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"Munasinghe was given a brief run in the one-day side and, despite not earning further representative honours, he did not let the team down. Munasinghe had the ability to bowl a consistent line and length and thus maintained an impressive economy rate in his limited matches.+/- Expand Post
A constant figure in representative sides, he played numerous matches against touring sides before being selected for the 1995-96 tour of Australia.
His best performance came at the MCG when he ran through the Australian top order taking 3 for 30, in the process setting up victory for Sri Lanka. Following the conclusion of the World Series he was not selected for the 1996 World Cup and drifted from the international scene." - Cricinfo.
Sent into bat, Ruhuna were bowled out for 102 inside 38 overs with only Sanath Jayasuriya, their captain, able to stand off Basnahira's attack. He scored 27 off 33 balls - he had to retire hurt on one but the fall of a succession of wickets forced him to return - after Chaminda Vaas had tore through the top order. He captured three wickets in his third over to leave Basnahira reeling at 4 for 3 before Upal Tharanga's dismissal on 20 brought Jayasuriya back in the middle. He managed to somewhat steady the innings before edging behind with the score on 55.
Vaas' initial spell of five overs yielded three wickets for 11 runs and he was not needed further in the innings as Gayan Wijekoon and Dhammika Prasad cleaned up the rest of the batting sharing six wickets.
Basnahira North lost three wickets for 29 runs when they began their run chase, but the result was never in doubt as Kaushal Silva and Thilina Kandamby, with plenty of overs in hand, formed a 75-run unbroken fourth-wicket partnership off 18 overs to seal a comfortable victory.
Writes Sa'adi Thawfeeq for Cricinfo.
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Found this on YouTube. It's very well produced and deserves to be highlighted. The Pietersen dismissal was crucial at that point in the match.
Hillarious! Check out these 3 Lankan boys in the ranks of the Barmy Army!
A senior member of Sri Lanka cricket told The Sunday Times that all major decision were held in abeyance – including the salary package of Presidential Cricket advisor D.S. de Silva, awaiting Ranatunga’s arrival.
“Ranatunga also may have a completely different committee,” he said.
Meanwhile Ranatunga himself commenting on the move said, “I still really do not know the exact date, but, all that I know is it is going to happen within the first week of January”.
Ranatunga, one of the most reliable middle order batsmen that Sri Lanka ever produced, played in Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test match as an 18-year-old schoolboy in 1982 and then went onto lead the Lankan team till 1999. Writes S.R. Pathiravithana for the Sunday Times.
"The Sri Lankans, coached by Dav Whatmore and captained by Arjuna Ranatunga, used Player of the Tournament Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana as opening batsmen to take advantage of the fielding restrictions during the first 15 overs of each innings. At a time when 50 or 60 runs in the first 15 overs was considered adequate, Sri Lanka scored 117 runs in those overs against India, 123 against Kenya, 121 against England in the quarter-final and 86 against India in the semi-final. Against Kenya, Sri Lanka made 398 for 5, a new record for the highest team score in a one-day international that stood until April 2006."
As the title proclaims it's 'anal-ist' not analyst!
Ha ha! A spoof up of Simon Hughes' Analyst in Sri Lanka series perhaps?
The first Video Timeline of it's kind. The video is missing the Ravi Bopara dismissal which was Murali's 708th scalp.
sri lanka
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My Physical Training class during my High School days at St. Peter’s College, Colombo purely consisted of Cricket. Having had various other options at the time with school facilities boasting of a swimming pool, Basketball court and a huge athletics field every student chose Cricket and there were no exceptions to that. Such was the interest in the game at the time that the students would only want to play or be taught cricket and nothing else.
One of the first coaching lessons I recall included a very thorough introduction to the game with constant and consistent reminders that Cricket is a game that boasts of high spirits and only taken up by gentlemen who can up hold the spirit of the game. Kudos to the PT Tutor at the time for his efforts in trying to not only inculcate the spirit of the game to his students but also for molding us into players who boast of exemplary behavior.
This is an admirable trait that carries fourth today in some of our oldest members in the current Lankan squad. Sanath jayasuriya is the shining example. Jayasuriya will never be remembered for on field disciplinary incidents, sledging or any absurd volatile remarks. Today he stands as a testimonial to all. His true talent and hard work has overshadowed the opposition’s verbal skills.
In my mind the term ’sledging’ requires thorough interpretation. Regardless of what’s said on the field, the intent behind sledging is what I question. To mentally bring down an individual by means of verbal abuse is not something we tolerate in today’s society. Why we allow it into a sport that boasts of a higher degree of spirit is baffling.
What Vexes me the most is the fact that some of us have chosen to accept this un healthy behavior, not fully understanding it’s consequences. Ice Hockey in North America is now more competitive fighting than a form of Hockey played on ice! The younger generation Toronto Maple Leaf’s fans are attracted to the sport due to the bashing involved.
Video - Hockey Fights
(Viewer Discretion Advised)
Sanath Jayasuriya - stats courtesy of Cricinfo
No one in the History of ODI Cricket has played more ODI’s than Sanath.
The second highest run scorer next to Tendulkar in ODi’s.
The Second in the list of player’s to receive the Most Man of the Match Awards.
Kevin Pietersen highlighted the remarkably well disciplined and well mannered Sri Lankan behavior in a recent interview. “Murali doesn’t say a lot, he just winds you up and winds you up because he knows he’s going to get you out,” Pietersen said. “He just smiles and laughs. He’s a really happy guy, a nice guy - I call him the silent assassin. He has so much talk on the cricket ball he doesn’t have to say much.”
As usual I leave you with a point to ponder on. How many International wickets do you think have fallen to intimidatory tactics than the skill of the bowler? It’s a compliment to one’s skills if he can bamboozle the batsmen with pace, swing, seam, drift or flight or would you rather be remembered as the greatest trash talker of the game?
The Lankan’s are thorough gentlemen, humble and modest as their up bringing. They play the game with the right spirit and it has not gone unnoticed.
“Mr. Vaas, my name is Andy Heger, and I’m a Sri Lanka cricket fan from the states …”
He looked at me. His face said, “Of course you are. What took you so long?” This guy has ice-water in his veins – he is totally unflappable. He took the picture. He even sort of smiled.
We were happy for our good fortune and getting ready to leave the hotel when a real commotion started by the door. This time it was Sanath Jayasuriya, the MVP of Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning team. Needless to say, he is a legend of Sri Lankan cricket.
Bald, buff, lean and mean, Jayasuriya immediately reminded me of Marvin Hagler – he looks like a champion middleweight boxer.
“Mr. Jayasuriya, my name …”
He looked at me. His face said, “You can’t possibly be serious.” Still, he stopped and quickly took the picture – smiled even.
- Andrew Heger
Thanks to Andrew and Melissa for the pictures - Sri Lanka’s All American Cheering Squad.
Find more of Andrew’s and Melissa’s photos and interesting encounters - http://spectacle-boat.com/
Former Sri Lankan opening bowler and dynamic all rounder Nuwan Zoysa from SSC was named man of the match for another splendid performance on the field.
Zoysa who enjoyed a successful tournament hit a sparkling knock of 48 runs from just 29 deliveries in his team’s total of 243 for 7 wickets and then followed up with a controlled opening spell of bowling to put the brakes on the Moors SC run rate.
Zoysa send down his ten overs on the trot and played a good supporting role to his opening partner Shalika Karunanayake who caused the early damage with three quick wickets.
However Moors SC recovered through a fourth wicket stand of 75 runs between Anil Rideegamanagedera and Dasun Randhika.
The pair revived their innings with some intelligent batting before both departed within the space of seven deliveries.
But a superb piece of fielding from Mahela Jayawardena saw the dismissal of Randhika who was shaping up well having struck four boundaries.
In the next over Anil Rideegammanagedera also made his exit for a hard hit 46 which contained four boundaries.
Another solid 76 run stand for the seventh wicket between skipper Dilhara Lokuhettige and Suresh Perera lifted Moors SC’s hopes as they punished the SSC bowlers to all parts of the ground under fading light.
Lokuhettige hoisted two sixes and struck two boundaries while Suresh Perera also hoisted one six and stroked three boundaries to keep their chances alive. However SSC came back strongly to send back both batsmen inside three deliveries and eventually they finished on top of the run rate when the umpires called off play due to bad light.
Earlier SSC after been put into bat recovered from an early setback to post a competitive total of 243 for 7 from 48 overs.
They reached a shaky 110 for 3 at the half way stage of the innings but two useful knocks from wicket keeper batsman Kaushal Silva and Nuwan Zoysa took them closer towards the 250 run mark.
The former hit a top score of 62 from 89 balls with the help of three boundaries but it was all rounder Zoysa who really accelerated the scoring rate with a brisk 48 from just 29 deliveries inclusive of three sixes and three boundaries.
Silva and Zoysa were associated in a superb 71 run stand for the sixth wicket from just 7.2 overs and that really put SSC in to a commanding position.
SSC INNINGS
T. Paranavithana c Randhika b Ranjith 29
A. Gunawadena c Randhika b Ranjith 33
K. Silva b Welagedera 62
M. Jayawardena run out 21
T. Kandamby c Randhika b Welagedera 25
N. Zoysa c Lokuhettige b Ranjith 48
T. Thushara c Herath b Ranjith 1
S. Karunanayake not out 2
D. Prasad not out 0
Extras (lb11, w10, nb1) 22
TOTAL (for 7 wickets in 48 overs) 243
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-62, 2-76, 3-110, 4-160, 5-231, 6-241, 7-241.
BOWLING: Welegedera 10-0-39-2, Ranjith 10-1-75-4,
Lokuhettige 10-1-35-0, A.Rideegammanagedera 7-0-38-0,
Herath 8-0-30-0, Mudalige 3-0-15-0.
MOORS SC INNINGS
D. Sudarshana lbw b Karunanayake 10
N. Nawala c Gunawardena b Karunanayake 16
R. Peiris c Samaraweera b Karunanayake 2
D. Randhika run out 43
A. R’gedera c and b Senanayake 46
D. Lokuhettige c Jayawardena b Prasad 36
S. Perera b Mirando 39
R. Herath not out 3
N. Ranjith not out 1
Extras (w 9) 9
TOTAL (for 7 wickets in 42.3 overs) 205
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-20, 2-28, 3- 46, 4-121, 5- 124, 6-200, 7-203.
BOWLING: Zoysa 10-0-35-0,Karunanayake 10-1-52-3, D. Prasad 7-1-32-1,
S.Senanayake 9-1-40-1, T. Thushara 4.3-0-34-1, T. Paranavithana 2-0-12-0.
1st day
Bulletin - Late Harmison burst gives England edge
Plays of the day - Harrying Harmy finds his mojo
Andrew Miller - "I've stopped beating myself up" - Harmison
Quotes - Bayliss surprised by pitch
Audio - David Lloyd: England wasted first session
Gallery
Preview package
Preview - England set for battle in refurbished Galle
Andrew Miller - Sumangela's field of dreams
News - England see the bigger picture
News - Sri Lanka aim for No. 2 spot in ICC rankings
Stats - Murali's favourite venue
Courtesy Cricinfo
"Sri Lanka have been better than us and the heavens have been with us" - Micheal Vaughan.
'Their pre-series media interviews provided a subtle clue. There was a lot of talk about how "tough" it is to play in Sri Lanka and how "difficult" it would be to win.
It was almost as if they were booking early excuses for failure. It may have been subconscious, but I thought they were saying to themselves - and us - that it didn't matter if they lost.' - Writes Kumar Sangakkara for the Telegraph.
"it's all fear and skittles for the Black Caps. The bruised and confused home side fell tamely as Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga took a career-best 5-68 to give the tourists an iron grip on the second test.
Malinga's slingy right-arm action from the Bob Vance Stand end saw New Zealand ripped out for 130 in its first innings. Sri Lanka then piled on the agony by reaching 225-5, a lead of 363 with three days remaining.
With Brendon McCullum (bruised finger and instep) and Jacob Oram (hamstring) battling for fitness, the Black Caps appear to have a windsurfer's chance in a Wellington gale of salvaging a draw, let alone victory." - AFP
FLASHBACK: His innings of 73 was crucial towards sri lanka chasing down 300+ to beat South africa in the final innings to win the test match and the series 2-0.
REWIND: Bizzare dismissal | Pay close attention to the video; It appears Sehwag would have creased his bat if not for Ganguly's call. Sehwag turned to look at Ganguly and failed to crease his bat.
"The blasphemy of the selectors is that their second choices are substandard, yet they are very reluctant to admit the fact and bring in remedial measures. Even during the Test series against Bangladesh there were rumours about Sanath playing the last few Test matches and the selectors being ready to make the request from him? Then came the question about Chaminda Vaas’ ability to lead the Lankan seam attack, but he proved them wrong with a splendid spell in the final Test match.+/- Expand Post
It surfaced again till he shut them up even for the time being with his “my arm will provide you with the answers” attitude against England. What a difference it made to see T.M. Dilshan in that number six slot. When he walked on to the wicket with the Sri Lankan batting hanging on a tentative 138 for 4 with the English bowlers wagging with their tails up, Dilshan took the fight to them, made them err and then put the Lankan innings on course along with his skipper Mahela Jayawardena who came up with yet another gem of an effort. To cap his effort with the bat Dilshan then took the second English wicket when he tolled Bell run out with a direct throw. With his demise England once again proved the domino theory.
Coming back to the selectors now more than often they tend to put their foot in the mouth by making the wrong choices. What the country needs now is the inclusion of players who will perform there out in the middle on a regular basis and may be with a good track record, but not so-and-so’s relation coming from the same school that so-and-so went to." writes -
“The UDA gave the assurance that the unauthorised construction would be removed after the match,” he said. Adding to the controversy, Galle Mayor Kelum Seneviratne told The Sunday Times the municipal council had unanimously decided not to demolish the pavilion which was constructed on an plan approved by the UDA." writes Isuri Kaviratne and Gamini Mahadura for The Sunday Times.
"I quite liked his honesty about when he came out to
"I don't think he was being big-headed in saying it was inevitable it's going to happen. With the amount of cricket I intend to play, I'm not pulling out in the immediate future, I think it's inevitable it will occur and I think Heals will understand that it was always going to be the case at some stage in the future.
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Filmed by the British tourist present on Day 5 of the 1st Test.
The morning session of the 3rd day which was highlighted by the brilliance of Mahela's double 100.
Remarkable bowling and fielding by the Lankans sparked a remarkable collapse.
Simon Hughes on a day when record-breaking Mahela Jayawardene continued to defy England's bowlers.
When Mahela Jayawardene was on 149 not out at stumps on the second day, his father Sanarath Jayawardene was confident his son would score a double century the next day.
"I had not the slightest doubt in my mind about his double ton today. I feel great. It was a wonderful knock," he told Cricket365 from his Colombo home minutes after Mahela completed his double century on Thursday.
Mahela's parents did not go to Galle to watch the match.
"His wife (Christina) is at the stadium. I stayed home because Mahela wanted me to record each delivery he faced. I have recorded his entire innings on DVD. Mahela will watch all balls and try to rectify the faulty shots," Jayawardene senior added.
"He took time to complete the double century today. However, it is significant to note here that the wicket was not good.
"Even England's skipper [Michael Vaughan] decided to field first after winning the toss because this being the first Test here after the tsunami hit, the wicket was new and its behaviour was not known to anybody."
Mahela's 21 hundreds are the most by any Sri Lankan batsman.
"Aravinda de Silva predicted a few days ago this would happen. He had hopes on Mahela and my son has proved him right. He has scored so many hundreds but this is special to us," his dad said.
Jayawardene Snr also hopes the home team will win the Galle Test.
"I have no doubt about our victory in this Test and thus the team will gain the number two spot in the ICC rankings.
"I also hope Mahela grabs the man of the match award," he signed off.
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AFP: Pathetic England hit new low against Sri Lanka: England's hopes of salvaging the Sri Lanka Test series were dashed when they were shot out for just 81, their lowest total against the hosts, in the third and final match.
Brief highlights of the morning session.
Brief highlights of the final session.
Simon Hughes' daily round up from Galle, Sri Lanka.
Footage courtesy of Telegraph TV
"Was it disappointing not to have got the record in Australia?
It was disappointing, not just the record but we were badly beaten in that series. I thought the Australians played really well and they deserved to win. I also had a few catches put down and it didn’t help the cause. More than the record, what I was concerned about was helping the team win a Test there as we had the nucleus to do it this time around. The defeat taught us a few lessons and I am sure we’ll be a better side for the experience."
"Tell us about that dismissal of Paul Collingwood in the first innings to break the record.+/- Expand Post
I was surprised that it happened in the first innings itself. I equaled the record on day two with four wickets. I was a bit nervous that day and bowled about nine overs without taking a wicket. Then the new ball was due and Mahela (Jayawardene) wanted me to bowl with the new ball. I bowled an off-spinner to Paul Collingwood, but it didn’t spin and he was bowled. That probably skidded off the pitch. I was very relieved to get the record. There was some pressure and it was good it all happened in the first innings."
"It hasn't got a lot of pace in it. The wicket is not too dissimilar to the first that we played on. It's a little bit hard to drive on. It's a wicket you've got to work hard to score your runs." said Bayliss talking to Saadi Thawfeeq in Galle.
"A few rows in front there was a bunch of about 10 20-year-olds mouthing off. Most of them were drunk as skunks."+/- Expand Post
Spectators in the area had little choice but to put up with the ceaseless swearing of these louts. Over the years, Bailey has attended many football and cricket matches and sipped many beers at the ground and cannot remember seeing anything remotely as objectionable as the performance put up by these oafs.
By now, the Sri Lankans were fielding and some of their players were stationed about six metres from the yobbos. "These youths kept calling them names, taunting them, trying to get a rise out of them but they didn't take any notice. It was a constant bombardment. The language was dreadful."
Before long, things turned ugly. Unable to get a response, the thugs started racially abusing fieldsmen. "They called them 'darkies' and then 'black c---s'." Some spectators decided enough was enough. "A couple of guys tried to settle them down. One 60-year-old bloke told them to pipe down, so they turned on him and abused him for 10 minutes. That stopped others in their tracks." Bailey did not see any sign of marshals or police.
Bailey decided to leave the area. As much as the racism, it was the endless foul language and total disregard of other spectators that infuriated him. He told his bemused son that these hoodlums were "the opposite of role models. I tried to turn it into a positive. I said there are clowns everywhere in the world. I'm not sure it worked. Maybe it was just a negative experience". He took his son to the Ladies Stand, where a large group of Sri Lankans were cheerfully supporting their side. "They were playing music and singing. Everyone enjoyed their antics."
In the light of these events, having seen visiting players insulted, cricket lovers frustrated and paying customers upset, Bailey believes an area must be set aside for families and children. He also advocates that an SMS number be provided so that spectators can draw attention to misconduct. "Everyone has a mobile phone," he points out. "We don't want people dobbing in for nothing but this was outrageous. These blokes were anti-social. It was embarrassing to be near them."
+/- Expand Post"Australian supporters have been taking the law into their own hands. Murali's action has been more closely scrutinised than fingerprints at a murder scene. Each time he has passed muster.
Others have been condemned, including Johan Botha — or at least his doosra, a delivery that is really a back-chuck.
Not only has Murali survived the examination of scientists, he has also impressed members of the Australian cricket community, not least Channel Nine's new and distinguished commentators, Michael Slater and Mark Nicholas.
Both have watched Murali bowl at close quarters with a brace on his arm. Moreover, Murali flew to England to undertake the test.
In any event it hardly matters what locals think because the issue has been settled.
No man can spend his entire life on trial. Sooner or later a decision must be taken by the appointed powers, whereupon it must be accepted.
Beyond doubt Murali is a freak, a man whose arms cannot fully straighten and whose elbows rotate prodigiously."
- Writes Peter Roebuck for The Age 2006
Stepping into Sanath Jayasuriya's shoes is a big ask for any man but Michael Vandort has filled the breach with minimum fuss, writes Aravinda de Silva in the London-based Observer.
"At 6ft 5in, he is by far the tallest batsman to play for Sri Lanka and he is going to have to find a way to play with authority on the back foot, for, although the game has become much more front-foot friendly compared to 10 years ago, let alone 20, there will be times he is going to come up against Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar and Shane Bond and he's not going to want to be a liability to the team. But I back him to succeed. He has always been a fighter."+/- Expand Post
Today, though, it is all about the MCC, the oldest and most famous cricket club of all, which came to hear of the plight of the village, and whose patronage has taken Gunasekera's dream and sent it stratospheric.
The MCC bigwigs are out in force today, to celebrate the culmination of a two-year partnership. Mike Brearley, the president; Keith Bradshaw, the chief executive; John Stephenson, the head of cricket; and Roger Knight, the former secretary, are all in attendance as Gunasekera leads the party through the various and varied phases of his grand project. A craft centre, an English language school, a fully equipped computer centre, and a lively kindergarten for the children too young to recall the horrors that befell their elders. All are fully funded and fully operational, and joyfully received by the local community.
"The MCC has not merely provided a cricket ground and pavilion but a much broader input into the community," said Brearley. "And what is more, money and goodwill tends to attract more money and goodwill." - Writes Andrew Miller for Cricinfo.
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Cricinfo: Mahela Jayawardene has said the motivation to win the final Test against England starting Tuesday in Galle is to move up to the No. 2 spot in the ICC Test team rankings. Sri Lanka are leading the three-Test series 1-0.
"We haven't been there [No. 2] for quite some time and I can't remember when we were there last," Jayawardene said. "It's a very good incentive for us to go out there and play our best cricket and win this Test."
Sri Lanka are currently at fifth place in the rankings, with four points less than Nos. 3 and 4, South Africa and India, who have 109 each. Jaywardene said his side had been performing consistently and had beaten the top teams of the world, home and away. "We haven't stopped from there, but we improved on it. We got a younger group of players who are coming through. We need to guide them and make sure we push forward."
Out of 21 Tests they have played in the last two years, starting from the series in India in December 2005, Sri Lanka have won 10 and lost seven. Six of the ten wins have come at home. During this period they have won three series, two in Sri Lanka and one in Bangladesh.
Jayawardene's own record in Galle is impressive. He scored his maiden Test hundred here and has three centuries and six half-centuries from 11 matches at the venue. In the last Test he played here in 2004, before the tsunami devastated Sri Lanka, he made 237 in a draw against South Africa.
"It's an emotional comeback. We've seen the changes that have taken place three years after the tsunami. There are a lot of memories on this ground and a lot of people who probably have seen us play here three years ago are not with us. We have moved forward very well after the tsunami and made a lot of leaps and bounds in their lives as well. It's a celebration moment to come back here and play a Test match. It's been a historical venue for us over a period. I am very happy to be here and play another Test, hopefully we'll have new fans."
Jayawardene said he would wait until tomorrow to finalise the XI. "We fairly have an idea what the wicket could do. Usually the square tends to have some bounce we have a fairly good idea of what we want to do. Around 9AM to 9.15AM the ball was doing a bit, but once it got dried up it was playing really well, the odd one would do a bit because of the dampness."
He confirmed that Tillakaratne Dilshan, who replaced Jehan Mubarak in the squad, will bat at No. 6 and was not too worried about the toss result. If you can really knuckle down in tough situations and get the advantage going for you, you should be able to turn things around, like we did in Kandy."
Couresty Cricinfo
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