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The
need for constant improvement
The all important factor is to remember that "you cannot walk or run before you have learnt to crawl". Quite simply a majority of the basics have to be grasped and a solid game built around them is essential. Pace bowlers fall into three categories. The genuinely quick, the quick who can also move the ball and those who bowl medium pace with plenty of variation. In recent years Sri Lanka has produced many "pacemen" who fall in between these categories and find half way through their careers that they are "nothing" bowlers. Primary is yet to bowl a good line and length. Dilhara Fernando was the outstanding bowler in England. He came after a long lay off for the third Test match and was well short of match fitness. By the time he was into the third spell some of the cobwebs had been dusted and some rhythm was evident. He is genuinely
quick and must keep bowling with pace for a couple of years. Spin, line and length, together with subtle variations are the requirements for a spin bowler. Muttiah Muralitharan has his own approach to bowling. His physical attributes provide an action that cannot be aped. He himself is unique. Towards the second half of the recent one-dayer Thilan Samaraweera came into the picture. He is a classic off-spinner with an old fashioned approach and delivery. Samaraweera had reasonable success in the three games he played. He is a bowler who delivers from very close to the stumps. That helps a lot in one day cricket because it makes it possible for the bowler to bowl "wicket to wicket" keeping the ball on a straight line. He has to develop one that drifts away from the right hander very soon. Should he be able to do that and use the crease more than what he is doing now then he will certainly become a better spinner. Sri Lanka has in the past and will in the future produce top class batsmen. They will be excellent when they play good batting surfaces where the bounce is predicable and the lateral movement minimal for the quicker bowlers. The nature of hitting the ball on the rise, risky flicks and playing away from the body, leaves them vulnerable to playing on pitches in England, Australia and South Africa. Gifted as they are Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Russel Arnold, all could not come to grips with what was hurled at them by the Englishmen and Indians. On their day they were brilliant when everything fell into place and the twenty percent luck which accompanies most long innings went with them. At other times they looked ordinary when they were dismissed to poor shots where often they may have got away on sub-continent surfaces. Losses in two out of three Test matches and similarly five out of six one day games accounts for a very poor tour of England. The coach and players have to go back to the drawing board assess their weaknesses, learn from the mistakes and take corrective action to benefit the players and the team. Kandy-CR
clash could settle league outcome One thought the Kandy-Army game would see the might of the former being at least threatened. But Basnayake's boys scotched that challenge with ease Army was dismissed with an arrogance bordering on contempt. Today's clash at Nittawela, where Kandy SC play host to the CR, could settle once and for all the outcome of this year's league tournament. If the CR loses, one's gut feeling is that they will find it doubly hard to play catch-up-rugby. There is a sneaking suspicion that even if Kandy were to lose this one they could eventually power to the top notwithstanding the fact that the return encounter will be at the CR's home ground. Significantly the CR has some young, just-out-of-school players (Kaluarachchi, Pieris, Pavithra Fernando) in key positions. Their talent is not in question, but how they perform when up against the formidable force that is Kandy will certainly influence the outcome of this game. The CR is not all young blood. The astute Asanga Rodrigo has fallen back to man the last line of defence. He may have lost some speed but his thinking will be spot on as he reads the game well. Others such as de Saram, Nawaz and Musafer have loads of experience. The first score could be of some importance in a close match. If the home team scores first early on, it could open the floodgates even if that does not happen, one cannot foresee the Kandy team being subjected to a humiliating defeat. Kandy SC, one feels, is nicely pruned for this battle. The minor irritants have been got out of the way and on the rare occasions that they have found themselves in a tight corner they have come out on top eventually by dint of their expertise and abundant talent. Sanjeeva Jayasinghe is not an unknown quantity but he will have to be nabbed early if his menace is to be contained. He has been responsible for a glut of tries and has proved to be a most worthy investment. Another important player is Nalaka Weerakkody. He does show flashes of brilliance in his play. All the same he has been guilty of some telling lapses under pressure. His kicks at goal have been rather more impressive. Pace, punch, power, possession the important elements in rugby - are present in great abundance in the champion side - their forwards, skipper Basnayake, Jayasena, Galgamuwa, all work hard while Haris Omar knows only one way to play rugby with power and pace. He is certainly a tough - as - nails forward. If Kandy decides to open out the game, they should be well served by the likes of Bandaranaike, Vithanage, Mallikarachchi, Hettiarachchi and the rest. Indeed, Kandy SC is the Manchester United of Sri Lankan rugby! Summing up, this could be a great game, if the CR succeed in holding Kandy up for any length of time. If they fall down on the job, then it could be one way traffic. Kaluaggala
Motor Cross on July 21 Upali Dassanayake the President of the SLRRA speaking at a press conference held at the Hotel Nippon emphasised that this is the eighth track to be built in Sri Lanka. Since the SLRRA which was formed in 1989. It has gone from strength to strength and has developed tremondously. The first motor cross was held in Pannala way back in 1991 where only 17 riders participated. But now there are over 200 riders in the racing circuit.And with racing enthuasists like D.M.D. Jayatissa coming forward in giving his land to build a track things look good for racing riders in the future. Janashakthi Insurance has promised insurance cover for the riders with a special policy. Fourteen events will be worked off with a separate event for the veterans. The events include Novices upto 80cc and 125cc. Street Trail upto 80cc, 125cc and 250cc.Open 4 Stroke. Racing upto 80cc (Under 16), upto 80cc, upto 125cc, upto 250cc and Open.There will be two races for kids 50cc for kids between 6 and 8 years.And 80cc for kids between 8 and 13 years.Cash prizes wil be awarded to the first three winners. Entries close on July 15 2002 and could be posted to Overseas Employment Beareau (Pvt) Ltd, 40A, Nawala Road, Nawala or Buultjens Brothers - 118 Puttalam Road, Kurunegala. |
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