A century with a difference from Jayasuriya

BY SA'ADI Thawfeeq

CRICKET followers around the world and at home have witnessed the number of centuries Sanath Jayasuriya has scored in Test cricket. He has one triple century and two double centuries to add to 11 other centuries he has scored at this level of the game.

But tomorrow at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium against Bangladesh, venue of the second Test, Jayasuriya will be celebrating a century of a different kind. He will become the first Sri Lankan cricketer in the country's 24-year-old Test history to play in one hundred Test matches.

For the 36-year-old seasoned campaigner, the holder of virtually every Sri Lankan batting record this is just another feather in his cap in what has been a long and illustrious cricket career.

You may not believe this but Jayasuriya admitted that what has kept him going on for so long was the fear of being dropped from the team! He said that whenever he had a string of failures he dreaded of being dropped from the side and that enabled him to work hard at his game.

"You've got to have that kind of fear in you if you want to succeed at this level. Otherwise you cannot come this far," said Jayasuriya reflecting back on a 14-year Test career, which began against New Zealand at Hamilton in 1991.

He batted at no. 6, a position, which did not warranty him a permanent place in the team. It was not until five years later when he was promoted to open the batting against Australia at Adelaide that he made his place secure in the team with contributions of 48 and 112, his maiden Test hundred.

"That I would say was the turning point of my career," said Jayasuriya. "There were a few injuries in the team and I was asked to open. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands."

"When I began my Test career I never thought I come this far. Initially it was very difficult to get into the side. I had to work really hard for my Test place," he said.

Jayasuriya juggernaut

At an age when most international cricketers start thinking of retirement, the Jayasuriya juggernaut is still strong enough to carry on for a few more years.

"I take it one series at a time. When you come to this level of your career you have to be physically fit to carry on. I have been able to play for so long for my country because every time I go out I always tried to give my one hundred percent to the team," said Jayasuriya.

"Whenever I get a start I always want to get a big hundred. My theory is that if you get set you must go and score a hundred for the team. As an opener it is not easy to perform the way I bat. I have to work really hard to retain the position for so long."

"When you have been playing as long as I have, obviously the opposition gets to know your strengths and weaknesses. You will have to work twice as hard to overcome those weaknesses," Jayasuriya continued.

"If your fitness level are high you can bat for longer periods of time. Mentally you can be very strong but you will have to work on your physical fitness. I have gone through lean patches in my career. The main thing is you have to be mentally really tough and focused on the game to come out of those situations," he said.

Jayasuriya said he owed a lot to former coach Dav Whatmore and former physio Alex Kountouri for bringing a sense of professionalism into practice and training.

"I am grateful to those two for the good physical shape I am today. We really worked hard on our physical training and on our batting department.

All the coaches from Dav downwards to Tom (Moody) has motivated us," said Jayasuriya. Sidath Wettimuny, the former Sri Lankan opening batsman is one of the few people Jayasuriya turns to for advice.

"Sidath has always told me to go out and enjoy my cricket. He said as long as I enjoyed my game I would perform," said Jayasuriya.

Love for the game

What keeps Jayasuriya motivated even at the age of 36 is his love for the game.

"I love the game so much that's what keeps me going. I started playing cricket when I was nine years old and I never distracted myself from it."

For a cricketer who keeps himself physically fit, Jayasuriya strangely did not participate in any other sport. He is grateful to his parents who have supported him right throughout his career and his understanding wife Sandra who has tolerated the days he has been away from home due to cricket commitments.

"I am very proud to become the first Sri Lankan to play in 100 Tests," said Jayasuriya. "I worked really hard to come to that position.

If you want to remain in the Test team you will have to work extra hard." His advice to youngsters: "You need to put in a lot of sacrifice and work a lot hard at your game. At practices you need to put 100 percent effort all the time. Even on non-practice days you need to work on your game.

When you get the opportunity you should always grab it. If you focus on your game and play your natural game, success will come with it."

A former Test captain who relinquished his post to concentrate on his cricket, Jayasuriya said he saw a bright future for Sri Lanka with a lot of youngsters around who have been performing well.

"To become good players they will need to play for a little more time. When we came into the side we never had 'A' tours. The present day cricketers are very lucky to have so many 'A' tours going. I played in only one series in Pakistan with the Sri Lanka 'B' side," recalled Jayasuriya.

100 Test appearances - The full list

Sanath Jayasuriya will become the 33rd cricketer to appear in 100 Test matches when he plays in the second Test against Bangladesh tomorrow.

The breakdown of his 99 Test appearances is: Australia (11), Bangladesh (4), England (12), India (10), New Zealand (11), Pakistan (15), South Africa (13), West Indies (10), Zimbabwe (13).

The first cricketer to appear in 100 Test matches was England's Colin Cowdrey against Australia at Edgbaston in 1968. He was captain in that match and, appropriately enough he scored a century. Since then the list has grown to 32 players.

168 - S.R. Waugh (Australia) 
156 - A.R. Border (Australia) 
133 - A.J. Stewart (England) 
132 - C.A. Walsh (West Indies) 
131 - Kapil Dev (India) 
128 - M.E. Waugh (Australia), S.K. Warne (Australia) 
125 - S. Gavaskar (India) 
124 - Javed Miandad (Pakistan) 
123 - S.R. Tendulkar (India) 
121 - I.V.A. Richards (West Indies) 
119 - I.A. Healy (Australia) 
118 - G.A. Gooch (England) 
117 - B.C. Lara (West Indies), D.I. Gower (England) 
116 - D.L. Haynes (West Indies), D.B. Vengsarkar (India) 
115 - M.A. Atherton (England) 
114 - M.C. Cowdrey (England) 
112 - G.D. McGrath (Australia) 
110 - C.H. Lloyd (West Indies) 
108 - G. Boycott (England), C.G. Greenidge (West Indies) 
107 - D.C. Boon (Australia) 
104 - M.A. Taylor (Australia), Wasim Akram (Pakistan) 
103 - Salim Malik (Pakistan) 
102 - C.L. Hooper (West Indies), I.T. Botham (England) 
101 - Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan), G. Kirsten (South Africa) 
100 - G.P. Thorpe (England)