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| Sunday, 15 January 2006 |
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Pathetic
show by Sri Lanka
Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia Melbourne, January 14, 2006: The Sri Lankan cricketers once again cut a very sorry figure when they lost the opening match in the Victoria Bitter Series to Australia without a semblance of fight by 116 runs at the Telstra Dome under lights on Friday. After their defeat to the Victorian Bushrangers in the warm up game, the Lankan supporters here expected the cricketers to come up with an improved performance and give the baggy green caps a game. But their insipid effort has made the Lankans here so embarrassed, that they are ashamed to call themselves Sri Lankans. The cricketers at the moment seem to be drifting aimlessly. They don't seem to be having any game plan and are just going through the motions, and instead of proving worthy opponents, if they continue in this vein would not only be causing embarrassment to themselves, their supporters here, but also to Cricket Australia who invited them for the series. The cricketers sure understand that cricket is a team game. But what is apparent here is that there is a lot of individual play going on which is not doing their game and the future any good. When skipper Marvan Atapattu was lucky with toss and for no reason asked the Australians in, it proved how negative he was. Against a strong batting line up like the kangaroos, Atapattu's decision came in for heavy criticism. After the initial life, the wicket turned easy and what followed was a glut of runs with the Aussie batsmen making merry to send the Lankans on a leather hunt. After Ruchira Perera's early burst where he sent back Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting cheaply, the other batsmen- Simon Katish, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds,the two Michaels Clarke and Hussey had a ball. Chaminda Vaas who has been bowling beautifully before this could not find form and went for 73 runs. But the biggest disappointment was the highly rated Muttiah Muralitheran who just looked ordinary when the Aussie batsmen took him on. When the batsmen got stuck into him, he lost his line, length and flight and attempted to bowl a bit fast and lost all direction being cartered for 67 runs in his 10. When he came on to bowl, he came in for bit of heckling which would have gone to upset and frustrate him. When the Lankans took strike, they did not have a plan as to how to attempt to at least get close to their opponents total. Some of them seemed to be playing the longer version of the game. They did not seem to understand that this was limited over cricket and that there approach had to be different. When the end was nearing and the Lankans tumbling to defeat even the die hard Lankan supporters were cheering the baggy green caps, unable to come to terms with and understand the Lankan insipid approach. The way the Lankans were going, it was apparent that even the presence of psychiatrist Sandy Gordon has not done them any good. Coach Tom Moody has more than a lot of work to do with the Lankan cricketers before there next game against the South Africans in Brisbane on Tuesday. Australia and South Africa who are number one and two in the limited over style of cricket will confront each other in the second game of the VB series at the Gabba today. The two teams had finished a Test series won by Australia and the South
Africans would be determined to at least turn fortunes this time round and
down the Aussies. Both teams are masters in this style of game and the
packed house in Brisbane would be provided with thrill a minute
entertainment. |
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