Second one-dayer was a damp squib

After the first one-dayer that was a chockful of interest and a heart stopper, the second one-dayer between the West Indies and Sri Lanka also at the Queen’s Park Oval was a damp squib.

The first one-dayer had everything that cricket of this style requires. It was a thrill a minute encounter. There was dashing batting, excellent fielding and wicket to wicket bowling.

The game was taken to the wire. That it had to end in the final ball, was great and the packed QPO spectators enjoyed and lapped up every moment of the excitement and it was the consensus after the game, that this is what brings spectators flocking and keeping the turnstiles creaking.

The heroics in the last two balls by batting maestro ‘Tiger’ Chanderpaul will always be etched in the memory by all who were fortunate to be there and those watching the impossible dream on Television.

With the excitement being played out in the wee hours of the morning here in Sri Lanka, not many would have stayed awake to watch the thriller.

Second one-dayer

With the memory of that dasher still lingering, there was another mammoth crowd at the QPO, expecting the same action in the second game.

But their hopes were all shattered by the weather gods who took time off to play the role of spoil sports, inviting yet other spoil sport, the Duckworth and Lewis twins to play a game of their own.

Once again the coin turned Chris Gayle’s way and it was not a smiling Mahela Jayawardena who took strike on a wicket that looked fresh and full of moisture because the wicket was kept covered owing to the overnight rain.

As the action unfolded, there were many stoppages for rain. Overs were reduced, because there were start-stop situations and finally after Sri Lanka made 112 for 5 and with time running out, the Windies were asked to make 125 for a win in 25 overs.

125 to make in 150 balls which was peanuts to the batting side, considering that they had all wickets in tact. Isn’t it unfair by the defending side?

Duckworth and Lewis can answer that question.

At one stage the Windies were floundering on 18 for 3 and seemed to be running out of steam and batting options, until the first game tormentor Chanderpaul 52 n.o., and Marlon Samuels 53 n.o. performed their act to a nicety to take the Windies first to the post.

Now Samuels who was in very poor batting form in the previous games and whose inclusion in the team came in for a lot of criticism, obliged those who placed their faith in him, by delivering at the right moment.

Now the question to be asked and point to be discussed here is: What is the big deal in continuing with a game and playing it to the dictates of the Duckworth/Lewis twins?

May be it is being done to satisfy the spectators and for a result to be obtained. But that is absurd and of no fun. It gives the advantage to one side and puts the other side in a no win situation.

Third-one-dayer

The third and final one-dayer was slated for St. Lucia. Now St. Lucia is a beautiful place and the ground is picturesque. Before the teams arrived there was plenty of rain during the days preceding and indications were that this game may suffer the same fate of the previous one in Trinidad.

Here again Mahela Jayawardena did not have luck with the toss and was asked to bat on a lively wicket which was more friendly to the Windies pace quartet.

Now the Lankans in this game had to make things happen and look for a win after having lost the earlier two. The win had it come and there was no

reason why it could not come, considering the formidable score of 257 for 8 we made.

It required that the Lankans be more aggressive and enterprising and upset the opponents by making changes in the batting order. Now when changes are made it is customary for the think tanks or the decision makers in the team to indulge in consultation, compromise and consensus. Before changes in the batting order are made, the men being shifted are told and the moves are made only if the men concerned agree.

Now when vice captain Kumar Sangakkara was asked to open, obviously he would have consented. So then why lynch Jayawardena? That Sangakkara failed was just one of those things. Had he succeeded what?

Jayawardena was out to a catch that had to be seen to be believed. H e was striking well and showing good touch, hitting a six and then he swept a ball only to see Darren Powell reaching sky high, getting his hands to the ball and when it was falling to earth grab it on the second attempt diving to his right. It was a dream catch. Had Jayawardena survived that, the way he was middling the ball, indicated a big score.

But with wonderful knocks coming from Mahela Udawatte, 73, Chamara Kapugedera 40, Tillekeratne Dilshan 64 and a breezy knock of 41 from Kaushalya Weeraratne, Sri Lanka made a formidable 257 for 8 in 50 overs.

Then with the Windies not too happily placed on 77 for 2 in the 18th over the heavens opened up and that buried what would have been another exciting game and one that would probably have been Sri Lanka’s, had the game gone the full distance.

That the second and third games had to be interfered and spoilt by rain was just bad luck. When it happens there is heartbreak allround and the large number of spectators go back, not having had value for their money.

The World Cup final last year this time in the Caribbean and in Barbados suffered the same fate and had spectators asking why did not the organisers - the International Cricket Council - play it on the reserve day.

That was because for the ICC, the game was not the thing. The money was. (More on Monday)