Records tumbled when Sri Lanka last played a World Cup match in this town 15 years ago. It was no different yesterday
Records tumbled when Sri Lanka last played a World Cup match in this town 15 years ago. It was no different yesterday!
|
| Job well done! Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga and skipper Kumar Sangakkara (second from left) are all smiles after the team's 139-run victory over Zimbabwe at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy yesterday. pic/AFP |
The last time Sri Lanka played a World Cup tie in Kandy, there were records galore. Their 398 for five against debutants Kenya in March, 1996 was the then highest total in ODIs. Plus, Aravinda de Silva and Asanka Gurusinha's 183-run stand was Sri Lanka's highest in the Cup. And De Silva's individual score of 145 is still his country's personal best with the willow in all editions of the Cup.
Fifteen years hence, as the islanders returned to the hill city ufffd albeit at a brand new stadium on its outskirts ufffd it was a case of them revisiting the past.
Though opposition was different, Sri Lanka's 139-run thrashing of Zimbabwe saw a plethora of records.
Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga raised Sri Lanka's best and overall second best partnership in the history of World Cup. And though Dilshan fell one run short of de Silva's 145, he became only the 11th cricketer to score a century and take four wickets in an ODI. However, had Mahela Jayawardene plucked on to a sharp chance offered by Graeme Cremer, Dilshan would have been the first ever cricketer to have scored a century and picked a hat-trick in an ODI. Jayawardene, who had taken a stunning single-handed catch diving to his left to dismiss Craig Ervine after Dilshan got Prosper Utseya stumped by skipper Kumar Sangakkara, got his hands to an edge off Cremer but could not hold on to the ball that was dying on him. However, man of the match Dilshan had no hard feelings for his vice-captain. "There are no regrets for missing out on the hat-trick," Dilshan said after the match. "In fact, had Mahela not taken a blinder a ball before the hat-trick ball, the hat-trick chance would not have been created."
Dilshan's wild celebrations on completing his maiden Cup ton, and ninth overall, gave an impression that he wanted to hit out at all his critics who had unnecessarily dragged him into a false dope test controversy on the eve of the match.
However, Dilshan denied it had anything to do with the dope story. "I was relieved to have finally scored a century. I was getting starts but wasn't able to get a big score," he said. "I don't read newspapers, so I just don't know anything about it (controversy)."
Well, we certainly believe you, Dilly, about having no hard feelings for Jayawardene, but do you really want us to take the other bit seriously?
