Sports

What’s up MJ’s sleeve?

Published

4 years ago

2022/02/27

by Rex Clementine

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for the national cricket team. They were thoroughly outplayed in Australia while the Indians have given them a hiding in the opening encounter of the three match series in Lucknow. The manner in which young Indian players walk into the senior side and punish the bowling has stunned many. There’s nothing to be surprised as India’s domestic structure is one of the best in the world whereas we have a system where players score more triple hundreds in a year than Sir Don Bradman has done his entire career.

Sanga and MJ are big stakeholders of the sport having considerable say in how cricket is run in the country. However, under their watch instead of the number of teams engaged in domestic cricket being reduced, it has increased. When they were not in administration they were vocal critics when Thilanga Sumathipala doubled the number of First Class teams in 2015.

Sanga and MJ have argued that the number of teams will be reduced eventually thanks to the promotion and relegation system. It’s only wishful thinking. They should know better. There are enough Sumith Pereras hanging around Maitland Place to get an interim injunction stopping First Class tournaments once their team is relegated. Then, it will be all back to square one. Instead, you should have the single mindedness of Imran Khan who wasted no time in bringing down the number of domestic teams in Pakistan to put cricket back on track. Shame on our legends!

The highest paid employ of any cricket board is their captain or the senior most player. But in Sri Lanka it is not Angelo Mathews or Dimuth Karunaratne. It’s MJ. But his commitment to Sri Lankan cricket could be questioned. Tours of India and Australia are the toughest ones. But he’s not in the dressing room when players need him most. He’s supposed to be providing instructions virtually. When he pulled out after the qualifying round of the World Cup in UAE due to family reasons, people didn’t ask questions. But now you get the feeling whether he’s pulling a fast one. Surely, Ambanis are not going to allow him to take a break middle of IPL.

MJ has basically got everything that he has asked for. The Chairman of Selectors is his puppet who has little clue. All coaching appointments are made after consultation with MJ. That’s too much power given to one man. That’s not bad. But with too much power one should also be held accountable.

You also sense that with MJ being a central figure in decision making coaching positions are given to those whom he can control. Chaminda Vaas not being given an extension probably is not a coincidence. It maybe that Vaas is too tough for MJ to handle. Hence, enter Lasith Malinga, no matter how much doubt you have about him being able to fit in as a team man.

Is cricket headquarters heading back to Perera Gardens?

Rumesh Ratnayake is one of the nicest men in cricket circles but him as a head coach was no brainer. He is so outdated that one day the Aussies had announced their playing eleven the day before the match while Rumesh was playing his cards close to his chest. Maybe he was thinking that he was letting out a state secret.

Clearly Sanga and MJ have faulted in not naming a Head Coach on time. The problem with these gents is that they are fixed with certain theories. They want us to believe that a crook like Charlie Austin is in fact a paragon of virtue. They would not look beyond Tom Moody, Graham Ford and Paul Farbrace when given a chance to headhunt a coach.

It is their fault that Sri Lanka does not have a Head Coach at the moment. Having too many sharp brains is one of the best things that happened to cricket. But at the same time, having too many cooks can mess things up.

A professional organization to succeed you can’t just have yes men. There will be people who disagree with your opinions. Healthy rivalry is in fact good for an organization.

Soon Sanga and MJ will be joining their IPL franchises. Their contribution towards Sri Lankan cricket over the next two months will be little. But there are other former captains who can make contributions. Is there any chance we can make use of their services?

Sanga and MJ stand accused of blocking the return of Sanath Jayasuriya back into the cricket fold. Let them be reminded that there’s no saint without a past and no sinner without a future.

All News Advertisement

Latest News

Agha calls for ‘sportsman spirit’ after controversial dismissal

Published

11 hours ago

2026/03/14

Priyan

Salman Agha reacted furiously after his controversial dismissal [BBC]

Salman Ali Agha said that he would have done things ‘differently”, after Mehidy Hasan Miraz ran him out in controversial circumstances in the second ODI in Dhaka.

Agha, who made 64 from 62 balls, had been backing up at the non-striker’s end when Mohammad Rizwan drove the ball back towards him. He was still out of his ground as Mehidy swooped round behind him in an attempt to gather, and Agha had appeared ready to pass the ball back to the bowler before Mehidy reached down to grab it first and throw down the stumps.

Agha reacted furiously to the dismissal, throwing his gloves and helmet down in disgust at the decision. However, he later came to the post-match press conference, ahead of captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and player of the match Maaz Sadaqat, to clear the air.

“I think sportsman spirit has to be there,” Agha said. “What he [Mehidy] has done is in the law. I think if he thinks it’s right, it’s right, but if you ask me my perspective, I would have done differently. I would have gone for sportsman spirit. We haven’t done this [type of thing] previously, we would never do that in the future as well.”

Agha explained that he had been trying to pick up the ball to give to Miraz, thinking it was likely to have been called dead. “Actually, the ball hit on my pad and then my bat,” he said. “So I thought he can’t get me run-out now, because the ball already hit on my pad and my bat.

“I was just trying to give him the ball back. I was not looking for the run or anything like that, but he already decided [to make the run-out].”

Agha however regretted his angry reaction. “It was just heat-of-the-moment kind of stuff,” he said. “If you ask me what would I have done, I would have done things differently. But it was everything, whatever happened after that, it was in the moment.”

He was also involved in a robust exchange with Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton Das, though he didn’t divulge many of the details.

“I can’t remember what I was saying and I can’t remember what he was saying,” he said. “I’m sure I wasn’t saying nice things, and I’m sure he wasn’t saying nice stuff as well. But it was just heat of the moment, so we are fine.

Asked if he had patched things up with Mehidy, Agha said: “I haven’t yet, but don’t worry, I’ll find him.”

Pakistan won the match by 128 runs via the DLS method.

[Cricinfo]

Latest News

Bahrain & Saudi Arabia Grands Prix to be cancelled

Published

21 hours ago

2026/03/14

Priyan

The grands prix in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were scheduled for next month (BBC)

The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix that were scheduled for next month are set to be cancelled as a result of the war in the Middle East.

A formal decision to call off the races has not yet been made but is expected before the end of the weekend.

Freight would need to start being shipped to the Middle East in the coming days. With no sign of the conflict between the US/Israel and Iran coming to a conclusion, holding the races would put personnel at too great a risk.

Neither event will be replaced, with the season being cut to 22 grands prix and F1 taking a commercial hit of more than £100m, given Bahrain and Saudi Arabia pay two of the highest hosting fees.

The race in Bahrain was scheduled to be on 12 April with Jeddah the following weekend.

Consideration was given to holding events at Portimao in Portugal, Imola in Italy or Istanbul Park in Turkey.

But it was accepted that the time to organise a race at any of those locations was too short, and there was little chance of securing a hosting fee.

The decision will mean there is a five-week break between the Japanese Grand Prix on 29 March and Miami on 3 May.

(BBC)

Sports

Rehan, Ramiru guide Royal on day two

Published

21 hours ago

2026/03/14

Thilina Walpola

Royal College made steady progress in reply to their arch rivals’ first innings total as skipper Rehan Peiris and Ramiru Perera guided them to 175 for four wickets at stumps on day two of the 147th Battle of the Blues at the SSC ground on Friday.

‎Royal needed only 51 overs to reach their end-of-day total after S. Thomas’ College had earlier adopted a cautious approach before being bowled out for 302 runs.

‎Royal suffered an early setback when open batsman Hirun Liyanarachchi was dismissed for naught in the very first over, caught behind by Aaron Kodituwakku off the bowling of Gimhan Mendis.

‎Skipper Rehan Peiris then steadied the innings, repairing the early damage with two useful partnerships. He first added 41 runs for the second wicket with Udantha Gangewatta and followed it up with a 34-run stand for the third wicket alongside Sri Lanka Under-19 skipper Vimath Dinsara.

‎Dinsara struggled to find fluency during his stay at the crease, managing 11 runs off 30 balls before being trapped leg-before by Gimhan Mendis, who finished the day with two wickets.

‎Rehan continued to anchor the innings and produced the most productive stand of the Royal innings when he combined with Ramiru Perera for a vital 78-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The Royal skipper’s determined knock finally ended on 63 when he was dismissed by Ludeesha Matarage.

‎From there, Ramiru Perera and Yasindu Dissanayake ensured there were no further setbacks, batting cautiously until bad light forced the umpires to call off play.

‎Perera remained unbeaten on 70, an attractive innings that included ten boundaries, while Dissanayake provided solid support at the other end as Royal closed the day strongly.

‎Earlier in the day, resuming from their overnight score, the Thomians continued with their ultra-cautious approach, scoring at just over two runs per over. Reshon Solomon top-scored with 66 runs, while Ludeesha Matarage and Raphael Hettige chipped in with useful contributions in the twenties.

‎S. Thomas’ were eventually bowled out for 302 just before the lunch interval on the second day, having consumed 124 overs during their four-session first innings.

‎Gagan Gamage was the pick of the Royal bowlers with impressive figures of four wickets for 49 runs. He received good support from Sehandu Sooriyaarachchi, who claimed three wickets for 64 runs, while Himaru Deshan picked up two wickets for 43. Ramiru Perera also chipped in with a wicket to complete the Thomian innings.