Sports
When your best brains call the shots
by Rex Clementine
There’s a feeling that the national cricket team has turned things around in white ball cricket after some humiliating experiences in the last seven years where there were whitewashes in plenty and failure to earn automatic qualifications for ICC events. Sri Lanka’s come from behind win in the Asia Cup in UAE is definite indication that the team has certainly made a leap forward. A few people were quick to take credit for the team’s success. As they say, victory has thousand fathers but defeat is an orphan.
There are some individuals who have enjoyed Sri Lanka’s recent success but haven’t gone onto claim credit. Former captain Aravinda de Silva and his Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Roshan Mahanama, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan certainly deserves much credit for revamping the cricket structure and introducing some drastic change.
One of Aravinda’s committee’s main decisions was to bring in youth for white ball teams. The young team wasn’t covering themselves in glory at the initial stages and the idea was even frowned upon. However, with constant exposure and with Dasun Shanaka chosen as the new captain, the team started to compete and earlier this month in UAE hit a purple patch. To win five games in a row was quite an achievement and when you think that three of those wins were against India and Pakistan, world’s number one and two ranked teams, you realize how special this was.
There was also a new fitness regime that was introduced around that time. It became a bone of contention with several players becoming ineligible for selections after failing fitness tests. It helped that Sri Lanka had a Head Coach in Mickey Arthur who valued fitness immensely. This resulted in players taking fitness seriously and the consequences of that were less injuries and improved performances.
Restructuring of the coaching department by depending heavily on local talents was another area that was done by the Cricket Advisory Committee. It was not only the national team that was looked at but dedicated coaching staff for under-19, development squad and the ‘A’ team were timely moves.
Another decision taken by them was introducing a new payment scheme for players whereby a performance based system was introduced. Although it was challenged at the start, the stakeholders bought into the new system as it was on merit rather than seniority. The Cricket Advisory Committee’s tenure was short lived but the structures that they put in place were vital in reviving the fortunes of the national cricket team.
Not all parties agreed with the changes that were introduced but they were needed. The Asia Cup win was Sri Lanka’s first major series triumph in eight years. If Sri Lanka wishes consistency on the cricket field moving forward, we need to make most of some of the best brains that we have in the game. Credit should go to Sri Lanka Cricket as well for agreeing to take a back seat and allowing their former captains to call the shots on vital matters in a bid to make the national cricket team competitive again.
Central College produced a remarkable final day comeback to win the Battle of the North Big Match, defeating St. John’s College by three wickets after an outstanding eighth-wicket partnership between Murali Thison and Jesuthasan Nitharsan.
Central had been playing second fiddle to their arch-rivals for most of the match until the morning of the third day, when Thison and Nitharsan turned the game around with a match-winning unbeaten stand of 93 runs.
At the start of the final day Central were in a difficult position, trailing by more than 120 runs with only four wickets in hand. Overnight batsman Iyathure Kabishek, who had scored 21, was dismissed after adding 37 runs for the seventh wicket with Thison. From that point onwards, Thison and Nitharsan combined to frustrate the St. John’s bowlers, batting together for 12 overs to guide their team to a memorable victory.
Emmanouil Karalis in action in Rouen
Thison had already been a thorn in the flesh of the St. John’s batting line-up from the opening day, capturing 12 wickets in the match, including seven in the second innings. However, his superb bowling effort initially appeared likely to go in vain due to Central’s poor batting performance.
Central beat St. John’s by three wickets at the Battle of the North Big Match.
Central had struggled in their first innings, being bowled out for just 95 runs, with the highest individual score coming from Antanareshan Abishek who made 23. Only three other batsmen reached double figures, while Thison was dismissed for just one run.
In contrast, Thison rose to the occasion in the second innings, producing a magnificent unbeaten 81 that proved to be the cornerstone of Central’s successful chase. His innings came off 126 balls and included eight boundaries and a six.
Nitharsan played the perfect supporting role with a brisk unbeaten 44 off just 33 deliveries, striking five fours and two sixes to accelerate the scoring during the decisive stand.
Earlier in the innings, openers Jayaseelan Jenoshan (20) and Kabilan Amalan (45) had given Central a solid start, putting on 44 runs for the first wicket.
St. John’s had earlier gained the advantage with a first-innings lead, and in their second innings a brilliant century from Uthayanan Abijoyshanth — 121 off 105 balls with 15 fours and four sixes — helped them post a challenging total of 247.
Despite the odds being heavily stacked against them heading into the final day, Central’s determined batting display, led by Thison and Nitharsan, ensured a memorable turnaround and a thrilling victory in the historic Battle of the North.
The traditional Big Match between St. Sebastian’s College Moratuwa and Prince of Wales’ College Moratuwa ended in a draw after an absorbing contest at De Soysa Stadium Moratuwa on Sunday.
St. Sebastian’s produced a strong second innings batting display with five top-order batsmen scoring half centuries to finish on 279 for five wickets declared, setting their arch rivals a target of 230 runs for victory.
Prince of Wales struggled in their run chase and were reeling at 54 for five wickets at stumps after 28 overs when play concluded.
Batting first, St. Sebastian’s were bowled out for 214 runs with Chamath Wellalage providing the main resistance with a half century. Nethul Anuhas and Rusandu Silva shared the bowling honours for the Cambrians, claiming three wickets each.
Prince of Wales responded with 263 runs in their first innings to take a slender lead. Suwahas Fernando anchored the innings with a well-compiled 77 off 145 deliveries, holding the top order together. Opening batsman Palingu Perera also made a valuable contribution with 42 runs.
Milantha Silva was the standout bowler for the Sebastianites, delivering a marathon spell of 36.2 overs to capture five wickets for 100 runs. Koshendra Fernando provided good support, claiming three wickets while bowling 31 overs.
In their second innings, St. Sebastian’s mounted an impressive batting effort. Thivanka Fernando (50), Kaveesha Perera (52), Lashen Fernando (54), Koshendra Fernando (66 not out off 68 balls) and Chamath Wellalage (50 not out off 49 balls) all struck half centuries as the Sebastianites declared at 279 for five, setting up an intriguing finish.
However, the Cambrians lost wickets at regular intervals during their chase before the match eventually ended in a draw.
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