Thuppahi's Blog

THE ISLAND chose to reproduce this old report from 1982 on the 17th February 2022 — with this title “Rekindling memories of Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test – 40 years on” …. reproduced her in THuppahi with some additonal photographs and highlighting imposed

 Ranjan Madugalle top scored in the first innings with 65 runs and added 99 runs for the fifth wicket with Ranatunga as Sri Lanka recovered after a poor start.

Today, 17th February, is the 40th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test match and marked a special milestone in the history of Sri Lankan cricket. That game against England began at the Colombo Oval on 17th February 1982.

On the day of the inaugural Test, the country came to a virtual standstill, with everyone being at the game, including the then-President J. R. Jayewardene, Senior Minister and Cricket Board President Gamini Dissanayake and almost the entire Cabinet (of course the cabinet was not nearly as big as the present day!). Cricket administrators from around the world and former Sri Lankan ‘greats’ were all assembled in the main pavilion of the Colombo Oval – known today as the P Sara Stadium. 

 Captain Bandula Warnapura, Gamii dissnayake & JR Jayewardene at ceremony before the match

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Michael Roberts

Late at night in Adelaide I followed the last few overs in their internet written form in the absence of TV media footage. Prendergast was unstoppable and clearly unflappable.   Chamari had failed in batting for once and the Irish may have benefited from home advantage.  Outcome is good for cricket.

OLGA PRENDERGAST”s photo defied copying !@#!

Report in the Island … because ESPN has removed theirs !@#!

Orla Prendergast pulled off a stunning heist, picking up 3 for 25 and following it up with an unbeaten 122 off 107 balls as Ireland beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in the first ODI in Dublin.

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ACL Ameer Ali in Daily FT, 13 August 2024, where the title reads “Governance and Economy: Inseparable Twins” …. with highlighting being the hand of Thuppahi

Assuming that the 21 September Presidential election would be held as scheduled, the two most challenging issues facing the winner would be to reform Sri Lanka’s moribund system of governance and renegotiate with IMF parts of its economic reparation agenda so that the local economy could be put on sound footing to withstand the negative effects from turbulence from outside. Governance and economy are inseparable twins and no economic model or development plan could succeed when governments that are responsible to implement them remain corrupt and incompetent.

That is why even the IMF, after reviewing the economy’s two-year performance under its tutelage was compelled to urge governance reforms in earnest. The challenge facing the nation today therefore is to elect a leader who could fundamentally and fearlessly change the system of governance and its associated political culture so that even the IMF economic program could yield quicker and lasting benefits to a people who are no party to the current crisis.  

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Michael Roberts

Rex has travelled far and wide in keeping track of Sri Lankan cricket … and even banged into me in Adelaide. However, this bethrothal event would have been one of his happiest moments.

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Hiran Hewavisenti in Facebook

Real Sri Lankans

At a time when all and sundry are promising us everything that they have not delivered, despite being elected by the people for whatever reason, it is refreshing to know that there are Sri Lankans who are flying the flag – in this case, a gentleman who has an unblemished record of service to a game that just about all of us cherish – and has risen to the pinnacle of its administration… and remained there for ever since.

#RanjanMadugalle take a bow                                                      

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Michael Roberts

My wife and I visited BEAUMONT HOUSE in Adelaide south this afternoon and consider this house and its surrounds and its history a worthy topic for discussion. The discussion could even be expanded into a set of comparative vignettes with (A) the walauwwas of British Ceylon and the present; and (B) the large mansions in Colombo Kandy such as “Älfred House.” It has been adminsitered  by The National Trust for quite some time; and is open to the public on select days with knowledgeable volunteers serving as amiable guides.

Beaumont House, built in 1849, was home of the first Anglican Bishop of Adelaide, Bishop Augustus Short, and later Sir Samuel Davenport, politician, horticulturist and founder of the olive oil industry in SA. The house has a distinctive Mediterranean character with an open brickwork parapet in soft terracotta colours and a central flat roof originally accessed by a staircase.

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Danny Byrne, whose chosen title reads “Test Match cricket returns to Guyana after 13 years. The days before the Second Test between West Indies and South Africa.”

We left Georgetown at 03.30 am in an ordinary car packed full of people and camping equipment. Four Rastafarians and a long-haired cricket scorer made for an unlikely quintet of bird watchers as Ali drove past the districts of Prospect, New Hope and Providence, places named long before the discovery of oil, but full of residents ever hopeful of redemption in an unforgiving environment. After nearly two hours we came to the town of Linden, a place so safe, claimed Ali, that you could walk down the street in the middle of the night wearing gold chains and nobody would bother you. We found the turning for Rock Stone Village and the tar road disappeared. It took a further two hours to safely negotiate the ruts in the road created by trucks, endless numbers of them, involved in illegal activities.

Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) Rupununi Savannah, Karanambu Ranch, Guyana WILD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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