Mahela was brilliant

By Ranil Abeynaike

Sri Lanka entered a World Cup final for a second time with a thoroughly professional performance in the semi final game against New Zealand. They outplayed their opponents in all departments of the game and were also the mentally tougher outfit. It was New Zealand who struck first, sending back the master batsman Sanath Jayasuriya for a single run. Although, Kumar Sangakkara failed to proceed, shortly after reaching double figures, the rest of the batting posted a very defendable total on the board.Run making was tough in the beginning, as it has been throughout this World Cup. From the very outset the Sri Lankans have been the team to adapt best to the conditions, play with determination to conquer the conditions and do so consistently. Full marks to them for not panicking during that early onslaught.

Only Sangakkara panicked for a brief second and had to pay the price for it. Then, the captain made amends for it. He had the company of Upul Tharanga who led a somewhat charmed life. The youngster must have had butterflies in his stomach, at least until a dozen overs had gone by. He slashed, edged, hit upishly, perilously close to fielders and got away with it all. It was his day and the 73 runs he scored was in fact the foundation that his skipper was able to build on.

What a difference it makes to a player when he has got runs under the belt in recent outings. Only a couple of months ago Mahela Jayawardena was struggling on the tour of India. He did not seem to be able to get the ball off the square. He was dropped at zero in the opening World Cup game against Bermuda and was able to collect some runs. The winds shifted from thereon. The runs began to come off his bat gradually.

The signs of a batsman in good touch can be judged by the manner in which he moves his feet to play the ball. The movements are precise, with the feet anchored and balanced, in position to strike the ball. There is little or no playing and missing and hardly any rush to play the stroke. All the movements are synchronized to achieve the best results. To add to all that, the mind remains tough – no succumbing to the pressure applied by the opposition.

Mahela Jayawardena displayed all that on the day, when it was essential, particularly after Upul Tharanga left him and Sangakkara and Jayasuriya also in the hut. Chamara Silva has been a rock of strength in the middle during this tournament. The pair had to hold the innings together. Another wicket at that stage could have given New Zealand a grip on the game.

The captain assessed the pitch precisely. He may have felt that a score of around 260 to 265 was competitive for his bowlers to defend. As the pitch settled to become easier for batting Stephen Flemming decided spin was the way to go in the middle overs.Tharanga had a good over, collecting twelve runs off a Vettori over. Daniel Vettori and Jethan Patel are two good limited over bowlers. With good use of the feet, calculated stroke play and knocking balls into gaps, runs could be got off them. Jayawardena played on that, waiting patiently. In fact it took him forty deliveries to reach twenty runs. That did not deter him at all, as he was looking for the end.

Silva was his usual busy self, hitting a big six and stealing runs in between, in the process. It was unfortunate for Sri Lanka that he fell to a very poor lbw decision. That brought T.M. Dilshan who is also another busy player always on the lookout for runs. Once Sri Lanka reached one hundred and fifty, they were able to regularly get boundaries and the six too and that is very helpful. When the bowling side can keep the batters away from hitting past the ropes that puts a lot of pressure.

As the innings reached the last ten overs Mahela Jayawardena was prepared to accelerate. He continued to play correct cricket strokes with minimum improvisation. Dilshan also joined the party and when Russel Arnold came in he too added to the black caps misery. None of the bowlers tried by Fleming could bowl consistently well. From the outset there were runs to be got.

The Sri Lankans went berserk in the last ten overs adding 101 runs, that is ten runs per over. Of this Jayawardena’s contribution was 69 runs. It gives an indication on how he put his foot on the pedal. The captain completed a top-of-the-shelf one day century and Sri Lanka reached 289 runs.

It was never easy for New Zealand to chase that score. Their approach was poor and aimless. They did not have a strategy on how to get to the target. Nine wickets were lost before 35 overs were completed and only a half century last wicket stand saved them from complete embarrassment. In the end an eighty one run win for Sri Lanka and a place in the finals.