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.
[email protected]
|