Category Archives: Rangana Herath

October 5, 2017 · 1:39 pm

Sanga for Ranga! And Rangaiyya for Us All

Rex Clementine, in Island, 4 October 2017, with title “How Sanga backed Herath when he was out of the radar”

article_image Kumar Sangakkara jokes with Rangana Herath during a Test match. Sangakkara was responsible for bringing Herath back into Test cricket at a time he had fallen off the radar.
It is a shame that Kumar Sangakkara’s captaincy lasted for less than two years. However, in that short period, Sanga introduced a new culture into the team. With firm backing from coach Trevor Bayliss, he supported those who were committed to the team’s cause and in the meantime kicked out those who lacked focus. The results were stunning as Sri Lanka recorded a maiden series win in Australia and recorded first ever home series wins – Tests and ODIs – against Pakistan. Into the bargain, there were also two ICC finals – 2009 World T-20 final and 2011 World Cup final. Continue reading →

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Filed under cricket governance, cricketing icons, performance, player selections, politics and cricket, Rangana Herath, Rex Clementine, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket

October 4, 2017 · 1:30 pm

The Cuddly “Rangaiyya” is Wily Danger

Osman Samiuddin, courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, 3 October 2017, where the title reads “The truth about Rangaiyya“

Frankly, Pakistan would like to call bullshit. For years – pretty much his entire career – Rangana Herath has been made out to be this cuddly, pudgy little teddy bear. No piece on him goes by without reference to his belly. And look, he works in a bank except he’s not a banker like JP Morgan was a banker. Cricket’s normcore legend. Drops his kids to school and runs errands himself. He’s happy to be normal, shed off the celebrity psychosis of subcontinent cricketers. He’s the not-Murali Sri Lanka spinner. Doesn’t really do much with the ball either. Keeps it simple. What can he do? He’s SLA, the dad joke of bowling. Continue reading →

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Filed under close finsihes, cricket and life, cricketing icons, performance, Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka Cricket

October 2, 2017 · 2:20 pm

Spin ‘n Spin: Dramatic Fifth Day Victory for Sri Lanka

Andrew Fidel Fernando, courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, 3 October 2017, where the title runs   “Herath’s 400th wicket seals dramatic victory for Sri Lanka”

How did we get here? How did we hurtle, from the dullest 11 sessions of Test cricket possible, to this stirring, heart-palpitating, dramedy of a conclusion? Sri Lanka, out of the match surely when they set out to defend 136 after lunch, yet victors by 21 runs, Rangana Herath breaking records, scuttling Pakistan again – 6 for 43 to his name. The pitch began to sing for him, the batsmen played him with fatal hesitation, Dilruwan Perera was even denied the winning wicket by a no-ball, just so Herath could complete 400 Test wickets – the first left-arm spinner to the milestone.

 Sri Lanka go wild after Rangana Herath gets rid of Asad Shafiq Francois Nel/Getty Images Continue reading →

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Filed under Andrew Fidel Fernando, bowling average, close finsihes, cricketing icons, performance, Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka Cricket

September 2, 2017 · 2:59 am

Generational Mix is Sri Lanka’s Present Problem in Malinga’s View

Andrew Fidel Fernando,  courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, August 2017, where the title “Malinga laments ‘lost generation’ after another SL loss to India”

Sri Lanka have “lost a generation” of cricketers from the national fold, and cannot afford to do so again. Fresh from having presided over Sri Lanka’s largest ever runs defeat in ODIs, stand-in captain Lasith Malinga delivered the aforementioned grim diagnosis. Malinga’s argument is this: where for most of his career he has played in teams comprising mostly of experienced players, he now finds himself in a side where very few have more than 50 ODIs on their record. Eight of Thursday’s XI, for example, have played 37 ODIs or fewer. Of those, a stunning five have played fewer than 10 ODIs.

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Filed under Andrew Fidel Fernando, cricketing icons, Lasith Malinga, Mahela Jayawardene, performance, player selections, Rangana Herath, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people

August 27, 2017 · 12:51 pm

Dark Clouds loom over Sri Lankan Cricket

Sidharth Monga, courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, 27 August 2017, where the title reads “How Sri Lanka went from being a fortress to a phantom”

In the end, what stays with you the longest from cricket in Sri Lanka is the crows. The papare band can fade away, Galle Fort can seem run-of-the-mill after a while, Percy can sometimes grate, you can get away from the shouts of “Aluwa aluwa”, but the crows stay with you long after you have gone. They are looking for worms in the warm, moist grass while cricket is on, but they could easily be doing what crows do: wait to feast on carcasses; in this case, those of the opposition after the home team is done with them.

 Dusk looms over SL cricket today

The crows always seem to sneak up on you in Sri Lanka. And so does Test cricket. Tests here just start. You wake up, have your pol roti and chilli-onion sambal at the National Tea Room in the fort, or in one of the tea rooms near the station outside, and walk in to watch the highest form of cricket (so they say) for free. If you are on a motorbike, you don’t even need to remove your helmet. Just stand outside the fence and watch. Continue reading →

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Filed under Angelo Mathews, cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketing icons, Indian cricket, performance, player selections, politics and cricket, Rangana Herath, sanath jayasuriya, Sidharth Monga, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual statistics

July 31, 2017 · 4:32 am

The Galle Test Match: Assorted Reflections

ONE > Rex Clementine: “Kohli praises Dimuth and PradeeP”, July 30, 2017,

Indian captain Virat Kohli praised the efforts of opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne and fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep after his team completed a comprehensive 304-run win in the first Test between the countries in Galle on Saturday. Karunaratne was dismissed after a well-compiled 97 runs while Pradeep took career-best figures of six for 132.

 Indians as happy chappies-ESPNcricinfo

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July 27, 2017 · 4:19 pm

India outclass Sri Lanka in All Departments

Sidharth Monga,  courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, 27 July 2017,  where the title runs thus “Fleet-footed India outdo Sri Lanka in the Galle maze

India like to be ruthless when ahead, in that they don’t like to leave the door open in order to make a statement. Even the ever-present threat of rain in Galle is not likely to make them enforce a follow-on on a 10-man Sri Lanka, even if they bowl them out in the first hour on the third morning. Prospects of a three-day finish might not be tempting enough for this team, which has seen the pitch drying out quickly, and which knows from first-hand experience that chasing anything on a quick-drying Galle surface can be treacherous.

India’s Abhivav Mukund, successfully takes a catch to dismiss Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella, left, during the second day’s play of the first test cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Galle, Sri Lanka, Thursday, July 27, 2017. — AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena

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Filed under Angelo Mathews, cricketing icons, Indian cricket, performance, Rangana Herath, Sidharth Monga

July 26, 2017 · 4:33 pm

Indians sail away in Galle

Sidharth Monga courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, where the title is Fortunate Dhawan directs his sail

Test openers share a special bond. They walk out together for one of the most difficult tasks in cricket: negotiate the mischievous new ball, two men against 11. They know each other’s weaknesses and insecurities. They thrive off each other’s strengths. When KL Rahul, a nervous wreck, failed on his debut in Australia, the two other openers in the squad, M Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, comforted him.

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July 18, 2017 · 5:34 pm

Sri Lankan Heroes at Premadasa Stadium

Sri Lankan cricketer Asela Gunaratne raises his bat to the crowd after scoring a half-century (50 runs) during the final day of a one-off Test match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at the R Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo on July 18, 2017. / AFP PHOTO

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July 18, 2017 · 5:23 pm

Sri Lanka make over 388 runs in Fourth Innings to beat Zimbabwe

ESPN Summary

Sri Lanka stand behind the Champions banner as well-deserved winners. They maintain their proud record at home, and what a start Dinesh Chandimal has had to his captaincy career. This has been a famous win for Sri Lanka. This Test will be spoken of for a long, long time. Sri Lanka will rejoice for now, but it will be back to work pretty soon with a tough series against India looming. This is all we have from here. The first of the Women’s World Cup semifinals has just got underway, so do switch tabs to catch out coverage of that. From here, it’s goodbye from myself and Deiva. Thank you for joining us!

Sri Lankan cricketers pose for photographers after victory in the final day of a one-off Test match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at the R Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo on July 18, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / ISHARA S. KODIKARA (Photo credit should read ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images)

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