Priorities for the new cricket administration
View(s):Now that a new cricket administration has taken over the gentlemen’s game in Sri Lanka, the cricket lovers of this country are looking forward to a rapid elevation of overall standards at all levels of the game. The new administration could consider the following suggestions with a view of achieving rapid success.Top priorities are enumerated below.
1. Raising of school cricket standards
There was a time that schoolboys used to walk into national cricket team while in school or just after leaving school. The standards were so high in school cricket and many schoolboys played division 1 club cricket while in school. The present points system be done away with from next year as there is a tendency for schools to play with weak sides to get maximum points by beating them outright. There are over 30 schools in division 1. The school coaches and masters in charge need be brought into an incentive scheme to ensure more schoolboys step into the national side while in school or within 2 years of leaving school.
2. Drawing of crowds for matches
In the sixties and seventies top school matches attracted large crowds in comparison to the sparse crowds witnessed now. Both school and club cricket need more publicity to attract cricket fans to match venues. The case is the same for test matches of national side at times. Those days the school big matches had 2 to 3 page supplements in newspapers with sizable photographs of all players and brief sketches on each player. However, coverage given for school cricket is rather insufficient in print media. Sri Lanka broadcasting corporation had a 10 minute programme during weekends and a 5 minute programme on weekdays at 7.30 p.m. with scores of matches played presented by veterans like Tommy Perera, Michael de Zoysa and others.
3. Raising of club cricket standards
Each division 1 club team should be sponsored by a corporate blue chip company so that the sponsor will look into the needs of players such as nutrition, medication, employment, transport, career progress, overseas exposure, player fees, etc. By this way Sri Lanka cricket will be able to spend more funds on infrastructure development, ground maintenance, hiring of specialist coaches, etc. The corporate sponsor will be in a position to allocate funds from its annual CSR (corporate social responsibility) budget. The goodwill of corporate sponsor will be at stake always with the performances of the club and its players both at club level and in the international arena. The respective division 1 clubs should source out the corporate sponsors.
4. Formation of Batting, Fast bowling, Spin bowling, Fielding academies with international standards
This will facilitate all players and coaches to rectify their problems and innovate for higher performances at any time of the careers of players. Reputed former international players be invited from time to time to share their experiences with the local players. Corrective action on players could be effected at early stages of their career.
5. Preparation of a corporate planning document
This should be prepared early with the participation of all stakeholders of the game to ensure specific goals are achieved in the short, medium and long term. Financial, marketing and administrative staff also be invited to contribute their ideas in addition to those who are directly associated with the game.
6. Participation of overseas players in domestic division 1 tournaments
This again will draw crowds into match venues and will also raise standards of player performances. The respective clubs with their corporate sponsors are required to discuss with club players and club management to map out strategies in getting the maximum effort from the players to win matches and become champions without hurting the feelings of any player attending practices for the club.
7. Cricket updates by electronic/digital media
For all vital school, club and international matches hourly score updates would also go a long way to stimulate interest in matches among cricket fans especially the old boys of schools and the staff of sponsor corporate houses.
The above are only a few avenues which could be tried out initially. Progress assessment, innovation and reintroduction could take place subsequently.
- C. Samaranayake