Sports

Richards and Botham replace Wisden Trophy

Published

6 years ago

2020/07/26

by Rex Clementine

Watching County Cricket in the 1980s must have been fun. There were some quality players around. Hampshire had David Gower and Malcolm Marshall; Essex had Graham Gooch and Allan Border while Somerset had Sir Ian Botham and Sir Viv Richards. Watching the two friends trying to outhit each other over River Tone would have been quite an experience. England and West Indies have been playing Test cricket for the last 57 years for the Wisden Trophy and the two cricket boards announced on Friday that they are naming the series after two former greats – Richards and Botham.

The Wisden Trophy was introduced to mark the centenary anniversary of the Almanac. Both Richards and Botham played for it. The need to change the title and dedicate the series after some of the finest players the countries have seen was first suggested by former England captain Mike Atherton, who is now a prominent cricket writer and broadcaster in Britain.

There are of course those who ask the question whether instead of naming the series after the two terrific players, whether it should have been just named Sir Viv Richards Trophy. Like Sir Frank Worrell Trophy for which Australia and West Indies contest.

The simple reason for it is that Botham never was part of a winning side when he played the West Indies, who dominated the sport from late 1970s to early 1990s. Botham averaged 21 with the bat and 35 with the ball against the West Indies and scored no hundreds. Richards whereas always raised his game when playing against England. He averaged 62 against them, way above his career average of 50.

But there is more to cricket than stats alone. Botham calls Richards a ‘blood brother’. Richards recalls how Botham used to get hate mail simply because the Antiguan was his friend. Not just that. Richards was Botham’s first born’s godfather. Liam was born in 1977, and Richards was yet to become a superstar. That must have been a very unpopular decision in Britain in 1970s. But Botham stood by his mate.

Twice, Botham was offered lucrative contracts by South Africans during the apartheid era to be part of ‘rebel tours’. Botham turned down both offers simply because Richards was his friend. Botham calls Richards ‘smoky’ and Richards calls Botham ‘beefy’. Nicknames that stuck.

Those who argue that Botham’s name should not have been there should be reminded that Australia and Sri Lanka play for Warne – Murali Trophy. Now then, what’s Murali’s stats against the Aussies? World’s highest wicket taker averaged 36 against the Aussies, whereas his career average was 22. Nobody argues about Murali’s name being there.

Botham’s was knighted for his services for the game of cricket. He could have been knighted for his charitable acts as well. Many walks that he undertook to help leukemia patients has been appreciated by all and sundry. Not just in the cold climes of Britain. Even in the heat and humidity of Sri Lanka, Botham walked from north to south for several days. Funds poured in and were utilized to help the poor.

Sportsman can do much to make others’ life better. Both Botham and Richards have done much. It’s time to retire the Wisden Trophy to the Lord’s museum. Let’s celebrate cricket by appreciating some of our finest players.

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Ranaweera’s four-for leads Sri Lanka to tense win over West Indies

Published

2 hours ago

2026/02/21

Priyan

Inoka Ranaweera returned figures of 4 for 44 [Cricinfo]

Sri Lanka took a 1-0 lead in the ODI series with a tense ten-run win over West Indies, thanks largely to a match-defining performance from Inoka Ranaweera.

After being asked to bat, Sri Lanka posted 240 for 6, built on half-centuries from Hasini Perera (61 off 86) and Harshitha Samarawickrema (66 off 105). Captain Chamari Athapaththu made 27, while useful middle-order contributions from Nilakshika Silva and Kavisha Dilhari kept the innings moving at a controlled rate. A late cameo from Dewmi Vihanga, who struck 14 off six balls, ensured Sri Lanka pushed towards a competitive total in St George’s in Grenada.

But it was Ranaweera who tilted the contest. The experienced left-arm spinner returned figures of 4 for 44 from her ten overs. She removed the No. 3 Shemaine Campbelle cheaply, dismissed Chinelle Henry soon after, and then returned to break the dangerous stand of 89 between Stefanie Taylor and Jannillea Glasgow in the 40th over, just as West Indies were threatening to surge ahead. Ranaweera also accounted for Shawnisha Hector at the death.

Taylor’s 66 off 83 balls and Glasgow’s 50 off 67 had revived West Indies from early setbacks, and with Aaliyah Alleyne in the middle, the chase remained alive deep into the game. West Indies needed 18 from the last two overs, and 12 from the last six balls. However, Sri Lanka’s spinners held firm, with Dilhari finishing with three wickets, including two in the final over, to complement Ranaweera’s starring role.

West Indies were eventually bowled out for 230 in 49.4 overs. Sri Lanka have now won four of their last five ODIs against West Indies since 2017.

Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Women 240 for 6 in 50 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 66, Hasini Perera 61; Hayley Matthews 2-46, Karishma Ramharak 2-57) beat West Indies Women 230 in 49.4 overs (Stefanie Taylor 66, Jannillea Glasgow 50; Inoka Ranaweera 4-44, Kavish Dilhari 3-49) by ten runs

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Sharada, Kithma join to trouble Richmond

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/21

Thilina Walpola

Left arm spinner Sharada Jayaratne took bowling honours of the day’s Under 19 cricket encounters as he took six wickets for Ananda to restrict Richmond to 168 runs in the traditional match at Ananda Mawatha.

‎Richmond were strongly placed at one stage with Risinu Rupasinghe (40) and Senuk Dulneth adding 91 runs for the first wicket. But when skipper Kithma Widanapathirana broke the stand, Richmond collapsed. Kithma and Sharada shared all ten wickets to fall.

‎In response the home team were 37 for three wickets at stumps with Vihanga Mihiranga inflicting early dammage.

‎At Darley Road, Wesley had a promising start with openers Shamma Fernando and Rasheed Nahyan putting on 58 runs for the first wicket before Nushan Perera and Sri Lanka Under 19 spinner Vigneswaran Akash shared seven wickets between them to restrict the Campbell Park team to 161 runs.

‎In reply St. Joseph’s reached 74 for no loss at stumps. The Joes amassed those runs in just 12.1 overs with Aveesha Samash hammering an unbeaten 53 in 38 balls (6x4s, 4x6s).

‎At De Soysa Stadium, Moratuwa, Mahanama posted 350 for nine wickets declared against Prince of Wales as Dulnith Sigera (74), Eshan Withanage (71n.o.) and Sineth Veerarathne (59) made half centuries.

‎For the Cambrians Nethul Anuhas took five wickets.

by Reemus Fernando

Sports

We are seeing something special in Pavan Rathnayake – Mathews

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/21

Thilina Walpola

Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews believes the islanders have unearthed a gem in Pavan Rathnayake, backing the 23-year-old middle-order batter to scale the game’s highest peaks.

Drafted into the World Cup squad at the eleventh hour, Rathnayake has wasted little time in justifying the selectors’ leap of faith. While much of the spotlight has rightly fallen on Pathum Nissanka’s match-winning heroics, the youngster has quietly gone about his business, compiling runs with poise and a range of strokes that suggest he belongs on this stage.

Rathnayake’s inclusion was no shot in the dark. Sri Lanka’s struggles against spin had been laid bare in the lead-up to the tournament and the think tank sought a batter who could milk the tweakers rather than get tied in knots. Rathnayake ticked that box emphatically, earning praise from batting coach Vikram Rathour for the way he used his feet to get to the pitch of the ball and employed soft hands to manoeuvre the field.

Mathews, who has long advocated fast-tracking the youngster into the senior set-up, said the signs were unmistakable.

“We are seeing someone special in Pavan Rathnayake,” Mathews told Telecom Asia Sport.

“I have seen him in close quarters and what impressed me most is his temperament. If he gets a start, he will go on to get a big hundred. I rate him very highly. The manner in which he plays spin is remarkable. He can both use his feet and rock back as well. He is a huge find for Sri Lanka and the world will start talking about him as we move on,” he added.

Mathews reserved special praise for the youngster’s mental steel, a trait he believes separates the run-of-the-mill from the truly elite.

“Pavan has a cool head and is so good to watch when he is on song. He is a man of few words, but mentally a very tough bloke and that’s what separates good players from great ones. I have no doubt he can go on to become a great,” Mathews said.

Sri Lanka became the first side to book their ticket to the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup after a stirring win over Australia, a result that sent fans into raptures and put the former champions back in the reckoning.

They begin their Super Eight campaign on Sunday against England, returning to a contest that promises high voltage and little margin for error.

On paper, Sri Lanka appear to have most bases covered. But the injury list has thrown a spanner in the works. Eshan Malinga, Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana have all been ruled out, forcing the selectors into three replacements and leaving the bowling attack short on experience at the business end.

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