Mahela Jayawardena an example

Elmo Rodrigopulle

CRICKET: It was Mahela Jayawardena's exemplary leadership and from the front that provided the sweet smell of success that enabled the Lankans to give continuity to their streak that began in England with victory in the final Test by beating South Africa in the First Test.

Jayawardena is now the complete skipper and is in line to be classed in the illustrious company of captains such as Sir Frank Worrel, Richie Benaud, Ian Chappell and Clive Lloyd. As his captaincy matures, he is sure to be a gambling captain in the mould of the great Sir Garfield Sobers.

Jayawardena bats with responsibility, leads with great thinking and is always an example to his team-mates. That is why his team-mates once they take the field give him 100 per cent and more.

Now that the Lankans are one up in the two Test series, there must be no letting up and they must crop the Proteas in the second test beginning at the P. Sara Stadium on Friday.

It is obvious that the Lankans will make one change for that Test and bring in the allrounder Chaminda Vaas if he has recovered fully and is able to last five days. I have a sneaky feeling that Ferveez Maharoof will make way for Vaas.

When Jayawardena was dashing records, after the unfortunate dismissal of Kumar Sangakkara, critics were speculating and wanting Jayawardena to declare at a particular point and give more weightage to winning, arguing that records, individually or collectively did not matter. While critics have their right to say, they should have remembered that opportunities to set up individual batting records could come only once in a life time.

With enough time and days remaining to bundle out the Proteas in the second innings, Jayawardena did right in continuing to bat and aim for that elusive record held by West Indian Brian Lara of 400 not out. What honour it would have been for Jayawardena and the country to be in possession of the individual with the world record. However the script had it that Jayawardena would not break that record. That is another matter.

As for the South Africans, it was obvious that they were an under prepared side, the way they collapsed in the first innings, which led to their losing the game by an innings. According to Johan Esterhuizen, a respected cricket writer from the 'Rapport', a Sunday national newspaper in South Africa, the South Africans had assembled on the Sunday, had a net for two days and then taken wing to Sri Lanka. He rightly reckons that for a tour of this nature, two days of nets is only asking for trouble, and that is how it was.

And Johan knows what he is talking about, because he has toured everywhere with the South African cricketers and has been several times to Sri Lanka. He also reckons that the loss of Dr. Ali Bacher to Springbok rugby from cricket, has led to the present woes of South Africa's cricket.