Sangakkara makes his point

Kumar Sangakkara had scored seven Test centuries before today, but his eighth was the most special, scored in front of a home crowd, on his old school ground, with his family and wife, Yehali, watching adoringly from the pavilion. Moreover, it came at a time when his team were desperate for runs, at a key stage of the game on a spiteful surface, the worst pitch at Asgiriya International Stadium for years. Finally, he had a point to prove, not to the Sri Lankan selectors, but to Sunil Gavasker's ICC-appointed panel for the Super Series, a committee that believes, mystifyingly, that he is only the fourth-best wicketkeeper batsman in the world.

West Indies are depressingly weak owing to the sponsorship imbroglio that is creating such bitterness at home, but their fast bowlers have pounded in with heart, fire and pace during this series. They may be lacking their batting stars, but Daren Powell, Tino Best and Jermaine Lawson are not an attractive proposition on a pitch that starting puffing-up from the first session. The bounce has been uneven, occasionally alarming, throughout. Several batsmen have received painful blows to the body and none have been comfortable, except perhaps Tillakaratne Dilshan for a short while in the afternoon, who played some strokes in his 49 that left the press box drooling.

After three top-order failures, Sri Lanka and Sangakkara were under pressure in the second innings. Runs were needed, not just to avoid being left red-faced by West Indies, after their lame 150 in the first dig, but to boost their confidence before the triangular one-day series. Sangakkara's three previous failures had not prompted a media flogging because the memories of his recent successes in the last 18 months remain so fresh, but the flashiness of his dismissals, in the second innings at Colombo and first innings here, raised eyebrows. Sangakkara was furious with himself and was determined to make amends.

There was one outrageous waft early-on, but thereafter Sangakkara eschewed his normal flamboyance, knuckling down to play the most hardworking, patient and skillful innings of his career. When the all-Australian think-tank in the West Indies dressing-room persuaded their bowlers to pitch the ball up during one of the many rain-breaks, run-scoring became difficult. But Sangakkara did not fret, forcing himself to wait for the short balls, which he pulled majestically, and any leg-stump offerings, which he deftly glanced. By close, Sangakkara, battling the onset of the flu and a badly bruised wrist, had occupied the crease for six hours and faced 266 balls for his 135 not out.

After an early tea he started to twist the knife, cruising through the nervous nineties with one glorious lofted cover-drive. His hundred was brought up with a sweep and in the excitement of the moment he dropped his bat, ran towards Dilshan, hugging him like a long-lost friend, and then towards the pavilion, punching the air in delight. His elation flowed naturally and spontaneously. Sharp words had been exchanged with his counterpart behind the stumps and he'd provided the perfect riposte.

More importantly, he'd produced perhaps his finest innings in front of his home crowd. Sangakkara still rates his 98 against South Africa at Centurion in 2000, a brilliant innings that was sawn off early by a dreadful lbw decision from Peter Willey, as his best. There have been classics since, too, including the marathon 230 against Pakistan at Lahore on a seamer-friendly pitch in 2001-02. But this unbeaten 135 stands apart for skill, determination and patience.

This innings came a few weeks after the announcement of the ICC Super Series squads and it was his last chance to put his name into the hat. Publicly he has made no comment about his surprise omission from the Test squad, until this evening, when he said simply: "Selectors, like Gods, can move in mysterious ways." He can be forgiven for being upset, though, because he appeared a near-certainty after averaging over 50 in both Test and ODI cricket in 2004, a performance that moved him into Adam Gilchrist-esque territory. His wicketkeeping, too, blossomed in 2004 and right now he is a very polished and sharp operator with the gloves.

The rationale behind his omission is confusing for many. Brendon McCullum is a promising wicketkeeper, for sure, but his batting is not on the same plane as Sangakkara, as a career average of 47.29 compared to McCullum's 32.95 illuminates so graphically. Mark Boucher, the other wicketkeeper, is a battle-hardened and gritty performer so his inclusion is justified despite an even lower average of 30.68.

When you consider that the World XI wicketkeeper will have to decipher Muttiah Muralitharan's trickery behind the stumps, decoding the doosra, Sangakkara's absence is even more baffling. Unfortunately, it seems that Sir Richard Hadlee's voice on the selection committee carried too much weight. But Sangakkara has, at least, given those selectors something more to ponder when they trim down their 20-man squads.