Category Archives: Rex Clementine

May 4, 2016 · 2:29 pm

Clementine, Fernando and Jayasuriya’s Thoughts on the Sri Lankan Squad and England Tour

I. Rex Clementine: “United Sri Lanka geared up for bigger challenges,” in Island, 3 May 2016

Aftermath of the national cricket team’s disastrous World T-20 campaign in India, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has taken several measures to help the team get back to winning ways and although there’s not much optimism, an improved performance is expected as Angelo Mathews’ side take wings to England today. Under new Chairman of Selectors Sanath Jayasuriya and Team Manager Charith Senanayake, certain initiatives were taken with the supervision of Head Coach Graham Ford to help the team raise their game in England and authorities are hopeful that the team will come up with an improved performance.

Sri Lanka’s captain Angelo Mathews (R) speaks as cricket coach Marvan Atapattu (C) and chief cricket selector Sanath Jayasuriya look on during a press conference in Colombo –one year previously – on March 27, 2015. Chief Selector Sanath Jayasuriya said they will draw up new standards to ensure better fitness and take “hard decisions” about players who were below par. AFP PHOTO / ISHARA S. KODIKARA (Photo credit should read Ishara S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images)

Leading up to the World T-20, there were infighting between senior players and captain Lasith Malinga had allegedly stopped talking to Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne. One of the things that the new management has worked on is to help the players gel together and although a lot is left to be done, several good initiatives have been made. Continue reading →

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Filed under Andrew Fidel Fernando, Aravinda de Silva, cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketing icons, Lasith Malinga, performance, player selections, politics and cricket, Rex Clementine, sanath jayasuriya, Sri Lanka Cricket

March 22, 2016 · 3:11 am

Sangakkara on Life and Times in Q and A with Rex

Rex Clementine, in The Island, 22 March 2016, where the title is “How Sanga has failed to ‘look to the end’. “

Former great Kumar Sangakkara was offered the post of Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Great Britain on the day he retired from the game, six months ago. Yet, he settled to be part of Sri Lanka’s selection panel instead of the prestigious diplomatic post. Since retiring, he teamed up with Kevin Pietersen to help English county Surrey get back to the top division of county cricket. Then he played a crucial role in helping Sri Lanka Cricket in obtaining the services of Graham Ford. He has some visionary ideas for the future of Sri Lankan cricket. The Island sat down with the former captain to seek his views on the World T-20 and a variety of other topics ranging from the education of his children to supporting the underprivileged. In this candid interview, he provides his opinions on many subjects. Here are the excerpts.

Question: There was a magnanimous gesture on the part of your old school Trinity College in accommodating a child from Kuliyapitiya, who was rejected from schooling at his hometown. Your thoughts?

Sangakkara: That’s one of my proudest moments being a Trinitian. The greatest thing I learnt from Trinity was that everyone is equal and deserved an equal opportunity. It didn’t matter what your religion was, what your ethnicity was, what your background was. No one really cared about it at Trinity when we were young. This is another case where this boy had the right to go to school and the right to his childhood. It’s the ignorance and misinformation that prevented that boy from being embraced by friends and other people. I also thought that we missed a vital point there. It doesn’t matter if the boy has HIV or not. That child has a right to go to school. He has a right to have friends. He has a right to be a citizen of this country. We must eradicate this stigma surrounding even the mention of HIV. HIV is a disease. HIV is not a death sentence anymore. People with HIV do some of the most amazing things. There are people with cancer. There are people with other decease. We need to forget that stigma. We should understand, support love and accept people with HIV who live in our society. Let’s say that the boy did have HIV, we shouldn’t have worried. A person’s HIV status should not in any way impact upon that person’s access to their basic rights and or their potential as productive Sri Lankans. Continue reading →

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Filed under Angelo Mathews, cricket and life, cricketing icons, English cricket, performance, player selections, Rex Clementine, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket, T20 Cricket, unusual people

October 22, 2015 · 1:32 pm

Gary Sobers walks down Memory Lane with Rex and the Rest

Rex Clementine, in The Island, 22 October 2015, where the title is “Sobers laughs,c ries,

Sri Lanka Cricket Chairman Sidath Wettimuny introduced Sir Garfield Sobers as world’s greatest all-rounder and the greatest story teller and the former West Indian legend proved why as he kept a packed audience spell bound for over an hour before the Sobers-Tissera trophy was unveiled yesterday.

The suggestion of naming the Sri Lanka – West Indies Test series after Sir Garry and former Sri Lanka captain Michael Tissera was put forward by former Tamil Union President Dinal Philips and SLC was quick to grab the idea. Sir Garry who arrived in Colombo on Monday addressed the media yesterday and discussed a range of topics from his playing days, night cricket and Twenty 20. Continue reading →

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Filed under performance, Rex Clementine, Sri Lanka Cricket, T20 Cricket, West Indian Cricket

August 12, 2015 · 5:14 am

Kumar: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow –Q and A with Rex

Rex Clementine in Q and A with Kumar Sangakkara, in The Island, 12 August 2015,where the title is “Sanga on cricket and life after cricket”

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The curtains will come down on Kumar Sangakkara’s illustrious Test career following the second Test Match against India at P. Sara Oval. The star batsman is the highest run getter (12,305) among those still playing while his batting average of 58:03 is significantly higher than several modern greats like Sachin Tendulkar (53:78), Brian Lara (52:88), Rahul Dravid (52:31) and Ricky Ponting (51:85). The 37-year-old, who returned home on Friday after his stint with English county Surrey, spoke to journalists here in Galle on the eve of the first Test on a host of subjects.

Question: What’s the reason for you to play only two Test Matches?

Kumar Sangakkara: The reason for the two and two Test split even though it is not ideal was the agreement I had with the previous selection committee when I was discussing my future. I had plans to retire immediately after the World Cup but they wanted me to try and play a bit more Test cricket. This was all I could offer them and I said as long as they were okay and the board was okay, I will be willing to play four more Test matches. They were ok with that and I said if they were not, to tell me that that would be fine. And that I can then retire after the World Cup. That’s why it’s a two and two split. Continue reading →

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Filed under Australian cricket, cricket and life, cricketing icons, farewell game, Indian cricket, murali, performance, player selections, Rex Clementine, sanath jayasuriya, Sangakkara, sportsmanship, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength, unusual people, verbal intimidation, work ethic

July 19, 2015 · 5:24 am

Chandika Hathurusingha and the Rise of Bangladesh

Rex Clementine, in Sunday Island, 18 July 2015, where the title reads, “Hathurusingha has transformed Bangladesh cricket”

In just over a year, the way Chandika Hathurusingha has transformed Bangladesh cricket has been truly amazing. The former Sri Lankan opener was appointed as Head Coach of Bangladesh in May last year and many predicted a turnaround for the lowest ranked cricket team in the world, but the success they have enjoyed in recent times was hardly imaginable then. When he took over, Hathurusingha was asked about his immediate target and entering the second round of the ICC Cricket World Cup excited him. This Bangladesh achieved by reaching the quarter-finals knocking out England in the deciding game in Adelaide.