shoulder running catch in center on Kaleb Colwarts drive to end the first likely

Gloom hung about Sri Lankan cricket before this tour. The question was not if they would lose, but by how much. Somehow, in three winding weeks, the dark clouds have come to be banished. Bloomed in their place: unexpected, rapturous joy.No Sri Lankan series is complete without a collapse, of course, but on this occasion, the trough was hit nice and early. It is that glum 117 all out that gives the subsequent triumphs meaning. It is when Graham Ford called Kusal Mendis The Prince, following his 176, that a team-wide scramble for hyperbolic praise really began.In Galle, Australia came upon Sri Lankan crickets more sinister side. They were faced with a pitch that would wear if so much as a shadow fell upon it; a surface so dry it inspired their top order to spectacularly combust. On day two their hopes for the series went up in flames, and by the third afternoon, Sri Lankas spinners had frolicking merrily around the pyre.The home side had three SSC centurions to Australias two. Dhananjaya de Silva made a velvet hundred, after his team had been 26 for 5. Dinesh Chandimal slow-cooked a supporting ton. Kaushal Silva battled pain in his left hand and his own bad form, to set off like a spinning firework upon reaching triple figures, and leave the series with a smirk.But it fit that Sri Lankas slow bowlers defined the final, triumphant day. All through the series they had beaten both edges of the bat. They had Australia lunging at turning balls, and leaving straight ones. They had had batsmen running down the pitch to deliveries they should have played from the crease; having scrambled the oppositions footwork, as well as their minds.In the last innings of the series, theirs was a catalogue of spinners dream dismissals. An aggressive opening batsman was bowled around his legs. Edges were taken by keeper and slip. One batsman was bowled trying to cut. There was a skied slog, a stumping, all adding up to a 9 for 60 slump.Even the pitch-markings appeared to be in thrall of Sri Lankan spin. When Moises Henriques and Josh Hazlewood were deemed out of their ground by a hair, in the second session, close-ups of the popping crease revealed it to be chunkier and wonkier than a crease should generally be. What better way to pay tribute to the thicker-than-average Man of the Series? Just like the champion spinner, these creases had their curves.Angelo Mathews dropped one of the simplest slip chances he is ever likely to get, burned two reviews in successive balls, and made an over-cautious declaration, and yet, the victory almost came too easy. His is one of the zanier captaincy records. Having failed to oversee a single win over a Test-playing nation until the end of June, he has Sri Lankas most famous whitewash on his resume now, to go with the 2014 series win in England.When the SSC dust settles, maybe the narrative that takes grip around the cricket world will fixate on Australias shortcomings with and against spin. Nine Asian failures in a row is difficult to ignore. Their slow bowlers were modest on turning tracks. The top order fell in such heaps, batsmen tripped over each other on their way back to the pavilion.But let not that narrative drown out the triumphant cries of one of crickets quieter voices. Let it not edge out the story of a team that draws on a smaller population than Australia, whose finances are in worse shape New Zealands; a team that still only taps about a third of their island for top-end talent, for reasons involving a finished conflict, and ongoing gross mismanagement. A country which, still, produces batsmen who stroke effortless sixes to begin promising Test careers; which unveils mystery spinners who turn their first games; whose youngest guns second first-class hundred is one of the great Test innings; and a team, whose heart-and-soul is a 38-year-old with grey-flecked hair, and maybe crickets gentlest spirit.When they play like they have this series, Sri Lanka are the shock of lime in crickets sambol. They are the cashew in its dodol, and the murunga leaf in its odiyal kool.Cricket would still go on without Sri Lanka, but would it be anywhere near as good? Denver Nuggets Pro Shop . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. Nuggets Jerseys China . The 18th player to shoot 60 on the tour, Jamieson settled for par on the final hole when his 15-foot birdie chip grazed the edge of the hole and stayed out. After opening with rounds of 66 and 73 to make the cut by a stroke, he had 11 birdies in the bogey-free round. https://www.cheapnuggets.com/ . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Custom Denver Nuggets Jerseys . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Cheap Nuggets Jerseys . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. OAKLAND, Calif. -- A day earlier, Jered Weaver watched the frightening play as teammate Matt Shoemaker went down when hit in the head by a screaming line drive.It was kind of a weird game yesterday, its almost like you dont know what to do as far as, `Do we keep playing this game or what? Weaver said.He then got hit himself Monday, initially staying in after taking a third-inning line drive from Danny Valencia in the right hip and back side during Los Angeles 10-7 victory against the Oakland Athletics.It was another scare for an Angels starter after Shoemakers ordeal. He suffered a small skull fracture in Seattle and needed surgery to stop bleeding on his brain.While his behind is bruised and sore, Weaver had no concerns about making his next turn.It was like pitching on one leg, really, I couldnt really drive off my back side, so I figured it was a good idea to bring in somebody who had fresh legs, Weaver said. Its more like I sat on the toilet for too long.Weaver joined Chuck Finley and Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers to reach 2,000 innings in an Angels uniform. The bullpen then took over and handled things for the Angels again in their third straight win.Kole Calhoun hit a solo home run in the second inning, Albert Pujols had a two-run double in the fourth and Nick Buss added two sacrifice flies in the Angels seventh win in their last nine road games.Khris Davis hit his 35th homer leading off the seventh to pull Oakland within 8-7, but his ninth-inning error in left field allowed Andrelton Simmons to score an insurance run.In the seventh, Ryon Healy singled to put the tying run aboard when Jose Valdez entered as the Angels fourth reliever. He retired pinch-hitter Chad Pinder on a fly ball before Jake Smolinskis single and a walk to Bruce Maxwell loaded the bases. But Marcus Semien flied out.Valdez (1-1) earned his first major league win before former As closer Andrew Bailey finished for the Angels in a second straight game. It was just his second save since 2013 with the Red Sox.We cracked the door for those guys with walks, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.Valencia hit a two-run homer in the first for the As, who were nearly no-hit a day earlier by Boston and didnt have their first baserunner until the sixth inning Saturday against Red Sox ace Rick Porcello.Joey WWendle had his first career RBI on a single in the fourth, when Maxwell added a two-run double one out later.ddddddddddddRaul Alcantara (0-1) plunked three batters in the first inning alone with a walk while quickly falling behind 3-0. He had a balk in the third that put Simmons on third after a double before he scored on Buss second sacrifice fly.It marked the first time in 86 years an Athletics pitcher had three hit batsmen and a balk -- Howard Ehmke on April 27, 1930 -- not the kind of stat Alcantara wanted in his forgettable debut.I think it was because I was trying to make perfect pitches, Alcantara said.He was done after three innings, having allowed five runs and five hits with no strikeouts.Smolinskis over-the-shoulder running catch in center on Kaleb Colwarts drive to end the first likely saved Alcantara at least two more runs.DOOLITTLES RETURNAs LHP Sean Doolittle received cheers when he took the mound in the seventh for his first appearance since June 25. The closer missed 59 games with a strained throwing shoulder, but he changed his walk-up music to Metallicas Disposable Heroes.TRAINERS ROOMAngels: Shoemaker underwent surgery late Sunday after being struck in the right side of the head on a line drive by Seattles Kyle Seager. Los Angeles athletic trainer Adam Nevala is staying with Shoemaker until he is able to travel to Southern California later in the week.Athletics: RHP Sonny Gray played catch from 120 feet as he recovers from a strained right forearm, and is scheduled to do so again Tuesday. It wont be determined whether he will pitch again in 2016 until he is able to throw off a mound, but the As will be cautious with their star pitcher. ... Rehabbing pitchers Felix Doubront (left elbow) and Chris Bassitt (right elbow) played catch out to 90 feet Monday as they both recover from Tommy John surgery.UP NEXTAngels: RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-12) is coming off his first win for the Angels after being acquired in an Aug. 1 trade from the Twins. He is 0-1 in two starts vs. Oakland this year.Athletics: RHP Zach Neal will make a spot start. LHP Ross Detwiler had been scheduled to start Tuesday but pitched three innings in relief Monday. ' ' '