Veteran batsman Marvan Atapattu last night made a withering attack on the Sri Lankan cricket selectors, b*****ng them “muppets headed by a joker”.The former captain also hit out at the politics that were ruining Sri Lankan cricket as the tourists lost almost all hope of saving the first test at the Gabba yesterday.
Atapattu’s sensational post-stumps spray came after he was the only man to pass 50 as Sri Lanka were outgunned by Australia on a third straight day.
The 37-year-old opener batted for close to five hours, making 51 before Sri Lanka were rolled for 211 and forced to follow on 340 runs in arrears.
Atapattu, dismissed for 16 as his side lurched to 80 for two in the second innings, let his frustration out on the selection panel which initially overlooked the right-hander for the two-test tour.He was added to the 17-man squad only when Sri Lanka’s sports minister intervened and cemented a place in the test side with good form after Kumar Sangakarra was injured.
“Sri Lankan cricket, I think at this moment in time, is not going the way, the direction, it should be going,” he said.
"Especially with the muppets, basically, headed by a joker.
“If three guys are controlled by a joker you can do the wrong thing once, twice but not the third time. You can be called muppets then.”
Atapattu felt his controversial call-up showed the four-man selection panel had dropped the ball.
“I don’t give credit for the way they have handled things,” he said.
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