A hat-trick and 7 for 5 puts Chamari Athapaththu in the record books against Indonesia. Skipper’s sensational spell puts Sri Lanka on course in the Asia Cup. BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor)
Chamari Athapaththu wrote her name in the history books of Cricket with a devastating spell of bowling that destroyed a hapless Indonesia in the Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai.
A hat-trick and 7 for 5 in less than four overs put her in fifth place in the alltime bowling achievements in both the men’s and women’s game.
The best figures in women’s cricket was also established this year by Brazilian Laura Cardoso who grabbed 9 for 4 against Lesotho. Three others, Indonesian Roumania 7 for 0 against Mongolia, Frederique Overdi (Netherlands), 7 for 3 against France, and Alison Stocks7 for 3 against Peru had the best figures recorded before Athapaththu’s sterling effort.
Sri Lanka looked in dire straits batting first when they slumped to 62 for 6 in the 13th over.
A fighting innings from Nilakshika de Silva, 50 off 35 balls, helped them clamber out of an embarrassing situation in a seventh wicket partnership that realised 50, saw them reach 124 for 7 in their allotment.
It was then that Sri Lanka’s skipper waded into the rescue act with her cunning off spin that bamboozled Indonesia’s batters into submission.
Sri Lanka’s evergreen skipper shows no signs of relinquishing her place in the team with continued success with bat and ball as they launch a serious challenge to the top teams in Asia.
Earlier, Sri Lanka cruised to victory over hosts UAE, bowling them out for 79 then chasing the target down in 7.5 overs without a sweat.
Opening bowlers Chetana Vimukthi 2 for 18, Mithali Ayodhya 3 for 16 and Sukandika Kumari 2 for 18 led the rout against UAE’s batting.
Sri Lanka’s victory hunt was led by Skipper Chamari Athapaththu who smashed 48 off 25 balls racing to the target with ease. Imesha Dulani made 25 off 18.
So far wins over minnows, hosts UAE and Indonesia sets their campaign in the right direction before the more serious assignments against the likes of top seeds India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
They currently head their group with two wins from two and face Bangladesh in the final group 1 stage encounter.
India heads group 2 with three wins from three games.
Athapaththu has hinted on plans for retirement on several occasions, but her determination and fierce competitive spirit has her still in the upper level of a team that has shown remarkable progress as an allround unit.
The course for Sri Lanka’s success in the women’s game was initially set by former Sri Lanka men’s icon Rumesh Ratnayake and his team of coaches.
And now under the direction of Australian Jamie Siddons, they have shown remarkable development which saw them narrowly eclipsed from making the semis in the recently concluded Women’s World Cup campaign in England.
Chamari Athapaththu’s contribution to Sri Lanka’s game puts her in legendary status with maybe one or two others close to what she has achieved against the best in the world.
Her hunger for success thankfully leaves her in the team and close the several emerging stars who will benefit from watching and learning what it takes to make star quality.
Sri Lanka’s course is set for a tilt at grabbing the silverware against Asia’s best.
India could be their only stumbling block.
