Half-centuries from Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera and Kumar Sangakkara helped Sri Lanka reach 296 for four in their second innings at the close of the third day of the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong on Monday. The visitors, 1-0 up in the two-Test series, extended their overall lead to 472 without losing a wicket in the final session.
A blunt Indian bowling attack stood exposed as Sri Lanka Board President's XI put up a mammoth 432 for five on the opening day of the three-day warm-up game in Colombo on Tuesday. The Sri Lankan top order treated the Indian attack disdainfully and opener Upul Tharanga (116), Thilina Kandambi (101) and Thilan Samaraweera (102) smashed quick-fire centuries to have the number one Test side on the mat.
Bangladesh slumped to 36-3 in the second innings, and need another 147 runs to make Sri Lanka bat in the first Test.
Sri Lanka dropped middle order batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan from their 16-man squad for the tour of Australia, starting later this month.
Captain Mahela Jayawardene became the 10th batsman to score a century against each of the other Test countries on Saturday on the opening day of the first Test against Pakistan in Karachi. Jayawardene (136 not out) and Thilan Samaraweera (130 not out) shared an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 229 in Sri Lanka's 406 for three at the close.
Sri Lanka have axed middle order batsman Thilan Samaraweera from their 14-man squad for the first test against England
Sri Lanka's preparations for the second Test against the West Indies are being hampered by a flu virus that forced four players to miss team practice on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka, who were bowled out for 243, fought back to reduce Pakistan to 256 for eight after the second day of the first Test.
Sri Lanka struggled to get to grips with Bangladesh's spin bowlers but fought back to score 313 for six at the close of the second day.
Murali took 6-36 and Samaraweera top scored with 51 in their second innings.
Younis Khan scored 124 as to propel Pakistan to 298 for four at the close of the second day, a first innings lead of 90 in the second Test against Sri Lanka.
The hosts amassed a 492-run at the end of the third day in the second Test.
Mahela Jayawardene piled on 237 runs as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 486 on the second day of the first Test against South Africa on Thursday.
The SL captain hit a century to lead Sri Lanka to 411 for five on the disrupted third day of the second Test against Australia.
Jayawardene scored 113 as the visitors were dismissed for 461 in reply to Zimbabwe A's first innings of 294.
The home team reached 264 for two at the close after Jayasuriya clubbed 12 fours and a six in his 85 from 104 balls.
Stead, himself, urged the board in March to consider a separate limited overs head coach but on Tuesday said such a division was probably not suitable for New Zealand.
'It is hugely disappointing because of the amount of work ethics that goes in behind the scenes. It is embarrassing (defeat). Players should be embarrassed with their own performances. Net practice means nothing if you don't get out and put runs on the board'
'Muttiah Muralitharan and Ravichandran Ashwin can't be compared in a strait-jacketed manner.'
Sri Lanka batting coach Thilan Samaraweera said the bowlers let the team down in the second ODI against India where they conceded 50-60 runs too many.
The team heard a loud crackle. Then the scream came from Dilshan at the front of the bus. 'Get down.' Jayawardene was hit first; his sock filled with blood. Outside, twelve gunmen blocked the exit. A revealing excerpt from Nicholas Brookes's An Island's Eleven: A History of Cricket in Sri Lanka.
The four Lashkar-e-Jhangvi terrorists were shot dead by Pakistani police in Lahore.
Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh put together the highest fourth wicket stand in the history of Test cricket on Friday, their combined 449 pushing Australia to 583 for four at lunch on day two of the first Test against West Indies.
A country which produced champion players of spin bowling such as Roy Dias, Arjuna Ranatunga, Aravinda de Silva, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, it has been sharp downward slide for Dinesh Chandimal's men, who have consistently failed against Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
"It was a bad ODI series but we have to take good things from the first match. There were a lot of positives. We have to flush out the negatives. It's a new series and we hope to start well," Perera said on the eve of the T20I series opener at the Barabati Stadium.
'It's a tournament of the top eight teams and more challenging than the World Cup'
A 22 year old took the honours on Day 3.
Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul and skipper Virat Kohli warmed up for their first training session
Just as they were about a kilometre away from the stadium, Taufel says, he heard something that sounded like firecrackers.
Statistical highlights on Day 3 of the third cricket Test between India and Sri Lanka in New Delhi on Monday
Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh combined for 449 runs and the sixth highest partnership in Test cricket history to put Australia firmly in control after the second day of the first Test against West Indies on Friday.
Cricket teams have previously abandoned tours amid outbreaks of violence.
The film to be produced under Daggubati's banner Suresh Productions, will see Vijay Sethupathi portray the role of Sri Lankan spin legend.
Against the backdrop of the West Indies team's withdrawal from its tour of India, Rediff.com takes a look at instances when cricket tours have been called off midway through a series.
In a fitting tribute to Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews spoke of Don Bradman and the retiring great in the same breath, calling him the most "consistent batsman he has ever seen".
'I would have loved to win a 50-over World Cup. We had two chances, but we didn't convert them.' 'There are regrets, but not regrets that I will be thinking about for years and years.'
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances