Incursions and Excursions in and around Sri Lankan Cricket is a new book that runs to 176 pages plus 32 pages of photographs that are not paginated, but numbered, in a cluster in the middle. The book is available at Vijitha Yapa Publications who also have a credit card system which runs efficiently – www.vijithayapa.com.
In a symbolic gesture of a token character Michael Roberts presents a copy of Incursions and Excursions in and around Sri Lankan Cricket to the Sri Lankan cricket team through Anura Tennekoon, the Manager at present. This gesture marks the author’s appreciation of the achievements secured by the various Sri Lankan squads in recent years and, most significantly, the measured and calm manner in which they responded to the terrorist attack in Lahore on 3rd March 2009, an event that is reviewed as Chapter VI in this book.
first two Pics by Eranga Jayawardena
This presentation occurred at the Premadasa Stadium during the World Cup squad’s practice session. It was deliberately timed BEFORE the quarter-finals of the 2011 World Cup because the author holds that the plaudits that should be extended to the cricketers remain valid irrespective of the joys or sorrows attending the outcome of one game. 
Incursions runs to 176 pages plus 32 pages of photographs that are not paginated, but numbered, in a cluster in the middle. The essays are as follows:
I. Introduction
II. Landmarks and Threads in Sri Lankan Cricket
III. Wunderkidz in a Blunderland: Tensions & Tales from Sri Lankan Cricket
IV. Cricket as Protest Arena: Tamil Incursions
V. Saving Murali: Action Onfield and Off-field, 1995-2005
VI. Cricket under Siege: The Lahore Attack, 3 March 2009
Amalgamated Bibliography
Incursions is priced at Rs. 1500/ and can be ordered from Vijitha Yapa bookshops and by credit card from http://www.vijithayapa.com OR www.srilankanbooks.com
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
The illustrations & photographs are mostly in a cluster that begins on page 76.
History page
49. Mariamma, groundswoman at the Oval, 1940s & 1950s 138
1. Natives watch cricket on Galle Face Green, 1890s-1900s 20
2a. Bradman & SP Foenander in Colombo, 1930
2b. FC de Saram on song 54
cluster
3. Ceylonese watch Aussies inColombo, 30 March 1938
4a. Bradman & Sathasivam at the toss, 1948
4b. Coomaraswamy beats Bradman
5a. Gamini Goonasena in action
5b. Michael Tissera in action
6. OutstandingCeylonsquad that beatIndiaat Ahmedabad, 2-4 January 1965
7a. Mano Ponniah batting forCambridgeUniversity
7b. Anura Tennekoon hooks
7c. Duleep Mendis hooks
8. Sri Lanka training squad for 1975 tour ofEngland
9a. Gamini Dissanayake honoured as he returns in triumph having secured Test status forSri Lankafrom ICC, July 1981
9b. Dissanayake, JR Jayewardene & Bandula Warnapura atSri Lanka’s inaugural Test Match, 17 February 1982
10. Darrell Hair designated “Man of the Match” by Lankan fans, MCG, late December 1995
11a. World Cup Final and its cricketing dignitaries,Lahore, 17 March 1996
11b. Aravinda and Arjuna in command as Lanka chase down Aussie total
12a. Crowd support forSri LankaatLahore, March 1996
12b. Percy & Lionel, two stalwart supporters, with Arjuna
13. Sri Lankan cricketers swarm over pitch in triumphant mood,Lahore, 17 March 1996
14a. Dav Whatmore
14b. Two captains with the World Cup
14c. Punchihewa & Ranatunga display the World Cup
15. Premadasa Stadium scoreboard reads 952 for 7 wickets,Sri LankavsIndia, 2-6 August 1997
Tamil Incursions
16a. Black Power salute by Smith & Carlos at Mexico Olympics podium, 1968
16b. Leila Khaled armed for action
16c. Leila Khaled in Damascus, 1970
16d. Black September terrorist on balcony, Munich Olympic Games, 1972
17. Tamil protest via incursion at Kennington Oval, 11 June 1975
18. Mayoorian streaks with Tiger flag,St. Georges,Grenada, 16 April 2007
19a, 19b. Tamils demonstrate at Manuka Oval,Canberra, 12 February 2008
20. Slogan on shirts present Tamil propaganda pitch, Manuka Oval, 12 February 2008
21a. Tamil demonstrators line street outside cricket groundsToronto, 12 October 2008
21b. Tamil placards target Ajantha Mendis in Lanka’s cricket , team
22 Two sets of migrants on opposite sides, Torontostreets, 12 October 2008
Saving Murali
23a Darrell Hair no-balls Murali from head umpire’s position, MCG, 26 December 1995
23b Murali the man
23c Murali about to take up the attack
23d. Murali in classic mode of appeal
24 Muralitharan dissected by Dr. Ravi Goonetilleke
24a Murali’s chart
24b Murali’s bowling graph
24d.Murali’s permanently bent arms
25 Muralitharan as bionic man
25a Murali wired up
25b Murali being measured and wired for tests by Jacque Alderson
26. Ranatunga and Emerson in confrontation, Adelaide Oval, 23 January 1999
27a. Ranatunga leads Sri Lankan team to the boundary lines
27b. Another moment of confrontation between Ranatunga and Emerson
28a. Dr. Dhillon of theApolloHospitalmeasures Murali’s arm
28b.Murali bowls with the brace invention
28c. Murali, Kushil and Mohan de Silva, Chairman SLC, in conversation
29. Murali’s saviours: key personnel in the several processes that saved Muralitharan’s career
30. Personnel who helped save Arjuna Ranatunga from severe punishment
Cricket under Siege
31a. Gunmen captured on CCTV as they attack convoy atLiberty Square, 3 March 2009
31b. Bloodied seat of mini-van whose driver was killed
31c. A corpse is removed
31d. Gaddafi Stadium with policemen in excited state
32a. Sri Lankan squad prepare to board military helicopter from Gaddafi Stadium
32b. Thilan Samaraweera inPakistanambulance with serious wound in thigh
32c. Images of four suspects sought for attack on ICC cricket entourage
33a. Mahela Jayawardene and his wife stride across Katunayake terminal with strain etched on their faces
33b. Tharanga Paranavithana in Lankan hospital with chest wound
Great Moments & Significant Facets
34a. Sidath Wettimuny drives
34b. Young Arjuna Ranatunga walks in
34c. Arjuna’s last hurrah
35a. Sanath Jayasuriya & Aravinda de Silva in deep discussion at practice, 2 September 2000
35b. Romesh Kaluwitharana
35c. Chaminda Vaas in action
36a. Mahela Jayawardene after his mammoth 374 runs
36b. Mahela and his wife lock eyes in pleasure
37a. Marvan Atapattu in action
37b. Russel Arnold in action
37c. Dilhara Fernando in action
37d. Nuwan Kulasekera in action
38a. A delighted huddle after Chamara Silva pouches a great catch, World Cup 2007
38b. A Sri Lankan fan lauds Lasith Malinga’s unique four wickets in a row
39a. Not Sri Lankan without Lankan fans
39b. Sri Lankan fans at the World Cup in theCaribbean
40. Fans fly the flag in theCaribbean, 2007
41a. Percy Abeysekera,Sri Lanka’s No. 1 fan, inAustralia
41b. Percy fronts up
41c. Percy attracts a swoon
41d. Kumar consoles Percy Abeysekera after his wife’s bereavement
42a. Cricketers at tsunami relief camp, early 2005
42b. Muralitharan on relief work in World Food Programme cap
43a. Kumar Sangakkara gets yoga therapy from Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
43b. President Rajapaksa reviews progress of renovations at Premadasa Stadium, circa 9 January 2011
44a. President Mahinda Rajapaksa addresses the Sri Lanka Cricket Committee, early January 2011
44b. President Rajapaksa greets Sanath Jaysuriya and his wife
45a, 45b. President Rajapaksa and Mrs. Rajapaksa host cricket team and SLC Committee at President’s House, 2010
45c. President Mahinda Rajapaksa bolsters the fighting spirit of the Sri Lankan cricketers
46a. Mahinda Rajapaksa in jovial dialogue with Aravinda de Silva, Kumar Sangakkara and Sports Minister Aluthgamage
46b. Aravinda de Silva at press conference clarifying the reasoning behind their selections of the World Cup squad for 2011, circa 8 January 2011
47a. A great escape: Angelo and Lasith manufacture a miracle againstAustralia, MCG, 5 Nov. 2010
47b. Lasith Malinga slings
48a. A pensive Murali at Gallecricket grounds
48b. Murali as a happie chappie after his 800th Test scalp
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