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Lone pacie Cairns undoes Lankans New Zealand opted to field one paceman for the third and final cricket test against Sri Lanka which began yesteday. But he was good enough to strike the crucial blows as Sri Lankans put up a below-par batting performance after winning the toss to be struggling at 200 for eight at stumps on the opening day. Chris Cairns bowled brilliantly under conditions that everybody thought would have no assistance to the medium pacers, capturing four wickets to undo the strong local batting line up. New Zealanders would have probably regretted their decision to replace left arm medium pacer Shayne O'Connor with left arm spinner Mark Priest as slow medium pacer Craig McMillan also posed a few problems to the Sri Lankans taking two wickets. Sri Lanka won the toss but indifferent batting by themselves and some superb bowling combined to cause the downfall which reached disastrous proportions in the first over after lunch when two key wickets tumbled, opening the flood gates. Opener Sanath Jayasuriya who did not show the commitment throughout the tournament one would have expected from somebody who has been elevated to a new rank, was out early without making an impression. The left hander played two typically handsome cover drives in his brief stay but was beaten all ends up by a delivery from Cairns which kept close to his body at hip level, exposing him to a long standing weak spot of his batting. Jayasuriya just hung his bat out to edge the beautiful delivery to the safe hands of Bryan Young at second slip for 13. It was the ninth over of the morning after start of play was delayed by an hour after morning rains. Sri Lanka were 52 for 1 at lunch after 16 overs but disaster struck very quickly after the break in the very first ball. Mahela Jayawardena, the second test hero at Galle was defeated by another fantastic Cairns delivery which climbed to a chest-high level from a good length with a little deviation off the seam. Jayawardena who scored a magnificent 167 to be adjudged man of the match of the Sri Lankan victory in Galle, could do little against it other than nicking it to the wicket keeper Adam Parore. Jayawardena made 16 off 25 balls with two boundaries. Sri Lanka's position fell to a desperate situation when Aravinda de Silva made a quick exit in the same over having faced just five balls. De Silva who was replaced by Jayasuriya as the vice captain of the side for the tour, exhibited a disinterested attitude playing an irresponsible hook shot - a trade mark of his 'Mad Max' days to be caught at deep square leg. The form slump of de Silva who rode the crescendo of a wave of batting form last season, is hitting Sri Lankan cricket badly and yesterday's failure did not help the Sri Lankan cause of wining the crucial final match of the rubber which is level at 1-all. Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, another of the senior players of the side to have continuously let the side down in the series, batted for forty minutes but made the exact score-four-as de Silva which the latter made in the six balls he faced. Ranatunga's dismissal however came under unfortunate circumstances when Marvan Atapttu's straight drive which came to the bowler Craig McMillan as a return catch, brushed his fingers and crashed into the stumps at the bowler's end where the third umpire found Ranatunga inches short of making his ground. From 70 for four, Hashan Tillekaratne and Atapattu batted for 20 overs, adding 32 runs before Atapattu mistimed a sweep off spinner Paul Wiseman in a moment of lost concentration just two runs short of his half century.
McMillan struck again in his next over removing Tillekaratne for 43. The left hander showed much of the confidence and solidity of his prime in a three hour stay at the wicket hitting seven stylish boundaries to good measure. Play was interrupted by rain soon after the second new ball was taken at 5. 28 p.m. but players returned to bowl another five overs before close during which time Cairns picked up another victim, Kumara Dharmasena caught behind for 11. Pramodya Wickremasinghe was unbeaten on 20 at close while with him was Niroshan Bandaratilleke on four. Cairns finished the day on four for 58 while McMillan took 2 for 27. Mahanama plays on against all odds Mahanama College with five coloursmen had performed up to expectations. They, with limited resources had so far won two matches and losing an equal number. Mahanama this year is led by Sampath Samarasinghe who plays in as centre. His deputy will be the other centre Padya Chandana. Their biggest problem is the unavailability of a permanent ground facilities. They travel all the way to Avissawella for practices twice a week. One day they practice at Maitland Cresent. Even though there is support from the school authorities and old boys few gather to witness their matches. This had made the ruggerites and coach worried when their opposing team's spectators gather in numbers. According to coach the present set of boys are very keen and dedicated. But when it come to replacements during matches they find it very difficult to find players as we are packed with only 15 to 16. This is a minus factor for the Mahanama team who are still to come into the limelight with a good performance. Arjun Dharmadasa, Connaisans Group Director, assist them by providing transport for practice sessions. Mahanama's best performance was way back in 1991 when they entered Presidents Trophy semi-finals defeating Royal in the quarter-finals but, lost to S. Thoms', Mount Lavinia in the semi-final. Third year player Rasika Palihena and Suraj Sampath are the two prop forwards who will bind with Lasith Nawaratne who binds in with the props as hooker in the front row. Sapul Bandara and Upumal Priyadarshana are the two second row forwards who will strengthen the front line. Chandana Jayendra and Shamal Dissanayake two hardy forwards are the flankers. Roy Wijesinghe will play the crucial number eight berth. Ranga Perera will be the scrum half. Thushan Ediriweera fly half will link the back division with the forwards. Skipper Sampath Samarasinghe and his deputy Padya Chandana are the two centres. Ranil Wimalasiri together with Anurudha Liyanage will occupy the wing corden. Tuan Hanan will play as the full back. PROPS - Rasika Palihena, Suraj Sampath. Bottom half of Lankan batting in rescue act
again On a day that did not augur well for cricket as far as the weather was concerned, Sri Lanka batting first on what was considered a pitch favourable to batting and to the pace bowler in the first hour of the first day, found herself beset with problems. When New Zealand as Sri Lanka did in the previous game opened her attack with a combination of pace and left arm spin one began to wonder what was up! One was not left long in doubt. The pitch was two-paced: favouring pace and swing at one end and of help to the spinner at the other. Cairns took full advantage of the conditions. The sky was over cast, there was a strong breeze and moisture in the air. He took full advantage of this situation making the ball skied off the wicket and getting some helpful bounce at times. He got Jayasuriya to edge one to slip and had both Jayawardena and de Silva in quick succession after lunch stultifying a Sri Lankan innings that promised large proportions. De Silva’s was a most irresponsible stroke. Vettori and Priest at the other end kept the batsmen fettered and bound to the crease with a surprising turn and lift from the wicket. They did not meet with immediate success in the form of wickets to their credit, but they did succeed in causing uncertainty and circumspection in the minds of the batsmen. Atapattu weathered all this with a fair amount of command and Jayawardene also began with handsome strokes to the on, but he was not spared to play a long innings on this occasion. Not that any of the others were able to do that either. Atapattu and Tillekeratne were the top scorers with 40 odd each. The former played some pleasing strokes particularly his cut past point which earned him most of his runs. He mistimed an attempted sweep and holed out on the on side. Tillekeratne battled within himself and the wicket and the bowling. It was a three-pronged adversary he had to struggle against. The more vicious of his adversaries was his own self. He had to overcome himself and this he did to a fair extent. His confidence was just returning when he touched a rising delivery from MacMillan. His technique of bringing the bat on its downward swing from wide of third slip is not helping him. He did play some on-drives when the opportunity was offered. He stayed a long time and that promises well for him. His partnership with Kaluwitharane produced fifty four most valuable runs for Sri Lanka who were struggling at 125 for 5. This pair brought Sri Lanka into more respectful proportions before they were separated. So, once again it was left to the bottom half of the batting to do the rescue act. Ranatunga must be excused for he was most unfortunately run out, a drive from Atapattu hitting the bowlers wicket off the bowler’s hand. It was one of those things that happens once every often in cricket. The wicket had a big say, as it surprisingly helped both pace and spin on the first day of a 5-day test. How will it react tomorrow after being covered for many hours, the skies being overcast and threat of rain in the air. It may settle down after a rolling or two and become less helpful to the bowler. Sri Lanka are now 200 for 8 wickets with Wickremasinghe and Bandaratileke at the wicket and only Muralitharan to come. New Zealand will hope of course that the wicket will settle down and if that happens Sri Lanka’s bowlers will have a most important job to perform to contain and strike often. 13th Worldwide Simultaneous Bridge Pairs event held over 100 countries at the time with instant result conducted by the Bridge Federation was held recently at the Orient Club from 7.30 p.m-11.30 p.m. with the participation of 30 leagues. RESULTS SRI LANKA NORTH-SOUTH 1. Dr. H. H. J. Keerthisena-D. P. Senaweera. EAST-WEST 1. Ismeth Magdon — Ismail-Asoka Warnasuriya. |
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