Djokovic Plays Down Fitness Worries for ATP Finals
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14 Monday 21st November, 2011 BY RAVI LADDUWAHETTY One cannot review all the which he covers the line and are two different types of bats- tion demanded. Other Sri Lankans in over 300 run Test matches that he has played plays close to his body, makes it men obviously, but they are a left Michelle Johnson has seldom ll Sri Lankans will be Test in, but looking the just concluded delightful to watch. and right hand combination bowled to him. A left handed proud that the Test series against Pakistan, and He is not a touch batsman Kumar is much more focused and bowler to a left handed batsman partnerships AInternational Cricket the manner in which he faced up and especially square on the off- relaxed and gets on top of the would make it much easier for Interestingly, there have been Council has yet again declared to Saeed Ajmal in all three Tests side, like most Sri Lankans. Any bowler. However, the essential dif- the batsman to read him. three other instances where Sri Kumar Sangakkara as the best was extremely laudable, especial- delivery, a trifle short of a length, ference is that Mahela is a touch Johnson struggled to bowl to Lankan batsmen have been fea- Test batsman in the world today! ly in the wake of the latter being he will caress the bowler square batsman and a little more tem- Kumar. tured in 300 runs plus Test part- To add another feather to the best off spinner in the world on the bat maker’s name on the peramental than Kumar. If I also have nostalgic memo- nerships. They are the 437 runs Sangakkara’s cap, South African- today. The way Kumar put his bat! Kumar misses a delivery outside ries of asking Johnson at the post put on by Mahela Jayawardene born and England captain turned front foot and the manner in Kumar also has an excellent the off stump, he will surely not match news conference on the and Thilan Samaraweera in the television commentator, Tony worry about the delivery that day that he took his ODI career 4th Test between Sri Grieg said that if he were to pick went beyond his bat, but will be best 6-31 was in the first ODI ver- Lanka and a World Cricket XI, his number assiduously concentrating on the sus Sri Lanka at Pallekelle, on Pakistan at one batsman would be Kumar next delivery. August 10, as to which batsman Karachi on Feb. Sangakkara! 21, 2009, which International cricket icons – was in the Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid 1909th Test, the and Jaques Kallis may feel hurt 351 run partner- over this, but Tony has made this ship between point abundantly clear. Mahela Jayawardene and Global cricketing benchmarks Prasanna Why Sanga is the best What is well known is that Jayawardene for the Kumar Sangakkara (287) holds sixth wicket between the joint record for the highest Sri Lanka and India at partnership for any wicket of Ahmedabad on Nov. 16, 624 runs in the history of Test 2009, in the 1933rd Test cricket with Mahela and the 335 partner- Jayawardene (374), against South Test batsman in ship between Marvan Africa at the SSC on July 27, 2006, Atapattu and Sanath in the overall 1810th Test. Jayasuriya in the But what most cricket lovers first Test between would not know is that Sri Lanka against Sangakkara was also associated Pakistan at Asgiriya, with the seventh highest ever on June 28, 2000, in the the world today partnership in Tests with the 438 1502nd Test. runs he put on with then skipper Marvan Atapattu (now his bat- ting coach) against Zimbabwe at Kumar, Bulawayo on May 14, 2004 which composed of late he feared the most; he said in one was the 1699th Test. Kumar’s batting of Opposition bowlers struggle go, “Kumar Sangakkara.” The other records between late, is very composed; The essential difference The other was Sachin Ramesh Kumar’s highest ever with the hallmark of his bat- between the two is that Kumar Tendulkar! Mahela of 624 runs which ting is that he gets his moves his feet quickly, while Of course, Johnson was a runs on both sides of the eclipsed the then highest of 576 Mahela takes a little more time. diplomat! He said afterwards that wicket. However, he is not flaw- One of the other laudable factors runs between two fellow Sri it could be any other batsman Lankans Sanath Jayasuriya and less. He has had soft dismissals about Kumar’s batting was the who was good on that particular Roshan Mahanama in the second more often than others in the top manner in which he got on top of Test against India at the bracket. But those are the the fast bowlers in England. He day! When I asked him how it felt Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium areas that he does not play stroke faced them well. He struggled at like to be in the company of on Aug 2, 1997 which was the with soft hands, but often, where he times, but got a Test hundred. He Glenn McGrath (7-15), Andy 1374th Test, were: the 467 runs when he plays with the clips the ball played well behind the swinging Bichell (7-20) and Gary Gilmour bottom hand and pays off the pads for put on by Andrew Jones and deliveries. He was always a threat (6-14), as among Australia’s most the ultimate penalty of deliveries which Martin Crowe in the third Test to Chris Tremlett. wicket taking ODI bowlers, he for New Zealand against Sri either being caught at are pitched There was Tim Bresnan who said that he was elated! Lanka at Wellington on January short extra cover or between middle found it very difficult to bowl to 31, 1991, which was the 1162nd caught and bowled by and leg, which is Kumar. James Anderson might Trent Copeland was also Test, the 451 put on by Sir the bowler. These errors awesome to watch. also tell you that Kumar was the impressive during Australia’s Donald George Bradman and Bill also creep in. The other pleasing fac- most feared batsman to whom he tour of Sri Lanka, but struggled Ponsford, in the second Test for What is admirable is tor is that he ensures has bowled to. against Kumar, as Kumar studied the manner in which he most of the time that the Australia versus England at the Kumar has the patience and the pace and the swing, taking composes his innings. He correct stroke is offered to Oval on August 18, 1934, which the temperament to get behind into consideration that he was was the 137th Test, the 451 put on is one of the few players the correct delivery. In the delivery. Some might often one of the quickest in the world by Mudassar Nazar and Javed to get to 9000 Test runs other words, very few of wonder whether he is the left today. Kumar used his feet Miandad in the third Test for fast. That itself bears elo- his critiques could say handed version of Aravinda De Pakistan against India at quent testimony to this bating that his stroke selection Silva, both one drop batsmen. immaculately. But he may not Hyderabad on January 14, 1983, prodigy. The fact that he has 27 was bad. That is due to Kumar has faced all the front- have the flamboyance of a Brian which was the 946th Test and the Test hundreds and his growing stature as line bowlers in the world in mod- Lara. a batsman. 446 runs put on by Sir Garfield of them ern day cricket. Just look at the Kumar is a role model for eight dou- Both Kumar and (Gary) St. Auburn Sobers and way he faced up to Umar Gul and youngsters for the manner in Conrad Gregory Hunte in the ble hun- Mahela Junaid Khan. The latter had a which he plays the forward second Test for the West Indies dreds, Jayawardene have problem bowling to him, where defense stroke, or the manner in versus Pakistan at Kingston on proves spent consider- Kumar was stepping off his pads February 26, 1958, which was the that he able periods of more often than not. which he gets behind the shorter 1699th Test match. has the time at the The English bowlers also delivery and how he plays off the Kumar is also placed 45th tem- Kumar Sangakkara wickets and struggled. The Aussies, especially back foot, his elbow, the way he along with Mahela in the all time pera- they com- the seamers, Ryan Harris, got the turns the full face of the bat. He ment plement highest partnerships list when better of Kumar on more than a has been the highest run scorer to occu- each few occasions in Sri Lanka, they put on 311 versus in the Pakistan series and he has Bangladesh at Asgiriya on July py the other. where he was caught at deep been judged as the Number One 11th 2007, which was the 1839th crease Why? The square leg. But when he was Test. for long answer is aware of the strategies adopted Test batsman in world cricket periods. simple. They by Harris, he batted as the situa- today. Americans win 4th straight Presidents Cup BY DOUG FERGUSON Internationals in this lopsided n’t always get rewarded with a could take a victory lap back here. series. point. In his singles match against But we didn’t get off to a good start MELBOURNE, Australia Perhaps it was only fitting that Aaron Baddeley,he was never seri- early.