14 Thursday 16th July, 2009 Australian batsman Bill Woodfull faces the fierce ‘Bodyline attack’ in the 4th Ashes Test in Brisbane, 1933, as Harold Larwood bowls under instructions of controversial English the 2nd Sri Lanka vs. defeating the Aussies to Pakistan Test this week. Its tra- regain the Ashes. captain, Harold Jardin. (Files) ditional name Oval came to the The small Ashes urn later fore once again and international became a symbol of one of the TV coverage tried to grasp the greatest rivalries in international much cherished moments of this sport. A great story well document- oldest cricket venue in the island ed. The MCC cricket museum at by focusing their cameras on an Lord’s still displays this Ashes urn, old set of photographs showing Sir an inspiration for generations to Don coming to bat and Mahadevan come. Sathasivam going out to toss at the Until of course ones like the Oval. Cardiff business community and Interestingly, those shots mixed for that matter the propagandists with the shots that showed some hoveing around the grand Oval in disconcerting advertisement Colombo make it to centre stage. hoardings. There was cricket amid savings accounts and Bradman, “Well done, Cornstalks! Whipt us Jayasuriya and ice cream and Fair and square Sathasivam in the midst of gar- Was it luck that tript us? “In affectionate remembrance September 2, 1882. The British in Wales said: “This is terrific for ment commercials on the ground. Was it scare? of media dubbed the next England Welsh business from a couple of When England toured Down Kangaroo land’s Demon, or our ENGLISH CRICKET, tour of Australia in 1882-83 as a different levels. For the local econ- Under the same year to regain own which died at the Oval quest to regain the Ashes! omy, for local businesses and sup- their lost stature and the symbolic Want of ‘devil’, coolness, nerve, on 29th August, 1882, When the first Ashes Test was pliers working on it as an event, ashes of what was their deceased backbone?” deeply lamented by a large circle played at Cardiff, Wales, for the the game will be very positive. And colonial cricket, their skipper Ivor of sorrowing first time after over one hundred for economic regeneration and Bligh received some actual ashes This much celebrated poem friends and acquaintances - years, there was a fear that an agi- inward investment, it is a major from a set of Melbourne girls, appeared in the British press R.I.P. tated business community in that win for Wales. For brand Wales, it including Florence Morphy who (‘Punch’) on September 9, 1882, N.B. – The body will be cremated city would grapple with the great has to be good.” - ‘Business view later became the wife of Bligh. eleven days after England suffered and the ashes taken to Australia.” traditions of this oldest Test series of the impact of the Ashes Test A 6-inch tall small terracotta a shocking loss, under Ivor Bligh, The celebrated mock obitu- in a bid to exploit its prestigious in Wales’ by Aled Blake, urn, which is believed to contain for the first time against one of its ary of English cricket written by historical value. ‘Western Mail,’ Jul 8, 2009 the Ashes of a burnt cricket bail, colonies, Australia, in a cricket Reginald Brooks appeared in Robert Lloyd Griffiths, execu- A similar effort was evident was a gift received by Bligh, who Test, to trigger a massive public ‘The Sporting Times’ on tive director, Institute of Directors when the P. Sara Stadium hosted later became Lord Darnley, for commotion. Schiavone U - 19 Basketball tourney kicks off reaches Ponting wants to focus on Lord’s quarterfinals in Prague Test, not ‘gloves incident’ PRAGUE (AP) - Top- seeded Francesca by Ricky Ponting, playing in the spirit of the Test without picking up any Schiavone routed game. injuries, and we should be in Polona Hercog of Australia cricket captain I can’t really understand good shape for Thursday’s Slovenia 6-2, 6-2 on what he is talking about there, game. It was important that we Wednesday to advance I have been a bit because I have never been in left Cardiff behind as quickly as to the quarterfinals of blown away by all trouble with the umpires on possible – at least as far as the the Prague Open. the fuss over my that score, but I don’t want to result is concerned – but there The 30th-ranked give Fletcher too much atten- were plenty of positives to take Schiavone, who comments on tion. He is a very irrelevant per- out of our performance. The reached the quarterfi- England’s physio son in my life and probably in batting unit was terrific and I nals at Wimbledon last and 12th man in the cricket world at the think Nathan Hauritz really month, will next face moment. Everyone has got his stood up in that match and Germany’s Kristina Cardiff. or her opinion and if I listened showed a lot of people that he Barrois or Kateryna to them all I would never get to can play. From L-R A media briefing was held regarding the U-19 Schools Basketball tournament, sleep. The tricky thing for me the which commenced yesterday, involving 43 teams. Those present at the briefing were; T. Bondarenko of As I tried to explain that The Australian cricket team other night was that I was Srimanie Widhana, Rev. Bro. Joseph Jayakanthan, Secretary, SLSBA, Senani Hewage, Ukraine. night, I was disappointed when Fourth-seeded Carla seems to be a soft target when it dragged out of the dressing President, SLSBA, Lal Indrakumara, Vice President, SLSBA and W. A. K. Sepalika, they came back out on to the comes to behaviour issues. room so quickly to speak to the Suarez Navarro of field for a second time, but it Tournament Secretary. (Pic by Nishan S. Priyantha) Spain also advanced Some people talk as if we are media that I didn’t get a great had no bearing on the game. always sledging or losing our chance to spend a lot of time to after defeating Barbora Now it seems as if we’re all talk- Zahlavova Strycova of rag. But in recent years our soak up the feeling around the ing about that one little inci- record of players being report- group. Tuesday morning was Under-19 Inter-school Basketball League Tournament the Czech Republic 6-1, dent, when we’ve just witnessed 6-4. ed or stepping over the line in the first chance I had with one of the great climaxes to a international cricket has proba- everyone together to talk them Later Wednesday, sec- Test match. bly been as good as anyone’s. In through how I felt and the Lyceum in flying start ond-seeded Sybille It’s all done and dusted, it this case, the whole debate is things we need to address for Bammer of Austria was over within a couple of part of the hype and hysteria this next game. The challenge of Both Romesh Senanayake (28) and The Nugegoda lads were ahead 47-12 faced Alla minutes, and the players have that goes with an Ashes series. international cricket is to keep Angelo Jayasuriya (15) shared 43 points at the end of the first half. Kudryavtseva of all moved on. A lot of people In most cases, I think these inci- on coming back and perform- between them to guide Lyceum Meanwhile at the same venue, Wesley Russia and seventh- have had their say on the issue dents are made out to be much ing, not just in one match but International School, Nugegoda to a 86-45 College, Colombo defeated Ananda seeded Lucie Hradecka since then, including former bigger than they actually are. time after time after time. win over Mahanama College, Colombo in College, Colombo by 46 points to 32. of the Czech Republic England coach Duncan To return to cricket matters, (C) The Telegraph Group, an Under-19 Inter-school Basketball The tournament which began on took on Karolina Fletcher, who accused me of not we have come out of the first London, 2009 League Tournament Group-A match Wednesday will conclude with the finals Sprem of Croatia. played at Otters yesterday. scheduled for the end of August. A fantastic Test debut it was for de Mel by M. A. Cyril missed off the bowling of de Mel. thunder in the first Test at Lord’s Ashantha de Mel played in 17 youngsters saying that we are appointed as Chairman of the As no such comment was made in 1984. However, with injuries to Tests taking 59 wickets. In 57 ODIs, going to groom them, but they are National Selection Committee. by the Sri Lankan captain when the three main bowlers, Ashantha he captured 59 wickets, his best never given a chance to play on the However, controversy continued to (Continued from yesterday) handed (sic) the bowling figures at de Mel, D. S. de Silva and Vinodhan performance being 5 for 32 against tour. They come back and by the dominate due to most of the hen Sri Lanka played New the end of the New Zealand John, Sri Lanka were in a New Zealand in the 1983 World next tour they are left out.” actions de Mel took and in May Zealand at Bristol on 13 innings, and as both scorers were quandary. However, they bowled Cup. As a lower order batsman, he Commenting on the criticism 2007, Sri Lanka Cricket called for WJune, 1983, it was de Mel adamant that they had identified their hearts out to give Sri Lanka a was capable of making valuable made by de Mel, Charlie Austin his dismissal, following a dis- who dismissed skipper Howarth the bowler correctly, the original first innings lead of 121.