SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (APRIL 2021) Compiled by Victor Melder

The Second Test between the touring Sri Lankans and the West Indies, played at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Antigua ended in a draw. Scores:

West Indies – 1st Innings – 354 (Brathwaite 126, Cornwall 73, Mayers 49, Holder 30, Lakmal 4/94, Chameera 3/69, de Silva 1/26, Fernando 1/71)

Sri Lanka, 1st Innings –  258 (Thirimanne 55, Nissanka 51, Chandimal 44, de Silva 39, Roach 3/58, Holder 2/39, Joseph 2/64, Mayers 1/10, Blackwood 1/16) 

West Indies, 2nd Innings – 280/4 dec (Brathwaite 85, Holder 71no, Mayers 55, Lakmal 2/62, Chameera 2/74)

Sri Lanka, 2nd Innings – 193/2 (Karunaratne 75, Fernando 66no, Thirimanne 39, Mayers 1/5, Joseph 1/33)

Player of the Match: Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies)

2-match series drawn 0-0

Player of the Series: Suranga Lakmal (Sri Lanka)

Match Points: Sri Lanka 20, West Indies 20.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Thursday announced the appointment of a new Selection Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket, with immediate effect. The new Selection Committee will be chaired by former fast bowler Pramodya Wickramasinghe and include Romesh Kaluwitharana, Hemantha Wickramaratne, Varuna Waragoda, S. H. U Karnain and Mrs. B.A. Thilaka Nilmini Gunarathne as members. The six member panel was ratified by the Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa, the SLC said. (Times Online, 8.4.2021)

The first Test between thee touring Bangladeshis and Sri Lanka played at Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium Pallekelle, Kandy, ended in a draw. Scores:

Bangladesh, 1st Innings – 541/7 dec (Shanto 163, Haque 127, Iqbal 90, Rahim 68no, Das 50, Fernando 4/96, Lakmal 1/81)

Sri Lanka, 1st Innings – 648/8 dec (Karunratne 244, D. de Silva166, Thirimanne 58, P. de Silva 43, Ahmed 3/112, Islam 2/163)

Bangladesh, 2nd Innings – 100/2 ( Iqbal 74no, Haque 23no, Lakmal 2/211)

Player of the Match: Dimuith Karunaratne (Sri Lanka)

Match Points: Bangladesh 20, Sri Lanka 20.

A bitter pay dispute is on the cards after salaries of Sri Lanka’s national cricketers were cut by significant amounts lead up to the two Test series against Bangladesh.  The national cricket team is currently engaging in the series having refused to sign annual contracts and the deadlock could have a serious impact on the sport. The players have been without central contracts since January. The players are disgruntled that they are going to lose out a significant portion of their pay in the central contracts.  A player in the top category according to the previous contract earned US$ 130,000 but now that could be lesser than US$ 45,000; a 200% salary cut. Also taken out of the pay package is the seniority payment. For example, a player with over 20 Tests would get paid an additional amount of US$ 500, over 40 Tests an additional amount of US$ 750, over 60 Tests a bonus of US$ 1000 while someone who has represented the country in 80 Tests would earn US$ 2000 additionally, for every game he plays. That incentive has been completely taken off, angering the top brass of the national cricket team.  Although the first category has been reduced to US$ 100,000, in reality, someone like Suranga Lakmal, who features in Test cricket only, could earn something like US$ 45,000. That is because a points system decides how the players get paid and those who represent the team in all three formats have a better chance of getting the entire 100,000. (Daily Island, 28.4.2021)

Former Sri Lanka player and coach Nuwan Zoysa has been banned from all cricket for six years after an ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal found him guilty of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. The ban for Zoysa is backdated to 31 October 2018, when he was provisionally suspended. As previously advised, following full hearings and presentations of written and oral argument, the Tribunal found Zoysa guilty of:

Article 2.1.1

– for being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspect(s) of an International Match.

Article 2.1.4

– Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1. 

Article 2.4.4

– Failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code.

Zoysa has also been charged by the ICC on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) with breaching four counts of the ECB Anti-Corruption Code for Participants for the T10 League and these proceedings are ongoing.

Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – Integrity Unit, said: “Nuwan played 125 matches for Sri Lanka, attending a number of anti-corruption sessions during a decade-long international career. In his role as a national coach, he should have acted as a role model. Instead, he became involved with a corrupter and attempted to corrupt others. “Contriving to fix a game betrays the basis of sporting principles. It will not be tolerated in our sport.”(ICC) (Daily Island, 29.4.2021)