Sports
Why Sri Lankan hearts beat for the West Indies
by Rex Clementine
For most of us, there’s no greater pleasure than watching Sri Lanka triumph. But, when our lads aren’t in the fray, it’s the West Indies that steal our hearts. It’s no accident that so many of us have a soft spot for the men in maroon – perhaps it’s their thrilling domination in the 1970s and 80s, a golden era that swept fans off their feet and turned cricket into a carnival. The spirit and swagger with which they played captured the world’s admiration, making them everyone’s second team.
Take, for instance, a moment with Sidath Wettimuny. Fresh off his iconic hundred at Lord’s, becoming the first Sri Lankan to reach that milestone at the hallowed ground, Sidath was signing autographs when a tap on his shoulder stopped him. He turned, and there was none other than Sir Viv Richards. “Good knock, maan. Great cover drives. I just came to wish you,” Richards said, exuding that legendary West Indian warmth.
Sidath was stunned, goosebumps racing down his spine. Here stood a man who’d sent the world’s best bowlers running for cover, coming over to applaud him. “They’re just nice people, the West Indians,” Sidath told this newspaper once. “They never sledged; they always appreciated their opponents. That’s how cricket should be played.” The West Indies weren’t just competitors; they were ambassadors of sportsmanship, elevating the game with their grace.
The impact of West Indian brilliance lingered long after. When Brian Lara danced through Sri Lanka in the 2001 series, amassing a staggering 688 runs – 42% of his team’s total – it left such an indelible mark that two years later, Sri Lanka felt the tremors at the World Cup in Cape Town. A dropped catch by Marvan Atapattu gave Lara a lifeline, and skipper Sanath Jayasuriya was so furious that he didn’t speak to his vice-captain for two whole weeks. Imagine that – sharing the same dressing room, same bus, same hotel, all while giving each other the silent treatment. It speaks volumes about the reverence Sri Lankans had for Lara’s ruthless elegance.
Viv Richards was a hero to so many of us, but even most of us right-handers dreamed of playing with the finesse of the left-handed Lara. Every drive, every flick was poetry in motion.
And then, of course, there was Christopher Henry Gayle – a colossus at the crease. He remains the only overseas player to score a triple century in Sri Lanka, and it was a knock that shook Galle to its core. Early in his innings, Dhammika Prasad had Gayle caught off a no-ball. After that reprieve, Gayle unleashed hell. Sixes rained down, with some even landing at the Galle bus halt, leaving Prasad wondering if he could vanish into thin air.
The quicks? Oh, they were fire-breathing dragons. Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, and Malcolm Marshall instilled terror. When that fearsome quartet handed over the baton, Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose ensured the West Indies pace legacy roared on. It wasn’t just fast bowling; it was fast-bowling artistry.
Who do they have now? Enter Alzarri Joseph from Antigua – all six-foot-four of him, bowling serious thunderbolts that have batters trembling. He’s not the only Joseph on the 150 km/h express, either. Shamar Joseph, fresh from a spell that humbled the Aussies at the Gabba, could be one to keep a close eye on in Dambulla. Playing through pain, Shamar carved out a moment of pure grit in that historic Aussie fortress, a place where visiting teams rarely win. That spell was one for the ages.
What about their batters? While Nicholas Pooran, their brightest star, isn’t touring, there’s no shortage of firepower. Brandon King, Evin Lewis, and Sherfane Rutherford bring the kind of raw hitting that sends spectators scrambling for cover. Each of them promises to put on a show in Dambulla, reminding us once more why we can’t help but love the West Indies.
Sri Lanka batting coach Vikram Rathour has hailed middle-order batter Pavan Rathnayake as one of the finest players of spin in the modern game, saying the youngster’s nimble footwork and velvet touch were a “breath of fresh air” for a side long troubled by the turning ball.
Drafted in for the second T20I after Sri Lanka’s familiar struggles against spin, Rathnayake looked anything but overawed by England’s seasoned tweakers, skipping down the track with sure feet and working the ball into gaps with soft hands.
“He is one of the better players when it comes to using the feet,” Rathour told reporters. “I haven’t seen too many in this generation do it as well as he does. That is really impressive and a good sign for Sri Lankan cricket.”
Sri Lanka went down in a last-over nail-biter but there were silver linings despite the hosts being a bowler short. Eshan Malinga was forced out after dislocating his left shoulder and has been ruled out for at least four weeks, a blow that ends his World Cup hopes. Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan and Nuwan Thushara have been placed on standby.
Power hitting remains Sri Lanka’s Achilles’ heel and Rathour, who carries an impressive CV from India’s T20 World Cup triumph two years ago, pointed to a few grey areas in the batting blueprint.
“There are two components to T20 batting,” he said. “One is power hitting, but the surfaces here, especially in Colombo, are not that conducive to clearing the ropes. The wickets are slow and the ball doesn’t come on to the bat. The other component, just as important, is range as a batting unit.”
Even when Sri Lanka lifted the T20 World Cup in 2014 they were not blessed with a dressing room full of big hitters, relying instead on sharp running, clever placement and a mastery of spin. Rathour preached a similar mantra.
“If you are not a team that hits a lot of sixes, you can still find plenty of fours by utilising the whole ground,” he said. “Most of them sweep well, reverse sweep and use their feet. That is encouraging. If you don’t have the brute power, you can make up for it by using angles and scoring square of the wicket.
“These wickets perhaps suit that style more. They are not the easiest surfaces to hit sixes, and I’m okay with that. If they can use their feet and the angles well, that is as good.”
Rex Clementine
at Pallekele
ITF J30 Colombo Week 2 Tennis
Annaya Norbert in the girls’ category and Ganuka Fernando and Saha Kapilasena in the boys’ category registered first round victories in the ITF J30 Colombo Week 2 Tennis tournament in Colombo.
Results
Girls’ Singles 1St Round
Annaya Norbert beat Armani Naiavadi of India 6-3, 6-3
Boys’ Singles 1st Round
Ganuka Fernando beat Yush Kumar of India 7-6(4), 6-0
Saha Kapilasena beat Abbi Yadya Misa of India 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(4)
Under 19 Cricket
Javindu Madusanka with a century and Janith Mihiranga wth a knock of 85 runs helped Gurukula post 312 for nine wickets against St. Sebastians’ on day one of the Under 19 Division I Tier A match at Moratuwa. While Javindu held the top order together with a 179-ball 106 runs (8x4s, 4x6s), Janith kept the late order batting together with his knock.
Malintha Silva with a five wicket haul was the pick of the bowlers for the home team. Koshendra Fernando took three wickets.
In their essay, the Sebs lost two wickets for 45 runs with Sahas Induwara accounting for both wickets.
In a similar scenario, open batsman Hirun Liyanarachchi (100 in 167 balls) with a century and former Holy Cross College all rounder Himaru Deshan with a half century guided Royal to 260 runs in their Tier A match against St. Anthony’s in Kandy. The home team were 22 for no loss at stumps.
In a Tier B match at Kurunegala, Dimath Abesinghe hammered 126 runs in 102 balls (20x4s, 2x6s) and put on a vital partnership for the sixth wicket with Pehesara Bandara to propel Maliyadeva to 372 runs against De Mazenod.
In a traditional encounter, St. Joseph’s posted 313 runs against St. Benedict’s at Darley Road. A century by Senuja Dinhas and a five wicket haul by Mewan Dissanayake were the highlights.
by Reemus Fernando
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