Category Archives: Sangakkara

October 9, 2018 · 5:03 pm

England have taken a Leaf from Sri Lanka’s Ranatunga Book

Tanya Aldred in The Spin,8 October 2018 where the title is “How Sri Lanka’s magical 1996 cocktail paved the way for Morgan’s men”

Echoes of Arjuna Ranatunga’s World Cup-winning blueprint – potent spinners, pinch-hitting openers, bucket loads of confidence – can be seen in the England ODI side today

As England and Sri Lanka prepare for the five-match one-day series starting on Wednesday in Dambulla, a warm-up of sorts for the World Cup now less than eight months away, it feels the right time to stumble backwards 22 years, to one of cricket’s greatest stories.

On 17 March 1996, in the sultry atmosphere of Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka’s captain, lifted the World Cup high into the air. No one could quite believe it. Sri Lanka, the baby brother of the Asian block, the international whipping boys, had popped out of the hat, brandishing a party popper, a grin and a new kick-ass way of playing the game.

Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga celebrates with his team after winning the Cricket World Cup final against Australia in Lahore in 1996. Photograph: John Parkin/Getty Images

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Filed under Australian cricket, confrontations on field, cricket and life, cricket tamashas, cricketing icons, English cricket, murali, sanath jayasuriya, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people

June 19, 2018 · 7:02 pm

Chandimal’s Ball-Tampering and Responses to the Punishment

Andrew Fidel Fernando, in ESPNcricinfo, !8 june 2018, where the title is “Sweet v sandpaper – why Chandimal’s tampering is different”

Only two months ago, three Australia cricketers were slapped with long suspensions for their role in the ball tampering scandal in Cape Town. Dinesh Chandimal, however, is unlikely to face punishments beyond the one-Test suspension the ICC has dealt out for the tampering itself (the “spirit of cricket” charge is a separate one). Here is why the two incidents will be treated differently.

There is minimal outrage in Sri Lanka

Where Cricket Australia’s response was spurred by public condemnation of the Cape Town incident, Sri Lanka’s public has, at most, expressed only quiet disappointment so far. Two possible reasons why the public reactions have been dissimilar:

Australian sportspeople are generally put on a high pedestal, and allegations of cheating – even for what was a Level 2 ICC offence – are taken seriously. Sri Lanka’s cricketers are widely admired, but do not face anywhere near the level of public scrutiny that many others from around the world contend with. Several former players, including the super-popular Kumar Sangakkara, have spoken of the relatively laidback nature of Sri Lankan fame. As such, there is not so high an expectation of morality, even from a Sri Lanka captain.

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Filed under Andrew Fidel Fernando, confrontations on field, cricket and life, cricket governance, foul tactics, patriotic excess, performance, player selections, politics and cricket, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket, technology and cricket, West Indian Cricket

January 7, 2018 · 4:35 am

New Structure for Local Cricket Competition

Rex Clementine, in Island, 7 January 2018, with title “Domestic cricket set for complete overhaul”

Following the national cricket team’s disastrous showing in 2017 across all formats of the game, Sri Lanka Cricket has been under the pump for messing with the domestic cricket structure. SLC’s decision to increase the number of First Class teams from 14 to 24 had drawn much criticism forcing the Sports Ministry to intervene. It resulted in a high profile committee put in place to restructure domestic cricket and the committee has now forwarded its recommendations to the Ministry.

Former Test captains Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara were part of a high profile committee that was formed by the Sports Ministry to address the woes of domestic cricket.

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Filed under Aravinda de Silva, cricket governance, cricketing icons, Mahela Jayawardene, performance, player selections, politics and cricket, Rex Clementine, Sangakkara

December 28, 2017 · 4:39 pm

Hathurusingha as New Broom?

Madushka Balasuriya, courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, where the title is Hathurusingha to enlist aid of former SL players, sports psychologist” …. Note–emphasis by highlighting has been added by The eDitor

The employment of a sports psychologist and tapping into the wealth of knowledge in Sri Lanka’s network of former players are among new coach Chandika Hathurusingha‘s first moves towards rehabilitating Sri Lanka Cricket.

“I will get Kumar Sangakkara‘s expertise and invite him to come and help us. If I don’t look for his help, then I will be wasting this opportunity I’ve been given,” Hathurusingha said to the media, following a prolonged training session with a pool of 23 players, some of whom will be travelling to Bangladesh next month.

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Filed under cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketing icons, Hathurusingha, Mahela Jayawardene, performance, player selections, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket

December 7, 2017 · 3:24 pm

Grit At Last: Thawfeeq and Clementine on How Lanka drew Third Test on Day Five

Sa’adi Thawfeeq, in Daily News, 7 Dec 2017, with title “Sri Lanka batting displays gumption to draw final Test”

Wednesday: The Sri Lankan batting which has been spineless in the last five Tests against India finally displayed its true colours to bat out the entire fifth and final day and deny the number one ranked Test team victory in the third and final cricket Test played at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on Wednesday.

Dhannajaya & Roshen take a run

Set an improbable target of 410 to chase in the fourth innings, Sri Lanka finished on 299 for five wickets to earn an honourable draw. The match was called off in mutual consent between the two teams at the final drinks break at 4 pm. Continue reading →

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Filed under cricket and life, Indian cricket, performance, player selections, Rex Clementine, Sa'adi Thawfeeq, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength

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

September 11, 2017 · 2:21 pm

Turbulence in the Boardroom of Sri Lanka Cricket

Andrew Fidel Fernando courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, September 2017 where the title is “SLC looks to get de Silva, Jayawardene on board”

Aravinda de Silva, Roshan Mahanama, Brendon Kuruppu, Graeme Labrooy, perhaps even Mahela Jayawardene – these are the names Sri Lanka Cricket is attempting to align itself with as the board looks to arrest the decline of the national team. Even more crucially for SLC, getting former players with good reputations on board may also help turn around its ailing public reputation. The board is now not only widely believed to be detrimental to the development of cricket, it is also seen as one of the most toxic governing bodies in the country.

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Filed under Andrew Fidel Fernando, cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketer politicians, Mahela Jayawardene, player selections, politics and cricket, Sangakkara, 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 11, 2017 · 6:13 pm

Sampath Perera and Niroshan Dickwella

Sidharth Monga, courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, 11 August 2017, where the title runs The rise of the sweep-happy, street-smart Dickwella

Despite all the hype around mystery cricketers, Sri Lankan cricket would not have risen without a more prosaic, solid supply line from the schools. Arjuna Ranatunga’s one big lament has been the decline of schools cricket, otherwise “the best system in the world”. Schools cricket in Sri Lanka has been stuff of legend. There are about 30 Big Matches, traditional annual matches played between two certain schools. The Royal-Thomian is the biggest Big Match, a phenomenon in itself with a festival-like atmosphere over the three days of the match and on days leading up to it. Up in the hill country, the Big Match of Kandy, the battle of the blues, between St Anthony and Trinity, was a one-sided affair when Sampath Perera took over in September 2008.

Niroshan Dickwella counterattacked with inventive shots AFP

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Filed under confrontations on field, cricket and life, cricketing icons, performance, player selections, Sangakkara, Sidharth Monga, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people

August 6, 2017 · 3:28 pm

Sidath vs Sanath: Selectors Castigated by Sunday Times

S. R. Pathiravithana, Sunday Times, 6 August 2017, where the title reads “No Plan”

As I was saying before; keeping my ear to the ground, I presume it is a part of my job. It gives you vibes without prejudice or even second thoughts; it just surfaces from the ground within – where it began. The other day I was chatting to my grocery man Seneviratne, an ardent cricket fan. You must see how his face lights up when Sri Lanka wins. It’s so pleasing to see a face so bright. The vibes that emanate from his even make our daily drudges look good. Yet, just before the second Test against the Indians, Seneviratne was down, way below his usual self. When I asked him why, he just mumbled “Oka Hariyanne nehe, Mama cricket balana eka athheriya. (Things will not come right for us, so I quit watching cricket)”.

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