Dimuth scores ton, Kandy in mammoth chase
Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Mendis led Colombo’s resurgence against Dambulla on day three of the National Super League tournament at Pallekele Stadium yesterday. The former Test skipper scored 161, including 15 boundaries, and had two significant partnerships -- first a 148-run stand with Mendis, who made 80 with 12 boundaries, and then a 73-run partnership with Nuwanidu Fernando, who contributed 39 runs. Colombo, starting the day at 98 for 1, ended day three at 388 for 7 in response to Dambulla’s 530 runs.
In the other match played at Sooriyawewa Stadium, Jaffna had Kandy in trouble at 47 for 2, chasing a target of 394 runs for victory. Jaffna, resuming at 6 for no loss, made 234 runs in their second innings, with Nipun Karunanayake top scoring 60. Kandy will need 347 runs to win on the final day.
Brisbane, Australia, AFP: Steve Smith guided Australia to a healthy position as they reached 60-2 at stumps on the third day of the second Test against the West Indies in Brisbane on Saturday. Australia need another 156 runs for victory to take a clean sweep of the two-Test series with eight wickets in hand.
At stumps, Smith was on 33 with a struggling Cameron Green alongside him on 9.
Australia's hopes of taking the win, however, may be hampered by predicted heavy rain for the next two days. Australia had wrapped up the West Indian second innings for 193 shortly after the tea break when No.11 Shamar Joseph had to retire hurt after being hit on the toe by a Mitchell Starc bouncer.
Joseph was taken for scans on Saturday night and is unlikely to bowl in the second innings. The West Indies went into the final session six wickets down, but lost the last fours, including Joseph, for just 10 runs.
Chasing 216 for victory, Australia lost an early wicket when Usman Khawaja was caught down the leg side off Alzarri Joseph. Marnus Labuschagne, who has had a lean summer, failed for the second time this match, edging Justin Greaves to third slip where Kevin Sinclair took a sharp catch to leave Australia 42-2.
Anew era of Sri Lankan cricket begins in Colombo this week when Dhananjaya de Silva leads is team in a oneoff Test against Afghanistan. The match--the first between the two nations--will begin on Friday at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) where the 32-year-old allrounder will lead his charges for the first time in a Test. He replaced Dimuth Karunaratne who was more than happy to pass on the baton to his deputy, giving him enough time to marshall his troops in the new World Test Championships cycle.
Sri Lanka last played a Test series in July last year, and despite hosting both games at the spin-friendly Galle Stadium, lost both games to Pakistan with big margins, missing out on a great opportunity to add points to the WTC points table.
They currently sit bottom of the table in the 2023-25 WTC cycle and are the only team who are yet to score a point.
The match against Afghanistan will, however, not be a part of the WTC cycle. The Test is the first leg of an all-format series between the two sides, with three ODIs and three T20Is to follow. The tour will wrap up with the final T20I in Dambulla on February 21. Afghanistan last played a Test match in June 2023 and was beaten by 546 runs by Bangladesh in Mirpur. Although they are yet to stamp their authority in the longer format, this fixture promises to be a fascinating clash given Afghanistan's remarkable ascent in the limited-over format. Their team, led by the charismatic Rashid Khan, has showcased their prowess in white-ball cricket. But with just seven matches under their belt, Tests present a unique challenge.
Both teams have not announced their team competing in Colombo. Afghanistan's strength lies in their spin department, with the likes of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi posing a formidable threat. The slow and turning tracks at the SSC might play to their advantage, and the Sri Lankan batsmen will need to be on their guard against such bowling wizardry.
However, Rashid's availability for the Test is in doubt. The veteran spinner withdrew from the Pakistan Super League as he continues to take a cautious approach in his return from back surgery. He travelled to India with his Afghanistan teammates during their T20 series earlier this month but was not deemed fit enough to play, having previously withdrawn from both the Big Bash League and the SA20.
Afghanistan's team is brimming with young talent, with players like Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi making their mark in the longer format. Sri Lanka will look to exploit their limited exposure and experience in the longer format to their advantage, as they look to make a winning start to the year.
Sri Lanka has a track record of being formidable in their home conditions. The familiarity with the SSC ground and the local conditions could provide them with a significant edge.
The Sri Lankan bowling lineup, featuring stalwarts like Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Vishwa Fernando and Asitha Fernando, have the experience and skill to dismantle opposition batting lineups. Their ability to exploit the conditions and create pressure will be crucial in determining the outcome of the match.
Sri Lanka batting lineup has a mix of experienced and young talents. The likes of Dimuth Karunaratne, who was named in the ICC's Test team of the year 2023, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Mendis and the skipper himself bring stability, while the youth, represented by players like Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrema, add dynamism to the team.
However, Sri Lanka has struggled with consistency in recent times, across all formats. Although they traditionally thrive on spin-friendly tracks, the team has shown vulnerability against quality spin bowling in the past.
The Sunday Times learns that the selectors have named a squad of 16 players, including three uncapped players in Lahiru Undara, Chamika Gunasekara and Milan Ratnayake.