Jayasuriya wins Parliamentary Elections from Matara

According to the results declared by the Department of elections, Srilanka - Sanath Jayasuriya has won the parliamentary general election under the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) from his native Matara district.

Earlier Sanath Jayasuriya was allowed to cast his vote a day before as he had IPL commitments in India.

More report to follow..

History awaits Sanath Jayasuriya

Sanath Teran Jayasuriya, known as the ‘ Master Blaster’ or the ‘Matara Mauler’ is no doubt god’s gift to the game. From the time he was knee high to a bat at St. Servatius College, Matara, big run making came naturally to him.

His natural promise began to grow and representative honours was not long in coming. He first served notice when he toured Pakistan with the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team and reeled off two double centuries.

That was his launching pad and since then has mesmerized the cricket world with his unbelievable and amazing stroke play with the willow that has made everyone watch in awe and applaud his brilliance.

Records came naturally to him and now he is in line to create another world record when he becomes a Member of Parliament from Matara in the coming General Election.


Sporting the cap of the UPFA gifted to him by the sports loving and promoting President Mahinda Rajapaksa, he will now take his stance and strike it rich for his party. President Rajapaksa has the god given ability to spot a winner, and in Jayasuriya he has certainly picked an easy winner.

Jayasuriya’s next record will come when he takes the field for Sri Lanka at the next 50 over World Cup tournament to be conducted in the sub-continent as a Member of Parliament. He will be the first in the world to do so. He has promised to make his bat do the talking by scoring heavily and then taking his rightful place in the team.

[PICS] Jayasuriya election Rally in Matara

Sri Lanka’s master blaster, cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya is seen here greeting his political supporters in Matara today. Jayasuriya recently announced he was going to contest the upcoming General Elections from the Matara district for the UPFA. 

Pic by Krishan Jayaruk (Daily Mirror)

Jayasuriya to balance sport with politics

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya will embark on a political career by taking part in the upcoming parliamentary polls on April 8.

Jayasuriya is seeking to become a Member of Parliament under the ruling coalition United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in the south coast district of Matara, his hometown.

Jayasuriya is seeking to become a Member of Parliament under the ruling coalition United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in the south coast district of Matara, his hometown.

The 40-year-old was recently dropped from the Sri Lanka ODI team but he has no plans to end his cricketing career despite his entry into politics.

“I have no plans to retire from international cricket at this stage as I believe I can successfully balance the workload of playing for Sri Lanka while also serving the people of Matara as an MP,” Jayasuriya said on Thursday.

“It has been an honour representing Sri Lanka on the cricket field during the past 21 years and after careful consideration I believe now is the right time for me to serve the people of Matara.”

Jayasuriya’s marathon international cricket career started in 1989 and has spanned 110 Tests and a record 444 one-day internationals.

Sanath Jayasuriya’s ‘Devani Meheyuma’ - The 2nd Innings

Will Sanath Jayasuriya become the first MP to play cricket for Sri Lanka, that too in a Cricket World Cup? Here he is seen addressing a political rally last month in support of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. (Files)

"I don’t’ have a soft, soothing voice. My voice is rough. I don’t look handsome. I think I’m ugly. I’m not a tall chap but a very diminutive man. Therefore why shouldn’t I be happy about what I’ve achieved in this field?"

- Sunil Perera, local pop music icon and founder of the pop band ‘Gypsies’

Sanath Jayasuriya became ‘Sanath Jayasuriya’ through a lifelong journey across the unknown. A rollercoaster ride of a ‘simple man’ from Matara in the eyes of the most erudite, Jayauriya had to fashion his own destiny through sheer passion, grit and vigour. Luck, though, must have played a great role, as many would argue, in shaping his fascinating life story.

Now, one can imagine Sanath Jayasuriya, dressed in a national costume, walking into parliament next April. It was only last Tuesday (Feb. 16), that he confirmed that he will be contesting from Matara for the April 8 Parliamentary Elections. Critics believe he will win a parliamentary seat. Then will he instead wear western attire unlike his predecessor in politics, Arjuna Ranatunga? And there is yet another interesting thing to look forward to. Will he become the first MP to play cricket for Sri Lanka, that too in a Cricket World Cup? (One is coming up here in Asia soon.) As the political front predicts his definite entry into the legislature, cricket soothsayers say he will make a grand comeback into the Lankan team as well!

Daring dreams

Who had ever thought that this dark and chunky ‘pol adi’ hitter by the Matara beaches would one day become a trend-setter in the art of cricket batting in the world? Who had in his/her wildest dreams could have predicted in the mid 1980s – when only Colombo-based players held sway in local cricket — that this ordinary man from a far off southern town could become Sri Lanka’s most successful cricket captain? Who thought this bashful, inert and soft-spoken youngster would one day become a celebrity in the entire sub-continent.

His story, the ‘Sana’ saga, doesn’t stop there. Last year he became Sri Lanka’s longest serving international cricketer of the post-Test era. His continued stay in the cricket field later on was frowned upon by many a critic, and at the same time, loved probably by a majority of the ordinary folk, his long time fans.

It was noteworthy that Jayasuriya’s last four, five years in cricket fell parallel to an extremely prospective era for the Southerners in Sri Lanka, simply due to the emergence of the giant figure of Mahinda Rajapaksa. President Rajapaksa, who probably chronicles the grandest adventure of local politics of our times, is one who emerged from the deep South Medamulana to ‘invade’ prestigious Temple Trees, defying age old political traditions.

The affable ‘Sana’ has begun his ‘Deveni Meheyuma’ (Second Operation). Jayasuriya, by his entry into politics will probably turn a new leaf in life. Or else, he will give his support to his beloved state leader by collecting a mega number of votes for the President’s party from his electorate.

On the other hand, in this country where someone like Anarkali Akarsha polled in grand numbers to enter the Southern Provincial Council only recently, what’s the point in asking for any political background, useful knowledge and experience before taking to politics? In Asia (maybe even in the US), politics is a forum for tears, blood, bullets, worship and religion and both masters and the amateur stay alive with equal prospects; star and the flop, both…in Sri Lanka, how can it differ?


(Source)

Jayasuriya to take on Ranatunga in politics

His cricket career on the wane, former captain Sanath Jayasuriya has taken the political plunge and will have a face-off against ex-teammate Arjuna Ranatunga during election campaigns for their respective alliances for the April 8 Sri Lankan Parliamentary polls.

Jayasuriya is expected to contest the upcoming general elections under the ruling coalition United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket from the Southern Coastal Matara district.

Jayasuriya, however, ruled out giving up cricket just yet.

“I will not give up cricket though I am coming into politics. I was pushed to this decision after an exhaustive study,” the opener said.

“I have nothing to earn from the politics. But I can work for the people who loved me a lot. It is the bounden duty to serve the people, in return, for what they did for me to come to this position,” he added.

“When the UPFA invited me to contest for general elections I accepted it since this is a golden opportunity to work people wholeheartedly,” Jayasuriya told Daily News.

The 40-year-old cricketer said he got the all-clear to contest elections from the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.

Ranatunga, who left the UPFA and sided with the defeated opposition presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka, had recently said that Jayasuriya and other active cricket players should not join politics.

While one of Arjuna Ranatunga’s brother, Prasanna is the Chief Minister of the UPFA-led Western Provincial Council, his another sibling Nishantha Ranatunga is the secretary of the Interim Committee of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

Sanath Jayasuriya to contest election from Matara

Sri Lanka’s master blaster Sanath Jayasuriya is to contest to the upcoming General Elections under the UPFA ticket from the Matara district. Speaking to Daily Mirror online UPFA sources said that he will hand over his application papers to contest the polls soon.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka Cricket sources said that Jayasuriya will need clearance from the Sri Lankan Cricket Board in order to contest while playing cricket.

When contacted by Daily Mirror online Jayasuriya confirmed that he has been invited by the UPFA to contest the polls but did not wish to comment further as he is still a contracted cricketer.