AC de Silva: Murali - a bowler found in 100 years or so (5 Sep 1998)
Arjuna Ranatunga, the victorious Sri Lanka skipper and the other members of the Sri Lanka cricket team returned on Friday to the island after their historic win in the triangular cricket tournament with South Africa and England and they really put
06-Sep-1998
6 September 1998
Murali - a bowler found in 100 years or so
By A C de Silva
Arjuna Ranatunga, the victorious Sri Lanka skipper and the other
members of the Sri Lanka cricket team returned on Friday to the island
after their historic win in the triangular cricket tournament with
South Africa and England and they really put the icing on the cake
with that sensational win in the one-off Test at the London Oval.
Deputy Minister of Samurdhi, Youth Affairs and Sports Jeevan
Kumaranatunga and officials of the Sports Ministry and officials of
the Board of Control for Cricket, fathers, mothers of cricketers and a
host of well-wishers were present at the Bandaranaike International
Airport to welcome the team back.
Ranatunga said that the win in the Test match was something that he
and the team wanted to achieve. After winning the World Cup, to win a
Test in England was something that all wanted to achieve and we got
it," a happy and contented Sri Lanka skipper said that the press
conference held at the Bandaranaike International Airport's VIP Lounge
last morning.
He said that one of his last ambitions in his cricket career was to
win a Test in England and I was thrilled and it made all Sri Lankans
at home and even in England and say we want more Test matches against
England in England," said Ranatunga.
The Sri Lanka skipper said that he was not bothered at all at the
remarks made by England coach David Lloyd about Muralitharan. "We were
keen on correcting our defects and not bothered about our oppositions
bowlers arms, legs etc. Actually speaking, Muralitharan was determined
to do better and he did just that in England's second innings.
"Muralitharan is not merely a top-class bowler. He is an unbelievable
bowler who is found one in 100 years or so. It was important that we
had him on our side and we needed him to get wickets and he provided
us the results," quipped Ranatunga.
Started badly
Ranatunga said that though they started the tour on a somewhat badly;
losing a county game in two days, it gave the team added vigour and
happy team spirit prevailed and players were seen helping each other
and this helped the do well after doing badly in the first game.
In the Test, Arjuna Ranatunga surprised many critics when he won the
toss and put England to bat. He defended his decision and said it was
a collective decision of the team. "First the senior players decided
and then the whole team took the decision that we should play to our
strength rather than put it to other issues and were proved right."
Arjuna said.
"Of the young players, Ranatunga was particularly happy with the
performance of young Suresh Perera whose bowling improved. Pramodya
Wickremasinghe kept it tight, then Kumara Dharmasena kept the runs
down and let Muralitharan take the wickets. Sanath too bowled well. It
was a collective effort put in by the other so that Murali was able to
take the wickets," was how Sri Lanka got the wickets Ranatunga said.
Well timed
He said that Sanath Jayasuriya had an unhappy time at the start, but
he peaked at the correct time and the double century in the Test gave
back his confidence. Aravinda de Silva also reached at the correct
time and scored well.
Ranatunga said that many people didn't give a chance to the team
against England on their conditions. We won the one-day tourney and
the Test and in the all-important game, the English public were coming
to see us bat rather than see their own team bat - that could be seen
from the crowds present at the Test match.
The Sri Lanka skipper Ranatunga said that he was particularly
impressed with the performance of young keeper Prasanna Jayawardena.
He is one of the best keepers we have had for a long time since Mahes
Gunatilleke. There was a dark period when Sri Lanka didn't have a
second keeper to Kaluwitharana, but Jayawardena has filled that void
now.
"The batting of Mahela Jayawardena was good, then Russel Arnold is
another player for the future, observed Ranatunga.
Asked about the World Cup tournament in England next year, Ranatunga
warned against being too optimistic. "There is a long way to go for
the World Cup. We should be over-confident and think that we are
simply going to win next year's World Cup. We have to make methodical
preparations for it. We now know what sort of combination we need in
England and must take note that we will be playing slightly earlier in
wet conditions. We have a good team management and we will go towards
that tournament in a methodical manner.
Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)