NOT for the first time has Sanath Jayasuriya stuck his tongue out at the National selectors by forcing open the door they tried to shut on him.

Deemed unwanted by de Mel and his wise men for the country's last ODI series, against the West Indies last April, the final chapter to his 19-year international career had seemingly been inked - a logical conclusion given the man's ripened age, a year shy of 40, as well as his decision last December to retire from Test cricket, a sure sign that total retirement isn't far off.

Honestly, few tears were shed over his exclusion for the Caribbean series, following as it did a depressing run in the CB Triangular Series in Australia in December, where his best was a measly 34 in an eight-match aggregate of 103. Not just in that series; in the three previous series - v. England, Bangladesh and Pakistan in Abu Dhabi too his value diminished significantly - the best he could achieve in those three series was a 41 against England last October. In 18 ODIs he hadn't managed a half century; the last was in the World Cup final two Aprils ago. 

Outlived

Those statistics if anything, say a story of a legend that has outlived his usefulness and, rather than sensibly take leave of the international stage, chooses to stay put - and dice his hard-earned fame with ridicule.

But just as the adulation of his many followers was turning to sympathy, the man defies the odds and storms back into the national one-day side.

Apparently though, his name didn't even get a mention on the day when the selectors sat to name the 15-man squad for the June 24-July 6 Asia Cup in Pakistan. His name, not surprisingly, didn't appear on the selectors' list. That same night though, summons for another meeting of the selectors was being issued, clearly intended to make readjustments to the chosen Asia Cup squad. Jayasuriya himself sent out the notice across the Indian Ocean from the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai - where he sent tens of thousands into wild rapture with a devastating undefeated 114, from only 48 balls.

You couldn't help but be happy for Jayasuriya - not so much because his thrilling performance that night in old Bombay earned him a prompt recall to the national one-day side, but more for reasons of nostalgia. After all, you don't want a man who in 1996 stunningly turned one-day batting conventions upside down and brought him, and the country, worldwide admiration, to leave the big stage a piteous caricature of his old self - a fate he was journeying to the whole year long.

Happy too are we, that in the closing days of his playing career, the once rustic boy is completing his rags-to-riches story with untold profit. It is pretty certain he will be high on Mumbai Indians' shopping list for the next season, which means he, his wife and three children will be as financially secure as they can ever hope to be - ungrudging reward for his unmatched service to Sri Lanka since 1989. It is easy to get lost in the joy in the success story of this endearingly, simple man.  

But hang on; our emotions are getting the better of us here. This writing is, after all, not meant to be the customary tribute following the retirement of a legend. He has to be seen from the perspective of being a current national player - and that doesn't present such a pretty view.

Little reason

 Jayasuriya's deeds for Mumbai Indians were clearly what got him into the Asia Cup squad. But were he considered, as it should, strictly on ODI form over the last year, then, there is little reason to support his selection other than, on grounds of (1) experience (411 matches; 12,310 runs and 308 wkts), which, it has to be said, wasn't good enough anyway for his inclusion in the squad for the Caribbean series just two months ago, or (2) sentimentality, which could not have measured much anyway given his failures in four successive series. So, it isn't impertinent to question the basis on which he was selected for the Asia Cup.

To apply Twenty20 performances to 50-over selections is, well, pretty much the freedom to include skillful elle players into a cricket team. Jayasuriya is no bamboo swinger; he is to be revered being one of only two in the world to figure in over 400 ODIs. But the hard fact is, he is not indispensable as he was, say, a year ago - and, truth be told, a year is a long time for a team to be saddled with an underperforming, past great.

Anyway he has won himself a recall, albeit through questionable qualification, but the job this time is on temporary terms. Unless there is a dramatic improvement on his form in the four previous ODI series, the selectors will have fewer qualms about showing him the door this time than previously.

Prompted

It shouldn't be forgotten that his late inclusion into the Asia Cup was prompted by Sport Minister Gamini Lokuge.

The ministry version is that Lokuge requested Jayasuriya's inclusion be reconsidered and the selectors, so, reassembled again a day after the meeting before, included Jayasuriya at the expense of Upul Tharanga, 16 years his junior. Whether de Mel's committee would, of their own accord, have made the swap is a guess, but it is hardly likely they would have revised their decision of two months ago (to exclude him from the ODIs in the Caribbean) as there has been no ODIs since and so no opportunity for the southpaw to change the minds of the self-same selectors.

Be that as it may, the recorded fact is that Minister Lokuge inspired Jayasuriya's recall. He was moved to do so by the sight of the dusky left-hander, sinews gleaming under lights, slaughter the opposition bowlers. That he was doing this in Twenty20 didn't matter to Lokuge, apparently. The Sport Minister probably saw injustice in Jayasuriya's exclusion from the Asia Cup and "requested'' his recall. It was more an emotional than thoughtful decision.

Selectors though are dictated by pragmatism. For a start, they would have disregarded Twenty20 performances as yardstick for selecting a team for a game that is more than twice longer. If Twenty20 is criteria for 50-over selection, then, the inclusion of all the other IPL players, bar Sangakkara, becomes questionable. The more crucial concern of selectors is to ensure that they choose personnel with the future in mind - the future being the next World Cup. So, their present plans have to be about the 2011 World Cup - by which time Jayasuriya would be 42, and probably retired for good.

No illusions

Jayasuriya himself is unlikely to have any illusions about playing in a fifth World Cup in 2011. Had the IPL not come into being at the time it did, it is plausible he might have preferred to spend time on beaches and parks with his kids than be belting or chasing a ball under burning skies. But the IPL has offered him the richest pay-days ever - and so it is understandable he wants to be around the playing field a while longer. For that though he will have to be playing at the national level in order to be in demand in cricket's marketplace.

He will get his full  share of opportunities in the up- coming series to remain in IPL demand. This is becau- se there is no third opener in the squad which means the 39-year-old will partner greenhorn, Mahela Uda- watte (22 next month)  throughout the campaign in defence of the Asia Cup. For all what the opener of 19 years has contributed, one nostalgically hopes he succeeds. If he doesn't, don't blame him, but the one responsible for his recall - a classic case of  the donkey doing the  dog's job and making an unholy mess of things.

CR defeat Havelocks 13 - 9

CR and FC came from behind with a magnificent performance to beat their arch rivals Havelocks Sports Club by a close 13 points to 9 points in their  Caltex inter club A division league rugby tournament match worked off at Longden Place on Friday.

CR and FC who were trailing 0-6 almost until the final whistle staged a superb late rally to turn the game in their favour while collecting their points from two unconverted tries and one penalty. The Havies responded with three good penalties.

Kingswood beat Isipatana 6-3

Dynamic fly half Roshan Weeraratne fired across two crucial penalties as Kingswood College, Kandy edged out Isipatana College by six points to three points in their Singer inter school under 20 Division One Group A league rugby tournament match worked off at Havelock Park on Friday.

The Kings- woodians also kept their hopes alive of regaining the league title as they cruised to their fifth victory in the tournament. Weeraratne put over his first penalty shortly after the kick off and the visitors took a close three nil lead at the interval.

However Isipatana College produced the equaliser mid way in the second half with skipper Dinusha Chatu- ranga putting over a 25 metre penalty. Kingswood College took the lead once again with Weeraratne converting his second and the match winning penalty shortly before the final whistle.