Sanath Jayasuriya recalled for T20 and One-dayers against England

At 42 – people generally do not have a career in Cricket or for that matter in any sports.  In Sports and Politics as also in Cinema – quitting is an art.  Even top professionals have failed this art.  Gavaskar walked out in his prime form; Imran retired after a WC win – but there are many others who suffered ignominy of scratching around and getting dropped.  Clive Hubert Lloyd’s case deserves a special mention. 

The Lankans on a tour to England are to play a solitary T20 at Bristol on June 25 and 5 one-dayers from June 28 to July 9. The tour will end with two one-day games against Ireland and Scotland. The visitors are plagued by injuries with Dilshan also on the list and the news of Tharanga's failed dope test – still a comeback at 42 was only speculated. Now he has been picked to replace Upul Tharanga and send the English bowlers to all parts of the ground again.

It is very hard to believe that he was a bowler who could also bat.  He used to bat at no. 8 for Lankans in the early days.  In his playing days he was a nightmare for bowlers and Captains and many bowlers sighed relief when he announced retirement from Test way back in 2007 – he last played ODI more than a year back, a match in India which was abandoned due to poor pitch conditions and he made 31.    In 1996 WC he forged deadly opening alliance with diminutive Romesh Kaluwitharana and at least two pacers turned spinners in the savage attack – Phil Defreitas and Manoj Prabhakar.

Sanath Teran Jayasuriya born on 30th June 1969 is  now a Member of Parliament for the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance of  Mahinda Rajapaksa.  In his home town of Matara in the Southern province, he won with 74352 votes.

At the Padang, Singapore on 2nd April 1996 he struck in to Pak bowlers.  Poor Aamil Sohail made the cardinal mistake of putting Lankans in and saw the ball flying out of the ground so often.  Jaya raced to a 32 ball 50 – worse was to follow as he completed his 100 of 42 balls – the fastest ever at that time.  He was eventually out at 134 [score was 196/2] off 65 balls with 11 hits to the boundary and 11 over it.  He hit 4 successive sixes of Sohail.  In Sharjah later he tore Chris Harris with a sequence of 666642.

In 110 tests he amassed 6973 runs with highest of 340 against India ; in 444 One dayers he made 13428 runs with 28 centuries besides 322 wickets, next only to the legendary Sachin in terms of ODI runs and appearances.   He was not part of the Lankan squad in the WC 2011 in which SL reached the Finals.  In IPL 3 he was part of Mumbai Indians squad.

Though he has been selected, England can have solace that he has announced that he will retire from international cricket after Sri Lanka's first ODI against England on June 28, at The Oval.  Fans will ever remember him for the trademark cuts and savage pulls – sixes flying off his blade in the arc between extra cover and third man off the fastest of bowlers, his cavalier approach and his athleticism on the field.

Courtesy: http://sampspeak.blogspot.com/2011/06/recall-of-sanath-jayasuriya-and-ti...