The New Nation - Internet Edition

The most thrilling and most interesting part of the Commonwealth Bank Series, 2008 being played in Australia has been showcased by the Srilankans today at Melbourne where after winning the toss the Lankan tigers, for a change, elected to bat and made the miracle to the astonishment of both Australians and Indians who very much wanted Sri Lanka to lose today so that that team could be projected a sick contingent.

This is first time that the Srilankan cricketers played a systematic game at both ends, displaying the bating as well as bowling-cum-fielding caliber.

With an elegant knack of bating, the boys from the Ocean Island scored an amazing 221 runs using all allotted overs (Run rate ended at 4.42) with M Jayawardene (51) and T Dilshan (62) taking full control with their bats, though the team had to sacrifice all batsmen.

A Gilchrist scored an outstanding 83 runs from just 50 balls, almost shaking the confidence level of the Sri Lankans. But with Gilchrist's fall the trend was twisting in favour of the Lanka, though at the end B. Lee and N Bracken once again resumed agressive posture chaning the trend to sink the Lankan winning boat.

However, the Lankans declined to budge and pulled down Lee and pulled off the stumps, without letting the hosts to use up all the 50 overs.

Although the Sri Lankan team has lost the chance to play the finals, they have indeed done the final match they played remarkably well and would return home with full honors.

It is a rare match when the worst team defeated the best team in the latter's turf. In fact, had they played before the kind of game they did today at Melbourne by concentrating on both parts of the match each time, they would have reached the final to clinch the series as well. But future is always there.

Dr.Abdul Ruff

Delhi, India