Category Archives: Sri Lanka Cricket

December 20, 2018 · 3:05 pm

Mendis and Mathews defy Kiwi Attack in Epic Stand

Marty Melville of AFP in Island,19 December 2018, with this title ““Epic stand saves Sri Lanka in New Zealand Test”

Sri Lanka battled to a rain-affected draw in the first Test against New Zealand on Wednesday after the Black Caps were unable to break an epic stand by Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews. The tourists were 287 for three in their second innings — still nine runs away from an innings defeat — when the umpires called time with only 13 overs bowled on the final day. Mendis was unbeaten on 141 and Mathews 120 not out at stumps after a stubborn 274-run stand that, along with the weather, allowed Sri Lanka to salvage a draw.

Kusal Mendis (L) and teammate Angelo Mathews walk from the field as rain starts to fall during day five of the first Test cricket match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on December 19, 2018.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Angelo Mathews, cricket and life, cricketing icons, cricketing records, New Zealand cricket, performance, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength

December 20, 2018 · 2:35 pm

Machinations in Sri Lanka Cricket …. Dharmadasa and Shammi Silva in the Spotlight

N Krishnamurthy in Cricket Age, 20 December 2018, where the title is “The inside story of Dharmadasa and Shammi Silva meeting”

As the election time has arrived at Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC), the candidates and certain camps have also started to tighten up their strategy. Obviously, the attempts have also been started to bring opposite camp’s stalwart! In one such scenario, few days ago the notorious and controversial treasurer of Thilanga Sumathipala camp Shammi Silva tried to convince Jayantha Dharmadasa!

Dharmadasa Shammi Silva

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under cricket and life, cricket governance, cricketer politicians, foul tactics, politics and cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket, taking the mickey, unusual people

December 20, 2018 · 1:56 pm

Angelo in Obeisance to the Pope for the Grace of His Century?

Not So, Folks! Just a Broad Hint to the Sri Lankan Coach and Selectors about his Fitness Levels …. while both Coach and Selectors were equally delighted that Their Previous Messages of Chastisement had driven ANGELO to such depths of resolve.

ALL is well that ends well.

Leave a comment

Filed under Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka Cricket, taking the piss, work ethic

December 18, 2018 · 1:22 pm

From Basin Reserve to Aravinda, Sanga and A Homily

Rex Clementine, in Island, 16 December 2018, where the title reads “Two different Basin Reserve classics”

The Basin Reserve where the current Test match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand is in progress remains a special place for Sri Lankans in many ways. Generally the Sri Lankans have done well at this picturesque venue. The Basin as they call it is literally one of Wellington’s busiest roundabouts. It is the two mountains – Mount Cook and Mount Victoria in the backdrop that add to the beauty of this ground in New Zealand’s north island.

The first double hundred by a Sri Lankan overseas was scored at the Basin and the last double hundred by a Sri Lankan was also scored at the Basin. In fact after Kumar Sangakkara’s sensational effort in 2015, no Sri Lankan has scored a double hundred – home or away. Aravinda de Silva was the first Sri Lankan to score a double hundred overseas in 1991.

Arjuna Ranatunga once told us that there won’t be another Aravinda for another 50 years. When we asked him why, he told us this story. “I was batting with Aravinda at the Basin and was struggling to put bat to ball as there was quite a bit of seam movement. But Aravinda had no such issues and he was absolutely hitting everything from the middle of the bat. During the tea break, I took Aravinda’s bat and checked whether his was wider than that of mine. He was making it look so easy,” Ranatunga said. Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Aravinda de Silva, child of empire, cricketing icons, memorable moments, performance, Rex Clementine, Sangakkara, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength, unusual people

December 18, 2018 · 1:09 pm

Andrew Fidel Fernando’s Appraisal of the Day’s Play at Wellington

Andrew Fidel Fernando, in ESPNcricinfo, 18 December 2018, where the title runs thus: “Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews bat all day to give Sri Lanka hope”

Sri Lanka 282 and 259 for 3 (Mendis 116*, Mathews 117*) trail New Zealand 578 by 37 runs …… On day four in Wellington, facing a monumental first-innings deficit, and in what seemed like a hopeless match situation, Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews went to the trenches. They absorbed New Zealand’s many attacks. They delivered a few glancing blows of their own. They made a hundred apiece, and for only the 22nd time in the history of Test cricket, they batted out an entire day without losing a wicket.

Their partnership – 577 balls in – is worth 246. It is easily Sri Lanka’s best against New Zealand, and has allowed the visitors to go into the fifth day of an intriguing Test with a fighting chance of securing a draw. They are still 37 runs away from making New Zealand bat again, but will be buoyed no doubt by the weather forecast, which suggests rain will arrive around mid-day, if not before.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Andrew Fidel Fernando, Angelo Mathews, cricket and life, Hathurusingha, performance, Sri Lanka Cricket, tower of strength, unusual people

December 18, 2018 · 12:52 pm

Errol Fernando’s Discerning Thoughts on Today’s Anitpodean Cricket

Errol Fernando in Melbourne

Two handshakes today at Wellington,New Zealand.One for Angelo Mathews and the other for Kusal Mendis. They batted all day and each is a hundred not out. Herculean effort to bat all day under pressure and Tuffy would have rushed up to them at stumps.I cannot praise them too highly.More hard work for them tomorrow to save the match Must bat for two more sessions.

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – DECEMBER 18: Angelo Mathews of Sri Lanka bats during day four of the First Test match in the series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at Basin Reserve on December 18, 2018 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 17: Virat Kohli of India and Tim Paine of Australia bump into each other during day four of the second match in the Test series between Australia and India at Perth Stadium on December 17, 2018 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Angelo Mathews, Australian cricket, Bradman, cricketing icons, performance, Sri Lanka Cricket, unusual people

December 16, 2018 · 7:00 am

Sri Lanka under the Pump in Wellington

Shashank Kishore, in ESPNcricinfo, 16 December 2018

New Zealand 311 for 2 (Latham 121*, Taylor 50*) lead Sri Lanka 282 (Mathews 83, Dickwella 80*, Karunaratne 79, Southee 6-68) by 29 runs

One of Sri Lanka’s two Test wins in New Zealand has come at the Basin Reserve. At the end of the second day’s play, it looks increasingly possible that they are unlikely to reprise that stunning win from 2006, after Kane Williamson and Tom Latham deflated them on a batting day as New Zealand nudged ahead by 29, with eight wickets in hand.

In that Test, Sri Lanka had Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga to call upon after posting close to the 282 they managed here. On Sunday, barring Lahiru Kumara’s bristling pace and bounce, there was little bite in the bowling. This meant a party for large parts of a three-hour passage in the afternoon for Williamson, who put together 162 with Latham at more than four runs per over.

Dickwella’s upper cut

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Angelo Mathews, performance, player selections, Sri Lanka Cricket

December 15, 2018 · 9:11 am

Lasith Malinga to Skipper Sri Lankan ODI Squads

News item in Daily News, 14 December 2018,

A change in selection committee has brought yet another change in the limited-overs leadership, with Lasith Malinga named captain of the ODI and T20 squads to New Zealand. Wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella has been named vice-captain. President Maithripala Sirisena has approved the squad for the Tour in the absence of a functioning Sports Minister. Sri Lanka play three ODIs and a T20I in New Zealand. The first of those matches is scheduled to be played on January 3, at Mount Maunganui.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Angelo Mathews, cricket and life, cricket governance, Lasith Malinga, performance, player selections, politics and cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket

December 15, 2018 · 9:09 am

Fernando marks Significant Changes in Lanka’s ODI Squads

Andrew Fidel Fernando in ESPNcricinfo, 14 December 2018, where the title is Malinga to lead ODI and T20I squads in New Zealand”” ….. Highlighting emphais is from Editor, Cricketique

Malinga –Pic fr Getty

Dinesh Chandimal had most recently led Sri Lanka’s ODI team, against England, while Thisara Perera was the T20 captain in the same tour. But with Graeme Labrooy’s selection committee ousted, and Ashantha de Mel’s panel freshly installed, Malinga has been handed the captaincy, only three months after he made his return to the international level. Malinga had been dropped from Sri Lanka’s teams for over a year, due to form and fitness concerns. He had made his return to the top level during the Asia Cup in September, and has had some success with the ball since then. Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Andrew Fidel Fernando, cricket governance, Hathurusingha, Lasith Malinga, player selections, politics and cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket

December 8, 2018 · 12:54 pm