Wednesday 28th December, 2011 After Samaraweera, Welagedara heroics, take control in REX CLEMENTINE reporting from Durban eard about empty vessels making It was thought that at least after the the most noise. Perhaps they series loss to , he would be rein- Hshould change it ‘Wessels’. There stated for the challenging conditions in were sensational scenes yesterday in , but he was left out of that Durban on the second day of the second squad too before a knee injury to Mahela Test here as Sri Lanka, a team that had Jayawardene brought him back to the side been pathetic throughout the year lacking as cover. intensity and purpose on the field, It has been long rumoured that came up with their best performance in Samaraweera’s omission has got nothing 2011 to have a firm grip on the game and a to do with cricketing ones and influences strong possibility of creating history here outside selection meeting room have been in South Africa. The Sri Lankans arrived here in Durban hav- ing gone through 15 Test Matches with- out tasting victory and from being the Thilan Samaraweera celebrates becoming the second Sri Lankan to score a Test hundred in South Africa on the second number two ranked day of the second cricket Test against South Africa in Durban on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011. (AP Photo) team in the world at the beginning of the year had fallen to number six by the end of believed to have had a hand in his snub. it prompting former South African cap- He played a key role yesterday as Sri Lanka had posted their highest total on Sri Lanka. The lights had to come on by the time tain Kepler Wessels to predict even South Lanka recovered to post a competitive South African soil. So cocky were the Proetas that their the Sri Lankans were and Africa ‘A’ would beat Sri Lanka; a com- total of 338 and was the last man out. Sri Lankan supporters were feeling fast bowlers had gone for a swim to the , clearly unhappy ment that had angered many Lankan fans. For the Proteas, young fast bowler comfortable that they had a decent total to beach after the Sri Lankans had been with the lights, was dismissed in the sec- The tourists had been blown off inside Marchant de Lange, who had come into defend, but never did they imagine that bowled out and had to rush back to the ond over. Four balls after his dismissal, three days at Centurion to lose by an the side for the injured Vernon Philander they will be batting again by stumps. ground to pad up. the umpires called off play with Sri Lanka innings and after electing to bat first was outstanding and added three more Left-arm seamer Chanaka Welagedara Welagedara finished with five for 52, ahead by 177 runs. under perfect batting conditions, their top- for the four wickets he had picked bowled exceptionally well to run through his second five- haul and the career order collapsed here as well. But middle- up on day one to finish with 81 for seven; the South African top-order and was well best figures. The Porteas were in danger of order batsman Thilan Samaraweera the third best figures by a South African backed up by as Sri being asked to follow on when the total turned out to be a hero overnight after on debut. Lanka restricted the Proteas to 168 to take was 119 for eight, but the last two wickets becoming only the second Sri Lankan to Samaraweera was out caught in the a crucial lead of 170 runs. South Africa’s added 49 runs to save them from humilia- score a Test hundred here in South Africa. deep by Ashwell Prince but by then Sri first innings total is their lowest against tion. Samaraweera was 86 overnight and yesterday added an invaluable 46 runs for the eighth wicket with Rangana Scoreboard Herath as Sri Lanka regained the initia- tive in the first session pushing the total Sri Lanka 1st Innings 101-1 (2nb), Kallis 9-1-24-0. Perera 9-3-27-1, Dilshan 1-1-0-0, Herath beyond 300. No wickets fell in the first (Overnight: 289-7) South Africa 1st Innings 20-7-49-4, Mathews 2-0-11-0 (1w), hour of the morning and Samaraweera T. Paranavitana c Boucher b De Lange 12 G. Smith c Chandimal b Welegedara 15 Fernando 6-0-29-0. brought up his 13th Test hundred and the T. Dilshan c Morkel b Tahir 47 J. Rudolph c Welegedara b Perera 7 first against South Africa when he drove K. Sangakkara c Boucher b De Lange 0 H. Amla c Chandimal b Welegedara 54 Sri Lanka 2nd innings leg-spinner Imran Tahir for a couple. M. Jayawardene b Morkel 31 J. Kallis c Jayawardene b Welegedara 0 T Paranavitana not out 0 T. Samaraweera c Prince b De Lange 102 A.B. de Villiers c Jayawardene b T Dilshan c Smith b Steyn 4 It was also Samaraweera’s second Test A. Mathews c & b De Lange 30 Welegedara 25 K Sangakkara not out 3 hundred away from the sub-continent and D. Chandimal c Boucher b Morkel 58 A. Prince c Jayawardene b Herath 11 Extras 0 a very emotional one as well. The 35-year- T. Perera c Amla b De Lange 12 M. Boucher c Dilshan b Herath 3 Total (1 wicket; 2.1 overs) 7 old veteran celebrated it by ‘shooting’ R. Herath c Boucher b De Lange 30 D. Steyn not out 29 Fall of wickets: 1-4 towards the dressing room and it wasn’t C. Welagedara c Amla b De Lange 2 M. Morkel b Herath 0 To bat: M Jayawardene, T Samaraweera, A clear whether he was taking aim at the D. Fernando not out 0 I. Tahir st Chandimal b Herath 11 Mathews, D Chandimal, T Perera, R Herath, selector on tour – Don Anurasiri! Extras: (8lb, 6nb) 14 M. de Lange c Chandimal b Welegedara 9 C Welagedara, D Fernando Samaraweera was dropped for the TOTAL: (all out) 338 Extras: (1w, 3nb) 4 Bowling: Morkel 1.1-1-0-0, Steyn 1-0-7-1 third Test against at SSC and Overs: 108.2 TOTAL: (all out) 168 Toss: won by Sri Lanka. Umpires: Steve Davis, Australia, and was left out of the tour to UAE for a series Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-47, 3-84, 4-117, 5- Overs: 54.4. Chanaka Welagedara celebrates the wicket of Richard Kettelborough, . against Pakistan as the selectors argued 162, 6-273, 7-289, 8-335, 9-337. Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-27, 3-27, 4-103, 5- Hashim Amla during the 2nd day of the 2nd Test TV Umpire: Rod Tucker, Australia. that the middle-order batsman was not in Bowling: Steyn 23-5-63-0, Morkel 21-3-61- 106, 6-118, 7-119, 8-119, 9-145. yesterday, Dec. 27 in Durban, South Africa. Match Referee: Chris Broad, England. their long term plans. 2 (4nb), de Lange 23.2-3-81-7, Tahir 32-3- Bowling: Welagedara 16.4-3-52-5 (3nb), (AP Photo)

Upali faction nominees for SLC announced I was frustrated and thought Former Sri Lanka Cricket Tournament Committee: (SLC) Interim Committee Roshan Iddamalgoda, chairman Upali Dharmadasa, Kavindra Liyanage, Priyantha my career was over – Thilan who is contesting for the SLC’s Upul, Manuja Kariyapperuma hot seat on the January 3, 2012 and S. T. Osumand SLC elections, announced his Umpire Committee: A. R. REX CLEMENTINE squad, as cover. Coach Geoff Marsh addressing the reporting from Durban party nominees who are vying M. Aroos, Lal Ranasinghe, “I was dropped for the series against media on Monday admitted the team for the other posts of the crick- Hiran Jayamanna, Minesh Pakistan in the UAE and then I was missed Samaraweera’s services in their et controlling body yesterday Jayasekara and Dumindu There was no drama or calling of overlooked for this series and then I series loss against Pakistan. (December 27). Hemal names, like Marvan Atapattu at the thought I will “Everyone is very pleased back in The Dharmadasa faction Upali Tour Organising Gabba some time ago, from Thilan never play for the dressing room that we were able to candidates are as follows: Committee: Mohamed Najeeb, Samaraweera yesterday as the middle- Sri Lanka take ten wickets today. Tomorrow is President: Upali Dharmadasa Mahendra Perera, Susan Fernando, order batsman was gracious during a again. Then another crucial day for us. If we do Vice President: K. Mathivanan and Mangala Silva and Mohamed media briefing after he had proved his Mahela had a well, we will be in a good position to Asanga Seneviratne Adjumain. critics wrong beyond doubt, with what bad knee and I win our first Test here,” Samaraweera, Secretary: Nishantha Ranatunga Sponsorship Committee: Marlon could be a historic knock in Sri Lankan was called up as who was last man dismissed yesterday Asst. Secretary: Hirantha Perera Fernandopulle, Anil de Silva, R. N. cricket, here in Durban. cover,” he told during the Sri Lankan innings, said. Treasurer: Nuski Mohamed Udeshi and Anusha C. S. A. Samaraweera became the second Sri journalists yes- “The most difficult part to bat was Asst. Treasurer: Ajita Pasqual Abeysinghe. Lankan after to terday. when you bat in the first half an hour score a Test hundred in South Africa “It was frus- against such a good attack. But what’s and in the process helped Sri Lanka trating. I had very pleasing is that this is my come- post their highest total in this country done really well back tour. Very happy with the way Asanga and Kiran elected to SLRFU and take a firm grip on the Test Match. for the country things have gone about for me.” Samaraweera Asanga Seneviratne, who is serv- As there had been an array of Sri Lanka after posting 338 in their in the last three He celebrated his 13th Test hundred ing as vice president at present at the nominees for the vacant posts at the first innings bowled out the Proteas for years. But these things can happen in and the first against the Proteas by Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union and SLRFU, SLRFU is going for an elec- 168 to take a 170-run lead. The tourists life and I am looking forward to the ‘shooting’ towards the dressing room Kiran Atapattu, who is also the pres- tion as per scheduled next year. have never won a Test Match in South future challenge,” Samaraweera added. and was asked what he meant by that ent treasurer, were elected president Asanga Seneviratne is vying for Africa so far. Samaraweera was dropped for the kind of celebration. “Nothing in partic- and treasurer uncontested respective- the post of vice president from the The 35-year-old wasn’t even picked series against Pakistan after being the ular. I occasionally do that. I did that in ly, a rugby source confirmed. Upali Dharmadasa faction at the Sri in the original squad to tour South best Sri Lankan batsman in the last in 2009 too when I got a double The rugby election for other posts Lanka Cricket election which is Africa and only an injury to Mahela three years averaging above Kumar hundred and the next day they shot me will be held at Waters Edge, scheduled to take place on January 3, Jayawardene brought him into the Sangakkara and Mahela in that period. on my thigh!” Battarmulla, on January 7, 2012. 2012.

Wednesday 28th December, 2011