Sports

Sri Lanka’s eternal search for the elusive all-rounder

Published

2 years ago

2025/03/30

Seam bowling all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe has become the talk among cricket circles after claiming a five-wicket haul in a First Class game this week.

Sri Lanka have been on a wild goose chase for a genuine seam-bowling all-rounder – someone who can lend balance to the side and tilt the scales in our favour. Yet, despite scouring the length and breadth of our cricketing landscape, success has remained as elusive as a Test win in Australia.

Sure, we’ve unearthed a handful of spin-bowling all-rounders over the years, but let’s face it – they’re about as effective overseas as a canned fish on Unawatuna beach. What Sri Lanka desperately need is a seam-bowling workhorse who can chip in with the ball and wag the tail with the bat. Sadly, that cupboard remains bare.

While India boast the explosive Hardik Pandya, England flaunt the talismanic Ben Stokes, and Australia have pinned hopes on the towering Cameron Green while the South Africans have the nasty Wiaan Mulder. Sri Lanka have had no one in the same postcode, let alone the same league. Our pursuit for a proper all-rounder has lasted longer than Malaysia’s search for MH370—or closer to home, longer than the CID’s chase for Arjun Mahendran.

The term ‘all-rounder’ is often tossed around rather casually in Sri Lanka. Anyone who could roll his arm over and bat a bit is called an all-rounder. After all, we are a country that allowed Cabraal to run the Central Bank.

When you talk about a proper all-rounder, think Jacques Kallis. The man was a colossus. He piled up 13,289 Test runs—more than Sanga (12,400) and MJ (11,814) – and didn’t just twiddle his thumbs with the ball either. With 292 Test wickets to his name, he outgunned the likes of Joel Garner (259) and Michael Holding (249). King Kallis, indeed. When he played, even our Lankan legends and the Calypso kings looked mortal.

And yet, the crown for the greatest all-rounder of all time doesn’t sit on Kallis’ head. That honour belongs to the great Sir Garfield Sobers. In cricket, numbers might paint a picture, but they rarely tell the full story. What set Sir Garry apart was his versatility – left-arm seam, left-arm orthodox, and left-arm wrist spin. With the bat, he was nothing short of an artist. No wonder Sir Don Bradman called him the greatest cricketer the game has ever seen.

We Sri Lankans would settle for someone with even half the class of Kallis or Sobers. But time and again, our budding all-rounders have flattered to deceive – promising much, delivering little, and fading into the sunset before their sun had even risen.

Take Arjuna Ranatunga, for instance. Many overlook his bowling calling it dibbly-dobbly medium pace, but he did claim prized scalps like Sunil Gavaskar and Martin Crowe – whom he cruelly denied a triple hundred in Wellington in ’91, dismissing him on 299.

Athula Samarasekera arrived on the scene with much hype in the early years of our Test journey, but fizzled out like a firecracker in the rain. Chaminda Vaas, a stalwart with the ball, had the chops to make it big with the bat too. He was instrumental during our triumph in New Zealand in 1995 and should’ve notched more than the solitary Test century he ended up with. A couple of premature declarations didn’t help his cause either.

Then there was Suresh Perera, who gave us a glimmer of hope with a dream debut that helped clinch our first-ever Test win in England. But he couldn’t quite bottle that lightning again.

Of all, Angelo Mathews was the brightest prospect – the golden boy. But as fate would have it, injuries clipped his wings. In the latter stages of his career, his bowling became a thing of the past. Thisara Perera, too, had all the raw ingredients, but you always got the feeling he left a few gears unshifted. His career, brimming with unfulfilled promise, ended far too soon.

Now, though, there’s a buzz around a new kid on the block – Chamindu Wickramasinghe. He’s turned a few heads with his performances in the Lanka Premier League, earning a call-up to the national white-ball squad. But just as quickly, he was shown the exit and sent back to grind it out in the domestic circuit.

Turning out for SSC, Chamindu cracked a fighting century recently – with the club staring down at relegation. This week, in the Inter-Provincial Tournament, he rolled up his sleeves for Kandy and delivered a fiery five-wicket haul coming in as first change. His scalps? Just a few big fish – Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella and Janith Liyanage – as Colombo folded for 201.

This lad from St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota, just 22-years-old, seems to have a good head on his shoulders and both hands firmly on the wheel. He’s no finished product, not by a long shot, but there’s enough in his tank to warrant close attention.

Seam-bowling all-rounders are worth their weight in gold, especially on overseas tours where balance is often the difference between glory and heartbreak. Chamindu might just be the piece we’ve been missing in this long-running jigsaw puzzle.

Sri Lanka has been burnt before – many times over – by players who lit up the scene briefly and then vanished into the mist. But here’s hoping Chamindu doesn’t just flicker. Here’s hoping he burns bright, carries the torch, and finally ends our long, weary search for that elusive all-round gem.

by Rex Clementine

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Ronaldo apologizes for Portugal walkout; says Jesus broke promise

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/7

Priyan

Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's leading scorer (Aljazeera)

Cristiano Ronaldo has accused Portugal ‌coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word, saying a failed agreement to publicly ⁠explain his omission ⁠against Norway drove him out of the camp, but insisting he remained available after any punishment.

In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old gave his account of the dispute ⁠that prompted his departure from Copenhagen before Portugal’s Nations League match versus Denmark last week.

Ronaldo said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark ⁠matches to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.

“The manager had broken his word to me.”

Portugal’s ‌captain and all-time leading scorer said a subsequent meeting with Jesus, attended by his club side Al Nassr’s sporting director Simao Coutinho, produced an agreement for the coach to clarify events at his next news conference.

According to Ronaldo, an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had respected Jesus’s decisions and that the coach asking him to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake.

Ronaldo said the agreed notes did ⁠not require Jesus to apologise to him but said the coach’s ⁠public remarks bore no resemblance to their private discussion.

“It was the second time he had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said. “I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”

The statement provided Ronaldo’s account⁠, but on Sunday, after Portugal’s win over Norway, Jesus denied he had made any agreement with the player, nevertheless leaving the door open ⁠for his return.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) did not immediately respond ⁠to a request for comment about Ronaldo’s statement.

Ronaldo apologised for failing to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates, accepting that his captaincy made his conduct more serious.

“The consequences of my actions must be assessed ‌and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he said.

Despite the rupture, Ronaldo said he was not limiting his international ambitions to a farewell appearance.

“If I’m physically fit, playing for my club – scoring ‌goals, ‌I hope – after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I’ve always been until now, to compete and win for our national team,” he added.

(Aljazeera)

Sports

Nalanda on the cusp of reaching knockout stage as unbeaten run continues

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

Rusandu Silva has nine wickets against his name after three matches.

by Reemus Fernando

Nalanda College, Colombo continued their unbeaten run to come closer to securing a berth in the knockout stage as they beat Gurukula College by nine wickets in the Under 19 Division I Tier A Limited Overs Tournament match played at Campbell Place on Tuesday.

‎With Rusandu Silva continuing his impressive run in the tournament, Nalanda did well to restrict the team from Kelaniya to just 113 runs (in 35.4 overs).

‎After two outings Rusandu had six wickets against his name coming to this match.‎Rusandu and Methuka Perera claimed three wickets each. ‎Lithum Wijekumara also impressed with two wickets, while Santhul Wijeyarathne took one.

‎Adeepa Pinsara was the only batsman to make a contribution of note as he top-scored with 35 off 49 balls, including four fours and two sixes, while Javindu Madusanka made 20.

‎In their chase Nalanda made light work of the modest target, reaching 114 for one, scoring at a rate of over a run a ball.

‎Nadul Jayalath cracked an unbeaten 62 from just 52 balls. His innings contained four fours and five sixes. He received valuable support from Lithum Wijekumara, who scored 35 off 42 deliveries with six boundaries.

‎Ranmith Senarath completed the successful chase with an unbeaten 10 off seven balls, including two fours.

‎Nalanda lost only one wicket as the opening pair added 89 for the first wicket. Jayalath and Senarath then finished the contest comfortably, securing a convincing nine-wicket victory with many overs to spare.

‎It was Nalanda’s third successive victory in the Tier A tourney after having beaten Thurstan (155) by seven wickets and St. Servatius’ Matara (187) by four wickets in the first two matches.

‎As of now, they are the leading team in Group G where they have only St. Joseph’s Darley Road to meet before the knockout stage.

‎With just two teams advancing to the next stage from each Group Nalanda are almost assured of their place.

Sports

Wins for Hayley’s Group ‘A’ , HNB ‘A’ and CDB on Saturday

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/7

Sahan Weerasooriya

33RD SINGER – MCA Super PREMIER LEAGUE

Hayley’s Group ‘A’, HNB ‘A’ and CDB registered wins by defeating Colombo Aces, Fairfirst Insurance and SLC Youth in the matches of the Mercantile Cricket Association’s Super Premier League cricket tournament on Sunday (04).

The MCA Super Premier League is sponsored by Singer Sri Lanka for the 33rd consecutive year.

At the Bloomfield Cricket ground, Nishan Madushka, Pulindu Perera and Minod Dhanuka smashed half tons as Hayley’s Group ‘A’ registered their second win of the tournament defeating Colombo Aces by six wickets.

At the Thurstan ground, Nipun Dhananjaya and Muditha Lakshan posted eighty plus scores to help CDB amass 307/8, which the bowlers defended by 71runs.

At the Colts Ground Milan Rathnayake starred with bat and ball [71 and 3-24] to help HNB ‘A’ overcome SLC Youth by 41 runs. Rehan Pieris topped SLC Youth score card with a 108 ball 77 with six fours and a six.

At Bloomfield Ground Colombo:

Hayley’s overcome Colombo Aces by six wickets

Colombo Aces 222/10 in 49 overs

[ Kavin Bandara 62, Dinura Kalupahan 50; Dhanajaya Lakshan 2-14, Ramesh Mendis 4-36]

Hayleys Group A 227/4 in 25.2 overs [Nishan Madushka 61, Pulindu Perera 51, Minod Bhanuka 54; Dinura Kalupahana 2-35]

At Thurstan College Ground:

CDB BY 71 runs

CDB 307/8 in 50 overs

[ Vishsd Randika 53, Nipun Dhananjaya 86, Muditha Lakshan 89; Himesh Ramanayake 3-49, ]

Fairfirst Insurance 236/10 in 46.4 overs

[Sanoj Dharshika 58, Yasiru Rodriga 78; Movin Subasinghe 3-27, Lahiru Madushanka 2-16]

At Colts ground;