Sports
Vaas proud of fast bowling strength at Sri Lanka’s disposal

Rex Clementine in Sharjah
Former fast bowling great Chaminda Vaas has done well to develop a potent fast bowling attack since being roped into the role. The pace that Sri Lanka possess at the moment is quite formidable with three bowlers clocking over 140kmph. While Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara have clocked above 145 kmph during the ongoing ICC T-20 World Cup, this week, the third seamer Chamika Karunaratne broke the 140 kmph barrier.
“What we have seen is three guys bowling over 140kmph in tandem. We right now have two guys bowling at 145kmph and Chamika Karunaratne slightly slower than them. Great to see that. I am looking forward to see how they will fare in Test cricket as well. We will have a good time moving forward and exciting times are ahead,” Vaas told a group of Sri Lankan journalists.
Lahiru Kumara was a late addition to the squad but has been quite a handful. He used to be erratic despite possessing raw pace, but right now has got his act together bowling with more accuracy. He also has added a new weapon to his armoury, bowling deadly yorkers.
“Lahiru was in the pool but wasn’t in the squad of 15. We have been doing a lot of work with him trying to develop his skill. He was desperate to get a few things right. His stats in T-20 cricket were not good enough for his immense talent. To his credit, he put in the hard yards. Did a lot of work with our trainer Dilshan Fonseka. I guess those things have stood in good stead during the tournament,” Vaas explained.
The strategy to include Kumara seems to have stemmed from the fact that Sri Lanka realized that teams playing the qualifying round like Ireland, Netherlands and Namibia had not faced extra pace and Kumara had got a last minute nod. “That was the plan. We know these teams play medium pace bowlers lots of the time. So once you have extra pace it can be quite handy. What I am impressed is not just the pace but the control they are showing with the pace. The accuracy has been spot on and I wish they keep doing it as we move forward,” Vaas pointed out.
Vaas has done a few technical adjustments to Kumara’s games and it is paying dividends. “Did a few changes like his run-up and wrist position and especially he trained a lot on bowling yorkers. Just keep a cone and try hitting that. He’s been terrific to be honest. The more you do this stuff as a fast bowler you keep improving. Glad to see Lahiru having that desire to get his act together and the results are there for everyone to see”
Dushmantha Chameera is the leader of the bowling unit and some impressive performances in the home series against India and South Africa earned him an IPL contract. “He has been terrific in the last eight months. He has learned the art of swinging the ball and when you do that with his pace that can be quite handy. He is another guy who works hard on his bowling. You have got to give him credit. He is a very passionate guy who wants to see Sri Lankan cricket doing well.”
Traditionally, your quickest seamers share the new ball, but in T-20 cricket there is a whole lot of new dimension that has come in and it is not so anymore and instead Sri Lanka have opted for Karunaratne. “Chamika can bowl at any point. We used him early because one-side of the Abu Dhabi ground is smaller. When you give him the first over, you can make the best out of Dushmantha and Lahiru. We can keep them for the middle overs and the death overs which is vital. That’s the thinking behind. When we want a wicket we try to bring in the extra pace of those two,” Vaas elaborated.
Sports
Sri Lanka hammer Australia in record 174-run rout

Australia were handed a humbling defeat – one for the record books – as Sri Lanka trounced them by a massive 174 runs at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Friday. It was Australia’s heaviest defeat in ODIs against Sri Lanka and their fifth-worst margin of loss in history. Chasing a target of 282, the Aussies never got going, bundled out for a meager 107 – their second-lowest total against Sri Lanka in ODIs. It was also their lowest total in Asia.
The visitors were off to a rocky start, and things only got worse as they collapsed in spectacular fashion, losing their last seven wickets for just 28 runs. It was a textbook demolition job, orchestrated first by Asitha Fernando, who set the tone with a fiery opening spell of three for 23 in four overs, before the spinners tightened the screws.
On a surface offering plenty of bite for the slow bowlers, the Sri Lankan spinners merely had to land the ball in the right areas and let the pitch do the talking. Left-arm spinner Dunith Wellalage triggered the collapse, bamboozling Josh Inglis with a skiddy arm ball that crashed into the stumps. In his next over, he delivered another peach, rattling the dangerous Glenn Maxwell’s timber to finish with four wickets.
From the other end, Wanindu Hasaranga joined the party, weaving his magic and claiming three wickets, including that of skipper Steve Smith, who was trapped plumb in front. There was no way back for the Aussies, as Sri Lanka ran through the defending World Champions like a hot knife through butter.
This emphatic victory sealed a 2-0 series win for Sri Lanka and propelled them to fifth in the ODI rankings. More importantly, it sent a strong message to the cricketing world: Sri Lanka’s absence from the upcoming Champions Trophy will be felt. The former World Champions missed out on qualification after finishing ninth in the 2023 World Cup, but this performance was a firm reminder of what they are capable of.
Sri Lanka’s batting had been under the microscope in recent weeks, but the top order silenced critics with a commanding display. Kusal Mendis was the star of the show, crafting a superb century – his fifth in ODIs and first against Australia. He found ample support from Nishan Madushka and Charith Asalanka, who chipped in with crucial half-centuries.
Asalanka, fresh from his match-winning hundred two days ago, was in irresistible form again. Unfazed by the opposition, he bludgeoned an unbeaten 78 off just 66 balls, peppering the boundary with six fours and three towering sixes.
The foundation was laid by a 98-run partnership between Mendis and Madushka for the second wicket, stabilizing the innings after an early loss. Mendis then built on the momentum, stitching a 94-run stand with Asalanka for the fourth wicket. Even after Mendis perished soon after reaching his ton, Asalanka ensured Sri Lanka finished with a flourish. He and Janith Liyanage put the finishing touches with an unbroken 66-run stand off just 35 balls, shifting into top gear as Sri Lanka plundered 97 runs in the last ten overs.
Australia were without their pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, and the absence of firepower was glaring. With the Champions Trophy set to kick off in Pakistan next week, they have plenty to ponder. Their bowling attack lacked bite, and their batting was in disarray – issues they must address swiftly if they hope to put up a fight in the tournament.
Sports
St. Sebastian’s book final berth

Under 19 Division I Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
St. Sebastian’s Moratuwa advanced to the final of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ cricket tournament with a first innings victory over St. Joseph’s Darley Road at Anuradhapura on Friday.
On the third day morning, St. Joseph’s Darley Road raised concerns over the health of several players who were not well. That forced the two teams to agree to stop the match with more than two sessions remaining on the final day.
St. Joseph’s commenced their second innings on the final day with a deficit of 72 runs. They were 107 for one wicket at the first water break of the day when the two teams decided to stop the match.
It was not known who would face St. Sebastian’s in the final after Mahanama College moved the courts to stop the semi-final between Royal and Trinity. Mahanama were the quarter-final opponents of Trinity. The quarter-final between Trinity and Mahanama did not last the full distance after the latter cried foul over the ground preparation on the second day morning.
Mahanama are seeking a replay of that quarter-final citing that they had been disadvantaged by the conduct of the ground staff who rolled the pitch before the scheduled time without the observation of match officials.
Scores
St. Joseph’s 270 all out in 84.3 overs
(Rishma Amarasinghe 31, Yenula Dewthusa 74, Maanasa Madubashana 116, Adesh Almeida 6/47, Risinu Prabesh 2/39) and 107 for 1 in 15 overs (Abishek Jayaweera 26, Aveesha Samash 48n.o., Senuja Wakunugoda 31n.o.)
St. Sebastian’s 4 for no loss overnight 342 all out in 91.2 overs
(Kaveesha Perera 58, Ushen Silva 106, Navod Fernando 49, Malintha Silva 99; Yenula Dewthusa 3/96, Demion de Silva 5/127)
Sports
Ranmith’s best knock guides Isipatana

Put to bat Isipatana reached 283 for eight wickets at stumps against arch rivals Thurstan as Ranmith Senarath anchored the batting line up with an unbeaten century on day one of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘B’ cricket tournament quarter-final at Sooriyawewa ground on Friday.
Isipatana lost their openers for 18 runs before wicketkeeper batsman Ranmith joined Maleesha Sandaruwan to put on a decisive 120 runs partnership for the third wicket.
While Maleesha scored 58 runs, Ranmith anchored the innings with his best knock of the season. Ranmith remained unbeaten on 155. He scored 15 fours and two sixes in his knock.
For Thurstan, Yovun Silpa and Rachintha de Silva took three wickets each.
Scores
Isipatana 283 for 8 in 90 overs
(Maleesha Sandaruwan 58, Ranmith Senarath 155n.o., Chanul Dinoth 24; Yovun Silpa 3/39, Rachintha de Silva 3/23) RF
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