Jayasuriya battles back for Cup finale

CRICKET: Explosive Sri Lanka opener Sanath Jayasuriya has bounced back from the depths of despair to become a man who could just provide the spark of inspiration to set up their second World Cup triumph.

The 37-year-old left-handed batsman will feature in his fifth World Cup like India’s Sachin Tendulkar, Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq and his West Indies counterpart Brian Lara.

After suffering a slump in form and a shoulder injury in late 2005, it would be thanks to Jayasuriya’s tenacity that he will play in the first Group B tie against debutants Bermuda on Thursday.

“It was a hard time I went through those six-seven months,” he said in an informal chat with reporters on Tuesday.

“That was a difficult time I had when I was in India. I was not even selected for the test matches.

“I had just given up my test cricket but again I came back and played.” Jayasuriya struggled on a tour to India when the visitors were thrashed 6-1 in the one-dayers. The talismanic batsman was axed for the tests and Jayasuriya promptly retired from the longer form of cricket, leaving a question mark over the pinch-hitting opener who spurred Sri Lanka to World Cup triumph in 1996.

However, the selectors changed and persuaded Jayasuriya, one of only six batsmen to score over 10,000 one-day runs, to change his mind.

“The new selection panel came and they had faith in me,” he said. “They wanted me to come and play in both versions of the game.

“I told myself I should work hard on the game and do really well.”

He made a strong comeback on the England tour last year and smashed 152 in the final game for a 5-0 one-day series sweep.

“I went to England, I was really under lot of pressure,” he said. “I was really down in that particular tournament and I started to perform really well under pressure.”

In the Caribbean, Sri Lanka are also looking up to Jayasuriya to provide inspiration along with fellow 1996 squad members spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, paceman Chaminda Vaas and batsman Marvan Atapattu.

“When you win a World Cup, that is the best feeling you can get in your cricketing career.”

“We’ve shared our views on how was the feeling like to be the world champions. “Everybody has to contribute in their own way. We’ve a good chance to do that.”

Jayasuriya has also claimed 285 wickets with his left-arm spin, which could be crucial on pitches expected to play slow.

India and Bangladesh are also in the same group. He is the second most experienced one-day player, his 379 caps only two less than Tendulkar’s record.

Jayasuriya has scored 11, 538 one-day runs with most hundreds (23) after Tendulkar’s record 41, maintaining a phenomenal strike rate of over 90.

“That is (a reflection of) how you work hard on your game,” he said. “That is the talent I got and God-given.”

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Wednesday (Reuters)