da brdice： Suresh Perera, the promising fast bowler tipped as a player who can turn outto be the great all-rounder Sri Lanka lusts after, justified his selection tothe senior team by winning the man of the match award in the game againstIndia on Sunday
Rex Clementine24-Jul-2001Suresh Perera plays an on-drive
during his lusty 28Suresh Perera, the promising fast bowler tipped as a player who can turn outto be the great all-rounder Sri Lanka lusts after, justified his selection tothe senior team by winning the man of the match award in the game againstIndia on Sunday.Perera played a vital role, scoring 28 off 31 balls just when Sri Lanka hadstumbled to 155 for seven and then claiming the wickets of both the Indianopeners in an impressive new ball burst.An excited Perera said afterwards: “I am delighted. I feel great. This isthe first time I have won the man of the match award. But more importantly Iwant to do better”Perera has just returned from back and groin injuries which kept him in thecold for almost two years after he made his debut in the famous OvalTest against England in 1998; a game in which he took just one wicket, butclubbed an entertaining unbeaten 43 in the Sri Lankan first innings.He has since been in the selectors’ sights and, when he performed well against Pakistan A on their recent tour, he was finally given a recall.”It’s been almost two years,” recalls Perera. “Even in the domestic seasonI just played the odd game because of the injury. Now I feel I am back tonormal and I want to give my best to the side.”Suresh Perera’s last international assignment was during the AIWA cup athome, which featured Australia and India, before the injuries started totake their toll. Sunday’s game was his 13th ODI.His back injury forced him to make some technical changes: “I have had tochange my bowling action slightly, which had previously put a lot of stressupon my back, and therefore caused the injury.”With the assistance of video footage and under the watchful eye of RumeshRatnayake, the bowling coach, Perera also identified other areas forimprovement, including a more compact action and straighter lines.”I took the Pakistani series match by match,” he said. “I desperatelywanted to do well. At the end of the series I was happy because my efforts wererewarded.””It was very hard to get back to the side,” he reveals. “I had to performup to high expectations, but on the other hand I had to look after myinjuries and be careful. I was unable to just give it everything and AlexKontouri recommended that I only bowl short spells during my recoveryperiod.”Perera is though not content with just getting back into the one-day team,he wants more than that: “After that Test at the Oval in 1998 I didn’t get asingle chance to play Test cricket. I don’t know why, but I now want tomake it back into the Test side as well.”Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya was delighted with the 23-year-old’sperformance and attitude: “He’s been an excellent addition to the team. Weare looking for an all rounder and I was happy with his performance. He gaveone hundred percent and that’s what we need.”Dav Whatmore, the Sri Lankan coach, is a big fan: “Suresh is amulti-dimensional cricketer who gives you something in every department ofthe game. With the ball he has the knack of taking wickets and he has a lotof potential with the bat. In the field he is quick across the turf and anexcellent fast throw.”With Sri Lanka now keen to play six batsmen and five specialist bowlers, anopportunity has emerged for Perera as one of the fast bowling all rounders.If he continues to fire like he did last Sunday and, more importantly, keepsthose injuries at bay, then Sri Lanka’s chances of success in the 2003 WorldCup will receive a welcome boost.