ARAVINDA DE SILVA

 Jo Harman (Wisden Cricket Monthly magazine editor) on ARAVINDA DE SILVA ⬇️

The Sri Lankan genius only played a single season for Kent, filling in while Hooper was on international duty, but he managed what the Guyanese couldn’t, inspiring the county to their first trophy 🏆 for 17 years. With a little more support from his teammates it would have been a one-day double, as Kent lost the B&H Cup final to Lancs despite a sensational century from de Silva. He also hit more than 1,600 Championship runs in a team that finished bottom of the table.  

“I cannot believe any player, anywhere, has been so popular,” said Kent teammate Graham Cowdrey. “When he packed his bags, he hugged each of us and I have never known a professional sports team so close to tears.”