Sports
Bobby Knight of Sri Lanka Francis D’ Almeida turns 75 today
by Rex Clementine
Legendary US basketball coach Bobby Knight has been an inspiration for those who play the game of basketball having invented new tactics and brought success to many of his teams. Similarly, Francis D’ Almeida changed the way how the game of basketball was played in Sri Lanka with innovative methods. He turns 75 today.
For decades, local basketball coaches had used the zone defence, but it was Francis who introduced the man to man strategy first and his teams were unstoppable having employed this method. With full court trap defences, Francis changed the coaching philosophy in Sri Lanka and today most successful coaches in the island use the man to man strategy.
Francis had tremendous successes coaching Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena, St. Joseph’s College, Colombo, St. Benedict’s College and Ananda College.
Like Bobby Knight, there were occasions when Francis lost his cool on the court at the erring referees but one does not quite recall throwing of chairs. But expletives, yes there were plenty and you picked up new words too from him.
Francis’ highest achievement as a coach was when he guided the Sri Lanka under-18 team to finish sixth in the FIBA Asia Youth Championship held in Korea. He also coached Sri Lanka Youth Women’s team and was the Head Coach of the senior men’s and women’s teams. While Bobby Knight excelled on the court, Francis’ contributions to the game went beyond the court as he was a successful administrator having served as Secretary and Vice-President of SLBF for several years.
The modern generation may know him for his music, but his efforts to promote the game of basketball are unparalleled.
Francis was a pioneer in forming three key associations of Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, namely Coaches’ Association, Referee’s Association and Mercantile Association. The three bodies are vital parts of local basketball having offered jobs for so many who are involved with the game and more importantly lifting the standards of the game. He has been also instrumental in forming several district associations in far off places. His association with the game goes beyond half a century.
Francis is known for his generosity spending his earnings from basketball coaching on his players in looking after their needs.
The Island
wishes him all the very best.
Ad multos annos.
Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Thushara has filed a lawsuit in the Colombo District Court against Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after he was denied a no objection certificate (NOC) to play in the IPL as a result of failing new and stricter fitness tests.
Thushara’s legal argument centres around his contract with SLC ending on March 31, 2026 – after which he intended to step away from international cricket – making the enforcement of an NOC for SLC unreasonable and a barrier to his livelihood. While Thushara’s argument notes the loss of income from missing the IPL – he’s part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad – the timing of the legal action has almost certainly ruled him out of the tournament.
The case, in which SLC president Shammi Silva, secretary Bandula Dissanayake, treasurer Sujeewa Godaliyadda and CEO Ashley de Silva have been named defendants, is set to be taken up again on April 9. That date is the earliest the case can be heard as Sri Lanka’s courts will be closed over the Easter weekend, and even then it is extremely unlikely that it will be settled in a single hearing. This means Thushara will at the very least miss two more weeks of the IPL, which began on March 28.
ICC regulations stipulate that an NOC from a home board is required to participate in overseas leagues, but they do not mention specific criteria a home board must use to grant or deny it. The ICC leaves the conditions for issuing an NOC to the discretion of the individual boards. This allows boards to follow their own internal policies for granting the NOC; for example, SLC has previously denied NOCs based on players being allowed to participate in two overseas leagues a year.
The question of whether SLC can legally withhold that certificate from a player who is no longer under a central contract is now set to be tested. As per legal documents seen by ESPNcricinfo, SLC had formally informed Thushara that he would not be granted an NOC on March 24. Thushara claims to have requested an NOC multiple times, verbally and in writing on March 15 and 23, before eventually being denied. While SLC is yet to respond to his follow-up on March 28, Thushara claims he was informed unofficially that he would once again be denied the NOC.
SLC’s reasoning centres around its new mandatory fitness requirements, which have been spearheaded by the selection committee led by former fast bowler Pramodya Wickramasinghe following Sri Lanka’s poor performance in the recent Men’s T20 World Cup.
There are five components to the SLC fitness test: a 2 kilometre run, 20 metre sprint, a 5-0-5 agility test, a skinfold test, and a counter movement jump (CMJ). Each of these tests allows for a player to gain a maximum of 29 points total – players need to attain at least 17 points to be considered for selection – with the 2km run and skinfold test holding the most weight.
“If you fair poorly in those two, it will be very hard to pass,” a SLC source told ESPNcricinfo. These tests have been a regular part of player training since 2021. However, they were not used as strict selection criteria, rather as a guide, particularly when making calls between two similarly skilled players.
Central to Thushara’s argument is that such fitness requirements were not a prerequisite for an NOC in the past, and that his current fitness levels are consistent with what he has maintained over his career, including in 2024 and 2025 when SLC had granted him NOCs.
Thushara’s case has similarities to that of South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi, who took Cricket South Africa (CSA) to the Johannesburg High Court in December 2025. He was not centrally contracted by CSA and had withdrawn from an SA20 league contract. CSA refused to grant him a full-duration NOC to play in the rival International League T20 (ILT20), aiming to protect its own tournament’s player pool. Shamsi argued that because he held no active contract with either CSA or the SA20 franchise, the board’s withholding of the NOC was an act of “bad faith” to protect its own commercial interests. The South African High Court sided with Shamsi, issuing an interim order forcing CSA to grant the full NOC, setting a major precedent for global player mobility.
The Shamsi ruling proved that when a player is outside a central contract, a board cannot use the ICC’s NOC policy purely to protect its commercial interests. Thushara’s case takes this a step further, and asks whether a board can legally enforce its internal selection policies on a player who has walked away from the national set-up.
(Cricinfo)
A superb knock of 146 runs by Rehan Peiris held the Royal College top order together as they posted 319 in their first innings on day one of the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ quarter-final against Mahanama College at the D.H.H. Ground, Madampella on Thursday.
Royal looked set for a strong start before three quick wickets disrupted their progress and left the innings in a difficult position. With the early damage threatening to derail the innings, Rehan stepped up with a determined batting effort to guide the recovery.
Rehan first stitched together a useful partnership with Ramiru Perera to stabilize the innings before combining with Thevindu Wewalwala for a crucial fifth wicket stand worth 117 runs. The partnership proved vital in helping Royal regain control and build a competitive total.
Wewalwala provided excellent support with a solid 57, while Hirun Matheesha contributed 28 runs and Ramiru Perera added 27 to strengthen the innings around Rehan’s impressive knock.
For Mahanama, Venura Kaveethra was the pick of the bowlers with a five wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5 for 86, while Chamika Heenatigala chipped in with two wickets.
At stumps on the opening day, Mahanama were four for no loss.
Scores
Royal – 319 all out in 87.2 overs
(Rehan Peiris 146, Thevindu Wewalwala 57, Hirun Matheesha 28, Ramiru Perera 27; Venura Kaveethra 5/86, Chamika Heenatigala 2/80)
Mahanama – 4 for no loss at stumps.
Wesley book semi-final spot
Wesley booked a semi-final berth in the Under 19 Division I Tier B tournament as they overcame formidable Devapathiraja Rathgama with a convincing 107 runs victory at Katuneriya on Thursday.
Scores:
Wesley
197 all out in 52.1 overs (Shamma Fernando 23, Rasheed Nahyan 34, Rashmika Amararathna 30, Lithum Senuja 24, Senura Lakshan 27; Sandaru Lakshan 3/71, Puljith Wathsuka 4/31, Harsha Madusanka 2/13) and 219 all out in 64.4 overs (Rashmika Amararathna 43, Senura Lakshan 37, Lavindu Hettiarachchi 41, Dinuja Samararathna 31; Sandaru Malshan 6/88, Diyath Sanjitha 4/46)
Devapathiraja
142 all out in 57.1 overs (Diyath Sanjitha 20, Arosha Sithumina 33, Sandaru Malshan 30; Rashmika Amararathna 4/23, Aadhyan Zian 4/34) and 167 all out in 60.3 overs (Sandaru Malshan 22, Yasiru Lakshan 71, Gimhan Rasanjana 31; Aadhyan Zian 2/25, Dinuja Samararathna 4/52)
(RF)
Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell have escaped with a slap on the wrist from England’s Cricket Regulator after they were found to have brought the game into disrepute for their late night antics in Wellington last year.
Brook was disciplined by the ECB after admitting that he had been out drinking the night before he captained England in their third ODI against New Zealand on November 1 and that he was “clocked” by a bouncer when trying to gain access to a late-night venue. England considered stripping him of the captaincy but instead opted to fine him in a process that was not made public.
The incident only came to light shortly after England’s defeat in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, over two months later, via a report in the Telegraph. Brook initially insisted that he had been on his own but later admitted that he had been accompanied by Bethell and Josh Tongue and that he had lied to protect his team mates.
The case was referred to the Cricket Regulator – an independent body which enforces the game’s regulations in England and Wales, and is ring-fenced from the rest of the ECB – which found that Bethell and Brook were both in breach of Regulation 3.2 of the ECB’s Professional Conduct Regulations.
The regulation reads: “No Participant may conduct themself in a manner, do any act or make any omission at any time which is improper or which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute.”
Bethell and Brook have both accepted the ‘caution notices’ issued to them, which effectively places them on a final warning. They will not be issued with a ‘charge letter’ but the notice will remain on their disciplinary record for the next three years.
Tongue, who said this week that he had “learned from” the incident, has had no further action taken against him.
Rob Key said in December that England had encountered “none of these issues” since he became managing director, when asked about footage that showed players out drinking on the night in question. He also denied that any formal disciplinary action had been taken, though he has since claimed he meant specifically as a result of the footage.
Key admitted after the ECB’s post-Ashes review – which focused in part on England’s culture and environment – that he was concerned by some players’ drinking. “Like a lot of teams, there’s two or three players that can be irresponsible with alcohol given the opportunity,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is try to find that happy medium.”
England introduced a midnight curfew ahead of their tour to Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup earlier this year, which is expected to remain in place this summer.
Brook, England’s Test vice-captain, is expected to play some County Championship cricket for Yorkshire before England’s three-match series against New Zealand in June. Bethell, who is also Brook’s de facto vice-captain in white-ball cricket, is at the IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
(Cricinfo)
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Nuwan Thushara files lawsuit against SLC for IPL NOC
Mercury fears over coal imports: CEJ urges urgent standards, health probe
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