A seating zone in SCG to name after Sri Lankan star Chamari Athapaththu    In a groundbreaking move, the Sydney Thunder has announced the introduction of “Chamari Bay,” a specially dedicated seating zone at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for their WBBL Derby clash on November 26. The decision to name a specific seating zone after Chamari Athapaththu underscores the Sydney Thunder’s commitment to fostering a multicultural cricket community and creating unforgettable experiences for Sri Lanka cricket fans. This move is not only a tribute to Chamari’s cricketing prowess but also a celebration of the diverse cricketing culture that the Thunder aims to promote. This initiative is aimed at recognizing the exceptional contributions of Chamari Athapaththu, for Sydney Thunder who has so far emerged as a standout performer in the tournament, amassing an impressive total of 374 runs in just nine matches, with an impressive average of 41.55. ...

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Harmanpreet Kaur’s highlights importance of WBBL in the development of global women cricket   During her media interaction, Indian cricket sensation Harmanpreet Kaur spoke enthusiastically about the impact of the WBBL on the development of women’s cricket globally. “WBBL is producing great players. The fitness standards of domestic players uplift WBBL from other leagues. The franchise leagues like WBBL, WIPL, and The Hundred are playing a crucial role in advancing women’s cricket on a global scale,” she remarked. The seasoned all-rounder emphasized the hard work put in by her Melbourne Renegades teammates to regain momentum in the ongoing season. “We are trying to get the momentum back. Everyone is working really hard in the nets,” she stated, highlighting the team’s commitment to delivering strong performances. Kaur expressed her delight in being a part of the Melbourne Renegades family, stating, “I am enjoying my time with Melbourne Renegades. The camaraderie within ...

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Taking lessons from the colonies ……… A failed British PM is parachuted into a plum role. Sounds familiar? – By Aubrey Joachim The game of cricket originated in South East England and became the established sport in the country in the 18th century. The English foray into foreign lands saw the spread of the game globally in the 19th and 20th centuries. The English took their beloved game to all their colonies and lauded their skill at the game over their colonist subjects. They were the masters of the game they invented. Fast forward to the 21st century and the very same English are being given a lesson in the game they were once invincible at. How things have changed. Colonists being given lessons by their colonies! Cricket however does not seem to be the only game where the English are taking lessons from their colonies. The craft of politics ...

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Bangladesh and questionable umpiring make for a sad day in cricketing history.  Sr Lanka bow out of World Cup. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.  (Elanka Sports Editor). Shakib Al Hassan and Marias Erasmus sensationally made cricketing history by making a blotch on the Spirit of Cricket adding insult to injury to Sri Lanka who confirmed their exit from the World Cup with a three wicket loss.  The combine brought back bizarre memories of the 1980’s when Austrlian Umpires Darrell Hair and Ross Emerson took centre stage by embarrassing Sri Lanka’s greatest bowler Mutthiah Muralitharan,  by calling him for chucking. It was a ruling they lived to regret. There were other unsavoury incidents involving Mankad and Trevor Chappell that would be best forgotten, then there was this. Angelo Matthews was given “timed out” without facing a ball while calling for another helmet when the strap on the one he had, broke. ...

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Shakib has Sullied the Spirit of Cricket – By Michael Roberts Source : thuppahis In my experience from the late 1960s  Errol Fernando of Trinity College & Peradeniya University was the fairest of men and one possessing considerable acumen (besides virtuoso fingers at organ and piano) …… Errol Fernando to Lawrence Heyn, 6 November 2023 Dear Lawrence, Am I allowed to say that the ONLY game that has this thing called ‘Spirit’ is CRICKET?  May I add that all other games merely have ‘rules’ but no spirit. Is there a spirit of rugby, golf, football, tennis  –  even gudu or marbles ? Cricket has rules, of course, but what makes cricket the ‘greatest’ of games is that spirit that is far more important than rules. Anyone who disagrees with this should not be playing cricket. Alex Carey infamously  abused the spirit at Lord’s. I am more than happy to say that Carey should not be ...

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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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Cricket Australia (CA) today released its Annual Report for 2022-23. • In the 2022-23 financial year, CA reported a net loss of $16.9 million driven by an expected low point in our revenue cycle with lower media rights and match revenues during a non-Ashes year. • Strategic investment was made in the Big Bash Leagues including significant pay increases and the implementation of the first player drafts to ensure the leagues retained their status among the world’s best T20 competitions in an increasingly competitive global landscape. • CA signed a $1.512 billion seven-year media rights deal with the Foxtel Group and the Seven West Media to broadcast cricket in Australia from 2024-31 and a new seven-year deal with Disney Star for the right to broadcast Australian cricket in India helping to underpin the game’s long-term financial security. • Australian Cricket negotiated a five-year MOU with the Australian Cricketers’ Association that ...

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More on Senanayakes and Cricket – By KKS PERERA Dr. Michael Roberts’ enthralling exploration of the Senanayake family and their ties to cricket in last week’s E-lanka provided the inspiration for me to craft this anecdotal script. Don Spater Senanayake, was the son of the lesser-known Don Bartholomeus, a native of the picturesque town of Mahiyangana. According to family lore that has been passed down through the generations, the Senanayake family’s roots can be traced back to an ancient era—the Anuradhapura period, specifically between AD 253 and 266. The tale recounts that during this time, a benevolent King dispatched a delegation from Mahiyangana, entrusted with a sacred Bo sapling. Their mission was to plant this revered sapling at a hallowed location in Attanagalle. The delegation journeyed toward their destination, they decided to rest for the night and carefully placed the Bo sapling in a specially chosen spot. The next morning, ...

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Will Cricket add to Olympics   Source :  dailynews Cricket’s long Olympic exile could finally come to an end this week when Games chiefs meet in Mumbai to finalise the programme for Los Angeles 2028. Twenty-eight sports are already confirmed on the schedule but cricket was one of five new sports formally proposed for inclusion by organisers for the Games on Monday. The International Cricket Council’s proposal is for men’s and women’s Twenty20 competitions — the shortest form of the international game. “We are delighted that LA28 have recommended cricket for inclusion in the Olympics,” ICC chairman Greg Barclay said. “Whilst this is not the final decision, it is a very significant landmark towards seeing cricket at the Olympics for the first time in more than a century.” If it makes the cut, it would be the first time cricket has featured since 1900, when a team from Britain beat a ...

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Danushka Gunathilaka returns Source : dailymirror Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka who was found not guilty by a Sydney Court on a sexual assault case in Australia, arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last night. He said that he will soon engage in the necessary training to play cricket in Sri Lanka again. Pix by T.K.G. Kapila ...

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