Sanath to quit Test cricket

http://www.sundaytimes.lk

Sri Lanka’s aging batting superstar Sanath Jayasuriya will announce his retirement from Test cricket during the first Test against England which will get underway at the Asgiriya Stadium next Saturday, according to a very senior member of Sri Lanka Cricket. He said “Sanath is due to make this announcement during the Test match in Kandy”.

One of the explosive batsmen that the cricketing World has ever produced made his Test debut against New Zealand at Hamilton, on February 22 1991. However he made his mark on the field of cricket during the 1996 World Cup pairing off with wicket-keeper batsman Romesh Kaluwitharana taking pinch hitting at the top of the order into a new height. He was chosen as the most valuable player even prior to the end of the series.

Sanath currently is Sri Lanka’s highest run scorer in Test cricket with a tally of 6885 runs made in 109 Test matches played so far. He was also the first Sri Lankan to score a triple hundred in Test cricket when he made a memorable knock of 340 runs against India at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

He was once forced to announce his retirement from Test Cricket by the then selectors in 2006, but, was reinstated soon afterwards and rejoined the team against England in the third Test during their last visit, which the Lankans won to level the series at 1-1.

The part-time left arm spinner, Sanath is only short of three wickets to make it a hundred in Test Cricket.