Sports

No one is indispensable

Published

5 years ago

2021/08/1

By Rex Clementine

When Sri Lanka’s selectors benched a whole lot of seniors, they were going to build the side on three prolific young players. Kusal Mendis had been earmarked as the man destined to break Kumar Sangakkara’s batting records, Niroshan Dickwella with an ability to get under the skin of the opposition had been identified as captain material and Danushka Gunathilaka, the man best suited to bat the power plays. Alas, their excesses in England breaching the bio-bubble saw them being sent home from the tour and handed one year suspensions plus a hefty fine. It’s all back to square one now as the selectors have been forced to look for replacements.

There was little doubt that Mendis was destined for greatness from the moment he was picked to make his Test debut with less than a handful of First Class games to his credit. The other two although were not the same class as Mendis, SLC had heavily invested on them. Now, they have thrown it away and it’s a classic case of talent going astray; they have dug their own graves. When they are ready to return, as we have seen time and again, they may not have their slots available as there’s a good possibility of other players establishing themselves.

Sri Lanka Cricket has received some flack for reducing the sentences from two year bans to one year. Rightly so. Over the years, SLC had soft-peddled when some of these players have stepped out of line and there is a general feeling that the board hasn’t been firm. Here was a good opportunity to uphold the decision of the Disciplinary Committee but the board has taken the middle path!

SLC has argued that they have in fact doubled the fine from Rs. five million each to Rs. ten million. However, if you think that fines are going to make them feel the pinch, you are badly mistaken. Ten million is big money for an ordinary cricket fan but not for a cricketer. All he’s got to do is to go on one tour to recover that money. What the board also needs to find out is whether there was any remorse after the players were sent home after breaching the bio-secure bubble.

If there was no remorse, by reducing the sentence you are sending the wrong signal that these players are indispensable. The game is bigger than individuals and no one is indispensable.

As long as you treat grown up men with kids gloves, however much you try, it’s just a matter of time before they get into trouble again. Danushka Gunathilaka in particular has been a serial offender with a horrible history. In conclusion, all what you can say is that he has got away with a slap on the wrist.

It is learned that the Disciplinary Committee was looking at one year suspensions but the three players were not honest with their confessions such as the time of their rerun to the hotel. Players’ representatives have grossly denied these allegations. It will be interesting to read the learned judge’s observations.

There are more important questions that need to be asked.

How come those from middle class families once they become icons, fall apart. There is something wrong in the system and you need to introduce a player education system which can ensure that players remain grounded. In sports or for that matter in any walk of life, nothing will be achieved if you lack discipline.

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India to host Zimbabwe for maiden women’s bilateral series

Published

11 hours ago

2026/05/7

Priyan

India Women have never played an international game against Zimbabwe [Cricinfo]

The India and Zimbabwe women’s teams are all set to play an international fixture against each other for the first time when Zimbabwe tour India for white-ball fixtures this October.

The tour comprises three T20Is and three ODIs and will be Zimbabwe’s first visit to India; India are yet to tour Zimbabwe for bilateral fixtures.

The three T20Is will be played in Raipur on October 16, 18 and 20, and the ODIs are on October 23, 25 and 28 in Baroda.

The fixtures were announced by the BCCI on Wednesday, along with two home series for the India A women’s side against Australia A in September and England A in December. Both those series comprise three T20s, three List A games and one multi-day fixture.

The India Under-19 women’s team will also host Sri Lanka U-19 in June and July for three T20s and three 50-over games, and England U-19 in November and December for five T20 fixtures.

The Australia A men’s side will tour India for two multi-day fixtures and three one-dayers in September and October, while the Australia U-19 side will visit India for two multi-day fixtures and three one-dayers also in September and October.

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Fast bowlers to get more opportunities as new format introduced for Under-15 Division I tourney

Published

12 hours ago

2026/05/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

St. Joseph's College won the last edition of the Under 15 Division I cricket tournament

The Inter-Schools Under-15 Division I cricket tournament will be conducted under a revamped format this year, with organisers shifting the focus back to limited-overs cricket while introducing new rules aimed at promoting fast bowling.

‎The tournament, organised by the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA), will see only the top-tier Division I competition played in a 50-over format. Meanwhile, Division II and Division III matches will continue under the one-day, four-innings structure.

‎SLSCA Secretary Saman Hettiarachchi said the changes were made following consultations with experts from Sri Lanka Cricket, with a clear objective of providing greater opportunities for pace bowlers.

‎”We opted for the limited-overs format for Division I in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket. The lower divisions will copete in the innings format as we have observed matches ending early without utilizing the full quota of overs,” Hettiarachchi told ‘The Island’.

‎A key feature of the revised rules is the compulsory allocation of overs for fast bowlers. In a full 50-over innings, a minimum of 20 overs must be bowled by pacemen. Additionally, during the first 10 overs, at least eight overs must be delivered by fast bowlers. If an innings is reduced to 30 overs or fewer, at least six of the first eight overs must be bowled by pace.

‎”It was made mandatory to give more opportunities to pacemen,” Hettiarachchi explained.

‎Meanwhile, the official draw for the Division I tournament has been released, featuring 70 teams divided into 16 groups from Group A to Group P for the preliminary round. Each team is guaranteed multiple matches during the opening stage.

‎Defending champions St. Joseph’s College headline Group A, where they will meet Nalanda College, Dharmapala College, St. John’s College, Lumbini College and De La Salle College.

‎With traditional cricketing powerhouses spread across the groups, it will be interesting to see how the first round pans out in the new-look tournament.

‎Under 15 Division I Tournament First Round Groups

GROUP A

‎St. Joseph’s College, Colombo

‎Nalanda College, Colombo

‎Dharmapala College, Pannipitiya

‎St. John’s College, Nugegoda

‎Lumbini College, Colombo

‎De La Salle College, Colombo

‎GROUP B

‎D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo

‎S. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia

‎Presidents’ College, Kotte

‎Wesley College, Colombo

‎Carey College, Colombo

‎Sri Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya

‎GROUP C

‎St. Anthony’s College, Wattala

‎St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa

‎Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Kottawa

‎St. Peter’s College, Colombo

‎C.W.W. Kannangara MV, Colombo

‎Ashoka College, Colombo

‎GROUP D

‎St. Benedict’s College, Colombo

‎Royal College, Colombo

‎Gurukula College, Kelaniya

‎Lyceum International School, Wattala

‎Bandaranayake MMV, Gampaha

‎St. John’s College, Panadura

‎GROUP E

‎De Mazenod College, Kandana

‎Isipathana College, Colombo

‎Christ King College, Ja-Ela

‎Thurstan College, Colombo

‎Ananda Shastralaya NS, Kotte

‎St. Joseph Vaz College, Vennappuwa

‎GROUP F

‎Mahanama College, Colombo

‎Piliyandala MMV, Piliyandala

‎Ananda College, Colombo

‎Sri Jayawardenapura NS, Kotte

‎Presidents College, Maharagama

‎St. Thomas’ College, Kotte

‎GROUP G

‎Wadduwa MMV, Wadduwa

‎Sri Sumangala College, Panadura

‎Prince of Wales College, Moratuwa

‎Moratu Vidyalaya, Moratuwa

‎Revatha College, Balapitiya

‎Royal College, Panadura

‎GROUP H

‎Dharmaraja College, Kandy

‎St. Mary’s College, Kegalle

‎Kegalu Vidyalaya, Kegalle

‎Kingswood College, Kandy

‎Vidyartha College, Kandy

‎Ibbagamuwa MMV, Ibbagamuwa

‎GROUP J

‎Maris Stella College, Negombo

‎Maliyadeva College, Kurunegala

‎Harischandra College, Negombo

‎Maliyadeva Adarsha MV, Kurunegala

‎Galahitiyawa MMV, Ganemulla

‎Sandalankawa MMV, Sandalankawa

‎GROUP K

‎St. Anthony’s College, Kandy

‎St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy

‎Trinity College, Kandy

‎Royal College, Polonnaruwa

‎St. Thomas’ College, Matale

‎Jaffna Hindu College, Jaffna

‎GROUP L

‎Sri Pangnananda MMV, Raddoluwa

‎St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala

‎St. Mary’s College, Chilaw

‎Sri Sumangala NS, Wariyapola

‎St. Peter’s College, Negombo

‎St. Xavier’s College, Marawila

‎GROUP M

‎Devapathiraja College, Rathgama

‎St. Aloysius College, Galle

‎Holy Cross College, Kalutara

‎Dharmasoka College, Ambalangoda

‎Kalutara Vidyalaya, Kalutara

‎Vidyaloka College, Galle

‎GROUP N

‎Mahinda College, Galle

‎Tissa MV, Kalutara

‎Rahula College, Matara

‎Debarawewa NS, Debarawewa

‎St. Thomas’ College, Matara

‎Meepawala Amarasuriya MV

‎GROUP P

‎St. Servatius’ College, Matara

‎Richmond College, Galle

‎Sri Devananda College, Ambalangoda

‎Karandeniya MMV, Karandeniya

‎P. De S. Kularathna MV, Ambalangoda

‎President’s College, Embilipitiya.

by Reemus Fernando

Sports

Women’s Cricket receives a shot in the arm from the Mercantile Cricket Association

Published

12 hours ago

2026/05/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

Girls teams of the MCA's Cricket Academy line up at the commencement of the acadamy inter house tournament

With the success the seven MCA men’s cricket tournaments have achieved, the Executive Committee of Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) have decided to give Women’s Cricket in Sri Lanka a boost by introducing a hard ball Women’s Cricket Tournament for the corporate sector.

With the international recognition women’s cricket has gained at present, it is no secret that there still are many talented lasses aspiring to reach the zenith of the game.

Even with the measures Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) the game’s governing body through the Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA) have taken to promote girls cricket in schools, a considerable number of talented players, specially in the provinces do not have an opportunity to be recognized.

It is the MCA’s belief that with the introduction of a MCA Women’s Cricket Tournament, the corporate sector will be encouraged to field teams, and in doing so will give a hand to talented lasses and school leavers by providing them with employment as well as the opportunity to realise their aspirations in the Women’s Cricket arena.

At present in addition to the seven major Men’s tournaments the MCA organise the

Mercantile Six-a-Side tournament, the Over-40 Sixes competition, the 20×20 league, and the esteemed MCA Inter Academy Invitational tournament,

As an initial step, the MCA will be conducting a Women’s six and side soft ball cricket tournament for the corporate sector teams on Saturday 23rd May 2026 at the Mercantile Cricket Association grounds.

For further information please contact Chamara on 0759592488 or Prasad 0759809777.