His delicate ‘late cuts’ and his safe hands in the slips will be dearly missed as the 37-year old Sri Lankan batting champion, Mahela Jayawardene retired from red-ball cricket during the 2nd week of August while Sri Lanka claimed the 4th position in the ICC Test team rankings after defeating Pakistan 2-0.
Sri Lanka beat Pakistan at SSC for Mahela
Rangana Herath’s 14-wicket match bag ensured former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene retired from test cricket with a series sweep against Pakistan. Herath took 5 wickets for 57 in the second innings to propel Sri Lanka to a 105-run victory on the final morning of the second test after Pakistan was dismissed for 165 chasing 271 at SSC.
Sri Lanka made 320 runs in their 1st innings with Upul Tharanga top-scoring with 92 runs. Pakistanis took a 12-run lead after Safraz Ahmed stroked his maiden Test century as Rangana Herath captured 9 wickets in the 1st innings to become the first left-arm bowler to take 9 scalps in a Test innings. Mahela and Sangakkara put on their final hundred plus partnership in Tests as Sri Lanka made 282 in their 2nd innings amidst thousands of fans.
England humiliate India again
India`s recent saga of spineless performances touched a new low as they crashed to a humiliating innings and 244 runs defeat well inside three days in the fifth and final Test against England, who clinched the series with a 3-1 margin last week.
The Indians were shot out for 94 in just 29.2 overs as they continued their embarrassing display succumbing to their heaviest Test defeat in 40 years and this was after England took a gigantic 338 runs lead with a healthy first innings score of 486 riding on a brilliant 149 not out by Joe Root. The series win enabled Alastair Cook and his boys to retain the Pataudi Trophy for the second straight time in three years.
Another modern cricketing legends bids adieu to whites’
Sri Lankan batting star Mahela Jayawardene ended his 17-year Test career on a victorious note on 18th August as Sri Lanka won the second and final Test against Pakistan by 105 runs to sweep the series 2-0. Jayawardene finished with 11,814 runs in 149 Tests with 34 centuries, but his average dropped from 50.02 to 49.84 after making 4 and 54 in his final Test at the SSC. He was lifted onto the shoulders of his team-mates as the entire squad did a victory lap of the ground to cheering crowds.
Jayawardene was also an astute captain while leading Sri Lanka in 38 Tests in two phases, the first from 2006 to 2009 and then again for a year in 2012. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka won 18 Tests, lost 12 and drew eight. As captain, he averaged 59.11 with the bat with 14 centuries. Jayawardene’s 205 Test catches are second only to Indian Rahul Dravid’s tally of 210 by a fielder other than a wicket-keeper. Jayawardene scored a monumental 374 during a world-record partnership of 624 with Sangakkara (287) against a South Africa in 2006.
Barbados Tridents win Caribbean Premier League
Barbados Tridents beat Guyana Amazon Warriors by 8 runs (according to the D/L method) to capture the 2014 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title, after rain spoiled an absorbing contest that appeared headed for an enthralling finish. Set 153 for victory, Amazon Warriors were fighting back at 107 for four in the 16th over, when the rains arrived to end the game prematurely. Tridents, sent in by Amazon Warriors, gathered 152 for six off their 20 overs, thanks to half-centuries from opener Dwayne Smith who top-scored with 59 and Shoaib Malik, who stroked an unbeaten 55.
Injured Watson out of Zimbabwe Tour
Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has been withdrawn from the cricket tour of Zimbabwe due to a sprained ankle after stepping on a ball during training in Brisbane last week. The National Selection Panel has selected South Australian batsman Phil Hughes to replace Watson in the 14-man squad for the triangular series against Zimbabwe and South Africa starting in Harare on August 25th.
Hashim Amla’s 15th ODI ton helps South Africa
Opener Hashim Amla carried his bat through the innings to record an unbeaten 122 as South Africa eased to a 93-run victory over Zimbabwe in the first one-day international at Queens Sports Club last Sunday. Amla scored his 15th limited-overs ton in helping South Africa to 309 for three in their 50 overs before they bowled the hosts out for 216 in a chase that had briefly looked on when Hamilton Masakadza and Sean Williams added 100 runs for the fourth wicket.
Both sides were under new leadership from the one-off test that ended with an emphatic South African win, with AB de Villiers taking over from Amla for the Proteas and Elton Chigumbura replacing Brendan Taylor for the hosts.
New Zealand ‘A’ wins tri-series in England
Hamish Rutherford steered New Zealand ‘A’ to a commanding 7-wicket win over the England Lions today to claim a tri-series one-day title. Rutherford hit a fluent 95 after England Lions posted 255 for 8 in their innings. New Zealand was 225 for the loss of only 3 wickets in 32.3 overs when rain interrupted play. Following their opening match wash out against Sri Lanka ‘A’, New Zealand ‘A’ have won all three subsequent matches to claim the tri-series silverware.
Hales in, Bopara out of England ODI squad
Opening batsman Alex Hales is in line for an ODI debut after England selectors named him in a 15-man squad to take on India that does not include middle-order batsman Ravi Bopara. Stuart Broad will also miss the five-match series that begins in Bristol on 25th August as he prepares for a knee surgery.
England ODI squad: Alastair Cook (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Eoin Morgan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes.
