Watching the Lankans playing today is like a travel down memory lane. Yes, even thirty years ago when they were initially given the green light to play along with the big boys in the park in 1982, Sri Lankan cricket was good. They possessed talent, but they were not competitive enough. Today sadly the truth is mighty watertight; the Lankans are playing the game just like they did thirty years ago.
 All the good work that Arjuna Ranatunga as the first futuristic captain of Sri Lankan cricket inculcated in our brand of cricket has run out through the back door. Once again the country is playing a game, while groping in the dark, without a vision or a plan along with a captain who may not be able to win even an inter-school under fourteen match with his present leadership skills.
Initially it is the national selectors who should be taken into task for this ‘catch 22’ situation.
When former skipper Kumar Sangakkara removed his halo at the end of the Cricket World Cup 2011, the team had the prestige of being ending up as the runners-up which could be described as a major achievement. Sangakkara’s stepping-down saw the then selection committee also resigning leaving a huge void and creating a crisis in Sri Lanka cricket.
Recently the much-respected cricket columnist Peter Roebuck penned, “Sri Lanka Cricket appears to be a house divided. At present the team is led by its third best captain. (We at this end even disagree to that count). Off the field chaos continues; with interim committees, political interference, empty accounts high legal fees and wide spread accusations of cronyism.
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| Pakistan's pacer Junaid Khan (2R) celebrates with teammates after dismissing Sri Lanka's cricket captain Tillakaratne Dilshan (L) on the opening day of the second cricket Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Dubai's international cricket stadium on October 26, 2011. AFP |
“Sanath Jayasuriya has long enjoyed the backing of the governing party. Senior Sri Lanka players were reportedly aghast his name was even mentioned as a candidate for the World Cup, because his form had long been abysmal. Despite intense lobbying it did not come to pass because they played well and he did not. Still the prospect bound the team together. Instead he was granted a farewell ODI in England by political decree.
“Now Jayasuriya has become among the most powerful men in Sri Lanka cricket, able to offer places on the board to people considered suitable.”
Down the grapevine even we hear that Jayasuriya had a say when the present national selectors were being appointed in the aftermath of the Aravinda and co resignation.
Jayasuriya or no Jayasuriya it is the selectors who are responsible for the present on-field crisis in the team. First why did they appoint T.M. Dilshan as captain – a man with a trail of controversial incidents behind him?
Then despite things going wrong during the English tour, the selectors once again extended Dilshan’s appointment till the end of 2011. This means he will be leading the side even during the South African tour which is bound to be far more gruelling than the ongoing desert excursion.
Then during the Australian visit to Sri Lanka when the selectors found Dilshan floundering under pressure they packed him into the middle order and thus decapitating Thilan Samaraweera – a batsman who had an average of over 50 runs per inning.
It is also learnt the Samaraweera incident had more to do with politics involving past cricketers who still poke their fingers into the present dressing-room affairs than cricket.
Dilshan moving into the middle means two rookies – Tharanga Paranavithana and Lahiru Thirimanne are given the task of plastering the top. So far the two batsmen have been more on the minus than the plus and thus putting huge pressure on the rest of the top order.
Both Paranavithana and Thirimanne are not batting with self assurance and have curbed their natural flare. This may be a direct result of pressure within.
At the same time, take note of this team building process -- Upul Tharanga a man who has been proved a success is left behind at home with the “ODIs only” tag stuck on his forehead while in the middle Samaraweera is dropped.Now the openers fail and if Sangakkara or Jayawardena happens to get out early Dilshan also succumbs under pressure and it is up to the tail to pick and wag somewhat. Thank God when the top fails, the tail scores a ten runs a piece.
How did these selectors come to the conclusion that Rangana Herat is Sri Lankas leading spinner baffles me. Well, Sri Lanka had an adequate spinner in Suraj Randiv, but he is used so sparingly that we feel he has lost his zest to perform. At the same time Herat can never develop into a regular match winner. Every time he has taken wickets in an innings the opposition either has won the match or scored over 400.
However the only redeeming factor is that coach Geoff Marsh must be working with all his antenna’s rotating in all directions in full force. He is no amateur and he has a mission initially to preserve his good name.
Surely this tour he must be treating as the precursor. Yet, the South African tour is going to be business for him. If he feels the present selection panel in visionless, he must take up the matter with the Cricket Committee of Sri Lanka cricket. If he has recommendations that need implementation he must speak to the right people who have authority in cricket in the country.
Not that Sri Lanka is out of talent, but manager affiliations, club affiliations, clique affiliations and political interference have made this affair a huge mess. Yet, with the right turns in the cricket road – guided by persons who have pure cricket at heart we can pull cricket out of the present quagmire. |
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