AAPNewswire: “Kamindu equals Bradman landmark as Sri Lanka dominate” 27 September 2024
1930: Australian cricketer Don Bradman (1908 – 2001) batting during a test match against England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Sir Donald Bradman was the first cricketer to be knighted for his services to cricket, in 1949. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)
A trademark and enterprising century from Dinesh Chandimal led Sri Lanka’s charge towards a big score after winning the toss, making New Zealand rue multiple lapses in the field on the opening day in Galle.
Chandimal’s 16th Test century saw him switch gears across the first two sessions to help the hosts finish on a commanding 306 for 3, helped by unbeaten half-centuries from Angelo Mathews and Kamindu Mendis.
Filed under cricket selections, life stories, performance, Sri Lankan cricket
Andrew Fidel Fernando, in ESPNcricinfo, 23 September 2024, where the title runs thus: “Dhananjaya de Silva’s Sri Lanka deliver in contrasting conditions to inch up WTC table,” …. with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi
After back-to-back wins at The Oval and in Galle, they are third. They have tough assignments ahead, but will now know those games are not unwinnable, mainly thanks to their versatile bowling.
Sri Lanka’s cricketer Dhananjaya de Silva celebrates after scoring a century (100 runs) during the third day of the final cricket Test match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at P. Sara Oval stadium in Colombo on August 24, 2019. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP) (Photo credit should read LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images)
In July last year Sri Lanka began their World Test Champion cycle, and the start could barely have been more disheartening. In Galle, they ran into a Saud Shakeel double-hundred, losing by four wickets. At the SSC next up, they fell over meekly twice, though in one of those innings they had had to contend with some furious Naseem Shah reverse-swing.
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
Michael Roberts
After Charith Asalanka led Sri Lanka to hard-fought triumph against India recently — see … and continues to captain the side in the two shortern-form games, Dhananjaya De Silva has stepped up as skipper, batsman, bowler and slip-fielder in leading Sri Lanka to a win against New Zealand in a tight TEST MATCH contest at Galle this week.
Dhananjaya …. & …. Asalanka
Madushka Balasuriya in ESPNcricinfo, 18 September 2024, with this title “Sri Lanka pull ahead with Kamindu hundred, Kusal fifty”
Kamindu notched up his fourth Test ton and New Zealand fought back with late wickets.
Kamindu Mendis’ hundred lifted Sri Lanka • Associated Press
Nick Brookes, 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.
Michael Roberts
Playing a five-day match away from home in unfamiliar territory is no joke and Sri Lanka A’s emphatic triumph over their SAF counerparts at Kimberley this month of September augurs well for the future. The scores suggest that medium-pacer Isitha Wijesundara‘s haul of seven wkts for 34 runs in the second Saf innings was one of the main factors behind this win. As a result South Africa only made 134 runs all told.
Led by opener Oshada Fernando’s 80 runs the Lankans reached the target of 179 for the loss of four wkts. It was Oshada who received the Man of the Match Award …. because he had also mustered a century in Lanka’s first innings total of 334.
Oshada Fernando
Isitha Wijesundara
Filed under accountability, cricket selections, life stories, patriotism, performance, Sri Lankan cricket
Nick Brookes, ... with highlighting imposed by The Editor,Thuppahi
The collective cry of consternation went up from the press box, the stands and living rooms across Sri Lanka, as news filtered through that Dhananjaya de Silva had won the toss and elected to bowl.
The old adage is hackneyed, but perhaps with good reason. At Lord’s, look up not down. Dhananjaya’s eyes were somewhere else. It was a perfect summer’s morning. Any blades of grass which once lived on the pitch had disappeared. All the signs said bat first.
Michael Roberts
Rather exceptionally for a lad from the plantation Tamil peoples in the mid-20th century Chandra Schaffter was educated at St. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia. He excelled at hockey and cricket in particular and went on to represent Ceylon in both sports in the 1950s.
He became one of the Cricket Selection Committee headed by DWL Lieversz and others in the 1960s. He went on to found the JANASHAKTHI insurance company in 1994 — an enterprise that has been so solid that it gave him time to serve as the Manager of Sri Lankan cricket teams in the decade 2000s.
thuppahi
