Anura Ranasinghe
Encyclopedia
Anura Nandana Ranasinghe (13 October 1956, Kalutara
– 9 November 1998, Colombo
) was a Sri Lankan
cricketer
, who represented Sri Lanka at international level 11 times. Ranasinghe's career, however, was cut short by deciding to tour South Africa
in 1982-83, which resulted in him getting a 25-year ban from all cricket.
Ranasinghe won the best schoolboy cricketer award during the 1974-75 cricketing season when he first played cricket for Nalanda College Colombo.
He made his debut for the side in the 1975 World Cup
, where he played all three matches for Sri Lanka, scoring a total of 19 runs in three innings and conceding 65 runs from ten overs.
Ranasinghe's poor performances meant that he was not considered for the 1979 World Cup
, nor the inaugural Test match
where England
played against Sri Lanka. He did play in two ODIs against England, but his fortunes were the reverse of Sri Lanka's - in the first ODI, he scored a quickfire 51, but was caught by Geoff Cook
just as Sri Lanka needed to up the run rate to chase England's total. They finished six runs short of victory. In the second, Ranasinghe recorded a duck
, and yet Sri Lanka won by three runs - although his nine economical overs, conceding only 37 runs, had some say in the win. His ODI performances may have played a part into his call-up for the 1981-82 tour of Pakistan. He didn't play the first Test, but came in for Ravi Ratnayeke
in the second, the selectors wanting to bolster the batting. Despite the Sri Lankans doing well, Ranasinghe contributed little, scoring only eleven runs in two innings and bowling twelve overs for 40 runs - also taking the wicket of wicket-keeper
Ashraf Ali
.
He was dropped again for the third Test, but returned a year later, for Sri Lanka's 1982-83 tour of India. His first innings was another disappointment, as he was dismissed for a duck, but a rearguard 77 against Kapil Dev
and Dilip Doshi
ensured that Sri Lanka could draw the match. That was his last international game of cricket, however, as the South Africa tour meant that his career was curtailed.
Following his return to Sri Lanka after the South African tour, Ranasinghe found it difficult to find employment and turned to alcohol to cope with depression.
Ranasinghe died in Colombo, aged 42.
Nalanda Junior Old Boys Association (NJOBA) organizes Old Ananda Nalanda Test Cricketers' Limited Over Encounter and it is named after Anura Ranasinghe.
Kalutara
Kalutara is a resort town located approximately 40 km south of Colombo in Sri Lanka.- Overview :Once an important spice-trading center, the city's name is derived from the Kalu Ganga River . In the 11th Century, the town was temporarily made a capital on the orders of a South Indian Prince...
– 9 November 1998, Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
) was a Sri Lankan
Sri Lankan cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team is the national cricket team of Sri Lanka. The team first played international cricket in 1926–27, and were later awarded Test status in 1981, which made Sri Lanka the eighth Test cricket playing nation...
cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
, who represented Sri Lanka at international level 11 times. Ranasinghe's career, however, was cut short by deciding to tour South Africa
South African cricket team
The South African national cricket team represent South Africa in international cricket. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council, also known as ICC, with Test and One Day International, or ODI, status...
in 1982-83, which resulted in him getting a 25-year ban from all cricket.
Ranasinghe won the best schoolboy cricketer award during the 1974-75 cricketing season when he first played cricket for Nalanda College Colombo.
He made his debut for the side in the 1975 World Cup
1975 Cricket World Cup
-Group B:-Knockout stage:-Semifinals:In the best World Cup performance to date by a bowler, Gary Gilmour took six wickets as England were bowled all out for 93 , after falling to 37/7...
, where he played all three matches for Sri Lanka, scoring a total of 19 runs in three innings and conceding 65 runs from ten overs.
Ranasinghe's poor performances meant that he was not considered for the 1979 World Cup
1979 Cricket World Cup
The 1979 Cricket World Cup was the second edition of the tournament and was won by the West Indies. It was held from June 9 to June 23, 1979 in England. The format had remained unchanged from 1975. Eight countries participated in the event. The preliminary matches were played in 2 groups of 4...
, nor the inaugural Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
where England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
played against Sri Lanka. He did play in two ODIs against England, but his fortunes were the reverse of Sri Lanka's - in the first ODI, he scored a quickfire 51, but was caught by Geoff Cook
Geoff Cook
Geoff Cook is a former English cricketer, who played in seven Tests and six ODIs from 1981 to 1983...
just as Sri Lanka needed to up the run rate to chase England's total. They finished six runs short of victory. In the second, Ranasinghe recorded a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
, and yet Sri Lanka won by three runs - although his nine economical overs, conceding only 37 runs, had some say in the win. His ODI performances may have played a part into his call-up for the 1981-82 tour of Pakistan. He didn't play the first Test, but came in for Ravi Ratnayeke
Ravi Ratnayeke
Joseph Ravindran 'Ravi' Ratnayeke is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who batted right-handed and bowled medium pace. Ratnayeke played 22 Tests and 78 ODIs from 1982 to 1990, his Test best bowling performance of eight wickets for 83 runs at Jinnah Stadium Pakistan was a Sri Lankan Test record at the...
in the second, the selectors wanting to bolster the batting. Despite the Sri Lankans doing well, Ranasinghe contributed little, scoring only eleven runs in two innings and bowling twelve overs for 40 runs - also taking the wicket of wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
Ashraf Ali
Ashraf Ali
Ashraf Ali is a former Pakistani cricketer who played in 8 Tests and 16 ODIs from 1980 to 1987.He was a wicketkeeper batsman.His brother Saadat Ali held the national record of maximum first-class runs in a calendar year for Lahore gymkhana....
.
He was dropped again for the third Test, but returned a year later, for Sri Lanka's 1982-83 tour of India. His first innings was another disappointment, as he was dismissed for a duck, but a rearguard 77 against Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev Ramlal Nikhanj , better known as Kapil Dev, is a former Indian cricketer. He captained the Indian cricket team which won the 1983 Cricket World Cup...
and Dilip Doshi
Dilip Doshi
Dilip Rasiklal Doshi is a former Indian cricketer who played in 33 Tests and 15 ODIs from 1979 to 1983....
ensured that Sri Lanka could draw the match. That was his last international game of cricket, however, as the South Africa tour meant that his career was curtailed.
Following his return to Sri Lanka after the South African tour, Ranasinghe found it difficult to find employment and turned to alcohol to cope with depression.
Ranasinghe died in Colombo, aged 42.
Nalanda Junior Old Boys Association (NJOBA) organizes Old Ananda Nalanda Test Cricketers' Limited Over Encounter and it is named after Anura Ranasinghe.