Mendis hits hard at his detractors

Spinning sensation Ajantha Mendis hit hard at his detractors with a vengeance in a way that memories will linger. He left a clear message that he should not be ignored in future. And so, he did it in style a telling spell he stuffed six kangaroos in a record breaking spell.

The second Twenty20 game seemed to veering the Aussies way with Shane Watson speeding at break neck speed like on a high way, hammering sixes with ease and power clearing the ground and threatening to take the game away from the Lankans.

At 71 for no loss in six overs, chasing 158 to win and with Shane Watson making a quick 50 in 20 balls and threatening to take the game from the Lankans, skipper Tilekeratne Dilshan in desperation called on Mendis. In handing him the ball he would surely have told him : spin your repertoire of deliveries and bring us victory.

And Mendis did it in style and with telling effect. In the second ball of his first over Watson sent the ball over mid on for six. A couple of balls later he tried the same stroke and this time it was not an off spinner, but a doosra.

Mistimed

Watson could not read that delivery that was going the other way and mistimed and skied to mid off where Thissara Perera took a good catch. This signalled the beginning of the end for the Aussies who were trying desperately to win and square the series.

Also helping in the victory was vice captain and captain in waiting Angelo Mathews who showed that cricket is not played only with bat and ball but using brains too.

When opener David Warner made a beefy pull to mid wicket, Mathews took the running catch with ease and when losing balance and looking as though he would go over the line, he had the presence of mind to lob the ball to Mahela Jayawardena who was close by and that saw the end of Warner.

Although Mathews made the catch possible it was Jayawardena's name that went into the score books as having taken the catch. But being a team man and not worried of individual efforts, because for him victory is the thing, his name not going into the score books would not have mattered.

Mendis heroics

Back to the heroics of Ajantha Mendis : while in England I had reason to query as to why he was not being included in the team that was playing England in five match one day series?

On inquiry I gathered that he was not bowling well in the nets and hence his non-inclusion. It is said that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Had Mendis played in that series, the England batsmen would not have found it easy to read his subtle variations and repertoire of deliveries and would have succumbed.

One must not forget how badly he was treated in 2011 World Cup in the sub continent and especially in the final when he was dropped and a parachutist included. His dropping came in for criticism from all commentators who could not understand and come to terms with what was called a crazy action by the selectors. He was the most economical bowler in the side, and yet was dropped.

Mendis has now in no uncertain terms proved what he is capable of and it is hoped that he will be treated that way, because as he proved on his day he will always be a match winner.

Hypnotised

As for the Aussie batsmen, they seemed hypnotised by the Mendis spin, unable to fathom which way the ball would go. At that level it was very poor technique by the batsmen and it was a sad indictment on batting coach Justin Langer.

While the exciting action was unwinding in the middle, it warmed the cockles of everyone to see two lovely lasses proudly holding aloft a banner with the words - FRIENDS NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS - flanked on either side with the flags of the two countries.

Now that is what sport is all about. Winning or losing is not what matters. But how one played the game is. With the arrival of the Aussies, some frustrated critics thought it fit to fiddle in some garbage and bring back the incident of 1995 and 1999 when two umpires Darrel Hair and Ross Emerson called Muttiah Muralitharan and stir ill feeling and animosity towards the Aussie cricketers.

Business

The calling of Muralitharan was the business of the umpires. They felt his action was not right and they thought they were justified the way they acted. They were entitled to their opinion. That is now the past. The Aussie cricketers who play their cricket very hard and with great pride are our guests and must be treated that way. It must be understood that you don't invite a guest and insult and humiliate him.

One must not also forget, that when Sri Lanka was struggling to enter the Test arena, Australia was one of the few countries who batted for us. So let us treat them with the respect they deserve during their stay here.

The Sri Lankans who played well to win the two Twenty20 games, with an irresponsible batting display where they made just 191 lost the first of five one-day 50 over internationals to Australia by wickets under lights at the Pallekelle Stadium on Wednesday.

The Aussies seemed to have gone back to the drawing boards and got their game right for the 50 over game. After winning the toss and batting on a good wicket, the Lanka batsmen could not come to terms with the highly skilled bowling by left arm seamer Mitchel Johnson and had their euphoria of winning the Twenty20 games dashed.

Best bowling figures

Johnson returned his best bowling figures in this style of game claiming 6 for 30. After Johnson did the damage, the big hitting Shane Watson launched a massacre blasting sixes in making 69 in 51 balls to demoralize the Sri Lankans and give the Aussies a 7-wicket victory that should give them the all important confidence in the remaining four games.

It was also pleasing to see the two experienced Aussie batsmen former skipper and the present skipper Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke batting in form, making 53 each and taking their team to the post and a one-nil lead in the series.

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