Kotla Pitch had become dangerous - Sanath Jayasuriya

'I took blows on my helmet, shoulder, knuckles... Batting was tough…’ says Sanath Jayasuriya

Calcutta: Sri Lanka’s senior-most pro Sanath Jayasuriya, who completed 20 years as an international cricketer on Saturday, felt that the Kotla pitch had “become dangerous.”

“I had to take guard on the second ball itself and it definitely wasn’t the best wicket to bat on... The bounce was too uncertain... Gradually, it got worse and the surface had become dangerous,” Jayasuriya told The Telegraph, on Sunday evening.

The 40-year-old added: “I took blows on my helmet, shoulder, knuckles... Batting was tough, but I had to stay put... Actually, because of the situation, my job was to just remain there...”

After doing the hard work for 94 minutes, Jayasuriya fell leg before, not to a quick, but to Harbhajan Singh.

He scored 31, the highest. The abandonment came seven overs later.

In an unusual coincidence, of the 22 players for the day, Jayasuriya alone featured in the abandonment in Indore, 12 years ago.

Sure, the Kotla pitch wasn’t fit for play, but the fact still is that today’s batsmen grow up in a somewhat soft environment, with every kind of protective gear available on the shelves. So, the alarm bells probably ring louder the moment the wicket does something out of the ordinary.

It used to be very different when, for example, Brian Close (1976) and Mohinder Amarnath (1983) stood up to the West Indies quicks...

(Source)

Sanath, Dilshan breach security cover, go partying at Kolkata | Manager denies reports

Sri Lankan cricketers, including senior batsman Sanath Jayasuriya and Tillakaratne Dilshan, gave the local police some anxious moments when they went for a night-out in the city without security cover yesterday.

According to sources, some members of the visiting team went partying at a bar at Camac Street putting local police in a tizzy.

The cricketers left the hotel at around 11:00 pm.

While some of the Sri Lankan team members returned early, Jayasuriya and Dilshan came back around 2:00 am, the sources said.

"Many of them went out but returned soon. Only the duo of Dilshan and Jayasuriya returned quite late. If somebody goes out of security, what can we do? They are all responsible cricketers," local manager of the team Samir Dasgupta said.

Sri Lankan team management, however, denied that the duo returned late and said they did not go for anyparty or fun.

"There was no concern as the cricketers had informed the management and police before stepping out. Notall cricketers went out, just a few of them had gone and returned in about an hour," Lankan manager BrendonKuruppu told PTI.

"There were policemen, hotel and security staff escorting them and they did not go for partying. And on top ofthat it was a day off for them," Kuruppu added.

Also on Tuesday, Dilshan went to the house of his Delhi Daredevils teammate Manoj Tiwari.
Incidentally, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Dilshan did not turn up for Wednesday's optionalpractice session.

Following the terror attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan earlier this year, security has always been aconcern.

(Source)

Is it time for Jayasuriya to call it a day ?

With 436 matches and more than 13,000 runs under his belt, Sanath Jayasuriya is undoubtedly one of greatest plaWiyers in the ODI pantheon. But like all good things come to an end, Sri Lanka's most explosive opening batsman is now in the last leg of his brilliant career.

He has gone through lean patches before. Like in July 2004, after two consecutive hundreds against Bangladesh and India, Jayasuriya's form went into a slump for 26 innings before he again broke free with a 114 against  Australia at Sydney in June 2006.

Then there was phase between March 2007 and June 2008 when he went without a big knock for 29 innings at a stretch. Before the slump started, he got a three-figure knock against the West Indies in their den.

The next one came in the 30th innings against Bangaldesh in Karachi. Jayasuriya topped that with another one against India at the same venue six days later.

That Jayasuriya has scored one hundred and two 50s in his last 20 innings may not sound very alarming but there is a marked difference in his approach now. Earlier, when Jayasuriya was on song, one could hardly differentiate a good ball from a bad one.

He has this uncanny knack of playing a short-arm pull on a good length ball on or outside the off stump, and deposit it over the square leg fence.

But now Jayasuriya waits for a loose ball to pounce on it. Even in the first match against New Zealand on Tuesday, he waited and waited before he got out caught at thirdman, trying to create space to cut a rising ball.

Rivals no longer think about plotting Jayasuriya's downfall because he doesn't look to be the same fearsome batsman he once was. However, the Lankans are not willing to pull the curtain on his career yet.

"It is nothing like that," says his former opening partner Romesh Kaluwitharana with whom he terrorized the world, exploiting the field restrictions in the first 15 overs.

"Santh is still the same batsman. He is going through a lean patch alright but he will come out of it soon. I have seen him do that in the past and I am sure he will do it now too," he added.

His current opening partner Tillakratne Dilshan thinks that he is just one knock away from regaining his old touch. "One good innings and people will again see the same Sanath of yesteryears," said Dilshan. "Moreover, he is very fit and he has no injury worries. Lean phases do come in a cricketer's career, it is nothing permanent," Dilshan said.

"And if Sanath is fit and wants to continue, Sri Lankan Cricket will never stop him from competing," added Kaluwitharana.

Source  

'Age does not worry me' - Jayasuriya

Sanath Jayasuriya: "As long as I am playing well and performing that's the only thing that I worry about."

He's nearing 40, but Sanath Jayasuriya, who says age does not worry him, seems to be enjoying the shortest version of cricket. Today, he dominated Trent Bridge, smacking 81 off 47 balls to lead Sri Lanka to a 15-run win over West Indies.

The win ensured a 100% record for Sri Lanka in Group C, the 'group of death', and though it came in an inconsequential match, will help Sri Lanka - who fielded an unchanged side from their previous win against Australia - continue the momentum into the Super Eights.

Jayasuriya, along with Tillakaratne Dilshan - whom he compared to Romesh Kaluwitharana, his comrade in arms in the World Cup-winning team of 1996 - launched Sri Lanka's innings in imposing fashion with an opening partnership of 124. His confident strokeplay ensured the run-rate never dropped below ten. "When I drove through extra cover in the second over, I knew it was a perfect shot and that I was hitting the ball really well," Jayasuriya said. "I needed to continue so I just watched the ball and if it was pitched in my zone, I always hit it hard. Everything was working well for me today. As long as I am playing well and performing that's the only thing that I worry about, age does not worry me."

Jayasuriya regretted missing out on scoring Sri Lanka's first Twenty20 international century, but said he was focused on getting more runs on the board. "It's a bit disappointing because whoever is set is expected to bat the full 20 overs, but at the end of the day as a player and as a team we wanted to win the game."

He praised Dilshan, who at times outshone him in strokeplay as he completed his second fifty of the tournament. "Dilshan is playing really well and you get a lot of confidence when you are at the other end with him," Jayasuriya said. "Some of the shots Dilshan plays are unbelievable, especially the flick shot over the wicketkeeper's head. I can't improvise the way he does and I haven't even thought of it. It is a bit dangerous but Dilshan is brave enough to play it. The way he played allowed me to play my natural game. Opening with him reminded me of the days when I had Kaluwitharana as my partner when we won the World Cup."

With Sri Lanka in the Super Eights, Jayasuriya said they were taking one match at a time. Their next opponents are Pakistan on Friday and he is confident that with the variety they have in their bowling line-up they stand a good chance in the tournament.

Super Sanath Jayasuriya strikes form, Lanka beat Windies by 15 runs

Sanath Jayasuriya may be turning 40 at the end of the month but his demolition of the West Indian attack, which paved the way for Sri Lanka's 15-run victory at Trent Bridge, was as violent as any innings played during his heydays. In the absence of Chris Gayle, Jayasuriya ensured that the crowd had its fill of massive hits, blitzing 81 off only 47 balls, and his occupation of centre stage was so complete that Tillakaratne Dilshan's second half-century of the tournament was largely overshadowed until after his dismissal.

The West Indian bowlers made novice errors while bowling to Jayasuriya. They often gave him too much width, allowing him to free his muscled forearms and launch the ball over the off side, instead of cramping him for the room he loves. They bowled too short and too straight as well, giving Jayasuriya the space to lift the ball off his pads. Denesh Ramdin, West Indies' captain for the day, was forced to make frequent bowling changes but none of his bowlers were able to break Sri Lanka's opening stand before it caused severe damage. Jayasuriya and Dilshan added 124 for the first wicket in 12.3 overs, and Dilshan took charge thereafter to steer Sri Lanka towards a match-winning total.

Jayasuriya's innings today ended a period of poor Twenty20 form: he had a quiet IPL and his scores in three innings since arriving in England were 26, 1 and 2. He certainly didn't look out of touch today, though, tearing into Fidel Edwards' first over by launching the first ball through cover and the third over cover for fours, before pulling a short fifth ball powerfully over deep backward square leg.

He was aggressive against all comers, slashing Dwayne Bravo in his first over to the boundary, sweeping and reverse sweeping Sulieman Benn, and powering Kieron Pollard to the long-off boundary. And when Edwards returned after everyone else had failed to take a wicket, Jayasuriya attacked him once again, carving the first ball over the point boundary, pulling two short balls for fours behind square, before chipping a wide one past the wicketkeeper. Edwards' two overs cost 37 runs and he wasn't given the ball again.

Jayasuriya dominated the early scoring, contributing 32 out of Sri Lanka's first 40 runs, but Dilshan eventually emerged from his shadow with astonishing improvisation. He moved across his stumps to Pollard's first ball, bent down low, ready to play the scoop and sent it flying over the wicketkeeper's head for four. Dilshan may not have even been looking at the ball as he made contact but it was no fluke. He had played it against Australia and he did it again against Lendl Simmons. Dilshan went on to cut Pollard over point for six and a four during a first over that cost 19. He rattled Pollard, forcing the bowler to abort his run-up by getting into position extremely early to repeat his scoop, and even reverse-swatted Benn for four. He switched to a higher gear after Jayasuriya was dismissed, finished with 74 off 47 balls.

West Indies withered under the onslaught: Benn dropped Dilshan at short third man and Andre Fletcher let one pass him on the fine-leg boundary. The last bowler Ramdin turned to, however, proved to be their best. Simmons first struck in the 13th over, trapping Jayasuriya who attempted a reverse-hit when a century was there for the taking, and his next big wicket, that of Dilshan, was also a result of a failed reverse-sweep. Those two strikes from Simmons helped keep Sri Lanka under 200.

Chasing 193 is a daunting task but even more so when a team is without their most dangerous hitter. West Indies had rested Gayle, who suffered a knee injury during his razing of Australia, because this match was, for all practical purposes, a dead rubber. They were dented further when their other half-centurion against Australia, Andre Fletcher, lost his leg stump to a slower full toss from Lasith Malinga.

Simmons, who opened in Gayle's absence, showed some fight, mowing Ajantha Mendis to the midwicket boundary and reverse-hitting him past short fine leg. West Indies' cause was aided by sloppiness in the field: Jayasuriya and Malinga both conceded five wides and Xavier Marshall's 14 included five overthrows.

West Indies had raced to 65 for 1 after six overs but a passage of play during which they lost three wickets in seven balls ruined their chances of victory. Muttiah Muralitharan landed the first punch, inducing Simmons to edge to first slip, and Mendis struck twice in an over, getting rid of Marshall and Shivnarine Chanderpaul. West Indies had slipped to 73 for 4 and even though Bravo, who reached his 50 off 37 balls with a thunderous six over long-on off Malinga, and Ramnaresh Sarwan shared a 77-run partnership, the innings had lost too much momentum and there was always too much lost ground for the batsmen to make up. Sarwan and Pollard startd the final over needing 28 but managed only 12.

The victory put Sri Lanka on top of Group C, the toughest pool in the preliminary round.

Source : Cricinfo

Jayasuriya to play for Bloomfield against Tamil Union in Coca Cola Premier limited overs tournament final

Two equally good teams Bloomfield and Tamil Union will clash in the Sri Lanka Cricket organised Coca Cola Premier limited overs tournament final at the R. Premadasa Stadium today.

Both teams have experienced mixed fortunes on their way into the final but are confident following their success in the two semifinals. In fact Bloomfield produced a fine performance to beat the giant killers Chilaw Marians SC in the first semifinal while Tamil Union had the better of NCC by 36 runs.

Bloomfield finished on top of the points table at the completion of the preliminary round with a total of eight victories and one loss from ten outings. Their solitary defeat came at the hands of Colts CC during the latter stages of the tournament.

Tamil Union were placed second in the points table with a total of seven victories and two defeats from their ten outings. They suffered two defeats at the hands of Colts CC by four wickets and Chilaw Marians SC by 21 runs.

The final is of great significance considering the fact that the clash between the two teams in the preliminary round tournament did not materialise and was abandoned due to bad weather.

The good news for Tamil Union is the return of the champion off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who is set to play only his second match of the tournament according to their assistant coach Trishen Nonis. The new vice captain of the Sri Lanka team will spearhead the Tamil Union bowling attack along with Isuru Udana (18 wickets) and Suranga Lakmal (14 wickets). The Tamil Union batting will revolve around Gihan Rupasinghe (292 runs), Ashan Priyanjan (283 runs) and skipper Muthumudalige Pushpakumara (253 runs).

Bloomfield of course have a strong team on paper and will be boosted with the return of dashing middle order batsman Tillekeratne Dilshan who will lead the side. He will also have the services of all rounder Chinthaka Jayasinghe who has scored 335 runs with three fifties and captured 19 wickets.

The other top run getters in the Bloomfield side are Chamara Silva who has a tally of 375 inclusive of four half centuries and Saman Jayantha 343 runs with three fifties.

The champions will receive a cash award of Rs. 750,000 and the runners up will receive Rs. 500,000. In addition special awards will be presented to the Best Batsman, Best Bowler, Man of the Match and Player of the Series.

The teams.

Tamil Union (from): Muthumudalige Pushpakumara (captain), Gihan de Silva, Muttiah Muralitharan, Suranga Lakmal, Sajith Fernando, Sachithra Serasinghe, Ashan Priyanjan, Jeewan Mendis, Gihan Rupasinghe, Lanka de Silva, Isuru Udana, Madawa Perera, Malinga Surappulige, Anton de Livera, Sanjeewa Chaturanga, Viraj Perera and Pubudu Chandrasekera.

Bloomfield (from): Tillekeratne Dilshan (captain), Shanuka Dissanayake, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tharanga Lakshitha, Saman Jayantha, Chinthaka Jayasinghe, Anoj Ketapearachchi, Ranga Dias, Prasanna Jayawardena, Chamara Silva, S. Mendis Suraj Mohamed, Nuwan Pradeep, Sanjaya Gangodawila, Tharaka Gunaratne and Thilina Masmulla.