When Sanga boobed

It was inexplicable Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara winning the toss and choosing to bowl first against New Zealand on a featherbed wicket at the Wanderers Stadium in Johnnesburg in a day game in the ICC Champions trophy tournament.

This was a must win game for Sri Lanka, because they had lost to England and when the toss turned Sangakkara’s way without any hesitation should have taken first knock. With a bit of poor thinking and losing the game the Sri Lankans who were favourites to enter the semi-finals from Group B now find themselves grasping to stay alive in the tourney.

England who beat South Africa at the Centurion under lights are through to the semi-finals and hosts South Africa who were tipped to enter the semis dived out and if New Zealand beats England in their next game, New Zealand will go through with England.

The Sri Lankans must be on their knees praying that New Zealand will lose to England so that the final run rate will come into the reckoning and they will have that outside chance of having a fling in the semis.

Poor thinking

Sangakkara with his poor thinking signed, sealed and delivered victory to the Kiwis when he won the toss and asked the opponents in and then saw Sri Lanka’s fielding fall to pieces, also had the ignominy of being fined for a slow over rate. Captain Sangakkara was fined 20 per cent of his match fee and the rest of the team 10 per cent.

England though they are in the final will want to keep their unbeaten record intact and dump the New Zealanders and enter the semis with an unblemished record.

England touched down in South Africa with a wretched record having lost a one-day series to Australia 6-1 in their own backyard. But they have put that reverse behind them as a bad dream, and got their act together and at the time of writing would not be taking the Kiwis easy.

On the other hand, New Zealand have turned their game around after performing miserably in Sri Lanka. Their victory against Sri Lanka would have been sweet revenge.

New Zealand now that they are within sniffing distance of a fling in the semis will fire all cylinders against England whom they will love to beat. If they play true to form and show the determination that they showed against Sri Lanka there is no reason why they should not be smiling after the game which would see them into the semis. This going to be a no quarter asked or given game.

Supporters stunned

Sangakkara stunned all Sri Lankan supporters by agreeing to bowl first. Sangakkara would have had his reasons for asking New Zealand to bat. But being a game of death he should have batted and put the pressure on the Kiwis.

But by deciding to field he took on the pressure on himself and the team and when New Zealand made a mammoth 315, the chances of a Sri Lankan victory which would have seen them into the semi-finals evaporated.

When Sangakkara asked the opponents in, it was vital that they dismiss the opposition for a gettable score. But once they conceded 315, the ask was too big and although they made a valiant effort, piloted by former Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardena who played a very responsible and intelligent innings of 77, helped by Tillakaratne Dilshan 41 and Nuwan Kulasekera 57 not out with 4 sixes and two fours and who made his maiden fifty the target was beyond reach.

The New Zealand stunning victory was made possible by the lusty hitting of left hander Jesse Ryder who smashed a belligerent 74 propped by Guptil. When the Kiwis were bashing the bowlers, the Sri Lankan ground fielding looked kindergarten.

At the post match conference and when questioned by Ravi Shastri as for the reason for Sri Lanka to lose, Sangakkara said that the fielding had been below class during the past six months and if his team was to compete at this level the fielding has to show much improvement.

ICC must be responsible

The International Cricket Council when they ask countries to host their tournaments, must not think that there job ends there and that they are free of responsibility.

Among other things they must insist that when wickets are prepared, that there has to be consistency. Wickets must be the same for all participating teams. To have one with grass on it and the other bare of it is not correct.

Take for instance the wicket that Sri Lanka and England were asked to play on. It was a green top and it was obvious that the team batting first was going to struggle. And that’s how it was when Sri Lanka took first strike.

The ICC will say that the wicket was the same for both teams. But that is beside the point. What we are saying is that the wickets must have consistency and be the same for all teams and matches.

We are not making excuses for Sri Lanka’s loss to England. Andrew Strauss the England captain was lucky to win the toss and was prompt to ask Sri Lanka to bat. And did not his opening bowlers James Anderson and Graham Onions revel on it and tear the heart out of the Lankan batting.

At 17 for 4 and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena all back in the pavilion there was no way that the Sri Lankans were going to post a challenging total although they recovered somewhat to make 212 thanks to the middle order batting of Thilan Samaraweera, Thilan Kandamby and Angelo Mathews.

The wicket had eased when England batted and all they suffered a few hiccups,they who had a horrible run against Australia losing the seven match series 6-1,finally cruised to victory. Sri Lankan skipper too said what he felt of the wicket.

 Strauss an example

Recently I had reason to comment on the ugly behaviour of England captain Andrew Strauss where he apparently took a bump catch in an Ashes Test match against Australia and insisted that the catch was clean.

But this time round my congratulations to the England skipper for his exemplary behaviour where he called back Sri Lankan batsman Angelo Mathews after the batsman collided with bowler Graham Onions going for a run and was ruled run out.

Strauss showed that it is not the winning or the losing that matters, but how one played the game, by sportingly calling back the batsman who was making his way to the pavilion.

That is the spirit in which this great game has to be played. Great on you Mr. Andrew Strauss.