“Jokers” and “muppets” haunt Sri Lanka team

Marvan Atapattu dropped his biggest bombshell on chief selector Asantha de Mel and his three member committee accusing them of making Sri Lanka's cricket an international laughing stock as the team were left struggling to save the first Test against Australia here in Melbourne yesterday.

With a half century under his belt in Sri Lanka's first innings total of 211 and having nothing more to bat for after making 16 in the second essay, Atapattu sprang an ambush-like shock for journalists as he fired all over the conference room in a scathing attack on his country's selectors.

"Sri Lanka's cricket at this moment in time is not going in the direction it should go especially with a set of muppets headed by a joker. If they (selectors) had handled things properly we should have a good back up team. For some reason we don't have and at the age of 37 and 38 people have to come and play for Sri Lanka when it comes to tough tours like this", said Atapattu.
The joker he referred to was De Mel with whom he is having a running battle since the conclusion of the World Cup this year while the other selectors he called muppets.

Defending his team to the bone, the former captain reiterated he had no misunderstanding with players off the field but claimed outside interference was threatening team spirit as politics and commedical gains were becoming the priority.

"We are a happy dressing room but people from outside are trying to create unpleasantness while some ex-cricketers are issuing statements. The selectors are there only to go on foreign tours.

But with Sri Lanka facing a monumental task of still having to wipe out a first innings deficit of 260 runs or crash to a humiliating defeat against Australia without a fight, only a miracle could save the team when the fourth day's play begins today. At 80 for 2, after opener Sanath Jayasuriya attempted to lift the spirits of the team with some limited shots before edging a ball into the slips, Sri Lanka have nothing other than belief in themselves to avoid total humiliation.

On an optimistic note Atapattu said there was hope of saving the game. "We did not do justice to our talents. The pitch is much easier now in the second innings and we should be able to get partnerships going on the fourth day (today)", said Atapattu.Sri Lanka collapsed to 211 all out in the first innings largely due to the inability of the middle order batsmen to employ patience in the five day contest.