Farewell Aravinda, then
Mike Holmans
He was the first Sri Lankan batsman of true world class, and one of
the very few modern players who has never apparently upset anyone by
boorish or questionable behaviour. A true gentleman of the game, which
is poorer for his leaving.
Thanks very much, Mr de Silva. You gave a lot of people a lot of
pleasure. Enjoy your retirement - you've earned it.
Cheers,
Mike
linus
"Mike Holmans" <mi...@jackalope.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:gf9f7vsfavfvgd82o...@4ax.com...
He will be missed. I hope he will come back to help SL cricket in some
non-playing capacity.
Rajagopal
> Aravinda de Silva has retired from international cricket.
>
> He was the first Sri Lankan batsman of true world class,
about his business in a gentleman fashion. But i beg to differ on that
he was SL's first batsman of true world class.
Roy Dias, he of the most lovely cover drive, was also a world class
player and he started playing before AdS. Sir Viv even said he (RD) can
play at No.3 in his (Sir Viv's) team any day. Did not see a whole lot of
him, but from what i've heard he was also gentlemanly behaved on the
field. He made a valianat, single handed effort to oust the WI in their
2nd game in the 87 WC , IIRC, on diwali day. SL chased 236 and fell
about 20 runs short, after having being pasted for 360 runs in their
first group match and scoring just 180 odd in reply.
> and one of
> the very few modern players who has never apparently upset anyone by
> boorish or questionable behaviour. A true gentleman of the game, which
> is poorer for his leaving.
>
> Thanks very much, Mr de Silva. You gave a lot of people a lot of
> pleasure. Enjoy your retirement - you've earned it.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Mike
>
>
Rajagopal
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Mike Holmans
<raja...@unix.tamu.edu> tapped the keyboard and brought forth:
>Mike Holmans wrote:
>> Aravinda de Silva has retired from international cricket.
>>
>> He was the first Sri Lankan batsman of true world class,
>I agree with your sentiments about Aravinda. Great bat and seemed to go
>about his business in a gentleman fashion. But i beg to differ on that
>he was SL's first batsman of true world class.
>
>Roy Dias, he of the most lovely cover drive, was also a world class
>player and he started playing before AdS.
Many people have said so. However, there is too little actual evidence
from his playing in matches involving top-class opponents to make that
judgement safely.
Aravinda was certainly the first SL batsman to be universally
acknowledged as world class.
Cheers,
Mike
Narayanan
Roy Dias was a class act. I remember his batting against Indians
in 1982 Chennai test. Though Mendis made 100 in each innings
Dias rocked (particularly against Kapil). India nearly lost the
match. Good old hunter became hunted story.
N-
K Ibbittzer
"Narayanan" <tiger_va...@yahoo.com.spamnot> wrote in message
news:3d8f7cc5ae410927...@news.teranews.com...
Cricketislife!
Mike If you cannot believe what Viv Richards said (ie he picked Dias in
his World X1), I suggest you to please hit the nearest cric video shop
or friend and see some of his batting. Class and Style, that is roy dias
for you.
R C Robertson Glascow wrote once on Frank Wooley
' Frank Wooley was easy to watch, difficult to bowl to and impossible to
write about'
A modern bowler like Kapil would second that on Dias. It is a huge pity
that the anglo press with all its biases and partisan attitude has
neglected a very good player like him and even such men like you who
follow this game so closely know so little about that player. The loss
is certainly not that of Roy Dias.
I say all this not with venom but with a tinge of sadness..
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Andrew Mc
I'd like to echo Mike's sentiments here. Despite numerous things going on around
him over the years, Aravinda has always conducted himself with grace and class
and played the game in its true spirit. He wasn't a bad cricket player, either,
a pleasure to watch in full swing. Best of luck to him - hopefully he can give
some more to SL cricket via coaching or administration.
Cricketislife!
Roy Dias - Graceful batting artist of Sri Lanka
Premasara Epasinghe
Once a reporter posed a question to Vivien Richards to name a World XI,
he prefers to lead. Sir Vivien Richards, without any hesitation, named
his Team with a Sri Lankan batsman for number three spot in his side.
This Sri Lankan cricketer named by this cricketing 'super star' was none
other than Roy Dias one of the most technically correct batsmen that Sri
Lanka ever produced.
A feature of Dias's genius was always, an ability to place a ball
between fielder, with unerring precision. His masterly cover drive was
his trade mark stoke. He played the Backfoot Drive either side of the
wicket with poise and accuracy. He was a role model for future Sri
Lankan batsmen.
I was fortunate to witness some of the best innings played by such
'greats' like M. Sathasivam, Stanley Jayasinghe, C.I. Gunasekera, F.C.
de Saram, and commentated on some of the brilliant innings played by
Bandula Warnapura'.
A century against Kim Hughes Australian Team an SSC Duleep Mendis's
(Twin centuries against India at Chepauk Madras in 1982) Anura
Ranasinghe's (77 against India at Madras in the second innings in 1982)
Hemantha Devapriya's (Swashbuckling half a century with five or six
sixers against Australians at Moratuwa) Arjuna Ranatunga's (88 against
India at Sharjah in 1988) Atula Samarasekera's (half century against
England at Lords in 1989) Sanath Jayasuriya's (340 against India in the
Test at R. Premadasa Stadium) Roshan Mahanama's (225 against India)
Aravinda de Silva's (67 against India and 103 not out against Australia
in the Semi Finals and Finals of 1996 World Cup in Eden Gardens,
Calcutta and Gadiffi Stadium, Lahore respectively).
There is one inning which is very special for me which I cherish in my
commentator career. It is Roy Dias's 97 against India in the First Test
played at Chepauk Stadium Madras. It was a gem of an innings. Another
masterpiece that I commentated was his century against India at
Bangalore in 1982 in the ODI Contest.
In late 1970s and early 1980s Roy Dias was the cynosure of all eyes. He
gave happiness to so many and the sound of his bat was sweet music to
the spectators. His great century against India at Asgiriya, where he
and Duleep Mendis scored brilliant centuries still echoes in my mind.
Roy Dias was an outstanding fielder. It was a treat to watch him at
Covers. He was like a panther. He picks up and then throws the ball in
the same instant.
Cricket is a game full of grace. Roy Dias was one of the most graceful
batsmen that I have seen. When he is in full cry it is lovely cricket
all the way.
PE: Roy, tell me how you got interested in cricket as a child?
RD: To begin with, there are few reasons that motivated me to play
cricket. You will be surprised to hear that my father Richard Dias, and
his three brothers Philip, George and Marshall were fine Soccerites.
They played for Saunders and went to represent Sri Lanka later.
My father used to take me for their inter-Bank Cricket Matches, when I
was a child. This motivated me to play cricket. I was very fortunate
that one of our neighbours happened to be the famous Nalanda and All
Ceylon Cricketer Carl Obeysekera. He taught me the first lessons of
cricket and encouraged me. He was very confident that I will do well in
cricket someday or other.
We were staying at Mount Lavania those days and we used to play lot of
cricket at the neighbourhood.
Further I went to a leading cricket playing school - St. Peter's College
Bambalapitiya. I joined the college in 1959 and left in 1972. As there
was no soccer or Football I took upto cricket. This is how my cricket
career began.
PE: Did you play Junior Cricket at St. Peter's College?
RD: Yes, I played Under 12, 14 and 16 cricket at St. Peter's and later
graduated to play in the First XI.
PE: Did you captain the college First XI?
RD: Yes, I captained college two years. 1971 and 1972.
PE: Can you name some of the cricket coaches?
RD: There are many who helped me. To name a few I must mention the names
of Ian Lappen, B.R. Heyn, Mike Chammugam, Laddie Burschwon, Dr. H.I.K.
Fernando.
PE: Did you read on cricket?
RD: Yes, I am happy that you asked me this question. I feel that the
present day cricketers are not much used to reading books. I can
remember, those days Carl Obeysekera used to give me 'Cricketer
Magazine' and Alf Gover Manual of coaching to read. I read the cricketer
Magazine regularly. I learned a lot from reading. I feel that the
present day cricketers should get used to the habit of reading. Reading
makes a complete man.
PE: Roy, you told me that you captained St. Peter's two years 1971 and
1972. Can you name some of your contemporaries in the Team?
RD: Cyrsantha de Alwis, Gamini Goonesena, (Junior), Edgar Thevarajan,
Sunil de Silva, Lalith Obeysekera, Beverly Labroy, Raj Obejsekera, Mohan
Abeysekera are some names that come to my mind.
PE: What are the clubs that you represented after leaving school.
RD: I first played for Colts Cricket Club for about 10 years.
(1972-1982) Then I joined Singhalese Sports Club SSC in 1980 and played
for them about 8 years. Then I played for CCC for 4 years and I got the
opportunity of captaining CCC.
PE: When did you first represent Sri Lanka, against whom, and how did
you fare?
RD: I had an inauspicious start. In 1974, I was selected to play against
West Indies. I opened with Sunil Wettimuny. Disaster struck early. I was
run-out for nought.
PE: What was your feeling?
RD: Well, I felt the long walk back to the SSC Pavilion very painful.
PE: What was your most memorable innings and why do you cherish that
innings so much?
RD: The innings that I played in Madras - First Test against Sri Lanka,
where I scored 97 runs in the second inning was the best inning that I
have played.
In this Test Match, the 'Little Master' Sunil Gavaskar scored a patient
155 runs. It was a superb Test inning.
Sunil walked into our dressing room and congratulated me. He said that
he considers my innings of 97 as one of the best batting displays that
he has ever seen. I consider it as a rare honour as this comment was
made by no other lesser person than one of the greatest batsman in the
World, Sunil Gavaskar.
PE: How many World Cups did you represent?
RD: In 1979, 1983 and in 1987. Three World Cups.
PE: Cricket fans consider you not only a batsman of class but also as an
outstanding fielder. What is the secret behind your success?
RD: To be a good fielder you must be dedicated, and committed for it. I
took a deep liking to fielding, especially at Covers, by watching David
Heyn. I consider David as one of the best Cover-fielders that I have
ever seen.
PE: Can you tell us what are the requirements to become a first class
cover fielders?
RD: A secret of cover fielding is to place yourself deep enough to stop
boundaries, but by moving in fast as each ball is bowled to be able to
prevent any singles being stolen.
Further, the requirements for a first-class cover are pace,
anticipation, the ability to pick up the ball cleanly and a fast,
accurate return.
I feel that the most exhilarating time to field in the covers is when a
slow left hander is bowling off theory.
PE: What is the advice that you give to coaches on fielding?
RD: Fielding practice should be fun. If it is organised sensibly boys
and men will thoroughly enjoy it.
One cardinal rule for a coach to remember when teaching fielding, to
boys is not to allow them to be hurt or frightened. There is no quicker
way of making a boy dislike fielding than bruising his hand.
Always start practice with an old ball that will not be too hard on the
hands, and never hit towering catches to inexperienced players.
PE: Don't you think that you had an early retirement from First Class
and Test cricket?
RD: I never retired. They retired me in 1989
PE: Do you have any regrets for this early exit?
RD: I felt that I could have gone on for another two or three years. I
was still fit.
I really enjoyed playing cricket for Sri Lanka. I met many people. We
made life long friendships with cricketers and cricket administration.
With cricket, I was able to see the world.That was a great experience.
PE: After your playing days over you took up a career as a coach at CCC?
RD: Yes. I am really grateful to Colombo cricket club.
PE: I can remember that you were appointed by the BCCSL as the Coach of
the Sri Lanka cricket team for the World Cup 1999. Can you enlighten us
on this assignment?
RD: For 15 months I coached the Sri Lanka cricket team. The Team won the
Emirates Cup in 1988. After Bruce Yardley, I was appointed as the coach.
After the 1999 World Cup I finished my contract and it was not renewed.
PE: You must be following the South Africa Sri Lanka Test and ODI's
series played in South Africa presently. As you are aware our strength
is batting. Except for Muralitharan, we do not have match-winning
bowlers? What do you think about our failure in batting in the First
Test at Durban?
RD: Well, it is a difficult question to answer. But, I feel that lack of
experience in the middle-order can be attributed to our failure. Take
for an example, our Top Four Arjuna - Aravinda - Roshan - Hashan is no
more with the Team. In cricket, I feel experience count a lot. The
vacuum created by the exodus of these experienced players is little
difficult to fill overnight. The young players will perform well with
experience.
PE: What do you think about the present Sri Lanka side?
RD: I think the present side is a good one. Sanath has leadership
qualities and now he is a matured player. We need little bit of
experience. If we are thinking of doing well in 2003 World Cup, we must
keep the same players and play them continuously. They will gain
experience. Cutting and chopping is not good.
PE: Lastly about your family
RD: I am married to Tharnga, Chairperson and Managing Director of Prime
Advertising. We have a son and a daughter. My son is studying at St.
Joseph's College Colombo. His name is Rishitha Dias. We have a daughter.
Her name is Diliendree.
My wife Tharanga is a tower of inspiration to me. In short she was the
wind behind my wings.
© Daily News
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DRIZAII
I am a big fan of SL cricket, but I watched the SS and SF games SL
played just to see Ara bat.
More than SL's defeat yesterday, what makes me sad is the kind of send
off he got (no blame on the Aussie fielders). A classic 50 from him,
even with SL losing the game, would have made my next 5 years...
Glenn Condell
hit them better than most. For such a small bloke, he had a lot of power.
But it's his clinical precision of placement and calmness of demeanour that
I'll remember. All te best...
Glenn
Mike Holmans <mi...@jackalope.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<gf9f7vsfavfvgd82o...@4ax.com>...
John
His 167 at the Gabba v the Aussies in 89-90 was fantastic. I was barely
ten years old, but even then I knew a good innings when I saw one.
Been blessed to see some brilliant batting by him since then too.
Bob Dubery
Yep. Showed that you can play the game hard but not have to be a yob.
And he could play the game as well. Excellent batsman.
Cricketislife!
He was an excellent batsman, class, style and aggression. Only in a few
those 3 elements converge, they did for Aravinda. As I have already
written I will always remember those pull shots of his and the inside
out drives, peircing the field.
also the way he carried himself on the field was terrific,- poise and
dignity.
I can never forget that wonderful innings he played in the semifinal
match against Indians. A fanatic crowd, 2 early wickets down, he walks
in as if he is going to teach few kids how to play today in nets.
He toyed with the bowlers, driving, cutting thro the off.
Then Azhar packed the off side field and asked Prasad to bowl outside
the off stump, What does our pocket dynamo do, thrust his left foot
forward and across the line, and plants it well outside the off stump
and flicks the ball across the line to the on side.
What a knock that was, and also in the final , those inside out drives
of his were a treat to watch.
not to forget the benson and hedges final in the English county,
reminded one of Viv Richards.
Truly classy and an excellent batsman.
Apparenly he nearly cried in his post match conference..
http://cricketnext.com/news1/next/anjali/anjali036.htm
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Hisham
news:b58ea0$5mk$1...@news.tamu.edu...
> Mike Holmans wrote:
> Roy Dias, he of the most lovely cover drive, was also a world class
> player and he started playing before AdS. Sir Viv even said he (RD) can
> play at No.3 in his (Sir Viv's) team any day. Did not see a whole lot of
> him, but from what i've heard he was also gentlemanly behaved on the
> field. He made a valianat, single handed effort to oust the WI in their
> 2nd game in the 87 WC , IIRC, on diwali day. SL chased 236 and fell
> about 20 runs short, after having being pasted for 360 runs in their
> first group match and scoring just 180 odd in reply.
>
Hadn't heard of him before, but he never played in the match you mention.
It was Ranatunga who almost got SL to the target of 236 against WI.
Dave
news:gf9f7vsfavfvgd82o...@4ax.com...
A tough competitor, widely respected by both opponents and the cricket world
at large
I'll never forgot him shutting Australia out of the 96 WC. Even though it
hurt, it was a fantastic innings to watch.
And unlike many other great players he has managed to bow out in sparkling
form - great stuff
Dave
Rajagopal
Mad Hamish
<cricketislif...@web2news.net> wrote:
>Evidence??
>Mike If you cannot believe what Viv Richards said (ie he picked Dias in
>his World X1),
Has anybody else seen that?
> I suggest you to please hit the nearest cric video shop
>or friend and see some of his batting. Class and Style, that is roy dias
>for you.
Looked good.
Doesn't exactly have the stats to back up claims of being a "World
Class" batsman...
>
>R C Robertson Glascow wrote once on Frank Wooley
>' Frank Wooley was easy to watch, difficult to bowl to and impossible to
>write about'
and underperformed at test level.
>A modern bowler like Kapil would second that on Dias. It is a huge pity
>that the anglo press with all its biases and partisan attitude has
>neglected a very good player like him and even such men like you who
>follow this game so closely know so little about that player.
Dias's _best_ average was against India, he averaged 45.50 against
them.
That was the only team he averaged over 40 against.
--
"Hope is replaced by fear and dreams by survival, most of us get by."
Stuart Adamson 1958-2001
Mad Hamish
Hamish Laws
h_l...@aardvark.net.au
Mike Holmans
<cricketislif...@web2news.net> tapped the keyboard and
brought forth:
>Evidence??
>Mike If you cannot believe what Viv Richards said (ie he picked Dias in
>his World X1), I suggest you to please hit the nearest cric video shop
>or friend and see some of his batting. Class and Style, that is roy dias
>for you.
>
>R C Robertson Glascow wrote once on Frank Wooley
>' Frank Wooley was easy to watch, difficult to bowl to and impossible to
>write about'
>A modern bowler like Kapil would second that on Dias. It is a huge pity
>that the anglo press with all its biases and partisan attitude has
>neglected a very good player like him and even such men like you who
>follow this game so closely know so little about that player. The loss
>is certainly not that of Roy Dias.
>I say all this not with venom but with a tinge of sadness..
Look, I'm not trying to deny that Dias was a very good cricketer. I
only saw him once, and I was impressed. And it is quite likely that if
SL had been admitted to Full Membership five years earlier, or he had
been five years younger, there would be no need for any discussion,
because he would have had a sufficient record against top-class
opponents to make a real judgement as to how good he was.
Just going on about class and style isn't good enough. I think one of
the classiest and most stylish batsmen I've ever watched extensively
is Mark Ramprakash. Year after year I saw him make wonderful hundreds
for Middlesex, and I thought he had all the makings of a world-class
player. As we know now, he wasn't and isn't a world-class player: the
actual record at the top level demonstrates it quite comprehensively.
But perhaps a more apt comparison would be with CK Nayudu. Last time I
thought about it, anyway, I picked him for an All-Time India XI,
although there are no statistics which really back that judgement up.
I think his impressive batting against touring sides was hugely
significant in earning India Test status, and that had he been able to
play a full Test career he would have done some amazing things. But
even though I can elevate him to the pantheon of Indian cricket, I
cannot say that he was India's first world-class batsman because there
really isn't enough evidence to make that call reliably. He may well
have been, but I don't know and neither does anyone else.
Viv Richards's picking Dias for his World XI doesn't really impress me
all that much, as evidence goes. There's always a bit of a tendency to
make allowances for a new side and talk up their best players: witness
the fairly extravagant praise being heaped on Collins Obuya, who isn't
actually a world-class leggie and is in fact probably too limited at
this stage to even be a good Test-class leggie, but has certainly been
one of the top bowlers in this CWC. Obuya *may* turn out to be a
world-class spinner, but we don't know that from what he's done so
far.
The major difference between Aravinda and Roy Dias is that Aravinda
had sufficient opportunity to play against the top sides in
international cricket to establish the kind of record which made his
case for recognition as a world-class player unanswerable and Dias
didn't.
Cheers,
Mike
Mad Hamish
<cricketislif...@web2news.net> wrote:
>More on the stylish Roy Dias
>
>
>Roy Dias - Graceful batting artist of Sri Lanka
>
>Premasara Epasinghe
>
>Once a reporter posed a question to Vivien Richards to name a World XI,
>he prefers to lead. Sir Vivien Richards, without any hesitation, named
>his Team with a Sri Lankan batsman for number three spot in his side.
>This Sri Lankan cricketer named by this cricketing 'super star' was none
>other than Roy Dias one of the most technically correct batsmen that Sri
>Lanka ever produced.
>
Dias _never_ played a test against the Windies.
he played 6 Odos against them and did very well (255 runs @ 51 with 3
50s) but that's fairly short evidence for that....
in odos he averaged 38 against India and under 30 against Australia,
England, NZ, Pakistan (and from 1 match Bangladesh)