Anti-climax to Mahela Jayawardene’s fairytale
Mahela Jayawardene struggled in the quarter-final against South Africa, and didn’t quite end his ODI career on a high. (Source: AP)
Can’t get worse, can it? Playing what turned out to be his last game for Sri Lanka in the coloured clothing, Mahela Jayawardene didn’t quite have a fairytale end, and he is himself to be blamed for that. It has been a very ordinary World Cup for the Sri Lankan maestro. Apart from the hundred against Afghanistan early in the tournament, he has only managed scores of 0, 19, 2 and 4 (recent). (Full Coverage| Points table| Fixtures)
The game against South Africa was the big quarter-final, just the kind of setting the classy right-hander has enjoyed in the past. Just about the right time to get back among the runs, and help Sri Lanka go all the way. Walking out to bat in the 20th over, a director-delight plot was ready – Lanka three down and Mahela joins Sangakkara in the middle.
But Mahela, much against the director’s wish, ran into Imran Tahir early in his innings. A bowler who has troubled him, a bowler against who Mahela has found going tough, and a bowler who was in between a fine spell of leg-spin.
Tahir was tossing, bowling them very very slow and playing with the batsman’s patience. Patience? Aahhh..Mahela has it in abundance, director would have thought. A nervy first over, play-and-miss and uncertain footwork pushed Mahela in a little hole. Director had a little frown.
Known to be a quality player of spin bowling, he was circumspect in the middle against Tahir and Duminy’s part-time off-spin. With runs not coming, the flashing scoreboard emerged as the second villain. Who cares about the scoreboard when the the ‘broism’ of Mahela and Sangakkara is on exhibition. Runs just flow, don’t they?
A couple of quiet overs, increasing pressure and the bubble burst.
Over 23.1: Tahir returns to bowl his third over on the trot to Mahela, and did just what the doctor, read director, never ordered – end Mahela’s stay at the crease. A half-tracker, too close to pull was played straight to Faf du Plessis. A nothing shot brought curtains down on a monumental career, and Sri Lanka’s World Cup dream.
Sitting in his chair, the director could have only admired the great man for what he had done in the past and tear his hair out for what he did on Wednesday. The Mughal-e-Azam-esque script, set for the grand end, had an abrupt one. Happy endings don’t really happen in the real world, and nothing would comfort the director more than Frank Herbert’s little gem.
“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story”
Mahela’s stopped at the SCG, and for years will be remembered for his contributions to Sri Lankan cricket.
Source:: Indian Express
