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Resolute Ireland brace for trial by spin in Sri Lanka

Published

2 years ago

2023/04/15

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Andy McBrine is among the players to watch out for from the Ireland side (pic Cricinfo)

If you’re Ireland, Test matches are quite like buses, you wait ages for one and then suddenly here come three to take you on a tour of the subcontinent. Okay, maybe that’s not quite the analogy, but the fact remains that having played their first three Tests in 2018 and 2019, they’re now set to double that tally in the span of a month in 2023. Having already played a one-off Test in Bangladesh earlier this year, Ireland are now set for two more against Sri Lanka in Galle.

In each of their Test outings so far, Ireland have acquitted themselves rather well in periods, on several occasions showing considerable mettle when folding might have been the easier option – most recently this resolve was on display in Mirpur when they fought back from 13 for 4 to reach 292.

Despite that being in an ultimately losing cause, the willingness to tough it out in unfamiliar conditions for prolonged periods of time, even when the going seems acutely unyielding, bodes well for what they’re likely to find in Galle.

The challenge that will face the visitors hardly needs to be spelled out after all. In Mirpur, 13 Irish wickets fell to spin. Sri Lanka’s squad has two left-arm spinners, two that can bowl off-spin, one that can bowl either, and a leg-spinner. To add to this, Sri Lanka is in the midst of one of its hottest periods, with temperatures expected to go beyond 30 degrees throughout the first Test.

As for Sri Lanka, in a World Cup year, this series provides them with the opportunity to trial out a few new faces. While the spine of the squad comprises the old heads of Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka is likely to be given a stint at the top of the order in the absence of Pathum Nissanka, while there could also be debuts for seamer Milan Rathnayake and legspinner Dushan Hemantha.

Nishan Madushka has had a stratospheric few months. Despite Sri Lanka’s Test side not necessarily in the market for top-order batters, Madushka’s recent form – a double-century and two centuries against England Lions opening the innings – has made a Test call-up almost an inevitability. And even though the series in New Zealand was a tough baptism, particularly having been asked to bat down the order, he showed glimpses of the talent that had brought him to that stage. Against Ireland, in more familiar conditions – and Pathum Nissanka surprisingly missing out on the red-ball side for yet another series – the stage is set for Madushka to make a claim for a permanent role at the top of the order.

Following a trialling tour of New Zealand, Sri Lanka might well be looking forward to more accustomed climes. But for their batters, who would have been utilising fairly separate skill-sets in New Zealand’s bouncier conditions, Galle might initially take a little getting used to. Enter Andy McBrine, who picked up seven of his 10 Test scalps in Mirpur earlier this month. As of late, Sri Lanka’s batters haven’t been the most secure against visiting spinners, and so McBrine will surely be salivating at the prospect of trying out an accommodating Galle surface. He’ll certainly play a key role if the visitors have any hope of pushing for a historic first Test win.

The weather in Galle is expected to be nice and sunny (read: hot and sweltering) with no rain expected over the coming week. And while the Galle pitch in recent times hasn’t deteriorated towards the fourth and fifth days as it might have in the past, expect it to spin nevertheless.

Having handed out seven debuts in their last outing against Bangladesh, some of whom had spent time training in subcontinental conditions, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see an unchanged XI. Most of the Sri Lankan side picks itself, with the only point of contention being whether leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha is granted a debut. Sadeera Samarawickrama will also likely see a Test return following a five-year absence.

Ireland (probable) XI: Murray Commins, James McCollum, Andy Balbirnie (capt), Harry Tector, PJ Moor, Curtis Campher, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, Graham Hume, Ben White

Sri Lanka (probable) XI: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sadeera Samarawickrama (wk), Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Dushan Hemantha/Lasith Embuldeniya, Asitha Fernando

(Cricinfo)

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Abisheka wins gold as Sri Lanka conclude Asian Youth Championship with eight medals

Published

2 hours ago

2025/04/19

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Dhanajana Fernando, Sansala Senevirathna, Dilki Nehara and Tharushi Abisheka won the silver medal in the medley relay.

Tharushi Abisheka won gold in the girls’ 800 metres and the girls’ medley relay team clinched silver as Sri Lanka concluded the Asian Youth Athletics Championship with their highest medal haul in history in Dammam, Saudi Arabia on Friday.

Wickramabahu National School Gampola athlete Abisheka clocked 2:14.86 seconds to beat China’s Ye Meiling to the second place in the girls’ 800 metres held in the evening.

In the corresponding boys’ event Shavindu Awishka settled for a bronze. Awishka returned a time of 1:53.41 seconds. The gold and silver went to performances of 1:53.31 and 1:53.33 seconds.

The girls’ medley relay team inclusive of Dhanajana Fernando, Sansala Senevirathna, Dilki Nehara and Tharushi Abisheka finished second behind China to win silver. They clocked 2:14.25 seconds. The boys’ team finished just out side medals podium finishing fourth.

Pavan Nethya Sampath with a feat of 2.03 metres in the boys’ high jump and Dilki Nehara with a distance of 12.35 metres in the girls’ triple jump won bronzes on the final day.

Sri Lanka concluded the meet with one gold, three silver and four bronze medals. The tally of eight medals is the highest medal haul by a Sri Lankan team in the past six editions of the championship.

By Reemus Fernando

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“Siri Dalada Wandanawa” commences with the President’s Participation

Published

6 hours ago

2025/04/18

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The “Siri Dalada Wandanawa”, the special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, commenced today (18) with the participation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.

The President placed the first floral tribute to the Sacred Tooth Relic after which the public were allowed to pay homage. A large number of devotees from all over the country arrived at the Temple of the Tooth Relic today (18) to pay their homage.

The public will have the opportunity to venerate the Sacred Tooth Relic from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m from tomorrow (19).

Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Hiniduma Sunil Senevi along with other Ministers and Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, the Netherlands, India, Myanmar, Palestine, France, New Zealand, Cuba, Egypt, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Canada and South Korea, Public officials, Members of the security forces and a large number of local and foreign devotees were also present.

Foreign News

Hamas formally rejects Israeli ceasefire offer

Published

19 hours ago

2025/04/18

Priyan

Israel's latest strikes have killed at least 37 people in a tented area for displaced civilians [BBC]

Hamas has formally rejected Israel’s latest ceasefire offer, saying it is prepared to immediately negotiate a deal that would see the release of all remaining hostages in return for an end to the war and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

In a video statement, Hamas’ chief negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, said: “We will not accept partial deals that serve Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political agenda.”

Fifty-nine hostages remain in captivity and 24 are thought to be alive. Israel’s latest offer involved a 45-day ceasefire in return for the release of 10 hostages.

Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said it was time “to open the gates of hell” on Hamas.

Hamas officials had already indicated to the BBC earlier in the week that they would reject the plan.

“Netanyahu and his government use partial agreements as a cover for their political agenda, which is based on continuing the war of extermination and starvation, even if the price is sacrificing all his prisoners [hostages],” Hayya said.

He added the group was “ready to immediately negotiate a deal to swap all hostages with an agreed number of Palestinians jailed by Israel” and end the war.

Hamas has previously said it would contemplate an overall deal to end the war but the two sides are nowhere near any kind of agreement that would bring that about.

Israel’s stated aim is the complete disarmament and destruction of Hamas. Meanwhile dozens of Gazans are dying each day in air strikes with no humanitarian aid entering the strip at all.

The latest series of Israeli strikes killed at least 37 people, the majority of them displaced civilians living in a tented camp, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defence agency.

Witnesses in al-Mawasi said dozens of Palestinians including children had died after tents were set ablaze following a “powerful” explosion.

“I rushed outside and saw the tent next to mine engulfed in flames,” a man told the BBC’s Gaza Lifeline programme.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment but said that it was looking into reports of the strikes.

Israel has previously told Palestinians to evacuate from other parts of Gaza to al-Mawasi.

The Israeli military said attacks over the past two days had “struck over 100 terror targets” including “terrorist cells, military structures and infrastructure sites”.

Israel said there was no shortage of aid and that it was maintaining the blockade installed on 1 March to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages.

However the heads of 12 major aid groups said the humanitarian aid system in Gaza was “facing total collapse”.

The war began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas carried out a cross-border attack on Israeli communities, killing around 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages according to Israeli tallies.

Israel’s military campaign against Hamas has killed at least 51,065 people, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry

[BBC]