Sports

Danushka Gunathilaka’s trial hit by delay

Published

7 months ago

May 4, 2023

editor

Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka will push NSW’s public prosecutor to pay legal costs after being made to wait another two weeks to submit a plea for rape charges.The 32-year-old is facing four counts of sexual intercourse without consent while in Sydney for the T20 World Cup.

After matching on Tinder, meeting up for a date and heading back to her home in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, the complainant alleges the cricketer refused to wear a condom and choked her three times.

A police fact sheet filed with the court said the woman “was fearing for her life and could not get away from the accused” during the November 2022 incident.

The prosecution successfully applied for the adjournment, which will take the hearing beyond the statutory six-month requirement for charge certification, at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday.

Gunathilaka’s lawyer Alen Sahinovic opposed the delay, arguing his client was being subjected to undue hardship as a foreign citizen with strict bail conditions and limited familial and social support.

Sahinovic will apply for the Director of Public Prosecutions to pay legal costs at the next hearing.

Gunathilaka travelled to Australia with Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup team last year but only played in their first game before being ruled out of the competition with a hamstring tear.

He was arrested in the early hours of November 6 at Sydney’s Hyatt Regency Hotel, shortly before he was scheduled to board a flight home with the rest of the team after they bowed out of the tournament.

Gunathilaka remains on bail ahead of a committal hearing at Downing Centre in Sydney on May 18.

(9news.com.au)

News

Chamari Athapaththu unpicked in WPL auction

Published

1 day ago

December 10, 2023

editor

Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu went unsold in the first round of auctions for the second season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

The Player of the Tournament in the recently concluded Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) also went unsold during the first edition of the WPL.

The WPL Auction concluded in Mumbai on Saturday with 30 out of the 165 registered being sold to the five teams.

Annabel Sutherland and Kashvee Gautam were the top buys of the day, being sold to the Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants respectively for Rs. 2 crores.

News

Sri Lankan ground staff awarded promised cash reward – SLC

Published

5 days ago

December 6, 2023

editor

Sri Lanka Cricket states that they have commenced the distribution of the US$50,000 award (LKR 16 million) money promised during the Asia Cup to the ground staff of the RPICS, Colombo, and PICS, Kandy.

Accordingly, 138 members of the ground staff of the RPICS, Colombo, who worked during the Asia Cup 2023 (permanent and contract employees) were rewarded for their effort, while 115 members of the ground staff of the PICS, Kandy, will receive their reward this Friday.

A media statement by the SLC further notes :

The staff of both venues did a yeomen service during the tournament to ensure the practice facilities, outfield, pitches, covering and uncovering of the ground, and related services were in place and in time to conduct the tournament successfully, despite the bad weather conditions that prevailed during that time.

Curators, turf supervisors, ground staff, and technical staff are among the recipients of the reward payment.

The rewards were granted to the RPICS ground staff by the National Curator, Mr. Godfrey Dabrera, this morning.

The rewards were awarded jointly by the Asian Cricket Council and Sri Lanka Cricket, with each institution contributing US$25,000.

Sports

Weak judgement mars Katukurunda Speed 2023

Published

5 days ago

December 6, 2023

editor

The much awaited Nippon Paint Katukurunda Speed 2023 held last weekend (Dec. 02- 03). However, eyebrows have been raised over a racer being declared as the winner despite flouting rules and regulations of the tournament.

The event was organised by the Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS), the governing body for motorsports in Sri Lanka for the 3rd consecutive year.

Nippon Racing Brand Ambassador Ushan Perera was declared as the winner of the SL GT 3500 event. However, live footage of the race had showed Ushan overtaking Dilantha Malagamuwa in a questionable manner. Despite even the commentators pointing out that the action deserved a penalty, all 03 track marshals had stayed mum, reports say.

However, Dilantha was given a penalty over a false start.

Rumours state that Ushan’s action had been overlooked as Nippon Paints is the main sponsor of the event.