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Benedictines retain the Luke Shield for the fifth consecutive year 

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St.Benedict’s College maintained stranglehold on the prestigeousLUKE SHIELD beating Wesley College by four wickets at the Singhalese Sports Club grounds recently.

This limited over encounter between 2 of the Oldest and Prestigeous Christian Schools in the country has been vigorously fought over , since it’s inception in 2022 and the Benedictines have won it each time , indicating it’s clear superiority over Wesley in this format of the game.

The match winner for St.Benedict’s was undoubtedly their opening batsman Tehan Bitar, who played a brilliant chanceless innings of 111 not out and steered his team to victory in the penultimate over of the game.He deservedly won the Best Batsman’s Award and coveted Player of the Match Award , which included a handsome cash prize.Batting first , Wesley were restricted to 193 runs, thanks mainly to a tight and accurate spell of 3 wickets for 25 runs in 10 overs by left arm spinner Vihanga Ratnayake .This effort earned him the Best Bowlers Award.

The fielding of Benedictines was neat, with wicket keeper Mario Fernando being exceptional.Wesley captain Rashmika Ameraratne top scored for Wesley , with a fighting knock of 43 not out , unfortunately missing out on a well deserved half century.The Best Fielder’s Award was won by S.Thilakasan of Wesley College and the Best Emerging Player Award went to R.Pieris of St.Benedict’s College.

The Benedictines were captained by 5th year ColoursmanMevan Dissanaike and coached by former Benedictine Opener S.K.Perera and guided by energetic Master in Charge Mr.AsankaWanninayake.This annual encounter is being played in true spirit of sportsmanship and enjoyed by students, staff and old boys of both Schools.This eagerly awaited event each year has become a meeting point and a place of celebration, revelry and cameraderie for Old Boys of both Schools with hundreds turning up from all parts of the world , specially for this friendly encounter.Annual Bens Wesley are also staged in many cities like Melbourne, Sydney , Auckland , London , Toronto and in the United Arab Emirates .

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Online Abuse Targets Sri Lanka A Cricketer After Match Incident

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Sri Lanka A player Vishen Halambage has reportedly become the latest victim of online harassment after a match-related confrontation with India A batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi sparked widespread discussion on social media.

The incident occurred during Sri Lanka A’s dramatic Super Over triumph over India A in the Tri-Nation Series on Monday. Footage showing a tense exchange between the two young cricketers quickly spread across social media platforms, drawing significant attention from cricket fans.

Following the match, Halambage’s Instagram account was flooded with critical and abusive messages, with many comments reportedly originating from social media users reacting to the on-field altercation. Unverified reports also suggested that individuals connected to the player were subjected to online harassment.

By Tuesday, Halambage’s Instagram profile appeared to be inaccessible. While some reports indicated that the account may have been blocked or restricted after receiving numerous complaints, the exact reason remains unclear. Neither the player nor Instagram has publicly commented on the matter.

The episode has once again brought attention to the growing issue of online abuse in sport, where athletes particularly younger players can face intense backlash following high-profile incidents. Sports analysts and observers have repeatedly called for greater efforts to curb harassment on digital platforms and promote responsible fan engagement.

The match itself ended in a memorable victory for Sri Lanka A, but the events that followed have shifted attention toward the challenges athletes face beyond the boundary ropes.

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Sri Lanka A prevail in Super Over thriller as tempers flare after dramatic finish

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Sri Lanka A held their nerve to defeat India A in a thrilling Super Over contest in the One-Day Tri-Series in Dambulla, but the dramatic finish was overshadowed by a heated post-match confrontation involving Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Vishen Halambage.

After both teams finished level on 265, Sri Lanka A posted 16 runs in the Super Over through aggressive contributions from Avishka Fernando and captain Sahan Arachchige. India A, chasing 17, were restricted to just nine runs as young pacer Kugathas Mathulan delivered under pressure to seal a memorable victory.

The match had already produced plenty of late drama. India A’s Arshad Khan conceded only four runs in the final over of Sri Lanka’s chase when five were required for victory, forcing the contest into a Super Over as fading light added to the tension. Despite concerns over visibility and a scheduled cut-off time, officials allowed play to continue.


Emotions spilled over moments after the Super Over ended. Visuals showed Sri Lanka’s Vishen Halambage and Wanuja Sahan exchanging words with the departing Indian batters. Suryansh Shedge appeared to point his bat towards Halambage before Sooryavanshi turned back and confronted the Sri Lankan player. The exchange quickly escalated, with the two players shoving each other before wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella stepped in to separate them and calm tempers.

Earlier, India A recovered from 125 for 6 thanks to Suryansh Shedge’s 72 and Vipraj Nigam’s 51 to post 265. Sri Lanka A’s chase was anchored by Sadeera Samarawickrama’s superb 93, which kept them in contention before a dramatic final-over finish and eventual Super Over triumph completed a remarkable contest.

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West Indies edge Sri Lanka to clinch series

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West Indies held their nerve in a tense chase to defeat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the final T20I and seal the series at home on Sunday.

Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a competitive 169 all out in their allotted 20 overs after several batsmen made useful contributions. Opener Pathum Nissanka provided an early spark with 26 off 17 balls, while Kamil Mishara added 28 and Kamindu Mendis struck 20.

The innings was anchored by all-rounder Dunith Wellalage, whose aggressive 43 from 28 deliveries, featuring six boundaries and a six, lifted Sri Lanka during the closing stages. Wanindu Hasaranga also chipped in with a brisk 21 off 13 balls.

However, Sri Lanka lost wickets at crucial intervals and were unable to fully capitalize on a promising platform. Fast bowler Shamar Joseph starred for the hosts, claiming 5 for 33 in a match-winning spell. He received solid support from Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein and Roston Chase, who shared the remaining wickets.

Chasing 170, West Indies suffered an early setback when captain Shai Hope fell for a duck. Sri Lanka tightened their grip further by reducing the hosts to 53 for 4, with Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana applying pressure through the middle overs.

Shimron Hetmyer counterattacked with 32 off 19 balls before Rovman Powell contributed a valuable 33. The decisive partnership came through Sherfane Rutherford and Holder.

Rutherford remained unbeaten on 54 from 40 deliveries, striking three fours and four sixes, while Holder blasted an unbeaten 21 from just five balls, including three towering sixes.
West Indies reached 170 for 5 with two balls to spare, completing a memorable victory and securing the series after a hard-fought contest between the two sides.

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