Sports
Tharushi, Gayanthika, Nadeesha, Yupun eye Olympic qualifying standards in Dubai
by Reemus Fernando
Asian Games gold medallist Thrushi Karunaratne and former national record holder of the women’s 800 metres, Gayanthika Abeyratne, 400 metres sprinter Nadeesha Ramanayake and Italy based sprinter Yupun Abeykoon will vie for Paris Olympic Games qualifying standards when they compete against tough opponents at the Dubai Grand Prix on Friday.
Both Karunaratne and Abeyratne have not met each other on the track at a major competition after the Asian Games. On Friday, they will be aiming at the direct qualifying standard time of one minute and 59.30 seconds which no Sri Lankan woman has ever achieved.
There are 48 slots for the women’s 800 metres at the Paris Olympics. Of them 27 places are filled by athletes achieving the tough qualifying standards while the rest of the 21 places are filled according to world rankings. Currently Gayanthika Abeyratne is ranked 61st in the ‘Road to Paris 24’ rankings and she will be eager to improve on her standing. Karunaratne is yet to enter the list despite winning the Asian Games, Asian Championship and Asian Junior Championship titles last year.
The Sri Lankan duo will be chasing Kenyan born Bahrain runner Nelly Jepkosgei who has a seasonal best of 1:58.93 seconds heading into Friday’s World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event.
Abeyratne commenced the season with a moderate 2:06.12 seconds performance at the First Trial conducted by Sri Lanka Athletics in March. But it will be the first event of the season for Karunaratne whose national record mark of 2:00.66 seconds is likely to receive a beating.
Italy based sprinter Yupun Abeykoon is in red hot form following his 15.90 seconds dash in the 150 metres at the Florence Sprint Festival.
He had a similar feat before accomplishing the historic sub ten seconds performance in the 100 metres in 2022. The Olympic qualifying standard for men’s 100 metres is 10 seconds.
Asian Championship gold medallist Nadeesha Ramanayake had a 53.22 seconds start at the recently held Trial. She has a tough ask as 50.95 is the qualifying standard set for Paris Olympics.
Kusal Mendis’ 93 not out off 117 balls provided the backbone, Janith Liyanage punched out a 46, and DunithWellalage produced late burst, as Sri Lanka strode to 271 for 6. On a track that offers turn, and at a venue at which chasing has historically been difficult, Sri Lanka’s is a solid – if not imposing – score, even if the hosts are resting some key bowlers.
Adil Rashid added to his excellent Sri Lanka record with 3 for 44, and was unsurprisingly England’s primary weapon, given the conditions. Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, and Rehan Ahmed claimed a wicket each, as England found frequent-enough breakthroughs to cut partnerships short before they grew truly worrying. Although Sri Lanka will be pleased with their score, England will believe it is within their reach.
Mendis was cautious early on. Arriving in the 11th over, he faced out 12 scoreless deliveries – 10 of those from England’s legspinners – before he nurdled himself onto the scoreboard. He was awake to scoring opportunities, particularly in his favoured zones square of the wicket, such as when he struck Rehan for successive boundaries behind point in the 15th over.
But as England continued to bowl tightly to him, and the spinners extracted turn from a dry surface, Mendis chose to proceed in a middling gear, pushing for singles and twos instead of dusting off his more aggressive sweeps. He got to 50 off 62 balls, but slowed down a little after that, particularly after he lost Liyanage, with whom he had put on 88 for the fifth wicket.
Although Mendis hit only a single four after the 41st over, Sri Lanka had Wellalage to crash the finishing boundaries. He hit three fours and a six in his 12-ball 25 not out. Mendis was in the 90s in the last two overs, but Wellalage claimed the majority of the strike, taking a particular shine to Jamie Overton in the final over, which went for 23.
Rashid was masterful with the ball almost from the outset. He slipped a googly past the defences of Kamil Mishara 10 balls into his first spell, then later trapped Dhananjaya de Silva in front, having beaten the batter in the flight. Then in the 43rd over, he cramped Liyanage up and took a simple catch off his own bowling, just as Liyanage was preparing to press the pedal to the floor.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 271 for 6 in 50 overs (Pathum Nissanka 21, Kamil Mishara 27, Kusal Mendis 93*, Janith Liyanage 46, Dunith Welalage 25*; Adil Rashid 3-44) vs England
[Cricinfo]
Asif Nazrul, the Bangladesh government’s sports advisor, on Thursday said that the ICC and the BCCI made no effort to convince the the Bangladesh Cricket Board of the security for their players in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. He also added that they did not deliver justice to their plea of shifting matches to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first in the opening ODI in Colombo, a venue that has historically been difficult for chasing teams. England captain Harry Brook said his team would have batted first as well.
England made one change to the XI they had named on the eve of the match, with allrounder Will Jacks having taken ill overnight. Jacks, an offspin-bowling allrounder, has been replaced in the XI by legspinning allrounder Rehan Ahmed.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have opted for a young attack, perhaps with a view to resting the more experienced bowlers for the T20Is coming up. There is no Wanindu Hasaranga or Maheesh Theekshana in the XI. Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage and legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay will lead the spin attack instead, with the likes of Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka also able to bowl.
Asitha Fernando and Pramod Madushan are the frontline seamers.
Although conditions were warm and fair at the toss, there is a chance showers could roll through later.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (capt.), Jos Buttler (wk), Sam Curran, Rehan Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Ratnayake, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Jeffrey Vandersay, Asitha Fernando
[Cricinfo]
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