Sports
Winless tour heaps pressure on Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka have spent close to three weeks in Pakistan and five games in, they are still searching for that elusive first win. Losing, as they say, is part and parcel of the great game, but it’s the manner of these defeats that should set alarm bells ringing. After years of blood, sweat and tears to climb out of a deep rut, the national side looked to have finally turned the corner. Yet on this tour they have gone back to their old ways, undoing hard-earned gains and returning to square one.
As they head back to the drawing board, Sri Lanka must remind themselves what sparked their revival in the first place. The spark came from energy, discipline and self-belief, qualities rooted in superb fielding and fitness. As recently as the Asia Cup, they were the sharpest unit on the park, throwing themselves around like a side hungry for success. Then came the tinkering. They tampered with a combination that wasn’t broken, the recall of Bhanuka Rajapaksa being a glaring case in point. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
The players must shoulder their share of blame. By questioning security arrangements and toying with the idea of returning home despite clear assurances, they took their eye off the ball. The moment they shifted focus away from cricket, the wheels began to wobble. In a country that once played international cricket amidst a three-decade civil war, this fuss felt like a distraction the team could ill afford. Cricketers should stick to playing cricket and leave security to the security experts. It is said that even Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary had been briefed about the arrangements in place for the team and he had given the thumbs up.
Tactically too, Sri Lanka have come a cropper. Success in one format doesn’t guarantee success in another, yet they continue to lump all formats together and pay the price. Old demons have reappeared: a chronic struggle against spin, batting collapses that come like clockwork and a top order that gets starts but fails to convert. The killer instinct simply isn’t there.
They had no business losing the ODI series. In fact, they should have wrapped up the first two games but somehow managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The slip from fourth to fifth in the ODI rankings was self-inflicted and even sixth-placed South Africa are now breathing down their neck.
When the T20s arrived, Sri Lanka looked flat. It is true that Charith Asalanka had overstepped and needed a firm reminder, especially with his indifferent T20 form. But turning back to Dasun Shanaka feels like playing a backward defensive stroke when the situation demands a bold drive through the covers. We know exactly what Dasun brings as captain; calling him a stop-gap leader only underscores how shallow the leadership pool has become. What a pity for a cricketing nation that once brimmed with strong, street-smart captains.
Sri Lanka are not out for the count, but unless they rediscover their purpose, hunger and basics, they risk remaining stuck on the back foot, playing catch-up rather than dictating terms.
Salman Ali Agha said that he would have done things ‘differently”, after Mehidy Hasan Miraz ran him out in controversial circumstances in the second ODI in Dhaka.
Agha, who made 64 from 62 balls, had been backing up at the non-striker’s end when Mohammad Rizwan drove the ball back towards him. He was still out of his ground as Mehidy swooped round behind him in an attempt to gather, and Agha had appeared ready to pass the ball back to the bowler before Mehidy reached down to grab it first and throw down the stumps.
Agha reacted furiously to the dismissal, throwing his gloves and helmet down in disgust at the decision. However, he later came to the post-match press conference, ahead of captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and player of the match Maaz Sadaqat, to clear the air.
“I think sportsman spirit has to be there,” Agha said. “What he [Mehidy] has done is in the law. I think if he thinks it’s right, it’s right, but if you ask me my perspective, I would have done differently. I would have gone for sportsman spirit. We haven’t done this [type of thing] previously, we would never do that in the future as well.”
Agha explained that he had been trying to pick up the ball to give to Miraz, thinking it was likely to have been called dead. “Actually, the ball hit on my pad and then my bat,” he said. “So I thought he can’t get me run-out now, because the ball already hit on my pad and my bat.
“I was just trying to give him the ball back. I was not looking for the run or anything like that, but he already decided [to make the run-out].”
Agha however regretted his angry reaction. “It was just heat-of-the-moment kind of stuff,” he said. “If you ask me what would I have done, I would have done things differently. But it was everything, whatever happened after that, it was in the moment.”
He was also involved in a robust exchange with Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das, though he didn’t divulge many of the details.
“I can’t remember what I was saying and I can’t remember what he was saying,” he said. “I’m sure I wasn’t saying nice things, and I’m sure he wasn’t saying nice stuff as well. But it was just heat of the moment, so we are fine.
Asked if he had patched things up with Mehidy, Agha said: “I haven’t yet, but don’t worry, I’ll find him.”
Pakistan won the match by 128 runs via the DLS method.
[Cricinfo]
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix that were scheduled for next month are set to be cancelled as a result of the war in the Middle East.
A formal decision to call off the races has not yet been made but is expected before the end of the weekend.
Freight would need to start being shipped to the Middle East in the coming days. With no sign of the conflict between the US/Israel and Iran coming to a conclusion, holding the races would put personnel at too great a risk.
Neither event will be replaced, with the season being cut to 22 grands prix and F1 taking a commercial hit of more than £100m, given Bahrain and Saudi Arabia pay two of the highest hosting fees.
The race in Bahrain was scheduled to be on 12 April with Jeddah the following weekend.
Consideration was given to holding events at Portimao in Portugal, Imola in Italy or Istanbul Park in Turkey.
But it was accepted that the time to organise a race at any of those locations was too short, and there was little chance of securing a hosting fee.
The decision will mean there is a five-week break between the Japanese Grand Prix on 29 March and Miami on 3 May.
(BBC)
Royal College made steady progress in reply to their arch rivals’ first innings total as skipper Rehan Peiris and Ramiru Perera guided them to 175 for four wickets at stumps on day two of the 147th Battle of the Blues at the SSC ground on Friday.
Royal needed only 51 overs to reach their end-of-day total after S. Thomas’ College had earlier adopted a cautious approach before being bowled out for 302 runs.
Royal suffered an early setback when open batsman Hirun Liyanarachchi was dismissed for naught in the very first over, caught behind by Aaron Kodituwakku off the bowling of Gimhan Mendis.
Skipper Rehan Peiris then steadied the innings, repairing the early damage with two useful partnerships. He first added 41 runs for the second wicket with Udantha Gangewatta and followed it up with a 34-run stand for the third wicket alongside Sri Lanka Under-19 skipper Vimath Dinsara.
Dinsara struggled to find fluency during his stay at the crease, managing 11 runs off 30 balls before being trapped leg-before by Gimhan Mendis, who finished the day with two wickets.
Rehan continued to anchor the innings and produced the most productive stand of the Royal innings when he combined with Ramiru Perera for a vital 78-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The Royal skipper’s determined knock finally ended on 63 when he was dismissed by Ludeesha Matarage.
From there, Ramiru Perera and Yasindu Dissanayake ensured there were no further setbacks, batting cautiously until bad light forced the umpires to call off play.
Perera remained unbeaten on 70, an attractive innings that included ten boundaries, while Dissanayake provided solid support at the other end as Royal closed the day strongly.
Earlier in the day, resuming from their overnight score, the Thomians continued with their ultra-cautious approach, scoring at just over two runs per over. Reshon Solomon top-scored with 66 runs, while Ludeesha Matarage and Raphael Hettige chipped in with useful contributions in the twenties.
S. Thomas’ were eventually bowled out for 302 just before the lunch interval on the second day, having consumed 124 overs during their four-session first innings.
Gagan Gamage was the pick of the Royal bowlers with impressive figures of four wickets for 49 runs. He received good support from Sehandu Sooriyaarachchi, who claimed three wickets for 64 runs, while Himaru Deshan picked up two wickets for 43. Ramiru Perera also chipped in with a wicket to complete the Thomian innings.
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