Well-done Jayasuriya for your self-inflicted destruction
Posted on May 15th, 2010
By Lankaputhra
Sanjay Manjrekar, analyzing the Sri Lanka’s defeat against England in the T20 world cup semi-finals, commented that performance of Sri Lanka team was below par and the obvious reason being Jayasuriya at the top and failing.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He said Sri Lanka would realize that persisting with Jayasuriya at the top was a mistake. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Yet, who knows cricket better than Rajapakse. He is the person who ordered return of Jayasuriya to the National team when he was dropped after his repeated failure.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, the PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s shallow decision forced the entire nation to pay heavily. Persisting with failed Jayasuriya not only denied the cricket loving public the only joy the game of cricket brought to them but it also inflicted a heavy damage to the confidence of the entire team.
No body in the team wants Jayasuriya there, as he was a heavy burden to the team. The body language of the Captain and the rest of the team summed everything up.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Beyond doubt, he is an old horse of no use. How come a man who was dumped by the Mumbai Indian, the team he represented in the IPL, becomes good for the national team of Sri Lanka? Allowing Jayasuriya to play was a big blunder, as all other nations except Sri Lanka took the tournament very seriously and played their best 11 players. As a result of poor decision making, at the end Sri Lanka cricket suffered heavily and lost every plausible chance the national team had to reach to the finals. In fact, under the cirucumstances, Sri Lanka was lucky to reach semifinals with only 10 players and it was a pity that Jayasuriya was allowed to rob everything singlehandedly.
His utterly selfish conduct, lacking national interest, ruined the balance and moral in the team and finally it boiled down to a stage where cricket lowers wished him get out with the first ball he faces without wasting the valuable fist six overs with field restrictions in place.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ People felt sorry about Sangakkara who was made a scapegoat by the selectors who simply dance according the RajapakseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s tune. He was utterly helpless. No matter what, he had to persist with Jayasuriya. People cannot reckon this kind of jokes occurring in any other nation except Sri Lanka where democracy is nothing more than a farce.
Now greedy Jayasuriya has achieved his burning desire, however, at an enormous cost and his popularity is now at rock bottom. He scored only paltry 15 runs during the entire six innings he played denying a chance to a young upcoming player. When Tendulkar, who was younger to Jayasuriya and the best batsman of just concluded IPL he simply refused and said that his time in the national team was over and he did not wish to hinder the younger players of their chance to play for the national team.
Having inflicted the maximum damage to Sri Lankan Cricket, Jayasuriya can now conveniently join hands with his ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”political teamƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to rob the rest of the country. The irony is that the very game of cricket that lend a hand to this man to reach the pinnacle in his career has turn on him for his downfall, not for anything else but for his utterly self-centered attitude.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
May 15th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
it is very funny to note that much critcism is levelled against Jayasuriya for ‘overstaying’ and damaging our cricketing ‘image’. Yes he is guilty of this minor crime and at least now should leave the scene after spoiling our chances of bringing the T20 trophy this year. This is a field he knew very well and he absolutely failed us by greedily hanging on to it.
Nobody is worried about his being thrust into a position which he has no experience, I mean his being elected to Parliament from Matara based solely on his popularity in cricket. Here not our ‘cricketing pride’ but the livelihood and development of the people who elected depends.
At this time if we compare his greediness in cricket to greediness in public life as an MP the people of Matara are the losers.
May 15th, 2010 at 10:46 pm
My view on this matter is that Jayasuriya’s failure at the top should not be blamed on him. He was asked to open the innings because of Dilshan, failure in that position. Sanath was selected to play as an allrounder at no. 7, not as an opener.
If anyone should be criticized for not coming to the party, then it ought to be Dilshan. Unfortunately, the spotlight has fallen on Sanath because he could not make up for Dilshan’s failure.
Let’s be balanced in our criticism. I do not believe Sanath should play as an opener, if he is to play at all at this level. However, I do think it is totally unfair to place all of the blame on him.
May 16th, 2010 at 2:36 am
The Observer is being very kind to Sanath. The fact is he did not deserve to be in the team, in any position, because he was clearly not performing; we saw that in the IPl and even before. If he was selected as an all rounder, ok, if he did not score runs, how many wickets did he take and at what cost? In the entire tournament he took 1 wicket and scored 15 runs. Thanks to patronage from high, Sanath has played on for longer than his form justified. I hope at least now he will see some sense and quit.
May 16th, 2010 at 6:13 am
I agree with Casandra and I cant believe The Observer hasn’t followed the game properly. Sanath had been sent in at No. 7 before but he failed and then Sangakkara was blamed for not sending him at the top end, his usual position. For the good of the game and Sanath’s own reputation, someone please speak to him and encourage him to retire. I would not say retire gracefully as that stage has passed.
May 17th, 2010 at 5:38 am
I agree with both Sooriarachi and cassandra. Please think about the following point too.
Coming at number 8 he was supposed to hit sixes straightaway. He lazily managed 3 runs.
What can he do as a MP ? He will do what he is capable of trying to satisfy greed. Don’t we have good monks to help him and advise him of harm he is doing to himself and to others ? We must be compassionate and try to teach him how to overcome greed.
May 17th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Sanath did well in the past. So did Tendulkar. People should know their limits and when to retire gracefully. But Sanath is now a member of the parliament, he is too old to play international cricket. He should retire and give another young cricketer a chance.
If Sanath Jayasuriya doesn’t want to retire Sri Lankan cricket board should remove him. According to Sanjay Manjrekar it was President Rajapaksha who ordered Sanath to return to cricket. But as far as I can remember Sanath told the people of Matara that he will keep playing even after he wins the election. He should have resigned from the team before taking up politics.
I have doubts about his performance as a new politician as much as his performance as a old cricketer.
Sanath should now retire and take a back seat in the parliament and watch how it works.