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| Tuesday, 2 December 2003 |
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Comment by Dr. Elmo Rodrigopulle Selectors the world over in whatever sport, are known to work in mysterious ways. It is no different in Sri Lanka. If this is not so how can one explain the complete ignoring of the gangling fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa from the squad to meet the visiting Englishmen led by Michael Vaughan. Knowledgeable cricket fans predict that the absence of Zoysa will be greatly felt by Captain Hashan tillakaratne when he leads the Lankans in a Three Test Series seeking to avenge the previous defeat. Zoysa was first spotted by one of our cheer leaders Lionel 'the legend' Navaragodagedera when he was doing his thing for Isipatana College. Lionel realising the talents in Zoysa, pestered Sri Lanka Captain Arjuna Ranatunga to have a look at the bowler, who at that time was proving too fast for the opposing schoolboy batsmen. Ranatunga was immediately impressed with the youngster and enrolled him a member of the SSC and national honours was not long in coming for Zoysa. On his first tour to New Zealand in the mid nineties under Ranatunga with Bruce Yardley as coach, Zoysa proved the faith in him by bowling magnificently although he did not bag much wickets. Yardley was so impressed with him that he predicted a great future for Zoysa who was learning fast nurtured cleverly by Ranatunga. Yardley saw in him a bowler of class and likened him to the former gangling Australian pacie Bruce Reid. On that tour a New Zealand commentator who watched left handed Zoysa bat said he had a bit of former West Indian Clive Lloyd in style when taking strike. When everything was set for him to become a more than useful allrounder, he had the misfortune of being injury stricken and had his career on hold for some time. Zoysa worked hard on his game and fitness since and according to Ranjit Fernando the former Sri Lankan opening batsman and wicket keeper who went as manager to South africa, Zoysa is back firing all cylinders. Fernando says that it was a revelation to see Zoysa on the Sri Lanka 'A' teams tour to South Africa and Kenya recently in action with bat and ball and also his fielding. Fernando says that Zoysa has now realised that he has to work hard at his game by himself and he did it most successfully on those tours as a bowler, but surprisingly as an opening batsman and that his fielding has vastly improved. In fact he has got his game, fitness and above all his mindset right. Then how come that the selectors refused to see the match winning potential in him? Zoysa is the only Sri Lankan bowler with a Test hattrick against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe and I was there when it happened. Left arm fast bowling allrounders are a rare commodity in world cricket. The only player we could think of in recent times is Pakistani Wasim Akram. Left armers who impressed for Sri Lanka in the recent past other than for Chaminda vass were Daya Sahabandu and Nihal Zoysa. In Nuwan Zoysa Sri Lanka cricket has a gem that has been cut and polished. We hope the selectors will realise what they are missing. Test matches begin Beginning today at the Galle International Cricket Stadium is what the game is all about - Test cricket - between Sri Lanka and England and it is everyone's hope that the weather gods will relent and allow the contest to go on. The teams are rarin' to go and all arrangements have been made with the curator former Sri Lankan off cutter Jayananda Warnaweera promising a wicket fit for cricket. Even if the weather decides to intervene and if Muttiah Muralitheran is to be believed in what he has told the 'Guardian' in England, then the Tests would not last long. He has gone on record saying that he has special deliveries for Vaughan, Trescothick, Butcher, Thrope, Flintoff and Hussain. And if he is able to get them, then he should have double hattricks in every Test and then there would be not much cricket to play and watch with the home team easily cantering to victory. True the English batsmen respect Muralitheran and his wiles, but the above mentioned batsmen are all battle hardened and are out to do what they did to the bowler last time round, and that is to give him the least number of wickets. Report on hold A few weeks back we wrote about a leading bowler damaging a wicket in a Premier tournament match, thereby not allowing play to start in a game that was marred by rain. The match referee of that match had made a report and wanted an inquiry to be held. But surprisingly the report was put on hold which to say the least, surprised the match referee as no action was being contemplated or taken. When the match referee inquired as to what was happening about his report from the men who matter, he was told that other than for reading in the newspapers about the incident, no reports had reached them. Apparently it was shelved because of the importance and the power the alleged cricketer wields. |
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