Sports
Tharanga leaves with unfulfilled promises
by Rex Clementine
You can see why some of the finest brains in our cricket are pushing for Tom Moody to be Director of Cricket. Moody is pretty good at spotting talent and once he picks a player, he backs him no matter what. He has this ability to convince all concerned – selectors, board, captain, media and even fans that someone is worth investing on. Upul Tharanga was one such. What a start he had to his career. The elegant left-handed batsman announced his retirement from cricket yesterday. His 6941 runs in ODI cricket is the most by a current Sri Lankan batsman. Only seven other Sri Lankans scored more runs than him.
Tharanga hails from Ambalangoda and made his First Class debut at the age of 15 for his native Singha Sports Club. Later he moved to Colombo and represented NCC with whom he has stayed for 18 seasons now and could go on for a few more.
No Sri Lankan player had the impact that Upul Tharanga had in the first year of his international career as he scored hundreds in places like Christchurch, Lord’s, Leeds, Ahmedabad, Mohali and Bogra. Tharanga’s ability to excel in tough conditions was hailed as a hallmark of a player who would go onto make a big impact in the game. Moody’s theory was that anyone who scores runs overseas is going to be a vital cog in the wheel.
But Tharanga didn’t go onto have a prolific career and should have averaged more than 33. When The Island met Moody a few years ago when he had landed in Colombo on a commentary assignment, he pointed out that leaving Tharanga out of the side was a blunder. He went onto add that once you identify talent you needed to persevere with them giving them assurance that they are being well looked after.
Tharanga was so pleasing to the eye like most left-handers. There have been hundreds scored by him when he did not score a single boundary in the on-side. In fact, the on-side was used only to rotate the strike. The boundaries came through exquisite cover drives, powerful cut shots and the occasional straight drive.
Viv Richards’ favourite opposition was England. So was Upul’s as he averaged 48 against them. Some of his knocks against England attacks had a telling impact on the game – like during the quarter-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 at RPS.
England were so horrible in one-day cricket those days. They managed only 229 in their 50 overs batting first. Sri Lanka responded by chasing down the target without losing a wicket with more than ten overs to spare. That was some beating. Both Tharanga and T.M. Dilshan finished with unbeaten hundreds.
When Sri Lanka completed a 5-0 whitewash in England in 2006, Tharanga scored two hundreds in the series. One at Lord’s and the other at Leeds. The second one was special as this was the game that completed the 5-0 drubbing. England had posted a highly competitive 321 batting first and were confident they could avoid the humiliation of a whitewash at home. But Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya were devastating that day adding 286 runs for the opening wicket in some 191 balls. Sri Lanka won with 12 overs to spare and so brutal was the attack that Kabir Ali and Vikram Solanki never played for England again.
Tharanga also had a brief spell as Sri Lanka’s captain and unselfishly went lower down the order to accommodate young players top of the order. His stint was troubled by slow over rate offences with allegations emerging that a senior fast bowler slowed down the over rate deliberately in order to get the captain suspended. Crooks are everywhere in cricket. Poor Tharanga suffered in silence. He was a gentleman par excellence.
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Kusal Mendis 143 and Avishka Fernando 100 as Sri Lanka finish on 324
Kusal Mendis crashed 143 off 127 balls, Avishka Fernando hit 100 off 115, and together the pair put on a 206-run stand that formed the bulk of Sri Lanka’s 324 for 5 in Dambulla.
Only 49.2 overs of Sri Lanka’s innings was possible, with a shower coming down to prevent the last four balls from being delivered. Right at the start of the match, another shower had forced a 40-minute delay.
Still, with the surface offering only modest turn, this remains a commanding score at the venue as no team batting second has ever made more than 289. New Zealand will hope the ground remains wet so that the balls Sri Lanka have to operate with are damp, and come on to the bat a little quicker.
Seamer Jacob Duffy was the best of New Zealand’s bowlers, claiming 3 for 41 from his 8.2 overs. He’d had the dangerous Pathum Nissanka caught at deep third for 12, then dismissed Kusal and Charith Asalanka in his death-bowling spell.
The spinners were less impressive. Mitchell Santner conceded 53 from his 10 and did not take a wicket, Ish Sodhi gave away 62 from his 10 though he did end Avishka’s innings, and Michael Bracewell took one wicket but went for 73 from his nine overs, having been hit for two sixes and a four by Kusal in his final over.
Early on, Kusal and Avishka gained significant momentum through the powerplay, in which Sri Lanka scored 57 runs. In the fifth over, bowled by Duffy, Kusal smoked a straight drive, then crashed a short ball in front of midwicket to hit his first two fours of the innings. Next over, bowled by debutant Nathan Smith, Avishka lifted him down the ground, then swivel-pulled him over the fine leg boundary for six.
That period did have a hiccup – Kusal was dropped on 11 by Duffy, who could not hold a sharp return catch. But otherwise Sri Lanka’s progress was smooth. Though the pitch had been expected to take some turn, there was only a little turn for New Zealand’s spinners. Kusal and Avishka settled into a steady rhythm of accumulation, both batters using the sweep to good effect when the New Zealand bowlers delivered consecutive dot balls.
Avishka was also strong over cover, going inside out repeatedly, while Kusal found runs square of the wicket on the offside. They both milked the bowling of Sodhi and Bracewell, neither of whom were able to build pressure over substantial periods. Kusal got to his fifty off the 64th ball he faced, before Avishka got to his own half century – his ninth – off his 60th ball.
They raised the tempo slightly after getting to those milestones, but largely batted in the same gear. Avishka was dropped on 77 by Sodhi in the outfield, though the fielder only really got fingertips to the chance. Kusal got to his century first, in the 37th over, off 102 balls. Avishka got there in the 38th. For both batters, this was their fourth ODI ton.
Avishka was out soon after, caught at mid off, but the partnership had delivered Sri Lanka to the brink of the death overs. At his fall, the total was 222 for 2 in the 39th over.
Both Kusal and Asalanka were effective through the last 10, Kusal largely bashing spinners down the ground, while Asalanka found runs square of the wicket. The rain returned with Asalanka being caught on the square leg boundary for 40 off 28.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 324 for 5 in 49.2 overs (Kusal Mendis 143, Avishka Fernando 100, Charith Asalanka 40; Jacob Duffy 3-41, Michael Bracewell 1-73, Ish Sodhi 1-62) vs New Zealand
[Cricinfo]
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Sri Lanka opt to bat; three ODI debutants for New Zealand
Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka won the toss and chose to bat in the first ODI against New Zealand, in Dambulla, saying he expected the surface to become worse for batting as the match wore on. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said he did not mind bowling first, with there being the possibility that rain and a wet outfield later, which may impede bowlers operating in the evening.
New Zealand have three debutants in their XI. Opening batter Tim Robinson and wicketkeeper-batter Mitchell Hay get their ODI caps, having played the T20Is over the weekend. For Nathan Smith the 26-year-old seam-bowling allrounder, it’s his first international in any format.
Adam Milne, who has replaced the injured Lockie Ferguson in the squad, having arrived in the country only on Tuesday night, was not available for selection. Jacob Duffy will be the other frontline seamer, with Ish Sodhi, Santner, Michael Bracewell and Glenn Phillips offering the spin options on a track expected to take turn.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have brought back left-arm quick Dilshan Madushanka They have also been hit by an injury, with Wanidu Hasaranga ruled out. Jeffrey Vandersay replaced him in the XI. There are plenty of bowling options from among the top seven, with Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis and Janith Liyanage all capable of putting in a few overs.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka (capt), Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Dilshan Madushanka, Asitha Fernando
New Zealand: Tim Robinson, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Mark Chapman, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy
[Cricinfo]
Sports
Sri Lanka face setback with Hasaranga injury
Rex Clementine at Dambulla
Sri Lanka’s preparations for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand have been dealt a blow as key leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out with a hamstring strain. Hasaranga’s absence leaves a significant gap in Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, as his wicket-taking ability has been instrumental in Sri Lanka’s recent success. In his place, Dushan Hemantha has been drafted into the squad, while Jeffrey Vandersay is expected to play in today’s first ODI here in Dambulla.
“It’s a setback, of course, but Jeffrey filled in for Hasaranga during our recent series against India and performed admirably. We’ve been working on building our depth, and players are rising to the challenge when called upon,” said Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka.
The stakes are high for Sri Lanka, ranked sixth in ODIs and just behind New Zealand in fifth place. A series victory would elevate Sri Lanka into the fifth spot, a target Asalanka’s team has had in sight all year.
“Our focus this year has been on climbing the rankings. We started from a lower position, so we’ve made a conscious effort to improve and rise up the ladder. We’ve been making strides in all formats, and this series is a chance to achieve a goal we’ve been working towards—securing that fifth position,” Asalanka explained.
Despite the injury setback, Asalanka remains optimistic about the team’s bench strength and believes the squad is prepared to take on New Zealand.
On the other side, New Zealand have also been hit by injury, with their star pacer Lockie Ferguson sidelined due to a calf strain. Ferguson’s absence comes as a relief to Sri Lanka’s middle order, which struggled against his fierce pace in the recent T20 series, where he claimed a hat-trick to seal a five-run victory for New Zealand in the second match. Adam Milne has been called in to replace Ferguson, though he is unlikely to be available for the series opener.
“It’s a big loss for us. Lockie brings intensity to our attack with those high-energy spells. But Adam Milne, who has similar skills, should step in soon,” New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will be entering the ODI series with limited recent experience in the format, having not played an ODI this year. While this could pose a challenge for the visitors, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner expressed confidence in his side’s preparedness.
“It’s not ideal, but most of the team has been involved in domestic one-day games recently. We know Sri Lanka is a tough opponent, and they’ve proven that with their performances against the West Indies,” Santner remarked.
Santner also addressed concerns around New Zealand’s batting, which faltered in both T20 games, underscoring the importance of a strong start from the top order. “Our lower order has chipped in, but our top order needs to give us a solid foundation. The pitch here looks like it’ll turn, though there’s more grass than on the T20 surfaces,” he noted.
Sri Lanka’s captain, meanwhile, is focused on bouncing back from their recent T20 loss, where they struggled to chase a modest target of 109 runs. Asalanka vowed that his side would approach the ODI series with renewed determination.
“We were disappointed by that last game, no question. But what counts is how we respond now. We’re ready to make our mark and put in a strong performance tomorrow,” he affirmed.
Sri Lanka (From):
Charith Asalanka (Captain), Avishka Fernando, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (Wicketkeeper), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Nishan Madushka, Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Mohamed Shiraz.
New Zealand (From)
: Mitchell Santner (Captain), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Adam Milne, Zak Foulkes, Dean Foxcroft, Mitch Hay (Wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Nathan Smith, Ish Sodhi, Will Young.
Umpires:
Rod Tucker (Aus) and Ravindra Wimalasiri (SL).
Television Umpire:
Langton Rusere (SL)
Match Referee:
Graeme Labrooy (SL).
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