Sri Lanka's first

On Wednesday, February 17, 1982, Sri Lanka became cricket's eighth Test-playing country when Bob Willis bowled to Bandula Warnapura..

Warnapura won the toss and elected to bat first.. He was the first SriLankan wicket to fall too, when he got out for 2 runs giving a catch to Gower off Bob Willis..

England finished their tour of India and landed in Sri Lanka who were then granted a full member status.. 6 months after the status had been awarded to Lanka , this match was played to commemorate the entry of a new nation to the test match field..

The last team to join ICC full member status was Pakistan in 1952 ; so Lanka's entry was something special as it happened 30 years later and there were doubts of the next team getting test status any time soon was far fledged..

Warnapura was handed an un balanced side with just de Mel as a medium pace option and the rest spinners.. The test match also the debut of a young batting star in Ranatunga.. Ranatunga went on to be one of the toughest and strongest captain of the sub continent, lifted 1996 50 over world cup Sri Lanka's first ever major win..

After early loss of wickets, Ranatunga and Ranjan Madugalle notched up 50s.. The 1st day saw many firsts- first toss won, first to be hit on chest, first to get out, first catch to be dropped in an Anglo-lankan match, first boundary, first six, first 50 by a Lankan etc..

Slow left arm spin of Underwood ended Lankan first outing with the bat at 218. The English who followed batted uncharacteristically losing quick wickets to the spinners and the lone medium pacer de Mel. With the exception of Gower who made a sparkling 89, no other batsman played well and England lead Lanka by just 5 runs..

In the 2nd innings , Botham and Willis bowled very few overs and the captain handed the ball to the spinners.. Sri Lanka batted brilliantly and were on 167 for 3.. 

They however lost 7 wickets for 8 runs.. The pitch was a spinner's dream.. At last, the match became one of professionals v amateurs..

Target of 171 seemed gettable .. Tavare and Gower steadied the ship after an early loss of Cook for 0.. England cruised past the target with 7 wickets in the kitty..

The newcomers had held their own -- more -- for three days, but let it slip on the fourth.


This marked the entry of a new nation into test cricket.. They won the world over with some unique and special talent.. Each player who stepped into the fold was unique and was the talking point of the world then.. May it be Warnapura, Roy Dias, Wettimuny, Ranatunga, De Silva, Kaluwitharana, Jayasuriya, Muralitharan to the present day Malinga, Mendis each were unique..

Within no time they surprised us with a win in the 1996 world cup..