Batters hit top gear as Sri Lanka smash Afganistan to a series win – Same team but different mindset appears to be selectors master-stroke – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE  (eLanka Sports editor) Sri Lanka shed their ‘inconsistency’ tag thrashing Afganistan by 155 runs while lightning up the hills of Pallekelle to the dawning of a welcome form turnaround, and silencing their critics in the process. Teetering on the edge of being written off in all formats, Sri Lanka appear to have discovered the correct horses for courses strategy from the available talent, and Coach Chris Silverwood can breathe easy as the new selection committee goes about putting together the pieces and the right squads for the different formats. There’s no disputing the talent in Sri Lanka cricket, but issues off field has derailed the games administration creating an unwanted distraction to their performances on the field. The new look ...

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Zimbabwe expose Sri Lanka’s inconsistency to level T20 series – Matthews goes from hero to villain in dramatic loss – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports editor) Zimbabwe’s tail wagged vigorously as they bounced back to smash Sri Lanka by four wickets in game two of the three match T20 series at the R. Premadasa stadium in Colombo.  Chasing what seemed like a par total of 173, Craig Ervine, 70 off 54 with 2 sixers and 6 fours, and later tail enders Luke Jongwe 25 off 12 with 2 sixers and 2 fours, and Clive Madande 15 off 5 balls wit 2 sixers ripped Sri Lanka’s attack to shreds to motor to what appeared an unlikely win with a ball to spare. Jongwe’s last over heroics earned him the Player-of-the-match.  Angelo Matthews who earlier made a significant unbeaten 66 run contribution to Sri Lanka’s total, was at the receiving ...

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Three Cricket Captains for Sri Lanka?-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis News Item in the Daily Mirror, 16 December 2023 …. https://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking-news/De-Silva-Mendis-and-Hasaranga-to-appoint-as-Test-ODI-and-T20-captains/108-273379The newly appointed selection committee of Sri Lanka Cricket led by Upul Tharanga, reportedly decided to change the leadership roles for the Sri Lanka Test, ODI and T20 teams.As per reports, Dhananjaya de Silva is slated to take on the role of Test captain, with Kusal Mendis assuming the position of vice-captain.For the ODI team, Kusal Mendis is set to be the captain, and Charith Asalanka will serve as the vice-captain. In the T20 format, Wanindu Hasaranga is to be appointed as the captain, with Charith Asalanka named as the vice-captain. The final decisions regarding the Sri Lanka squad for the upcoming Sri Lanka-Zimbabwe tournament in January will be deliberated in the next meeting of the selection committee, scheduled for next Monday. ...

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What Sri Lanka can learn from Australia’s World Cup campaign – By Rex Clementine Australia’s fielding was one key point as they beat India in the World Cup final. Travis Head’s stunning diving catch to dismiss Rohit Sharma was one of the turning points in the game. Source : island It was a fabulous night indeed in Ahmedabad as Australia defied all expectations and beat hosts and favourites India in the grand final of the sport’s showpiece event last Sunday. India was a team that stormed through to the finals with an unbeaten record beating several teams by big margins. Never were India tested in the league or knockout stage. Australia, meanwhile, huffed and puffed, lost their opening two fixtures, nearly were beaten by Afghanistan and almost blew it against South Africa in the semi-final. But when it mattered, in front of a full house at the world’s largest sports stadium, ...

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A Campaign Against Sledging & Intimidation on the Cricket Field-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis My upbringing was heavily impregnated with cricket and its sporting values. The practices of sledging and verbal one-upmanship in order to unsettle batsmen was simply unthinkable to those so nourished. When Sri Lanka’s team under Arjuna Ranatunga had a prolonged tour of Australia in 187, they happened to spend a lot of time in Adelaide.  I was introduced to Arjuna and Ruwan Kalpage at a dinner at the house of Tilak Gunasekera (alas not more with us) and his wife Dawn (nee Buultjens). There I received first-hand tales of the degree to which Australian cricket was, so to speak, impregnated with the sledging form of one-upmanship. My distaste for this type of activity was deepened when I witnessed the pressures directed at the Sri Lankan cricket team touring Australia in 1995/96 — this time by some of the umpires ...

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SRI LANKA BEATEN BY BANGLADESH BY THREE WICKETS – By Sunil Thenabadu Source : info-rain Bangladesh trump Sri Lanka amid high drama in Delhi The win has put Bangladesh at No. 7 on the points table, giving them an edge in the four-way contest to fill the last two spots at the 2025 Champions Trophy Harmison on timed-out dismissal: ‘Mathews a little hard done by’ Bangladesh282 for 7 (Shanto 90, Shakib 82, Madushanka 3-69, Mathews 2-35) beat Sri Lanka 279 (Asalanka 108, Nissanka 41, Tanzim 3-80, Shoriful 2-51, Shakib 2-57) by three wickets Yet another chapter was written into the story of subcontinental cricket’s most engrossing rivalry, in which Bangladesh came away deserved winners against Sri Lanka, winning by three wickets and, crucially, 53 deliveries in Delhi. The margin of victory means Bangladesh have leapfrogged Sri Lanka on the points table on net run rate, while Bangladesh, Netherlands and Sri Lanka ...

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Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs furious after the batting debacle against India scoring only 55 runs, then losing to Afghanistan by 7 wickets – By  Sunil Thenabadu After this disastrous batting display against India collapsing for a paltry 55 runs ,thereafter to Afghanistan by seven wickets , to console the irritated fuming cricket fanatics very appropriately the Minister of sports and youth affairs Roshan Abeysinghe had requested the President and the supporting staff of the Sri Lanka Cricket to resign immediately before he takes drastic action. The Minster of sports and youth affairs Roshan Ranasinghe via his media division has expressed his discontentment on the dismal performance of our cricket team once again in the hands of India losing the WC encounter by a massive margin of 302 runs the worst defeat inflicted on Sri Lanka since participating in  all world cups from year 1975.The defeat recently has made all ...

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AUSTRALIA BOUNCE BACK TO CRUSH SRI LANKA TO EAT HUMBLE PIE – By Sunil Thenabadu Source : info-rain Australia bounce back with first win Openers Kusal Janith Perera and Pathum Nissanka made 125 runs stand   Australia executed a superb all round performance which guided them to an easy five wickets win over Sri Lanka in their World Cup cricket fixture played at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Cricket Stadium at Lucknow yesterday. It was very unexpected batting performance by Sri Lanka team who made 125 for no loss at one stage but were reduced to 209 all out in 43.3 overs. Australia chase their 210 runs target in 35.2 overs with loss of only five wickets. After losing two early wickets for 24 runs opener Mitchell Marsh 52 in 51 balls with 9 fours, wicket-keeper Josh Inglis who scored 58 in 59 balls with 5 fours and a ...

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Sri Lanka get a mauling from South Africa but show a bit of pulse. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor) Photo Courtesy of ICC. © ICC 2023 (media contact; Trevine Rodrigo – ICC approved media partner) Sri Lanka’s bowlers took a battering from South Africa but fought back to save face despite a 102 -run rout in their opener of the Cricket World Cup in Delhi. Missing most of their front-line bowlers,  Sri Lanka’s stand in troops had no answer to a ruthless South African batting onslaught that broke several records including the fastest century in only 49 balls by Aiden Makram.  Three centuries, from Quinton De Kock, 100 off 84 balls, Rassie Van der Dussen 108 off 110 and Makram with further contributions from almost all the batters, made this a bizarre chapter in Sri Lanka Cricket. South Africa recovered from the early exit of skipper ...

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