Sri Lankans - The Great Innovators #2

Sri Lanka have a bit of a history of breaking the mold. Is there anyone who bowls like Murali? Can anyone sling it quite like Malinga? Did they not change the rules of the game in the 1996 World Cup by batting in the first 10 overs how you were only supposed to bat in the last 10?* Was it not mind blowing to see two short chubby guys (Ranatunga and De Silva) smashing and running their team to a world cup win against the Aussies?

Which brings us to the latest innovation - Dilshan's straight paddle sweep over the keeper.

When I was in High School I remember pitching the idea of a batsman going low and flicking the ball directly over his own head to the boundary. My friends mocked the idea ruthlessly, which directly resulting in my not getting laid for another half a decade.

Now, 15 years later, I get the last laugh thanks to Dilshan's confidence in my unorthodox cricketing ideas. If his English was a bit better I'm sure he'd wax lyrical about my role in his current success.

* Mark Greatbatch did a similar thing 4 years earlier but I'm ignoring it because a) it ruins my theory and b) his arrogant name needs to learn a little humility.