da doce： It may already be too late for Nuwan Zoysa, Sri Lanka’s languid and lankyleft-arm medium pacer, to rescue his flagging international career in timefor the World Cup
CricInfo20-Dec-2002It may already be too late for Nuwan Zoysa, Sri Lanka’s languid and lankyleft-arm medium pacer, to rescue his flagging international career in timefor the World Cup.After a pedestrian performance in Sri Lanka’s practice game againstAustralia A the knives are already being drawn with the selectors apparentlydetermined to drop him at the first opportunity.Should he return to Colombo after the first part of the tour it will be thesecond time he has been axed from the side in the year following hispost-England tour omission.©CricInfoZoysa, a tea-taster before he became a professional cricketer, was onlyrecalled on the insistence of skipper Sanath Jayasuriya, who had worn wearyof his bowlers in South Africa.Those who had witnessed his domestic performances for the Sinhalese SportsClub had warned against his inclusion but Jayasuriya forced the selector’shand.But Zoysa, now 25, is determined to prove his worth if he is provided achance in the third game of the series.”This is a very good opportunity for me,” he says. “I really want to play inthis World Cup and that means I have to put up a very good performance if Iget a game.”He claims to have worked hard on his game since the England tour when he wassharply criticised for his lackadaisical approach.”Since the England tour I have been working hard in domestic cricket – Iknow now that I have to put my maximum to each delivery and spell,” he said.”In club cricket I have been bowling really well – although I have notreally been picking up the wickets – and I hope to continue that form inAustralia.He is also keen to play his part with the bat, aware that Sri Lanka’sfragile lower order needs bolstering before the World Cup.”Not only is it a good opportunity for me to reclaim my place with the ballbut I am also looking to contribute with the bat – the lower order needs tocontribute more.”But the suspicion remains that Zoysa, an affable and well-liked cricketer,will not be travelling to South Africa unless he suddenly regains his bestform.>From some reason his pace has dropped alarmingly – during the Australia Agame he was so pedestrian that he was reverse swept contemptuously.Worse, he has seemingly lost the control that had once been a hallmark ofhis bowling.With Sri Lanka needing to name their 15 players for the World Cup by Dec 31,Sunday’s match against Australia would be his last chance to press hisclaims for a place.Sri Lanka are set to select five pace bowlers, four of whom are virtuallycertain of their places: Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Prabath Nissankaand Pulasthi Gunaratne.That means that Zoysa is competing with the likes of Sujeewa de Silva,Buddika Fernando, Kaushalya Weereratne and Hasantha Fernando for the finalberth.