Sangakkara inspired Sri Lanka stunner Mathews

Sangakkara inspired Sri Lanka stunner - Mathews

Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara (centre), currently a commentator with ICC in conversation with head coach Graham Ford and captain Angelo Mathews ahead of the Champions trophy clash with India at the Oval on Thursday

LONDON, Friday: Angelo Mathews says an inspirational session in the nets with Kumar Sangakkara laid the foundations for Sri Lanka’s stunning Champions Trophy victory against India.

Sangakkara is retired from international duty, but the legendary Sri Lanka batsman is currently playing for Surrey and he took the opportunity to spend some time with his country’s emerging youngsters before Thursday’s crucial clash with India.

Still in fine form with Surrey, Sangakkara opted against coming out of retirement for the Champions Trophy, but the 39-year-old clearly still has an influence off the field.

Sri Lanka were thrashed by South Africa in their opening match last week but bounced back on Sangakkara’s temporary home ground, chasing down India’s total of 321 to win by seven wickets at The Oval.

It was Sri Lanka’s joint highest ODI run chase and kept alive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals. Danushka Gunathilaka, standing in for the injured Chamara Kapugedera, hit 76 off 72 balls while Kusal Mendis made 89 as the pair set in motion an unlikely victory.

And Sri Lanka captain Mathews revealed some tips from Sangakkara this week helped turn the tide.

“Kusal met Sanga to get some batting tips because he is the king,” Mathews said.

“We all look up to him and take advice from him, all the batters. He taught us good things about how to play on these tracks.

“The guys met him, took a lot of advice and went out there and did it today.”

Gunathilaka’s ODI career-best innings was especially impressive as he would have been watching in the stands if Kapugedera hadn’t been ruled out with a knee injury suffered in practice on Wednesday.

Gunathilaka and Mendis put together a 159-run partnership before Mathews (52) and Asela Gunaratne (34) finished the job with eight balls to spare.

In the midst of a major rebuilding project, Sri Lanka will clinch an unexpected place in the last four if they beat Pakistan on Monday.“For Danushka to walk into a game knowing he wasn’t even in the 15 until after Chamara got injured is impressive,” Mathews said.

“He had to step in against a very strong opposition and I was very impressed with how he batted.

“He and Kusal played with a lot of freedom and that set us a platform and made it so much easier for myself and the middle order batters. “Asela’s little cameo as well really won us the game at the end so it was a fantastic batting effort.”

India seemed to be in control after Shikhar Darwan scored 125, while Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni made 78 and 63 respectively. But the holders paid the price for not pushing closer to 350 and now find themselves in a scrap to progress from Group B, where all four teams have two points with one match left to play.

“I personally thought we had enough on the board,” India captain Virat Kohli said.

“You have to give credit to the opposition as well. We are not invincible. We are playing against a champion side.

“These are the top eight teams in the world so there are no guarantees.

“We have to consolidate and then explode at the end, that’s how we play. We’re not a side that always plays explosive cricket for the 50 overs. “But if a team has that kind of mindset and executes their shots you have to take your hat off and sometimes say, ‘well done’.” India must beat South Africa on Sunday to avoid a humiliating exit. “Every game is a quarter-final now,” Kohli said.

“All teams are on two points and you have to win all your games to go through. We are very clear about the situation.” – AFP

Top 9 Cricketers and their Super Luxurious Homes

Top 9 Cricketers and their Super Luxurious Homes

Sri Lanka vs India Highlights 8 June 2017

Sri Lanka vs India Highlights 8 June 2017

No pressure on underdogs Sri Lanka says Mathews

No pressure on underdogs Sri Lanka says Mathews

London: Angelo Mathews insists there is no pressure on Sri Lanka in their crucial Champions Trophy clash against India on Thursday because the defending champions are expected to thrash his underdogs.

Mathews’ side must beat India at The Oval to keep alive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals, but the odds are against a Sri Lanka team hit by injury and suspension.

Sri Lanka looked like tournament also rans when they lost to South Africa by 96 runs in their Group B opener last weekend.

Already in the midst of a rebuilding project following the retirement of several stars, Sri Lanka will be without Upul Tharanga, banned for his team’s slow over rate, against India, while batsman Chamara Kapugedera may miss out due to injury.

Mathews knows India, who thrashed Pakistan in their first group match, are firm favourites to maintain their 100 percent record.

But the Sri Lanka captain hopes being written off will allow his team to play with enough freedom to spring a surprise.

“People will want India to come in and thrash us, and it’s just all the pressure is off us,” Mathews told a press conference at The Oval on Wednesday.

“We are happy to walk in as the underdogs. I mean, no one really expects us to win the championship. Which takes a lot of pressure out of the guys.

“We just have to go out there, just express ourselves and be aggressive.

“That is our brand of cricket, being aggressive and positive.”

Tharanga’s absence is a blow for Sri Lanka and Mathews, who missed the South Africa match due to a calf injury, pulled no punches as he slammed the stand-in skipper and his team-mates for failing to keep up with the required over rate.

“The over rate was an issue. It was pathetic. I call it pathetic because of the whole team, and the captain was warned several times, and there’s no excuse at all but to take responsibility for that because nobody else can take responsibility on it,” Mathews said.

“The whole team is responsible, including the captain. It’s a very hard job on the field, and he has to look into so many things.

“The rest of the players has to support them. Most of the teams play with four seamers and they have not had an issue.

“We played only three and we’ve had an issue. That has been addressed and it will not happen again.”

While Mathews is aware he is in charge of a largely inexperienced group still finding their way on the international stage, he expects them to rise to the challenge sooner rather than later.

“The guys are learning every single day. If you look at most of the guys, they haven’t played a lot of international cricket,” he said.

“The more you play, the more you learn. Everyone has to step up with their roles because we can’t just expect things to fall in line.

“We’ve got to make it happen, and we’ve got to make it happen soon.”

It might be hard to see too many signs of progress against the might of India and Mathews, who will return to the line-up as a batsman but may not bowl, conceded Virat Kohli’s group are formidable.

“They’re a force in world cricket no matter where they play. They’ve played fantastic cricket over so many years,” he said.

“It’s very hard to beat them unless we are on top of our game.


“We will all have to pull our socks up and give a great performance.” AFP

Nadal and Djokovic into quarters as champion Muguruza exits

Nadal and Djokovic into quarters as champion Muguruza exits

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas during their tennis match at the Roland Garros French Open on June 4 in Paris. AFP

Paris,Sunday: Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal and title-holder Novak Djokovic surged into the French Open quarter-finals for a record-equalling 11th time on Sunday, but reigning women's champion Garbine Muguruza crashed out in the last 16.

Nadal continued his ruthless form at Roland Garros by dispatching Spanish 17th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 to match Roger Federer's mark of last-eight appearances in Paris.

The 14-time major winner has dropped just 20 games in four matches as he strives to become the first man to win 10 titles at a single Grand Slam.

"I'm happy because Roberto is a very good player. It's very important for me to be in the quarter-finals one more time," said Nadal, who turned 31 on Saturday.

"Probably I didn't play as well as I did the other day, but I still played well."

The fourth seed will meet compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta, through to his first Slam quarter-final, for spot in the last four after the latter stunned Canada's Milos Raonic.

Carreno Busta, seeded 20th, needed seven match points to clinch a thrilling 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 8-6 win over the fifth-seeded Raonic.

Djokovic also became an 11-time quarter-finalist as he sauntered past Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, 6-3.

The Serb needed 75 minutes to clinch the opening set but then outclassed the 19th seed to set up a showdown with Dominic Thiem.

"There's no easy match in a Grand Slam quarter-final, it will be very difficult for both of us," said Djokovic of his upcoming challenge.

The Serb also confirmed that coach Andre Agassi had, as planned, already left Paris.

Austrian sixth seed Thiem thrashed Argentina's Horacio Zeballos 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarters for a second straight year.

Japan's Kei Nishikori fought off a fierce challenge from South Korea's Hyeon Chung in an all-Asian tussle held over from Saturday following rain to clinch a place in the last 16.

Chung quickly forced the contest into a fifth set as play resumed on Sunday, but the world number 67 double faulted on match point to gift Nishikori a 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 0-6, 6-4 victory.

"I think the rain helps me a lot, because I was really down in the fourth set and mentally I wasn't ready," admitted Nishikori, who faces Fernando Verdasco next.

Karen Khachanov will play Andy Murray in the fourth round after the giant Russian beat American 21st seed John Isner 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/3). Kristina Mladenovic ensured the host nation will have two women in the quarter-finals for the first time since 1994 after dumping out fourth seed Muguruza 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

"I'm sad. It's a very painful defeat here in the French Open," said Muguruza, who left Court Suzanne Lenglen angrily wagging her finger at the crowd. "I just think that they sometimes should be a little bit more respectful," she added, as Mladenovic thrived on the partisan support.

The French 13th seed is through to just her second Slam quarter-final -- after the 2015 US Open -- and will face Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky for a spot in the last four. The Swiss 30th seed, a 2015 semi-finalist, defeated 2002 runner-up Venus Williams 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 to guarantee a first-time major champion will be crowned next Saturday. .AFP 

Sri Lanka lose to Australia in close game

Sri Lanka lose to Australia in close game

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews warmed up for the Champions Trophy in fine fashion hitting 95 to propel his team to 318-7 in their warm-up match against Australia at the Oval on Friday.

LONDON, Friday: Half-centuries from skipper Angelo Mathews (95) and Asela Gunaratne (70) coupled with a splendid spell of fast bowling from Nuwan Pradeep (3/57) was not enough for Sri Lanka who lost a close ICC Champions trophy warm-up match to Australia by two wickets with 2 balls to spare at the Oval on Friday.

Invited to bat first Sri Lanka put up a challenging score of 318-7, but Aaron Finch with a superb 137 off 109 balls and Travis Head 85 not out off 73 balls (7 fours) steered Australia to a nerve-tingling two win.

Sri Lanka lost their first four wickets for 92 by the 17th over before Mathews with the help of Chamara Kapugedera (30) staged the first of three recovery partnerships.

The pair added 60 for the fifth wicket before Kapugedera was dismissed. Mathews joined by Gunaratne carried the Sri Lanka total to 243 when the Lankan captain was out five short of a well deserved century. His 106-ball innings comprised nine fours and two sixes.

Gunaratne however continued undeterred by the loss of his captain and produced the best partnership of the innings with Seekkuge Prasanna.

The pair raced to 70 off 37 balls carrying the Sri Lanka total beyond the 300-run mark.

Prasanna slammed three sixes and one four in his cameo knock of 31 off 19 balls and Gunaratne was equal to the task making a brilliant 70 off 56 balls with eight fours and two sixes.

Pick of the Aussie bowlers was Moises Henriques with 3 for 46.

Aaron Finch launched Australia’s run chase in blistering fashion posting 64 off 68 balls for the first wicket with David Warner whose contribution in the partnership was only 19. Australia were cruising at 218-3 with Finch having posted a superb century reaching it with a six off Gunaratne off 76 balls.

However a bowling change that saw Nuwan Pradeep into the attack changed the Australian tempo and brought Sri Lanka back into the game.

Pradeep produced a fine 36th over by dismissing the in form Finch for 137 off 109 balls (11 fours, 6 sixes) and the dangerous Glenn Maxwell for a first ball duck.

Lasith Malinga whose first six overs cost only 20 runs returned to the attack to get rid of Mathew Wade for 13 to reduce Australia to 242-6 in the 40th over. 

Jayawardene named coach of Bangladesh league team

Jayawardene named coach of Bangladesh league team

DHAKA May 26: Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was Friday named as the head coach of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) side Khulna Titans for the next two seasons of the Twenty20 tournament.

Jayawardene, who has plied his trade across the globe after taking international retirement in 2015, played for BPL franchise Dhaka Dynamites last season.

This will be the second stint for the Sri Lankan great as a head coach of a team, following his success with current Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians.

Jayawardene, who succeeded former Australian captain Ricky Ponting as coach of Mumbai, helped the Indian side to a landmark third IPL title in the 10th edition of the cash-rich league.

“We are excited to have Mahela Jayawardene join the Titans as head coach for the next two editions of BPL,” Khulna Titans Managing Director Kazi Inam Ahmed said in a statement.

“We were thrilled to see him win the IPL recently as the coach of the Mumbai Indians. I am sure all of us Titans will learn a lot from him and the tournament will be enriched by his presence” Ahmed added.

Jayawardene, 39, will replace former Australia batsman Stuart Law, who has become the head coach of the West Indies national team.

“I enjoyed playing in the BPL last year and that has given me a great insight into what will be required to be successful in the 2017 tournament,” said Jayawardene.

The fifth edition of the BPL is set to begin November 4 with the organisers announcing the inclusion of an eighth team for the lucrative meet.

The tournament will allow five overseas players in a team's XI against the current system of maximum four foreigners in the line-up, BPL secretary Ismail Haider told reporters on Thursday.

“Since BPL is telecast in different parts of the world, we have to think about the spectators and they want to see number of quality overseas players in the league,” said Haider.

The BPL, modelled on India's glitzy IPL, resumed in November last year after its 2013 edition was blighted by a match-fixing scandal involving players and team owners. AFP

The Best Goals In Football History

The Best Goals In Football History

Best Last Over Chases in Cricket History Cricket Highlights

Best Last Over Chases in Cricket History - Cricket Highlights 

England deservedly Champions Trophy favourites Swann

England ‘deservedly’ Champions Trophy favourites - Swann

England ODI team

England are “justified favourites” for the Champions Trophy on home soil next month, says ex-spinner Graeme Swann.

They beat Ireland by 85 runs at Lord’s to complete a 2-0 win - their seventh one-day series victory in two years.

“England have got such a strong-looking squad, especially with the bat,” Swann told Test Match Special.

” Swann, who took 104 wickets in 79 one-day internationals, was referring to the 2015 World Cup when Eoin Morgan’s team were humbled by a group-stage exit, in which they only won games against minnows Scotland and Afghanistan.

Since then, England have won series against World Cup runners-up New Zealand, Pakistan (twice), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies and now Ireland. They only lost to Australia and South Africa by the odd game in five.

They hammered Ireland despite the absence of key men Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler, who are playing in the Indian Premier League.

Swann added: “They have such a strong middle order. Especially when you consider they can bring in Jos Buttler - one of the best in the world - and add him to that middle order and then Ben Stokes, who is arguably the best player in the world in all formats.

“Eoin Morgan and (head coach) Trevor Bayliss ripped up that piece of paper from 2015 and said ‘that’s nonsense’, we’ll get the right personnel in, fill them with confidence, back them to the hilt and ask them to try and post 400 when they bat.

“They scored 328 against Ireland and the captain said he felt they were 40 runs short. That’s amazing to hear. Not too long ago, England captains and teams of old would have been cock-a-hoop with a score of 328.”

It’s not long ago they were being thrashed by everyone and insisting they were playing the right way with their 1970s brand of one-day cricket.” – BBC 

Royal will go all out to down depleted Zahira

Royal will go all out to down depleted Zahira

Trinity winger Rashan Bandaranayake (ball in hand) is held by Josephian lock forward Kelaniyagoda in their Singer ‘A’ division inter-schools league rugby match played at Havelock Park yesterday. (pix by Susantha Wijegunasekera).

Royal college Colombo will go out with all guns blazing to down depleted Zahira college when they take on the Maradana school in their Singer ‘A’Division inter-schools league rugby second round encounter at Zahira grounds in Maradana. Kick off will be at 4:30pm.

Reid Avenue boys, one of the strongest contenders this year for the Singer league title will be out for a bonus point win when they meet the wounded Zahira college who will miss the services of their play maker cum fly half Said Sinhawansa, hospitalised due to Dengue and will not play in this match. Incidentally he is the highest points scorer thus far in this years league rugby tournament.

Royal college coached by Isipathana old boy Sanath Martis, should have things their own way in this encounter. Fly half Ovin Askey will lead the Royal college outfit.

Isipathana goes out firm favourites to beat S’Thomas

High riding Isipathana College will go out as the firm favourites againstS’Thomas College Mount Lavinia in their Singer ‘A’ Division inter schoolleague rugby tournament second round match to be played at Havelock Parktoday at 4:30pm.

The Pathana lads have a sensational record in this year’s ongoing league rugby tournament where they won six and only had a surprise loss to the unpredictable Peterites in the first round.

Their cause has been severely bolstered by the presence of their ever reliable forwards along with their speedy three quarter line who are scoring tries at will against all opponents through their famous three quarter moves. On the other hand S ‘Thomas College possesses a good team with play maker and skipper Naveen Henakankanamge can play an outstanding game to bring victory to their school but has been blowing hot and cold and is feeling the sting of the last week defeat they had against arch rivals Royal College, hence this game will be a do or die battle for them aganst the formidable Pathana side.

Can Peterites turn table on Wesley

A close battle for supremacy can be expected today between third placed Wesley College and the giant killers St. Peters college, Bambalapitiya in the Singer ‘A’ Division league rugby tournament second round match at Longden Place, kick off will be at 4:30 pm.

A mammoth crowd is expected at Longden Place to witness this grand game of the 2017 league rugby tournament. Wesley have to force a win to have any chance of clinching the ‘A’ Division League rugby title for the first time as it has eluded them right through out their rugby history.

Today’s match should turn out to be a battle between St. Peters power-packed forwards and Wesley’s speedy three quarters. Peterite forwards have given a terrific display in the loose against unbeaten Trinity last week, where they pulled of a stunning win against all odds to beat the Kandy school by 15-13 and should maintain their supremacy in this game as well to pull off a stunner against the double blues. 

excerpt to daily news

Raheemiya Sports Club Cricket Team wins Naphiel Trophy

Raheemiya Sports Club Cricket Team wins Naphiel Trophy

Raheemiya Sports Club Cricket Team, Akkaraipattu beat Loyal Sports Club, Oluvil by 04 wickets in the final to emerge champions of the seven- a -side limited overs ‘Naphiel Trophy – 2017’ cricket tournament concluded at the Akkaraipattu Athaulla Public Play Grounds recently.

Raheemiya Sports Club president A.M.M. Saheed organised the tournament to mark eleven years completion of the club. Altogether eighty cricket teams from all parts of the District took part in the tournament.

Loyal Sports Club, Oluvil batted first in their allocated five overs scored 43 runs for loss of two wickets.

In reply Raheemiya Sports Club CT, scored 44 runs for loss of one wicket in the 4.1 overs.

The chief guests awarded the trophy and prize to winning team and players. 

excerpt to daily news

Former stars want India to play in Champions Trophy

Former stars want India to play in Champions Trophy

India, the defending champions of the Champions Trophy which they won in 2013.

Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar are among a group of 12 former cricketers who want India to play the upcoming Champions Trophy in England.

All the players ESPNcricinfo contacted - Tendulkar, Dravid, Zaheer Khan, Gundappa Viswanath, Sandeep Patil, Sanjay Manjrekar, Aakash Chopra, Ajit Agarkar, Venkatesh Prasad, Saba Karim, Murali Kartik, and Deep Dasgupta - were unanimous in their opinion that India should attempt to defend the Champions Trophy title that they won in 2013.

The doubt over India’s participation in the Champions Trophy arose after the BCCI missed the April 25 deadline to send its squad for the tournament to the ICC. The board had said the delay was due to “operational” reasons.

The concerns over India’s participation have increased since then, after the BCCI was outvoted by a massive margin at the ICC Board meeting in April, when the ICC’s members approved a new constitution, governance structure and finance model. The biggest sticking point for the BCCI was the finance model, in which it stands to get a reduced share of ICC revenue when compared to the existing Big Three model.

The BCCI is divided over the issue, with a faction strongly in favour of revoking the Members Participation Agreement with the ICC, which would rule India out of hosting and participating in all ICC tournaments until 2023, the end of the present rights cycle.

A final decision on India’s participation in the Champions Trophy is likely to be taken by the BCCI at its special general body meeting on May 7 in Delhi.

excerpt to daily news

Trinity favourites but Joes can pull ff surprise win

Trinity favourites but Joes can pull ff surprise win

Vinul Fernando St. Joseph’s captain-Nathan Lee Trinity captain

Singer ‘A’ Division League second round:

The eagerly awaited Singer ‘A’ Division League rugby tournament second round battle between the table leaders, Trinity College - Kandy and the giant killers St. Joseph’s College, Maradana will be played at the Havelock Park today, commencing at 4.15 p.m.

A mammoth crowd is expected to throng Havelock Park tomorrow to witness this grand game of the 2017 league rugby tournament.

Trinity have to force a win to have any chance of regaining the ‘A’ Division League title, which they eluded since 1987. They last won the elite division title under brilliant leader Tyral Rajapaksha.

Tomorrow’s match should turn out to be a battle between Joes’ power-packed forwards and Trinity’s speedy three quarters. St.Joseph’s forwards have given a terrific display throughout the season in the loose and should maintain their supremacy in this game as well.

In the set scrums Joe’s hooker Sven Muller will have the upper hand against the Trinity hooker while the line outs should be shared between the two schools.

But the biggest threat to Trinity will be posed by Joes’ speedy winger Sachith Silva with his power-packed runs down the flank.

The Trinitians have been unable to make the maximum use of the ‘good ball’ that comes their way as fly half Lashan Wijesuriya has either tried to go on his own or delayed his passes which resulted in him and the two centers being ‘nailed’ by their opposite numbers.

Trinity’s forte has been their speedy three quarters and the playing style of scrum half Anouka Boyagoda.

Centres Dilukshan Dange and strongly built Worren Weerakoon are hard runners who should punch holes in the Joesaphian defence with full back joining the line to form the overlap.

Their fly half Lashan Wijesuriya must come up with a much better display today if they are to pull this match through with a win. 

excerpt to daily news

SLC s successful drive against chuckers

SLC’s successful drive against chuckers

 

Eradicates menace – down from 178 in 2016 to 5 in 2017:

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) can proudly lay claim that their campaign to eradicate bowlers with suspect actions from school level upwards has been a tremendous success.

Quoting official figures SLC vice-president K Mathivanan who is also in charge of domestic cricket stated, “Last year there was 178 bowlers reported at school level for suspect bowling actions. We had this visibility drive campaign where umpires had workshops for school coaches and umpires to create awareness. That has helped us to bring down the number of reported cases from 178 (in the under 19, under 17, under 15 and under 13 categories) last year down to 5 this year. Only one boy was reported in the under 19 age group this season and four in the under 13. There was none reported in the under 17 and under 15 age groups. This is certainly an encouraging sign; it’s a vast improvement from last year.”

Mathivanan affirmed that this season in club cricket there were 6 bowlers reported for suspect bowling actions - 4 in the Premier and 2 in the Sara trophy tournaments. These bowlers he said were taken under the wing of former Sri Lanka fast bowler and member of the 1996 World Cup winning team Ravindra Pushpakumara who worked on their bowling actions at the Khettarama Stadium High Performance Centre.

Mathivanan attributed the success of the campaign to the Illegal Bowling Action Committee (IBAC) headed by former Sri Lanka double international Ishak Sahabdeen and the assistance rendered by former Sri Lanka umpires Asoka de Silva and Tyron Wijewardene who have worked assiduously towards trying to eradicating this menace that has affected Sri Lanka in world cricket.

“The boys and coaches know that the umpires are also monitoring them. Some time back the umpires were just calling them but now they know their actions are being monitored and some of the suspect bowlers are not bowling at all. They may have even given up bowling,” said Mathivanan.

One rule that has really discouraged illegal bowling is that schoolboys have been prohibited from wearing long sleeves when bowling so that any deviation of the arm can be visible.

The dire need to stamp out the chucking malady at school level came up after three Sri Lankan bowlers were reported for suspect actions during the 2014 ICC Under 19 World Cup in UAE. To prevent a repetition of it in the 2016 Under 19 World Cup in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka sent seven bowlers with suspect actions to the accredited testing centre in Chennai to have their bowling actions scrutinized and corrected. With the prior precautions taken no Lankan bowler was reported.

Buoyed by the success Mathivanan said that SLC would continue with their campaign each year.

“We will start the campaign again in August to create more awareness with posters and also issue a CD with the bowling actions of what represents a fair and unfair delivery. Earlier we had the visibility drive through verbal communication only,” said Mathivanan.

“We’ll have posters put up in the schools and have workshops with the school coaches and umpires. It’s only through the workshop program this awareness was created. We want to keep this campaign going each year as there are new boys coming through the under 13 age group upwards.

“We just can’t relax because this is an ongoing thing and the moment there are signs of relaxing this menace can always creep in, we need to conduct this program every year,” he said.

Mathivanan stated that a budget of Rs. One million was approved for the drive last year and this year too he would get approval on a similar budget if not higher following the success of the campaign.

excerpt to daily news

Stokes success justifies IPL focus Morgan

Stokes success justifies IPL focus - Morgan

Ben Stokes' phenomenal century for Rising Pune Supergiant in the IPL will have spin-off benefits for England's Champions Trophy campaign, says Eoin Morgan, the one-day captain, who feels the ECB's belated change of attitude towards overseas leagues has finally been vindicated.

Stokes, who became the most expensive overseas signing in IPL history when RPS picked him up for £1.7million at the IPL auction in February, went a long way towards justifying that price tag with a blistering innings of 103 not out from 63 balls against Gujarat Lions at Pune, a performance that rescued his side from 10 for 3 and delivered a five-wicket win with one ball to spare.

As a measure of Stokes' dominance, the next highest score in RPS's innings of 167 for 5 was 26 from 33 balls from MS Dhoni, with whom Stokes added 76 for the fifth wicket. After the match, RPS's captain, Steven Smith, hailed Stokes as a "a perfect fit for our team".

Morgan, who has been a long-standing advocate of greater English involvement at the IPL, believes that Stokes will head into the Champions Trophy next month with his confidence sky-high, thanks to the quality of his performance, as well as the calibre of the players with whom he has been mixing for the past four weeks.

"It was absolutely incredible," Morgan said. "You look at why guys go and play in tournaments like this, and it is so that they can produce performances like Ben's, and sit in the same team as the Australian captain and an Indian legend, and out-perform them.

"It builds a huge amount of confidence and it's a huge stepping block for us as England cricketers because the huge challenge as a professional cricketer is to get to where you aspire to be, and gain the confidence through that to do it again and again. It is a game that's played in the mind."

Although the Champions Trophy will be played over 50 overs, not 20, Morgan has no doubt about Stokes' ability to transfer his form to a longer format.

"It just proves he can compete with the best," Morgan said. "Fifty-over cricket has come a long way. The similarities with T20 aren't that far away, and rubbing shoulders with the best names in the world, outperforming them and growing in confidence playing with them, are two things he'll have in abundance when he comes back. It makes us grow as a group knowing that we have a player who is potentially the best in the world."

Morgan himself has had a less auspicious campaign in this year's IPL. He flew back from India on Monday to prepare for this week's ODI series against Ireland, having played just three matches in four weeks for Kings XI Punjab, with a top score of 26.

However, unlike Surrey's Jason Roy, who has opted to cut short his stint with Gujarat Lions and gain 50-over match practice in the Royal London Cup, Morgan plans to return to India next week. His hopes of selection in the coming weeks will be improved by the impending recall of the squad's contingent of South African players ahead of the Champions Trophy, among them the hard-hitting David Miller.

"We've a lot of overseas players at the moment so competition for places is tough, but the dynamic will change. I think Jason is a bit further away from playing at the moment, but it's a decision that we've made, and he's comfortable with what he needs and how he'll get it."

But now that he is back in the country, and with the first of two ODIs against Ireland taking place in Bristol on Friday, Morgan is impatient to get England's international summer underway.

"It's very exciting, and it's something we've been looking forward to for quite a while now. I wish it would hurry up and come round, but once we start playing these games it'll fly round.

"I think we are definitely in with a shout [for the Champions Trophy]," he added. "We have all the attributes to go and win the tournament but it's a ruthless competition, you need to win pretty much every game from group stage and straight through.

"It's come at an important time for us. And it'll be a good gauge of where we are at as a side. We've done a lot of great stuff up until now, but we still have a long way to go before [the] 2019 [World Cup]."

excerpt to espn

I just go with my gut feeling Tripathi

I just go with my gut feeling - Tripathi

Rahul Tripathi's barrage of boundaries against Kolkata Knight Riders, one of the strongest bowling 

line-ups in the tournament, was a result of going with the gut feeling and not having any particular plans, the Rising Pune Supergiant opener has said. Tripathi smashed 78 of his 93 runs with boundaries only - nine fours and seven sixes - before he was dismissed in the penultimate over of the chase when Rising Pune were six runs away from their target. Tripathi said he did not rue missing out on the century since Rising Pune won and moved to third place in the table.

"I think that worked well (going with the gut feeling)," Tripathi told iplt20.com. "If I had made some plans that wouldn't have worked because these are good bowlers, they are a good bowling side. So I just kept it simple to watch the ball and hit the ball and just go with my gut feeling. Keeping my mind blank…that was important and that helped me today. I played as the ball was coming so I played according to the merit of the ball.

"I feel good. I was getting good starts so I wanted to carry on that start. It's good that we won the match, that is more important. I am very happy. I would have loved to finish the match, that's one thing. But it's ok, if we win the match it's ok I miss the century."

Tripathi has impressed with his crisp strokeplay while opening in the tournament as he sits fifth on the run-scorers' list behind international stars David Warner, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa and Shikhar Dhawan. Tripathi has provided Rising Pune with rapid starts by scoring freely against fast bowlers, especially by targeting the off side, and reveled on a relaid pacer-friendly Eden Gardens pitch on Wednesday night. While has has scored briskly against spinners too, his 224 runs against quicks at a strike rate of 159 stand out against his 128 runs against spinners at a scoring rate of 149. He later said sharing the dressing room with international players and getting words of praise from his opening partner Ajinkya Rahane had given him a lot of confidence.

"It's helping me a lot, it's a dream experience for me. Opening with Ajinkya bhai, even if he says simple things like, 'you are batting well,' you get a belief that somebody like Ajinkya Rahane is telling you that you are hitting the ball well with good intent," Tripathi said. "Even off the field, Faf [du Plessis] is there, Ben [Stokes] is there, even the coaches, our team is having so much fun. Playing with MS [Dhoni] bhai…he's a legend. Two times I've been not out luckily while batting with him."

On Wednesday, Tripathi showed his love for the leg side too. Out of the seven sixes he struck, six were smashed on the leg side against Umesh Yadav, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Kuldeep Yadav. While he pulled and hooked fearlessly against the quick bowlers, he made reading Kuldeep's wristspin look easy by hammering him for three straight sixes in the 13th over. Kuldeep had troubled Dhoni and Manoj Tiwary with his wrong'uns in their previous match in Pune, but on Wednesday, Tripathi smacked 29 runs off the 10 balls he faced from the wristspinner.

Tripathi has now scored more runs than his international team-mates Steven Smith and Stokes and has given his team solid starts even as Rahane has not scored big while averaging just over 20 in 11 innings. Tripathi is also the top-scorer in the Powerplays this season, surpassing Warner's 238 off 160 balls. Tripathi has scored 251 runs off 144 balls so far.

However, he did not hesitate to admit that batting in front of big crowds in the IPL got him nervous sometimes. Twice Tripathi has been run-out in the tournament and he acknowledged it was because he was late to react to the calls when they needed quick runs.

"I'm not that much used to playing in front of such crowds so I got late to react both times," he said.

excerpt to espn

Former Lankan badminton queen wins silver at World Masters Games

Former Lankan badminton queen wins silver at World Masters Games

Sriyani Deepika and Upendra Jayawardena with their silver medals won during the World Masters Games in New Zealand.

DUBAI: Former Sri Lanka national badminton champion Sriyani Deepika has added another feather in her cap by winning a silver medal at the World Masters Games held in New Zealand.

Deepika lost a closely contested final in the Women’s Singles 45+ ‘A’ category to Delwin Cooper of New Zealand 21-16 23-21 in her maiden appearance at the Masters held in Auckland from April 21-30.

“I am grateful to all my friend and fans in the UAE and Sri Lanka for supporting and encouraging me to participate in this prestigious Games,” said Deepika who runs her own Deepika’s Badminton Academy in the UAE for the past three years.

“I was the only player from UAE at the Games and was sponsored by Yonex UAE,” said Deepika who represented Sri Lanka at the Games where competitions were held in 28 disciplines.

Incidentally, another Sri Lankan badminton player Upendra Jayawardena also won the silver medal in the Men’s Singles 45+ ‘A’ category.

“I’m very happy with this achievement. Coaching in the UAE has helped me extend my career and also maintain my fitness,” said the 50-year-old who won the last of her five national singles titles nearly two decades ago.

Since making UAE her home five years ago, Deepika has been active not only as a coach but also competing in local tournaments to lead by example.

A regular member of the Sri Lanka team for 15 years during her heyday, Deepika never officially retired as a player competing in the World Seniors badminton tournaments in Canada, Turkey and Sweden.

Her success in New Zealand has rekindled her determination and ambition to continue her mastery in the court. 

excerpt to daily news

Sanath Jayasuriya 152 Off 99 Balls vs England 2006

SANATH JAYASURIYA 152 OFF 99 BALLS VS ENGLAND 2006

Sri Lanka to tap Allan Donalds expertise for Champions Trophy

Sri Lanka to tap Allan Donald’s expertise for Champions Trophy

Sri Lanka Cricket yesterday announced the appointment of Allan Donald as Consultant Fast Bowling Coach for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017.

Donald who is considered one of the most prolific pacemen of all time, was the first South African to take 300 wickets for his country, and has played a pivotal role in the shaping of world class bowling arsenals around the world since his premature retirement in 2003 due to injuries.

Donald is currently slated to take on a role as Assistant Coach at Kent County who have agreed to release him for a two month stint with SLC in the lead up to the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 in England and Wales from 1-18 of June.

Sri Lanka have been investing greatly in expert resource personnel and technology for the national team, employing a battery of former national players on full time assignment as coaches specializing in batting, fielding and bowling.

The pace team consist of Chaminda Vaas, Champaka Ramanayake, Ravindra Pushpakumara, and Nuwan Zoysa amongst others and Donald will work closely with the coaching team and conduct train-the-trainer sessions as well as working with the national teams.

Donald will join the team in their residential training at the Pallakelle International Stadium where they will be undergoing a high intensity Training and Conditioning program from 9-16 of May.

Donald is due to arrive in the country on 1 May and SLC will be hosting a press conference on Tuesday May 2 at 4.30 pm at SLC with the attendance of Allan Donald, National Head Coach Graham Ford, Cricket Manager Asanka Gurusinha and High Performance Manager Simon Willis.

excerpt to daily news