Mahela Surprised at the Great Indian Collapse
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Monday 28th July, 2008 Mendis is our future says Murali by Rex Clementine few words during media sessions, was a complete exception yesterday as he pin King Muttiah Muralitharan heaped praise on the young spinner and heaped praise on the young spin even felt that his presence will prolong Sprodigy Ajantha Mendis by label- his own career. ing him the future of spin in Sri Lanka “I want to play till the World Cup. following his team’s sensational win by Now that Ajantha has come, I can play an innings and 239 runs inside four for a few more years,” he said much to days. That was Sri Lanka’s third biggest the amusement of the journalists. “You victory in Tests and the best leaving see it’s not a joke, I am serious,” Murali aside Zimbabwe. India, meanwhile, chipped in, “due to his precence, my crashed to their third biggest defeat in bowling will be reduced. Bowling 50 Tests. overs every innings is no joke, it’s a Muralitharan, who took 11 wickets huge task. If I can bowl 30-35 overs, I and won the Man of the Match award, will be happy with that as I am aging. had a field day running through the The job will be easier for me. Sri Lankan bowlers Ajantha Mendis, left, and Muttiah Muralitharan, right, lead the victorious Sri Lankan team back Indian batting line up as Mendis kept Murali bowled 29 and 18 overs in to the pavilion after Sri Lanka beat India by an inning and 239 runs in the first cricket Test in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the pressure from one end. The rookie India’s innings respectively, whereas, he Saturday, July 26. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe) finished with eight wickets on his Test had bowled 34 and 47 overs respectively debut and not even the great the last time Sri Lanka beat India in a best bowler with both Sachin Tendulkar great batsman. Runs are not coming fielding or batting session, but they Muralitharan had such a prominent bap- Test Match (In 2001 at the SSC). and Muralitharan expected to play a key easy; you have to work for your runs have to keep concentrating. Television tism as a Test cricketer, claiming only In the pre-Mendis era, it was role in their team’s fortunes. It was the and with wickets falling at the other always criticizes umpires. Now no one three wickets in 1992. Chaminda Vaas, who had given Sri Lankan, who won the first round, end, that creates some pressure and will come out and say, we lost because of “He’s one of the talented guys I have Muralitharan company for over a decade getting Tendulkar on both instances. eventually you fall. We have been in the bad decisions". seen. He’s our future,” a jubilant now and the off-spinner said he enjoyed Tendulkar fell for Muralitharan’s doosra same situation. It’s a common thing and Muralitharan needs four more wick- Muralitharan (35) said pouring praise on bowling in tandem with the left-arm both times. While he was bowled off an it has happened to all great batsmen,” ets to become the first bowler to claim the 23-year-old rookie. “When I started, seamer. “Vaasy is a class act, a wonder- inside edge in the first innings after try- Muralitharan said. 750 wickets in Tests. way back in 1992, I could bowl only off- ful bowler. He kept the pressure from ing to withdraw his bat too late, in the When asked on the Referral system, He also claimed his 150th wicket at spin. Although I was a bigger turner, he one end and took wickets as well. Both of second innings, he top-edged a paddle that has been trialed during this series, the SSC during the first Test and needs has more variations,” Muralitharan said us have taken over 1000 wickets in Tests sweep and was caught at leg-slip. Muralitharan said it eradicated the nine more wickets to complete 100 after the two players ran through the and quite a few in ODIs. Now that “I bowled well to him. He was under errors the umpires make during a game. wickets at Galle, his favourite cricket Indian line up claiming 19 of their 20 Ajantha is there, it will be a handful,” pressure both times and got out playing “One thing is there’s less pressure on ground. wickets. Mendis has five different varia- Muralitharan said. foul shots,” Muralitharan, the World the umpires. They have to stand for six The second Test begins on Thursday tions. The series had been billed as a rival- Record holder in Test cricket said. hours on the field and their task is at the Galle International Cricket Muralitharan, generally a man of ry between world’s best batsman and “That’s what pressure can do to any tough. As players, we come out after our Stadium. Spanish rider Dinushki Mahela surprised at the Sastre heading for Ranasinghe Tour de France title Under-14 great Indian collapse ETAMPES, France (AP) - CSC by Rex Clementine rider Carlos Sastre headed for Paris tennis sions is a credit to our and the overall Tour de France title India has world’s best bowlers,” Jayawardene, on Sunday after starting the final champion batting line up. In Sachin who scored a hundred in stage with the yellow jersey. Tendulkar, they have the Test said. Riders will pass many of Paris' Dinushki Ransinghe of world’s best batsman and There were also sug- famed landmarks in the 143-kilome- Bishop’s College beat the in Rahul Dravid, one of gestions that India ter (88.9-mile) trek from Etampes to Under 14 No. 1 ranked Nilushi the seven players to score focused too much on the Champs-Elysees. Because the Fernando of St. Bridget's in over 10,000 Test runs, they Ajantha Mendis, forget- 21st stage is largely ceremonial, the finals of Colombo Tennis have a solid Test batsman. ting the World Record only a crash or a mishap can now Championship played at Green When Virender Sehwag, holder in Test cricket stop the Spaniard. Path Court. V.V.S. Laxman and Sourav posed the bigger threat, a Sastre has a 65-second lead over She won the game in Ganguly complete the line- claim denied by the Indian Cadel Evans of Australia and is all straight sets 6/2 and 6/4. up, the batting on card camp. Jayawardene felt but guaranteed to become the third Dinushki also won the dou- looks first class. But the that the focus on Mendis Spanish rider in a row to win the Mahela Jayawardene bles comfortably partnering Indians had a nightmarish set things up nicely for Tour. Alberto Contador won last experience at the SSC, managing the veteran. “Everyone was focused on year and Oscar Pereiro took the Thisuri Molligoda of Vishaka scores of 223 and 138 and their Ajantha, but Murali is a class act,” he title in 2006. Vidyalaya beating Nilushi attempts to demystify Ajantha Mendis remarked. As the peloton headed into Fernando and Anishka Gomas backfired as Muttiah Muralitharan Jayawardene also backed the new Paris, Sastre cruised alongside his of Ladies' College. They too ran through the line up helping Sri referral system saying that it allowed team car and was handed a glass of won the game in straight 6/1 Lanka to an innings victory. to avoid obvious mistakes. “If it was- champagne by CSC boss Bjarne Champion Dinsuhki Ranasinghe and 6/2. Many were surprised at the way n’t there, we could have had more bad Riis, the 1996 Tour winner. the Indians crumbled and among decisions going our way. Sachin’s and them was the Sri Lankan captain. “I Rahul’s dismissals were tough ones am surprised. That was a very experi- for the umpires. It’s even hard when Gp. Cpt. Fernando’s mother passes away enced batting line-up,” Mahela you have bowlers like Murali and Jayawardene told journalists after his Ajantha. They needed that extra bit of Mrs. Matilda Sovis, team and Head Coach of the Fernando, the popular of her death. side’s commanding win. “We expected help. Most of the referrals went our mother of Group Captain Air Force basketball team Prefect of Games at St. Her remains lie at 257, them to fight back, but the way we way and I think we managed to rectify Harsha Fernando, Manager passed away on Sunday. Peter’s College, Colombo, Tudella, Ja-Ela. The funeral managed to bowl them out in two ses- certain mistakes,” Jayawardene said. of the Sri Lanka basketball The wife of late Austin was 74-years-old at the time will take place today. Published by Upali Newspapers Ltd, 223, Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13. and Printed at 195/187, High Level Road, Homagama on Monday 28th July, 2008.