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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