Sanath the star with both bat and ball

By A. C. de Silva

CRICKET: Sri Lanka's champion left-handed batsman Sanath Jayasuriya showed he is quite capable with his bowling arm too, as he scooped up four wickets for 31 runs in the Second One-day International against Bangladesh to become the first player to record 10,000 career runs and 300 wickets in limited-over internationals.

The matches against Bangladesh are over and Sri Lanka stood tall with a 100 per cent record in both Tests and Limited-Over clashes. The 'icing' on the cake came last Wednesday at the R. Premadasa Stadium with Sri Lanka's win in the third limited-over clash. So, the score stood at 3 Tests played and Three Tests won, and in the shorter version of the game, 3 One-Day Internationals played and Three won.

To a player who takes cricket with all seriousness - Sanath Jayasuriya, it was nothing but right that he should get the top award - 'Man of the Series' for his wonderful batting and his late flourish with the ball, taking those 4 wickets for just 14 runs in four overs in the Third One-Day International, stamped his class.

Foreign commentators covering the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh series for television, were flowing with their praise for the Sri Lankan all-rounder Jayasuriya.

Comments on the last stages of the Third One-Day International, had well known T.V. commentator Tony Greig, saying: "Jayasuriya got the Bangladeshi batsman with a good flat yorker which was beautifully bowled."

Then the Bangladesh commentator said: "Jayasuriya is a strong icon in Sri Lanka team."

As a batsman Jayasuriya has scored more than 12,000 runs in 398 limited-over internationals averaging 32 runs per innings.

In limited-overs international cricket the top scorers have been Sachin Tendulkar (India) 15,051 runs in 388 matches, Sanath Jayasuriya 12,116 runs in 398 matches, Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) 11,739 runs in 378 matches, Sourav Ganguly (India) 10,898 runs in 295 matches, Brian Lara (West Indies) 10,405 runs in 299 matches, Rickey Ponting (Australia) 10,395 runs in 280 matches, Rahul Dravid (India) 10,301 runs in 319 matches, Mohammad Azharuddin (India) 9,378 runs in 334 matches, Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka) 9,284 runs in 308 matches, Jacques Kallis (South Africa), 9,144 runs in 260 matches and Adam Gilchrist (Australia) 9,038 runs in 268 matches.

In bowling, the highest wicket-takers in limited-overs international cricket matches, have been Wasim Akram (Pakistan) 502 wickets in 356 matches, Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) 455 wickets in 297 matches, Waqar Younis (Pakistan) 416 wickets in 262 matches, Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) 383 wickets in 300 matches, Glenn Mcgrath (Australia) 381 wickets in 250 matches, Shaun Pollock (South Africa) 381 wickets in 287 matches, Anil Kumble (India) 337 wickets in 271 matches, Javagal Srinath (India) 315 wickets in 229 matches and Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) 300 wickets in 397 matches.

Super batsman

Jayasuriya turned 38 years only on June 30th this year, has a lot to remember during his past 37 years in top-flight cricket. He went past 10,000 runs sometime back, but he reached his 300th wicket when he had Bangladesh tail-ender Syed Rasel caught by Jehan Mubarak at mid-off in the second one-day International at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Labelled as Sri Lanka's most prominent super batsman, he will surely remember his schooldays at St. Servatius College, Matara and the promise shown as a schoolboy, gradually bore fruit in later years and he was picked "Wisden Player of the Year" in 1997.

The early promise that Sanath Jayasuriya held as a schoolboy, flourished in later years and now he had improved his bowling too and had hit the top.

To score 12,000 runs and take 300 wickets means a lot of hard work and sacrifice, Jayasuriya said of the milestone that he has reached.

"Sometimes when I can't perform with the bat, I am able to do something with the ball and this gives me a lot of confidence." Jayasuriya said.

Jayasuriya, being the team man that he is, said: "It is nice to score 12,108 runs from 397 one-dayers, but I am happy I took four wickets and helped my team win."

Jayasuriya is a cricketer who will fight against severe odds as he gives hundred percent to the game. In April last year he was bundled out of Tests and according to well informed sources, he was asked for a letter of resignation, but one official who stands for justice and fairplay - present Chairman of selectors Asantha de Mel who replaced Lalith Kaluperuma, was instrumental in Jayasuriya getting into his cricketing gear and he has been seen in action from midway of the English tour in 2006.

Test debut 1990

When Sanath Jayasuriya made his debut in the Second Test in New Zealand in Hamilton in 1990-91 he has shown his skills as a left-arm spinner in Tests at one-day internationals.

Sanath made his one-day international debut against Australia in 1989/90 in the one-day series played in Melbourne. In that first match, he made just three runs. His first century in one-day internationals was against New Zealand in 1994/95 one-day series.

In 2003 World Cup cricket tourney, Sanath played 10 innings in 10 matches and scored 321 runs. It included one century and two half-centuries. An average of 40.12 with a strike rate of 76.42. In that tourney, he took 5 catches and took 10 wickets, giving away 315 runs. His best bowling in that tourney was 3 wickets for 30 runs against Zimbabwe in East London.

Jayasuriya became captain of Sri Lanka after Arjuna Ranatunga decided to step down from the captaincy after the 2003 World Cup.