- Former star opts for time away
Ex-Sri Lanka fast bowler Asantha de Mel who was part of the pace trio, involved in claiming all 20 wickets to win a Test the last time around, simply said it was a ‘fabulous performance’ by Sri Lanka to win the opening Test of the ongoing two-match series against Bangladesh, by a whopping 328-runs at Sylhet on Monday (25).
De Mel, a former Chairperson of Selectors, who has decided on his own volition, to keep a low profile and not have anything to do with the sport anymore, however refused to be quoted further.
He did so when asked for his reaction on the performance of Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, and Lahiru Kumara, who emulated the 1986 feat of de Mel, Kosala Kuruppuarachchi, and Ravi Ratnayake, by claiming all 20-wickets to win a Test for Sri Lanka and for only the second time in their Test history.
De Mel said he has done his duty for his country and that it was time to move on, by letting others share the spotlight.
The former Royal and SSC stalwart insisted that he has made a conscious decision not to comment on cricket, as he has had his time in the sun and sought to be left alone.
The only occasion this landmark had been previously reached was 38 years ago, when Sri Lanka then led by Duleep Mendis, cruised to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Imran Khan’s Pakistan, in the second Test of a three-match series.
The Lankan pace trio, who made that facile triumph possible, at CCC grounds at Maitland Crescent-then a regular Test venue here, were de Mel, Kuruppuarachchi and Ratnayake.
The Lankan pace barrage of de Mel, Kuruppuarachchi, and Ratnayake creamed the Pakistani batting line up in both innings, consisting of such big name players of the era, such as Mudassar Nazar, Mohsin Khan, Qasim Omar, Javed Miandad, Ramiz Raja, Salim Malik, and legendary skipper Imran Khan, to name a few.
Left-arm pacer Kuruppuarachchi making his Test debut was the wrecker-in-chief, with figures of (5/44) off 14.5 overs, in Pakistan’s first innings of132 all out.
He was ably assisted by new ball bowler de Mel, who claimed (3/39) and by first change bowler Ratnayake, who returned (2/29).
The Lankan pace trio then combined to run through the Pakistani line up a second time, with Ravi Ratnayake, being the destroyer in chief having captured (5/37), while de Mel and Kuruppuarachchi backed him ably, by recording figures of (3/79) and (2/41) respectively.
Other than the Lankan pace trio, the then captain Duleep Mendis had used only two other bowlers in that game, namely Arjuna Ranatunga and left-arm orthodox bowler Don Arunasiri.
Arunasiri was one of the three debutants in that match for the hosts, the others being Roshan Mahanama and Kuruppuarachchi.
But, both Ranatunga and Arunasiri were unable to get among the wickets, as de Mel, Kuruppuarachchi and Ratnayake, ripped through Pakistan in both innings, to etch their names into the record books.
In that game, Sri Lanka relying on Pakistan's 132 responded with 273 all out and facing a deficit of 141, the tourists were shot out for 172, in their second turn, largely due to the match-winning spells of de Mel, Kuruppuarachchi, and Ratnayake.
Set a target of 32 runs to level the series, the Lankans romped to it, for the loss of openers Sidath Wettimuny and Mahanama, winning by eight wickets.