SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (AUGUST  2024) Compiled by Victor Melder Two further Sri Lanka fast bowlers have been ruled out of the ODIs against India, with Matheesha Pathirana picking up a shoulder complaint, and Dilshan Madushanka injuring a hamstring. Sri Lanka are also without Dushmantha Chameera, who is out with illness, and Nuwan Thushara, who fractured his thumb. Both these players had missed the T20Is as well. For now Sri Lanka have brought uncapped right-arm seamer Mohamad Shiraz into the squad, team manager Mahinda Halangoda confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. Later in the afternoon, a statement from Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed a second uncapped right-arm seamer was added to the squad: Eshan Malinga.  Three players were also put on standby: batter Kusal Perera, seamer Pramod Madushan and spinner Jeffrey Vandersay. “Matheesha has jarred his shoulder, and because it is the same issue that he had during the World Cup last year, they ...

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No walk-in-the-park for Sri Lanka in Galle-BY CALLISTUS DAVY The Sri Lanka team celebrate winning the five-match ODI series against Australia 3-2 at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday night ahead of the Test series starting in Galle on Wednesday Source:Sundayobserver Elated by their triumph in the ODI series, Sri Lanka will be looking for a repeat of the home Test series against Australia in 2016 when the two teams leave aside the fanfare of white ball cricket and get down to more series stuff with the first of two Tests starting in Galle on Wednesday. Sri Lanka had a 3-0 clean sweep of Australia the last time the two teams played in a Test series in the island but the difference this time will be that the home team will be without their supreme match winning spin bowlers Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera. The duo accounted for 41 ...

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Roy’s class of 2016 delivering on big stage-by Rex Clementine Source:Island Cynics had dismissed Roy Dias as old school and didn’t give him the credit that he deserved as Sri Lanka Under – 19 won an ODI and unofficial Test series in England in 2016 but when you look at the players he groomed as the nation’s under-19 coach some five years ago, there’s something special about them. There’s Wanindu Hasaranga, who is a star in the world stage already and there are several others who could go on the same way. Within 48 hours this week, Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka scored their maiden ODI hundreds and match winning ones too as Sri Lanka buried the Aussies recording a come from behind series win. ...

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Lankan T20 team takes wing for Australia – by Dhammika Ratnaweera   Source:dailynews.lk Sri Lanka T20 cricket team led by Dasun Shanaka left for Australia yesterday early morning to take part in the 5-match T20 series which is scheduled to commence from February 11. However, the Sri Lanka team is facing its biggest challenge with a few players who have tested positive for COVID-19 before this tour. Earlier, interim coach Rumesh Ratnayake, fast bowler Nuwan Thushara, and trainer Dilshan Fonseka had tested positive while all rounder Chamika Karunaratne had been detected with the virus during a test that was conducted before his departure. Professor Arjuna de Silva, head of Sri Lanka Cricket’s medical unit said, “Chamika has to wait for his second report to confirm and so far we can’t confirm his illness and measures have been taken to isolate the cricketer at this stage.” Prof. Arjuna further said, “fast ...

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SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (JANUARY 2022) Compiled by Victor Melder Sri Lanka Cricket today (07) lifted the one-year ban imposed on Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis and Niroshan Dickwella  from all forms of International cricket. The trio were banned for one year and six months from international cricket and domestic cricket, respectively, and were each fined Rs. 10 million on 30 July 2021, following allegations of breaching the bio-bubble whilst on tour in England. Upon completion of the one-year ban on International cricket, each of the players were to be subjected to a further ban of one year, which was to be suspended for two years, SLC stated at the time of the incident. Earlier today, Gunathilaka announced his retirement from Test cricket. (Ceylon Today, 8.1.2022) In the wake of cricketer Bhanuka Rajapaksa has announced his intention to retire from international cricket, the Sri Lanka Cricket has taken a number of decisions ...

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Mendis six-70 makes Sri Lanka vs West Indies 2nd Test uniformly poised – by Sunil Thenabadu (sports editor – eLanka)   Sri Lanka 204 and 46 for 2 (Nissanka 21*) trail West Indies 253 (Brathwaite 72, Blackwood 44, Mendis 6-70) by 3 runs    On the first full, rain uninterrupted day’s play of the Test, Sri Lanka and West Indies set up what promises to be a Galle classic. At stumps, the hosts in their second innings trail by three runs with eight wickets in hand, on a pitch that has yielded 21 wickets over the past two days – though the last two days will have the Dimuth Karunaratne’s side kicking themselves, both being entirely preventable run outs, himself and Oshada Fernando  The first came as a consequence of an exceptional directly hit from Kyle Mayers to dismiss the captain himself, while the second was rather more self-inflicted, with Oshada Fernando hesitating in the ...

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SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (NOVEMBER 2021) Compiled by Victor Melder Sri Lanka’s new cricket superstar Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva said his first T20 World Cup will be one of his most memorable feats in history as he finished the championship with 16 wickets that included the three qualifying round matches although his team failed to qualify for the semi finals. In the Super 12s Hasaranga took 10 wickets while Australia’s Adam Zampa took 11. The 24 year old all-rounder has taken 36 T20 International wickets as he baffled opposing batters with his googly that included West Indies power hitters Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo who were both clean bowled in Sri Lanka’s sign-off match. “I have taken the most number of wickets this year and I am really happy with it and it makes me feel good to contribute to the team especially when it is your first World Cup,” ...

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West Indies batsmen stable after spin duo Permaul, Warrican ran through formidable Sri Lanka batting line up been 113 for 1 wicket O/V – by Sunil Thenabadu (sports editor – eLanka) Photo Source:newsday.co.tt   Chief Scores”   West Indies 69 for 1 (Blackwood 44, Brathwaite 22*, Bonner 1*, Jayawickrama 1-11) trail Sri Lanka 204 (Nissanka 73, Karunaratne 42, Permaul 5-35, Warrican 4-50) by 135 runs    Rain permitted for barely half a day’s play on the second day of the second and final Test in Galle, but West Indies took big steps in the direction of squaring the series in that short time. Following a morning session that produced nine Sri Lankan wickets for just 91 runs, West Indies came up with a solid batting display after lunch, bringing the disparity to 135 runs for the loss of only Jermaine Blackwood’s wicket before the rain came. Kraig Brathwaite was unbeaten on 22 off 77 ...

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Lasith Embuldeniya 5- 46  aids Sri Lanka beat threatening rain and West Indies – By Sunil Thenabadu (sports editor – eLanka) Photo source: daily news ( https://www.dailynews.lk/2021/11/25/sports/265652/sl-vs-wi-test-match-sri-lanka-wins-187-runs ) Chief Scores   Sri Lanka 386 (Karunaratne 147, Chase 5-83) and 191 for 4 dec (Karunaratne 83, Mathews 69*) beat West Indies 230 (Jayawickrama 4-40) and 160 (Bonner 68*, Embuldeniya 5-46) by 187 runs  Nkrumah Bonner scoffed Sri Lanka for 173 balls on day five, Joshua Da Silva joined him for a 100-run, (44.4-over stand) , but even though the sky was swaying with drab clouds, rain did not come until minutes after Sri Lanka took the last wicket to seal victory in Galle.  Having swept through West Indies’ top order on the fourth evening, Sri Lanka’s spinners were made to sweat on day five, bowling 48.3 overs for the last four wickets. Offspinner Ramesh Mendis had begun the day with four wickets to his name,but could not add ...

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West Indies avert follow-on  to be 224/9 Rain interrupts play after 4th over after lunch – by Sunil Thenabadu (sports editor – eLanka) West Indies 224 for 9 (Mayers 45, Brathwaite 41,holder 36,Cornwell 39 Jayawickrama 3-38, Ramesh 3-75) trail Sri Lanka 386 by 162 runs  Rain washed out the final session the entirety of the second session barring- only four overs completed after lunch before the trained ground staff was called into action – West Indies ended the third day on 224 for 9, still 162 runs behind Sri Lanka’s first-innings total. Play will begin 15 minutes earlier on the fourth and fifth days to cover for the lost time.  The rain proved a blessing in disguise the acquittal for the visitors on a day that had otherwise begun rather encouragingly, with Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers taking the attack to the home side. After the stand  ended,, with Rahkeem Cornwall being dismissed  for a ...

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