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- SI Cricket Talks on Warne–Muralitharan Trophyhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1-c1W00SO1dKbrhxlH5EDWe7kKH08PVgTdCf0S-w9cXg/edit?usp=sharingKindly access the Google Docs copy of the article above, thank you
- Kavinda Kosgoda on Sri Lankan Cricket Fans Celebrate the ODI win against Australia | Chamika Karunaratne |His 1st class average is still at the 20s even after 90 odd 1st class innings proves it all. Our T20 & ODI rankings are so pathetic because of the incompetency of the selectors that prefers batters that don’t have the right skills, at least to survive 10 overs.
- Kavinda Kosgoda on Sri Lankan Cricket Fans Celebrate the ODI win against Australia | Chamika Karunaratne |Though one SLan opener is good for all formats the other is good for nothing. He’s a shaky [starts edging-missing& lofting with no control] batsman that finds it difficult to middle & keeps the ball down when it’s badly needed, as a result, he has become a confident booster of opposition bowlers & makes life difficult for the incoming batsmen.
- Kavinda Kosgoda on Dunith always dedicated to the game, says father Suranga WellalageI can give several dubious examples of selectors’ jokes. A player known for bowling was brought to open the batting against the touring English Team in 2007. Immediately after taking him as an opening batsman to Australia, the captain then was none other than Mahela & one of the selectors was a man from that particular player’s home town. The funniest part of this selection was his ranking of 150th mark in relation to both averages and aggregate of runs in the Premier Division I ODI Tournament[2005/2006] held immediately before his selection in 2007. Not a single media man or the captain queried about this dubious selection incident. [Stats courtesy Cricketarchives].
- Kavinda Kosgoda on Dunith always dedicated to the game, says father Suranga WellalageParents, teachers and coaches do perform their duties well but the problems lie with the selectors & the team management of late. In those early days, it was always the best schoolboy Cricketers that represented the National Team. It is the best thing to be adopted today as well because those who have performed brilliantly in their entire school career are equivalent to those who have passed their ALs with the highest grades at the end of their school career. This correct method will prevent and block henchmen of selectors from coming into the National side. Last two decades many a henchman [most of them from Panadura] were allowed to represent the Country who were being average players both at school and in 1st Class Cricket. One such player with limited strokes that cannot last 10 overs even on flat tracks, is asked to open batting right now while many brilliant are being asked to sit out. I can give several dubious examples of selectors’ jokes. Dilruwan Perera was brought to ope
- SI38 on Reminiscing with FansFor those who can't access the full official letter above kindly access it below using the link:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RPGkXYMwsl01twrupx32dDHUzczZg4c8CD0HlC0Pb4s/edit?usp=sharingThank you and sorry for the inconvenienceWarm Regards, Shazeen Ifamy
- SI38 on Never Lose Hope, Neverhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1H9UrXt6EgHXdb67BLBhm8MqDDl7HvJJZQe340lWpynk/edit?usp=sharingFor anyone who can not access the link to Google Docs kindly use this link above to access it. Thank you
- Kavinda Kosgoda on Sri Lanka vs. Australia T20Is begin today: SLC hopes to raise $ 2.5 million from Australia cricket seriesThe management that, doesn't know the importance of giving incentives to youngsters by way of holding Competitive tournaments throughout the year, all-around the Country thus giving required match practice for them to gain confidence should be removed soon. This is the main reason why our women’s team is getting hammered in Pakistan. If not for our school’s Cricket standard our men’s team would be in the same boat as well. That is why badly needs an interim committee, which should be appointed soon comprising of past players such as S Skandekumar,Mevan Pieris RanjanMadugalle, SidathWettamuny, RoshanMahanama, MarvanAthapathu,...., if they are available. If we are to earn more foreign exchange our competitive cricket tournaments should be increased tenfold. At present, our cricket is confined to the western coastal area schools only. In this post, Dimuth Karunarathna and Dasun Shanaka should be in the middle but not the officials.
- Kavinda Kosgoda on Thilan Samaraweera named Assistant Coach of Australia AThe selector that employed Dilruwan Perera [unknown as a batsman at the time and never as a dependable batter] as an opening batsman against the touring England team in 2007 and allowed him to tour Australia as a frontline batsman in 2008 when Mahela was the captain and Samaraweera, Roshen, Mathews, Arnold, Muthalip, Chinthaka Jayasinghe .. , they all were in brilliant form at that time of the year. Another dubious incident was the employment of Samaraweera as a bowler in his debut ODI match and sending him to bat as the last man. When he was well known for his batting in became the most Outstanding Schoolboy batsman and the Schoolboy cricketer in both the 1994,1995 seasons. These types of heinous crimes happened when this selector was in charge, not a single media personnel nor an official quarried about these dubious happenings
- MW on Sri Lanka practice session ahead of T20I series against AustraliaGood day to you all at Island Cricket user’s, Does anyone know which live stream /app or TV channel will broadcast in the UK the Australian cricket tour to Sri Lanka Live? The SLC has not given any details on the broadcasters outside the country. Please do send if you know any 🙏.Regards,
- Kavinda Kosgoda on DDS to lead 50-overs; Kamindu 4-dayers for Aussie ‘A’ tourODI badly needs Test class batters who have the right temperament and proper skills to survive under difficult circumstances. Mathews, Chandimal & RoshenS together with left-arm leggie MalindaP should be included in both ODIs & Tests. They have proven enough their credentials than any other in the country right now though have been continuously ignored by the management and selectors. Mathews', Chandimal's & Roshen's skilful batting away from home under difficult circumstances in the Delhi Test in 2017 alone is enough to assess their suitability. Playing too many risky stroke-makers & all-rounders [neither proper bowlers nor batsmen] will spoil the soup. Our position in the ODI ranking definitely will go down. After all, a batsman or bowler can't keep his confidence going in playing one format only. All these players I have mentioned above are outstanding players from a very young age.
- Kavinda Kosgoda on SLC to donate 22.5 Millon for Commonwealth athletesOur is a country where we have enough Sri Lankan experts to handle our Cricket, therefore there is no need to pay huge sums of money to foreigners. Mathews & Chandimal themselves have more experience in how to handle tough situations rather than the coaches in charge, though they have been ill-treated by the management of recent times. They would have been well respected if they were from any other country like India.
- Kavinda Kosgoda on SLC to donate 22.5 Millon for Commonwealth athletesOur present women’s team touring Pakistan is getting hammered as if we are being very new to this Game. The truth is our women’s cricket was started very much earlier than Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand,… but now we find it difficult to win even a single match against these teams, totally due to the incompetent unqualified management we have at present. We have won all 4 matches against Pakistan Touring women’s team in April 1998mentioned matches were played in Sri Lanka where we have won all 4 matches in an outstanding manner therefore for this current status of our Women’s Cricket, the management that does charity work only should be blamed. One may find stats of these matches in websites like Cricket Archives
- Kavinda Kosgoda on SLC to donate 22.5 Millon for Commonwealth athletesFunds at SLC are not meant for charity service. It should be utilized to pay incentives to young Cricketers and to develop the standard of cricket around the country by way of holding. Competitive tournaments throughout the year. The number of tournaments held about 15 years ago has gone down by 10 fold at present. Even the very few tournaments [majority areT20s ] being conducted too are limited to very few matches for a player and finish off in 2-3 weeks. I don’t know how a player gets the required match practice and confidence in this dubious manner.
- SI38 on Live Steam of Sri Lanka vs Bangladeshmega turbo, thank you for your reply, it is highly appreciated.
- mega turbo on Live Steam of Sri Lanka vs Bangladeshhttps://tv.webcric.com/
- mega turbo on Live Steam of Sri Lanka vs Bangladeshhttps://pakcric.net/bangladesh-vs-sri-lanka-live-cricket-streaming.htm
- AJ on Sri Lanka geared to take on Bangladesh in First TestSri Lanka is supposed to be the centre for Theravada Buddhism. However it is humiliating to the country when its cricket board organize cricket matches on Wesak days, the most important day for Buddhists.It is not difficult to arrange a day later with a friendly cricket board if it so desired.The same happens with Poson days too when the matches are played even at home. I wonder why any Buddhist organization or a leader does not take up this matter seriously with the SLC.
- Stormy on Can Silverwood be the silver lining for Sri Lanka?The Silver lining for SLC is the current protests which is calling for an end to the goons and looting. Like our country, our cricket has been plagued by the same politicos playing the same old card of looting and its time. Silverwood like Marsh and Ford and Arthur and and and, will come and go but they cannot fix a broken car unless the engine is sorted out once and for all. We wait in hope and have called for an overhaul from years ago.
- Stormy on Sanga and Mahela snub new Minister’s NSC meetingSafe to say we missed our last chance under Namal - surely it was the last train out of no where! We needed a total reboot and Namal was the only one who could have pulled it off and I thought he made a reasonable fist of it just by getting together some legends in the room but now the bubble has burst.
- Stormy on Lobbying begins to reappoint Dimuth as SL ODI CaptainApologies the above comment was for a different read.So we want to start the musical chairs with the captain again - hey why not just got a new coach too. This is what we do, just keeping swapping and changing hoping something come through. The question is go back to why did we go past Dimuth? It's simple, the rest of world is coming at white ball cricket with taking advantage of the power play (Warner, Finch, Sharma, etc.) While Dimuth is probably the best opener in the world he is not a power player. So in short, even if this plan works, the best case scenario is Dimuth making some runs but SL losing the game. Just makes no sense but it's so much like most things associated with our cricket - which is why we are struggling.
- Stormy on Roshen misses chance as Kamindu to enter Test squadKamindu certainly deserves a spot after the prolific super league series but it is not time to look for a new and younger back up keeper than Chandi. This guy is just hanging around, not really putting any pressure on Dickwella, neither is he making any meaningful runs when he get a chance, just not seeing a future. I would have thought it’s time to get young keeper up and running, especially for white ball cricket where the rest of the world is going with top order or hard hitting batters and we are looking at Chandi and Dickwella.
- Stormy on Lobbying begins to reappoint Dimuth as SL ODI CaptainKamindu certainly deserves a spot after the prolific super league series but it is not time to look for a new and younger back up keeper than Chandi. This guy is just hanging around, not really putting any pressure on Dickwella, neither is he making any meaningful runs when he get a chance, just not seeing a future. I would have thought it's time to get young keeper up and running, especially for white ball cricket where the rest of the world is going with top order or hard hitting batters and we are looking at Chandi and Dickwella.
- Stormy on Sri Lankan cricketers make their mark in IPL 2022Yes decent show by the lads and don't expect Chamika to get a game but for an injury to Russel and they probably have an Indian standby too. Teekshana has been the surprise for me as I didn't think he would be as effective in the IPL let alone get game time. Waniya has one or two decent games but not much to get too excited about and what has happened to this batting - this guy is a genuine batter and can be a 3 dimensional players but lost his bat it seems.
- Stormy on Injured Pathum Nissanka to miss Bangladesh v Sri Lanka Test seriesHow many times is this young chap injured for crying out aloud the guy is in his early 20's and a batter!
- Rally Mall on Vaas to skip Bangladesh Test seriesHas not Vass got a habit of pulling out of tours now because of pay issues? Come on Vass, not good, settle your issues without putting our winning chances down. After the tour you can chuck out if you don't want.This is not professional, childish play.
- AJ on අලුත් කෝච් Chris Silverwood අපේ ක්රිකට් හදයිද?In the cricket world the plum coaching post that all international coaches eye is England post.From that post to come to ours itself is a respect Sri Lanka has earned.All this time be Moody, Dyson, Whatmore were unknown quantities who used our experience to go up higher . Specially at a time where there is some political unrest in the country to come & accept our post is a good sign.The fact he has experience outside UK in Zimbabwe too is also a plus showing he is used to different cultures.He will of course has a grudge with the Aussies so we should reap the benefits when those Aussies visit us in near future. Aiyubowan & Welcome Chris to Sri Lanka & enjoy our hospitality.
- MW on Chris Silverwood named Sri Lanka's new head coachCongrats Chris ,welcome on board.Wish you all the success to take Sri Lankan cricket forward. We are sure you you will love our hospitality. A bit of political turmoil will die down soon, as Asela said before, start with planning a whitewash revenge on Aussies! Aayubowan.
- AJ on Chris Silverwood named Sri Lanka's new head coachAiyubowan, welcome Silverhood. Credit to SLC in appointing him.I'm sure you will take our team forward.You have a very early opportunity to take revenge from the Aussies when they visit us here.Congrats for a successful stint with Sri Lanka.
- Stormy on All-rounder Hasaranga could well become the pivot for RCBI was about to write that Wanindu needs to get his mojo back with the bat and he just proved that right with a 2 ball swinging from the hips mission. Good come back today with a match winning 4 fer but we know he is a quality bowler. He can move to a new level if he brings runs to the table and he can be a quality batter but keeps throwing his wicket.
- Stormy on Even in white-ball cricket Warnie was the king – Mahela JayawardenaWarne wasn't my favorite growing up in the 90's when Aus was the enemy in cricket and Warne had his constant spats with one or another, usually Arjuna. But, he is one guy I would pay money to watch everyday - he was simply a genius, way ahead of his time, mastering the hardest art of cricket in Aus. Followed his entire career from ball one at the SCG to being thrown out of the WC for taking a drug to the Gatting ball. He was a good slipper and reliable lower order batter and probably would have captained Aus if not for is off road antics. Even as a commentator, he was just better than the rest. We may not have liked him due the rivalry but there comes a time when you just need to take your cap off to one of the greatest and Shane Warne is one of the greatest.
- Stormy on Australia cricket team to tour Sri Lanka in JuneBig full tour and Aus will be full of confidence after the home summer series, followed by the Pakistan series and of course they are t20 world champs. SENA teams are coming to SL with a game plan and beating us at it and of course we arrive with little or no planning and are found wanting - I cannot get past Eng beating us twice at home! The plan should be simple, which is beat them with spin, but in recent times our batters struggle against spin (and its not like they are tearing in to the pace bowlers) and our spinners are out bowled by the opposition.So the plan should be to produce rank turners, as we always do, and take have a plan for Lyon. With Aus of course, that pace battery is world class on any wicket as Pakistan just found out. Need some quality batting with proper technique to win this series but we need a win at home.
- Stormy on Stop treating Dickwella like Gilchrist He hasn't scored a hundred but he does score runs, I could be wrong but he is not like a total failure with the bat. The problem is the attitude, it's like he has rocks in his head! You could say Punt has a similar attitude but it doesn't matter when you play impactful innings like Pant. Gilly was different in that he was not like a wild slogger hoping like man - he was in the Viv Richards category, just a quality striker you could rely on.
- Stormy on Thilan Walallawita granted British CitizenshipGiven the English spinners have made our batters at home look novices against spin, would be ironic if this guy ends up playing for England and beating us at home.
- Stormy on Sri Lanka selectors under fire after Bhanuka Rajapaksa blitzNot making sense this - the selectors did not say Banuka could not bat but he could not be selected on fitness grounds. Really important this is understood or we will all be climbing up the wrong tree as many are already! The deal here is SL are trying to instill a new 'culture' within the team where pot bellied - over weight guys dragging them selves around the field is no longer acceptable. If anyone is still confused why this stand was taken, just check our white ball record in the past years - clearly we cannot going the same way. In fact Banuka was told to meet the fitness standard in order to play - this does not mean he could not bat but needs to tow the line. It's a bit like you can be really good at your work, but if you are late to work consistently, action will be taken. You cannot just claim your good at work so you will come in when you feel like it!
- AJ on Stop treating Dickwella like Gilchrist @ Rally Mall, well said ,I would add playing the role of a clown in the team!
- Rally Mall on Stop treating Dickwella like Gilchrist RC is right when he says 'As of now, Dickwella needs to be given a break. Let him be axed and learn a lesson or two the harsh way''. At the first place it was a mystery how he was chosen over Chandimal in India.What RC missed to point out is what a shaky,fidgety, anxious man with no self confidence at all with looking up at heaven with multiple crosses all the time he displays the moment he walks on the field.Surely someone/organization is using him for propaganda reason.Tell the truth RC.Until that is solved ,I don't think he will succeed ever.
- Stormy on Sri Lanka Cricket – reflects the decadent country mindset!So what are we saying? Even the 'technical committee' made up of the best we have are not going anywhere. Am I sensing a tone of even the TC appear to be doing much of the same looting at those before them by bringing in guys like Moody to build us castles in the sky? Lets face is folks, if the current TC under Namal cannot deliver, safe to say we have no hope and may as well hand over SLC to the clueless souls at Parliament and perhaps they could sharpen their looting skills.Ok rant done and here's a thought. Firstly, if we don't know what we are doing with our cricket, are we not capable of copying a strategy from someone who knows? Secondly, I feel what is lacking is a long term vision and ownership of SLC. Currently, what should be run much like a company is being run like our politicians run the country. Every time a few Minister come in, the previous plan is promptly destroyed and replaced with a new one - 5 cycles of this all you have is rich Politian's but no cricket pl
- Stormy on A team mate, a brother and a dear friendNot sure where this read is going but a few thoughts. One is we need to get away from appointing military experts in all other areas unless of course if the military guy is an expert. It's just a meaningless way of going about things when you have experts in the field but you appoint a military guys...based on what expertise. Cricket today in international and professional sport and its little wonder why we look like a village cricket team when our thinking at the top is similar to villager.On the contract retainer, I can think of a couple of reasons why the Sanga and Mahela's got paid higher. Firstly, they played in a team that actually won at an international level and they excelled in all forms of cricket. When I say excelled, these guys were world beaters and team, for example, hardly ever lost at home. Another reason is SLC actually had the money which I am not sure they have now. Finally, the current team in a performance based plan which means you must win to earn cash.
- Stormy on Bengaluru pitch used for the Pink Ball Test rated as "Below Average"Not surprised the of the rating but surprised that the ICC called BCCI! Just puts Dimuth's innings in to context - it's one thing to score hundreds on the roads that they seem to be playin in the WI and Pakistan but a totally different proposition to be scoring a 4th innings hundred on a wicket even the the home team is struggling to bat on.
- AJ on ශ්රී ලංකා ක්රිකට් වරද්ද ගත්ත හැටි අර්ජුන හෙලි කරයි – අර්ජුන රණතුංග | Arjuna RanatungaAn honest discussion. As Arjuna says it is a publicity stunt orchestrated by interested groups like the born again why some players making multiple crosses on their chest bat or ball with each stroke or bowl and in their public speeches. A God at the forefront not cricket, all good has happened to them because God did it for them at that time.And very low in their self confidence & moral. In that case why do they train? These players have fallen victims to these fathers to get into the team with their support.If you listen to Bhanuka, Dickwella or Sadeera etc quite evident.
- Stormy on Retiring Lakmal ready to give back to the gameGreat story is Lakmal and kept getting with the years and probably bowling his best now so shame he is leaving now but as 35 year old fast bowler, needs to weigh up options I guess. A loss for us as we are reliant on him in recent times while the younger chaps crawl around with injuries, Lakmal has kept going on and even captained his country. SL is a touch place for fast bowlers so he is never going to an over impressive record but he has done really well in a tough place for the fast men.
- Stormy on Classy Karunarathne hundred shows glimpse of Unmatchable SwaggerThis must be one of the great knocks and Dimuth is putting a few of them away. He made a fighting hundred against a quality SA pace attack not to long away. Remember the home series against SA a few years ago - only Dimuth could get any runs from either team.But this has to be on top. It was a tough Indian wicket on which even the India batters struggled and that was a quality attack as any to make a hundred against let alone a 4th innings hundred.
- Stormy on Jaffna farmer’s son baffles batsmen with his mystery spinGlad to hear the arrival of another mystery spinner and hope he blossoms to be the real thing.
- Stormy on OUTCAST!I must say I was surprised by the sudden axing of Roshen on the failure of the Windies series was it? We did a similar move with DDS but thankfully he found his way back but Roshen just could not make it. Lets not get in to the whole Thiri debate, especially now that he made a few runs and cemented his spot for life it seems.I think we should have pursued with Roshen and given him a decent go and let face it, it's not like we have blokes falling from trees who perform overseas. I guess its fair to say our cricket has reflected the administration of the Country....just a say story.
- Stormy on Hidden agenda behind ‘resting’ Dushmantha Chameera?I noted how the so called expert and former player is still going on about SL has huge amounts of talent. I wonder where this talent is as its certainly not playing cricket for the country or getting picked up but any of the best talent scouts in the world for a multiple of franchises.I do agree on the Chameera omission but is there the mystery we make it to be. Does he have a niggle for example and we want to save him for the WC? and yes, playing IPL would be a great idea if that was the plan.I am not sure why we get all excited about our guys playing the IPL while the rest of the world is already and had been playing for years. The whole SA pace attack looks like it will miss the Bangladesh home series for IPL while the last time Bangladesh visited SL, both Shakib and Fizz opted for the IPL.
- MW on පසු දැක්ම | දැන් ඉතින් අපි MK? (Review| D/N Test SL vs IND,2022)Island on the 14th says ''Dickwella’s reviewing has been horrendous for many years but Sri Lankan captains continue to depend on him. Dickwella prompted his captain to review leg before wicket decisions on three occasions and on all three occasions it emerged that the batsmen had nicked the ball. The only advice you should be getting from Dickwella is which restaurants in Colombo have free corkage. India’s lower middle order batsmen have cleverly farmed the strike from the tail-enders and helped the team score significant totals. Dickwella meanwhile is happy to give the strike back to the lower order batters. He is more content in finishing not out to boost up his average. The suspension has meant nothing for Dickwella. He continues to be impulsive, impatient, incompetent and incorrigible.'' What a sham.How come such an inept player in the playing X1? Born Again at work?
- Rally Mall on "Beyond Understanding": Sunil Gavaskar On Sri Lanka Keeper Niroshan Dickwella Asking For DRS After Mayank Agarwal's Run Out | Cricket NewsIn fact he even today, Dickwella single handedly forced Dimuth to take two reviews which SL lost due to Dickwella's incorrect assessment. He in any case an anxious & restless chap in the field.His whole demeanour is a man with no self confidence.Dimuth should be careful trusting his word to take reviews. Unless he makes a good score in the last innings he does not deserve a place in the team, his second innings score in the first Test was when India was certain of a win & took the pedal off.
- Stormy on Naveed Navaz Frontrunner to become Sri Lanka's New Head CoachI guess the foreigners would finally back out one day and that day has arrived so its time to sort this mess out with local coaches.
- Stormy on Injury Update On Lahiru KumaraRather unlucky and unfortunate that our genuine pace man is injury prone - hope like Chameera, he gets his body sorted as we can do with a 140+ merchant.