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| Wednesday, 11 June 2003 |
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Chandana chopped again by Dr. Elmo Rodrigopulle The dashing and daring Upul Chandana, must be wondering what else he must do to earn a permanent place in the Sri Lanka one-day as well as the Test team. All-rounders are not easy to find. Comes along Chandana as a top class all-rounder and is not given the opportunities, that lesser talented cricketers are given. He was kept in cold storage or under wraps in the tournament in Dambulla after performing excellently in the trial against the New Zealanders. Taken to the Caribbean and given the opportunity, he performs magnificently. True his bowling was not that good. That could be excused because he was bowling in the slog overs and when Chris Gayle and Brian Lara were taking all bowlers to the cleaners. Even Dharmasena, Jayasuriya and Muralitharan went for a lot of runs. But those who were watching the action on Star TV would have watched in sympathy for the bowler, because wicket keeper Romesh Kaluwitharane grassed a sitter off Gayle in Chandana's first over. Had that catch been taken, Chandana would have returned impressive figures. The leg spinning all-rounders's fielding, especially his throwing in from the deep came in for praise from former England captain Tony Greig who is back in business as a TV commentator. Greig described Chandana as a 'in, out, in out' man in the Lankan team. Greig being an ardent supporter of the Lankan game knows what he was talking about. Skipper Marvan Atapattu who seems to be having a lot of confidence in the talents of Chandana, sent him in early when the Windies were looking to take the game away from the Lankans. Chandana takes guard, throwing caution to the winds and immediately begins to unwind and take the Windies attack by the scruff of its neck and bash it to all corners of the field and over it as well. 4 sixes and 7 fours. Jessopian hitting it was. Windies skipper Lara and his team stood stupiefied admiring and probably inwardly applauding this onslaught, although they would not have wanted this attack to happen. It put to second best Lara's earlier lashing. Chandana takes the Lankans to an epic victory. Wins the man of the match award and is celebrating with his team mates, when the heartbreaking news filters in that he has been chopped from the Test line up. Chandana is the ideal all-rounder to prop up the Lankans in every department. It is said that none are so blind, than those who refuse to see. Probably Chandana lacks the correct connections. |
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