Rounding the bend and now into the straight for World Cup supremacy

Abounding enthusiasm and excitement does appear to be building up amongst the cricketers and the countries they represent and, within all those who would converge in the Caribbean to witness the different teams battling out for 'One Day' cricket supremacy in the prestigious 'World Cup 2007' - our players too, who are revving it up and gearing themselves for the on coming matches, are determined to give of their best.

We are sure they will strive to make worthwhile contributions, which in our view will revolve around our core performers in Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan.

According to our thinking Sri Lanka doing well, will largely depend on these three, and as such they do merit a brief narrative here. However it must be said that in the limited overs game, fortunes fluctuate and on a particular day, the weak become strong and the strong become weak.

It is so very unpredictable, moreso in this World Cup, where major leading teams are without their key players through injuries and for yet other reasons.

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Sangakkara an accomplished cricketer infuses confidence
 

by Richard Dwight

Kumar Sangakkara, the 29 year old left handed Sri Lankan wicket keeper batsman is quite a character - for he is a cricketer, law student cum banker, with a fondness for literature, all rolled into one. Amazing as it sounds he, having his priorities and perspective, right does manage to keep all these interests going on an even keel, which is indeed commendable.

Within the span of six years in the international arena of cricket he has turned out to be a dominant force, to be an extraordinary cricketer of class.

That which is unique about Kumar, is that when he is at the crease, he brings to bear to his batting a fine approach and attitude. Sporting that cock-a-hoop proprietorial swagger, he always wants to be in command and not be dictated to by the bowlers.

Being a fine runner between wickets he loses no time in getting off the mark with an elegant flick or a push somewhere and, quickly makes his presence felt by getting back and hooking the ball along to the boundary or over it, thus signalling that the maestro is on his way to making runs.

Oozing with confidence Kumar certainly does infuse confidence in those who bat along with him.

Born on October 27, 1977, Kumar has a sense of belonging to Kandy his hometown and Trinity College, which guided him on the lines of a 'Healthy mind in a healthy body'.

As a member of an esteemed family enjoying a privileged upbringing he does not carry an air of arrogance, but with unassuming ways is good company.

He had the benefit of strong sporting ties, his grandfather Dr. Sangakkara was a cricketer at Trinity, his elder brother Vemindra represented Trinity at Cricket, his sister Saranga was the national women's tennis champion, until she immigrated to USA, while his father is a leading lawyer, in the footsteps of when Kumar is keen to follow.

The cradle of Kumar's cricket was Trinity, where he was of the view that studies and sports must go hand-in-hand, one complementing the other. He cracked a scintillating 198 against S. Thomas' College in 1996, and went onto make five centuries that year, to go past the 1000 run mark.

He captained the college the following year and had the satisfaction of being adjudged the Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year and the added pleasure of being the recipient of the prestigious Trinity Lion and the coveted Ryde Gold medal for being an outstanding holistic all rounder.

These achievements of his and the valid contributions made by him for his club NCC made him a rising star in the Sri Lankan cricket firmament. And with time in the year 2000/01 he was selected to the international squad for both Test matches and one dayers.

This he reminisces as the happiest moment in his life. In the preliminary matches he was entertaining enough to be impetuous, moving down the wicket to pull, hook or lift overhead in gay abandon. But has since mellowed down to mix caution with aggression in just the right way to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Amongst the many runs churned out by him, his 202 against Pakistan in the Asian Test Championships at Lahore and his 287 against South Africa last year, stand out.

Kumar moves into the World Cup championship having scored 5064 runs from 64 test matches at an average of 50.64, that has had 12 centuries and 25 fifties. In the 186 one dayers he has made 5217 runs at an average of 35.97 with 6 centuries and 33 fifties.

Not forgetting as well is that as wicket keeper, he has held onto some breath-taking catches and stumped a good many batsman with much precision.

Away from cricket he concentrates on law and is found to be a voracious reader, comfortable with the works of Oscar Wilde, Salman Rushdie, Anton Chekov, Leo Tolstoy and yet others.

He is found to be forthright and outspoken, with the firm belief that everyone is entitled to their opinions. He has gone on record as having said "If I am labelled a trouble maker, then so be it.....sledging is part of the game, but it has to stay on the field."

Kumar is a symbol of cricket's resurgence here, with a mind of his own, whose pleasing batting is as good as his inner self. Batting in his confident immaculate style, he will prove to be a man for a crisis or when the going is good to bat steadily on, at the World Cup.

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Murali the stout-hearted, dreaded spinner
 

by Richard Dwight

Neither in his history of Ceylon cricket, where the game in its nascent stage meandered through those formative years, nor in this progressive Sri Lankan age playing many a Test match and one dayers, have we unearthed a rare gem of a spinner in the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan, who verily stands out as extraordinary.

Apart from being a phenomenal spinner of the ball, whose feats at times have been heroic, he further enhanced his reputation by his characteristic manner in which he encountered, protracted allegations of chucking brought against him.

Never in the annals of cricket in this country has there been a bowler of this score, having to undergo such humiliation, embarrassment and inconvenience, as Murali did.

Subjecting himself as well, to rigorous scrutiny and examination to eventually triumph over adversity with much composure, equanimity and resilience of a high order. Indeed an inspiration, encouragement and an object lesson to aspiring young cricketers experiencing a similar crisis.

Murali, the 34-year-old, father of a little son was born on April 17, 1972, hails from the hilly climes of Kandy. Being a member of a well established family, he was always found to be comfortably placed in life.

He was spoken of as a shy, innocent, reticent lad, as he went through his primary and secondary education at St. Anthony's College, Katugastota. He did now and then flirt with rugby, but his first love was cricket.

And fortuitously for him, his school and country, he switched from pace to spin, which has through the years proved tremendously rewarding. With his are - like short run up, mesmerizing batsman to leave them baffled, he with comparative ease took 4 to 5 wickets on a regular basis at the schools' level and, also had the distinction of taking 100 wickets in a season of school cricket.

Murali made the right kind of impression whilst playing for his club, Tamil Union, to be selected to play for Sri Lanka and from that time on, there was no turning back for him.

His efforts as a bowler has been so sustained to be among the wickets and, his landmark achievement was when he got past the '400 Wicket taking mark' in lesser number of matches and at a much younger age, does speak volumes for his ability as a spinner.

Not forgetting too, his five and ten wicket hauls and, how in the run up to the all important World Cup, we find that he has taken 674 wickets in 110 test matches at an average of 21.73, whilst in the one dayers he has taken 432 wickets in 287 matches with an average of 23.07.

Mindful as well of his devastating form displayed for the Lancashire county - where in the year 1998 he claimed 34 wickets, following it up with 55 wickets in the five matches in 1999. The British press was quick enough to recognize the sheer brilliance of this world class spinner and many appreciative encomiums came his way.

The English Guardian described him as the 'wonder of the age' while another headlined "Murali the master goes spinning into history."

Murali undoubtedly is an embellishment to the game, adorning it to make cricket come alive, giving much excitement and thrill to many. He will certainly be a draw at this World Cup.