What are the Cricket Boards trying to prove?

Elmo Rodrigopulle from New Zealand

CRICKET: The absurdity of playing two Test matches and the futility of continuing with the stupid 20 Twenty game was never better exemplified than when the Test series was tied and when rain stalled further proceedings in the shortened version of the game between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the Westpack Stadium in Wellington on Friday night.

What are the Cricket Boards trying to prove and achieve by playing Two Tests and the International Cricket Council by playing the 20Twenty when it was made a joke when a decision had to be made bringing in the Duckworth/Lewis system when rain fell.

It would do Cricket Boards of all Test playing nations if they, even at this late stage, play at least Three Tests because that would be more meaningful, than playing Two Tests and nothing being achieved when the series is drawn like what happened in the series between New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

True that decisions to play Two Test series are determined by the respective Cricket Boards. But the ICC being the governing body has the right to overrule and request for more than Two Tests to be slotted in, in the itinerary.

With New Zealand and Sri Lanka having won one Test each, had there been a third what a contest it would have been. Little or no purpose was served when the two captains were called to share the National Bank Trophy. The sponsors too would have felt bad and let down.

Then the 20 Twenty game which is a concept by the ICC, raised bellylaughs when the Duckworth/Lewis system was brought in to reach a decision after New Zealand batted the 20 overs and rain poured down in bucketfuls to abandon the game after Sri Lanka took strike for 5.5 overs.

How silly it looked when it was announced that Sri Lanka had won the game. A no-decsion would have been more sensible.

To the Two Tests and it was a travesty of justice that the Sri Lankans could not win both Tests. There was no doubt that the Lankans were the better side. Had it not been for the ugly run out of Muttiah Muralitheran when along with century maker Kumar Sangakkara they were building a formidable target for the Kiwis to chase, the result could have been different.

Sangakkara's batting in both Tests where he made centuries was simply marvellous. He showed a wide array of strokes, superb temperament and the timing was excellent. The manner in which he shielded tailenders Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan and endeavoured to build up a formidable target for the Kiwis to chase for victory was exemplary.

The unsporting run out of Muralitharan,and the querying of his action was the motivation that spurred the Sri Lankans to come from behind and devour the Kiwis in the Second Test. This Test belonged to Kumar Sangakkara,Chamara Silva,Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga and the clever leadership of Mahela Jayawardena.

Sangakkara had another century,Silva was fantastic registering his maiden fifty in the first innings and memorable century in the second, after the dreaded pair in his debut Test, Muralitharan's 10 wicket haul which has now become a habit to him and the life threatening bowling of Lasith Malinga.

Not since the days of the West Indian pacemen - Wesley Hall, Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall, Courtney Walsh and Curtley Ambrose has frightening pace bowling like this been seen.

The Kiwi batsmen were trembling when Malinga was running in. They were not attempting to play him.But were more keen on protecting life and limb. They just could not read his bouncers that were well directed, the full tosses that came like missiles at them or the toe crushing Yorkers that came howling at them.

Then in the first 20Twenty, Sanath Jayasuriya gave the Kiwis a dose of what to expect in the limited over internationals when he made mincemeat of the Blackcaps attack comprising Shane Bond and James Franklin.