Sports
Raveen shines, Joes suffer second defeat

Under-19 Division I Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
Skipper Raveen de Silva produced probably the best all round performance so far in the tournament to guide Nalanda to 52 runs victory over Maliyadeva in the Under-19 Division I Limited Overs tournament Tier ‘A’ match at Kurunegala.
De Silva’s unbeaten 99 runs which held the Nalanda batting together and his five wicket haul which restricted Maliyadeva to 221 runs were the best all round performance so far in the limited overs tournament. He scored 99 runs in just 71 balls inclusive of 10 fours and two sixes.
In reply to Nalanda’s 273 runs, Maliyadeva were 170 for six wickets at one stage, with Rishi Adishtan, who had scored a century in their last match still holding guard. But de Silva managed to douse his threat as he accounted for the late order batting line up.
In the other Tier ‘A’ matches St. Sebastian’s recorded a thrilling two runs victory over St. Joseph’s. It was the second consecutive defeat suffered by the Joes. Trinity, Wesley, Mahanama and Prince of Wales were the other Tier ‘A’ teams to record wins on Tuesday.
In Tier ‘B’ matches, Mahinda, Devapathiraja, Isipatana, Joseph Vaz, Lumbini and Thurstan registered wins.
Tier A
St. Sebastian’s beat St. Joseph’s by two runs at Darley Road
St. Sebastian’s
134 all out in 48.5 overs (Savindu Rodrigo 29, Chakila Perera 22; Mithira Thenura 2/09, Shenuka de Silva 4/30)
St. Joseph’s
132 all out in 49.5 overs (Sheran Fonseka 28, Shevon Daniel 20; Sandeesh Fernando 2/29, Mahen Silva 2/15, Kalana Sandeepa 3/31)
Nalanda beat Maliyadeva by 52 runs at Kurunegala
Nalanda
273 for 7 in 50 overs (Rusiru Vilochana 37, Rashan Dissanayaka 39, Vinuja Ranpul 50, Raveen de Silva 99n.o.; Thimira Chandrasena 2/48, Nikila Dharmadasa 2/45, Charuka Herath 2/23)
Maliyadeva
221 all out in 43.1 overs (Rishi Adishtan 50, Thimira Chandrasena 38, Matheesha Weerasinghe 33, Chaluka Athapaththu 21, Pasan Kahagalla 21; Sajitha Vithanage 3/36, Raveen de Silva 5/42)
Cambrians beat S. Thomas’ by six wickets according to Parabola Method at Moratuwa
S. Thomas’
114 all out in 38.3 overs (Thenuka Liyanage 49n.o., Dhiren de Silva 23; Pasindu Pathum 4/32, Mahinsa Dinushan 2/18)
Prince of Wales
112 for 4 in 23.4 overs (Tharindu Amarasinghe 37, Upeka Fernando 32n.o.)
Mahanama beat St. Benedict’s by 91 runs at Kotahena
Mahanama
234 for 6 in 50 overs (Sachira Weliwatta 69n.o., Pavan Rathnayake 45, Achintha Supun 26n.o., Danaja Sandalidu 24, Savindu Kavinda 22; Akindu Karunaratne 2/42)
St. Benedict’s
143 all out in 47.4 overs (Sharujan Shanmuganathan 31, Hasindra Kaviratne 25, Chamath Chathurya 25n.o.; Sethum Kenula 3/30, Pavan Rathnayake 2/17, Devindu Kekirideniya 2/22, Sampath Nissanka 2/32)
Wesley beat DSS by four wickets at Campbell Park
DSS
196 all out in 47.2 overs (Amitha Dabare 25, Maneendra Jayathilaka 46, Manura Gathsara 41, Pumuditha Perera 24, Pasindu Denipitiya 21; Anudith Wickramasinghe 2/43, Thenuka Perera 3/28, Ravindu Sigera 2/22)
Wesley
200 for 6 in 47.5 overs (Sahil Dias 57, Rakith Fernando 42n.o., Anudith Wickramasinghe 29n.o.)
Trinity beat De Mazenod by seven wickets at Kandy
De Mazenod
184 all out in 48.5 overs (Mithul Senerath 62, Ashen Silva 24; Abhishek Anandakumara 3/33, Dinuka Thennakoon 3/39)
Trinity
185 for 3 in 37.2 overs (Thewin Amarasinghe 83n.o., Pawan Pathiraja 51; Chanuka Silva 2/36)
Tier B
Mahinda beat St. Aloysius’ by 86 runs according to Parabola Method at Galle
Mahinda
260 for 5 in 50 overs (Dhanuja Induwara 23, Kosala Udayanga 75, Navod Paranavithana 65, Rashmika Madushanka 64n.o.; Sandeepa Shamod 2/50)
St. Aloysius’
65 for 2 in 21.1 overs (Archana Udugampola 34n.o.)
Devapathiraja beat St. Sylvester’s by four
wickets at Lake View
St. Sylvester’s
158 all out in 44.1 overs (Sadeepa Halangoda 43, Charith Samuditha 21, Shashika Gihan 20; Matheesha Saranga 3/23, Sasanka Nirmal 2/18, Irushka Thimira 2/33)
Devapathiraja
164 for 6 in 27.4 overs (Pawan Sandesh 79n.o., Darshaka Sandeepa 30, Irushka Thimira 23; Shashika Gihan 3/42, Maleesha Silva 2/50)
Isipatana beat Dharmapala by 3 runs according to Parabola Method at Pannipitiya
Isipathana
167 all out in 40.5 overs (Thevindu Dickwella 44, Kavindu Amantha 23, Lomitha Ravindith 24; Thisara Sishara 3/13, Sachintha Chamika 2/30
Dharmapala
149 for 6 in 40.1 overs (Praveen Kumarapperuma 32, Pasindu Theekshana 33, Hiru Pawan 46n.o.; Lomitha Ravindith 3/19)
St. Joseph Vaz beat Zahira by seven runs according to Parabola Method at Katuneriya
St. Joseph Vaz
160 all out in 49.2 overs (Kaushan Wijerarthne 37, Menusha Perera 34; Raaed Rizwan 4/35, Adhil Ismarly 2/23)
Zahira
143 all out in 43 overs (Raaed Rizwan 31, Ishan Ruhaim 22, Rilwan Yoosuf 26; Shon Shenil 3/32, Kaushan Wijerarthne 3/39, Kavindu Maduranga 2/09)
Lumbini beat St. Servatius’ by five wickets at BRC
St. Servatius’
121 all out in 47.3 overs (Diniru Abeywickramasinghe 69; Sasanka Nethmina 3/15, Sahan Kaushalya 3/25)
Lumbini
124 for 5 in 34 overs (Gimhana Theekshana 46, Sakuna Nidarshana 32; Damindu Sankalpa 2/44)
Thurstan beat Dharmaraja by eight
wickets in Colombo
Dharmaraja
91 all out in 35 overs (Malitha Hapuarachchi 29, Upendra Warnakulasooriya 22; Nipun Premarathne 4/32, Punthila Kumara 2/15
Thurstan
92 for 2 in 18.2 overs (Dananja Silva 35, Sandeepa Kalhara 28n.o.)
Sports
Track and field action from Diyagama

The Track and Field season commenced with some of the best athletes in the senior and Under 20 age categories producing notable performances during the two-day Junior and Senior Selection Trial concluded at Diyagama on Tuesday. Here are some action pictures from the day two of the event.
(Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)
Sports
Dharshana’s false start dampen an otherwise remarkable day

by Reemus Fernando
Sprinter Aruna Dharshana gave athletics fans both joy and heartache on an otherwise remarkable day as the Junior and Senior Track and Field trials concluded with a number of athletes achieving their personal bests at Diyagama yesterday.
Athletics analysts were waiting for Dharshana to reach his personal best in the men’s 400 metres final after the Army athlete produced the best performance in the heats where as many as five athletes clocked sub 47 seconds. When Dharshana followed up his 200 metres winning time of 21.12 seconds with a feat of 46.43 seconds in the 400 metres many expected him to produce a sub 46 seconds performance in the final.
But the shocking foul start meant that he will have to wait for more than a month to test his true potential. Incidentally, Kalinga Kumarage, who was off-colour in the heats (47.51 secs – second in heat 3) won the final with a feat of 46.27 seconds. However, 100 metres sprinter Medhani Jayamanne who was disqualified for a foul start in the women’s 100 metres heats was not so unlucky, as athletics officials gave her an opportunity to compete in the women’s 100 metres final, though her place was (2nd) not recognised. She clocked 12.16 seconds in the final.

Chamod Yodasinghe reached his personal best to win the men’s 100 metres.
In Dharshana’s absence four others, namely, Kumarage, R.N. Rajakaruna, Dinuka Deshan and Pabasara Niku clocked sub 47 seconds.
In the corresponding women’s 400 metres, schoolgirl Tharushi Karunaratne continued to shock her senior counterparts. Having won the women’s 800 metres on day one, the Ratnayake Central prodigy also bagged the 400 metres victory as she clocked 53.41 seconds to beat Asian Championship participant Nadeesha Ramanayake.
- Aruna Dharshana, who produced the fastest time in the heats was disqualified in the final for a foul start. Dharshana is disappointed after official Rohan Stanley showed him the red card. (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)
- Rumeshika Ratnayake won the women’s 100 metres.
In the men’s 100 metres Chamod Yodasinghe reached his personal best as he clocked 10.37 seconds to win the final.
In the women’s 100 metres final, Rumeshika Ratnayake clocked 12.01 seconds to win running against the wind (-2.9). In the heats, she clocked sub 12 seconds.
In the morning, Gayanthika Abeyratne finished the women’s 1500 metres just three seconds shy of her national record mark as she clocked 4:12.53 seconds to win closely followed by steeplechase national record holder Nilani Ratnayake. Abeyratne’s national record established last year stands at 4:09.12 seconds.
In the Under 20 age category events Malith Yasiru produced the second-best performance of the Asian region in the Under 20 boys’ triple jump this year when he cleared a distance of 15.43 metres to win the event.
Sports
Sri Lankan sailing teams compete in Pakistan

The Sri Lankan national team of two sailors and one windsurfer, with the Navy team of a sailor and a windsurfer, were invited to participate at the first Chief of Navy Staff International Sailing Regatta 2023 held from March 14 to 20 in Karachi, Pakistan. Twelve countries including Australia, Bahrain, Croatia, Egypt, China, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Oman, Singapore, Thailand and Turkey had sent their teams to Karachi. The Sri Lankan national team consisted of Laser Standard sailor (ILCA 7) NGMU Ghanawardene, Sri Lanka Navy, Priyantha Gunawardene, Sri Lanka Navy participating in the Windsurfing RSX Class and Laser 4.7 (ILCA 4) sailor Tharen Nanayakkara. The Navy team consisted of Laser Standard sailor (ILCA 7) JMPL Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka Navy and WAS Weeratunge, Sri Lanka Navy participating in the Windsurfing RSX Class.
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