Ravi Ratnayeke

Infobox Cricketer


nationality = Sri Lanka
country = Sri Lanka
country abbrev = SL
name = Ravi Ratnayeke
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Left-hand bat
bowling style = Right-arm fast-medium
balls = true
tests = 22
test runs = 807
test bat avg = 25.21
test 100s/50s = -/5
test top score = 93
test overs = 3833
test wickets = 56
test bowl avg = 35.21
test 5s = 4
test 10s = -
test best bowling = 8/83
test catches/stumpings = 1/-
ODIs = 78
ODI runs = 824
ODI bat avg = 14.98
ODI 100s/50s = -/1
ODI top score = 50
ODI overs = 3573
ODI wickets = 85
ODI bowl avg = 33.71
ODI 5s = -
ODI 10s = -
ODI best bowling = 4/23
ODI catches/stumpings = 14/-
date = 9 February
year = 2006
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/50250.html

Joseph Ravindran 'Ravi' Ratnayeke (born May 2, 1960, Colombo) is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who batted right-handed and bowled medium pace. Ratnayeke played 22 Tests and 78 ODIs from 1982 to 1990, his Test best bowling performance of eight wickets for 83 runs at Jinnah Stadium (Sialkot) Pakistan was a Sri Lankan Test record at the time, and was also vice captain to Arjuna Ranatunga [ [http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2005/4/1401.html Vaas: Lanka`s unsung hero] from LankaNewspapers.com, retrieved 1 May 2006] . Ratnayeke was described by Cricinfo writer Johann Jayasekera as able "to bowl with a lively pace and move the ball in favourable conditions", and also as "a competent batsman" [cricinfo|ref=srilanka/content/player/50250.html]

He was educated at Trinity College Kandy, and made his debut in first class cricket for Sri Lanka Under–25s against Tamil Nadu Under–25s in 1980–81. Opening the bowling with Ashantha de Mel, Ratnayeke took three wickets, and impressed the Sri Lankan selectors enough to go on tour of England in 1981. Playing six [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1670/First-Class_Matches.html First-Class Matches played by Ravi Ratnayeke (71)] from CricketArchive, retrieved 1 May 2006] of Sri Lanka's fifteen matches on tour [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Seasons/ENG/1981_ENG_Sri_Lanka_in_England_1981.html Sri Lanka in England 1981] from CricketArchive, retrieved 1 May 2006] , Ratnayeke took nine wickets [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Seasons/Seasonal_Averages/ENG/1981_f_Bowling_by_Average.html First-class Bowling in England for 1981 (Ordered by Average)] , from CricketArchive, retrieved 1 May 2006] , five of which came in one match against Sussex [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/41/41322.html Sussex v Sri Lankans in 1981] , from CricketArchive, published on 1 May 2006] .

When Sri Lanka played their first Test match in February 1982, against England, Ratnayeke did not feature in the XI, though "Wisden Cricketer's Almanack" said after the series that leaving Ratnayeke out "gave their captain an unbalanced attack in which only De Mel was more than medium pace" [ [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152253.html SRI LANKA v ENGLAND 1981–82] , from the 1983 Wisden Cricketer's Almanack, published on Cricinfo.com, retrieved 1 May 2006] . He did play a tour match for the Sri Lanka Board President's XI, taking five wickets for 120, and when Sri Lanka went to Pakistan the following month, he played the first and third Tests and all three ODIs. Ratnayeke was said to "improve as the tour progressed" by "Wisden" [http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152264.html The Sri Lankans in Pakistan, 1981–82] , from the 1983 Wisden Cricketer's Almanack, published on Cricinfo.com, retrieved 1 May 2006] , though he was noted as a bowler who gave little support to Sri Lanka's main three. Ratnayeke took three of Sri Lanka's seven wickets in the final Test at Lahore, which Sri Lanka lost by an innings and 120 runs, and also the wicket of Zaheer Abbas in the second ODI, which Sri Lanka won on scoring rate [ [http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1981-82/SL_IN_PAK/SL_PAK_ODI2_29MAR1982.html 2nd ODI: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Lahore, 29 Mar 1982] ] .

References