Sri Lanka stutter in warm up games but may still provide some fireworks. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor) Sri Lanka made an inauspicious start to the World Cup losing both warm-up games to Bangladesh and Afghanistan and the writing on the wall about their chances of success seems dismal to say the least. Just recently they overcame both these teams in the Asia Cup before making the final against India. But the preparation since has see both Asian neighbours step up their campaigns while Sri Lanka’s course appears at this stage to be heading backwards. Both losses were convincing, by seven wickets to Bangladesh and six wickets to Afghanistan, and throws up concerns about the composition of the team that has failed to deliver with and without Skipper Dasun Shanaka who seems to be the focus of attention rather than the team’s overall performance. Apart from ...
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Akila Perera missed the rugby bus? Source : sundayobserver Former Royal College and Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club cricketer Akila Perera finds himself as a man who perhaps emphasized in the wrong sport and was left behind only to realize that rugby would have made him a better exponent. Always wanting to get the simple things right, Akila is a person who will welcome constructive criticism and take it in his stride like a true professional that he could not be or perhaps was to some extent. “If I make an impact on anyone, that’s the best I have done,” Akila whose passion is sports and favourite colour is green told the Sunday Observer in an interview. Q: Describe yourself in one word Focused -humble Q: Any words or phrases you overuse? Pressure is a privilege Q: What is your most marked characteristic? Honesty Q: If you could edit your past, what would ...
It needs a mastermind to win in South Africa-by Rex Clementine Source:Island Indian cricket had reached new heights last year winning in Australia, sealing the series of all places at the Gabba, where the Aussies had been unbeaten for three decades. Given such an epic performance, you thought this Indian team will complete a series win in South Africa as well. But the Indians were cut to size as the Proteas chased down a tricky target showing guts in plenty with their skipper Dean Elgar putting up a super show at the Wanderers this week. The series is leveled 1-1 and India could still go onto win it by emerging victorious in the final Test in Cape Town next week. The point is that you thought the series for this Indian side is a walk in the park given the parity between the two sides. If India do not win ...
COPE exposes large scale corruption at SLC-by Rex Clementine Source:Island Sri Lanka Cricket’s top brass was put on a sticky wicket by Parliamentary watchdog COPE – Committee on Public Enterprises – when a probe was done into several dealings of the sport’s governing body this week. COPE Chairman Professor Charitha Herath made a scathing attack on SLC’s Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer Ashley de Silva for the large scale corruption within the institution. Professor Herath went onto note that why the game of cricket has suffered new lows in recent times. He said that it was not because of dearth of talent but the sport has been grossly mismanaged by officials who use cricket as their ‘backyard’. COPE recommended urgent legal action to be taken against SLC officials who have developed ruthless, mean and new methods to siphon off large chunks of money. ...
Sri Lanka Cricket officials under thundering scrutiny-BY CALLISTUS DAVY As their keepers were investigated for financial misdeeds, some of Sri Lanka’s cricketers also failed a fitness test ahead of a major tour of the West Indies. Isuru Udana (right) who passed the test talks to Grant Luden physical performance manager Source: Sundayobserver Probe team shocked to hear public property left in the hands of private individuals who come and go without accountability: In an unprecedented exposure to public curiosity, officials running Sri Lanka Cricket came under intense scrutiny like never before as the entity responsible for the country’s sporting passion was brought into disrepute on Thursday at a hearing conducted by COPE which is a parliamentary authority probing financial indiscipline and malpractices at public institutions. Long standing Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive Ashley de Silva and its first time president Shammi Silva faced the brunt of the questioning and were ...
Defending women’s champions Australia will be hard to beat Lasith Malinga will lead Sri Lanka’s fortunes. Multicultural flavour will be the ICC focus for the T20 World Cup in Australia – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE Australia’s edition of the T20 World Cup will deliver a cricketing feast laced with multicultural flavour promises ICC CEO Nick Hockley at a briefing to the Sri Lankan involvement at the Grand on Princess in Mulgrave, Melbourne recently. Speaking exclusively to the Lanka Times in Melbourne and Elanka community website in Australia Hockley says there will be a heavy emphasis on multiculturism and a projected attempt to lure all communities in Australia to get involved in this exciting event which is expected to have at least a billion viewers around the world. All venues around Australia hosting World Cup games will be set up in a carnival like atmosphere in and ...
Wounded Lions seek solace in New Zealand and Australia – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE Gunatilleka has much to prove. Dimuth Karunaratne will be key to Sri Lanka’s revival. Sri Lanka’s wounded Lions desperately seek some form of solace on their tour of New Zealand that has just begun after a humiliating home series drubbing by the Englishmen recently. And if New Zealand looms large, the Lankans face the acid test of pitting themselves against Australia followed by similar hostilities in South Africa in the beginning of next year. Two Tests against the New Zealanders followed by three one-dayers and a T20 game will set them up for the tougher encounters against the Australians , two Tests before they depart to the African leg which will test their worth. Indifferent form, bad selection and a huge question mark hanging over coach Chandika Hathurusinghe ...
Sri Lanka cricket in recovery of sorts, but at what price? BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE Chandika Hathurusinghe and Dinesh Chandimal confer after ball tampering charges. Sri Lanka beat the odds, survived the cheating allegations against Skipper Dinesh Chandimal and courageously squared the Test series against the West Indies but at a cost. A country admired for their outstanding sportsmanship on the field over the years previous, they now share a tarnished reputation with some of the other countries who have come unstuck with their innovative methods at gaining unfair advantage over the opposition through cheating. Oddly enough their current series against touring South Africa led by Faf Du Plessis sees two countries whose Skippers have brought the game into disrepute pitted against each other although the Lankans are waiting with bated breath hoping for Chandimal to get off with a reprimand for what seemed a blatant act of ...
Sri Lanka……. Whipping boys of world cricket – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE Chandika Hathurusinghe Sri Lanka’s current form suggests that they are in the worst place since gaining Test status in 1982 and sporadic bursts such as the unlikely series win over Pakistan in the Arab Emirates throws a shadow over the actual happenings in the oil rich nation. To even suggest that they are capable of beating anyone in the top ten at the moment is laughable let alone possible as the current series against the world’s top team India, is proving in no uncertain terms. All the excuses thrown around about departing stars is now wearing thin as the Island nation struggles to find genuine talent with a tag of consistency attached to it as they offer themselves as cannon fodder to everyone they come up against. Over the past two years Sri Lanka have managed ...
