Advantage Sri Lanka at fortress Galle against depleted England

It is 25 months since England toured Sri Lanka in 2018 and yet, remarkably, Dimuth Karunaratne’s team have played just two home Test matches since that series. England have played 12 home Tests, and 21 in all, in the same period. The contrast is striking, a neat illustration of the gulf between the small number of wealthy cricketing boards that make money from Test cricket, and thus play it regularly, and the majority who do not play anywhere nea

Sri Lanka’s Mathews returns for England Tests

Former Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews has recovered from injury and was named Wednesday in a 22-player squad to face England in two Tests in Galle.

’Absolute rubbish’ - Langer goes into bat for Paine, Smith

Australia coach Justin Langer gave under-fire skipper Tim Paine his “100 percent” support and blasted criticism of Steve Smith as “absolute rubbish” Wednesday after a backlash against their behaviour in the drawn third Test against India in Sydney.

Sri Lanka rope in Grant Luden to coaching staff

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has appointed Grant Luden as the physical performance manager of the side. Luden, a specialist in the area of strength and conditioning, will focus on developing the elite layers of Sri Lanka and will be in charge of the overall Strength and Conditioning program of the SLC.

Jadeja’s hand injury piles on pressure on India bowlers

Sri Lanka’s Dananjaya cleared to bowl again in international cricket

Sri Lanka spinner Akila Dananjaya will be allowed to resume bowling in international cricket following remedial work on his action, the International Cricket Council announced Friday. Dananjaya was banned from bowling in international matches for 12 months after being reported for exceeding the 15 degree level of tolerance for arm flexion during a Test against New Zealand in Galle.

England squad barring Moeen Ali test negative for Covid-19 in Sri Lanka

Moeen Ali tested positive on Monday upon arriving in Sri Lanka and will continue his 10-day self-isolation in a separate wing of the visitors’ team hotel; Chris Woakes - a possible close contact of Moeen - tested negative but will continue to isolate as a precaution

Karunaratne's ton in vain as South Africa eases to 10-wicket win

Nine minutes into day three, Sri Lanka’s head coach was on the balcony, on his feet and applauding Dimuth Karnaratne’s tenth Test ton. Thirteen minutes later, Arthur had his head buried in his hands probably aware that the knockout punch has been landed by South Africa. Karnaratne made 103 before Sri Lanka folded for 211 to set the hosts a target of 67 in order to gain a 2-0 series win.

South Africa close in on series win over Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka were bowled out for 211 in their second innings as South Africa closed in on victory on the third day of the second Test at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Jimmy Anderson says he feels in top shape ahead of England’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka

Jimmy Anderson has insisted he is fitter than he has been for years as he embarks on one of the most gruelling fixture lists England’s Test team has ever faced.

Karunaratne, Fernando give Sri Lanka new lifeline

At the start of the second day, South Africa looked set to bat just once in the second Test. The bowlers had shot down Sri Lanka for 157 and they were trailing by just nine before the start of play. By the time the stumps were drawn, Sri Lanka had put themselves in a position to sow some doubts in the minds of the South African batsmen.

Moeen Ali tests positive for COVID-19

England cricketer Moeen Aali has been tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival in Sri Lanka. PCR test administered on arrival at the airport in Hambantota on Sunday 3rd January has confirmed Ali’s positive results.

Nortje takes six wickets, Elgar scores 92 to put SAfrica in driving seat

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 3 (Reuters) - South African seamer Anrich Nortje claimed a career-best six-wicket haul and opener Dean Elgar backed it up with an unbeaten 92 runs as the home team forged an early advantage over Sri Lanka on the opening day of the second test.

Fitness key for South Africa, Sri Lanka

Fitness will play as big a role as form when South Africa and Sri Lanka finalise their teams for the second and final Test, starting at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Babar ruled out of second Test against New Zealand

Pakistan’s talismanic captain Babar Azam has been ruled out of the second Test against New Zealand starting in Christchurch on Sunday as he struggles to overcome a broken thumb. The announcement from team doctor Sohail Saleem came just hours after stand-in captain Mohammad Rizwan said Azam had batted well in the nets but wanted more practice time before being confirmed in the starting XI.

Former India captain Ganguly hospitalised after chest pains

Indian cricket legend Sourav Ganguly was rushed to hospital Saturday after complaining of chest pains, the chief minister in his home state said.

Players free to quit tour if they are down, says England skipper Root

New Zealand’s Williamson overtakes Smith, Kohli as top Test batsman

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson has overtaken Australia’s Steve Smith and India captain Virat Kohli to be the number one Test batsman in the world in the latest ICC rankings released Thursday.

New Zealand’s broken-toe hero Wagner to miss second Pakistan Test

New Zealand’s first-Test hero Neil Wagner will miss the second Test against Pakistan and is expected to be out for more than five weeks as he recovers from breaking two toes during this week’s dramatic victory, his coach said Thursday.

BCB consider two-Test tour of Sri Lanka in April

Bangladesh Cricket Board chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury revealed that the board was considering a short tour of Sri Lanka in April. BCB recently restarted negotiations with Sri Lanka Cricket about the postponed tour from 2020 and as per the latest developments, the two boards are studying the feasibility of a two-Test series and possibly augment that with a few white-ball games

New Zealand has nail-biting win in 1st test against Pakistan

New Zealand beat Pakistan by 101 runs in the first cricket test which ended very late on the fifth day Wednesday, achieving their third straight win in three home tests this summer and taking a 1-0 lead in the two-test series. At the same time New Zealand overtook Australia to claim the No. 1 world ranking in tests for the first time in its history.

Mulder, Sipamla star as S Africa complete innings victory v Sri Lanka

Australia thrash India by eight wickets to take 1-0 series lead

Josh Hazlewood took five for eight as Australia romped to an emphatic victory by eight wickets in the first test at Adelaide Oval on Saturday after skittling India for 36, their lowest innings score in 88 years of test cricket.

England tour of Sri Lanka dates confirmed

England have confirmed their postponed two-Test series against Sri Lanka has been rearranged for January. The tour was due to take place in March, but was cut short during the warm-up games because of the coronavirus pandemic.

South Africa-England ODI called off amid Covid scare

The first ODI between South Africa and England in Cape Town has been called off, less than an hour before the toss.

Andre Russell hammers 65 off 19 balls, Colombo Kings make 96 to win five-over shootout

With this innings, Andre Russell basically crash-landed at the LPL like an alien from a way bigger-hitting planet than earth, clobbering what seemed like nine dozen sixes (apparently four sixes, according to the scorecard) and half-a-million fours (nine fours) in the space of five overs, to send Colombo Kings sky-rocketing to some ludicrous total that - let’s be honest - Galle Gladiators never really had a hope of chasing down.

Shanaka, Patel fashion Dambulla Viiking win in rain-hit game

Dambulla Viiking entered the Lanka Premier League 2020 with an auspicious win against Kandy Tuskers after their game was stalled by a heavy downpour during the run-chase at the Sooriyawewa stadium in Hambantota yesterday.

Dimuth positive as Lanka brace for ‘tough’ South Africa tour

When Dimuth Karunaratne took a group of young cricketers to South Africa last year, the prospects of a thrashing loomed ominously on the horizon. With Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal out of the series, the chances of even a draw were remote, leaving alone a win. However, what ensued at the end of the two-match series was truly remarkable as Sri Lanka clinched it 2-0.

Avishka Fernando powers Jaffna Stallions to easy win

Shahid Afridi was at his menacing best as he scored 23 ball 58 studded with 6 sixes. But that wasn’t enough to save Gladiators from a defeat at the hands of Jaffna Stallions.

Brilliant Bairstow guides England to victory in first T20 v S.Africa

England’s Jonny Bairstow bludgeoned a brilliant unbeaten 86 from 48 balls as the tourists chased down 180 to beat South Africa by five wickets with four balls to spare on a slow wicket in the first Twenty20 International at Newlands on Friday.