Angelo Mathews: Legacy of both triumph and disappointment

THE first test match which got underway in Galle yesterday between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is most probably the swansong of the former Sri Lankan Cricket Captain Angelo Mathews one of the illustrious international cricketers produced by the island nation in international cricket.

- 

Coincidentally, it was in the same ground Mathews made his debut in the longest version of the game 16 years ago as a 22-year-old promising young all-rounder against Pakistan under the captaincy of Kumar Sangakkara.

The arrival of Mathews to the national cricket team in 2008 raised the expectations of cricket fans in the country, as many felt he could have fulfilled the role of the fast bowling-oriented all-rounder in the calibre of Shaun Pollock or Jacques Kallis, which the Sri Lankan Cricket team lacked for eternity. Prior to Mathews, Farveez Maharoof was looked up to as the player who could be Sri Lanka’s version of Shaun Pollock, but his persistent injuries and inconsistent performances dashed those hopes. Unfortunately for both Mathews and Sri Lankan Cricket, frequent injuries to his lower-body and back significantly affected his ability to perform as a bowler, and as a result he was rarely used as a bowler for extensive periods.