Sports
Madugalle and Dharmasena set to officiate ‘home’ Tests
by Rex Clementine
One of cricket’s sharpest brains – Ranjan Madugalle – is set to appear in his first Test match in Sri Lanka as a Match Referee when Bangladesh tour the island. Madugalle, a veteran of 193 Test matches started his career with the ICC in 1993. Although he has officiated in over 50 Test matches in places like England (12 at Lord’s alone), this is the first time he will be officiating in a Test match in Sri Lanka. It will be also the first time ever that he will function as Match Referee in a game involving Sri Lanka in any format.
With travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Cricket Council has altered playing conditions which allows local match officials to officiate in games. Otherwise, match officials are not from participating nations. As a result, we have seen Chris Broad officiating England’s home games and Madugalle is set to follow suit.
Former Test cricketer Kumar Dharmasena will also stand as an umpire in a Test match for the first time in Sri Lanka. Dharmasena unlike Madugalle gets regular postings in Sri Lanka in white ball cricket where local umpires are allowed but Madugalle’s opportunities in Sri Lanka have been restricted to ICC events such as – 2011 World Cup games and 2012 World T-20 games and they are just a handful.
Madugalle, currently 61, is a former Test captain who retired at the age of 29 to concentrate on his professional career at Ceylon Tobacco. He has had several stints as a member of the National Selection Panel including the one that served during the 1996 World Cup. Arjuna Ranatunga hails him as one of the best selectors he had worked with calling Madugalle, ‘firm but fair.’
Madugalle has been one of the most respected and long standing officials at the ICC having served the organization for more than quarter century now. His 27 year tenure with the game’s governing body has been an unblemished one although there have been the odd tackle or two by our own.
He was making huge strides as a Match Referee when Sri Lanka Cricket surprisingly withdrew his name in 2000. Time was when the home board nominated Match Referees. Madugalle shifted gears and took to commentary like a duck taking to water. He was hugely popular mixing up his in-depth knowledge, mastery of the language and light-hearted nature.
However, his commentary stint lasted just a few months as ICC revamped the Match Referees panel. Then ICC boss Malcolm Speed did away with home boards nominating match officials and instead ICC directly named them.
Madugalle was not only drafted into the new panel but was named as Chief Match Referee ahead of other stalwarts such as Clive Lloyd, Mike Procter and Gundappa Viswanath.
Madugalle has indeed done Sri Lanka proud as he has become the most sought after cricket official in the world. He has become the obvious choice to officiate World Cup finals whenever Sri Lanka have been not involved and other high profile events such as The Ashes and Border – Gavaskar Trophy.
SLC is yet to announce the schedule for the series but originally Bangladesh were set to play three Test matches in Sri Lanka.
Latest News
South Africa seal 10-wicket win to complete whitewash
South Africa won the second Test comfortably by 10 wickets in the final session on Day 4 in Cape Town and thereby, clinched the series 2-0 against Pakistan. The hosts comfortably chased down the paltry target of 58 in just over seven overs. This was after Pakistan surmounted 478 in their second innings, a remarkable effort with the bat after being enforced to follow-on. The victory has ensured that South Africa were unbeaten in Tests in the 2024/25 season with nine wins and a draw.
Sports
Dilash hammers quickfire century as rejuvenated DSS put up big score
DSS spark to life after Aravinda’s pep talk
by Reemus Fernando
D.S. Senanayaka College Colombo have been struggling during the third term matches of the Under 19 Division I cricket tournament. They were the lowest placed team in their group according to the year end points table. But yesterday they were a totally different batting unit as the scored 316 for nine wickets declared against Nalanda in their fifth tournament match at DSS ground.
It is now their highest score of the season. While Shanal Binuksha (76), Sohan Yapa (24), and Chanul Athale (46) made useful contributions in the top order, number nine batsman Dilash Kumaranayake hammered an unbeaten 101 runs in 88 balls inclusive of 11 fours and six sixes for the home team to post 316 for nine wickets declared.
Has the relegation scares made the struggling batting unit realized their true potential?
“Aravinda de Silva delivered a pep talk yesterday. He made the boys realize that they were there to enjoy the game of cricket. I think that has transformed the team,” coach Keerthi Gunarathna told The Island.
” There’s a long way to go hope they will keep on fighting,” he said.
The batting legend Aravinda de Silva, an old boy of D.S. Senanayaka has met the cricketers on Gunarathna’s request.
Match Details
Tier ‘A’
Mahanama fight back on 20 wickets day at BRC
Scores
Mahanama
168 all out in 47.4 overs (Chamika Heenatigala 32, Sithum Vihanga 38; Pasindu Maheesha 3/19, Dinal Sewmina 2/33, Praveen Maneesha 4/55) and 32 for no loss in 4 overs
Lumbini
144 all out in 40 overs (Bimsara Weerasinghe 36, Gimhana Wijayapura 33, Ashan Shanika 20; Anuka Wijewardana 4/25, Sithum Vihanga 4/36)
DSS score big against Nalanda at DSS ground
Scores
DSS
316 for 9 decl. in 91.3 overs (Shanal Binuksha 76, Sohan Yapa 24, Chanul Athale 46, Dilash Kumaranayake 101n.o. ; Hasith Rathnayake 2/80, Sadew Samarasinghe 4/61)
Nalanda
9 for no loss in 6 overs
Sebs make Maris Stella follow on at Negombo
Scores
St. Sebastian’s
212 all out in 56.5 overs (Kaveesha Perera 55, Adesh Almeida 40, Koshendra Fernando 37n.o.; Oshada Gunasinghe 4/67, Hasindu Perera 2/40, Kevin Kadigamuwa 3/43)
Maris Stella
107 all out in 30.4 overs (Oshada Gunasinghe 41n.o., Ramith Bandara 28; Malintha Silva 4/21, Adesh Almeida 3/35, Koshendra Fernando 3/32) and 25 for no loss in 6 overs
Thomians 109 for 2 after Bens’ 179 at Mount Lavinia
Scores
St. Benedict’s
179 all out in 63.5 overs (Eshan Edirisuriya 29, Janindu Nandasena 73, Aaron de Silva 3/25 Darien Diago 2/28)
S. Thomas’
109 for 2 in 36 overs (Dineth Goonewardene 55n.o., Avinash Fernando 35n.o.)
Tier ‘B’
Isipatana in complete control at Campbell Park
Scores
Wesley
91 all out in 32.4 overs (Anuga Pahansara 22, Rukshan Tharanga 25; Chanul Dinoth 5/29, Menula Sadev 3/25) and 13 for 3 in 10 overs (Dimuthu Tharaka 2/02)
Isipatana
233 all out in 54.3 overs (Navindu Hettiarachchige 35, Ruchith Rodrigo 48, Dilpa Ruwanaka 24, Ranmith Senarath 44, Chanul Dinoth 47; Dinuja Samararathne 6/63 Adhyaan Zain 3/68)
Isuru, Sanjana score centuries for Moratu Vidyalaya at Ambepussa
Scores
Moratu MV
300 for 6 decl. in 79 overs (Isuru Nidharshana 118, Visal Sri Sathsara 38rtd., Sanjana Senevirathne 104; Shehan Kumara )
St. Anne’s
34 for 1 in 19 overs (Wageesha Ranasinghe 24n.o.)
Traditional Matches
St. Peter’s dominate at Bambalapitiya
Scores
St. Aloysius’
140 all out in 42.5 overs (Charya Paranavithana 36; Dilana Damsara 5/35)
St. Peter’s
213 for 5 in 55 overs (Dilana Damsara 92, Asadisa de Silva 50n.o.)
Sports
M.J.M. Lafir trophy championship commences today
3rd SAARC Snooker Championship
SAARC Snooker Championship conducted by Billiards and Snookers Association of Sri Lanka will commence at the Moors Sports Club billiards table in Colombo today.
The four-day championship organized by the South Asian Cue Sports Association will see 14 cueists from six nations competing for the prestigious M.J.M. Lafir Memorial Trophy.
It is the third edition of the tournament. The inaugural championship was hosted by Bangladesh in the year 2019. It was won by Asjad Iqbal of Pakistan when he defeated compatriot Mohammad Bilaal while the second edition was held in 2022. In 2022, Ishpreet Singh Chadha of India won defeating compatriot Brijesh Damani.
Malship Group along with Pyramid Wilmar, Olanda Villas, National Olympic Committee, Automobile Association and Crown Billiard International have come together to sponsor the event.
The tournament will witness the participation of 14 cueists with four from Sri Lanka and two each from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal.
The hosts are represented by Susantha Boteju who has won 19 national snooker championship titles, Irshath Thaha the reigning national billiard, six red ball snooker and the national snooker champion, Murugesu Prathap and Mohamed Musharaf.
Pakistan fields three time world snooker champion Mohammad Asif who is also the reigning world snooker champion and Naseem Akhta. India will have Saurav Kothari and Paras Gupta, while Bangladesh are represented by Ahmed Nizam Uddin and Asif Imran. Afghanistan will field Salih Mohammad and Mohammad Rahim and Nepal’s pair are Ayush Gautam and Ankit Man Shrestha.
The opening ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Moors Sports Club billiards parlour at 9.00 a.m.
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