Our under performing cricket team
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Since 2015 it has been a case of our team being drubbed. While this happened mainly on our foreign tours, of late we have been at the receiving end even at home. One aspect I observed that contributes to this situation was the lack of penetration by our opening / pace bowlers. This has been identified and much publicity given but it is evident that no positive action has been taken.
Our bowlers seem to bowl the same ball most frequently — ie coming in to the batsmen, with monotonous regularity, resulting in dispatches to the fence or over it. A former West Indian, commentator mentioned at one stage of a match that most of the balls by our pacies were outside the line of stumps. In other instances the really fast bowlers tend to bowl short. With such negative / erratic bowling I am sure it also puts more pressure on the spinners.
I believe we have selected a good set of pace bowlers for the New Zealand tour, but it is obvious that they are performing below their potential. Why not analyse the past and arrive at the tactics adopted by other teams that brings results and adopt the same. It will, I am sure, be evident that the ball moving in the air and or / off the pitch, in both directions bring productive results, provided line and length are maintained.
I do not profess to be anywhere close to being an expert and therefore I am suggesting that this aspect be considered by the experts and if valid, that course corrections be done of these basic aspects.
S.L.B. Wickramasinghe Gangodawila, Nugegoda.