Category Archives: life stories

December 26, 2022 · 12:05 pm

Murali the ‘Chucker’ Now An Aussie Consultant

Malcolm Conn in Newscorp.Australia, dated 22 December 2022 … SEE https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/australia/hiring-suspect-spin-king-muttiah-muralitharan-a-huge-philosophy-shift-for-australian-cricket/news-story/89e05872e303384ef66a1472f048c649… But Note the Thuppahi Note at the bottom

THE appointment of Muttiah Muralitharan as a spin bowling consultant by the Australian cricket team shows a huge philosophical shift in Australian cricket and the ruthless pragmatism of Darren Lehmann.

Previous Australian spin bowling coaches such as Terry Jenner and Ashley Mallett have refused to teach the doosra to their understudies in the belief it cannot be bowled legally.

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December 26, 2022 · 12:12 am

The Paravas in Sri Lanka and South India in the Sixteenth Century

Chandra R. de Silva

It is likely that the paravas (also known as Bharathas in Sri Lanka to indicate their Indian origin) were working as fishermen and mercenaries in South India and the north western coast of Sri Lanka well before the sixteenth century. Tradition links them to the evolution of the catamaran (a small craft with two hulls) and with a major role in pearl fishing in the Gulf of Mannar. They were also proficient in chank (turbinella pyrum) fishing: chanks being seashells that were used to make ornaments and drinking vessels. The coming of the Portuguese to the region in the sixteenth century provides us many Portuguese records that illuminate the history and seafaring skills of this community.. Historian Jorge Manuel Flores, for example, quotes a mid-sixteenth century Portuguese document which records thanks to a parava convert named Duarte de Miranda for assistance in navigating the seas off South India.

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December 24, 2022 · 10:46 pm

Chatting with Clive Inman on His Cricketing Past for the Quadrangle’s “Scoop”

Sujith Silva in an exclusive Interview with Clive Inman for  Quadrangle  ….. The Scoop

 Clive Clay Inman (born 29 January 1936 in Colombo died 07th December 2022 in England) former Ceylon Cricketer, represented N.C.C in domestic Club Cricket and later played in English Country Cricket representing turned out for Leicestershire & Derbyshire. He captained his alma mater St Peter’s College, Colombo 04 in 1954 and 1955 and won the Battle of the Saints Big match against St. Joseph’s College Colombo in 1955. He comes from a family of cricketers. His father Harry Inman played for Ceylon teams as an all rounder. Clive had four brothers all cricketers of which Roger played and captained S. Thomas’ College in 1952 (Clive played against him for St. Peter’s College). Clive was a prolific Left-hand batsman and also a right arm off break bowler who excelled during his school career, later on, built a name for himself as an outstanding batsman for Ceylon and English Country Leicestershire during the 60’s.

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December 23, 2022 · 8:16 pm

In Memory of Clive Inman: Manifold “Voices”

Desmond Kelly in Vale in e-Lanka: https://www.elanka.com.au/vale-clive-inman-by-des-kelly/

VALE, CLIVE INMAN: yet another ‘Legend’ from Ceylon (now Sri Lanka, and someone who was both a friend and College-mate of mine, back in the “fab-fifties”, as I remember them. As everyone knew, this guy was a top Cricketer, we were all very proud to have him at St. Peter’s College, by far the best College in Colombo at the time, as well. Clive was in the same ‘form’ & I was proud & privileged to keep his company & boast about his superb prowess on the field to all & sundry.

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December 22, 2022 · 6:51 pm

Five Sturdy Men Who Saved Murali’s Doosra Innovation

Michael Roberts

Dr Barclay Reid, “Buddy Reid” in most minds, has this week related his role in medically examining Muralitharan’s peculiar physiognomy and clarifying the  process of mystification that led some Australian umpires to no-ball him in late 1995 as part of a process  — as they thought — of cleansing the cricket field of “throwers” (see https://thuppahis.com/2022/12/21/muralitharan-the-arm-that-did-not-chuck/).

Jacqueline Alderson of UWA’s Technology team preparing Murali for a test as part of Foster’s team …

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December 22, 2022 · 5:37 pm

Re-ordering Sri Lanka’s Debt: The China-Lanka Relations Now

Umesh Moramudali and Thilina Panduwawala, in The Diplomat, 20 December 2022, where the title reads: “Demystifying China’s Role in Sri Lanka’s Debt Restructuring”
Demystifying China’s Role in Sri Lanka’s Debt RestructuringChina’s President Xi Jinping, left, waves as he walks with then Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa upon arrival at the airport in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sept. 16, 2014 ….. Credit: AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena
Currently, Sri Lanka is in the process of restructuring its foreign debt after announcing the country’s first sovereign default on April 12. As the largest bilateral creditor, China is playing a key role in Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process.

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December 21, 2022 · 10:37 pm

At the Feet of Meeriyabedde Upananda Mahanayaka Thera

Padraig Michael O’Leary Colman, in The Sunday Island on November 27, 2022, where the title reads “The Monk and Me”

On October 13, 2017, we heard the sad news of the death of our very dear friend, the Most Venerable Meeriyabedde Upananda Mahanayaka Thera, the Mahanayaka of Uva Amarapura Nikaya. We knew the Most Venerable Upananda for a long time before we realized how eminent he was. We just knew that he was a special human being. As well as being the High Priest of the Pelgahattene temple, he was also responsible for 56 other temples.

 

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December 21, 2022 · 10:08 pm

Muralitharan: The Arm that Did Not Chuck

Dr Barclay  “Buddy” Reid …. with highlighting emphasis imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi **

Boxing Day is back, reviving memories of the 1995 no balling of Muttiah Muralitharan, the greatest bowler of all time.

Following the no ball call, the focus was on Murali’s elbow. Did he straighten it during delivery? The answer would determine whether the no ball call was justified.

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December 20, 2022 · 8:13 pm

Gunaratne Twins Receive Melbourne University Doctorates on the Same Day

Item in the Daily Mirror [of Sri Lanka], 20 December 2022, entitled  “SL twins become Melbourne Uni’s first twin PhD graduates” 

For the first time in its 168-year history, the University of Melbourne has awarded simultaneous PhDs to identical twins, the University said in a statement. Nadeesha and Thejani Gunaratne commenced PhDs with the University in 2016 following studies in Food Science and Technology at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in their home country of Sri Lanka.

 

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December 20, 2022 · 10:58 am

The Hermon Lineage in the Plantation World of Ceylon & Lanka

Richard Hermon to Errol Fernando, early December 2022, responding to “The Power of Privilege: Illegitimate Progeny in the Plantations of Ceylon and Beyond” **

Dear Errol

As a Eurasian myself on both sides, since both my grandfathers were Brits and both my grandmothers were Sinhalese: one Kandyan from Welimada, and one Low-Country from Baddegama to whom both my grandfathers were married.

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