Mendis marvels to knock Bedser record out
fail us in trying to describe the excellent deeds with the ball by Sri
Lanka's newest spinning sensation Ajantha Mendis.
On Sunday at the P. Sara Oval, the mercurial lad from Moratuwa who
has continued to baffle and bemuse batsmen, specially the Indians once
again wove his magic and had the batsmen in a trance.
Imagine Mendis breaking a record that stood for 63 years. He did that
also against the Indians, when he claimed the wicket of Sourav Ganguly
and then showed that he was on the rampage when he removed Sachin
Tendulkar, both going leg before wicket unable to read which way Mendis
After his five wickets in the first innings of the final Test, he had
to have another wicket to equal the world record of 23 scalps the
England paceman Alec Bedser had against the Indians in 1945. He obtained
that and then when he had Tendulkar, he had lowered a 63 year old
Now for one who is playing in only his Third Test match isn't that
incredible. The unruffled and cool manner in which he goes about bowling
when given the ball is amazing to watch.
Skipper Mahela Jayawadena brings him on when the shine is still on
the ball, gives him an attacking field and then Mendis gets to work like
an artisan and the tumbling of the batsmen are his work of art.
To Bedser and during his time he was the scourge of all opposing
batsmen. Sporting England colours, he had the rare ability to move the
ball late both ways and had opposing batsmen all at sea.
Mendis is a clever spinner of the ball. Not one batsmen of this tour
has been able to play him with any degree of confidence. It is a case of
them groping, not knowing which way the ball will go and trusting in
luck without any confidents strokeplay.
IF the way he is going is an indication, then he is sure to rewrite
many more records. He has to be nurtured and nursed with the greatest of
care for his good and the good of the game.
P. Sara Oval
It was a wonderful sight that greeted me when I walked into the P.
Sara Stadium in Wanathamulla on the morning of the Third and Final Test
between Sri Lanka and India on Friday.
I was visiting my first club the Tamil Union after a few years and
the transformation that I saw was unbelievable.
Many a change has been in the pavilion and the surroundings for the
spectators have also been improved and every one could expect fine
comfort when taking in the action out in the middle.
As a tender cricketer I had taken in a lot of the Colombo Oval as it
was then known from the newspapers. My first sight was as a 15 year old
when coaches Edward Kelart, Francis Casiechetty and Prefect of Games A.
Gnanapragasam took the Benedictine team of 1957 with Lovellyn Rayen as
captain for a practice session.
It was like Alice being in wonderland. I stood again to take in the
first sights of this beautiful Oval and its imposing scoreboard that saw
some of the cricketing greats such as the lord of cricket Sir Donald
Bradman, the terrible Ws - Frank Worrell, Everton Weekes, Clyde Walcott,
Keith Miller, Neil Harvey, Lindsay Hassett and many others had shown
their prowess, including the great Mahadevan Sathasivam and Ivers
Gunasekera of Sri Lanka.
As a schoolboy I had the honour of playing with Sathasivam when the
marvel returned from his stint in Malaysia. Even to walk alongside the
great man was an honour.
I made my way to the imposing media box and having been to almost all
Test playing countries I can vouch for the fact that this can hold its
own against the best in the world. Good that it has airconditioned
While chatting with Ranjit Fernando, the former Benedictine and team
mate who was my wicket-keeper and now TV Commentator, in walked in one
of my captains at the Tamil Union Chandra Schaffter, who told "Fernando
I have come here to ask Elmo how he found his way in here". I got the
Now 'Schaffie' was one of the finest guys you could meet as a young
cricketer. As captain he was always inspiration and encouragement and
didn't I learn from him.
A medium fast bowler he had an action that could be termed poetry in
motion. And in batting he was a sixer hitting batsman. Now he is the
godfather of the TU and its ground and little wonder than that it is now
a work of art. Schaffie is now adopting the TU and the ground like one
of his own children. And the future is assured.
What the Oval now needs is more Test and other international matches.
More cricket and more innovations would be the order on this ground that
everyone says should have had the headquarters of the game here. But
sadly it is not.
The Sathi Coomaraswamy Stand and the Mahadevan Sathasivam Stand are
excellent monuments to these two gentlemen cricketers who did so much
for the club and Sri Lanka cricket. There is the Dr. Rayan Chanmugam, T.
Murugesar and Tryphon Mirando stands.
In 1960/61 when TU won the 'Daily News' trophy under Rex Breckenbrige.
I won the Best Bowler's award.
When Sri Lanka attained Test status and the First Inaugural Test
between England and Sri Lanka was played here in 1982, hopes ran high
that this venue would retain its importance and that more Tests would be
But sadly something went wrong somewhere and it was indeed a crime
that this wonderful venue was allowed into the limbo of the forgotten.
But now with the former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga taking
over the reins at the Interim Committee, the P. Sara Oval has come back
into the picture and we and all cricket fans hope that this tradition
The other day the Tamil Union, owners of the ground hosted a cocktail
party to all local and foreign journalists and showed them around and
Addressing the invitees, the president of the club C. T. A. Schaffter
thanked the chairman of IC SLC Ranatunga for inviting Tamil Union to
host a Test match and mentioned that after the inaugural Test, sadly the
Oval was neglected by SLC for reason unknown and Tamil Union is grateful
to the chairman Ranatunga for this kind gesture towards the club.
Lest we hurt someone by not mentioning his name, we say well done to
the TU for showing their ability and skills in excellently conducting
the final Test between Sri Lanka and India leaving nothing to chance.