The wide that cost Sri Lanka the match
 The
Sri Lanka – New Zealand game at Sophia Garden in Cardiff was and will be
one of the exciting and nail biting finishes to be seen in this final
Edition of the International Cricket Council’ Champions Trophy here in
England the home of cricket. It was a game that could have gone either
way. A ‘tie’ would have been a fitting result because both teams did not
deserve to lose. But the Kiwis who had defeat facing them, helped by
their last pair, scrambled to the winning post.
The last pair motored for a single which tied the scores on 138 and
attempting a second single the batsman was run out. But the umpire
signalled a wide and that wide delivery from Tillekeratne Dilshan cost
the Lankans the game.
Sophia Garden wicket was slow
The wicket in Sophia Gardens was not what it should have been for a
game of this nature. It was very slow. One-day and Twenty20 cricket was
conceived and delivered to bring back the spectators who were deserting
the established game and seeking enjoyment elsewhere.
So for bright cricket to be played and for the spectators to soak in
the thrill a minute action, it was paramount that wickets for that style
of cricket be produced by curators all over the cricket world.
But the Cardiff wicket left much to be desired. It nullified all
stroke play and from the moment Sri Lanka’s Kushal Janith Perera was
caught first ball at second slip by the New Zealand Captain Brendon
MaCullum diving goal keeper like at second slip off Kyle Mills, the
batting nightmare began.
Totals of over 300
In the previous match at this venue, both India and South Africa
posted totals over 300 – India 333 and South Africa 305. Then it was a
mystery that the Lankans and New Zealanders were huffing and puffing to
go past 140.
During the New Zealand innings it was not cricket to watch. The
constant appealing by the Lankans was detestable. True appeals are part
and parcel of the game. But when appeals are made for the sake of
appealing, then it smacks of trying to ‘play’ the umpire.
And for excessive appealing Tillekertne Dilshan and Mahela
Jayewardene had to pay the price being reprimanded by the International
Cricket Council’s Match Referee former Zimbabwe batsman Andrew Pycroft.
Inexplicable and unacceptable
Being two former captains and with their experience and at their
levels, it was inexplicable. Their malady seemed to
have caught on and it was amusing to see even square leg and point
fieldsmen appealing for leg before decisions.
It was apparent that the excessive appealing was pre planned because
Sri Lanka had only made a meagre score of 138 and with the fear of
losing, they were attempting to ‘play’ the umpire and get whatever
decision in their favour.
They succeed to an extent when the umpire ruled out James Franklin
LBW. Franklin had got bat to ball and the pressure being exerted on the
umpire with excessive appealing would have made the umpire raise his
finger. It was certainly not the fault of the umpire.
Kennington Oval outstanding
Of the three venues where the last International Cricket Council’s
Champions Trophy that is being worked out, the most picturesque and with
a history behind it, is the Kennington Oval in London. The other venues
are Birmingham and Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.
The Oval was established in 1845 and can accommodate 23,500
spectators. The Oval was’ where it all began’. The first-ever Test on
English soil was played at the Oval in September 1880, with England
defeating Australia by 5 wickets, and W.G. Grace scoring a hundred on
debut.
The Oval is also where the legend was born. I August 1882, chasing
only 85 to win, England slumped from 51 for 2 to 78 all out and the next
morning, The Sporting Times published its famous mock obituary.
Owned by the Duchy of Cornwall (The Prince of Wales), The Oval came
about in the 1790s when an oval road was laid around what was then a
cabbage patch. The land was opened as a cricket ground in 1845 after
10,000 turfs were brought in from Tooting Common. It has been Surrey
headquarters ever since, even though it has been well outside the county
boundary for many years.
The Oval first hosted a one ODI in September 1973, when England lost
to West Indies by eight wickets. The first T20 was played at the ground
in June 2007, again a loss to the West Indies (by 5 runs).
Sophia Gardens in Wales
Cardiff Wales Stadium has been Glamorgan’s home ground since November
1995. The venue is also home to the National Cricket Centre, which was
built in 1999. This is the same year that the ground hosted its first
ODI, and ICC World Cup Group ‘B’ match between Australia and New
Zealand, which New Zealand won by five wickets.
The ground has since become a regular one day venue, playing host to
the first one-day match between England and Wales in 2002, which Wales
won by eight wickets.
One of the ground’s most famous games came in June 2005, when
Bangladesh shocked Australia with a five-wicket victory in the second
ODI, with Mohammad Ashraful scoring century.
The ground hosted its First Test in the 2009 Ashes series, the drawn
First Test. It went on to host its first Twenty20 in September 2010,
when England beat Pakistan by five wickets.
Edgbaston Ground
Home to English county side Warwickshire, the 25,000 seater ground
was established in 1882. It hoisted its first Test in May 1902, the
drawn First Test between England and Australia.
Edgbaston hosted just four Tests in its 27 years, but upon
re-entering the circuit in 1957, it was considered to be the most
state-of-the art ground in the country.
The ground hosted its first ODI in August 1972, when England defeated
Australia by two wickets. The first T20 was played in July 2010 when
Pakistan defeated Australia by 23 runs.
Edgbaston played hosts to Brian Lara’s stunning 501 not out made for
English county side Warwickshire against Durham in 1994 and also hosted
one of the greatest ODI matches in history, when Australia and South
Africa played a heart-stopping semi-final in the ICC Cricket World Cup
in 1999 that ended in a tie.
England won the second Ashes Test by two runs to level the series and
turn momentum in its favour.
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