Sports

The banker who steadied Sri Lanka’s cricketing ship

Published

9 months ago

2025/07/6

Rienzie Wijetilleke

When defending champions Sri Lanka crashed out in the group stages of the 1999 Cricket World Cup, fans were left shell-shocked. From heroes in 1996 to also-rans three years later, the dramatic decline left a bitter taste in many a mouth. Off the field, the situation was equally grim, with the cricket board mired in allegations of financial mismanagement. The sport that had united a nation had become a lightning rod for controversy.

Faced with this maelstrom, President Chandrika Kumaratunga was forced to act. But instead of turning to a former cricketer, she made an unconventional choice.

In came a banker, not a batsman. Rienzie Wijetilleke, a man of unimpeachable integrity and then Chairman of Hatton National Bank, was tasked with cleaning the Augean stables. The nation’s first-ever Cricket Interim Committee was born.

Wijetilleke, who passed away on Friday after a brief illness, was no cricketing tactician. But he knew good governance. His only request to the President was a “free hand” to act, and act he did.

Understanding the limitations of his cricketing knowledge, he surrounded himself with a team of cricketing professionals. In came former captain Michael Tissera, sharp thinker of the game Sidath Wettimuny as Chairman of Selectors and S. Skandakumar, head of the country’s oldest mercantile firm, George Steuart.

The move ruffled the feathers of many. In fact, it stirred a hornet’s nest. CBK’s own party (SLFP) financier had stakes in the cricket boardroom. Then, the national captain at that time was the son of one of her most trusted cabinet ministers. But the iron lady she was CBK held firm, taking the political bouncers on the chest.

Under Rienzie’s stewardship, bold calls were the order of the day. S. Skandakumar was sent to Lancashire to bring Dav Whatmore back as Head Coach. The captaincy baton was passed to a relatively inexperienced Sanath Jayasuriya, leapfrogging past the old guard — Aravinda de Silva, Hashan Tillakaratne and Roshan Mahanama. In a country where sentiment often trumps strategy, the move didn’t go down kindly with many cricket fans.

Fans were furious. Aravinda, arguably Sri Lanka’s finest stroke-maker, was still going strong. Mahanama was only 29. Critics queued up. The loudest among them was Tony Greig, the former England captain and popular commentator, who tore into the decision on-air.

But Rienzie didn’t flinch. He backed his team and the results followed.

Six weeks later World Champions Australia toured the country for a three-Test series and a tri-nation one-day tournament that also featured India. Sri Lanka, under Jayasuriya’s bold leadership, pulled off the unthinkable — a maiden Test victory over Australia. The one-day side brimmed with energy and athleticism, and their fielding reached new heights. Young blood had been injected into the veins of the national team. Chamara Silva, Mahela Jayawardene and Russell Arnold were soon joined by an unknown player from Kandy — Kumar Sangakkara is his name.

Sri Lanka clinched the tri-series final, beating the Aussies. The tide had turned. Fans, once disillusioned, now flocked back to the grounds. Rienzie’s gamble had paid off. He had helped reset the compass of Sri Lankan cricket.

Rienzie didn’t stay long — his role at HNB demanded full-time attention — but the legacy he left behind was etched in stone. A benchmark had been set and those who came after were expected to play by the same rules.

Rienzie’s no-nonsense approach to discipline also became part of cricketing folklore. When a promising young leg-spinner was involved in a late-night motor accident and allegedly tried to sweep the matter under the carpet with political help, his club and the police looked the other way. But not Rienzie.

The player, employed at HNB, was suspended. When the press asked for comment, Rienzie said, “An accident can happen. That is understandable. But fleeing the scene? That is unacceptable. You must have the courage to own up to your mistakes.”

In an era of sweeping things under the carpet, Rienzie stood tall. He was a straight shooter who played with a dead bat amidst political pressure. He never let powerful forces affect his judgment.

Such men are a rare breed. The banker may not have wielded a bat or worn the cap, but he walked in when Sri Lankan cricket was wobbling and helped it regain its footing. He was a true gentleman of the game, one who never played but helped save it. May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana!

by Rex Clementine ✍️

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Japan Premier League [JPL], building cricket from the ground up

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/27

Priyan

Japan has been taking cricket seriously and starting to make a bit of an impression [Cricinfo]

The Japan Premier League (JPL) T20 competition is cricket’s unlikely outpost – a self-sustaining though struggling-to-survive tournament far away from cricket’s traditional centres. It’s on a growth path just over a decade into its existence, starting to connect local players to those outside, and looking to create a cricketing community in the country.

It was founded in 2015 with four regions – North, South, East and West Kanto (Tokyo region) – in the fray, with games held at the home venues of each of the teams. That model was scrapped owing to low turnouts, and the tournament has since been played at one or the other venue, while Kansai (Osaka region) has come in as the fifth team.

In 2026, the JPL will be a three-day competition – May 2 to 4 – with 12 games at the Sano International Cricket Ground. All the buzz in the lead-up is about the participation of former Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne, BBL winner Josh Brown, and Nepal allrounder Karan KC.

“A major goal,” Alan Curr, the Japan Cricket Association (JCA) chief operations officer, says, “is to showcase a good standard of cricket for Japanese fans so that they can really see and understand what the sport looks like.”

The challenge there is that despite being played in Japan since 1863, cricket hasn’t found a niche. There has been some systemic progress, with the formation of the JCA in the 1980s, five-year plans running up to 2032, and the presence of men and women’s leagues for juniors and seniors – including the JPL, which struggled to find traction early on.

One of the reasons for excitement recently was that a significant majority of the 15 players in Japan’s squad at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup came through the Cricket Blast, the junior participation programme. However, that’s not translated to mass acceptance or participation.

“Often, for us, cricket in itself isn’t enough to attract people to the ground,” Curr says. “We have to be creative and come up with other things – dance, music, food, drinks and Japanese commentary. But the hope is that if they see the game, it’s of a high standard because when fans see players doing special things, it’s easier to be impressed.”

When it comes to the players, not everyone is too ambitious. Those that are have rewards to aim for as the JPL can have a significant effect on selection for the national side. Having said that, those in the national side are not professionals – they are students or are employed – and use their annual leaves for international assignments. Making time can be a challenge.

“A lot of the players here play recreationally,” Curr says. “Cricket is a recreational hobby to them rather than a high-performance pursuit. For us, concentrating the talent, getting players together at once to give local players the opportunity to play at a higher standard, and going overseas and playing cricket isn’t a feasible option. [So] to be able to bring high-level cricket here is really important.”

“At the moment, we are relying heavily on the goodwill of people, who are happy to come out and play for no payment and out of the kindness of their heart. We know that’s not sustainable. If we can get financial backing, getting a sponsor on board will really make a big difference”

Alan Curr, the COO of the Japan Cricket Association

The last bit is why Brown, especially, coming to JPL in 2024 was critical. Brown is a “pro player” – each team gets one – and will be returning for his third year in a row.

“He signed up quite a long time in advance – that year he had a breakthrough year in the Big Bash,” Curr says. “He scored 140 off 57 balls against Adelaide Strikers. We had him locked in when he did that, but we hadn’t announced it. Then his profile went up, and he started playing leagues around the world. Fair play to him, he still came.

“That year, people were pretty excited when we made that announcement, and people did come and the live-streaming certainly got up. It was the first time we had someone of genuine stature coming over and being involved.”

Other than pro players, the 14-player squads have four retained from the previous year’s teams. All of them find their teams in a draft – this year’s draft took place on March 24.

Where do these players come from, and how do they make their way? “Inside Japan is through domestic performances and trials at the start of the year for any new players,” Curr says. “The overseas talent right now comes from our own contacts as we want to make sure we get players who really understand what the tournament is about. It’s a development league; there’s no salary for these players. We just cover their costs.”

As for the future, there are different avenues for expansion. One is getting more pro players into teams, which, according to Curr, could squeeze out local players, making it a less-than-ideal option. Having more teams is more appealing, as is the prospect of having a nine-day tournament than one only over a long weekend.

“All of those things require funding. At the moment, we are relying heavily on the goodwill of people, who are happy to come out and play for no payment and out of the kindness of their heart,” Curr says. “We know that’s not sustainable. If we can get financial backing, getting a sponsor on board will really make a big difference.”

So far, cricket in Japan made news when the national team did anything of note, like qualifying for the 2020 and 2026 men’s Under 19 World Cups. If the JPL can take the next steps towards becoming bigger and better, maybe it will start attracting interest from other parts of the world in a more significant way. And that in turn could mean the next step for cricket in Japan as a whole.

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Rukunayake steadies Trinity after early collapse

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/27

Thilina Walpola

A stubborn knock of 59 runs by Praveen Rukunayake helped Trinity College recover from a disastrous start to post 173 runs against Nalanda College on day one of their Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ quarter-final played at the BOI Ground on Thursday.

‎Trinity suffered an early setback when open batsman Puleesha Thilakarathne and one-drop Mahendra Abeysinghe were dismissed in quick succession with the scoreboard yet to move. The early blows left Trinity struggling, and they continued to lose wickets at regular intervals as Nalanda’s bowlers maintained pressure.

‎With the innings in danger of collapsing completely, number eight batsman Praveen Rukunayake produced a determined effort, compiling a valuable 59 runs. His fighting knock helped Trinity recover from the early damage and guide them to a modest but competitive total of 173.

‎For Nalanda, Malsha Fernando led the bowling attack with an impressive spell, claiming four wickets for 49 runs, while Hasitha Rathnayake provided solid support with three wickets for 38.

‎In reply, Nalanda too found scoring difficult against a disciplined Trinity bowling attack. At the close of play on day one, Nalanda were struggling at 98 for five wickets, leaving the quarter-final finely poised heading into the second day.

‎‎Kumarasiri’s 11-wicket haul sets up thrilling finish

‎‎The Under 19 Division I Tier B cricket quarter-final between Sri Dharmaloka College, Kelaniya and Sri Sumangala College, Panadura was finely balanced after an eventful second day which saw 20 wickets tumble at Kuruvita on Thursday.

‎At stumps, Sri Sumangala were 59 for two wickets chasing a modest target of 156 runs, leaving the Panadura outfit needing fewer than 100 runs with eight wickets in hand when play resumes on the final day.

‎The biggest question heading into the decider will be whether the wicket continues to behave the same way it did on the second day when bowlers dominated proceedings throughout the day.

‎Sri Dharmaloka, who secured a useful first innings lead of 67 runs, failed to capitalise on the advantage as they collapsed dramatically in their second innings. Left-arm spinner Mevindu Kumarasiri produced a match-turning spell claiming six wickets to complete an outstanding match haul of 11 wickets.

‎Kumarasiri received excellent support from Methum Fernando as the pair shared all ten wickets between them while Sri Dharmaloka were bowled out for just 89 runs. Only Tharusha Mihiranga showed some resistance with a top score of 24.

‎Sri Dharmaloka appeared steady after moving past the 50-run mark for the loss of four wickets, but their middle and lower order folded quickly within the space of 14 overs to hand Sri Sumangala a realistic chance of victory.

‎Chasing 156 runs, Sri Sumangala made a confident start despite losing an early wicket. Opener Vidura Basuru played an aggressive knock of 33 runs which included three fours and a six and shared a valuable 41-run stand for the second wicket with Sandeepa Wijeratne.

‎Basuru was eventually dismissed by Koshitha Adithya, leaving Wijeratne unbeaten on 17 at the close of play with the match delicately poised.

‎Earlier in the day, Sri Dharmaloka’s bowlers staged a strong fightback to dismiss Sri Sumangala for 144 runs in reply to their first innings total of 211.

‎Tishan Nipun led the attack with impressive figures of 4 for 43 while Sathindu Praboda provided strong support with 3 for 44 as the pair shared seven wickets between them. Koshitha Adithya (2/27) and Mewan Randeepana picked up the remaining wickets.

‎With Sri Sumangala needing under 100 runs and Sri Dharmaloka requiring eight wickets, an exciting finish is on the cards when the teams return for the final day. (RF)

Sports

SLC to hold EGM in April

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/27

Thilina Walpola

Bandula Dissanayake

Sri Lanka Cricket will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting in April, with a clutch of resolutions set to be tabled before the membership for approval. SLC Secretary Bandula Dissanayake told Telecom Asia Sport that the EGM is pencilled in for April 6, 2026.

According to Dissanayake, a seasoned hand in cricket administration, while a few tweaks to the constitution will be up for discussion, the headline act on the agenda is the introduction of new playing conditions for SLC-conducted domestic tournaments.

At present, promotion and relegation in the top two domestic competitions are decided purely on performances in the three-day format. But SLC is now looking to change the field settings, aiming to give all three formats a fair crack of the whip.

“We want to make white ball cricket more competitive,” Dissanayake explained. “What we have seen is teams loading up for the three day competition and then taking their foot off the pedal when the one-day tournament comes around. By June, several players are off to England for league cricket and that leaves the white-ball competitions short changed.”

“This is part of a long term blueprint to ensure we are producing players who can hold their own in white ball cricket,” he added, signalling a shift in approach.

Under the proposed system, performances across all three formats will now count towards promotion and relegation, rather than just the red-ball game. However, the longer format will still call the shots, carrying a 51% weightage, while the one-day competition accounts for 25% and T20s for 24%.

In white-ball tournaments, where knockout cricket comes into play, quarter-finalists and semi-finalists will earn equal points, a move aimed at levelling the playing field and rewarding consistency.

At the business end, the side finishing with the lowest tally will face the drop. In the event of a tie on points, the three-day performances will act as the tie-breaker, a nod to the traditional format still being the backbone of the domestic structure.

SLC has been rolling up its sleeves to tidy up domestic cricket in recent years. Not too long ago, the First Class scene resembled an overcrowded outfield, with 24 teams holding status, a factor many felt diluted standards.

The introduction of a relegation system has since trimmed the fat, with underperforming teams losing their First Class status. Even heavyweights like SSC, boasting a dressing room full of Sri Lanka stars, found themselves on the wrong side of the cut last season. But like a champion side refusing to throw in the towel, they bounced back to reclaim their First Class status for the next season.

At present, Sri Lanka’s First Class competition has been streamlined to 14 teams.

https://www.telecomasia.net