Jayasuriya left furious with television decision
Charlie Austin - 4 December 2002
Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya was left seething on Wednesday night after his side's eight-wicket defeat against South Africa, complaining that the controversial dismissal of opener Marvan Atapattu had turned the game.
Atapattu was in sublime form in the afternoon, racing to 39 from 46 deliveries, before he was controversially adjudged to have been run out by the South African television umpire Brian Jerling.
Atapattu had ambled back for a comfortable two when wicket-keeper Mark Boucher caught him unawares by flicking the ball back onto the stumps. Jerling pressed the red light after deciding that Atappatu's foot was not touching the ground at the time of impact.
"We had a good start but after the Marvan incident things went away from us and the middle order didn't perform," said Jayasuriya afterwards.
"That was the key – the benefit of the doubt went to the fielding side not to the batsman. We were a little bit rattled afterwards."
South Africa captain Shaun Pollock admitted that the moment had helped changed the game but he saw nothing wrong with the decision.
"It was out," he said. "It was superb, Bouch caught him unawares – that is what is needed sometimes to win a game."
Pollock was delighted with his side's comeback after their seven wicket defeat at Benoni.
"That was a very emphatic performance…very clinical," he said. "To restrict them to 184 was superb on a 320-run pitch."
South Africa now have an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series but Jayasuriya said there was no reason to panic as they prepare for a triangular series in Australia and then the World Cup.
"We know we have an experienced batting order that can bounce back – there is no reason to panic at the moment," he said. "But we cannot present our wickets to the opposition like we are doing at the moment."
© CricInfo
