Michael Roberts
Amidst the hot news in Australia relating to the knife-wielding nutcase and his killings at Bondi in Sydney, I watched snatches of the web-reportage on the match between the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Superkings (CSK) in the IPL tournament. The latter event was high-scoring, topsy-turvy, turbulent and fascinating. In point-form let me highlight some remarkable performances.
Nitin Jain, in 2010 at “Freshinspirations” …. on 22 July …. where the title reads “Muralitharan scaled unprecedented & inspirational heights!” …. reproduced here with highlighting imposed and some more Pix and some references
Prodigious spin propelled by an abnormally strong wrist and an iron resolve forged in bitter acrimony over his unique action took Muttiah Muralitharan to unprecedented heights in world cricket. Muralitharan, 38, took his 800th test wicket with his final ball in 133 tests on Thursday. With Twenty20 cricket cutting increasingly into the test programme it is a mark that is unlikely ever to be exceeded.
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Krishantha Prasad Cooray, in The Island, 7 April 2024, where the title runs thus: “Michael Tissera at 85: Gentlemen’s gentleman” ….. with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi
Michael Tissera with his children and grandchildren
When people who have the same first name meet up, there’s name-related humour. The more, the merrier, obviously, especially if they are good friends and enjoy friendly banter. Today I am thinking of three people who share the name Michael: Michael Tissera, Michael Sproule and Michael De Zoysa, all three who played cricket for St Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia. The first of course is the bigger name associated with the gentleman’s game.
Bradman struggles against Sathi Coomaraswamy
The Ceylon Team walks out to field
The last cricketing appearance by Don Bradman in Sri Lanka was at the Colombo Oval on March 31, 1948, before a capacity crowd of 20,000. The Australian Team was on their way to England for the Ashes series and stopped over in Colombo to play a one-day game against what was then called the All Ceylon XI – captained by M. Sathasivam. The game was characterized by two major controversies. The first was on the captaincy of the Ceylon team which many thought should have gone to the more experienced and accomplished F.C. de Saram. T. B. Marambe in his book “Pen sketches of our cricketers” thought that “de Saram clearly had not had sufficient contact with the common man” and the selectors preferred the popular Sathasivam instead.
Mahinda Balasuriya in ESPNcricinfo, 3 April 2024, where the title runs thus: “Sri Lanka wrap up 192-run win to complete series sweep”
Sri Lanka did not take long on the fifth morning to pick up the remaining three Bangladesh wickets • Getty Images
Percy Abeysekera aka “Pissu Percy” has, alas, passed away; but, as we celebrate good cricket this week pursued in Bangladesh where Sri Lanka was led by a man from the south nurtured in Richmond College, we can savour the world of cricket with Percy of St. Aloysius and Sri Lanka.
Taken at the 5th and final one day match between Sri Lanka and England at the R Premadasa stadium on the 13-Oct-2007. A bespectacled, 62-year-old grandfather, Percy Abeysekera is perhaps Sri Lanka’s most exuberant supporter.
Photographer/Owner: Chamil Thanthrimudalige
Michael Roberts, using ESPNcricinfo report on T2o Encounter at Sharjah on 17 March 2024
Nangeyalia Kharote, b. 25 April 2004 …... slow left-hand orthodox bowler and left hand bat ….. secured these bowling figures:
| 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 5.75 |
while 39-year oldie Mohammad Nabi, supported him with
| 3 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 4.66 |
…. after scoring 59 tuns in 38 balls
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Michael Roberts
Located in Adelaide I followed some stages of the match in its digital verbal mode on ESPN … in intermittent fashion … till 1.30 am and only saw the final result today. Clearly, our praise must be extended to Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dilshan Madushanka and Dunith Wellalage in that order. But, of course, it was a team effort.
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*Tissera Brothers – Michael with older brother Vernon at the Thomian (Over 65) Fellowship at SSC on 17 Dec 2023. Vernon played 1st XI back in 1949 as an opening bat scoring a solid 30 in the 70th Battle of the Blues. Vernon is currently the third oldest Thomian cricketer after Chandra Schaffter & Bradman Weerakoon.
Q 1: What was the major turning point in your cricketing career?
“At school [S. Thomas College], I hardly scored runs consistently. Those days the school matches were played over two half-days and you looked to push the game along to get results. I got one only hundred while playing for College. The lack of big scores was more mental than technique.
thuppahi
