Angelo Mathews is retiring

[nevada]

He has 8000 test runs at an average of 44. Despite injury struggles and quarrels with the cricket board, he has ended up with quite a respectable career aggregate as a batsman, despite starting his career as a bowling all-rounder. Plus he was an outstanding fielder despite weight and injury issues. 

[Gollum]

Underachiever but still a great servant for SL cricket. Was outstanding in their series win in England in 2014 (player of the series also), and in our tour to SL in 2015. Around 2014-15 many would have bracketed him with Smith, Kohli, KW, Root. He had 50+ average that time IIRC, steep decline in last few years. 

Edited June 17 by Gollum

[st12345]

Right there up with jack kallis 

[Sandz]

To be remembered forever as the first player to get timed out in international cricket.

[Forever Indian]

1 hour ago, Sandz said:

To be remembered forever as the first player to get timed out in international cricket.

That was a real farce by Shakib...

[Sandz]

2 hours ago, Forever Indian said:

That was a real farce by Shakib...

And he will forever be known as the person who timed Angelo out - one of the most disgraceful acts in history of cricket. 

[Lord]

Good cricketer. Should have played lot more Tests but it all became about money in recent years. 

[Lord]

10 hours ago, Gollum said:

Underachiever but still a great servant for SL cricket. Was outstanding in their series win in England in 2014 (player of the series also), and in our tour to SL in 2015. Around 2014-15 many would have bracketed him with Smith, Kohli, KW, Root. He had 50+ average that time IIRC, steep decline in last few years. 

So very much like Kohli but one has massive hype and other nobody cares about 

[Gollum]

15 minutes ago, Lord said:

So very much like Kohli but one has massive hype and other nobody cares about 

Kohli had an insane peak, from 2014 Adelaide till 2019 home series against RSA, in that period he averaged 60+ and came closest to Smith, which itself is a legendary feat. Also a more attacking player, he was more like Ponting/Amla but slightly lesser version of them. Angelo was like Graham Thorpe (RIP), Thorpe too was very underrated in his time.  

 

And as captains, poles apart. Kohli oversaw a period of dominance of his side which had gone stale by the end of MSD's tenure. We held the mace 4-5 years in succession IIRC, and fast bowling culture emerged. Mathews was a dull, stupid captain, an anomaly really because before him Lankans had some very enterprising, entertaining (even cunning), positive captains like Ranatunga, Atapattu, Mahela, Sanga. 

Edited June 17 by Gollum

[Gollum]

21 minutes ago, Lord said:

Good cricketer. Should have played lot more Tests but it all became about money in recent years. 

Long history with injuries, that also contributed to his weight gain, declining fitness. And too many run-ins with his board, SLC was no less a basketcase than PCB during most of his career. Our cricketers are lucky that BCCI is so loaded, and also treats its players well. 

 

Till around 2015, he was a legit superstar of world cricket, both in tests and ODIs. His absence in 2011 WC final was a lucky break for us. 

Edited June 17 by Gollum

[Gollum]

Mathews and Herath were the last great players from SL, both contenders to be in SL's all time XI. Let us hope Kamindu Mendis also turns out like them. 

 

2015 India tour of SL was the last time SL was a formidable test side. Peak Mathews and Herath, Sanga (who actually bossed the 2014 season in all formats), Chandimal who had a bumper start to his career, opener Karunaratne and some exciting quicks. After that they fell apart, notwithstanding their series win in RSA later. 

[Lord]

[putrevus]

Became too fat and greatly benefitted from playing substandard teams.Very inflated batting avg. Had one or two good seasons.

 

I saw some moron comparing him to Kallis. 

Edited June 18 by putrevus

[putrevus]

21 hours ago, Lord said:

Did anyone stop SL, Pakistan and other whiners to play test cricket among themselves.

 

Why play only two test series against Bangldesh and not five test series.

 

 

[nitinbwj]

SL has prepared God awful pattas for Bangladesh. Kangaloos are closing in on 500 

[putrevus]

On 6/17/2025 at 10:07 AM, Lord said:

So very much like Kohli but one has massive hype and other nobody cares about 

How is Kohli hype again?

[coffee_rules]

54 minutes ago, nitinbwj said:

SL has prepared God awful pattas for Bangladesh. Kangaloos are closing in on 500 

I had thought Mushy had retired. Did he do an Afridi?

[Lord]

2 hours ago, putrevus said:

Did anyone stop SL, Pakistan and other whiners to play test cricket among themselves.

 

Why play only two test series against Bangldesh and not five test series.

 

 

No money. It has become about money now

[coffee_rules]

On 6/17/2025 at 10:07 AM, Lord said:

So very much like Kohli but one has massive hype and other nobody cares about 

Kohli's end is a KLPD. He was called  King Kohli, ended up like a King Kong.

[putrevus]

15 minutes ago, Lord said:

No money. It has become about money now

No money for what? If players like Mathew is so interested in test cricket then they should be prepared to take lot of paycuts.

 

Lot of these boards like SL, Pakistan and WI are so lazy and  so reliant of ICC/BCCI handouts , they don't even want to expand their markets to become self reliant.

 

Every country has to explore their own options, they cannot expect to be bailed out by ICC/BCCI all the time.

 

IMO for test cricket to survive we don't need whiners, we need doers.It has to be collective effort from all parties.

Edited June 18 by putrevus