Lankans happy to gain two points:
Jayawardena's leaderhip comes in for high praise
Elmo Rodrigopulle - Reporting From Australia
A game that Sri Lanka could easily have won was taken away by Indian
skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the Lankans had to be satisfied with a
tie,that still keeps them in the picture for a shot at the finals. To
the credit of Mahela Jayawardena and his set of fighters it must be said
that they have kept the interest in the tournament alive by taking every
game to the wire, which has come in for high praise.
His leadership too came in for high praise in the media box.
Jayawardena was his players to be ruthless in the remaining games and
aim at victory, because their efforts in the three games have shown that
they have it in them to come good and shove aside their opponents.
Looked on course
Sri Lanka looked on course to pocket their first win when India
needed 24 runs from the last two overs. One before the last over bowled
by Angel Mathews saw Doni and Irfan Pathan punish the bowler with Pathan
hitting a mighty six.
In the last over bowled by Lasith Malinga, India needed 9 runs and
four runs off the final delivery. Malinga pitched wide of the off stump,
but Dhoni managed to get bat on ball and his terrific drive seemed
headed to the mid off fence which would given them a one-run win.
But a terrier-like dash by Upul Tharanga saw him make a desperate
dive and then a throw to the bower allowed the Indians only three runs
and the two teams had to share the points because the game ended in a
historic tie.
With this tie the Lankans still remain in the picture. From now on
they must win every other game, and it is paramount that they demolish
the Australians in the game in Sydney on Friday.
Skipper Jayawardena said that it was missed catches and missed run
outs that deprived them of victory. Had these catches and missed run
outs been taken the Lankans would have been smiling.
Missed catches
That's why it is said that missed catches do not necessarily lose a
game, but it can make winning all that more difficult. Bold attempts
were made to take the catches, including the one dropped by Kumar
Sangakkara which cost two vital runs, but that's how the game goes.
No fielder will want to willfully drop a catch.
For Sri Lanka, once again it was stylish right hander Dinesh
Chandimal who was in the runs. This is his second fifty in three games.
He seemed headed for a richly deserved century when he was cruelly run
out for 81.
It was nice to see Jayawardena getting back to form with some of his
trade mark shots. When on the way to a big score, he tried to steer
Vinay Kumar to the leg missed and was adjudged LBW. He went at
178 and from that point onwards saw Sri Lanka's batting slide.
Jayawardena said he was happy with the two points, considering the
missed chances and added that they have to win the remaining games to
stay in the frame.
Defended move
He also defended his move to bowl Angelo Mathews in the penultimate
over. Mathews slipped when he bowled two full tosses and a no ball which
went for 10 runs. The skipper said that that is how they must learn.
Jayawardena said he l9oved to have a bowler of the caliber of Lasith
Malinga in the death overs. With four needed for victory off the last
ball, he bowled a difficult deliver to Dhoni. But Dhoni with his
experience got under the delivery and hot with great power and a certain
four and a victory for India was denied by Upul Tharanga who made do or
die effort and stopped it.
What was unacceptable was thee seven run outs in all. Three in the
Sri Lanka innings and four in the Indian innings.
Adelaide, Wednesday
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