Ajit de Silva

Ajit de Silva
Personal information
Full name	Ginigalgodage Ramba Ajit de Silva
Born	12 December 1952 (age 71); Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Slow left-arm orthodox
International information
National side	Sri Lanka (1975–1982);
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
	Source: ESPNcricinfo, 19 June 2020

Ginigalgodage Ramba Ajit de Silva (born 12 December 1952), or Ajit de Silva, is a former Sri Lankan international cricketer, who played four Test matches and six One Day Internationals for Sri Lanka, bowling accurate slow left arm spin.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

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.

In 1982 de Silva joined a "Rebel tour" to Apartheid-era South Africa. In the series the "AROSA" Sri Lankans were soundly beaten. de Silva himself struggled with stress and had a breakdown on tour.^[5] He was given a 25-year ban by the Sri Lankan cricket authorities for participating in the rebel tour which was a breach of the boycott of South Africa by global sporting bodies.^[6]

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.
^ Alfred, Luke (16 January 2019). "When Sri Lanka went to cuckoo land". Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
^ Amaruwan, Dilina (16 January 2019). "Cricket In Cuckoo Land: The Rebel Tour Of Apartheid South Africa". Roar Media. Retrieved 5 December 2022.

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[1] Nirgunan Tiruchelvam (14 August 2012). "The wasted talent that was Ajit de Silva". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 June 2020.

[2] "Ajit de Silva". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 June 2020.

[3] Silva, Revata S. (6 November 2005). "Ajith de Silva – between Bishen Bedi and N.M. Perera". Sunday Island. Retrieved 19 June 2020.

[4] "Ajith de Silva the best left-arm leg-spinner we ever had". Daily News. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2020.

[Cricinfo-5] Alfred, Luke (16 January 2019). "When Sri Lanka went to cuckoo land". Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 December 2022.

[6] Amaruwan, Dilina (16 January 2019). "Cricket In Cuckoo Land: The Rebel Tour Of Apartheid South Africa". Roar Media. Retrieved 5 December 2022.

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