Sports
Sri Lanka looks to redeem lost prestige in rugby final against Kazakhstan
By A Special Sports Correspondent
Sri Lanka has a golden opportunity to work its way up in the international rugby scene when it clashes with Kazakhstan in the cup championship of the Asia rugby men’s division 1 tournament in Colombo on Saturday (May 4).
Sri Lanka has already sounded a warning to all teams at the tournament with a smashing 45-10 win over India in a game where the host team dictated terms to the opponents during the major portion of the encounter. Sri Lankans were very clinical in this game and chose the easiest method to finish off this challenge. The host team played wide using the entire width and breadth of the ground; which meant they were not going to risk their players in unwanted contact rugby.
If the latter option was taken it would have only amounted to massaging the egos of players and losing focus on the final which, according to the tournament draw, was offering the Sri Lankans a heavy physical contact game. Sri Lanka’s opponent on Saturday, Kazakhstan, is a dangerous opposition and prefers a heavy forwards battle up front. Sri Lanka is rated 44th in world 15-a- side rugby while Kazakhstan is rated 64th. The winner of the Cup Championship will be elevated to the Asia Men’s Rugby Championship next year; a tournament that features only the best four teams in Asia.
It is likely that Sri Lanka will start with seasoned players like Dushmantha Priyadarshana and hooker Azmir Fajudeen in the front row and play Hirantha Perera and Hirusha Nethmina early in the game, as back division players, to rattle the opponents. All these players came in as substitutes in the game against India where the host team raked in seven tries out of which five were converted.
Much is expected of back division players like Tharinda Ratwatte, Sudaraka Dikkumbura and fly half Thenuka Nananyakkara who gave the Indians a torrid time by putting their fleet footedness to good use. It is also interesting to see whether the Sri Lankan coaching staff sticks with hooker Pulasthi Dissanayake (who had two touch downs in the semi-final match) or will opt to start with the powerfully built and intelligent front row player Fajudeen instead.
Though Sri Lanka played well in terms of running the ball at every given opportunity the side also showed severe potential in the scrums, line outs and driving forward when the players grouped in a maul formation. The last time Sri Lanka featured in a Men’s Division 1 tournament was in 2019 where they won the third place play off beating Chinese Taipei 72-17.
Qatar, which team many thought was unlucky to lose the game against Kazakhstan, gets a golden opportunity to stay in contention for a podium finish when it features with the other losing semi finalist, India, in the third place play off. Qatar lost a close contest against Kazakhstan and the difference between the two sides was a single try. The winner in that game Kazakhstan scored five tries against four by Qatar.
The teams:
Sri Lanka from: D. Priyadharshana, F. Abdullah, S. Fernando, N. Maduranga, K. Costa, H. Perera, H. Nethmina, J. Fernando, P. Dissanayake, C. Silva, S. Anthony (Captain), R. De Silva, A. Weerathunga, T. Chathuranga, L. karunathilake, H.Jansen, T.Nanayakkara, S. Dikkumbura, T. Ratwatte, A. Madusanka, D. Ekanayake.
Kazakhstan from: A. Gadaborshev, A. Imam, G. Litinov, T. Maksimenko, T. Timoshin, N. Ivanov, O. Tursunbek, M. Magomedov ( Captain), A. Lukmanov, D. Akymbakov, A. Lymar, M. Petukhov, A. Nazhibayev, A. Belashov, D. Sumskiy, D. Kazibekov, R. Shipitsin, Y. Khromov, J. Muradov, A. Suerer
Lasith Malinga has once more been retained as consultant bowling coach for Sri Lanka’s men’s team, as they prepare for the T20 World Cup they are due to co-host from early February.
Although this is only a 40-day appointment, running from December 15 to January 25, it is essentially a continuation of Malinga’s work with key bowlers in the national set-up. Malinga has worked officially as a fast-bowling consultant at least twice before, but has also worked unofficially with top bowlers over the years, and has been advising the coaching team led by Sanath Jayasuriya, over the past two years.
With round-arm bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara both in Sri Lanka’s preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup, and likely to make the final 15, Malinga will be especially well-placed to assist.
“Sri Lanka Cricket aims to leverage Malinga’s vast international experience and renowned expertise in death bowling, particularly in the shortest format of the game to strengthen Sri Lanka’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup,” the board release said.
Sri Lanka are set to co-host their first men’s global tournament since 2012, from February 7. Three Sri Lankan venues will be used – Khettarama and SSC in Colombo, and Pallekele.
The T20 World Cup will run from February 7 to March 8. Sri Lanka are in Group B along with Australia, Ireland, Oman and Zimbabwe.
[Cricinfo]
India’s untested lower order played a key role in turning a modest total into a competitive one. Amanjot Kaur added stability, scoring 21 off 18 balls and putting on a 61-run partnership with Harmanpreet for the fifth wicket, helping the innings regain momentum after regular wickets fell.
After her dismissal, Arundhati Reddy – promoted ahead of Sneh Rana – launched a late assault, hitting four fours and a six off 11 balls for an unbeaten 27, guiding India to 175 for 7. The team scored 32 runs in the final two overs.
With Chamari Athapaththu gone in the second over, Perera and Dulhani faced a daunting task. Dulhani, coming in at No. 3 again ahead of Harshitha Samarawickrama, played a confident innings, coming down the track and sweeping as needed, hitting five boundaries inside the powerplay. Perera rotated the strike well, keeping the scoreboard ticking. Aided by the dew, their 79-run second-wicket stand was broken in the 12th over when Amanjot dismissed Dulhani for 50, with her first ball.
Perera carried on, moving from 32 off 23 balls to register her maiden 38-ball fifty in her 89th T20I. Having debuted in 2014 and shuffled around the order, she opened this series for the first time in three years. When the equation came down to 55 off 24 balls, Perera struck a four and a six off Shree Charani before being yorked. Her 42-ball 65 included eight fours and a six.
When Sri Lanka needed 44 off 20 balls, India fought back hard. The visitors lost their key batters at the death, collapsing from 132 for 4 to 140 for 7, eventually falling short and remaining winless in India.
Brief scores:
India Women 175 for 7 in 20 overs (Gunalan Kamalini 12, Harleen Deol 13, Harmanpreet Kaur 68, Amanjot Kaur 21, Arundhati Reddy 27*; Nimasha Meepage 1-25, Kavisha Dilhari 2-11, Rashmika Sewwandi 2-42, Chamari Athapaththu 2-21) beat Sri Lanka Women 160 for 7 in 20 overs (Hasini Perera 65, Imesha Dulani 50, Rashmika Sewwamdi 14*; Deepti Sharma 1-28, Arundhati Reddy 1-16, Sneh Rana 1-31, Vaishnavi Sharma 1-33, Shree Charani 1-31, Amanjot Kaur 1-17 ) by 15 runs
[Cricinfo]
Under 19 Cricket
Manitha Rajapaksha collected a match bag of 11 wickets as Mahinda romped to an innings and 25 runs victory over Lumbini in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ cricket encounter at Galle.
Forced to follow on after being bowled out for 173 runs, the visitors managed to last only 33 overs as bowlers used the home advantage to good effect.
In a similar performance, Sri Sumangala reduced Isipatana to just 69 runs in the second innings to record an innings and 96 runs win in the Tier ‘B’ match at Panadura. While Mevindu Kumarasiri excelled once again to claim a match bag of 11 wickets, overnight batsmen Sandeep Wijerathna and Neksha Iddamalgoda went on to score centuries for Sri Sumangala to boost the score to 301 for eight wickets declared.
Meanwhile at DSS ground the home team scored a first innings win over Nalanda.
Match Results
Mahinda in innings win at Galle
Scores
Mahinda 284 all out in 72.2 overs
(Dulsith Darshana 63, Randula Mabarana 28, Manitha Rajapaksha 23, Kaveesha Githmal 43, Kavindu Nimsara 66; Yashod Kavindu 5/100, Dinal Sewmina 2/32)
Lumbini 76 for 4 overnight 173 all out in 53.4 overs
(Kisandu Dulneth 33, Yashod Kavindu 26, Jayanitha Mendis 41, Pasindu Mahisha 38; Manitha Rajapaksha 6/64, Sadev Nethmina 2/27) and 86 all out in 32.4 overs (Nikil Abilash 33; Manitha Rajapaksha 5/25, Gesandu Bisas 2/12, Arosha Udayanga 2/15)
Sri Sumangala in innings win at Panadura
Scores
Isipatana 136 all out in 47.2 overs (Yuveen Keshan 21, Dasith Senal 31; Mevindu Kumarasiri 6/54) and 69 all out in 25.2 overs (Janith Selaka 25; Mevindu Kumarasiri 5/32, Methum Fernando 4/23)
Sri Sumangala 158 for 2 overnight 301 for 8 decl. in 79.4 overs (Sandeep Wijerathna 100, Neksha Iddamalgoda 110, Mevindu Kumarasiri 34; Dasith Senal 2/86, Dimuthu Tharuka 2/34)
First innings win for DSS at DSS ground
Scores
DSS 365 all out in 79 overs (Savain Kalansooriya 54, Bihan Gamage 102, Janindu Ranasinghe 50, Shevan Welgama 73; Osanda Pamuditha 2/69, Dunitha Anusara 4/66, Sahas Godage 3/76) and 144 for 3 in 35.2 overs (Miyuru Bandara 41, Savain Kalansooriya 57, Shanaal Binuksha 34)
Nalanda 28 for 1 overnight 197 all out in 66.1 overs (Nemindu Akmeemana 40, Ranmith Dinuwara 42; Shanaal Binuksha 6/61, Randisha Bandaranayake 2/40)
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