Angelo Perera - An act of faith by selectors
In this column last Sunday we had our say on young and promising
right hand batsman Angelo Perera and extolled on the cricket selectors
to persist with the batsman and not let him fade away. Before the ink on
that copy could dry out comes the good news that Perera has been picked
in the 50 and Twenty20 Sri Lankan squads to play Bangladesh in
Bangladesh.
Perera was not in the squads that played in the UAE. As stated Perera
is a batsman with a lot of promise and although he failed in the
Twenty20 against South Africa in Pallekele last year and went out of the
frame, good on the selectors that they have recalled him.
With the Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh, good if he can be given a
go against Bangladesh to prove his credentials and make his way into the
Sri Lanka Twenty20 World Cup squad.
No sweat raised win
The Sri Lankan cricketers after their disgraceful showing in the
final Test against Pakistan in Sharjah where they gifted a victory,
waltzed to a no sweat raised win against Bangladesh in Dhaka with more
than a day to spare.
True that a victory is a victory whatever the opposition. But
Bangladesh at the moment is sadly lacking the ingredients that go to
make a team that is worthy of playing in the elite league.
Better late than never it is said and although the Second Test
between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh would have ended at the time this
column appears, the deeds with the bats of Mahela Jayewardene, Kaushal
Silva and Kithuruwan Vithanage and Dilruwan Perera with the ball in the
First Test merits mention and comment.
Jayewardene who has the knack of hitting back with a vengeance
whenever his cyclopic critics raise the cry that he should quit whenever
he fails, feasted on the Bangladesh attack to notch his seventh double
hundred in Test cricket.
Jayewardene's mannerisms excellent
If an example is needed for young cricketers to closely follow and
emulate if they are to leave their mark in the game, then Jayewardene it
is. His mannerisms on and off the field are excellent.
Enough has been sermonized on him as an individual, cricketer,
captain and ambassador from the time he was knee high to a bat and when
the day comes for him to finally quit, cricket will be like a carnival
without lights.
In scoring that double hundred (203 not out) he joined an illustrious
band. In the Second Test Kumar Sangakkara joined the party to make a
triple hundred. His first triple in Test cricket. Then the maiden
hundreds made by opening batsman Kaushal Silva and middle order man
Kithuruwan Vithanage will have a special niche in
their cricketing careers that's just getting off the hallowed turf.
Effervescent stroke play
Right-hander Silva with his effervescent stroke play has been the
find that the game was in search of an opening batsman. What is credible
in him is his confidence when facing the new ball.
He is very watchful and what is noticeable is that he holds back his
attacking strokes until he has a good look as to how the wicket is
playing and the pace and which way the ball is moving.
In the United Arab Emirates he came close on two occasions to pocket
his maiden hundred. But his sudden loss in concentration deprived him of
joining those in century land. Now that he has got into that land, he
must now like all great batsmen build on it and make the hundred into
double and triple hundreds and enter his name in the record books.
Vithanage can provide intensity and muscle
Left-hander Kithuruwan Vithanage is the batsman Sri Lanka cricket had
been missing for long to give intensity and muscle to the middle brittle
batting.
Since making his debut against Bangladesh in Galle and coming good
with a maiden half century, has not had much Test cricket to give
continuity to his immense potential.
Vithanage could be another George Bailey of Australia and Eoin Morgan
of England if he is allowed continuity. Sadly Australia has dropped
Bailey for South Africa, while England have yet to give Morgan a go in
Test cricket.
A batsman with a thirst for runs with big hitting is a must in any
Test team. With the longer version sometimes becoming a bore, because
there are no batsmen to do the big hitting and excite and bring back
spectators, it is refreshing to have exciting batsmen of the calibre of
Bailey, Morgan and Vithanage in the teams.
Always crowd pullers
The above mentioned three players will always be crowd pullers with
their dash and daring and murderous stroke play that the game has been
lacking for so long.
Vithanage is a quick scoring batsman with strokes all round the
wicket. Powerfully built he has the knack of bullying any attack with
his muscular hitting. The selectors, must persist with him.
While blessed with all the strokes that can pierce any field and
score quick runs, it is inexplicable his penchant to play the dirty
reverse sweep that should have no place in the sacred Test cricket.
The sooner he cuts out playing the ungainly stroke the better it will
be for him and in the progress of his promising career. Very rarely do
batsmen score runs with this stroke. The chances of getting out more
often than scoring runs is greater.
Ban the reverse stroke
Also it is time that the law makers ban this stroke from the
established game. When a batsman plays this stroke he is not playing
fair by the bowler. The bowler sets a field and bowls to that field. But
the batsman
changes his stance and plays the reverse stroke which is unfair by
the bowler.
This stroke can be allowed in the 'cowboy' 50 over and Twenty20
cricket because there is no thing called cricket, but mockery in these
two styles of the game.
But it should have no place in the sacred turf of Test cricket which
is what the game is all about. Now that no effort is being, made to ban
this stroke from Test cricket, the bowlers must dare and challenge the
law makers by switching to bowl from over to round without informing the
umpire.
Haul of five wickets
Off-spinning all rounder Dilruwan Perera who was persisted with had a
haul of five wickets in the second innings which led to Sri Lanka's
comfortable victory.
Perera was forgotten by his skipper Angelo Mathews when Pakistan
batsmen were making merry and waltzing to victory in Sharjah. He was not
given even an over.
But in Dhaka he showed his capabilities with top class off spin to
baffle and bemuse the Bangladeshi batsmen. Mathews must persist with him
and give him a lot more overs.
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