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Testimonial Match for Sanath All the Bouncers and York- Ered As an Icon in the Crick- Ers Thrown at Him by a Eting World and Who Had Happened to Him Now, Par- Deserve

Testimonial Match for Sanath All the Bouncers and York- Ered As an Icon in the Crick- Ers Thrown at Him by a Eting World and Who Had Happened to Him Now, Par- Deserve

Friday 21st May, 2010 15 New changes world order

England cricketers celebrate after winning their first ever ICC event. England beat to win the ICC World T-20 tournament at in on Sunday. ment as underdogs where India, His effectiveness has been such ing to win a game in the second Australia along with South Africa that there are already talks that he round. The curtain-raiser between and were title con- along with Lumb should pair up for Sri Lanka and New Zealand was tenders. But eventually they England’s ODI unit ahead of next also exciting with the Kiwis win- knocked out the more fancied teams year’s World Cup and while their ning with a ball to spare. and the way they took on the stocks are on the rise, the man at The ICC also looked like they Australians was impressive. the receiving end is England’s cap- had learned their lessons. The 2007 Successive England teams had tain , the regular World Cup that the Caribbean host- been battered and bruised by opener in the side. ed was a disaster as the administra- Australian sides of , Kieswetter has a strong case to tors killed the Caribbean flavor by BY REX CLEMENTINE and , argue as well as he’s also the wick- imposing restrictions. But this time especially in ODI . But the etkeeper of the side that gives they welcomed the locals with open ustralians have taken to new England adopted a different England team management to play arms allowing them to bring their finals of cricket tourna- musical instruments and it turned Aments like Bradman’s 1948 out to be a popular event. Invincibles. Sports goods manufac- ICC World T-20 Review New Zealand were also second turer Nike in fact could have got time lucky as their game against motivation by seeing the Australian approach. It did help that England an additional batsman. went to the last ball and team or Michael Schumacher in had several young players in their Another notable feature during they won by one run, but luck didn’t choosing their catch line ‘impossi- ranks. Previous English teams had England’s successful campaign was take them through to the semis. ble is nothing’. been mentally not strong following that the top four batsmen of their Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawrdene, Since losing the 1996 World Cup successive losses to their arch- side were not English. While who was in the run to win the to a resurgent Sri Lanka, the rivals. This time, along with new Kieswetter, Lumb and Pietersen are Player of the Tournament award Australians had qualified for five brigade meticulous planning also from South Africa, is ended the competition with 302 runs ICC finals and had won all of them caught Australia on the wrong foot. Irish. followed by Pietersen (248), Salman before the event that concluded at Winning the toss and Andrew Flower who took over Butt (223), Kieswetter (222) and Kensington Oval in last first was thought to be the order of as the coach of the team early this (219). In the end, week. Three of those have come in the day ahead of the final, but year also seems to have had a posi- Pietersen was named Player of the 50 over World Cups, with Pakistan England opted to do otherwise. On tive effect on the side with the Tournament. (1999), India (2003) and Sri Lanka the field, they dried up the bound- English batsmen in particular of Australia, who (2007) losing the finals by massive aries and prevented Australia from showing the resolve of the former rose to the limelight through the margins. getting off to a flier. In fact, in the Zimbabwean batsman that once , was the For a change at Kensington Oval first ten overs, Australia managed earned him the world’s best bats- most successful bowler claiming 14 on Sunday, the Australians were just four boundaries. man’s rank. in seven games, Charl given a taste of their own medicine Their fielders backed up their There were also some exciting Langeveldt, and Saeed as England cruised pass them in the bowlers as was sent games. Pakistan as usual peaked Ajmal all finished with 11 wickets T-20 World Cup final to win their packing by a Michael Lumb direct late, but were knocked out from the each. first major world cricket title. hit. Later top scorer semi-final as played England’s victory was greeted If Australia reveled on the pres- too fell to a run out. one of those blinders yet again. by a packed house at Kensington sures of playing world finals, Australia did get to a respectable When they set Australia 192 runs to Oval among whom were lots of England were the complete oppo- total thanks to and win and took early advantage, the Barmy Army supporters, who had site. Since losing the 1979 World Cup David Hussey, but they had left too game was going one way, but made hasty bookings to the final against West Indies in their many things too late. Hussey hammered 60 runs off 24 Caribbean island to witness their own backyard, they have lost two 50 Chasing a target of 148, England balls with three sixes and six fours team playing the final. At the end, it over World Cup finals to Australia were hardly troubled. Their main to help Australia win by three wick- wasn’t a worthless exercise. in 1987 and Pakistan in 1992 along batsman ’s form ets. England Paul with the 2004 Champions Trophy to counted, but more than him, Craig The game between Sri Lanka Collingwood compared his team’s T- West Indies when they hosted the Kieswetter played a match winning and India was another close affair. 20 success to series win event. knock that earned him the Man of India, however were the biggest dis- in 2005 and 2009, the first of which England came into the tourna- the Match award. appointment in the competition fail- earned him an MBE.

am terribly saddened tioned above, not only and disappointed that a would he be able to handle Iperson who was consid- Testimonial match for Sanath all the bouncers and york- ered as an icon in the crick- ers thrown at him by a eting world and who had happened to him now, par- deserve. the Chairman of Selectors rather weak opposition one of the most illustrious ticularly during the last few I think Sanath should Ashantha de Mel should that is fighting among careers in international months belies my imagina- gracefully apologize for this take a large part of the themselves at present, but cricket is now being tion. This is not the Sanath temporary mental aberra- blame for this sad episode. also bowl them out for a ridiculed and is having his I knew then, and I just can- tion and announce his As for Sanath paltry score with his new image tarnished with not believe that in spite of retirement from all forms Jayasuriya, now that he found repertoire. brickbats, darts and arrows repeated failures with both of International Cricket (he has ventured into the I wish him well in his directed at him from all bat and ball at the T-20 con- could however still be a dirty world of politics, he new found career although directions. ducted by IPL and at the T- champion in an interna- needs to change his game the he is playing on My sadness affects me 20 World Cup, he still does tional over 40 competition). plan as there could be ven- is murky. as all the more I knew not want to hang his boots. omous snakes hiding In the final analysis, we closely We like to remember Letter under the surface of the should not forget that both as a player and cap- Sanath Jayasuriya as a per- wicket he has decided to Sanath Jayasuriya has tain of the national cricket son who thrilled the cricket Sri Lanka cricket play on and the outfield brought great fame to this team when I served the loving public with his auda- should arrange a fitting tes- could be slippery and dan- country and joy to all Sri Board of Control for cious mauling of all timonial match in his hon- gerous. Lankans at a time when the Cricket both as the bowlers particularly at the our with the participation In addition to his country was going through Manager of the national 1996 World Cup and togeth- of renowned international unorthodox strokes he a dark period in its history. team as well as its er with Romesh cricketers. This match plays, he will have to mas- Let us therefore forgive Honorary Secretary. Kaluwitharana changing could be played immediate- ter the reverse sweep and him for his lapse and hon- Sanath, as I knew then, the entire complexion of ly after the final of the Asia dilscoop. In bowling he our him suitably. was a dedicated cricketer, a Limited Over cricket, but Cup tournament and the must learn variations Yours truly, good team man and above certainly not as someone proceeds there from could such as the Doosra. I’m Neil Perera. (former all a person with all the who deprives talented be used to promote cricket sure that if he masters the Hon. Secretary BCCSL good traits of a decent youngsters of a place in the in the Matara district. above strokes and the new and former Manager Sri human being. But what has team, which they richly Having said this, I think bowling method men- Lanka Cricket team)

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