වසරේ ජනපි‍්‍රයම කී‍්‍රඩකයා සංගා || life of most popular cricketer 2012

ශ්‍රී ලංකා ක‍්‍රිකට් වංශ කතාවේ සාඩම්බරය සහ ප්‍රෞඪත්වය ඔහු වී හමාරය. ඒ අන් කවරකුවත් නොව අපේ සංගා ය. නැතහොත් චූක්‍ෂානාද කුමාර් සංගක්කාරය. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට සංගා නිරන්තරයෙන් අභිමානය ගෙන දුන්නේ තම ක‍්‍රිකට් කෞෂල්‍ය වෙතින් පමණක්ම නොවේ. තැනට සුදුසු හරවත් කතාව මෙන්ම හැසිරීම ආදී සියල්ල වෙතින් සංගා ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට කීර්තියක් ගෙනදුන් බව නොරහසකි.

කුඩා කාලයේදී විටෙක දඟකාර සෙල්ලමට විතරක් කාලය ගෙවා දමන විට මව උත්සාහ කර ඇත්තේ නිරන්තරයෙන්ම ඔහු අධ්‍යාපනයට පමණක් යොමු කිරීමටය. නමුත් තාත්තා ඒ බැම් සියල්ල ලිහිල් කර පුතුට නිදහසේ සියල්ල සමබරව කිරීමට ඉඩ හසර ලබාදී තිබේ. සංගාගේ මව පවසන පරිදි සංගාගේ මේ අතිශය සාර්ථක මිනිසකු වීමේ රහස සංගාගේ පියාය. ඔහු තම පුතුගේ ඉදිරි දැක්ම දැක සංගා මෙහෙයවූ අයුරු ඉතා ආදර්ශවත්ය.

අන්තර්ජාතික ක‍්‍රිකට් සම්මාන උළෙලේදී වසරේ විශිෂ්ටතම ටෙස්ට් ක‍්‍රීඩකයා, වසරේ විශිෂ්ටතම ක‍්‍රීඩකයා මෙන්ම ජනප‍්‍රියම ක‍්‍රීඩකයාට හිමි සම්මාන ත‍්‍රිත්වය දිනාගත් පසු ඔහු මාධ්‍ය අමතා සංගා ප‍්‍රකාශ කළේ,

”පළමුව මගේ ගෞරවය ආදරණීය පේ‍්‍රක්‍ෂකයින්ටයි. නමුත් අද මම මෙවැනි විශිෂ්ටත්වයක් ලැබීමේ ගෞරවය නිතැතින්ම මගේ පියාට හිමිවිය යුතුයි. අදටත් මම දැවී ගියාම, මොකක්ද ඒ ගහපු මෝඩ පාර කියලා මට බනිනවා. ඒ වගේම හරි දේ හරි විදියට අගයනවා. නමුත් මම ලොව ශ්‍රේෂ්ඨ ක‍්‍රීඩක ගණයට අයත්ව සම්මාන ලැබුවට, තවමත් ඔහුට මම පුතා විතරයි. තාත්තා ගරු කරන්නෙ සම්මාන සියල්ලට වඩා සියල්ල නිවැරදිව කරන දරුවාට කියායි මට හිතෙන්නෙ” යනුවෙනි.

සහතිකෙන්ම සංගා යනු ඒ පියාට-මවට පමණක් නොව ශ්‍රී ලාංකීය ජාතියටම වඩාත් ආදර්ශවත් චරිතයකි. සංගා අද ක‍්‍රීඩකයකුට අමතරව, සැමියකු, පියෙකු ලෙස ගෙවන ජීවිතයද ඉතා අරුත්බර කර තිබේ.

(මේ පළවෙන්නේ සංගා විවිධ අවස්ථාවලට පෙනී සිටියදී ලබාගත් ඡායාරූප අතරින් කීපයකි. සංගා ගෙනදුන් අභිමානය සමග ඒ රුව-ගුණ ස්පර්ශ කරන්නට මේ ඡායාරූප පාඨක ඔබට ආස්වාදයක් ගෙනදෙනු ඇතැයි අපගේ හැඟීමයි)

සටහන/ඡායාරූප - සඳුන් ගමගේ

The mysterious career of Ajantha Mendis

 Ajantha Mendis international career has been almost as vexing as his variations themselves. Hyped as the next Muttiah Muralitharan while Murali was still playing, Mendis painted a target on his back with a phenomenal first 18 months at the top level. When he was a debutant in Port of Spain, West Indies batsmen wondered whether they would ever decipher him, given they couldn't even pick his variations on the slow-motion replay. In the Asia Cup two months later, Mendis was by far the highest wicket taker, having inflicted a gobsmacking 6 for 13 to ruin India in the final. In three home Tests that followed, he plundered 26 wickets at 18.38 against supposedly the best players of spin bowling.

Yet as emphatic and immediate as his success was, his aura diminished just as quickly in the next phase of his career. Batsmen from the subcontinent rallied the resistance - first Pakistan, who were un-flummoxed by him in two Tests in Sri Lanka, before India sniped back at their old tormentor in another Test series in India. Soon England, Australia and even New Zealand were managing his threat. The hauls began to grow lighter, the runs flowed more freely, and with Murali also dimming towards the end of his career, Sri Lanka's spin attack suddenly lost its bite. Mendis had become the quickest bowler to 50 ODI wickets, managing that feat in 17 matches. In 42 games since, he has added only 46 scalps to that tally. In all formats combined, the three years since that initial 18 months have only yielded him 32% of his wickets - though that is in part due to fewer opportunities, which in turn is largely the result of poor form.

Still, despite the dive in ODI and Test results, Mendis has remained a threat in Twenty20s. Last year against Australia in Pallekele, Mendis took 6 for 16 in a match-turning spell, to record the best figures in the format. He has now bettered that with 6 for 8 in the World Twenty20 opener against Zimbabwe. His average of 9.84 and economy rate of 5.45 are the best of any bowler to have taken more than 25 wickets. There are no major changes to Mendis' game, but in a format where batsmen need to be aggressive, his fingers seem to retain their old charm. It is something his captain seems aware of, when he routinely brings him on in the Powerplays.

Hamilton Masakadza found out how difficult Mendis is to attack when he attempted to swipe one away to the legside, but misread the turn completely, and had his stumps rattled by a googly that slotted in nicely between bat and pad.

"He gives you very little to score off," Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor said. "When you're chasing nine an over you have to go after some bowler. He was on top of his game tonight and probably caught us off guard a bit."

Earlier, Vusi Sibanda was bowled by Mendis' straighter one, before Taylor himself was undone by the carrom ball. Elton Chigumbura attempted a similar shot to Masakadza, and succumbed in almost identical fashion to the same Mendis delivery. The harvest might have become leaner in other formats but here Mendis' full house of trickery still reigned supreme, even if this was his first game after a long layoff due to a back injury.

"Ajantha was very keen to get back into the side and we saw that hunger in him," the Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said after the match. "Even in the domestic tournament [SLPL] he came back and bowled really well. That was the indicator to see how match fit he was and how much control he had. This was his first game in eight months and he was a bit nervous before the game but he bowled really well."

Mendis' real tests will come against opposition who will have studied him more closely on video, and are better equipped with the batting tools to read him more accurately than Zimbabwe did. South Africa will provide the initial examination on Saturday, and with Pakistan set to be in Sri Lanka's group in the Super Eights, barring major upsets, Mendis will want to prove himself against the side that unraveled his golden run.

"He's comeback strongly and hopefully he'll continue to do the job," Jayawardene said. "I'm sure he'll have bad days but the quality of the player is that he'll have more good days than bad."

--> The theories to explain Mendis' recent woes in the longer formats are many. He has not bowled a wicket-to-wicket line, some say, and when he strays he goes blunt and is easy to pick off. Others say the mystery has expired. Teams have simply worked him out, and since Mendis is not a spinner who relies on flight, dip or extravagant rip, once the batsmen know which way it will turn, he loses his effectiveness. Still others have suggested batsmen have succeeded in playing him as a seam bowler, like they did to Anil Kumble (though if this was all it took to unhinge both bowlers, it would have been worked out earlier in Mendis' career, and Kumble would not have finished with 619 Test wickets).

Can Mendis prove he can still be a force for Sri Lanka with more fine spells in the tournament? His career at large needs a serious boost, and though he may never be the bowler his initial surge suggested, he will hope he can use his favourite format as a launching pad to success in others.

(c) Andrew Fernando for ESPNcricinfo

Akmal assault wins it against hapless Indian bowlers

A day before the World Twenty20 begins in Sri Lanka, India's bowlers failed to defend 185 in a warm-up game after R Ashwin had reduced Pakistan to 91 for 5. Kamran Akmal's sustained assault finished the game with nearly an over left. Barring Ashwin, Kamran toyed with India's bowling as he swung six after meaty six in the company of Shoaib Malik, who bettered even Kamran with a strike-rate over 200 for his 37. What will worry India further is that they lost despite the use of five frontline bowlers, the warm-up game effectively allowing them the Supersub.

Pakistan won't be complaining, though. after an indisciplined show from their bowlers, they had their task cut out when they came out to bat. They started in belligerent fashion, but lost two wickets in Ashwin's first over. Kamran, though, made sure the momentum was not lost. He began with a good-looking cover-drive for a couple first ball, and lofted the second ball he faced for a six.

Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh then suffered at Kamran's hands before Ashwin came back to turn it around it with a mid-innings spell. In the 10th over he had Hafeez and Shahid Afridi caught at the boundary, before diving full length to his right to catch Umar Akmal off his own bowling. At that stage it seemed Pakistan had messed the chase up by playing around too much with the batting order, but Malik and Kamran had other ideas.

Sensible batting followed before the turnaround started in the 15th over when Kamran swung Zaheer Khan for successive sixes over long-on, and Malik drove him for four over mid-off. While runs seemed all too easy, the key over remained Ashwin's. All Indian eggs seemed to be in his basket as Kamran and Malik basically had their way with the others. By the time Ashwin came on to bowl the 18th over, the equation had changed completely.

Pakistan needed 29 now, and they could afford to take it easy in Ashwin's over. They were content with risk-free seven runs off his over, knowing well they could hit the others. And hit others they did. Kamran walked way across to Balaji in the 19th over to sweep a low full toss for a square leg over six, and Malik matched it with a loft over long-off to leave only six to get off the last over. Irfan conceded it through one loopy full toss.

It wasn't all doom and gloom for India, though, as one of their main batsmen extended his golden form, and another found some much-needed form. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma powered to fifties in a century partnership that seemed to have given India enough. While Kohli's was just an extension of an incredible run, Rohit's showing in both warm-up matches - he made 37 against Sri Lanka on Saturday - will be a big relief for the management. The only downside of Kohli and Rohit's dominance was that Yuvraj Singh has now faced just 17 deliveries in both warm-up games put together.

Kohli's supreme touch was evident when he nonchalantly clipped his first delivery through midwicket for four in the fifth over. His confidence spurred him to step out consistently to the Pakistan spinners. Rohit found confidence as his innings grew, and even overtook Kohli on the scoreboard briefly. Their partnership of 127 came at close to 10 runs an over. Like Ashwin for India, the Pakistan bowling unit had Saeed Ajmal fighting a lone, losing battle. He went at under a run a ball while others bowled poorly under pressure.

Kohli and Rohit found a way around Ajmal quite appreciably, but they were to find out the same done to their bowling unit, only much more emphatically.

© ESPN

Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, World T20 2012, Group C, Hambantota

There is no big bash planned for the opening of World Twenty20 in Hambantota, no music concert, no fireworks and no trapeze artists. But, there is a cricket match and both Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe are likely to be grateful that they, not a sideshow, will take center stage.

 Cricket can be their only focus because in a short group stage, like this one, an early slip up could end their campaign even as it begins. That fact is probably scarier for Sri Lanka than it is for Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka are expected not to slip up, especially because the tournament is taking place at home and their reputation as runners-up was given a fresh unveiling at least year's fifty-over World Cup. Their time for going one better is thought to be now. Despite changes to coaching staff and personnel and a patchy recent record in T20 cricket, Sri Lanka is still seen as one of the favourites and they would hope to show why against Zimbabwe.

For Zimbabwe's coach, Alan Butcher, and his charges, this tournament is nothing more than an opportunity. It is a chance to show that they are still active on the world stage, even though they have not been on it for almost eight months. It is a chance to show that they are still producing talented players and have the capacity to nurture that talent. And maybe, just maybe, it is a chance to achieve something that no-one would think them capable of.

Form guide (completed matches, most recent first) 

Sri Lanka LLWLW

Zimbabwe LLLLL

Watch out for

There are few finer sites in cricket than Lasith Malinga, hair bobbing to the rhythm of his steps, running in, pecking the ball on its way through to the base of the stumps. With the opportunity to see him in whites a thing of the past, watching him in the shortest form has to suffice. As Sri Lanka's joint highest wicket taker in T20 cricket, with Ajantha Mendis, Malinga can be as destructive as he is delightful and with Sri Lanka challenging for silverware on home turf, you can expect both in overload.

Sandwiched in-between a man in fine form, Hamilton Masakadza and the captain, Brendan Taylor is Vusi Sibanda. He has completed his return to the team after a spat over his choice to play grade cricket instead of domestic cricket at home but has been overshadowed by Masakadza and Taylor. Sibanda is an attacking strokeplayer, who has learnt to play the short ball with as much force as the full one. He will also have to play the key role of holding the top three together to ensure Zimbabwe can challenge with the bat.

Team news

A slightly new-look Sri Lanka XI is possible with Dilshan Munaweera likely to open the batting alongside Tillakaratne Dilshan and offspinner Akila Dananjaya - both set for debuts. That will mean Mahela Jayawardene will bat at No.3. The middle order is solid and the bowling varied, with two frontline spinners in Dananjaya and Ajantha Mendis.

Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Dilshan Munaweera, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Mahela Jayawardene, 4 Kumar Sangakkara, 5 Lahiru Thirimanne, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Nuwan Kulasekara, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Lasith Malinga, 10 Ajantha Mendis 11 Akila Dananjaya,

An impressive top three gives way to a shaky Zimbabwe middle order but their alternatives are few. Only Forster Mutizwa could replace Craig Ervine or Stuart Matsikenyeri but their experience would likely see them turn out for the first match. It will probably be a choice between Elton Chigumbura and Malcolm Waller for the allrounder's role. Zimbabwe have three frontline spinners in Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer and Ray Price and Price is the likeliest to miss out if they chose to play three seamers.

Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Hamilton Masakadza, 2 Vusi Sibanda, 3 Brendan Taylor, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Stuart Matsikenyeri, 6 Elton Chigumbura/ Malcolm Waller, 7 Prosper Utseya 8 Graeme Cremer, 9 Richard Muzhange, 10 Kyle Jarvis, 11 Chris Mpofu

Pitch and conditions

With heavy gusts expected in the afternoon and evening in Hambantota, some steadying adjustments will have to be made all round. Matches there have been low scoring, largely because the surface area of the field is larger than the MCG, but the boundary rope is being brought in for this tournament. The pitch is expected to have something in it for the seamers, so much so that Brendan Taylor said he does not expect much turn. Temperatures are expected to be warm, between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius, with up to 80% humidity but little chance of rain.

Stats and trivia

Sri Lanka is the only national team to have two T20 centurions. Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan are among the seven players to have scored hundreds in the shortest format.

All six of Zimbabwe's top wicket-takers in T20 cricket are in their squad for this tournament. Prosper Utseya leads the charts with 16 scalps followed by Elton Chigumbura, Ray Price, Jyle Jarvis, Graeme Cremer and Chris Mpofu.

Quotes

"Having looked at the wicket I'm pretty confident that it will be much better than what it has been, and there should be plenty of runs."

Sri Lanka's captain Mahela Jayawardene expects a high-quality surface in Hambantota.

"We've got some good strikers in the top order, some good spinners and young, talented fast bowlers that will bowl well at the death. If we get those things right, it will be tough for Sri Lanka."

Despite his team being regarded as clear underdogs, Brendan Taylor is bullish ahead of Zimbabwe's first match of the tournament.

(c) ESPNcricinfo

If it's World Cup, count Lanka in

Place Sri Lanka in a World Cup and they will punch above their weight. Three final appearances, though unsuccessful, in the last four World Cups – two 50-over and two T20 - confirm their love for the grand stage. And hosting one this time in their backyard, they will have that extra motivation to break the final jinx and come up trumps.

That they are playing at home makes them serious contenders for the title. There is probably no other team that uses home conditions as well as Sri Lanka. Even though the wickets aren't as low and slow as they were a few seasons back, when a certain Muttiah Muralitharan would work his magic on them, Sri Lanka could still be the team to beat in home conditions.

Apart from home advantage, the side could also gain from the recently held Sri Lankan Premier League. Apart from some fresh faces it threw up, the team will be in the T20 mode and ready for the challenge.

Besides, the experience and stability will also stand this team in good stead. With skipper Mahela Jayawardene holding the batting together, and the likes of Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and all-rounders like Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera to follow, the batting looks decent but not without a chink. In between these three and all-rounders, they look a bit short on firepower.

But as in the past, the X-factor of this Lanka side will be their freakish bowlers. While the world knows what Lasith Malinga can do with his slingers and Ajantha Mendis with his mystery balls, the Lankans have picked up another of their ilk, Akila Dhananjaya. The unknown youngster  can reportedly bowl every conceivable ball in a spinner's repertoire. If he turns out as good as he's made out to be, opponents will have one more reason to worry about.

Sangakkara wins big at ICC awards

Kumar Sangakara has won three awards, including the prestigious Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year at the annual ICC awards ceremony in Colombo. Sangakkara also won the People's Choice prize, an honour he had received last year as well.

For Cricketer and Test Cricketer of the Year, Sangakkara was chosen ahead of South Africa's Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander, and Australia captain Michael Clarke.

He was prolific in both Tests and ODIs during the 12-month voting period ending in early August: in 14 Tests, he compiled 1,444 runs at an average of 60.16, including five centuries and five half-centuries, highlighted by a match-saving 211 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi; in 37 ODIs, he scored 1457 runs with three hundreds, and also completed 39 catches and three stumpings as a wicketkeeper.

"This is an amazing honour and I've seen the people who have won it before me and the nominees too, to be named alongside them is wonderful," Sangakkara said after receiving the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for Cricketer of the Year from ICC president Alan Isaac. "I admire them greatly and even more so when I looked up at their records on the screen this evening. It's great to be amongst them but now to receive this honour this evening, is simply fantastic."

Previous winners of the Cricketer of the Year award include Rahul Dravid (2004), Andrew Flintoff and Jacques Kallis (joint winners in 2005), Ricky Ponting (2006 and 2007), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (2008), Mitchell Johnson (2009), Sachin Tendulkar (2010) and Jonathan Trott (2011).

West Indies legend Brian Lara presented Sangakkara with the Test Cricketer award. "I'm continuing to ensure I am consistent and I need to keep raising the bar each year and keep trying harder and harder to ensure I keep playing good Test cricket," Sangakkara said. "It's a constant battle but I have the support of a great team that helps me to do the best I can."

Sangakkara missed out though on a third major gong when Virat Kohli was named ODI Cricketer of the Year, an award Sangakkara had won in 2011. During the period under consideration, Kohli played 31 ODIs and scored 1733 runs at an average of 66.65, including eight hundreds and six half-centuries.

Among the other winners were West Indies offspinner Sunil Narine, who was named Emerging Cricketer of the Year. His hard-to read variations quickly led to him being labelled a mystery spinner, and he was instrumental in West Indies' series wins over New Zealand in all three formats in July-August.

Another mystery spinner, Ajantha Mendis, missed out on Twenty20 Performance of the Year, which was won by South Africa opener Richard Levi, for his record-breaking 45-ball century against New Zealand.

Dhoni leads ICC's one-day Team of the Year

Dhoni leads ICC's one-day Team of the Year

India's MS Dhoni has been named captain of the ICC's ODI Team of the Year for 2011-12. This is the fifth year in a row that Dhoni has made the team.

ICC one-day Team of the Year

Gautam Gambhir, Alastair Cook, Kumar Sangakkara, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Michael Clarke, Shahid Afridi, Morne Morne, Steven Finn, Lasith Malinga, Saeed Ajmal, Shane Watson (12th man)

His India team-mates, Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, are also in, with Alastair Cook, Kumar Sangakkara and Michael Clarke making up the rest of the batting. The bowlers include Morne Morkel, Steven Finn, Lasith Malinga and Saeed Ajmal, with Shahid Afridi filling the allrounder's spot. Shane Watson was named 12th man.

Cook, Sangakkara, Clarke and Ajmal were also named in the ICC's Test Team of the Year for 2011-12. It is the first time that Ajmal, Kohli and Finn are featuring in the one-day team.

The team was announced on the eve of the ICC's annual awards function that will be held in Colombo on Saturday. It was picked by a panel consisting of former players: West Indies batsmen Clive Lloyd and Carl Hooper, Sri Lanka opener Marvan Attapatu, Australia allrounder Tom Moody and England Women's captain Clare Connor. The same panel had picked the Test Team of the Year last month. The players were chosen based on their performance between August 4, 2011, and August 6, 2012.

Lloyd, who was the chairman of the selection panel, said: "This team, along with the Test Team of the Year was extremely difficult to decide upon. We feel the side has strength to bat well down the order, while also having a good variety for any type of conditions when it comes to its bowling attack."

Dave Richardson, the ICC's chief executive, emphasised the team's strength. "I think we can safely say that this is one of the strongest ODI Team of the Year selections ever in the awards history," Richardson said.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

ICC WT20 set to break broadcast records

ESPN STAR Sports' (ESS) global broadcast of the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka is all set to break broadcast records.

Event will be televised across the globe including South America.

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In less than a week’s time, the world’s top Twenty20 cricketers will be playing across four venues in Sri Lanka and host broadcaster and ICC Global Media Rights partner ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) is gearing up its production to make sure the people across the 226 territories, the highest ever for an ICC event to date, will enjoy an unrivaled spectator experience all from the comfort of their living rooms.

The event is set to reach an audience of more than 1.5 billion, a record for any cricket event, thanks to new and extended agreements secured by ESPN STAR Sports. This includes a groundbreaking partnership with ESPN in the US, Caribbean, Central and Latin America and the continued coverage of the ICC World Twenty20 in Europe via Eurosport, this time in 18 languages.

Following on from the world class production of the ICC Cricket World Cup last year, ESPN STAR Sports will produce High Definition (HD) broadcast coverage using 29 cameras, an array of on-air enhancements and compelling graphic presentation to accompany the insightful and trusted voices of its expert group of commentators.

The live broadcast will feature 16 commentators and legends of the game from the leading participating countries. These include Sourav Ganguly, Sanjay Manjrekar, Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja, Ian Chappell, Tony Greig, Mark Waugh, Damien Fleming, David Lloyd, Nasser Hussain, Ian Bishop, Simon Doull, Pommie Mbangwa, Russel Arnold, Harsha Bhogle and Alan Wilkins.

Campbell Jamieson, ICC General Manager – Commercial, said: “The ICC World Twenty20 2012 will have the best reach ever for a cricket event and combined with the unique passion and enthusiasm for our great sport in Sri Lanka, the event is set to create a new benchmark.

“And for those people around the world who can’t be there in person, ESPN STAR Sports’ distribution efforts have ensured that more than 1.5 billion people across the globe can view every single match from the comfort of their own home.”

Peter Hutton, ESPN STAR Sports’ Managing Director, said: “We believe that this event is an excellent way of attracting new audiences to the game worldwide, and hope that our production and commentary teams will ensure the best possible experience for viewers across six continents.” 

There will also be extensive radio coverage of the ICC World Twenty20. In Sri Lanka, national broadcaster Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) will cover the event. Outside of host country, the event will have radio coverage from Channel 2 (Middle East & North America), All India Radio (India) BBC (UK), SABC (South Africa), Sport Radio (New Zealand), Croc Media (Australia) and CMC (Caribbean). Channel 2 is also doing live commentary on the internet via Cricket Radio.

Sri Lanka cruise to nine-wicket win world t20 practice match-Photos

Sri Lanka 135 for 1 (Jayawardene 57*, Dilshand 50*) beat West Indies 132 for 6 (Charles 30, Kulasekara 2-35) by nine wickets

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A collective bowling performance from Sri Lanka and half-centuries by Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene made short work of West Indies on the first day of warm-up matches for the World Twenty20. Nuwan Kulasekara struck the early blows and West Indies could manage only 132, a target Sri Lanka achieved with 4.2 overs to spare.

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CEAT cricket awards night 2012 photo collection

DILSHAN & DILSHAN TO OPEN IN WT20 FOR SRI LANKA

Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardena has hinted few changes in the batting order in an interview with Sri Lankan newspaper - Divaina.

"Probably I will have to bat in the middle order. Dilshan Munaweera is in a great form, so he deserves that opportunity I think. And few other youngsters are also in the team. They need to be settled in their positions."

So according to Mahela, T.M. Dilshan & Dilshan Munaweera will open the innings for Sri Lanka in the World T20 & skipper is ready to give up his position for the sake of team (Country) and youngsters.

Munaweera has been the highest run getter in recently ended SLPL with 212 runs at 35.33. His strike rate of 144.21 is the highest among top 5 run getters. He was the best batsman in Inter-Provincial - 4 day tournament, best batsman & man of the series in U23 - 2 day tournament and best batsman in U23 - One Day tournament.

     

Allrounders provide cushion for Sri Lanka - Jayawardene

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has said a phalanx of allrounders will be his side's biggest strength in the upcoming World Twenty20, because of the balance and flexibility they afford the team. Angelo Mathews and Jeevan Mendis are in Sri Lanka's squad as batting allrounders, while Thisara Perera's forte is with the ball. Nuwan Kulasekara has also batted well in the last eight months in addition to opening the bowling, and opening batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan has contributed reliable offspin as well.

"[The allrounders] give us a lot of options in our team combination, so we can pick more batsmen or more bowlers to suit conditions and opposition, and still have a balanced team," Jayawardene said. "They give me options, because if you have some guys who aren't hitting their stride, I can keep rotating the bowlers and one bowler having an off day won't hurt us. Likewise, if someone who wouldn't be a first-choice bowler is going really well and getting wickets, you can get four really good overs out of him. If your bowlers can bat as well, that gives you the depth in your line-up."

Mathews and Dilshan scored heavily during the recently concluded SLPL, while Perera also struck form with the bat. Mathews' average of 70.33 was the highest in the league among batsmen who had scored more than 100 runs, and his aggregate of 211 put him at second in the top run-scorers' list. Dilshan finished two places behind, having made 195 in one fewer innings.

Jayawardene said the progress of Mathews and Perera had been particularly encouraging, given their performances over the last 18 months. "[Perera] has worked on his bowling and he has seen the results of that in the last year, where he picked up a lot of wickets for us, and there's a lot to like about how he goes about his game. We've all seen what [Mathews] can do as well. He played an amazing knock in the SLPL final, and he's been playing those back-against-the-wall kinds of innings for Sri Lanka in the past, so those two look very promising for us. "

Jayawardene said that despite several players being called upon to contribute in both disciplines, they are each aware of not neglecting their primary skill. "I don't think there will be a problem with that, because everyone knows what they have to do and what their focus is," he said. "We have a unit that has been together for a while, and everyone knows their role in the team."

Sri Lanka made the final in three of the last four limited-overs World Cups, but Jayawardene said his side's inability to convert those chances into titles was not the result of a lack of mental fortitude. "Getting ourselves into the semi-finals and final means that we are doing most of the things right, but perhaps we need to push a little bit more in a big game, like a final, to win it," he said. "I've always said that playing in big tournaments and playing well is a big plus. Yes, we've stumbled in a few finals in the last five years, but I look at it in a positive way and say, 'We're getting there and doing the right thing'."

Sri Lanka have picked 18-year-old spin bowler Akila Dananjaya in their World Twenty20 squad, despite him having played only six professional games in his career, all during the SLPL in August. Jayawardene said the team management was mindful about exposing Dananjaya to international cricket too early, but will not hesitate to play him, should he respond well to being in the international side. "We have to see how he reacts and handles himself around the squad. From what I've seen in the provincial tournament, he doesn't look scared at all. We've got two senior spinners [Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis] in the squad who can do the job, but if Akila is up to the task, we will use him."

(c) Crickinfo 

Sangakkara bags 3 awards at CEAT Awards 2012

Kumar Sangakkara reiterated his status as a cricketing colossus winning three top awards — the CEAT Cricketer of the Year, CEAT Peoples Player of the Year and Best Test Batsman, at the 2012 CEAT Sri Lanka Cricket Awards.

Among other top award winners at the glitzy awards night at Waters Edge Last night were Rangana Herath (Best Test Bowler), Mahela Jayawardene (Best ODI Batsman), Lasith Malinga (Best ODI Bowler), Tillekeratne Dilshan (Best ODI All-rounder) and Dinesh Chandimal (Emerging Cricketer).

The top awards for women cricketers went to Chamari Atapattu (Best Batswoman), Sherina Ravikumar (Best Bowler) and Shashikala Siriwardena (Best All-rounder).

This was the fourth edition of the CEAT Sri Lanka Cricket Awards, supported by Sri Lanka’s leading tyre brand CEAT.

The CEAT Peoples Player of the Year, based on independently audited public voting, was won by Kumar Sangakkara for the third consecutive year, and this was the second occasion that he took both the Peoples Player award and the CEAT Cricketer of the Year award.

A total of 68 awards in 23 award categories were presented at the CEAT Si Lanka Cricket Awards, in respect of performances in the 2011-12 cricketing season.

The awards night is organised by Sri Lanka Cricket and the Players Association with sponsorship by the event’s exclusive partner CEAT Kelani Holdings, which supported the revival of the Sri Lanka Cricket Awards in 2009. (Daily FT)

Sri Lanka will be one of the favourites at the upcoming World Twenty20- Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara has said that Sri Lanka will be one of the favourites at the upcoming World Twenty20, despite Sri Lanka's pitches having become less spin-friendly. Pitches at Pallekele and Hambantota - stadiums built for last year's World Cup - have suited seam bowling, while the relaid square at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo has also seen bounce and carry in the last year. No team breached 200 in the Sri Lanka Premier League played in Colombo and Pallekele in August and four of the top five wicket takers in the tournament were seam bowlers. 



"Our sides have changed a little bit," Sangakkara said. "We don't depend on spin alone anymore or just one fast bowler in Chaminda Vaas. We have different sets of fast bowlers and different sets of spinners. With the change in conditions our sides have changed, but home advantage is not only about wickets. It's about playing in your country, playing in front of the people who cheer and love you."



Sangakkara said the Premadasa pitch changed after the ground was renovated, and that winning the toss held no obvious advantage as it had once done. Fifteen of the 27 matches in the World Twenty20 will be played at the Premadasa, including both semi finals and the final. 



"When the wickets were relaid, in the first few games there was a lot of turn and now they've settled down into beautiful wickets where batting first or second you have an equal chance of winning. Batting under lights has become so much easier that some sides now prefer to chase," he said. 



The wickets at Pallekele and Hambantota also offer challenges not traditionally associated with Sri Lankan venues, Sangakkara said.

"Pallekele seems to have a lot in it at night. It seams and swings around and that will be an interesting challenge for us being a Sri Lankan side playing in our conditions to encounter those conditions. Hambantota is completely different. There is quite a strong wind from one side and the pitch can be a bit up and down. The vicious turn that [Sri Lankan pitches] used to have is no more, so sides have to adjust accordingly."



Sangakkara said that in addition to a home crowd that will give Sri Lanka "a massive advantage", the team's recent history of good performances at ICC events would also be a source of confidence. Since 2007, Sri Lanka have been runners up in successive World Cups, and were finalists in the 2009 World Twenty20 and semi finalists in the 2010 tournament.

"Sri Lanka have always been favourites in my view in any tournament that we play because we've been able to rise to those big occasions really well as a unit and adjust accordingly. If you take our last 4-5 years, it's been an amazing run in big tournaments. We just need to believe in ourselves and believe in that fact and keep playing."



Sangakkara missed the SLPL due to a fractured finger, but is expected to be fit for the World Twenty20 which starts on September 18. Sri Lanka play Zimbabwe in Hambantota in the tournament opener. South Africa is the other team in their group.

(c) Crickinfo 

Munaweera, Dananjaya make SLPL XI

SLPL XI 

1. Dilshan Munaweera (Uva Next) (212 runs @ strike-rate 144.21)

The Sri Lankan selectors will now be ecstatic at having picked
Dilshan Munaweera for the World Twenty20 

Came to the tournament as one of the most hyped young talents in the country, and unlike several others, justified that hype with several scorching innings. He saved his best for the final, clubbing five sixes and two fours to catapult Uva Next beyond the Duckworth-Lewis par score and into the Champions League. In doing so, he became the tournament's highest run getter and finished with the second best strike-rate among batsmen who have scored more than 100 runs. The Sri Lankan selectors will now be ecstatic at having picked him for the World Twenty20 after he had had a good start to the SLPL, but had not yet proved himself completely worthy of international selection.

2. Kamran Akmal (wk) (Wayamba United) (203 runs @ 121.48)

Was the tournament's top scorer until he had to leave for national duty in the UAE, having been the rock of Wayamba United's impressive batting order throughout the round robin. Ruthless on anything short, and capable of thrashing the good length balls and full deliveries as well, Akmal mowed 23 fours in five innings - more than anyone else in the SLPL - despite many of the other leading batsmen having played more games.

3. Aaron Finch (Ruhuna Royals) (137 runs @ 130.47)

Asked to bat anywhere in the top four, Finch was one of the few bright spots for an underwhelming Ruhuna Royals side, who were expected to make much more of an impression of the tournament, given their star-studded roll. Finch's 65 from 48 balls against Uthura Rudras was his biggest contribution, though his ability to handle the swinging ball in some of the low scoring matches in Pallekele was equally as important.

4. Angelo Mathews (c ) (Nagenahira Nagas) (211 runs @ 139.73)

Mathews has sometimes been criticised for not being there at the end of an innings often enough, but few who followed him closely at the SLPL will doubt his flair for finishing now. In four times in seven innings Mathews remained unbeaten, and each of those times he had contributed heavily to the team total. His 73 off 27 balls in the final was perhaps the innings of the tournament, as he showcased his ability to score a boundary off almost any ball when well set. Sri Lanka will need him to play a significant role in the World Twenty20 and he has played himself into fine form before the event. His marshalling of an inexperienced Nagenahira attack also added heft to his claim as the next Sri Lanka captain.

5. Chamara Kapugedera (Uthura Rudras) (178 runs @ 143.54)

Had a quiet start to the tournament, but his stunning 69 not out to resurrect Uthura's chase against Basnahira Cricket Dundee and finally ignite their campaign was filled with the arrogant hitting that earned him several extended runs in Sri Lanka's limited-overs sides. Sadly for him, his SLPL performances were not enough to retain his place in the national team. Perhaps the selectors have finally run short of patience following a long stretch of failures, or maybe they think some time away from the top level will do him good. Either way, he reminded fed-up fans of the dazzling talent he possesses, even if it has not been in evidence for Sri Lanka.
Jacob Oram finished with an astonishing economy rate of 3.82 © Shaun Roy/SPORTZPICS/SLPL
Enlarge

6. Thisara Perera (Kandurata Warriors) (128 runs @ 172.97)

Was not himself with the ball, but earns a place in the XI through his batting alone. His 72 from 33 balls was the highlight of his campaign, as he rescued Kandurata from a collapse to put them on course for a competitive score. He will be disappointed by his waywardness with the ball, and will hope his knack for making vital breakthroughs returns for Sri Lanka in September.

7. Jacob Oram (Uva Next) (82 runs @ 167.34, 11 wickets @ strike-rate 12.50)

Oram was not initially picked up in the draft, but Uva Next will be thankful that James Franklin - their original allrounder - was picked for New Zealand's Test tour of India, forcing them to take Oram on. With a scarcely believable economy-rate of 3.82 in his 23 overs in the tournament, and a league-leading 11 wickets to boot, it is fair to say Oram was the engine room of a victorious Uva campaign. With the bat, his 41 from 17 balls in the semi-final knocked the wind out of favourites Wayamba United's sails, and his opening spell of 1 for 9 from three overs in the final allowed his side to keep their target at a manageable level despite Mathews' heroics.

8. Sachithra Senanayake (Uva Next) (8 wickets @ 18)

Jacob Oram finished with an astonishing economy rate of 3.82
© Shaun Roy/SPORTZPICS/SLPL 

Didn't make a huge impact in any single game, but was crucial for Uva during the middle overs when he backed up Oram's parsimony with cheap spells of his own. His doosra is one of the more readable variations in the game, but he used it sparingly to good effect, particularly when batsmen were looking to aggress. Contributed with the bat on occasion, and was a livewire in the field, and that, combined with his economy rate is what sees him pip Ajantha Mendis for a place in the XI, despite Mendis having taken more wickets.

9. Shaminda Eranga (Nagenahira Nagas) (11 wickets @ 13.6)

The man of the tournament - though only because semi-final and final performances were not taken into account - Eranga, like Oram, led the league in wickets with 11 to his name. He was the lynchpin of Nagenahira's attack, who were formidable when Eranga was intense, but friendly when not in the groove. Startled batsmen with plenty of pace off the pitch and also moved it appreciably off the seam in both directions.

10. Sohail Tanvir (Kandurata Warriors) (11 wickets @ 10)

The most penetrative seam bowler in the tournament, and though he was occasionally expensive, he was often unplayable. He swung the white ball as far as it's ever likely been swung in Sri Lanka, and while he was a handful in Colombo, batsmen were forced to just see his overs out on a lively Pallekele surface. Of the bowlers locked on 11 wickets, he had played the least matches.

11. Akila Dananjaya (Wayamba United) (9 wickets @ 14.6)

Plucked from complete obscurity by Mahela Jayawardene and Graham Ford, Dananjaya's first foray into professional cricket has been as successful as anyone could have hoped. Even Jayawardene has spoken of his surprise at the apparent ease with which Dananjaya has performed in the limelight. Some have hailed him as Sri Lanka's next spin hope, and though that assessment is as unfair as it is premature, there is something in the way in which the 18-year-old manages his variations. The World Twenty20 will really test what he is made of.

Uva Next wins the SLPL final, Colombo

Uva Next 63 for 1 (Munaweera 44*, Mendis 1-25) beat Nagenahira Nagas 134 for 4 (Mathews 73*, McDonald 2-24) by 19 runs (D/L)

A marauding Dilshan Munaweera trumped an Angelo Mathews special to launch Uva Next to victory in the SLPL, and a Champions League berth, in a rain-plagued final that just managed to eke out the overs required to constitute a full match. Munaweera clubbed five sixes in his 23-ball 44 to leave Uva 19 runs ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis par score after 5.1 overs, after they had hurtled to 63 for 1 in pursuit of 137 from 15 overs.

Following a two-hour rain delay earlier in the evening, the match had already been shortened, but when the second downpour came, it left an already sodden field unusable. The weather frustrated the first full house of the tournament, and spectators had already begun filing out when the match was deemed over, and a lengthy fireworks delay went off in the damp. It was a pity, for the on-field fireworks had the makings of a grand finish to the tournament.

Chasing just over nine an over, Uva bludgeoned at least one six from each of the overs they faced. Mathews perhaps erred by taking the new ball himself and by pushing for wickets, rather than bowling to contain, with the threat of more bad weather looming.

Their opponents meanwhile got their strategy right; attacking from the outset to push beyond the Duckworth-Lewis score. Munaweera strode down the pitch to pound Mathews high over square leg off the third ball of the innings, before leaning back to send Shaminda Eranga over the same boundary next over. A four over point, making room to carve a short ball angled into him, and a six over long off, extended the ballistics, before Munaweera effectively sealed the match with two straight sixes and a four off Mendis in the fifth over.

Mathews had earlier performed a stunning resuscitation on Nagenahira Nagas' stagnating innings, stroking a scintillating 73 from 27. The Nagas were at 48 for 3 from 9.1 overs when the first rains came, but despite a two-hour break in play, Mathews launched immediately after resumption, cracking the offspin of Sachithra Senanayake back over the bowler's head to herald his charge. Everything short was aimed at the deep midwicket fence, and everything wide, backward of point. The balls in the slot disappeared over long on. A six and a four off Andrew McDonald saw the twelfth over fly for 17, before Dilhara Fernando was crashed away for 22. Umar Gul did not escape punishment either - his final over went for 17, with two fours pounded square and a massive six over the straight boundary.

Before the rain, Uva peppered the openers with a short barrage, and until Gul pitched three consecutive balls slightly fuller in the fourth over, Nagenahira batsmen had few answers. Imran Nazir and Ahmed Shehzad's swipes to the legside veered from awful to mediocre as neither managed the footwork nor the timing to make adequate contact. Jacob Oram embellished his reputation for parsimony at the SLPL, conceding only nine from his first spell of three overs, while accounting for Shehzad after Nazir had been dropped off his previous over.

Nazir had provided Nagenahira with several blazing starts earlier in the tournament, but struggled to a laboured six from 16 balls in the final. He became the first victim of an Andrew McDonald double strike in eighth over, having his middle stump pegged back after attempting to sweep a length ball from the seamer. McDonald then removed Travis Birt, shortly before a heavy rain and intermittent drizzle forced the long delay.