Sri Lanka all time test XI

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Sri Lanka applied for Test status as early as 1946. Some FC averages of pre-Test players:

Batsmen: Sathasivam 41, Abdul Lafir 41, De Saram 39, Ievers Gunasekera 37, Tennekoon 36, Heyn 35, Inman 34.

Spinners: Sahabandu 87@19, Edward Kelaart 60@22, Ievers Gunasekera 53@23, Goonesena 674@24.

Medium/fast-medium bowlers: Mevan Pieris 61@17, Kehelgamuwa 55@18, Lieversz 32@18.
There were no matches designated first-class in Tommy Kelaart's day. He took 1736 wickets @ 6.81 in all cricket. There was also Englishman Bill Greswell of Somerset (540@21). Greswell spent a lot of time in Ceylon playing cricket and represented the country.

Wicket-keepers: HIK Fernando 71ct + 29st (bat av 18), ER Fernando 50ct + 15st (bat av 22).

 

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Ceylon/Sri Lanka played 32 unofficial "Tests" between 1932 and 1981. All opponents were Test nations fielding representative sides. Two matches were won, twelve lost and eighteen drawn. Opponents were India (13), Pakistan (8), West Indies (6), England (3) and Australia (2). The two victories were against India at Ahmedabad in 1965 and Pakistan at the Colombo Cricket Club in 1976. Most games were at home, with the remainder in India and Pakistan.

Easily Ceylon's most successful batsman was Anura Tennekoon with 1537 runs, average 42, including four hundreds. Next was left-hander David Heyn with 804 runs at 30. Michael Tissera and wicket-keeper Ranjit Fernando passed 500 runs with averages of 29 and 25 respectively. Batsmen whose careers overlapped with official Tests fared poorly in the unofficial matches. Dias averaged 29, Duleep Mendis 19, Warnapura 19 and Wettimuny 18.

The older cricketers played fewer matches but some managed averages over forty: Ed Kelaart, Jayawickreme, Sathasivam, Mahes Rodrigo, Ievers Gunasekera and Lionel Fernando.

The leading wicket-takers were Somachandra de Silva 65@28, Ajit de Silva 42@27 and medium-pacer Tony Opatha 41@30. Left-arm spinner Daya Sahabandu did not live up to his reputation, with his ten wickets costing 47 apiece.

Tommy Kelaart's career pre-dated the "Tests". He did play five one-day matches against English and Australian teams who were on their way to facing each other, claiming 23 wickets at an average of 9.30. One of his victims was WG Grace.

Ceylon enjoyed a long-held reputation for producing high-class wicket-keepers. HIK Fernando kept in eleven of the unofficial Tests. And at either end of the fifty-year programme of matches there were cameo appearances by Ben Navaratne and Mahes Goonatilleke.