chaminda_00
Hall of Fame Member
When it comes to Sri Lankan Cricket we have always had two bowlers that have been considered as a class above the rest, in Murali and Vaas. But a question that i've been trying to figure out in my head for a long time is who is the 3rd best bowler for Sri Lanka ever in Test Cricket. With the development of Malinga i've once again starting to question who is Sri Lankan's No 3. Has Malinga done enough in his 24 Tests to jump head of Sri Lanka first ever Test Class bowlers such as Rumesh Ratnayake, Ravi Ratnayeke, Somachandra De Silva or Ashantha de Mel. And where would recent bowlers Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Zoysa and Pramodya Wickramasinghe stand in comparsion to others.
Somachandra De Silva
One of those players from Sri Lanka, who many say that we never saw the best of him at Test Level. Playing his first Test at the age of 40, you can't expect him to have performed at his best. With FC career average of 28, mainly playing in Tour matches against FC class sides around the world for Sri Lanka, prior to Test status, he probably has the biggest claim as Sri Lanka Number 3, if not Number 2 infront of Vaas.
Ashantha de Mel
All three seamers were ever influencial during Sri Lanka every days in allowing Sri Lanka to be competitive. Ashantha de Mel gets remember the most out of these three due to the fact that he took Sri Lanka first ever 5-fer in Tests. A good swing bowler, that probably missed out on the back half of his career due to a career ending knee injury.
Rumesh Ratnayake
Rumesh will be remembered as Sri Lankan first geniune fast bowler rather then just a medium pacer. He did fall away at the back end his career due to injuries. He does however probably have the best overall outside Vaas and Murali with 73 wickets @ 35, including five 5-fers (more then anyone other Sri Lanka bowler outside Vaas and Murali)
Ravi Ratnayeke
Ravi a regular in most people All Time sides due to his all round ability, as well as his potential ability to be good foil to Murali with his ability to keep it tight at one and end and bowl effective on unresponsive pitches. With 56 Test wickets @ 35, as well as 4-fer he has his own claims by himself.
Pramodya Wickramasinghe
His number are pretty poor compared to the rest but he played different. His main role in the side was to keep it tight and support Murali and Vaas and with a E/R od 2.94. Only Vaas and Zoysa have lower E/R for Sri Lankan fast bowlers who have taken 50 plus wickets. He also took a fair few wickets during his 10-year Test career and with 85 wickets only Jayasuriya, Vaas and Murali have taken more wickets. Probably a class below the rest but deserves a mention.
Nuwan Zoysa
The first of the highly and sometimes unfairly critised bowlers. As Sri Lanka grew as a Test nations expectations grew and bowlers were required to perform at higher standards. Zoysa probably didn't perform at those standards, but did he perform better then the Ratnayake's and de Mel's of the world? In terms of bowling averages it is lower then all three and he played a similar role as Wickramasinghe and did that role effectively and took wickets at a decent rate. Probably one of the most under rated bowlers in Sri Lanka history and gets unfairly critised at times cus he played in the same generation as Vaas and Murali.
Dilhara Fernando
Another bowler who statistically is right up their with the best Sri Lankan's produced and maybe even better. 77 wickets @ 30 in 26 Tests, thats 6th on the All Wicket Takers list and 3rd in averages and 2nd in strike rate (infront of Murali). Like Zoysa and Wickramasingha if he played in a different era would he have been remembered as one of Sri Lanka greats?
Lasith Malinga
Sri Lanka fastest ever bowler (well maybe 2nd but Thilan Thursha can't get it on the pitch enough) and newest member to the debate. Has he done in his short 24 Test match career, well his has played more matches then Ratnayake (both), de Mel and De Soya. Maybe short interms of length is more accurate. With 83 wickets @ 30 his 4th in wickets, 4th in averages and 1st in strike rates. But has he done enought to jump ahead of the old timers and higher performing current generation bowlers.
No poll want some discussion please
Thoughts
Somachandra De Silva
One of those players from Sri Lanka, who many say that we never saw the best of him at Test Level. Playing his first Test at the age of 40, you can't expect him to have performed at his best. With FC career average of 28, mainly playing in Tour matches against FC class sides around the world for Sri Lanka, prior to Test status, he probably has the biggest claim as Sri Lanka Number 3, if not Number 2 infront of Vaas.
Ashantha de Mel
All three seamers were ever influencial during Sri Lanka every days in allowing Sri Lanka to be competitive. Ashantha de Mel gets remember the most out of these three due to the fact that he took Sri Lanka first ever 5-fer in Tests. A good swing bowler, that probably missed out on the back half of his career due to a career ending knee injury.
Rumesh Ratnayake
Rumesh will be remembered as Sri Lankan first geniune fast bowler rather then just a medium pacer. He did fall away at the back end his career due to injuries. He does however probably have the best overall outside Vaas and Murali with 73 wickets @ 35, including five 5-fers (more then anyone other Sri Lanka bowler outside Vaas and Murali)
Ravi Ratnayeke
Ravi a regular in most people All Time sides due to his all round ability, as well as his potential ability to be good foil to Murali with his ability to keep it tight at one and end and bowl effective on unresponsive pitches. With 56 Test wickets @ 35, as well as 4-fer he has his own claims by himself.
Pramodya Wickramasinghe
His number are pretty poor compared to the rest but he played different. His main role in the side was to keep it tight and support Murali and Vaas and with a E/R od 2.94. Only Vaas and Zoysa have lower E/R for Sri Lankan fast bowlers who have taken 50 plus wickets. He also took a fair few wickets during his 10-year Test career and with 85 wickets only Jayasuriya, Vaas and Murali have taken more wickets. Probably a class below the rest but deserves a mention.
Nuwan Zoysa
The first of the highly and sometimes unfairly critised bowlers. As Sri Lanka grew as a Test nations expectations grew and bowlers were required to perform at higher standards. Zoysa probably didn't perform at those standards, but did he perform better then the Ratnayake's and de Mel's of the world? In terms of bowling averages it is lower then all three and he played a similar role as Wickramasinghe and did that role effectively and took wickets at a decent rate. Probably one of the most under rated bowlers in Sri Lanka history and gets unfairly critised at times cus he played in the same generation as Vaas and Murali.
Dilhara Fernando
Another bowler who statistically is right up their with the best Sri Lankan's produced and maybe even better. 77 wickets @ 30 in 26 Tests, thats 6th on the All Wicket Takers list and 3rd in averages and 2nd in strike rate (infront of Murali). Like Zoysa and Wickramasingha if he played in a different era would he have been remembered as one of Sri Lanka greats?
Lasith Malinga
Sri Lanka fastest ever bowler (well maybe 2nd but Thilan Thursha can't get it on the pitch enough) and newest member to the debate. Has he done in his short 24 Test match career, well his has played more matches then Ratnayake (both), de Mel and De Soya. Maybe short interms of length is more accurate. With 83 wickets @ 30 his 4th in wickets, 4th in averages and 1st in strike rates. But has he done enought to jump ahead of the old timers and higher performing current generation bowlers.
No poll want some discussion please
Thoughts