Imitation, flattery and self deprecation

Lasith Malinga got a taste of his own medicine today, or so to speak, when his Mumbai Indians team-mate Harbhajan Singh imitated his action while bowling against him during a dull passage of play on day four of the third test between India and Sri Lanka.

Malinga was batting on 59, having added 144 runs for the eighth wicket with triple centurion Thilana Samaraweera and it did not seem that the Indians would get a breakthrough any soon when Harbhajan Singh decided to bowl in Malinga's unique round arm slinging style. The off spinner who already had two wickets in the innings went past his usual run up spot in the 124 over of Lanka's first innings in the third session of the day.

He began in true Malinga style, first, he kissed the ball, ran in over the wicket with his right hand mimicking the action of a piston elbow downwards, did the small skiddy jump to give him width to accommodate the uncoiling of his right arm and then launched the ball towards the maker of this unique action himself. Malinga, wide eyed and almost in peals of laughter, swung and missed completely, fooled by the lack of pace on the ball, he saw it crash into the base of middle and leg stump.

Not only was it a surprise that Harbhajan managed to send down a legal delivery, he also took a wicket, something he hasn't done much of late with his own flapping arm meets butterfly stroke action.
At the press conference Harbhajan remarked, "I imitated his bowling and got a wicket, he imitated my batting and got out".

Sri Lanka declared immediately with their score reading 730/9 in reply to India's first innings score of 501.
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