Sachin and Ajantha took spotlight in cricket 2008

by Srian OBEYESEKERE

CRICKET: If 2008 saw some significant upheavels like Australia's fall from grace and India's master batsman Sachin Tendulkar reaching the golden milestone of becoming the highest run getter in Test cricket, to the power base of cricket shifting to India with the advent of the Indian Premier League (IPL) from an individual perspective, it was the emergence of Sri Lanka's young Ajantha Mendis. As a mystery spinner, came to be hailed overnight as the world's most potential bowler for some stupendous feats to hog the limelight.

For, Mendis, since coming to be known when he rocked the Indians in the Asia Cup final in Lahore - 6 wickets, including the Indian galaxy of Dravid, Ganguly, Yuvraj and Dhoni in a virtual unplayable bowling performance, has in but only a few months won laurels that must surely spiral him the New Year gift for 2009. The advent of a new year that Mendis by all accounts, looks set to dominate; a bowling armoury that to date has bedeviled many a world great batsman. So much so in a run that has seen this soldier boy from Sri Lanka with his ever smiling face regarded as the new tormentor after compatriot and world Test wicket record holder Muttiah Muralidaran. Murali in fact, slipped back stage in the face of a new champion born to the game.

Astounding

The fact that Mendis, renowned for his carrom ball, has astoundingly laid hands on almost all the prestigious 'Man of the Series' awards that he has played in from the Asia Cup, 2-1 home Test series triumph over India, Canada Twenty/20 Tournament and 3-0 clean sweep over Zimbabwe walking away with most of the 'Man of the Match' awards is running testimony that a bowling great has greeted the game in so short a span since announcing his arrival at the Asia Cup.

Potential into which reads 28 Test wickets from only three outings, 48 ODI wickets from 18 appearances and 11 Twenty/20 wickets from 3 matches and set to become the prize bowler for the fastest 50 ODI wickets which already looks assuredly in his bag at the expense of current record holder Ajith Agarkar's 48 from 23 matches with 5 outings less than Agarkar.

From a batting perspective the little master from Mumbai Sachin Tendulkar livened up a career that started being spotted as a street kid. The kids who enchanted the Indian cricketing authorities to a point of before long grafting the youngster into waiting wings before being set loose, to see a childhood dream see the light of day by becoming the highest run getter in Test cricket.

For a batsman, who went past personal milestones like compatriot Sunil Gavaskar and the late Sir Donald Bradman before eclipsing Brian Lara to become the only batsman in Test history to reach the magical 12,000-run mark, achieving the magical mark against today's giants in the game - Australia was sweet ecstasy; going on to put behind a run of bad form at the expense of a couple of Test 'tons' in an emphatic 2-0 series win over Ricky Ponting's Australians.

If the Australian bowling attack became fodder to Tendulkar galloping back to form that silenced home critics, including the game's keepers in his country that he should be pensioned off, his magical match winning century that largely snowballed India to the fourth highest triumph chasing 387 for the loss of only 4 wickets against England at home. A feat that must stand out the man as a genius in his trade. All achievements that surely spiced up 2008 as an eventful year where personal milestones were concerned, Tendulkar ending it as the highest Test as one-day run getter with aggregates of 12,413 and 16,422 runs respectively.

End of an era

That almost on the back of India's memorable run chase that South Africa led by Graeme Smith created history beating Australia after four decades in their own den by winning the first two of Tests was of course the high noon of surprises that 2008 held in store.

The Proteas did almost the impossible by achieving the second highest victory target in Test cricket - the score of 414 for the loss of 4 wickets led by a ton by the captain himself to which A.B. de Villiers put gigantic finishing touches with an unbeaten 'ton' in the first Test, following it up with an imposing 9-wicket annihilation of the Aussies in the second Test to mark the end of a golden era that had seen Ricky Ponting's men dominate world cricket as an invisible force.

Achievements apart, the advent of the IPL saw a huge power shift in the game in 2008 with the Twenty/20 circus indeed turning out to be a massive draw.

Almost all top names in the game that also saw some veterans like Glen McGrath and Shane Warne, who had 'called it a day', come back to have a fling in an extravaganza that was colourfully a gigantic showpiece; churned out by Lalith Modi and a galaxy of Indian film stars and business tycoons, who saw cricket as a huge commercial money spinner.

Indeed, the IPL marked a new chapter in the history of cricket with the Twenty/20 concept as a result winning tremendous approval throughout the globe. Not only as a cricketing success, but also as a new crowd draw for its entertainment like fast food.