Countering the Proteas, Bragging Rights Included ~ The Lankans Need To Perform !
Posted on December 19th, 2011
Howzat!ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ By Doosra Sammy
December 20th 2011
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The Sri Lankans were bashed at Centurion on a wicket well doctored to suitƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the likes of Steyn and Philander, the bragging rights of the likes of Kepler Wessels and Alan Donald who has now joined the partyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ will prevail at the top rung if not countered with a resoinding next performance!
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SadlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the animosity some of the players showƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ against Sri Lanka also seemed to surfaceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ watching Jacques Kallis with his bandy legged run upƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and a Flintstones type chuck at Dilhara FernandoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in a pathetic attempt at dislodging his helmet and getting clobbered to the boundary for his trouble.He was hit on the side wiser of his helmet by a Dilhara Fernando slow bouncer dueƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to some brainless ducking where there was no deliberate intent to hurt on the part of Fernando it has to be noted! and Kallis’ puerile mentality outstandingly visible!
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So quite apart from the campaigning for unpaid Sri Lankan Player Salaries throughƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the gentlemanliness of AB de Villiers and Graeme Smith the concerted aggression of the Saffies voiceboxes at press level included makes the current series a very interesting one where Sri Lanka now has to run the gauntlet at Cape Town and come off unscathed it is fervently hoped
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Firstly, it seems high time the super mouths of Wessels and Donald were silenced andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ how better to do this thanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by the Springboks being coralled in their own den by the Lankan Lions who have the potential for the accomplishmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ through the firing from both barrels ~ batting and bowling, with the will to die for it ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the process of taking any catch albeit no mean feat and no mission impossible.
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Next, the news of Dhammika Prasad and debutante Elvitigala joining the squadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ seems welcome enough althiough it may have been a tad more comforting had Suraj Randive been called up too. The promising young bowler and no mug with the bat either might have boosted the performances of Rangana Herath but of course how does one expect the ninnies in Sri Lanka’s ‘elite ‘ selection panel to know this? What in tarnation do some of they know about the finer points of Test Cricket Strategy which has proved to be succesful over the years that a gulp of Johhny Walker which further corrodes the brain couldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ squeeze out of their mindset but none ? With Board Elections around the corner it seems as though their priorities have shifted towards who would win the plum office rather than the next TestƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ although the latest news suggests that one of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ main horses have pulled out leaving a one horse race for another horsey individual whose neighing by far prevails over performmance.Arjuna RanatungaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and Sanath Jayasuriya eat your hearts out you should have run!
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The track for the next Test on Boxing Day is reputed to be bouncy albeit not to the same degree asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Centurion but perhaps sufficient enoughƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for the SaffiesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to believe they could steamroll the Lankans who have a job to do to restore credibility and prove all their criticsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ wrongƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and that they are no pushovers.
Already there areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ridiculing wisecracks with a lot of tittering from some quarters who seem to think Sri Lanka could never beat the South Africans even at home and that they are ready to be taken even by the likes of Ireland, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, this is going a bit too far in how certain pundits care to blabbermouth where the best way to silence them is to fight back as they always have! They do have the wherewithal surely.
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Sri Lanka’s oening pair needs to lay a decent foundation with all the weapons in their armoury being the talented bats they are, stop chasing what flies outside the off stump and play the quickies on their merit! Heck these aren’t Lillies or Thompsons but a bunch of “Yams for BreakfastƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ” types who tend to psyche thenselves up watching the negative responses from their opponents. And ifƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Steyn is truly the great bowler he is,he needs to stop his psychological tactics and play decent cricket, maintain a stiff upperlip andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ not trundle about glowering likeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ some deranged primate from KrugerƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ out for bloodƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ eachtime he delivers and Kallis should get a hold of himself if he wants to be coined with the term class and forget about his thuggish instincts which showed in the last game bowling bouncer after bouncer at Dilhara Fernando even after being warned by the umpire. “Revenge!” Russ Arnold called it from the commentary Box and rightly so itƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ seemed!
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ItƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ probably needs to be rememberedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ how Steyn was taken apart by some of the Australian and Indian batsmen, and Oh !ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for an Aravinda de Silva to belt him as he once did Brett LeeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who was a much better bowler and a player than Steyn could ever dream toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ be with his meanness written all over his face! A good enough incentive for the presnt team most certainly.
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Perhaps itƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ will be Philander’s turn, (a more gentlemanly type it appears however )to be taught that his kind ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ deliveries tooƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ can be hit over the ropes as Rangana Herath and Thisara Perera proved alongsideƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the solidity of Thilan Samaraweera and Angelo Mathews. Curiously theyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ seemed to lose concentration after their brief stint which could have been better applied towards consistency where the lack of concentration (daring not to think of conditioning that is!) which seemed to be their undoing. Hopefully Mathews will be fitƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for Capetown as his absence could prove to be crucial.
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Thus far the world classƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ brilliance and dazzle of the KumarƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SangakkaraƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ /ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mahela Jayawardena seems to be taking a back seat and has not clicked to perfection but the chances are they willƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where the top order Sri Lankan batting needs toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ be solidƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and their concentrations directed toward the responsibility with all their talents for which they justify their selection and perhaps time to pre-empt Dilhara Fernando sansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ brilliant performance,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for someone who tends more to bowl line and length and surely persuade Lasith Malinga to reconsider playing Test cricket forgetting his anxiety foibles and the lure of the IPLƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as he would surely have been the Lankan’ greatest weapon against the Proteas and Kallis perhaps considering a double toed boot and a reinforced helmet to preserve parts of his anatomy from bruising or cracking! SoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ get with it chaps, the world is watching ! AndƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ your performance at Capetown surely crucial lest the mirror cracks!
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December 19th, 2011 at 3:43 pm
Indeed the Sri Lankans needs to pump up the gas in their tank and adopt an “attack is the best form of defence” aooriach to the remaining games to salvage some of the lost prestige and silence some critics who have tried to trash them.
The references to Cape Town as the venue of the next test is incorrect as it is Durban and CT will be the 3rd Test venue followed by 5 One Day Internationals.
December 19th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
typo error in spelling approach ~ with apologies
December 19th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
Pay their long due salaries first. They will start performing.
December 20th, 2011 at 7:30 am
Samson, you’ve endorsed one of my first reckonings that the boys are doing a work to rule kind of thing in not performing.It may not be the best option as it brings to disrepute the Nation’s cricketing prowess but it certainly holds water for the argument” no tickee no crickee! ‘ with enough brains in the team to orchestrate a payback to the cricket hierarchy.These are not namby pamby players but cricketers who could blow any team away on any given day! ‘ Pay them their salaries in full and they will perform ‘ is absolutely right!
December 20th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
I hear the ICC have agreed to pay the SL Cricketers directly into their bank accounts by passing the SL Cricket Board for the overdue match fees and remuneration from the world cup withholding any deductions.
Is it not a slap in the face of SL Cricket Board Governance?
Is the ICC following lessons from Aid Agencies?