Janaka Malwatta

There's an international cricketer in my back garden

When the likes of Sri Lanka toured three decades ago, they depended a fair amount on the goodwill of the diaspora

30-Sep-2015•Janaka Malwatta

The unforgettable Sanath cut

Remembering a ferocious Jayasuriya shot that became of symbol of the magic summer of 1998

16-Aug-2015•Janaka Malwatta

Somachandra de Silva's age-defying cricketing journey

The former Sri Lanka legspinner was nearly 40 when he played his first Test, but that didn't stop him from calling time on the game - and going on to serve off the field

16-Jul-2015•Janaka Malwatta

What might Gehan Mendis have been?

An attacking batsman who made a name for himself on the county circuit in the '70s and '80s, he could have played for Sri Lanka or England but finished without an international cap

03-May-2015•Janaka Malwatta

All hail Mad Max

Aravinda de Silva's steely resolve at the crease, as demonstrated in the 1996 World Cup final, coupled with his vintage strokeplay made him the first true Sri Lankan great

08-Mar-2015•Janaka Malwatta

The last of Sanga

Kumar Sangakkara has maintained excellent standards over a glittering career; a World Cup trophy would be a fitting send-off

31-Jan-2015•Janaka Malwatta

A maverick with maturity

Tillakaratne Dilshan, one the few '90s era cricketers still around, is an entertainer who never backs down from a challenge

29-Dec-2014•Janaka Malwatta

Sri Lanka need to trust their own

There's still a tendency to look overseas when it comes to picking the coach. Are there grounds for this?

26-Oct-2014•Janaka Malwatta

A man of his people

Mahela Jayawardene embodies artistry and steel in his batting, and warmth and humanity off the field

18-Jul-2014•Janaka Malwatta

Sri Lanka's triumph of attitude

They won in England by playing tough, bloody-minded cricket, refusing to take a backward step, on or off the pitch

03-Jul-2014•Janaka Malwatta

Testing times for Sri Lanka

Given Sri Lanka's long struggle to attain Test status, the demotion of the five-day format to an inconvenient sideshow is particularly galling

01-Jun-2014•Janaka Malwatta

Two gentlemen of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka pulled together as a team in the World T20 to give Jayawardene and Sangakkara the farewell they deserve

07-Apr-2014•Janaka Malwatta

Here's to Herath

Stocky, unassuming, and bearing something of the air of the Sunday cricketer about him, Rangana Herath is the antithesis of the star Sri Lankan cricketer

03-Apr-2014•Janaka Malwatta

Lahore, five years on

The loss of international cricket in Pakistan since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus has been cruel on the country's fans and the rest of the cricket world

19-Mar-2014•Janaka Malwatta

Is supporting the opposition a crime?

Which sporting team you support is deeply personal, and tied in to your sense of identity

11-Mar-2014•Janaka Malwatta

There's something about cricket's artists

In the heat of battle, with the outcome in the balance, many fans will clap an opponent's shot if it is sufficiently beauteous

02-Mar-2014•Janaka Malwatta

From 'sarong Johnnie' to national icon

By refusing to back down, Arjuna Ranatunga proved to the opposition and his own team that Sri Lanka had earned the right to compete as equals

31-Jan-2014•Janaka Malwatta

Murali magic at The Oval

He could spin it on the M4, they said. Come the Oval Test in 1998, he proved them right

05-Jan-2014•Janaka Malwatta

Why Galle matters

There are few cricket venues more beautiful than the Galle International Stadium, a ground that has a special place in Sri Lankan hearts

01-Dec-2013•Janaka Malwatta

Baila arrives at Lord's

When Sri Lanka played their first Test at Lord's, in 1984, a 16-year-old discovered the joy of being a supporter

05-Nov-2013•Janaka Malwatta

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