“When a tradition gathers enough strength to go on for centuries, you don’t just turn it off one day.” – Chinua Achebe Except, unbeknownst to the seminal Nigerian writer on Empire, it can. What Steve Smith and his merry band of cheats did last Saturday at Newlands destroyed Australian cricketing tradition, not just in a day, but in a session. A ...
The Australian cricket teams over the years have been unkind to the opposition, and called them derogatory nicknames. They have been rude and insulting, according to almost everyone that has played against them, from Ian Chappell and before to Steve Smith. It seems though, that they were kindest to their oldest foe. Calling the English the ‘whinging poms’, is almost ...
Watching the Sri Lanka team at the Hong Kong stadium was an experience in itself. I must have been the equivalent of one of those boring uncles who goes to the Royal Thomian and watches the cricket, but what can you do? Can’t fight it. Also given how expensive Hong Kong is, it’s probably good thing my real weakness is ...
On Channel Eye with my good mate Jayan Goonetillake, I put him on the customary spot just before we handed over to the international commentators. “England, by ten” he said, confidently. Most punters said the same. Manjula, our Sinhala anchor tossed the question my way and I said “Wales by three”. Off air Jayan told me that if I was ...
It was the best of times, last week. And it’s not so good, this week. If you haven’t read this story, then you should. It’s hilarious in its pettiness. http://www.dailymirror.lk/top-story/46172-mahela-and-slc-spat-leads-to-heated-email-exchange-.html Michael de Soyza, the team manager, chides Mahela Jayawardena for his comments about Nishantha Ranatunga et al, and then gets a bit of a stinker from Mahela. Sanath who is copied ...
Make no mistake, Sri Lanka’s best batsman has been batting like a dream in this tournament. He has a hundred a ninety and some other very good scores given the context of the games. Unlike many times in his career he has not gotten out cheaply and has gotten out trying to accelerate the scoring. Only in the 4th ODI ...
The Schools Section, or the SLSRFA, have proposed a new format for the Schools competition next year which will increase the participation from 10 schools to 16. The main reasons given for this change by the SLSFRA, is that there is too much pressure on the schoolboys to win at all costs, and to reduce the number of court cases ...
Trinity dominated the line out. Trinity dominated the scrum. Trinity dominated the collision. Trinity dominated territory. Trinity dominated possession. The only thing Isipatana had more, was Heart. With a capital ‘H’. It is amazing that a team with such an average line out, and mediocre kicker, have been able to come out unscathed against bigger, stronger opposition like Royal and ...
I know at the outset of this blog post that opinion is going to be divided. In those circumstances it’s important to be mindful of the rules of natural justice: 1) No man shall judge his own case 2) Hear the other side. Try to do both those, especially if you’re a Trinitian or a Royalist. The Haka The Haka ...
It seemed like the time for losing Test matches in four days was behind us. But given how poorly Sri Lanka fared in the New Zealand tests 6 months ago, and the very average performance in the World Cup, the preceding half year may have made us forget that we are still very much an average team, reliant on individuals. ...
Yesterday I read an FB status from a friend that suggested that ‘In Sri Lankans minds we ARE the greatest team ever’. And that I think is the problem. Sri Lanka has done well to get into four of possibly five ICC finals in the last few years. But that shouldn’t mask the fact that we haven’t really played stellar ...
So the All Blacks lost. If you read my blog – which you really should – you’d not have been surprised. Because I told you so didn’t I? As a result I was nonplussed also. I expected the loss and it came. Could it have been prevented? Of course. All losses are prevented in theory, but realistically, probably not. With ...
Lasith Malinga plays cricket for himself. Let’s get that straight. He’s not playing for you or me, regardless of how much you may want to believe that he is out there representing your couch potato backside. Mali is untameable. He will respect those who respect him, and will not give a shit about those that don’t. Whoever they may be, ...
Havelock Park was awash with shouts of T-H-O-R-A as the long whistle saw a gutsy S.Thomas’ convincingly beat title favourites Trinity College by 29-15 and wrest back the Canon RS De Saram Trophy after a lapse of four years, in which time Thomian rugby had reached the doldrums conceding 70, 40 and 50 points to the Trinitians in 2010, 11 ...
When Sanath Jayasuriya was first appointed as Chairman of Selectors there was a certain amount of rumbling about him being a political appointee and how it will signal the beginning of the end. I respectfully disagreed, and even blogged about why I think it will actually benefit the team. I am still of that mindset, and the recent Test comeback ...
Lasith Malinga has never been the most eloquent guy in the world. He likes to let the ball do the talking, and in front of a camera he will be the first to admit that he’s a bit out of his depth. I interviewed him for Adoh Magazine when he was big enough to be the Next Big Thing, but ...
Somehow I’ve always considered myself as being relatively rational in the face of death. I realise it is inevitable and that it must be prepared for, both spiritually and ironically, physically. So I don’t know why the news of Phil Hughes’ death shook me so much this morning. Why it almost produced tears, and why I’m still struggling to come ...
After forty something games we’ve finally come down to the final two games. Tonight’s third place play off is an unfortunate event in the lives of the semi final losers. It may be time for the Argentinians to achieve their second third place finish, but it is likely the South Africans would rather not have three defeats next to their ...
It’s been a while. I’ve been busy. Most of it not fun. I want to blog after every thing that happens. I have so many ideas, so many thoughts, so many mental notes. And then something somehow syringes the life out of any creativity. I have a sneaky feeling as to what it might be. First things first thought. What ...
Sports really is a great leveller. It levels not only the players, but of late, fans as well. I’ve often wondered why Bradman never got those four runs, or Tendulkar his Lord’s hundred. Why the Great Sachin got his contrived hundredth hundred against Bangladesh in a losing cause. Why Sri Lanka hasn’t won a final in four attempts is also ...