SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS

(OCTOBER 2016)

Compiled by Victor Melder

Nick Lee, the 32-year-old former right-hand batsman from Kent, has been appointed Sri Lanka’s trainer, the SLC announced on Sunday. Lee will replace Michael Main, the former Hampshire strength and conditioning coach, who was initially appointed for a two-year term in May last year but quit from his post at the end of the home series against Australia. Lee will assume his role from October. Lee was part of the minor county side Suffolk, and was a presence in the Minor Counties Championship tournament for over six years, until 2010. He played 13 matches in his first-class career, in which he scored 490 runs at 30.62, including three half-centuries and a highest of 79 not out. He is part of the Sussex set-up in county cricket, currently working as a strength and conditioning coach. (© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.)

Pink-ball cricket will mark its debut in Sri Lanka when the first unofficial Test between Sri Lanka A and West Indies A commences at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. “We have been lagging behind other countries in experimenting with the pink ball, but a start had to be made somewhere,” Sri Lanka Cricket vice-president K Mathivanan said. “With the ICC planning to introduce day-night Test cricket in the near future we should be prepared to face the changes and not lag behind.” Sri Lanka currently uses the Australian Kookaburra ball in their domestic tournaments. Mathivanan said the pink ball costed as much as the red ball, priced at LKR 16,000. SLC is also likely to use the pink ball in their forthcoming domestic competition. Sri Lanka A captain Dimuth Karunaratne felt the pink ball doesn’t differ drastically as compared to the red ball. “We have had few practice sessions with the pink ball and found it very much similar to the red ball,” he said. “But with use, pink ball gets a bit strange and the colour fades.” (© ESPN Sports Media Ltd).

The impasse between Sri Lanka Cricket and national cricketers on the contracts of the players ended yesterday evening after the latter consented to sign their contracts. Captain Angelo Mathews said that the players who have been offered central contacts will sign their respective contracts today at SLC headquarters. “We had a very good chat with the President of SLC. If cricket is developing we are willing to sacrifice. We have done that in the past too when the board was in a financial crisis,” Mathews said. The amendments to central contracts mean that the players will take a significant cut from their retainers. The last contract had offered a player in the top category a retainer to the tune of US$ 165,000 and that has been reduced to US$ 120,000. The new performance-based contacts ensures higher pay when the team wins. Presently, a Sri Lankan cricketer is paid US$ 7,500 per Test match. It has been cut to US$ 5,000. However, a Test win will put up that amount to US$ 10,000. “The players have taken that up in a good way. It’s a contract based on performance and we are happy to go (and) sign it,” Mathews said. Time was running out as the national cricket team is scheduled to fly to Zimbabwe on Monday. On previous occasions, negotiations on contracts have been tensed and in 2014, the national cricket team took part in the World T-20 without signing national contracts. Things seem to have turned to better under Mathews as the players even agreed to take a further pay cut if they were to go down in rankings. “We agreed to take a further pay cut if we go down in rankings,” Mathews said. “Mostly it’s done to challenge ourselves as we move forward with a young team,” he added. The cricketers had been offered individual incentives in the new contracts, but the team had turned down the offer. It had been suggested to pay an individual player US$ 5,000 per every Test century and a five-wicket haul as bonus. The bonus was raised to US$ 7,500 for similar feats in ODIs. “It might actually harm the team. So we wanted the individual performance part taken out of the national contracts. The board agreed for that request.” A total of 17 national cricketers have been offered central contracts. The new addition to the list are Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Sirirwardene, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushmantha Chameera, Danushka Gunatilleke, Jeffrey Vandersay and Lakshan Sandakan.The players who have lost out on central contracts are Thisara Perera, Ajantha Mendis and Nuwan Kulasekara. Lasith Malinga and Dhammika Prasad were not offered central contracts as they were injured. An SLC official said that the duo will be offered contracts once they are fit. The national cricketers who have been offered central contracts: Angelo Mathews, Rangana Herath, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunarathna, Kusal Janith Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Thirimanna, Dilruwan Perera, Kusal Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Nuwan Pradeep, Kaushal Silva, Dhanajaya de Silva, Dushmantha Chameera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Jeffery Vandersay and Lakshan Sandakan. (Daily Island 21.10.2016)

Former Trinity speedster Lahiru Kumara has been picked in the Sri Lanka Test squad. 19-year old paceman Lahiru Kumara has been picked in Sri Lanka’s Test squad for the up coming tour of Zimbabwe. While omitting vice captain Dinesh Chandimal from a 15-member squad Sri Lanka Cricket selectors have brought in three uncapped players including former Trinity speedster Kumara for the two-Test tour next week. According to Sri Lanka cricket. Speedster Kasun Madushanka and the all-rounder Asela Gunaratne are the other new faces in the 15 man squad. Former Sri Lanka Under-19 player Lahiru Kumara did well in the recently concluded Sri Lanka Under-19 tour of England where he bagged 11 wickets to lead the Youth team to victory over hosts.Team: Angelo Mathews (capt), Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya Silva, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Niroshan Dikwella, Kasun Madushanka, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Gamage and Asela Gunaratne. (Daily Island 22.10.2016)

Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has been bestowed with the rare honour of leading Sri Lanka in Test cricket after captain Angelo Mathews was ruled out of the tour of Zimbabwe with a calf strain. Herath, the 38-year-old 73 Test veteran is the most experienced cricketer in international cricket. He is also the only current international cricketer to have made his Test debut in the last millennium. He will become the 14th man to lead Sri Lanka in Test cricket and only the second spinner after D.S. de Silva. “I am absolutely delighted with this honour,” Herath told The Island. “Chairman of Selectors Sanath Jayasuriya called me up today and informed that Angelo has been ruled out of the series and that I will have to step in as captain,” Herath added. “Having said that, these are difficult circumstances having lost two of our leading players. Both Angelo and Chandi have done remarkably well for us over the years,” Herath further said. While captain Mathews hurt his calf during training on Saturday, Chandimal was not picked for the tour due to injury. “Leading your country is the ultimate honour. I am really honoured to be considered as captain. But my main duty for the team is to do my best in bowling. “We have lots of confidence leading into the series after the 3-0 win over Australia. We have improved in several ways and our batsmen in particular have gained confidence,” Herath further said. Sri Lanka have not named a replacement for the injured Mathews as Zimbabwe have scrapped on arrival visa system. SLC will name a replacement today and the player is not expected to join the squad before the first Test in Harare starting on Saturday. Mathews, meanwhile, is unlikely to be fit for the triangular series as well that involves the hosts and West Indies. Chandimal is expected to lead the team in ODIs. There have been 15 Tests so far between the countries. Ten of them have been won by Sri Lanka while the remaining five have been draws. (Daily Island 24.10.2016))