Why Sri Lanka Owe Their New Captain More Than Gratitude Mixed Quality

14 Monday 27th July, 2009 As Sangakkara scripts his own batting efforts, some selection issues arise... Why Sri Lanka owe their new captain more than gratitude mixed quality. Interestingly, At least the Chaminda Vaas’s expense of, it seems Maharoof. only one wicket fell in two and a series against New name missing. So As for the Champions half sessions, as the instruc- Zealand will give was that of Trophy in September and tions were ‘surrender at your Sangakkara a Herath, suggesting October, a major row in South peril’. chance to main- he too has become Africa has seen Cricket South Mathews displayed the tain his top posi- expendable again. Africa take the unusual step of sort of maturity you would tion for a while in Also missing is shifting a majority of the expect from the International the tall all-rounder games, including the final away someone who Cricket Council’s Farveez Maharoof from The Wanderers in was the batting rankings. and questions of Johannesburg to Centurion. It nation- Yet, just how gen- why makes you means that Sri Lanka, opening aluine are these wonder if he is the 15 day tournament against rankings? They ‘injured’ or are the South Africa at SuperSport are worked on a selectors playing Centurion on September 22 and points system and the dartboard the second game, against New it is interesting to by Trevor Chesterfield numbers game Zealand on September 27 will be note that someone again with other shifted from The Wanderers to like Mohammad Yousuf, who agendas. It seems that way, as Centurion as well. had not played in a Test series he has been included in a Sri The background to such for almost two years because of Lanka ‘A’squad to play Pakistan drastic moves should not come the petty ban over his Indian in a slogs outing. as too much of a surprise. It Under-19 Cricket League links, is still Now, if this squad for the emerges from the behaviour of captain ranked fourth after this series. Pakistan series is the one on the goose-stepping arrogance three years Also interesting is how which Sri Lanka hope to base displayed by that crass narcis- ago. It was notice- Ajantha Mendis, the man who their Champions Trophy game sist Lalit Modi, and his Indian able how his hand 12 months ago had Indian bats- plans, as well as the triangular Premier League henchmen, and footwork skills men often paralysed in his series with India and New towards the Gauteng Cricket earned him quality runs. headlights as it were, was axed Zealand, it creates a series of Board and how their actions Driving on the up was not a risk from the side for the third Test questions for which there will has cast a shadow over The and whether turning the ball off against Pakistan as his bowling be no response: no Vaas, no Wanderers and caused serious his hip into the gap, cutting, average was in the near mid-40s Herath, no Maharoof. question marks at international Kumar driving straight or into the cov- and the realisation how the At least Messrs Ashantha de level. Sangakkara ers, he looked a batsman who Pakistan batsmen had worked Mel and Co., and the other Now Cricket South Africa was playing well within himself him out. With the India tour ‘brains trust’ admitted they and the GCB, owners of The sk Kumar Sangakkara ciate the way he constructed and rarely under threat. looming at the end of the year, it blundered by leaving Nuwan Wanderers are hoping that a who writes his batting that undefeated 19th Test centu- He had a brilliant example could be a sign of what is to Kalusekara, Man of the Test government appointed media- Ascripts these days and he ry. in his captain, and that is come. series against Pakistan with his tor will sort out the squabble will give you that quirky, eagle Tests are so vastly different important as Sangakkara had a What it meant is how 17 wickets, out of the ICC World over hosting rights issues at the eyed glance, followed by a quiet as the loss of a couple of quick game plan and that was to save Rangana Herath, who was not T20 final at Lord’s last month. It stadium, better known as the smile. wickets and a team would have the Test, not squander all that even in the initial team frame doesn’t come as a surprise bullring. It suggests, Yahaluweni, been in trouble. All the bou- hard work of over nearly eight before the series either that they have to finally What has seriously upset whoever is asking such a foolish quets for the draw would have hours of batting. began admit his value to the team, the the GCB is that in the aftermath if rhetorical question knows lit- turned to brickbats as the cal- Also, anyone suggest- way he carried the attack with of South Africa’s dalliance with tle about the game. As with any low supporters see only the end ing that the support of the before this that ersatz form of the game, as batsman of his class and ability, result as a victory and not what when series largely untried, pimped by Modi and his coterie it is Sangakkara who creates it really is, a trial of a team’s The Chesterfield MuttiahFiles Muralitharan Thushara Mirando. of sycophantic cronies, the IPL such a platform of how to com- batting skills on a pitch that was injured, was deservingly It should be recalled that has caused such a divisive pose an innings of this nature. even the Pakistan spinners there is no longer a preferred to Mendis for the there were some who suggested administrative row of such pro- That should have been all realised was giving them noth- place for Test cricket should third Test at the Sinhalese it was a bowling attack on a par portions. too obvious for anyone who has ing. have seen the TV scenes coming Sports Club. His perspiring with Bangladesh. And you had The way Modi ran observed how he has fashioned Frankly, from the time out of Lord’s and Cardiff in the efforts explained the hard work the feeling at the time of the roughshod over the GCB’s his game plan in his first series Jayawardene was dismissed on first two games in the Ashes he has put into his game this Galle Test that the critics administration didn’t go down as captain and how he managed Thursday afternoon, it would Test series: packed venues each series. It has been good bowling weren’t joking and were pre- too well with either the board or to end top of the batting aver- have been a struggle to keep the day. That is what you call crick- and you could see assistant dicting a major disaster. But the the large majority of corporate ages. In a sense, he reminded momentum going. No one can et culture and support. coach Paul Farbrace’s hand in gamble had to be taken, it has suite holders who are still me on Friday of another, who 50 really blame Sangakkara either Colombo is a wasteland when it this. worked and the critics silenced. threatening legal action. Now, or more years ago applied him- for a certain safety first precau- comes to Tests. They should all It should be remembered At least the selectors have the long fuse in the aftermath of self to bat in trying conditions tion on a pitch that had become be played in Galle, maybe how Herath, who is not even run out of patience with the IPL safari in South Africa to win a Test as well as save a slow, low and offered the spin- Kurunegala and when the new part of the contract group of Chamara Silva, while leg-spin- that ended in May has been lit; series. Also, Sangakkara knew ners about as much turn as did venue is opened, Kandy. players, was rushed from ner Malinga Bandara finds him- the fallout from this powder keg that with Mahela Jayawardene that ‘Iron lady’ Margret At least Galle will be getting England, where he was playing self in the senior limited overs has started and it is far from already out and watching with Thatcher to her opponents in a second Test with New Zealand league cricket, as a support. squad more it seems as a net pleasant. Accusations of some self-annoyance from the her defiant speech over her fis- in a truncated series and with With his 15 wickets and twice bowler, but given some compen- administrative political pavilion, along with the injury cal policies at the 1980 the Kiwis coming out of their taking five in an innings, per- sation with a place in the ‘A’ intrigue, as well as obfuscation to Tillekeratne Dilshan, he had Conservative Party conference winter, they will face major haps it is the time to acknowl- team squad, along with of the facts, have already seri- to play a more conservative in Brighton – none at all. What adjustment problems, led as edge the role that he is not a Maharoof. ously impinged on the game in role, if Sri Lanka were to save was at times noticeable is how it they are this time by the tall backhander. And someone among the South Africa. Also affected is the game. There was no time to became an extended quality left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori When they announced the selectors seems to enjoy the England’s tour this southern accelerate the run rate, rather middle-net session, first with and a young side that is in tran- Sri Lanka side to play Pakistan style of Isuru Udana as well; the summer.

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