Sri Lanka eclipsed in pulsating thriller. New Zealand complete clean sweep – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports editor) Beaten but unbowed, Sri Lanka engaged New Zealand in an epic decider which ended in a heart stopping Kiwi win with a ball to spare. The Islanders left New Zealand shores with a semblance of their reputation restored. After a torrid tour in the Tests and one-dayers, the Lankans redeemed some pride going down 2-1 but after a much better effort where the home team had to work hard for their success. New Zealand had a clean sweep in all formats indicating their steady rise in the world rankings and the revelation there is no lack of talent in both batting and bowling as some regulars were missing making big money in the IPL. A final analysis will suggest the Lankans were comprehensively outclassed by a stronger opponent. The Queenstown ...
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SRI LANKA DREAM OF A WORLD TEST FINAL – BEATING KIWIS DAUNTING CHALLENGE BUT ACHIEVABLE – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE An experienced Sri Lanka squad begin their quest to gain some respect in world cricket by toppling New Zealand at home in a two Test series, which in this case, may not be far fetched. Sri Lanka sits perilously at number three in the World Test Championship, and a clean sweep against the Kiwis and an Australian win in India could propel them into a dream final against Australia in England. Dimuth Karunaratne leads a well balanced outfit strengthened by the inclusion of some veterans who will bring much needed stability to a team otherwise on a roller coaster in the shorter formats. Apart from the skipper, Angelo Matthews, Dinesh Chandimal and Oshada Fernando give the Lankans vital experience and stability particularly in the batting against the locals who ...
Off field issues appear to weigh down Lankans as India grab unassailable lead – By TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE Sri Lanka changed tactics and batted first but the batters crumbled once more and the result was no different. India, set a meagre 215, made short work of the target to comfortably win with 41 balls to spare and grab an unassailable 2-0 lead. It’s been a dreary sequence of events for the troubled Sri Lankans whose on field blues appear to have off field issues to deal with as well. And if this is the reason for their shabby display there’s plenty to be done to get their mindset back on track. And that’s not going to happen midtour or anytime soon after it. Although the horse has bolted in terms of the series, Sri Lanka need to find a way to regroup hurriedly if they want to return home ...
Shanaka dazzles in a losing effort. Sri Lanka fall in first one-dayer – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports editor) Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka continues his purple patch with the bat but his unbeaten century in a losing effort underlined the inconsistency of his team. When the bowlers produce great economy the batters let them down. This time it was the opposite as the fully represented Indian batting sent them on a leather hunt after being invited to bat first. Chasing 373 was a daunting target from the outset. But the Sri Lanka batters for once took on the challenge but fell short by 67 runs. Shanaka has been widely and unfairly criticised for his leadership in the shorter formats. But the purists fail to see or acknowledge his success rate which has been the best since the days of their great leaders of the past, Mahela Jayawardena ...
Gayan Senanayake – Sri Lanka’s Cricket Cheering Leader – Talks exclusively to eLanka in Australia – His Life, His Passion & Memories! What an amazing individual, Mr Gayan Senanayake, the sole mascot of the Sri Lankan cricket team, a public figure any cricket fan, which ever country they supported would not miss if at a Sri Lankan cricket game or watching a Sri Lankan cricket game on TV. Gayan spoke to eLanka during his recent visit to Sydney for the T20 World Cup Cricket encounter. A humble individual born in Kalubowila, Sri Lanka, and attended Kalubowila maha Vidyalaya for his studies. Gayan started his passion in cricket back in 1992 when he watch a New Zealand vs Sri Lanka game on TV. Then, as part of this sense of love for cricket Gayan watched his first game of live cricket in 1992 when Alan Boarder brought his Australian team to ...
Sri Lanka crash out of T20 World Cup taking Australia with them – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. Sri Lanka flattered, then flopped, to exit the T20 World Cup with a bitter sweet taste in their mouth and the realisation that winning the Asia Cup and competing with the best in the world was two completely different leagues. Playing a game that was crucial to Australia’s chance to make the semi finals, Sri Lanka’s batting showed early promise then folded like a deck of cards as the middle order continued their dismal form with the bat to give England easy access to the semis. Openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis started like a house on fire smashing the feared England attack for 39 runs off the first three and a half overs before England stemmed the tide by removing Mendis and the steady procession continued thereafter. Nissanka, 67 with ...
Chris Silverwood will be key for Sri Lankan upset – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka Sports Editor) Sri Lanka will bank on coach Chris Silverwood’s innermost knowledge of England’s batting weaknesses in a bid to upset the favourites at the SCG. Silverwood was the former England coach until the disastrous Ashes tour last summer in Australia, where he was relieved of his duties after returning home with very little happy stories to write about. At the helm of a younger, relatively inexperienced Sri Lanka side who are currently gaining a reputation as a dangerous proposition to anyone on their day, his direction could be crucial to a Lankan upset. From a personal perspective, he has a point to prove to his former employers that the hiccup against Australia was not the end all of his ability to handle the reins. Sri Lanka has a mathematical chance of qualifying for ...
Sri Lanka cruise past Afganistan and dare to dream – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE (eLanka sports editor) Wanindu Hasarsnga De Silva and Dhananjaya De Silva gave Sri Lanka a Silver lining, and the daring hope of delivering Skipper Dasun Shanaka’s bold prediction that the Asia Cup champions can make the T20 World Cup semi finals. Not mission impossible, but still a realistic possibility, Shanaka’s dream has to align with beating one of the favourites England, in their final commitment which is a tough ask . But not impossible in this unpredictable format. Sri Lanka recovered from a New Zealand hiding to strangle Afghanistan’s batting before chasing down an under par 145 to cruise to a six wicket win with 9 balls to spare. Afganistan gave the Sri Lankans a worrying period when their batsmen appeared to be in control and heading to build a unbeatable run chase. But Sri Lanka ...
Mendis powers Sri Lanka to big win over Ireland at T20 World Cup Source:Dailymirror Disciplined bowling and an unbeaten half-century by Kusal Mendis powered Sri Lanka to a nine-wicket hammering of Ireland in their opening Super 12 match at the T20 World Cup on Sunday. Asian champions Sri Lanka restricted Ireland, who qualified for the second round by knocking out two-time champions West Indies, to 128-8 in Hobart. Spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga took two wickets each after Ireland chose to bat first. Mendis then powered his side past their 129-run target with a second successive half-century, off 43 balls, hitting a six to win with five overs to spare. ...
Watch: Mendis fires Sri Lanka past Netherlands into T20 World Cup Super 12 Source:Dailymirror Opener Kusal Mendis slammed a 44-ball 79 as Asian champions Sri Lanka beat the Netherlands by 16 runs to sweep into the Super 12 stage of the Twenty20 World Cup on Thursday. The world’s eighth-ranked team plundered 162-6, blasting 102 of them off the final 10 overs to set up a big target which the Dutch were unable to reach, finishing on 146-9. In which Super 12 group they play will be determined after the later game in Geelong between Namibia and United Arab Emirates. A win for the African side will knock out the Dutch and send them through, as they already have a superior net run rate. If the UAE upset Namibia, the Dutch will progress. ...
