News

Do we think about tail-enders batting ability?

Published

3 years ago

May 12, 2023

Editor

In the game of Cricket, tail-enders are the ones who are at the bottom of a score sheet or the players who have a lower level of batting ability. Normally, in a match, if a side loses 6 or 7 wickets, their tail-enders start coming to bat and that batting team’s innings probably finish in a short time period. But there are some tailenders who show great resistance to the bowling team and frustrate the bowling team when these tailenders come to bat.

But most of the time these tailenders come and just throw the bat at deliveries and give away their wicket irresponsibly. Sometimes tail-enders or these proper bowlers don’t think about their batting because they think their duty is just bowling or sometimes teams and their management don’t pay attention to the batting of their tailenders or sometimes teams and their management think and talk about uplifting the batting ability of their tail-enders but not implement them in the practice sessions.

For example, history and records tell that Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and West Indies produce tail-enders with the worst batting ability while England, Australia, and New Zealand produce tail-enders with enough ability in batting. Also, the Indians produce tail-enders who have the ability in batting from the last few years.

If a side has strong tail-enders, that team can put extra 30-40 runs or more to their tally and that team will increase the confidence of their team and their batting department.

For solving this problem, basically, teams and coaches must put these tail-enders on nets and to side wickets and must practice them regularly or individually these tail-enders have to focus on their batting as well as their bowling. And that can increase the batting ability of tail-enders and can cause the success of a team. But this would not be a long-term solution or the most effective solution because it’s not easy to learn a skill when players come to the elite level and not easy to put a skill into muscle memory when players become adults.

Because of that, the best stage to uplift the batting ability of tail-enders is School Cricket. Most of the time in school cricket, the bowlers of a team don’t get a chance to bat in practice sessions and they just bat two, or three times a month in the middle and ask to do well in match situations when they don’t have enough batting practice and confidence. Because these school tail-enders carry this cycle for a longer period of time, they become typical tail-enders who don’t have the ability to bat, and who just have to hang around in the crease when coming to bat after they become elite international players. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and West Indies face the consequences of this. For that school coaches must get the responsibility to train tail-enders in batting and coaches must influence their tail-enders to do training in batting individually. Also, school coaches can give batting tasks in practices as well as in matches for their tail-enders, and coaches must give confidence and uplift the confidence of their school team tail-enders.

By Chathushka Kalunayaka

Cricket

Sri Lanka, India to Clash in Two-Test Series in August

Published

11 hours ago

May 18, 2026

Editor

Sri Lanka and India are set to play a two-match Test series between August 15 and 27 as part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle.

Although the official schedule is yet to be announced, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has reserved a two-week window for the series following the conclusion of the Lanka Premier League on August 9. Discussions between SLC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are continuing to finalise the venues and match dates.

The proposed tour was initially expected to include three Twenty20 Internationals as well, but there has been no confirmation regarding those matches. The T20 games were originally planned as a fundraising initiative for victims affected by Cyclone Ditwah last year.

Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is currently in Sri Lanka as part of an International Cricket Council delegation reviewing recent developments in Sri Lanka Cricket administration. The Sri Lankan government recently dissolved the previous SLC body and appointed an interim Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee.

Cricket scheduling remains challenging for India due to a packed international calendar later this year. India are expected to tour Bangladesh in September for a white-ball series, although the tour is still uncertain after being postponed previously because of political tensions between the two nations.

India also have commitments against West Indies and Afghanistan later in the year, along with the Asian Games in Nagoya scheduled from September 9 to October 4.

India’s international season resumes in June with a Test series against Afghanistan before tours of Ireland, England and Zimbabwe.

Cricket

ICC Delegation Holds Key Talks With President on Cricket Reforms

Published

1 day ago

May 17, 2026

Editor

Senior representatives of the International Cricket Council (ICC) met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo yesterday as discussions intensified over the future of cricket administration in Sri Lanka.

The ICC delegation, which includes Imran Khwaja and Devajit Sakia, is currently in the country following recent changes within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). Their visit comes amid growing attention on governance reforms and the restructuring of the national cricket administration.

During their stay, ICC officials also held meetings with members of the newly appointed SLC administration at the board’s headquarters, where discussions focused on restoring stability and strengthening the management framework of Sri Lankan cricket.

The latest developments follow the appointment of a nine-member Cricket Transformation Committee by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage after the resignation of the previous SLC leadership.

The committee, chaired by Eran Wickremaratne, has been entrusted with overseeing the administration of the sport and implementing a series of reforms until new elections are conducted.

News

Pavithra Fernando Urges Reforms to Take Sri Lanka Rugby Forward (Video)

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2026

Editor

Sri Lanka Rugby President Pavithra Fernando believes the country possesses the talent and structure at school level to compete with the best in Asia, but says greater emphasis must now be placed on strengthening club rugby and retaining young players in the sport.

Speaking about Sri Lanka’s current standing in Asian rugby, Fernando noted that the national teams remain among the top-ranked sides in the region despite a slight decline following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“At present, Sri Lanka is ranked third in the sevens format and fourth in the 15-a-side game in Asia. Before Covid, we were actually ranked second in sevens rugby. We may have dropped a little, but we have still managed to remain competitive because our schools rugby structure is extremely strong and the club competitions are also of a high standard,” Fernando said.

He added that while Sri Lanka has managed to maintain its place among Asia’s competitive rugby nations, the country has yet to make significant progress towards the top tier.

“We have stayed in contention, but we have not really moved forward and developed beyond that level,” he explained.

Fernando stressed that Sri Lanka’s schools rugby system continues to be one of the strongest in the region, producing players capable of matching leading Asian nations.

Referring to the country’s recent performances at youth level, he said, “Last year, our Under-27 team had only one month of preparation before the tournament, yet we still finished runners-up. We defeated Hong Kong in the first round before losing to them in the final. That clearly shows the standard and potential we have at school level.”

However, Fernando pointed out that the biggest challenge facing Sri Lanka Rugby is the lack of opportunities for players once they leave school.

“More than 90 percent of school rugby players do not continue the sport after school because they do not see a future in rugby in Sri Lanka. That is an issue we must address urgently,” he said.

Fernando believes improving the club rugby structure and creating a sustainable pathway for young players will be essential if Sri Lanka is to challenge the leading rugby nations in Asia and regain its former standing in regional rugby.