Wednesday 10th August, 2011

Ajantha says Drug ban, toughest moment world record result of hard work

REX CLEMENTINE reporting from Pallekele in my life – Tharanga ’ fall was as sudden as his rise. The once mystery spinner played the opening Test in Cardiff during ’s recent tour of England and was left out of the side since that game. He was in the REX CLEMENTINE REPORTING sidelines for the remaining two Tests and was overlooked for the T-20 from Pallekele International in Bristol and didn’t play any part in the five ODIs that fol- Sri Lankan opener been found guilty of deliberately cheat- lowed. says the three month ban imposed on ing, but the ICC maintains its zero-toler- He did, however, play in the warm up game in Chelmsford between him for the use of a banned drug by the ance approach towards doping for the the second and third Tests and the one-day warm up game in anti-doping tribunal was the most diffi- benefit of all its stakeholders. Cases Worcester, ahead of the ODI series where he didn’t do much. cult situation he experienced in his life. like this serve as a reminder to all play- The selectors privately admitted that they were losing patience with Tharanga, who scored 395 runs dur- ers that they must take great care and the 26-year-old, as returns were minimal in the Inter-Provincial tourna- ing the ICC World Cup at an personal responsibility at all times for ment which followed. average of over 55, was suspended after the substances that they consume,” ICC He was overlooked for the first T-20 on Saturday, but as the second the tournament, but his submission Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said that he had ingested the substances by when his ban was announced. T-20 was played on a used here in Pallekele, he was brought drinking a herbal medicine given to “The ICC conveyed to the board that into the side and Mendis wouldn’t let another chance slip away, claim- him to ease discomfort caused by a during the three month period I can’t ing a World Record six for 16, the best analysis in T-20 shoulder injury was accepted by the participate in any training of the Internationals, as Sri Lanka came from behind to beat Australia by eight International Cricket national squad and that I runs. Council. can’t play any domestic Despite poor form, Mendis owned the best two bowling performanc- “It was one of the matches and take part in es by a Sri Lankan in T-20 cricket and it was his excellent record that most difficult situa- any training with any saved his place in the squad. Dilshan admitted that Mendis’ tions I have experi- domestic team. So I did record was in his mind when he sat down for selections. “Before we enced. The ban everything on my own selected the T-20 squad, I had confidence in Mendis. affected me psycho- during these three played well on Saturday, but still we gave Ajantha a chance as we logically and that months.” knew that he could be a handful on this wicket,” Dilshan told journalists, was one of the tough- The ban meant that after his side won the T-20 series, 2-0. est periods in my life. Tharanga was ruled out of “Missing out in England made me work harder on my game,” Fortunately that’s the recent tour of England. Mendis said. “I worked extremely hard to get back into the team. All the over now and I am He was one of the success bowlers are doing well and it’s tough to get back to the side. I believe looking forward to stories when Sri Lanka Monday’s results is the effort of that hard work.” the future,” the 26- toured England for a series Mendis, who bowls a mixture of googlies, flippers, off-spinners, leg- year-old told ‘The last time scoring two hun- Island yesterday at dreds in the five match breaks and top-spinners, said that he’s about to unleash a new . Pallekele after a ODI series including one at “I am developing a new ball. But I haven’t still tried that in a game situa- training session. Lord’s where he became tion and hopefully it will come out soon,” he said. Tharanga’s test was done after Sri the youngest Sri Lankan, at the age of On Monday, Mendis was introduced into the attack in the sixth over Lanka’s World Cup semi-final fixture 21 to score a century. with Australia cruising on 64 for none. Shane Watson had completed against New Zealand at R. Premadasa “Playing in England is what every his half-century at that stage, off just 20 deliveries and he welcomed Stadium, three days after he had hit an player wants to do. It’s a unique chal- Mendis back to international cricket by slogging his googly for a six. unbeaten hundred in the quarter-final lenge to play and succeed in England Two balls later, however, another attempt to clear the boundary saw his against England. due to the conditions and I had a good dismissal and Mendis was unstoppable from thereon. “I was shocked when I got to know tour last time in 2006. It was disappoint- “When I came into bowl, we had given away some runs as the that I had failed a drug test. I just ing to miss out on this occasion,” Power Play was in progress. The plan at that time was to limit the run couldn’t understand what had hap- Tharanga added. flow more than picking up as they had got off to a flying start. pened,” Tharanga added. “Everything is over now and the cap- We had a plan and we bowled according to that plan.” At the end of the tribunal, the ICC tain and the selectors have recalled me “I really enjoyed what I did. I just wanted to bowl a good line and declared that Tharanga had not cheat- as soon as the ban is over. I am looking length and that worked off. The wicket helped me a lot. I mixed up my ed, but the three month ban meant that forward to do well in this series,” deliveries and I thought that catch changed the com- he couldn’t even train with a domestic Tharanga further said. plexion of the game in a hurry.” team. “We recognize that Upul has not “I was shocked when I got to know that I had failed a drug test. I just couldn’t understand what had happened,” says Tharanga Dilshan says Mathews’ Sri Lanka eye number one rank in ODI cricket REX CLEMENTINE REPORTING Malinga. lenge in my career so far. The opportuni- on. But it has been decided to play the ‘catch’ was the turning point from Pallekele “Following the two wins in T-20s we ty to lead Australia is fantastic and it’s a game on a fresh track, but the spin Having secured the two match T-20 are in a good frame of mind. Looking at real challenge. We want to have some bowlers are expected to still play a big Sri Lanka dominated proceedings in the first T-20 the Australian ODI side, some of their success on this tour. I am excited and part. International against Australia on Saturday, but series against Australia, Sri Lanka look to maintain the winning momentum as experienced players are returning to the looking forward to it,” he said yesterday “The wicket looks quite dry and fan- Monday’s second game here at Pallekele, which they the first of five match ODI series side and they have a different outfit. If after Australia’s training session in the tastic. The outfield, as we saw during the won by eight runs was a lot closer. A good bowling between the countries gets underway we play like we did during the T-20s, morning here at Pallekele. T-20s, was lightning fast. Once you get in effort by the tourists saw Sri Lanka being restricted to here at the Pallekele International there shouldn’t be any problems for us to “I certainly think that this will be a as a batter, it’s a beautiful place to bat. It’s 157 and the Australians got off to a flying start reach- Stadium today. do well,” Dilshan told journalists yester- very tough series. Sri Lanka have shown just going to be tough to start off against ing 73 for one in the eighth over of the innings. The series provides the Sri Lankans day. that they are playing some good cricket the spinners. We don’t expect anything Experience was something that the at the moment. They love playing in their different throughout the tour. We know They were cruising and were on course for a com- with a chance to become the number one ranked team in the world for the first tourists lacked during the T-20s and they home conditions and looks like we will wickets are going to be conducive to spin fortable win before Angelo Mathews pulled off a stun- will have plenty of experience with the have a lot of spin to face.” bowling here,” Clarke added. ning catch that triggered a sensational collapse. time if they beat Michael Clarke’s side 4- 1. Currently,the losing finalists of this return of captain Michael Clarke, former The last time these sides played in an After the one off day night encounter Opener David Warner slogged Ajantha Mendis and year’s World Cup are rated at number in the hill capital, the teams move to Mathews fielding on the midwicket boundary took a two behind Australia with 118 points. But down south where Hambantota will host good running catch, but as he was losing balance, if ’s side beats the the second and third ODIs followed by lobbed the ball to the closest fielder who was some 30 four-time World Champion 4-1, they will Malinga ruled out of ODI the remaining two games at the R. meters away and had the pres- secure the number one rank, the Fast bowler will not injury, was asked to take further rest Premadasa Stadium in . Sri Lanka (From) ence of mind to complete the catch to dismiss the International Cricket Council announced play in today’s first One Day yesterday, selection sources told The yesterday. T. M. Dilshan (Captain), Angelo diminutive left-hander. International against Australia after he Island. Mathews, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar “That catch was the turning point,” Dilshan told The Sri Lankans are also chasing was advised further rest by the team Malinga will be available for the their 300th win in ODI cricket. And after Sangakkara (Wicketkeeper), Dinesh journalists. “Once the catch was taken the momentum physiotherapist. Malinga, who missed second ODI between the countries at the disappointment in England, where Chandimal, , Lasith the two T-20 Internationals due to Hambantota. was back with us and our moral was very high. They they lost the ODI series 2-3, they will be Malinga, , Upul Tharanga, had got off to a superb start, but that catch put some looking for better fortunes in limited Suranga Lakmal, Ajantha Mendis, Nuwan pressure on them and then we cashed in,” Dilshan overs cricket. Kulasekera, ,Rangana added. The hosts named a strong 16 man captain and middle order ODI series, Sri Lanka triumphed, record- Herath, and Shaminda batsman Michael Hussey for the ODIs. ing their first ever series win in Eranga Sri Lanka’s poor fielding in recent times has been squad for the first three games of the series with fast bowler Lasith Malinga Dilshan said that Tharanga will open Australia. In that three match series, the Australia (From) often criticized and even during the first T-20 on the with him with Mahela Sri Lankans took a 2-0 lead and in order Michael Clarke (Captain), Xavier Saturday there were two dropped catches, but returning to the side after injury along- side opening batsman Upul Tharanga, Jayawardene dropping down to number to deny the tourists a 3-0 clean sweep, the Doherty,Doug Bollinger, Brad Haddin Monday’s effort defending a modest total was a superb who has played just one first class match four and occupying hosts prepared a green top in Brisbane to (Wicketkeeper), John Hastings, David one. “We spoke a lot about fielding after our first T-20 since the ICC Cricket World Cup as he the number five slot. salvage some pride and the Australians Hussey,Michael Hussey,Mitchell Johnson, win. I still believe that we can improve in certain was banned for three months for failing a Clarke, at the age of 30, is retired from are sure to get a taste of their own medi- Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, James Pattinson, areas. All our players are trying to improve and we are drug test. T-20 cricket, but has taken over from cine in the return series. Ricky Ponting, Steve Smith and Shane seeing the results. The Australians are a very good Tharanga trained yesterday alongside Ponting and will lead the side in Test and The wicket prepared for the T-20s Watson. ODI cricket. He rated the tour of Sri favoured spin bowling and there was lot Umpires: Tony Hill (NZ) and Asoka de fielding unit and if we match their excellence on the some members of the ODI squad as nets were optional. Some of the players who Lanka the toughest challenge of his of deliberation by the local authorities Silva (SL) field, this will be a very good series,” Dilshan added. career so far. whether they should play the first ODI Third Umpire: Asad Rauf (Pak) RC played the second T-20 International skipped training yesterday and so did “This is probably the biggest chal- on the same track the T-20s were played Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (Ind)

Wednesday 10th August, 2011