rapa
04-30-2007, 10:44 AM
Now I can imagine the disappointing experience of Indian and Pakistani cricket fans when they saw their teams been eliminated from the world cup in the first round it self. How ever, I feel more fortunate than they do, because the team that I backed up in this world cup, was eliminated from the tournament at the very last game of the tournament. And they gave a good fight, even in the last match. I was lucky enough to see the team that I backed up, ended up been at least the runners up. So I’m not disappointed.
Once a match is completed, we cannot change result of that match by talking about “turning points”. I think it’s useless now to discuss what went wrong for the Sri Lankans in the final. For one reason or another, Aussies has been able to continue their dream run in cricket world cups, taking the 3rd title in a row. A team that could play that consistent cricket, really deserve to be the world champions, no matter how much we dislike that team. Ausies are the real world champions in cricket at the moment. We are happy, we just came second only to the best team in the world. And, hopefully we will catch up with them sooner or later. It should happen one day. If Australia continues to win all the match they play like this, it’s against the nature. So, at least the nature will punish the Aussies one day :-)
The way Aussies play cricket these days is simply unbelievable. They are like carefully trained computer operated robots. When I look at Mathew Hayden, Gilly, Clarke and the team, it reminds me the mythical “Super Soldiers” project in The X-Files. These Aussies play their cricket just like that. Any human being can make mistakes. But not these Aussie cricketers. Just like Cyborgs, or Super Soldiers! (Are their wounds get auto cured like in the movies? That’s how Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson recovered from their injuries so fast. Right?)
The only chance I thought the Sri Lankans had at the beginning of the match was, that our player haven’t put their 100% effort in most of the matches prior to the final. There was always room for improvement. In comparison, Aussies played their 100% best in almost all the matches they played, so we couldn’t have expect then to do better in the final. Actually no room for improvement at all.
When I say, Sri Lankans haven’t put their 100% best in the matches prior to the final, is this. We haven’t seen the real Sanath Jayasuriya in most of the matches, including the Semi Final. Sanga was due for a big one, big time. And Dilshan haven’t delivered that magical run out so far in the tournament. We haven’t had a 100 runs partnership for the first wicket so far in the tournament. So, with all these room for improvement, Sri Lanka managed to get into the final convincingly enough. Therefore it’s fair for us to think that the final would have been the ideal match for all those extra effort to come out from the Sri Lankan players. A quick century from Sanath, with a 150 partnership for the first wicket with Tharanga, and then Sanga delivering his due ton would have been the ideal batting formula for Sri Lanka. Then in the field, Vass continue his excellent first spell, supported by surprise in swinging Yorker from Malinga, to get rid of Hayden in the second over would have added spice. Then, Dilshan comes into action and get Ponting run out with an excellent direct hit. Murali knocks Symonds off stump. All these would have been possible with the talent of Sri Lankans. But now it’s all imaginations. It never happened like that. It was Gilchrist all the way.
The innings by Gilchrist was never expected to be like that. 149 in 104 balls. If our bowlers managed to restrict him at least to run a ball, the result would have been much different in this match, given the fact that Sri Lanka lost by only 54 runs.
I am not disappointed about the Sri Lankan performance at all. Not even about their performance in the final. They have played brilliantly through out the tournament, including the final. But Aussies played even better, and we have to admit that. That’s what denied Sri Lanka the world cup. And I’m disappointed about that as a fan. I was preparing to do the celebration after 11 years. Now, we may have to wait for at least 4 years. Or more.
Mahela and the Team. Win or lose we are always with you. We are proud of what you’ve achieved for this country. You played this world cup with your natural raw talent. We are proud that we were able to find 11 people like you, out of only 1.8 billion populations to be only the 2nd in the world.
For us you are the champions. We awaits you with the red carpets ready in the Airport.
Labana sare Api Denawa Batay!
Once a match is completed, we cannot change result of that match by talking about “turning points”. I think it’s useless now to discuss what went wrong for the Sri Lankans in the final. For one reason or another, Aussies has been able to continue their dream run in cricket world cups, taking the 3rd title in a row. A team that could play that consistent cricket, really deserve to be the world champions, no matter how much we dislike that team. Ausies are the real world champions in cricket at the moment. We are happy, we just came second only to the best team in the world. And, hopefully we will catch up with them sooner or later. It should happen one day. If Australia continues to win all the match they play like this, it’s against the nature. So, at least the nature will punish the Aussies one day :-)
The way Aussies play cricket these days is simply unbelievable. They are like carefully trained computer operated robots. When I look at Mathew Hayden, Gilly, Clarke and the team, it reminds me the mythical “Super Soldiers” project in The X-Files. These Aussies play their cricket just like that. Any human being can make mistakes. But not these Aussie cricketers. Just like Cyborgs, or Super Soldiers! (Are their wounds get auto cured like in the movies? That’s how Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson recovered from their injuries so fast. Right?)
The only chance I thought the Sri Lankans had at the beginning of the match was, that our player haven’t put their 100% effort in most of the matches prior to the final. There was always room for improvement. In comparison, Aussies played their 100% best in almost all the matches they played, so we couldn’t have expect then to do better in the final. Actually no room for improvement at all.
When I say, Sri Lankans haven’t put their 100% best in the matches prior to the final, is this. We haven’t seen the real Sanath Jayasuriya in most of the matches, including the Semi Final. Sanga was due for a big one, big time. And Dilshan haven’t delivered that magical run out so far in the tournament. We haven’t had a 100 runs partnership for the first wicket so far in the tournament. So, with all these room for improvement, Sri Lanka managed to get into the final convincingly enough. Therefore it’s fair for us to think that the final would have been the ideal match for all those extra effort to come out from the Sri Lankan players. A quick century from Sanath, with a 150 partnership for the first wicket with Tharanga, and then Sanga delivering his due ton would have been the ideal batting formula for Sri Lanka. Then in the field, Vass continue his excellent first spell, supported by surprise in swinging Yorker from Malinga, to get rid of Hayden in the second over would have added spice. Then, Dilshan comes into action and get Ponting run out with an excellent direct hit. Murali knocks Symonds off stump. All these would have been possible with the talent of Sri Lankans. But now it’s all imaginations. It never happened like that. It was Gilchrist all the way.
The innings by Gilchrist was never expected to be like that. 149 in 104 balls. If our bowlers managed to restrict him at least to run a ball, the result would have been much different in this match, given the fact that Sri Lanka lost by only 54 runs.
I am not disappointed about the Sri Lankan performance at all. Not even about their performance in the final. They have played brilliantly through out the tournament, including the final. But Aussies played even better, and we have to admit that. That’s what denied Sri Lanka the world cup. And I’m disappointed about that as a fan. I was preparing to do the celebration after 11 years. Now, we may have to wait for at least 4 years. Or more.
Mahela and the Team. Win or lose we are always with you. We are proud of what you’ve achieved for this country. You played this world cup with your natural raw talent. We are proud that we were able to find 11 people like you, out of only 1.8 billion populations to be only the 2nd in the world.
For us you are the champions. We awaits you with the red carpets ready in the Airport.
Labana sare Api Denawa Batay!