Sports
Mathews’ 10,000- run regret
From his Under-19 days, Angelo Mathews was a player marked out for greatness. There was never a flicker of doubt. In those early years, many likened him to a young Jacques Kallis, or perhaps more fittingly, an Ian Botham — brisk with the ball and capable of landing hefty blows in the lower middle order. Kumar Sangakkara, ever the astute judge of talent, saw what Mathews could bring to the table. So much so that in his very first Test as captain, he ensured Mathews was handed his debut. By the time Sanga passed the baton, it was clear as daylight that Mathews was his natural heir.
Yet, it wasn’t with the ball that Mathews carved his name in stone. It was with the bat — as a rock in the middle order — that he truly made his mark. Repeated muscle injuries clipped his wings as an all-rounder, but he reinvented himself with single-minded focus. And to his credit, he walked the talk — finishing as Sri Lanka’s third highest run-scorer in Test cricket, tucked behind the twin colossi: Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.
Ask any of his early coaches and they’ll tell you — Mathews overachieved with the bat. He didn’t bat with silk gloves like Sanga or paint pictures like Mahela. There were no flowing cover drives or balletic footwork. If batting were poetry, his verse was blunt, but brutally effective. He was not one for the gallery, but always there when the team needed a firefighter.
If he got a start, he knew how to kick on. He played the long game — left deliveries on a string, milked the bowling dry, and then cashed in when it was in his arc. He turned survival into an art and pragmatism into profit.
“I never imagined I’d finish as Sri Lanka’s third highest run-scorer in Tests, behind two of the game’s greatest. Of course, there’s a tinge of disappointment — I always had my eye on that 10,000 mark. But due to injuries and circumstances, I couldn’t quite get there. Still, I’m grateful to God for the opportunity to play 118 Tests,” Mathews told Sunday Island.
His farewell match will be in Galle — poetic symmetry, really — for it was at the same venue, 16 years ago against Pakistan, that it all began. A full circle moment.
“I’d been thinking about this for a few months. I wasn’t happy with how I was performing over the last seven to nine Tests. For my own standards, I was falling short. I looked at the calendar — only two Tests scheduled over the next 18 months. One at 38, another at 39. That’s when I felt it was time to hand over the baton and let someone younger take the crease. That’s why I’ve chosen to bow out after the first Test,” Mathews said with characteristic honesty.
Mathews’ contribution to Sri Lankan cricket can’t merely be measured in runs or caps. It was under his captaincy that Sri Lanka achieved their first-ever Test series win in England in 2014. He led from the front with twin centuries and was named Player of the Series. Two years later, Sri Lanka blanked Australia 3–0 at home to claim the Warne–Murali Trophy — the first and only time they’ve done so.
“Winning in England in 2014 stands out — we came from behind and pulled off something special. The 2016 series against Australia was another high — we found answers to every tricky question and several youngsters stepped up. I’ll always be thankful to the players and support staff who made those moments possible,” Mathews recalled.
As a leader, his greatest strength lay not in grandstanding, but in spotting raw talent and nurturing it. Many of those who debuted under him are now match-winners in their own right.
“There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing players you backed come good. It’s one thing to identify talent, another to nurture it carefully. The future of Sri Lankan cricket is in safe hands — that’s a good feeling to walk away with,” he said.
Though walking away from Tests, Mathews isn’t quite ready to pack his kit bag just yet. With next year’s T20 World Cup set to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India, he’s still eyeing a final flourish in coloured clothing.
“I’ve not retired from white-ball cricket. I’m still fit, still playing club cricket, and the World Cup is just around the corner. I’ll see how my form goes — it would be special to sign off with a global tournament at home,” he said with a glint of hope.
Sri Lanka may find someone to fill Mathews’ slot on the team sheet. But what’s irreplaceable is the full package he brought — calm head, steady hand and a heart that beat for the team. Even when he wasn’t captain, he offered leadership. During times when the dressing room was fractured, he remained Switzerland — neutral, steady, unshaken.
A man who played the game tough, but fair. Honest to himself, and honest to the badge.
by Rex Clementine ✍️
Pathum Nissanka produced a career-best 187 to anchor Sri Lanka’s spirited reply on day three of the first Test against Bangladesh in Galle on Thursday, guiding the hosts to a commanding 368 for four at stumps.
Sri Lanka still trail by 127 runs, but with wickets in hand and a placid pitch beneath their feet, the momentum appears to be tilting in the hosts’ favour.
On a surface that has offered little to the bowlers, Nissanka made hay while the sun shone, unleashing an array of strokes that left the Bangladesh attack chasing leather. The right-hander peppered the off-side with exquisite drives and was equally adept square of the wicket, cutting and pulling with authority to force the field back.
The 27-year-old had been under the pump coming into the match, having managed just one half-century in nine innings since his heroic ton at The Oval last year against England. But there was no stopping him this time, as he cashed in on a batter-friendly deck to silence critics and steady Sri Lanka’s ship.
Having first made waves with a century on debut in the Caribbean four years ago, Nissanka’s red-ball career has been sporadic, punctuated by injuries. But since August last year, he has carved out a regular spot in the Test side, though recurring back niggles have occasionally sidelined him.
Nissanka was cruising towards a maiden double hundred when he was castled by Hasan Mahmud with the second new ball — bowled through the gate in classic fashion. His knock, laced with 23 fours and a six, was a timely reminder of his pedigree and poise at the crease.
He put on 47 for the opening wicket with debutant Lahiru Udara, before adding a crucial 157 runs with Dinesh Chandimal for the second wicket. Chandimal, who looked set for a big score, fell against the run of play, flicking one to leg slip to give Bangladesh a much-needed breakthrough.
Angelo Mathews, walking out to bat in his farewell Test amidst a guard of honour from the opposition, joined Nissanka in a stand worth 89. The veteran looked composed until he feathered a catch behind off part-time spinner Mominul Haque for 39.
Though Nissanka stole the limelight, the most assured batter at the crease by day’s end was Kamindu Mendis. The left-hander was a picture of composure, using his feet to good effect against the spinners and rotating strike with ease. He remained unbeaten on 37, with skipper Dhananjaya de Silva on 17, as Sri Lanka ended the day with plenty still in the tank.
Earlier in the morning, Bangladesh added just nine runs to their overnight total before being dismissed for 495. Asitha Fernando mopped up the tail, finishing with four wickets as the tourists lost their last six wickets for just 37 runs — a collapse that handed Sri Lanka the opening to claw back into the contest.
Rex Clementine ✍️
in Galle
Sri Lanka will field seven cueists including champions Irshath Thaha and Susantha Boteju when the country hosts the Asian 6 Red and Team Snooker Championship 2025 at the Moors Sports Club billiards table in Colombo from June 22.
The seven-day championship is hosted by Billiard and Snooker Association of Sri Lanka (BSASL) under the auspices of the Asian Confederations of Billiard Sports (ACBS).
Irshath Thaha and Susantha Boteju are joined by Mohamed Rikaz, Dhanushka Puwakgolla, Mohamed Musharaff, Mohamed Mubeen, and Thiyagarajah Thanji to vie for honours
The seven day championship due to end on June 28 will see the participation of 17 countries namely Kuwait, Hong Kong China, China, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Oman, UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Cambodia, Macau, Qatar, Singapore, Iraq and host Sri Lanka.
The regional event will see the participation of over 50 cueists and will showcase the action of past and present world champions giving the snooker fans a rare opportunity to witness the top notch players in action. The championship will be played over six tables and action will begin for the day from 10.00 a.m. each day with five sessions planned to be conducted.
The players will clash for two titles the Asian 6 Red which is an individual event and the Team championship that will be contested between two players from each country.
At the last edition of the tournament which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last year, Awais Muneer of Pakistan clinched the men’s singles 6 Red event and Team Thailand emerged the team champions. They will be looking to retain the titles.
The tournament will give the emerging and established players the much needed exposure and gain valuable international experience and an opportunity to showcase their talent.
Sri Lanka did well to reach the finals of the Billie Jean King Cup Asia Oceania Group III tournament as the hosts recorded a 3-0 win over Nepal at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association clay courts on Thursday.
Sri Lanka are set to meet Turkmenistan in the final today, after the latter beat Pakistan in their encounter.
In the first singels match Akeesha Silva beat Shivali Gurung 7-7, 7-6 before Dinara de Silva beat Abhllasha Bista 6-4, 6-2.
Inuki Jayaweera and Tuwini de Alwis made it three wins in a row by beating Shivali Gurung and Abhilasha Bista 6-4, 1-6, 10-5.
The winners of today’s final will be promoted to Group II.
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- Inuki Jayaweera and Tuwini de Alwis
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- Akeesha Silva (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)
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