Rampant India run riot as Australia surrender without a fight. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.  (eLanka Sports Editor) The typical Aussie grit and refusal to cave in without a fight is under serious question as India crushed a home team who offered meek resistance before capitulating to an embarrassing 295 run defeat in Perth.  What is glaringly obvious is that apart from Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey, none of the others had it in them to make it difficult for the opposition despite the colossal task ahead.  The wicket in Perth showed familiar characteristics as it deteriorated to a mess with cracks and chunks off it made the bounce and movement off it a test of skill for the batters. This does not in any way take the shine off a well drilled Indian outfit bent on proving that they have not nosedived from their proud standing after ...

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King Kohli notches his 30th century and with Jaiswal sets up Australia’s nightmare start to Summer. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.  (eLanka Sports Editor)   Australia are on the ropes as India hovers over them and readies itself to deliver the knock-out blow at a stunning boilover in Perth. Centuries from new sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal, 161 off 297 balls, and a adventurous 30th Test hundred from veteran Virat Kholi 100 off 143 balls,  delivered the killer blow to any aspirations of an Australian comeback which was further endorsed by India’s bowlers who left the home team in tatters at 3 for 12 by the close of day two. Jasprit Bumrah who has been almost unplayable followed his bag of 5 for 30 in the first innings, and two quick wickets in the second,  stands out as the player who will determine Australia’s fate and whether they have worked out ...

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India gains upperhand after dramatic arm wrestle.  – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.  (eLanka Sports Editor) In a game of wildly fluctuating fortunes, India have grabbed the upperhand over Australia as the gamble to match pace for pace has so far backfired on a pacy and unpredictable Perth wicket.  22- year -old batting sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal showing maturity beyond his age, combined with brilliant K.L Rahul to reduce Australia’s feared pace quartet to worrying ineffectual impact as they built what looks like an imposing total on a wicket that may give the Indians an edge. Jaiawal is 90 not out and heading for his third Test century at his tender age suggesting a continuation of incredible batting talent emerging from the Indian riches. How Australia responds, and if they can make early inroads into this massive partnership, will hinge on Australia’s chances to swing things around or hold off an ...

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An Appraisal: How the Aussie Cricketers Fared at the IPL?-by Alex Malcolm Source:Thuppahis Alex Malcolm in ESPNcriciinfo, 20 March 2024, whose title reads thus: “Aussies at the IPL: Who starred, who chipped in, who flopped across the regular season?” A handful of Australia’s players have dominated the IPL while others have had lean tournaments. Travis Head has been Australia’s stand-out performer at the IPL this season even with his first-ball duck in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s final regular season game against Punjab Kings. Head was the third-highest runscorer in the regular season with 533 runs from 12 innings including a century and four fifties at a staggering strike-rate of 201.13. His opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, was the only other player to pass 350 runs while striking at over 200. According to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, Head had the second-highest total batting impact across the tournament behind Virat Kohli. Jake Fraser-McGurk trumped Head in terms of strike-rate ...

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Players from five teams have been named in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Team of the Tournament © ICC 2023 Source: Courtesy of ICC ( Sent to eLanka by Trevine Rodrigo – eLanka Sports editor accredited by ICC media zone ) For photos from a post-final shoot with Australia captain Pat Cummins, log on to the ICC Online Media Zone Players from Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka picked in all-star team selected by esteemed panel Stars from champions Australia, runners-up India, semi-finalists South Africa and New Zealand, as well as Sri Lanka all feature in a glittering line up.  All-rounder Glenn Maxwell and spinner Adam Zampa are included after helping Australia to a record-extending sixth triumph.  KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah are among the six Indian stars selected alongside leading run scorers Kohli and Sharma, as well as leading wicket-taker Mohammed Shami.  The selection ...

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Sriraj and India scuttle hapless Sri Lanka to grab Asia Cup – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (Elanka Sports Editor) Sri Lanka went from heroes to zero in just over 15 overs as India gave them a thrashing in the Asia Cup final they can Never forget.  Just days after relegating world number one ranked Pakistan to the sidelines in a heart stopper, Sri Lanka just rolled over and let themselves be humiliated in front of a packed home crowd, and an entire population, losing without a whimper.  Excuses about winning the toss in overcast conditions and electing to bat does little to convince me that there is more to it than meets the eye. It would be vindicated if they were without a coaching staff who do not give advice on these matters before the toss. Yes, India were favourites to win it with a highly skilled and far ...

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Dinuth Wellelage announces his entry to the big time in fruitless performance against India – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports Editor) Cricketing prodigy Dinuth Wellelage was a Lone Ranger in Sri Lanka’s fruitless effort to upset economic heroes India,  as the home team showed spark with the ball, then slumped to a competitive 41- run defeat in Colombo. The Lankans first loss, after a record breaking 13 consecutive wins, clouded what could have been a memorable upset if the batsmen acknowledged a stirling performance by an undermanned Sri Lanka attack who found two unlikely heroes.  Dinuth Wellelage and Charith Asalanka combined to bamboozle a strong Indian batting line-up restrict them to 213 all our in 49.1 overs. That was another unusual record the Lankans established in 14 games, bowling the opposition out in this format.  But it was Wellelage who announced himself to the big time, grabbing 5 ...

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Disappointing Sri Lanka succumb to Indian second string – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE  Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka started 2023 with an embarrassing loss to India’s second string side in Mumbai. The Asia Cup triumph seems a long time ago as the struggling Lankans were made to look less than second rate throwing growing concerns about the country’s progress since the T20 World Cup in Australia where they were booted out of the competition before the quarter finals.  India, without skipper Rohit Sharma,  Virat Kohli, K.L Rahul,  Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shammi and Arshdeep Singh,   exposed the Sri Lankan frailties and lack of consistency to rout the hapless visitors without too much effort.  It also underlined India’s tremendous depth to keep them among the forerunners of the game while the minnows find emerging talent hard to unravel.  New pace sensation Shivam Mavi dismantled Sri Lanka’s experienced batting claiming a sensational ...

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Sri Lanka in shambles in second Test – by Rex Clementine in Bangalore   source:island.lk India have not just got the world’s best franchise tournament, they also have a robust Test team and Sri Lanka with a bloated First Class system were no match for the hosts as they were heading for a heavy defeat in the second Test here in Bangalore inside three days. You can pardon Sri Lanka’s players for not being fit to hold a candle to the Indians as their opponents’ skill levels are far superior. But what is unpardonable is their mindless selections and sloppy cricket. Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis are making a comeback since being suspended and a close look would tell you that they have learned little although they have been doing time for more than six months. On the first day’s play, Mendis walked out to the field wearing a floppy ...

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Sri Lanka’s pace trio provokes former South African former paceman Dale Steyn  – By Sunil Thenabadu (Sports editor – eLanka) Photo source:Cricbuzz South African had produced a number of quality pace bowlers in the past decades. Dale Steyn a former South African paceman retired from International cricket recently who had been one of the unkindest of them all who comes steaming in to fear all opening batsman is now an integral part of the commentary team. Dale Steyn was the number one ranked ICC bowler for extended periods had won the hearts of cricket fans all over the world for his belligerence whenever he bowls with sheer intent.  Dale Steyn commentates for all South African matches in the ongoing ICC T 20 WC been held in the UAE.Steyn had been nervous during the encounter between as for both Sri Lanka and South Africa  two points were vital to remain for ...

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