A simple scribble by a scribe in reverence of Mahela Jayawardena………
While the journalists of the world will be hectically tapping away accolades and innuendos of crickets supreme artist, a staunch MJ follower prepares for life without ‘his greatness.’ A considerable number of personal sentiments have been raging through and penning it felt appropriate. His average of near 50 says nothing of the respect this diminutive statured stylist commands. As a nation plans to gently mourn the retirement of its greatest champion, for some of us it’s harder to keep our emotions intact. The admiration in which we have followed him for decades, as he dished-out surreal pleasure taking on the world’s finest and reigning over them, overcomes us at this moment; a loss inconsolable.
Attempting to do justice to such distinction is committing hara-kiri, and all that must be said about him has been said or will be said and this is just an out-pouring of that common sentiment.
The first personal interaction with MJ was an interview. Having rendezvoused with that vibrant creature Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardena did not spur too much anticipation. What I was not prepared for was to be awed. His quiet demeanour (a lot less demonstrative than he is now) deceived me into thinking he was average. But conversation with him had us floored. Though in contrast to his buddy Sanga, MJ opined his judicious cricket brain and deep-seated thinking, leaving us astounded, and must add, fairly ashamed for underestimating him. It was in his early days of captaincy, and Mahela in his latent manner of speaking, described to us the plans for the team which clearly unveiled that he was threading his way to become a leader of magnitude.
Sri Lanka cricketer Mahela Jayawardene (C) walks through an ‘archway of cricket bats’ as he goes out to field during the second day of the second Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the SSC ©AFP
An age-old grouse of us purists is that MJ never reached his potential; admittedly not the most politically correct statement to make at such a sombre moment, but it simply emphasises how brilliant he must be to have achieved all of this without reaching his prophesied probable.
Though much is spoken about his test cricket, it is a MJ T20 century that is the embodiment of all that is cricket; to me it’s a re-run that one never tires of watching. Titillating is the sight, that while the rest of the world takes to thumping the leather with serious gusto, Mahela Jayawardena will dexterously dab, cut and place, and for the sake of aggression loft-drive the bowlers and still stay ahead of the run-rate as pronouncedly as his boisterous contemporaries.
In all three forms of the game, he has the ability to race to runs without breaking a sweat. Scoring deliciously executed boundaries and customarily crossing to tap the other end, was a well-known MJ quirk. On a pitch that batsmen struggle or against an excellent passage of bowling, where the best of the best will keep finding the fielders, Jayawardena will evade them with bewildering ease; that ability to bisect the fielding with surgical precision left you breathless. His timing and silky stroke play is unparalled and in its absolute exquisiteness lays the essence of Mahela Jayawardena – sublime poetry-in-motion.
Over the years he has been proved as a gracious leader, drawing the utmost respect of his men and the world of cricket, commanding the dressing room ever so stealthily. Ample proof comes from the fact that he was awarded captain of the year by the ICC and was named as skipper for periodical world XI sides.
Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara (R) is congratulated by teammate Mahela Jayawardene after scoring a half-century (50 runs) during the third day of the second cricket Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the SSC ©AFP
His ‘bromance’, as everyone calls it these days, with friend and team mate Kumar Sangakkara is so- articulated and their record partnerships on and off the field have stood the test of time. Together they have carried the Sri Lankan team on their backs and also the hopes of a nation, sometimes with many undocumented personal sacrifices. What cuts most clearly through this brotherhood is how Jayawardena nobly holds his own while the more brashful friend basks in all the attention and media. Never for a moment does the lack of attention pale him, never for a moment does he doubt or second guess himself in the élan of his left-handed friend. It says a mouthful for the character of MJ and a lesson to fellow humans that all great deeds and abilities don’t need newspaper headlines or constant tributes; done long enough and well enough the honours flow. This great partnership embodies real friendship; real men, real allies. Upholding strengths and making up for weaknesses and never basking-in or over-shadowing the others moment, always, always backing each other, it’s a kinship for folklore. Another lump-in-the-throat chapter…
A genial genius is how he will be remembered. Despite some naughty sledging and sometimes in your face passages which displayed a belligerent side occasionally, he is also celebrated as a gentleman of the game.
An era has ended; just as the Aravinda de Silva ‘audacity’ will never be duplicated, the Mahela Jayawardena eminence will find not a spare. Sri Lanka looked for an ‘equivalent’ for De Silva instead found an ‘individual’ in Jayawardena. What you take so much for granted in watching the suave of MJ add calm-elegance to any ruffled situation, is never to be seen again. The cricketing world has lost many greats over time but the Mahela Jayawardena sophistication will be well remembered, will be revered.
For this scribe, having been entrenched in cricket as a passion and as a vocation, its withdrawal symptoms abound– preparing for cricket without Mahela Jayawardena; it is honestly inconceivable.
A grateful nation will join in this celebration to a man who has given them so much; passages will be written, words will be spoken, salutes will be slapped – but the whooping pride and joy instilled in our hearts, dear skipper, will never fade away!!
Sri Lankan cricketer Mahela Jayawardene waves to the crowd during the fourth day of the second Test match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the SSC ©AFP
