The sun is shining on Lankan cricket

THE SUN shone for most part, and the Lankans dished out bright fare against the Indians. These islanders have a way of their own, and there is something captivating in the air during the cricket matches.

With the country facing an economic crunch, the crowds were thin for most part, yet there was no dearth of atmosphere at the venues with even those few present adding life to the proceedings with their delightful singing and dancing.

There is a sense of rhythm too in the manner the mysterious Muttiah Muralitharan ambles in to send those baffling deliveries and the way the explosive Sanath Jayasuriya unleashes strokes of stunning power and precision.

Cricket is more of a celebration here with the absence of huge concrete structures at the various grounds being a welcome relief. There is freshness, there is freedom and there is that `fizz' in cricket.

If the majestic Galle fort and the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean made the setting fascinating in Galle, the green hills provided a lovely backdrop to the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy. And the Sinhalese Sports Club Stadium has an old world charm about it with a pretty hill, and small colourful stands.

There is a whiff of the Caribbean magic of the yore too in Lankan cricket, yet the dash and the flair have been complemented by the gradual building up of Test match temperament.

The season also marked a special occasion in Lankan cricket - the country completed twenty years in Test cricket. And the nation certainly sent the right message by drubbing India in the series decider.

It has been twenty long years for the Lankans. A fight against old prejudices, a struggle for recognition. And following the often traumatic period, the side has emerged stronger.

It was a truly significant moment in Lankan history when four of its batsmen made hundreds in the final Test at the SSC ground running a hapless Indian attack into the ground.

Four years earlier Sanath Jayasuriya & co. had driven the Indian bowlers to a state of despair, at the Premadasa Stadium even as Lanka piled up an astonishing 900 plus score.

Since then the wily Arjuna Ranatunga has bid adieu, the formidable Aravinda de Silva is in the last legs of a glorious career, and the stylish Roshan Mahanama has drifted into the sunset.

Ranatunga, the `Grandmaster', showed the way and then Sanath Jayasuriya, a cricketer who believes in marching first into the battlefront, has kept up the good work.

Lanka, going through a transition phase, has also discovered the right blend of youth and experience. When there was a need to ring in the changes following the debacle in the World Cup '99, the selectors did not bite the bullet.

Yes, the Young Guns have been booming for Sri Lanka. None more than the little Mahela Jayawardene, a batsman of precocious talent, a lovely touch player with a strong oriental flavour. Carving out delightful hundreds in the Kandy and the Colombo Tests, Jayawardene was easily the batting star for the Lankans.

Kumara Sangakkara too is an exciting player, a southpaw capable of both, wading into an attack, and grinding out the bowling. That he is also a capable Keeper adds enormously to his value in the side.

The Kandy cricketer has a combative streak in him and when the Englishmen attempted to intimidate him, he was only too willing to give it back. In the series against India, Sangakkara's battling century in Galle, after Jayasuriya had dismantled the Indian attack with blistering shots, was a vital effort.

If Sangakkara's hundred consolidated the Lankan batting gains in Galle, it was Dilhara Fernando's express pace bowling that first opened up the match for the Lankans. When he discovered his rhythm, Fernando was persistent and dangerous.Russel Arnold had a relatively quiet series, and he appears to have slipped into a Michael Bevan kind of situation - an extremely healthy average in ODIs, far from satisfying returns in Tests. It could just be a `mind-set' problem with this Lankan Tamil, a deceptive customer at the crease, who can change gears with ease.

And Thilan Samaraweera's outstanding debut at the SSC where he displayed a cool head and crisp strokes, apart from sending down his off- spin usefully was another gain for Lanka from the Test series.

There are winds of change sweeping Lankan cricket, first there was a shake-up in the administration, and now we are witnessing a pace revolution.

The arrival of Dilhara Fernando has provided the thrust, and under pace-bowling coach Rumesh Ratnayake, youngsters like left- armer Ruchira Perera are learning the tricks of the trade. There is more grass on the pitches too, and the Lankans are in the process of grooming a pace pack for the 2003 World Cup, suited for the bouncy South African surfaces.

This is not to suggest that Muralitharan will be any less a factor or a threat. The biggest single match-winner in Lankan cricket has it in him to deliver on any pitch, with his intoxicating variety.

Also around will be the sharp left-arm paceman Chaminda Vaas, who has bowled tirelessly for Lanka over the past several years, providing Muralitharan the much-needed support.

The experience is evident in the batting line-up too with Jayasuriya and the smooth stroking Marvan Atapattu sparkling at the top of the order. And the idea behind recalling the tenacious 34-year-old Hashan Tillekeratne was to give the team two years of middle-order stability, with Aravinda de Silva running out of motivation.

The Test series concluded on a triumphant note for Jayasuriya who was under some pressure after the Lankans were edged out by the touring England in a close, often bitter series.

Not to forget the contribution of coach Dav Whatmore, who may not have a say in the selection any more, but is one of the shrewdest cricketing brains around.

And physio Alex Kontouri played a huge part, and one could spot this from the manner the Lankans flung themselves at the speeding ball, sprinted between the wickets.

Indeed, the sun is shining on Lankan cricket these days. And the celebrations are on.

S.DINAKAR

Chennai

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