Warming to Nuwan

I doub thee Sir Skin and Bones.

Nuwan is weird.

He’s too skinny and short to be a fast bowler.

He has literally no pace.

But somehow he’s gone and picked up 36 wickets at 23 in the last couple of years.

You shorten that to a year and its down to 20, Splendid’esque.

Nuwan hasn’t got a lot to work with, but he makes what he does have count.

Line and length.

A bit of movement and skids the thing at a decent rate.

That skiddyness about his bowling is what gets him his wickets.
Batsmen dont know whats hit them, its like being in with Ali, you’re knocked out flat, but you don’t know how you got there.

This is a kid who knows his game.

He is not a Wasim Akram or a Glenn Mcgrath.

But he uses the two things that made them great. Consistency.

When he first checked into the team, I din’t think much of him.

But he’s proved his worth, buy doing the yards and getting wickets.

Yesterday he won us a game that we were going to loose.

2 in 2 and the game swung for Sri Lanka.

Thats the other thing about him. He’s one of those kids who just wont give up.

He ran in hard and nipped in a beauty and then outfoxed the next guy in with a clever mix of pace.

Then he smiled.

That smile that only a Sri Lankan can produce after getting a wicket.

11 Comments

  1. maddy said:

    I remember when i first paid attention to the bugger..17th January 2006 SL V South Africa…3rd match of the VB series…bowled one of the best medium-pacer deliveries i have ever seen…to boeta dippenaar…knocked his blocks off…good stuff…

    December 2, 2008
    Reply
  2. Sachintha said:

    Remember we used to bash this guy, almost all the time?
    But he’s proven us wrong, which I’m glad for…

    December 2, 2008
    Reply
  3. insideEdge said:

    The best smile in cricket? It must be far more annoying for batsmen to be smiled at after they are dismissed as opposed to the typical swearing.

    A very under-rated and deceptive performer. The guy has a lot of fight in him that reminds me of Kumar Dharmasena but without the cussedness.

    He won’t make it in the test team as a bowler but could be developed in to an all rounder – don’t forget his Test 50 at Lords. He has far better Lumberjack Thushara.

    Btw, is there a special reason Mendis is known as Splendid or it is only because of his performances?

    December 2, 2008
    Reply
  4. damiths said:

    maddy> Diepannar isnt that flash, but still !

    Sach > exactly, its good to be proved wrong.

    inside edge >I’d think so, Murali would run him close for it though.

    Good point on Kumar, very similar.

    I also dont think he is test material, I doubt he would make it as a test all rounder either.

    Thushara has been pretty good with the ball and he can definitely whack a few. I like him.

    Mendis is Splendid in every way. Hence the term.

    Have you read the Legend of Splendid Mendis ?
    http://www.theflyslip.net/the-legend-of-splendid-mendis/

    Maybe things will be clearer after you read it !

    Ps- how did you find out about theflyslip mate. Do you have you own blog ?

    December 2, 2008
    Reply
  5. insideEdge said:

    Damiths – missed a bit off my previous post. I meant to say was thinking of Nuwan as a ODI all rounder – to bat at 7 and be the 3rd Quick. Otherwise he could find himself dropped if we only opt for 2 Quicks.

    Nuwan has better technique and tactical acumen than Thushara to play at 7 – that’s the slot which will be open in the team with Vaas on the way out and Maharoof injured more often than he is fit. An attack of Thushara, Nuwan and Maharoof/Malinga will be potent. Anyone but Dilhara, the guy has the ability but not the desire nor application to work on his technical flaws. He had no ball problems when he first came on the scene in 2000/01 and still continues to do so.

    Came to your blog via a link from another site. Don’t have a blog.

    December 3, 2008
    Reply
  6. Dave said:

    I’ve been impressed with him and Thushara recently, they’ve done well with Malinga and Maharoof being out with injuries.

    I hope Slinga gets fit soon, international cricket seems duller without him.

    December 3, 2008
    Reply
  7. damiths said:

    insideedge> agree with that, he would be ideal in the ODIs, if he was a bit stronger and quicker he could have made the test team too.

    I was quite taken with Welagedara, any news on him ? I know he went to SA with the A team since then I assume he is back playing club cricket. Any idea why he is not being picked ?

    Hope to see you around here often mate.

    Dave>Slinga is on his way back soon. Hopefully we will have him ready for the mighty Bang-Zim-SL tri series this year !

    Nuwans been very consistent, 30 wickets at 20 is good in anyones book. Not quite Spledid Mendis but he is getting there.

    Thushara looks like a wild beast who is not afraid to take on anyone, with bat or ball. Surely our two best finds this year after Mendis.

    December 3, 2008
    Reply
  8. abc said:

    Nuwan is a crap name.

    November 12, 2009
    Reply
  9. abc said:

    nuwan kulasakera is a terrible bowler!

    December 4, 2009
    Reply
  10. abc said:

    Anyone called nuwan is a joke. Anyone called nuwan has no idea about movies. Will smith is a joke.

    December 4, 2009
    Reply
  11. abc said:

    Victoria is a joke as well. Victoria is a hole. There is nothing good in victoria.

    December 4, 2009
    Reply

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