in the Under 20 boys’ pole vault as Nimuthu Oshadha Fernando and Hasthika Wickramasekara cleared 4.20 metres and 4.10 metres respectively to deny Northern Province the top two places. Northerners who generally dominate this event settled for the third, fourth and fifth places. They failed to clear the four metres.
St. Lawrence’s Convent, Wellawatta athlete Oshini Kodikara bagged her third title of the year in the Under 18 girls’ triple jump with a feat of 11.82 metres. A field of over 25 athletes competed against wind after the event commenced with a delayed start due to a fault in the take off board. Malisha Manohari of Prajapati Balika, Ambalangoda (11.60m), Harini Adithya Fernando of Good Shepherd Convent, Panadura (11.37m) and Nimadi Nethmini of Viharagala M.V. (11.00m) all cleared the 11 metres mark.
In the Under 14 boys’ high jump K. Pakirjan of Kaluthavalai M M V, Batticaloa cleared 1.69 metres.
The Under 16 girls’ discus throw was won by Mahamaya Girls’ College, Kandy athlete Maheshi Kulasekara who cleared a distance of 31.13 metres. She was the only athlete to clear the 30 metres mark.
In the other finals held on Monday, Dilki Nehara of Pothupitiya Maha Vidyalaya (Under 16 girls’ long jump- 5.54m), M.N.W. Karunarathna of Taxila Central, Horana (Under 20 girls’ shot put- 11.08m) and H.P.D.S. Kumara of Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa (Under 18 boys’ javelin throw 62.74m) were the winners.
Is it 2023 again ? Mumbai Indians [MI] and Delhi Capitals [DC], two consistently good teams with all-star line-ups, meet again in the WPL final. While DC have breezed into the final this season, MI are coming in battle-hardened, having had to take the circuitous route by playing three matches in four days to get there.
DC have been strong in most departments, and have got their selection calls right throughout the season. Their captain Meg Lanning hit form late in the tournament, Shafali Verma has continued to churn out the runs at the top of the other, and the move to promote Jess Jonassen to No. 3 has paid off. But for DC to look more threatening, they’d want their middle order to step up further. Their middle order (Nos. 4 to 7) collectively averages 17.50, the lowest this season, and have struck at 116.66, which is the second-lowest among all teams.
MI’s line-up also drips with power and strength. Powerplay bowling has been one of DC’s strongest suits, but only MI have bettered that. DC’s bowlers have taken 50 wickets at 23.84 in this phase, while MI have 61 wickets at 22.68.
For MI,Nat Sciver-Brunt has been at her brutal best, Hayley Matthews has delivered with both bat and ball, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur has hit high tempo. The rest of the line-up, though, has blown hot and cold.
But MI will be playing at their home ground – a venue where they’ve lost just once in seven games – and that tilts the scales in their favour. DC, though, have had a good seven days break, and will be coming in without the pressure of having had to scramble for a place in the final. Two heartbreaking finals later, will third time be the charm for them?
MI had promoted Amelia Kerr to the opening slot, and pushed Yastika Bhatia down the order for a couple of games. While Yastika was able to make quick runs from her new position, Kerr, who hasn’t been in the best of form with the bat, wasn’t able to capitalise on her starts. The order went back to what it was in the Eliminator against Gujarat Giants (GG), but neither player made an impact. Will MI switch their positions again to get the best out of Yastika?
MI had also brought in left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque in place of Parunika Sisodia for the Eliminator. Will they pick Ishaque again for the final after she bowled just one over against GG?
DC, who were last in action on March 7, are unlikely to make any changes to their line-up.
Mumbai Indians (probable): Hayley Matthews, Amelia Kerr, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Amanjot Kaur, Yastika Bhatia (wk), S Sajana, G Kamalini, Sanskriti Gupta, Shabnim Ismail, Saika Ishaque
Delhi Capitals (probable): Meg Lanning (capt), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Annabel Sutherland, Marizanne Kapp, Jess Jonassen, Sarah Bryce (wk), Niki Prasad, Minnu Mani, Shikha Pandey, Titas Sadhu
[Cricinfo]
Dinara de Silva secured a place in the singles semi-final and also booked a spot in the doubles final at the ITF Junior Circuit J30 Week 1 tournament continued at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association clay courts on Friday.
Dinara de Silva overcame a first set defeat to beat Gwen Emily Kurniawan of Indonesia 2-1 (4-6, 6-0, 6-1) in the quarter-final.
Dinara is set to meet Shivali Gurung of Nepal in the semi-final.
In the doubles semi-final Dinara joined China’s Yijia Zhao to beat Japan’s Sakino Miyazawa and Eyuyo Shida 6-4, 4-6, 10-5.
Debutant Malki Madara’s three-for combined with two-fors from Kavisha Dilhari and Inoshi Priyadharshani set up a comfortable victory for Sri Lanka in the T20I series opener in Christchurch. Chamari Athapaththu’s unbeaten 64 off 48 balls then took the visitors home with seven wickets in hand. This was Sri Lanka’s first T20I win in New Zealand and second win overall against New Zealand in the format.
Emma McLeod (44) was New Zealand’s highest scorer but only two of her team-mates got into double figures, and there was only one partnership that stretched past 20 balls.
Despite Priyadharshani dismissing Georgia Plimmer early, the hosts got off to a decent start thanks to captain Suzie Bates’ 14-ball 21. Madara, Sri Lanka’s fourth bowling option, brought on in the fifth over, got the big wicket of Bates which dried up the scoring. The next two overs went for just five runs.
Dilhari, the seventh bowler, struck twice upon being introduced in the ninth over as New Zealand slipped from 39 for 1 to 52 for 4. Maddy Green being run out cheaply had New Zealand play with caution as illustrated by the next two partnerships which produced a combined 29 runs off 41 balls.
McLeod, who had three fours in her first five balls, finished without adding to that tally across her 46-ball innings. She was the last New Zealand batter to fall as Madara ended the innings in the penultimate over.
Athapaththu then hit seven fours and took Sri Lanka to 46 for 0 at the end of the powerplay. Jess Kerr removed Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama in successive overs while Dilhari’s innings was cut short by a run out. Sri Lanka slipped to 66 for 3 but that didn’t stop their captain from attacking.
She hit Eden Carson for four immediately after Dilhari’s exit and smacked two sixes and a four off Bree Illing, the first of the sixes brought up her fifty off 43 balls. It left the hosts no room to make an unlikely comeback as Sri Lanka romped to a victory with 35 balls to spare.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Women
102 for 3 in 14.1 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 64*, Kavisha Dilhari 12, Nilakshika Silva 12*; Jess Kerr 2-18) beat New Zealand 101 in 18.5 overs (Suzie Bates 21, Emma McLeod 44, Jess Kerr 10; Sugandika Kumari 1-18, Malki Madara 3-14, Kavisha Dilhari 2-18, Inoshi Priyadharshani 2-25, Chamari Athapaththu 1-10) by seven wickets
(Cricinfo)
Our government has reaffirmed its commitment to breaking barriers that limit women’s full participation in the economy, recognizing their vital role in national development. – Dr. Harini Amarasuriya
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