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Sale of nomination forms today
Principal Correspondent
IN ELECTION season, the voters’ list of Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) has seen sudden surge in the number of affiliated units which crossed the 100-figure mark for the first time.
The elections of the association are going to be held on December 17 at its office off Amravati Road.
Last year, the number of affiliated units (clubs, schools colleges and districts) were 99 but the elections were cancelled after High Court’s order.
This year, it seems members have worked round the clock to increase their vote base which resulted in 118 affiliated units registering their names. Whether all these affiliated units field their teams for competition is there to be seen.
In B Division, 48 Clubs have registered themselves while 38 schools got affiliated with the association.
In contrast only seven colleges have registered with the hockey governing body.
Surprisingly, with hardly any competition held since last few season for women teams, 13 women clubs got affiliated. Despite Out of 11 districts in Vidarbha, only six are affiliated with VHA. With six patrons, 321 life members and 118 affiliated units, the total voters list has been increased to 445.
Since the first elections of the association in 2005, the subsequent governing bodies surprisingly failed to delete the names of deceased members which comes around 100.
On Wednesday, Election officer Srigopal Madanlal Soni heard the objections raised by the members on voters’ list.
Two representatives, Subashchandra Gupta and Anoop Kumar Damble, filed their names from Vijayanta Hockey Club. Tanveer Ahmed, President of Vijayanta Hockey Club personally visited the election office on Wednesday evening and gave written assurance that Mr Damle will be his representative, election officer deleted the name of Gupta who’s name was filed by Salim Baig.
Hockey Promoters Panel raised objection on voters list and alleged that several affiliated units were given registration after the scheduled date. They demanded to have a look at the lists submitted by various units but Soni rejected their application stating that the Panel is not registered with VHA.
“I have verified the receipt book and the minute books of the association and have found that the receipts issued by the association to 118 affiliated units was well within prescribed time. Since the Panel is not a member of VHA, I am unable to grant you inspection of the records to Hockey Promoters Panel,” stated the letter from election officer Soni.
Meanwhile, final voters list will be displayed on Thursday ad sale of nomination forms will be held same day (5 to 7 pm). Submission of nomination form will be held on December 5 while the withdrawal can be done on December 9 between 4 and 6 pm after which the final list of contestants will be displayed.
Soni is being assisted by CA Balkisan Bang, Rajesh Lahoti and Satish Biyani in election process.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 27
A LACKLUSTRE performance in the match by Sri Lankan team has left coach Nic Pothas hugely disappointed. He said the players should be themselves embarrassed by their show.
“You hit the nail on the head, you can talk all you want to you, can plan a lot but at the end of the day you’ve got to execute. As a player your currency is runs, wickets and catches and you can do all. But you are not producing them obviously there will be repercussions. I am hugely disappointed with the defeat because of the amount of work ethics that goes in behind the scenes.
It’s embarrassing players should be embarrassed in their own performances. Practicing in the nets means nothing if you do not go out and put runs on the board,” thundered Pothas in the post-match press conference.
Pothas lauded the Indian pacers and said they have worked for a long time and have a strong bench strength.
“They are in a position because they worked for a long time to ensure they got a strong bench. If you are going to be successful at the top, of any sport, your bench is important and India has a very strong bench. Not only they have pace but a huge amount of skill at the same,” he mentioned.
Pothas believed that the team is learning a lot while playing against India. The results would be seen in next two years. Sri Lanka played with India in two series in less than a year.
“I firmly believe that if you play a team like India in such a short space of time, twice six Test matches, the guys with the right characters which I keep talking about and keep asking for, will get better into the future. As long as the curve is in a general upward trend when you look down the line that persons going to get better.
Pothas compared cricket with the game of chess saying, “When you play a team like India if one team makes a move you better have a counter move. If you don’t, you will fall off that bus. At the moment, we got a few in our change room who keep making the same move and losing pieces off the chess board.”
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 27
IT WAS in 2010 when Rohit Sharma, about to make his debut here in Nagpur, twisted his ankle on the morning of the first Test against South Africa. That freak injury gave Wriddhiman Saha a chance to make his debut and Rohit had to wait for almost three years to don the India whites.
As if making up for that delayed arrival, Rohit chose to wipe the memory with a sparkling century at the same place. It was icing on the cake for a player who was just happy to be back in Tests after a wilderness of more than 500 days.
Speaking to the media after India crushed Sri Lanka, Rohit said finally the Jamtha stadium gave him something.
“Personally for me, it was very important as I was playing Test cricket after nearly 500 days. I have been waiting for this opportunity and I am glad that I could put some runs on the board for myself and team. I clearly remember this was the ground where I got injured and I had to wait three years to make my Test debut. This ground has now given me something to go back,” said Rohit, who scored an unbeaten 102 in India’s first innings.
On the race to reach personal milestones between R Ashwin and Umesh Yadav, Rohit said they were not going for milestones but wanted to finish the game as early as possible.
“I think it was just about getting the batsman out and finishing the game off. I think this team has never worried about individual milestones. If it happens on the way, well and good, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. There’s another Test match where Umesh can probably get his 100th wicket,” he said.
“However, hat’s off to Ashwin. He’s been, in the last maybe five, six years, one of the match-winners of the team. The way he has performed and the way he’s brought the team back from difficult situations, hats off, and I hope that he continues and wish him all the luck,” Rohit heaped praises on India’s number one spinner.
Rohit felt that Sri Lankans played some shots which they shouldn’t have.
“They played some shots that were not necessary and they should have taken the game till the end. It’s all about creating pressure, bowling at right channels. All four bowlers, who bowled, it seemed like they can get wicket anytime. On a wicket like this, where the pitch is slow where an odd ball is turning and bouncing, there was a bit of reverse swing, you have to stay patient and keep the balls in right channels.”
Rohit said the Indian bowlers have evolved immensely in last couple of years.
“I think they have evolved immensely, the last home season was a great eye opener for all the bowlers. Playing on slow pitches is never easy and then to come out victorious and put on some match-winning performances was really pleasing. The last 13 matches we played in India, I think, there was a huge contribution from the bowling unit as well. Now, when we go and play abroad, the confidence is there,” he said.
The Mumbaikar felt that present bowling unit has come of age and will deliver in foreign lands too.
“They have learned a lot in the last two years of Test match cricket where they have played. When we went to South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and England before, these guys were a little inexperienced and now they have come of age. They exactly know their bowling, which is the most important thing – for any cricketer to know their game,” Rohit added.
On the regrets of not playing as many matches as he could have, Rohit said, “There will always be regrets in your life. Even if you score 10,000 runs, you will feel, “oh, I should have scored 15,000 runs”. Or people will tell you, “you should have scored 15,000 runs, man”. So that’s what it is. That’s what this world is and that’s what we’re living in. But
for me I’m glad that I’m back on my feet.”
Ashwin completes 300 Test wickets, India crush hapless Lanka
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 27
AFTER the first day’s play, Sri Lankan coach Nic Pothas had said his players were empowered to play their shots. On Monday, after his side surrendered meekly by an innings and 239 runs to India, he was again asked about his batsmen’s failure. The coach said his batsmen “hit the bats on their heads.”
It took just a session and a bit more for India to nail the ‘headless’ Lankan batting. They motored to a thumping win in three and a half days with Ravichandran Ashwin cruising to fastest 300 wickets in Test cricket. The win, India’s joint biggest has given the hosts an unassailable 1-0 lead.
Ashwin was not even born when Australian pacer Dennis Lillee took 300 Test wickets from 56 matches in 1981. Thirty-six years later, 31-year-old Ashwin climbed to top of the chart by taking 300 wickets in lesser number of matches (54) when he bowled Lahiru Gamage after lunch. His match figures read 130 for eight from 45.4 overs.
Local boy Umesh Yadav, who made his home international debut in this match, took two wickets in the innings to stand on the cusp of reaching of his personal milestone of 100 wickets in Tests. His tally stands at 99 from 35 matches.
It was never easy for Sri Lanka to lose the first day and then make a come back against the World Number 1 Test team.
Resuming the day at 21-1, Sri Lankan batsmen fell like nine pins losing wickets in heap. Their ordeal ended at 166 runs.
Wiping out India’s lead of 384 was always going to be an arduous task. For that, Lanka needed the grit and patience of Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara. None of the Sri Lankan batsmen showed stomach to stand in the middle and buy time.
After Dimuth Karunaratne got out to a freaky catch by Murali Vijay at forward short-leg, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, all gift-wrapped their wickets to the Indian bowlers. Former captain Mathews disappointed again by giving a simple catch off Ravindra Jadeja to Rohit Sharma at mid-off.
Shanaka went for Ashwin and hit two sixes in same over but
that little cameo ended when he ballooned a simple catch to KL Rahul.
Sri Lankan batsmen scooped, lobbed and skied their hits to give some catch practice to the Indian fielders.
With eight wickets down and India in total command, lunchtime was extended to 15 minutes to see whether
Kohli’s men could complete the formalities.
However, Sri Lanka managed to hang on with captain Dinesh Chandimal and Suranga Lakmal. Chandimal stood alone at one end for his fighting 61 from 82 balls while Lakmal added 31 from 42 balls as the eighth wicket
partnership produced 58 runs, the best of Sri Lanka’s second innings. Chandimal’s dismissal, a few overs after lunch,
meant Kohli will reach
South Africa with a record of not having lost a Test series as a
captain.
Chandimal admitted his team was outplayed from Day One. “It was a good toss to win. Unfortunately, we were outplayed from the first day. Our batting let us down again,” he said.
Kohli said the pitch was good to bat but was on a slower side. “The pitch was good to bat on. It was on the slower side, but there was nothing much happening from the pitch. I just wanted to bat the way I bat, get into good position, rotate strike, and score quickly so our bowlers have time to bowl the opposition out. We will need that overseas so I was looking at doing that here as well,” said Kohli.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 26
WITH the team looking down the barrel, Sri Lankan bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake feels that this side had done pretty well against India as compared to their previous record.
“The whole system has to think of that. What we have for the tour is what we have. We have to manage with that. Saying that with the past record in Sri Lanka against India, we have done quite well comparing that they have scored 600 runs in 176 overs compared to some of the runs they scored in Sri Lanka which was much earlier than that,” he said while stressing to look at the future.
Ratnayake said the wicket was good to bat on and his side should have put up more runs. “First and foremost, we have to say that it was a good track and we should have put on more than what we have done. India showed that (how to bat on such tracks).”
When informed that his side was unable to bowl out India
in last five games, the bowling coach said they came very close to doing so.
“We came quite close in the first Test. People then said that it was a green track. We took 17 wickets in Kolkata. It is a concern. I am not trying to say that we have the best bowlers. We have to do things in a way so that we have the best. In today’s context we have not done well. I would like to, still, encourage the bowlers saying that they have slowed the process a little bit. We need to take 20 wickets that’s for sure.”
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 26
VIRAT Kohli, the Indian captain is in the zone. He is breaking records at will. On Sunday, Kohli hit his fifth double century in 16 months. Team-mate Cheteshwar Pujara praised his captain saying Virat is a player who can perform well in all formats of the game.
“He is a kind of player who performs well in all formats of the game. The way he started off, if there was some other batsmen, I don’t think they could have started in the same way.
“I think, it’s his confidence and way he is batting, in last two-three years, it would have been difficult for any other batsman to score with such strike rate,” Pujara said after the day’s play.
Pujara himself scored a sublime 143 and had two huge partnerships, first with Murali Vijay (209) and then with Kohli (183) to floor the Sri Lankans. When asked to assess his hundred in context of his half century he scored in the first Test at Kolkata, Pujara said both the tracks were different.
“Kolkata was a different wicket altogether with lot of assistance for the fast bowlers especially in the first innings. Coming to this particular wicket, I think, it was difficult to score runs as this wicket was on the slower side. It wasn’t easy to get boundaries and we had to rotate the strike, whenever we got some opportunities, we tried playing some shots. But overall, it was a tough pitch, where you might not get out but it was also difficult to score runs.”
Pujara said the ball had started turning and Indian spinners would come in play on the morrow.
“I think, the ball has started turning and we are hoping Day 4, spinners will come into play and at the same time, there is variable bounce for fast bowlers, Ishant and Umesh will also come into play.”
Saying that they had to run hard to score singles, Pujara said he had worked hard on his fitness in last two years, which helped him a lot.
“I think last one and half to two years, I have been working hard on my fitness and luckily there has not been any injuries, and injuries are something I have gone through and that is in past,” Pujara said.
On playing in South Africa on pacy and bouncy tracks, Pujara said he has the experience of playing in the South African conditions.
“I have enough experience of playing in South African conditions. I have been there in 2010 and then again in 2013, so experience will definitely help.”
Talking about the time for preparation for the SA series, Pujara felt the Test players would get enough time to prepare.
“Those we who are part of Test team will have enough time to prepare for SA series. First Test starts on Jan 5, before that there’s plenty of time to prepare. Personally, County experience and past SA experience will certainly help because I have improved my technique specially playing in overseas conditions.”
On the lack of warm–up games Pujara said, “As far as practice games are concerned, I should not be the one commenting.
“It also depends on schedule and how BCCI plans the tour. But, going there little bit early – a week or 10 days early, and then practicing on those pitches are important.”
Rohit also slams hundred as India smell victory
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 26
HIS hunger to score runs never ends. Whenever Virat Kohli walks in to bat, scorers world over have to be on their toes and statisticians get ready to update their record books.
On a lazy Sunday at VCA Jamtha, the captain broke several records as India piled on the agony on a pedestrian Sri Lankan bowling to declare at 610 for six. At stumps, Sri Lanka were 21 for 1, trailing by 384 runs.
Ishant Sharma had sent Sadeera Samarawickrama back for the second time in the match. Sharma’s second delivery nipped in and kissed the bails on off stump to stun the opener.
The day, though, belonged to Kohli. On July 21, 2016, he had slammed his first double hundred against the West Indies. After just 16 months, the batsman now has five under his belt after he hit a magnificent 213 against Sri Lanka. Kohli also joined Rahul Dravid who also has scored five double centuries.
It was Kohli’s 12th century while leading the Indian team and he surpassed Sunil Gavaskar’s previous record of 11 tons.
Kohli also slamed his 10th International century in a year which has six in ODIs and four in Tests.
Ricky Ponting with nine hundreds (each in 2005 and 2006) and South African Graeme Smith (nine in 2005) held the record for most number of tons in one year whil leading their sides.
Kohli had scored a century in Nagpur against England in 2012. Three years later the captain was not among runs against South Africa with (22 and 16 runs) nothing to show. However, this time Kohli cracked the code with his fifth double hundred to bat Lanka out of the second Test. Rohit Sharma, too, hit an unbeaten 102 to end his four-year wait for a Test century. Once the Mumbai batsman crossed the three-figure mark, India declared their innings. This is only the third instance when India had four centurions in the innings.
The opposition showed semblance of attack as Kohli picked runs without any fuss. After tea, India increased the pace and Kohli and Rohit, who both added 173 runs for the fifth wicket, hit a couple of boundaries and sixes. The India captain raced to 194 with a six of Dilruwan Perera over mid-wicket. He tapped one straight to complete one of his easiest double centuries. The celebration was mild, not animated. Kohli just raised his bat and looked heavenwards. The pedestrian bowling attack might be the reason.
Cheteshwar Pujara (143) and Murali Vijay had laid the foundation with 209 runs for the second wicket. Kohli joined Pujara to add 183 runs for third wicket. Then he and Rohit Sharma made it impossible for the Sri Lankans to come back.
The door was shut on Lanka on third afternoon itself when Kohli and Pujara continued to fetch runs easily. Though Pujara started slowly, scoring his first run of the day after playing 23 dot balls, he did not give the visitors any space. The duo picked up singles from gaps and in the process Pujara completed 3000 Test runs becoming the quickest Indian batter to do so in 53 innings. He wiped off Tendulkar’s record of 55 innings.
But the year is all of Indian captain. He has now scored 10 Test centuries as a captain surpassing Australian Ricky Pointing who had nine.
It was as exquisite as it gets for Kohli. His footwork was marvellous, executing the drives and punching off backfoot. The opposition was weak and Kohli took full advantage of it. There was no change of gears as his fifty and hundred and double hundred came at the same pace and
from almost equal number of deliveries. The boundaries, too, were equally divided. For his half century, Kohli had taken 66 deliveries and had hit five boundaries. His next fifty came from 64 deliveries and had five fours. He took 63 balls to reach 150 and then another 66 to complete his double century. His flamboyant knock included 17 boundaries and two sixes. However, Kohli’s double ton overshadowed the fine innings of Pujara who held the innings from one end and also of Rohit, who was making his First Class comeback after 13 months layoff. For the visitors, they were on a leather hunt for whole day, except for the nine overs they batted in their second innings.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 24
SRI Lankan coach Nic Pothas credited Indian bowlers for their superb bowling on a wicket that has no demons. The visitors’ poor run with the bat continued as they were bundled out for 205 in the first innings of the second Test here at Jamtha.
“Credit to the Indian bowlers. They bowled really well on this wicket. There was no demon in it,” said Pothas during the presser. Pothas rued the fact that they gave wickets to straighter deliveries. “I said there are no demons in the wicket and six of our wickets fell to straight balls. (Ravindra) Jadeja bowled stump to stump and (Ravichandran) Ashwin got wickets on straight balls so I think that’s bit disappointing.”
The coach said their plan was to first settle well in the beginning. Sri Lanka scored only 32 runs by lunch at a rate of 1.74. “In the first session of a Test match you generally try to settle pace to bat for a long time. But it was not that difficult to bat on. I think India bowled pretty well. There were hardly too many free balls going around. But we adapted after lunch,” he felt.
Sri Lankan batsmen played lot of sweep shots and the captain Dinesh Chandimal, too, got out while sweeping but coach said the batters in the middle are the sole decision makers.
“We empower batters to make decisions out in the middle. He (Chandimal) obviously would have felt to increase scoring at that time but it didn’t come off. May be the timing of that shot was not at its best. But we back our batters to be positive.”
From 160 for four, Sri Lanka lost six wickets for 45 runs. It was the fall of wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella, which triggered the downfall. The Lankan coach said Dickwella plays that shot (sweep) well. “But I certainly won’t say that his wicket was reason for the downfall. There were six other batsmen in the team after him,” he said.
Though they have only 205 on the board, Pothas said they have plans for the morrow. “We will have a new day tomorrow and have plans. We will execute them.”
Sri Lanka were humbled in their own backyard by India a few months back but they performed well against Pakistan later. When asked whether they are back to the square one, the coach replied in negative.
“No…we are not back to the square one. Yes, it’s disappointing we did not bat well as there are no demons in the wicket. Pakistan happened a long time back and it is done and dusted. Today, it is a different story and probably we didn’t bat as we should have.”
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 24
DESPITE the wicket looking green, there was hardly anything for the bowlers, said Ravindra Jadeja, who along with Ravichandra Ashwin, took seven wickets between them to floor Sri Lanka on the first day of the second Test at Jamtha.
Jadeja said though he was happy to bowl so many overs he was critical of the Jamtha track, which is always under the scanner, saying that there was nothing in the wicket. Yet the bowlers managed to get 10 first innings wicket.
“I am happy that I got to bowl so many overs but there was no help from the wicket and we have to bowl in the right areas. We tried to restrict Sri Lankans and decided not give them easy boundaries. We were just doing supporting role as the fast bowlers were doing great job in first session,” said Jadeja, who took three wickets for 56 runs.
When asked whether the pacers did not get any help from the wicket, the spinner said, “The bowlers got too much help at Kolkata that’s why it looked that they did not get help from the track. The wicket had grass but the bounce and swing was not there which we got at Kolkata. Both the seamers bowled well and did not give much runs in the beginning,” said Jadeja as he praised Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.
Ashwin bowled round the wicket quite a few overs and Jadeja said they tried to do something different, as there was no assistance from the track. “As I said there was nothing in the wicket. We thought it would be good to try something new. That is why Ashwin bowled round the wicket. We wanted to try to
create a chance. It doesn’t
matter whether you are bowling round the wicket or over the wicket till it’s helping you,” Jadeja said.
When asked if he was the captain, then who he would have chosen between him and Ashwin in the playing XI for South Africa Tests, Jadeja replied: “Yeh bhi koi puchne ki baat hain (Is this a question that you even need to ask?),”.
“If I am the captain, I will not even give the ball to anyone. I will keep bowling from one end.”
Then on a serious note, he said, “It all depends on team’s balance and what it wants. At times on overseas tours, we assess if there are more left-handers or right-handers in the opposition and accordingly, the team’s composition is set.”
Ashwin, Jadeja, Ishant put India in command
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 24
PLAYING also-rans in the first Test, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja reclaimed their turf in style to snuff life out of a poor Sri Lanka. On a wicket, billed as preparation for the South Africa tour, the spin duo turned up to continue their dominance. India muscled the visitors for 205 in the first innings on the first day of the second Test.
The Jamtha pitch, despite having a tinge of green on it, failed to help much as the ball hardly moved in the morning. It did not even turn whole day but Ashwin and Jadeja used their craft to snare seven wickets between them to restrict a defensive Lanka.At stumps, India were 11 for one from eight overs, still trailing by 194 runs. Murali Vijay (2) and Cheteshwar Pujara (2) were at crease after KL Rahul (7) returned cheaply.
Despite official request from the team management, India did not get the pitch of their liking. Sri Lankan coach Nick Pothas and Jadeja, who took three wickets, both were unhappy with the wicket. “There was hardly any help from the wicket. The ball hardly moved or spun,” said Pothas while Jadeja said, “Despite looking green, the bowlers did not get any help from it.”
Yet, Ishant Sharma, included in place of an injured Mohd Shami, used all his experience to take three wickets (14-3-37-3).
If Ishant took both the openers, spinners were in charge from then on bowling on the mark.
Ashwin (28.1-7-67-4) was impressive in his approach while Jadeja (24-4-56-3) was threatening with his drifters and straighter ones.. The two bowled a total of 49 overs, 19 in tandem after tea, and took five wickets for 50 runs during that period.
Ashwin took the first wicket of the series when he fooled Lahiru Thirimanne with a straighter one. Thirimanne, who took 58 balls for his nine runs, tried to slog sweep but missed the line as the ball crashed into his off stump.
It was a fine performance by Ashwin, who had taken 12 wickets in a match at the same venue two years back. He had bamboozled the visiting South Africans but that was a rank turner and was termed as a ‘dust bowl’.
Unlike in 2015, this VCA Jamtha track was not a dust bowl. Rather it hardly helped the bowlers — neither seamers nor seamers. Two years after that win, 730 days to be precise, Ashwin once again showed his ability to bowl on any surface. Both the spinners proved their captain Virat Kohli wrong who had, on the match eve, said that spinners would come into play only after third day’s play.
Barring opener Karunaratne and captain Dinesh Chandimal (57), the Islanders were timid while facing the Indian spinners as their last six wickets fell for just 45 runs.
Karunaratne and Chandimal were the only two batsmen to show some courage against the Indian spin duo. They added 62 runs for the fourth wicket but after the Lankan opener’s departure, it was all India’s game.
Karunaratne was a slow starter. He consumed deliveries, played with a dead bat, and crawled to 21 from 82 deliveries at lunch. After resumption, he tried to open up and hit two boundaries, one off Jadeja and then from Umesh Yadav’s over pitched delivery to move to 43. He completed his lazy looking half century from 132 deliveries. However, when it looked that the left-handed batsman would carry Lankan innings, Ishant trapped him in front.
Local boy Umesh, who played his first international match at home, went wicketless but bowled his heart out.
With 49 characters, Sri Lankan cricketer has longest name
By Paritosh Pramanik
A FEW years ago, a joke did rounds on social media about actor James Bond and former Sri Lankan fast bowler Chaminda Vaas travelling in the same flight.
Vaas to Bond: Hi, what’s your name?
Bond: The name’s Bond...James Bond. And You?
Vaas: The name’s Vaas...Chaminda Vaas...Joseph Chaminda Vaas…Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas…Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas…
Before Vaas could complete ‘Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas’, Bond fainted.
Jokes apart, Sri Lankan cricketers do boast of having some of the longest names (character-wise).
In the current Sri Lankan team, left-arm Chinaman Lakshan Sandakan has the longest name with 49
characters.
Sandakan, who has played 20 Tests and has 20 wickets, is: Paththamperuma Arachchige Don Lakshan Rangika Sandakan.
Closely following Sandakan is Rangana Hearth who has a 46-character name.
Herath Mudiyanselage Rangana Keerthi Bandara Herath is the full name of the ace Lankan spinner.
The shortest name (character-wise) in the present Lankan squad is of all-rounder Angelo Mathews who has just 18 characters.
If characters are not enough, Sandakan and Herath share the highest numbers of words in their names with six each.
Thirty-one-year-old Gihan Rupasinghe, who is not part of this team, has 59 characters in his name, compared to Vaas’ 52. Rupasinghe Jayawardene Mudiyanselage Gihan Madushanka Rupasinghe has played two T20 Internationals for Sri Lanka. Similarly, 24-year-old Akila Dhananjaya (Mahamarakkala Kurukulasooriya Patabendige Akila Dananjaya Perera), with 11 ODIs and six T20s under his belt, shares the record of longest Sri Lankan cricketers’ name with Rupasinghe (59).
Cricketer-turned-umpire Kumar Dharmasena (Handunnettige Deepthi Priyantha Kumar Dharmasena) has 44 characters in his name.
International Cricket Council, which uses social media platform Twitter among others, used to find it difficult while writing full names of Sri Lankan cricketers due to character constraints.
But when Twitter increased the limit earlier this month (November 9), to display names from 20 to 50 characters, International Cricket Council (ICC) was the happiest of the lot.
A delighted ICC posted full names of some Sri Lankan cricketers like Vaas, Kumar Dharmasena, wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella and spin veteran Rangana Herath.
“Thanks to #280characters, we can now use the following names! Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas Handunnettige Deepthi Priyantha Kumar Dharmasena Dickwella Patabendige Dilantha Niroshan Dickwella Herath Mudiyanselage Rangana Keerthi Bandara Herath” wrote ICC on its official Twitter handle.
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List of current Sri Lankan players with their full names
Lakshan Sandakan (Paththamperuma Arachchige Don Lakshan Rangika Sandakan, 49 characters)
Rangana Herath (Herath Mudiyanselage Rangana Keerthi Bandara Herath, 46)
Niroshan Dickwella (Dickwella Patabendige Dilantha Niroshan Dickwella, 45)
Sadeera Samarawickrama (Wedagedara Sadeera Rashen Samarawickrama, 37)
Vishwa Fernando (Muthuthanthrige Vishwa Thilina Fernando, 36)
Dilruwan Perera (Mahawaduge Dilruwan Kamalaneth Perera, 34)
Suranga Lakmal (Ranasinghe Arachchige Suranga Lakmal, 33)
Dimuth Karunaratne (Frank Dimuth Madushanka Karunaratne, 32)
Lahiru Thirimanne ( Hettige Don Rumesh Lahiru Thirimanne, 32)
Lahiru Gamage (Panagamuwa Lahiru Sampath Gamage, 29)
Dhananjaya de Silva (Dhananjaya Maduranga de Silva, 26)
Dasun Shanaka (Madagamagamage Dasun Shanaka, 26)
Roshen Silva (Athege Roshen Shivanka Silva, 25)
Dinesh Chandimal (Lokuge Dinesh Chandimal, 21)
Angelo Mathews (Angelo Davis Mathews, 18)
Principal Correspondent
VIDARBHA Cricket Association will be hosting its 50th International match when India and Sri Lanka begin the second Test at Jamtha stadium on Friday.
Till date, VCA has hosted 22 One-Day Internationals, 11 Twenty20s, two World T20s and 15 Test matches (including this one).
On the eve of the game, the Indian and Sri Lankan teams sweated out hard in the nets.
India were the first to hit the nets on Thursday. Captain Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma batted in the nets turn by turn but Mohd Shami and Ishant Sharma did not bowl.
With a tinge of green on Jamtha track, the ball is bound to seam around. Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha got ready for it facing bouncers from Sanjay Bangar’s throw downs. Vijay practiced reverse sweeps.
Local boy Umesh Yadav started late in the nets as he was seen with his right elbow heavily strapped. He started gently rolling his arm but then bowled in full pace. Ishant Sharma opted for fielding drills.
VCA has given free entry to school students but denied entry to college students who wished to watch the training sessions of the teams.
“We want to watch the training and will also purchase tickets. But they should let us go inside the stadium to watch the practice session,” said one of the spectators.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 23
THE centre wicket at the Jamtha stadium might look green but according to Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal, it is far less than what was on offer at Eden Gardens in Kolkata for the first Test.
Sri Lanka had rattled India in the first innings with slight assistance from overcast conditions in the first Test. Chandimal said conditions here would not assist the seam bowlers much.
Speaking on the eve of the second Test starting Friday, Chandimal said the contest would be more even between bat and ball.
“We saw so much grass at Eden Gardens. Here it is very less. This looks a good Test pitch. It’s a challenge for us as a team. We are looking forward to the game,” he said.
When asked to elaborate on a ‘good Test wicket’, Chandimal said, “The first few days will be good for batters. Then it might turn. That’s the kind of wicket I think that is.”
Chandimal said Sri Lanka have learned a lot from their last home series and they are now looking to win a series in India.
“We learned a lot from the last Indian series in Sri Lanka. The most important thing is we came here to win the series. Our attitude has changed. As I said every time our fielding also has made a huge difference – there’s a lot of energy. We have looked at a six-five combination or six-four - plus an all-rounder. That’s the combination we are looking at,” Chandimal said.
However, the Lankan skipper admitted that it would be a huge challenge to beat India in their own backyard.
“If you take the Indian team, they are a very good side. It is a big challenge for us as a team to come here and win a game or a series. But I am sure we can do some miracle here,” he said.
Chandimal backed premier bowler Lahiru Gamage who was not among wickets in Kolkata.
“Kolkata was his second game. His first game was in Dubai and he did well against Pakistan. You can have a bad day and you can have a bad game. He is a really good player. He has a lot of experience, having played quite a bit of domestic cricket. I am sure he will be a good asset, especially when bowling on a wicket like this,” he said.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 23
WITH India playing most of their series outside India for over a year starting with the South African tour, the players are hardly getting any time to prepare for the gruelling assignments. Lack of space for camps has forced India to use the current series against Sri Lanka as preparation for the impending SA series.
On the eve of the second Test here at VCA Jamtha Stadium, captain Virat Kolhi rued not getting enough time to prepare for the South Africa series and pointed out that the players are easily criticised for their performance but nobody looks at the days they get to prepare for a tough tour.
Kohli also confirmed that the team management did request the board and curators for green tops in the current series.
“Yes, because unfortunately we get only two days before we fly to South Africa after this series gets over. So we have no choice but be in game situation and think of what’s coming ahead of us. Had we got a month off ideally, we would have done a proper preparation in a camp sort of scenario but we have to sort of make do with what we have. As usual cramped for time, which I think we needed to assess in future as well because we very easily assess the team when go abroad but we don’t look at how many days we have got to prepare before we go to a particular place to play,” the skipper came up with a lengthy explanation.
“Everyone starts judging players when results come after Test matches. It should be a fair game. Whether we get to prepare the way, we want to. Then we are entitled to be criticised.
“So we thought this is an ample opportunity for us to challenge ourselves, put us in a situation… As I said, we want to embrace being in difficult conditions,” Kohli added.
India would be without first match performers Shikhar Dhawan, who scored 94 in second innings and Bhuvneshwar Kumar who rattled Sri Lankan’s in second essay with four wickets. But Kohli said it was not a worrying sign.“Not difficult at all, because we pick a squad keeping in mind all 15 are equipped with what is required to perform at the international level. These kinds of scenarios where two guys miss out for personal reasons is an opportunity for the guys who get games in these situations. I am not worried at all,” he said.
Talking about the Jamtha wicket Kohli said it was a usual Nagpur strip with nice bounce.
“The wicket is quite hard as it usually is at Nagpur with a nice grass covering on it. So, the fast bowlers should be in play for the first couple of days, for sure, because of the bounce and the nice carry off it as well. From there on, the spinners will come into play. It is a pretty good wicket for overall Test cricket, I feel.”
Two years ago, at the same venue Kohli had sought a rank turner against South Africa. That Test ended in just three days but the captain said past records do not matter.
“That (past record) wouldn’t matter because, obviously you have to look at what you are playing at, what kind of wicket you are playing on and pick the team accordingly,” he added.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 23
“UNFORTUNATELY, we get only two days before our flight to South Africa and we have no choice but to be in game situation and think of what’s coming ahead for us. Had we got a month off, ideally, (then) we would have done a proper preparation in camp sort of a scenario. But we have to make do with what we have, as usual cramped for time which I think we need to assess in future as well.”
The statement by Indian captain Virat Kohli on the eve of the second Test against Sri Lanka at VCA Jamtha, showed the mindset the hosts are even as they are in middle of a challenge from their neighbours.
India are set to leave for South Africa two days after this Sri Lanka series ends on December 24. With only a couple of days’ gap for SA tour, Kohli and Company are using this series as a ‘preparatory camp’ for a much more difficult tour ahead.
Come Friday, India’s ‘preparation’ would move into the second gear.
With the request of the home team management fulfilled, the Jamtha wicket, with a tinge of green, would definitely force teams to ponder upon using three seamers.
However, Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal has a different take on the wicket. “It doesn’t have grass as compared to the Eden Gardens wicket,” Chandimal said. This would make the selection interesting for both teams.
After managing to gain ascendancy despite being under pressure for first two days in Kolkata, India would take that confidence into the second Test. However, with Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, both vital cogs in the first Test, not part of the squad the team management will have to select the best replacements.
Dhawan’s absence has opened way for Murali Vijay. He will be an able ally to KL Rahul who is having a dream season. With nine half centuries from 11 innings, the Karnataka batsman would love to convert them into big ones and gain confidence ahead of South Africa tour.
Kohli needs no citation. He played an entertaining knock in the second innings at Kolkata but it was Cheteshwar Pujara who stood tall among ruins, facing Suranga Lakmal and Lahiru Gamage to score a fighting 52. At Jamtha, he will be once again the man holding India’s innings in case of a collapse. Ajinkya Rahane adds solidity to the middle-order.
In absence of Bhuvneshwar the responsibility of turning up falls on local boy Umesh Yadav. At the nets on Thursday, Umesh bowled with a heavily strapped right elbow but Kohli dismissed any fitness problem. If India go with three seamers then Umesh will have to share the ball with Mohd Shami and Ishant Sharma.
Shami would be very effective on the Jamtha track, which has a good carry. Ishant has made the most of the time playing Ranji for Delhi.
For Lanka, the good work of first three days in Kolkata should act as a booster. Their fragile batting was exposed on the last day where bad light saved them but here it would be a fresh challenge.
Middle-order batsmen left-hander Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews and captain Chandimal have runs under their belt. They would hope to carry the momentum here at Jamtha, where India have lost only one Test to South Africa in 2010.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 22
EVEN if wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha said he did not have an iota of knowledge about India asking matting wicket in nets, it is for sure that the think tank clearly has next month’s South Africa tour on mind.
After asking for a green top at Kolkata in the first Test, India moved a step further to get used to the pace and bounce, hence the matting wicket.
At the press conference Saha was asked about Indian management’s demand of a matting wicket and the Bengal stumper said he had no idea about any such thing.
However, in the nets Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahu l and others spent quite a lengthy time taking throwdowns from net bowlers as well as Sanjay Bangar on the matting wicket.
The ball skids fast on matting and it can bounce to a decent height too. With the wickets in South Africa being seamer-friendly, India have started their preparation in the right earnest.
Meanwhile, Indian captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and the entire
seam department—Umesh Yadav, Mohd Shami and Ishant Sharma, skipped the nets and preferred to rest at the hotel.
Murali Vijay, who will open on Friday, was the first to hit the nets along with KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara. While Vijay and Rahul decided to face throwdowns and pace bowlers, Pujara preferred to take on spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.
Saha and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane followed the first three batsmen as did newcomer Vijay Shankar. Shankar also bowled a few overs in the nets and was seen taking valuable tips from chief coach Ravi Shastri.
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 22
A ‘FLEXIBLE’ wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha says, he is comfortable to bat at any position according to the demand of the game.
Speaking to mediapersons ahead of India’s second Test against Sri Lanka, Saha said it doesn’t make any difference if he bats at No 6 or 7 or 8.
In the opening Test at Kolkata Saha batted at No 7 and 8 in both the innings but the batsman had no complaints about his changing batting order.
Saha said the No 6 six slot is a flexible one depending on the conditions.
“It’s not that I always bat at No 7 (or No 8) as I have batted at No 6 also. We (along with R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja) are being rotated as batting position depends on strength of the opposition bowlers. Favourable conditions determine the slots whether it is Nos 6, 7 or 8. It can be any position as per the team management’s call,” Saha said.
Asked about India’s morale after a fantastic comeback in the last match despite struggling for the first two days, Saha said, “The team’s morale was fantastic even though we couldn’t bat as per expectation in the first innings. But we made a good comeback in the second innings. Shikhar (Dhawan), (KL) Rahul and Virat (Kohli) batted well and when you get them seven down for less than 100, it automatically boosts your morale.”
But the wicketkeeper felt had they got a few more overs and time the match would have been won. But at the same time he said India wanted to make it sure they did not lose the match.
“May be with a bit more time at our disposal, we could have won. We tried hard but initially, if we could have got the first few decisions quickly, it could have been different. But time was also a constraint as we first wanted to be safe and set a score that was not easily gettable and then attack. That was our gameplan so that bowlers would go all out.”
The wicketkeeper-batsman was of the view that to win a Test match contribution from all was needed. “You can only win Test matches by taking 20 wickets so preference is always given to bowlers. You need contribution from everyone —myself, Ashwin and Jadeja along with lower order.”
Asked whether the next month’s South Africa tour is at the back of Indian team’s mind, Saha said they were taking one match at a time. “I always believe in match by match preparation. The team is also thinking on the same lines. Right now we are planning for the match against Lanka. Yes the SA series is there at the back of our minds but when you win a Test match, you take that
confidence into the next game and that’s what we are trying to do. We are
taking it match by match and our main aim is to concentrate on the next match,” Saha said.
Green tinge on Jamtha wicket may turn deceptive
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Nov 22
IT WAS a cloudy Wednesday morning, with the sun hiding behind a thin cover of clouds. At VCA Jamtha Stadium, around 8-10 members of groundstaff were vehemently rubbing the centre wicket with brushes under the watchful eyes of curator Pravin Hinganikar.
The wicket had a tinge of green but it was definitely not like the one at Eden Gardens.
Going by the work on the centre wicket, one can be sure of a track that will ‘assist’ the seamers when the second Test between India and Sri Lanka begins on November 24. It bodes well for the Indian pace attack, fresh from its heroics in Kolkata. But that is just one half of the story.
The Indian team management’s has asked for green
wickets for the Lanka series as preparations for the South Africa tour starting January 5 in Cape Town.
It was learnt that the think-tank has emphasised that the pitches ought to be lively greentops. The wicket at Eden Gardens was just the kind of wicket Indian management, led by coach Ravi Shastri, wanted.
The Jamtha wicket does have a cover of grass but it could at the most be deceptive. Though officials expect the track to retain a greenish tinge when the second Test begins on Friday, how much will it assist the seamers remains a question.
Jamtha wicket has recently developed a characteristic of its own — helping the seamers and then settling down for the batsmen for a majority of period. As per experts, this wicket would remain intact for entire five days, not even assisting the spinners in the later part. It definitely is no good news for R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
Exactly a month ago, Vidarbha played Chhattisgarh in their Group D Ranji Trophy match at the same venue.
The game produced loads of runs. Chhattisgarh’s Amandeep Khare slammed a double ton while Vidarbha captain Faiz Fazal hit his first of the three centuries this season.
The grass tinge had enticed Vidarbha to field a three-pronged pace attack. The plan proved flat on the docile deck. The positive from that game was Umesh Yadav’s six-wicket match haul. Yadav returns to the ground and is sure to make his ‘home’ debut on Friday.
However, it would not be an easy task for both teams to choose their combinations. The Sri Lankan team that had their practice session on Wednesday morning, also had a close look at the wicket. Captain Dinesh Chandimal had a lengthy chat with his team of support staff by the wicket.
Meanwhile in the middle, after brushing the sleeping blades, grass-trimmer was pressed into action to level the strip. A heavy roller put the grass in place, giving look of an ideal sprinkling of green.
How much the green lasts would be the question on both teams’ minds.
By Paritosh Pramanik
THE much-awaited elections of Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) will be held on December 17. Full election programme will be announced on Saturday.
The election process will begin on November 25 with declaration of voters list. Declaration of results will be done on December 17 at the VHA office off Amravati Road, sources said.
In all probability, the voters list will be displayed at VHA office on November 25. Voters will get time to take objection on voters, if any, till November 28.
The sale of nomination forms will begin from November 30 and the last date of submission of forms is likely to be December 5. Election officer Srigopal Madanlal Soni will scrutinise the forms on December 7, it has been learnt while the last date of withdrawal will be December 9. “On the same day final list of candidates will be declared,” a top VHA official said.
Last elections to the association were held in 2014. Since then, the present body has failed to conduct elections every year as per association’s constitution. Elections were declared in 2016 and process was also completed but a court ordered stayed the polls a day before elections after some members objected to the voters’ list.
VHA had added 51 new members to the list forcing the now-suspended Shyam Sharma to move court.
After several hearings which continued for over six months, the High Court ruled in association’s favour and asked to include 51 members in the voters list.
With their inclusion, the total number of voters has now swelled to 451 which includes 322 patrons and life members and 120 affiliated units. Last year, there were 99 affiliated units.
By Paritosh Pramanik
AHEAD of Vidarbha Hockey Association’s elections scheduled on December 17, a few district associations have alleged the association was favouring ‘a selected few’ districts and denied their association’s players the right to participate in the selection trials for the senior national championship. The
trials started from Friday
morning.
Players from Akola, Yavatmal and Bhandara districts were denied permission to participate in the trials as their association did not get affiliation from VHA in stipulated time. A few members of Yavatmal District Hockey Association were denied permission as they belonged to parallel district association, it has been learnt.
According to information, Bhandara district association secretary Ashok Rajput’s folly can put the career of players in jeopardy. Despite repeated requests from VHA officials, Rajput failed to send affiliation for Bhandara district from VHA before the deadline. Several Bhandara players had to return as they were denied permission. Players from Akola, too, met the same fate as their association did not renew affiliation. However, according to sources, Akola unit had sent affiliation fee to VHA office and had telephonic conversation with VHA joint secretary Pramod Jain, who had assured them of affiliation. Jain said despite repeated request and official letter, Akola’s affiliation request letter and fee did not receive in the given time. “I have talked with Sanjay Bais (Secretary, Akola District Hockey Association) and he accepted his mistake. The matter has been sorted out,” Jain told ‘The Hitavada’.
Jain said same was the case with Bhandara district. “Secretary Ashok Rajput did not send the affiliation in time and hence the players are not allowed. Rajput himself felt guilty of missing the deadline and said he won’t be able to send the players for trials,” stated Jain.
Interestingly, last year VHA had allowed players, irrespective of their affiliation, to take part in the trials. “Last year when we were lenient looking at the future of players, several members criticised us of going against the laws of VHA. They warned us when we allowed players to participate irrespective of their association. Hence we took a tough stand and followed all the rules this year,” said Karunashankar, Secretary, VHA.
The change in stance of VHA officials has once again left the players suffering.
