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Comment
When the Lankans came back empty handed
The Sri Lankan cricketers set off to Australia, full of hope and
confident that they could chalk up that elusive Test victory in
Australia and looking to give Muttiah Muralitharan his 708th victim to
equal Australian Shane Warne's Test wicket taking record, and then give
him the 709th victim to go ahead of Warne.
But these twin dreams did not materialise. When the Test victory will
come is difficult to predict, but one thing is certain, the First Test
against England at the Asgiriya Stadium beginning on Saturday, would see
Murali realising his dream and pushing Warne to second best in the all
time wicket taking list.
And when that happens in his home town, the lighting of firecrackers
will be deafening and the city of Kandy will reverberate to who knows
what sounds and celebrations, as the Kandyans celebrate and crown their
king of spin.
The Aussies batting plan was for the first five or six batsmen to
knock about for a 500 to 600 total, not allow Muralitharan to get at the
tail. Also they were determined to post big totals and not bat a second
time. And that they achieved to a nicety.
To Australia and the Aussies had a plan as to how they were going to
not let the Lankans go away with the twin dreams that they came looking
for.
Firstly they were not going to lose to the Lankans at home, because
to do so would be to lose their status and ranking as the best team in
the world in both forms of the game.
No team in the last ten years have beaten or won a series in
Australia. For any team to beat them in their backyard, requires a team
of more than ordinary talent and they should have a game plan that the
Aussies would find hard to overcome.
The Aussie cricketers are mentally and physically tough as nails.
They sport the baggy green cap with great pride and honour. Losing or to
come near to it is anathema to them.
When on the ropes they will fight to death to deprive their opponents
and come back to deliver the knockout blow with telling effect.
Their game is so well organised and every man knows when and where
and how to corner the opponents and then execute. When the Lankans were
sniffing victory in the Second Test at the Bellerive Oval in Hobert,
they fought back like terriers and the rest is history now.
In Ricky Ponting they have a leader whom they respect and the team
members are ever ready to shed their last drop of blood for him. Ponting
has one, if not the shrewdest cricketing captain brains going in the
game today.
He gets the best from his team by example. If it comes to a position
in the field where it could be life threatening, he would post himself
in that position before asking one of his men to do so.
In Phil Jacques, Matthew Hayden, the captain himself, Michael Hussey,
Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds and Adam Gilchrist, they have the
magnificent seven batsmen.
In fielding they have marvels who can stop runs and then cling on to
some miracle catches. Their Achilles Heel is their bowling, which the
Sri Lankan batsmen exposed in the second innings of the Hobart Test
scoring at will to make a massive 410 chasing victory on a wicket that
was more bowler friendly.
While the pacies led by Brett Lee, with Mitchell Johnson and Stuart
Clarke for support, the spin department is probably the weakest that the
Aussies have had in the history of their game.
In Bill O'Reilly, Doug Ring, Clarrie Grimmett, Ernie Toshack, Richie
Benaud, Tom Viewers and Johnny Gleeson they had match winning spinners
in plenty. But after the exit of 'sheik of tweak' Shane Warne, the spin
field is barren.
Let spinner Stuart MacGill who was expected to fill the void created
by Warne was a poor bet. He bowled very poorly, but that Ponting kept
him going although being massacred by the Lankan batsmen showed the
confidence that a skipper has in his leg spinner.
As for the Lankans they lacked that something that could have taken
them that extra mile. They were cleverly led by Mahela Jayawardena, and
it was obvious they lacked the steadying influence of Kumar Sangakkara
in the First Test in Brisbane. His was an unfortunate injury that upset
all planning and execution.
It is paramount that every touring team remain in peace and harmony
if success is to be attained. But sad to say this was lacking in this
team.
First it was the uncalled for 'Joker and Muppet show', staged by
opening batsman Marvan Atapattu. All that has to be said and done is
over and it is hoped that it will stay dead and buried as the ugliest
chapter in Sri Lankan cricket.
Atapattu also took the selectors to task saying that the 150 dollars
they get per day is the temptation for them to stay and then coming back
and apologising to Ranjit Madurasinghe who was the selector on tour.
Then it is customary for selectors to stay with the secrets of their
selection and not make it public for comment. Trevor Bayliss the coach,
at a press briefing made it known that Chaminda Vaas came near to being
dropped in the First Test.
Now while all that is well and good, that should not have been
revealed while the Test was on. It sure would have gone to hurt Vaas who
had given his all to the game from the time he sported Lankan colours.
Then he also revealed that fast bowler Dilhara Fernando was nursing
an ankle injury and that he is one who will always give 100 to 150 per
cent.
While all that is good one wonders how one can perform at peak with
an injury. Ask a physio and he will say if it is so then it must be a
miracle.
How the selectors are still continuing to go with him against England
is inexplicable.
He must be allowed rest to recover and serve the country because he
has a lot more cricket left in him.
Elmo Rodrigopulle |
