Sports

Bobby Knight of Sri Lanka Francis D’ Almeida turns 75 today

Published

4 years ago

2022/02/10

Sahan Weerasooriya

Francis D’ Almeida is garlanded during a felicitation ceremony in 2011.

by Rex Clementine

Legendary US basketball coach Bobby Knight has been an inspiration for those who play the game of basketball having invented new tactics and brought success to many of his teams. Similarly, Francis D’ Almeida changed the way how the game of basketball was played in Sri Lanka with innovative methods. He turns 75 today.

For decades, local basketball coaches had used the zone defence, but it was Francis who introduced the man to man strategy first and his teams were unstoppable having employed this method. With full court trap defences, Francis changed the coaching philosophy in Sri Lanka and today most successful coaches in the island use the man to man strategy.

Francis had tremendous successes coaching Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena, St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, St. Benedict’s College and Ananda College.

Like Bobby Knight, there were occasions when Francis lost his cool on the court at the erring referees but one does not quite recall throwing of chairs. But expletives, yes there were plenty and you picked up new words too from him.

Francis’ highest achievement as a coach was when he guided the Sri Lanka under-18 team to finish sixth in the FIBA Asia Youth Championship held in Korea. He also coached Sri Lanka Youth Women’s team and was the Head Coach of the senior men’s and women’s teams. While Bobby Knight excelled on the court, Francis’ contributions to the game went beyond the court as he was a successful administrator having served as Secretary and Vice-President of SLBF for several years.

The modern generation may know him for his music, but his efforts to promote the game of basketball are unparalleled.

Francis was a pioneer in forming three key associations of Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, namely Coaches’ Association, Referee’s Association and Mercantile Association. The three bodies are vital parts of local basketball having offered jobs for so many who are involved with the game and more importantly lifting the standards of the game. He has been also instrumental in forming several district associations in far off places. His association with the game goes beyond half a century.

Francis is known for his generosity spending his earnings from basketball coaching on his players in looking after their needs.

The Island

wishes him all the very best.

Ad multos annos.

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Latest News

USA need to overturn history to beat Netherlands and stay alive

Published

32 mins ago

2026/02/13

Priyan

Shadley van Schalkwyk has picked up four-fors in both matches so far [Cricinfo]

After running India close in their opening game in Mumbai, USA were outplayed by Pakistan in Colombo in their second. A third successive defeat, against Netherlands on Friday, will knock them out of contention for the Super Eight stage. History is also against USA: they have not beaten Netherlands in three attempts in men’s T20Is.

USA had earlier given New Zealand a scare during the warm-up fixture in Navi Mumbai, but injuries have weakened them since. Fast bowler Ali Khan is nursing a groin injury while Jasdeep Singh (shoulder injury) has been ruled out of the rest of the 2026 T20 World Cup, with former Pakistan fast bowler Ehsan Adil replacing him in the side. Adil was thrown into the XI straightaway in the second game, but ended up conceding 39 runs in three overs against the country of his birth at the Premadasa. It remains to be seen if Shubham Ranjane, who had hurt his knee, is back to full fitness.

USA are yet to nail down their opening combination: Saiteja Mukkamalla was left out after just one failure, against India. He was their most prolific batter in the lead-up to this World Cup and hit 50 off 31 balls in the warm-up match against New Zealand.

Netherlands will be high on confidence after easing past Namibia on the back of Bas de Leede’s all-round effort in Delhi. They bat deep, with Roelof van der Merwe listed at No. 9, and also have a surfeit of bowling options. That depth was central to giving Pakistan a scare in the tournament opener. Netherlands are also familiar with Chennai conditions – their entire squad trained at the Chennai Super Kings Academy in the city for around a week last month.

Picked as the only frontline left-arm spinner in the Netherlands side, ahead of Daniel Doram and Tim Pringle, Roleof van der Merwe followed up his 1 for 13 in three overs against Pakistan with 0 for 22 in two overs against Namibia. The 41-year-old could play a big role against a right-hand-batter heavy USA line-up.

Saurabh Netravalkar’s Mumbai homecoming was far from sweet: he ended up leaking 65 runs in his four overs for no wickets – the most by a bowler in an innings in the T20 World Cup. The left-arm seamer fared much better in USA’s next game against Pakistan, and will look to return to his best against Netherlands.

There’s no reason for Netherlands to tweak their winning combination unless there are any injuries or illnesses in their camp, though veteran Max O’Dowd has been below par.

Netherlands (probable): Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (capt, wk), Zach Lion-Cachet, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Roelof van der Merwe, Timm van der Gugten, Fred Klaasen

If Ali Khan is fit, he could potentially come back in place of Adil. There might be a toss-up between Mukkamalla and Shayan Jahangir for the opening slot.

USA (probable): Andries Gous (wk), Shayan Jahangir/Saiteja Mukkamalla, Monank Patel (capt), Milind Kumar, Sanjay Krishnamurthi , Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh , Mohammad Mohsin, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan/Ehsan Adil

Latest News

Paul Stirling ruled out of World Cup with knee injury

Published

1 hour ago

2026/02/13

Priyan

Paul Stirling, the captain of Ireland, has been ruled out of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, after suffering a knee injury, Cricket Ireland announced on Friday.

Stirling injured his knee while taking a diving catch in the seventh over of the first innings to dismiss Australian opener Josh Inglis on Thursday. As he came down, he landed on the point of his knee on an area of hard ground, and he left the field, handing over the captaincy duties to his deputy, Lorcan Tucker.

Stirling walked out to bat in the run chase, advising the Ireland team management that he felt he was able to bat. However on the first ball, as he set off for a single, he took a few steps and his knee buckled. The Irish captain was forced to retire hurt.

Ireland have included Sam Topping, the 20-year-old uncapped wicketkeeper-batter, as Stirling’s replacement. Topping is currently in Chennai at an off-season training camp with the Northern Knights squad. Last season, Topping scored 217 runs at 31.00 in T20s with a strike rate of 140 in his home domestic season. Topping’s inclusion is also critical as Ben Calitz is carrying some pain in his hand from the last match.

Speaking on the replacement Graeme West, Director of High Performance at Cricket Ireland, said, “Paul Stirling underwent an assessment and a scan after the Australian match which has subsequently revealed ligament damage – as such, he has been ruled out of the remainder of the T20 World Cup. Paul will shortly return home for rest and rehabilitation, ahead of the home summer.

“To replace Paul, we have called up Sam Topping, who is able to provide immediate cover as he is a short flight away in Chennai. Sam has been with the Northern Knights training squad and has been playing and training in similar conditions to Sri Lanka. The skill set he offers provides cover across a number of areas within the squad, which is important as Ben Calitz is also carrying a knock to his hand after the last match.”

[Cricbuzz]

Sports

The silent pace revolution in Sri Lanka

Published

1 hour ago

2026/02/13

Priyan

Anusha Samaranayake (R) has been responsible for the development of many fast bowlers in Sri Lanka [Cricbuzz]

Sri Lanka may be a breeding ground for spinners, but a silent fast-bowling revolution is taking place on the island – rather stealthily, without being largely unnoticed. Every day, around 40-50 pace bowlers, drawn from different parts of Sri Lanka, train at the Khettarama Stadium in Colombo under coach AD Anusha Samaranayake, who has worked with fast bowlers ranging from Lasith Malinga of the previous decade to Matheesha Pathirana of the current era. Sling, swing, pace, bounce, yorkers – the full fast-bowling menu is on display.

“Anusha is the father of Sri Lanka’s fast bowling,” says Zubin Bharucha, a coach of repute in India who has worked – and continues to work – with players ranging from Yashasvi Jaiswal to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. “Few can match his knowledge of biometrics, physics, technique and the neuroscience of fast bowling. He has even worked with spinners.”

Crishan Kalugamage instantly endorses Bharucha’s views. “I have worked with Anusha sir for many years in Italy. I speak to him every day, and certainly before a match. He has a big impact on my bowling,” says the 34-year-old spinner from Italy. Kalugamage called Anusha after Italy’s demolition of Nepal in a Group C league fixture of the World Cup on Thursday. Kalugamage emerged player of the match at the Wankhede with figures of three for 18, and he told this website after the match on Thursday night that even before the Nepal game, he had a conversation with Anusha.

Anusha, himself a fast bowler in his playing days and played first class cricket, has worked with almost all Sri Lanka fast bowlers of recent times, beginning from the start of the century at the academy run by Sri Lanka Cricket. From Nuwan Zoysa and Farveez Maharoof of the past to Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga, Pramod Madushan, Dilshan Madushanka and Nuwan Thushara of the present day, his influence has been wide-ranging.

Along the way, the two famous slingers – Lasith Malinga and Matheesha Pathirana – also came under his wings at the academy. A fact of the matter, Malinga was brought to notice by current Sri Lanka coach Sanath Jayasuriya. And Pathirana had a stint with him and he was advised not to move his face along with his hand before bowling. He has been doing well since. Against Oman in the World Cup on Thursday, Pathirana bowled three overs for 11 runs and the word is back to his past best.

The academy was initially started by Anusha along with Rumesh Ratnayake and Champaka Ramanayake. Rumesh and Champaka later left in search of greener pastures, while Anusha continued with his national duties. He is currently Sri Lanka’s national fast-bowling coach. Incidentally, Anusha has also worked with India pacer Prasidh Krishna and Rahul Dravid’s son, Samit in recent times, having made a trip to Bengaluru.

“I am really surprised by the fast-bowling talent in Sri Lanka,” Bharat Arun, a former India bowling coach, told this website. Arun recently worked with Sri Lanka Cricket and during his two-week stint there in mid-2025, he observed around 70-80 fast bowlers with the potential to break into the national team. “The problem in Sri Lanka is that they tend to address the symptoms rather than the root cause. If they get the system right, there will be many pacers like Malinga and Pathirana,” added Arun.

Anusha (63), of course, is a perfectionist, as Bharucha says. He seems to have an answer to everything about Sri Lanka’s fast bowling – why there are many slingers on the island rather than conventional pacers, why unorthodoxy often outweighs orthodoxy among their quicks, why spin has traditionally taken primacy over pace, and the recent emergence of fast bowlers.

The last question first. It is said that most Sri Lankan pacers come from the coastal areas of the island and are inherently strong, having grown up swimming and running on the beaches – habits that help produce fast bowlers.

Now, coming to the first point – unorthodoxy – it is mainly because there are not many labs, high-performance centers, or research initiatives in the country. The coaches tend to encourage natural, raw talent rather than suppress non-conformity, unlike in other countries who have more organised systems. The reason why slingers emerge from Sri Lanka is that cricket is largely played with tennis balls and sub-innings balls, where sling and sidearm bowling is often more effective than a conventional high-arm action.

Besides, a slinging delivery, bowled from a lower release point, is less likely to meet the sweet spot of the bat than a high-arm delivery. Finally, spin is preferred more in Sri Lanka because the surfaces here deteriorate by about 15 per cent, helping turners more than in SENA countries, where pitches deteriorate by roughly seven per cent, favoring pacers.

Anusha is known for explaining the dynamics of Sri Lanka’s bowling landscape but he does not speak about his own contributions to Sri Lankan cricket. He often talks about three types of fast bowlers. The first group consists of those who bowl around 145 kmph, like Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar. The second group bowls between 125-135 kmph, such as Sri Lanka’s Vaas and India’s Irfan Pathan. The third group includes bowlers who bowl between 135-145 kmph, like James Anderson, and even Wasim Akram.

The first type can unsettle batters with sheer pace but lacks the ability to swing or seam with control. The third type can swing and seam effectively but may not consistently unsettle batters, while the middle type combines both skills – able to bowl with pace, swing, seam, and control.

India’s very own Jasprit Bumrah should belong to this middle category, which could explain his phenomenal success. However, Anusha is contractually bound not to and would not speak about Bumrah or other pacers of current or past generations unless he has permission from his employer, SLC.

[Cricbuzz]