Sports

Awful planning leaves Sri Lanka in mess

Published

5 years ago

2021/07/4

By Rex Clementine

President J.R Jayewardene in July 1981 pardoned underworld kingpin Gonawala Sunil, a convicted rapist. Just a reminder that Presidential pardons were nothing new. The government didn’t stop there. Sunil was made a Justice of Peace. Thirty years later, Sri Lanka’s selectors borrowed a leaf out of the ex-President’s book. They appointed Kusal Mendis as the national cricket team’s vice-captain less than a year after he was arrested and released on bail for causing a motor accident in Panadura killing a 64-year-old man.

SLC gave thumbs up while Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa ratified it. Today, all three would not touch Mendis with a barge pole.

Into the bargain, Kusal had lost his place in the side. He was out of form and there were concerns about his off the field demeanour. Still the selectors thought he was the best bet to be groomed as our next leader.

We keep hearing that Kuasl has got talent and all but talent alone will not help you succeed. There are other ingredients like discipline, hard work and commitment.

Both Danushka Gunathilaka and Niroshan Dickwella are serial offenders and very little effort was made by powers that be to put the players in their places. Hence, we are faced with today’s shame where Sri Lankan cricket has become the laughing stock in front of the public.

It is earnestly hoped that SLC deals with the trio firmly. Another slap on the wrist due to club or other affiliations is only going to do the game more harm. The signals that you are getting from Maitland Place are mixed. Here’s why?

If you wonder who was the last Sri Lankan player to be sent home from a tour, it was Jeffrey Vandersay. A night out in St. Lucia during Sri Lanka’s tour of West Indies cost him dearly. He has not represented Sri Lanka for two years but suddenly he is back in the reckoning now ahead of the India series as he has entered the Bio Secure bubble. Has he done anything significant to merit selections? That’s not the case. So why all of a sudden go back to someone who has a colourful history when it comes to discipline?

When Sri Lanka left for England, you sensed this was going to be a 6-0 affair. But then, England did not field their best team. There’s no Ben Stokes and Joffra Archer while Jos Buttler and Jason Roy have appeared sparingly.

Even then you would say that England are too strong and you can understand Sri Lanka’s struggle. But surely, we could have done much better. We made some strange decisions on tour and our think tank has been exposed. Both selectors and management have little clue on what has happened in the last two or three years and they have failed to keep pace with the game globally.

Not just Kusal Mendis as vice-captain, even their choice for captain was rather strange. Kusal Janith Perera did not captain Royal. He was vice-captain to Yasitha Abeykoon in 2009, a remarkable year for Royal. After school, KJP joined Colts Cricket Club and has remained there for 12 years now. He succeeded Angelo Mathews as captain but has skippered the club for barely three games or so.

So on what basis you pick him to captain the side? If it is experimental what you do is that you hand him the captaincy in one format. But KJP was given both ODI and T-20 sides’ leadership when there was already Dasun Shanaka who had skippered the side to a series win in Pakistan against world’s number one ranked team. As Kumar Sangakkara once said, like God, selectors move about in mysterious ways.

When Dimuth Karunaratne was appointed captain for the last World Cup, he had not played an ODI for more than four years. But the selectors then had very good reason. Sri Lanka were struggling to bat out the full 50 overs and Dimuth was expected to bat through the innings, a role he did to perfection. But all of a sudden he is sacked as skipper and dropped from the side. Again old problems resurface as Sri Lanka are not able to bat 50 overs in England.

What’s the toughest position to bat in cricket? There will be many opinions but most would agree that it is number three. There’s this promising young cricketer Charith Asalanka who makes his debut in Chester-le-Street and where does he bat? Number three. Who’s batting for England there? One bloke by the name of Joe Root. Who’s batting for India in that position? There’s someone called Virat Kohli? What about Australia? Oh, they have got Steven Smith. And Pakistan? Well, they have world’s number one ranked batsman in Babar Azam. Pramodaya Wickramasinghe gets a debutant to bat at number three! That was one of the most bizarre decisions you have seen in cricket.

You feel for players like Asalanka and Oshada Fernando. The whole world is laughing at them but the problem doesn’t lie with them.

It is earnestly hoped that at least now without wasting further time that authorities invest on the Inter-Provincial competition. Officials in order to show solidarity with clubs avoid the Provincial tournament like the plague and if we continue to do so the world will keep laughing at us.

All News Advertisement

Sports

President’s Balika win gold at All Island School Games

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

President’s Balika Nawala, won the girls’ hockey title at the All Island Schools Games, held recently at the Astro Turf, Reid Avenue. It was the second consecutive year the school had claimed the title.

Nethuli Dinethmi, who played a vital role in the team’s success, was named Best Player of the tournament.The victorious team is pictured here with the school’s officials, namely, H.P.M.P.D.Hasanthi Pathirathna, Principal, S.K.Tharsha Ranasinghe, Vice Principal, M.D.D. Aloka Dissanayake, Teacher in Charge of Sports, R.P.D. Dilrukshi, Teacher in Charge of Sports and Chathura Kalum Rupasinghe (Coach).

(Pic by Thushara Athapaththu)

Sports

Sorry state of Sri Lanka’s T20 cricket

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

by Rex Clementine

Sri Lanka were once pioneers in limited overs cricket, setting the bar so high that the rest of the world was left scrambling to catch up. And mind you, this was not confined to the 50 over format, where Sri Lanka tore up the coaching manuals, embraced an unconventional brand of cricket and took the world by storm.

Even in T20 cricket, despite not possessing an abundance of power hitters, Sri Lanka punched well above their weight.

Clever improvisation, fearless innovation and a willingness to back unorthodox talent helped them make the cricketing world eat humble pie. Fast forward to the present, however, and the picture is anything but rosy. Sri Lanka’s T20 cricket is in a sorry state, and there is no hiding the mountain of work ahead.

In Pakistan, their shortcomings have been laid bare, with the team repeatedly found wanting and left high and dry.

Successive administrations have tried every trick in the book to arrest the slide. Power hitting coaches have been brought in, psychologists engaged, players given unrestricted access to franchise leagues and emerging talent afforded regular exposure. Yet, for all these efforts, Sri Lanka’s players, particularly the batters, have struggled to raise the bar.

The series defeat to Pakistan was Sri Lanka’s fifth this year. Add to that the disappointments at the World Cup and the Asian Games and the picture becomes even more depressing. True, Sri Lanka returned from Japan with a bronze medal, but India provided a brutal reminder of the widening gulf between the haves and the have nots.

So, where do Sri Lanka go from here?

The Cricket Committee would do well to pick the brains of captains and coaches who have cracked the T20 code in recent years. There is no shame in learning from those who have mastered the format. The challenge is to identify a blueprint for su ccess and see how best those ideas can be adapted to Sri Lankan cricket.

Head coach Gary Kirsten himself has worked with successful franchises around the world. Perhaps he should be given a free hand to bring in specialist expertise if he believes that is what the team needs.

For all the disappointments in T20 cricket, fielding had remained one area where Sri Lanka could still hold their heads high. Alarmingly, even that department is beginning to unravel. The wheels appear to be coming off in a discipline that was once a hallmark of Sri Lankan cricket.

There were, however, a few encouraging signs in the final game against Pakistan. The manner in which Kusal Mendis went about his business was a breath of fresh air. The Sri Lankan captain struck at an impressive 181, combining clean hitting with the sort of innovation that has been conspicuously absent from the team’s batting.

Kamindu Mendis, too, showed signs of returning to form and Sri Lankan supporters will be hoping the pair can carry that momentum into the triangular ODI competition, also featuring England, which gets underway later this week.

Sri Lanka badly missed Pathum Nissanka, their highest ranked T20I batter at number nine in the ICC rankings. His absence robbed the batting line up of much needed quality and consistency. To compound matters, a troublesome hamstring has left his participation in the ODI leg uncertain as well.

The occasional flash of brilliance may offer some comfort, but it cannot disguise the larger malaise. Sri Lanka were once the trendsetters in limited overs cricket. Today, they are struggling to keep pace with the rest. Unless there is a serious rethink, the gap will only grow wider.

Sports

Richmond seal quarter final berth as Tenusha bags another five wicket haul

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

Tenusha Nimsara

by Reemus Fernando

Richmond College, Galle wrapped up their group stage unbeaten as Tenusha Nimsara claimed his second five-wicket haul of the tournament, steering them to a thrilling two-wicket win over D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo, in their U19 Division I Tier A Limited Overs Tournament Group B encounter at Karandeniya on Wednesday.

‎Chasing a modest target of 118, Richmond reached 118 for eight in 44.2 overs, surviving a tense battle after DSS had put up a determined fight with the ball.

‎Earlier, DSS were bowled out for 117 as Richmond’s bowlers delivered an impressive collective performance. Left arm spinner Nimsara was the standout performer, claiming five wickets for just eight runs in eight overs, including two maidens. Hiruk Akalanka and Punal Hansajith claimed one wicket each, while Tenura Dias and Gayuka Manawadu took two and one wickets respectively. It was Nimsara’s second five-wicket haul. He has 14 wickets against his name going to the quarter finals.

‎Richmond struggled in their essay as DSS bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the chase. Sadil Dias led the attack with three wickets for 26 runs, while Oshadha Perera claimed two wickets.

‎Vinuda Ravishan played a crucial role in Richmond’s chase, scoring 44 off 114 deliveries.

Unbroken seventh-wicket stand steers Wesley

‎Wesley College secured a vital four-wicket victory over S. Thomas’ College in their Tier A match at Mount Lavinia thanks largely to an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership.

‎Chasing a modest target of 140, Wesley were in trouble at 82 for six before Lithum Senuja and Lithma Perera joined forces to guide their side home. The pair shared an unbroken 58-run partnership for the seventh wicket, taking Wesley to 140 for six in 44.1 overs.

‎Senuja anchored the innings with a patient unbeaten 46 off 116 balls, while Perera provided valuable support with an unbeaten 25 off 43 deliveries. Their composed partnership ensured Wesley overcame a difficult situation to claim victory.‎

St Joseph’s secure quarter-final place

‎St Joseph’s College, Darley Road scored a 46 run win under the DLS method against Thurstan in their encounter at Darley Road to secure a place in the quarter finals.

‎Batting first, St Joseph’s posted 193 all out in 44.4 overs, with Kavith Fernando top-scoring with 53 off 53 balls. Yenula Dantanarayana contributed 38 and Aveesha Samash made 36.

‎Thurstan reached 112 for seven in 30 overs against a revised par score of 158. Rachintha De Silva scored 42 off 27 balls, while Vigneswaran Akash starred with three wickets for 21 runs. Nushan Perera and Vishwa Peiris claimed two wickets each.

‎Earlier in the tournament they beat Gurukula and St. Servatius’ while conceeding their only defeat against Nalanda.‎

Mahanama beat Cambrians

‎Mahanama College, Colombo, beat Prince of Wales’ College, Moratuwa, by five wickets in their match at Moratuwa. Prince of Wales’ scored 141/9 in 27 overs, with Matheesha Aponsu top-scoring with 58. Mahanama chased down the target, reaching in 18.4 overs. Sineth Veerarathne scored 48 off 26 balls, while Dulneth Algawatte remained unbeaten on 30. Ojash Shankar took three wickets for Prince of Wales.‎

‎Janith Panditharathna took four wickets as St. Peter’s College Colombo beat Lumbini by 58 runs in their match at Colts ground.