Unsung World Cup hero Upul Chandana lays emphasis on fielding
Upul Chandana was an important cog in the Sri Lanka Under-19 coaching set up - File pic Amila Gamage
World Cup winning all-rounder Upul Chandana, one of the finest fielders Sri Lanka ever produced, underscored the importance of sharpening the skills of national cricketers on the field to lift the fortunes of the team at international level firmly believing in the adage ‘catches win matches’.
“I believe fielding is the most important aspect in cricket,” said Chandana who was appointed as the fielding coach of the Sri Lanka Emerging cricket team recently.
“The responsibility of a fielding coach is to guide and nurture the players until they learn the key techniques of fielding”.
“A fielding coach has to look after everybody in the team including the reserve players. There are two types of fielders. The ones who have the natural talent and those who need more guidance and practice to achieve the required standard,”said the former fielding coach of the Sri Lanka Under-19 team.
He was youth team fielding coach for 10 long years, guiding many young players to achieve excellence in fielding.
Chandana has played an integral role in enhancing the fielding skills of the next generation having been part of the Sri Lanka Cricket’s national coaching set-up for the past decade. His commitment and dedication in this sphere is perhaps unmatched, demanding perfection from his charges.
Reeling out statistics, he attributed the success of the Sri Lanka Under-19 team for the fact that they held 130 catches in the last 20 matches whereas the national team’s fielding has been a major reason for the crisis they have been facing for a long time. Chandana feels every member of the team should prioritise improving their fielding.
“There is a famous saying in cricket ‘catches win matches’. A little mistake in the field can cost you a game. It is important to do the necessary fielding drills and every player must be ready to get a run-out with a direct hit or grab a stunning catch to be a game changer. I can still remember the moment I got the wicket of Alec Stewart with a direct hit and changed the game and win the 1998 Oval Test (against England), which is a historic moment in our cricket history,” pointed out Chandana, who played a key role in Sri Lanka’s World Cup triumph in 1996.
Despite not playing a single match during that victorious campaign, he displayed his skills while fielding as a substitute fielder. His contribution as a fielder is a prime example that depicts it is an important aspect to win matches.
“It was a team effort,” he said.
He praised the coaching management led by Dav Whatmore for identifying the strength of each and every player in the team and the blessings from the passionate Sri Lankan fans as a motivational factor for the entire team. Chandana made his Test debut in Bangladesh three years after Sri Lanka winning the World Cup during the Asian Test championship encounter against Pakistan becoming the 77th player to represent Sri Lanka in Test cricket.
A product of Mahinda College, Galle, Chandana was groomed by Lucky Arambewela and Dulip Navendra before joining Galle Sports Club. He also worked closely with R.L. Rangahewa, Stanley Amendra and Waidyaratne to sharpen his cricketing skills.
He joined Tamil Union Cricket Club in 1991, with his team mates being national stars Champaka Ramanayake, Chandika Hathurusinghe, Muttiah Muralitharan and many other players who went on to represent the Sri Lanka team. The two years that spanned from 1991 to 1993 is considered as the most consistent period for Chandana and Tamil Union as they won the now defunct Premadasa Trophy for two consecutive years. He went on to captain the team in 2001. He also represented NCC from 2004 until he hanged up his boots in 2012.
After his dominant performances at the domestic level he earned his maiden call-up into the National pool in 1993. But he had to wait for another year until he received his national cap during the Australasia Cup coming into the team as an all-rounder. He was renowned for his ability in all three facets of the game.
Chandana managed to cement his place in the national team from 2002 to 2007. Due to his consistent performances as an all-rounder he was invited to play league cricket for Gloucestershire, England in 2005. Though he played regularly during that period, he was not considered for the two World Cups that was played in 2003 and 2007.
During his prime years he was a consistent performer as an all-rounder across the two formats (Test and ODIs). In 2004, he achieved the rare feat by becoming the first Sri Lankan bowler to take 10 wickets in Australia during the Test match in Cairns.
The year 2007 was a decisive year for Chandana. He was anticipating to represent his country, either in the 50-Over World Cup in West Indies or in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in South Africa. After not being considered for the two tournaments he abruptly decided to bid farewell to his 14-year career as an international cricketer to become a successful coach.