Mathews the Cricketing Apostle works a miracle

Angelo Mathews, the Sri Lankan Captain-in-waiting played what probably must be one of his best knocks in his career and in the game when he made a magnificent unbeaten 80 to steer his team to victory over Pakistan. More importantly he could not have selected a better time to give Sri Lanka the edge and the victory.

With Sri Lanka leading the five match series 2-1 with one being abandoned due to rain, the final game was expected to be a thriller, with Sri Lanka looking to add another victory and Pakistan looking to square the series.

With Pakistan having made a competitive score of 247 for 7 in 50 overs and with Sri Lanka on the skids at 97 for 4, with the batting maestros Tillkeratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene all gone, it looked all over bar the shouting.

Then arrived that cricketing Apostle Angelo Mathews to take charge and work a miracle and give his team a victory that seemed impossible at one stage.

Kept hopes alive

First with Dinesh Chandimal and then with Lahiru Thirimanne and Jevan Mendis he kept the hopes alive and then with Nuwan Kulesekera he wrought the miracle with a stunning victory.

In the last over when Sri Lanka needed 15 runs for victory, all cricket lovers would have been missing a few heartbeats and with Mohammed Sami running in his pulse would have been racing.

But Mathews had been in this cauldron before, once in Perth during the Tri series against Australia and he was the man for the moment.

Sami delivered a first ball wide, next ball he pushed for two and that six that he and all watching will remember, that went as if a rocket launched over mid on. And the fours in the next two balls were unforgettable.

Mathews punched the air in delight embracing his partner Kulesekera, his teammates jumped for joy, the spectators broke fences to cheer their heroes and the vanquished stood rooted in disbelief at Mathews' heroics.

Uncharitable comments

Mathews came in for some uncharitable comments for the run outs of Thisara 'Midas' Perera and Lahiru Thirimane. The run outs occur in the heat of the moment and to single out Mathews for special comment was unfair.

When Sri Lanka's playing eleven was announced it came as a surprise to note the omission of late recall left-arm spinner Sajeewa Weerakoon. But his omission would have been done after a close study and with regret.

'Marvellous' Mahela Jayawardene who has a genius of cricketing brain, would have reckoned that having won many tosses and batted, there was the possibility that he would lose this all important toss.

In which case if he had to chase, an extra batsman who is an all rounder would be a good bet. And that is how the coin turned. So you could gauge the genius in Jayawardene.

Great dividends

And in including leg spinning all rounder Jeevan Mendis it paid great dividends. Mendis fielded brilliantly and then with his clever and varied spin garnered two vital wickets and then cut loose with the bat and the six he hit was superb.

A close study will show that the Lankans were well equipped to chase a score for victory. The batting ran deep and right up to number 11 with Lasith Malinga also having proved his prowess with the bat, remembering his match winning stand against Australia at MCG with Angelo Mathews.

Like they did in the One-Day series, the Lankans could have pocketed the Twenty20 series which would have been sweet revenge for the defeats in the desert, but a bit of poor thinking by leaving out both, champions Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga proved costly.

It was great reward for the two former Josephian cricketers to receive the 'Player of the match' and 'Player of the series' awards. Mathews now that has got his urge for runs must take this form into the Tests against Pakistan.

Perera a revelation

Perera proved his mettle in this series . If he gets going against the Pakistanis in the Tests, then Sri Lanaka will have the benefit of two all rounders in himself and Mathews in form.

As for the Pakistanis while their batting and bowling got pass marks their fielding to, say the least was putrid. Some of the fielders were butter fingered and a bit of paste could have helped snap the catches.

The ground fielding complemented the poor catching. The fielders seemed to be ignorant of the basics of fielding. Pity when one considers that they in the past produced some of the best fielders in the game.

One of the delights in the game is to watch a classic fielding side. The Pakistanis would sure have watched how to field from the Lankans whose ground fielding and the catching was world class.

Atrocious fielding

Like awards for players, had there been an award for the 'worst fielding side', it would have gone to Pakistan without a contest. The fielding coach cannot be blamed for the atrocious fielding. A cause for concern for the authorities at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium was the rushing in of the spectators to the ground when Mathews hit the final boundary that signalled victory for the Lankans.

Accepted that they rushed in to congratulate the players and celebrate. But it was a serious lapse, security wise and we hope things will be attended to before the Twenty20 World Cup in September/October.

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