Category Archives: cricket selections

Danushka Gunathilaka’s Travails Over: Free to Cricket … so to speak

Lauren Ferri & Steve Zemek in The AUSTRALIAN, 29 September 2023, where the title reads ‘I’m happy that my life is normal again’: Cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka not guilty of sexual assault” .… with highlighting imposed b The Editor Thuppahi

Sri Lankan cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka says he is looking forward to resuming his playing career after a Sydney judge acquitted him of sexual assault facing a judge-alone trial in the Downing Centre District Court, Mr Gunathilaka was on Thursday found not guilty of one count of sexual intercourse without consent relating to an allegation that he had removed a condom without a woman’s knowledge during sex.

 

   Mr Gunathilaka has spent 11 months unable to leave Australia as he fought the charges. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

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Chamari Atapaththu: Outstanding Sri Lankan Cricketer

Chamari Athapaththu …. stood Out once again for Sri Lanka in England this summer …. armed with a Kingsgrove Sports Cricket Bat                                                                                     

In the light of her outstanding record, Take a close look at her cricket bat: it bears the name of “Kingsports.”This is whee the ALOYSIAN connection fits into the narrative. Kingsporss is the com[any owned by HARRY SOLOMONS who is a great supporter of Sri Lankan cricket and sponsors Chamari among other cricketers.

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Beyond & Behind the Cricket: The World Cup Scenario in 1996 from An Insider

Mark Nicholas, in ESPNcricinfo, on 20 September 2023, with this title:  “From Lahore to Madras at the 1996 World Cup, in cargo planes, delayed trains and on elephants” …. with highlights imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

Aah, the 1996 World Cup. That was something. Chaos often reigned, characters thankfully shone, and underdogs did things that only a short time previously would have seemed impossible, even to them. Across five memorable weeks, the bewildering and the beguiling; the controversial and the constructive; the surprising and the satisfying chased us around three countries – India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – whose honour it was to host the tournament and whose operational skills were tested to the limit by events and circumstance that frequently beggared belief. There were planes, trains, automobiles and elephants; red forts, pink cities and marble palaces; tuk-tuks, rickshaws and the roar of 1200cc engines in towns and villages that barely knew such powerful means of transport existed.

Cricket fans line the streets of Calcutta as a giant cricket bat passes by during a parade Saturday, Feb. 10, 1996. The 31-foot-long bat was signed by thousands of Indians in four cities to give luck to the Indian team. The opening ceremony of the cricket World Cup is Sunday.(AP Photo/John Moore)

Women in Calcutta watch a giant bat being driven past in a parade for the 1996 World Cup

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Best XI Team from Asia Cup Results

ESPNcricinfo staff, 18 September 2023

The Asia Cup is over. India are champions, for the eighth time. Deserving winners too. At the end of it, here’s the team of the tournament, put together with votes from Andrew Fidel FernandoMohammad IsamS Sudarshanan, Shashank KishoreSidharth Monga and Yash Jha.
Shubman Gill: 302 runs from six innings; Avg 75.50; SR 93.49; Best 121
He started the tournament slowly, bowled by Haris Rauf for 10 in India’s opening game, but had just one poor outing after that – 19 against Sri Lanka. Outside of that, his scores read 67*, 58, 121 and 27*. That century in a losing cause against Bangladesh was his fourth in ODIs this year. Gill ended comfortably at the head of the scorers’ chart. His strokemaking was gorgeous as usual, and he often ensured he batted deep.

Rohit Sharma (Captain) …. 194 runs from five innings; Avg 48.50; SR 107.77; Best 74*

Not a huge tournament by Rohit’s standards, but he strung together three consecutive half-centuries: 74* vs Nepal, 56 vs Pakistan, and 53 vs Sri Lanka. Marking a departure from India’s strategy in the last World Cup, Rohit also showed more intent in the early overs, and helped get India away quickly. Having led India to the title, he’s the obvious choice for captain.
Mendis was only behind Gill in the scorers’ chart, and – importantly – showed the consistency he has often lacked. He scored three half-centuries in the Asia Cup, all from No. 3, and two of them were big ones: 92 vs Afghanistan and 91 vs Pakistan – the game they won off the last ball to get into the final. He was Sri Lanka’s designated keeper too, and finished with nine dismissals.

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Asia Cup At Khettarama: Disaster! Comedy! …. Hara-Kiri?

Michael Roberts

Given the humid and rainy conditions, why the Sri Lankan management chose to bat on winning the toss is a major issue for deate after the collapse for 5 runs in  the face of some excllent seam and swing bowling from Siraj, Bumrah and Pandya.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notwithstanding the quality of the Indian bowling, the techniques and batting of the Sri Lankan batsmen [yes bastmen] left much to be desired.

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Asia Cup Final at Khettarama: Anticipations

SOME HEADLINES

Andrew Fidel Fernando in ESPNcricinfo:  Clinical meets chaos as India and Sri Lanka prepare to put on a show,” …. It’s the differences between the two Asia Cup finalists that make for a fascinating game.

Rex Clementine: “The Asia Cup Jinx,” in The Island, 17 September 2023  ….https://island.lk/the-asia-cup-jinx/

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SL Cricketers in Hara-Kiri vs Pakistan …… Nearly !@!

Madushka Balasuriya, in ESPNcricinfo, 14 September 2023, where the title of the report reaeds thus “Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis shine in chaotic finish as Sri Lanka make Asia Cup final”

Hosts won final-ball thriller while chasing 252 in 42 overs, as Mohammad Rizwan’s 86* went in vain for Pakistan ………….Sri Lanka 252 for 8 (Mendis 91, Asalanka 49*, Ifthikar 3-50) beat Pakistan 252 for 7 (Rizwan 86*, Shafique 52, Pathirana 3-65) by two wickets via DLS method

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When the Ceylon Schoolboys Beat the Indian Schoolboys on Their Home Turfs in 1969

Ranjan Anandappa, in Sunday Observer, 23 September 2007, with this title “1969 Schools Cricket Team – Best produced by Sri Lanka”

 CRICKET: Emphasis has been laid so much on qualified coaches and physios these days, but few knew that one of the most successful under 19 cricket teams ever to leave the shores of Sri Lanka which was undoubtedly the 1969 Sri Lanka Schools cricket team, then Ceylon, which toured India. The team was captained by former Ananda College cricketer Mithra Wettimuny [and] did not possess either a coach or a physio.

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Sri Lankan Women’s Cricket Team trounce England in England

Michael Roberts

The Sri Lanka Women’s Eleven’s win at Chelmsford in England highlights the wonderful improvement in the side and gleaming prospects in the near future. The side may be benefitting from the heat wave in Europe as well as England’s decision to rest one or two experienced campaigners; but the facility and margin of victory was commanding.  Andrew Miller’s account in ESPNcricinfo says it all.

Besides the triumph was not out of the blue. The team won the second encounter  comfortably after dismissing England for 104 runs — then reaching 110 for the loss of two wickets with 40 balls remaining.

Chamari Athapaththu was player of the match after a formidable all-round display  •  PA Photos/Getty Images

So, I encourage Sri Lankan cricket buffs to follow the series and add their thoughts on the events that follow……………………… Michael R

**********

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The Lord of Cricketing Gods in India: MS Dhoni

Karthik Krishnaswamy in The Cricket Monthly, 24 July 2023 , where the title reads “MS Dhoni joined the pantheon of mythical Tamil heroes”

Superstars in Chennai emerge from cinema or politics or both. Then came along a cricketer from Ranchi

Chennai: Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni during the IPL 2023 cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai, Monday, April 3, 2023. (PTI Photo/R Senthil Kumar)(PTI04_03_2023_000319B)

It begins when he steps over the boundary. A rasping chant. A name.

Baashha!” A drumroll. “Baashha!” Another drumroll.

There are urgent bars of instrumental orchestration, and as they swell to a crescendo, a voice pierces the air: “Let’s welcome the new batsman, Mahendra Singh… Dhoniiiiiiiiii!”

The timing is just right. The announcer’s voice gives way to the power-packed vocals of SP Balasubrahmanyam.

Hey Baashha paaru Baashha paaru
Pattalathu nadaya paaru
Pagai nadungum padaya paaru
Coatu suitu rendum eduthu
Poattu nadakkum puliya paaru

Behold Baashha
Behold the warrior-like stride
Behold the army that sends
shudders down enemy spines
Behold the tiger in coat and suit

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