Right Place and the Right Time

Sri Lanka v New Zealand, World T20 2014

Sri Lanka got mauled over by the English four days ago. It was a loss of despair and disappointment. They posted the highest first innings score at Chittagong. The English provided them with an unlimited supply of dropped catches, and got Mahela and Dilshan some runs against their names. Then, Mendis got hammered out of the park multiple times and Sri Lanka lost. Mendis will be dropped for the next game. Just at the right time.

Sri Lanka's over rate has been slow for two games, both South Africa and England. Chandimal had already been given a warning, but in all honesty, those two games went right down to the wire, Chandimal wouldn't have had it any other way. He's a brave captain. A captain with gambles up his sleeve. He would rather buy his time to conjure up a win than rush through the overs to save his grace. But regardless of how much daring Chandimal is more than Mathews, and probably even Sangakkara as a captain, his batting form has been woeful and his place in the team was merely as a captain passenger. After the England game, Chandimal was handed a one match ban. He too will not play against New Zealand. Just at the right time.

Malinga tossed the coin. Lost. Sri Lanka were put in. Malinga listed the whole bench before he could remember who was in the playing XI. Herath and Thirimanne were IN; the right place at the right time. Sri Lanka collapsed, not dramatically, but very progressively. If anyone had followed Sri Lanka in the past 2 to 3 months, they would have seen this coming. Sri Lanka has an extremely volatile batting order that fluctuates between extremely impressive like Sri Lanka at the 1996 World Cup and horridly poor as England at the 2013/14 Ashes and such collapses are never few and far between. But somewhere during the midst of it, Thirimanne and Mahela forged close to 50 runs between each other. Thisara and Sachithra provided some desperately needed boundaries towards the end, and without even batting out the full qouta of overs, Sri Lanka huffed and puffed to 1-1-9. The phone lines rang, went to a recording, then to voice-mail, then to a few more recordings. And finally, Rangana Herath picked up. Just at the right time.

In 21 balls, he turned the match on its head. 18 dots. 3 runs. 7 wickets; 5 for him self plus 2 run outs. He single handedly gigantisized 119, as opposed to how Ajantha Mendis microscopified 189. And not for the first time in recent history, he came in to the team from practically wilderness and saved Sri Lanka's pride. To compliment Herath's timely return to the side, Sachithra churned out his tight loopy offies and took out the rest from the other end. Malinga, Kule and Mathews kept a lid on the runs. Thisara Perera enjoyed his day in the field. Mahela made the drafts, Sanga drew the blue prints, Dilshan added his aggressive touch, Malinga was humble enough to let the seniors handle it and Sri Lanka, through an absolute gem of a team performance in the field, made it through to their umpteenth world cup semi final.

If Herath ever decides to get a tattoo
there won't be many more appropriate lines than "Better late than never" .

After being the pre-tournament favourites, and being rather mediocre against South Africa and England, Sri Lanka needed this. In order to realize their true stance and potential, Sri Lanka needed all of it. A thumping loss to put their egos in place, changes to the team that fine tunes the proceedings, a batting collapse to keep the batsmen humble, a test for the bowlers who couldn't defend 189 and a moral boosting victory that injects valuable confidence before the start of the semi finals; Sri Lanka needed all of it. And it was a victory that was needed and delivered, both at just the right time.

As much as Sri Lanka as a team needs confidence, Sri Lanka as a cricketing nation, as fans, need humility. For a team that has lost four world cup finals out of four consecutive appearances, humbleness is of the essence. Sri Lanka aren't by far the best team in the tournament, specially compared to the likes of India, West Indies and even at times Pakistan. The rise of India and the gentle fall of Sri Lanka, might still be the best thing that could happen to Sri Lanka, not to go in as red hot favourites with less pressure. Nevertheless, Sri Lanka have gone in as underdogs, as equals and as favourites to world cup finals, but there has been no addition to the cabinet since Arjuna sealed it in '96. And such losses have made me immune as a fan, as to how much hope I have towards Sri Lanka winning a final, for as of now and I've said this before and I'll say it again, supporting Sri Lanka to win a world tournament is like supporting Stoke City in the Premier League; you don't cry when you lose because you sort of expect them not to win in hindsight, but if they do win, the joy is beyond that of any United, Chelsea or Arsenal fan would ever know. Therefore, the semi final, may it be Pakistan or West Indies we play against, for me would be another chance to see Sanga-Mahela bat in a T20, and a win will only be a bonus.

After such a timely spirit raising win, Sri Lanka's cricket team needs to leave that past and those memories behind them and be a ruthless side that terrorizes anyone that comes between them and the trophy. But the same does not apply to its fans. At least until the trophy is won.

Adios,
Kumma

A Failed Conquest and Bowling Tactics

Sri Lanka v England, World T20 2014

After their mauling of age old political rivals; Netherlands, Sri Lanka would have expected to complete their revenge on all nations that have had previous or current political and economic control over their country, by thrashing England on Wednesday, convincingly beating India in the semi finals and go the full circle by completely destroying China in the final. But since China does not have a cricket team playing in the current world cup, and since Alex Hales is an unstoppable brutal hitter of a slippery cricket ball; the very cricket ball Ajantha Mendis can't seem to grip more than he could grip a soaped up frog with a moss coat, Sri Lanka's revenge on their arm twisting, gut wrenching masters will have to be fulfilled in a place other than a cricket field.

But Alex Hales was indeed unstoppable. How he made it to #1 of the world T20 batting rankings is a question even his parents have trouble explaining to their family friends, but why he is there, and the fact that it was no fluke and that he will remain there for a while, is no longer an arguable statement. A bowling attack that Netherlands made seem more dangerous than West Indies in the late 80s, Alex Hales made seem less competent and unpenetrative like an Indian pace attack in the late 90s. Lasith Malinga, who is Sri Lanka's best T20 bowler, was treated like Mick Lewis was treated by the South Africans at the Bullring so much so that Nuwan Kulasekara has now become Sri Lanka's spearhead. And while Sri Lanka's world collapsed with every slog sweep and lofted on drive from Hales, Eoin Morgan quietly flicked and tucked his way to a half century at 1.5 runs per ball. His team, under his captaincy, was supposed to be the one team who had no chance of winning what is otherwise supposed to be the most open world cup since England '99, and it was as if they said "Right, we are going to pick the strongest team in the tournament so far, and we are going to take their bowlers to the cleaners, and show 'em tea drinking pompous old pricks back home how it's done. Without KP." 

Even a 5-times-dropped Mahela gem couldn't salvage Sri Lanka a defendable target.
The more he scored, the better chance Hales had of getting a hundred.

But to be fair to the Sri Lankan bowlers, there was more dew on the pitch that night than there was water in Rathupaswala. To be fair to the attack, Kulasekara did bowl an incredible spell to save some grace. To be fair to Malinga and Sachithra, they did bowl their spells at an economy well under the required run rate. To be fair to Mathews, he shouldn't be blamed for having to bowl the last over of a game already lost by that stage. To be fair to Chandimal for that call, he knew he had to win it in the 18th and 19th overs because he didn't have enough runs to defend. He threw the kitchen sink and it didn't pay off. If Chandimal kept Malinga for the 20th and bowled Mathews on the 18th, Sri Lanka wouldn't have taken the game to the last over for Malinga to even bowl it. And last but not least, to be fair to Ajantha Mendis, he's a mediocre bowler with variations that are wildly uncontrollable even with a dry ball, let alone a wet one and should have been sitting in the dugout with his feet up, watching Rangana Herath bowl his 4 overs for under 25 runs.

Personally, I don't think Sri Lanka could have done anything different to win that game, the way Hales and Morgan played. Maybe if Mahela had held that catch, and had Thisara/Mathews come in earlier than Sanga to bat, and if Mendis had bowled at least 3 quality deliveries per over, the match would have been a lot closer. But some days things just don't go your way, and Sri Lanka are better off at taking control of what they can control, rather than dwelling on what they can't.

Such as, selecting Rangana Herath for the next game. And playing Lahiru Thirimanne as an extra batsman, instead of heave-ho Seekkuge, for the suspended Chandimal. And sticking to Mahela at one-drop rather than Sanga. New Zealand are a stronger side than England, both on form and on paper. They also have a very good track record against Sri Lanka in the recent past in T20s. Sri Lanka will have to win the game to qualify, it's as easy as that. Being the second game of the day, a lot will depend on the toss as well, which would have to be taken by Lasith Malinga, for the first time as Sri Lanka's captain.

Who would have thought? The frisky haired devil from Rathgama. Let's hope he can be a winning captain too.

Adios,
Kumma  

Ten days of T20 Farewells

Sri Lanka v South Africa, World T20 2014

Sri Lanka play their first group game on the 22nd of March. Their last group game is on the 31st of March. In the space of these 10 days, Mahela Jayawardane and Kumar Sangakkara and quite possibly Rangana Herath and TM Dilshan will play their last T20 internationals for Sri Lanka, with the exception of a Semi final and a final, if they get there. It's not like neither of these players will never play for Sri Lanka again, all four will play ODIs and apart from Dilshan, the other three will keep playing Tests, so it's not like no one will ever see them bat or bowl in a Sri Lanka jersey. Also, it's T20. It's the instant noodles of cricket. It's the soda bottle format. It's the format West Indies are world champions at, that no ones gives a rats bum about. But it is also the only format that Sri Lanka are #1 in the world. 

It's an interesting time for Sanga and Mahela to announce their retirements, as I believe they would have both retired two years ago in Sri Lanka, they would have loved to leave an intricate legacy behind them, winning the world cup in home soil., if Malinga had managed to hold his horses against Samuels, and the batsmen had held their nerve, and chased down 120 to win the world title. But they didn't. And Sanga and Mahela didn't get their happy ending. And they would have decided to try and have a go at just one more, to get that elusive world title that has slipped both their grasps, which leaves a hole in what otherwise are two illustrious careers with magical numbers. Some would argue that it is a selfish choice in chase of personal accolades. And some would argue that it is a selfless sacrifice, barring all physical pain and mental stress, to give it one last go to win one for the country, as the two senior statesmen of the squad. I prefer to believe the latter, for I know without the two, Sri Lanka's chances at this world cup would be pretty grim. Pretty. Grim. Not two words you hear together too often. I get distracted too often.

Sanath Jayasuriya's not happy on how these two announced their retirements,
but he's got to understand they aren't pros like him at retiring.
How many times did he retire? 3 different times, was it?

They start their uphill battle against South Africa. South Africa are abysmal in the sub-continent. They are also rather appalling at World Cups. Add to it, the fact that their recent form against Sri Lanka has been something like 7 to 2, the formula reads Sri Lanka win by a huge margin tomorrow at the curtain raiser for Group I. Yes, we are in Group I, not II. The fact that the first group to play matches is called group II baffles me too. But from organizers who placed the hosts in a qualifying tournament, that posed a threat of the hosts being knocked out even before the actual tournament started, I would expect nothing more than more confusion.

But South Africa are South Africa. They beat Sri Lanka in home soil in a rain shortened game at the last world cup. In AB De Villiers, JP Duminy, David Miller, Quinten de Kock, Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis, if he is fit to play, they have the most technically explosive batting line up in the tournament. In Tsotsobe, Parnell and the newly acquired younger version of Alfonso Thomas; Brian Hendricks, and the menacing Morne Morkel, even without Dale Steyn, posses one of the most powerful pace attacks as well. And if Aron Phangiso and Imran Tahir can provide some rip, Sri Lanka can find them selves fighting for dear life, even before the business end of the tournament.

What this does though, is that it provides a perfect platform for Sanga, Mahela and Dilshan to soak up all that pressure and bow out in style. Sri Lanka will probably go with their settled top six of Kusal, Dilshan, Sanga, Mahela, Chandimal and Mathews. In my personal opinion, I'd then opt for the three spinners; Sachithra, Mendis and Herath, with the obvious choice of Malinga. The fast bowling all rounder would be a tussle between Thisara Perera and Nuwan Kulasekara, and based only on form, I'd go with Kula, as he's been hitting them better than Thisara, off late. But Sri Lanka has the choice of going with only two spinners, and both Thisara and Kula, as well. They could also opt for Seekkuge Prasanna, as the 3rd spinner. Either way, the way to Sri Lanka winning this game, and quite possibly the tournament is through big top order scores, late order hitting and strangling the opposition with spin, with short productive bursts of Malinga.

Sri Lanka's chances are bright, and if form stays faithful to them, another world cup semi final is well within reach. To talk of anything further, at this point, is crazy talk. All in due time.

Until then,
Adios.
Kumma

The difference between the two

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka. Day Four. 2nd Test. Chittagong

I'm not a big fan of Kumar Sangakkara. I don't adore him. He's not my favourite cricketer. I don't think he's the best batsman to play for Sri Lanka, let alone the world, and I don't think I'd ever adore him to the levels of Aravinda de Silva or Mahela Jayawardane. But that is a mere personal opinion. It takes nothing away from the Great Batsman that Kumar Sangakkara is.

He's got Test centuries in all the test playing countries, except for the West Indies which is due to the fact that he's only played 4 tests there, and the test tour to the West Indies was cancelled by the SLC when Sangakkara was in prime form, in mid 2013. Sangakkara holds the highest career average for any cricketer who has played over 20 tests since the 1990s. He's got hundreds against Australia in Australia, South Africa in South Africa when both teams were #1 in the world. He's saved Sri Lanka from defeat in green tops of Southampton to dust bowls in Abu Dhabi, and he's driven them to victory in breezy Wellington and in scorching Lahore. So, after killing the Namien Lion, slaying the Hydra, shooting down the Stymphalian birds, capturing the Cretan Bull, and all the rest of it, isn't it fair for Hercules to feast at the top of Mount Olympus?

To all those who undermine Sangakkara's knocks in Bangladesh, one must only look at Sanga's overall record to realize that such comments are only a bunch of balderdash. If the Multi-Barrel missle launcher is designed to wipe out entire cities at long range, it takes no Einstien to figure out what happens if you fire it at the rioters in front of the camp. Sangakkara merely feasted on a friendly bowling attack and a placid pitch. True, if Sanga had gone on to make 401* and had broken Lara's record, it would have been a shame for Lara, who scored that against the likes of Harmisson, Hoggard, Flintoff and Jones, the very attack that decimated Australia in the following year. But what is Sanga to do? Get out cheaply, because it's only Bangladesh and it's not fair to score runs against them? Get to 50 and throw it away, and have those very same critics asking him questions about Sanga's ability being tested by the mediocre Bangla bowlers? Sanga has scored runs all over the world, against the toughest attacks, on the toughest pitches in the toughest situations and he has earned a right to have a day off against Bangladesh and score a few easy hundreds.

Another interesting fact is considering what would have happened to Sri Lanka had Sanga not got the runs he did. Sri Lanka's first innings total would have been 268, meaning they would have conceded a first innings lead of 158. Then, if the second innings hundred is taken off, Sri Lanka would be 200 for 4, leading by 42 runs, with 6 wickets in hand, and 90 overs left. If that doesn't emphasize how important Sangakkara's innings were in this test, I don't know what will. At a time when Sri Lanka possess a bowling attack weak enough to lose to Bangladesh, Sangakkara's 319* and 105 was the saving grace for them, without which Sri Lanka would be staring down their 4th test series draw after winning the first one and taking the lead. There are times I would argue why I don't consider Sangakkara to be the best batsman to have played for Sri Lanka, but then there are times like these, when I know I cannot win that argument.


Sangakkara's hunger for runs is considered one of his best traits.
Meh.

Besides Sanga's heroics, Sri Lanka's weaknesses were once again on show. Mendis and Dilruwan bowled until the batsmen gave up and threw their wickets away. Lakmal looked good in patches, but looked as if he needed a rest, having bowled over 150 overs since the first test in Abu Dhabi. Nuwan Pradeep was once again a deer in headlights. The lapses in the field didn't help either. After a certain point it started getting a bit slap-stick, Kithruwan dropping a catch, then catching one two balls later only for it to be called No-Ball. Dimuth dropped a skier at the dying moments of the day and it all but sealed the comedy relief that was much needed for a test match that was thus far a bit boring.

Chandimal also sneaked in a century, to the dismay of many. Some because it was sort of a Shane Watson effort; of not playing well the whole series and then getting a useless 100 on the last innings on the verge of being dropped, to seal his place for three more tests, and some because it delayed the declaration by about 10 overs and left the Bangladeshis less than 100 overs to bat out for a draw. Both reasons are arguable. Chandimal's 100 steadied the innings with Sanga's, for at one stage Sri Lanka were 78/3, which made his innings a bit more worthy than useless. It also ensured that Sri Lanka wasn't in a position to lose, specially after their debacle in Sharjah, not too long ago. Although he could have scored a bit quicker once Sanga had got out, Chandimal's innings has put Sri Lanka to a position from where they can only win, and by doing so, he has probably sealed his place in the XI for the 1st Test at Lord's, ahead of Kithruwan Vithanage, given that Prasanna Jayawardane is fit for the tour.

That leaves Sri Lanka with 90 overs to wrap Bangladesh out, which seems highly improbable with this bowling line up and the flatness of the wicket, but considering the fact that Bangladesh are also known to press the panic button, like they did in the first test, a result for Sri Lanka is still a possibility. It is also the final 90 overs for Nuwan Pradeep to gain some confidence ahead of the England series and for Lakmal to be up to par with his consistency, but for Dilruwan and Mendis, it should be a matter of proving that they are worthy of selection, as neither are expected to play test cricket until Sri Lanka host South Africa for 3 tests in July of 2015.

With a draw looming ahead, a dull day of cricket awaits. For Sri Lanka's sake, let's hope that would not be the case. For now though, it is time for everyone to look back an enjoy a tale of two innings from Sanga, which clearly was the difference between the two teams in this test.

Over the years, he's made it hard for anyone not to like him. Even me.

Catch you at the end of it all,
Adios.
Kumma

Leading by example

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka. Day One. 2nd Test. Chittagong

For the past half a decade or so, the Sri Lankan cricket team has been under the guidance and parenthood of two extra-ordinary gentlemen. Although several different captains have taken the reins, the younger brigade has always been under the watchful eyes of Mahela Jayawaradane and Kumar Sangakkara; the mommy and daddy of the Sri Lankan cricket team. Although there is going to be controversy over who's mommy and who's daddy, we have to resort to such terminology, as under the current laws of Sri Lanka, they can't both be dads to the same child. Regardless of gender roles, the two stalwarts have, on many occasions, weathered the storm for Sri Lanka, leading by example on tough wickets, showing the kids how its done. On a slow, uneven surface in Chittagong, they were on show once again.  

Sri Lanka, having rested their two best Test bowlers since the post-Murali era, the only two bowlers to average less than 35 runs per wicket, have had to resort to the raw pace of Nuwan Pradeep and the uncovered mysteries of Ajantha Mendis. Although the reports say both Eranga, and Herath have flown back to Sri Lanka due to injury, it could well be that they are being rested for a tougher and more physically demanding tour in England. If they are indeed being rested, reporting that they are injured is quite misleading, but Sri Lanka have been known to commit to such kindergarten tactics to avoid controversy. The irony of it. 

Angelo Mathews won an important toss and got first use of the wicket. With Bangladesh announcing their team with three front-line spinners and only one pacer, Mushfiqur Rahim might have winced a bit when Mathews made sure those spinners will not be bowling on the fourth innings. The wincing would have faded when Dimuth and Kaushal both gifted their wickets to him, specially Dimuth, getting his routine 30 and giving it away when it seemed he was set for a big one. It always seems though as if Dimuth sees off the new ball, and gives it away as soon as the shine has come off it. Although one may argue, that is exactly what is required of him as he has consistently done in the past 7 innings, he may want to consider a little street cricket trick; getting retired hurt after getting to 40 and seeing off the new ball, and coming back once the 2nd new ball is due and see that off too. It might be the only way for him to get a hundred.

Once the openers were back in the hut, The Sanga and Mahela show began. On a wicket that Sri Lanka averaged less than a run per over until the 10th over, Sanga and Mahela just accumulated the crease and there by the runs, with the most swiftest and most graceful approach imaginable. They tapped the ball on the head on merit, left it alone when they felt lazy, and occasionally came down the track and lofted it for six when they got bored. Sanga brought up his 34th test century, the most by a Sri Lankan batsman, all 4 of his last coming against Bangladesh. That would be something he would want to change, come the tour of England. Mahela got to another 50; his form since the pair in Abu Dhabi seems to have resurfaced to what it was sometime back in 2006/07. Sanga and Mahela added 178 runs. 178 beautifully accumulated runs. It was a lesson, to all the kids watching at home and all the kids in the playing XI, on how to bat on such surfaces. When these two are going well, all seems right with the world.

Fiction provides us with Merlin and Arthur, Sherlock and Watson, Frodo and Sam.
Reality betters it by presenting us Sanga and Mahela.

Towards the latter parts of the day Mahela subsided to the uneven bounce when a Mahmudulla off break kept low and struck him plum while playing across the line. Mathews and Chandimal then showed everyone why they aren't mature enough to take over the reins from their predecessors, by getting out to balls that never deserved wickets, and shots that never deserved a place on a first day evening of a test. Chandimal's failures have been emphasized with the performances of less senior batsmen, and if a large 2nd innings score isn't tallied against his name, he might struggle to find a place in the team for England if Prasanna Jayawardane is fit. 

Sri Lanka will come in to bat on the 2nd morning with Sanga on a 160 not out and young Kithruwan Vithanage, both who will look to capitalize on the solid base that has been laid for a towering first innings score. Vithanage's previous two worthwhile contributions with the bat have both come against Bangladesh on two very flat wickets. He will face his first test on a less generous surface, and will look to consolidate his place in the team as a dependable yet aggressive number 7, a much needed entity in the Sri Lankan batting line up, while also booking his tickets to England later this year.

At some point Sri Lanka will also have to come out and bowl, given that the rain gods will not interrupt, and it would be interesting to see how they cope with the absence of both Eranga and Herath. Their stats do not convince that they are capable of taking 20 wickets, but this would be more than a good opportunity to prove it wrong.

They say that the second and third day is when the direction of a test match is decided. 

Catch you at the end of it,
Adios.
Kumma

Quicker than expected

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka. Day 4. 1st Test. Dhaka

If the last test that Sri Lanka played was any indication as to why over conservatism and negativity can make you lose games from positions you could win, Bangladesh re-assured Sri Lanka's safe-play methods by showing exactly how over confidence and positivity can cause in self destruction. To a keen student of the game, both games were lessons of how cricket, being the funny game, is a matter of handling different situations with different approaches, with the balance of the two extremes being the most decisive factor. Bangladesh though, just didn't seem to find a single gear between neutral and top. Looking back the scorecard, it might even seem that they were on reverse at some point.

There are two ways to go about the game when you are almost 500 runs behind and have two days to bat out for draw. The more common and sensible approach would be to tire down the opposition, putting a price on one's wicket, and frustrate the opposition bowlers with every dying minute. Of course, you might ultimately get one with you name on it, specially on a deterioration pitch like that, but at least you are making sure the bowler needs to work hard for your wicket. Only then could a team take the game to the 5th day, and give themselves a chance of defying a victory for the opposition, by means of weather, at least. Even if you had lost, the opposition would have had to earn it.

Or there is another approach. The approach Bangladesh took. The same approach we saw from England, in the 4th innings of the final Ashes test. Bangladesh might think they batted as if they had nothing to lose, but it only looked like they batted as if they had nothing to gain. Wickets were gifted at times Sri Lanka didn't even look threatening. Shaminda Eranga's bouncers were made to look like Mitchel Johnson on a Perth wicket, while Suranga Lakmal's reverse swing was played as well as the Aussies played Simon Jones in '05. Dilruwan Perera's flat, straight "off breaks" were treated with the fear and respect that Murali would get on a 5th day dust bowl at Galle. Bangladesh made everything look so much harder for themselves while making everything looks much easier for the Sri Lankans. They just went on self destruct mode. It was Hara-Kiri. Suicide, to the point where it's not hard to find irony in the fact they call themselves "The Tigers". 

To be fair to the Sri Lankan bowlers, they did bowl in good areas consistently. The fast bowlers used the short ball to good effect in the first hour, particularly Shaminda Eranga, who seems to know just where it is most uncomfortable for a batsman when he needs to pitch it short. Lakmal was exceptional with the old ball, getting it to tail in considerably. If he could keep the skill and fitness at this same level, he's going to be a handful with that Duke ball in early summer conditions in England. Dilruwan bowled four rubbish balls an over and the Bangladeshis were generous enough to hand him 5 wickets in the other two good deliveries he bowled per over. Although credit needs to be given for his maiden 5-wicket haul, he will need to improve on his consistency if he is to prove an able partner to Herath, for taking 5 for 100 in 20 overs, out of a total score of 230 will just not be good enough against better sides.

Instead of getting much purchase "from" the wicket,
Dilruwan's approach was to purchase wickets for the trade of runs.

Although Eranga's bouncers, and Dilruwan's straighter one and the whole end to the match seemed much quicker than expected, Sri Lanka will take many positives from this game. Kaushal's solidity and Kithruwan's flamboyance, Dilruwan's ability to take wickets out of nowhere and the fast-bowlers' consistency will be things they will look to emulate in the rest of the tour, and also take with them to England where things are expected to be severely tougher. Although Bangladesh may be the worst yardstick available in the Test arena to measure any sort of performance, specially with the sort of attitude they played the last game, runs scored remain to be runs recorded and wickets taken will always be wickets tallied. No matter how unfair, or mismatching or minnow bullying one would like to call it;

A win is a win.

Catch you before the next game.
Adios,
Kumma

Positive cricket and a Kiththa Special

Bangladesh v Sri Lanka. 3rd Day. 1st Test. Dhaka

Sri Lanka were heavily criticized for their negative batting display in the UAE. Although for the most part, it was proper Test match grinding, being watchful and conservative, after how the Pakistanis came out and chased in the very last innings of the series, it seems to over-emphasize Sri Lanka's general conservative approach. After all, being known as such a flamboyant limited overs side, the expectation is for them to play the same way in the longer format as well, which they tend to do, from time to time.Yesterday was one such day.

Sri Lanka lost only one wicket, and scored 355 runs in 79 overs. By the time they declared, they had managed to push their overall run rate which hovered just above 3 an over for the most part of the innings, to almost 4. Not that Bangladesh bowled particularly bad, but if they want to say they bowled particularly well, they are lying to them selves as much as the BCCI, who have assured the WICB that they will increase their revenue by 100% if they sign the new draft proposal. Maybe their mommys didn't teach them not to take candy from strangers.

Mathews and Mahela started well in the morning session. They saw off any movement off the deck in the first hour, not that there was much to negotiate with anyway, due to the flatness of the wicket and also to an extent due the ability of the Bangladeshi seamers. Or the lack of it, to be precise. Once Mathews got his eye in, and Mahela got his hundred, the onslaught began. Mahela caressed and patted the bowl away to the boundary with the gentleness of a new father. Such is the brilliance of Mahela. He will slaughter you, rip and thread you in to pieces while you seem to enjoy every swift move he makes. He has such deceitful and a charming elegance. On the other end, Mathews used his strong wrists to muscle it around before he threw away another hundred for the taking for the ninety fifth time. Pun intended.

After tea, Mahela gently and mildly strangled Bangladesh's neck,
while Mathews and later Kithruwan continuously and brutally fired at the chest.

Mahela was then joined by Kithruwan, who wasn't going to be as generous as his captain was to the Bangladeshis, and swatted the ball to all parts of the ground, specially through mid wicket and backward point to bring up a 99-ball hundred. If there was ever a doubt about Sri Lanka's positivity, they were erased and severed by the flashing blade of Kithruwan. Sri Lanka had always needed a solid positive number 6, who can punish the bowlers by coming in when they are tired, or take the pacers on when the second new ball is taken, but also have enough ability to push for long innings when the side is 60 for 4. His positive innings had shades of Adam Gilchrist written all over it. An English journalist once said, Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Martin were the warriors in the middle, but Gilchrist was the Samurai, with the long flashing blade. The top four will beat you to the ground and have you at their mercy, but it is Gilchrist who will come in at the end and offer none of it, sever your head and end your dreadful misery. On this day, Kithruwan did exactly that. 

His cry for joy once he got his hundred were soon joined by those of Mahela's when he scored a double century that sealed the deal for the declaration. And just like how Sanga watched over Kaushal's innings, Mahela had made Kithruwan his under-study. The seniors had played their part, and the juniors had responded.

Soon after, Herath spun his web around Tamim Iqbal and left Bangladesh with close to 180 overs to bat out, with 9 wickets in hand, to save the test match.

There ends my summery of the day's play. I don't intend to bias my opinion on the innings of Kithruwan although there is a strong will to do so, but since I know I'd regret it if I don't write more on him, I shall do so in the next part of this post.

Hoping to see Herath, Dilruwan, and maybe a bit of Kithruwan spin square around the Bangladeshi batsmen, and hoping for a win,

Adios,
Catch you after the end of day four.
Kumma


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The Kiththa Special

I got to know Kiththa at the age of 11. It was an under12s pre-season practice game. The Royal U11 side of the previous year had gathered at the College Main grounds for a game against Susumayawardhana MMV, Borella. It was the first time we were playing in full whites and more importantly, since we would play their first tournament in the on coming season, we had been given permission to play at the College Main grounds, for the very first time. The team consisted of the likes of Bhanuka Rajapakse, Ramith Rambukwella, both who would go on to captain the Royal 1st XI side, Maneesha Tantrigoda, Royal's first and only bowler to scalp more than 100 wickets a season, and Chalaka Bogoda, who became one of only two centurions in the history of the prestigious Mustangs trophy game at the time. 

It also featured a new face. Kithuruwan Vithanage. At first, we did not even know how to pronounce his name, as a matter of fact I'm still confused as to whether he is Kithruwan or Kithuruwan. Kiththa is much easier anyway. Royal won the toss and decided to bat, and Kiththa was sent to open the innings. On a ground that most of us barely could hit past the 30-yard circle, Kiththa scored a calm and fluent 46. The new boy had made his mark. But it wasn't until we took to the field that I really saw what Kiththa's game was all about. I used to field at cover-point and Kiththa took his place at cover, two positions we later made our own, during the tournament to come, consistently challenging each other to stop anything hit in the region. 

Somewhere around the 10th over, one of the batsmen pushed towards Kiththa on the the off side, and took off for a single. Kiththa stooped on the ball, collected it and threw the stumps down at the non-strikers end, all in one motion. At 11 years old, and with fielding being my favourite art of the sport, it served me like a bit of magic. I remember telling, who I think was Rajind Pathmanath, at Gully, that this boy is going to play 1st XI with Bhanuka one day, while running to congratulate him. I reminded him of the incident when I recently met him, and to each other's amazement, we had both clearly remembered the event.

Kiththa never looked back from then. He scored heavy. I remember his first fifty, at the Panadura espalande, his homeground and a 5 wicket haul he took with his loopy leg-breaks against Ananda, our toughest opposition that year. He went on to play U15s, U17s and then finally the 1st XI side. Together with Charith Fernando, he rescued Royal from a dangerous position at 5 for 67, athe 129th Battle of the Blues. It was only fitting that both men were awarded the Royal crown, on two separate occasions, Charith for his century, and Kithruwan later, for his performances with the national U19 side, which he vice captained at the world cup.

He's achieved a lot since then. Memories of his knocks against St. Peter's where he belted Chathura Peries, Sri Lanka's National Youth captain, off a hook that went out of the ground and landed on the Colombo University bus halt, how he, Bhanuka, Kusal and Angelo Perera demolished the Kandurata XI to win the Sirasa Schools T20, his countless match saving knocks with Akshu Fernando and Rumesh Buddhika at the Youth World cup, his man of the series winning performance at the U19 Tri Series with Pakistan and Bangladesh, then his back to back centuries for Tamil Union are among a few of my favourites, with the hammering of the Thomian seamers at the one and only Roy-Tho T20 topping the list.

But he's got miles and miles more to go. He's only so far played against Bangladesh, who are probably the worst measuring stick someone could use to sum up a player. An England tour beckons in March, specially after the century, and if he gets to play, will be the true test of his ability. Knowing the man Kiththa is, the hard working, determined and self confident approach will suit him to build a long career, and I could only wish more for him.

My father talks of his time at Royal, when they had Ranjan Madugalle, who was the College's child prodigy who went to perform at the international level. With a strong bias, he calls his long-time batch mate his most favourite cricketer through the ages. Stories of a brilliant and jubilant school era and those of how his mate is the best in his book are never ending. His era has their Madda.

And now, in my era, we have our Kiththa.