Sports

Moody’s three year contract to begin in March

Published

2 years ago

2021/02/28

by Rex Clementine

Negotiations between Sri Lanka Cricket and former Head Coach Tom Moody are in the last stages and the Perth based Australian is expected to take over as Sri Lanka’s Director of Cricket as early as first week of March, SLC sources told Sunday Island.

Following recommendations by the Cricket Committee headed by former skipper Aravinda de Silva, SLC entered into negotiations with the former all-rounder who featured in two World Cup winning Australian sides in 1987 (under Alan Border) and in 1999 (under Steve Waugh).

SLC had mailed a contract to Moody and once he gives the nod, the parties will sign the deal. The three year contract requires Moody to spend 110 days in Sri Lanka annually although initially the discussion was for him to spend 180 days in Colombo. However, the parties had settled for little over 100 days. The annual contract is said to be worth almost US$ 200,000.

Moody will directly report to the Cricket Committee that comprises some of the finest brains the game has seen. Apart from overseeing the work of the national team, Moody will also have a say in age group level teams, development squads, women’s cricket and more importantly domestic cricket.

One of his first tasks is said to be coming up with a formula to introduce a competitive First Class tournament. SLC is hell bent on maintaining the status quo when it comes to domestic cricket as 26 teams are enjoying First Class status. The Cricket Committee seem to be in favour of a First Class competition with no more than ten teams with a promotion and relegation system.

Moody will be also empowered on producing the type of wickets for not only international cricket but for domestic games as well. There is a tendency in domestic matches in recent times to prepare wickets to suit a particular team’s spin bowlers. This club has gone onto make a massive impact in domestic tournaments in recent times but the game has suffered overall with seam bowlers getting little exposure in domestic cricket.

Moody is a highly respected coach. He was with Worcestershire when SLC hired him in 2005. Having successfully finished a two year term, he returned to his native Perth to be the coach of Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield. Since then, he has been heavily involved with the IPL and other franchise based tournaments. Currently he is Director of Cricket Sunrisers Hyderabad.

All News Advertisement

Sports

Second ODI between New Zealand and Sri Lanka abandoned

Published

2 hours ago

2023/03/28

Priyan

(pic ICC)

The second ODI between New Zealand and Sri Lanka has been called off due to rain in Christchurch.

Sports

Lahiru takes five wickets as Joes take lead

Published

6 hours ago

2023/03/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

Lahiru Amarasekara

Under 19 Cricket

Off-spinner Lahiru Amarasekara produced a five-wicket haul as St. Joseph’s restricted Mahinda to 127 runs on day one of the Under 19 traditional cricket encounter at Galle on Monday.

Amarasekara was ably supported by spinner Yenula Dewthusa and Muditha Dissanayake who shared the other five wickets.

With wickets falling at regular intervals, batting opener Ranmina Hettiarachchi anchored the top order with a knock of 33 runs. Chandupa de Silva with 29 runs, Tharusha Dilshan (15) and Hiruna Gallalge (17) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures.

In their essay St. Joseph’s were comfortably placed at 132 for two wickets but back-to-back wickets in the last two overs placed them at 132 for four wickets at stumps.

At Welisara, Dinuka Tennakoon took five wickets but Maris Stella managed to post 268 runs as Shean Adithya top-scored with 83 runs. In reply Trinity were nine without loss.

Vihanga Nimsara and Rasindu Ilukshana were the heroes for Moratu Vidyalaya as their half-centuries helped them score 249 runs against St. Sylvester’s at Boyagane.

Match Details

At Galle: Mahinda 127, St. Joseph’s 132/4

Scores:

Mahinda

127 all out in 57 overs (Ranmina Hettiarachchi 33, Chandupa de Silva 29; Lahiru Amarasekara 5/34, Muditha Dissanayaka 2/23, Yenula Dewtusa 3/32)

St. Joseph’s

132 for 4 in 42.1 overs (Sadeesh Jayawardena 53, Naren Muralidaran 41; Shehan Hasaranga 2/39)

At Welisara: Maris Stella 268, Trinity 9/0

Scores:

Maris Stella

268 all out in 93.5 overs (Kaveen Fernando 26, Shean Adithya 83, Anshen de Silva 28, Ramith Bandara 33, Nethum Basnayake 26, Levin Fernando 22; Jayavi Liyanagama 2/40, Dinuka Tennakoon 5/74)

Trinity 9 for no loss in 4 overs

At Boyagane: Moratu Vidyalaya 249, St. Sylvester’s 5/1

Scores:

Moratu Vidyalaya

249 all out in 93.1 overs (Vihanga Nimsara 82, Rasindu Ilukshana 54; Isuru Gunasekara 2/28, Pansilu Bandara 2/50, Akila Wickramasinghe 3/48, Khanka Wickramasinghe 2/31)

St. Sylvester’s

5 for 1 in 4 overs.

Sports

Sowmiya clinches a triple crown, Silvijan bags a double

Published

6 hours ago

2023/03/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

Winners posing with their awards.

Northern Badminton Championship 2023

T. Silvijan Dalima was crowned men’s singles champion while S. Sowmiya clinched a triple crown at the Northern Badminton Championship 2023 in Kilinochchi during the weekend.

At the Provincial Indoor Stadium in Kilinochchi, Silvijan met K Thusan in the final clash in which the latter retired in the second set with scores reading 21-14, 16-11 in favour of the champion. L Hentry and K Kajan were the losing semi-finalists.

Meanwhile, S. Sowmiya won all three of her open events, the women’s singles, doubles and mixed doubles with respective partners.

Sowmiya clinched the women’s singles crown with a 21-15, 21-13 win over R. Ragavi in the final following her doubles title win with B. Oliviya. Sowmiya and Oliviya overcame Athmika and M. Kavinaya 21-9, 21-15 to seal the women’s doubles crown.

Earlier, Sowmiya and Silvijan, the best singles duo in the tournament, also won the mixed doubles title by defeating R. Sulacsan and S . Thanojana 21-12, 21-16 in the final.

The men’s doubles final was won by L. R. Reminsan and T. Thusyanthan who beat G. Thanukanth and R. Yuthakaran with a 21-13, 21-9 score line.

The tournament, organised by the Northern Province Badminton Association, was conducted under the guidance of Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB). SLB President Rohan de Silva and a host of top officials were among the special guests at the presentation ceremony.