Sri Lanka vs Australia: The 'Slinga' Malinga Show

When you have taken 3 hat-tricks in ODI that too in a short span of 4 years , it indicates that you are one of the best in the business. Lasith Malinga has redefined the art of fast bowling; he is expert at reverse swing, conventional swing, has a deceptive slow ball, a threatening bouncer and the icing on the cake is his toe crushing yorkers. He is certainly the finest ODI bowler Sri Lanka has ever produced and the quickest that the island nation has ever seen . His unorthodox action , his infectious smile and his never say die spirit makes him a role model for youngsters.

The ODI history is full of bowlers who were specialist in their given region but never complete as a bowler , Waqar had a toe-crushing yorker too but he was very expensive at times, his slow ball was picked quite easily by batsman and he never had a threatening bouncer.

Then there was Ambrose who was monster of a man standing at way over 6 feet , he would traumatize the batsman but he played too few a games as compared to his contemporaries.

Wasim Akram the second highest wicket taker in ODI was never a express bowler , he would usually bowl in the late 130′s and that was his limit, at the end of his career he became a medium- fast pacer ( with all respect he is still my favorite) .

Glenn Mcgrath was always the line and length bowler nothing beyond that ( so was the case with Shaun Pollock), Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar have been very inconsistent. Shoaib’s career is over and even Brett Lee is on verge of retirement now.

The only bowler who can challenge Malinga is the South African Dale Steyn, but given the amount of matches that sub-continent team plays it is highly unlikely that he will ever catch up with the ‘Slinga’ (given that he remove his habit of spilling the ball all around the pitch).

Sri Lanka won the 5 th ODI today courtesy only one man – Malinga, when they were cruising at 210 for 5 how would have thought that they would loose their remaining wickets just for a single run (yes , you heard that right!!!). The first of the 3 victims was Mitchell Johnson he was clean bowled by Malinga with a yorker, the second to go was John Hastings who missed out on a full toss and was trapped in front. Enter Xavier Doherty, he was expecting a yorker but such was the pace and accuracy of the yorker that he could do nothing about it . The Aussies were all out for 211, and this hasn’t been the first instance that Malinga has single handedly destroyed a batting side. Those who don’t remember must revisit the 2007 world cup when Malinga established a world record of taking 4 wickets in four deliveries.

Malinga took his Third career hat-trick against the Aussies

Some other records that highlight his bowling credentials are :

1. Has the world record of taking 4 wickets in 4 ball , a feat which has not been repeated by any other bowler.

2. Has two world cup hat-trick one against South Africa in 2007 world cup and one against Kenya in 2011 world cup.

3. Has bowled the second fastest bowl in ODI, clocking more than 155 km/hr.

4. Holds the record for highest number of yorkers per match.

5. Is a deadly slog over bowler often changing the course of entire match.

These statistics are just a testimonial to a man who has achieved all these feats in such a small time, hopefully we will continue seeing the master in action for a long time to come.