Romesh Kaluwitharana

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Romesh Kaluwitharana

Personal information

Full name

Romesh Shantha Kaluwitharana

Born

24 December 1969 (age 43) Colombo, Dominion of Ceylon

Nickname

Little Kalu

Batting style

Right-hand

Bowling style

Right-arm medium

Role

Batsman, Wicketkeeper

Domestic team information Years Team

Sebastianites Cricket and Athletic Club

Colts Cricket Club

Career statistics
Competition Matches Runs scored Batting average 100s/50s Top score Balls bowled Wickets

Test 49 1,933 26.12 3/9 132* 189 3,711 22.22 2/23 102* -

ODI

Bowling average 5 wickets in innings 10 wickets in match Best bowling Catches/stumpings

93/26

132/75

Source: [1], 9 February 2006

Romesh Shantha Kaluwitharana (born November 24, 1969) is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who played in 49 Test and 189ODIs from 1990 to 2004. He was appointed as the interim cricket coach of Malaysia on the 17th of May 2008. His early career made him look like a good Sri Lankan prospect, and the undoubted highlight of his career was the entertaining innings of 132 not out (including 26 boundaries) that he made on Test debut against a powerful Australian side in 1992. However, he failed to deliver on his promise in a declining Sri Lankan team (prior to the revival of Sri Lankan cricket at the 1996 World Cup). Once in the national side, he sometimes threw his wicket away due to poor shot-selection and was suspect to the swingingdelivery. However, he relished pace and would often be quick to put away any delivery off line or length. His greatest contribution to ODIs came after he was promoted to the top of the batting order to partner opener Sanath Jayasuriya during the 1995-96 tour of Australia, helping to give birth to an aggressive batting approach in the first fifteen overs of fielding restrictions. This new strategy of attacking from the outset heavily contributed to Sri Lanka to win all their matches and secure the 1996 Cricket World Cup as all other teams were not prepared for such an attack. Kaluwitharana was the wicket keeper and opener with Jayasuriya in that world cup series that was captained by Arjuna Ranatunga. The two of them revolutionized the one day game and their tactics are now commonly used by limited overs openers. Kaluwitharana has spent a number of years contributing to charity work in the impoverished Northern part of Sri-Lanka along with his long-time cricket companion Muttiah Muralitharan.

Career Centuries[edit source | editbeta]

Test Centuries The following table illustrates a summary of the Test centuries scored by Romesh Kaluwitharana

In the column Runs, * indicates being not out The column title Match refers to the Match Number of the player's career

Test Centuries of Romesh Kaluwitharana

Runs [1] [2] [3] 132* 103 100

Match 1 9 26

Against Australia New Zealand Pakistan

City/Country Colombo, Sri Lanka Dunedin, New Zealand Lahore, Pakistan

Venue Sinhalese Sports Club Ground Carisbrook Gaddafi Stadium

Year 1992 1997 1999

One Day International Centuries

ODI Centuries of Romesh Kaluwitharana Runs [1] [2] 100* 102* Match 56 156 Against Kenya England City/Country Nairobi, Kenya Colombo, Sri Lanka Venue Gymkhana Club Ground Sinhalese Sports Club Ground Year 1996 2001