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It’s time; Ashley 

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By Rex Clementine 

Channa Wijemanne and Supun Weerasinghe are two busy CEOs  of reputed private sector companies . The former responds to emailed queries within a day while the latter does it within a few hours. How long do you think the CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket takes to respond to emails? Six days! 

Ashley de Silva is one of the nicest blokes that you will ever come across, but being a top CEO requires more than being a nice guy.  He needs to be a visionary, efficient, bold, innovative and at times capable of taking  unpopular decisions. Cricket’s CEO has done none of those in recent times.

Heads rolled after the painful series defeat to England. Ashantha de Mel stepped down as Chairman of Selectors and 24 hours later Sri Lanka Cricket sacked the physiotherapist and a trainer. But those in cricket circles believe that we were merely changing pillows to cure headaches. 

During our steady decline in cricket in the last six years, we have sacked captains, coaches, players and selectors. To what extent has the CEO been held accountable for his role in all of this ?

Ashley became CEO of SLC in April 2013, technically on 1st April! Eight years on the job we have made little progress. Our current ICC rankings make sorry reading and there’s little effort being made to address the decline.

There are all sorts of controversies in the sport. Discipline among Sri Lanka’s cricketers has hit new lows. Two players are slinging mud at each other using social media. There’s been a breach of their contractual obligations but the CEO has failed to put them in their places. 

Kusal Mendis’ hit and run a few months ago should have earned him an immediate suspension. He and his notorious agent not only buried all evidence but failed to honour their word of building a house for the family of the deceased. The CEO turned a blind eye claiming it was a personal matter. Mendis can’t buy a run since knocking down and killing the poor cyclist who was riding to work. Karmic forces maybe at work. 

Suranga Lakmal should have been sent home on the day he was caught on camera playing cards during the first Test in Galle but nothing was done. Instead a few rookies were told to pack their bags several days later. The whole nation was condemning the actions of some of our senior players and the only organization that didn’t see anything wrong with it is the one that employs them. 

Some may ask why we are singling out the CEO when the whole board is responsible for the current mess. CEO’s job is not only making major corporate decisions but managing the overall operations as well. He is the public face of the company.  Plus no board official has lasted as long as this CEO. The image of Sri Lanka Cricket has suffered irreparable damage in many areas in the last few years and Ashley has yet to be taken to task for any of them.

Under his charge, SLC saw its biggest financial fraud; an insider instructing television partner Sony pictures to transfer a sum of US$ 187,000 (approximately Rs. 35 million) to an off-shore account in Mexico. 

On field, the national cricket team suffered back to back series defeats at the hands of South Africa and England and the fact that the team was not adequately equipped to face the challenges was quite evident. 

The gap between the LPL final in Hambantota and the Boxing Day Test at Centurion was ten days. That was hardly the preparation one needed for a tour of South Africa. Quarantine regulations meant that the players had only a couple of days to train and Consequently went into the opening Test match without even a warm-up game. 

Majority of decision makers at SLC including the President were against going on the tour. The tour went ahead on the insistence of Ashley. The players made a mockery of the Test match with half of the team picking up injuries during the game. Clearly, they were not ready for Test match cricket. What was the mighty hurry in going to South Africa? England had just abandoned their tour to South Africa due to a serious second wave caused by a new variant of the virus. Australia did the same earlier this week. Why did Sri Lanka have to take that huge risk? 

Centurion and Wanderers are the two paciest pitches in South Africa. Maybe in the whole world now that WACA is gone. If the hosts were so desperate to stage the Boxing Day Test and New Year Test to prevent loss of television revenue, SLC should have negotiated to play at a venue favourable for them.  Ideally play both Tests at Port Elizabeth. Most readers would agree with us.  But not our CEO.

It’s a little known fact that the Sri Lankan team flew home from Johannesburg on a chartered flight. It cost the board an arm and a leg – something in the range of Rs. 50 million. Was this colossal expenditure justified at a time when the country itself is grappling with serious financial issues ?

With that 50 million SLC could have easily conducted two ‘A’ team tours. But ‘A’ team cricket is something that Ashley is allergic to. In a country where First Class cricket is so diluted, a responsible CEO would have seen value in ‘A’ team cricket and the exposure the younger emerging talent should have. Instead SLC under Ashley’s stewardship have virtually swept ‘A’ team cricket out of the system because it costs too much money. 

Ashley is SLC ‘s longest serving CEO. Even James Sutherland of Cricket Australia couldn’t survive the ‘sand paper gate’. His successor Kevin Roberts barely lasted 18 months. Ashley bats on regardless while SLC is steeped in Scandal after scandal.  

We are at the very lowest ever in our Test, ODI and  T20 rankings, sixth, eighth and seventh respectively. 

After eight years in office if this is the end result surely it must call for urgent remedial action? . Deliver or depart Ashley. Given our dismal standing in world cricket after eight years in office the option seems obvious!



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South Africa seal 10-wicket win to complete whitewash

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South Africa won the second Test comfortably by 10 wickets in the final session on Day 4 in Cape Town and thereby, clinched the series 2-0 against Pakistan. The hosts comfortably chased down the paltry target of 58 in just over seven overs. This was after Pakistan surmounted 478 in their second innings, a remarkable effort with the bat after being enforced to follow-on. The victory has ensured that South Africa were unbeaten in Tests in the 2024/25 season with nine wins and a draw.

Pakistan were still set to fightback after Tea with Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan in the middle. Two overs in, the former survived a LBW shout as he got his bat down in the nick of time before the ball crashed into his pads, and Rizwan brought up the 400 with a four off Keshav Maharaj who was still wicketless at that stage. But the 88-run stand was broken as Rizwan chipped one delivery by Maharaj to Temba Bavuma at cover, in what was a soft dismissal.
Aamer Jamal was dropped two balls later by Aiden Markram at first-slip and made them pay with a boundary in the same over to bring scores level. Agha survived an LBW appeal through the recourse of DRS but was caught at slip two balls later, once again off Maharaj. Jamal and Mir Hamza latched into Kagiso Rabada milking him for few boundaries, and the latter played a lovely lofted shot straight down the ground for six off a length ball. Soon after Pakistan’s lead had crossed 50, both batters fell within five balls of each other to leave the hosts with a small target to chase.
David Bedingham was promoted to open after Ryan Rickelton could not bat due to a knock he picked up while fielding yesterday. He was in a belligerent mood in his 30-ball 47 which consisted of five fours and two sixes. Meanwhile, Aiden Markram rotated the strike around to seal the chase quickly and marked South Africa’s seventh successive Test win.
Earlier in the day, South Africa struck twice in the first session which included nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad and Kamran Ghulam. Marco Jansen generated the extra bounce which forced Shahzad to tentatively push one to the point fielder while Ghulam was beautifully set up by Rabada with multiple outswingers before a nip-backer from the pace ace had the batter’s stumps castled. However. Masood continued to push on from the other end.
South Africa then struck with the key wickets of Saud Shakeel and Masood soon after Lunch with the new ball. Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada picked up Shakeel as one shaped in with the angle from around the wicket which the batter nicked to second-slip. In the very next over, Maphaka sent back Masood LBW after the hosts asked the third umpire to have a look once Nitin Menon gave it not-out on field. The ball just struck Masood in line in front of the off-stump and it was straight enough to hit the flush of off-stump. The two wickets set up the victory for the hosts heading into the final session despite Rizwan’s and Agha’s resistance.
Brief Scores:South Africa 615 (Ryan Rickelton 259, Temba Bavuma 106, Kyle Verreynne 100; Mohammad Abbas 3-94, Salman Ali Agha 3-148) & 58/0 (Davod Bedingham 47*, Aiden Markram 14*) beat Pakistan 194 (Babar Azam 58, Mohammad Rizwan 46; Kagiso Rabada 3-55, Keshav Maharaj 2-14) & 478 (Shan Masood 145, Babar Azam 81; Marco Jansen 2-85) by 10 wickets

 

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Dilash hammers quickfire century as rejuvenated DSS put up big score

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Dilash Kumaranayake

DSS spark to life after Aravinda’s pep talk

by Reemus Fernando

D.S. Senanayaka College Colombo have been struggling during the third term matches of the Under 19 Division I cricket tournament. They were the lowest placed team in their group according to the year end points table. But yesterday they were a totally different batting unit as the scored 316 for nine wickets declared against Nalanda in their fifth tournament match at DSS ground.

It is now their highest score of the season. While Shanal Binuksha (76), Sohan Yapa (24), and Chanul Athale (46) made useful contributions in the top order, number nine batsman Dilash Kumaranayake hammered an unbeaten 101 runs in 88 balls inclusive of 11 fours and six sixes for the home team to post 316 for nine wickets declared.

Has the relegation scares made the struggling batting unit realized their true potential?

“Aravinda de Silva delivered a pep talk yesterday. He made the boys realize that they were there to enjoy the game of cricket. I think that has transformed the team,” coach Keerthi Gunarathna told The Island.

” There’s a long way to go hope they will keep on fighting,” he said.

The batting legend Aravinda de Silva, an old boy of D.S. Senanayaka has met the cricketers on Gunarathna’s request.

Match Details

Tier ‘A’

Mahanama fight back on 20 wickets day at BRC

Scores

Mahanama

168 all out in 47.4 overs (Chamika Heenatigala 32, Sithum Vihanga 38; Pasindu Maheesha 3/19, Dinal Sewmina 2/33, Praveen Maneesha 4/55) and 32 for no loss in 4 overs

Lumbini

144 all out in 40 overs (Bimsara Weerasinghe 36, Gimhana Wijayapura 33, Ashan Shanika 20; Anuka Wijewardana 4/25, Sithum Vihanga 4/36)

DSS score big against Nalanda at DSS ground

Scores

DSS

316 for 9 decl. in 91.3 overs (Shanal Binuksha 76, Sohan Yapa 24, Chanul Athale 46, Dilash Kumaranayake 101n.o. ; Hasith Rathnayake 2/80, Sadew Samarasinghe 4/61)

Nalanda

9 for no loss in 6 overs

Sebs make Maris Stella follow on at Negombo

Scores

St. Sebastian’s

212 all out in 56.5 overs (Kaveesha Perera 55, Adesh Almeida 40, Koshendra Fernando 37n.o.; Oshada Gunasinghe 4/67, Hasindu Perera 2/40, Kevin Kadigamuwa 3/43)

Maris Stella

107 all out in 30.4 overs (Oshada Gunasinghe 41n.o., Ramith Bandara 28; Malintha Silva 4/21, Adesh Almeida 3/35, Koshendra Fernando 3/32) and 25 for no loss in 6 overs

Thomians 109 for 2 after Bens’ 179 at Mount Lavinia

Scores

St. Benedict’s

179 all out in 63.5 overs (Eshan Edirisuriya 29, Janindu Nandasena 73, Aaron de Silva 3/25 Darien Diago 2/28)

S. Thomas’

109 for 2 in 36 overs (Dineth Goonewardene 55n.o., Avinash Fernando 35n.o.)

Tier ‘B’

Isipatana in complete control at Campbell Park

Scores

Wesley

91 all out in 32.4 overs (Anuga Pahansara 22, Rukshan Tharanga 25; Chanul Dinoth 5/29, Menula Sadev 3/25) and 13 for 3 in 10 overs (Dimuthu Tharaka 2/02)

Isipatana

233 all out in 54.3 overs (Navindu Hettiarachchige 35, Ruchith Rodrigo 48, Dilpa Ruwanaka 24, Ranmith Senarath 44, Chanul Dinoth 47; Dinuja Samararathne 6/63 Adhyaan Zain 3/68)

Isuru, Sanjana score centuries for Moratu Vidyalaya at Ambepussa

Scores

Moratu MV

300 for 6 decl. in 79 overs (Isuru Nidharshana 118, Visal Sri Sathsara 38rtd., Sanjana Senevirathne 104; Shehan Kumara )

St. Anne’s

34 for 1 in 19 overs (Wageesha Ranasinghe 24n.o.)

Traditional Matches

St. Peter’s dominate at Bambalapitiya

Scores

St. Aloysius’

140 all out in 42.5 overs (Charya Paranavithana 36; Dilana Damsara 5/35)

St. Peter’s

213 for 5 in 55 overs (Dilana Damsara 92, Asadisa de Silva 50n.o.)

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M.J.M. Lafir trophy championship commences today

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Sri Lanka’s world billiards champion M.J.M. Lafir.

3rd SAARC Snooker Championship

SAARC Snooker Championship conducted by Billiards and Snookers Association of Sri Lanka will commence at the Moors Sports Club billiards table in Colombo today.

The four-day championship organized by the South Asian Cue Sports Association will see 14 cueists from six nations competing for the prestigious M.J.M. Lafir Memorial Trophy.

It is the third edition of the tournament. The inaugural championship was hosted by Bangladesh in the year 2019. It was won by Asjad Iqbal of Pakistan when he defeated compatriot Mohammad Bilaal while the second edition was held in 2022. In 2022, Ishpreet Singh Chadha of India won defeating compatriot Brijesh Damani.

Malship Group along with Pyramid Wilmar, Olanda Villas, National Olympic Committee, Automobile Association and Crown Billiard International have come together to sponsor the event.

The tournament will witness the participation of 14 cueists with four from Sri Lanka and two each from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal.

The hosts are represented by Susantha Boteju who has won 19 national snooker championship titles, Irshath Thaha the reigning national billiard, six red ball snooker and the national snooker champion, Murugesu Prathap and Mohamed Musharaf.

Pakistan fields three time world snooker champion Mohammad Asif who is also the reigning world snooker champion and Naseem Akhta. India will have Saurav Kothari and Paras Gupta, while Bangladesh are represented by Ahmed Nizam Uddin and Asif Imran. Afghanistan will field Salih Mohammad and Mohammad Rahim and Nepal’s pair are Ayush Gautam and Ankit Man Shrestha.

The opening ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Moors Sports Club billiards parlour at 9.00 a.m.

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