Hub's Best ODI Team : Polling started for #5

[P_R]

Please don't club Ranatunga with Inzi (club paNNA brammAndamAna oru ruvam kidaikkin).

Ranatunga is deceptive. He can sprint between wickets and surprise when the situation demands. Particularly great coordination with de Silva and they used to steal singles. His famous walks were almost never opportunities for 2 that he turned to 1 through lethargy. Simple energy conservation. EllArum lampoonittaanga.

Of course nember 5 for StevvA.
In addition to batting exploits he was the proverbial 'idea bowler'.

[Plum]

Idea bowler

Yes, feeyaar, the reasons you gave, that's'why i chose Ranatunga as a nomination. I'll also prop him up for captain(if selectedn which is unlikely) for two reasons:
1. He is a leader and rose above tamil-sinhalese to promote murali since he saw that as an end to forge a winning team. It is easy tosay today to say that was a given but i think when murali started out, without an imposing record, a lesser sinhalese captain might not have bothered to fight for murali. He can rise above white man differences if made incharge of them. I am not sure if a white captain can rise above their natural disdain for subcontinentals(never mind the platitudes they spout in conferences and interviews) other than tendulkar. I am not saying ranatunga is altruistic but he is more practical minded in getting his team together to work as an unit.
2. Quite a smart captain.

[raajarasigan]

ulloor selavaanikke vazhiyai kaanom idhula veliyoor selavaani vera . naan podhuvaa sonnen .

meaning

[raajarasigan]

He preserved his energy by walking those singles and even in the final overs he played more balls very fine left and right of the WK.

true... ithai naanga OC run'nu solluvom...novaama nonbu kumbiduvaan...

[P_R]

Flau, 1 ellAm ellA sfortsmanum seyyuradhu dhaan. I am not taking anything from Ranatunga just saying other Sinhalese captains won't do it ellAm over. Only people on the outside are cognizant of such difference.

Anyway, indha saNdaikOzhiness, veLLaikaaran-nammaLai-suraNduraan pongal are precisely the reasons why I won't want such a captain.

Pick a captain for cricketing reasons. On field decisions, strategy, response to situations etc. AFAI have seen - in this lot I'd pick, Steve Waugh.

[Sourav]

ranatunga 2, steve 2, inzi 2 symmo 1...votes split aaga poguthu... so, jeikka porathu yuvi than...

dinsu... both r equal... symmo is better fielder but, i will vote 4 my fav yuvi. symmo pudikathu avalava...

RR, puli yuvi-i solrar...

[P_R]

He preserved his energy by walking those singles and even in the final overs he played more balls very fine left and right of the WK.

true... ithai naanga OC run'nu solluvom...novaama nonbu kumbiduvaan...

Sachin paddle sweep-ai enna solluveenga?

And Ranatunga is quite capable of big hits too.
In the '96 WC final he is - as usual - playing a supporting role to de Silva. And he plays a lot of intentional edge/ deflection/glance strokes. Then Warne loses control of a ball and it goes too full and Ranatunga deposits it into the squareleg crowd. It was such a - eppo thEvaiyO, appo dhaan weight-ai kaamippOm- moment

[P_R]

ranatunga 2, steve 2, inzi 2 symmo 1...votes split aaga poguthu... so, jeikka porathu yuvi than...

.

Hello...StevvA irukkApla

[raajarasigan]

He preserved his energy by walking those singles and even in the final overs he played more balls very fine left and right of the WK.

true... ithai naanga OC run'nu solluvom...novaama nonbu kumbiduvaan...

Sachin paddle sweep-ai enna solluveenga?

And Ranatunga is quite capable of big hits too.
In the '96 WC final he is - as usual - playing a supporting role to de Silva. And he plays a lot of intentional edge/ deflection/glance strokes. Then Warne loses control of a ball and it goes too full and Ranatunga deposits it into the squareleg crowd. It was such a - eppo thEvaiyO, appo dhaan weight-ai kaamippOm- moment

agree P_R.. he was quite intentional to play that kind of shots... aana edhirkatchikaarana irundhu (as an indian fan) paartha sema kadauppa irukkum..

[Plum]

Feeyaar, steve waugh baggy green pOdaDhavanai karichu kottiyE antagonise paNNiduvAr. Team kavundhukkum. Chatterjee kingAga irundhu enna payan?