Batting frailties give Sri Lanka food for thought
Three crucial knockout matches today
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A strong Sri Lanka’s Under 19 team captained by Viran Chamuditha left for the Asia Cup with a ballanced squad drawn mostly from the country’s top cricket schools.
The batting line-up is led by St. Servatius’ bat Chamuditha, who made history at the last ICC Youth World Cup with the highest individual score of 192. His deputy, Senuja Wakunegoda of St. Joseph’s College, Darley Road, has a double century to his name for SL U19, a rare feat at this level.
Royal College’s Rehan Peiris has been consistent in the country’s premier schools tournaments, while Ananda College’s Kithma Withanapathirana adds further quality to the middle order. Gimhan Rasanjana, a key figure in the success story of Devapathiraja College, Rathgama, completes a batting group with both big-hitting ability and depth.
Jaffna’s Vigneswaran Akash of St. Joseph’s College has been consistent since breaking into the SL U19 team. Royal College’s Himaru Deshan has produced impressive performances since his Under 15 days and has been on the radar of Sri Lanka Cricket selectors from a very young age. Trinity College’s Chaniru Senarathne adds another option in the spin department.
Medium pacer Lathendra Akash of Sri Sumangala College, Hikkaduwa is the only player drawn from a school playing in a lower division of country’s Under 19 tournament. He recently took wickets against India U19, a good sign ahead of a tournament where the same opposition looms.
Trinity’s Sethmika Senevirathne has a five-wicket haul as his best performance for SL U19, while left-arm paceman Gimhan Mendis of S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, brings variety to the attack.
Selectors have also placed their confidence in S. Thomas’ College wicketkeeper Stevon Peiris, who will be responsible for the gloves.
With centurions and a double centurion in the batting order, spinners who have been proven at junior levels and pacers who have already troubled strong opposition, Sri Lanka go into the Asia Cup with a well-rounded squad.
The tournament, organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), will feature eight teams competing in the 50-over format, with Sri Lanka drawn in Group B alongside Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Malaysia.
Sri Lanka will commence their campaign when they meet Malaysia on Thursday.
Team: Viran Chamuditha (Captain), Senuja Wakunegoda, Rehan Peiris, Kithma Withanapathirana, Gimhan Rasanjana, Sanul Weerarathne, Chaniru Senarathne, Lithma Perera, Vigneswaran Akash, Sethmika Senevirathne, Gimhan Mendis, Lathendra Akash, Himaru Deshan, Stevon Peiris, Kaushika Kumarasinghe. (RF)
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Sri Lanka’s batting frailties have resurfaced ahead of the two match Test series against Pakistan, leaving Head Coach Gary Kirsten with a few knots to untangle before the opening game next week.
The tourists suffered another top order wobble in their warm up game in Islamabad, slipping to 64 for five before the lower order came to the rescue. Having been reduced to 40 for three in the first innings, they would have hoped for a steadier start second time around. Instead, half the side was back in the pavilion with little resistance offered against the new ball.
Former captain Dinesh Chandimal, expected to return at number three after concussion ruled him out of the second Test against India in Colombo, endured a forgettable outing, bagging a pair.
Sonal Dinusha showed promise during his 58-ball 22, striking four boundaries, before being dismissed hit-wicket trying to take on a bouncer. It was apparently a spicy pitch.
With Sri Lanka staring down the barrel, Milan Rathnayake joined wicketkeeper batsman Anjala Bandara to launch a rescue mission. Their 56 run partnership gave the innings some breathing space, although the tourists still finished on an uneasy 121 for six.
While Rathnayake is unlikely to make the Test XI, Bandara’s credentials are receiving close scrutiny. The 22-year-old from Matale has been a prolific scorer in domestic cricket and for the SLC XI, but questions linger over his work behind the stumps.
SLC arranged for Bandara to work with former wicketkeeper Mahesh Gunathilaka to sharpen his skills. Kirsten and Team Manager Mahinda Halangoda will assess his glovework during the warm-up game before deciding whether he is ready to take the gloves in Test cricket.
Sri Lanka have alternatives, with captain Kusal Mendis and Lahiru Udara both capable of keeping wicket. The selection puzzle, however, goes beyond the gloves. Accommodating Bandara would leave one of the senior batsmen facing the axe, with former captain Dhananjaya de Silva under mounting pressure following his recent decision to relinquish the leadership.
The bowling offered more encouragement as Sri Lanka restricted PCB Patron’s XI to 151 for eight. Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka and Rathnayake claimed two wickets apiece, while Prabath Jayasuriya and Keshara Nuwantha picked up one each.
With the bowlers finding their rhythm, it is the batting that needs to get its house in order before the serious business begins.
Sri Lanka first innings: 232-7 in 58 overs (Kusal Mendis 66, Lahiru Udara 65, Anjala Bandara 33 not out).
PCB Patron’s XI first innings: 151-8 in 47 overs (Azan Awais 50, Tayyab Arif 30; Lahiru Kumara 2-16).
Sri Lanka second innings: 120-6 in 37 overs (Anjala Bandara 34, Milan Rathnayake 26; Shoaib Akther 3-22).
Unbeaten Nalanda College, Colombo, will meet Wesley College, Colombo, in an eagerly anticipated semi-final of the Under-19 Division I Tier ‘A’ Inter-Schools Limited Overs Cricket Tournament at the D.H.H. Grounds, Katana, today.
The first semi-final of the tournament scheduled for yesterday was abandoned due to wet ground conditions at the same venue but organizers, the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association expect improved conditions for today’s encounter.
Nalanda enter the semi-final with an impressive unbeaten record. They advanced to the quarter-finals as the champions of Group D after securing four consecutive victories in the first round. The team captained by Nadul Jayalth knocked out St. Anthony’s Katugastota to book their place in the semis.
Wesley, considered the dark horse in this competiton, qualified for the knockout stage as the runners-up of their group and produced a strong performance in the quarter-final to defeat Richmond College, Galle. Wesley are captained by Lithium Senuja.
With both teams having displayed fine form throughout the tournament, today’s semi-final is expected to be a closely contested encounter.
Bens meet St. Thomas’ Matara in Tier ‘B’ semi-final
In the Tier ‘B’ semi-final, St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena, will meet St. Thomas College, Matara at Campbell Place.
Both teams advanced to the quarter-finals as group champions in the first round. St. Benedict’s secured their semi-final berth by defeating Ananda College, Colombo, while St. Thomas Matara overcame Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala, in the quarter-finals.
St. Benedict’s are led by Dinath Senila, while Thathsara Dewmith captains St. Thomas Matara in what promises to be an exciting semi-final clash.
Revatha meet Anuradhapura Central in Division II Tier ‘B’ semi-final
Revata College Balapitiya will meet Anuradhapura Central College in the semi-final of the Under-19 Division II Tier ‘B’ Tournament at the BRC Grounds today.
Anuradhapura Central advanced to the quarter-finals as the champions of their group, while Revata College entered the knockout stage as the runners-up of their group in the first round.
Revata secured their place in the semi-finals by defeating Asoka Vidyalaya Colombo in the quarter-final, while Anuradhapura Central recorded a victory over St. Thomas’ College Matale.
Revata will be led by Ameesha de Silva, while Pudasara Navodya will captain the Anuradhapura Central side.
Continue Reading Latest News World record 53 red cards shown in Brazilian youth game Published
A world record of 53 red cards were shown during a chaotic under-20s game in Brazil.
The semi-final first leg of the Minas Gerais Under-20 Championship tie between Uberlandia and Mamore was marred by scenes that led to 43 players and eight members of coaching staff being sent off.
There was also two Uberlandia board members dismissed, taking the tally up to 53.
The previous record was 36, in a 2011 fifth-division game between Club Atletico Claypole and Victoriano Arenas in Argentina.
Brazilian news outlet O Tempo reported the military police were called because of extensive damage to the Parque do Sabia Stadium.
According to the referee’s report, a brawl broke out in the second half after Mamores’ Davi taunted the opposition bench during celebrations when his side went 3-1 up.
Uberlandia goalkeeping coach Paulo Sergio Dias Dos Santos ran on to the pitch to confront him, sparking clashes and the subsequent dismissals, with three players having already been sent off earlier.
The police report referenced 14 broken doors, damaged shower facilities, broken windows and that benches, tables and chairs had been destroyed.
The game was paused for approximately 40 minutes and then abandoned by referee Fernando Patrick Drosghic Modesto.
“In the 54th minute of the second half, a generalized brawl broke out, making it impossible to show the red cards and to carry out the match-closing protocol,” Modesto wrote in his report.
“Therefore, owing to all the turmoil and the lack of security, I declared the match ended.”
Uberlandia have since confirmed that they have conceded the second leg of the semi-final because Mamore only have seven players available as a result of all the red cards.
They described their move as a “gesture of fair play” as Mamore would progress through to the final, and Uberlandia will instead focus on the third-place match.
“The club has also not remained silent: the appropriate disciplinary measures regarding those involved have already been taken internally, because athletic development is, above all, a matter of personal development,” Uberlandia added.
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Showers will occur at several places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva and Southern provinces and in Kurunegala, Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.
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