Sri Lanka Confounds The Critics Who Never Gave Them A Chance And Proves Them Wrong.
Posted on January 23rd, 2012
Top Spin By Suni
January 23ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 2012
Before the Sri Lanka Tour of South Africa the barrage of criticism andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ridicule ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that a team of South African commentators, coaches and broadcasters alike heaped on the Sri Lankan squad citing team disunity and faulty management etcƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and scoffed at the chances of Sri Lanka standing upto their champions the Proteas not giving themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a dog’s chance in hell must be remembered.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It was presumed by this motley crewƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that they will be crushedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in South Africa on their local turf and the curators of the grounds in all probabilities went a step further to assure this in their minds and prepared wickets that would certainly favour the hosts but what transpired in the end is not only shock from a South African stand point but it has made the pompous soothsayersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ eat crow inasfar as their doomsday predictions were concerned and the moral of this story is ~ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ don’t make predictions that you cannot substantiate in the fullest as it usually ends upƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ presenting you in the guiseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of arrogantly misguidedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ bi-partisan babblers who seem to know little or nothing about independentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and fair commentating beyond the desire for their champions’ success and how obstreperously so!
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It was said by these so called “prophets of doom” that Sri Lanka was not good enough even to beat South Africa ‘A’ and that they would be annihilated by their opponents in both the Tests and ODI’s and ridiculed them to the point of incompetence (albeit incomprehensible ) that they dared face the tough ‘ Saffies’ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ whereas the tables were not only turned onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ them but the Lankans fared magnificiently against all odds and at times making their opponents look ordinary and pedestrian like by comparison to their contrastingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ portrayal presented by their lumbering biased support which was an affront to their trade from many perspectives!
Call the game on it’s merits as it unfolds for heaven’s sake, be gracious, non partisan and remember the likes of the great commentatorsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ John Arlott, Johnny Moyes, Brian Johnston, Rex Alston, Christopher Martin JenkinsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ et al ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and their hallowedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fraternity whose flowing way with words were a delight to all audeinces and the script of the likes of Neville Cardus and our own beloved scribes of bygone fame S.P. Foenander and Harold de AndradoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ such a tribute to the profession of sports journalism and cricket in particular!
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The 3-1 Test series and the 3-2 ODIƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ series wins for South Africa (ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ One game which was theirs courtesy of MessersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Duckworth/LewisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ alone )ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ were never really onesided bar one where the Lankans were routed for their lowest ever total on a wicket they should perhaps have batted firstƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ but by no means a disgrace as other big name teams have faredƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ similar dismissals ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or worse and the stats. there to prove it and of course the glorious uncertainties of the game to moot!
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The only terrors for the Lankans inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Test SeriesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ won 3-1ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by South Africa perhapsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ were the wickets and their compatibility with theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ searing pace and bounceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of the South African quickies which they eventually adjusted to fairly well yetƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ compounded adverselyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by a fewƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ injudiciousƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ decisionsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by Sri Lanka’s Skipper DilshanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and his incapacity to set a proper field in attack as surmised by a few analysts who could well be right.
Dilshan has resigned from his captaincy now but it must be mentioned that he gave it his all, was never disgraced and bowed out of the captaincy graciously and all due praise to him for the man he is, a tough resilient fighter who has brought more credit to Sri Lanka’s National team than many others contrary to some of his harshest critics and may his presence in the Lankan side continue to embellish it with hisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ wonderful skills as dashing batsman, effectiveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ bowler and brilliant fielderƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for a long time to come.
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While the Lankans presented themselves as true gentlemen of cricket taking everything in stride,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the same might not be true of some the South Africans whose veiled sledging at times was quite apparent to the discerning andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ clever lip readers where the culprits were at times disgruntled over umpiring decisions,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hunting leather at the expense of some of their bowlers which Thisara Perera and Dinesh Chandimal at timesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ gleefully accentuated and certain dismissals, as they openly demonstrated on occasion making one wonder “whatever happened to the adjudicators on the panel and why no disciplinary action?
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The finger pointing to the dressing room by Philander in one gameƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ after Rangana Herath’s dismissal, the body language of Tsotsobe andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Steyn at times expressing their displeasure wheneverƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ things went against them and the seemingly clownish celebrationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ some of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the South Africans resorted to at the fall of a wicket short of collective hyperventilation, the menacing spell by Jacques Kallis who dared to intimidate Dilhara Fernando despite being called twice by the umpire doneƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in obvious retaliation for previously beingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ struck on his helmet accidentally off Fernando’s bowlingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ where Kallis certainly looked somewhat puerile, all attesting to a lack ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ decorum and incidentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ totally uncalled for.
However in the end the Sri Lankans surely proved their class and mettleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ despite the series losses albeit never daunted in their approach while retaining their fighting qualities.
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“For When That Great Reporter Comes, To Write Against Your Name,
He Asks Not If You Won Or Lost But How You Played The Game!”
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Well done Sri Lanka !
January 23rd, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Spin by Suni brought up excellent analysis. I say TILLAKARATNA DILSHAN deserve credit and not insults. Since I live in Florida USA the time Zones were similar I watched the last game live on TV. How he put players with differnt skills in to the field in the last two ODI matches were the reason for the victories. I do not know the ODI nor understand the rules, but the skillful way Tillakaratna Dilshan handled the situation MUST be recognized. (As Top Spin Suni states “He asks not if you won or lost but how you played the Game”). Just before the last ODI Tillakaratne Dilshan said that he was going to win and he did it. Pot bellied Sri Lankan Sports minister should at least call the Captain to his office and thank him getting the Sri Lanken team to fly back from South Africa with their heads high up. At first I thought Tsotsobe had a physical disability, but Suni points out that he is acting as a clown. Somehow this time South Africans did not say that their A TEAM could have beaten Sri Lanka! I should thank Top Spin Suni for this article.
January 24th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Test series were lost 2-1, NOT 3-1 !!