Cricket Australia has shown an amazing lack of respect for the Sri Lankan team and Brisbane fans by pulling captain Ricky Ponting out of today's one-day international and sending him to play in a four-day Sheffield Shield game in Tasmania.
The Sri Lankans celebrate their win over Australia in the second one-day cricket match in Sydney on November 5. Sri Lanka wrapped up the best-of-three series with their second win over Australia. |
Ponting, who missed the first ODI due to bereavement, will now miss the third game at the Gabba to get his head right in time for the Ashes series.
It is poor judgment on the part of Cricket Australia and a lack of pride in the one-day team which is facing a whitewash by the Sri Lankans. An already weak Australian team will be further weakened by the absence of its captain and best batsman. The Brisbane game is now seen by the administrators as a dead rubber and fans can justifiably feel let down.
It also raises into question Cricket Australia's commitment to the 50-over game. It has long been the golden goose since Kerry Packer's ‘world series’ but now it is slowly being strangled by an organisation tampering with its format and focusing on the riches that other forms of the game bring. The one-day game in Australia has been watered down to 45 overs of a split innings format and this is hardly raising the heart rate of cricket followers here.
Sri Lanka's short tour of Australia also has had little promotion, perhaps because Cricket Australia really didn't rate the Sri Lankans' entertainment value. Crowds have been down, with both Melbourne and Sydney dominated by Lankan supporters, with their drums, bugles and myriad flags. The Australian supporters have strangely been missing in action.
The question to be asked is whether Ponting now has his heart in 50-over cricket. It must be remembered that he opted out of the recent series in India and his presence in the current series is spasmodic. What is the greater glory for an Australian captain? Is it to lead his country against a worthy opponent or to slink off and play in a State game, which probably commands a couple of hundred spectators at the most?
Yet, Ponting wants to lead his team in the World Cup tournament next year.
Australia's national selectors also seem to have thrown in the towel in the current series. Greg Chappell, who is on the panel, believes with Sri Lanka's 2-0 lead and the series lost it would be "an ideal opportunity to provide Ricky with two solid weeks of red-ball cricket'' to prepare for the Ashes test in Brisbane.
Sri Lanka's performances Down Under have been brilliant. The team now has the real chance of a series clean sweep against a clueless Australia, which will be led by an even more clueless Michael Clarke.
The team is well-coached, well-drilled and well-led by Kumar Sangakkara and now commentators are seeing them as real favourites for the World Cup. They have thoroughly outplayed the No.1-ranked Australians in all facets of the game. In fact, the Australians looked like the novices monstered by a team with a lot of self-belief.
The Sri Lankans are riding on a high since the M&M treat in Melbourne. Mathews and Malinga put on an incredible show to beat the Australians into submission with a record 9th-wicket partnership when it all seemed lost for Sri Lanka at 8 for 107. The true qualities and talents of the Sri Lankans then came to the fore in Friday's game in Sydney. They batted, bowled and fielded brilliantly - a lethal combination which in the past has been on infrequent display.
There were some moments to treasure in the rain-marred game - none more so than Mahela Jayawardene's magnificent fielding to have Mitchell Johnson run out. Jayawardene's reaction time would have been a few milliseconds and it highlighted the new level of skills the Lankans have acquired.
It was also intriguing to watch the contest between Malinga and Cameron White who has been touted as Australia's main power hitter. With his lion-like, gold-tipped mane, Malinga toyed with White with clever changes of pace. White scratched around when lusty blows were needed and it must have been a relief for him when Nuwan Kulasekera finally knocked his off-stump over.
Kumar Sangakkara, who leads from the front with his commanding batting, is justifiably proud of his team. The Lankans have come to Australia with belief in their ability and the aim to send Muttiah Muralitharan out as a winner in his final tour here.There is much to like in this team which is tuning up well for next year's big event. The top order appears well settled and the lower middle order is bolstered by the rich, new talents of Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera. Mathews, an all-rounder, has shown his stupendous qualities as a batsman and when he is ready to bowl again it will add more strike power to the attack.
Perera has been a revelation to Australians. His bowling has been disciplined and accurate and his T20 cameo in Perth gave a deep insight into his talent. Suraj Randiv is also shaping up as a good replacement for Murali.
What is heartening for Sri Lanka is that these players are young but are showing maturity beyond their years.
Sangakkara and his men return to the Brisbane Cricket Ground where two weeks ago they demolished Queensland, and Sangakkara made a magnificent 110. The Gabba looks a picture, aided by recent rains. Forecasts are for a mostly fine day, with a top of 25C. However, whatever the weather conditions, the Sri Lankans have already brightened the cricketing world with their refreshing approach to the game.
Lawrence Heyn was a former sports editor in Colombo. He now works as production editor of a newspaper group in Brisbane. |
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