Siddle strikes to spark dramatic Australia win

Seamers Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc shared six late wickets to give Australia a dramatic 137-run victory over Sri Lanka in the last hour of the fifth and final day of the first test on Tuesday. Siddle, who finished the match with figures of 9-104, and left-armer Starc, who took 5-63 in the second innings, caught fire in the final session to bowl the tourists out for 255 and give Australia a 1-0 lead in the three-test series. Having been stymied in similar circumstances by a brilliant rearguard action from South Africa in Adelaide last month, Australia were desperate not to repeat the experience in Hobart. It looked like it might be a case of deja vu at tea, however,… Read More →

ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 – 30 Players Squad

At a Selection Committee meeting held , the following decisions were made by the National Selectors with regard to the ICC Womens World Cup in India in 2013. The squad of the 30 players – 1. Shashikala Siriwardena 2. Sandamali Dolawatta 3. Chamani  Senevirathne 4. Sherina Ravikumar 5. Madhuri Samuddika 6. Prasadini Weerakkody 7. Dilani Manodara 8. Eshani Lokusooriya 9. Sripali Weerakkody 10.Yasoda Mendis 11. Deepika Rasangika 12. Chamari  Athapaththu 13. Udeshika Prabodani 14. Chandima Gunaratne 15. Lasanthi Madushani 16. Chamari  Polgampola 17. Oshadi Ranasinghe 18. Darshani Dharmasiri 19. Inoka  Ranaweera 20. Rangika Fernando 21. Ama Kanchana 22. Nipuni Hasika 23. Achini Kulasuriya 24. Kanchana Weerakkody 25. Nilakshi De Silva 26. Roshini Perera 27. Sanduni  Abeywickrama 28. Poojani Liyanage 29…. Read More →

SLC Coaching & Umpiring team up on ‘Suspect Bowling Actions’

The SLC National Coaching & Umpiring departments in conjunction conducted a workshop on ‘Suspect Bowling Actions’ on 6th (Thursday) Dec. 2012 at SLC headquarters. The workshop was conducted with the intention of educating the present first class Umpires & Match Referees on suspect bowling actions which has been a common problem faced by many umpires over the recent years. During the last season the Umpiring division with the blessings of SLC clamped down on bowlers who seemed suspicious during matches with regard to illegal deliveries been delivered by bowlers during competition, once reported SLC also went to the extent of filming the reported bowler during matches & obtaining footage for further investigation by SLC. A system was introduced last year… Read More →

Sri Lanka National Team Tour to Australia – Team Departure

Players observing religious rituals at SLC head quarters prior to departure. Sri Lanka left for Australia last night to participate in a 3 -Test series against Australia which begins on the 14th December 2012. Buddhist monks chant prayers for the success of the Sri Lankan cricket team. Sri Lanka Captain Mahela Jayawardena being stormed by local media, hours before their departure for a four-week tour to Australia.                                                                                     Mahela Jayawardena & Angelo Mathews Commenting on the Australian Tour just… Read More →

New Zealand wraps up famous Test victory

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 167 runs to claim their first Test victory in the country for 14 years. After reducing the home side to 47-4 by the close of day four, New Zealand finished the job off during the final session on the final day with 27.1 overs remaining. In so doing the Kiwis avoided a sixth successive Test defeat and the victory represented a rare win against a major Test nation in recent years. Angelo Mathews (84 in just under five hours) put up stubborn resistance for Sri Lanka but he was last man out after hitting five boundaries in his previous eight deliveries in an attempt to hurry towards his second Test century. Trent Boult (3-33)… Read More →

Herath spins Sri Lanka to comfortable win

11 wickets in the match from Rangana Herath helped Sri Lanka clinch a comfortable 10-wicket victory over New Zealand on Monday in the opening Test Match. Herath claimed 6-43 in the second innings as New Zealand collapsed on Monday morning, making just 118 all out, having slumped from 35-1 to 79-7 in another disappointing batting display. Only one batsman could get to 20, despite eight players making double figures, as Herath added to his figures of 5-65 in the first innings. Sri Lanka wasted no time in chasing down its victory target of 93, with Dimuth Karunaratne (60 not out) and Tharanga Paranavitana (31 not out) putting on an impressive undefeated stand in 18.3 overs. The teams now head to… Read More →

Black Caps thwarted by rain

New Zealand were denied the chance to pull off a consolation victory in the ODI series against Sri Lanka when the final match in Hambantota was abandoned. The Black Caps had put themselves into a strong position by reducing the hosts to 123-8 as Sri Lanka, already 3-0 up in the series, played a carefree brand of cricket. A long delay for rain then ensued before the match was called off just before 8.30pm. Tim Southee was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with 3-18 from 5.3 overs but all of the New Zealand attack played their part as the home side found the going tough. Kumar Sangakkara’s departure left Sri Lanka reeling on 44-4 before Upul Tharanga and… Read More →

Sri Lanka seals ODI series with comfortable win

Sri Lanka completed a comprehensive 3-0 series victory over New Zealand in another rain affected match. New Zealand was restricted to just 131-8 in 32 overs, with Brendon McCullum top scoring with 30, as Jeevan Mendis took 3-15 off his four overs. In reply, a lively 27 from just 28 balls from Upul Tharanga helped Sri Lanka to a useful opening stand of 36. His opening partner, Dinesh Chandimal (43) and Kumar Sangakkara (42 not out) then combined to add 87 for the second wicket. Victory was essentially sealed, despite the loss of a couple of quick wickets, with 5.4 overs still remaining and with seven wickets in hand. Courtesy: International Cricket Council

Dilshan leads Sri Lanka to convincing win

Tillakaratne Dilshan, playing in his 250th one-day international, made light of a back injury to lead Sri Lanka to a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand under the Duckworth-Lewis method in another rain-hit match on Tuesday. Former captain Dilshan suffered a sore back during the warm-up but still made an unbeaten 102 from 95 balls as the home side chased down a revised target of 197 with 11 balls to spare after Ross Taylor’s side scored 188 for six from 33 overs. The home side appeared to be in difficulty at 73 for three in the 15th over when captain Mahela Jayawardene fell for five, miscuing a reverse sweep from the bowling of off-spinner Nathan McCullum to be caught by Jacob… Read More →

Rain ruins Sri Lanka-New Zealand Twenty20

The opening match of New Zealand’s five-week tour of Sri Lanka was ruined by bad weather on Tuesday when the one-off Twenty20 international in Pallekele was abandoned as a no-result. The game began 45 minutes late due to rain and the visitors, having been put in to bat on a green wicket offering plenty of movement for the seamers, slumped to 24 for five in the ninth over. Bad weather then intervened again, causing the officials to reduce the match to 14 overs per side. Tim Southee, going in at number nine, top-scored with an unbeaten 21 as New Zealand eventually finished on 74 for seven. Southee provided some entertainment for the small crowd when he clubbed four fours in… Read More →

New Zealand tour of SL – Press Conference

Sri Lankan Twenty20 cricket captain Angelo Mathews addresses a press conference in Colombo on October 26, 2012. Mathews’s first assignment will be a one-off T20 match against New Zealand in Pallekele on October 30. The tourists will also play five one-day internationals and two Tests.               Head table at the Press Conference                 Sri Lankan Twenty20 cricket captain Angelo Mathews (L) and New Zealand cricketer Jacob Oram (R) shake hands as they pose for photographers at a press conference in Colombo on October 26, 2012.