Pathum rattles Dharmasoka with a six wicket haul
Pune where one of cricket’s biggest upsets unfolded
Sonal, Hansaja excel as Holy Cross record innings win
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Published
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Rex Clementine
in Pune
Pune will host the second T-20 International between Sri Lanka and India and this city is famous for witnessing one of cricket’s biggest upsets. Two time World Champions West Indies were humbled by Kenya as Maurice Odumbe became the cynosure of all eyes during the 1996 World Cup.
That was the old ground in Pune though, known as Nehru Stadium in the heart of the city. Sri Lanka will be playing at the new ground known as Maharashtra State Association Stadium. The distance between the old ground and the new ground is like between Pallekele and Asgiriya.
Maharashtra is one of the 36 states in India. But it has three teams in First Class cricket because geographically the state is large and there’s too many cricketing talents. Bombay is one of the First Class teams from the state while Pune is the base for the Maharashtra team. There is also a team called Vidarbha who are based in Nagpur.
Pune has had some tough times in recent years. The authorities here in order to build the new stadium struck a deal with Indian company Sahara whereby they would get US$ three million and the naming rights of the stadium will be given to Sahara. The stadium was even initially known as Subrata Roy Stadium, after the founder of Sahara. Then the business tycoon got into trouble for defaulting payment and went to jail. Only 40 percent of the money that was promised to Pune cricket ground was paid and cricket here faced a crisis unable to pay bank loans. Even to date if BCCI transfers money for hosting cricket matches, it goes directly for settling the loan instead of being used on development of the game.
Despite the financial crisis, cricket in Pune has thrived. Maharashtra reached the final of Vijay Hazare Trophy, the one-day equivalent of Ranji Trophy for the first time last year. The current Indian team has two Pune based players in Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rahul Tripathi.
Pune is a three hour pleasant drive from Bombay. The Sri Lankan team travelled here yesterday by road. Bombay was a good experience for them with not many people giving them a chance. It is the middle order that has been a worry and while the middle order came good, the top order failed to fire in the first game.
The Sri Lankans would have had some time to dine in a few restaurants while in Bombay and if they had asked the locals one of the places that would have been recommended is The All-Rounder. It’s a restaurant inside the Cricket Club of India also known Brabourne Stadium.
A short walk from the Wankhede Stadium where the first T-20 was played, Cricket Club of India hosted the Sri Lankan Test match in 2019.
The All-Rounder offers some fine food options. There is also another Restaurant at the same premises called the Wet Wicket. That is where you would see reporters spending their time after a day’s play.
The All-Rounder has paintings of the five finest all-rounders to play the game; Sir Garry Sobers, Sir Richard Hadlee, Sir Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Jacques Kallis. If you are curious about the surrounding you will notice that one portrait has been removed as the vacant area clearly shows. Make a guess whose painting it would be?
In 2019, in Kashmir, a convoy of vehicles carrying Indian policemen came under a suicide attack and 40 cops were killed. The attack was carried out by a Pakistan based terrorist group. The incident is known as Pulwama attack and the Prime Minister of Pakistan at that time was a certain Imran Khan.
So the missing picture is of the great man. Not everyone in Bombay or India condone the actions of the Cricket Club of India. Of course you should not mix sports and politics. But more than that, is it not India that taught us good virtues like tolerance?
Pathum rattles Dharmasoka with a six wicket haul
Sonal, Hansaja excel as Holy Cross record innings win
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by Reemus Fernando
Bandaranayake brothers taking all ten wickets for D.S. Senanayake on a 30-wickets day, St. Benedict’s scoring an innings and 75 runs victory over St. Anne’s and Kalana Pathum ripping through the Dharmasoka batting line up with a six wicket haul were the highlights in the Under 19 Division I cricket encounters played on Wednesday.
Mevan Dissanayake, Chamath Chathurya and Kojitha Himsara reaped rich hauls of wickets for St. Benedict’s to record a huge victory over St. Anne’s in the Tier ‘A’ match at Kotahena. The result will ensure the Bens a top spot in the points table. The team from Kurunegala will have a huge task ahead after their second consecutive outright defeat as they are ranked last in their group.
Thirty wickets fell on day one at D.S. Senanayake College ground and the home team will have a day to chase a target of 103 runs against De Mazenod. For the home team Bandaranayake brothers Adhisha and Randisha shared all ten wickets to fall in the second innings.
At Ambalangoda, St. Aloysius’ dominated day one proceedings as paceman Kalana Pathum ripped through the batting line up of Dharmasoka with a six wicket haul. He took six wickets for 11 runs to contain the home team to 73 runs.
Match results
St. Benedict’s record innings win over St. Anne’s at Kotahena
Scores:
St. Benedict’s
300 all out in 65.3 overs (Viduneth Wilson 58, Sheron Kannangara 53, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 53, Shenel Samarathunga 49, Aarshan Joseph 22; Geethika de Silva 4/52, Manaan Muzammil 3/63, Kalindu Wijesinghe 2/32)
St. Anne’s
62 for 4 overnight 150 all out in 49.4 overs (Buddima Sahan 24, Manaan Muzammil 48; Kojitha Himsara 3/17, Mevan Dissanayake 5/33) and 75 all out in 24.1 overs (Yomesh Subasinghe 22; Chamath Chathurya 5/12, Kojitha Himsara 2/36, Mevan Dissanayake 3/23)
A high scoring draw at Reid Avenue
Scores:
Royal
378 for 9 decl. in 73 overs (Dasis Manchanayake 200n.o., Uvindu Weerasekara 92, Geeshan Perera 30; Janith Shehan 4/32, Seneshka Nethsara 2/30) and 172 for 7 in 47 overs (Rehan Peiris 32, Dasis Manchanayake 50, Anush Polonowita 21, Geeshan Perera 45; Tharusha Dilsara 2/34, Naradha Kanchana 3/29)
Gurukula
89 for 2 overnight 299 all out in 76.4 overs (Poorna Kalhara 27, Mohomad Mursad 76, Janith Shehan 42, Wageesha Amantha 53, Janith Mihiranga 33n.o.; Ranuka Malaviarachchi 2/65, Ramiru Perera 2/60, Nethwin Dharmarathne 5/70)
Nalanda-Mahinda ends in draw at Campbell Place
Scores:
Nalanda
148 all out in 69.3 overs (Rusiru Vilochana 20, Yasiru Samarakoon 25, Kushmitha Silva 28; Shehan Hasaranga 3/40, Savidya Ranmina 3/27) and 102 for 7 in 46 overs (Rusiru Vilochana 32, Senesh Wijesinghe 34; Arosha Udayanga 3/21)
Mahinda
70 for 1 overnight 215 all out in 89.5 overs (Pramesh Madhubhashana 33, Savidya Ranmina 70, Hiruna Gallage 22, Shehan Hasaranga 22; Osanda Pamuditha 5/51, Janula Indusara 2/10)
Thirty wickets fall on day one at DSS Ground
Scores:
De Mazenod
134 all out in 34.1 overs (Maleesha Mihishan 29, Uvindu Perera 71; Adhisha Bandaranayake 3/24, Randisha Bandaranayaka 2/54, Poorna Sulakshana 3/31) and 68 all out in 21.5 overs (Mishen Sanketh 22n.o.; Adhisha Bandaranayake 4/08, Randisha Bandaranayaka 6/36)
DSS
100 all out in 30.1 overs (Malitha Perera 35; Tharusha Udayanga 4/31, Sithum Fernando 4/13)
Kalana Pathum rips through Dharmasoka batting line up at Ambalangoda
Scores:
Dharmasoka
73 all out in 23.3 overs (Randul Samarahewa 32; Kalana Pathum 6/11) and 54 for 3 in 15 overs (Randul Samarahewa 25)
St. Aloysius’
206 all out in 56.1 overs (Oshada Devinda 33, Bhashana de Silva 23, Induwara Udena 34, Dineth Nimsara 30, Kavindu Kesara 20, Kalana Pathum 34; Pathum Malitha 2/19, Amil Agasthi 2/44, Ishan Anuradha 3/45)
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Sonal Awadika with a valuable century and Hansaja Brayan with a match bag of ten wickets excelled for Holy Cross College, Kalutara as they cruised to an innings and 62 runs victory over Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda in the Under 19 Division II Tier ‘A’ cricket encounter at Kalutara.
In reply to the home team’s 323 for seven wickets declared, Sri Devananda were bowled out for 119 runs as Brayan took five wickets in a spell of 13 overs.
Forced to follow on Mithila Fernando battled with a 97-ball knock of 44 runs but Devananda could muster only 142 runs. Brayan was the chief tormentor once again as he completed a match bag of ten wickets. Brayan was ably supported by Akash Dewmina and Sonal Awadika who took two wickets each.
Put in to bat first, Holy Cross amassed 323 for seven wickets as the batting line up clicked together. Openers Sanuka Cheran and Gayantha Nadeesha provided a solid first wicket stand of 85 runs to set the stage for the victory. While both made 40s, the sixth wicket pair put on 100 runs with Awadika hammering a strok-filled century. Pasindu Wimansa clobbered a quick fire knock of 81 runs.
The innings victory will help Holy Cross secure a top spot in the points table after they were placed in the fourth position in the six-team group after losing first innings points in the first game.
Scores:
Holy Cross
323 for 7 decl. in 75.4 overs (Sanuka Cheran 46, Gayantha Nadeesha 41, Sonal Awadika 108, Sasindu Kaushan 28, Pasindu Wimansa 81; Sithum Sathsindu 3/58)
Sri Devananda
119 all out in 41.5 overs (Kaveesha Kalpana 22; Pasindu Wimansa 2/33, Hansaja Brayan 5/32) and 142 all out in 56.1 overs (Shehan Rashmika 21, Mithila Fernando 44, Kaveesh Hansaka 26; Hansaja Brayan 5/67, Akash Dewmina 2/11, Sonal Awadika 2/25)
Published
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Rex Clementine
in Pune
International cricket is so crowded these days that during this T-20 series in India, the teams will have no chance to train as they play back to back games. Three games in five days with the days in between used for travelling is quite demanding on players. It’s tough on coaches too as they have little time to address the issues that’s troubling the team.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers did a good job to restrict India to 162, a fine effort given the fact that the par score in Bombay is 175. But the batters failed to make an impact and the middle order was left to do too much and although Dasun Shanaka (47), Wanindu Hasaranga (21), Chamika Karunaratne (23) tried to pull it off, it proved to be too much as Sri Lanka suffered a two run defeat.
The top five failed to make an impact although three of them got starts. A decent effort by one of them will have helped Sri Lanka over the line.
“It is all about mentality in T20 cricket and also to find the balance in when to attack and when to knock the singles off. It’s been challenging because sometimes players tend to waste a lot of balls, play too many dot balls and find themselves in a situation where you are far behind the asking rate. So, the easiest way to play T20 cricket is to be positive and look at playing aggressive cricket,” Sri Lanka’s Assistant Coach Naveed Nawaz said.
Sri Lanka did not play Avishka Fernando for the first game but you tend to get the feeling that he could come in replacing Dhananjaya de Silva. Taking DDS off leaves Sri Lanka with one bowling option less as his off-spin has been handy over the years. However, in skipper Dasun Shanaka they have that back up option although that option has been rarely used these days.
There were many positives for the tourists in the opening game particularly in the bowling front and they will be hoping to finish on a high note in the next two games.
Sanju Samson is doubtful for the game after hurting his knee in the first match. He was hurt while fielding and has stayed back in Bombay for a scan instead of travelling to Pune.
A full house is expected for the game with Pune last hosting an international game in March 2021.
The teams will travel to Rajkot for the last T-20 on Friday.
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