with thanks to Hugh Karunanayake
Category Archives: backyard cricket
Hemā. Cricketing Memories and More. An Appreciation of DH de Silva
Michael Roberts, courtesy of http://www.islandcricket.lk
HEMA de Silva was my skipper, a compatriot in cricketing arms and a pal — a true mate in the best Australian sense of the term. He is known in the Lankan cricketing world as “DH.” But, to me and others at Ramanathan Hall in Peradeniya University, he was “Hemā.” He remains Hemā.
Our association did not quite begin that way. As a fresher in the Aloysian cricket team at Galle I faced him as opponent, the captain of Mahinda. I dropped him at third slip off Vernon Regis; but, if my memory serves me right, ran him out with a direct hit from fine leg after Percy Amendra had glanced the ball from a spin-bowler and I ran from first slip and threw the ball as I turned — with the angle & distance of my run indicating the direction & length required. Later he returned the ‘favour:’ getting me out caught and bowled after I made 65 runs. Continue reading
Halle Luiya in the Desert: Afghanistan Under 19 stun the Aussies
Courtesy of ESPNcricinfo
Abudllah Adil and team mates express their effervescent joy
Afghanistan Under-19s pulled off a major upset by defeating Australia Under-19s by 36 runs in Abu Dhabi. Afghanistan’s top order were at the forefront of the victory, as Mohammad Mujtaba (75), Ihsanullah (63) and Hashmatullah Shaidi (57) all scored half-centuries to propel the team to 253. The team had lost Usman Ghani in the first over of the innings, but Ihsanullah and Mujtaba steadied the innings with a second-wicket stand worth 126 that gave Afghanistan a solid platform to build on. For Australia, James Bazley and Cameron Valente picked up three wickets each. Continue reading
It’s the end of the ICC world that we used to sort-of know
Michael Atherton, in The Times, 30 January 2014 with some liberties in altering the title
“A DONE deal,” is how, last Thursday, Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, described the negotiations over the draft proposal for an overhaul of the finances, governance and future shape of world cricket. He was almost right. Yesterday the ICC issued a statement saying that it agreed, in principle if not yet in fine detail, to the proposal as it prepared to hand control to India, England and Australia.
As a body, the ICC will not be missed. Incompetent, wasteful, as the draft proposal hammered home time and again, and self-interested, the directors had a chance to make a stand for something better and brighter, but chose instead to accept the scraps and the concessions on offer. In this, of course, there was absolutely no surprise. Continue reading
Aussies are in Heaven
An American decided to write a book about
famous churches around the world.
famous churches around the world.
So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to
Orlando, thinking that he would start by working
his way across the USA from South to North. Continue reading
Orlando, thinking that he would start by working
his way across the USA from South to North. Continue reading
Ashes to Ashton, a new hero rises
David Penberthy in the Sunday Mail, 13 July 2013
A FEW years ago some mad television executive came up with a hare-brained idea for an edgy new addition to cricket coverage, a boundary rider who would conduct a quick interview with batsmen on the fence after they were dismissed. The idea did not last long and the interviews were very quick indeed. When David Hookes was given out LBW and was storming back to the pavilion he was asked: “You can’t be happy with that Hookesy”, to which he gave a pithy two-word reply: “Piss off.”
Getting out is rarely pleasant and, over the years, there have been plenty of cricket bats which have ended up being used against lockers, bags and panes of glass by batsmen who were angry at the umpire or themselves. If anyone could give a lesson in how to keep your cool when you have thrown your wicket away, it is Ashton Agar, the 19-year-old who went from complete unknown to national hero in the short space of his quick-fire 98 runs on debut for Australia – the highest score in the history of the sport by a number 11 batsman. Continue reading
Angelow: Streaking NUDE at Lords
Martin Williamson, in ESPNcricinfo,
from PA Photos
The current Test, being played under cloudless skies and with temperatures nudging 90°F, is the hottest Ashes match at Lord’s in almost four decades. While 1976 set 20th century temperature and drought records, the previous summer had been almost as warm. Although snow fell days before the start of the World Cup in early June 1975, thereafter the country basked in weeks of sun. The nation shed its clothes and basked. Some shed a few too many. The World Cup replaced a planned tour by South Africa and left the second half of the summer empty, so it was filled with a four-Test Ashes series. England had been thrashed the previous winter but the public wanted to see the Australians and the next series was not scheduled until 1977, so the move made commercial sense. Continue reading
Lehmann makes an AGAR difference
Comments from Asanga and Dinouk, 12 June 2013
On 12 July 2013 08:09, Dinouk Colombage <dinoukc@gmail.com> wrote:
Boof certainly has the “Australia” grit of yesteryear that they are lacking. In some ways he would fit in more with the Merv Hughes era than that which he played in. For Australia, they need to look back to the mid-80s where under Border they learnt to win. I think yesterday was a glimpse of a team who is ready to win, even if it isn’t pretty.On Fri, Jul 12, 2013 at 12:32 PM, Asanga Welikala <awelikala@gmail.com> wrote: Sacking that tinpot Napoleon, Arthur, and putting Clarke in his place, was the most inspired decision of Cricket Australia in ages. The whole turn around with “Boof” is amazing – anyway, I prefer eating-drinking buggers… Continue reading
A historic little cricket match at Kilinochchi recently
Kushil Gunasekera
Michael Tissera hands over a prize
Skandakumar (Chief Guest), David Cruse and Kushil during national anthems
Making history in the annals of local sports, a T20 over Cricket Match was held between Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern Province Combined Team vs Melbourne’s Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association & Australian Hellenic Federation Combined Cricket Team recently. The match was played at the Kilinochchi Central College playground.
The Kilinochchi Central College play ground was packed to capacity with school children, sports enthusiasts and the general public who had come in their numbers to witness this historic event. Having won the toss, the local team opted to bat first. Their strong batting line up ended up scoring 174 for six wickets at the end of the innings. A.L Nadeeshan’s knock of fifty was the main feature in their scorecard. Chasing the home team the visiting Australians were routed for a mere 104 runs in just 19 overs. Well executed bowling and excellent fielding by the local lads led to the downfall of the young Australians. It was a show of emerging young talent of the once war ravaged North and East. Continue reading