Lasith Malinga joins Kent

Chris Dhambarage

CRICKET: Sri Lanka’s premier fast bowler Lasith Malinga joined a select band of cricketers when he was picked to represent the English County side Kent in the on going county cricket season.

The twenty three year old right arm fast bowler left the island yesterday which will give him the opportunity of making his debut for Kent in their crucial Twenty20 tournament second semifinal against Sussex at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Saturday.

Malinga thus becomes the fourth Sri Lankan to play for an English county team in the current season after off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (Lancashire), Kumar Sangakkara (Warwickshire) and Chaminda Vaas (Middlesex).

In addition dashing opener Sanath Jayasuriya also represented Lancashire for a short period when his teammate Muralitharan was on national duty during the recently concluded home Test series against the Bangladesh team.

Malinga is only the third Sri Lankan to represent Kent during a county season after Aravinda de Silva and Muttiah Muralitharan. He is expected to return back to Sri Lanka at the end of this month in preparations for the inaugural Twenty20 tournament which will be staged in South Africa in September.

Malinga who is known for his fierce yorkers is currently placed ninth overall in the International Cricket Council player rankings for bowlers in one day internationals following a successful series against Bangladesh.

He will replace South African all rounder Andrew Hall who has being called up for international commitments.

He will have the opportunity of representing the Kent side in at least three county championship matches and three other Pro40 division two matches before returning back to the island.

This will be the first time that Malinga will be performing in any form of domestic cricket in another country having made his Test debut against Australia at Darwin in July 2004. Since then he has been the cynosure of all eyes and reached his peak at the recent ICC World Cup staged in the West Indies.

Malinga became a sensation overnight when he created history by capturing four wickets in successive deliveries in a Super Eight game against South Africa.

Altogether he has claimed a total of 61 wickets from 40 one day internationals at an average of 23.95. In 24 Test matches Malinga has captured 84 wickets at an average of 30.73.