Sports

Sri Lanka in quarter-finals for the first time since 2016

Published

3 years ago

2022/01/24

ICC Under 19 World Cup

Sri Lanka Under 19s are in the quarter-finals of the ICC Under 19 World Cup for the first time since 2016 after Dunith Wellalage lead team completed the group stage unbeaten on Friday.

Sri Lanka emerged champions of Group ‘D’ after scoring a dramatic victory over West Indies to enter quarter-finals as one of the four teams to reach that stage unbeaten. England, India and Pakistan were the champions of the other groups and have remained unbeaten.

As Group ‘D’ champions Sri Lanka are set to meet Afghanistan in the super league quarter-finals.

After failing to go beyond the Group stage in the last two editions, the team coached by Avishka Gunawardena have done exceptionally well to reach where they are as they beat formidable Australia, West Indies and Scotland during group stage.

Sri Lanka reached the semi-finals of the tournament when Charith Asalanka captained the team in 2016. They were beaten in the semi-finals by India that year.

At the last edition, Sri Lanka were placed third behind India and New Zealand in group ‘A’ where Japan were the other team. The 2018 edition saw Sri Lanka finishing just above Ireland in Group ‘D’ dominated by Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Australia, the runners up to Sri Lanka in Group ‘D’ in this tournament will meet Pakistan in their quarter-final.

On Friday, Dunith Wellalage and Matheesha Pathirana both took three wickets apiece as Sri Lanka restricted the hosts to 250 before Sadisha Rajapaksa (76), Anjala Bandara (40) and Ranuda Somarathna’s unbeaten 28 guided the team to a three-wicket success at Conaree Sports Club in Basseterre.

Chasing a target of 251 runs to win, Sri Lanka lost opener Chamindu Wickramasinghe in quick time as Nathan Edward enticed him into a flick outside off stump that went straight to Rivaldo Clarke.

Sadisha Rajapaksa and Shevon Daniel got the side back on track as they reached the end of the 11th over on 56 for one before Daniel was removed by McKenny Clarke for 34.

Rajapaksa powered on regardless and despite losing Sakuna Liyanage (9), he reached his fifty in the 25th over with support from new partner Anjala Bandara at the crease.

Bandara contributed 40 from 52 balls before his wicket was taken by Isai Thorne, with Rajapaksa (76) also falling the same bowler in the 40th over as Sri Lanka reached 200 for five.

With 51 still needed off 60 balls for victory, Shiva Sankar removed Wellalage (15) to set up a tense finale as Ranuda Somarathna and Raveen de Silva came together in the middle.

Mckenny Clarke bowled De Silva (13) but a nerveless 28 from 27 balls from Somarathna saw Sri Lanka home as they secured a three-wicket victory with 10 balls to spare.

For hosts openers Shaqkere Parris and Matthew Nandu ensured they made a steady start, reaching the end of the fifth over for 20 without loss before Treveen Mathew removed the latter for seven.

Parris was then bowled by Dunith Wellalage for 16 before Teddy Bishop and Kevin Wickham combined for a fruitful partnership, taking the West Indies to 102 for two after 26 overs.

Bishop was eventually removed on 45 by Wellalage, caught by Mathew, but Jordan Johnson picked up where his teammate left off as he raced to 26 from 30 balls.

Wickham reached his half-century before falling for 56 to Matheesha Pathirana in the 38th over, although Johnson and Rivaldo Clarke kept West Indies ticking along nicely.

Two wickets in three balls in the 45th over stunted the hosts’ momentum, though, with Wellalage accounting for Johnson as he fell three runs short of his fifty before Giovonte Depeiza was run out moments later by Anjala Bandara without scoring.

A late cameo from McKenny Clarke of 21 from 13 balls saw West Indies finish all out for 250, with Wellalage (3-39) and Pathirana (3-67) both taking three wickets.

Super League Quarter-final line up

26 January – Quarter-Final 1 England v South Africa; Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground

27 January – Quarter-Final 4 Sri Lanka v Afghanistan; Coolidge Cricket Ground

28 January – Quarter-Final 3 Pakistan v Australia; Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground

29 January – Quarter-Final 2 India v Bangladesh ; Coolidge Cricket Ground

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IPL2025: Sai Sudharsan and Gill help clinical GT book playoffs berth

Published

47 mins ago

2025/05/19

Priyan

Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan got the job done for GT with minimal fuss [Cricinfo]

Gujarat Titans (GT) became pnly the second team in all T20 cricket to chase down a target of 200 or more without losing a wicket. That’s how clinical B Sai Sudarshan and Shubman Gill were against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Sunday night as they took GT into the playoffs. Sai Sudharsan finished on 108 not out off 61 balls and Gill on 93 not out off 53 as they overhauled DC’s 199 for 3 with an over to spare. That meant KL Rahul’s 112 not out off 65 balls ended in a losing cause.

The result also took Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS )into the playoffs. DC, Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants are the three teams in contention for the remaining one spot.

Sai Sudharsan came out all guns blazing. He got off the mark with a four off Axar Patel before hitting three more fours and a six off T Natarajan in the second over. By the end of the third over, he had scored 35 off 13 balls. Even though Mustafizur Rahman and Dushmantha Chameera gave away only 16 in the second half of the powerplay, GT were 59 for no loss after six overs.

While Sai Sudharsan brought up his fifty off 30 balls, Gill had a slow start. He was on 21 off 19 after eight overs. But in the next three, he hit three sixes – one each against Axar, Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam. He reached his fifty off 33 balls, with a four off Dushmantha Chameera. It was his first four of the innings. As if he had committed a mistake, he hit the following delivery for a six over square leg.

GT reached 154 for no loss after 15 overs. As a last throw of the dice, Axar brought Mustafizur for the 16th. Sudharsan hit his first two balls for fours to stamp GT’s domination. Two overs later, he hit Kuldeep for a straight six to bring up his second IPL hundred, off 56 balls. Fittingly, it was Sudharsan with yet another six that sealed GT’s win.

Earlier, DC’s struggled to get going after being sent in. Mohammed Siraj and Arshad Khan stuck to good length with the new ball and gave little room to free arms. There were 15 dot balls in the first four overs. Faf du Plessis, who tried to break the shackles and charged at Arshad, was caught at mid-on for 5 off ten balls. After five overs, DC were 28 for 1.

Rahul played plenty of exquisite shots during his hundred. In the first over of the match, he had punched Siraj through covers off the back foot. Then he injected momentum into the innings by hitting Kagiso Rabada for two sixes and a four in the last over of the powerplay. This was Rabada’s first match after a one-month ban for using recreational drugs. He bowled just two overs, was wicketless and went for 34.

Coming into this game, Rahul had a strike rate of 96.96 (64 runs off 66 balls) against Rashid Khan in T20 cricket. Here, he took him for 19 off 14. It was with a four off him that Rahul brought up his fifty, off 35 balls. Alongside Abishek Porel, who made 30 off 19, Rahul added 90 for the second wicket in just 8.4 overs.

Luck also favoured Rahul. In the 14th over, he got three fours off R Sai Kishore’s first three balls, all through luck. The first one was drilled back and went through Sai Kishore’s hands. Rabada misfielded the next before an outside edge sped past short third.

Axar has been superb against spin this season. Still, Gill gave the 16th over to Sai Kishore. Axar ensured he faced all six balls and took 15 from them. Prasidh Krishna returned in the next over and dismissed Axar with his second ball.

Rahul brought up his hundred off 60 balls. In the 19th over, he hit Prasidh’s hard-length delivery for a straight six with a straight bat. Two balls later, he pulled him to square leg for four to get to the three-figure mark. Tristan Stubbs played a hand of 21 not out off ten, as DC scored 48 from the last four overs. But it was not enough.

Brief scores:
Gujarat Titans 205 for 0 in 19 overs (Sai Sudharsan 108*, Shubhman Gill 93*) beat Delhi Capitals 199 for 3 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 112*, Abishek Porel 30, Axar Patel 25, Tristan Stubbs 21; Arshad Khan 1-07, Pradish Krishna 1-40, Sai Kishore 1-47) by ten wickets

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Wayne Jansz – a silent hero behind the scenes

Published

3 hours ago

2025/05/19

Thilina Walpola

Kusal Mendis shares a moment with Wayne Jansz – the man who delivered when it mattered most

Sri Lanka batter Kusal Mendis took to social media yesterday to acknowledge an act of generosity that ensured he made it to the IPL crease fully kitted. His gratitude was directed at a Sri Lankan living in Pakistan who went above and beyond to deliver Mendis’ cricket gear to Colombo just in time. While Mendis mentioned the name – Mr. Wayne Jansz – what he left out was the man’s cricketing pedigree.

Wayne Jansz isn’t just another good Samaritan; he’s a former cricketer who turned out for St. Joseph’s College in the 1970s before donning the whites for Tamil Union. In fact, Jansz still holds bragging rights for a marathon 352-run opening stand with Athula Samarasekara in 1981, breaking the longstanding record set by the legendary pair of Herbie Felsinger and Markin Salih for Moors.

The following season, Tamil Union clinched the domestic title under the captaincy of the ever-graceful Mr. S. Skandakumar. That side was a Who’s Who of Sri Lankan cricket: Ashley de Silva, now CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket and Channa Wijemanne, the man who has run the travel desk for George Steuart like a maestro orchestrating a symphony. In cricketing circles, if you needed to be flown out last minute or pulled out of a visa muddle, you don’t have to look beyond anyone but Channa or Bernard Wijetunga. Legend has it Channa once whisked Sanath Jayasuriya off to the Netherlands from the UK, no visa in hand, no questions asked.

Back to Mendis. When tensions flared between India and Pakistan earlier this year, the players were evacuated from Islamabad via military aircraft. In the chaos, Mendis was forced to leave behind his kit bag – a batsman without his gear, as naked as a knight without his sword.

So when the IPL came calling, Mendis’ team scrambled to retrieve the bag. Couriers told them it will take several days. That’s when Channa stepped in. And like any good fielder who knows where the ball is headed before it’s hit, he knew exactly who to call – Wayne Jansz.

Now a high-flyer in Pakistan’s garment industry, Jansz didn’t hesitate. He hopped on a flight from Karachi to Islamabad, collected the kit bag, flew back to Karachi, and from there dashed to Colombo – delivering the prized possession just in time for Mendis to catch his connection to India. All in a day’s work for a man who plays the long innings in service and humility.

It’s people like Wayne Jansz who don’t make the headlines but play match-winning knocks behind the scenes. Juggling a demanding corporate job while batting for the country’s cricketers takes the kind of commitment you won’t find in any stat sheet.

by Rex Clementine

Sports

Action from Beliatta

Published

3 hours ago

2025/05/19

Thilina Walpola

Sadeesha Pabasara of Vijitha Central, Matara cleared a height of 1.45 metres in the Under 13 boys' high jump.

Stage one competition of the Sir John Tarbet Junior Athletics Championship was held at Beliatta on May 17. Junior school athletes from the Southern and Sabaragamuwa Provinces and Moneragala district took part in this leg. Here are some action pictures of the event.