Jayasuriya sets the tone

By G. Viswanath

SHARJAH, OCT. 25. The big blows on Wednesday might have been heard all over the Emirates.

All the action came from a specialist batsman and a tailender on the first day of the second phase of the Coca-Cola Tri-series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Jayasuriya is one of the handful of batsmen in international cricket who has the capacity to bring to the fore a touch of one-sidedness to a contest. It took him nine overs to get over his initial inhibitions, but once he took charge he was the master blaster in the true sense.

Sri Lanka's innings, after being put in by Zimbabwe, appeared to have flattered to deceive before Chaminda Vaas struck mighty blows in the end to take his side's total to a tournament high of 276.

It took five days and a few hundred overs for Sharjah cricket to throb to life. Though Jayasuriya opened the innings with a partner who has at times proved equal in the manner of scoring, it was the captain who carried the first hour of the afternoon with him. The Sri Lankans made a change that was more or less expected.

They did not see reason in retaining Avishka Gunawardene after his two failures. Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana have on most occasions given a bright start for their team, so when the opportunity came they promoted the wicketkeeper, but to perform a role that was not to outdo Jayasuriya.

Zimbabwe did well enough in the first nine overs. The precise fielding positions with six men on the off-side and three on the on even curbed the aggressive Jayasuriya from taking risks. He had begun with an edged boundary off Heath Streak and struck left-arm seamer Bryan Strang to the straight boundary. Kaluwitharana had a reprieve when he was on four, dropped by Andrew Flower off Streak in the fifth over. The two never really made an attempt to hit over until Jayasuriya broke free in the 10th over.

Bryan Strang was the bowler who got the rough end of the stick. It was also an over when Jayasuriya showed his wide repertoire, beginning with a straight hit six. He drove him through cover, lifted one over mid-on, square drove forward of point and again struck him straight. And when Mbangwa replaced him at the pavilion end, Jayasuriya picked four 4s off him.

After the Sri Lankan total had raced to a 50 plus score, Kaluwitharana pulled a short ball from Travis to the square-leg fence. In the course of the first 15 overs the Sri Lankan opening pair had made 105 and it looked as though the two would have laid a foundation for a massive Sri Lankan total to sew up the match.

But a silly run out set off a middle order slide the more organised Marvan Atapattu attempted to repair. Kaluwitharana might have been a victim of a total breakdown of understanding between him and the captain, who darted toward the bowler's end where Kaluwitharana decided to stay put. The throw from the deep to Andrew Flower saw Kaluwitharana sacrifice his wicket.

The opening pair put on 110 in 15 overs and four balls after which the left-arm spin of Dirk Viljoen and Grant Flower made its presence. There was only minimal turn for them, but they breached the middle order to put their side back in the game.

Jayasuriya shaped to work the ball away on the side to a delivery from Friend that was pitched in line with the leg stump.

The left-hander lost his leg stump, the ball coming off his front pad. After Jayasuriya's brilliant exhibition of batting, there was a long period of lull. In between the 16th over and 35th over Sri Lanka scored about 80 runs.

A smart piece of work by Andrew Flower resulted in the dismissal of Mahela Jayawardena. It was now up to Atapattu, who took, a nasty blow on the cheek bone, to bat right through the innings. He made his second half century and he left when Sri Lanka's score was 234.

With only 22 balls remaining a formidable Sri Lankan total was not really on the cards. But Vaas' towering sixes in the 49th over and a six by Kaushaliya Weeraratne brought a thrilling end to the Sri Lankan innings, as it had started with the broad blade of Jayasuriya in the first hour.

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