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Ramesh Mendis Fifer script Sri Lanka’s thumping win Vs Ireland

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2 years ago

April 29, 2023

Editor

Ireland tour of Sri Lanka second test match

Ramesh Mendis shone with the ball with a fifer as Sri Lanka thumped Ireland by an inning and 10 runs in the second Test to bag the series 2-0.

Sri Lanka, which made its first Test appearance in 1982 against England, won the first Test by an innings and 280 runs. Friday’s victory was the country’s 100th Test win.

Harry Tector fought a lone last-day rearguard action to try to bat out a draw, scoring 85 and mounting a 41-run stand for the ninth wicket, but Mendis took 5-64 as Ireland was bowled out for 202 in their second innings.

When Ireland slowly dragged the match to a draw pacer Asitha Fernando came to the rescue to bowl Tector with a yorker to end the resistance and accounted for last man Ben White with the very next ball to wrap up another emphatic win in style.

Earlier the visitors posted 492 in their first innings after Sri Lanka declared on 704-3.

Ireland resumed the fifth and last day on 54-2, hoping to hold on for a draw.

But Sri Lanka bowlers led by Ramesh Mendis were too hot to handle for the Irish as they never gave a breathing space for the visitors to play freely as Sri Lanka wrapped up things quite comfortably.

Highlights of the day were, the hero of the first test Parabath Jayasuriya became the quickest-ever spinner to take 50 wickets, in just seven Tests.

Fellow left-armer Alf Valentine of West Indies had taken eight games to the milestone more than seven decades earlier.

Brief Scores: Ireland 492 & 202 (Harry Tector 85, Andrew Balbirnie 46; Ramesh Mendis 5-64, Asitha Fernando 3-30) lost to Sri Lanka 704/3 decl. (Kusal Mendis 245, Nishan Madushka 205, Dimuth Karunaratne 115; Graham Hume 1-87) by an inning and 10 runs

Sri Lanka is on the brink of a victory

Nishan Madushka and Kusal Mendis smashed maiden double centuries to help Sri Lanka take control of the second test match against Ireland as they ended their first innings on 704-3.

Earlier Madushka converted his maiden Test century into a double hundred, becoming the second-youngest Sri Lankan to score a Test 200 after Mahela Jayawardene before he was dismissed for 205 in the third over after lunch when he was struck lbw off Andy McBrine’s bowling.

On the other hand, Kusal Mendis, showing his class with the bat reached his first Test 200 and went on to score 245 runs before he was caught at long-off.

Scoreboard reading at 3-629,
Angelo Mathews was dismissed for a duck in the first Test and bounced back to score a quick unbeaten century to lay the final touches for the Sri Lankan innings. It also registered as the quickest century the former skipper had scored.

Scoreboard reading at 704-3 skipper Dimuth Karunaratne declared their innings with a lead of 212 runs.

Earlier Captain Dimuth Karunaratne also contributed with a watchful 115 from the top of the order.

At stumps on day four, Ireland for their second innings was 54 for the loss of two wickets that of openers James McCollum (10) and Peter Moor (19) and still 159 runs from making Sri Lanka bat again.

McCollum was brilliantly bowled by offspinner Ramesh Mendis and Moor was dismissed when Angelo Mathews held a superb low catch at short extra cover.

Other highlights of the day were Dinesh Chandimal who lasted only 14 balls before having to retire hurt. The wicketkeeper-batter appeared to have hurt his shoulder while diving into the crease to avoid a runout, and couldn’t continue.

According to sources at SLC the wicket keeper batter has been sent to the hospital to obtain an x-ray.

Brief Scores: Ireland 492 & 54/2 (Ramesh Mendis 1-17, Prabath Jayasuriya 1-28) trail Sri Lanka 704/3 decl. (Kusal Mendis 245, Nishan Madushka 205, Dimuth Karunaratne 115; Graham Hume 1-87) by 158 runs

රමේෂ් මෙන්ඩිස්ගේ විශිෂ්ට ක්‍රිකට් ක්‍රීඩාවෙන් අයර්ලන්තයට එරෙහිව ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ලැබූ ජයග්‍රහණය.

අයර්ලන්ත ශ්‍රී ලංකා සංචාරය (දෙවන ටෙස්ට්)

රමේෂ් මෙන්ඩිස් පන්දුවෙන් දස්කම් දැක්වූ අතර ශ්‍රී ලංකාව අයර්ලන්තය සමඟ පැවැති දෙවැනි ටෙස්ට් තරගය ඉනිමකින් සහ ලකුණු 10කින් පරාජය කරමින් තරගාවලිය 2-0ක් ලෙස ජය ගත්තේය.

1982 වසරේ එංගලන්තයට එරෙහිව පළමු ටෙස්ට් තරගයට එක් වූ ශ්‍රී ලංකාව පළමු ටෙස්ට් තරගය ඉනිමකින් සහ ලකුණු 280කින් ජය ගැනීමට සමත් විය. සිකුරාදා ජයග්‍රහණය එරට 100 වැනි ටෙස්ට් ජයග්‍රහණය විය.

හැරී ටෙක්ටර් අවසන් දිනයේ හුදකලා සටනක් කරමින් ලකුණු 85ක් ලබාගෙන ලකුණු 41ක සබඳතාවයක් නවවැනි කඩුල්ලට ගොඩනැගූ නමුත් මෙන්ඩිස් ලකුණු 5-64ක් ලබා ගත්තේ අයර්ලන්තය සිය දෙවැනි ඉනිමේදී ලකුණු 202කට දැවී ගිය බැවිනි.

අයර්ලන්තය සෙමෙන් තරගය ජය පරාජයෙන් තොරව ඇදගෙන යද්දී වේග පන්දු යවන ක්‍රීඩක අසිත ප්‍රනාන්දු ගලවා ගැනීමට පැමිණ ප්‍රතිරෝධය නිමා කිරීමට ටෙක්ටර් යෝකර් එකකින් දවා ගැනීමට සමත් වූ අතර ඊළඟ පන්දුවේදීම අවසන් ක්‍රීඩකයා වන බෙන් වයිට් වෙත තවත් විශිෂ්ට ජයග්‍රහණයක් ලබා ගැනීමට හැකි විය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ලකුණු 704-3ක් ලබා සිටියදී පළමු ඉනිමේදී ලකුණු 492ක් රැස්කළේය.

අයර්ලන්තය ලකුණු 54-2ක් ලෙස පස්වැනි සහ අවසන් දිනය ආරම්භ කළේ තරගය ජය පරාජයෙන් තොරව පවත්වා ගැනීමේ අපේක්ෂාවෙනි.

නමුත් රමේෂ් මෙන්ඩිස්ගේ නායකත්වයෙන් යුත් ශ්‍රී ලංකා පන්දු යවන්නන් ඉර්සිට හැසිරවීමට නොහැකි තරම් උණුසුම් වූ අතර ඔවුන් කිසි විටෙකත් අමුත්තන්ට නිදහසේ ක්‍රීඩා කිරීමට හුස්ම ගැනීමේ ඉඩක් ලබා නොදුන් අතර ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ඉතා සුවපහසු ලෙස දේවල් ඔතා ගත්හ.

දිනයේ විශේෂත්වය වූයේ පළමු ටෙස්ට් තරගයේ වීරයා වූ පරබත් ජයසූරිය ටෙස්ට් තරග 7කදී පමණක් කඩුලු 50ක් දවාගත් වේගවත්ම දඟ පන්දු යවන්නා බවට පත්වීමයි.

බටහිර ඉන්දීය කොදෙව් කණ්ඩායමේ සෙසු වමත් ක්‍රීඩක ඇල්ෆ් වැලන්ටයින් දශක හතකට පෙර මෙම සන්ධිස්ථානයට තරඟ 8ක් ගෙන තිබුණි.

සංක්ෂිප්ත ලකුණු: අයර්ලන්තය 492 සහ 202 (හැරී ටෙක්ටර් 85, ඇන්ඩෲ බල්බිර්නි 46; රමේෂ් මෙන්ඩිස් 5-64, අසිත ප්‍රනාන්දු 3-30) ශ්‍රී ලංකාව හමුවේ 704/3 ඩී. (කුසල් මෙන්ඩිස් 245, නිශාන් මධුෂ්ක 205, දිමුත් කරුණාරත්න 115; ග්‍රැහැම් හියුම් 1-87) ඉනිමකින් සහ ලකුණු 10කින්

ரமேஷ் மெண்டிஸின் அபார கிரிக்கெட் மூலம் அயர்லாந்துக்கு எதிராக இலங்கையின் வெற்றி.

அயர்லாந்து இலங்கை சுற்றுப்பயணம் (2வது டெஸ்ட்)

இரண்டாவது டெஸ்டில் அயர்லாந்தை இன்னிங்ஸ் மற்றும் 10 ரன்கள் வித்தியாசத்தில் இலங்கை தோற்கடித்து தொடரை 2-0 என கைப்பற்ற, ரமேஷ் மெண்டிஸ் பந்து வீச்சில் பிரகாசித்தார்.

1982ஆம் ஆண்டு இங்கிலாந்துக்கு எதிராக முதல் டெஸ்ட் போட்டியில் களமிறங்கிய இலங்கை அணி, முதல் டெஸ்டில் இன்னிங்ஸ் மற்றும் 280 ரன்கள் வித்தியாசத்தில் வெற்றி பெற்றது. வெள்ளியன்று கிடைத்த வெற்றி அந்நாட்டின் 100வது டெஸ்ட் வெற்றியாகும்.

ஹாரி டெக்டர் கடைசி நாள் ரீர்கார்ட் ஆக்ஷனைப் போராடி டிரா அவுட் செய்ய முயன்றார், 85 ரன்கள் எடுத்தார் மற்றும் ஒன்பதாவது விக்கெட்டுக்கு 41 ரன்கள் எடுத்தார், ஆனால் மெண்டிஸ் 5-64 எடுத்தார், அயர்லாந்து தனது இரண்டாவது இன்னிங்ஸில் 202 ரன்களுக்கு ஆட்டமிழந்தது.

அயர்லாந்து மெதுவாக ஆட்டத்தை இழுத்துச் சென்றபோது, வேகப்பந்து வீச்சாளர் அசித்த பெர்னாண்டோ, டெக்டரை யார்க்கரால் பந்துவீச, எதிர்ப்பை முடிவுக்குக் கொண்டு வந்து, அடுத்த பந்திலேயே பென் வைட்டைக் கைப்பற்றி, ஸ்டைலில் மற்றொரு உறுதியான வெற்றியைப் பெற்றார்.

முன்னதாக, இலங்கை அணி 704-3 ரன்களுக்கு டிக்ளேர் செய்த பிறகு, பார்வையாளர்கள் தங்கள் முதல் இன்னிங்ஸில் 492 ரன்கள் எடுத்தனர்.

ஐந்தாவது மற்றும் கடைசி நாள் ஆட்டத்தை 54-2 என்ற கணக்கில் அயர்லாந்து மீண்டும் தொடங்கியது.

ஆனால் ரமேஷ் மெண்டிஸின் இலங்கை பந்துவீச்சாளர்கள் இர்சிக்கு கையாள முடியாத அளவுக்கு சூடாக இருந்தனர், ஏனெனில் அவர்கள் பார்வையாளர்களுக்கு சுதந்திரமாக விளையாடுவதற்கு மூச்சு விடவில்லை, ஏனெனில் இலங்கை மிகவும் வசதியாக விஷயங்களை முடித்தது.

அன்றைய சிறப்பம்சங்கள் என்னவென்றால், முதல் டெஸ்ட் போட்டியின் நாயகனான பரபத் ஜெயசூர்யா, ஏழு டெஸ்டில் விளையாடி மிக வேகமாக 50 விக்கெட்டுகளை வீழ்த்திய சுழற்பந்து வீச்சாளர் ஆனார்.

மேற்கிந்திய தீவுகளின் சக இடது கை வீரர் ஆல்ஃப் வாலண்டைன் ஏழு தசாப்தங்களுக்கு முன்னர் எட்டு ஆட்டங்களை மைல்கல்லுக்கு எடுத்திருந்தார்.

சுருக்கமான ஸ்கோர்: அயர்லாந்து 492 & 202 (ஹாரி டெக்டர் 85, ஆன்ட்ரூ பால்பிர்னி 46; ரமேஷ் மெண்டிஸ் 5-64, அசிதா பெர்னாண்டோ 3-30) இலங்கையிடம் 704/3 டிக்ளில் தோல்வியடைந்தார். (குசல் மெண்டிஸ் 245, நிஷான் மதுஷ்கா 205, திமுத் கருணாரத்ன 115; கிரஹாம் ஹியூம் 1-87) இன்னிங்ஸ் மற்றும் 10 ரன்கள் வித்தியாசத்தில்

Football

Sri Lanka Women Finish Qualifiers with 0 Goals, 20 Conceded – Who Will Take Responsibility?

Published

25 minutes ago

July 5, 2025

Editor

Colombo, July 3 – Sri Lanka Women’s National Football Team wrapped up their AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers campaign with a third straight defeat — a 2-0 loss to Laos — confirming their position at the bottom of Group F, with 0 wins, 0 goals scored, and 18 conceded in just three games.

But beyond the scorelines lies a far more serious issue: a complete collapse of women’s football development in Sri Lanka. And this time, the blame does not lie on one individual — but on a system that has failed the sport, from top to bottom.

Match-by-Match Recap

Match 1: Sri Lanka 0 – 10 Uzbekistan

Possession: 30%
Shots on Target: 0
xG: 0.0 vs Uzbekistan’s 3.60
A game that exposed a lack of preparation, structure, and fitness from the very start.

Match 2: Sri Lanka 0 – 8 Nepal

Possession: 50%
Defensive errors gifted goals, including a hat-trick by Sabitra Bhandari.
xG: Nepal 3.76 vs Sri Lanka 0.60
Tactical breakdown: Midfield collapsed under pressure, backline failed to close space.

Match 3: Sri Lanka 0 – 2 Laos

Possession: 50%
Shots on Target: 5
xG: 2.56 (Laos) vs 1.08 (Sri Lanka)
A more balanced performance, but defensive lapses in the 73rd and 90+2 minutes led to defeat. Sri Lanka couldn’t convert chances despite their best game statistically.

Final Group Standings – Group F

Team	MP	GF	GA	GD	Points
🇳🇵 Nepal	2	17	0	+17	6
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan	2	17	0	+17	6
🇱🇦 Laos	2	2	16	-14	0
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	3	0	20	-20	0

Tactical Issues Across All Matches

No clear formation or transition play.
Lack of defensive coordination — players failed to track runners, especially on the flanks.
No attacking identity — only 1.08 xG across three games.
In-game management absent — few substitutions or tactical shifts despite being outplayed.

While public criticism often targets the President of the Football Federation, this decline in women’s football runs deeper:

Who Is Accountable? Not Just the President

Women’s Football Committee:

Failed to organize any domestic tournament in recent years.
Selected the squad via open trials, with no league performance data to back selections.
No consistent training camps or fitness programs.

Executive Committee:

Remains silent on the recurring failures.
No inquiries, reviews, or structural reforms have followed Sri Lanka’s repeated humiliations — including the U20 Women’s SAFF defeat earlier this year.

Technical & Development Staff:

No tactical framework or youth development.
No modern coaching methods or international exposure for players.

The Bigger Problem: Silence and Stagnation

Sri Lanka is not just losing matches — it’s losing direction. The current state of women’s football is not the result of one bad campaign. It’s the product of years of neglect, political appointments, and a failure to treat women’s football with equal priority.

Even now, there is no explanation from the Executive Committee on how the women’s team was prepared or what plans exist for recovery.

Time for a Reset, Not Excuses

If Sri Lanka is serious about competing in international football, the following must be addressed:

✅ A national women’s league
✅ Provincial and school-level competitions
✅ Professional coaching staff and structured fitness programs
✅ Regular international friendlies and camps
✅ Transparent selection processes based on performance, not politics

🔚 Conclusion

Sri Lanka’s 2026 AFC campaign should not just be remembered for the scorelines — but as a call for change. It is time for every stakeholder — from the Women’s Committee to the Executive — to reflect, respond, and rebuild.

News

Sri Lanka Set to Face UAE in Crucial Rugby Clash Tomorrow in Colombo

Published

2 days ago

July 4, 2025

Editor

The Sri Lanka national rugby team will lock horns with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a much-anticipated international rugby encounter set to take place today (July 4) at the iconic Racecourse Ground, Colombo.

As part of their final preparations, the Sri Lankan team held an intensive training session today under the watchful eyes of the coaching staff. The team looked sharp, focused, and ready to bring their A-game to home soil.

This clash promises to be a key test for the Tuskers as they look to strengthen their footing in the regional rugby scene and gain momentum ahead of upcoming international competitions. UAE, a rising force in Asian rugby, will also be eyeing a big performance away from home.

Both teams are expected to field strong lineups, and the match is anticipated to draw significant interest from local fans eager to witness top-tier rugby action.

📍 Match Info
🗓️ Date: July 4, 2025
📍 Venue: Racecourse Rugby Grounds, Colombo
🕒 Kick-off: TBA

Stay tuned for live updates, photos, and post-match coverage on Sri Lankan Sports TV.

Football

Sri Lanka Women Crushed 8-0 by Nepal in AFC Qualifiers – Tactical Collapse Raises Alarm

Published

3 days ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

Colombo, July 2 – Sri Lanka Women’s National Football Team suffered another brutal defeat in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, going down 8-0 to a confident and clinical Nepalese side. Coming just days after a 10-0 hammering by Uzbekistan, this latest loss highlights deeper tactical, technical, and structural issues within Sri Lanka’s women’s football system.

Full-Time Score: Sri Lanka 0 – 8 Nepal

Half-Time: 0 – 4
Venue: Group F – AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers

Key Match Statistics

Stat	Sri Lanka Women	Nepal Women
Possession	50%	50%
Total Shots	4	26
Shots on Target	3	18
Shots off Target	1	8
Expected Goals (xG)	0.60	3.76
Corners	0	14
Fouls	4	6
Cards	0	0
Offsides	0	3

Tactical Breakdown – Why Sri Lanka Lost 8-0

Despite the possession being even at 50%, Sri Lanka was thoroughly outplayed. This is a classic case where possession stats mislead the reality on the pitch.

1. Poor Defensive Organization

Sri Lanka conceded 14 corners and 18 shots on target, indicating that Nepal constantly penetrated both flanks and delivered into the box unchallenged.
There was no compact defensive line, and Nepal exploited space behind Sri Lanka’s fullbacks repeatedly.

2. Ineffective Midfield Structure

While Sri Lanka held possession equally, it was largely passive and in non-threatening zones.
Nepal, on the other hand, converted their possession into 3.76 xG, showing how effective and vertical their transitions were.

3. Repeated Failures in Closing Down Key Players

Sabitra Bhandari scored a hat-trick within 26 minutes (14’, 36’, 40’) and was left unmarked multiple times.
Nepal’s attackers were given space and time to shoot – evident from the 18 shots on target.

4. No Offensive Threat

Sri Lanka managed only 4 shots in the entire game, with an xG of just 0.60.
With no corners and no real pressing, the team offered nothing going forward, allowing Nepal to push numbers up comfortably.

Back-to-Back Heavy Losses: Structural Failures Exposed

This defeat comes after a 10-0 loss to Uzbekistan, meaning Sri Lanka has now conceded 18 goals in two matches without scoring once.

This isn’t just a reflection of players’ on-field performance — it’s a glaring indictment of:

FFSL’s failure to conduct any women’s football league in years
A rushed team selection based on a short trial, without competitive match practice
No structured coaching program or international exposure
Lack of scouting, fitness programs, and tactical planning

Nepal, though not an Asian powerhouse, had better coaching structure, player chemistry, and clear tactics, which led to their dominance.

What’s Next for Sri Lanka?

If the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) and the Ministry of Sports continue to ignore these warning signs, Sri Lanka risks becoming irrelevant in women’s football on the Asian stage.

What’s needed:

✅ A proper national women’s league
✅ Regular youth-level competitions and scouting
✅ Appointing qualified coaching staff with modern tactical knowledge
✅ Consistent international exposure for players

Conclusion

An 8-0 defeat to Nepal isn’t just a bad result — it’s a mirror held up to a broken system. Unless real change is implemented beyond symbolic participation, these results will become Sri Lanka’s norm in women’s football.