Since it's very first international match - an ODI between England and Sri Lanka in March 2001 - the pitch at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium has been criticised for producing low scoring matches.

Where on the subcontinent batsmen are accustomed to bashing bowlers black and blue, and amassing large totals in what some would say is a largely one-sided affair to begin with, Dambulla has been criticised for making the lives of batsmen too tough.

In the first match played at Dambulla back in 2001, England - batting first - only managed to score 143. It took Sri Lanka 40 overs and five balls to surpass England's low score which the hosts managed to chase at a low run rate of 3.52. On that occasion - with Dambulla being a new venue - the low scoring affair was attributed to pitch consultant Andy Atkinson having just eight weeks to prepare the surface.

The history books will forever remember Muttiah Muralitharan as one of the greatest ever, if not the greatest, bowler to have played the game. But former assistant coach Paul Farbrace shared another side of Murali that others may not know of.

Thanks to warunanc for pointing out that the tag #Murali hit Twitter's trending topics list. That prompted me to take a look at the other tweets mentioning Murali, and to my pleasant surprise I found that Graeme Smith, Anil Kumble, Shane Warne and thousands of fans from around the globe have paid tribute to Muralitharan via Twitter. This is perhaps the first time a Sri Lankan has ever reached Twitter's trending topics list.

On the eve of every tour, we here at Island Cricket are inundated with emails from foreign nationals seeking information on ticket sales for matches in Sri Lanka.

Last week I was forwarded several emails from an anonymous source. These emails included an email from a Roy Bishop of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka which was sent to various news agencies, journalist, ICC officials, officials of other Test playing countries, and Sri Lankan cricketers both past and present.

Along with Mr. Bishop’s email were two responses to Mr. Bishop. One from former England skipper Nasser Hussein, the other from the General Manager of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Dave Richardson.

What kind of tactic involves leaving out a player? It's hard to see it as a positive move let alone a tactical move.

As an example of the lack of Test cricket offered to Sri Lanka, Mahela Jayawardene pointed out that he has only played four Test matches in Australia.

Likewise, skipper Sangakkara's career has spanned over a decade, but the four test matches he too has played on Australian soil highlights the lack of fair play when it comes to assigning Test matches equally to all nations.

Incidentally, since making his debut in 1992, Muttiah Muralitharan, the world's highest Test wicket taker, has played just five test matches on Australian soil.

Don't pull out statistics to prove that your opening batsmen have not been consistent when you assigned those individuals a role fraught with risk?

When any batsman is sent up the order and asked to take on the new ball, asked to hit over the in-field when fielding restrictions are in place, the role of that batsman changes. One can't expect these players perform on a consistent basis.

The 'Carrom Ball' was once a potent weapon owing to the batsman's inability determine if Mendis would spin it in to them, or move it away. It was that element of uncertainty that made Mendis what he is today.

As Nasser Hussein pointed out during the Sri Lanka v New Zealand ICC World Twenty20 match, Dilshan's scoop shot over the keeper's head - The Dilscoop - is unlike any other stroke attempted before.

The call for more transparency from the selectors appears to have been answered. Well, not entirely, but it looks like we are on the right path. Sri Lanka Cricket released a document over the weekend titled 'Selection Policy Document' which intends on explaining the method behind the mayhem.

Selectors to decide on Jayasuriya's inclusion in the squad for the ICC World T20 Championships in West Indies next month after a phone call to Sangakkara.

Sanath Jayasuriya who will be contesting in the parliamentary elections in April spoke to The Nation on his decision to enter politics.

Destruction is the name of his game, but phenomenal consistency has brought the fame. From a lower middle order batsman, into a devastating opener, this is the story of Tillakaratne Dilshan’s amazing transformation.

At the post match ceremony of today's Tri-Series Final in Bangladesh, Kumar Sangakkara thanked the Sri Lankan selectors for picking a young side and sticking with them.

In front of a large gathering Sangakkara told Ravi Shastri that the selectors were under a lot of pressure in Sri Lanka and they owed the selectors a lot for having faith in such young squad.