Sports
When a cricket writer met the don of Bombay

Rex Clementine in Bombay
During Sri Lanka’s first Test tour of India in 1982, not following protocol when the team met former Indian President Zail Singh created quite a stir. Apparently, Board President Gamini Dissanayake was very angry. Some say that the players weren’t aware who Zail Singh was while others say they were too jaded after a long flight.
The post of Indian President is a five year term. Zahil Singh was President from 1982 to 1987. He had succeeded Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. There is a joke that for Zahil Singh’s inauguration when the photographers asked, ‘Mr. President are you ready,’ Zail Singh had replied, ‘I’m not Reddy. I’m Zahil Singh.’
Security is tight in Bombay the day before Sri Lanka’s game against India. The reason being the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde is expected to be here. He is not coming here to interact with either of the teams. He is here for the unveiling of a statue of Sachin Tendulkar at the Wankhede Stadium.
Tendulkar began his Test career as a 16-year-old and it stretched for 24 long years. His batting exploits are well documented although his captaincy wasn’t spectacular. Some of Sri Lanka’s cricket highlights came when he was leading the Indian team.
During the famous 952 six declared game at RPS, Tendulkar graciously declared, ‘I haven’t seen Don Bradman, but I have seen Sanath Jayasuriya.’
The same year during the Asia Cup final, when Sri Lanka chased down India’s target with plenty to spare, Ravi Shastri at the post-match presentation asks Tendulkar what is a safe total against Sri Lanka. Tendulkar wonders around and declares, ‘Maybe 1000’.
Time was when India feared Sri Lanka like the plague. Many of their bowlers like Manoj Prabhakar and Venkatesh Prasad suffered at the hands of Jayasuriya and Aravinda de Silva.
India in fact had not beaten Sri Lanka in a World Cup fixture until 1999.
You can only reminisce about those glory days and desperately hope that good times will come back. The locals keep asking what ails Sri Lankan cricket. Someone who is really worried for Sri Lankan cricket is G. Viswanath, who has made many visits to Sri Lanka as the chief cricket correspondent of English daily The Hindu.
Many Sri Lankan players are Viswanath’s friends, and he keeps in touch with them regularly.
Viswanath is a curious reporter. Although he writes on sports alone, he keeps himself busy exploring other interesting subjects happening in the city.
Born and bred in Bombay, once in 1982 he had gone to meet Varadarajan Mudaliar, a powerful mob boss. He was adored by the locals, but the law enforcement was after him.
Viswanath had visited the underworld kingpin around lunch time. So Varadarajan requests him to come with him to feed his dogs. As they are feeding the dogs, one of his accomplices turns up to inform that two cops had come to see him. Varadarajan then tells his confidante, ‘I will feed these dogs. You go and feed those dogs.’ Apparently a reference to cops who had come to collect bribes.
There is a movie made on the life of Varadarajan Mudaliyar titled ‘Nayagan’. Leading Indian actor Kamal Hasan plays the role of Varadarajan in the film directed by Mani Ratnam, and it goes onto win several national awards.
To this date, Varadarajan is adored in Bombay by a certain section of the public for he looked after their interests. It’s hard to think that someone who was born and raised in south India will go onto become the leading don of India’s financial capital. And to this date, ‘Nayagan’ remains the best movie of Kamal Hasan.
As for Viswanath, he is still very active writing some fine stories on cricket. If you get to know him, he will kill you with his love. However, you need to make sure that you don’t go on unscheduled trips like the visit to Varadarajan.
The press box in Bombay is named after Bal Thackeray, a local politician and a right-wing Hindu nationalist. He had nothing to do with cricket and that’s why you keep telling the locals that the Bombay press box should be named after Viswanath and not after a politician.
For the World Cup, the Indian board had provided each cricket ground a donation to refurbish facilities at venues. Bombay looks fabulous but the problem with Indian grounds is that they don’t maintain these facilities. That’s where Sri Lanka is far ahead of India as our grounds are very well maintained.
For each match that the grounds host during the World Cup, the ICC gives US$ 700,000. So, if a venue hosts five games, they are walking away with a cool US$ 3.5 million.
Latest News
Ireland surge ahead despite Muzarabani’s heroics

Ireland and Zimbabwe continued to zigzag with the flow yet again in Bulawayo but it was the visitors who were better placed at the end of the day. barry McCarthy’s toil and versatility combined with Andy McBrine’s consistency provided them with the hope of capturing a substantial lead.
Blessing Muzarabani thought otherwise. His inspired 67-run stand for the tenth wicket with Trevor Gwandu took Zimbabwe from a position of danger into the comforts of a slender lead. But it was a sign of the pitch easing out, something Ireland’s top order didn’t waste.
Peter Moor dispatched Muzarabani, who didn’t bowl consistent lines, as Ireland raced to 42 for 0 in seven overs. Richard Ngarava got one to angle away to ensure Moor’s 33 didn’t grow to become a good score, but his partner, Andy Balbirnie, joined Curtis Campher to ensure Ireland went to stumps unscathed.
Brief scores:
Ireland 260 and 83 for 1 in 21 overs (Andy Balbirnie 32*, Peter Moor 30; Richard Ngarava 1-25) lead Zimbabwe 267 in 86.1 overs (Nick Welch 90, Blessing Muzarabani 47; Barry McCarthy 4-75, Andy McBrine 3-59) by 76 runs
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Malintha bags ten wickets as St. Sebastian’s book semi-final ticket

A painstaking knock of 49 runs by Kaveesha Perera and a valuable half century by Navod Fernando helped St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa pull of exciting four wickets victory over St. Anthony’s College Katugastota in the Under 19 Division I Tier ‘A’ cricket quarter-final at Gajaba Regiment Ground Saliyapura, Anuradhapura on Friday.
It was a huge turnaround for the Sebs after conceding a first innings deficit of 51 runs. Tournament’s highest wicket taker, Malintha Silva’s six wicket haul in the second innings was the turning point as Sebs dismissed St. Anthony’s for 103 runs. Malintha collected a match bag of ten wickets.
Chasing 149 runs for victory St. Sebastian’s lost three wickets for 40 runs but Navod Fernando’s 58 runs and Kaveesha’s 131-ball 49 helped them ease nerves and reach the target with a session to spare.
Now St. Sebastian’s will meet the winners of the match between St. Joseph’s and St. Peter’s in the semi-final on 12, 13 and 14 at Samadi Ground Anuradhapura.
In the other quarter-final, first innings points were enough for Royal to advance to the semi-final.
Despite having a huge first innings lead, Royal decided not to enforce the follow-on. They posted 248 runs thanks to an unbeaten 122 runs by Vimath Dinsara. In their second essay S. Thomas’ were 186 for three wickets at close.
Now, Royal will wait for a decision by a SLSCA committee to see who would be their semi-final opponents from the Mahanama-Trinity match. The quarter-final between Mahanama and Trinity did not last the full distance after Mahanama disputed a move by the ground staff to roll the wicket earlier than the scheduled time and pulled out. Trinity were ahead in the first innings. The committee were scheduled to meet in the morning on Saturday (8) to take a decision.
Match Details
At Gajaba Regiment Ground Saliyapura, Anuradhapura
Scores
St. Anthony’s 204 all out in 70 overs (Sanuka Kalpana 41, Charuka Ekanayake 24, Kevan Fernando 89n.o.; Risinu Prabesh 2/21, Malintha Silva 4/60) and 103 all out in 35.4 overs (Okitha Fernando 29, Charuka Ekanayake 21, Kevan Fernando 28; Malintha Silva 6/54, Shenas Hashein 3/23)
St. Sebastian’s 159 all out in 67 overs (Ushen Silva 33, Ryan Dissanayake 33, Navod Fernando 34; Charuka Ekanayake 3/66, Dinura Ganegoda 3/20, Kevan Fernando 2/09) and 00 for 1 overnight 149 for 6 in 51.1 overs (Kaveesha Perera 49, Navod Fernando 58; Charuka Ekanayake 2/33, Ryan Gregory 2/24, Sadew Amarakoon 2/22)
At Samadi Ground Anuradhapura
Scores
Royal 301 all out in 102.4 overs (Hirun Liyanarachchi 22, Rehan Peiris 82, Ramiru Perera 81, Yasindu Dissanayake 58; Kavindu Dias 2/69, Abheeth Paranawidana 2/66, Minon Warnasuriya 2/37) and 50 for 2 overnight 248 all out in 63.5 overs (Isula Geeganage 47, Vimath Dinsara 122n.o, Ramiru Perera 25; Abheeth Paranawidana 3/63, Aaron de Silva 3/48)
S. Thomas’ 120 all out in 58.2 overs (Dineth Goonewardene 28, Sachitha Gunasinghe 33; Sehandu Sooriyaarachchi 5/31, Ranuka Malaviarachchi 2/39) and 186 for 3 in 39 overs (Sadew Soysa 57, Jaden Amaraweera 46, Dineth Gunawardana 44n.o., Mithila Charles 34n.o.)
Sports
Sri Lanka’s lower order fight back but Australia in control

Rex Clementine in Galle
Sri Lanka’s lower middle order showed some character and resilience, digging in to mount a spirited fightback, ensuring the hosts reached 229 for nine at stumps on day one of the second Test against Australia in Galle on Thursday. However, Australia were firmly in the box seat despite losing a big toss as Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon took three wickets apiece.
After making a steady start in the morning, Sri Lanka found themselves in choppy waters as Australia’s bowlers came roaring back, ripping through the middle order. From a promising 93 for one, the hosts nosedived to 127 for five, leaving the innings on shaky ground.
Amidst the ruins, Dinesh Chandimal stood tall, waging a lone battle with a defiant, back-to-the-wall 74, peppered with six boundaries and a towering six. Just as he looked set to take Sri Lanka to safer shores, Alex Carey produced a moment of brilliance behind the stumps, smartly stumping him and sending alarm bells ringing in the Sri Lankan camp.
Their lower order hasn’t exactly set the world alight in recent months, often folding without much resistance. But on this occasion, the only remaining recognized batter, Kusal Mendis, found a willing ally in off-spinner Ramesh Mendis.
Recalled to the side for this crucial clash, Ramesh played the perfect supporting act, adding a vital 65-run stand for the seventh wicket with his namesake. The Australians threw everything but the kitchen sink at them, but the duo held firm, negotiating the sharp turn and extra bounce with aplomb.
While Ramesh was rock-solid in defense, Kusal took a more aggressive route, pouncing on anything loose. The tourists, frustrated by their inability to break the stand, eventually turned to the second new ball, and Steve Smith’s gamble paid dividends as Mitchell Starc delivered with immediate effect.
Steaming in at speeds north of 145 kmph, Starc was relentless, hitting a nagging line and length. His persistence bore fruit when Ramesh, after a gritty stay, edged one behind. The left-arm quick struck again off the very next delivery, with Prabath Jayasuriya feathering one to the slip cordon, leaving the Aussies sniffing a collapse.
With Starc on a hat-trick, Nishan Peiris walked in under immense pressure. The Australian fans, who far outnumbered the locals, were on their feet, anticipating history, but Peiris dead-batted the hat-trick ball, much to their disappointment.
Meanwhile, Kusal Mendis kept the scoreboard ticking and reached his well-earned half-century with a single to long-off. As Sri Lanka’s last recognized hope, he carried the weight of their innings on his shoulders, with 250 looking like a competitive total in these conditions.
Hundreds of Australian supporters have traveled to Galle, with former players Geoff Marsh and Merv Hughes leading large touring contingents. The Galle stands were awash with yellow, with the tourists making their presence felt.
Earlier in the day, there was a moment of celebration for Sri Lankan cricket as Dimuth Karunaratne was felicitated for reaching the milestone of 100 Test matches, becoming only the seventh Sri Lankan to do so. The veteran opener, who will hang up his Test boots after this match, received a warm ovation from the crowd.
Sri Lanka rang in three changes following their humiliating innings-and-242-run defeat in the first Test, bringing in Pathum Nissanka, Ramesh Mendis, and Lahiru Kumara at the expense of Oshada Fernando, Asitha Fernando, and Jeffrey Vandersay.
Australia, meanwhile, made just one tweak, handing a debut to Cooper Connolly in place of Todd Murphy.
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