Sports

Let the selectors not fool us

Published

3 years ago

2022/11/20

by Rex Clementine

Are you not surprised that after Danushka Gunathilaka’s arrest in Sydney no one has resigned. Ideally, the National Selection Committee and Team Manager should have stepped down, but they are hanging on as if nothing happened. The team management clearly lost control of the players during the World Cup and it remains to be seen the outcome of the probe that has been launched.

There is a wide difference between an independent probe and an in-house probe. Afterall, when an independent probe was launched last time, the judge had recommended a two-year suspension on Danushka Gunathilaka. But it was reduced to six months. By sparing the rod the authorities spoilt the child.

Danushka was injured having played just one game. That was on the 16th of October. The physiotherapist had told the team management that he should be fine in five days’ time but even when they were in Perth ten days later, he had not recovered. Anyway, a decision had been taken to replace Danushka with Ashen Bandara. The team management at least at this point should have sent him home especially with additional replacements arriving from Colombo to be standby just in case there were further injuries.

With Danushka the team is always flirting with danger. Watching the team train from the sidelines in Sydney where you get a first-hand glimpse of how players go about things; you know his focus is not on cricket. So, how people who see him day in and day out failed to detect the same is mind-blowing.

Had Danuhska been in good form the selectors had ground to argue. His form was horrendous, just one double figure score in the last five innings and the last half-century coming in May 2021, that is 20 innings without a half-century, strange for a top order batter.

The other strange selection was that of Jeffrey Vandersay. The leg-spinner was a mere passenger not even playing a warm-up game in Australia. With Sri Lanka’s chances of going through to the semi-finals over, you at least thought that he would be given a break for the dead-rubber against England in Sydney. It was a track tailor-made for spin. However, they brought in Chamika Karunaratne, who had been dropped for the earlier game. Then, Chamika did not even get to bowl. It was a comedy of errors. The national cricket team deserves better than what’s been happening now. There’s lack of clarity and transparency in selections. What is worse is that there has been little communication on the decisions that have been taken.

Having come in with a highly publicized fitness regime, the selectors convinced the public that they will kick out anyone who failed to meet minimum fitness standards. It has turned out to be a publicity stunt. Part of the problem why so many players broke down during the World Cup was because they had dodged fitness tests. It now emerges that since the Asia Cup, fitness tests were not done on the requests of certain players. Players dictating terms and selection criteria is recipe for disaster. That’s what we witnessed during the World Cup.

Danushka’s incident took attention from Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign. Effectively, the team managed just four wins and failed to beat any of the top billed teams. In fact, they suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Namibia.

Sri Lanka’s top order clicked but the middle order was a flop. Had the middle order fired, the team could have beaten England which means they wouldn’t have gone onto win the World Cup. Sri Lanka could have also given Australia a closer run had the middle order clicked.

We are on the verge of a three-match limited overs series at Pallekele against Afghanistan and it is crucial for the team to gain automatic qualification for The World Cup. The selectors need to tell us as to why they think that the team is better off without someone like Angelo Mathews.

You have just finished a tournament where your middle order had been found wanting, should you not set your pride aside and be pragmatic and recall your senior-most batter?

One thing that you expect when selectors back young blood is that fielding to be top class. However, the current team’s fielding has been a letdown and the presence of a senior player is not going to adversely affect the team.

Sidath Wettimuny is the prime example of managing players when he was Chairman of Selectors. He introduced a similar aggressive youth policy after a poor World Cup campaign in 1999. However, he did not burn bridges. He kept the doors open for the seniors to bounce back and when the need arose they were accommodated. There were no grudges between him and players. As a result, Aravinda de Silva and Hashan Thilakaratne, who were both axed after the 1999 World Cup, were back in the team for the 2003 World Cup and Aravinda bowed off with his head held high.

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Sports

Akbar Brothers crowned MBSA A-Division champions

Published

11 hours ago

2025/12/15

Priyan

Akbar Brothers Ltd delivered a commanding all-round performance to clinch the ‘A’ Division title at the 33rd MSBA League Basketball Tournament, defeating defending champions Fairfirst Insurance 70–60 in a thrilling final held recently.

Despite a group stage loss to Fairfirst, a revitalized Akbar Brothers team returned for the final with renewed focus, executing a strategic and disciplined game plan with some excellent passing and defense. Akbar Brothers came in with all guns blazing right from the outset. The first quarter was all Akbar’s that stacked up a 13 to 4 lead. Fairfirst mounted a strong challenge in the second quarter, narrowing the margin, but Akbar’s momentum secured a 35–28 lead at halftime, a margin they maintained with composure through to the final whistle.

Dasun Mendis led the charge for Akbar Brothers with 18 points and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). Chenura De Alwis added 17 points to the tally, while Shehan Udayanga posted a valiant 22 points for Fairfirst. Dimitri Grebe anchored Akbar Brothers with strong leadership, with Hiran Wijesooriya captaining Fairfirst.

Earlier in the tournament Akbar Brothers beat Sampath Bank (82-71), Seylan Bank (91-68) David Pieris (110-78) and Seylan Bank in the semi final (83-60)

The final, held at the Royal College Indoor Sports Complex, saw a vibrant turnout of supporters as Akbar Brothers proved their championship mettle with teamwork, resilience, and clinical execution.

Akbar Brothers – Dimitri Grebe (Captain), Dasun Mendis, Chenura De Alwis, Randil Henry, Taher Akbarally, Selvam Savarimuttu, Franklyn Morais, Sanketha Jayarathne, Jeewan Priyankera , Praneeth Udumalagala, Ajith Kuruppu (Coach), Adrian Gabriel (Asst. Coach)

Fairfirst Insurance – Hiran Wijesooriya (Captain), Shehan Udayanga , Lakshan Kulathunga, Roshan Randima, Arnold Brent, Isuru Perera, Denzil Nicholas, Nimesh Fernando, Keshawa Perera, Charaka Anuhas, Asanga Perera (Coach)

Sports

Wrong time for musical chairs in cricket

Published

23 hours ago

2025/12/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

Moves are underway to replace former opening batter Upul Tharanga as Chairman of Selectors, the latest in a series of shake-ups that have gathered pace alarmingly close to the showpiece event.

With just six weeks to go for the World Cup that Sri Lanka will co-host, the ground appears to be shifting under the selectors’ feet. Moves are underway to replace former opening batter Upul Tharanga as Chairman of Selectors, the latest in a series of shake-ups that have gathered pace alarmingly close to the showpiece event.

First came the reshuffling of the coaching staff. Then there were strong signals that captain Charith Asalanka could be moved aside. Now the selection panel itself is set for an overhaul. One is tempted to ask whether all this chopping and changing is really necessary with the tournament looming large on the horizon.

It is true that the selectors’ term will expire by the book, a new panel must take guard. But with less than two months left before the World Cup, common sense would suggest to let the status quo remain.

Tharanga’s panel has not been flawless, but it has hardly been a basket case either. Recent weeks have produced some sobering results, including a 3-0 ODI whitewash in Pakistan and an embarrassing T20 loss to Zimbabwe. Yet the team showed resilience, regrouped and fought their way into the finals, where they eventually went down to Pakistan.

There were tangible gains too. Sri Lanka climbed to fourth in the ODI rankings and even pulled off a Test victory over England. The wheels came off mainly in the T20 format, where they failed to progress beyond the first round of the last World Cup — a shortcoming that cannot be pinned on selection alone.

If there must be a changing of the guard, logic dictates that it should wait until after the World Cup. Midstream changes at the top rarely help steady a ship already sailing in choppy waters.

What is more troubling is the prospect of a familiar face returning to the hot seat — someone under whose watch Sri Lanka endured disastrous returns. During that previous tenure, selections were muddled and knee-jerk. A poor series often meant wholesale culling, with players axed almost as soon as they were drafted in, leaving no room for continuity or confidence.

There were baffling calls too: Maheesh Theekshana fast-tracked into Test cricket on the strength of his white-ball exploits, while Dunith Wellalage was handed a Test debut before even playing a T20 International. Such horses-for-courses thinking, taken to extremes, left Sri Lanka without a clear road map.

The end result was grim. Sri Lanka finished ninth at the 2023 World Cup, failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy and for the first time in their history, missed out on an ICC event altogether.

Sri Lanka Cricket’s deeper problem is a lack of willing candidates. Few former players are keen to step into the firing line of selection, a role that guarantees brickbats regardless of results. Cornered, the board has repeatedly turned to recycled hands — men who have done the job before, with precious little to show for it.

With the World Cup just around the bend, Sri Lanka can ill afford to keep moving the goalposts. Stability, not another roll of the dice, may yet be their best play.

by Rex Clementine

Sports

Seneviratne five-for blows Nepal away

Published

24 hours ago

2025/12/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sethmika Seneviratne was the Player of the Match for bagging 5 for 25.(ACC)

It was a run-out that started it all after Sri Lanka Under-19s captain Vimath Dinsara asked Nepal Under-19s to bat first in their Group B game at the Under-19s Asia Cup. Nepal were steady at 30 without loss, but come the eighth over, Dinsara combined with wicketkeeper Aadham Hilmy to run Niraj Kumar Yadav out for 10. That started a slide, and Nepal never recovered thereafter.

Sethmika Seneviratne had Sahil Patel caught for 12 in the ninth over, bowled Vansh Chhetri for a duck in the 11th, and then had Dilsad Ali caught without scoring in the 13th. Sri Lanka reduced Nepal to 37 for 4, with the four wickets gone for the addition of just seven runs within six overs.

‎At that stage, Nepal’s captain Ashok Dhami joined Cibrin Shrestha. Just when they looked set to help Nepal find a way back, Rasith Nimsara broke the 24-run stand by having Dhami caught behind for 9 to start the 21st over. Soon, 61 for 4 became 82 all out. Vigneshwaran Akash struck next to dismiss Shrestha for 18, which was Nepal’s highest score.

No Nepal batter after Shreshta even got into double figures, while Seneviratne got two lower-order batters to complete his five-for. Seneviratne finished with 5 for 25, and left Sri Lanka’s batters with little to do.

Although Nepal had Sri Lanka at 25 for 2 in the 83 chase, that only seemed like consolation. Dimantha Mahavithana (39*) and Kavija Gamage (24*) wiped Nepal out with an unbroken stand of 59, as Sri Lanka won with eight wickets and a massive 35.1 overs to spare.

‎Scores

‎Sri Lanka U-19s 84 for 2 (Mahavithana 39n.o., Kavija Gamage 24n.o., Mandal 1-16)

‎Nepal U-19s 82 (Shrestha 18, Seneviratne 5-25, Sigera 1-3)