Sports
WPL 2024 auction: Athapaththu, Dottin among 165 players in the pool
Chamari Athapaththu, Deandra Dottin and Shabnim Ismail are among the biggest names in a pool of 165 players who will go under the hammer at the second WPL auction in Mumbai on December 9.
Among the major capped Indian players listed in the final pool are Veda Krishanmurthy, S Meghana, Meghna Singh and Devika Vaidya. The five franchises will have a combined 30 slots to fill, including nine for overseas players.
Only two players – West Indies allrounder Dottin and Australia pacer Kim Garth – have placed themselves in the highest bracket, at a base price of INR 50 lakh (US$ 60,000 approx.), while Sri Lanka captain Athapaththu, in the middle of a spectacular run of batting form and the second-highest run-getter at the WBBL this year, has listed her base price at INR 30 lakh. She went unsold at the 2023 auction.
Dottin was signed for INR 60 lakh ahead of the inaugural season by Gujarat Giants, but was withdrawn from the squad days before the tournament. At the time, Giants said Dottin was “recovering from a medical situation”, a claim she disputed publicly. Dottin was subsequently replaced by Garth, who was let go ahead of the retention deadline.
The Australian pair of Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham, along with England wicketkeeper Amy Jones and Ismail, are bracketed in the second-highest category, with a base price of INR 40 lakh. Like Garth, Sutherland and Wareham were picked by Giants for the inaugural season before being released. Ismail featured in just three matches for UP Warriorz, while Jones had gone unsold.
Thailand batter Natthakan Chantham and USA’s Tara Norris are among 15 players from Associate nations in the auction pool, which also has representation from the Netherlands, Scotland, UAE and Hong Kong. Norris, the left-arm seamer, was the only Associate player to feature in the inaugural season of the WPL. She picked up seven wickets in five games for Delhi Capitals, including the tournaments’s first five-for.
Giants, who finished last in the previous edition, offloaded more than half their squad ahead of the second season. As a result, they have the biggest purse (INR 5.95 crore) and also the maximum slots to fill (ten). Defending champions Mumbai Indians have the lowest budget (INR 2.1 crore).
The inaugural season comprised 22 matches and was played in three venues across Mumbai. The BCCI is in the process of finalising the dates for the second season, which is expected to be held in February. It’s also likely that the tournament will be played in multiple cities, with Mumbai and Bengaluru expected to feature.
By A Special Sports Correspondent
Kandy Sports Club crowned themselves as ‘Cup Championship’ winners in the inter-club league rugby tournament when they overcame their final hurdle by beating Havelocks Sports Club by 50 points to 24 at Nittawela last evening.
Kandy SC was anyway assured of the title this season before this final game of the season even began, given that they were unbeaten thus far in the league tournament. Kandy SC collected their points through seven tries, six conversions and a penalty while Havelocks Sports Club responded with a three converted tries and a penalty.
Kandy SC set the pace for the game from the kick off itself and recorded first half tries through Dinal Ekanayake, Srinath Sooriyabandara, Kenula Hettiarachchi and Dahan Wickremaarachchi and all four conversions were slotted in by Tharinda Ratwatte. Havelocks SC got most of their points in the first half through Sandesh Jayawickreme who scored a try and booted through a conversion. The penalty for the Park Club was kicked right by Samuel Maduwantha.
Kandy SC faced some resistance from Havies after the turn around, but the side from Nittawela found the try line by breaking through a barrage of tackles from the men wearing the pink and chocolate jerseys.
Dahan Wickremaarachchi started the ball rolling for Kandy with a try after the turn around which took the side’s score to 38 with the conversion. Havies played in patches thereafter and scored through Jayathu Rajaratne and Janidu Fernando. Jayawickreme was spot on with the conversions.
Kandy’s Ethen Schneider Loos smashed his way through for the side’s sixth try which was converted by Ratwatte. Kandy had the game in the bag despite Havies playing attacking rugby whenever they had possession. But the score line deference that Kandy maintained throughout the game made it hard for Havies to make a real comeback into the game.
The Nittwala side erupted in jubilation when Ekanayake punted ahead and sent crowd favourite Nigel Ratwatte for the seventh and final try. There was speculation throughout the game that this would be Nigel’s final game for the Kandy SC side. Surprisingly Tharinda missed the conversion.
At the awards presentation ceremony after the game, Kandy Sports Club’s Tharinda Ratwatte was named as the highest points scorer for the 2024/25 league rugby season. He has accumulated 139 points this season.
Havelocks Sports produced the highest try scorer for the season. That award went to Jayathu Rajaratne of Havies. He has had 16 touchdowns this season. Havelocks Sports Club had to be satisfied with the runners-up trophy at the awards presentation. Players from both sides including the coaching staff were presented with medals by the organisers of the tournament.
Meanwhile CR&FC did well in their last outing in the Cup Championship segment of the league tournament when they beat Air Force by 31 points to 16 at Longden Place.
In the two Plate Segment matches, Sri Lanka Navy beat Sri Lions by 41 points to 38 at Race Course.In the other match of the Plate segment, Police SC beat Army SC by 24 points to 17. The match was played at Police Park.
Mutthusami Sivarajan and Rasara Wijesuriya won the men’s and women’s Cross Country Championships of the National Sports Festival conducted in Nuwara Eliya.
Sivarajan representing Central Province returned a time of 34 minutes and 21 seconds to finish ahead of Samantha Pushpakumara and Damith Hemantha Kumara.
In the women’s category, Wijesuriya from Eastern Province clocked 38 minutes and 41 seconds finish ahead of Madhushani Herath and Chamini Herath.
Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ Limited Overs Cricket
by Reemus Fernando
Trinity advanced to the final of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ Limited Overs Cricket tournament with six wickets victory over arch rivals St. Anthony’s in the semi-final played at BRC ground on Saturday.
Open batsman Dimantha Mahavithana held Trinity’s batting together with a valuable knock of 74 runs inclusive of six fours. He was out after leveling scores. Chaniru Senarathne added a fourth wicket stand of 82 runs with Mahavithana and remained unbeaten on 44.
Deciding to bowl first, Trinity did well to take three quick wickets.
Malith Rathnayake who opened bowling with Sethmika Senavirathne took three wickets as he completed his full quota of ten overs for 23 runs. Senavirathne did not take a wicket but he bowled an economical spell giving away just 20 runs in his eight overs.
Sweath Anurajeewa took three wickets for 25 runs (8 overs) while Chaniru Senarathne, Vathila Udara and Jayavi Liyanagama grabbed a wicket each.
Trinity will now meet St. Joseph’s in the final which will be played after the O/L exams.
St. Joseph’s eliminated Gurukula to book their final berth.
Trinity are in the semi-final stage of the two-day tournament as well.
Scores:
St. Anthony’s 158 all out in 50 overs (Sadew Amarakoon 31, Kaushika Kumarasinghe 35, Kevan Fernando 34n.o.; Malith Rathnayake 3/23, Sweath Anurajeewa 3/25)
Trinity 159 for 4 in 45.3 overs (Dimantha Mahavithana 74, Aadham Hilmy 22, Chaniru Senarathne 44n.o.; Ryan Gregory 2/30)
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