Ajit de Silva
Ginigalgodage Ramba Ajit de Silva (born 12 December 1952, in Ambalangoda, Ceylon), or Ajit de Silva, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer, who played four Test matches and six ODIs for Sri Lanka, bowling accurate slow left arm spin.[1][2][3][4]
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Full name | Ginigalgodage Ramba Ajit de Silva | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | 12 December 1952 68) Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka | (age|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Left-handed batsman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Slow left arm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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National side |
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Test debut (cap 3) | 17 February 1982 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 17 September 1982 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 13) | 14 June 1975 v Pakistan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 15 September 1982 v India | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: ESPNcricinfo, 19 June 2020 |
International career
He proved an important member of the national squad for several years until 1982/83, when he toured with the rebel Arosa Sri Lanka team to South Africa. Due to this, he was excluded from world cricket, along with the rest of the players on that tour. This effectively finished his first-class career, beginning in November 1973, in which he claimed 161 wickets (av 27.44).
He played a crucial part in Sri Lanka's first ODI victory on home soil – against England in 1982. Sri Lanka had batted first, setting England 216 to win, and Graham Gooch and Geoff Cook had set a good platform as the score moved to 109 for no loss. However, de Silva removed both openers (stumped by Mahes Goonatilleke), four players were run out, and England lost by three runs.
References
- Nirgunan Tiruchelvam (14 August 2012). "The wasted talent that was Ajit de Silva". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- "Ajit de Silva". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- Silva, Revata S. (6 November 2005). "Ajith de Silva – between Bishen Bedi and N.M. Perera". Sunday Island. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
- "Ajith de Silva the best left-arm leg-spinner we ever had". Daily News. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2020.