Sports
Rajasthan Royals appoint Lasith Malinga, Paddy Upton in coaching roles
Ahead of the upcoming IPL 2022 season, Rajasthan Royals have added Lasith Malinga and Paddy Upton to their coaching staff. Malinga will be the side’s new fast-bowling coach whereas Upton has been brought in as the “Team Catalyst.”
Malinga, who was with Mumbai Indians earlier but retired from all franchise cricket last January, recently accompanied Sri Lanka’s men team to Australia as their Bowling Strategy Coach. As a fast bowling coach for RR, he would be expected to “oversee the preparation of bowling strategies in the build-up and during the season” and “accelerating the development of the young bowlers.”
On his appointment, Malinga said: “It’s a wonderful feeling for me to return to the IPL and an absolute honour to join Rajasthan Royals, a franchise that has always promoted and developed young talent. I am excited by the pace bowling unit we have going into the tournament and looking forward to supporting all the fast bowlers with the execution of their game-plans and their overall development. I’ve made some very special memories in the IPL with Mumbai Indians and now with Royals, looking forward to new experiences and creating great memories in this journey.”
Upton was the RR head coach from 2013-15 and then in 2019, and as a Team Catalyst this year will “play a crucial role in establishing team integration by bringing them together as a cohesive and mutually supporting unit, and look after their mental well-being with the use of various mental conditioning processes and activities that aid in maintaining a healthy culture and environment especially within the restrictions of being in a bio-bubble,” RR informed in a press release.
Upton will be with the team inside the bubble for the initial four weeks and will later join the team virtually.
Kumar Sangakkara, who will continue to serve as RR’s head coach during the season and their Director of Cricket off it, welcomed the two new members.
“Lasith is arguably one of the greatest T20 fast bowlers of all-time, and to have a personality like his around the training ground, and the expertise he brings to the table, is certainly something we feel the team can benefit from. We have some of the best fast bowlers in our squad and we are delighted that they will have the chance to work with Lasith and get to learn and develop further.
“It’s the same with Paddy, who has been a great servant for the Royals, and has done an exceptional job in building that cohesion between players and also conditioning them mentally. We believe he will act as a great addition to our coaching staff. I am also excited to keep working with this new team in my dual role as Head Coach during the season and Director of Cricket round the year, and hope that all our efforts can contribute towards achieving our objective of winning the IPL,” Kumar added.
Trevor Penney (Assistant Coach), Zubin Bharucha (Strategy, Development and Performance Director) and Dishant Yagnik (Fielding Coach) will continue to serve in their respective roles, the franchise informed.
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Jadeja, Ashwin run through New Zealand to hand India the advantage
The new and the old of India combined to leave New Zealand effectively at 143 for 9 in their pursuit to prevent their first-ever home whitewash in a series of three or more Tests. It wasn’t going to be an easy target on a pitch that has consumed 29 wickets in two days, but it was a comeback from the nightmare of the final 10 minutes of the first day, which was reminiscent of earlier collapses in the series.
Shubman Gill and Rishab Pant first resurrected the innings with a 90 and a 60, but it took a cameo of 38 off 36 from Washington Sundar to take India’s lead past 25 in the face of a resurgent Ajaz Patel, who took his second five-for in the city of his birth.
The old firm of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja then combined to take seven wickets between them to prevent New Zealand from setting India a massive target on a crumbling pitch. Having lost his mantle as the new-ball bowler in second innings to Washington, Ashwin was instrumental in getting Jadeja to the favourable end and getting him his first wicket with a superb catch running back. However, a serene Will Young’s second fifty in the match and Glenn Phillips’ hitting made sure New Zealand had more than the bare minimum to bowl at.
It was the youth that India were looking to at the start of the day having lost Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli cheaply again. Pant and Gill added 96 at better than five an over to arrest the rot that had set in in on the first evening. Pant, in particular, was severe, not letting the lead spinner Ajaz bowl at all. Overnight 1 off 1, Pant began as he meant to go. Ajaz was too full first ball of the day, which Pant push-drove straight of mid-off, who moved deeper after the boundary. To the second ball, Pant stepped out, and drilled it straight of that deep mid-off, who now moved to long-off. Gill joined him with an inside-out chip over extra cover in Ajaz’s next over.
Then Pant played the lap shot for four to push forward short leg to behind square, promptly offering what could have been catches for the forward short leg the following two balls. It was Pant’s attacking mindset that had forced New Zealand to choose one of the two areas to man. Pant rubbed it in with two sixes in Ajaz’s next two overs.
Gill didn’t want to be left behind. He tried to hit Phillips’ first ball of the day for a six but ended up skying it to long-on where the substitute fielder Mark Chapman gave him a reprieve. That turned his innings around. He proceeded to put his head down and only took the boundaries on offer. He was 45 off 57 when dropped, his remaining 45 came off 89 balls.
Matt Henry dropped Pant too, but this miss cost New Zealand only seven runs as Pant fell lbw to a short ball from Ish Sodhi, who came on to bowl with only 84 runs left in the bank. Phillips, the unlucky bowler, was arguably the steadiest spinner of the three and was instrumental when Ajaz found his groove after lunch with a spell of 8.4-2-27-3.
Ajaz had found the good length, the pitch started to misbehave even more, and the results followed. More than 10 overs went without a boundary, and brought the wickets of Ravindra Jadeja and Sarfaraz Khan, the latter for a duck at his home ground.
Both of them fell to the forward-defensive without reaching the pitch of the ball. Gill decided he was not going to be a sitting duck. He upped his intent by taking on Phillips. However, Ajaz eventually got one to turn from a good length and take the edge for another catch to Daryl Mitchell at slip.
India were still 8 behind. Washington took over now, scoring 14 in a 20-run stand with Ravichandran Ashwin and all of the 16 runs in the final stand with Akash Deep to take the lead past 25.
Washington was given a bigger vote of confidence as he opened the bowling ahead of Ashwin, but it was Akash Deep whose around-the-wicket angle and seam movement got rid of another left-hand opener. India proceeded to operate with the combination of Washington and Ashwin, who got a wicket each, Devon Conway on the forward-defensive and Rachin Ravindra stumped trying to hit a six.
Once the two right-hand batters, Young and Mitchell, got themselves in, all eyes went to Jadeja. Ashwin volunteered to have Jadeja bowl from his end, the end where Jadeja and Ajaz had taken wickets from. Rohit, though, wanted Ashwin to carry on bowling. The partnership swelled, ends were changed, and Jadeja got Mitchell out with more than just a hand from Ashwin, who ran back from mid-on to take a diving catch.
Tom Blundell didn’t survive long, but Phillips hit three sixes in no time at all, two of them off Ashwin, who proceeded to pull out the carrom ball from his back pocket after a long time, knocking back the off stump. It was a surprise that top-order Test batters were not picking the carrom ball: even the accomplished and settled Young was out caught and bowled to one.
Henry and Ajaz hit a six each, but Henry was bowled to an unplayable Jadeja delivery, which turned out to be the last one for the day.
Brief scores:
New Zealand 235 and 171 for 9 in 43.3 overs (Will Young 51; Ravindra Jadeja 4-52, Ravichandran Ashwin 3-63) lead India 263 (Shubman Gill 90, Rishab Pant 60; Ajaz Patel 5-103) by 143 runs
[Cricinfo]
Sports
Galle to host both Tests in Warne-Murali Trophy showdown
by Rex Clementine
The legendary Galle International Cricket Stadium is set to be the battleground for the two-match Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka this coming January. With both games counting toward the World Test Championship (WTC), the stakes couldn’t be higher – this series might well be the stepping stone to the grand final at Lord’s, slated for June next year.
Currently, Australia sit in second place on the WTC leaderboard, with Sri Lanka nipping at their heels in third. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced yesterday that the series opener would kick off on the 29th of January, with the second Test following on the 6th of February.
Australia are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on the 20th of January, giving them ample time to get their feet wet in the local conditions. The last time these two teams locked horns in 2022, they split the series 1-1, Australia drew first blood, but Sri Lanka bounced back to level the series. Both of those games, too, unfolded on the sun-baked turf of Galle.
Sri Lanka would relish the chance to play both matches in Galle, a venue that’s become something of a fortress for them. Recently, they clean-swept New Zealand 2-0 here, marking their first series win over the Kiwis in 15 years.
All eyes will be on left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who has proven to be nothing short of a thorn in the side of visiting teams at Galle. His record speaks for itself—71 wickets in just eight Tests here, with an eye-popping average of 21.78, including eight five-wicket hauls.
In addition to the Tests, Australia will play a one-off ODI on February 13th, though the venue is still up in the air. This match serves as a warm-up for their Champions Trophy campaign, a tournament Sri Lanka will sit out, having failed to qualify.
Sports
Senuja helps Joes post 196 in historic match against Thomians
Under 19 Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
A half century by Senuja Wakunugoda and four wicket hauls by Aaron de Silva and Abheeth Paranawidana were the highlights on day one of the historic Gilmour Jayasuriya trophy Under 19 cricket encounter between St. Joseph’s and S. Thomas’ at Darley Road on Friday.
The match commenced late (11.30am) due to wet ground conditions, and the home team lost wickets at regular intervals but Wakunugoda’s knock of 71 runs (74-ball) inclusive of six fours and two sixes helped them post 196 runs.
In reply, the Thomians were 44 for two wickets at stumps.
This series between S. Thomas’ and St. Joseph’s, which is 120 years old now has not witnessed a result since the Josephian victory in 2009. S. Thomas’ have not tasted victory in this match after 1995.
It was conspicuous to note this important fixture being played in the third term. Generally, the historic fixtures are played in the first term.
In the other matches which commenced yesterday, Thanuga Palihawadana claimed the best bowling figures of the day taking six wickets in just eight overs for Thurstan to dismiss St. Sebastian’s College Katuneriya for 59 runs at Katuneriya.
At Kalutara, Kithma Vidanapathirana cracked 64 runs in 43 balls smashing seven fours and four sixes for Ananda to post 125 for three wickets at stumps in reply to Tissa Central’s 165 runs. In the morning Kithma joined Kaveesha Mendis and Ashinsa Nainayaka to trouble Tissa.
At Kotahena, Ashan Shanilka played the sheet anchor role, top scoring with 60 runs for Lumbini to post 180 runs against St. Benedict’s. The home team were 24 for one wicket at stumps.
At Negombo, Maris Stella avoided a possible defeat when they reached 251 for seven wickets at stumps after being forced to follow on. They were dismissed for 199 runs in the first innings in reply to Trinity’s 340 for four wickets declared. Hasindu Perera (61) and Ramith Bandara (86) made crucial contributions for the home team.
Scores:
St. Joseph’s 196 all out in 58.1 overs (Senuja Wakunugoda 71, Abhishek Jayaweera 28; Aaron de Silva 4/41, Abheeth Paranawidana 4/53)
S. Thomas’ 44 for 2 in 11 overs (Jayden Amaraweera 27, Sadev Soysa 16n.o.)
Thanuga takes six wickets at Katuneriya
Scores:
Thurstan 136 all out in 42.2 overs (Tanuja Rajapakse 40, Pathum Dananjaya 35; Vihanga Theekshana 3/32, Damsith Subashana 2/36, Dinidu Dilan 2/10, Tharuka Manaram 3/24)
St. Sebastian’s 59 all out in 25 overs (Dinidu Dilan 18; Thanuga Palihawadana 6/22)
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