Courtesy of Espncricinfo
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Angelo Mathews 160 run century in the second innings was not only a performance for all time, but also was one of the turning points in a pulsating topsy-turvy match – Pic by Getty Images Continue reading
Category Archives: Sri Lanka Cricket
Angelo Mathews’ Comments in Review
Eranga bowling, Herath catching, Anderson OUT — the winning moment
SEE https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?shva=1#inbox/146d3471e9daff34?projector=1
the final moments at Headingly — Pix by Getty Images Continue reading
Shaminda Eranga’s Hard Yards: an example to us all
Andrew Fernando, in ESPNcricinfo, 21 June 2014, where the title is “Eranga leads Sri Lanka’s survivors”
The Sri Lankan community in Leeds is small and scattered. Only a smattering turned out at a sold-out Headingley on Saturday. It is partly because the Sri Lanka fans abroad are yet to develop a taste for days out at a Test, much like the hordes at home. Maybe there are more pragmatic reasons as well. This Sri Lanka team, with this bowling attack, will inevitably spend long, tortuous days in the field. Many times, there are modest rewards for the team, and their supporters.
On social media, Sri Lanka fans likened most of the day’s play to watching plants grow, but that is exactly what the team is doing too. This is a green pace attack, on their first trip to England. There is a little bit about each bowler that suggests they could be a force in Test cricket in the future. But for now, Sri Lanka is tending shoots, hoping the opposition do not trample on them too heavily. The pitches at home are about as lively for seamers as Colombo morgue. In recent years, good fast bowlers have lined up at the hospital as well, with long-term, career-threatening injuries. Continue reading
Nimal, Lanka’s cricketing stalwart, dies in tragic accident
Rex Clementine: “SLC baggage master PD Nimal dies in accident,” in The Island, 18 June 2014
Nimal Perera
Last year as Kumar Sangakkara unleashed a new array of strokes, that were never seen from him before, during the first ODI against Proteas at the R. Premadasa Stadium, it came to light that the star batsman had been working with coach Graham Ford on paddle sweeping and reverse sweeping off medium pacemen. That day Sanga hammered a career best 169. Sanga and Ford got all the accolades for pulling off some sensational results, but the man who spent many hours seasoning Sanga’s bat for those strokes to win the admiration of all fans remained unknown for many.
On Tuesday, P. D. Nimal was killed after an accident and Sri Lankan cricketers have been mourning his death with unbearable sorrow. Nimal wasn’t just someone who seasoned players’ bats. He was the Jack of all trade and master of all of them too. In Indian cinema, there’s no role that was impossible for Kamal Hasan and similarly no role was impossible for Nimal in Sri Lankan cricket. Continue reading
So near and yet so far — for England
Pic by Ian Kington for AFP
Rex Clementine in the Island, 18 June 2014
Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews praised his tail-enders for the remarkable guts and fight showcased in the dying moments of the Lord’s Test to save the game. With new ball in hand, James Anderson and Stuart Broad were creating havoc and amidst all the drama, last man Nuwan Pradeep saw off the final five deliveries to help his side earn a hard fought draw.
In the first innings, Pradeep had been intimidated by some well-directed short pitched deliveries and he was out hit wicket after being struck on the shoulder by a vicious Chris Jordan bouncer. So when he walked in to face the music with still five deliveries left in the game, many wondered how he would fare. “When Herath was out, all Pradeep said to me was, ‘Don’t worry, I’m going to hold on. If they bowl short at me I’m just going to leave it.’ That was very encouraging from the tail-ender. I actually thought he did that exact thing,” Mathews said after Sri Lanka’s great escape. Continue reading
Botham and the FOG Unity Team at Lords Cricket Ground
What a moment for the young multi-ethnic reconciliation cricket team from the length and breadth of Sri Lanka … our congratulations to Kushil Gunasekera, Anura and others at the Foundation of Goodness … and our thanks to Sir Ian Botham an Family
Unity Team beats ETON College as well as Trinity Group Combined
GAME ONE
MHC UNITY TEAM – 164 all out in 42.1 overs….. Kaveesh Dilranga 42, Sudesh Indunil 12, Ravin Sayer 13, Kasun Veeranga 21, Roshen Fernando 14, P Thuvarakaseelan 15
— A.Gravin 3 for 20, Ros Powel 3 for 30, P.Mclanghlan 2 for 26
Trinity Group Combined Team 141 all out in 45.2 overs.G Thomas 20, A Gravin 21, G Jackson 34, R Powel 2
— Janith Liyanage 4 for 21, Ravin Sayer 3 for 2
Result: MHC UNITY TEAM WON BY 23 RUNS. ………MAN OF THE MATCH: Janith Liyanage
GAME TWO
MHC UT winning the toss made 244 for 09 in 50 overs……… Kaveesh Dilranga 41, Janith Liyanage 27, Sudesh Indunil 25, P Thavarakaselan 22, Kasun Veeranga 59
— Bowling – R Macmillan 2 for 50, J Watt 2 for 24
Eton College 161 all out in 46.2 overs…. D Gandde 41, G Lanax 27, P Watt 26
— Bowling – Ravin Sayer 2 for 31, Sudesh Indunil 2 for 32, K Thanushan 4 for 34
Result: MHC UT Won by 83 Runs. ……… Man of the Match : K Thanushan from Tamil MMV – Vauniya Continue reading
Cricket in 19th century Ceylon
with thanks to Hugh Karunanayake
Thinking Ahead towards World Cup 2015: Sri Lanka’s ODI Fifteen
Andrew Fernando courtesy of ESPNcricinfo, with title “Fine-tuning for Sri Lanka to peak at World Cup”
Sri Lanka have the batting raw materials to launch a fine World Cup campaign but a little polishing may make a considerable difference in eight months’ time. 20 wins from 23 limited-overs matches. When Sri Lanka lost the ODI series to Pakistan in December last year, few may have envisioned such a rich start to 2014.
The win percentage of 87 may be somewhat blown out by results against a misfiring Bangladesh and two more victories against Associate sides, but Sri Lanka have wrestled through the tougher challenges as well. The spoils of the series win against England – significant because it came in early summer – will now join the regional and global titles already on display at Maitland Place.
There can only be minor complaints about Sri Lanka’s ODI side, but in the months approaching a World Cup, even the grains of sand that can set entire limited-overs machine out of kilter, deserve thorough examination. Sri Lanka owe it to their soon-to-be-departing seniors to have the best possible combination figured out, and their strategy fine-tuned, before heading into the event. Their fire has carried them through global tournaments before, but too often it has not been enough to topple surging, collected opponents near the tournament’s climax. Continue reading
Pistol-Packing Paul Reiffel
Mahinda Wijesinghe, whose favours this title for his article “The Umpire who said ‘HURRAH! We won’,”
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