[Video] Marvan Atapattu 101 Vs Australia | VB Series 2003

Rewind: Marvan in action during the 2003 VB series in Australia. This was Marvan's 8th ODI century and the first against the Aussies. Marvan and Sanath went on to score the highest opening partnership ever at the Sydney Cricket Grounds.

Scorecard (Courtesy Cricinfo) Click to expand...

[Video] Sri Lanka Vs Stuart MacGill | 2007/08

This may well be the last time Macgill donned the baggy green. Atapattu, Sangakkara and later Jayasuriya (who incidentally was batting in the middle order) took a liking to his bowling. Macgill ended with figures of 1 for 102 in 20 overs. Click to expand...

[Video] Sri Lanka Vs Australia, Second Test, Hobart, 4th day | 2007

4th day
Bulletin - Sangakkara digs in for big climb
Peter English - Lee rises to the challenge
Quotes - 'We're still right in the box seat' - Ponting
Quotes - First session will be key, says Sangakkara
Plays of the day - Missing magic, and missing school
Audio - Ian Chappell: Sri Lanka have given themselves a chance
Gallery - Sri Lanka face tough ask Click to expand...

[Video] Aney Yako | Marvan & The Muppets

Marvelous Marvan bids us farewell with a priceless moment.

Related Viewing

Marvan Atapattu | The Morning After

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[Video] Marvelous Marvan 75 Vs Kolkota Tigers | ICL

"Who says Marvan can't play 20Twenty Cricket?" - Tony Greig.

Indian Cricket League, 2007 Delhi Jets vs Kolkata Tigers, 3rd Position Match Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Panchkula, December 16, 2007. Match Status: Delhi Jets won by 5 wkts.








dell, apple, iphone, kookaburra cricket, gray nicholls, ICL, cricket, sri lanka tours, sri lanka clothes, alienware, laptops, ebay auction, western union, australia cricket, sri lankan airlines Click to expand...

Atapattu stars as Jets take third place

Cricinfo: Marvan Atapattu hit an unbeaten 75 from 56 balls to lead Delhi Jets to a five-wicket victory over Kolkata Tigers in their third-place playoff in Panchkula.

Atapattu's decision to field first was vindicated with his bowlers doing a tidy job to keep Tigers to 141 - five of six bowlers used picked up a wicket - and the former Sri Lankan batsman capped a good tournament with a cool half-century in a tense match that went into the final over.


Read on. Click to expand...

[Video] Marvan Atapattu 64 Vs India | Sharjah | 1998/99

Scorecard Click to expand...

One more volley from Atapattu

Cricket Australia: Former Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu has been unveiled as a Delhi Jets player for the inaugural Indian Cricket League (ICL) season - but could not resist one last parting shot at his country's selectors.The 37-year-old claims cricket in Sri Lanka is 'doomed to failure' if there is not urgent reform in the game.

Atapattu had been on a two-year hiatus from the national team until the Sri Lankan sports minister brokered his return on the recent Australia tour. The outspoken batsman then promptly called time on his international career midway through the final day of the second Test and has since criticised those who run the game on the island, labelling them 'muppets headed by a joker'."

Sri Lankan cricket is full of talent but the selectors have gone about their job in an improper way," Atapattu told the Asian Age on Monday.

"The second string looks spineless, there is no grooming of youngsters, and if the matter is not dealt with by the cricket board then our cricket is doomed to failure."

"Having played for so long, I always wished that a youngster would be ready to take my place. But that is not happening at all.""I have no proof but it seems that Sri Lanka Cricket is riddled with politics."

Atapattu signed off for Sri Lanka with an excellent knock of 80 in that final Test against Australia to finish with 5502 runs at an average of 39.02 in 90 Tests, including six double-centuries.Despite only returning for two Test matches, Atapattu admitted he felt the time was right for him to retire.

"I did what I could have for cricket and I was not sad at all as some newspapers suggested," he said."I was not sad at the end of my career, but for Sri Lankan cricket which seems headed for the dumps. I did what I thought best and I was not concerned about myself."

"After the sports minister intervened for my selection I realised that the Australian tour might be the last time I would don the national colours.""At 37 and with injuries taking their toll what else was I supposed to do?"

The right-hander has now signed up for the inaugural ICL and is looking forward to being part of the Twenty20 tournament which begins on Friday."I have not played much Twenty20 and I want to have a taste of it," he said."The ICL has provided me with the opportunity and here I am - I don't think it should be blocked in any way."

"In fact, we need more such initiatives to groom talent and it should be treated as a career chosen by a cricketer.""The Indian Premier League has dragged in all the current players but ICL also has fresh talent on display. That is where the difference lies." Click to expand...

Atapattu: 'Players demoralised by the present system'

Cricinfo - Atapattu: 'Players demoralised by the present system': Marvan Atapattu retired from international cricket at the end of Sri Lanka's Test series in Australia. A technically correct batsman, he finished his Test career with an average just below 40 and was instrumental in the team's revival after he took over as captain in 2004.

However, a back injury in 2006 saw him increasingly sidelined, and losing the captaincy to Mahela Jayawardene. His career ended in less than happy circumstances: he just might end up being more remembered for calling the selectors - with whom he had a series of spats - a "set of muppets headed by a joker" before calling it quits.

Channel 9's Lunch time Cricket Show and it's expert panel discusses the issues facing Lanka cricket after Marvan's comments to the media last night.

Atapattu, now headed to India to lead the Delhi Jets in the Indian Cricket League, spoke to Sa'adi Thawfeeq.

Read on
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Sri Lanka stalwart Atapattu quits | BBC

BBC SPORT Cricket Sri Lanka stalwart Atapattu quits: "Former Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu has announced his retirement from international cricket. The opener, 36, scored 5,502 runs in 90 Tests at an average of 39.02, including six double centuries and 16 hundreds. "

Atapattu returned to the Test team after almost two years out to hit fifties in both games in Australia.
Current skipper Mahela Jayawardene said: "Marvan made a strong comeback after not playing for some time. The work ethic he had was incredible."

A dour and dogged batsman, Atapattu overcame a poor start to his Test career in 1990 to become one of Sri Lanka's finest accumulators of runs.

He scored a total of one run in his first six innings and didn't go above 29 in his next 11 and finished with a world-record 22 Test ducks.

Atapattu hit his first Test century in his 10th match, seven years after his debut, and compiled his highest score of 249 against Zimbabwe in 2004.

Only three batsmen have scored more Test double centuries - England's Wally Hammond with seven, West Indies' Brian Lara (8) and Australia's Don Bradman (12).

He also amassed 8,529 runs in 268 one-day internationals but was a peripheral figure at this year's World Cup, and fell out with the Sri Lankan cricket board in the latter stages of his career.

Jayawardene replaced him as skipper in March 2006 when he suffered a back problem and he turned down recalls to the team for Tests against Bangladesh in June 2007 and the Australia tour.

The right-hander was drafted in after Sri Lanka's sports minister intervened but Atapattu then called the selectors "muppets headed by a joker" during the first Test in Brisbane.

Bandula Warnapura, Sri Lanka's first Test captain and Sri Lanka Cricket's director of operations, added: "As an international cricketer he had a poor start with so many ducks.

"But his determination was clearly visible in the way he fought back - there was a clear difference in Marvan once he started opening for Sri Lanka and since then he hasn't looked back.

"However I am disappointed that the send-off given to him wasn't in keeping with his status. I strongly believe that he was not well treated in the last year or so." Click to expand...

[Video] Sri Lanka Vs Australia | 2nd 3Mobile Test | Day 1 EXT HL

Scorecard


Bulletin - Sri Lanka suffer a Jaques and Hussey rerun
Peter English - Staying the same
Quotes - Jaques: 'It's never enough'
Quotes - Bayliss calls for more discipline
Plays of the day - Man of the Moment and a Vaas disappointment
Audio - Ian Chappell: Hussey's consistency is unbelievable
News - Agencies end boycott of Test coverage

Courtesy Cricinfo


Video Screencaps

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Atapattu considers Sydney relocation | SMH

OUTSPOKEN Sri Lankan batsman Marvan Atapattu is considering retiring from international cricket after the Hobart Test and relocating to Sydney to play grade cricket with the St George club.

The Herald has learned that Atapattu held discussions with St George representatives between the first and second Tests regarding a possible move to Sydney. Should all go to plan, the former Sri Lankan captain would arrive in Sydney before Christmas and could be available for St George's round-nine clash with Gordon at Hurstville Oval.

Atapattu is currently embroiled in a tense stand-off with Sri Lanka Cricket officials following his withering attack on national selectors during the Brisbane Test. After compiling a half-century in the first innings at the Gabba, Atapattu fronted a press conference and branded Sri Lankan selectors "Muppets headed by a joker", the latter reference directed at panel chairman Ashanta de Mel.

Atapattu will face a disciplinary hearing over the outburst in Sri Lanka upon his return home. But sources close to the Sri Lankan team suggest that the veteran batsman is considering trumping his national board by announcing his retirement from international cricket before Sri Lanka's forthcoming Test series against England.

As well as talking to St George officials, Atapattu is understood to have held preliminary discussions with a prominent Australian media organisation regarding commentary work during the triangular one-day series between Australia, Sri Lanka and India later this summer.

No contracts have been signed, but it is understood there is significant interest on both the side of Atapattu and the media organisation.

Atapattu has been a contentious figure in recent months. The right-hander was initially overlooked by selectors for the Australian touring party, only to be called into the squad after the intervention of the Sri Lankan sports minister. Prior to Brisbane, Atapattu had not played a Test match since December 2005. However, as shown at the Gabba, he remains a dangerous batsman.

With 89 Tests and 268 one-day internationals to his name, the 36-year-old would bring a wealth of experience to St George. Earlier this year, the club failed in its attempt to bring Zimbabwean international Vusi Sibanda to Australia due to visa complications.

Sibanda, considered Zimbabwe's brightest batting prospect, played in the Sydney shires competition last year and had indicated he would retire from international cricket if a more permanent playing opportunity arose in Sydney.

SMH Click to expand...

[Video] Inside Cricket | Aussie panel discusses the 1st Test

Video courtesy of Shehan @ www.cricketcrowd.com

Mark Waugh, Allan Border, Damien Fleming and Brendon Julian of the Inside Cricket Panel discuss the 1st Test at the Gabba, and look ahead to the 2nd Test at Horbart,
Aus vs SL, Nov 2007. Click to expand...

Atapattu will stay - Sri Lanka Cricket

Atapattu will stay - Sri Lanka Cricket

By Channaka de Silva


Marvan Atapattu will not be recalled home before the second test as was widely speculated following his scathing attack on the national selectors, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed yesterday.


Atapattu called the national selectors a “bunch of Muppets headed by a joker” after the first test and was in the danger of being summoned back on disciplinary grounds before the second test, but the Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee yesterday decided to let the former Sri Lanka captain stay for the second test in the wake of a Sri Lankan batting disaster in the first test where Atapattu made a fighting half century.


Sri Lanka Cricket spokesman Samantha Algama said that Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee decided to let Atapattu stay at an emergency meeting yesterday.


“Sri Lanka Cricket does not wish to disrupt the on going tour of Australia, specially as the second Test in Hobart will commence on 16th November 2007. However Sri Lanka Cricket is very distressed and disappointed about the statements made by Marvan Atapattu on the Selectors and Sri Lanka Cricket, and will take necessary disciplinary action on his return to Sri Lanka.” Said a statement issued by Sri Lanka Cricket yesterday.


Meanwhile Alagama said that there were positive signs that the dispute over the print media coverage of the test would be over in time for the second test starting on Friday.


“Our CEO Duleep Mendis was constantly in touch with Cricket Australia and he has received a positive assurance from them that the issue will be solved before the second test” said Algama.

Source: Daily Mirror LK Sports Click to expand...

Sri Lanka selector ignores 'joker' remark | AFP

COLOMBO (AFP) — Sri Lanka's chief selector Asantha de Mel on Sunday declined to comment after being called a "joker" by senior batsman Marvan Atapattu during the ongoing opening Test in Australia.

"I do not want to comment and I want to ignore his comments. All that I am keen as the chief selector is to see Sri Lankan batsmen save the Test," de Mel told AFP.

Sri Lanka are struggling to salvage a draw in the first Test in Brisbane after seeing Australia declare on 551-4 and then getting all out for 211 in their first innings.

The 36-year-old opening batsman on Saturday blamed the selectors for the team's current woes.

"Sri Lanka cricket at this moment of time is not going in the direction it should be going, especially with a set of muppets headed by a joker," Atapattu was quoted as saying on the cricinfo website.

"I don't give credit to the way they have handled selections. If they had handled selections properly we should have a good back-up team.

"For some reasons we don't, and at the age of 37-38 people have to come and play for Sri Lanka when it comes to tough tours like this. If selectors are there only for going on tours and getting perks it is a waste of time."

Atapattu has been lashing out at the selectors since the March-April World Cup in the Caribbean, where he did not play a single match despite being in the squad.

He was also ignored for the one-day series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in May and he pulled out of a three-Test home series against Bangladesh in June saying he was not mentally prepared to play Test cricket.

He was not selected in the original squad for the Australian tour, but was brought in as the 17th member following the intervention of the country's sports minister, Gamini Lokuge.

The veteran, who returned to the Test side after nearly two years, scored a gutsy 51 in the first innings in Brisbane and has 16 centuries in Test cricket.

Source

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Channel 9's Lunch time Cricket Show and it's expert panel discusses the issues facing Lanka cricket after Marvan's comments to the media last night.

The video features

Marvan's 'Muppets' and 'Joker' comment to the media
Trevor Bayliss shares his view on the matter
Saadi Thawfeeq's view on the matter
Cricket Show's expert panel (Ian Chappell, Mark Taylor & Simon O' Donnell) discuss the morning after and what the future may hold for Marvan. Click to expand...

[VIDEO] Marvan Atapattu | The Morning after

Channel 9's Lunch time Cricket Show and it's expert panel discusses the issues facing Lanka cricket after Marvan's comments to the media last night.

The video features

• Marvan's 'Muppets' and 'Joker' comment to the media
• Trevor Bayliss shares his view on the matter
• Saadi Thawfeeq's view on the matter
• Cricket Show's expert panel (Ian Chappell, Mark Taylor & Simon O' Donnell) discuss the morning after and what the future may hold for Marvan.

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Atapattu's tour in doubt after outburst

Marvan Atapattu may be sent home following his outburst against the Sri Lanka selectors on the third day at the Gabba when he branded them a set of muppets, headed by a joker.

The selectors will discuss whether to take any disciplinary action against Atapattu for his comments before the end of the match and a decision will be made about whether he will remain in Australia for the second and final Test in Hobart next week.

The team manager, Shriyan Samararatne, said on Sunday that the board was considering its options. "They will call me back in the next day or two after the senior people on the board discuss it," Samararatne told the AAP news agency.

In the meantime, the head of selectors Ashanta de Mel has dismissed the 'joker' comment. "I do not want to comment and I want to ignore his comments," de Mel told AFP. "All that I am keen as the chief selector is to see Sri Lankan batsmen save the Test."

Samararatne also stressed the issue would not affect the team's on-field performance. "The players are not bothered when someone says something about selection," he said. "So they will get on the with the game. Marvan has confirmed there is no problem in the team so I think the players shouldn't be concerned. They should be upset if they are criticised, but not anybody else."

Atapattu was a late inclusion on the tour following a ministerial intervention to bring him into the squad. He top scored in Sri Lanka's first innings with 51 after spending nearly two years out of the Test team.

© Cricinfo Click to expand...

Atapattu yearns teammates' support

With star batsman Kumar Sangakkarra ruled out of the first Test with a hamstring injury, Atapattu is set to cap a remarkable comeback from the cricketing wilderness.

But he isn't sure if he has been welcomed back into the fold with warmth by his teammates, simply answering: "I hope so." And he admits he only accepted the invitation back into Test cricket because it didn't disrupt his plans. "The sports minister of Sri Lanka came and asked me whether I could go to Australia with the team," Atapattu said. "My answer to him straight away was 'OK I'll go to Australia, if the Australian trip fits into my plans'. "All the problems started in the World Cup. A lot of things have happened but they should not have happened like that.

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