by Rex Clementine

One of cricket’s sharpest brains – Ranjan Madugalle – is set to appear in his first Test match in Sri Lanka as a Match Referee when Bangladesh tour the island. Madugalle, a veteran of 193 Test matches started his career with the ICC in 1993. Although he has officiated in over 50 Test matches in places like England (12 at Lord’s alone), this is the first time he will be officiating in a Test match in Sri Lanka. It will be also the first time ever that he will function as Match Referee in a game involving Sri Lanka in any format.

With travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Cricket Council has altered playing conditions which allows local match officials to officiate in games. Otherwise, match officials are not from participating nations. As a result, we have seen Chris Broad officiating England’s home games and Madugalle is set to follow suit.

Former Test cricketer Kumar Dharmasena will also stand as an umpire in a Test match for the first time in Sri Lanka. Dharmasena unlike Madugalle gets regular postings in Sri Lanka in white ball cricket where local umpires are allowed but Madugalle’s opportunities in Sri Lanka have been restricted to ICC events such as – 2011 World Cup games and 2012 World T-20 games and they are just a handful.

Madugalle, currently 61, is a former Test captain who retired at the age of 29 to concentrate on his professional career at Ceylon Tobacco. He has had several stints as a member of the National Selection Panel including the one that served during the 1996 World Cup. Arjuna Ranatunga hails him as one of the best selectors he had worked with calling Madugalle, ‘firm but fair.’

Madugalle has been one of the most respected and long standing officials at the ICC having served the organization for more than quarter century now. His 27 year tenure with the game’s governing body has been an unblemished one although there have been the odd tackle or two by our own.

He was making huge strides as a Match Referee when Sri Lanka Cricket surprisingly withdrew his name in 2000. Time was when the home board nominated Match Referees. Madugalle shifted gears and took to commentary like a duck taking to water. He was hugely popular mixing up his in-depth knowledge, mastery of the language and light-hearted nature.

However, his commentary stint lasted just a few months as ICC revamped the Match Referees panel. Then ICC boss Malcolm Speed did away with home boards nominating match officials and instead ICC directly named them.

Madugalle was not only drafted into the new panel but was named as Chief Match Referee ahead of other stalwarts such as Clive Lloyd, Mike Procter and Gundappa Viswanath.

Madugalle has indeed done Sri Lanka proud as he has become the most sought after cricket official in the world. He has become the obvious choice to officiate World Cup finals whenever Sri Lanka have been not involved and other high profile events such as The Ashes and Border – Gavaskar Trophy.

SLC is yet to announce the schedule for the series but originally Bangladesh were set to play three Test matches in Sri Lanka.