* SLC T20 League: Shanaka’s Team Greys record two in two
National white-ball Captain Dasun Shanaka led his team, Greys, to two wins in two matches in the ongoing Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Invitational T20 League in Pallekele.
The batsmen featuring in the first three games showed performances that may not be enough at the top international level, though bowlers showed a lot of promise.
RESULS
Match 1:
Greys under Shanaka beat Ashan Priyanjan’s Green by just one run:
Greys 167/7 (20) (Shanaka 84, Chathuranga de Silva 23, Minod Bhanuka 21; Ashan Priyanjan 1/18)
Greens 166/6 (20) (Kamindu Mendis 74, Pathum Nissanka 45, Ishan Jayaratne 20; Pulina Tharanga 3/22)
Match 2:
Blues, led by Angelo Perera, beat Dinesh Chandimal’s Reds by 56 runs:
Blues 148/9 (20) (Ashen Bandara 45; Akila Dananjaya 3/27)
Reds 92 in 17 ovs. (Nipun Dananjaya 14; Angelo Perera 2/6)
Match-3:
Greys beat Reds by 35 runs:
Greys 154/8 (20) (Shanaka 48, Pulina Tharanga 20; Seekkuge Prasanna 2/9, Prabath Jayasuriya 2/29)
Reds 119/9 (20) (Oshada Fernando 52, Asela Gunaratne 16; Ashian Daniel 2/18, Lahiru Madushanka 2/21)
* Now an ‘Esports Premier League’!
Well-known e-sports company, Gamer.LK, has announced the ‘Singer Esports Premier League 2021’. It is said to be Sri Lanka’s largest e-sports league where competitors can play from home, for a prize pool of Rs. 1 million. The franchise-based ‘PUBG Mobile league’ will consist of 12 teams/franchises with over 2,000 e-sports athletes being expected to participate in it. Gamers can visit epl.lk to get further details and register for the open qualifiers. Registrations will close on Saturday, 21 August. The qualifiers will begin on 28 August.
“The format we have introduced this year enables any gamer across the island to compete and get recruited into one of the 12 franchised teams. With Rs. 1 m up for grabs and the chance to play with Sri Lanka’s top e-sports talent, we’ve created a clear pathway for any aspiring e-sports athlete to reach the top and be rewarded for it,” said CEO of Gamer.LK and the founder President of the Sri Lanka Esports Association Raveen Wijayatilake. E-sports had been recognised by the Sports Ministry in 2019 as the country’s 70th national sport.
‘Singer’ is title sponsor of the E-sports Premier League. The other sponsors are: Moose Clothing Company (official clothing partner), Sprite (refreshing partner), Samsung (smart-phone partner), Pizza Hut and Taco Bell (official food partners), Dell Gaming (gaming laptops partner), and Daraz (digital partner)
* Former Isipathana rugby hero Sheham Siddik no more
One of the finest rugby players to have graced the game and a favourite product of Isipathana College, Colombo, Sheham Siddik passed away on Friday (13) after contracting Covid-19, at the age of 57. He was one of the top ruggerites to emerge from Isipathana where he played as a front-two-forward from 1979-82. His first club was CR & FC where he gave his best as a hooker and became the first Isipathana product to lead CR, in 1989. Later he crossed over to Kandy Sports Club by the year 1992 and gave his best, again as a hooker. He also played for Sri Lanka with pride. May his soul rest in peace! His Janaza took place on Saturday at Oddamavadi.
(By Hafiz Marikar in Kandy)