Rangana Herath, the most successful left-arm spinner in history, will be looking to bring down the curtain on his long and glittering Test career with some big name England scalps in Galle this week.
Sri Lanka's Herath, aged 40, has taken five-wicket hauls against all the Test nations during his 19-year career and he stands 10th on the all-time bowlers' list with 430 dismissals.
Picturesque Galle, which hosts the first match of the three-Test series beginning Tuesday, has always been a special venue for the spin warhorse.
He made his international debut at there against Australia in 1999, rejuvenated his career at the age of 31 by taking five wickets in Galle against Pakistan and, in 2016, claimed a hat-trick at the ground against the same nation.
Now Herath, the last active Test player to have made his debut in the 1990s, needs just one more scalp to reach 100 wickets at his favourite hunting ground.
While injuries have limited recent appearances, he will be making one last effort to join Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan (Galle, Kandy and SSC Colombo) and England paceman James Anderson (Lord's) as the only bowlers to register a century of Test victims on the same ground.
- Left-arm threat -
England, who will be without their retired opening stalwart Alistair Cook for the first time since March 2006, know they have to resist Herath's threat if they want to secure a winning start on their quest for an elusive away series win.
"I've watched little bits on YouTube and I just like everything about what he does, his action and how easy it looks," said England's left-arm spinner Jack Leach.
"The batter's mentality is to want to score boundaries so you have to be clever with that."
Leach, who made his debut for England against New Zealand in March but was then sidelined with a broken thumb, said he was learning from watching Herath.
"There's a lot of good things in there that are worth looking at for me and are definitely very helpful," Leach said.
The 27-year-old Leach bowled 13 tidy overs and took one wicket in his team's second warm-up match at the weekend, which was cut short by rain like many of England's games on this tour.
Joe Root's side will be desperate to rectify their dismal recent away record when the series begins.
England outplayed India 4-1 at home this year, but have won just once on their travels -- in South Africa almost three years ago -- since their famous 2012 victory in India.
Keaton Jennings is expected to open alongside Rory Burns, who is set for his Test debut as Cook's replacement.
With wicketkeeper-batsman Johnny Bairstow unlikely to be fit, Jos Buttler or uncapped Ben Foakes will be behind the stumps.
"I think there are (places to play for) definitely," England all-rounder Moeen Ali said, adding that the balance of the bowling attack would be crucial.
"Are we going to play three spinners? Two spinners? What seamers are going to play? Do you need pace or control? That's for the coach and captain to decide," he said.
Sri Lanka, led by Dinesh Chandimal, will be looking for redemption against England after losing the one-day series 3-1 and the lone Twenty20 international.
England: Joe Root (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Ben Foakes, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Keaton Jennings, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
THE UK economy contracted unexpectedly in May, marking the second consecutive monthly decline, according to official data released on Friday. The figures present a challenge for the Labour government as it attempts to revive economic growth.
Gross domestic product fell by 0.1 per cent in May, following a 0.3 per cent contraction in April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement.
Economists had forecast a 0.1 per cent increase in GDP.
The data comes at a time when prime minister Keir Starmer's government is dealing with global challenges, including US tariffs and persistent inflation.
The Labour government’s fiscal strategy relies heavily on economic growth, particularly after recent reversals on welfare cuts and winter fuel payments for pensioners.
Finance minister Rachel Reeves described the figures as "disappointing" and said there was "more to do."
Labour has announced plans to reduce red tape and has unveiled a multi-billion pound investment programme aimed at the National Health Service and infrastructure to boost growth.
In separate data published by the ONS on Friday, UK exports to the United States increased by £0.3 billion in May. This followed a record fall in April when President Donald Trump's tariffs took effect.
"Growth is becoming incredibly difficult to achieve for the government," said Lindsay James, investment strategist at Quilter.
"The plans put in place so far are unlikely to move the needle in the absence of improving business and consumer sentiment in an environment of ongoing cost pressures," she added.
ONS director of economic statistics Liz McKeown said there were "notable falls in production and construction" which affected GDP in May.
She said the decline in production was led by "oil and gas extraction, car manufacturing and the often-erratic pharmaceutical industry."
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance.
A PROPOSED 10-day Hindu festival in Wembley, north London, has drawn objections over concerns about noise and disruption in the area.
Asian Events Media (AEM) has applied to Brent Council to host the Navratri celebration at Alperton Studios from September 22 to October 1, according to The London Standard.
The event would run from 6pm to 11pm on weekdays and until midnight on weekends.
A similar event held at the same site last year resulted in a planning enforcement notice being issued due to complaints of noise and disturbance. The notice remains in place.
Brent Council’s Planning Enforcement Manager (PEM) said granting the licence would “facilitate the criminal act of breaching [the notice]” and described the building as unsuitable for such events due to lack of soundproofing.
A local resident said last year’s noise was “loud and constant”, leading them to miss work. However, AEM said the previous organisers “were not professional” and blamed poor speaker placement and equipment choices.
AEM pointed to a previous event in Barham Park that drew no complaints and said they are “very, very strict” with sound levels.
The application will be reviewed by Brent Council’s Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee on July 14.
The London Standard reported that neither the police nor the council’s Licensing Enforcement Officer have objected.
Keep ReadingShow less
Priyanka Chopra Jonas poses for pictures during the inauguration of NMACC
Priyanka Chopra sparked online backlash after picking a hot dog over vada pav in a red carpet food round
The Heads of State star responded with a cheeky Instagram Story: “Didn’t know there was a syllabus for being desi”
Influencers and fans debated her food choices, calling her selection “un-Indian”
Chopra stars alongside John Cena and Idris Elba in Heads of State, now streaming on Prime Video
Priyanka Chopra found herself at the centre of a heated food debate this week, but she’s not taking it lying down. After her red carpet interview clip from the Heads of State premiere went viral, where she picked a hot dog over vada pav, social media was flooded with comments questioning her “desi” credentials. But Chopra wasn’t having any of it and gave a pointed yet humorous reply to the unexpected backlash.
Priyanka Chopra attends Amazon's "Heads Of State" World Premiere Getty Images
Fans question her desi tag after viral red carpet moment
It all started at the Heads of State premiere, where Chopra participated in a rapid-fire food round. When asked to choose between popular dishes, she said her mood would dictate whether she picked empanadas or samosas and responded “both” when it came to enchiladas versus chicken tikka masala.
But it was her swift answer when asked to choose between vada pav and hot dog that stirred things up. Without hesitation, she said, “I love a vada pav, but hot dog is my weakness.” The clip quickly gained traction, especially after a content creator reposted it with commentary questioning her loyalty to Indian street food.
Priyanka responded to the online noise with an Instagram Story that made her stance clear. Sharing Sidhu’s edited reel, she wrote, “Wow bro! Didn’t know there was a syllabus for being desi. It’s not that serious,” adding a few laughing emojis to lighten the tone.
The remark struck a chord with many fans who appreciated her straightforwardness, while others continued to dissect her choices in comment threads and meme pages.
Priyanka Chopra shared her take on the food debate via Instagram StoriesInstagram Screengrab/priyankachopra
A busy season for Priyanka with Heads of State and Indian comeback
The debate comes amid a packed year for Chopra. Her action-comedy film Heads of State, co-starring John Cena and Idris Elba, is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The movie sees the trio involved in a chaotic mission as mismatched operatives trying to stop an international threat. While the film has received mixed reviews, Chopra’s performance has been praised for its energy and comic timing.
Meanwhile, she’s also preparing to return to Indian cinema with SSMB 29, directed by RRR filmmaker SS Rajamouli. The adventure film is said to be inspired by the Indiana Jones-style genre and stars Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran. Chopra was spotted shooting in Hyderabad earlier this year.
John Cena, Priyanka Chopra and Ilya Naishuller attend the photocall for "Heads Of State"Getty Images
Food preferences do not equal cultural betrayal, say fans
While some social media users mocked her food picks, many rallied in her support, pointing out that liking international food doesn’t negate her desi identity. “She’s lived all over the world, let her eat what she wants,” wrote one user. Others highlighted the absurdity of the backlash, with one tweet reading, “This is why we can’t have nice things. She says hot dog and suddenly she’s not Indian enough?”
In the end, Priyanka Chopra’s message was simple: taste is personal, and gatekeeping someone’s cultural authenticity based on food choices is more embarrassing than funny.
Keep ReadingShow less
The bank's commitment to green lending reflects focus on sustainability (Photo: Getty Images)
BANKING major State Bank of India (UK) has cut interest rates on its buy-to-let mortgage products to help landlords reduce borrowing costs.
The bank said the rate cuts would help landlords invest in rental properties and meet growing demand for rental homes across the UK.
For the Standard Product Range, interest rates have been reduced by up to 35 basis points across all Loan-to-Value (LTV) tiers for five-year fixed-term products. In the SPV Product Range, rates have been cut by up to 40 basis points. Additionally, a flat fee has been introduced on larger loans for limited companies, aiming to simplify the lending process, a statement said.
The Houses in multiple occupation (HMO) product range has seen significant improvements. Rates have been reduced by up to 90 basis points on two-year fixed products and up to 50 basis points on five-year fixed products. Non-green properties now benefit from a flat rate of 5.15 per cent for five-year terms.
Fees for five-year products have also been lowered to 1.50 per cent for 50 per cent and 65 per cent LTV. Furthermore, green properties receive an additional discount of 10 basis points. Also, pricing for Multi-Unit Freehold Blocks (MUFB) has been brought in line with the HMO product range, offering similar rate reductions and terms.
Abhishek Sahay, chief business officer at SBI UK, said the bank wanted to support landlords with better lending deals.
"We understand the importance of service standards and have added capacity to our underwriting team to process applications in a timely manner," he said. "We recognise the crucial role landlords play in the UK housing ecosystem, and these rate reductions are designed to help them thrive in a dynamic market."
He added that the bank's ongoing commitment to green lending reflects focus on sustainability and reduction in the carbon footprint of the housing sector.
Amanda Anisimova defeats world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in three sets
The American advances to her first Grand Slam final
Sabalenka’s run of Grand Slam finals ends
Anisimova will face either Swiatek or Bencic on Saturday
With the win, Anisimova is projected to reach world No. 7
American tennis star Amanda Anisimova produced the biggest win of her career by defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the semi-finals of Wimbledon on Thursday. The result sends the 23-year-old into her first Grand Slam final, where she will face either Iga Swiatek or Belinda Bencic on Saturday.
The contest on Centre Court lasted two hours and 37 minutes and was interrupted twice during the first set due to spectators feeling unwell in the heat. Despite the stoppages, both players maintained their focus in a match marked by intense rallies and shifting momentum.
Anisimova, currently ranked 12th, held her nerve in key moments. Although she was broken for the first time in the second set after leading 30-love, she regrouped in the deciding set. After losing her serve in the opening game, she immediately broke back and went on a run of three consecutive games to take control of the match.
Sabalenka’s defeat ends her streak of reaching the last two Grand Slam finals and marks her third straight Grand Slam loss to an American player this year, following defeats to Coco Gauff at Roland Garros and Madison Keys in Melbourne.
Anisimova, the last American woman remaining in the draw, is set to climb to a career-high world No. 7 following this result. Sabalenka will retain her No. 1 ranking for a 39th consecutive week despite the loss.