Misbah & Khan baffle the Aussies

In the Two-Test series against Australia in the desert in the Gulf, Pakistan led cleverly and admirably by the mercurial Misbah Ul-Haq skinned the Australians, winning both Tests with consumate ease not having to raise a sweat to compensate for their three-nil loss in the one-day series played earlier.

Before going on to cane the Aussies led by Michael Clarke for their miserably showing, we must say 'well done' and congratulate the Pakistanis for their excellent and exemplary showing when it came to what the game is all about Test cricket.

Due to the terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team that toured Pakistan a few years back, competitive international cricket in the country went off the radar with all countries refusing to tour Pakistan. That was sad, but it could not be helped.

The Pakistani Cricket Board officials are trying their darnedest to invite teams to tour Pakistan and resume Test cricket. But the response has been poor and as to when competitive cricket will resume there again- your guess is good as mine. But while appreciating and respecting the fears of teams to tour, here's wishing that all's well that ends well and teams will have a change of heart soon and tour.

To the Test series and the Second one which ended before tea on the final day in Abu Dhabi with Pakistan cruising to a 369-run victory, the final nail was hammered into the Aussie cricketing coffin. Sad but that is how it miserably and unbelievably ended.

Captain rejuvenating Misbah Ul-Haq

At 40 years of age when most cricketers would have retired and resting their tired limbs, Ul-Haq seems to be rejuvenating, the manner in which he regrouped the dejected cricketers and got them to raise spirits and perform true to ability and at peak leading from the front and by example.

When Pakistan lost the one-day and Test series to Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka and at the final press conference I asked Misbah about his future now that the series had been lost and that when he gets back former unforgiving greats would be baying for his blood.

But Ul-Haq who is as usual cool as cucumber answered saying that the greats could say what they liked. That's their game and that it would not worry him. The PCB gave him a vote of confidence on his return and kept the captaincy crown on his clever head. His response has been biting and sure would be hurting his critics.

At 40 he still has fire in the belly. As a leading batsman in the side, he is an example.

Unperturbed from the time he takes his stance at the wicket he is all concentration and determination, guarding his wicket as if his very life depended on it and slowly but surely concentrating on building a big individual and formidable total for his side.

He scored a century in the First Test in Dubai, then another hundred in the First innings of the Second Test and then in the second innings crowned his illustrious and glittering career with another blistering century in the process rewriting the record books smashing a 56-ball hundred to be equal with West Indian legend Viv Richards before breaking the mark for the fastest fifty which he made off just 21 balls.

Both Misbah and Younus Khan had a legion of critics who were baying for their blood. Khan who was dropped from the one-day squad and who was having second thoughts of making the tour of the Gulf scored two centuries and a double century and with Misbah heroics and winning a Test series against Australia after 20 years have sent their critics who were former greats scurrying.

Nihal Amerasinghe chief guest

Chief Guest at the St. Benedict's College Prize Giving yesterday at the College Hall was Professor Nihal Amerasinghe, who in addition to excellence in books was an outstanding cricketer and tennis player and Alumnus of the Green, White and Green school from 1958 to 1961.

Amerasinghe first played for SBC under Neville Casiechetty in 1958, Lionel Fernando 1959 and under the writer in 1960. He was a fine all-rounder. He was a punishing right hand batsman, medium pace bowler who had the ability to move the ball both ways and a hawk-eyed fielder in any position.

Amerasinghe is a former Director-General of the Agriculture and Social Development sectors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and incumbent Professor of Development Management at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM). Suffice to say that his educational career was an unenviable and excellent one.

The intention of this writer in this weekly widely read sports column is to spell out Amerasinghe's outstanding abilities in cricket and tennis. Amerasinghe had his early cricket education at St. Anne's College, Kurunegala a Sister School of the Christian Brothers, before joining the Kotahena school in 1958.

Outstanding ability

He showed outstanding ability as an all-rounder at practices conducted under the watchful eyes of coach Francis Casiechetty and the Prefect of Games of all Prefects of Games A. Gnanapragsam before the final 13-member squad was picked to represent the school in the First Eleven squad. He was later coached by that living legend Bertie Wijesinha.

He excelled in all three departments and was a member of the College team led by the writer when for the first time in the history of Benedictine - Peterite cricket, we beat SPC on their home ground in 1960.

With the arrival of Rev. Bro. Alban Patrick from St. Anne's College, Kurunegala to St. Benedict's as Director there was an exodus of sportsmen who descended at SBC from St. Anne's Kurunegala. It was Bro. Alban Patrick who was a keen cricket fan who gave to the school the imposing Pavilion which has been named the Rev. Bro Alban Patrick Pavilion. He also gave to SBC the turf wickets.

Leading the way to SBC from SACK was Lionel Fernando - a stylish right hand batsman who entered 'WISDEN' for his magical feat of scoring a double century and taking all 10 wickets as Captain against his old school St. Anne's. He later played for Sri Lanka.

A tear away fast bowler

Then there was Neville Wickremasinghe a tear away fast bowler who instilled fear and destroyed all opposing batting line-ups partnered by former Army Commander Cecil Waidyaratne which led to SBC emerging un-official inter-school champions under Lovellyn Rayen in 1957.

Another brilliant student and sportsman who came to SBC from SACK was George Jayetilleke. In addition to his brilliance in studies he was a superb tennis player and partnering Amerasinghe won several doubles titles. Jayetilleke is now a much in demand Paediatric Cardiologist in the US.

Also in the team I captained in 1960 was Dr. Cyril Ernest also a fine tennis player. But it was in cricket as an off spinning all rounder that he excelled and played for Sri Lanka against Colin Cowdrey's Englishmen. He too is a renowned Cardiologist in the US. Believe it or not at 70 Dr. Ernest won a Black Belt in karate.

Also from that 1960 Bens team are two other doctors Cecil Saverimuttu in Perth and Ranjit Perumal having a lucrative practice in the country. Saverimuttu was a right arm pace bowler and Perumal a left-arm spinner and also a good tennis player.

Enjoy life now. It has an expiry date on it.

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