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Happy New Year Sri Lanka Cricket fans!
This blog along with it's contributors will be moving. I will no longer be updating this blog at www.hilalscricket.com it, however, will remain active as it contains a wealth of information.
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Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Arjuna Ranatunga Sacked!
In a media statement earlier today Sri Lanka Cricket announced that Sports minster Gamini Lokuge has relieved Arjuna Ranatunga of his duties as chairman of SLC.
The interim committee which governed Sri lanka Cricket has also been dissolved.
by Hilal Suhaib +/- Expand Post
The interim committee which governed Sri lanka Cricket has also been dissolved.
The Hon. Minister of Sports & Public Recreation Gamini Lokuge has dissolved the Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee with immediate effect.
Furthermore the Secretary to the ministry of sports & Public Recreation Mr. S. Liyanagama has been appointed as the Competent Authority until further notice.
by Hilal Suhaib +/- Expand Post
Monday, December 22, 2008
Individuals who attacked Sri Lankan team bus may face hate crime charges
The York regional police will be conducting investigations into an incident which took place in King city, Ontario. The tour bus which was transporting the Sri Lankan cricket team was pelted with stones and eggs by a group considered to be members of the Tamil Tigers. The Tigers are banned by the Canadian government as a terrorist organisation.
“We are going to investigate to the fullest extent possible what transpired there,” said Police Chief Armand La Barge. “There was an open display of LTTE, or Tamil Tiger flags,” he added.
Click here to read the story in full
posted by Hilal
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“We are going to investigate to the fullest extent possible what transpired there,” said Police Chief Armand La Barge. “There was an open display of LTTE, or Tamil Tiger flags,” he added.
Click here to read the story in full
posted by Hilal
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Friday, December 19, 2008
[Video] Sanath Jayasuriya's CNN interview
CNN: Growing up in a small Sri Lankan fishing town, cricket changed Sanath Jayasuriya's life. But his association with the game and humanitarian work has also helped transform the lives of many others.
"Without cricket I would have a small job in my home town. My mother is happy to say my name," he told CNN in Hong Kong.
His mother's pride in his success has an extra poignancy as Jayasuriya's fame in some part helped his mother survive the south Asian tsunami on December 26, 2004.
Courtesy CNN. Read the full article here.
Posted by Hilal +/- Expand Post
Thursday, December 11, 2008
How much has Sri lanka Cricket really lost?
Arjuna Ranatunga took over the helm of Sri Lanka Cricket in January of this year. He claimed he would stamp out corruption, audit SLC expenditure and "Be The Man". Twelve months into the post he has successfully managed to turn the players against him, drag Sri Lanka Cricket into a legal battle with Ten Sports and by hastily planning a tour - with little or no research - he managed to make an absolute mockery of the Sri Lankan cricket establishment in England. That’s just the tip of the iceberg folks when you consider the fact that Arjuna has also managed to destroy the good relations which existed between the Indian and Sri Lankan cricket boards.
Most of us have not fully grasped what the SLC has really lost. It is much more than the loss of a few cricket matches, soured relationships or half full pockets of the IPL contracted players. Arjuna has repeatedly pointed out what Sri Lanka Cricket has lost from the postponement of the tour to England ($2M). He fails to mention the losses incurred by the board due to the scheduling of a tour that would collide with the IPL. He has also failed to mention the price SLC is paying for his irresponsible comments directed towards the Indian backed IPL tournament. By not being supportive of the IPL, Sri Lanka Cricket over all, including the players, will loose out on revenue from the Champions League ($4M), Indian tour of Sri Lanka 2009 ($15M) and the proposed Indian tour in 2010, another whopping figure of fifteen million dollars.
Even in hindsight - knowing that going to England would bankrupt a board running on a huge over draft – would not have changed Arjuna’s stance. There lays the problem.
When the England – IPL tour conflict first arose India proposed a deal which was to secure Sri Lankan participation in the IPL for a lucrative price. Arjuna’s negative comments towards the IPL even after such a gracious endeavour by the Indian board pushed the Indians to put a hold on the deal. For a man running a cricket board on negative Rs. 375 Million Ranatunga cannot afford such confrontations and then claim his stance is for the benefit of Sri Lanka Cricket. Not when the facts are this obvious. No expense should be spared to researching a decision. The lack of any proper planning and complete hot headed vindictiveness has left Sri Lanka Cricket in dire straights. Such actions should not be over looked or ignored.
My stance has always been one of calling it as I see it; I don’t belong to either the pro Ranatunga party nor the anti Ranatunga brigade. I am merely calling it as I see it.
by Hilal +/- Expand Post
Most of us have not fully grasped what the SLC has really lost. It is much more than the loss of a few cricket matches, soured relationships or half full pockets of the IPL contracted players. Arjuna has repeatedly pointed out what Sri Lanka Cricket has lost from the postponement of the tour to England ($2M). He fails to mention the losses incurred by the board due to the scheduling of a tour that would collide with the IPL. He has also failed to mention the price SLC is paying for his irresponsible comments directed towards the Indian backed IPL tournament. By not being supportive of the IPL, Sri Lanka Cricket over all, including the players, will loose out on revenue from the Champions League ($4M), Indian tour of Sri Lanka 2009 ($15M) and the proposed Indian tour in 2010, another whopping figure of fifteen million dollars.
Even in hindsight - knowing that going to England would bankrupt a board running on a huge over draft – would not have changed Arjuna’s stance. There lays the problem.
When the England – IPL tour conflict first arose India proposed a deal which was to secure Sri Lankan participation in the IPL for a lucrative price. Arjuna’s negative comments towards the IPL even after such a gracious endeavour by the Indian board pushed the Indians to put a hold on the deal. For a man running a cricket board on negative Rs. 375 Million Ranatunga cannot afford such confrontations and then claim his stance is for the benefit of Sri Lanka Cricket. Not when the facts are this obvious. No expense should be spared to researching a decision. The lack of any proper planning and complete hot headed vindictiveness has left Sri Lanka Cricket in dire straights. Such actions should not be over looked or ignored.
My stance has always been one of calling it as I see it; I don’t belong to either the pro Ranatunga party nor the anti Ranatunga brigade. I am merely calling it as I see it.
by Hilal +/- Expand Post
On Nuwan ...
Nuwan is a bit weird.
He's too skinny and short to be a fast bowler.
He has literally no pace.
But somehow he's gone and picked up 36 wickets at 23 in the last couple of years.
You shorten that to a year and its down to 20.
Nuwan hasn't got a lot to work with, but he makes what he does have count.
Line and length.
A bit of movement and skids the thing at a decent rate.
That skiddyness about his bowling is what gets him his wickets. Batsmen dont know whats hit them, its like being in with Ali, you're knocked out flat, but you don't know how you got there.
This is a kid who knows his game. He is not a Wasim Akram or a Glenn Mcgrath. But he uses the two things that made them great.
Consistency.
When he first checked into the team, I din't think much of him.
But he's proved his worth, buy doing the yards and getting wickets.
Against Zimbabwe, he won us a game that we were going to loose.
2 in 2 and the game swung for Sri Lanka.
Thats the other thing about him. He's one of those kids who just wont give up.
He ran in hard and nipped in a beauty and then outfoxed the next guy in with a clever mix of pace.
Then he smiled.
That smile that only a Sri Lankan can produce after getting a wicket.
by Damiths
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He's too skinny and short to be a fast bowler.
He has literally no pace.
But somehow he's gone and picked up 36 wickets at 23 in the last couple of years.
You shorten that to a year and its down to 20.
Nuwan hasn't got a lot to work with, but he makes what he does have count.
Line and length.
A bit of movement and skids the thing at a decent rate.
That skiddyness about his bowling is what gets him his wickets. Batsmen dont know whats hit them, its like being in with Ali, you're knocked out flat, but you don't know how you got there.
This is a kid who knows his game. He is not a Wasim Akram or a Glenn Mcgrath. But he uses the two things that made them great.
Consistency.
When he first checked into the team, I din't think much of him.
But he's proved his worth, buy doing the yards and getting wickets.
Against Zimbabwe, he won us a game that we were going to loose.
2 in 2 and the game swung for Sri Lanka.
Thats the other thing about him. He's one of those kids who just wont give up.
He ran in hard and nipped in a beauty and then outfoxed the next guy in with a clever mix of pace.
Then he smiled.
That smile that only a Sri Lankan can produce after getting a wicket.
by Damiths
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Saturday, December 6, 2008
Mendis for county ?
The scrap is on.
There are rumours that the English counties are targeting our young spin maestro Ajantha 'Splendid' Mendis. Its not often that young Sri Lankans are spotted by the counties. The most notable players in the English domestic game have always been the big names from the island.
Sanath
Murali
Sangakkara
Aravinda.
Them be some really big names.
This is a wonderful opportunity for Splendid Mendis, (doesn't it just roll off the tongue). Its also a sign of just how big an impact he has made in the world game in his very short career.
I have always felt that Mendis needs to develop stock ball.
Warne had his leggie.
Murali has his big spinning offie.
Mendis bowls about 6 or 7 different variations in an over. But in the long run what's going to bag you most of your wickets is your stock ball. Even if it does not directly get you the wicket, the stock ball will ensure your variations are that much more dangerous. The county game, depending on how long he gets to play, will offer him a great chance to do just this.
But where will he go ?
Most Likely
The most likely scenario is that Mendis will go to Lancashire because of the Murali tie -in.
I'm sure Murali will have plenty of nice things to say about the county. Including yarns about every ones favourite man- Freddy.
My Pick
Personally Id like to see him move to Sussex. I quite like the idea of Mendis trying to fill the 1800+ wickets hole that Mushy has left there. Sussex do have Ollie Rayner to who has been under the astute apprenticeship of the bearded one. So it will be interesting to see what approach they take.
Wild Card
Durham - who might want to mix things up next year as their attack is pace heavy. With Paul Wiseman reaching a 153 years of age next year and proving to be highly ineffective with 16 wickets to his name, Mendis might slot in well for the reining Division 1 Champions.
Verdict
What ever county he goes to, its a guaranteed investment.
Considering how the Englishmen went against Murali during his stint, Mendis will eat the English men alive and spit them out for good measure.
by Damith S
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There are rumours that the English counties are targeting our young spin maestro Ajantha 'Splendid' Mendis. Its not often that young Sri Lankans are spotted by the counties. The most notable players in the English domestic game have always been the big names from the island.
Sanath
Murali
Sangakkara
Aravinda.
Them be some really big names.
This is a wonderful opportunity for Splendid Mendis, (doesn't it just roll off the tongue). Its also a sign of just how big an impact he has made in the world game in his very short career.
I have always felt that Mendis needs to develop stock ball.
Warne had his leggie.
Murali has his big spinning offie.
Mendis bowls about 6 or 7 different variations in an over. But in the long run what's going to bag you most of your wickets is your stock ball. Even if it does not directly get you the wicket, the stock ball will ensure your variations are that much more dangerous. The county game, depending on how long he gets to play, will offer him a great chance to do just this.
But where will he go ?
Most Likely
The most likely scenario is that Mendis will go to Lancashire because of the Murali tie -in.
I'm sure Murali will have plenty of nice things to say about the county. Including yarns about every ones favourite man- Freddy.
My Pick
Personally Id like to see him move to Sussex. I quite like the idea of Mendis trying to fill the 1800+ wickets hole that Mushy has left there. Sussex do have Ollie Rayner to who has been under the astute apprenticeship of the bearded one. So it will be interesting to see what approach they take.
Wild Card
Durham - who might want to mix things up next year as their attack is pace heavy. With Paul Wiseman reaching a 153 years of age next year and proving to be highly ineffective with 16 wickets to his name, Mendis might slot in well for the reining Division 1 Champions.
Verdict
What ever county he goes to, its a guaranteed investment.
Considering how the Englishmen went against Murali during his stint, Mendis will eat the English men alive and spit them out for good measure.
by Damith S
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Friday, December 5, 2008
Sanath Jayasuriya’s call-up by Sri Lanka minimal loss to Dolphins
Sanath Jayasuriya hasn't had the most remarkable of starts playing for the Dolphins in South Africa - in three matches Jayasuriya managed just 6, 1 and 0.Jonathan Cook of The Witness speaks of Jayasuriya's woes with the bat and talks to The Dolphins manager of playing affairs, Jay Naidoo on Sanath's return to Sri Lanka for the tour to Bangladesh.
Jayasuriya, who is still contracted to Sri Lanka cricket, was given permission by his board to join the Dolphins for the limited-over section of their season on condition that any selection for his national team during that period would be honoured.Posted by Hilal
The hard-hitting batsman and spinner has 421 ODI appearances behind him, but he has misfired with bat and ball in the three Dolphins matches so far. Naidoo, who is also convenor of the selection panel, is convinced that the player’s class will prevail.
Naidoo said Jayasuriya was signed on a contract befitting his status but his total package — paid in U.S. dollars — “is well below the exaggerated sums mentioned in certain sections of the media”.
“Sanath has yet to come good, but he is a complete professional and has had a positive influence on the squad,” said Naidoo. - The Witness.
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