Late City Edition

Thursday 10th February, 2011 Murali calls scheduling Kiwi – Lanka game ‘mystery’ Dilshan BY REX CLEMENTINE someone else. It’s a mystery for of the key contributors for that was a fantastic side. I must say, me,” Muralitharan world’s high- success. there was also quite a bit of luck Sri Lankan off-spinner est taker in both forms of “To start with, there was lot for us. Asanka (Gurusinghe) got Dilshan promises Muttiah Muralitharan called his the game said yesterday. of pressure on us ahead of the something like 380 runs and team’s scheduling of the first He also welcomed the return tournament. In the first round then guys like Hashan and round World Cup match against to the 1996 format of the World we only played India followed by Roshan played crucial knocks more excellence New Zealand in Bombay ‘a mys- Cup after the ICC introduced and Zimbabwe after when it mattered.” tery’. Sri Lanka are one of the co- Super Six and Super Eight Australia and West Indies pulled A notable feature during Sri in fielding hosts of the tournament and rounds for the 1999,2003 and 2007 out. That was disappointing, but Lanka’s successful campaign in although they host the second tournament instead of quarter- it turned out to be an advantage 1996 was the team’s exceptional BY REX CLEMENTINE most tournament matches of the finals. “I feel this has made the as we became number one in the fielding and Muralitharan felt World Cup behind India, their World Cup a lot more interesting. group and went onto play the the current team worked Sri Lankan opener Tillekeratne game against the Kiwis was The tournament is shorter and bottom placed team in the other extremely hard to emulate the Dilshan who launched his famous scheduled at Bombay instead of quicker. West Indies was too long. group which happened to be fielding excellence of 1996. “We ‘Dilscoop’ in the T-20 World Cup in any of Sri Lanka’s three venues. People want to see excitement. So England. They were still a good gave lot of emphasis to fielding England in 2009 says that there won’t The Sri Lankan administra- ICC has done the right thing. “ side, but the way we set up the in 1996. I feel if fitness improves be any innovations from him with the tors have failed to take up the Sri Lanka are drawn in Group trend during the tournament fielding improves as well. This bat this time around, but promised issue with the tournament ‘A’ alongside defending champi- was marvelous,” Muralitharan, time again we have given a lot of excellence in fielding in the tenth edi- authorities and Muralitharan ons Australia and 1992 winners who played in that series imme- thought for fielding. Ruwan tion of the World Cup that’s ten days yesterday said that he was sur- Pakistan and asked which side diately after the chucking con- Kalpage, our fielding coach has away. prised at playing away from posed the biggest threat to the Sri troversy in Australia remi- put in a lot of work and hopeful- Sri Lanka’s fielding standards home. Lankans, Muralitharan said that nisced. ly it’ll come good,” Muralitharan appeared to have dropped drastically “Why should we play away it could even come from one of “Arjuna led the side very well added. in the last two years or so, but the 34- from home?” Muralitharan asked the non Full Members of the ICC. and Sanath turned out to be a This will be Muralitharan’s year-old Dilshan says the team is des- yesterday during a media session “At least we know about the Muttiah Muralitharan hero in that World Cup. He final international tournament perate to exhibit excellence on the in Colombo. “We are one of the strong sides, but we haven’t seen no one expected us to win the thrashed every bowler and took and after retiring he will have a field, something that won them many co-hosts and I don’t know what Kenya, Zimbabwe and World Cup.” the pressure off from others. short stint as a spin bowling admirers over the years. happened. It’s a surprise for me Netherlands. We don’t know Muralitharan is the only play- Aravinda for me was the best coach in Brisbane at Australia’s “We have been a good fielding side to see us playing in India. If we them,” he said. er in the current side to have player in that World Cup. He got Center of Excellence. “They throughout and we need to put up a play India in India that’s fine and “You can’t say anyone is a been part of Sri Lanka’s victori- something like 500 runs and a have offered me the job. I am good show in this tournament on the playing Bangladesh in minnow or whatever. All teams ous campaign in 1996 and he century in the final. Each and waiting to get the dates and see field. We have discussed about raising Bangladesh is also fine, but why can win the World Cup. For spoke on some of the highlights every player who was selected if I am comfortable. If that’s our standings on the field as a unit and should we give a home game to example, when we won in 1996, of that historic win and on some for that squad contributed and it fine, I will take it.” we are working hard towards it. We do lot of fielding drills with Ruwan Kalpage our fielding coach. There are some new fielding methods that we are Smith: We are working on. There are certain things Introducing World Cup Teams – Part 7 like working on the angles and all that we are working on these days. The less rigid than results were there to be seen during the last couple of ODIs and I can tell in 2007 Will Kenya repeat 2003 heroics? you it will improve. Fielding is the Graeme Smith argued most important thing in ODIs and we against Sri South Africa are better pre- are looking forward to raising our Lanka and game in that discipline,” Dilshan told pared for the World Cup than have won one journalists yesterday. they were for the last tourna- and lost two. The retirements of Russel Arnold ment four years ago as the The famous and Chaminda Vaas and the omission team on Tuesday departed for encounter of Sanath Jayasuriya from the World the subcontinent. between them Cup squad has elevated Dilshan into a Speaking at a press confer- in 1996 saw Sri senior player in the side and he seems ence in Johannesburg, the Lanka notch- to be relishing the challenge. “I have a also expressed his ing up 398 very big role to play in this World Cup desire to bow out on a high, runs at the and I am looking forward to it. as he will step down from the Asgiriya Everything is going well at the role after the tournament International moment for us and we are looking for- which begins next weekend. Jimmy Kamande Stadium. ward for the tournament. If you take South Africa have been (Captain) Tikolo went the last 15 months, we have played 27 branded the chokers of world onto make 94. ODIs and only lost six games. Now, by many observers, They avenged that heavy defeat that’s quite a good record. We are very having lost several crunch with a stunning win in the 2003 consistent and it’s a very good sign games as favourites in previ- tournament. leading up to a big tournament,” ous tournaments. They will play Sri Lanka in at Dilshan said. However, expectations are R. Premadasa Stadium on the 1st “Whenever I get a start I want to much lower this time with of March in a group ‘A’ match. capitalize and get big runs. I am going Smith leading a rather inex- Kenya World Cup squad: to give 100 percent for the team and I perienced team. Jimmy Kamande (Captain), am looking forward for this World Cup. “We’ve had some good Seren Waters, , Between Kumar, Mahela and I, we have chats and we’re as best pre- David Obuya, Collins Obuya, a big role to play and we are excited,” pared as we can be for this , , rare feat and speaks of his Dilshan who’ll be playing in his second tournament,” Smith said. Rakep Patel, Morris Ouma, Kenya stunned the world of Associate Members, winning longevity. Steve Tikolo, who’ll World Cup said. Thomas Odoyo, Nehemiah “We were a little bit too cricket in their inaugural World 22.27% of their World Cup turn 40 later this year, will com- He narrowly missed out on selec- Odhiambo, , Peter rigid (in 2007) in terms of Cup appearance when they beat matches. The record in fact is pete in his fifth Word Cup when tion for the 2003 World Cup in South Ongondo, Shem Ngoche and players and squad. Moreover, 1975 and 1979 World Champions better than that of Bangladesh he plays in this tournament. Africa and he regretted not represent- James Ngoche. we stuck to a similar style of West Indies. It was a creditable or Zimbabwe. Tikolo has the rare honour of ing the country in that competition. “I play in 2007. This time we was a bit disappointed with that. I was performance as West Indies had and Alpesh playing in all Kenya’s 23 World Kenya’s World Cup Fixtures: have a lot more options and Cup matches where he scored captaining the ‘A’ team at that time and a strong side and reached the Vadher added 161 runs for the Feb 20: Kenya v New Zealand, we can be more unpredictable 724 runs at 34:47. In 129 ODIs, he I was a bit surprised when they left me semi-finals. sixth wicket against Sri Lanka Chennai now. has notched up over 3000 runs out.” Bigger things followed seven in the 1999 tournament in Feb 23: Kenya v Pakistan, “The team is in a good with three centuries and his He was a key player four years later years later when they broke the England, a Record in World Cups Hambantota space and we’re looking for- medium pace has fetched Kenya in the West Indies when Sri Lanka Sri Lankan hearts in Nairobi by for the sixth wicket. Mar 1: Kenya v Sri Lanka, R ward to getting going, getting 94 . He led Kenya in the reached the finals where they lost to beating the 1996 champions by 53 They qualified for this year’s Premadasa Stadium some good results and on a 2003 World Cup and the ICC rec- Australia. “The thing is we played runs. In that tournament they event after finishing fourth in Mar 7: Kenya v Canada, Delhi roll. There’s some exciting ognized his contributions when good cricket throughout the tourna- went onto reach the semi-finals the ICC Cricket World Cup quali- Mar 13: Kenya v Australia, things to come from this he was named in the ICC Cricket ment. But in the final, that wasn’t our also beating ICC Full Members fier in 2009. Bangalore team.” Committee. day.There was rain and bad light and Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The evergreen Tikolo Mar 20: Kenya v Zimbabwe, Against Sri Lanka we couldn’t get going.” Kenya has the best ICC World A player representing his Kolkata (cricket365.com) Cup win percentage among ICC country in five World Cups is a Kenya has played three ODIs Although many have expressed con- cerns about Sri Lanka’s fragile middle order, Dilshan was confident the team will be able to turn things around. “We are getting guys like Angelo coming 1996 World Cup heroes inspire Sanga through and he has done well for us in the last year or so. Then there are BY REX CLEMENTINE bowling attack for the condi- the semi-finals in South Africa. ranking going everywhere and Chamara Silva and Chamara tions in 1996. We had three off- “The 2003 semi-final was a dis- we don’t need to look too much Kapugedara along with Thilan spinners, one left-arm spinner appointing game,” Sangakkara into that. Simply because some- Samaraweera and I feel that every- Sri Lanka cricket captain thing is falling in line for us. “ and two quality fast bowlers and said. “We had to chase 213 with one is calling you favourites, Kumar Sangakkara says the Dilshan himself was a middle order it’s very hard to beat such a eight batsmen in the side and you can’t win. It’s nice to see 1996 World Cup winning team’s batsman before volunteering to open determination inspired him. combination. The determination those are scores that you should people thinking that we can win and since then has been a revelation Sangakkara was a schoolboy they had was a great. Every get nine times out of ten. it. We have to believe that we are with seven of his eight hundreds com- when Arjuna Ranatunga’s side time we look at that team we are Unfortunately, we didn’t bat well the best, but to get there we ing as an opener. “I batted at number stunned the world by emerging reminded how to play big tour- that day to get there and the need to have a good preparation six or seven from 1999 to 2008 and I felt champions 15 years ago and he naments,” Sangakkara, who’ll Aussies did well to defend that and we need to be consistent in I could do more as an opener. So I had spoke highly of Sri Lanka’s be playing in his third World total,” he reminisced. all our games. Then when we a chat with Mahela, who was the cap- unbeaten run in the sixth edi- Cup told journalists yesterday. This time around, the Sri move onto the second round, tain then and volunteered to open. tion of the World Cup. Sangakkara was one of the Lankans are one of the pre-tour- those three games are what Then he said to play the domestic tour- “I have wonderful memories players who was brought into nament favourites, but counts. However much you do nament as an opener and we’ll take it from there. I became Player of the of the 1996 World Cup. The way the national side as the selectors Sangakkara reminded that his well in the first round, the quar- Series in that domestic tournament our guys won in 1996 was sensa- launched an aggressive youth side needed to be consistent if ter-finals, semi-finals and the policy after a disappointing they are to repeat the heroics of final matter a lot. We need to get and from thereon things totally tional. Not just the final, but the changed. The last two or three years World Cup in 1999 and four the 1996 side. “The experts and to the knockout stage and start way they played the entire tour- have been my best in both Test and nament. We had the best suited years later they went onto reach journalists rank teams. There’s all over again.” Kumar Sangakkara ODI cricket.”

Thursday 10th February, 2011