Vaas committed to 2011 World Cup

Sri Lanka’s most experienced opening bowler says he has no plans to retire until the next Cricket World Cup.

Chaminda Vaas, who was a member of the 1996 team that won the World Cup believes he might be able to play in 2011 World Cup, to be played in the sub-continent.

Vaas has no plans to retire despite having played for 13 years

 

“2011, I think I will be able to play but everything depend upon my fitness,” the veteran new-ball bowler told BBC Sandeshaya.

Other two veterans who played in 1996 World Cup, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan, have also ruled out seting deadlines to retire from the game.

“I am maintaining a good fitness at the moment and I’d rather focus on year by year than a long period”, Vaas said.

“However, I think I will be able to play in 2011, if I maintain my current level of fitness”. Vass is currently playing with Middlesex County in England where he sustained a head injury last week.

“Courtney Walsh and Ambrose for example, played until they were 38,” he said commenting on the former West Indies’ giants.

Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas, who was briefly appointed as Sri Lanka’s vice captain replacing Mahela Jayawardene, says he has no regrets whatsoever in his 13-year long career.

The veteran bowler with 313 Test victims and 383 ODI wickets for his name, says he has achieved what many other fast bowlers in the subcontinent did not manage.

“My record as a subcontinent bowler speaks for itself. I think I have achieved a lot in my cricketing career for which I am very proud of,” he told BBC Sinhala service.

Becoming only the second fast bowler, after Imran Khan, to take 14 wickets in a match in the subcontinent taking the first-ever ODI eight-for, against Zimbabwe are among his many achievements.

His achievements are second only to Muttiah Muralitharan, arguably the best bowler Sri Lanka has ever produced.

Courtesy : BBC Sinhala Service

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Thank You And Good Bye Moody!

Australian Tom Moody ended his stint as coach of the Sri Lanka team. Mahela Jayawardene and his men dedicated their final match under Moody to their dedicated coach.

It turned out to be a grand farewell when Sri Lanka crushed Pakistan by 115 runs to give a fitting present to Moody, who guided Sri Lanka team all the way to the ICC World Cup finals.

Despite a few ups and downs in the early part of his stint as Sri Lanka coach, Moody transformed the Lankans into a fighting unit.

It was evident in the recent World Cup where the Lankans proved their ability to handle crunch situations.

Moody made an immense contribution to Sri Lanka cricket during his mission here and finished second only to his countryman Dav Whatmore, under whose coaching Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996.

But Moody failed to emulate Whatmore’s feat as Sri Lanka lost last month’s final to Australia.

Nevertheless, nobody could deny the fact that Moody made a lavish contribution to Sri Lanka cricket and his absence would be badly felt.

Moody too was in two minds whether to remain here or not but he was compelled to give priority to his family commitments.

Moody is one of the few men who has internationally proved that money is not everything.

His decision to quit Sri Lanka team also carries a message on a true role of a father. It is no secret that Sri Lanka offered him a 50% salary hike, if he renews his contract.

But a true family man, Moody politely refused that huge pay packet and decided to go back to Australia to be with his family.

He knows that this is the time his children and wife need his presence the most. He was not willing to let the dollars to come before his family commitments.

His success with the Sri Lanka even makes him a strong candidate to become the new Australian coach. Being an Australian, it would have been a memorable feat and pride for him to coach the world champions.

But when he had a look at the international calendar of the Australian team, he found they would have more away matches than home. Finally, he had to kick aside that would be golden opportunity and settle with the Western Australian state side, which would enable him to spend more time with his family.

True that all of us would feel sad to lose him at this juncture but at the same time should pay tribute to his bold decision to honour family commitments. It is a good example for all those who run after money and glory, forgetting their priorities.

Now, it’s the time for globe shopping for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to find a successor to Moody. The SLC is right in taking time to find a suitable replacement. We need not panic or be in a hurry to find another foreign coach. As the SLC is planning to do, we could well have an interim coach before picking the right man for the job.

Unlike in most other countries, it has now become customary for the subcontinent teams to go after foreign coaches. There was a long debate on suitability of foreign coaches until Whatmore proved a point beyond reasonable doubt.

It is extremely difficult for a local to coach a subcontinent team as people would lobby for favourites. Even if the coach plays a neutral role, interested parties would make sinister move to throw a local coach, if he fails to take orders from influential politicians and big names in society.

Hence, it has come to a stage when we are compelled to accept foreign coaches whether we like it or not. On the other hand, it’s unfair by qualified local coaches who dream of coaching their Motherland one day.

It is understood that the authorities have earmarked about six foreign coaches and the hunt is on for the best head. Both Whatmore and Moody maintained a close rapport with the players but at the same time, they knew where to draw the like when it came to serious business. Moody was a fatherly figure to his players, who would miss him too badly.

But no one is indispensable in this world. Whatever happens, Sri Lanka team will have to maintain their professional approach and make every endeavour to be a strong force in World cricket.

The SLC must use all channels in their bid to find an equally clever replacement. Sometimes big names do matter. Paper qualifications too would be important.

But those are not the sole ingredients to make a complete and successful coach. A coach should have a true human heart with excellent communication skills.

We hope the Sri Lanka Cricket would play a straight bat and find a quality replacement to fill the void created by Moody. We wish Tom Moody all success in his future endeavours. Thank you Moody, for being a part of the Sri Lankan cricketing family.

Courtesy : Daily News

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Moody returns to Western Australia

Tom Moody, Sri Lanka’s coach who guided the team to the 2007 World Cup final has decided to return home to Western Australia, Sri Lanka Cricket officials said on Monday.

Moody took over as Head coach of the Sri Lankan team two years back and his contract ends this May.

Moody, a former Australian Test cricketer, expects to take over as head coach of Western Australia state on July 1. Moody’s assistant will be Trevor Penney, fielding coach of the Sri Lankan team.

After the World Cup, where Sri Lanka lost in the final to Australia, Moody said he planned to meet the sport’s administrators in Sri Lanka to discuss his future with the team.

Sri Lanka Cricket authorities, in a statement from Colombo, said Moody had “conveyed his inability to continue with Sri Lanka Cricket at the end of his contract due to personal and family commitments. Sri Lanka is grateful to Tom for his valuable contribution to the success of the Sri Lanka national cricket team …”

The statement quoted Moody, as saying that family considerations were the major reason for his move back to Australia.

“It was a very difficult decision to make given the strong relationship that has been built between Sri Lanka Cricket and myself, but at this stage in my life, it was important that I made a bigger commitment to my family,” said Moody.

“However I would be more than happy to assist in whichever way I possibly can, for the continuous success of Sri Lanka cricket.”

Moody has been a tremendous inspiration to the team for the past two years. Before the success in the World Cup, in 2006, Sri Lanka whitewashed a one-day series against England 5-0 and levelled a test and one-day series with New Zealand. He has also assisted the team to find new, talented faces like the young Chamara Silva.

Not to forget, Sri Lanka’s fielding has improved to great depths thanks to the assistance from Fielding coach, Trevor Penny.

Like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka too will now be on the lookout for a coach.

Moody’s last tour with the team will be the 3-one day series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi expected to begin on the 18th of May.

Penny will be acting coach of the Sri Lanka team until his contract ends in August.

Courtesy : AFP

Lanka Cricket appreciates Moody’s and Penny’s valuable contributions to Sri Lanka Cricket !

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Sri Lanka to felicitate cricketers with commemorative coins

Sri Lanka plans to issue commemorative coins to felicitate cricketers, who emerged runners-up in the recently concluded World Cup held in the Caribbean, officials said. President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also the island’s finance minister, has asked Sri Lanka’s Central Bank to begin work on issuing a new coin, his aides said.

“Things are still at a planning stage. We have not worked out the designs yet. Obviously it will have a cricket element,” the head of Central Bank’s currency department A Jeewandara said.

Rajapakse’s office said the president had also expressed interest in giving duty free vehicle permit to the cricketers, who lost the final to Australia in Barbados.

In March, Sri Lanka issued two commemorative World Cup stamps in a bid to boost its cricketers before the tournament began.

The diamond-shaped stamps, worth five rupees (0.05 cents) and 50 rupees (0.5 cents), have been issued by the Philatelic Bureau of the Department of Post and Telecommunications in collaboration with Sri Lanka Cricket.

One million five-rupee stamps and 500,000 50-rupee stamps will soon be available to the public, the Philatelic Bureau said.

In 1996, Sri Lanka issued two commemorative coins to toast the island winning the cricket World Cup in Pakistan.

The 1,000 rupee silver coin was issued as a commemorative edition while the five-rupee coin was issued for circulation.

Jeewandara said the bank still has few commemorative silver coins left from the 1996 special edition.

Courtesy : Lanka Business Online

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Lankan Cricketers Win Hearts of Fans around the Globe

By Dr. Elmo Rodrigopulle

Although the Sri Lankan cricketers were unfortunate to lose the World Cup 2007 final to the Australians, they won the hearts of the millions of cricket fans all over the globe.

And the winning of the hearts was more important than lifting the World Cup. In the final the cricketers who were always led admirably and intelligently by Mahela Jayawardena showed the cricketing world that it is not the winning or losing that matters, but how one played the game.

This adage was never better displayed than when they agreed to play the final three overs in total darkness. They had every right to come back the next day and face those three overs and rub salt on the International Cricket Council wounds, but that would have been a sad exercise.

The cricketers by playing excellent cricket throughout the tournament – group stage, super 8, semi-final and final showed the world their true capabilities. If there were awards for the Most Popular team, or the Best Behaved team, the Lankans would not have had to face a poll to pocket those awards.

They could well be called cricketing diplomats. By their prowess in the game they made the world to stand up and take notice, and what they achieved, would have shamed our diplomats.

The cricketers from the moment they beat Bermuda in the first group stage match, won the hearts of cricket lovers in the Caribbean. When they continued to make progress, everyone, everywhere, even in the pubs, clubs, roadsides and even in market places were supporting them and wagering on the Lankans, teaching the Australians a lesson and being worthy winners of the trophy and the big money that went with it.

That the Lankans lost the final could not be believed. The supporters had nothing but sympathy on the Lankans and were convinced that it was the foul weather in Barbados that day that deprived them of bringing the hopping kangaroos down to earth.

After the final it was a contended Mahela Jayawardena who faced a packed house of media personnel and answered questions -some good and some irritating – bowled at him with great aplomb. Jayawardena since his appointment as captain, has been an example as cricketer, leader, ambassador and darling of the media. He could one day make a wonderful diplomat for the country.

What made Jayawardena’s onerous duties that much easier was because he had 100 per cent and more support from his teammates. Arguably he was captain outstanding and he should reign for many, many more years. He struck with the bat when most needed. When the Lankans took wing to the Caribbean, not many expected them to make much progress. That was because the middle order batting was suspect.

In all other aspects the Lankans were blessed with the best which most other teams lacked. When the middle order of Chamara Silva, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Russel Arnold began to make runs, it lifted the prowess of the team and that is what made them go on a roll.

Of the batsmen, Sanath Jayasuriya was the most outstanding with two hundreds against Bangladesh and West Indies and was only second to Matthew Hayden of Australia who notched up three centuries.

Ten years after winning the ‘Most valuable player of the tournament’, Jayasuriya is still showing the fleetness of foot, the sweet timing and the brutal power that he showed then.

He had West Indian written all over him when he was on song and didn’t the Caribbean love him.

Kumar Sangakkara did not make the big scores expected of him. But his knock in the final was a heroic one. But his wicket keeping form was out of this world and the stumping of Brian Lara especially was unbelievable.

Of the bowlers, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan were excellent. The reducing of overs in the final curbed their attacking prowess.

The fielding was top class and an example and lesson to the other teams.

Coach Tom Moody and his management team along with former Sri Lanka captain Michael Tissera as manager played their parts to perfection and they were one happy family and that contributed to their success.

Courtesy : Daily News

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President Welcomes Sri Lanka Cricket Team

President of Sri Lanka, H.E. Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse hosted a welcome reception for the ICC Cricket World Cup runners-up, Sri Lankan team at the Temple Trees, Colombo.

Courtesy : Colombo Page

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Well Done and Welcome Home !

My hero: Sanath’s eldest daughter, Keshini is all smiles

Murali and son Naren

 

Sanga and wife Yehali

 

Tired but happy to be home: Captain Mahela with his wife Christina and parents

A hug for Malinga from his parents.

 

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“After the match, Keshini, eldest daughter of Sanath Jayasuriya had asked her father, “why couldn’t you hit 40 sixes and win the game?”

Ha Ha…

Courtesy : Sunday Times

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Sri Lankan cricketers exemplary ambassadors

Elements and umpires mar prestigious world cup final: Richard DWIGHT

The eyes and ears of all cricket playing countries and yet others, stayed focused on the World Cup cricket final that concluded on Saturday at the Barbados Kensington Oval.

The high riding, domineering Aussies were one of the finalists, whilst the other was the impressive not to be outdone Sri Lankans.

In the run up to the final the aggressive Aussies, most clinically skilful in their approach were found to be invincible, with nothing in their mind other than lifting the World Cup for the third consecutive time.

The Lankans on the other hand came from not too bright a background and environment, not to mention as well that they were just emerging successfully from a team building exercise.

Viewed in this light, it was very commendable that the our cricketers excelled beyond themselves, to steer their way through the preliminary round matches to qualify for the Super 8 series.

Continuing to be admirably led by skipper Mahela, the Sri Lanka team performed well as one unit to be consistent and, forged ahead to enter the semifinals – where they soared to even greater heights to convincingly triumph over the Kiwis and, be the worthy opponents of the Aussies in the finals.

Both teams were now in the quest for, cricket’s supremacy in the limited over’ version of the game.

This, then was an all important contest, in a competition that has through the years come to be steeped in history and tradition to make the final ever so prestigious for the most coveted trophy.

Quite naturally there prevailed fever pitch excitement and a tremendous build up, not only in the countries of the finalists, but the world over. And so a vast concourse of people with eager anticipation, zest and vigour converged on the Oval to take in the action.

But all this was short lived and contrary to man made thinking, for the rains came down intermittently to enforce a delayed start and the sporadic stoppages in play as well.

The contest had no alternative but to proceed on the D/L format, with both sides having to bat for 38 overs, with Sri Lanka’s batting further reduced to 36 overs, surely this must have necessitate both teams to adjust and adapt themselves from a 50 overs match to a 38 over game, and also re-strategise their mode of play, which could have been demanding.

All this must have dampened the spirit and enthusiasm of the spectators and those viewing it on the screen, to take away the gloss and glamour of this final.

Worse was to follow when the umpires and the match referee in a ridiculous droll acted silly in bad light, to suspend play with just 3 overs left for the match to end. It did certainly lower the standard and stature of a final, that is always spoken of as prestigious.

As for the final it was by no means Sri Lanka’s day. There wasn’t a semblance of luck coming our way, with shots that were miscued falling short of our fielders. Here was Gilchrist completely out of form, down in the dumps, the game comes along picks him up and sets him up on a belligerent, whirlwind knock.

It was unique to be freakish and how could you possibly win against that. But we are sure that the Aussies do have a respect and regard for our cricket.

The Aussies did score runs and take wickets to win the trophy, but our cricketers were victorious too, by playing hard to endear themselves to many, to win their hearts on and off the field, as fine sportsmen with that special quality of innocence that counts for much.

Courtesy : Daily News

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Legality of Gilchrist’s innings questioned

CRICKET fans on the sub-continent have questioned Adam Gilchrist’s match-winning innings in the World Cup final because he had a squash ball inside his batting glove.

Gilchrist belted 149 off just 103 balls to rip the rain-shortened final away from Sri Lanka but cricket bloggers in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India have now asked whether the Australian wicketkeeper’s innings was “legal”.

After the match, Gilchrist said he had “something” in his left glove during his innings and when he reached his century he repeatedly pointed to his left batting glove with his right hand.

“I had a little message, to wave to someone at home in Australia about something in my glove,” Gilchrist told the post-match media conference.

He then confirmed the message was for his batting coach and former West Australia player Bob Meuleman who, Gilchrist said, had advised him to carry a squash ball in his left, bottom hand to help him with his grip.

“His (Meuleman’s) last words to me before I left the indoor training centre where I train with him in Perth were, ‘If you are going to use it (squash ball), make sure when you score a hundred in the final you show me and prove to me you got it in there’. I had stayed true to that.”

Some cricket fans are now asking whether, if Dennis Lilee’s aluminium bat, Ricky Ponting’s graphite-coated bat and Hansie Cronje’s earpiece were declared illegal, Gilchrist’s squash ball should be deemed an illegal artificial aid to batting.

To read what the bloggers have to say go to: http://wordpress.com/tag/cricket-etcetera/

“Two questions arise,” wrote one blogger. “If using a squash ball isn’t ok as per the laws of the game, is his innings legal and does it count? And if it doesn’t count, can Australia claim to have won a hopelessly one-sided and farcical victory?”

Another blogger said Gilchrist had indicated the squash ball in his left glove helped him with his grip during his “stupendous knock”.

“But that’s also where questions over the legality of Gilchrists innings, or the seeming lack of it, come in,” he wrote.

“Can a batsman carry an object, in this case, a squash ball not connected with cricket to help him on the field? Did he secure the prior permission of the umpires? Was the fielding side captain aware of the use of the squash ball? Did (Sri Lankan captain) Mahela Jayawardene approve its use?

“And, above all, and in a manner of speaking, did Gilchrists hidden ball give him an unfair advantage in knocking the daylights out of the Lankan bowlers?”

He lists the law of cricket No.3 as saying:

“Before the toss and during the match, the umpires shall satisfy themselves that

(a) the conduct of the game is strictly in accordance with the Laws. (b) the implements of the game conform to the requirements of Laws 5 (the ball) and 6 (the bat), together with either Laws 8.2 (size of stumps) and 8.3 (the bails) or, if appropriate, Law 8.4 (junior cricket). (c) (i) no player uses equipment other than that permitted. (ii) the wicket-keepers gloves comply with the requirements of Law 40.2 (gloves).”

Jerome Gasperson joined the blog from Australia: “You have very valid points and there are a few more unanswered questions that are worth pursuing further:

1) Gilchrist never used the squash ball in the past and also in any of the other 10 games prior to the finals. Did the squash ball help?

2) Gilchrist was out of form and didn’t score many runs in the whole World Cup tour apart from the finals. Did the squash ball provide Gilchrist the required assistance to bring him back to form?

3) The World Cup final was between Sri Lanka and Gilchrist (not Australia). All other in-form Australian batsmen were struggling to score except the out-of-form Gilchrist who had this squash ball to enhance his grip or did it?

4) Most of his shots, mainly his eight sixes, were massive and cleared the grounds. Did the squash ball help?

5) The number of sixes hit by Gilchrist amounts to eight in the finals, compared to two in the previous 10 games. Is it because of the squash ball?

6) Gilchrist’s average without the last innings would have been a mere 30.40 compared to the 45.30 after the finals. Did the squash ball help to boost his average?

7) Gilchrist’s strikerate without the last innings would have been 91.57 compared to the 103.89 after the finals. Again, did the squash ball provide that extra power?

“I am not taking anything away from Adam Gilchrist’s excellent innings,” Gasperson wrote.

“That was an amazing innings which will be remembered by many for years to come. However, the question still remains: is it legal to use such equipment and will it provide assistance?”

Courtesy : Courier Mail – Australia

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Sri Lankan Captain addresses gathering

Captain Mahela Jayawardene addressed the gathering at the official welcome ceremony held at the Sri Lanka Cricket Head-Quarters on the 3rd of May, 2007.

Courtesy : ITN

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