Cricket - Int News
Sri Lankan record holder to miss Pakistan tour: School principal proud of her recent achievements
BIPIN DANI
Vishmi Gunarathna will miss the Pakistan tour because of her Level 11 examinations to run from May 23 to June 1. Sri Lanka's women's team will play three T-20Is and three ODIs' in Pakistan between May 24 and June 5.
Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya (Gampaha, Sri Lanka) is proud of her pupil Vishmi Gunarathna, who at the age of 16 years smashed unbeaten 417 runs, the highest score in Under-19 Schools Cricket last week.
Vishmi's 417 runs scored in 128 balls (30-over match against Jayasiripura Kanishta Vidyalaya) included 49 fours and 29 sixes. Interestingly, she reached her 300th, 350th and 400th runs with sixes.
"She has reestablished the history of Sri Lankan girls’ Cricket, setting a new record. We are proud of her achievement", the school principal Mrs. HAH Jayawardena said over the telephone.
Vishmi commenced career in sports with athletics securing national level victories in 100m,200m,100mx 4 , and has been able to set new national records in the years 2018 and 2019 in 100mx4.
"Presently she captains the school Cricket Team and is an all-rounder. She has also brought pride for the school by representing the national team as an opening batter".
Vishmi is good in her academic career also.
"Vishmi Gunarathna who is in grade 11 of our school has been a bonafide student of the school since grade 6 and she has been outstanding in every aspect", the principal added.
In January this year, Vishmi represented the country in Commonwealth Games Women's Cricket Competition Qualifiers in Malaysia and had played four international matches.
Vishmi's elder sister, Nethmi Gunarathna has also been an outstanding student of our school who secured a number of victories in cricket as well as athletics bringing fame and reputation to the school", added the principal.
Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis return from Dhaka Premier League for fitness tests
BIPIN DANI
Sri Lankan all-rounder (and possible vice captain on the forthcoming Bangladesh tour) Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis have returned (to Sri Lanka) from Bangladesh, where they were playing the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League.
"They gave and passed their fitness tests on Monday", one of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board sources revealed.
Both Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis were recently hired by two franchise teams-Abhani Limited and Mohammedan Sports Club- respectively to play List A Dhaka Premier League (DPL) matches in Bangladesh.
More than 80 players (yes, you have read right, above 80 players) gave their fitness tests on Monday and "almost all" have passed.
This long list (of more than 80 players included) included the national players to leave for the Bangladesh tour, Under-19 players and players from the Emerging squad. They underwent tests for skin folds, strength, speed and agility and endurance, it is learnt.
Fitness tests of the national men's team were supervised by the new head coach Chris Siverwood, whereas the young players' tests were conducted in the presence of Ruwan Kalpage, the head coach for the Emerging squad, which is to leave for the England tour.
Pramodya Wickramasinghe to be tour selector in Bangladesh
Bipin Dani
Sri Lanka's chief selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe will travel with the team to Bangladesh, it is learnt.
According to the well-placed sources in the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board, the 50-year-old former right-arm fast bowler will act as a selector on tour.
The Sri Lankan team which is scheduled to leave for Bangladesh on May 8 will play a 2-day match (May 11 and 12) before the two Test matches in Chattogram (May 15-19) and Dhaka (May 23-27).
The squad is unlikely to have Chaminda Vaas as bowling coach. The SLC had already named him as a bowling coach, however, the negotiations between the two have failed and the board is likely to send someone else.
The new coach Chris Silverwood, who acted as an observer and had one-to-one with some players will begin the coaching and supervise the training sessions from Tuesday onwards with those players, who passed their fitness tests on Monday.
The coach is likely to address his first media interaction this week, it is understood.
New Sports Council
In the meantime, the sports minister Thenuka Vidanamage is likely to announce the new members of the National Sports Council this week.
"Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara didn't show interest for a zoom meeting and hence I presume they are not interested. Will form a new committee this week", the hon. minister, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo, confirmed.
Mohammad Hasnain modifies his bowling action
Khurram Shehzad Awan
RAWALPINDI:-Young Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain has modified his bowling action and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will soon contact International Cricket Council (ICC) for reassessment.
The 22-year-old's bowling action was found illegal on February 4 after umpires in Australia's Big Bash League (BBL) reported. He underwent a test at the ICC's accredited testing centre in Lahore on January 21.
The report stated that his elbow extension for his good length delivery, full-length delivery, slow bouncer and bouncer exceeded the 15-degree limits.
According to sources, the modification of Hasnain's bowling action has been completed under the supervision of Umar Rasheed at the National High Performance Center (NHPC).
Tests at a local laboratory also found that the elbow of his arm was within the legal range of 15-degree limits. After complete satisfaction, the PCB will now formally request a review from the ICC.
The world's governing body will send Hasnain to a recognized laboratory for a test. He will be allowed to play international cricket if clearance is obtained.
Wasim Khan appointed as ICC General Manager of Cricket
Aamir Ali Janjua
DUBAI (UAE):-The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed Wasim Khan has been appointed as ICC General Manager, Cricket and will take up his post next month.
Khan who was previously the Chief Executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Leicestershire County Cricket Club and Chance to Shine, will take over from Geoff Allardice who spent eight years in the role before being appointed as the ICC CEO.
Allardice said:
“I am delighted to welcome Wasim to the ICC. He brings an in-depth knowledge of our sport and its stakeholders and his firsthand experience of the international cricket landscape will be of enormous benefit as we implement the ICC global growth strategy and move forward into a new events cycle.”
Khan added:
“I am honoured to be joining the ICC, I can’t wait to get started and work in partnership with our Members to strengthen and grow our sport. I’m particularly excited by the ICC’s commitment to the growth of the women’s game, and I look forward to playing my part in really accelerating that growth over the next decade.”
Bangladesh Under-19 World Cup winning captain confident about the success of Naveed Nawaz
BIPIN DANI
Bangladesh's Under-19 World Cup winning captain Akbar Ali is confident that Sri Lanka's new assistant coach Naveed Nawaz will be successful in his new journey.
The 48-year-old ex-left hand batter was a coach when Bangladesh U-19 team won the 2020 World Cup final in South Africa.
Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Dhaka, Akbar Ali said, "Naveed sir had a great impact on our team. He was like a nucleus for us during the World Cup``.
"He is someone who gave us freedom to express ourselves and always used to tell the players to be hungry for runs and wickets. He used to motivate us always to achieve something, to get success in all walks of life ".
"I wish him all the success in his new Sri Lanka journey. He knows how to extract work from the players. I am sure he will rock there. Like the personality he carries, he knows how to attract the players and how the players can listen to him".
Sri Lanka will play two Test matches in Bangladesh next month.
Mahela, Sanga with all defunct sports council members invited to meet new minister
Bipin Dani
Sri Lanka's new sports minister Amith Thenuka Vidanagamage has invited the members of the defunct National Sports Council on Friday.
Confirming the same on Wednesday evening, the minister, speaking exclusively over the telephone, said, "I have invited all the members of the National Sports Council which was appointed by the earlier minister Namal Rajapaksha to my office on Friday at 10.30 am".
"Now Namal Rajapaksha is no longer the sports minister and hence the Council which was appointed by him is non-functional", the new minister confirmed.
"These people have done a good job and therefore I have invited them all".
"Yes, I am Mahela Jayawardene (he was a chairman of the NSC) and Kumar Sangakkara are overseas but we have requested them to attend the meet on zoom-call. It will be up to them to respond to this call", the minister confirmed.
Mahela Jayawardene and Sangakkara are holding the top positions with the two franchise teams- (Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals respectively).
The minister has no immediate plan to discuss the formation of a new Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC).
"First let me hear about the NSC and then will decide on cricket", he concluded.
Rotterdam to host inaugural Netherlands-Pakistan ODI series
Sports Bulletin Report
LAHORE:-Pakistan and Netherlands will play their inaugural bilateral ODI series in August when Rotterdam will host the three ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League matches on 16, 18 and 21. The two sides have previously met in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups 1996 and 2003, and the ICC Champions Trophy 2002 with Pakistan winning the three matches.
The three Super League ODIs were earlier planned in July 2020, but had to be postponed following the Covid-19 outbreak. Hosts Netherlands have won two of their 10 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League matches, while Pakistan have a 50 per cent record in the 12 matches. The event will determine which seven highest-placed sides plus hosts India will qualify directly for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
PCB Director, International Zakir Khan said:
“We are pleased that with the support of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond (KNCB), we have been able to reschedule the series, which is important to the growth and development of cricket in Netherlands as well as to the two teams’ chances of progressing directly to the 2023 World Cup.
“Our men’s national cricket team had an excellent 2021-22 season and I am confident they will build on the momentum to entertain expat Pakistanis and the Dutch spectators with good cricket. This series will also help KNCB attract new and young audiences towards the game.”
Series schedule:
16 Aug – 1st ODI; VOC Cricket Ground, Rotterdam
18 Aug – 2nd ODI; VOC Cricket Ground, Rotterdam
21 Aug – 3rd ODI; VOC Cricket Ground, Rotterdam
Bangladesh Tour: Sri Lankan players to undergo proper fitness tests on May 25
BIPIN DANI
All Sri Lankan players touring Bangladesh next month will undergo proper fitness tests on April 25, it is learnt.
According to the sources in Colombo, most of the preliminary squad members, who are in Sri Lanka and not part of the League matches overseas or playing English counties underwent the pre-testing and medical check-ups on Tuesday.
No quarantine restrictions
The squad members leaving on 8th May in a commercial flight will not be required to undergo any room quarantine, a top BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) official said.
Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Dhaka, one of the officials confirmed, "Covid pandemic is easing out and therefore there will be no quarantine restrictions".
"They (the players and their support staff) will undergo PCR tests on arrival and if cleared, they can start training from the very next day", the source added.
The BCB's medical team has given this protocol to the management, it is learnt.
Team head coach Chris Silverwood and the new assistant coach Naveed Nawaz have already arrived in Sri Lanka from England and Australia respectively. The squad is unlikely to have a separate specialist batting coach but the responsibilities will lie with the assistant coach.
Selectors have picked the preliminary squad of 23 players. They are not to be put in a hotel but will come for training from their home to R. Premadasa Stadium from Wednesday.
SLC's High Performance Centre has also sent a list of 12 support staff members for executive committee's approval.
The 23-players squad may be reduced to 18 and 12 support staff may be sent to Bangladesh.
ECB appoints Rob Key as Managing Director of England Cricket
Sports Bulletin Report
LONDON:-Rob Key has been confirmed as the new Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket. Following a rigorous recruitment process, the former England international will take up the role immediately. Key will also relinquish his current role with Sky Sports.
Key will be responsible for the strategy behind the England Men’s cricket teams and the performance pathways leading into them. He will also take a key role as part of the High Performance Review which will begin shortly.
Prior to the appointment, Sir Andrew Strauss had undertaken the role on an interim basis following Ashley Giles’ departure in February after three years.
A former England cricketer and Kent captain, Key is a hugely respected figure in the game. Key played 21 times for England across all three formats including making a Test double hundred against the West Indies at Lord’s in 2004 which led to him being named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2005.
During a playing career that spanned three decades (1998-2015), Key amassed over 28,000 runs with 60 centuries. He captained Kent twice from 2006-2012 and then again from 2014-15. During his time as captain the side won the County Championship 2nd Division title in 2010 and reached three white ball domestic finals. He was also part of the England side who won the Under-19 World Cup for the first and only time in 1998.
After announcing his retirement in 2016, Key became a successful commentator for Sky Sports alongside writing a regular column for the Evening Standard. He has remained involved in the administration side of the game and has previously sat on the ECB’s Performance Cricket Committee.
Rob Key said, “It is an absolute honour to take up this role. The chance to have an impact and make a difference is an opportunity given to very few and I will give it everything I have to try shape the next great era of English Men’s cricket.
“I have absolutely loved my time at Sky and I could never have imagined leaving were it not for this incredible opportunity. I’d like to personally thank Bryan Henderson and everyone in the team for their help and support.
“Although at this current moment it has been a challenging time in English cricket, I also think it’s as exciting a time as I can remember. With two of our teams near or at the top of the world rankings and an undoubted amount of talent in our game, I hope to try and bring everyone along for the ride so we can all help take English Men’s cricket to new heights across all formats.”
Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer said, “Following a thorough recruitment process, Rob stood out in a very competitive field. His passion and knowledge of the game at domestic and international level is outstanding. He is a proven leader and combines an approachable nature with fresh original thinking and resilience which will stand him in good stead. He will bring a lot to the role and I am sure players and staff alike will enjoy working with Rob. I have no doubt he will relish the challenge before us.”
“I’d like to thank Andrew for agreeing to step back into the role on an interim basis. To have someone of his experience and skillset during the transition and recruitment process was invaluable. He remains a huge asset to English and Welsh Cricket.”
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