Tall Stories, True Stories ….. and Gahapan Machang … as they passed the arrack and beer around
Courtesy of Somasundaram Skandhakumar …. and presented here in memory of Michael De Zoysa
Category Archives: backyard cricket
Lanka Premier League Shoot-Out Re-Jigged
Andrew Fidel Fernando in ESPNcricinfo, 2 Septmber 2020
Sri Lanka Cricket has announced fresh dates for the Lanka Premier League (LPL), which has now been scheduled between November 14 and December 6. However, government approval for a shorter quarantine period for players, officials and broadcast staff is yet to be secured; it is this hurdle that had forced the postponement of the LPL, originally slated to begin in late August. The SLC officials have asked that the quarantine period for those arriving in the country for this tournament be reduced to seven days, from the present 14-day period.
There is no known community spread of Covid-19 in Sri Lanka at present, but quarantine protocols have been incredibly strict PA Photos/Getty Images
Topsy-Turvy: A Tale of Ingenious Tactics from the Aussie Boondocks
A Note from Ron Slee …. an Aged Aussie Mate
Michael, my ‘old age indulgence’ lacks the verification of yours and while it bears some similarities, sadly, I have no pictures.
It was ‘64/65. I was captain of my High School Cricket X1. I provided leadership in neither batting nor bowling but I had a heightened sense of how difficult it was to score runs against good bowlers and how equally difficult it was to bowl to good batsmen. This profound weakness at batting and bowling led me to develop a strategy which produced success for my team.
Alfred Holsinger’s Unmarked Bowling Haul in UK: 6 wkts in six balls
Theviyanthan Krishnamohan, darmchaircritic,
21 June 2016, at https://www.cricketmachan.com/cricstories/alfred-holsinger-sri-lankan-fast-bowler-picked-six-wickets-six-balls/ …. with this title “Alfred Holsinger, A Sri Lankan bowler who picked six wickets in six balls”
Though Lasith Malinga, who picked up four wickets in four balls, has been immortalized in the annals of cricket, another Sri Lankan bowler who picked up six wickets in six balls continues to be in oblivion. Even though this rare feat was achieved in a club game in England, Holsinger’s accomplishment merits a lot of recognition since not often do bowlers produce such an unusual phenomenon.
Sri Lanka’s Travails in Canberra … with Highs and Lows
Alex Malcolm, in ESPNcricinfo, October 2019 …. https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/19242/report/1204310/prime-ministers-xi-vs-sri-lankans-tour-match-sri-lanka-tour-of-aus-2019-20
Prime Minister’s XI 9 for 132 (Nielsen 79, Rajitha 3-21 Sandakan 3-21) beat Sri Lankans 8 for 131 (Fernando 38, Christian 2-16) by one wicket
A sublime 79 from South Australia youngster Harry Nielsen and some last-over heroics from Fawad Ahmed has seen the Prime Minister’s XI squeeze home by one wicket with a ball to spare against a rusty Sri Lankan side in the T20 tour match in Canberra.
Sri Lankan bowler Kasun Rajitha unsuccessfully appeals …
Dickwella in the dumps
Not a Pukka Royalist! Cricketing Insights from the CJ Van Twest Scrapbook for 1957
At the tender age of nine or so, one Christopher John Van Twest – “CJ” in family circles – was a budding young cricketer who attended Royal College in Colombo. His talents were admired THEN by his peers (for e.g. Eardley Lieversz who went on to captain Royal). CJ was also cricket mad. One dimension of this madness was the assiduous collection of newspaper items on cricket as reported in the Ceylon newspapers of the year 1957 in a SCRAPBOOK. This collection remained in his treasured archive and moved with him when his divourced mother decided to migrate in July 1958 with baggage and two children to Canada.
Edgbaston Roller-coaster in Errol’s Binoculars
Errol Fernando to Gavin, 5 August 2019
For 3 long days I kept wearing out my chairs and couldn’t take my eyes off the match. Constant changes of fortune, ebb and flow, but with the game equally poised. Then on the fourth day the Aussie batsmen, empowered by Smith, broke away and demolished the English bowlers. Moeen Ali looked incapable of dismissing the local kindergarten second eleven.
On the final day the English batsmen, as a sympathetic gesture, felt obliged to emulate their bowlers by batting like the local kindergarten second eleven.
Jason Roy bowled Lyon Continue reading
Just One Cake among the Many enjoyed by the ‘Masterminds’ of Sri Lanka Cricket
August 3, 2019 · 5:23 am
Hilarious Cricket! Keep Laughing says One ERROL in Australia
Dear Cricketing Aficianados
It is obvious that England and Australia have conspired to play a huge JOKE on all of us,the general public, in order to amuse themselves. Twenty wickets fell for nothing yesterday in the trial match between Hick’s eleven and Hadden’s eleven.
Then, to top it all,England is all out for 85 in the Test match at Lord’s against Ireland.
No doubt all of you are killing yourself laughing at their humour! Even I have to admit that it is hilarious. Presumably they will all continue the humour in next Thursday’s Ashes Test? ……………….Keep laughing ……………… ERROL
