Sri Lanka's 1998 Oval Spectacle

Wednesday 26th April, 2006 11 That last mission accomplished Retrospect: Sri Lanka’s 1998 Oval spectacle by Revata S. Silva against English counties. well in the Test arena as well and ‘offies’ that bowled the two bats- Out of a total number of fif- they did so to a considerable men without leaving any clue. When Sri Lanka team toured teen matches, Sri Lanka won ten level. After the World Cup win, The bowler had earned his 15th 5- England last week, public places with another two being drawn De Silva said he wanted to help wicket haul in Tests. But Crawley in all major cities of the island and one abandoned. They were make Sri Lanka a consistently clawed his way to his third Test were filled with one colourful beaten only twice, that too by five wining Test team before his ton, in an arduous 252 minutes, poster. That was Sri Lanka’s wickets in their three-dayer retirement. Beating England in but unsettled the Lankans with wicket-keeper batsman and Vice against Glamorgan and then the England came as one of the last an unexpected onslaught with a Captain Kumar Sangakkara other being the league stage ODI, missions of the giant killings. record breaking last wicket stand advertising a so-called nutrition- in the ODI tri-series, against This, the Oval Test, therefore, for 89 –-delaying the second day al drink. It’s difficult to imagine England. There, England won by is the story of taking a sweet tea break for over 30 minutes— whether anyone would buy this 36 runs at Lords. But four days revenge, a sporting victory that with Angus Fraser (32 in 52 new consumer product purely later at the same venue, Sri had its impacts beyond the Oval including three fours and two because Sangakkara uses it. Lanka defeated them in the series or the city of London where it is sixes). The two batsmen had beat- That’s, unfortunately due to finals comprehensively by five situated. It was a match that car- en the previous England versus the deterioration of the game’s wickets to lift the Emirates Cup. ried hopes of nation and there- Sri Lanka record of 40, between popularity here in the recent Following was the successful fore was a match of a life time, a Devon Malcolm and John past. It’s the very players who Sri Lanka squad: Arjuna dream-come-true spectacle for Emburey, set in 1993. should take responsibility of car- Ranatunga (Capt.), Aravinda de the once minnows which was a Importantly, the duo raised the rying cricket away from the com- Silva (V. Capt.), Sanath colony for more than a century. total from 356-9 to 445 all out. mon man’s popularity discourse. Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, The Test – Crawley took only 53 balls for his One might remember the fact Russel Arnold, Mahela Day 1 – third fifty of the innings (156 that former Sri Lanka skipper Jayawardene, Hashan There were some doubts over n.o.). Murali ‘yorked’ Fraser to Arjuna Ranatunga always refus- Tillakaratne, Chandika Ranatunga’s decision to ask Alex take seven for an expensive 155 in ing to appear in commercial ads Hathurusingha, Kumar Stewart to bat first, before a sell- 59.3. saying it was not his duty to Dharmasena, Romesh out crowd, on what looked to be Sri Lanka had a fine start, 79 “sell” his image to promote con- Kaluwitharana, Upul Chandana, placid track. Sri Lanka, were for one in 20 overs, and let their sumer products either on TV or Pramodaya Wickramasinghe, hampered by the absence of regu- opposition known that they need- in the press. Ranatunga, who was Ravindra Pushpakumara, Suresh lar ‘pacie’ Chaminda Vaas who ed nothing but a win. Sanath Captain of the spectacular crick- Perera, Mario Villavarayan, was injured, looked to spin to Jayasuriya remained 59 n.o. et match we are reviewing here, Muttiah Muralitharan, Niroshan challenge England. Murali from Day 3 – always had an ambition or a mis- Bandaratilake and Prasanna the very early stages showed that The Oval full house crowd was sion after winning the World Cup Jayawardena. Coach was former this was his match but the two in for batting treat, a double cen- two years ago. That was: To beat Sri Lanka national and elegant opening bowlers, tury by Jayasuriya and a century England, the originators of the top order batsman Roy Dias. Wickramasinghe and Suresh by de Silva, and at the end of day- game, in England. The oval Test was a remark- Perera, shared three wickets 3 Sri Lanka were one run ahead The Oval Test was a culmina- able encounter. Sri Lanka needed between them. Stewart became of England’s first innings total tion of by far the greatest ever Sri badly to win the match and prove Perera’s first Test victim after with seven wickets intact. They Lanka tour to England which their point. “We can beat you –- lunch on the first day where scored 367 in 90 overs as only two Sanath Jayasuriya set the stage for a Sri Lankan win with a thrilling double spanned from July 12 to August the Englishmen—here” – that Graem Hick shone for England wickets fell. Jayasuriya made 213 hundred in the first innings. 31, 1998 when Sri Lanka played in was the message Arjuna and Co. scoring his fifth Test hundred. He before he was caught behind off the Emirates Cup tri-nation One- needed to pass to the game’s hier- remained 107 not out after set- his gloves, after tea, off Ben Ranatunga contributed with 51 his overnight two. He recorded day series (also involving South archy. It was an utmost satisfac- tling in for 128 runs for the fourth Hollioake after hitting 33 fours and the tourists’ last pair too, the fifth best ever bowling feat in Africa) and a one-off Test. Those tion and a feeling of glory to all wicket with Mark Ramprakash and a six in 278 balls. He saw Sri Perera (33 n.o.) and Murali (30 Tests, 9 for 65 in 54.2. That left were the days Sri Lanka was Sri Lankan cricket fans, who (53). Lanka making runs at 4-runs an off 36), emulated the (England were bowled out in given step motherly treatment by were a plenty those days, to Day 2 – over throughout the day remem- Englishmen adding 59. England 129.2 overs for 181) Sri Lanka an the game’s global rulers. The achieve their goal. Tight bowling and intelligent bering their only aim was a had to face 42 overs and from easy victory target of 36. They English had not, till then, given In many ways such a mission Captaincy saw England in the result in the match. Jayasuriya which they scored only 54 for the made it without a loss. the islanders more than one Test remained the last of a streak of defensive in the second day’s play. took only 124 balls for his first loss of two. Mark Butcher was Jayasuriya made 24 in just 17 because they regarded Sri Lanka sporting goals the team wanted to Hick went without an addition to hundred and the pair took only stumped and Hick was trapped including two sixes. One of his as amateurs to the game. Hence achieve after their World Cup his overnight score. Scoring was six overs for fifty runs. The high- in front only in his second ball sixes, off a squire cut over cover was Ranatunga’s anger and glory. Firstly, they wanted to made difficult but John Crawley light of his knock was the way he reducing England for 25-2. A vic- remained a life long memory in resultant eagerness to prove prove the world that their World made a fighting half-century reached his 150 hammering 25 off tory looked a great possibility the local cricket psyche. The Sri their eligibility play at any level, Cup win was not a fluke, and nat- before lunch on day-two. Murali six balls clipping a six off his legs for the Lankans. Lanka expatriates shouted in any given condition against urally they wanted to maintain had started a tantalising spell of off Cork. Day 5 – Murali, Murali as Arjuna any opposition. their “World’s Best” standard at spin bowling. He had already Day 4 – Murali’s incredible bowling received the winners’ trophy During that tour, Sri Lanka least for some years. Then, once stunned Dominic Cork and Ian Sri Lanka made 591 all out in feat saw England were in tatters. after the match. The history was played six one-dayers, three they have started believing in Salisbury with two deceptive 156.5 overs, a 146-run lead. They never settled in as the in the making. A great mission three-dayers and two four-dayers themselves, they needed doing bowler took seven more to add to had been accomplished. Table Tennis launches official website Derana hosts Lyceum wins International Under 17 Sri Lanka ‘A’ Soccer Tournament Derana hosted the Sri Lanka ‘A’ The Inter International Schools Curricular Activities & Physical cricketers for a cocktail before they Under 17 Soccer Tournament 2006, Education), Sarath Jayasinghe flew off to Abu Dhabi to take part in the organized by the British School was (Coach), Kumari Grero (Principal), EurAsia Cup. The function was held at played at the Campble Park grounds Narendra Gunawardena (Captain) B. the Galle Face Hotel, pool terrace on recently. Bandula (Master-in-charge) Friday 21st of April. This was organ- The Nugegoda Lyceum ised by Derana to encourage the team International Soccer team won the 2nd Row L to R and to wish them good luck.

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