Hype over Mendis

[SachDan]

Bedi showers praise on Mendis Feels he's once in a generation bowler... http://www.cricketnext.com/columns/bishansinghbedi/746/32637/mendis-has-all-the-makings-of-a-worldbeater/1.html

[Willow_on_fire]

Bedi is making the spin connection here...may be he feels that he should've bowled like Mendis...:D

[DomainK]

I dont like Bedi at all. Bedi is an attention seeker. Always loves to make controversial statements and steal media lime light.

[Gambit]

I still remember how Bedi hijacked a felicitation ceremony for Nehra just after the 2003 world cup. Bedi the jack***** asked Nehra if Ganguly had consulted with the team and bowlers before opting to bowl first in the final. Before Nehra had a chance to respond, Bedi answered his own question and started to criticise Ganguly like he always did.

[Temujin Khaghan]

To quote bedi from the article "Personally, I am thrilled to bits that after Warne and Kumble, another one of the same ilk, maybe slightly different, will pose many questions to the batting giants of the world. " Oops bedi left murali out... This is like pakistan fans saying that Lara and Inzi are the best batsmen of their generration leaving Sachin out. Infact Inzi doesn't deserve a spot along with sachin and lara but that is a different topic. There is only one word this kind of mentality - cheap!

[DomainK]

To quote bedi from the article "Personally, I am thrilled to bits that after Warne and Kumble, another one of the same ilk, maybe slightly different, will pose many questions to the batting giants of the world. " Oops bedi left murali out... This is like pakistan fans saying that Lara and Inzi are the best batsmen of their generration leaving Sachin out. Infact Inzi doesn't deserve a spot along with sachin and lara but that is a different topic. There is only one word this kind of mentality - cheap!

Bedi never made his feeling for Murali secret. He is the biggest Murali hater in the world. In fact he was so vocal about this that Murali even sued him for some $15m once. Not sure what happened to the case, but Bedi stopped talking about Murali after that. Bedi is a very negative sadist person.

[CSK Fan]

he talks about Medis's action so he is actually taking a jab at Murali like usual. Murali has been such a gentleman at not replying to his abuses which has been going on for a while

[Temujin Khaghan]

yeah murali is cool. no matter who comes or what octogenerians think about him, he will remain a champ - one of the greatest ever in all sport.

[THX_1138]

I think this should be motivation enough to study, analyse and then pillage Mendis this coming test match series... there are few things in this world as rewarding as making a ill brain surd eating his own words.

[Yuvraj4Captaincy]

Mendis is pure class and Murli is good but cant classify him in the class of warne at all cuz of his bowlign action..u all know wht I m tlkin abt. Warne is a legend and Mendis is the second spinner that has the making of being a legend liek warne. Not to undermine murli at all....

[Yuvraj4Captaincy]

One thing I dont liek abt Bedi is , he never says much good for Indian team or present any kind of hope.

[satishg]

I think this should be motivation enough to study' date=' analyse and then pillage Mendis this coming test match series... there are few things in this world as rewarding as making a ill brain surd eating his own words.[/quote'] absolutely right and Bedi has gone about talking nonsense for quite some time now..agreed he aint a fan of Murali but to keep humiliating Murali has been the main motive of Bedi..he is really arrogant and obnoxious..

[harry_d]

Feels he's once in a generation bowler... Bedi really hates Murali though :winky:

[SachDan]

Feels he's once in a generation bowler... Bedi really hates Murali though :winky:

May be trying to please some Sri Lankans like harry :D

[harry_d]

May be trying to please some Sri Lankans like harry :D

Could be, because many Sri Lankans were all in a rage, waving their arms about with pitchforks in hand, when he came out with his comments about Murali :-D

[harry_d]

I think this should be motivation enough to study' date=' analyse and then pillage Mendis this coming test match series... there are few things in this world as rewarding as making a ill brain surd eating his own words.[/quote'] Isn't surd an offensive term? :confused_smile:

[yoda]

bedi the low life praises mendis just to take a dig at murali.

[Feed]

The nurturing of Mendis has been splendid : Roebuck Mendis has numerous deliveries in his repertoire, all of them under control, writes Peter Roebuck More... The nurturing of Mendis has been splendid Mendis has numerous deliveries in his repertoire, all of them under control, writes Peter Roebuck PETER ROEBUCK Ajantha Mendis’s rise to prominence has been a triumph for his captain and for the Sri Lankan cricket at large. Over the years, a murky picture has been painted of Lankan cricket. The impression has been given that it succeeds almost despite itself and most especially despite its ever changing administration. In the case of the new spinning phenomenon, a bowler blessed with more deliveries than an ageing midwife, it seems that the nurturing of a gifted youth has been superb. Mendis was spotted a few years ago, playing in a lower division of the league in Colombo. It might sound like the start of a rags to riches story but it is not as simple as that. Already Mendis was in good hands. Far from rushing him along or trying to change him or claiming all the glory, his coach at Army club was wise to leave him to his own devices, contenting himself with filming his action and showing him the footage whenever things went wrong. The best coaches are not dictators but mirrors. As the months passed, Mendis added other balls to his off-break and leg-break. Nowadays he has numerous deliveries in his repertoire, all of them under control. Apparently, he sends down most of them every over. Mendis’s next stroke of fortune was that the national team had fallen into thoughtful and mature hands. A lesser leader than Mahela Jayawardene, a lesser lieutenant than Kumar Sangakkara, might have insisted on including the youngster in the team to tour Australia last season. After all they were taking on a formidable opponent in its own backyard. It must have been tempting to try to catch the Aussies unawares. Instead, they suggested holding him back so that he could gather more experience. A far-sighted decision Murali had been around long enough to survive the poundings dished out to spinners down under. Mendis had no such foundations. The elders did not want to risk killing their golden goose. It was a selfless and far-sighted decision. Happy is the nation blessed with such senior players. Sri Lanka’s maligned selectors also deserve a pat on the back. Such are the machinations of Lankan cricket that their position is constantly under threat yet they were prepared to bide their time. Marvan Atapattu did not think much of them but then he has not forgiven them for dumping him as captain. But Jayawardene has been his superior. From the outset he treated Mendis with respect, sitting down to discuss field placements with him. It is not easy to place a field for a leggie and an offie. In his early days Jaywardene was underestimated, not least by the Australians inclined to mistake his style for flashiness. Finger spinners Spared a tour down under, Mendis enjoyed a more amenable introduction into international cricket. He started against the West Indies and his spin variations caused consternation. Next he was let loose against the Indians in the Asia Cup and promptly wreaked havoc. None of the batsmen from either country could tell his deliveries apart. Accordingly, they were unable to attack him with the certainty required in those hectic capers. Evidently Mendis belongs to the rich tradition of Sonny Ramadhin and Johnnie Gleeson, exceptional finger spinners able to send down a wide range of balls without any discernible change of action. India can expect a hard fight in this forthcoming series. Sri Lanka is making the most of the resources at its disposal. The home team fields several worthy warhorses, a varied attack and plays with passion. Clearly the hosts have two other vital weapons, intelligent leadership and an emerging bowler whose time has come.

[punjabi_khota]

Isnt it like, too early for articles like this ?

[Feed]

Sri Lanka's mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis ready to become the new star-turn: Sangakkara The Mendis hype has erupted because of his instant success and unique style. He is neither a wrist spinner nor a traditional off-break bowler, but he can bowl all their different variations using just the tips of his fingers to impart spin. More... Sri Lanka's mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis ready to become the new star-turn By Kumar Sangakkara Last Updated: 12:23am BST 20/07/2008 Sri Lanka are preparing for a crucial three-match Test series with India, starting this week, and the build-up has been dominated by a media frenzy over Sri Lanka's latest unorthodox bowler, Ajantha Mendis, a mysterious finger spinner who shot to fame in the final of the Asia Cup. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3iyoS0S1tU]YouTube: Watch Ajantha Mendis in action in Asia Cup Final[/ame] International man of mystery: Spinner Mendis has been tipped for success Up until the Asia Cup, Mendis was a curious but little-known 23-year-old spinner playing Division Two first-class cricket for the Sri Lankan Army. However, we have had our eyes on him for a while after seeing first-hand his skill in the practice nets. His first-class record is already special: 111 wickets at 14.54 from only 19 games. India's batsmen had plundered runs during the Asia Cup, chasing down two 300-plus targets, and they were strongly-placed on 76 without loss chasing 273 after only nine overs of the final. I suspect Indian supporters thought Asia's one-day crown was theirs. However, they did not reckon on Mendis, whom we had rested against India before the final. With Virender Sehwag creating mayhem in the powerplays, flogging 60 from 34 balls, Mendis was called into the attack after only 10 overs. His impact was dramatic, with the match turning within four deliveries: Sehwag was stumped second ball and Yuvraj Singh's stumps were rearranged two deliveries later. Mahendra Singh Dhoni admitted afterwards that his batsmen were unable to read him as he scythed through the top order, finishing with six for 13 from eight overs. It was a masterful exhibition of attacking spin-bowling from a young man playing in only his eighth game. Since then it has been Mendis mania. The pre-tour press conference, traditionally a forum of opposition captains to fend off questions about Murali, was all about how India's star-studded middle-order might decode Mendis's box of tricks. As of yesterday, one YouTube clip on Mendis had recorded a staggering 84,817 views. Advertisers are rushing for endorsement deals. The Mendis hype has erupted because of his instant success and unique style. He is neither a wrist spinner nor a traditional off-break bowler, but he can bowl all their different variations using just the tips of his fingers to impart spin. He admits to having five different deliveries, and is working on a sixth in the nets. He is unlike any other spinner I know, though our left-arm spinner Rangana Herath's flicked wrong 'un has similarities. Comparisons have been made to Australia's John Gleeson and John Iverson, known as 'Big Jack', who developed his peculiar style while on duty with the Australian army in New Guinea. Iverson gripped the ball between his thumb and middle finger and could bowl off-breaks, leg-breaks and googlies without any change of action. People keep asking me whether he can be read. Well, as a wicketkeeper, I know that it is a real challenge. I had to practise for hours to get a better idea as to which way the ball will turn. I can now read him most of the time, but it is not easy as the changes are so subtle. Batsmen will have to watch his fingers intensely but, by doing so, they run the risk of losing focus on the ball. The secret of his dramatic success, however, is not merely his variety, but his pin-point accuracy. As far as I can see, all great bowlers have one simple thing in common: mastery of control. Mendis, like Murali and Shane Warne, appears to have that same ability to pitch the ball on a coin. Indeed, while people talk of his variations, his mystery deliveries, his amazingly complicated method of delivery, when I keep to him I see only simplicity. I see a someone adhering to the age-old basics of bowling. Up until the point of delivery, when his fingers rub their magic, his action is perfectly orthodox. This gives him a strong foundation. Fortunately, like Murali and Lasith Malinga, Mendis was never touched by rigid, tunnel-vision coaching. The coaches he has worked with have allowed him to develop naturally. Sri Lanka may not have the same development resources as some of our competitors, but we can be proud of the way our system does not discriminate against unorthodoxy. Ajantha's other great asset is his rock-solid temperament. He has enormous self-belief and was unfazed by the jump from domestic to international cricket. I guess he must have been at least a little nervous before the Asia Cup, but if he was you would never know. He is a tough character and a fierce competitor. It is, of course, premature to call him a great bowler. It takes consistently exceptional performances over a prolonged period to earn that honour. But he certainly has great potential and has proven himself thus far. If he can keep evolving like Murali, keeping himself ahead of the game, then we could have a new star. The prospect of him joining forces with Murali in this series is particularly mouth-watering. Their accuracy, skill and shrewd cricket brains will make life extremely difficult for India. It will also provide the proposed new referrals system, which will be on trial during this series, the most rigorous test imaginable, with the number of lbw and bat-pad appeals. Stats Right-arm spinner Born: 11/3/1985, Moratuwa. First-class debut: Lankan CC v Sri Lanka Army (Welisara, 17/11/2006). Stats: 19 matches, 111?wkts at 14.54. Best: 7-37. ODI debut: West Indies v Sri Lanka (Port of Spain, 10/4/2008). Stats: 8 matches, 20?wkts at 10.25. Best: 6-13.