Sports

Thushara vs SLC and Greig vs ECB

Published

6 months ago

2026/04/5

England captain Tony Greig and business magnate Kerry Packer outside London High Court in 1978.

Sri Lanka seamer Nuwan Thushara hauling his employer Sri Lanka Cricket before the courts has echoes of a legal duel that shook the game some half a century ago, when Tony Greig took on the England and Wales Cricket Board. The two cases, however, are chalk and cheese. Greig was England’s captain, a man calling the shots; Thushara, for all his slingy menace, is still trying to cement his place in the XI. Yet, in the eyes of the law, whether you’re the world’s premier all-rounder or carrying drinks, the playing field is meant to be level.

Thushara’s grievance stems from SLC refusing him a ‘No Objection Certificate’ to feature in the Indian Premier League. The board has drawn a hard line in the sand, no fitness, no NOC.

Those who passed the two kilometer run and skinfold test, the likes of Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis and Eshan Malinga, are cashing in in India. Thushara, having failed to meet the cut, has been left padded up in the pavilion. The Colombo District Court must now decide who has overstepped the crease. The learned judge knows better than us all.

Greig’s battle, by contrast, was taking on the authority head on. As England captain, he nailed his colours to the mast with Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer and his breakaway World Series Cricket. In doing so, he helped prise open the gates for several of the game’s leading players. The English board responded with a ban, barring him from Test and county cricket. Greig cried foul, calling it an “unlawful restraint of trade”. The case, famously known as Greig vs Insole, went the distance, with the court eventually ruling in favour of the England skipper.

Thushara’s case, though, appears to be on a stickier wicket. His argument hinges on his SLC contract expiring on March 31, freeing him to ply his trade in franchise cricket. But SLC seem to have a clause tucked up their sleeve that NOCs remain under their purview for a further three months post-contract. If that holds water, Thushara may find himself caught down the leg side.

From the board’s perspective, the argument is straightforward: professional cricketers must meet minimum fitness standards. In modern cricket, there are no passengers, every player must pull his weight in the field. Rather than take the legal route, Thushara might have been better served biting the bullet, hitting the gym and staging a comeback the hard way.

History offers a telling example. Aravinda de Silva, the nation’s finest batsman, once found himself given the cold shoulder by selectors in 2001 despite being the country’s leading run-scorer. The charge? Not fit enough. It seemed curtains on a glittering career as he spent 18 months out in the wilderness.

Then came a turning point. Mr. Michael Tissera, a selector with a keen eye and a cricketing brain, called Aravinda for a chat. Aravinda left the meeting having told Tissera that he needed six weeks. Over the next six gruelling weeks, he shed 21 kilos, rediscovered his edge and forced his way back into contention. What followed was vintage Aravinda, fast bowlers taken to the cleaners in Australia and South Africa. Everyone remembers the flicked six bisecting the mid-wicket and fine-leg fielders at Centurion. But not many know Tissera’s role in brining back the best of Aravinda.

That, perhaps, is the long and short of it. When the chips are down, the greats rewrite the script themselves.Sadly, such characters are few and far between these days. Equally rare are selectors in the mould of Tissera, men who know when to drop the axe and when to extend a lifeline.

by Rex Clementine

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Sports

Rahmat, Malik fifties lead Afghanistan’s strong reply

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/11

Priyan

Rahmat Shah started his Test captaincy with a fantastic unbeaten half-century [Afghanistan Cricket Board]

Captain Rahmat Shah played a crucial knock as he held Afghaniistan together on the second day in Abu Dhabi. He blunted Bangladesh’s threat by adding 72 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket with his deputy Ikram Alikhil.

Rahmat was unbeaten on 84 off 186 balls with eight fours and a six, while Alikhil’s 26 came off 91 balls. Ebadot Hossain was Bangladesh’s best bowler of the day.

Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das got his side back into the contest shortly after the tea break. He first took a brilliant diving catch to his right, when the set Abdul Malik edged Ebadot five balls into the third session. Malik made 62 off 120 balls, with five boundaries including a six.

Next over, Litton completed a fine stumping when a Mehidy Hasan Miraz delivery turned and bounced sharply against Hashmatullah Shahidi. The former Afghanistan captain lasted just two balls as he fell for a duck.

Alikhil started with two well-timed boundaries before reining himself in for the next nine overs. Rahmat broke the boundary drought with two fours off Nayeem Hasan in the 60th over. He first pumped the offspinner through midwicket before finding the gap through mid-off for the second four.

Afghanistan then held off the Bangladesh bowling for the next 17 overs without a single boundary. Finally in the 77th over, Rahmat struck Mehidy for two fours in a row, both superb shots through extra cover, as he brought up Afghanistan’s 200.

The day began with the Afghanistan pace bowlers removing the two remaining Bangladesh wickets. It took them 8.3 overs, with Mohammad Saleem picking up his fourth wicket, having Taijul Islam caught behind and Yamin Ahmadzai removing Ebadot with a slower delivery.

Saleem finished with 4 for 82, having taken 6 for 140 against India in Afghanistan’s previous Test in June. Ahmadzai took three and Ismat Alam two wickets. This was the first time a fast bowling attack took nine wickets in a Test innings in Abu Dhabi.

After bowling out Bangladesh for 346, Afghanistan went to lunch on 34 for 1. Sediqullah Atal edged Hasan Mahmud to first slip. Atal struck three fours in his knock but also survived a caught-behind appeal in the third over. Replays showed that he had inside-edged it but Bangladesh did not use the review.

After lunch, Afghanistan batted positively. Shahidullah swept Mehidy while Mahmud conceded two fours early. Malik played the ball confidently, but Bangladesh kept things tight from both ends. It created a wicket when Shahidullah top-edged a hook against Ebadot in the 21st over. Mahmud took a good tumbling catch running in from fine-leg, as Shahidullah fell for 20 off 44 balls.

Rahmat though immediately stamped his authority with a crunchy cover drive in the same over. He hit Taijul for a straight six shortly afterwards, with Malik repeating the dose to the same bowler after a few more overs. Malik also cover-drove Nayeem before reaching his maiden Test half-century in the 34th over.

Scores:
Afghanistan 211 for 4 in 80.5 overs (Abdul Malik 62, Rahmat Shah 84*, Ikram Alkhi 32*; Ebadot Hossain 2-50) trail Bangladesh 346 in 92.3 overs (Shadman Islam 67, Tanzid Hasan 83, Litton Das 53; Mohammad Saleem 4-82, Yamim Ahmadzai 3-79, Ismat Alam 2-20) by 135 runs

[Cricinfo]

Sports

Risindi and Anthony win ATF U16 Colombo Week I titles

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/11

Thilina Walpola

Anthony Castigador

Risindi Hewawasam of Sri Lanka and Anthony Castigador of the Philippines won the girls’ and boys’ singles titles at the ATF 16 & Under Colombo 2026 – Week 1 tournament concluded at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association courts on Friday.

‎‎Castigador produced a dominant performance in the boys’ singles final, defeating India’s Gurshaan Chahal 6-2, 6-2 to secure the title. The Filipino maintained his advantage throughout the match, winning in straight sets to cap an impressive campaign.

Risindi Hewawasam (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)

‎‎In the girls’ singles final, Risindi delivered an equally dominant display to beat compatriot Kiara Jayamanne 6-1, 6-1. (RF)

Sports

Dialog supports Sri Lanka’s Para athletes

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/11

Thilina Walpola

Lasantha Theverapperuma (4th from left) presents the sponsorship exchange cheque to Brig, Dhananjaya Aludeniya (5th from left), marking Dialog Axiata’s continued commitment to supporting Sri Lankan para-athletes for the 5th Paralympic Asian Games

Dialog Axiata PLC is supporting Sri Lanka’s national contingent at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Achi Nagoya Japan, continuing its long standing commitment to supporting Sri Lankan athletes and helping them compete at the highest levels of international sport.

As the team sponsor, Dialog is backing a group of 21 athletes whose journeys have been shaped by determination, discipline and a strong desire to represent their country on the international stage. For Dialog, however, the value of this team goes well beyond the medal tally.

Each athlete has taken a different path into elite sport. Their physical abilities may differ, as do their individual stories, challenges, and ambitions. What they share is the commitment and determination required to train, compete, and continue pushing themselves to achieve their goals.

Dialog’s support reflects its wider commitment to creating opportunities for Sri Lankans to pursue their ambitions and represent the country with pride. For 26 years, Dialog has supported Paralympic sport in Sri Lanka, helping athletes compete at national and international level. Its continued support for the Asian Para Games contingent is part of that long-standing commitment to creating opportunities for athletes and recognizing sporting talent.

Among them is javelin thrower Samitha Dulan, a silver medalist at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games. Palitha Bandara, another experienced member of the athletics team, has also won medals at both the 2018 Jakarta and 2022 Hangzhou Games.

Nuwan Indika arrives with an impressive record after winning gold in the 100 meters and silver in the long jump at Hangzhou, while Pradeep Somasiri returns as an Asian Para Games champion after winning gold in the 1,500 metres.

Dhananjana Wickramasingha will also be looking to build on her silver medal winning performance in the women’s long jump at Hangzhou, while Madhuranga Subasinghe, who won bronze in the 400 metres, is also back in the squad.

Sri Lanka’s medal winning experience extends beyond athletics. Swimmer Naveed Rasheen won bronze in the 400 metre freestyle at Hangzhou, while Nadin Basnayake claimed silver in the women’s event.

The squad also includes Buddika Indrapala, who won bronze at the 2018 Asian Para Games.

Together, the contingent includes nine athletes who have previously won medals at the Asian Para Games, bringing valuable experience to the 2026 campaign.