Thirimanne sports that over the moon feeling
* Lankans keep their heads above water
* Jayawardene’s clever captaincy helped
Elmo Rodrigopulle - Reporting from Australia
The Sri Lankan cricketers kept their heads above water with a
convincing 8 wicket victory against Australia in the second of five
Commonwealth Bank series at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday. While every
cricketer contributed to Sri Lanka’s triumph, three cricketers who need
special mention are maiden century maker Lahiru Thirimanne, Tillekeratne
Dilshan and debutant Kushal Janith Perera.
Thought to be neglected Thirimanne and Perera were revelations.
Thirimanne who was flown in for the Sydney Test, due to the injury to
Kumar Sangakkara and was unlucky to miss a hundred by 9 runs, achieved
that dream figure with a match winning unbeaten 102.
Simply brilliant
Young Perera was simply brilliant with the gloves behind the stumps.
Slotted in because of the hamstring injury to Dinesh Chandimal, Perera
made the most of the opportunity by grabbing four catches with ease and
then made a neat unbeaten 14 in 16 deliveries.
When Tillekeratne Dilshan was out for 51 at 37, skipper Mahela
Jayawardene gambled and sent in the young man in a pressure situation.
Perera rode the pressure, hitting a six and a four which showed great
maturity for one just 24.
When it comes to wicket keeping the Sri Lankan cupboard is full.
There’s Prasanna Jayewardene, Kumar Sangkkara, Dinesh Chandimal and now
Kushal Perera. Reminds us of the time we had Dr.H.I.K. Fernando and
Ranjit Fernando.
Oozing with confidence
Perera is oozing with confidence and promise. If he is properly
nursed and nurtured and given the opportunities, he has it in him to be
a part of the players who will take our game ahead. The selectors led by
Asantha de Mel did right in sending Perera.
Veteran Dilshan continued his good form in the one-day series. He
continued from where he left of in Melbourne where he made 51 and
repeated the same score in a game that Sri Lanka won.
Thirimanne who was showing nerves at time on his way to his century
was fortunate to have the steadying influence of Dilshan at crucial
moments. Dilshan sure would have told Thirimanne to take it easy and
believe in himself.
Moment to remember
Walking back to the pavilion it was obvious that he had that over the
moon feeling. It was his maiden one-day hundred and it could not have
come at a bętter time. And to remember that great moment, he carried a
stump as a souvenir.
After the Lankans were lambs to the slaughter in the Test series and
then the first one-dayer in Melbourne, they needed to lift their spirits
and game to stay alive in this tournament.
After the bowlers had done their job, handled cleverly by outgoing
captain Mahela Jayawardene, Dilshan, Thirimanne and Kushal Perera
provided the tonic to not only bring victory but to also delight the
Lankans living in Australia who were beginning to lose confidence in
them.
Now that they have the Aussie groggy, they must not relax and let
complacency set in, but deliver more body blows, have them on the ropes
in the remaining three games and deliver the knockout blow. Adelaide,
Monday. |
