Dannie Byrne, Travelling Reporter Extraordinary, provides a Day-by-Day Account of England’s Descent at Mount Maunganui
Category Archives: New Zealand cricket
Lankans castled by Astle and Kiwis ‘malinguered’ by MALINGA
Sri Lanka Innings
WIA Fernando…. b Astle …..6 ………..Over 6.4 bowled’m with a wrong’un! Avishka didn’t pick that up at all. It pitched around length outside off, turned in a fair bit and Avishka was on the back foot to steer it away after it turned away but it went the other way to knock over off stump 39/2
MD Gunathilaka ….. b Astle ………..30 …….Over 8.5 another wrong’un and another one beaten! ……This time it’s the well-set Gunathilaka. He pitched it nicely and slow with some flight on leg stump, Gunathilaka went back to defend it but the ball turned away and knocked over the stumps 50/3
Contingencies, Strikes and Performances at the Colombo Oval
Michael Roberts
Contingencies reigned during the Second Test Match at the Colombo Oval between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Rain was the reigning contingency — surmounted in part by the tremendous work of an army of workers beating tarpaulins and what have you. Watching most of the match live, my thoughts are disjointed and point-form.
BJ Watling the quiet achiever
New Zealand’s All-Round Brilliance secures Decisive Victory
Dannie Byrne:“Fantastic all round performance by the New Zealand team ensures the Series is drawn; Day Five in Colombo”
The overnight rain was probably the heaviest I have experienced since arriving in Sri Lanka 12 days ago. The puddles outside the P Sara Oval stretched right across the road as the tuk tuk driver splashed his way towards Gate 1 while clocking up 246 Rupees on the meter. Remarkably most of the covers were already off the field by 9 am but the TV commentators I managed to speak with mentioned a few very wet areas on the outfield that the umpires had some concerns over. Several sheets of a sponge like material were being used to soak up the additional water in an extremely efficient manner and when umpire Oxenford came across to have a look at 9.40 am he immediately gave the thumbs up signal to the grumpy official who refused to speak with me on the second day. The Kiwis had already played their customary game of football and all that remained was for the boundary rope to be put back in place before play was able to begin at 10.15 am which was only half an hour after the scheduled starting time.
More Accounts from Dannie Byrne at the Oval
DAY 3: Latham century gives hope to the visitors with two days still remaining in the Test match; Day three in Colombo.
The tuk tuk driver clocked up 246 Rupees on the meter this morning despite knowing the way to the ground. It was interesting trying to work out how the numbers changed and for what reason. There is an initial charge of 50 or 60 Rupees that covers you for the first Kilometre or so and then the price increases by 4 Rupees for every 100 metres travelled. There is also a bonus for the driver of an additional 6 Rupees for every minute that the tuk tuk is stationary. Fortunately most of the drivers haven’t worked out that they would be better off heading straight into the longest traffic jam they can find and to remain static rather than being obsessed with overtaking all the other stationary vehicles by weaving and bobbing, sneaking up the inside lane adjacent to the storm drain and generally being a nuisance by whatever means necessary.
A Consummate Cricketing Allrounder: Dhananjaya De Silva
Andrew Fernando, in ESPNcricifo, 24 August 2019, where the title is “Dhananjaya de Silva is cooler than you”
So you think you have style. People compliment you on your outfits. You’re at a high-end hairdresser a couple of times a month. In between the visits, there is never a strand out of place. When you go out, you order the classiest drinks – spirits, neat. Your vehicle is the envy of your peer group, washed, waxed, vacuumed, scratch-free: immaculate. At weddings, you’re cutting up the dance floor, admirers staring from all corners of the room, the bride and groom feeling thoroughly outshone. It’s understandable. You are convinced you are smooth in civilian life. You think you’re the shit. I hate to be the one to break this to you, but you’re no Dhananjaya de Silva.Next to him on a cricket field, you’re trash.
Dhananjaya de Silva blows a kiss after hitting a century Getty Images
Dannie Byrne in Colombo for Kiwi-Lankan Cricket
ONE =Bent elbows, broken tuk tuks and the inevitable search for tickets. The tour moves on to Colombo
There have been seven previous series between the two sides in Sri Lanka with the home side winning three, three draws and New Zealand claiming victory in the first encounter back in 1983– 84. Prior to last week in Galle, New Zealand hadn’t played in a Test Match in Sri Lanka since 2012. By contrast Sri Lanka had visited New Zealand three times in the last five years losing all three series. In all the Sri Lankans have played nine series in New Zealand winning just the once in 1995 when Chaminda Vaas took 10–90 in Napier and Muttiah Muralitharan picked up his first five-fer outside of Asia in the second innings. The second Test in 1995 resulted in a draw when Asanka Gurusinha batted for nearly two days to score 127 from 429 deliveries in Carisbrook, Dunedin. Vaas was again Man of the Match having scored a half century in the Sri Lankan first innings and then taking 6–87 in the first and only New Zealand innings.
Day Five in Galle: Sri Lankans clinch Convincing Win
Danny Byrne: “The Sri Lankans chase down 268 to take a 1-0 lead in the Series”
I had to return to the shoe shop this morning as my bargain basement plastic sandals didn’t fit. I had incorrectly assumed local size 42 would be a universal measurement and indeed perhaps it is supposed to be. However the Chinese made size 42 sandals were too small and the shop didn’t have any bigger sizes in that particular design. I tried an Indonesian size 44 and they were far too big. I eventually found a size 45 sandal from Bangkok that was the equivalent of size 42 in UK. I was very pleased with my efforts until the shop-keeper spoke “Ah but sir, Bangkok sandals are much more expensive – that will be an extra 1000 Rupees.” The Sri Lankans always win in the end. The shop was supposed to open at 9 am but the sales assistants didn’t turn up until 9.30. The match was due to start and I had already booked the trip to the Kanneliya Rain Forest for tomorrow morning.
Filed under New Zealand cricket, performance, Sri Lanka Cricket
Day 4 In Galle: Sri Lankan Opening Pair bring Victory into Sight
Danny Byrne: “Karunaratne and Thirimanne share a magnificent partnership to leave Sri Lanka close to victory”
I arrived at the ground a little later than on previous mornings after doing some preparatory shopping for a bird-watching visit to a rain forest after the conclusion of the Test match. I found a pair of plastic sandals in a sale for 600 Rupees and a bag of table salt in Food City set me back a further 125. When I climbed up to the first floor of the Galle CC Stand at 9.30 am the outfield was completely covered in tarpaulins. In less than 15 minutes they had all been removed by six teams of lads in bright yellow shirts with twenty individuals in each team. The umpire’s inspected the wicket and the outfield with the clouds distinctly darker than on the previous three mornings and play finally got under way at 10.35 am.
