Category Archives: cricket governance

June 15, 2019 · 11:56 pm

Sri Lanka’s Cricket Dissected

Sidharth Monga, in ESPNcricinfo, 16 June 2019, where the title reads “Dysfunction, hope, more dysfunction; Sri Lanka’s World Cup rolls on”

The wife of Sri Lanka’s once-captain has accused – on Facebook – one of their players of being a political appointment made by the sports minister of the country. That captain – one of the seven ODI captains tried by Sri Lanka since the last World Cup – is not the captain anymore. He has been accused of picking and choosing games, and has been forced to switch between IPL and domestic cricket in Sri Lanka, and is eventually here at the World Cup. Barely.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Angelo Mathews, Australian cricket, cricket and life, cricket governance, Hathurusingha, Lasith Malinga, Mahela Jayawardene, memorable moments, player selections, Sangakkara, Sidharth Monga, World Cup 2019

June 6, 2019 · 8:41 am

Pinnacles, Troughs and Trends in Sri Lanka’s Cricketing History

Michael Roberts, reprint from Lions of Lanka, produced by the Lanka Monthly Digest, 2019, to coincide with the 2019 Cricket World Cup …. http://www.lionsofsl.lk/article2.html

Cricket was one channel of Westernisation during British colonial rule. But it was also a medium for Ceylon to challenge the ideas of racial superiority so prevalent among the island’s ruling Britons. By the 1920s the Ceylonese team were proving their superiority over the Europeans in annual matches. The Maharaja of Vizianagram was so captivated by all-rounder Edward Kelaart in the early 1930s that he invited him to play for his Indian team. Meanwhile, F. C. de Saram made the headlines when he scored 128 runs out of a total of 218 for an Oxford University side that faced the touring Australians in May 1934.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketer politicians, cricketing icons, cricketing records, memorable moments, murali, performance, player selections, politics and cricket, Russel Arnold, sanath jayasuriya, Sri Lanka Cricket, Uncategorized, unusual people

June 5, 2019 · 10:59 am

With Sanga as President-Designate of the MCC the best is yet to come

Rohan Wijeyaratna, in Island, 25 May 2019 where the title runs “THE BEST IS YET TO COME”

Men with disciplined minds, set their sights on far loftier goals than others given to average thinking. Such are the virtues that have made Kumar Sangakkara become what he now is.

Kumar Sangakkara has played many a fine inning in his time. They have spanned across every notable playing field and every nook and cranny worth knowing on the cricket map. They have stretched across all types of the game – from Tests to ODIs, to the T20s. In each of them, his performances have won him accolades from men of discernment. Be it with bat or lip, he has made his mark. His opponents know only too well how fiendishly difficult it is to match him – be it at play or at his lip and intellect, either singly or in combination.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under child of empire, cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketing icons, performance, politics and cricket, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength, unusual people

May 30, 2019 · 3:40 am

Duleep Criticises Step-Motherly Treatment of Associate Nations for Present World Cup

Rex Clementine

Sri Lanka was the first Associate nation to beat a Full Member of the ICC in World Cups when they overcame India in 1979. Duleep Mendis was their hero with a stunning 64 off 57 balls. He laments the lack of opportunities for Associate nations in the upcoming World Cup. ICC Cricket World Cups over the years have sprung quite a few surprises. There have been several instances of David overcoming Goliath at the sport’s showpiece event.

Sri Lanka overcame a star studded Indian side comprising Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar in 1979 and two years later they were granted Test status. Zimbabwe argued their case well in the 1992 edition when chicken farmer Eddo Brandes ran through England’s strong batting unit. A few months later they were granted Test status too. Bangladesh put up a grand show to beat eventual runners-up Pakistan in 1999 tournament and that was good enough reason for then ICC boss Jagmohan Dalmiya to grant them Test status.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under child of empire, cricket and life, cricket governance, memorable moments, performance, politics and cricket, Rex Clementine, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people, World Cup 2019

April 19, 2019 · 5:07 am

Sri Lanka’s World Cup FIFTEEN

Sunday Times News Item, 19 April 2019 = http://www.sundaytimes.lk/article/1084444/slc-releases-name-of-15-member-squad-for-icc-world-cup-2019

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under cricket and life, cricket governance, player selections, politics and cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket, World Cup 2019

April 16, 2019 · 9:32 am

Selection of SL Fifteen for World Cup: the Process … and Beware Fake News

Bipin Dani in Asian Age, 15 April 2019,

The Ashantha de Mel-led selection committee will debate the composition of World Cup team for three consecutive days. Captain is a member of the selection committee. De Mel also denied both the media reports stating that (1) Mathews has denied the captaincy (2) Malinga has insisted to be in the squad only, if he is made the captain. (Photo: Sri Lanka Cricket/ Twitter)

We are first meeting the physio and the other support staff members on 16th to ascertain the fitness level of the players. The next day our meeting is scheduled with the head coach (Chandika Hathurusingha) and will seek his inputs”, the chief selector, speaking exclusively over telephone from Colombo, said on Sunday.

 Captain is a member of the selection committee. De Mel also denied both the media reports stating that (1) Mathews has denied the captaincy (2) Malinga has insisted to be in the squad only, if he is made the captain. (Photo: Sri Lanka Cricket/ Twitter)

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under cricket governance, performance, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people

April 15, 2019 · 8:10 am

Australia’s Other Touring Squads 2019 including Ashes Tour

ABC news

Australia A one day squad named

Touring at the same time as the World Cup will be an Australian A side, which includes a number of players on the cusp of the 15-man World Cup squad,”Given the depth of talent and competition for spots, there were a number of tough calls we had to make to settle on our squad of 15,” Hohns said.That competition for spots has meant Peter Handscomb, Ashton Turner and Kane Richardson — all members of the squad that won the back-to-back ODI series in Asia — will miss out.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Australian cricket, cricket and life, cricket governance, performance, player selections, world cup squad

April 10, 2019 · 3:54 am

Sri Lanka’s World Cup Squad: Punting from Down Under

Michael Roberts

I am venturing bold and proceeding to select fifteen players without the ‘data’ issuing from the trial matches taking place in Sri Lanka. I have taken serious note of Asantha de Mel’s provocative and thoughtful media session and been assisted materially by comments from a pal in Lanka who keeps a close eye on events within the island, but wishes to remain in the background. He will feature in my essay as ‘The Ghost’.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketing icons, Hathurusingha, Lasith Malinga, memorable moments, performance, player selections, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people

March 24, 2019 · 2:33 pm

Premature Thoughts on Sri Lanka’s World Cup Squad: The Fifteen

Michael Roberts

 PREAMBLE: On the 21/22nd March I organised my thoughts on Sri Lanka’s potential ODI squad for the World Cup in England. This was a premature move – before the final two T20 matches in South Africa and without inside information of what had transpired behind the scenes in New Zealand and Australia in ways that led the new selection Committee headed by Ashantha de Mal to insert some radical changes in the squad for South Africa.  

I sent some queries to cricketing friends as soon as this draft was completed; while also posting it confidentially to some of them. Since then a searching interview with Ashantha De Mel by Champika Fernando in the Daily Mirror has provided some crucial information on the events that led them to recall Chandimal. More vitally, it has provided illuminating insights into the new Selection Committee’s thinking. His comments should serve as a testing yardstick for my reflections below so that we can then move further forward in the light of the second and third T20matches against the Safs.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Angelo Mathews, Atapattu, cricket governance, Lasith Malinga, performance, player selections, politics and cricket

March 16, 2019 · 1:47 am

Lessons for Our Cricketers & Cricket Managers

Rohan Wijeyaratna in Island, 15 March 2019,

Of late, Mangala Samaraweera has been in the news. That is not strange given the colourful character  he is. In a parliament that is progressively getting stuffed with those who are boringly similar, it is not surprising those who dare to be different from the herd hardly get any noteworthy mention. Mangala does not fear to be different. And he does not make any bones about it.

The chief reason why so many Sri Lankan batsmen suffered blows on their heads was the absence of proper technique when playing short pitched bowling. On each such occasion they transgressed two cardinal rules applicable to the issue. They failed to get inside the line of flight, and they took their eyes off the ball. In short, they appeared sitting ducks to get hit.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under cricket and life, cricket governance, Hathurusingha, performance, player selections, politics and cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket