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| Sunday, 19 January 2003 |
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Getting the right mix by Srian Obeyesekere Hulk images are better known in the film industry. But today the game of cricket is known for the big hulk images who have begun to capture the imagination of fans crazed by the one-day game. And Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya is no exception for the hulk like image he has breathed to the game with his bat. Indeed, Jayasuriya rose like the hulk to lift his team from the doldrums with successive centuries against Australia and England in the ongoing VB Triangular `Down Under'. But costly run outs in succesive matches by Jayasuriya could well have cost Sri Lanka dearly in entering the finals of the VB Triangular. When the captain looked like working himself into form in last Wednesday's game against Australia he went for a needless third run, and on Friday in the decisive game against England was once again stranded on 99 having collided with Kumar Sangakkara. The run out of the Lankan captain saw Sri Lanka go down by 20 runs to England. In the game against Australia, Jayasuriya went for a third run which was never on the cards at a time much was expected from him. As it was, Sri Lanka was bowled out for 212, and Australia cantered after Muttiah Muralitharan had threatened with an initial spell of 3 wickets which left the hosts on 110 for 4 wickets in 23.3 overs. But with Australia's last two recognised batsmen at the crease in Michael bevan and Darren Lehman, Jayasuriya took Muralitharan off the attack and brought on Dilhara Fernando. It seemed to relax the pressure on the Aussie batsmen at a time the all-spin combination of Muralitharan and Aravinda de Silva was operating. It left English commentators including Ian Botham vexing on why the Lankan captain had taken Murali out of the attack when he should have pressed for a win. As it was, the Bevan-Lehman partnership flourished to a point of taking Australia home. Indeed, Jayasuriya has time and again risen like the big hulk with both bat and ball in championining his team. It is hoped that the captain would learn from failure. Not the least brushing up his running between the wickets. As much as driving home the advantage when it is with him. It looked like when Jayasuriya replaced Muralitharan that he was looking in terms of distributing the quota of 50 overs where he felt the magician with the ball should be reserved for the tailend. But when a bowler looks like running through a side this side of of the 50 overs it would make a captain's work much lighter. A leaf Jayasuriya could well take from the book of the likes of Ian Chappell and Steve Waugh. Wednesday's defeat once again had Sri Lanka on the back to the wall needing to win a decisive game against England last Friday to keep alive their hopes of reaching the final. England and Australia were to meet in the last of the run-up matches to the final which left Nasser Hussein's team with a better chance over Sri Lanka of making it. England had made 280 for 6 wickets in their 50 overs having won the toss and elected to bat against a Sri Lankan outfit which was sans Muralitharan who was recuperating from a hamstring suffered in the game against Australia at Adelaide. Sri Lanka was meaking steady progress when Jayasuriya threw his wicket and Sri Lanka were all out for 260. Now the Lankans must have their fingers crossed that England would lose to Australia on Sunday 19, and need to beat Australia in their final game at Melbourne on Tuesday the 21. If the VB Triangular has not seen the best o fortunes for the Lankans, they can take some heart in getting their act together for February's World Cup in South Africa. Perhaps, most heartening being the return of veteran batsman, Hashan Tillekeratne to beef up a fragile looking batting line-up. Since the tour of South Africa in 2002, the batting department has been found wanting. While the pivotal No.3 slot could not find the desired deliverance in the young left hander, Kumar Sangakkara, the middle order has been ever brittle. But the 33-year old Tillekeratne, who appeared to have said goodbye to his one-day career in 1999 when he was axed after the World cup, has suddenly returned from the wilderness to add muscle to the batting. Thrust in the one down slot against Australia, the week before at Sydney, more for the reliability in grafting and holding an innings together, the stoic left-hander, who won the nickname, `Mr. Reliable' during his peak, did lend weight. Tillekeratne rose to the occasion with a sedate 44 off 74 balls the foundation on which the Lankan victory was built in giving skipper Jayasuriya the much needed support after his opening partner, Marvan Atapattu had departed for a duck in the very first over. In the next match, Tillekeratne was run out while shaping well going for a third run in the wake of Jayasuriya as Sri Lanka caved in. But certainly Tillekeratne has displayed the type of commitment required to take strike after the openers ahead of the World Cup. It must be some sturdy performances with the bat for the Test team against South Africa last year which saw him become the first Sri Lankan to take a century against that country at that level that must have influenced the selectors to recall the discard to the one-day team. For this Chairman of Selectors, Guy de Alwis must be credited in reading Tillekeratne's worth ahead of the World Cup. The Lankan batsman, who is also known to be a safe close in fielder, must have won his ticket mainly for his ability to cope with the bouncers on the typically fast South African wickets on which our batsmen were badly exposed. A slow starter, but by no means short in strokeplay for his forceful cuts, pulls and drives, Tillekeratne could well be the batsman who could infuse a hulk like tonic was his balmy, steadying influence. While Tillekeratne looks almost certain of occupying that slot come February, it seems to have sorted out the middle order to an extent with Sangakkara taking strike at No.6 with Russel Arnold to follow with Chaminda Vaas also capable of adding some weight. While Tillekeratne, who is now the reserve wicket-keeper with the exit of Romesh Kaluwitharana, is no specialist behind the stumps though he did don the gloves in his early days accounting for a record 4 catches in a Test match against Australia `Down Under'. But he has lost touch since and his services as a wicket-keeper had run into question by critics who contended that he had taken to it as a makeshift and was not fine tuned for the job. But Tillekeratne has proved his salt as a close in fielder which was underscored by the 3 he took in that Sydney victory over the Aussies., and at a time we do not have a Upul Chandana his services would certainly be invaluable at a time Sri Lanka's world class image has taken a beating in recent months. How the bowling department would be knitted for the mega event will be interesting. After South Africa 2002, some near 4 ardous months have seen the emergence of pacies Pulasthi Gunaratne and Prabath Nissanka of a younger crop. While veteran Chaminda Vaas had found the much needed muscle in Dilhara Fernando just over an year ago, Gunaratne came on the blocks with last year's Morocco Triangular where he impressed as a debutant. The right armer bowls wicket to wicket which has underscored him potential to claim wickets at crucial times. Interestingly, Gunaratne's emergence saw young right armer, Charitha Buddhika Fernando lose his place, but found a recall for the Aussie tour where he got his chance to show his mettle when Gunaratne cried off through injury. But Buddhika failed to justify his selection in the two matches he played, but cannot be altogether faulted having being in cold storage for sometime and must have found it difficult finding his old rhythm. Nissanka bowls a good bouncer and could be a fourth bowler though it would be interesting to see whether the Lankan camp would go with 4 pacies or lay emphasis on the spin of Muralitharan, de Silva and Jayasuriya. |
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