Sanath’s has been an unbelievable story - Mahela Jayawardene

With 9,120 runs in Tests and 8,702 in ODIs, Mahela Jayawardene is pretty qualified to talk about the two batsmen who’ve recently completed 20 years at the international level — Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya.

He has, in fact, been in the same dressing room with one and competed against the other.

Over breakfast at the Mount View Hotel, on Saturday, Jayawardene (a former national captain) spoke to The Telegraph on the giants. Sanath has, of course, retired from Test cricket.

For the record, Jayawardene has himself been around, at the highest level, for 13 years. In the ongoing IPL, he’s turning out for the Kings XI Punjab, captained by his Sri Lanka successor Kumar Sangakkara.

The following are excerpts

Thoughts on Sachin (36) and Sanath (40): Their records do all the talking... I don’t have to speak about the quality of their achievements, the world knows everything... What stands out is that they’ve been around for 20 years... To sustain the intensity for such a long period is amazing... They’ve been disciplined, they’ve been committed and they’ve been passionate. They’ve shown all the qualities of a champion sportsman.

On Sanath: He’s one of those unbelievable stories... Sanath emerged from a region (Matara) which hadn’t produced a really big name, came to Colombo and went about proving a point... Nobody before him came from way down south with such ambitions... Sanath established himself at a time our cricket was turning a page, getting away from the traditional way of playing the game... After the 1996 World Cup, thanks to the way Sanath and (Romesh) Kaluwitharana went about the first 15 overs, teams had to change strategy... Sanath didn’t change his game, rather every opposition had to plot differently... He helped us build our identity and didn’t listen to those who wanted him to change his approach... He had the confidence to deliver on his terms.

Sanath’s USP: Fitness, confidence... We aren’t surprised that Sanath has decided to contest the upcoming Parliamentary elections... He has, after all, the aura... This is a new challenge for him and he’s bound to be supremely confident... Sanath believes he can do anything and, who knows, may one day become Sri Lanka’s President! It’s difficult to stop somebody with such self-belief and so much confidence. Sanath has achieved everything in cricket, now he has set himself a different goal...

[In 110 Tests, Sanath finished with 6,973 runs and 14 hundreds; in 444 ODIs, he has 13,428 runs with 28 hundreds.]

On there being much to learn from Sachin and Sanath

Yes... Commitment, discipline and confidence... Both have been tops in commitment, have been most disciplined and have always been supremely confident... They’ve believed in a certain way of doing things and have backed themselves... Those with big dreams need to emulate what I’ve listed. Clearly, you can’t have better role models.

Finally, if he had a son, whether he would make him bat like Sachin or Sanath

(Laughs) No... I’ll tell you why... I believe it’s important to have your own identity. Sure, if I had a son, I’d like him to look up to Sachin and Sanath, but I’d also most definitely like him to be himself... To carve his own identity... If you try copying others, there’s every chance you could lose your way... Draw inspiration, but be yourself... Build on your identity... That, for me, is the only way forward...

(Source)

Sanath Jayasuriya vs Sachin Tendulkar - Finals | The Greatest ODI Batsman Poll by ESPN Star

After weeks of polling by Cricket fans allover the world, The Greatest ODI Batsman poll by ESPN Star has come to the Grand Final stage.

The winner will be announced by ESPN during the Champions Trophy pre show on Tuesday, September 22, 2009.

Lets look at whom they both defeated in the Road to the Finals.

Sanath Jayasuriya beat :  Saurav Ganguly, Viv Richards, Saeed Anwar, Adam Gilchrist,Chris Gayle, Michael Bevan and Dean Jones.

Sachin Tendulakar beat : Aravinda de Silva, Brian Lara, Mathew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Abbas, Gordon Greenidge.

This being Sanath Jayasuriya Blogspot, I request all you fans to keep voting for Sanath Jayasuriya - The One who changed the way cricket is being played today !

Link to Vote : http://www.espnstar.com/games/the-greatest-odi/game/

[Pics & Video] Sanath jayasuriya 81 in 47 balls vs West indies | ICC T20 WC London 2009

Video - Sanath jayasuriya 81 in 47 balls vs West Indies

Pictures

Sanath, Sachin should continue to open : Lalchand Rajput

Former Mumbai Indians coach Lalchand Rajput believes that the team could still make it to the semis provided the opening combination of Tendulkar and Jayasuriya is not disturbed.

"Sanath and Sachin are world class openers and on their day they can win matches single handedly. A few failures in the early part of the tournament should not tempt the team’s think-tank to change this combination because I am sure they will come good soon and start performing continuously”, Rajput told Cricketnext.com on Monday.

"Sanath, when on song, is a nightmare to the best of bowlers and if both Sachin and Sanath start firing on all cylinders, no bowling side in the world will be able to contain them and to disturb such a combination will only be disastrous to the Mumbai Indians. The team management should have little patience," the former Indian coach added.

"Moreover, most of the matches the Mumbai Indians lost were very close matches and could have gone either way. So this is not the time to panic and unsettle the team by making changes at the top but to be patient and reassure the players that everything was fine and the team management would back the openers to the hilt," Rajput observed.

"If at all the think-tank wants to experiment with new openers, than they should do so against teams which are languishing at the bottom of the table like Kolkata Knight Riders so that even if the new pair flop not much damage would have been done to the team’s position on the points table," Rajput added.

[Video] | Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya 127 of 92 balls Partnership against KKR

Superman Jayasuriya and Batman Tendulkar

Marvel comics once had a rare issue where Superman and Batman appeared together. For many readers, it seemed odd to think of these icons occupying the same space. No room was big enough for the two of them.

Last week in Port Elizabeth, a similar pairing took place at the IPL. Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar, two cricketing superheroes, blasted a 100 run opening stand in just 52 balls. In the first IPL season, Tendulkar scratched around and then was injured. Jayasuriya revelled in the format, outshining Tendulkar. So, the dream pairing took a long time coming.

The wait was worth it. The Mumbai Indians’ openers were ruthless, but thoroughly entertaining. Tendulkar took the bowling by the scruff of the neck. He hit as many 4 sixes in the first five overs. There was an astonishing pulled six off Ishant Sharma, that showed that aging hero’s relexes were in tact.

With the floodgates open, Jayasuriya took centre stage after the fifth over. He had been starved of the strike and had added just 8 in a 45 run stand.

What followed was carnage, even by the hyperbolic stands of the IPL. Jayasuriya played his traditional drives over the legside boundary. Ganguly and Gayle were exposed as mediocrites. The pair never played a crude and contrived shot. No cross bat heaves were seen. Every step was as measured as in the old days of ODI cricket, when openers just blocked.

There was a poignant moment when Jayasuriya whispered advice to Tendulkar about Ajantha Mendis’ tricks. Mendis was not spared by either. Mendis looks a misfit in 20:20 cricket. Though he has vast variations, he lacks the crucial ingredient of spin bowling - flight. His inadequacies outside the subcontinent were made cruelly apparent. He was lifted for 2 sixes by each of the batsmen in his second over.

Also, Mendis’ fielding is clumsy. He looks lazy and uncoordinated, belying his 23 years.

On the surface, these two have many things in common. Their longevity in the game is striking. Both Tendulkar and Jayasuriya (who at 39+ is nearly 4 years older) made their international debut in 1989. 1989 is a year that will always be associated with the fall of Berlin Wall. The Cold War may have ended in that year, but the debuts of these batsmen may linger longer.

Both were the dominant batsmen in their sides for a generation. Tendulkar has a far superior test pedigree. Jayasuriya’s record overseas is several planes below Tendulkar’s. But in ODI cricket, there is little to choose. In fact, Jayasuriya has delivered in tournament finals, much more often than the Indian.

They are similarly built. Both are short, stocky and with powerful upper bodies. Jayasuriya seems fitter and stronger than Tendulkar who bears the burden of recurring knee injuries.

But that is where the similarities end. The two have vastly different origins. Sachin Tendulkar’s rise was facillitated by the patronage of powerful godfathers in Bombay. Ever since, he raised a world record 664 run stand with Vinod Kambli in school cricket, he was singled out for a great future. As 14 year-old, he was already thought of as a batting genius. A trip to the archives of the India Today and Indian Express in the late 1980s will reveal early eulogies of a pubescent maestro.

He did not disappoint. As a 15 year-old, he hit centuries on debut in each form of first-class cricket - Ranji trophy, Irani trophy, and Duleep trophy. In fact, was bitterly disappointed to be excluded from the 1989 tour to the West Indies at the age of 15. When he made his debut against Pakistan in late 89, a permanent place was certain. The rest is history.

While Tendulkar took the elevator to stardom, Jayasuriya took the stairs. Jayasuriya struggled in obscurity. His humble origins in Matara, a minor town in a minor Test nation, stunted his early growth. In the 1989 Sri Lanka B tour, he ravaged Pakistan with two successive double centuries. This achievement caught the attention of the selectors, who picked him for the tour of Australia that year. But, it took a long time for him to cement a place. He lacked the connections in Colombo.

Eventually, justice was done. By the late 90s, Jayasuriya had not only become the leading batsman, but also the captain. He struck fear in bowlers and was billed the ‘Matara Marauder’.

Jayasuriya has the added asset of left arm spin. In fact, with nearly 100 Test and over 300 ODI wickets, Jayasuriya could have commanded a place as a spinner. He is a superior all round fielder. Most of all, he excelled as a leader. He led Sri Lanka to nine test wins in a row and won the ICC trophy. Tendulkar’s intensity was his failing. His spells as Indian captain were unhappy. Tendulkar may be a better batsman, but Jayasuriya is the better cricketer.

Sachin and Sanath were absolutely amazing : JP Duminy

What a match we had on Monday! It was one of those days that everything just went our way and we got our basics right. Sachin and Sanath were absolutely amazing and just took the game away from Kolkata Knight Riders. They are the kingpins of the team, and watching them lead from the front was a boost for us youngsters who watch and learn from them.

Sachin and Sanath were my heroes while growing up and being in the same dressing room has been a great experience for a young guy like me. It was even more of an honour to share Sachin's birthday celebrations with him! Batting with him was amazing, too, and I hope I get more opportunities to do so.

Yesterday, the bowlers were spot on, especially Lasith, Nayar and Bravo who just went through the top order. Perhaps the big score we posted took some of the pressure off them, as they did not have to worry about defending a small total and were able to just play their game. Nayar is shaping up well and turning out to be a good all-rounder -- look at the way he smashed Flintoff in our first match, against Chennai! All in all, I think we have a very balanced side with good team spirit and are looking good for the upcoming games.

One of those will be tomorrow when we take on Kings XI Punjab who have won two matches on the trot now. We will really have to concentrate against them and play like we did yesterday. We may be on a high now but still cannot take them for granted as they can be very destructive. Irfan -- who can do a lot of damage with bat and ball -- Yuvraj, Sangakkara, Mahela and Bopara can really hit out. We will have to bowl well and a couple of early wickets will do wonders for us.

Yuvraj is one of their key players, and I remember him hitting Stuart Broad for 36 in one over here at Kingsmead during the ICC world T20. But we have world class bowlers in our side and it will take a great effort from him to repeat that act. We will also have to be careful of Yusuf Abdullah, who has been doing quite well of late.

Having Jonty and Pollock to advise us definitely gives us an edge over most teams. I have learned a lot from Jonty, who has worked with us in the national side too, and Pollock brings so much knowledge and insight of the grounds and conditions with him.

I was looking forward to playing my first IPL in India. Even by watching it on TV last year we could get a feel of what a great experience it was. It is big in South Africa, but back in India it would have been special. Still, I am enjoying the experience of meeting and learning about different players, countries and cultures. To the fans back in India, keep supporting us even though we are not there. Hopefully we will do you proud and bring the trophy back home

Even today, I don’t take my place for granted: Sanath Jayasuriya | Interview

Iconic Lankan, about to complete 20 years at the top, on opening



Port Elizabeth: Sachin Tendulkar is international cricket’s senior-most pro, but his Mumbai Indians teammate Sanath Jayasuriya made his first appearance for Sri Lanka just weeks after Sachin’s. So he too isn’t far off from completing 20 years at the top.

A champion bat (6,973 runs in Tests and 13,151 in ODIs), the 39-year-old Sanath has few peers. The ‘Matara Blaster’, who has quit Tests though, spoke to The Telegraph at the Garden Court here on Sunday evening.

The following are excerpts

What goes into the making of a quality opener?

(Grins) Plenty of hard work, the willingness to undergo hours and hours of nets... Concentration... Confidence... You’ve got to back yourself against the new ball.

What goes into the making of a quality opener?

(Grins) Plenty of hard work, the willingness to undergo hours and hours of nets... Concentration... Confidence... You’ve got to back yourself against the new ball.

Technique factor

That’s there, yes... I’ve had to work hard as I wasn’t blessed with what some would say a tight technique... I didn’t see that as a handicap, though, and worked that much harder... In fact, even after almost 20 years of international cricket, I still work on my technique... Of course, the very basics have to be correct from the beginning.

On middle-order batsmen being promoted to open

That’s possible, I too started my career in the middle-order... Adjustment is the key and if one can adapt, then what’s the harm?

Whether his idol had been an opener

My hero was Viv Richards, but I’d been a big fan of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes.

Favourite openers (alphabetically)

Maravan Atapattu: Had such a good technique... I could play my normal game if he was at the other end, because his presence gave such confidence... I didn’t have to worry... Maravan knew his strengths and waited for them to be put into play. He had so much patience, which came from mental toughness of a high order.

Sunil Gavaskar: Had such class and a presence at the crease... Tight on technique and a confidence-giver to the team.

Gordon Greenidge: What an attacking opener! Could hit the ball anywhere... His mental make-up was to attack and attack...

Matthew Hayden: Great presence and an attacking approach... Wanted to dominate from the first ball and got his runs at such a fast clip. Backed himself to deliver.

Desmond Haynes: I loved his approach, he’d demolish bowlers smilingly... Had all the shots and a tighter technique than Greenidge. Also, came across as more relaxed of the two.

Virender Sehwag: Another attacking opener and in both versions... The pace at which he scores allows the team to dictate terms... To set the agenda for the match... Once set, Sehwag gets the big ones... His hundreds, in Tests, have come in a few sessions and not in two days...

The importance of footwork

Footwork is a requirement, but I feel the hand-eye co-ordination is probably more important.

Country where opening has been most challenging

Look, all countries offer some challenge or the other, but one’s biggest test is opening in England in the early part of summer... April-May... Whatever the conditions, once one adjusts, one is bound to enjoy.

Message for emerging openers

Work hard and enjoy your cricket...

What keeps him going?

(Grins) Getting into the Sri Lanka team wasn’t easy (back in 1989-90)... Even today, I don’t take my place for granted in ODIs... The love for cricket has much to do with my continuing to play ODIs and this T20 game... I retired from Tests (in 2007-08) because I thought it was time for Sri Lanka to blood somebody young.

Whether he’s looking to the 2011 World Cup

Can’t say that I’ll play till then... To do that, I’ll have to keep following a process... Staying fit, getting runs and adding value to the team. Let’s see how it goes.

Finally, getting out for 340, when it seemed he could’ve gone for 400, in the 1997-98 Test series against India at home

I was destined to get that many only... I wasn’t meant to get a 350 or reach 400... That’s how I look at it... Not getting more hasn’t been a regret.

Jayasuriya and Tendulkar overwhelm Kolkata | Images

Many a time over the last 15 years or so fans of this great game have wondered what it would be like if Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya opened together in a limited-overs game and really turned it on. Today they got a glimpse.

The two masters of the limited-overs game, with a combined age of nearly 76, treated Port Elizabeth to the cleanest, purest exhibition of batting that this season of the IPL has seen. Tendulkar paved the way with a sublime innings and Jayasuriya followed suit with an explosive hand, the veteran pair combining to raise a century stand in 52 balls that flummoxed Kolkata Knight Riders. That stunning opening assault formed the crux of Mumbai Indians' 187 and though Kolkata restricted the damage with six wickets for 48 runs after the tactical break, the damage had been done. Their only realistic chance at victory rested on their explosive openers' shoulders but once they were gone inside three overs the chase was basically kaput.

Mumbai's first five overs were busy, without being spectacular. Tendulkar was beaten a couple times by Ishant Sharma but upper-cut a six and flicked a four in Ashok Dinda's first over. That set the tone for a busy innings, taken up a level when he pulled Ishant for six from outside off stump.

While Tendulkar whisked the ball off his pads and slapped through point, Jayasuriya didn't get much strike. His first shot in anger was a chip just over extra cover's fingertips and a signature clip to fine leg followed. Mumbai were 45 for 0 in five overs. What followed was carnage.

Jayasuriya, who was on 8 as Tendulkar scurried to 30, launched Sourav Ganguly's gentle military-medium stuff for consecutive sixes; Tendulkar swept Ajantha Mendis for six; Chris Gayle went for ten in six balls; Mendis was dumped for two sixes by each batsman in his second over. Tendulkar's fourth six, a deft pick-up over midwicket off Mendis, raised his fifty from 34 balls. Jayasuriya had blasted 33 from 13 balls. The 100 was up in 8.4 overs. When the tactical break was taken Tendulkar was 60 off 39 and Jayasuriya 43 off 21, Mumbai 111 for 0.

For a man who has only played one international Twenty20, Tendulkar batted with amazing fluency. He got the wrists into play superbly, pulling and cutting hard, and used his crease to negotiate the pacers. Mendis wasn't even allowed to settle; Gayle was effortlessly reverse-swept.

There were no crude shots, no cross-batted slogs from Tendulkar and Jayasuriya. This was clinical hitting - each veteran knew the field and backed himself to pick the gaps. It was the experience of 1138 combined international games coming together in a mesmerizing mosaic of boundaries. In between clearing his front leg to lift Mendis there were clever late dabs from Tendulkar, neat tickles from Jayasuriya.

That assault was in stark contrast to the second half of Mumbai's innings, when Kolkata regrouped. The scoring slowed after the break and Tendulkar fell to Laxmi Shukla, looking to take the ball from off stump and work it to leg. Harbhajan Singh strode in, clubbed 18 from 8 balls, and sent a full toss to deep midwicket. Jayasuriya looked for width but instead chipped to cover for 52 from 32 balls. Then Abhishek Nayar was run out, Dwayne Bravo top-edged to the deep, and Shikhar Dhawan edged Ishant. Gayle bowled a decent last over and Mumbai were unable to end on with a flurry.

Kolkata needed almost 9.5 runs an over inside a stadium rumbling like a Jay Z amplifier, and the pressure of chasing a large total under lights affected the Kolkata openers early in their innings. Brendon McCullum shouldered arms to his first ball before he steered Lasith Malinga to point. Gayle thumped Bravo for the 150th six in the IPL only to edge his West Indian team-mate to slip.

Sourav Ganguly wasn't allowed to come onto the front foot and so he used his feet to loft Bravo down the ground for six and four, and with that try for some momentum. But Ganguly struggled to find the boundaries thereafter and Brad Hodge never really threatened with 24 off 22 balls. Both were to fall against the tidy seam-up bowling of Nayar in successive overs, the last nail firmly hammered into Kolkata's coffin.

Nayar, Bravo, Zaheer Khan and Malinga didn't have to do much but keep it near the stumps and wait for an urgent shot. Each struck rather easily and the rest of the batting card made for disappointing reading as Kolkata fell short by 92 runs. From 71 for 3 when Hodge fell, Kolkata folded for 95 in 15.2 overs.

A powerful batting display was followed by an efficient, shining effort in the field, aptly demonstrating that Mumbai pretty much have all the bases covered.

Jayasuriya, Sachin run riot as Mumbai Indians trounce Kolkata Knight Riders

The Mumbai Indians hammered the Kolkata Knight Riders by 92 runs in game 17 of the IPL at Port Elizabeth tonight.

“It’s a rare treat for us…we are not going to see this everyday,” gushed a South African journalist as Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya inundated St George’s Park with a flurry of boundaries and sixes.

Half centuries from the legendary opening pair of Tendulkar and Jayasuriya helped Mumbai reach a mammoth 187/6 from their 20 overs, before ‘Slinga' Malinga and the rest of the Mumbai pace attack routed the Kolkata batting for just 95.

With Tendulkar winning the toss, it was no surprise to see him decide to bat first, with Port Elizabeth being notoriously famous for being very difficult to bat under lights.

Tendulkar and Jayasuriya opened the batting for the Indians, up against a back in-form Ishant Sharma, who took 2-36 in that heart-breaker of a game against the Rajasthan Royals in Kolkata's last outing.

The Knight Riders made one change to their line-up, dropping an out-of-form Ajit Agarkar in favour of Ashok Dinda, who had himself made way for medium pacer Anureet Singh in the previous game.

The Knight Riders lost Anureet Singh to a twisted ankle in the very first over, as the youngster dived to stop a beautifully timed glance from Tendulkar. It was to be a big blow for the Kolkata team, as the rest of the bowling was ripped to shreds on the night.

After scoring just 4 runs from an impressive first over from Sharma, the Indians exploded in the 2nd, as Tendulkar smashed the first ball he faced from Dinda for a 6 over a third-man. He continued to plunder runs in Dinda's opening over, hitting the medium-pacer for another boundary to take the Indians to 15 for no loss at the end of the second over.

An outstanding third over by Ishant Sharma was ruined by a wide which went for four, and a short delivery on the final ball which Sachin graciously reunited with the boundary hoardings. Sharma had earlier beating Tendulkar thrice in the over, for the last time tonight.

Dinda was hit out of the attack as he went for 12 in his second over, Jayasuriya and Tendulkar tearing the inexperienced pacer apart.

Ishant was brought on for his third over, as McCullum, now desperate for a break through went for broke. Tendulkar however was in no mood for forgiveness as he dragged a ball from well outside the off stump over deep midwicket for a huge six.

Jayasuriya got into the act too, hitting first change Saurav Ganguly for a 16 in his first over. Tendulkar then went after Ajantha Mendis in his opening over, hitting the Sri Lankan mystery spinner out of the ground with a huge slog sweep.

McCullum turned to West Indian skipper Chris Gayle for respite, but Jayasuriya planted Gayle's second ball on the fine leg roof.

The Mumbai Indians raced to an imperious 86 for no loss in just 8 overs.

Tendulkar and Jayasuriya continued the carnage in the following over hitting Mendis for a six each. Tendulkar also brought up his half-century in the same over, off just 34 balls.

Tendulkar and Jayasuriya safely negotiated the curse of the 11th over, taking just 7 runs off it. Jayasuriya got to his 50th the following over, taking just 26 balls to reach the landmark. Jayasuriya had almost gone unnoticed at the other end, with Tendulkar having most of the early strike; his half-century was amazingly 8 balls faster than Sachin's.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla proved that he was lucky bowler no. 7 for the Kolkata Knight Riders finally picking up the wicket of Tendulkar, shuffling across his stumps, only to be caught plumb in front for 68 off just 45 balls, an innings which included four 6s and six 4s.

Harbhajan Singh was promoted up the order to no. 3 with a license to thrill. He did just that for the few overs that he survived smashing 18 off 8 before he hit one straight down the throat of deep midwicket off Brad Hodge.

In the following over, Laxmi Shukla picked up his second big wicket of the day, getting rid of Sanath Jayasuriya, caught at backward point trying to accelerate the scoring rate.

The wickets kept tumbling for Mumbai as Kolkata mounted a spirited comeback. Abhishek Nayar ran himself out for just 3, and Dwayne Bravo also fell for the same score trying to heave the ball into the crowd.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla picked up his third wicket of the match, getting Shikhar Dhawan for 12, as the Knight Riders made a match of the encounter in the last few overs.

The Mumbai Indians though setting a record total of 187 for 6 at Port Elizabeth could and probably should have got more than 200 given their start. With the last five overs going for just 36 runs, the Kolkata Knight Riders would have believed that they were still very much in this game, especially if they were to get a good start from their big three - Gayle, McCullum and Ganguly.

The Kolkata Knight Riders however made a sedate start, looking to play themselves in under the difficult lights at Port Elizabeth. Malinga picked up the first wicket of the innings with the last ball of the second over, McCullum playing a tad too early to a ball that appeared to grip the surface, and JP Duminy taking a great catch diving forward at short point.

Chris Gayle responded in perfect fashion, hitting the 150th six of the tournament, dispatching a short one from Dwayne Bravo deep into the crowd over the longest boundary in the stadium.

Bravo made a brave effort off his own bowling when Chris Gayle chipped one back in the direction of the bowler. The chance however cost his team nothing as Gayle edged the next ball straight through to Sachin Tendulkar standing at one-and-a-half-slip.

Kolkata got their act together in the 5th over, taking 15 off it as Ganguly and Hodge got stuck into Dwayne Bravo.

Tendulkar rather surprisingly brought on Harbhajan Singh to bowl the last over with the fielding restrictions, and Ganguly took full toll of his former Indian teammate, dispatching him for a couple of boundaries through that magical off-side of his.

Zaheer Khan, who had been only used for the one over so far, was brought back by Tendulkar to stem the run flow, and the Indian pace ace responded to his captain's call, giving away just 3 runs off the seventh over.

Ganguly and Hodge took Kolkata through to 70 for 2 till the strategy-break, but the Knight Riders were dealt a killer blow losing Brad Hodge clean bowled by Abhishek Nayar for 24 off the second ball of the 11th over.

Running out of options with the required run rate climbing through the roof, Ganguly tried to take the attack to Abhishek Nayar, but only succeeded in hitting the ball miles high, presenting an easy catch to Dwayne Bravo in the covers.

Nayar made it a second one for the over as Arindam Ghosh fell for a golden duck, caught by Tendulkar at short midwicket.

As everything he touched turned to gold, Tendulkar kept wringing the changes, and each one resulted in a wicket. Dwayne Bravo picked up his second of the game, and then Zaheer Khan rather surprisingly his first of the tournament so far.

In a perfect finale to the match Lasith Malinga cleaned up the tail completely, knocking over the last couple of wickets to bring an early end to proceedings. The Kolkata Knight Riders were a shameful 95 all out, and Mumbai climbed back up to 3rd in the table with a crunching 92 run victory.

A visibly delighted Tendulkar spoke after the game, "Everything went according to plan. Maybe we could have got to 200, but everything else went right."

Sachin's hunger for runs unnerving : Jayasuriya | Interview

CAPE TOWN: One is on the brink of his 40’s and the other is still four years away from the wrong age. Both have their bags full with experiences and achievements and both of them are all praise as it comes to describe the other. The other day, it was Sachin who poured out his heart in admiration of the Sri Lankan ace; today it is Jayasuriya who, opens up to a TOI correspondent and returns his compliments for the master blaster.

When you speak to a cricketer who’s 39, has 110 Tests and a whopping 432 ODIs under the belt, nostalgia is bound to creep into the
discussion.

You’ve watched him play for so many years, admired those thunderous drives on both sides of the wicket and secretly hated his guts because he brought the Indian attack to its knees on so many occasions. Sanath Jayasuriya is still going strong, and Mumbai Indians must be thanking their stars that the dashing opener in on their sides.

On Tuesday, Tendulkar spoke to TOI in an exclusive chat and explained what makes Jayasuriya special. On Wednesday, it was Jayasuriya turn to return the compliment.

Excerpts:

Tell us something you’ve learnt about Sachin Tendulkar over the years...

When you talk about the gentleman’s game, he’s the perfect brand ambassador. Sachin is one of the calmest players in the game. He is so grounded, cool-headed and immensely talented.

What makes Sachin special?

Don’t ask me to start explaining what Sachin is like with the bat in hand. I don’t have words to do that. He’s the master, technically the best. His hunger for runs, the hunger for success, is unmatched.

But is it just about the runs or is there more to it? His attitude towards the game...

Yes, that makes him that more special. His approach to batting is simple and yet so dominating. Over the years, I’ve seen Tendulkar improvise, learn, adjust, dominate... just about everything. And he’s gone about doing it so quietly. He has always wanted to be the best; his hunger, the appetite can be very unnerving if you’re playing against him.

Have the two of you given yourselves particular roles as openers in IPL?

We decided that I’d go after the bowlers while he’d play the anchor role. We want one of us to stay out there for close to 15 overs and if we can do that then either one of us has the ability to change the face of the game. If you see the Cape Town match, we didn’t panic. Sachin was there and he went on.

That gives the team the option of any of the guys walking out and playing around us. If either me or Sachin stays around, someone like Abhishek (Nayar) can come and play a few big shots towards the end. It helps immensely.

Maestro’s Salute to the Ace: Sachin on Jayasuriya | Time for Sachin to sing Jaya ho!

Sanath Jayasuriya - the batsman, who at forty is equally fierce as his heydays, is yet another all time cricket greats to the followers of the cricket. But what he is in the eyes of another maestro? An excerpt of what master blaster Sachin thinks of the cricket’s old wine Jayasuriya!



CAPE TOWN: Back in 2008, Sachin Tendulkar was in Australia gearing up for the Test and One-day series when the call came from Reliance boss Mukesh Ambani asking the master batsman his choice of players to represent the Mumbai Indians.

Before Tendulkar could think of anyone else, the one name that came to his mind instantly was that of Sanath Jayasuriya. Buy him at any cost, was the reply.

It has been a year and half now that Tendulkar and Jayasuriya are a part of one team and that too as a dream opening pair.

In the last one year, Tendulkar has seen a lot of the Matara Marauder from close quarters, closer than the times when the left-hander was at his best and also his fiercest opponent.

Today, Tendulkar has the privilege to discuss the joys of batting alongside Jayasuriya. In an exclusive chat with TOI, he spoke about the man and the legend.

Excerpts...

Your views on Sanath Jayasuriya, the cricketer...

I had always known Sanath and admired him for his cricketing abilities. I knew him as an opponent, a fierce one, whose natural instincts make him one of the most dangerous of all times. He is a naturally gifted player and has the ability to dominate a game single-handedly. He has the shots, the power and the timing.

Now that the two of you are teammates, what is the general discussion that goes on between the two?

Of course, we discuss a lot of things between ourselves, but mostly we’ve done a lot of that over the last many years. We like to exchange notes, talk about the game in general. Now with him and me in the same squad, we discuss more about what we’re going to do as a pair. Plan ahead of the game, prepare, study the weaknesses of the opponent and strategise accordingly.

Is it decided that Jayasuriya will go after the bowlers while you will play the anchor role?

Yes, you can say that. He is very quick in getting off to aggressive starts, has a superb hand-eye coordination. So, we have mostly decided that it is he who will go after the bowlers, while I drop anchor.

Last year, you missed the first six matches. Did that hamper preparations?

It is great that we’re together this time right from the beginning. The last time, I wasn’t there, Harbhajan was missing and even Lasith (Malinga) was out. So, in a way, we were missing three key players. But this time with everybody around, there’s more freedom to try and do things differently right from the start.

Do you discuss batting with Sanath before or after every match?

With Sanath, everything is instinctive. Before the match, he might be very calm and might appear to be concentrating very hard. On the field though, he can get real destructive. He’s a responsible cricketer. However, we keep suggesting things to each other, like how to tackle a particular situation.

With the two greats joining their hands right from the start, the Mumbai franchise as well as the international cricket fraternity are waiting for some unforgettable cricket moments. After making a good head start, it is to be seen now; whether the magic of Sachin-Sanath dream partnership can take the team to the top in the Indian Premier League this season.

Mumbai Indians | Mission Possible with the greatest opening pair - Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar

Maximum: Sanath Jayasuriya hit the most sixes in IPL's first season

Sachin Tendulkar was fit only for the second half of the season, while his countrymate Harbhajan Singh got himself banned for slapping Sreesanth, of Kings XI Punjab, in the face. And while Shaun Pollock, of South Africa, did his best as the third-choice captain, it can’t have been easy inheriting a demoralised team that had lost its first three games.

Pollock may feel more comfortable in his new role as coach, particularly as the Indians are shaping up more convincingly this time around. They have done a couple of smart swap deals that have brought in Zaheer Khan from Bangalore and Shikhar Dhawan from Delhi — two very handy signings. And the $950,000 that they spent on South Africa’s Jean-Paul Duminy at the international player auction is looking even better business now than it did a few weeks ago. With a strong South African influence in the side, Mumbai should be able to compete with anybody when it comes to local knowledge.

English fans will be hoping to see a few appearances from Graham Napier, the sensation of last year’s domestic Twenty20 Cup. He is a good example of what can be achieved by players who specialise. Since Essex told him to focus on developing his one-day skills, at the start of the 2008 season, he has been a revelation.

Mumbai already have the leading six-hitter of the 2008 IPL in the shape of Sanath Jayasuriya — unquestionably their player of the year. When Jayasuriya batted with Tendulkar, the Indians were able to get away to some flying starts: their average opening stand realised 57 runs from just six overs.
The target this year should be to capitalise better on those early blitzes, and the presence of Napier and Dwayne Bravo, of the West Indies, in the squad should come in handy there.
Look out too for the spinners: Harbhajan through the middle of the innings, and India’s experienced slow left-armer Nilesh Kulkarni, now in his 15th season of top-flight cricket. There are few more under-rated players in the game.

Oddly, the shift away from India might help Mumbai relax a little more. There is a certain pressure that comes with representing the biggest and proudest city in the country. And the pitches at their home grounds weren’t always the easiest to play on, either. When they are let out in Cape Town, on the opening night of the 2009 tournament, they could find they play with a new-found freedom.

Key man: Sanath Jayasuriya

Likely starting XI: Sanath Jayasuriya, Sachin Tendulkar, Shikhar Dhawan, JP Duminy, Dwayne Bravo, Abhishek Nayar, Yogesh Takawale (wk), Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Dhawal Kulkarni, Lasith Malinga.

Dream of watching Jayasuriya and Tendulkar play together to come true for small towns in India

Move to shift IPL ties to small towns hailed

The Indian Premier League (IPL) organisers’ move to shift matches to small towns like Rajkot, Nagpur and Baroda has found favour from former Test cricketers like Praveen Amre and Kiran More.

Former Indian middle order batsman and Mumbai Ranji Trophy coach Praveen Amre praised the IPL commissioner Lalit Modi’s intentions to shift some of the matches to small centres as it gives the spectators over there to watch international players rub shoulders with each other.

"I think it is a fantastic idea because the spectators from small towns get an opportunity to soak-in the Twenty20 atmosphere. Their dream of seeing two of the world’s most destructive batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya play for the same team will be realized. And even from the point of security it will be easier to secure a city like Nagpur or Baroda than to spread security blankets on big cities," Amre told on Friday.

"I also respect the fears of the Central Government as the elections always need tight security. Also IPL is just a year-old baby, which has created a huge response world over, and if something goes wrong due to lack of security it might become very tough for the organizers to convince foreign players or their boards to send them back next year.

No player would like to go through what the Sri Lankans went through in Pakistan," he added.

Source: Cricnext
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Jayasuriya gets out Hit Wicket for the first time | SL vs Pak 2nd ODI 2008

2nd ODI: Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Karachi, Jan 21, 2009
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Over 5.5 Umar Gul to Jayasuriya

OUT, hit-wicket, what an unfortunate way to get out, short outside off, pushes it wide of cover and sets off for a single but his back foot just clips the stumps while he was attempting that shot. Crucial breakthrough

ST Jayasuriya hit wicket b Umar Gul 19 (34m 17b 4x4 0x6) SR: 111.76

Glenn McGrath cites Jayasuriya in his toughest XI batsmen

Glenn McGrath
April 29, 2007

I HAVE been invited for a beer at Mudgee by people I have never met - and I had one Test selector tell me he was disappointed he didn't get the chance to axe me.

It was all part of the fun of the last week of my cricket career.

In truth, leaving the game has not yet hit me. It may not be until Australia plays again, in the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in September, that it will finally hit home that I will never wear my country's colours again.

Physically and mentally I feel I could play for another two years. But it's time. There are other priorities in my life.

Test selector Merv Hughes, always the prankster, has a unique take on my retirement.

He told me that, as I effectively replaced him in the Test side in 1994, he was looking forward to getting square by sticking the knife in and ending my Test career.

He said he was disappointed I announced my retirement before he had the chance to swoop.

Merv, of course, was only joking, but I am pleased to be bowing out on my terms.

The first thing I want to do is get away from it for a while, unwind and see what options come up and what I want to do.

I do feel I have a role to play in the game, but I want to have six to 12 months away from it first.

Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper encouraged people to fax the team hotel to wish me all the best and I received some nice telegrams, including a couple from people I knew from my days growing up in Narromine. Another came from a cricket fan in Mudgee, who finished it by saying if I am ever calling through, please give him a bell and he will take me for a beer.

I might just get there.

It was terrific to get those sorts of messages because some time we are so focused on what we are doing, we forget that people outside our bubble are watching us closely and getting a lot of enjoyment from the game of cricket.

I feel pleased that I am leaving the game in good shape because there are a lot of young fast bowlers coming through.

My approach has always been simple. The less complex you make things, the less things can go wrong.

I always tell youngsters if you can bowl 99 balls out of 100 that can hit the top of off-stump, you will take wickets. They always seem disappointed by the simplicity of the advice, but it's the truth.

Finally, I've been privileged to have competed against some fine players in my career.

Here is my toughest XI to play against:

Mike Atherton (England): I respected him and he was one of themost successful opening batsmen of our era, even though Curtly Ambrose and myself had great records against him because he seemed to struggle with our extra bounce.

Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka): Others may have had better records but few were more dangerous. It is always a massive compliment to someone to say they changed the game, and his storming innings in the 1996 World Cup changed everyone's thinking about how to start one-day innings. Great natural flair.

Brian Lara (West Indies): I felt he was just in front of Sachin Tendulkar when at his peak. He was just a naturally gifted player with so much ability. Against spin, he was in a league of his own. No spinner ever had it over him and Muttiah Muralitharan always said he was the toughest he bowled to.

Sachin Tendulkar (India): More technically correct than Lara and on his day could really destroy attacks, but probably did not have as much natural flair as Lara. But who does?

Mentally strong enough to carry the hopes of a billion Indian cricket fans whenever he batted.

Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka): When he got a start on home soil in Sri Lanka you just felt you were never going to get him out. Was excellent for Sri Lanka in a tough era when they did not have the array of talent or experience that they have today.

Andrew Flintoff (England): Just pips Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock and Chris Cairns as an all-rounder because of his heroics against us on the 2005 Ashes tour. To swing the ball both ways at 145kmh throughout lengthy spells was pace bowling at its absolute best.

Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka): Averages in the high 40s with the bat in Test cricket and has also done some great work keeping to Muralitharan. If you have Murali in the team you would go for Kumar as keeper. He is an under-rated player with a great record. He pipped South Africa's Mark Boucher, a solid player for a long time.

Curtly Ambrose (West Indies): With his height, he could really get great bounce and he was one of those special bowlers who always had an extra gear. He barely had a bad day and he enhanced his aura by keeping his distance from opponents, including me.

Wasim Akram (Pakistan): Just a champion for what he could do with the ball. He could swing it at will both ways and the way he powered through the crease made him something to behold. He was on you before you knew it. He wasamazing.

Allan Donald (South Africa): Had great pace and a fine record for South Africa. I always got along well with him and for a long time our records were very similar.

Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka): Simply because of his incredible statistics, he has to go in here. But there were other spinners who I admired, Saqlain Mushtaq, Anil Kumble and Dan Vettori among them.

Cricinfo Awards : Jayasuriya and Mendis take ODI prizes

Virender Sehwag's match-winning 201 not out against Sri Lanka, and Dale Steyn's 5 for 67 at the MCG, which helped South Africa win a series in Australia for the first time, have been voted the best Test performances of 2008 by a Cricinfo jury. Sehwag's double-hundred won the prize for the Test Batting Performance of the year by a whisker from Graeme Smith's series-winning 154 not out against England at Edgbaston.

The winning ODI performances both came from the same match, the Asia Cup final between Sri Lanka and India:

Sanath Jayasuriya's 125 off 114 balls

and

Ajantha Mendis' 6 for 13.

"It was a breathtaking double-century and it came against a remarkable spin attack," Tony Greig, one of the members of the jury that voted on the awards, said of Sehwag's innings. "Sehwag is, and will be for a while, the most dangerous batsman in world cricket."

The rest of the jury comprised Ian Chappell, Sanjay Manjrekar, David Lloyd, Ramiz Raja, Daryll Cullinan, and five of Cricinfo's senior editors.

The lists of nominees, announced in the first week of this year, were compiled by Cricinfo's global staff. The winners were selected on the basis of a ranking of the performances by the jury, with the players who fetched the most points winning the respective awards. Smith's Edgbaston effort, a favourite, lost out by a single point.

Mendis has been hailed as one of the most exciting new talents in the game, and his win underlines his growing reputation. "Players like him are difficult to find. He is great for the game and we all want his magic to last," Raja said.

Sachin Tendulkar missed out on the jury awards, but he was clearly the favourite with Cricinfo's readers, winning in the Test and ODI batting categories in the Readers' Choice segment of the awards. Tendulkar's match-winning 103 not out in Chennai against England was voted the best Test innings, while his unbeaten 117 against Australia in the first final of the CB Series won the ODI title. The readers agreed with the jury in the bowling awards, though, with Steyn and Mendis taking the prize for Tests and ODIs.

Sehwag also won a number of titles in the Statsguru Awards, which are based on detailed data analyses of the year's performances. In both Tests and ODIs he was the batsman with the highest strike-rate in the year, and the one with the highest boundary percentage. Shivnarine Chanderpaul was the other big winner in the Statsguru Awards, taking the titles for Batsman of the Year, Most Consistent Batsman in Tests, and the one for highest percentage of team runs scored by a single batsman in Tests.

This is the second edition of the Cricinfo Awards. Last year's winners were Kumar Sangakkara and Zaheer Khan in Tests and Adam Gilchrist and Lasith Malinga in ODIs.

- Cricinfo

Sachin more consistent than Lara: Sanath Jayasuriya

Mumbai: The comparison between the two great batsmen of the modern era – Brian Lara and the man who surpassed his Test aggregate Sachin Tendulkar – will be made for a long, long time to come according to Sri Lanka’s star batsman Sanath Jayasuriya the Indian star is more consistent than the former West Indies skipper.

"In my opinion, Sachin is unquestionably the best player of the modern era. Brian Lara, the man he overtook yesterday, was his closest peer. But while Lara’s stroke-play was breathtaking and spoke of genius, Tendulkar wins over him for his astonishing consistency in a career spanning over 19 years," Jayasuriya wrote in this column for the Hindustan Times on Saturday.

"Right from the time he played his first game aged 16, he has scored runs like a machine against all opponents. Only in 2006, when he averaged just 24.27 did his form dip. And against the best in the world, Australia, he’s played some of his finest innings, averaging 56 with nine hundreds," he added.

"Sri Lankans have not been spared either. His record against us in 18 Tests is very impressive, seven hundreds at 64.38. And for us he has always been the prized scalp. Take Tendulkar and you are halfway to beating India. Now that is perhaps less true, but for over a decade it was how we thought," he said.