Mahela Jayawardene      

A fine technician with an excellent temperament, Jayawardene's exciting arrival in 1997 heralded the start of a new era for Sri Lanka's middle order. His career reached new heights in 2006 when he was named captain, led a 5-0 one-day whitewash over England and then scored a Sri Lankan record 374 against South Africa at the SSC in Colombo. He added 624 for the third wicket with Kumar Sangakkara - a first-class record.

Jayawardene is the best batsman the island had produced since Sanath Jayasuriya (the man whose record Jayawardene took with his 374) and his rich talent fuelled towering expectations. Perhaps mindful of his first Test, when he went out to bat against India at Colombo in 1997 ...

A fine technician with an excellent temperament, Jayawardene's exciting arrival in 1997 heralded the start of a new era for Sri Lanka's middle order. His career reached new heights in 2006 when he was named captain, led a 5-0 one-day whitewash over England and then scored a Sri Lankan record 374 against South Africa at the SSC in Colombo. He added 624 for the third wicket with Kumar Sangakkara - a first-class record.

Jayawardene is the best batsman the island had produced since Sanath Jayasuriya (the man whose record Jayawardene took with his 374) and his rich talent fuelled towering expectations. Perhaps mindful of his first Test, when he went out to bat against India at Colombo in 1997 with the scoreboard reading 790 for 4, he soon developed an appetite for big scores. His 66 then was followed by a masterful 167 on a Galle minefield versus New Zealand in his fourth match. A marathon 242 against India followed in his seventh Test. However, after a prolific purple patch from 2000 to early-2002, his form became more patchy. His declining productivity in the one-day game was particularly alarming, although that was partly explained by his shuffling up and down the order. He suffered a run drought during the 2003 World Cup and was dropped immediately after. However, he soon regained his confidence and benefited from a stable batting position at No. 4 after the retirement of Aravinda de Silva. A good Test series against England was followed by a high-scoring run in 2004. He was appointed vice-captain of the one-day side for the second time in his career in 2003 and was named by the selectors as the heir to the captaincy after Marvan Atapattu's current tenure.

Jayawardene was given a chance to show what he brought to the captaincy when Atapattu was hit by back problems and he was named captain for the 2006 tour of England. He produced a stunning double of 61 and 119 at Lord's as Sri Lanka pulled off an amazing rearguard to save the match. The best, though, was still to come. After his 374 he struggled a little and fell into a slump, but as class players do he emerged in grand style and enjoyed a prolific series against England in December 2007.

His one-day captaincy reached a high when Sri Lanka made it to the final of the 2007 World Cup, slumped in the following months with inconsistent results and soared again after defeating India to claim the Asia Cup and the home Test series against the same team the following year.

In February 2009, he announced his resignation as captain following the 4-1 defeat in the home ODIs against India, saying the time was right for fresh leadership to take over.

Off the field he has won great admiration for his huge personal contribution to the HOPE cancer project.

Charlie Austin February 2009

August 2-6 1997
Success on debut
• On Test debut, Jayawawardene joins in the fun against India in a high-scoring draw at the R Premadasa Stadium with 66 from No. 6. Takes two catches as well.
  
May 15, 2006
State of denial
• Bats six hours for a century that he knows can - at best - draw the Lord's Test. Following on, Sri Lanka are held together by Jayawardene, and bat out 199 overs to save the Test.
  
June 2006
Everybody says he's fine
• Is fined 20% of his match fee for knocking over the stumps after he is dismissed at Trent Bridge in the final Test of the series. Also becomes only the second Sri Lankan captain to win a Test in England as the three-match series is leveled in style. Sri Lanka take the succeeding one-day series 5-0, and Jawawardene seals the deal with an unbeaten 126 in the second game before making 100 in the fourth. Pulls off spectacular catches and energises his players.
  
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July 2006
The Run Man
• His 374 against South Africa in Colombo is the fourth-highest in the all-time list of individual scores, but mere statistics, important as they are, don't tell the full story. Adds 624 for the third wicket - the highest for any wicket in Test or first-class cricket - with Kumar Sangakkara in an effortless exhibition of batting.
  
August 2006
Cutting down the chase
• His 123 against South Africa helps Sri Lanka complete the then sixth-highest successful fourth-innings run-chase in Test history and seal the series with the one-wicket victory.
  
November 2006
Captain of the Year
• Enjoys a good first week of the month, first being named Captain of the Year and the captain of the World ODI Team of the Year at the ICC Awards in Mumbai, and then getting the selectors' vote of confidence to captain Sri Lanka at the 2007 World Cup.
  
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March 2007
Wisden's best
• Is named one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year for his leadership as well as 983 Test and 1,185 ODI runs in 2006, respectively.
  
April 2007
Success and then the final hurdle
• Through an imperious century against New Zealand, takes Sri Lanka to the final of the World Cup. Although Sri Lanka lose the one-sided final to Australia, the team wins the respect of a nation craving a distraction from troubles at home over the last two years.
  
January 3 2009
Centurion
• Becomes only the fourth Sri Lankan to play 100 Tests, during the tour of Bangladesh.
  
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January-February 2009
One-day troubles
• Own ODI form becomes a trouble as Sri Lanka struggle to win against Zaimbabwe and Bangladesh, and just about avoid their first-ever 5-0 whitewash, against India. This includes 18 matches with only one half-century.
  
February 11, 2009
Bye bye captaincy
• Finally gives in to the pressure brought along by poor personal form and ordinary results for the team. Announces the up-coming two Tests against Pakistan will be his last as captain.
  
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167 v New Zealand, Galle, June 1998
• By stumps on day three of the second Test the inadequacy of New Zealand's first-innings 193 becomes clear: Sri Lanka are ahead with seven wickets in hand and Jayawardene, 21, shows remarkable technique and control for his unbeaten 88. Next day, his captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, nurses him through the nineties to a magnificent maiden Test century that sparks off wild celebrations. The players hug in mid-pitch, a policeman sets off a rocket and, with remarkable timing, a hot-dog vending machine blows up, sending clouds of smoke across the pavilion. But Jayawardene, in only his fourth Test, is not finished yet, and pushes on to a superb 167. He shows the temperament and personality to succeed on the international stage. The next highest score is in the thirties as Sri Lanka total 232. New Zealand fail, in four sessions, to even hit the 130 necessary to make Sri Lanka bat again. Jayawardene is the Man of the Match.
  
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