Wednesday 15th June, 2011 15 Asgiriya in 2004 under trying conditions and the dismantling of Pakistan at Faisalabad by virtue of his savage 253. If Tests were his “Andre Agassi” , ODI’s were “Roger Federer”. Running through the memory lane, they beat down 151 of India at Bombay in ’97, 189 against India at Sharjah in 2000, 122 against Australia at Sydney in the middle of a losing streak in the VB series of 2003, 152 chasing a target over 300 against England at Headingley in 2006 and the face-saving hundred in the 2008 Asia Cup final against India comes instantly to the mind. If the desire to state his records come to fruition might as well compile a novel for god only knows the length of that apple cart. Praise those records all you want but what set Jayasuriya - the cricketer was his amazing character. He was his own quiet personality contrary to the wielder. He was supremely confident in his abili- ties and trusted his instincts to the core swaying away from the stereotype. The glowing tribute that can be conferment to him is Jayasuriya managed to check his marauding ways since becoming captain. He learned the art of pacing an innings and he could turn a leisurely fifty into a hundred in a blink of an eye. He could shift gears as quickly as a wink. One instance perfectly epitomised his loyalty to the team over his personal milestones and that was at Sharjah against India in 2000 - Coca Cola Cup final. After engineering a cru- cial partnership with Russel Arnold, Jayasuriya was on the If Tests were his “Andre Agassi” , ODI’s were verge of bettering Saeed Anwer’s highest score and possibly scoring “Roger Federer”. Running through the memory lane, the first ODI double hundred. In they beat down 151 of India in Bombay in ’97, 189 the penultimate over of the match bowled by Sourav Ganguly he against India in Sharjah in 2000, 122 against charged down the track to increase the target and got Australia in Sydney in the middle of a losing streak stumped by a wide. There Sanath may have ceased at 189 but the in the VB series of 2003, 152 chasing a target over admirers he won by the selfless 300 against England in Headingley in 2006 and the act is immense. In a perfect world, 2007 ICC World face-saving hundred in the 2008 Asia Cup final Cup would have been the ideal milestone for him to bid adieu for against India comes instantly to the mind. the sheer fact that there wasn’t anything to be touched upon that was worth the risk of exposing the slow reflexes. The screams of blocking a youngster’s spot every BY CHATHURA PINNAWALA time he went pear-shaped was as inex- tricable as night follows the day. hose powerful square cuts As if that were not enough, the decision which sailed over the point to enter politics while playing cricket Tboundary, rasping cover drives turned him into villain among the mass- that threaded the inner ring with the es. The bitterness reached an all time precision of a needle, flicks of the high when meagre 15 runs flowed from wrists that enabled the leather to his willow from six innings at the ICC have a home among the spectators, World T20 in 2010. In fairness he looked a thunderous pulls which cruised pass shell of his former imposing and propen- the square leg region! sity to dominate self. Ah, the memories! As the old saying goes, “a beautiful thing Life is all about choices. This is an is never perfect”. Obviously calling it actuality that is braced in different quits at the most precise time was the facets in life and cogitating it, every above board chink in Jayasuriya’s now and then to see where we stand armour. Be it stepping down from Tests can do no harm. At times when nega- in 2006 just to return mere two months tivity is ruling the empire, choosing later or the reluctance to stop taking to be positive can do wonders. In guard in limited versions, retiring hasn’t between right, erroneous choices are been his greatest virtue. bound to surface. There’s always But does that in any way carry away the interstice for error. That’s human sweat and labour of Sanath in piloting nature. When a person is to be Sri Lanka cricket into an estate full of judged, looking at only the failed stability? Or the worldwide recognition choices isn’t morally right. Instead the ing was his stronger suit. Until Sri Lanka backed the pair to deliver. To this day mination for a team which struggled to he was able to engineer? The romance passing of the verdict shall construct the toured South Africa in 1994 that was. while being the owner of countless fashion two wins let along eight. Apart cricket fans around the world fostered for whole array of choices. Jayasuriya has scored 28 ODI centuries in records, Jayasuriya considers the Willis from the English tour in 2002 where fate- our brand of cricket which became syn- Hailing from rural Matara and educated a career spanning through 20 years, but World Cup as the crowning moment of fully Jayasuriya himself shelling Michael onymous with the approach of Sanath? at St. Servatius’s College, from the begin- his maiden one rendering no mercy for his livelihood. Scores of 6, 79, 44, 82, 1 and Vaughan twice at first slip enabled them No, it won’t. Till the world exists, appre- ning Sanath Jayasuriya was his own man. the New Zealanders was the eye opener 9 isn’t earth shattering on face value but to escape with a draw in the first Test ciable current public and approaching That novelty within him would ultimately no bowler in the world would have adored bestowing the Most Valuable Player acco- which was the nucleus for a dreaded jour- younger generations shall revel in what overflow through the cricket world in the to witness. Because from that day lade upon him, trot out the significance of ney - and Australia trip in early 2003, in was the “Matara Mauler”. form of the new dimension of 50-over onwards they knew, the ‘valuable’ time his contribution. every other series under Jayasuriya, Sri His records as an all-rounder can be cricket he, alongside Romesh spend in horning the skills would cross There came a juncture which evaluated Lanka managed to add up more than the matched by no cricketer barring Jacques Kaluwitharana, orchestrated. It was dif- over to ‘worthless’, pitted versus this his meteoric rise in the island’s cricket sum of its parts. The wrap up of his stint Kallis may be. In the cricket hierarchy ferent and it was unique. Although Mark man. For so long outside the off-stump ladder. After a dismal defending of the was capped off by guiding Sri Lanka to special place shall be reserved for Sanath Greatbatch had shown traces of the dam- was earmarked by bowlers as a vulnera- crown won in ’96, newly designated selec- the semi-finals of 2003 World Cup. Jayasuriya for the pompous entertain- age it can inflict, the full blooded murder- ble corridor of uncertainty to be meticu- tion committee, headed by Sidath Centuries always used to have a special ment he provided. The down to earth ous attitude these raw openers displayed lous - to cast seeds of doubt. With other’s Wettimuny, went on the rampage and fandom with Jayasuriya. Records too for man he was. at the ’96 World Cup went a long way in uncertainty being Jayasuriya’s forte and closed the door for the doomed seniors. that matter. Among his 14 Test centuries, Now that he has taken up politics and has securing Sri Lanka’s solitary world crown Manoj Prabhakar’s untimely departure When contemplating who to be entrusted Adelaide Oval was the privileged venue to vowed to contribute, harbouring hopes is to date. The credit should go to the into oblivion - a brutal foreshadowing of with the leadership role, Sanath’s name witness his first which had situational unwarranted since no notable precedence shrewd minds of Arjuna Ranatunga and how destructive the man is, it is no won- cropped up and in all honesty he was the importance too since it was scored in the has been set by a sportsman in this coun- Dav Whatmore too for identifying the der that fear and perplexed were close only logical choice. fourth innings of the match. When con- try to this date in developing the island’s potential that they haven’t unlocked to companions in bowlers’ minds. Although Sanath wasn’t the most tactical- ferring about the hundreds, special men- sports. Instead what people should that point. During the tour Down Under before the ly consummate skipper around, his great- tion will be reserved for his 340 against remember is that he has allowed people Making his debut in 1989 after announc- World Cup, Jayasuriya failed to justify the est virtue was he always lead from the India at R. Premadasa. Though it was a to sport a smile by the sole power of his ing his arrival by taking Pakistan by promotion in the order. In a clear indica- front. Considering the time of his incep- stunning accomplishment, the fact that it wielding abilities and we would be eter- storm during Sri Lanka ‘B’ tour, it is iron- tion of how much astuteness on the part tion and own patronage with the bat for was a bowler’s graveyard and in the long nally thankful to him for that.