Sports

Rekindling memories of Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test – 40 years on

Published

4 years ago

2022/02/17

Ranjan Madugalle top scored in the first innings with 65 runs and added 99 runs for the fifth wicket with Ranatunga as Sri Lanka recovered after a poor start.

By Dion Schoorman

Today, 17th February, is the 40th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test match and marked a special milestone in the history of Sri Lankan cricket. That game against England began at the Colombo Oval on 17th February 1982.

On the day of the inaugural Test, the country came to a virtual standstill, with everyone being at the game, including the then-President J. R. Jayewardene, Senior Minister and Cricket Board President Gamini Dissanayake and almost the entire Cabinet (of course the cabinet was not nearly as big as the present day!). Cricket administrators from around the world and former Sri Lankan ‘greats’ were all assembled in the main pavilion of the Colombo Oval – known today as the P Sara Stadium.

In attendance was also a spritely young Percy Abeysekera, who entertained everyone with his theme song of those days: ‘ICC, Sir, when can we call you friend?’ The song referred to Sri Lanka’s long struggle to gain Test status, and ended in typical Percy style: ‘NOW, we can call you friend!’

Late Bandula Warnapura faced Sri Lanka’s first ball in Test match cricket and scored the first run. He became the nation’s first Test cricketer.

There was a carnival atmosphere at the grounds – a special coin had been minted for the occasion and was to be used at the toss. The sponsors Hatton National Bank had produced a special range of souvenirs – the most popular one being the cap with the words “Inaugural Test Match – I WAS THERE!’

It was then time for action and Sri Lankan umpires Herbie Felsinger and Kandiah Francis strolled out to the middle signalling the start of play.

When play began, Sri Lankan captain Bandula Warnapura immediately notched up a set of unique records – he became the first skipper to win a toss, he then faced the first ball and scored the first run. He missed out on the chance to get the first boundary and then had the unfortunate record of being the first dismissal. Sadly, the two players involved in that first ball – the bowler Bob Willis and batsman Warnapura have passed away – Willis in December 2019 and Warnapura just four months ago in October 2021.

The Test followed England’s incredible Ashes triumph of 1981 and opening the bowling were the heroes of the famous Headingley Test – Bob Willis and Ian Botham. The pair bowled with great hostility and gave the Lankans a baptism of fire soon reducing the hosts to 34 for four, with the cream of the batting back in the pavilion, and the team’s two youngest members – Ranjan Madugalle and Arjuna Ranatunga – at the crease.

Old doubts began to surface… Was Sri Lanka ready for Test cricket? Can two schoolboys do what their more experienced seniors could not?

Thankfully, those doubts were soon dispelled, as Madugalle (65) and Ranatunga (54) first dug themselves in playing watchful but steady cricket. As they grew in confidence, the youngsters unfurled a range of attractive strokes all around the wicket. Madugalle hit Sri Lanka’s first six and added three more boundaries whilst Ranatunga struck seven fours as the pair notched up Sri Lanka’s first two half-centuries in Tests in a stand of 99 for the fifth wicket to lift the home spirits. The stand ended when Ranatunga shouldered arms to a ball from Derek Underwood which nipped back into the stumps. Ashantha de Mel (19), and wicketkeeper Mahes Goonetilake (22 not out) helped Madugalle add useful runs and Sri Lanka was eventually dismissed for a slightly disappointing 218. Left armer Underwood was the chief destroyer for England with five wickets.

Sri Lanka were 34 for four in the first innings having elected to bat
first in the inaugural Test match. Schoolboy Arjuna Ranatunga posted
the nation’s maiden half-century.

That score was made to look much bigger when the hosts – led by a fiery Ashantha de Mel – rocked England with some early strikes to have them at 40 for three. David Gower (89) and skipper Keith Fletcher (45) then added 80 for the fourth wicket to restore some order. However, the hosts were not about to give up. Showing great determination and character they maintained the pressure on their more experienced opponents and when Underwood was dismissed first ball England were 216 for nine and in real danger of conceding a first innings lead. That they were able to avoid that ignominy was thanks to wicketkeeper Bob Taylor who remained unbeaten on 31 as England crawled to 223 – a lead of just five runs. De Mel was the pick of the bowlers with four for 70, and was ably supported by veteran legspinner Somachandra de Silva and left arm spinner Asoka de Silva with three and two wickets respectively.

When Sri Lanka batted a second time, skipper Warnapura (38) struck five fours and shared a second wicket partnership of 83 with the elegant Roy Dias who weighed in with a typically silken 77 including 11 fours, and the hosts were strongly placed at 152 for 3, at the end of the third day. At the wickets were Duleep Mendis on 16 and first innings hero Madugalle who had just come in and was yet to open his account. The Sri Lankans clearly had the upper hand and their fans were jubilant and dreaming of a sensational win to mark their entry into Test cricket. Another 150 runs would leave the visitors a tough task on a wearing wicket.

Sadly for Sri Lankan fans, the fairy tale was not to be and instead the fourth day turned into a nightmare for the hosts. The day began well enough as the overnight pair of Mendis and Madugalle moved sedately along and took the score to 167 when suddenly everything started to go horribly wrong. Madugalle who had made just three off 52 balls edged Emburey to Cook and shortly afterwards the other first innings hero Ranatunga was snapped up by Fletcher off Emburey for two. Underwood then had Somachandra de Silva caught by Fletcher for one. Mendis who had made 27 with a six and two fours, tried to hit his way out of trouble but was caught by Willis off Emburey. The hosts lost their last seven wickets for a mere eight runs, to slide from 167 for 3 to 175 all out.

Off spinner John Emburey who went wicketless in the first innings, was virtually unplayable on a wicket assisting spin and grabbed a rich haul of six for 33 off 25 overs whilst Derek Underwood bagged three more wickets to add to the five he took in the first innings for a match bag of eight wickets. England were left a target of 171 for victory and although De Mel dismissed Geoff Cook for a duck, to briefly excite local fans, Chris Tavaré atoned for his first inning duck with a stolid 85 and Gower weighed in with 42 not out to ease their side to a seven-wicket win and break the hearts of the local fans.

Since that first Test, for the last 40 years our cricketers have caused a whole range of emotions over their performances – from gut wrenching disappointments to delirious ecstasies. There has been a lot of angst but there certainly have been magical moments of rapture as well.

(Dion Schoorman covered the nation’s first Test match 40 years ago. Later he went onto become the Bureau Chief of Reuters in Colombo)

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Sports

High-scoring draw gives West Indies rare series win

Published

7 hours ago

2026/07/9

Sahan Weerasooriya

Brandon King scored an unbeaten fifty in the fourth innings

After 1408 runs and 28 wickets, and even some rain delays over five days, the result that had long been telegraphed came to pass as West Indies and Sri Lanka and played out a draw in the second and final Test in North Sound. The stalemate means a first Test series victory in 11 attempts for West Indies, their last coming in 2023. For their last home Test series win, one would have to go back to June 2022.

And it was perhaps the significance – and rarity – of this achievement that informed the hosts’ approach over the course of this Test, which was also the first in 2026 to end in a draw. Following Sri Lanka’s imposing first-innings effort, West Indies’ response – on a good batting surface – never really appeared to be in search of a victory.

Set a target of 302 John Campbell and Brandon King never threatened to take it on. Even so, both scoring fifties – Campbell for the second time this Test – will have given the pair and the West Indies dressing room cause for optimism after their recent batting travails in the longest format.

Moreover, with WTC points of less importance since they have already been eliminated from contention for a final berth, the series win was all that mattered for West Indies. And in that context, it was incumbent on Sri Lanka to do most of the running, though on a true surface that scarcely deteriorated over the course of the Test, the visiting bowlers were always facing an uphill challenge in picking up 20 wickets to win the game and level the series.

They did come out on the final morning with belief – however implausible – that they might be able to manifest a miracle. The first part of the plan was quick runs, and in that they excelled. Dinesh Chandimal and Kamindu Mendis were the overnight pair, and it was clear from the outset that they would look to take on the bowling.

West Indies, however, weren’t in any mood to make it easy, as they stuck to defensive fields and lines – stacking a 2-7 field to the seamers, while the spinners lived on leg-stump lines. Despite this, Sri Lanka galloped along at a scoring rate of 5.79 in the session, one where they struck 139 runs in 24 overs.

The risks they were forced to take also meant that six wickets fell in the first two hours of play – comfortably the most in a single session all Test. But a closer look at each and it was clear why Sri Lanka were not totally at ease with a lunch-time declaration.

Kamindu spliced a top edge looking to crash an off-side length ball from Jayden Seales, Dhananjaya de Silva holed out to long-off, while both Chandimal and Kusal Mendis carved chances straight to gully. Sonal Dinusha, meanwhile, was run out courtesy a direct hit from deep point as he strained to make it back for an ambitious second run, while Isitha Wijesundara missed with a wild heave.

After days of obdurate Test cricket, this period resembled the later overs of an ODI, as Sri Lanka scrambled desperately for every run on offer, but it was more batter errors than any demons in the surface.

At lunch, the lead had swelled to 281 and many speculated an imminent declaration, but Sri Lanka made the surprise call to continue batting. The target, it seems, was a lead of at least 300, and this was achieved in three overs after lunch, after which the declaration was promptly signalled.

Considering the relative ease with which Campbell and King proceeded for the remainder of the session – and the day – there was perhaps merit in padding the target – and in turn eating into roughly 25 minutes of play in the second session that would otherwise have been afforded West Indies to chase.

Scores:

Sri Lanka

549 for 9 dec 139.3 overs (Lahiru Udara 188, Kamindu Mendis 84, Kusal Mendis 69, Dinusha 92; Jayden Seales 2-98, Shamar Joseph 2-98) and 251 for 9 dec in 49 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 71, Kamindu Mendis 44; Alzarri Joseph 2-44) drew with West Indies 499 in 165.5overs (John Campbell 72, Shai Hope 112, Justin Greaves 180; Asitha Fernando 5-130, Prabath Jayasuriya 3-131) and 109 for 0 in 40 overs (John Campbell 51*, Brandon King 51*)

(Cricinfo)

Sports

Bipun, Pathiv shine with outstanding feats

Published

7 hours ago

2026/07/9

Sahan Weerasooriya

Bipun Alwis

A superb century by Pathiv Vehan for St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa and a five wicket haul by Bipun Alwis for De Mazenod College Kandana were among the top individual performances of the day in the Under 17 Division I cricket tournament continued on Wednesday.

‎‎Bipun Alwis continued his outstanding form with the ball, producing another match-winning five-wicket haul as De Mazenod College, Kandana defeated Christ King College, Ja-Ela by six wickets in their match played at the De Mazenod College Grounds, Kandana.

‎Alwis ripped through Christ King’s batting line-up, claiming a superb 5 for 19 from his 10 overs, including three maidens at an exceptional economy rate of 1.90. His victims included top order batsmen, Ashen Anjelo (24), Shevon Vihanga (29), Tujan Adithya (0), Sayura Akash (0) and Saduka Fernando (0), triggering a collapse from 65 for no loss to 91 for six. Christ King were eventually dismissed for 159 in 49.3 overs.

‎De Mazenod comfortably chased the target, reaching 163 for 4 in 38.1 overs. Dimeth Imendra anchored the innings with a composed 70 off 132 deliveries, while Ashel Perera struck a brisk 37 and Ushan Adithya remained unbeaten on 21 to steer the hosts home.

‎Alwis’ latest five-wicket haul further underlined his consistency this season, adding another outstanding spell to his growing list of match-winning bowling performances. His ability to dismantle top order batsmen has made him one of De Mazenod’s key performers in the 2026 Under-17 Division I campaign.

‎Meanwhile a superb century from Pathiv Vehan set the stage for St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa to record an exciting 24-run victory over Sri Sumangala College, Panadura in their Group A encounter played at the Bandaragama Public Grounds.

‎Batting first, St. Sebastian’s posted a formidable 291 for 8 in their 50 overs, built around an outstanding knock of 130 off 97 balls by Pathiv Vehan. His match-deciding innings featured 21 boundaries and two sixes, dominating the Sri Sumangala bowling attack. Navinu Fernando provided valuable support with a composed 54, while Nisila Dimath contributed 29 and Nithusha Fernando remained unbeaten on 25. Sakun Pansilu claimed 4 for 72 and Chanithu Ranyuru picked up 3 for 57 for Sri Sumangala.

‎In reply, Sri Sumangala fought bravely and finished on 267 for 9 in 49.5 overs. Chanithu Ranyuru led the chase with a blistering 74 off 57 deliveries, while Sanithu Hemsara scored 40 and Dinuga Thathsilu remained unbeaten on 40. However, St. Sebastian’s bowlers held their nerve, with Adeesha Lakshan producing 4 for 41. Sanoj Perera, Navinu Fernando and Nithusha Fernando claimed a wicket each as St. Sebastian’s secured a hard-fought 24-run victory.

(RF)

Sports

Sri Lanka Tennis Premier League unveils vision to transform the business of tennis in Sri Lanka

Published

7 hours ago

2026/07/9

Sahan Weerasooriya

From left: Avishka Silva (CL Synergy - Title Sponsor), Yasser Farook (Wilson - Powered By Sponsor), Arjun Fernando (SLTPL Steering Committee), Kamal Munasinghe (Cinnamon Hotels - Hospitality partner), Chalaka Bogoda (DIMO - Luxury Automobile Partner), Iqbal Bin Issak (President SLTA), Rukmal Cooray (Vice President SLTA ), Roshan Silva - (Director SLTPL), Pradeep Goonasekera (Secretary General SLTA)

Stake holders of the Sri Lanka Tennis Premier League at the launch

The Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) officially launched the Sri Lanka Tennis Premier League (SLTPL), at The Studio – Cinnamon Life City of Dreams, unveiling a landmark franchise-based sporting property designed to redefine the future of tennis in Sri Lanka through professional league management, corporate partnerships and technology-driven tournament operations.

The launch event was attended by key stakeholders including Iqbal Bin Issak – President SLTA, Rukmal Cooray – Vice President SLTA, Roshan Silva – Director SLTPL, and Steering Committee Members Aasiri Iddamalgoda, Sanjay Wijemanne, and Arjun Fernando. The event also saw the presence of potential franchise owners, prospective sponsors and strategic partners, reflecting strong early interest in the League’s commercial and sporting potential.

Set to be held from 27–30 August 2026, the inaugural edition of the SLTPL will feature eight franchise teams, bringing together Sri Lanka’s leading tennis talent across multiple age categories in an innovative team-based competition.

The League has been conceived as a long-term platform that extends beyond competition, with the objective of creating sustainable commercial value for the sport while providing players, franchises, sponsors and fans with an enhanced tennis experience.

A significant milestone at the launch was the announcement of the League’s founding commercial partners, who have committed to supporting the SLTPL from its inaugural season.

CL Synergy was announced as the Title Sponsor, Wilson as the Powered By Partner, Cinnamon Life as the Hospitality Partner, and DIMO as the Exclusive Luxury Automobile Partner.

League officials presented commemorative tokens of appreciation to each partner in recognition of their confidence in supporting the League during its formative stages and contributing towards the establishment of a new era for Sri Lankan tennis.

Another defining feature of the launch was the unveiling of the League’s integrated digital ecosystem, developed specifically to manage every aspect of the tournament.

The official website, www.sltpl.lk, together with the SLTPL Digital Platform, provides a comprehensive technology infrastructure encompassing player registration, player management, franchise auctions, tournament scheduling, live scoring, results management, player rankings, statistical reporting and performance analytics.

Designed as a fully integrated operational platform, the system enables efficient administration while significantly enhancing transparency, accessibility and the overall experience for players, franchises, officials, sponsors, media and fans.

The initiative has received enthusiastic support from the wider tennis community, including players, coaches and administrators, who view the League as a significant step forward for the sport in Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the launch, League officials highlighted that the SLTPL represents more than a tournament; it is a strategic investment in the future of Sri Lankan tennis. By introducing a professionally managed franchise model, the League seeks to create new commercial opportunities, strengthen player pathways, encourage greater private sector participation and elevate the overall standard of the sport.

The League is expected to serve as a catalyst for increased investment into tennis infrastructure, player development and high-performance competition, while creating a sustainable ecosystem capable of supporting the sport’s long-term growth.

With strong institutional leadership from the Sri Lanka Tennis Association, the support of leading corporate partners and the deployment of modern digital infrastructure, the Sri Lanka Tennis Premier League aims to establish itself as one of Sri Lanka’s premier sporting properties and a benchmark for the professional management of sport in the country.

As preparations continue for the inaugural tournament in August, the League is expected to announce further strategic partnerships, franchise developments and player-related milestones in the lead-up to the opening serve.