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.

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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

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.

  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.

Lahiru Kumara rapped on the knuckles and ankles

Bipin Dani, in Daily Mirror, 13 November 2018, where the title is “Heavy fine imposed on Kumara for breaking curfew”

Sri Lankan fast bowler Lahiru Kumara has not only been axed from the squad on disciplinary grounds but is has been heavily fined too, it is learnt here. This was according to highly placed sources close to the team management. Kumara broke the team curfew just two days prior to the Galle Test and was replaced by another fast bowler, Dushmantha Chameera.

Players are supposed to be in their rooms before 11.00 pm on non-match days. On match-days, they can’t be out of team hotel after 10.00 pm. It could not be verified if and who Kumara, who came to team hotel after 11.00pm on November 4 had met. “He (Lahiru Kumara) is yet to pay the fine which was imposed by the team’s Fine Committee”, sources said.

A Muckraking Essay from Krishnamurthy about Hathurusingha

N Krishnamurthy  in Cricket Age, 30 September 2018, with this title : “Exclusive! Is Sri Lanka Head Coach Chandika Hathurusingha No More A Buddhist?”

Ever since his arrival in Sri Lanka as national Team head coach, Chandika Hathurusingha has become the most powerful and manipulative at the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC). Especially, after the shameful departure of Thilanga Sumathipala led administration on May 31st, he has extended his control over several other non cricketing expects [sic] as well, like in which airlines Sri Lanka team should travel!

 

SLC too, in a bid to hide its incompetent and wrongdoings, gave Hathurusingha all the authority! Though, Sri Lanka Cricket is still in shambles.

Panic Stations and Chaos in Sri Lankan Cricket Selections: Angelo Sacked

Champika Fernando, in Daily Mirror, 24 September 2018, where the title reads –– “Sacked Mathews feels ‘betrayed and let down’

Angelo Mathews feels he has been ‘betrayed and let down’ after he was asked to resign from the captaincy taking full responsibility for the Asia Cup debacle.Mathews who tendered his resignation last night from the captaincy says he is even willing to retire from limited over cricket if the selectors and the coach believe he is unfit to play ODI and T20 cricket.

Tamil Union’s Mixed Bag recalls its Season Coup of 1982/83

Somachandra Skandakumar, presenting this tale under the title “When agony followed ecstasy!”

S. SKANDAKUMAR, a former Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka and skipper of the Tamil Union Cricket Club recounts their key game against Bloomfield and how Tamil Union won the game and ultimately lost the trophy on re-scrutiny.

Seated L to R– Athula Samarasekera, S. Skandakumar , Kushil Gunasekera

Standing- Ashley De Silva, Wayne Jansz, Dushan Soza, Sittampalam Shivaraj, Channa Wijemanne, Sudath Munaweera, Sujeeva Rajapakse, Chandika Hathurusinghe, Lakshman Aloysius

Absent – Indrajit Coomaraswamy (overseas), Upul Sumathipala (Overseas)  Nirmalal Perera (USA) Walter Fernando and Upul Gunasena (Australia) Shantha Jayasekera (Canada )

A.J Samarasekera (Indisposed )

Wijesinghe and Clementine on the Cricket Scene

ONE = Mahinda Wijesinghe: “Giving up the game when ‘there’s nothing left in the tank’,” Sunday Island, 9 September 2018

At the moment cricket fans are awaiting the Asia Cup 2018 due to begin on September 15 with Sri Lanka placed in Group B alongside Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Akila Dananjaya

Unfortunately Sri Lanka is starting on the wrong foot with Chandimal on the injured list while Akila Dananjaya will in all probability miss two games and has informed the selectors to excuse him since he wants to be present when he is due to become a father for the first time shortly. Family comes before profession is a motto he is following. In this time and age, modern technology enable doctors to predict births almost to the date. Taking this into account, Dananjaya has taken the right decision by the family and the team. Opting out of the tour, at least where two games are concerned, before the tour begins is the correct decision. Going on the tour and baling out halfway is obviously not this youngster’s style. Well done Dananjaya, you have set an example even to your seniors. Let me wish you the best of luck as a father and as a player when you rejoin the team.