Published: Feb 17, 2011, 10:40 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 10, 2014, 04:29 PM (IST)
By Austin Coutinho
Minnows Sri Lanka faced the might of Australia at The Oval on June 11, 1975 in their second match of the inaugural World Cup in England. Chasing 328 to win, the Lankans made a fight of it, reaching 276 for 4 in 60 overs.
Having played out Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson in their first spells, Sunil Wettimuny and Duleep Mendis, however, had to face the wrath of a charged up ‘Thommo’ in his second spell. Both batsmen were repeatedly hit by his thunderbolts which were aimed at their bodies.
Managing to reach 32, Mendis was hit on the head and fell in a heap. On regaining consciousness, the batsman is said to have muttered, “Oh God, I’m going!” He was taken away to the hospital for observation.
Wettimuny, who had scored a sedate 53, was hit on the instep – twice in two overs, by Thommo’s sandshoe-crushers. On the second occasion, hopping around in pain, the batsman ventured out of his crease. Egged on by his teammates, Thommo threw the ball at the striker’s stumps to run him out. As he appealed, the Aussie fielders stood and laughed. Wettimuny, who had had enough hobbled away to the pavilion, while the large Sri Lankan crowd in the stands booed Thommo.
When Wettimuny was taken to the hospital and asked who had hit him, he said, “Jeff Thomson.” A policeman who overheard the conversation is said to have asked him if he wanted to press charges! The next day, fearing that the Sri Lankans in the hotel foyer might stab him, Thommo skipped his breakfast!
(Austin Coutinho, Deputy Manager (CRM) with RCF, is a cartoonist and writer. A former club cricketer, he is also a cricket and football coach)
