News
Ryan Hicks guides Australia to a comprehensive win with a brilliant half-century
Under-19 World Cup 2024
Australia secured a resounding 6-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their final group game of the ongoing Under-19 World Cup at Mangaunh Oval, Bloemfontein on Sunday (28), thanks to an outstanding knock by Ryan Hicks.
Chasing a target of 208 runs, Australia got off to a flying start with Harry Dixon and Sam Konstas forming a solid opening partnership of 71 runs. However, Vishva Lahiru managed to break through and dismiss Dixon for 49, which slowed down Australia’s progress.
Sri Lanka struck again soon after, with left-arm spinner Lahiru sending back the in-form skipper Hugh Weibgen for just three runs in his next over. Malsha Tharupathi added to Australia’s woes by taking the wicket of Konstas for 23 in the following over.
With Australia struggling at 3-80, Harjas Singh and Ryan Hicks steadied the innings with a 49-run partnership. Harjas displayed solid defense, while Hicks played positively and accumulated runs. However, a sharp piece of fielding from wicketkeeper Shanmuganathan caught Harjas short of the crease off Jayawardena, giving Sri Lanka an opening.
With the game hanging in the balance, Ryan Hicks and Tom Cambell took control and put on a crucial 82-run partnership for the fifth wicket, ensuring no further setbacks for Australia.
Ryan Hicks led from the front with an unbeaten knock of 77 runs, which included 7 boundaries. Tom Cambell also played a valuable innings of 33 not out, helping his team cross the finish line with 7 balls to spare.
Earlier in the match, Sri Lanka elected to bat but could only manage a modest total of 208-all out, with Dinura Kalupahana top-scoring with a half-century. The Sri Lankan innings lacked firepower, with none of their batsmen posing a significant threat except for Kalupahana, who played a lone hand with an impressive innings of 64 runs off 78 balls, including 6 boundaries and 3 sixes.
Dinura’s performance was commendable, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Australia from securing a comprehensive victory.
Kalupahana also formed a 46-run partnership with Ravishan de Silva for the 5th wicket. However, the middle order collapsed once again, resulting in Sri Lanka being reduced to 7-172 before being bowled out for 208 runs.
Player of the Match, Ryan Hicks, shared his thoughts on the game, stating, “The plan was to take control of the game and bat positively. We wanted to avoid consecutive dot balls as it becomes difficult to recover from that. Campbell and I decided to keep the runs flowing against the spinners and then take advantage against the pacers.”
With this win, Australia remains unbeaten and advances to the super six stage. They will face England and West Indies at the Kimberley Oval on January 31 and February 2.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka, who finished 2nd in the group, also secures their spot in the super six stage. They will face West Indies on Tuesday (30) and South Africa on February 02.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka: 208 all out (49.5 overs) (Dinura Kalupahana 64, Ravishan de Silva 30, Sharujan Shanmuganathan 21, Callum Vidler 3-28, Mahli Beardman 2-30, Tom Campbell 2-47)
Australia: (Ryan Hicks 77, Harry Dixon 49, Tom Campbell 33, Vishwa Lahiru 2-24).
Football
Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2024: Super Eight Round Concludes – Semifinalists Confirmed!
The Super Eight Round of the Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2024 (Under 20 Division 1 Boys Football Tournament) has ended on a high note, producing four standout teams that will battle for a place in the final. Below is a comprehensive look at the match results, final points tables, and key highlights from the tournament so far.
Match Results Overview
- St. Joseph’s College 4-0 Darussalam College
- Kalutara Muslim Central 2-3 Alighar National School
- Hameed Al Husseine College 1-0 Al Falah College
- Zahira College 4-0 St. Patrick’s College
- St. Joseph’s College 1-1 Alighar National School
- Darussalam College 7-0 Kalutara Muslim Central
- Al Falah College 0-3 Zahira College
- St. Patrick’s College 0-4 Hameed Al Husseine College
- Alighar National School 5-1 Darussalam College
- St. Joseph’s College 1-0 Kalutara Muslim Central
- Zahira College 2-0 Hameed Al Husseine College
- Al Falah College 3-2 St. Patrick’s College
Group A Standings
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alighar National School | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 7 |
| 2 | St. Joseph’s College | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 7 |
| 3 | Darussalam College | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | -1 | 3 |
| 4 | Kalutara Muslim Central College | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 | 0 |
Top Two (Advancing to Semifinals):
- Alighar National School
- St. Joseph’s College
Group B Standings
| Rank | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zahira College | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | +9 | 9 |
| 2 | Hameed Al Husseine College | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 |
| 3 | Al Falah College | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 3 |
| 4 | St. Patrick’s College | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 | 0 |
Top Two (Advancing to Semifinals):
- Zahira College
- Hameed Al Husseine College
Summary & Semi-Final Preview
- Alighar National School and St. Joseph’s College finished level on points at the top of Group A. Their draw against each other kept the race tight, but both teams delivered strong performances in the remaining matches to secure 7 points each.
- Zahira College dominated Group B with three consecutive wins, scoring 9 goals and conceding none. Hameed Al Husseine College followed suit, showcasing solid defense and earning 6 points to claim the second semi-final berth.
- Darussalam College, Kalutara Muslim Central, Al Falah College, and St. Patrick’s College showed fighting spirit but fell short in the quest for the knockout stage.
Semi Finals
- Alighar National School will face Hameed Al Husseine College in the Semi Finals
- Zahira College will face St. Joseph’s College in the Semi Finals
The semi-finals promise high-octane clashes as the top contenders face off. Stay tuned to Sri Lankan Sports TV for exclusive match previews, live coverage, and post-match analysis as we approach the grand finale of the Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2025.
World Rugby has extended Sri Lanka Rugby’s (SLR) deadline until June 15, 2025, to address its governance issues, warning that failure to comply will result in immediate sanctions, including a possible ban from international competitions.
Acknowledging the persistent efforts of Sri Lanka’s Competent Authority and Director General of Sports, Professor (Rear Admiral) Shemal Fernando, World Rugby remains firm on its conditions. SLR must implement a revised constitution and conduct elections within the next four months to meet international standards.
To oversee these reforms, a Working Taskforce has been formed, featuring representatives from World Rugby, Asia Rugby, the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lankan government. Led by Asia Rugby, this task force is responsible for guiding SLR through the required changes.
The reform process consists of two key phases. The initial phase focuses on reviewing voting eligibility, finalizing constitutional amendments, and organizing a Special General Meeting (SGM). The next phase involves adopting the new constitution at the SGM, followed by elections monitored by World Rugby, Asia Rugby, and local sports authorities.
SLR has faced repeated scrutiny over governance failures, prompting multiple interventions from international rugby bodies. With this deadline set, Sri Lanka Rugby has one final opportunity to align with global governance standards and secure its future in international rugby.
Sky Market Travels, a leading travel agency, has partnered with Sri Lanka Schools’ Football to contribute to the development of school football in the country.
As a first step, Sky Market Travels (Pvt) Ltd has joined as a sponsor for the Sri Lanka Schools’ National Championship 2024 Under-20 Division One tournament, organized by the Sri Lanka Schools’ Football Association.
This prestigious tournament, featuring 20 of Sri Lanka’s top school teams, has long been a vital platform for young players to showcase their talent at the national level. By stepping in as a sponsor, Sky Market Travels is playing a key role in supporting the future of Sri Lankan school football.
The event was attended by the President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka, Jaswar Umar, the Head of the Coach Education Department and former National Team Captain, Sampath Perera, Elite Youth Manager Dudley Steinwal, Members of Schools’ Football Association, and the Managing Director of Sky Market Travels (Pvt) ltd Mohamed Faroos, the President of the Negombo Poruthota Soccer Fans Rizwan, and its Manager Nufri.
With this partnership, Sky Market Travels has taken a significant step in uplifting school football and providing aspiring young footballers with better opportunities to excel at the national level.
Sri Lanka Schools National Championship 2024: Super Eight Round Concludes – Semifinalists Confirmed!
World Rugby Sets Final Deadline for Sri Lanka Rugby Governance Reforms
Sky Market Travels Joins Hands with Sri Lanka Schools’ Football
-
Football2 weeks agoSri Lanka Schools National Championship 2025: Super 8 Fixtures and Grouping
-
Live3 years agoLive Broadcast of Syria vs Sri Lanka | AFC U23 Asian Championship Qualification
-
Cricket3 weeks agoSri Lanka vs Australia 2nd Test: Spin to Dominate as Galle Pitch Set to Turn
-
Football1 month agoFFSL Rebrands Division-1 as ‘League-One’ with a Bold New Vision
-
Football1 month agoSri Lanka Football: Upcoming AFC Asian Cup Qualification Matches & Fixtures
-
Football1 month agoErling Haaland Signs Record-Breaking 9.5-Year Contract Extension with Manchester City
-
Cricket4 weeks agoUsman Khawaja Backs Sam Konstas as His Opening Partner Ahead of Sri Lanka Test Series
-
Football2 days agoSri Lanka Schools National Championship 2024: Super Eight Round Concludes – Semifinalists Confirmed!
