Saturday 14th January, 2012 13

BY ANURA GUNASEKERA South Africa Graeme Smith, left, reacts with team mates as Sri Lanka cricketer Kosala n a dry surface in Paarl, which Kulasekara, unseen, loses his during the first against offered minimal assistance to South African played in Paarl, South Africa, Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012. Obowlers, a South African line-up was rewarded, under a blazing (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam) sun, for both enterprise and discipline, with a competitive 300 runs. Just a few hours later, on the same surface, the South African bowlers emulated their batsmen with controlled aggression and once again cruelly exposed Sri Lanka’s inherent weakness against pace and bounce on a hard surface. Cowed by a relentless pace barrage, Sri Lanka crumbled to a humiliating defeat; 43 all out is the fourth lowest score in ODI history and our worst performance, ever, in the shorter form. It is not much better than the kind of destruction Sri Lanka has previously inflicted on international whipping boys of the time, like Canada and Zimbabwe. Sympathizers may offer the consoling comment that not many months ago, against the same South African team, we witnessed a similarly bizarre perform- ance from the Australian Test side. However, the Aussies recovered to level the series with a gritty display in the third Test, and clearly, have firmly put that abysmal display out of their minds and are now busy, brutalizing, what is, arguably, the best cricketing line-up India has produced in several decades. When we were demolished in three days in the first Test, it was suggested that the our performance would have been better, had the ODI series preceded the Test series, thus giving Sri Lanka time to adjust to local conditions; certainly, a very valid comment. Whilst the latest ODI debacle maybe a one off abnormality - we fervently hope that it is – Sri Lanka has been in SA for over a month, playing against the same type of and our batsmen, definitely the front-liners, should be able to adjust their techniques to answer the questions that the SA pacies have been repeatedly asking them.

With the exception of Samaraweera, a and primarily to braggadocio, when the not to have won. interdependent, whether in a bank, trad- consequence of an election, which itself last minute reinforcement, our senior first two qualities were direly needed and When teams perform abjectly and ing house or in professional sport. was a charade from the beginning. Even batsmen have been consistent only in the last being inappropriate under any despite the one Test win, Sri Lanka has Combined with its inability to pay its before he was elected, the new chairman their failures. Sangakkara redeemed a circumstances. been close to that, overall, one needs to employees, Sri Lank is staggering had stated his intention of dismissing sub-normal Test series performance with In a team, with a set of bowlers not ask questions. Answers must come, not under a colossal debt burden. Had this Dilshan from the captaincy. Whilst it is that one century, which contributed to an more penetrative, collectively, than those only from the field, but from the cricket- happened in a private company, lending not an illogical proposal, it was supreme- unlikely Test win. Mahela, clearly, is of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, the Sri ing office as well. Things began to go sour institutions would have foreclosed and ly ill-timed, with the team on a difficult wrestling a gremlin in his head, which Lankan top batting five must perform con- with that defeat in the World Cup final, the company compelled to declare bank- tour with everything going against them. has prevented him from making a half- sistently and simultaneously, because, with the overnight resignation of the then ruptcy. Instead, we have the newly The Minister of Sports has publicly way decent contribution for several under normal playing conditions, Sri , vice-captain and most of the appointed Secretary, also a key member expressed his contempt for and lack of months. Dilshan the batsman has been Lanka does not have the bowling capacity selection committee. Despite the seeming- of the previous administration which confidence in the new chairman, before spectacularly unsuccessful, and in the to defend average totals, successfully. That ly plausible explanations offered to the ran up the debts, blithely referring to a the latter has had time to sit down in his context of a series of meagre contribu- is a grim reality. Mendis lost his aura public by those involved, given the activi- debt the size of a budget deficit in a chair!! In the meantime, former crick- tions, his one significant score of 78 in the before it had time to crystallize and there ties of a transparently venal administra- small country, as a “short term liquidity eter, Hashan Tillakaratne, has protested third Test stands out as an aberration. is no Murali clone, even in the distant tion and the politicization of the entire problem”!!!!!! Massive debts are, invari- to the ICC that the election was irregu- Opening the batting with his side con- horizon, to offer hope for the future. institution, it seems obvious that there ably, the result of incompetent cash man- lar. Contestants who withdrew from the stantly in trouble, his approach, to a seri- Against well balanced sides playing in was much silt under the muddy water. agement, or fraud, and generally, a com- election are alleging election malprac- ous undertaking which demands diligent conditions favourable to them, our Then there was that international embar- bination of both. A former Sports tices. In short, the whole episode is a application, has always been nothing bowlers are incapable of hauling the side rassment about our unpaid players. If my Minister labeled the board as the most perfect parallel of all Sri Lankan politi- short of suicidal. Sympathizers may out of the pits that the batsmen slide in employer does not pay my salary for sev- corrupt institution in the country. As a cal contests. Everything is absolutely again argue that Dilshan is Dilshan and to. Even home conditions are no longer a eral consecutive months, I will either stay minister of a government which is being normal! that he knows no other way. If that is the guarantee of success against good sides at home or file action against my employ- accused of corruption in most of its In its totality, it is an inauspicious case and it is immutable, then Dilshan playing with purpose, as we learnt embar- er to recover my dues. Obviously, for vari- major undertakings, he would surely beginning for a beleaguered administra- should no longer be the captain, or even a rassingly, in the recently concluded home ous reasons, cricketers cannot do that and have known what he was talking about. tion and an underperforming team. member of the team. All his dismissals series against Australia. Even in the two must continue to report to the centre of After several years of interim admin- The public should not be too surprised have been due, either to a total lack of drawn Tests, Sri Lanka did not finish the park to either bat, or bowl. However, istrations, a permanent management in the new year, if the team continues to prudence or to a sense of responsibility close enough to call themselves unlucky commitment, results and rewards are team has taken over, unchallenged, as a disappoint and the board to embarrass. Warner smashes fourth fastest Test hundred while India lament

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Opener David “Any that is full in length I will led the bowling with 4-43 Warner smashed the fourth fastest Test centu- throw the kitchen sink at it.” while left-arm swing bowler ry off 69 balls to put Australia in control of Warner said India was already a beaten chipped in with 2-39. the third Test after India was shot out for 161 side just one day into the Test. will have to wait anoth- on the opening day Friday at the WACA “In my mind they’re beaten already,” he er innings to score his 100th 100 as he was ground. said. “The challenge I see for them is they’ve trapped lbw by swing bowler for was on 104 and Ed Cowan on got to work out how they can play us outside 15. Tendulkar hit three boundaries in his 40 with Australia 149 without loss at stumps India.” short stay and was dismissed by the pace of in 23 overs. While the India batsmen laboured on the Warner, the firebrand opener, sent India’s pacy and bouncy pitch, beaten repeatedly by the pitch as he tried to hit across the line. all-seam attack on a leatherhunt with three Australia’s all-seam and swing attack, the Kohli refused to blame the pitch for India’s sixes and 13 boundaries in his 80-ball innings Australia openers showed scant respect to poor batting. by stumps. India’s battery in cracking 19 fours and three “Credit to Australia, they bowled a line The left-hander was felled by an Umesh sixes between them. that forced us play our shots,” Kohli said. “It Yadav bouncer on 80, hit on the left side of the India never looked comfortable from the wasn’t that bad a wicket as the day pro- face. He required attention and a change of moment the dangerous Virendar Sehwag was gressed. helmet but immediately responded by hitting dismissed for 0 in the fourth over of the day “Luck is a very important thing in cricket, 4, 4, 2, 4, -, -, 6 in the next seven balls to race to after being put into bat by Australia skipper and unfortunately it hasn’t been going our the hundred. Michael Clarke. way. We’ve lost important at impor- He brought up his second Test century in Only a 68-run, fifth-wicket stand saved face tant times. imperious style, lofting debutant Vinay for the tourists, when topscorer “It is not the case of we’re not mentally Kumar into the crowd over long on. (44) and VVS Laxman (31) batted stubbornly, competing with them. It hasn’t been the case Warner ran down the ground and leaped resuming on 73-4 at lunch. It took the pair of anyone lacking in temperament or technqi- and punched the air in celebration as the nearly two hours, with Laxman taking 50 17,956 spectators rose to their feet to applaud balls to reach double figures, and before long ue. Australia has won important phases of the swashbuckling innings. He scored his first he too became a victim in the slip cordon. the game and we haven’t. If it (luck) goes our 50 off 36 balls and reduced his fellow opener It was (3-42) who broke India’s way we will make sure we take full advantage Cowan to a mere spectator at the other end. resistance removing the pair in the space of of it.” Warner’s knock ranks behind only West six balls and sparked the collapse in which Kohli refused to write off India’s chances. Indian Viv Richards (56 balls), and the last six wickets tumbled for a paltry 30 “You never know in cricket. They might lose Australians Adam Gilchrist (57) and Jack runs. wickets in a cluster ... it’s a funny game.” Gregory (67). Warner’s other century was an unbeaten 123 in the second innings in Australia’s seven- SCOREBOARD run defeat against New Zealand at last month. India 1st Innings 12.2-3-39-2 (1w), Siddle 12-3-42-3. “I was lacking in confidence going into this G. Gambhir c Haddin b Hilfenhaus 31 Test,” Warner said. He was dismissed cheaply Australia 1st Innings V. Sehwag c Ponting b Hilfenhaus 0 E. Cowan 40 for 8 in Australia’s mammoth 659-4 declared in R. Dravid b Siddle 9 the innings-and-68-run win in Sydney last D. Warner not out 104 S. Tendulkar lbw b Harris 15 week. Extras: (3lb, 2w) 5 V. V. S. Laxman c Clarke b Siddle 31 “That innings put some doubts in my mind. TOTAL: (without loss) 149 Now my head is in a good place. I will sleep V. Kohli c Warner b Siddle 44 Overs: 23 well tonight.” MS Dhoni c Ponting b Hilfenhaus 12 Still to bat: Warner said he worked on his batting with V. Kumar lbw b Starc 5 , , Michael Clarke, Michael Australia coach Micky Arthur and batting Z. Khan c Clarke b Hilfenhaus 2 Hussey, , Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Ben coach to sort out his technique. I. Sharma c Haddin b Starc 3 Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Starc. This is Warner’s debut first-class appearance U. Yadav not out 4 Bowling: at the WACA and he couldn’t have crowned it Extras: (2b, 2lb, 1w) 5 Zaheer 7-1-44-0 (1w), Yadav 6-1-42-0 (1w), Kumar 4-0- Australia’s David Warner kisses his helmet after hitting the fourth fastest better. TOTAL: (all out) 161 31-0, Sharma 5-0-28-0, Sehwag 1-0-1-0. Overs: 60.2. Test century off 69 balls against India on the first day of their third Test at “This is a great milestone for myself. I have Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pak), Kumar Dharmasena (SL) batted here a couple of times (in one-dayers) Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-32, 3-59, 4-63, 5-131, 6-138, 7- TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (Aus) the WACA in Perth, Australia, Friday, Jan. 13, 2012. India were all out for 161 and haven’t scored any runs,” he said. “Now I 152, 8-152, 9-157, 10-161 Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL) runs in their first innings. (AP Photo/Theron Kirkman) turn around and I am 100 not out. Bowling: Harris 18-6-33-1, Hilfenhaus 18-5-43-4, Starc