Sri Lanka
Steve Smith hits his 36th test century as Australia dominates Sri Lanka in 2nd test
Steve Smith hit his 36th test century and shared an unbeaten 239-run partnership with Alex Carey as Australia powered to 330-3 at stumps on day two of the second cricket test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Friday.
With a lead of 73 runs and seven first-innings wickets in hand, the tourists are in control.
Smith anchored the innings with a sublime 120 not out off 239 balls, while Carey took the attack to Sri Lanka with a fluent 139 not out off 156. It was Smith's second ton of the series, while Carey notched up only his second test hundred in style.
Australia had slumped to 37-2 before Smith and Usman Khawaja (36) steadied the innings with a crucial 54-run stand for the third wicket. Khawaja, who got a double hundred in Australia's huge win in the first test of the two-match series, looked solid against spin. However, an ill-judged pull shot saw him trapped leg before wicket to off-spinner Nishan Peiris, (2-70 off 21 overs) cutting short his promising start.
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Smith, too, took time to settle and had a nervy moment on 24, given out lbw before successfully overturning the decision on review. Once past that, he shifted gears and put the Sri Lankan bowlers under pressure.
Carey remained a picture of confidence, stroking elegant shots on both sides of the wicket. His sweeps were particularly effective, while Smith, in contrast, relied on his trademark pulls and drives.
Smith reached his century with a controlled pull to mid-wicket, while Carey brought up his ton with yet another assured sweep shot. Though Carey outscored Smith and looked the more fluent batter, Smith was ready to grind it out for the long haul.
Cricket great Sachin Tendulkar tops the most test tons list with 51. Smith moved into a three-way tie for fifth with England's Joe Root and India's Rahul Dravid.
“We know that Steve Smith is someone who has scored runs all over the world,” said Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis. “His numbers in Asia are unbelievable.”
Carey was pushed up to No. 5 as Josh Inglis was unable to bat, having spent time off the field unwell. The wicketkeeper-batter seized the opportunity, smashing 13 fours and two sixes in his knock, while Smith’s patient effort included nine boundaries and a six.
Earlier, Sri Lanka had been dismissed for 257 after opting to bat first, a total that looked below par on a decent surface. Kusal Mendis hit a fighting 85 not out.
With the new ball due in the morning, Sri Lanka’s bowlers will be fresh and desperate Saturday to make an early breakthrough.
“The new ball is around the corner and we need to nullify that and then go on and get as much as possible,” Carey said. “The quality of a player like Steve Smith is that he is a problem solver. He played some risky shots and executed them well.”
17 hours ago
Sri Lanka beats New Zealand in 3rd ODI
Asith Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana shared six wickets as Sri Lanka bowled out New Zealand for 150 runs in 29.4 overs to win the third one-day international by 140 runs Saturday.
Fernando took 3-26 and Theekshana 3-35 to jointly knock the top off the New Zealand innings as it chased 291 for victory. Eshan Fernando also contributed 3-35 as Sri Lanka completed a comprehensive victory.
New Zealand won the three-match series 2-1 in its last matches at home before the ICC Champions Trophy begins in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates next month.
Earlier, Pathum Nissanka made 66 in an innings of two parts as Sri Lanka compiled 290-8 after choosing to bat first. New Zealand then slumped to 21-5 inside seven overs as Fernando helped Sri Lanka unpick the New Zealand top order.
“It's a huge confidence boost for me and for the team as well because we haven't played well in the first two games. It's a pleasure to play like this,” Fernando said.
McSweeney returns to Australia squad for Sri Lanka tour
“We identified a few areas to be improved (after the first two games). Now we are going straight back to work to continue improving day by day.”
Mark Chapman was the only New Zealand batter to stand against the chaos, making 81 at a run a ball. Chapman's 51-run partnership with Nathan Smith (17) for the eighth wicket was New Zealand's hope of making a game of it. The run rate never got away from New Zealand but it lost too many wickets early to seriously challenge Sri Lanka's total.
Nissanka reached 50 from 31 balls but almost immediately fell to the ground in pain from an apparent groin or hip strain.
He tried to bat on but was clearly impaired while running between wickets and was 50 not out when he was summoned from the field by Sri Lanka coach Sanith Jayasuriya to receive medical treatment.
Matt Henry took 4-55 for New Zealand.
4 weeks ago
McSweeney returns to Australia squad for Sri Lanka tour
Nathan McSweeney was recalled to Australia’s test squad on Thursday to tour Sri Lanka, less than three weeks after being dropped from the top order.
Australia’s selectors announced their squad Thursday for the two-test tour, with several fresh faces added to the group that played India in Sydney last week. Australia won the five-test series 3-1 a nd clinched a spot in the World Test Championship against South Africa at Lord's in June.
Steve Smith will lead the squad to Sri Lanka while regular skipper Pat Cummins is on leave as his wife awaits the birth of the couple’s second child.
Australia’s selectors concentrated on spin for the two Sri Lanka tests, with uncapped 21-year-old Cooper Connolly among the seven full or part-time slow bowling options in the 16-man squad.
Connolly, a left-arm allrounder, has represented Australia in limited-overs cricket and has been called up for his maiden test campaign along with specialist spinners Todd Murphy and Matthew Kuhnemann.
New Zealand beats Sri Lanka by 113 runs in rain-hit 2nd ODI to win series
McSweeney scored 72 runs at an average of 14.4 in his first three tests against India, before being replaced by Sam Konstas for the Melbourne Cricket Ground test starting Dec. 26. The 25-year-old McSweeney has batted at No. 3 for South Australia state this season — averaging 97 — but has previously batted further down the order.
Cricket Australia also said Cummins was “focusing on an ankle issue which was managed through the test summer" and fellow paceman Josh Hazlewood was continuing his recovery from a calf injury. Mitchell Marsh was omitted for the tour, joining Hazlewood in focusing on the 50-overs Champion’s Trophy in Pakistan which immediately follows the test tour.
The first test begins Jan. 29 and the second Feb. 6, both at spin-friendly Galle International Stadium. A one-off one-day international is scheduled for Feb. 13, also at Galle.
“Sri Lanka is a challenging and exciting place to tour given the different conditions players may be presented with," selector George Bailey said. “This squad provides several ways to structure the XI depending on what type of wickets we may encounter in each match.”
4 weeks ago
New Zealand beats Sri Lanka by 113 runs in rain-hit 2nd ODI to win series
Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman made half centuries in a 112-run second-wicket partnership which helped New Zealand to a 113-run win over Sri Lanka in the second one-day international on Wednesday and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Ravindra made 79 from 63 balls and Chapman scored 62 from 52 as New Zealand reached 255-9 batting first in a match reduced by rain to 37 overs per side.
Maheesh Theekshana became the seventh Sri Lanka player to take an ODI hat trick when he dismissed Mitchell Santner, Nathan Smith and Matt Henry with consecutive deliveries across two overs late in the innings.
Sri Lanka slumped to 22-4 but Kamindu Mendis made a career-best 64 before the team was dismissed for 142 in 30.2 overs.
Mendis put on 57 for the fifth wicket with Janith Liyanage (22) and 47 for the sixth wicket with Chamidu Wickramasinghe (17) in a key partnership which was cut short by the second run-out of the Sri Lanka innings.
Sri Lanka struggled against the pace and bounce of the New Zealand attack and its run rate required had crept up to almost 15 by the end.
Showers and a wet outfield delayed the start of play by two hours. When Sri Lanka won the toss it made the natural decision to bowl on a greenish pitch at Seddon Park with the possibility of more showers to come.
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New Zealand lost Will Young for 16 and was 31-1 when Chapman joined Ravindra. Together they kept the score ticking over steadily, reaching their 50 partnership from 44 balls and their century partnership from only 79 deliveries.
The pair rotated the strike and worked the ball often into the onside where there were larger gaps in the field. Ravindra also showed he was in form with an early straight drive which was a perfect example of the shot.
“I think it's a nice natural tempo to go out there and play cricket shots, even in the shortened game,” Ravindra said. "I do enjoy the ODI format, although you don't see many matches happening any more.
“It's a format I grew up watching and I think it suits the way I bat.”
There were signs Ravindra was coming into form when he hit 69 from 38 balls in the third Twenty20 between the teams and 45 from 36 balls in the first match of the ODI series on Sunday which New Zealand won by nine wickets.
He found his timing early on Wednesday and hit nine fours and a six. Chapman hit five fours and two sixes, playing with increasing confidence at No. 3.
Both players reached their half centuries with sixes, Ravindra from the bowling of Wanindu Hasaranga and Chapman from Eshan Malinga.
New Zealand lost momentum after Ravindra and Chapman were out. Daryl Mitchell made 38, Glenn Phillips 22 and Santner 20 but New Zealand couldn't get back on top of the bowling.
The third ODI is on Saturday at Auckland.
1 month ago
Fernando makes 56 as Sri Lanka sets New Zealand 179 in the 1st ODI
Avishka Fernando scored a gritty half century in an 87-run partnership with Janith Liyanage which helped Sri Lanka to 178 as it batted first Sunday in the first one-day international against New Zealand.
Matt Henry took 4-19 from his 10 overs for New Zealand as Sri Lanka was bowled out in 43.4 overs. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner took a wicket, effected a run out and claimed three catches from Henry's bowling.
Sri Lanka had slumped to 23-4 after being sent in on a greenish pitch at the Basin Reserve before Fernando's fifth one-day international half century and Liyanage's 36 gave some substance to the innings.
New Zealand fielded a four-pronged seam attack and Henry, Jacob Duffy and Nathan Smith all took early wickets while Santner broke Fernando and Liyanage's stubborn fifth wicket stand.
Sunday's match was played in bitterly cold, windy conditions and under the constant threat of rain. A potential sell out crowd was reduced substantially as only hardy fans turned out to watch the opener to the three-match series in wintry conditions.
After a watchful start, Sri Lanka lost the key wicket of opener Pathum Nissanka in the fifth over.
Nissanka made 141 runs at an average of 47 in the three-match Twenty20 series which New Zealand won 2-1. He had made only 9 Sunday when he tried to work a ball from Henry through midwicket but, as it seamed away, managed only to loop it to Santner at mid-off.
Kusal Mendis, Nissanka's partner in a 121-run stand in the first T20, was 2 when he was bowled by Jacob Duffy off the inside edge. The ball cut back at Mendis at waist height and he was hurried in defense.
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Santner produced a sharp piece of fielding to run out Kamindu Mendis (3) and captain Charith Asalanka was caught by wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay from Smith's bowling. Asalanka was given not out by the on-field umpire but New Zealand reviewed and the replay showed the ball had just brushed the shoulder of the bat.
Fernando and Liyanage steadily rebuilt the Sri Lanka innings, carrying it to 108-4 after 25 overs. The 26-year-old Fernando produced a defiant innings, reaching his half century from 52 balls with six fours and a six.
Liyanage tried to hoist a ball from Santner over the off side but skied it from a top edge and was caught by the substitute fielder Michael Bracewell falling backwards at mid-wicket. Fernando was out in the next over, driving at a ball from Smith which sliced to Glenn Phillips at backward point.
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Chamindu Wickramasinghe and Wanindu Hasaranga put on 48 for the seventh wicket before Henry returned and dismissed Wickramasinghe on 22. Hasaranga made 35 from 33 balls in an innings full of adventurous strokeplay before he also fell to Henry.
Eshan Malinga who made 4 on debut gave Henry his final wicket.
1 month ago
Sri Lanka beats New Zealand by 7 runs in the 3rd T20 but New Zealand wins series 2-1
Kusal Perera scored Sri Lanka's fastest Twenty20 international century — from 44 balls — on Thursday to spur his team to a consolation win over New Zealand by seven runs in the the final match of the three-match series.
Perera's career-best score in a century partnership with captain Charirth Asalanka lifted Sri Lanka to 218-5 — its second-highest T20 score, as it batted first for the first time in the series.
New Zealand held a winning 2-0 lead in the series after winning the first match by eight runs and the second by 45 runs.
New Zealand needed to achieve its highest run chase in T20s to complete a clean sweep of the series and was given a good start by Rachin Ravindra who made 69 from 39 balls. But it fell just short, held to 211-7.
The Black Caps began at a pace to match Sri Lanka, reaching 60-0 in the six-over power play. But Asalanka slammed the brakes on the New Zealand innings when he dismissed Ravindra, Mark Chapman (9) and Glenn Phillips (6) in quick succession.
Asalanka had figures of 3-25 after those dismissals but Daryl Mitchell hit four consecutive sixes from his final over to wreck his analysis and bat New Zealand back into the game.
Wanindu Hasaranga then dismissed Mitchell Hay (8) and Michael Bracewell (1) in the 16th over to tip the match back in the visitors' favor. Asalanka took a superb diving catch to remove Bracewell and managed his bowlers well in a superb all-round performance.
“I think it's a good win for us,” Asalanka said. "I think throughout the series we've played good cricket but couldn't manage to get a win. Finally we got it. I hope this is a momentum shift for us. Adapting to these conditions has been a key for us.”
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New Zealand came to the last over, bowled by Binura Fernando, needing 22 to win. After taking six runs from the first three balls, one of which was a wide, Zak Foulkes hit the fourth ball for six, leaving New Zealand needing 10 from the last two balls.
It was too much and the New Zealand batters managed only three more runs.
The start of the match was delayed by 30 minutes by a wet outfield and when it began Sri Lanka lost the toss but had the chance to bat first on a good pitch at Saxton Oval.
The tourists lost both openers, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, inside the power play.
But Perera powered up the Sri Lanka innings in an outstanding batting performance, hitting 13 fours and four sixes in his 101 from 46 balls.
One of the keys to victory was the 75 runs Perera and Asalanka hit between the 14th and 18th overs which proved vital in making the run chase just too much for New Zealand.
The teams meet in the first of three one-day internationals in Wellington on Sunday.
1 month ago
Sri Lanka sees highest record of overseas employment in 2024
The year 2024 has been recorded as the year with the highest number of Sri Lankans migrating abroad for employment in the nation's history, local media reported, quoting statistics from the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
Data shows that a total of 312,836 Sri Lankans left the country for overseas jobs during the year. Among them, 185,162 were male workers, while 127,674 were female workers, said the report on Wednesday.
Data shows that Kuwait emerged as the top destination, attracting 77,546 Sri Lankan workers.
The United Arab Emirates followed closely, with 51,550 individuals seeking employment there. Additionally, 7,098 Sri Lankans migrated to South Korea, 9,665 to Israel, and 8,665 to Japan over the past year, SLBFE data shows.
The surge in migration has also led to a significant rise in remittances. Central bank data shows that by the end of November 2024, remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad reached 6.46 billion U.S. dollars reflecting a corresponding increase in the number of citizens employed overseas.
1 month ago
Sri Lanka has exited debt default, official says; Fitch upgrades rating to CCC+
Sri Lanka's Secretary to the Treasury, Mahinda Siriwardana, announced on Saturday that the country has officially emerged from sovereign default.
In a post on X, Siriwardana emphasized the importance of avoiding past policy errors influenced by rigid ideologies, unfounded beliefs, or misleading narratives, which often lead to unrealistic and unsustainable decisions.
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With economic stability now restored, he highlighted the need to prioritize strategies that encourage inclusive and sustainable development. Siriwardana stressed that such initiatives are vital for job creation and income generation, aiming to support the recovery of all Sri Lankans.
His remarks came after Fitch Ratings upgraded Sri Lanka's credit rating to "CCC+." The upgrade was attributed to the country's progress through a difficult path involving substantial reforms and a complex debt restructuring process.
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On Friday, Fitch Ratings announced the improvement of Sri Lanka's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating, elevating it from Restricted Default to "CCC+." The decision was supported by successful restructuring of international sovereign bonds and stronger macroeconomic indicators.
1 month ago
Sri Lanka votes in a parliamentary election that's key for its new Marxist-leaning president
Sri Lankans are voting in a parliamentary election Thursday that is key for the country's new, Marxist-leaning president to consolidate his party's power and follow through on promises of economic recovery.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the presidential election on Sept. 21 in a victory that marked a rejection of the traditional political parties, which have governed the island nation since its independence from British rule in 1948.
However, Dissanayake’s failure to secure more than 50% of the vote has fueled concerns over his party’s outlook in Thursday's election.
His National People’s Power party must increase its votes significantly — from the 42% it won in the presidential election — if it is to acquire a minimum of 113 seats to take control of the 225-member Parliament.
The biggest challenge for the NPP — which was founded in 2019 and is a relative newcomer on Sri Lanka’s political scene — is that many of its candidates are new faces in politics running against well-established politicians from the traditional parties.
Of the 225 parliament seats, 196 are up for grabs under Sri Lanka's proportional representative electoral system, which allocates seats in each district among the parties according to the proportion of the votes they get.
The remaining 29 seats — called the national list seats — are allocated to parties and independent groups according to the proportion of the total votes they receive countrywide.
There are 8,821 candidates vying for the 196 seats for elected members of Parliament.
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Sajith Premadasa, who came in second in the presidential election and his Samagi Jana Balawegaya, or United People's Power party, is NPP's main competition.
Dissanayake, while campaigning for his party’s candidates, has called on voters to help elect them to Parliament so he won’t need to rely on a coalition to enact the reforms he promised.
Election results are expected on Friday.
The election comes at a decisive time for Sri Lankans, as the island nation is struggling to emerge from its worst economic crisis, having declared bankruptcy after defaulting on its external debt in 2022.
The country is now in the middle of a bailout program with the International Monetary Fund and debt restructuring with international creditors nearly complete.
Dissanayake had said during the presidential campaign that he planned to propose significant changes to the targets set in the IMF deal, which his predecessor Ranil Wickremesinghe signed, saying it placed too much burden on the people. However, he has since changed his stance and says Sri Lanka will go along with the agreement.
Sri Lanka’s crisis was largely the result of economic mismanagement combined with fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which along with 2019 terrorism attacks devastated its important tourism industry. The pandemic also disrupted the flow of remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad.
Read more: Sri Lanka closes schools as floods hammer the capital
The government also slashed taxes in 2019, depleting the treasury just as the virus hit. Foreign exchange reserves plummeted, leaving Sri Lanka unable to pay for imports or defend its currency, the rupee.
Sri Lanka’s economic upheaval led to a political crisis that forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign in 2022. Parliament then elected Wickremesinghe to replace him.
The economy was stabilized, inflation dropped, the local currency strengthened and foreign reserves increased under Wickremesinghe. Nonetheless, he lost the election as public dissatisfaction grew over the government’s effort to increase revenue by raising electricity bills and imposing heavy new income taxes on professionals and businesses, as part of the government’s efforts to meet the IMF conditions.
Dissanayake’s promise to punish members of previous governments accused of corruption and to recover allegedly stolen assets has also raised much hope among the people.
2 months ago
Sri Lanka closes schools as floods hammer the capital
Sri Lanka closed schools in the capital Colombo and suburbs on Monday as heavy rains triggered floods in many parts of the island nation.
Heavy downpours over the weekend have wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, flooding homes, fields and roads. Three people drowned, while some 134,000 people have been affected by flooding, according to the country's Disaster Management Centre.
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The center said rains and floods have damaged 240 houses and nearly 7,000 people have been evacuated. Authorities have cut electricity in some areas as a precaution.
Navy and army troops have been deployed to rescue victims and provide food and other essentials.
Local television channels showed flooded towns in the suburbs of Colombo. In some areas, waters reached the roofs of houses and shops.
Sri Lanka has been grappling with severe weather conditions since May, mostly caused by heavy monsoon rains. In June, 16 people died due to floods and mudslides.
3 months ago