Adelaide win lifted spirits of cricketers and Lankan supporters

Sri Lanka’s first victory against Australia in the five-match Commonwealth Bank series at the Adelaide helped raise not only the drooping spirits of the cricketers, it also sent Lankan supporters on the ground and around Australia into raptures.After the poor showing in the Test series where they were mauled, Lankans around Australia were beginning to lose confidence in them and were writing them off.

But with the convincing victory in Adelaide, the Lankans have begun to believe in the cricketers and are confident that they have it in them to stuff the Aussies who never bargained to be outplayed in Adelaide.

When this column is being read, the third game would have been played in Brisbane and it is everyone’s hope and wish that the Lankans would have given continuity to the Adelaide victory.

Sri Lankans overjoyed

A victory, even better if it is a series victory, if achieved will restore respect for the Sri Lankans. Skipper Mahela Jayewardene won a good toss and seeing the moisture on the wicket asked the Australians to bat.

From the first ball it was obvious that the wicket was slow with the ball not coming on to the bat. Then the conditions after the rain proved ideal for seam and swing bowling. The Lankan seam bowlers intelligently used the conditions and sacrificed pace for movement and succeeded and dismissed the Aussies for 170. Then after a horror start where the Lankans lost Upul Tharanga for no score in the first over, experienced Tilleratne Dilshan and Lahiru Thirimanne realising the plight that the team was in, put their heads down and began the revival.

Great responsibility

Both Dilshan and Thirimanne batted with great responsibility. It was admirable watching them paving the way for a gallant victory. They studied the pace, the movement in the wicket and once on top upped the scoring rate.

Once Dilshan went, young Janith Kushal Perera showed great maturity for one so young and making his debut. He took Sri Lanka to the post with Lahiru Thirimanne. Thirimanne will long remember and boast about his maiden one-day hundred, made under difficult conditions and being against Australia a team every country will want to beat.

The century is one to remember. Adelaide Oval has been a happy hunting ground for the Lankans. They have played four games on it, winning three. It is picturesque ground, with the famous St. Peter’s Cathedral in the background.

The Adelaide Oval too is getting a facelift.

Rotation policy blasted

The rotation policy adopted by the Australian Cricket Selectors led by former Australian batsman John Inverarity has come in for scathing criticism from former cricketrers Ian Chappell, Michael Slater, Shane Warne and Brett Lee. Even marketing people have warned that the controversial rotation policy could be damaging to the sport. Crowd participation is dropping due to the high rotation of players. The critics allege that it is misleading to the public. They allege that if they pay to watch a particular player in action, then that player must play. If he is rested or dropped then it could amount to cheating.

Argument not good enough

Cricket fans were asking why Australian captain Michael Clarke was not playing. They don’t buy the argument that the Australian cricketers are playing all year round. Owing to the rotation policy crowd participation is dropping.

The first one-day game between Australia and Sri Lanka drew just 27,461, while the match in Adelaide on Sunday drew fewer than 13,000 on a day when rain threatened. The rotation policy where the selectors dropped Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Johnson with the alleged injury to Mitchell Starc and played Steve Smith, Kane Richardson and Ben Cutting and paid the penalty losing to Sri Lanka.

Meeting ‘Sunday Observer’ staffer

After the first one-day Commonwealth Bank series which was convincingly won by Australia, it was pleasant meeting with former Sunday Observer sports staffer Clifford Landers and lady Sugie and Marlon Taylor and lady Anoma. Landers covered all sports, with cricket being his speciality.

Commenting on the defeat,Landers lamented the lack of focus by the cricketers which caused them the defeat. Also in the media box was former ‘Daily Mirror’ and ‘Times’ sports staffer and my colleague Trevine Rodrigo who was doing part time coverage for the ‘Lanka News’ a paper edited by Yohan Jayasinghe, son of former cricketer and umpire H.M.D. Jayasinghe.

Keeping me company

Keeping me company and touring Australia watching the cricket is a dear friend of mine from my school St. Benedict’s College now an Attorney having a lucrative practice at Hulftsdorf, Upula ‘Kukula’ Fernando. Here I am called Reporter and Upula Supporter in jest. Marlon was a footballer at De Mazenod, Kandana before joining St. Anthony’s College, Wattala and excelling in football and athletics.

During the game at the Gabba in Brisbane, I bumped into another Old Ben Alaistar Gonsal and wife Camille who was a Cramer. Aly was a keen cyclist taking part in many cycling competitions in Sri Lanka, and Camille was a beauty queen. Camille is best remembered for the wonderful role she played in Christmas play as Mary, mother of Jesus and Remy Perumal as Joseph produced by the famous Fr. Noel Crusz at St Lucia’s Cathedral, Kotahena in the 1960s.

Then there was Bill Deutrom an Old Wesleyite cricketer and Maurice de Silva an Old Peterite cricketer and rugby star who shone for Havelocks and Sri Lanka. Maurce is the brother of late Brian de Silva, wicketkeeper batsman for St. Peter’s and Colts CC and raconteur par excellence.

Deutrom played in the inter-school cricket between Wesley and Trinity where off spinner and former ‘Daily News’ staffer Peter Casiechetty took a hat trick. In jest Bill reckons that Peter introduced ‘chucking’ into the game. Later Peter was called ‘chuck Norris’.

Also met with Royston and Shirin Edwards. Edwards studied at St. Mathew’s Dematagoda and was a good sportsman. Accompanying them was Evanka, daughter of former St. Benedict’s College and Old Bens hockey star Jerome Fernando.

Guy will be remembered

It was sad the passing away of former Thomian, Sinhalese Sports Club and Sri Lanka wicket keeper batsman Guy de Alwis after a brief illness bravely bone. Guy was a stylish big hitting batsman and competent wicketkeeper and sporting Sri Lanka colours did not take long in coming.

After his playing days were over, he took to coaching the Sri Lanka women’s team and performed a competent job.

Former President of the Chilaw-Puttalam District Association Gwen Herath who did wonders to lift women’s cricket in the country when she was informed of the passing away of Guy, lamented his loss, saying his demise was a loss to the game.

Writing from memory, I remember Guy as wicketkeeper and playing for Sri Lanka taking a diving catch on the leg side off former Australian Captain Greg Chappell at the Colombo Oval off ‘king of swing’ Mevan Pieris.

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