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Loading ...I think the important thing was that Sri Lanka had 200+ overs to bowl South Africa out, and it would have been silly to have declared when there’s a record for the taking. The team always comes above the individual, but in this case there was little cost for the team of the individual having a touch of glory. I wonder what Brealey would have done in the same situation, declare and take the non-existent moral high ground?
Musings on individual records in a team game
By Scott 2 years ago, at the start of August Leave a comment on this post
I read an interesting article by former England captain Mike Brealey that was published on the weekend. He was mostly talking about Andrew Strauss’ philosophy on declarations, but he had some remarks about Mahela Jayawadene’s attempt to get the world batting record as well.
Meanwhile, 6,000 miles to the south east we have the spectacle of Sri Lanka batting on to a lead of 587 in the hope of a world record individual Test score for Mahela Jayawardene against South Africa at Colombo. Fortunately, he did not get it.
What has happened to the team game when several pointless hours are pressed into the service of individual glory and local prestige? I think a narcissistic attitude is fed by pressures from the social network. Jayawardene’s quest for personal glory at the possible expense of the team must have been amplified by nationalistic excitement. He was carrying the projections of a nation. Not only had Sri Lanka just seen their heroes compile a world record partnership (624, overtaking the previous best by their compatriots Sanath Jayasuriya and Roshan Mahanama’s 576, also in Colombo, in 1997), they had the chance of this other record.
I hope I am not being too puritanical, or too carping, here. Certainly personal landmarks are important. Strauss would have been foolish and heartless to have declared before Bell got to a hundred, especially when he was furthering England’s cause so admirably. And if England had had wickets in hand, perhaps there would have been more of a case for batting on into Saturday.
I think there is a fair case for having an extra world-record holder in your side. I have to say that I think Brealey IS being a tad too puritanical on this score. For a country like Sri Lanka, which doesn’t have life so easy in its day to day business, what with tsunamis and civil wars, a bit of nationalistic excitement about the cricket is a positive, not a negative.
Tags: andrew-strauss, batting, captaincy, declarations, mahela-jayawardene, mike-brealey, partnerships, records |
6 Responses to “Musings on individual records in a team game”
August 1st, 2006 at 6.54 pm
August 1st, 2006 at 7.49 pm
I was actually hoping for a few things to happen:
- Sri Lanka delay the declaration to allow Mahela a chance at 401
- Mahela doesn’t get 401
- South Africa bat decently and are 8 down with another session to go
- It rains. It pours. Game over.
Unfortunately everything happened but the rain!
jagadish
August 1st, 2006 at 8.28 pm
Sri Lanka gave themselves time to win, so I don’t see the problem.
Whereas the last Test - with the series decided - of England’s last Caribbean tour was played on a pitch prepared to meet Brian Lara’s needs and to hell with cricket as a game…
August 2nd, 2006 at 4.48 pm
Ins’t that eternal conflict between the individual and the team part of the joy of cricket and the skill of captaincy?
August 2nd, 2006 at 7.45 pm
On the Strauss declaration.
I’ve just read Brearley’s article (incidentally I’d love to know if Australians found him as irritating as they are alleged to have found Jardine) and I think I have the answer to why he didn’t declare the very instand Harmison was out.
I think the answer might be that GBH likes to have a rub down before he bowls and I’m not sure that the ten mins between innings (less, once he’s got his pads off)is enough. I must admit that I was also surprised when Strauss didn’t declare immediately and that is the only reason I can think of.
August 19th, 2006 at 8.06 am
I think if it was a Pom or an Aussie in that situation there would have been an decleration. You have to remember though that Sri Lanka has had a very rough trot over the last few years & need something to hang their national pride on. I would have loved to have seen the record go his way.
Going out on a very long limb here, but I would say Australia’s Phil Jacques would be a good chance of scoring 400+ if the planets are in alignment.
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