SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS
(JANUARY 2025)
Compiled by Victor Melder
The touring Sri Lankans beat New Zealand by 7 runs to win the third and final T20, played at Sexton Oval, Nelson. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 218/5 in 20 Overs (Kusal Perera 101, Asalanka 46, Mitchell 1/6, Duffy 1/30)
New Zealand – 211/7 in 20 Overs (Ravinda 69, Robinson 37, Mitchell 35, Asalanka 3/50, Hasaranga 2/38)
Player of the Match: Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka)
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Player of the Series: Jacob Duffy (New Zealand.
New Zealand, won the 3- match series 2-1.
Just when the purists and the unsuspecting thought Change was coming to Sri Lanka Cricket which side-stepped even the country’s Supreme legislature-making body, Parliament, more than 18 months ago, it has been revealed that the curtailing of votes to elect administrators could cause more confusion and is not the cup of tea of independent think-tanks. Discussions and debates now taking place in the boardrooms of clubs have been centered around concerns that the slashing of votes from 147 to 60 is a mere eyewash, meaning officials who are already entrenched and looking forward to a further stay or in any other capacity will be guaranteed of a continuation. Analysts contend that SLC could have even a thousand votes but the bottom line is that without an Independent chairman and a Board of Directors as recommended by a Declaration in the Investigative Report compiled by retired Supreme Court judge KT Chitrasiri, the much needed Change in the administration of cricket will continue to be reserved for the Chosen Few. The current National People’s Power (NPP) government had even stated in its election Manifesto that the Chitrasiri Report has to be tabled in Parliament that analysts say should be done at least a month before nominations are called for the scheduled election of office bearers to SLC in May. The Chitrasiri Report also documents what it calls five Main Principles for the new Constitution of SLC and among them are the appointment of an Independent Chairperson and a majority of the 18 Board Members to be independent that will help ensure a clean and fair administration devoid of favouritism, nepotism and financial mismanagement. The second Main Principle states that voting clubs are not the sole stakeholders of SLC and the need for a broad based director board representing women’s cricket, schools, coaches, umpires and players. “The number of votes (147) does not matter. Contrary to popular belief the high number of voting clubs (85 clubs with 147 votes) is not the cause of SLC’s poor governance. Due to the lack of independence in the SLC board, the clubs themselves act as their own regulator causing a massive conflict of interest”, covers the third Main Principle in the Chitrasiri Report. The fourth Main Principle in the Chitrasiri Recommendation notes that some SLC board members have been around for more than 20 years while the fifth Main Principle refers to the removal of what is called “Archaic Honourary Office Bearer posts by transforming SLC form an old boys club to a modern corporate fit for purpose”. (Sunday Observer, 5.`1.2025)
New Zealand beat the touring Sri Lankans by 9 wickets in the first ODI, played at Basin Reserve, Wellington. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 178 in 43.4 Overs (Avishka Fernando 56, Liyanage 36, Hasaranga 35, Henry 4/19, Duffy 2/39, Smith 2/43)
New Zealand – 180/1 in 26.2 Overs (Young 90no, Ravindra 45, Chapman 29no, Wickramasinghe 1/28)
Player of the Match: Matt Henry (New ealand)
ODI Debut: Eshan Malinga (Sri Lanka)
New Zealand beat the touring Sri Lankans by113 runs in the second ODI, played at Seddon Park, Hamilton. Scores:
New Zealand – 255/9 in 37.1 Overs (Ravindra 79, Chapman 62, Mitchell 28, Theekshana 4/44, Hasaranga 2/39)
Sri Lanka – 142 in 30/.2 Overs (Kamindu Mendis 64, Liyanage 22, O’Rourke 3/31, Duffy 2/30)
Player of the Match; Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
The touring Sri Lankans beat New Zealand by 140 runs in the third and final ODI, played at Eden Park, Auckland. Scores:
Sri Lanka – 290/8 in 50 Overs (Nissanka 66, Kusal Mendis 54, Liyanage 53, Kamindu Mendis 46, Henry 4/55, Santner 2/55)
New Zealand – 150 in 29.4 Overs (Chapman 81, Avishka Fernando 3/26, Malinga 3/35, Theekshana 3/55)
New Zealand won the 3-match series 2-1.
Player of the Match: Avishka Fernando (Sri Lanka)
Player of the Series: Matt Henry (New Zealand)
In response to a request from Cricket Australia (CA), Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has agreed to revise the schedule for the upcoming tour and add an additional One Day International (ODI). Initially, Australia was set to play just one ODI against Sri Lanka, but as part of their preparations for the World Champions Trophy, CA asked for an extra fixture. Sources indicate that SLC has approved the change, so the series will now include two ODIs, alongside the two scheduled Test matches in Galle. While the ODI schedule has been adjusted, the Test series remains unchanged. Originally, only one ODI was planned, to be held in Hambantota, but both ODIs will now take place as day games in Colombo. This extra ODI will be crucial for Australia as they fine-tune their preparations for the World Champions Trophy, a significant event requiring peak performance. For Sri Lanka, though, they will not participate in the Champions Trophy, but hosting Australia for this additional ODI provides valuable exposure to high-level competition, benefiting their players’ development.(Sunday Times, 12.1.2025)
The Sri Lanka Cricket Board, in consultation with Cricket Australia, has confirmed the addition of an extra ODI to the schedule for Australia’s upcoming tour. Originally, the tour was planned to consist of just one ODI alongside two Test matches, the latter being a part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle. With the revised schedule, the teams will now compete in two ODIs and two Test matches. The extra ODI added to the schedule is perfectly timed for Australia, offering the visitors crucial preparation ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, starting 19 February. Sri Lanka, though, aren’t a part of the Champions Trophy for the very first time in the tournament history after falling short of the qualification criteria. The tour will kick off with the first Test match on 19 January, followed by the second Test on 6 February, both to be played in Galle. The first ODI is on 12 February, and the newly added fixture is scheduled for 14 February. Revised schedule: First Test: 29 January – 2 February, Galle Second Test: 6 – 10 February, Galle First ODI: 12 February, Colombo Second ODI: 14 February, Colombo. (Ceylon Today, 17.1.2025)
Sri Lanka have announced an 18-man strong squad to face Australia in their final series of the current World Test Championship cycle. Dhananjaya de Silva, Kamindu Mendis and Pathum Nissanka are all included in a large squad for the two Tests, with all three key players having been injury doubts heading into the home series against the reigning World Test Champions. Nissanka’s ongoing issues with a groin injury make him the least likely of the trio to feature, but the Sri Lankan selectors have built in cover in the squad by naming an 18-man group with the first Test just five days away. Lahiru Udara and Sonal Dinusha are in contention to make their Test debuts as the two uncapped members of the squad. Both matches in the Warne-Murali Test Series will be played in Galle and will bring the curtain down on the qualification phase of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25, with Australia already guaranteed a spot in June’s final against South Africa. Sri Lanka currently lie fifth on the table, one spot ahead of England, and could leapfrog New Zealand and potentially even India should they enjoy a successful series. The visitors are without captain Pat Cummins for the tour due to an ankle injury, but have been boosted by the inclusion of stand-in skipper Steve Smith in the squad for both the Sri Lanka tour and subsequent Champions Trophy campaign after the batter suffered what initially appeared to be a serious elbow injury during the Big Bash. Sri Lanka Test Squad: Dhananjaya de Silva (C), Dimuth Karunaratne, Pathum Nissanka, Oshada Fernando, Lahiru Udara, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sonal Dinusha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nishan Peiris, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Milan Rathnayake. Fixtures: 1st Test – 29 January-2 February, Galle, 2nd Test – 6-10 February, Galle, 1st ODI – 12 February, Colombo, 2nd ODI – 14 February, Colombo. (Ceylon Today, 25.1.2025)
Sri Lanka’s spin wizard and the world’s highest wicket-taker, Muttiah Muralitharan, has thrown his weight behind the home side, backing them to turn the tables on number one ranked Australia in the upcoming two-match Test series. Despite the series being a dead rubber – given that the finalists for the World Test Championship are already decided – Sri Lanka are eager to reclaim the Warne-Murali Trophy, which slipped through their fingers in 2019. Muralitharan, who is set to grace Galle and hand over the coveted trophy named after himself and the late spin maestro Shane Warne, believes Sri Lanka’s recent resurgence bodes well for their chances. “I’ll be in Galle for the last two days of the series, and I strongly believe Sri Lanka can win. Our track record in Galle speaks for itself, and more importantly, the team has turned a corner in recent months,” Murali told Telecom Asia. “Since Sanath Jayasuriya took over as Head Coach, they’ve addressed crucial shortcomings and started winning consistently. Even in defeat, they put up a fight, which is a clear sign of progress. It’s refreshing to see.” Murali pointed to Sri Lanka’s biggest trump card – the spinning tracks in Galle – where the home side knows the terrain like the back of their hand. Muralitharan also took a walk down memory lane, reflecting on his famous rivalry and friendship with Shane Warne. The two legendary tweakers were locked in a gripping race to 500 Test wickets, with Warne reaching the milestone first in Galle in 2004, while Murali followed suit just a week later in his hometown of Kandy. Debuting in 1992, Warne bid farewell to the game in 2007 with 708 wickets to his name, while Murali – three years his junior – pressed on until 2010, finishing with a jaw-dropping 800 Test wickets. They remain cricket’s two leading wicket-takers in the longest format. In 2007, Cricket Australia and Sri Lanka Cricket immortalized their legacy by naming the bilateral series in their honour. Australia held onto the trophy until Sri Lanka’s emphatic 3-0 whitewash in 2016, but the Aussies wrestled it back in 2019 and managed to hold on after a 1-1 stalemate in 2022. “For Warnie, Sri Lanka was always close to his heart,” Murali reminisced. “He reached his 500th wicket here in 2004, and when the tsunami struck later that year, he didn’t hesitate to fly down and see the devastation firsthand. He toured with me, spreading awareness through the Foundation of Goodness, which saw funds pouring in to rebuild shattered lives. Sri Lankans will always be truly grateful for Warnie’s generosity.” Warne’s brother, Jason, who visited Sri Lanka during the last series to commemorate the legendary leggie, echoed similar sentiments. He recalled how Shane held Sri Lanka in high regard, having taken giant strides in his career on these shores. As a raw youngster on his first overseas tour, Warne announced himself by spinning Australia to a thrilling 16-run victory, defending a modest target of 181 in Colombo – a moment that kick-started his illustrious career. (Sunday Island, 26.1.2025)
