SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (JANUARY  2025) Compiled by Victor Melder The touring Sri Lankans beat New Zealand by 7 runs to win the third and final T20, played at Sexton Oval, Nelson. Scores: Sri Lanka – 218/5 in 20 Overs (Kusal Perera 101, Asalanka 46, Mitchell 1/6, Duffy 1/30) New Zealand – 211/7 in 20 Overs (Ravinda 69, Robinson 37, Mitchell 35, Asalanka 3/50, Hasaranga 2/38) Player of the Match: Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka) Player of the Series: Jacob Duffy (New Zealand. New Zealand, won the 3- match series 2-1.   Just when the purists and the unsuspecting thought Change was coming to Sri Lanka Cricket which side-stepped even the country’s Supreme legislature-making body, Parliament, more than 18 months ago, it has been revealed that the curtailing of votes to elect administrators could cause more confusion and is not the cup of tea of independent think-tanks. Discussions and debates now taking ...

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Sri Lanka take another comprehensive hammering from second string New Zealand in one dayers. Series loss highlights batting issues that need urgent address. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO  A win in the lost T20 series to start the year made little difference to Sri Lanka’s ongoing batting woes as they crashed to another embarrassing series defeat to New Zealand’s second string in Dunedin.  While Sri Lanka has no answer to New Zealand’s emerging talent, the worrying inconsistency of Sri Lanka’s batting remains unresolved with no foreseeable remedy. This is their main reason for why they sit in pathetic quandary giving their fans no joy. Frustrating as it is, the question lies with the game’s coaching staff and administrators who appear nonplussed much like the selected squad who have little or no idea on how to formulate a winning game plan.The batting coaches shoulder much of this responsibility.  There’s no lack of ...

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SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (DECEMBER  2024) Compiled by Victor Melder South Africa beat the touring Sri Lankans by 233 runs in the first Test played at Kingsmead, Durban. Scores: South Africa, 1st Innings – 191 (Bavuma 70, Maharaj 24, Asitha Fernando 3/44, Kumara 3/70, Jayasuriya 2/24, Vishwa Fernando 2/15) Sri Lanka, 1st Innings – 42 (Kamudu Mendis 13, Jansen 7/13, Coetzee 2/18) South Africa, 2nd Innings – 366/5 dec (Stubbs 122, Bavuma 1123, Markram 47, Jayasuriya 2/32, Vishwa Fernando 2/64) Sri Lanka, 2nd Innings – 282 (Chandimal 83, de Silva 59, Kusal Mendis 48, Jansen 4/73, Rabada 2/65, Coetzee 2/67, Maharaj 2/67) Player of the Match: Marco Jansen (South Africa) Points: South Africa 12, Sri Lanka 0. South Africa climbed to second place in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings with a commanding 233-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test in Durban on Saturday. Marco Jansen was the ...

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South Africa jump to number two with comprehensive thrashing of Sri Lanka. Humbled Lankans tumble from number three spot.- BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor). South Africa steamrolled Sri Lanka and jumped to number two in the world Test cricket rankings while pushing the third placed Lankans to number five as the top teams battle for a place innings the final against India or Australia.  Indisciplined batting by Sri Lanka,  but more importantly, terrific line and length by South Africa’s bowlers saw the inevitable happen as the home team humbled the Lankans by 233 runs at Kingsmead in Durban.  South Africa were clinical in their plans to use familiar conditions with the bounce and movement to their advantage.  They executed it to perfection.  Sri Lanka’s batters showed signs of a fight in their second effort but it was too little too late with half the side departing for ...

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SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (OCTOBER  2024) Compiled by Victor Melder World Cup-winning Coach Dav Whatmore voiced concerns about the sustainability of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) multi-million dollar initiative to support Test cricket, suggesting that several countries, especially associate nations, may abandon the ‘costly’ red-ball format entirely. “Saving Test cricket is one of the challenges. The ICC is very keen to maintain some sort of status in Test match cricket. They have created a pool of money to assist countries that are struggling. A step in the right direction, but I’m not sure how sustainable that is,” Whatmore told PTI. The dedicated fund would support national boards that struggle to compete with the wages offered in global T20 competitions. The 70-year-old, who coached Sri Lanka to the World Cup in 1996, lauded India for its robust domestic calendar while adding that the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Under-19 programme contribute ...

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Sri Lankans Edge the Kiwis in First Test at Galle-by Madushka Balasuriya Source: Thuppahis Madushka Balasuriya, in ESPNcricinfo 23 September 2024, deploying this title “Jayasuriya wraps up victory, SL leapfrog NZ on WTC table New Zealand batter fell for 92 just eight balls into the final morning, before Jayasuriya bagged five in the second innings Prabath Jayasuriya bagged 5 for 68 in the second innings • AFP/Getty Images Sri Lanka 305 (Kamindu 114, O’Rourke 5-55, Phillips 2-52) and 309 (Karunaratne 83, Ajaz 6-90, O’Rourke 3-49) beat New Zealand 340 (Latham 70, Jayasuriya 4-136, Ramesh 3-101) and 211 (Ravindra 92, Jayasuriya 5-68, Ramesh 3-83) by 63 runs Sri Lanka didn’t need long on the final morning in Galle to wrap things up, taking just 15 minutes to grab the final two New Zealand wickets and secure a 63-run win in the first Test. The result means Sri Lanka go 1-0 up ...

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Sri Lanka’s Triumph at The Oval Analysed & Weighed-by Nick Brookes Source:Thuppahis in his MURALI END site with this title “English Summer gives Sri Lanka Something to Build Upon”…… reproduced here with highlights imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi The scene couldn’t have been any less Sri Lankan. The skies were ashen and the clouds heavy; the harsh gusts of wind warned that winter was on its way. Sri Lanka’s support staff wore hoodies and woolly hats; even the English fielders clung to handwarmers. Yet, the awful weather couldn’t keep Sri Lanka’s fans away. Nor could it keep Pathum Nissanka quiet. As he nudged the ball past backward point – declaring Sri Lanka emphatic winners of the third Test – smiles lit up South London and lion flags fluttered all around The Oval. Sri Lanka had their fourth victory on English soil. Unexpected? Undoubtedly. Yet it’s hard to say that it wasn’t deserved. Of course, the ...

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SRI LANKA CRICKET NEWS (FEBRUARY  2024) Compiled by Victor Melder Bangladesh will play two World Test Championship (WTC) matches against Sri Lanka in Sylhet and Chattogram in March. It will be the first time since they started playing at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, that Bangladesh won’t play at that ground in a Test series, as the venue will be busy hosting the Australian women’s side at the end of March. Sri Lanka will arrive in Dhaka on March 1, the same day as the BPL final, at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. They will play three T20Is in Sylhet on March 4, 6 and 9. The first two matches are scheduled to start from 6:00pm local time, while the third game is from 3:00pm. The teams will then move to Chattogram to play the three-match ODI series, on March 13, 15 and 18. The first two ODIs ...

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Shaheen Afridi eyes on spoiling David Warner’s farewell Test series As the much-anticipated Test series between Pakistan and Australia looms on the horizon, Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan’s fast bowler, expressed his thoughts and confidence in a media talk before their first practice session in Canberra on Sunday. Afridi began by acknowledging the Australian opener David Warner, stating him as a “great career” who has consistently delivered stellar performances across all three formats. However, with a hint of competitive spirit, Afridi remarked, “We would wish him good luck but not hoping for a good end for David Warner in his last Test series against us.” This statement sets the tone for what promises to be a closely contested battle between the two cricketing giants. The left-arm fast bowler emphasized the significance of the series for Pakistan, highlighting their current top spot in the World Test Championship’s points table. “This is an important ...

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