Jayasuriya getting better with age

Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya added another feather to his cap by becoming the oldest player to score a century in one day internationals, after he notched up a fantastic ton in a losing cause in the opening game against India.

Jayasuriya - aged 39 years and 212 days - became the oldest player to score an ODI hundred, surpassing former England captain Geoff Boycott who scored a century against Australia in Sydney in 1979 at the age of 39 years and 51 days.

He also became the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to score 13,000 ODI runs and the first left-hander to achieve the feat.

It was also the first hundred by a Sri Lanka batsman in a home ODI in three and half years. Upul Tharanga was the last to do so, against Bangladesh in September 2005.

Besides this, his score of 107 became the highest score at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, bettering Rahul Dravid’s 104 against U.A.E in 2004.

Jayasuriya added 118 runs for the second wicket with Kumar Sangakkara (44) in 166 balls and a further 51 in 64 balls with Thilina Kandamby.

At 169-2 with 12 overs to go, Sri Lanka was well positioned as it took the power play, but they lost both their set batsmen Jayasuriya and Kandamby in quick succession to cede the initiative.

The left-hander’s superb knock of 107 could not help his team win the first game but earned him the Man of the Match award.

This was Jayasuriya’s 49th Man of the Match award and his ninth against India. Of his 28 ODI centuries, 24 have resulted in him winning the Man of the Match award.

Jayasuriya said that although he won the award, he was disappointed on losing. “I would have been happier had my effort won the match for Sri Lanka. But there are four more games remaining and we can come back.”

The ‘Matara Mauler’ once again proved that age is not a hindrance in cricket and insisted that he will continue doing his job of scoring runs. “I am getting older, but I keep getting the runs,” the opener added.

“I want to play and perform for my country. That has always been my goal. Not everyone gets the opportunity. When I am batting well, I want to make my form count.”

He also added that records do not particularly fascinate him and what matters most is the contribution to the team.

“I don’t really think about records, that’s not my style. What matters more is how your contribution helps the team.”