Finally the ‘Little Master’ Tendulkar quits from limited-over cricket

The little master Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar who walked tall in all forms of cricket in the world has decided that enough was enough and has announced his retirement from the international cowboy bashes.

If the quitting from the one-day bashes is an indication, Tendulkar who did not hit it big against New Zealand and England in the recent Test series, then it’s a matter of time before he bows out of the established game.

None of his critics dared talk or push him into retirement, fearing reprisals from his legion of fans. While they made comments about his failing reflexes, slow movement, none dared mention retirement.

Announcement sudden

The announcement was sudden. And when it finally came it did not shock many, because everyone realised that the time had come for the cricketing demi god to call it a day.

Tendulkar is the most capped player in one-day internationals with 463 games and the batsman with most runs (18,426) and 49 centuries in the 50-over format. He was under pressure to recent times after the quitting of Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman. ‘I have decided to retire from the one-day format of the game. I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup winning Indian team. The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early and in right earnest. ‘I would like to wish the team all the very best for the future. I am eternally grateful to all my well-wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years’, Tendulkar signed off in a statement.

Into history books

Tendulkar to whom batting records came naturally was first into the history books when he made a double hundred in one-day cricket. Double hundreds in 50-over cricket was thought next to impossible. But Tendulkar made the impossible possible against South Africa. Tendulkar was a great influence on the team from the time he sported his national cap. He was an example and always played the game according to the rules and was never ever involved in controversy.

His batting was from the book. Always offering a straight bat, he played strokes all round the wicket with the drive on the V and the square cut being his pet shots. Although short in stature he could also play the hook shot to perfection.

Most treasured moment

Tendulkar’s most treasured moment was when the greatest batsman that the world has ever seen Don Bradman said that the Indian was almost his equal in style and play. To captain the country is every cricketer’s dream. And that dream was not long in coming for the ‘little master’. But sadly captaincy did not come naturally to him and he was found wanting and his quitting did not take long in coming.

Now that Tendllkar has quit the one-day bashes there is no doubt that crowds that thronged every venue he played to watch his brilliance with the bat will drop drastically. His going from the one-day game, did not come as a surprise and he stun the nation. But the day he quits the established game, what game cricket is all about, there is no doubt that the nation will switch to mourning mode.

Former Australian left hand batsman Darren Lehmann is in trouble for openly questioning the legality of the bowling action, especially the faster delivery of West Indian dashing batsman Marlon Samuels. The Sri Lankans will not forget the demoralizing batting of Samuels in the World Cup Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. Singlehandedly he took the game away from the Lankans with some audacious and punishing big hitting rarely seen in the country. He was particularly severe on Lasith Malinga. Playing in the Big Bash for Melbourne Renegades, Samuel is supposed to have bowled an off spinner at 120km off a short run up. It upset Lehmann, coach of Brisbane Heats who questioned the legality of the delivery.

Formal complaint

While there was no formal complaint by the umpires over Samuels, it is understood that during the Big Bash at least one umpire has taken advantage of Cricket Australia’s Doubtful Bowling Action Procedure to express his concerns over Samuels. Umpires are allowed to ‘mention’ their concerns over a player’s action to Cricket Australia without it being made public. Only when a player has three ‘mentions’ is the concern publicly revealed and a report made.

Umpire Bruce Oxenford who stood in the Big Bash game between Brisbane Heat’s and Melbourne Renegades it is said that he has reported the bowler this year. Umpires Alem Dal and Oxenford had it is said reported Samuels in the Indian Premier League in April for the same concerns expressed by Lehmann.

It is reported that Samuels quicker delivery is delivered at a speed of 120km/h with an arm that bends more than the 15 degrees tolerated under the game’s chucking laws.

Keeping the Sri Lanka flag flying in the broadcasting field here is former Josephian cricketer Roshan Abyesinghe. Abeysinghe who needs no introduction to cricket fans in Sri Lanka is batting strongly for ABC Grandstand Radio.

Incidentally before television came to Sri Lanka it was ABC Grandstand that was broadcast to Sri Lanka and cricket fans were glued to this station, taking in the excellent descriptions of the game the commentators were making.

My earliest recollections was listening to the broadcasts on Redifusion in the Test series between Australia and West Indies, and if my memory serves me right in the 1950/51 series in Australia.

ABC Grandstand

I was up by 5.30 am tuning on to ABC Grandstand and it was sweet music to the ears when one of the best announcers of that era Prosper Fernando saying we will now cross over to Radio Australia to bring you ball-by-ball commentaries on the Australia – West Indies cricket series and over to Allan McGilray. But sadly now there is no more Radio Australia commentary to Sri Lanka. Abeysinghe is in the excellent company of former Australian cricketers Kerry O’Keefe who was a leg spinning all-rounder. I would not move from the Redifusion, even having my lunch and tea and moving once the final ball is bowled for the day. It was the same ritual on all five days of play and impatient for the next Test to begin.

One of the best

Others in the commentary Box are Geoff Lawson one of the best seam and swing bowlers produced by Australia and like Jim Maxwell needs no bush. Then there is Drew Morphett and Brett Geeves two very knowledge able commentators.

With Channel Nine having their own commentary team and not getting Sri Lanka commentators batting for them, Abeysinghe is describing the action and gives a who’s who on the Lankan cricketers to the Sri Lankan cricket fans domiciled in Australia in his own inimitable style.

Abeysinghe seems to be a ‘Walking Wisden’ not only on Sri Lankan cricket, but is also well versed on world cricket. Former Sri Lanka left hand batsman Russell Arnold who is involved in TV commentating is doing his thing in the Big Bash League.

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