Coming colours no good

If the incidents that took place in Hobart are an indication, then the coming colours are no good for the Sri Lankan cricketers who are in Australia to contest the Commonwealth Bank Trophy along with the home team and India.

First veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya was struck on the jaw missing hooking a bouncer which cut required six sutures and then selector on tour Don Anurasiri had an egg on his back, flung by an individual when he was returning to the hotel with Muttiah Muralitheran, Nalin de Alvis, the computer analyist and Lal Thamel the masseur. Cricket Australia was quick to apologise for the ugly incident and have promised to step up security.

There is no doubt that the two off spinners Muttiah Murtalitheran and Harbhajan Singh would be marked for teasing by the spectators when they take the field. The Aussies are mad that a more severe punishment was not slapped on Harbhajan.

As for Muralitheran, the Aussies are smarting that the bowler erased Shane Warne's record number of Test wickets. Muralitheran has not been spared on every visit down under.

When he comes on to bowl, especially against Australia, the spectators who would have guzzled a lot beer, will shout 'no ball' or 'chucker'. And the noise could be deafening.

But Muralitheran is aware that it is only in Australia, that he is being teased and by now would be knowing how to cope with these louts and get on with his job, that of capturing wickets and helping his side to victory and possibly the Commonwealth Bank Trophy for the first time. It is surprising that no one asked him not to go to Australia.

As long as the spectators do not mouth racist remarks well and good. But if they step over the line, reports have it that Cricket Australia have set in place the mechanism to nab the culprits who would be heavily fined. It is hoped that the triangular series would be played in the best of spirits and without untoward incidents.

Jayasuriya bounced

That Sanath Jayasuriya the dashing opener had been struck on the jaw missing to hook a bouncer means that his reflexes are failing. And Jayasuriya must understand that with age, he is more liable to suffer injury.

The left hander will do well; to cut out the hook shot and let the ball sail safely to the wicket keeper. To attempt to hook could be disastrous. Usually Jayasuriya would have sent the bouncer over the ropes. But one hopes he has now got the message.

Even with the helmet on he suffered a nasty cut. But the Lankan camp must be smiling because the injury would not keep Jayasuriya out of the game against India at the Gabba, today.

Tough for the Lankans

Sri Lanka who front up to India in their first game will not have it easy. The Indians have played a lot of cricket in Australia and are in good nick.

The first game between Australia and India was abandoned owing to rain and the two teams share a point each. The Indians did well to recover and hit back at the Aussies.

Duckworth and Lewis came into play because of the bad weather and when the game was nicely poised, a heavy downpour prevented any further play.

India and Sri Lanka would be hoping that the weather keeps fine and allow a full quota of 50 overs a side.

The Lankans when they were last there, did well to enter the best of three finals, but failed to move on and win the trophy. They will certainly not be found wanting for lack of trying this time.

The mockery again

The mockery that is T-Twenty cricket was enacted again when the Australians bashed the Indians by nine wickets in Melbourne on Friday.

Once again it was the cricket crazy near 90 thousand crowd that was taken for a very costly ride. The game that the organizers promised to be an exhilarating contest ended in a whimper. The best way to describe it is not mismatch, but no match.

The Aussies stung to the quick by the unsporting incidents that took place, showed their displeasure as they just rubbed the Indians into to the Melbourne Cricket Ground dust and enjoyed a roller coaster ride to victory.

The Indians after winning the toss and after the early run out of Virender Sehwag, showed little or no interest, as they threw in the towel for the Aussies to canter to the post without hardly raising a sweat.

The ones to suffer in this mockery were the spectators. The game was billed as 20 overs aside. But what finally happened was that the game as a whole ended with nearly 12 overs to spare. If that isn't a mockery? Then tell me what is.

The crowd that paid to watch a 40 over match were robbed. Not only robbed also fooled. Instead of leaving the arena, the crowd would have got their point across to the International Cricket Council which has been messing things up in recent times, had they remained and demonstrated, demanding a refund of a part of their money. That would have been a just request.

This mockery has gone to prove, that there is only two types of cricket that has a place in society and that is the established Test cricket and the 50-over cowboy game. To introduce clown cricket to rake in the shakles is not cricket. There is enough money in the game as it is, so don't rubbish or down grade it.

Imagine the Board of Control for Cricket in India selling the TV rights of their T-Twenty tournament for one billion dollars.