AT THE SAF GAMES

By Srian Obeyesekere

Sri Lanka’s 21-year old Harshitha Madavi, the product from Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda has proved to be the new sensation to the country’s women’s cricket in raising its stocks. Her rollicking 47-ball 106-run unbeaten knock inclusive of 15 boundaries and 3 sixes in Sri Lanka’s massive 249-run win over the Maldives in the fourth match of the ongoing South Asian Games Women’s Cricket Tournament at Pokhara, Nepal on December 4 has become the talk of the town.

Indeed, this lass, who took to cricket by having indulged in friendly softball and rubber ball cricket in backyards, has breathed to the Sri Lanka team a new draught of air as a key performer at a juncture the team is striving to turn a new corner to match the heavyweights on the big international stage. Her century was a breathtaking effort as Sri Lanka piled up 299 for just 2 wickets in 20 overs at a run rate of 13.95 in whipping the Maldives who were shot out for just 30 runs in 14.5 overs with none of the batsmen reaching double figures. She was associated in a record unbroken third wicket alliance of 221 runs with Sandeepani who made 96 off 48 balls  with 11 boundaries and 3 sixes. The wrecker with the ball was A.A.J. Anali with 3 wickets for 2 runs off 1.5 overs with S. Sandeepani chipping in with 2 for 13.