What steps should be taken to restore Sri Lanka Cricket?
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Many cricket fans are unhappy with our National Cricket Team’s performance. Now that the team has acquired the habit of losing matches one after the other, the players do not know how to overcome this problem. Losing a Test Series 3-0 in your own den is a shame.
The same result could be borne if the series was played away from home. However, allowing your opponent to carry all before them on your own national soil is utterly unpardonable. Now is the time for our Cricket Board and selectors to sit together and find solutions to this problem.
In this article it is my intention to put forward some suggestions to the men in authority as they ponder what measures need to be taken to solve the present pathetic state of cricket in Sri Lanka.
Changing captains
From 2007 to 2017 we have had at least seven captains. In other countries this does not happen. It is my suggestion that we stick to one captain and ask him to lead the side for ten years or more. Some may argue that if a captain wants to resign the Board has no alternative but to appoint another one. Before appointing the team leader the Board should sign a contract with the person, stipulating that he must remain captain for at least ten to fifteen years. The habit of changing captains will not take our cricket anywhere. If the skipper has some problems then the Board should help him to overcome them.
Changing Players
Selectors must stick to one team for some time. If the players are dropped after a few matches they will have no chance of improving their performance. During the last five years at least sixty players represented the country. This means that they had no opportunity of playing as a team. Changing players every now and then will not take our cricket anywhere. If a team is to have any chance of becoming a single playing entity, a united bunch, then it must play together for some time. I suggest that about twenty players be selected. They should be kept together and they should practice together. In doing so, they will come to know each other well and this will result in producing and maintaining a good team spirit among the players.
Batsmen playing long innings
Our batsmen must have consistency. They cannot score a hundred runs today and fail miserably tomorrow. Their failure should occur ‘once in a blue moon’. To ensure success in a game, all batsmen must have the ability to concentrate and play long innings. All our batters must be able to convert one hundred runs into double centuries.
Think of Brian Lara. He scored many double and treble centuries in cricket matches.
Once he even scored four hundred runs! Our own Mahela and Sangakkara did the
same! Therefore, our up-and-coming batsmen must learn to play long and tedious innings. Only then can we score six hundred plus runs in an innings. It is the duty of our coach to demand/insist that players do not throw their wicket when they are in top form. Any batsman should not be satisfied if he scores only fifty or one hundred runs. He must have the guts to be steadfast and bat as long as possible.
Bowlers
First, our bowlers have to be physically fit. We witness most of them being injured for one reason or another. When this happens they cannot give of their best to the side. Often they become ‘passengers’ in the team. Can an international side afford to carry such ‘passengers’? It is the prime duty of the physiotherapist to see to the fitness of the players, especially the bowlers. Following that, the bowling coach must train them to bowl line and length. That is his most important duty. If our bowlers do not deliver the goods then winning matches will always remain a ‘pipe dream’ for us!
Fielding
There was a time when our fielding was excellent. Now, however, it is in a very poor state and well below standard. At times it is lower than the school boy level! As a result of our shabby fielding our opponents make hay and score runs freely. Our fielding needs to improve by leaps and bounds, It is high time that our fielding coach woke up and remedied the situation. Can an international team win matches with ‘butter finger’ fielders?
Mental approach
To a certain extent cricket is a mental game. And in order for any team to win – and keep on winning – the players must be mentally fit. Looking at our players we see that they are not mentally prepared to play this game. Our Cricket Board has an unconditional duty to help them in this regard. In order to make our players mentally strong the Board must seek and obtain professional help. When this happens, then our players will be able to show their true colours on the field when things become tough and demanding.
Men in authority
There is a Cricket Board and Selectors Panel in Sri Lanka. The function of these men is not simply to ‘warm-up chairs’. It is their duty to see to the improvement of our national cricket. In this article I have highlighted certain areas that need immediate attention. I hope that the Board and selectors will do their utmost to regain past glories for Sri Lanka. If they are lethargic and not interested then we might as well hammer the last nail into the coffin of Sri Lanka cricket!
Our team is very good and talented. If they get the necessary push and encouragement then, I believe, they can keep the Sri Lanka Flag flying in the cricket world.
Rev. Bro. Nimal Gurusinghe F.S.C.