Then comes the other issues

There is a kind of hush. At present local cricket is in a lull, but is readily flexing their muscles to welcome their neighbours – Bangladesh for a six match series which comprise three tests and three one-day internationals.

In the past a series against Bangladesh would have been cast aside as a no-match series. But, after their show against Sri Lanka on the latter’s last visit to their home soil and the very impressive performance by them during the World Cup where they raised more than a few eyebrows with their performances against India and South Africa have put them in a different slot of respectability among the cricket hierarchy in the world – at least where ODIs are concerned. However after their skipper Habibul Bashar stepped down as the national captain of the limited overs version of the game and the moving out of their motivator and coach Davnell Whatmore one wonders in what sort of a mental state they would be in to take on the Lankans. The Lankans on their part have the reputation of being one of the hardest sides to beat in their own conditions besides the semi-crown they wear as the runners-up of the CWC where they lost to the defending champions Australia under very arguable circumstances. Nevertheless we at this end must not take this series lightly – at least the ODI part of it.

Meanwhile as expected Sri Lanka’s experienced trio Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, and Kumar Sangakkara, who are currently engaged in the county circuit in England, will be available for selection for the home Test series against Bangladesh. Ashantha de Mel – the head of selectors who had a reprieve from sports minister Gamini Lokuge, after Sri Lanka Cricket's management had omitted his name from the selectors list has stated that the selectors wanted to look at every angle before they decide on the squad. According to de Mel the availability of the experienced trio means that the home team would be at full strength for the series. Muttiah Muralitharan is playing for Lancashire, Chaminda Vaas for Middlesex, and Kumar Sangakkara for Warwickshire. In spite of giving their consent for selection for the Bangladesh series the three players opted out of the Afro-Asia Cup, hosted by India in early June, due to their county commitments.

For the Test series the venue for the first Test starting on June 25, has been moved from R Premadasa Stadium to the SSC. The second Test will be played at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo from July 3 to 7 and the third at the Asgiriya Stadium from July 11 to 15.

Meanwhile the first one-day international will take place at the P. Saravanamuttu Stadium on 20th July and the second and the third at the R. Premadasa stadium on July 23rd and 25th respectively. All three ODI’s will be day games.

Coming back to the on field talk, in the aftermath of the World Cup, India who were ousted from the CWC courtesy Bangladesh, thrashed the day lights out of the home team in a real vengeful manner may be to prove a point that Indian cricket did not die with that debacle and it was only a slip of the tongue.

Petty politics apart, I envy the position of the local selectors. Leave the ODIs alone. Firstly they have a Test series against the visitors. Then another five tests against England and Australia in the near future.

Taking on Australia in their own back yard could be a difficult exercise to any team in the World. That mean cricket machine is tuned to play according to chart under any circumstances and any opposition, anywhere in the world. Then England after a lean show during past few seasons, have come up with a much improved performance at least while playing at home and indeed they always could be a stiffer opposition than the Bangladeshis could offer in the present context.

Now at present the Sri Lankan cricket is going through the dilemma of going ahead with the experienced and aging members of the present team and at the same time honing the next generation of cricketers for the future tasks. The three Test series against Bangladesh could be the ideal fodder for the honing of the future kids, but, with the tasks at hand in the short term future , can we afford to take such risks and not give the seniors the much needed match practice at Test level? With reports reaching us we hear the selectors are up to it and are considering some changes in the lineup.

At the same time it is also important that the next generation of National stars also gets a chance of performing at the highest level.

We say this because below the Test arena and besides the academy and ‘A’ team level, it is a well known fact that the local club cricket is in shambles. Being a four-day tournament how many matches failed to last the entirety of the given period of time? This showed that in spite of transforming these cricketers into professional or semi-professional players by the authorities, cricketers failed to perform akin to a first class tournament. This means there is something wrong somewhere.

There is another alarming fact. There is no argument that during the past decade or even more the Southern part of Sri Lanka has produced most of the Sri Lankan national cricketers and has been its main feeding point. For instance --Sanath Jayasuriya (Matara) Upul Tharanga (Galle), Chamara Silva ( Panadura), T.M. Dilshan (Kalutara), Malinga Bandara (Kalutara) and Lasith Malinga (Galle) have all come from southern schools and besides Jayasuriya all others honed their skills at Southern Clubs and then were absorbed by the Colombo based giants.

After the last Premier League tournament, the clubs who will play in the segment one of the Premier league tournament will be – SSC, NCC, Bloomfield, CCC, Colts, Ragama CC, Badureliya CC, Tamil Union and Moors. Good. But, it is only the new comers – Badureliya CC that represents the South, but, it has a very short history and have mainly depended upon Colombo based players in their short term in the fray so far. However Galle CC, Panadura CC, Sebastianites, (Not forgetting the contribution by the clubs in the calibre of Kalutara CC, Kalutara TC, Sinha SC,etc). Ironically by the exodus of the leading players of these clubs to the more affluent clubs in Colombo and the political and non political issues experienced by them have led to their degradation. My fear is now a cricketer who is worth his salt will dare not join any of these clubs if has any desire of playing for the country. At the same time now where will the young potential cricketers from the south go to play cricket once they leave school? This is an issue which would have to be addressed very carefully if not Sri Lanka cricket would be loser.