Tendulkar disappointed as Sri Lanka win via the D&L way

Colombo (Sri Lanka) - Messrs Duckworth and Lewis, who carefully designed a rain-affected run-rate system to suit English conditions, helped caused a near riot on the field in terms of run scoring than a crowd disturbance in what became a bemused corner of the sub-continent yesterday.

India may have won their last Aiwa Cup game against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club, but it was the Lankans who qualified for Tuesday's final at Premadasa Stadium courtesy of the D&L magic carpet ride into mysteryland.

As the sun started to set on the Sinhalese Sports Club the hosts scrambled their way to the required 232 needed off 40 overs to edge ahead on run rate for the final against World Cup champions Australia. In the end they scored 247 for nine - 23 runs short of the victory target projected over 42 overs.

What a pity there was a 50 minute stoppage. The recalculations and the ensuing chase saw the balance of the game swing towards Sri Lanka and overshadowed a quality 23rd LOI century by Sachin Tendulkar after which temper tantrums crept into the Indian game as the stage was again prepared for yet another scorching innings from Sanath Jayasuriya. He did not disappoint, either, neither his youthful support troops.

Certainly the on the field boilover by Venkatesh Prasad and Ajay Jadeja did not help Tendulkar direct his fielding tactics. It was not quite a vintage Tendulkar performance, if you feel that a 26-year-old can be regarded as a veteran, but Tendulkar is no ordinary batsman. He can look either indifferent, as he had demonstrated in his first two innings of this tournament, or as the artist he is and whose variety of strokeplay can be as bold as Van Gogh, as delicate as Monet or with the improvisation of Lautrec.

If you consider the injury he was carrying and the restriction it placed on his normal game, there was none of the fluency you expect from a Tendulkar innings; and his domination of the Sri Lanka bowling, on a decidedly flat surface, only emerged in the latter stages

Yet of the limited overs innings around the globe this year, and the context of the match, it was better than anything Brian Lara has put together, despite claims to the contrary, and just a couple of rungs below the century by Steve Waugh against South Africa at Headingley in Leeds in the World Cup Super Sixes. The pity was the rest of the Indian side were unable to show similar resolve when under pressure. But this is what you get when there is a bowling attack which is incapable of line and length and fieldsmen whose ground fielding would embarrass any third form school side.

For those who have to have their statistics he faced 140 balls while making 120 with 11 fours and two sixes and when he finally fell on his sword in the interests of the side when attempting to force the pace the score was 239 for three. There was some entertainment from Saurav Ganguly during a stylish 85 while it has taken the Indian selectors until it was too late to reinstall Sada Ramesh in the side as an opener.

When the rain clouds cleared and the targets were calculated and recalculated the initial 222 became 232 off 40 overs for Sri Lanka to qualify on run rate and 270 off 42 overs to win. Just the sort of challenge Jayasuriya enjoys before his special SSC audience.

Tendulkar, desperate for a favourable result, found the pressure of controlling a side on the field growing as questions were asked about the initial overs calculation and target. It was a fair question as 10 overs seemed a lot of hack off for a stoppage of 50 minutes, which included cover removal and cleaning up the puddles from water dumped on the outfield from the covers.

It is not too often that tempers (caused by niggling irritation as fielding blunders crept in and clarification of the targets needed to win were asked) can become as tender as any well broiled chicken. Prasad, having bitten on too many chillies at lunch started to throw a tantrum and the way Jadeja started arguing with the umpires indicated he had eaten something more fiery than local curry for lunch.

Whether Prasad's attitude had anything to do with his wayward bowling as Jayasuriya helped himself to several easy boundaries off some lollypop bowling is a question only Prasad can answer. And he's not taking calls to explain why he lost it.

As humidity climbed as fast as the Indian annoyance with the Sri Lanka batsmen Jayasuriya and Atapattu set about putting quick runs on the board, questions need to be asked about how the Indian bowlers feel about being unable to bowl to a target of less than 232.

Jayasuriya, with 71off 53 balls plundered eight fours and a sic and when he departed with the score at 105 in the 16th over, Lanka were well on their way to maintaining the strike rate needed to qualify. There was support from Marvan Atapattu, solid but not stylish with the sort of anchor innings needed to spread clam in the ranks. It was Mahela Jayawardena who put together an impressive 62 off 63 balls who saw Lanka pass the required target before he threw it away. In the end 247 for nine was good prelude for the final, only they face a tougher challenge with the Australian bowlers on Tuesday.