Sports
Sri Lanka’s eternal search for the elusive all-rounder
Sri Lanka have been on a wild goose chase for a genuine seam-bowling all-rounder – someone who can lend balance to the side and tilt the scales in our favour. Yet, despite scouring the length and breadth of our cricketing landscape, success has remained as elusive as a Test win in Australia.
Sure, we’ve unearthed a handful of spin-bowling all-rounders over the years, but let’s face it – they’re about as effective overseas as a canned fish on Unawatuna beach. What Sri Lanka desperately need is a seam-bowling workhorse who can chip in with the ball and wag the tail with the bat. Sadly, that cupboard remains bare.
While India boast the explosive Hardik Pandya, England flaunt the talismanic Ben Stokes, and Australia have pinned hopes on the towering Cameron Green while the South Africans have the nasty Wiaan Mulder. Sri Lanka have had no one in the same postcode, let alone the same league. Our pursuit for a proper all-rounder has lasted longer than Malaysia’s search for MH370—or closer to home, longer than the CID’s chase for Arjun Mahendran.
The term ‘all-rounder’ is often tossed around rather casually in Sri Lanka. Anyone who could roll his arm over and bat a bit is called an all-rounder. After all, we are a country that allowed Cabraal to run the Central Bank.
When you talk about a proper all-rounder, think Jacques Kallis. The man was a colossus. He piled up 13,289 Test runs—more than Sanga (12,400) and MJ (11,814) – and didn’t just twiddle his thumbs with the ball either. With 292 Test wickets to his name, he outgunned the likes of Joel Garner (259) and Michael Holding (249). King Kallis, indeed. When he played, even our Lankan legends and the Calypso kings looked mortal.
And yet, the crown for the greatest all-rounder of all time doesn’t sit on Kallis’ head. That honour belongs to the great Sir Garfield Sobers. In cricket, numbers might paint a picture, but they rarely tell the full story. What set Sir Garry apart was his versatility – left-arm seam, left-arm orthodox, and left-arm wrist spin. With the bat, he was nothing short of an artist. No wonder Sir Don Bradman called him the greatest cricketer the game has ever seen.
We Sri Lankans would settle for someone with even half the class of Kallis or Sobers. But time and again, our budding all-rounders have flattered to deceive – promising much, delivering little, and fading into the sunset before their sun had even risen.
Take Arjuna Ranatunga, for instance. Many overlook his bowling calling it dibbly-dobbly medium pace, but he did claim prized scalps like Sunil Gavaskar and Martin Crowe – whom he cruelly denied a triple hundred in Wellington in ’91, dismissing him on 299.
Athula Samarasekera arrived on the scene with much hype in the early years of our Test journey, but fizzled out like a firecracker in the rain. Chaminda Vaas, a stalwart with the ball, had the chops to make it big with the bat too. He was instrumental during our triumph in New Zealand in 1995 and should’ve notched more than the solitary Test century he ended up with. A couple of premature declarations didn’t help his cause either.
Then there was Suresh Perera, who gave us a glimmer of hope with a dream debut that helped clinch our first-ever Test win in England. But he couldn’t quite bottle that lightning again.
Of all, Angelo Mathews was the brightest prospect – the golden boy. But as fate would have it, injuries clipped his wings. In the latter stages of his career, his bowling became a thing of the past. Thisara Perera, too, had all the raw ingredients, but you always got the feeling he left a few gears unshifted. His career, brimming with unfulfilled promise, ended far too soon.
Now, though, there’s a buzz around a new kid on the block – Chamindu Wickramasinghe. He’s turned a few heads with his performances in the Lanka Premier League, earning a call-up to the national white-ball squad. But just as quickly, he was shown the exit and sent back to grind it out in the domestic circuit.
Turning out for SSC, Chamindu cracked a fighting century recently – with the club staring down at relegation. This week, in the Inter-Provincial Tournament, he rolled up his sleeves for Kandy and delivered a fiery five-wicket haul coming in as first change. His scalps? Just a few big fish – Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella and Janith Liyanage – as Colombo folded for 201.
This lad from St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota, just 22-years-old, seems to have a good head on his shoulders and both hands firmly on the wheel. He’s no finished product, not by a long shot, but there’s enough in his tank to warrant close attention.
Seam-bowling all-rounders are worth their weight in gold, especially on overseas tours where balance is often the difference between glory and heartbreak. Chamindu might just be the piece we’ve been missing in this long-running jigsaw puzzle.
Sri Lanka has been burnt before – many times over – by players who lit up the scene briefly and then vanished into the mist. But here’s hoping Chamindu doesn’t just flicker. Here’s hoping he burns bright, carries the torch, and finally ends our long, weary search for that elusive all-round gem.
by Rex Clementine
91st Battle of the Saints
St. Joseph’s hold the edge when they meet arch rivals St. Peter’s in the 91st Battle of the Saints’ big match starting today. After having beaten Petes by nine wickets in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ quarter-final at Polonnaruwa the Joes arive at the SSC ground to prove that the victory registered two months ago was not a fluke.
St. Joseph’s captained by wicketkeeper batsman Kenath Liyanage are concluding a successful season after having remained unbeaten until they were eliminated in the semi-final by St. Sebastian’s .
A strong batting lineup and a dynamic spin department are making them a formidable outfit.
Experienced campaigner Yenula Dewthusa and Demion de Silva with their left-arm spin and Aveesha Samash and Nushan Perera with off spin provide the Joes variety in the spin department. Dewthusa, Demion de Silva and Nushan Perera are their leading wicket takers. Spinners doing well at schools matches have not been effective at the SSC during the last few big matches. It will be interesting to watch as to how the spinners in these two teams would fare during the three days.
For pace the Joes will look to Maanasa Madubashana and Dunick Perera who are expected to share the new ball.
Abishek Jayaweera and Aveesha Samash will open batting, while Senuja Wakunugoda, skipper Liyanage, Dewthusa and Rishma Amarasinghe form the rest of the top order batting lineup.
St. Joseph’s registered three outright victories this season (beat St. Servatius’, St. Benedict’s and St. Peter’s) and remained unbeaten.
St. Peter’s under Oween Salgado’s captaincy did well to reach the business end of the Tier ‘A’ tournament. But the Petes were uncertain of Salgado’s participation in the big match as they were yet to assess his fitness yesterday morning. He was wounded during a match and the stitched wound had not fully healed according to team sources.
Petes beat Gurukula, St. Aloysius’ and Holy Cross this season. Their only defeat was at the hands of their arch rivals. They will look forward to avenge the defeat at the big match.
The Petes will rely on the likes of Dilana Damsara, Thareen Sanketh, Nathan David and Jason Fernando to take a greater share of batting responsibilities. The middle order batsman Sanketh is their leading batsman and has maintained an average of over 50 runs.
Speedsters Ethan Ransilige and Joshua Sebastian will share new ball duties for the Petes.
Lashmika Perera and Sanketh will share most of the slow ball duties.
St Peter’s are in the possession of the coveted Rev. Fr. Maurice J. Le Goc Trophy having last won the big match under the captaincy of Vinu Mohotty in 2016.
St. Joseph’s lead the series tally 12-10. They last won under Ruwantha Fernandopulle’s captaincy in 2008.
St. Peter’s College Team
(Seated from left) Harsha Prabath Perera (Asst. Physio/Trainer & Massuer), Thushara Maduhanka (1st XI Asst. Coach),
Nalin Wijesinghe (Head Coach), Priyadarshana Cooray (MIC – Senior & Junior), Oween Salgado (Captain), Rev. Fr.
Rohitha Rodrigo (Rector), Rev. Fr. Praveen Wijesekara (Priest in Charge – Cricket), Lashmika Perera
(Vice Captain), Dilana Damsara, Rohan Fernando (MIC – 2nd XI), Dinuka D. Godakanda (2nd XI Coach).
(Standing 1st row from left) Dinsara Rathnaweera, Dineth de Silva, Tharin Senvidu, Nathan David, Hiruka Silva, Thareen
Sanketh, Virul Amarapala, Yatheendra Jayaweera, Salith Gallage, Raphael Hettige. (Standing 2nd row from left) Jason Fernando,
Joshua Sebastian, Savi Fernnado, Ethan Ransilige, Asadisa De Silva, Sadeesha Kariyawasam, Enosh Peterson
by Reemus Fernando
120th Lovers’ Quarrel
The stakeholders of the Lovers’ Quarrel Big Match were still pursuing to make the historic 120th edition a reality on the eve of the match after Richmond authorities threatened to pull out citing that Mahinda had violated an accepted norm by included a newly recruited player in the big match team.
The historic edition was scheduled to commence as a three day encounter at the Galle International Stadium today. But the match remained doubtful at the time this edition went to press. The officials of both teams were unavailable for comments on the eve of the match. According to sources close to the two teams the joint big match committee was scheduled to meet in the evening yesterday to take a final decision regarding the match.
Richmond threatened to pull out after Mahinda included Charya Paranavithana in their big match team. Paranavithana captained St. Aloysius’ this season. He is not eligible to play matches that come under the purview of Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association as he is yet to be registered as a Mahinda player. Big Matches are not played according to SLSCA rules but Richmond authorities had raised concerns over the player registration citing that the two schools had honoured the norm even at the big match.
According to sources Richmond were threatening to pull out if Paranavithana’s name was included in the playing XI on the match day morning.
Mahinda concluded a highly successful season as the team captained by Kaveen Rukshan earned the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ promotion this year. They were also the joint champions of the Tier ‘B’ tournament with Thurstan. In contrast former Division I champions Richmond had to fight relegation scares. The team captained by Thamindu Pradeeptha later successfully retained their Tier A position by recording an outright victory.
Mahinda College Team
Seated left to right: T.D. Ajantha Kumara (Head Coach), Y. Nishantha Kumara (Master in Charge – Senior), L. P. Weeraman (Deputy Principal –
Sports), Kaveen Rukshan (Captain), Mr. Janaka Peduruheva (Principal), Arosha Udayanga (Vice Captain), Mr. M.W. Ajith (Prefect of Games), Mr.
Jagath Samarakoon (Master in charge – Junior), Mr. Sachith Lakmal (Asst. Coach)
Standing (Middle row) – left to right – Dineth Pahasara, Thiyon Helika, Vinupa Nethmira, Sahanjith Irugalbandara, Dulisth Darshana, Senuka
Dangamuwa, Sadew Nethmina, Manitha Rajapaksha, Vishmitha Sathsara, Charya Paranavithana, Randula Mabarana
Standing (Back row) – left to right – Sajeew Punsara, Sehas Ashinsa, Kaveesha Githmal, Thevindu Rashmika
by Reemus Fernando
CR & FC huffed and puffed before beating Havelocks Sports Club 25-24 in a keenly contested Clifford Cup semi final game worked off in Colombo yesterday before booking their berth in Sunday’s rugby final, scheduled to take place in Kandy.
In Sunday’s final, CR will meet Kandy SC, the winner of the first semi final.
CR dominated the first half, but Havies came from behind in the second half to be in contention of pulling the game off till the last minute. Havelocks’ chances were boosted with two powerful tries coming from Chathura Dilshan late in the second half. But unpardonable mistakes by the men in the pink and chocolate jerseys helped CR to slip away with the game. Havelocks gave away two yellow cards during extra time in the second half.
The winners collected their points through three tries, two conversions and two penalties while Havelocks responded with three converted tries and a penalty. The winners led 15-10 at half time. Referee Raveen Alexander controlled the game.
By A Special Sports Correspondent
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