SL Emerging Asia Cup Champs; Best reply to self titilating critics’ crickets on track

At a time when there is so much mean mouthing directed at the nerve centre of the county’s cricket, this Sri Lanka U-23 trophy euphoria of becoming the Emerging Asia Cup champions in many ways is the best shooting down critics’ answer Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has in its sleeve. Indeed, when newspaper obituaries are being written tearing down the country’s cricket and a certain week-end newspaper sports editor gunning for the man heading SLC to such tearing down lowly depths, this one triumph is a fitting bogging down trump card. After all, is not this the young find realization that Sri Lanka cricket had spelt out its 5-point pillar plan that this newspaper had so deftly breathed a fowling sarcasm; a self titillating sarcasm that borders on the knave to which the cricket establishment can offer an honest and broad smile of nothing but satisfaction that its cricket is on the right take off.

Indeed, that these young finds, who had just passaged from under-19 cricket to the next level with a bang of thrashing Pakistan by 5 wickets with 157 deliveries to spare on neutral venue  on Monday, is a highly significant new chapter;  a new turnaround chapter that speaks loudly to tear down detractors that Sri Lanka cricket is very much on song. For, it is the articulating lending muscle of feeding that mainstream national grid. Here, it is important to note that what SLC has been questing for in a long term drive has already found the sword edge in such a short course of time. Monday’s trophy glitter was built around a 3-wicket Man of the Match feat by all-rounder Shehan Jayasuriya, and an elegant 45-run knock from the enterprising opening batsman Sadeera Samarawickrema in the wake of a brilliant ton and a half against the British Lions. The former SL U-19 captain and Richmondite Charith Asalanka was the Man of the Series. It was the run-muscle to overhauling Pakistan’s 184. The Emerging Asia Cup champions led by Angelo Perera had in effect set in motion the wheels of an emerging new generation of Sri Lankan cricketers.

Scores:

Pakistan U23 133 in 42.1 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 26, Kushdil Shah 20, Hammad Azam 25, Usama Mir 26, Chamika Karunaratne 2/20, Wanidu Hasaranga 2/13, Shehan Jayasuriya 3/22)

Sri Lanka U23 134-5 in 23.5 overs (Sadeera Samarawickrama 45, Kithuruwan Vithanage 20 n.o., Wanidu Hasaranga 22 n.o., Sameen Gul 2/33)

A solid partnership between Kithruwan Vithanage and Wanindu Hasaranga took Sri Lanka home in just the 23rd over of the innings.

Shehan Jayasuriya was announced player of the match. Charith Asalanka bagged the player of the series award.

By Srian Obeyesekere

-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-